25 January, 2008

dolls...

inspired by my friend lizz's post the other day on her blog, i wanted to take a picture of the dolls that share our daily life here.  meet nova, hazel, penny and special baby (the little doll babies that hazel and penny are holding were made by my dear friend and fellow etsy shop owner, aunt boo)...

(from left to right) nova, hazel, penny and special baby


as lizz so eloquently shared in her post, dolls and our play with them is so very important.  it truly is a time to imitate daily activities, pretend, nurture and express feelings...which comes instinctively to children.  it certainly is a part of the daily rhythm here at our house.  tending to them, knitting their clothing, dressing them, keeping them warm, sharing mealtime, taking them along on outings, etc...is a sweet pleasure for both maya and i.  and waldorf dolls are especially endearing in that they have simple facial features that allow for the imaginative play of the child to express a myriad of feelings and emotions.  likewise, when such simple dolls are made with natural materials (such as wool and cotton), the child experiences a positive sensory connection with the living world.

maya with special baby from about a year ago



all three of the bigger dolls have been with us since my older ones were young.  maya became very attached to 'special baby' (who was my son's doll when he was little) when she was just learning to crawl and she has been much loved and cared for.  hazel and penny are her 'sisters' and they all share a special bond.  we recently welcomed little nova into the family.

yours in play,

shelley

8 comments:

denise said...

They look like a well cared for loved family of dolls. Love the names! :)

Lizz said...

So sweet, Shelley. They look like real family members, I can feel the love that makes them 'alive'. Their clothes are super amazing, like I like to dress.

I can't wait to hear all about your family. Now I know you have older children.

Anonymous said...

the name "special baby" says it all! i've watched my little girl grow up with special baby and i've seen the true love and affection she gives her. i remember the first time maya nursed special baby and that in itself is a true testiment to the level of realism in these wonderful dolls. i've delved into the world of dolls right along with maya....seatbelting special baby in the seat next to me and feeding pink bear some of my sandwich. i've even been known to fall asleep with "sleepy baby" in my arms. i love you the world of dolls that shelley has provided for us in our household. thank you shelley!

waldorfmama said...

i love you, sweet husband! dedicated and loving papi to our sweet maya meadow!

Cadi said...

What special and wonderful comments others have already left! I just *love* the amazingly knitted wardrobe of the dolls. I just finished knitting a pair of socks for my son Nathan today, and wondered what to do with the beautiful left-over Merino yarn. Now I do! I will knit some doll clothing! :-) Such a love radiates from the dolls on your picture! We have a doll that was created for my older son about 9, 10 years ago. I have restuffed the doll a few times already, but there are just so many wonderful memories! ... Including Noah nursing the doll! :-) ~~~ Waldorf-style dolls are such a wonderful childhood treasure! Thank you for sharing, Shelley!

Anonymous said...

shelley, i cannot put into words the depths of peace and love i glimpse every time you share your lovely family's world here and on etsy...may every child flourish in such a world...namaste

Suse said...

Lovely lovely dolls. I particularly like their clothes.

Thanks for visiting my blog Shelley, it seems my dyeing tutorial post has struck a nerve with many people!

waldorfmama said...

thanks cadi, birdie and suse!