Heartfelt Dolls
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    • About me
    • I Am A Dollmaker: crafter's statement
    • Beware when you honor an artist
    • Heartfelt Dolls: Fool's Errand or Heroine's Journey
    • Doll making as a spiritual journey
    • Igniting creativity with Heartfelt dolls
    • Heartfelt doll-making: a healing experience
    • Heartfelt Dolls: the memory keepers
    • Heartfelt Dolls on life and death
    • Heartfelt Dolls: aesthetic meditation
    • Heartfelt Dolls: using textile crafts in contemporary art
    • Heartfelt Dolls: seeking a definition
    • Heartfelt Dolls: A Political Voice?
    • Heartfelt Dolls: Face On/Face Off
    • Heartfelt Dolls jammin' with JAMTV
    • Heartfelt Dolls @The Open Studios Project Blog
    • Heartfelt Dolls @ ArtsMad Rotorua
    • Heartfelt Isolation
    • Exhibitions old and new
    • Heartfelt Inspiration: a blog of that which inspires me
    • Testimonials
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  • Dolls
    • Heartfelt Dolls: companions for the journey
    • The Quotidian Doll: an introduction >
      • The Quotidian Doll Blog: introducing a Heartfelt-doll-a-day
    • Diaspora: the 101 dolls project
    • Heartfelt Dolls willing to leave home (for sale) >
      • Manawatia a Matariki
      • Matariki
      • Through A Glass Darkly
      • Stitch Yourself a Boyfriend
      • Pink Walkers
      • Steampunk Dolls
      • Selfies
      • The Heroine's Journey
      • An English Country Garden
      • Hobo Chic
      • The Fisherman
      • I Shall Wear Purple
      • Enraged Woman Riding a Black and White Dog Writing Wrongs
      • Salute to the Sun
      • Old Woman in a Shoe
      • Soul Sisters
      • The Smiles Project
      • BFF
      • Blue Belles
      • Shades of Gray
      • Angels with attitude
      • Angels of gold
      • Angels
      • 'Ladies a plate'
      • Cosy up with a bit of skirt
      • Ice Palace
      • Troupe de verde
      • Animal Antics
      • Male dolls
      • Carnivale: stiltwalking dolls
      • Calendar Girls
      • Dammit dolls
      • Oh Cliche
      • Heartfelt Graffiti
      • Double Trouble
      • Lilliputians
      • Kiwi Icons
      • Faeries
    • Heartfelt Fundraisers >
      • Volunteer Fire Fighters
      • Memory keepers
      • Shades of Gray >
        • Shades of Gray Duets
        • Shades of Gray Men
      • Calendar Girls
      • Pink Walkers
      • Bandanna Chic
      • Selfies
    • Heartfelt Companions: sharing my journey with you >
      • One-of-a-kind heartfelt dolls >
        • Julie Has Flown North For The Summer
        • Hot Flash!
        • Whoops!
        • Medusa
        • The Bag Lady
        • Purple people eater
        • Social Climber
        • Place
        • Fertility Fairy
        • Smile
        • Blue Baths Belle
        • An Artist's Book
        • Pink Lady
        • Beloved
      • Heartfelt dolls in a series >
        • The Rainbow Connection
        • What's in a cup?
        • The Apple
        • Hi-Cut Internet Dolls
        • Godde Dolls
        • Shrines
        • The Rites of Autumn
        • Bibliophile
        • Seeing the world through different eyes
        • Akuba: encouraging change
        • It takes a village
        • Umbrella and Umbrage
        • A cautionary tale ...
    • Heartfelt Process, Heartfelt Transformation >
      • White Angels: A Healing Journey
      • Matron Saints
      • Creative Guardians
      • The Nest
      • Freeing the caged heart: the poets and the dollmaker
      • The Unemployment Blues
      • The Bare Necessities
      • The Heroine's Journey
      • The Alchemy of Change
      • Sticks and stones
      • Stitch yourself a boyfriend
      • Inner Child
      • Salute to the Sun
      • Bindings
      • Euphrosyne: reclaiming joy >
        • Freeing the caged heart: poetry to lift your spirits
        • The Smiles Project
        • Dancing Feet
        • Irrepressible
        • Greening: a lenten journey
        • Wild Women Like to Dance
        • I Am Woman
        • Harakeke flowers
        • Circle of friends, vessel of hope
        • Dance
        • Spirit seekers, spirit guides
