Jane, Fiona, Mathilde... and EWDOR2023

I don’t know how January and February passed. It seems it took only a couple of days that the mornings are full of light and mother nature is awakening. Two weeks ago, it seemed impossible that I could sit here in my working room full of sunlight at 8 AM.

My January girl Jane and February girl Fiona found loving homes, and Mathilde, my doll for March is nearly finished. Yes, you are right: there is a pattern here. 😊 January, February, March… Jane, Fiona, Mathilde… Each month a doll name starting with the same letter. I’ll see if I could keep it going like this.

Now I am working on my April doll. Having said that, working means dreaming at this point. I have an idea, which is a tiny seed at the moment. I have colors flying in my mind, a touch of spring in my eyes… Yet to be honest, I don’t know exactly who this person will be, about whom I am dreaming. I’ll keep you updated.

 

Apropos dreaming: I am also dreaming about this years Waldorf Doll Retreat. I can barely wait, and count the days until June.

I named the Waldorf Doll Seminar in 2018 as the “Woodstock of doll makers”, and ever since, I still believe it was.

Even now, I remember the excitement during the registrations, whole year of waiting, and travelling to Elspeet, a tiny town in Holland, where I would never ever have visited if not for this event. I remember the whole year waiting, full with excitement but also doubts on my decision: So much money, so many days leaving two small kids alone with the husband…

I still remember arriving the seminar area, meeting finally several of my doll making friends in real, and giving them real hugs…

I also remember the faces and eyes, that were shining like mines, full of happiness.

To be completely honest with you, I went to Holland in 2018, not to learn or improve my doll making skills at first place. I attended a class to be able to join the event.

Information on how to make dolls are easily achievable nowadays. Many well-known doll makers are offering workshops and are travelling overseas. You can find high quality materials offered by the best doll makers, as written tutorials, video tutorials, online courses, even freebies… Internet makes information easily reachable and collectible. I have friends, who are purchasing tutorials to collect them on their computer’s hard drives. Most of them have never been used.

EWDOR is more than gathering information on how to make dolls, and improving your doll making skills. That is the side effect of this event. 😊
EWDOR is gifting yourself couple of days in an oasis of like-minded people and nourishing your soul. Yes, you’ll be spending hours doing hard work during the day within the workshop(s) of your choice, until your back hurts, your brain explode and your hands burn. Yet the times during the breaks, lunch time, and the evenings, those are the moments that are priceless. Those are the most inspiring moments where you’ll meet not only the doll maker friends, but also meet dolls of so many different doll makers (professional or hobby) in real. 50 cm tall big dolls to 5 cm tall tiny dolls…
I remember feeling too shy to inspect the dolls I had in hand. I had the feeling I was disturbing their intimacy. I learned in 2018 that doll makers look at a doll in a unique way. You’ll hear so many ahhhs, and oohs, while t
he bodies will be squeezed carefully, to feel how firm they are stuffed. The eyes are investigated, to see the personality behind, but also to see the stitches…😉
I remember walking through a forest half an hour long with Agniezska (Lalinda) and Ildiko (Ildila) every evening, to go back to our accommodations in the village. (We rented room by some locals, who liked to have international guests like us, in their tiny town somewhere in Holland.) Talking and talking, trying to fill every single minute with words.

Why am I writing all these? I hear very often that young mothers are dreaming of coming, but it is too long to leave their kids. Others tell me they feel too old to travel so far away. All these are understandable concerns. I had them myself before attending the event. I felt selfish to invest that time and money to myself. And guess what, that money was worth every single cents, and my kids and husband were still alive as I came back home.😊
I fully understand any of you, who would say, “hey this time is not the right timing. I’ll try the next one.” I am also proud of you taking your precious time for yourself, flying abroad for the first time alone, asking your husband, friends, mum to take care of your kids for couple of days…

This event is so special, not because there are great tutors offering workshops there. It is so special because there are so many of participants attending. EWDOR’s heart beats as collective.

This year’s event we are missing many friends (tutors and participants), from Ukraine and Russia (because of the unfortunate war), also from Turkey (because of the most awful earthquake, as well as the worse financial crisis in the country’s history). Some cannot attend because of happy occasions like expected babies or planned weddings. Still there are plenty of us coming together to keep the spirit of this event alive.

 

I am looking forward to the beautiful days in Belgium, and meeting as many of you there.

 

Now, I must go back to work. Finish my dolls, prepare my workshops.

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