What's new, and, well, natural from the Naturalkids Team on Etsy

Welcome! I continue my trek backwards through the alphabet to bring to you the most wonderful and imaginative treasures. They are all handmade with natural materials from...yes! the NaturalKids Team on Etsy! This week, we feature wonderful variety of artist from who have one thing in common - they all work with natural materials.


Babus - From teethers to felted dolls, everything you see in this shop is made with love and by hand by Michelle in Silver Spring, Maryland. Michelle says,"Using sustainably produced wool yarns, I knit and wet felt all my toys to make them fuzzy, warm, sweet and enduring."

Here is her Original Baby Chain Wool Felt Toy.

AshperJasper's Vicky is an artist/homeschooling Mum (to Asher and Jasper) living in Southern California. Originally from England, she moved here after falling in love with a young American artist on a painting trip to Italy. Her husband has been contributing wooden toys to her store for about a year. Vicky says,"I love that we can work creatively together again! I have to admit that I am a wool addict. I LOVE the stuff. We are a family floating in a sea of wool and wood at all times." They offer natural wood and wool toys and accessories. Here most recent post to her Etsy shop is an invitation for you to begin felting with her Deluxe Needle Felting Starker Kit for Beginners.

Armadilo Dreams is a husband/wife shop run by Dustin and Amanda. They live in Central Oregon. They say, "We combined our love for our children, natural materials, woodworking and Armadillo Dreams was born! Together we make an awesome team and love to work together as a family." Here is their Rainbow Birdie and Wooden Egg - Toy Play Set.

Those are the featured new items for this week. What a rainbow of delightful treasures from one of a kind felted baby toys, to felting starter kits to lovely wooden toys! All are made from natural materials and from the hands of folks who love nature, children, and open ended toys. This is just a small sample of the quality and variety our customers enjoy from the fine crafters and artists of the NaturalKids team.

Thanks for joining us this week and please do return again next Monday as we continue to feature all the wonderful members of the Naturakids team on Etsy! Til then, I invite you to browse all our wonderful shops.

Warmly,
Rebecca aka Nushkie
Nushkie on Facebook

What's New, and, Well Natural from the Natural Kids Team on Etsy

Welcome! I continue my trek backwards through the alphabet to bring to you the most wonderful and imaginative treasures. They are all handmade with natural materials from...yes! the NaturalKids Team on Etsy! This week, we feature wonderful variety of artist from who have one thing in common - they all work with natural materials!

Darial Lvovski hails all the way from Israel. She is a wonderful needle felter using eco wool and is the mother to three girls. In her shop you will see "only a tiny part of an amazing world populated by the little beings I create. My works have become the ultimate toys for my own children and the children of my friends. " Here is her One of a kind needle felted wool collectible, Pig Soft Sculpture.

Dad's Wooden Toys from Grand Rapids, Michigan is not only a wonderful craftsman of eco-friendly wooden toys, but a wonderful poet as well. Here is how he describes how he got going on behalf of his children..."I want the best for them all/and that's how I started rolling this ball/The toys everywhere made noise and light/but I think the kids not the toys should be bright/So my wife and I were searching to find/toys that were natural and good for their mind." Here is his Great Dane Wooden toy.

Cute Little Thing, is from Farmingdale, Long Island. She took her genetic predisposition for “cute,” a bachelors of fine arts degree in interior design, an absolute love for natural materials and designing with them, to create the tools, and kits and more for “cute little thing.” Cute Little Barn Owl Needle Felting Kit DIY

Those are the featured new items for this week, from one of a kind needle felted treasures, to natural wooden toys to do-it-yourself kits, all from natural materials and from the hands of folks who love nature, children and open ended toys. This is just a small sample of the quality and variety our customers enjoy from the fine crafters and artists of the NaturalKids team.

Thanks for joining us this week and please do return again next Monday as we continue to feature all the wonderful members of the Naturakids team on Etsy! Til then, I invite you to browse all our wonderful shops.

