Why Dolls?

I get a lot of e-mails asking about making other toys for the children. Although I love everyone’s ideas and the fact that you want to help, at the end of the day I usually end up saying …. Please try and make a dolly instead, it’s much easier than you think!



Why Dolls?

Well, I don’t encouraged people to make animal style toys because studies have found that children respond better to dolls rather than animals. A doll can help the child to project and feel comfortable within their own environment and within themselves.

Many organizations are much more receptive to dolls for their children for these reasons.

Here are a few sites about the use of dolls to help children through adverse situations:

Play Therapy
Play Therapy med artical
Dolls Help Children cope with Illness & Loss
Helping children cope with stress (death/loss etc)

Hope this helps to explain why I am so passionate about dolls for the kiddy-winks!


Dolls aren’t for Boys …… are they? 

I can assure you, boys love dolls! 

Especially those they can pretend are their heros, like their daddy, or a football or movie star for example. Read my post about boys and dolls here!

Have a wonderful week, and Happy Sewing!

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Dolls aren’t for Boys …… are they?

Don’t think boys love dolls? Anyone who saw the photos from our last drive know they do! But even with our Western take on who should and shouldn’t be playing with dolls I find more and more US sites catering to dolls for our little boys, Horay!

Daddy Dolls and Hug a Hero have a brilliant idea. They make pillow style dolls with the photo of your Daddy on them to help ease the stress of separation for the child via deployment, business trip etc.

If anyone’s played around with iron on transfer paper this project is for you! Very simple and quick …. And you don’t have to be big on sewing!!

Source: Daddy Dolls and Hug a Hero

Other good links: How to solve girly fabric dilemma when making boy dolls!

Happy Sewing!

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Newsletter: May

Apologies for any delays in my responses to e-mails and comments. I love hearing from everyone in the DD community!  I think having a Newsletter might just be the way to go so that i can stay on top of thing!  Let me know what you think :


My May’s Highlight: My little girl turned 1!  Wow how time flies!

DD Highlights: Some wonderful things have happened this month for Dolly Donations….

 

 
The most beautiful of all, I am sure you will all agree, was receiving the fabulous photos from The Abundant Ground Foundations Orphanage is Haiti Link

I’d like to thank everyone who made a dolly, The Abundant Ground and the drive sponsors Shellie Wilson of Craft Bits  /Craft Gossip .

Dolly Donations was given a 'Beautiful Blogger' award by the wonderful Clair over at FeltLikeStitches
Thank you so much, it means a lot to me (smiles and sends a hug!) If you haven’t seen any of Claire’s work you should pop over to her blog (I’m in love with her adorable toad stools!)

 

 
I love seeing your dollies! This little chap is modeled after the Haitian football/Soccer team by the talented Sarah at Cotton Kiwi who also runs The Devonport Craft Market, New Zealand.  I just love his little shorts :) and Sarah's already making football/soccer dolly number two!
 
 

 
Elizabeth and her sewing circle over at 12 Crafts Before Christmas are at it again! 10 dollies done and done!  They hope to host a doll drive sew-a-thon on a regular basics, a fabulous excuse to get together with other crafty women …. Sewing for good …. And eating cake!  Thanks Ladies!

 
Remember the cute teddy bears I told you about last drive? Well, I’m happy to tell you that the wonderful Suzie and her sewing friends are teaming up with us again for this drive!  “I currently have 15 bears ready to go and a dozen in process.”

 

Wow, that is brilliant!! They are so sweet and cuddly, thanks Suzi, keep up the good work!

 

 
Now comes the big heartfelt apology…. Sorry Claire, I totally misplaced your 7th birthday photo your Mom sent me… Silly Sarah! Your dolls are amazing and I know the children in Haiti love them with all their heart, Thank You!! Read Claire’s Updated Story 
 
Thank you to all who made a dolly last month, everyone is amazing … but then you all know that … right?! Don’t forget to send in your photos!
 

Horay! I’ve told you all the news and caught up on myself! I don't know about you, but I'm already looking forward to this months Newsletter!

 

Thanks for being a part of the Dolly Donations Community, keep spreading the word, have a wonderful week and Happy Sewing!

 

 

 

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Doll Designer in the Making: Claire’s Birthday Wish Came True!

Do you remember the wonderful story I posted about an age ago …. Claire, the little girl that asked her Mommy if she could host a dolly Donations making party for her 7th birthday? Well she did! And just look at all the beautiful dolls her friends made too!

Her Mom, Patty, described her little girls big dolly donations Birthday day!

"My daughter, Claire Grace Diamond-Wheeler, (pictured at the far right in the photo), celebrated her 7th birthday by inviting her friends to make dolls for the orphans with her.

My friend, who is a great sewer, stitched up the dolls beforehand, and we all brought scraps of fabric, ribbons, buttons, and supplies. We encouraged the girls, (16 of them!) to try different things till they loved the results, and then we stitched, glued, or tied on the clothing & accessories.

We had three moms, 1 dad, and three big sisters helping out, and we did it at the neighborhood church so that we had a big workspace. There were no gifts and we didn't send home gift bags with the kids, so it was really all about the giving experience ---- AND THEY LOVED IT! only happy faces knowing that they were sending their special dolly off to a child who would not only really love it, but really needed it. The dolls did not exactly follow regulations, but they were certainly made with lots of love and we all hope they can cheer up the kids in Haiti.


Thank you so much for making this opportunity available to us. It was an excellent lesson for our children and we are so happy to have been involved”

Everyone is so proud of you Claire!

Well done from us all over at Dolly Donations!

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