Custom Order Waiting List

So here we go. Starting another year. Year 3 of the dollmaking adventure. I haven't taken people on a waiting list since last May. It all happened pretty fast, we had to move across the country and I just had no idea where we would end up and for how long. We settled down into a beautiful, small town, nestled by the gentle waters of Lake Superior and whispered to the tunes of loons, the curious meanderings of sandpipers and the swift movement of cedar and silver birch.

We spent an awesome summer, a beautiful crisp Autumn and so far the Winter is pretty great. Now we start a New Year, having spent some silent and soul-searching holidays, I feel like my time has come again. The time to keep creating that which makes me so happy.

I am getting ready to take custom doll orders again. It is so rewarding to work with a specific child in mind, to think about them and the things they like to do, and it is also so very challenging for me. When I create a custom doll, usually at night, I talk to my husband a lot about what the parent said to me about this little one. And we often talk about it and remember our own childhoods, so different from each other. These moments are like pearls to me, I can always remember the clothes and little details the doll I sent was wearing, but I can also remember many instances like this one as I was creating it.

It is also very challenging work. It involves telling my hands to go in a different direction than the one they normally go, and it involves a lot of anguish on my part. And I know it involves anguish on the other end too. Anguish about the result, anguish about the expectations the other side has, anguish about the moment this doll is put in front of their child, anguish to see if there was empathy towards it, lots and lots of anguish. Therefore I have taken some sort of radical decision.

This first opportunity is open only to those who do not have a doll already. I know there is a lot of controversy on the subject but I strongly feel that those who do not have a doll, and are trustful enough to work with someone on a custom order, then they should have a priority. At least for now. I am sure I will create these first custom dolls and there will still be plenty of opportunity to create friends for children who already have a group of dolls sitting with them and who wish to add another extra handmade friend, hopefully in the next set that will be available in April. I am also leaving plenty of time to create dolls that might be just what your daughter or son wants (or your niece, mom or granddaughter!), which will be available here.

So please accept my apologies if you have been waiting for a long time to go on my waiting list, only to find out that now you have to wait for another three months. But I feel happy knowing that your children
are already engaging in healthy dollplay with the dolls they have and that they are not missing out.

I have debated over many months about wether or not to keep offering custom dolls. I receive a lot of joy creating them, but sometimes the work load and life just as it is gets a bit too heavy and crazy. That is why, given my circumstances and the fact that I am the only person involved in this (there are no elves that can help ironing seams or threading needles for me, or fancy dollmaking faeries that can help me stuff dolls, pre-wash fabrics, crochet shoes or embroider sheepish eyes...) I can only commit to take nine people on. I hope you understand this, and realize that I am trying my hardest to create with joy and to create with high quality standards as well. The number of dolls I make is really very small compared to what my talented dollmaking friends are luckily able to create, and this is fine with me. I am happy that at least I have the time, the resources and the skills to bring these few but cherished dolls to life. Maybe in the future I will be able to spend more time making dolls, or maybe my path will change. For now this is where the road is taking me.

The specifics of how I work, what I am able to offer you and all of that pertinent information will be explained to you once you reserve your spot. I do take installment payments given the price of the dolls.
Please, when you leave your comment, send me an email directly as well to: fabiola.perezsitko(at)gmail.com That way we know who is who, and I can reply to you specifically from then on. Thank you.

***Note: All spots have been taken. If you left a comment please send me an email so we can communicate directly. I will be emailing you soon. Thank you.