      • The Great Divide: one woman's experience of divorce >
        • Numb
        • Bound
        • Burlap and lace
        • Naked
        • Reclaim
        • Bitch
        • The Devil on my back
        • Burdened
        • God alone is enough
        • Simple heart
        • Broken dreams
        • Will the real me please stand up?
        • The Classifieds
        • Sing-a-song
        • Dark nights >
          • You are dying ...
          • Beast of burden
          • Wounded healer, broken heart
          • A moment of conversion
          • Unbuilding
          • Peace
          • Transform me
          • A clean heart
          • Unwrapped
          • Doormat
          • The weight of expectation
          • Promise
          • A new me
          • The fabric of my life
          • Struggle
          • Hanging
        • 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
    • Heartfeltfelt Emotion >
      • Gold Angels: coping with tragedy
      • Emotions: a challenge
      • Lamentation
      • Heartfelt Anger >
        • Anger Management with Dammit Dolls
        • Dammit!
    • Heartfelt Celebration! >
      • I Shall Wear Purple!
      • Birthday dolls
      • Birthday cards
      • Julie's 21st
      • Celebrate my femininity!
      • Troupe de verde
    • Heartfelt Graffiti
    • Heartfelt Care >
      • Ageing >
        • I Shall Wear Purple
        • The Seven Ages Of Woman
      • For the children
      • Living with dementia
      • Say 'NO' to family violence >
        • You don't have to take it like I did
        • Are you the one?
      • Heartfelt Conservation >
        • Seduced By The Wild
        • Feathers Over Hamurana
        • Birds
      • Living with cancer
      • Breast Cancer Awareness >
        • Hello Dollies: an article
        • Pink Walkers
        • Primal scream
        • Flat Out
        • Paradox
        • Just Checkin'
        • I Love you, Mum
        • Mammogram Slam
        • Friends for the journey
        • Hair Today
        • Domestic Goddess
        • Deconstruct Reconstruct
        • Sewphie the stitcher
        • Nana and Gran
        • Procrastinating Polly
        • Colour blind
        • BRAve New World
        • Unzipped
        • Lord, to whom shall we go?
        • Knitting Nellie
        • The nay-sayers
        • Vessels of hope
        • Dancing Woman Labyrinth
        • Breast Labyrinth
    • Time Capsule series
  • Heartfelt Creativity
    • Heartfelt Fun
    • Heartfelt Comfort >
      • Girl Reclining on a Sofa
      • Cotton-soft boas
      • Wild Women Like to Hang About
    • Heartfelt Stitch >
      • Mother's Little Helper
      • Needlewomen
      • Old Woman in a Shoe
      • Delight in a cup
      • Heartfelt Companion
    • Heartfelt Wrapping >
      • Colour Blind
      • Spirit dolls
      • Bound
      • Aspects of Self
      • Wrapping as an art form
      • Wild Women Like To Dance
    • Heartfelt vestis >
      • What a wonderful world!
      • A thanksgiving vest
      • Dalmatics
      • In Praise
    • Labyrinth >
      • Shell labyrinth
      • Breast Labyrinth
      • Labyrinth scroll
      • Stitched labyrinth
      • Dancing Woman Labyrinth
      • Hopi labyrinth
      • Bead labyrinth
      • Journey
    • ANZAC: a tribute >
      • ANZAC Quilt
      • Rawene Boys
      • ANZAC jacket
  • 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
      • Advent is a ritualised experience
      • Advent is expectant
      • Advent names God
      • Advent is a door
      • Advent: a sacred space
    • Stations of the Cross >
      • Christchurch Stations of the Cross
      • 24 Hours
      • Stations with haiku
      • John Badcock "Stations of the Cross"
    • 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
    • Heartfelt Writing >
      • 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
      • March blessings
      • February blessings
      • January blessings
      • December blessings
      • November blessings
      • October blessings
      • September blessings
      • August blessings
      • July blessings
      • June blessings
      • May Blessings
      • April Blessings
      • March Blessings
    • Prayer flag blog
  • Gratitude Flowers

