Shouldn't craft be fun??

Many years ago, well about 11 since I was pregnant with Vanessa at the time, my sister talked me into going to doll making classes. I was a little reluctant but she was really keen so I went along to keep her company.

Let me tell you that I was a lousy student, I think being pregnant didn't help, my mind was on the real baby that I would soon have in my arms, not the china one I was making. To me it was long and arduous and I admired all of the ladies who were creating such beautiful dolls.

First came the sanding down of the greenware. I thought I was being so careful and snap, her hand was in pieces. The teacher was a lovely lady but she took doll making very seriously, and as a result I felt like a naughty little school girl. I don't know about you but guilt should not be involved in crafting.

So once I had sanded my doll I think the next step was painting her. I was sitting at the painting table chatting away with the other ladies when the teacher came around to check out work. She said that my nostrils (the doll's that is not mine) needed to be darker. Okay, that's fine - only trouble is by the time she came back I hadn't got to making her nostrils darker - the teacher's comment "much better" - now I didn't know how to take that - had they been alright in the first place, or was I such a bad student she was trying to make me feel better.

As you can gather I really wasn't enjoying the whole process, but persevered because by this stage I had spent quite a bit of money.

So my doll did get finished and then wrapped in wadding and stuffed at the top of a cupboard.

Last year I decided that she had taken up space for way too long and that keeping her up there really wasn't doing her or me any good - she should be given away. So I made her a pretty smocked dress (that was way more fun, I am definitely a fabric crafter) and donated her to my mother's Inner Wheel club for a raffle.

So at least in the end even if she is not bringing joy to her new owner, she raised a few dollars for the Club which was put towards a good cause.

Over the years I have tried quite a few crafts but the ones I love always involve a needle and thread and the only dolls I will be attempting to make will be ones like these, or softies like these and although these aren't dolls I dream of having the talent to make something like these, but only if it's fun!