Warmly,
Rebecca aka Nushkie
Nushkie on Facebook

Stoking the Creative Fires

Wanted to share a little bit on how I keep making stuff fun!
I happened upon a radio program the other day the other day where a Native Canadian was speaking about what winter means to her and her people. The snow blankets the land to put it into a deep sleep to help it rejuvenate for the next year. Her people spend long days in close quarters with one another, telling stories, preparing food, cleaning, and resting. Sounds like a plan.
I plan on using a typically slow time and cold weather to it's full advantage. This past winter season was the first for me to participate in craft shows and having no idea what to expect I pushed my little production line (me) on full tilt. I didn't have any time to explore other ideas that would pop up while I was busy sewing 20 little hats, 40 legs, 34 totes... I have always been a painter and since babies, painting has not come easy for me but thankfully, I have always been in the practice of keeping up a sketch book to make sure I jot or draw these ideas to pull from when the timing is right. (So many people tell me they can't draw so they don't keep a sketch book but remember, your sketch book is for you, as long as you can tell what it is, great :)
Tidy up
Before I can get down to starting new projects I always need to totally pull apart and organize my work space. Depending on how much space you have, this can take awhile but oh how satisfying to see all that fabric neatly folded up and organized into wonderful colourful piles. It's also nice to know where that vintage polka dot yellow ribbon has been hiding out. My brain appreciates a clean slate and work surface so I can take stock on what I may need for the next project.
Inspiration
Do you have something on your mind that you've been dying to work on? Do you keep a sketch book or journal with different ideas? Not to stress if you don't, there are so many places to look for inspiration. (I'd also highly recommend getting that sketch book/journal if you don't have one already :)

Surf the web with no agenda, follow those links from your favorite blog, get lost on flickr... I usually like to give myself a time limet as it can be overwhelming sometimes. Keeping track and bookmarking my web inspiration is also made easy with del.icio.us There are also lots of leads to follow there as well.
Get out and go shopping but leave the money and any expectations of buying anything at home. Do bring a camera to capture anything that may inspire. It's fun to see what is out there and I can find inspiration in a variety of stores from ceramic tile shops to high end furniture boutiques.
Maybe your over thinking it, you could try renting a movie from your childhood that holds special meaning. My brothers, sisiters and I watched "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" when we were kids close to a million times and every once in awhile I love to watch it and lose myself in the costumes, the songs, that crazy log dance! There are so many small details in movies or books or poetry that could start an avalanche of ideas.
Hit the library. We have a fantastic resource library in Toronto and I love flipping thru microfilms of old magazines. Not to mention all those art books with the wonderful full colour pictures. (renaissance lives!)
Get to it
Once your revved and ready to go, most importantly, don't be afraid of making mistakes. Just because you spent 4 hours on making a sleeve for an outfit and it looks awful is not a cause to be hard on yourself. Everything is a learning process and that's what makes it so fun. (it's fun remember!)
Maintain
Come spring I know I'll be needing to devote more time to my business. I feel it's important to remember to fill your creative cup and not forget about tending to it. I make sure to clear a special time every week for a few hours devoted to just that. Let my busy fingers do as they may. Learn to crochet? Potato printing some dish towels? Sure, why not. Usually I have 3 little helpers creating along with me and its challenging to adapt whatever project I'm working on for the munchkins but well worth it when I see there little faces concentrating on towering cotton balls.
Where do you seek inspiration?
How do you keep creating fun and fresh?

May the creative muses always continue to inspire!

http://www.pupa.etsy.com/

Friday Interview with ViltalaKim

Today we get to meet Kim from viltalakim. She is a brand new member and I think you'll enjoy getting to meet our new thread sister from the Netherlands.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how and when did you get started with arts and crafts?

I am Kim, aged 33, happily married, I have 2 girls(5 and 7) and live in The Netherlands.

I have a job as a florist teacher and my pupils are 14- 17 years old. It's a nice job to do, but to relax, I love (and need) to make felt.

Ever since I was a little girl I was always crafty, making things, creating, origami, little knitting, little simple sewing, little crocheting, working with beads, etc. My other passion at that time was classical ballet, which I tried to do at professional level. But unfortunately my body didn't have the right shape for that.... So I started an education to become a florist teacher. After working in a flowershop and making flower arrangements for 10 years I looked for a job as a teacher. During a Summer vacation in Sweden my friend introduced me in to the world of wet felting. I was immediately hooked to it!!!! At home I tried a lot by myself but also followed special felting workshops.

What is the main thing you make and sell in your shop? What else do you make or sell?

The main thing I make and sell in my store are wet felted crowns, animals and shawls. I have plans to make some more children mittens and hats as well. At the moment I have made some Christmas trees and I love to experiment a lot.

Where do you get your inspiration?

My inspiration comes from my children, nature and my surroundings. I often dream about an item how to make it. When I start making it ,it will be just the way I thought it would be. I also work very intuitive. I use colors that fit to the season.

