Paintbrush Revolution

I owe it all to my good friend Claire, and a video she sent me last winter.

It used to be that the dolls that made an appearance in our home eventually "went on a long holiday". It wasn't a solution I was happy with, but this was for lack of a better idea. 

I don't meander the doll aisles all that often, but a quick glance has often been enough to put me off, to put it mildly. The "iconic Barbie" (which I have seen is now getting body shape and colour changes!) and its cousins weren't really something I wanted my girls (and boy!) to relate to or in any way want to emulate. But lo and behold, when I saw that it was possible to change these little creatures into more real and familiar looking friends, I knew this was my cue. I finally had my answer.

We had no dolls in the house anymore, but Finland being a country rich in second hand shops and flea markets I knew this was an endeavor I could throw myself into wholeheartedly! Venturing out into totally unknown territory I acquired all the materials necessary for the task at hand and set out to reconcile myself to the world of dolls and redeem it for my three little saplings. 

My girls were involved from the start, which sparked many a good conversations - with them, our friends, their teachers and friends at playgroup. I learned a new trick with every doll I repainted, and as they underwent the test of time, it became apparent that they would need a final coat of varnish to ensure the paint wasn't going to chip away. My kids helped greatly in making the experiment as genuine as possible; the dolls weren't politely stood on my workshop table.

My mother-in-law has been happily knitting clothes for the dolls, and I've arrived at a place where I'm happy with the results (though being a perfectionist doesn't give me much lenience).

I feel I still have a lot of ground to cover, but I've been so encouraged and had so many good conversations with many other parents, and even have a few keen prospective buyers too!

So, I'll be checking in again as I progress into this new world of opportunity! 

To be continued...


My ears are currently seduced by: Covenhoven - The Wild And Free