Heartfelt Dolls
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    • Heartfelt Dolls: companions for the journey
    • The Quotidian Doll: an introduction >
      • The Quotidian Doll Blog: introducing a Heartfelt-doll-a-day
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    • Heartfelt Dolls willing to leave home (for sale) >
      • Matariki
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        • Julie Has Flown North For The Summer
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      • Heartfelt dolls in a series >
        • The Rainbow Connection
        • What's in a cup?
        • The Apple
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        • Bibliophile
        • Seeing the world through different eyes
        • Akuba: encouraging change
        • It takes a village
        • Umbrella and Umbrage
        • A cautionary tale ...
    • Heartfelt Process, Heartfelt Transformation >
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      • Freeing the caged heart: the poets and the dollmaker
      • The Unemployment Blues
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      • The Alchemy of Change
      • Sticks and stones
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      • The Great Divide: one woman's experience of divorce >
        • Numb
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        • Burlap and lace
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        • Bitch
        • The Devil on my back
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          • You are dying ...
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        • Dance me To The End of Love
      • Black Dog: one woman's experience with depression >
        • The Anti-depressants
        • Some days
        • What I wish you knew about depression
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        • Anger Management with Dammit Dolls
        • Dammit!
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        • Are you the one?
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        • Hello Dollies: an article
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      • What a wonderful world!
      • A thanksgiving vest
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      • In Praise
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    • ANZAC: a tribute >
      • ANZAC Quilt
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  • Heartfelt prayer
    • Heartfelt crocheted rosaries
    • Heartfelt Retreat >
      • An Advent Retreat in Daily Life
      • Our daily medicine: a 28 day reflection on living and dying
      • Hidden in Plain View: a retreat in daily life
      • 24 hours: a retreat reflecting on the passion of Jesus
      • Stations of the light
    • Heartfelt waiting: reflections on the season of Advent >
      • Matron Saints of Un-named Women
      • Advent is a vessel
      • Advent is a pilgrimage
      • Advent remembers we are all related.
      • Advent is creative
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    • Stations of the Cross >
      • Christchurch Stations of the Cross
      • 24 Hours
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    • Heartfelt Season: reflecting on the season of Lent >
      • A Lenten Walk
      • Lenten Prayer Flags
    • Heartfelt Hallelujah: reflections on the season of Easter >
      • Voices on the Via Lucis
    • Prayers from the Ark >
      • The Mouse
      • The Spider
      • The Dog
      • The Elephant
      • The Lizard
      • The Lamb
      • The Peacock
      • The Giraffe
      • The Toad
      • The Parrot
      • The Mother Hen
      • The Goldfish
      • The Cat
      • The Lion
    • Heartfelt Belief
    • Heartfelt Reflection >
      • These Parables Blow Me Apart!
      • A Single Thread
      • Every moment is gift
      • Harvest Wheat
      • Stepping out in faith
      • Harvest Heart
      • Dream catcher
      • The Sewing Basket
    • Sacred Story >
      • The Road to Emmaus
      • The Loaves and the Fishes
    • Listening To Winter
    • Genesis
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      • Joy on a String
      • Changing Landscapes
      • Rites of Passage
      • Sowing and Reaping
      • Hidden In Plain View
      • An Emmaus Journey
      • God and Dog
      • Dear Julie
      • An Intentional Walk
      • The Widow's Might
      • Does God Exist?
      • The Sewing Basket
      • Advent: A Sacred Space
      • A Secular Liturgy
      • Your Call
      • Dance me To The End Of Love
  • "100 day" projects
  • Prayer flag project
    • Blessings on the wind: a year of blessings >
      • April blessings
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    • Prayer flag blog
  • Gratitude Flowers

Doll 93: Colm Buchanan

23/8/2017

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Colm Buchanan was the first great grandchild of Silas and Grace Brennan.
He was born in 1903 in Western Australia
to Constance and Kevin Buchanan.

Colm's life long dream was to be a pilot.
As soon as he was old enough,
he moved to Queensland to train.
There, in 1920,  AFC pilots, Paul McGuiness and Hudson Fysch
has established the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service (QANTAS).
By 1922, a sceduled mail service operated between Charleville and Cloncurry.
Operations then moved to Longbeach.
By 1927, the serice extended to Camooweal and Noraton.
In 1929, the Headquarters moved to Brisbane.

He married aviatrice Doreen Thompson in 1927.
They had 2 children:
Colin b. 1928
Rose b. 1931
Picture
The teardrop shape is reflected
in the lower torso.
The upper torso is almost rectangular.
The shoulders are slightly sloping.
The neck is long
with a hint of a head.
Long narrow arms
are sewn to the base of the neck.
For reflection ...
Colm loved to fly.
What impact does air travel have on our environment?

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Doll 92: Irene Brennan

22/8/2017

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Irene Casey was born in Taumarumui, New Zealand in 1890.
She was the first generation new Zealander,
born to Irish Catholic immigrants.
Irene's parents did not keep good health
and she dedicated much of her young adulthood
to their care and well-being.
After their deaths,
Irene opened a small dairy/general store
to cater for the needs of the growing population,
the railway workers, and those using the trains to travel.