What are your favorite materials?

Woolroving fibers of course! I have Gotland wool and Merino wool which I love to use because it's so soft and felts perfect. To make felt I also need soap and my favorite is 100% pure olive soap. It is gentle to my hands and smells good.

What advice would you give other Etsy sellers and those interested in opening up a shop?

Just do it! I have doubted for about a year now, before I opened an etsy shop, but I should have done it sooner. It's great fun, sending my items all over the world! And filling a shop is not that difficult.

My tip to beginners in Wet-felting: make samplers with different kinds of wool, so you'll now how much shrinkage that wool has, otherwise your item will be to small or stay to big. When you place layers of wool fibers, make them evenly thick. The thinner laid out, the more shrinkage.

What is your Etsy shop address and name? Where else can we find you?

My shop is http://viltalakim.etsy.com

I have not yet made my own website or blog, maybe in the future........

Shopname = Vilt Г la Kim. Vilt means felt in Dutch.

Thanks so much Kim! Next week meet my new co-writer for the Friday blog, huesofnature!
'til then, take care! Cynthia
http://fairiesnest.etsy.com

Instructions Not Included

I'll never forget one day at a neighborhood playground about two years ago, when I was sitting on the sidelines watching Eva, now four, play in the sand. Next to me was a woman who was on her hands and knees in the sand telling her two-year-old how to play with his toy. It was a complicated sort of gizmo the use for which, only the mother, evidently could decipher. It begged several questions in my mind; Who's toy was it, really? How necessary was it to get using it correctly right? Was there really only one way to play with this toy.

I've said it before in my blogs, but every time I look around, I see how deep the truth of this idea of Rudolph Steiner's is...that the child should be able in some way to complete the toy; it needs to be open ended. (Eva, pictured here, dresses herself and two of the needle felted dolls I made for her in silk. She has cast herself and the others in a "puppet" show.) Eva wears her play silk, or "Rainbow" as she refers to them, as a "wedding dress." But her silks have become baby slings, rainbows, flags, vaccuums, ropes, etc...

There is no correct way to play with these; no end to what this simple square of color can become, such as with Birchleafedesigns's play silks shown here. These are not only beautiful but processed with low-impact dye, making them and most of the other items featured environmentally friendly.

I'd like to explore the ways in which toys can be simple and open ended, using images from my Etsy.com Naturalkids Team colleagues for examples. With Winsomehollow's endearing gnome play set, there are no rules. There is no "branded" personality for him...or her. The little island can be anywhere the child chooses. His or her story will be new and original.

Although Woolcomesalive's toy set, pictured here is described on her site as a barn with sheep and bails, all of those pieces can have new identities in the mind of the child. For, they are not so specifically formed and have no back story created by marketing executives.

Oritdotandolls' fairies are light and ethereal. Literally, faceless, the child can project whatever image they like onto it. Though Orit names this one a "blessing," perhaps it is a "gifting" or "singing" fairy to the child...or just "Lucy." Refreshingly, nothing about this fairy disproves any of the child's notions.

We see that Littleelfstoyshop's daffodil girl holds a yellow flower...but what is the rest of her story...and can that daffodil be a flag or a horn? Sure. And her expression, like most Waldorf-inspired dolls is enigmatic, leaving her attitude up to the imagination of the child who plays with her. Here is another example of that open expression from Auntboosbabies. One might think that this lack of expression may feel cold to a child. On the contrary it is inviting. When you combine that with natural materials, like recycled cotton and other natural fibers, as many of our Naturalkids Team team members use, the doll is even softer to the touch...even more loveable.

I would like to continue with these examples and feature additional sellers from our team in my next "Part Two of Instructions Not Included" next time. In the meantime, I invite you to click on their links on the blog site and visit the wonderful and creative worlds these folks inspire through their artistry.

I leave off with the image featured at the top of the page from Dosidough. This team member creates a natural version of playdough - a toy which defies all rules and for which instructions are neither included or requested.

By Rebecca Varon-Remstein
nushkiedesign

Friday Interview with German Dolls

Today’s interview is with team member Ulla of the shop German Dolls. Her lovely dolls and sweet doll outfits have a wonderful old world feel to them and her shop is full of these simple childhood joys. I really enjoyed getting to know Ulla better and I think you will too!

