In the start of 2020 I signed up for an online felting class with Julia Inglis. The class was about making spirit dolls, using felting techniques. I am not much of a doll person, but the idea of making something special and healing for others resonated with me. I wanted to expand my felting skills and perhaps incorporate felting into my bead embroidery work.
At the time I signed up nobody knew we were going to have a pandemic. Yet the timing was perfect, as the class started right after most of us were told to stay home, and many lost their jobs and were forced to stay home. I have to admit that staying home for me was no big deal. I work at home, I live on a mountain where we always have a stock pile of food. I am not a social person, so I kind of enjoyed not having to be social lol. The hardest part for me I think, was not seeing my son Ben, he was, and still is on the front line delivering beer.
The pictures are the dolls I made for the class, we also made some smaller items like an egg and a heart. Each doll is filled with special herbs and stones, and of course your intentions. I won't go into detail about what I learned because that would be unethical to Julia. Always honor your teachers and mentors and, unless you have their permission, or blessing don't teach their techniques, but some up with your own to share.
The first doll I made was an owl, I remember it being on my work table, than Julia talked us through a lovely meditation, when I opened my eyes the doll was gone. Sure enough it must have fallen off the table, and my dog Sam, found it. Lesson learned, keep my wool felting supplies away from the pets, and be OK with letting the dolls go where they do. Each doll I have made has been gifted to someone or something whom needs it, with the intention with in.
I hope you too, have taken these very precious moments in time, to expand, learn, grow, practice, give, help, not only yourself but fellow being. It's not often we have the time or excuse to slow down and reflect upon life as we know it or knew it. I feel there is a huge lesson here for us all to learn, I hope that we all grow from these times and experiences. That our planet has time to heal, and that we never go back to the old ways of greed, and disrespect.
If your interested in Julia's class, please check out her website with all her wonderful dolls and workshop information.