She met Rewi Brennan, a train driver in 1919.
They married in 1920
and had 3 children:
Veronica b. 1922
Lawrence b. 1924
Vincent b. 1925.
Picture

The template can only be seen
in the shape of the shoulders and neck.
The torso is quite long
and cut straight across the base
to form a skirt/dress.
Curved legs which mimic the template
are sewn to the base.
Long narrow arms
have been sewn to the shoulders.
For reflection ...
Irene was an older mother.
What are the extra demands made on older parents?

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Doll 91: Rewi Brennan

21/8/2017

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Rewi Brennan was born in 1893 in Rotorua.
He was the youngest child of Kennedy and Aroha Brennan.
Rewi was fascinated with trains and railways.
The Rotorua line was initiated in 1894.
As he grew, Rewi would spend every moment he could down at the station.
He gained an apprenticeship to the railways,
and eventually became a locomotive driver.
Rewi transferred to Taumarunui.

Taumarunui gained importance with the completion
of the North Island Main Trunk line in 1908-09 .
The line south of Taumarunui caused considerable problems due to the terrain,
and has several high viaducts and the famous Raurimu Spiral.
The Stratford - Okahukura Line to Stratford connected just north of Taumarunui.

Rewi met Irene Casey, a shop owner, in Taumarunui.
They married in 1920
and had 3 children:
Veronica b. 1922
Lawrence b. 1924
Vincent b. 1925.
Picture
Once again,
the teardrop shape can be seen in the lower torso.
The upper torso is quite straight,
with gently sloping shoulders.
The neck is elongated,
with only a hint of a head.
Long narrow arms are attached
to the base of the neck.
For reflection ...
Rewi had an apprenticeship,
where he started at the bottom with basic tasks,
working alongside experienced tradesmen,
learning all aspects of his trade,
together with problem solving.
Many modern apprenticeships do not have this long slow acquisition of skills.
Head knowledge is given precedence over practical experience.
Which is better?

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Doll 90: Roimata Brennan

20/8/2017

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Roimata Brennan was born in 1891 in Rotorua, New Zealand.
She is the 5th descendent of Silas and Grace Brennan
to become a priest or religious sister.
Roimata had long been interested in Maori herbal medicine,
and was intrigued by Suzanne Aubert's herbal remedies.
Suzanne Aubert was a French nun who founded the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion,
New Zealand's only indigenous religious order.
Roimata had also heard about Suzanne's work amongst the Maori,
who she knew were severely disadvantaged by European colonisation.

Roimata travelled to Wellington to work at the Home of Compassion
which was opened in Island Bay, Wellington, in 1907.
She joined the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion
and cared for babies and children,
as well as working in soup kitchens.
Picture
The template is buried beneath
voluminous layers of clothing!
Underneath, the lower torso and legs
reflect the teardrop shape.
The head is swathed in a veil.
Long narrow arms are buttoned
to the top of the upper torso.
For reflection ...
Roimata confidently used homeopathic and natural remedies.
How open am I to alternatives to conventional medicines,
as prescribed by trained professionals?

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Doll 89: Lord Elwyn Pemberley

19/8/2017

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 Elwyn Pemberley was the only son of Lord Leopold and Lady Augusta Pemberley.
He was born in 1870, in Devon.
He inherited his father's title and estate on his father's death.
Lord Elwyn was a quiet but learned man,
enjoying music and literature and anthropology.
He took every opportunity to experience different cultures
and often took Grand Tours.

Matt Gross, in "Lessons From the Frugal Grand Tour." New York Times 5 September 2008.
described a Grand Tour thus,
"Three hundred years ago,
wealthy young Englishmen began taking a post-Oxbridge trek through France and Italy
in search of art, culture and the roots of Western civilization.
With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months (or years) to roam,
they commissioned paintings,
perfected their language skills
and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent."


He met Marama Smith at a Maori Concert.
They married in 1920
and had 2 children:
Victoria b. 1921
Albert b. 1924.

Lord Elwyn died in 1925.
Picture
I set aside the template.
The torso is rectangular and largish.
The neck is thick
and the head is bulbous.
The long legs gently curve inwards at the feet.
Long narrow arms are stitched to
the gently sloping shoulders.
For reflection ...
The big OE is not restricted to the English nobility.
Young people from all walks of life
yearn to discover how other people live.
What impact does tourism have on our communities, our environment,
our indigenous peoples, our native languages,
our health and the stability of family groups?

0 Comments

Doll 88: John Smith

18/8/2017

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Mmmmmm....
The enigmatic John Smith.
Little is known of this man.
It was thought he might be English or Welsh but no-one knew.
He captured the heart of the young Marama Brennan.
They married in 1908 but he deserted her shortly after.
He was never seen or heard of again.
Picture
The original template is evident in the upper torso and shoulders.
The neck is long
and the head abnormally large.
The long legs curve gently inwards.
Long narrow arms are attached to the shoulders.
For reflection ...
John Smith acted dishonourably.
How should we react when we are treated badly -
the victim of a scam or cheated of our savings or discarded for another?
How do we draw a line under it and life our life fully without regret or anger?