Tell us a little about yourself...
Guten Tag!
My name is Ulla Seckler. I was born and raised in Germany and moved to the United States in 1996. I am married and live in beautiful Colorado with my husband and two kids.
I have been sewing and making things practically all my life.
Back in good old Germany children are instructed in needlework at a tender age. I still remember the old lady, named Frau Knebel, who came in with two gigantic knitting needles, the size of poles for pole vaulting (it seemed), and taught all the girls and BOYS how to knit in elementary school.
Sewing is in my blood. My great grandmother was the village seamstress and called in whenever somebody got married and needed custom-made, hand embroidered table and bed linens. She taught my grandma and my mother. And I watched my mother sew, crochet, and knit all my life. She did not have to make a living that way, but whenever she had a minute she was doing something. Her hands were never idle, and I grew up in a world where handmade sweaters, mittens, and scarves appeared overnight. All it took was a snowfall. My dolls and I never lacked a new outfit and were dressed appropriately for the season . . .
After I had children of my own in the US; I was worried that they would grow up without the same quality handmade items and toys that I had when I was little. So I started making dolls after my daughter was born. And once I started making the dolls, I began making clothes for them as well. Some of the patterns I use were handed down in my family. But most of the designs are a combination of the old traditional patterns and my own more modern spin on Waldorf.

What is the main thing you make and sell in your store? What else do you make or sell?
The main thing I make and sell in my store is dolls and doll clothing. Once I started making dolls I became a total addict. First I made dolls for my kids, then for all the nieces and nephews, then for friend’s kids. I just could not stop. The dolls began to clutter the house. My husband complained that there was never a place to sit down any more...He said:” Honey, why don’t you sell some on eBay.” I did - and “the rest is history” as they say.
Last Christmas I got a needle felting kit as a present. I instantly fell in love with this craft. I have a few needle felted items in my store and would like to expand in that area..

Who if anyone has been instrumental in helping you hone your craft?
The one person who has been most instrumental when it comes to my craft is my mother. See above. She did not teach me the art of Waldorf Doll making per se, but she taught me all the skills needed to make a beautiful handmade toy.

Where do you get your inspiration?
My daughter’s birth inspired me to make my first doll, and watching her play with all of her dolls every day is my greatest inspiration!
My German heritage is certainly very important and a great inspiration in what and how I do what I do. I miss the dark, green, Fairytale forests of Germany. But at the same time my life as an immigrant has given me a very unique perspective on things. I see many playrooms in the United States filled with gobs and oodles of ugly plastic toys. The main criterion in many households appears to be mass rather than quality. I hope that more people will learn about Waldorf and Natural toys.
If it had not been for coming here I don’t think I’d be a doll maker. I probably would have bought a handmade doll in Germany and let it go at that. I think my work is a great example of how the New World and the Old World come together to inspire wonderful art.

What are your favorite materials?
I still get excited every time a new shipment of supplies arrives at my doorstep, especially when it was mailed from Germany. I love Color! Cotton velour is my favorite material! And it comes in so many bright colors =)! I get sad whenever I run out of a color. I make my Wee Pocketbabies out of this wonderful stuff, but it is also great for doll clothes and other cuddly toys.
I love wool in any shape and color! Wool felt, wool roving, yarn, carded wool fleece. Wool is what my dolls are stuffed with, soft warm springy natural sheep’s wool. Who likes to hug plastic? This is my slogan.

“In an age when everything is made of plastic and synthetics and almost every toy says “Made in China,” my Waldorf Dolls are handmade with pure wool and cotton, natural materials that warm to body temperature as they are held. Have you ever hugged a cold, plastic baby doll on a cold winter morning? My soft, warm dolls are unique, huggable, and as individual as the children who love them.”

What advice would you give other Etsy sellers and those interested in opening up a shop?
Don’t quit your day job! It takes a lot of time and energy to build a small business. We are talking years - not months. Don’t expect to open a store and have a lot of sales right away. When I first started on Ebay it was very tough. I often sold my dolls for little more than the price of the materials. I am doing a little better these days but often wonder if it is possible to make a living being an artist. My husband brings home the bacon!
You have to love what you do to make it through the rough spots. My friends on Etsy, particularly the Naturalkids Team, have made my “crafting life” so much happier. I am immensely grateful for the sense of community and friendship I have found there!

7)What advice would you give to beginners in your main craft?
Patience, patience, patience! You cannot expect to make a first doll and for it look great. It took me many years to perfect all the techniques and come up with the perfect doll.

What is your Etsy shop address and name? Where else can we find you?

