I finished creating an Oak Spirit doll last night. When I went to bed, I thought I would get up this morning and add some sewing to her cloak. Not embroidery per se, just random stitches.
When I woke up this morning, I went to her and spoke to her. Which is what I do. I had to ask her if she needed or wanted anything else.
No. She doesn't. She's very happy.
She's wearing a traveling cloak. All my dolls seem to be Journey dolls.
Originally, Oak Spirit was just a stick, a stick with an agenda, since I kept dragging that particular stick all over the house with me, whenever I planned to have anything doll oriented around. There she was. She sat on my personal altar I don't know how long, just a stick, not really saying much at all.
I cleared and cleaned and re-consecrated my altar this week. There she was. A stick. She spoke up then. She asked for something then. The next day I wrapped her with this funky wool novelty (no other name for it) yarn I have a clump of sitting here on my computer desk, staring at me. I wrapped her body and tied it on.
The next day, I pulled a polymer clay face from the tin I keep the ready to paint ones in. The face sat here on top my computer, nowhere near the stick. I painted the face that night and let it dry.
The next afternoon, face and stick met, with the aid of some gorilla glue. Never shall they part again.
She sat here, for two days. It seemed to me she was done, nearly naked little thing that she was. Last night, I took the remnants of my favorite birthday yarn and wrapped it around the upper branches, more like a crown than hair.
She sat for a few hours more, humming softly to herself. It was rather lovely.
Then, when I determined I would get some housework done before bed, she spoke up. She asked for wool. I have that pile of sweaters waiting to be turned into a blanket, so I went digging. Found a lovely piece of felted grey wool, with roses.
I ended up using some to wrap around her body, to provide bulk under the cloak. Then I put on the cloak. Wrapped some more of the funky yarn around that. Cut the fringe into the bottom of the cloak.
I set her aside, planning to sew the edge of the cloak along the side edge or whatever the next day, and I went to bed. I did see then that she was ready to travel. I noticed. I did not ponder it, however. I simply accepted it as a matter of course. I was tired. I needed to sleep.
This morning, I took a look at her and I knew: she was done.
She's ready for her Journey.
I wonder where she's going to go.
I wonder where she's planning to take me.
Dolls.
I always worry about using glue on them for some reason, even though I use such tiny amounts.
Someone once made a negative comment to me about a person who used glue in a certain sacred project--and that malice haunts me when I create my dolls. I need some other materials for my dolls, I know. I would be happier with various mosses.
My oak stick comes from a tree that was blown down by a storm. My boyfriend helped clear away the debris and he brought me some of the smaller branches. He's good that way. I hadn't even asked him.
I need more things of this nature. I know I do.
I think my current dolls are trying very hard to tell me something. These ones are not for sale. At least, not yet anyway. I am not confident enough in my skills, nor do I feel as if I have found that certain Space from which these dolls come for other people.
I will have to spend more time talking w Oak Spirit especially. I wonder what she will have to say.
I will post pictures of her soon...as soon as I am willing to sit down and work with my camera. I need to photograph a bunch of stuff from my Wreck This Journal 'project'. It is no longer a journal--it's barely a stack of papers held together with a rubber band at this point....
Until next time...