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Doll 87: Marama Pemberley

17/8/2017

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Marama Brennan was born in 1890 in Rotorua.
She inherited her mother's beauty and her father's pale skin.
Marama's first love was Maori culture, especially song, dance and poi.
As soon as she was able she joined a Maori Concert party,
and entertained the growing number of overseas' tourists.
Marama persuaded her father to have regular concerts at his hotel.

At 17, Marama came under the spell of the enigmatic John Smith.
They were married in 1908.
Two years later, John mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen or heard of again.
Marama petitioned for divorce.

Her concert party travelled to England to perform to the aristocracy and nobility.
Once again her heart was stolen,
this time by the charming, but much older, Lord Elwyn Pemberley.
They married in 1920
and had 2 children:
Victoria b. 1921
Albert b. 1924.

Lord Elwyn died in 1925.
Marama was to administer the estate until Albert was 18 years old.
Unfortunately, Albert died in Norway during World War 2.
Instead, the inheritance passed to the next male relative, a remote second cousin.
Marama received a yearly allowance.
Picture

There is a nod to the original template
in the slope of the shoulders
and the curvature of the legs.
Her womanly wiles are revealed
in the shapliness of the dress form.
Long narrow arms are sewn
to the base of the neck.
For reflection ...
Marama took her husband's name when she married.
Is this necessary?
How do women retain their unique identity within a marriage?

0 Comments

Doll 86: Cecilia de Luca

16/8/2017

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Cecila de Luca was born in Florence, Italy, in 1889.
From an early age, she was known to have a rare musical talent.
Her parents arranged specialised tutors to develop her soprano voice.
Eventually, she joined the Gonsalez Italian Grand Opera Company,
which toured New Zealand.

Opera was welcomed into New Zealand from 1862.
The first opera was performed in Dunedin.
Most years between 1870 and 1880 saw an opera visit New Zealand.

Cecilia was wooed by opera fanatic Silas Brennan.
He followed her to Italy,
where they were married in 1920.
They had 1 child:
Lucia b. 1925

Picture
I did not use the teardrop template.
The form is basically a rectangle
with a slight curve to indicate a waist.
Short curved legs were incorporated
into the base of the dress.
Long narrow arms are connected to the shoulders.
For reflection ...
Cecilia had a rare talent. Her parents recognised and nurtured this.
How do I nurture the giftedness in those around me?
How do I share my own unique talents with others?

0 Comments

Doll 85: Silas Brennan

15/8/2017

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Silas Brennan was born in 1889 to Kennedy and Aroha Brennan.
He was named for his paternal grandfather, Silas.
Silas was a bit of a lothario,
gaining an unsavoury reputation wherever he went.
When not visiting major cities to attend concerts and theatre and opera,
Silas worked in his parent's hotel.
He was a real asset as he wooed and charmed the guests!

After a performance by the Gonsalez Italian Grand Opera Company,
Silas met soprano Cecilia de Luca.
They fell in love.
Silas emigrated to Italy where they married in 1920.
They had 1 child:
Lucia b. 1925
Picture

I used the template to form the lower torso.
The upper torso is rectangular in shape.
There is only a minimal indication of shoulders.
The neck is elongated,
with only a slight hint of a head.
Long narrow arms are buttoned
at the shoulders.
For reflection ...
Silas had a bad reputation.
How important is our reputation?
Do we still consider things such as honour, keeping my word, and loyalty
as important in our personal and working relationships?

0 Comments

Thinking about death ...

15/8/2017

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Death is an intrinsic part of life.
Facing and accepting our mortality helps us become fully human.
I have found it keeps me grounded:
living attentively in the present moment;
daily acknowledging what is important;
developing an attitude of gratefulness;
becoming detached from possessions and concepts which bind;
focusing on relationships;
practicing empathy and compassion;
freeing me to live mindfully.

Often this seems counter-cultural in a world
determined to stay young;
where youth is lauded and age is hidden away in care facilities;
where funerals are a commercial enterprise,
preying on the fears of those afraid to confront death;
where hair dyes and night creams are sandbags at the threshold of old age.

Lives are treated as a commodity -
collateral damage in war zones and environmental disasters;
slaves and child labourers to satisfy the greed of others;
guinea pigs in the pharmaceutical industry;

As I create the members of the extended Brennan clan,
death was an inevitable guest.
Old age, sickness and epidemic, childbirth,
maltreatment, suicide, accident, war.

Family members reacted in different ways.
Some chose flight -
they ran from memories and grief.
Some started afresh -
new location, new jobs, new partners.
Some let questions and anger overwhelm them
and stunt their own growth as human beings.

How do I react when I meet death face-to-face?
Am I open to the healing of tears and grief,
or do I want to numb the pain of loss?
Do I have a grateful heart and outlook?
Do I let the dead overshadow the lives of the living -
or do I invite them to enable and empower the living through their stories?
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