I recently closed my Ebay shop because of the impossible high fees. I have decided to put all of my energy into my Etsy shop. I hope to have my own website some day...
My Etsy shop address is www.germandolls.etsy.com
I also have a flickr account. If you would like to see pictures of old and new work you can check out my “archive” on flickr; http://www.flickr.com/photos/germandolls

Friday Interview with Unwaveringfaith

Today's interview is with Jenn of the Etsy shop Unwaveringfaith, or Faith as we have nicknamed her in the ongoing team threads. Jenn has many unique and beautiful items in her shop, created with love by both Jenn and her children. I think you'll enjoy getting to know "Faith" !

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how and when did you get started with arts and crafts?

~My name is Jenn and I homeschool five of my six children. We mostly unschool, but we love to incorporate Waldorf and Charlotte Mason methods into our learning. I live in Tennessee on a beautiful piece of property and we spend most of our days outdoors, weather permitting.

I remember helping my aunt base paint the ceramics she sold at local craft shows years ago. And man, she was good! The best ceramics painter I have ever seen, to this day! I always enjoyed making crafts, but nothing major. My main joy in life was writing poems and short stories. If you had ever told me I'd be a fiber artist someday, I would've laughed!

I started making Waldorf dolls for my daughters and other family members a few years ago. Everyone loved them and said I should try to sell them. My first doll sold for $30 and I was so excited! Not long after, I started making the flower fairies and gnomes. Then I taught myself to knit. I dabble in a little of everything.

What is the main thing you make and sell in your store? What else do you make and/or sell?

~Whatever tickles my fancy! I guess I am mostly known for gnomes and flower fairies, although I really enjoy needle-felting and knitting. I make Waldorf dolls from time to time. There is nothing I won't try to do or learn. My shop is a little different than most of the others, in that it is all about family. It's not just my products...it started out as just me, then became me and my mom. I really loved doing this with my mother for a time. We grew closer and collaborated on everything. She had a lot of great ideas and was very talented and in high demand with her original gourd homes. I miss her as part of the team. I really miss her gourds in my shop. What is there now is all that is left and I will probably never have more. It's very sad for me, but that time of my life is over now.

Now my husband, my son and my daughters all make things for the shop. We are diverse in our interests and talents, so we have a lot to offer, I think. My husband and son make wooden things. My husband is a very talented artist and paints wooden keepsake boxes. My daughters love to draw and make cards and paper goods for the shop. It's fun to to create and work together. I teach my children everything I know and enjoy helping them learn how to make new things.

Who if anyone has been instrumental in helping you hone your craft?

~No-one. I have never taken a class. I am self-taught in knitting (you should see how I hold needles, HA!) I taught myself needle-felting, I am sure I do that wrong too! I have never looked at a book. I have looked at Waldorf doll patterns to make them, but I always try to make them my own by tweaking the pattern or leaving something out. My girls got a book on pipe cleaner fairies for fun one year and I didn't like them, so I came up with a different fairy. I now use pipe cleaners under my needle-felted Strawberry dolls and sometimes make Bendy dolls in that way. But I prefer the flower fairies to be "dainty" and beautiful, not thick and bulky. They are very strong and stand up to lots of play, though, don't let their appearance fool you!

Where do you get your inspiration?

~You know the answer! My children, of course! They are so imaginative and amazing! We will sit and talk about things we enjoy, things we wonder about. We talk probably more than anyone I know! I throw ideas off them..."Hey, what about this....wouldn't this be cool...", etc. and they give feedback. If they like it, I'll try to make it. If it works out, I let them "test" one...to see how it holds up to play, how it is to play with (fun or boring?), if they like it. Do they think it needs more work or is it good just as it is? Then I make the final product based on their opinions. They have a lot of mommy-made dolls and things because of this! :0)

What are your favorite materials?

~Wool, of course! I am very allergic to it, especially raw wool. I break out horribly with hives, itch all over and cough and wheeze. When I first began working with wool, I'd cough every night. I finally went to the doctor to find out what was wrong. (I wasn't correlating the two) They ran tons of tests, everything came back fine. I was in perfect health. But because I was coughing, I had quit working. After about a month of not working, the coughing fits had stopped, so I started working again. Guess what? Yep, the cough returned. I was determined not to let the allergy ruin my creativity and my business. I toughed it out. To this day, wool is my very favorite material and I will never put it down! And I am happy to report, the reaction is not as strong anymore. I can work with clean wool easily and do so almost every day.

