Jul 28

Jul 28 Catalina Cordelia, dizzy with the scent of summer

creative process, dollmaking, storytelling

Yes indeed, dizzy with the scent of summer Catalina enjoyed a sunset full of fat bumblebees and bird song.

Catalina Cordelia is a natural fiber art doll, looking for a home to belong to, but before we get to the particulars let me tell you a little bit more about her.

Catalina Cordelia, natural fiber art doll, Waldorf inspired, by Fig and Me.

Catalina Cordelia, yes I do know her name is a bit too much but in all honesty, I don’t choose their names. They choose themselves. This little girl has a very strong mind and she came to me first last Fall.

The ground was moist with daily fog blankets, the leaves were rustling in the wind and she popped up in my mind. I had several dreams about her and decided to create her as a special doll for Christmas.

But then Ginny [another doll with an extravagant name: Marie Louise Geneva] decided she wanted to be made “by Christmas” so naturally I had to put the thoughts of Miss Caty [as I affectionally call her] in the back burner.

January arrived and though Ginny was still very much in process, I decided to try my luck with Catalina. I didn’t want to “lose her”, you see?

This has happened to me a few times. I have a very clear vision of a doll, I have her face in my head, her aura, the way she feels, how she sounds…and then I get busy with other shenanigans and when I try to capture the doll she is no longer there.

I was very eager for that not to happen with Catalina. Because I was very interested in getting to know her…and I wasn’t disappointed.

So, since January I have been battling the will of this wool child. I have made countless offers, cajoled and bribed. To no avail.

The time came to leave for Mexico and she didn’t hesitate to let me know she would be waiting for my return. I had wanted to photograph her wearing a beautiful coat and fat boots, but apparently she wasn’t interested.

I returned from my southern adventures and Ginny then took centre stage. Caty was more than happy to watch me work on Ginny and even helped out when Ginny had trouble choosing suitable clothing for farm chores.

I then thought, perhaps she is a farm girl at heart! But no. If there is one thing I learned with this doll in particular, is that she is the most elusive child I’ve ever met. Though I had such a strong feeling initially to create her, my ideas of who she was and who she really was were at odds.

Perhaps I was still living in a winter wonderland surrounding her image, when as you can plainly see, she is the embodiment of summer.

Now, summer is not for everyone. There are those whose hearts belong to the melancholic Autumn; the wild hearts with rosy cheeks belonging to the majestic Winter and the gentle folks with Spring in their heart. But Caty is all Summer, and she was just waiting for me to figure it out.

When Ginny’s mom received her, she gave me a generous gift card for a fabric store I like. I bought some pretty fabrics, not thinking really of Miss Caty. But lo and behold, she chose one of them immediately.

The ground was still bare and there were no flowers to be found. I was literally on my way to Europe and I looked at her with inquiring eyes: is this really what you want? You are going to have to wait again…she answered with a resounding yes.

Luxembourg, Belgium and Portugal all saw me arrive and saw me leave. I came back with a heart full of sun and olive trees, with dreams of ancient cobbled stones and cherry orchards, with majestic fig trees and orange scents on my skin. I was very much ready to talk to Catalina and she smiled at me, the way only wool dolls smile: gently and all knowing.

“Now you know. I am the sun, the warmth of toasty skin, the gentle lap of waves on your feet, sand between your toes, the dizzy scent of summer.”

I spent two whole days making her dress. I couldn’t, wouldn’t stop. It was suddenly there, all there and we knew we had it.

Strike while the iron is hot has never been more appropriate.

So yes my strong-hearted child, you are Summer. From your cozy chapeau trimmed in golden crochet lace, to your beautiful and long burnt gold hair. From your gorgeous floral dress to your fresh cotton bloomers. From your freckled sun-kissed face to your linen sandals…you are Summer.

Every time I looked into those big brown eyes I wondered: am I going to keep her? After all she looked so comfortable in my studio and she is so large I thought I wouldn’t find a box to ship her…excuses.

As a doll maker you have a funny life. On the one hand completely enamoured with the dolls that come out of your hands, you couldn’t possibly love them more. On the other hand you know they are not yours. They have a path of their own, a life to live, the cherished treasure of another.

Bummer.

So here she is.

I offer you the fruits of my labour, in case you have been looking for a loving doll to play with. As always, I must warn you: this doll will grab your heart, wrap it around one of her fingers and never let it go.

Go forth with caution.

Miss Catalina Cordelia is a whopping 25” tall natural fiber art doll. Sculpted entirely in wool, over an inner armature and with several disc joints. She has a moveable head and poseable fingers. She is completely articulated.

Her skin is cotton doll skin and her very long hair is a mix of camel weft and dollmaking mohair yarn. Her hair can be styled until the cows come home.

Her eyes are embroidered and her freckles hand-painted.

Catalina wears a cotton dress, trimmed in eyelet lace, with pintuck details on the bodice and three mother-of-pearl buttons. Her dress opens at back and closes with sewn-in snaps. She is wearing cotton bloomers, trimmed in the same eyelet lace.

Ribbed socks and linen/leather sandals compliment her outfit, aside a wool hat trimmed with crochet lace.

Summers in Canada can be chilly at night so I repurposed one of my most favourite virgin wool cardigans for her. I was sad to know this cardigan needed a second life but overjoyed when Catalina chose it as part of her outfit. Yet another piece of me that goes with her.

If you are interested in bringing Catalina Cordelia into your home, please enter your details in the form below. Her price is $1950 USD plus postage ($60 to US and Canada, International will need a revised quote as it varies a lot). We will leave her form open until Monday July 31st at 5 PM Toronto, at which point we will close the form and choose a family (at random) for her. That person will then be invoiced via Paypal and payment is due upon receipt. She will then travel with insurance and tracking number.

—Thank you so much to the kindred souls that volunteered to be a home for Miss Catalina Cordelia. She has found a family. I will however have a few more dolls this summer and hope one of them can be part of your home.

As you can imagine, we are both very happy to have reached this stage on our journey. She is content with everything I have made for her, though I will very much be persuaded to create an extra outfit or two if that is your intention. Anything to keep her just a little longer gracing my workroom table.

I have started editing a little video of her making, so once that is ready I will come back here and pop a link or add it to this post. Maybe you will enjoy witnessing some behind-the-scenes of her making journey.

If you have entered your name as a potential family to Miss Caty, we thank you so deeply from the bottom of our hearts. Hers and mine. Your support of the noble art of doll making keeps these hands busy and a smile on my face.

See you soon!