HEARTFELT ISOLATION
​transforming a period of 'self-isolation'
​into a positive, life-giving experience

Diagnosed with a serious illness,
during a global pandemic,
I feel an on-going need to nurture
my physical and mental well-being.
My world has contracted to those places and people
I feel are necessary and safe.

Initially, this had quite a negative impact on me
(and still does from time to time.)

But over time,
with reflection and contemplation
(and lots of lateral thinking!),
​I have sought to transform this self-isolation
into a positive, life-giving experience.

I have always loved the opportunities Artist-in Residence programmes offer:
personal growth,
interaction with artists in a variety of media,
engagement with the public.
I was privileged (and grew immensely)
during a 6 week residency at The Arts Village, Rotorua.

So I penned this description
of an Artist-in Residence opportunity
​that would appeal to me.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Artist-in Residence opportunity.

A 1929 sun-filled farmhouse,
set in 1/2 acre,
surrounded on 2 sides by towering macrocarpas,
with views of the water and varied bird life.

The house has been home to 
a printmaker, felt-maker, painter, modeller,
mixed-media artist, textile artist, paper maker, curator, labyrinth-maker.
It has been visited by
poets, musicians, writers, performance artists,
photographers, wood workers, graphic artists, jewellery makers,
puppeteers, film makers, sculptors, environmental artists.

Evidence of this artistic legacy
is on the walls and shelves of this historic homestead.

Artist can work in any room.
There are two libraries
filled with books, DVDs, board games.
There is good internet connection.
Scattered about are several eclectic collections:
teapots, stones, sewing machines.

Separate from the main house is a studio
currently occupied by a mixed media artist and photographer.
Beside this is a carport
with power, a concrete floor
and a retractable clothes line.
There is also a work shed/'man cave' 
with power, good lighting, assorted power tools and a workbench with a vice.

This homestead is located in a small village,
within walking distance to most amenities.
There is a regular bus to the nearby city (10kms).

I have described my own home.

I am taking this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to work and create
at my own pace
in my own space
with a digital interface with the public.

I turn up every day.
​I create SOMETHING every day.

​
I have set up several work stations
to tempt the creative spirit
when negativity gains an upper hand.

I live alone so have freedom
​which isn't available to all.
Several years ago, when I did have a house full of people,
​I created a workstation which slid under my bed when not in use.
Picture

​I rediscovered a bag of fabric circles
cut out for a friend for an activity on Children's Day.
They are the beginning of Gratitude Flowers,
a simple activity to grow an attitude of gratitude
​through stitch and colour.



​​I have slung a bag of 4 ply yarn and double pointed needles
into a recycled, homemade tote bag
over the back of my chair.
An invitation to knit socks for winter.

​
Picture
Picture
While sorting out fabric scraps,
I found a selection of Japanese prints.
I have tossed them all in an old suitcase,
sitting beside the sofa.
I have drafted a pattern ready to create
komebukuru bags, Japanese rice bags,
to use as gift wrapping or gifts.

​
​In another suitcase,
(sitting wide open so I cannot ignore it!)
are Dammit Dolls.
They are incomplete,
all needing a hand stitched face.
I do one a day,
simply to remind myself of the healing, meditative nature of needle and thread,
used slowly, mindfully.
Picture
Picture
I have resurrected some creativity prompts:
invitations to pause;
to reflect;
to honour the present moment;
to recognise and grow my own giftedness;
to cherish the giftedness of others;
to be thankful for the sharing of others.

Everyday Creative cards can be bought here.
Anywhere cards can be bought here.
Picture
Picture
 Not every activity is directly related to creativity.
I have a card table set up with a jigsaw puzzle in progress.
A bit of "down time",
with advantages I have discovered.

Focusing on the detail,
I am able to set aside the big picture.
I look at connections,
patterns,
colours,
shapes,
groupings.

I have a deepening appreciation of the skill set required
to create a puzzle. This has encouraged to look more attentively at different media and what skills are used to create these pieces.

There is no time limit or deadline
(unless my daughter wants her card table returned!).

I surround myself with examples of creative thinking.
Not examples of excellence (although many are indeed very good ).
These works of art, of the heart,
are Art for Heart's Sake.
Some are tangible memories (photographs in textile, so to speak).
Others reflect a stage or time in my life.
Some are visible expressions of invisible, or repressed, feelings,
​finally given a voice.
​Some are crafted by me. Others by those I love and admire.

Each time I encounter these items with conscious attentiveness,
I grow.

Each time I pause with them,
I appreciate another aspect of their construction.
Each time I meditate with these works of the heart,
​I am healed.
There are options to having your home as a gallery!
Take photos and create an album on your phone
or use a digital photo album somewhere best suited to you.
Use on-line tools, such as Pintrest,
to gather images which appeal or provoke,
​encourage or enrage.
Make a collage of favourite pieces and slide it under your bed,
reflecting on it when you are able.
Have one display space
and curate your own 'mini exhibition'
every now and then.
Put favourite images on every day items, such as
placemats, coffee cups, T-towels, fridge magnets.
​Reflect when you use them.
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