What advice would you give other Etsy sellers and those interested in opening up a shop?

~Never give up! When I first started out, my dolls did not bring in much money. I didn't care though because I enjoyed it so much. The gnomes I made did not sell at first, now I cannot keep them stocked. The more you work, the better your product becomes. Do not get discouraged. If your heart is in it, keep at it. It will shine through your product and people will know. I have a loyal customer base. I love what I do. I will never stop, no matter what! Even if I didn't sell a thing, I would do this for friends and family and continue my charity efforts (it brings me such joy) I have made things to take to local hospitals for sick kids (dolls and other things that can be played with easily in bed) and for newborns in the nursery (knit hats)

What advice would you give to beginners in your craft?

~Promote yourself as much as possible. I am only just beginning to realize how important this is. It gets your name and your product out there. People start wondering who you are, then they buy from you, then they tell others about you and then it spreads from there. If your products are nice, you'll get the same people again and again. This builds a loyal customer base. Also, ALWAYS be super polite, friendly in conversations, willing to fix any mistakes and willing to help your customers in any way possible. They *WILL* remember how they were treated, how quickly you shipped, the way the product was packaged, etc.

What is your Etsy shop address and name? Where else can we find you?

Nature's Enchantment~Handmade Toys and Gifts

http://unwaveringfaith.etsy.com

That is the only place where I sell.

I am a team member of the Natural Kids blog

http://natural-kids.blogspot.com

I also have my own little blog...

Barefoot in Tennessee~The simple life ramblings of a homeschooling mom to six children

http://barefoot-in-tennessee.blogspot.com

Thank you for this interview and for taking the time to read it! I feel honored.

Originality within a style

There has been a great deal of discussion on our group message board this week about that sincerest form of flattery. While this seems to be endemic in any crafting community (there are threads on the Etsy forum all the time like this one, or this one, or this one. There are more, but I will stop now...), the issue is much harder to address is a Waldorf/natural toys crafting community. Isn't the point of making a Waldorf doll to, well, make a Waldorf doll?

A Waldorf doll has a unique history and a unique style. While the first retail Waldorf doll is credited to Käthe Kruse, many surmise that these dolls have been around since the late 19th/early 20th century. The dolls are called Waldorf dolls because of their deep connection to the Waldorf/Steiner educational philosophy.

You can make a doll for a child by folding up an old napkin, making two corners into legs, the other two corners into arms, a knot for the head, and painting eyes, nose and mouth with blots of ink. Or else you can buy the child what they call a ‘pretty’ doll, with real hair and painted cheeks. We need not dwell on the fact that the ‘pretty’ doll is of course hideous, and apt to spoil the healthy aesthetic sense for a lifetime. The main educational question is a different one.
If the child has before him the folded napkin, he has to fill in from his own imagination all that is needed to make it real and human. This work of the imagination moulds and builds the forms of the brain. The brain unfolds as the muscles of the hand unfold when they do the work for which they are fitted. Give the child the so-called ‘pretty’ doll, and the brain has nothing more to do. Instead of unfolding, it becomes stunted and dried up.
~~Rudolf Steiner, The Education of the Child in the Light of Anthroposophy

There are several key components to a Waldorf doll that all Waldorf doll makers include:

• The doll is made from all-natural materials. This generally means cotton and wool, though, with the advent of newer natural materials, some dollmakers are using bamboo, silk, and other materials in their dolls.


• A firm, molded head, generally made from wool and string.


• Minimal to no facial features, allowing the child's imagination to fully engage in the emotional life of the doll.

Within these criteria, there is lots of room for similarity!

Summer Girl by Orit Dotan Dolls

Steve by FaerieRebecca

Arlo by MoonChild Studios

There's also lots of room for creativity and originality that spans far beyond what the originators of the Waldorf doll might have ever imagined!

Moranna by PrismKids

Capricorn Goat Gnome Mermaid by freedomRainbow

All of these dolls are definitely "Waldorf dolls," and while they all share those basic components described above, they are all undeniably different. Each creation carries a spark inside of it--a bit of the dollmaker herself. I have done workshops with beginning dollmakers and am always amazed at how different each doll looks at the end of the day. The participants are all working off of the same pattern--and in most cases are using pre-sewn bodies I provided!--but each and every doll looks different from the one next to it.

There is room for inspiration from other artisans within any crafting community. At its heart, it's the soul quality that the artisan brings to her creation that makes it truly unique and original.