Happy Birthday Under Rainbows

 Today marks 2 whole years since I opened my little shop, Under Rainbows on Etsy selling waldorf dolls.

 I still love making these dolls as much as I did when I first started. In fact probably more so. I feel much more confident about my ability to be able to make other people's dream dolls for them. But this year has brought new challenges and excitements for me.

I created a baby doll pattern for a weighted and jointed doll. It is really popular and I have had many request and orders for baby dolls.

 I have also in the last month found that I can make tiny wee dollhouse sized dolls and oh how I love these and I know I will make many more in time to come.

 Time, however, I seem very short of. I found myself replying to a customer inquiry in my shop today 'I am really busy at the moment and I can only take orders from July 2013 on wards'. (WHAT!!!!) I am trying to be very sensible about the projects I take on. Now that I am a single parent my time for crafting is limited to times when Andy has the kids (and I am not at my counselor or running) and when the little ones are in bed. So you can imagine I don't have endless hours. My idea of 'sensible' is a doll a week, and so that is what I have at the moment, a doll a week until the end of May 2013 ( I have scheduled in a holiday in December and am taking June off)!

I am so honored and delighted to be able to make such special dolls and I am looking forward to making each and every one of them. Still, I am wondering how to manage all of the requests for the rest of 2013. I have a thought to turn my attentions to something else, a first wee step on another, different career path. A path that will require re-training and I wonder if I will want to start retraining next year, and if I do will I want the pressure of a doll a week? What would you do?

 Another lovely thing that has started happening this year is that I have made a few dolls for exchanges. The boys got this lovely farm for their birthday in exchange for a doll. I got some gorgeous enamelware and I am being knitted both a shawl and a cardi (and am always open to more offers...if you can wait til July lol)

 Again this year, like last year I have made some real friends through making dolls for families. We have gotten to know each other and have kept in touch. I find really getting to know a family helps me to work the right kind of magic into their doll :-) and of course lovely friends all over the world is a very special thing for me :-)

 The most touching and unexpected development that came with the dolls of my 2nd year was the healing aspect. In the last year I have made dolls for people who needed more than just a toy.
 I have made a doll for a little girl who is very sick. I filled that doll with healing thoughts and endless stitches of love.
 I have made baby dolls for women who have lost babies of their own and who needed something to hold, to weep over, something for them, something to fill their aching, empty arms.
I have made dolls for someone who was so badly abused as a child that she split into hundreds of littles. Those littles are lost and hurt and terrified and hold the memories of those terrible happenings. I have made dolls for those littles. Each one of them made with mothers love, a deep caring love for the little the doll is for. As I make them I sing to them softly, I tell them stories and I fill them with cuddles and love and compassion.
 Is that not simply amazing that making dolls has taken me here? For me the dolls are a way I can reach out to others, to people who are hurting and healing. I can show people I care, with every. single. stitch.

 Who know what my 3rd year of Under Rainbows will bring. I have already taught one class and held one online craft along. I am hoping to do a full class for a friend in America via skype and I am also hoping to run a small class in my home to make an angel doll for Christmas. Perhaps I will do some more classes? But I certainly will be making more dolls :-)

I thank you all for your support and encouragement in my 2nd year...and if you want a doll for next Christmas...well get your orders in early lol ;-)