Since I felt the need to explain my new hobby and the «roryfication» of the last months, I decided to translate one of my texts, the one where I introduce Waldorf dolls to the society, but then I realised that it won’t be enough, so here we are, not with an original masterpiece, but also with commentaries (a ton of commentaries) to it.
One day I realised that I’m turning forty, so there was finally nothing to loose, and instead of buying an open top red Ferrari (maybe later) or replacing an office career with gardening (anyway, I didn’t have any career at all), I ordered a Waldorf doll. Not to support my inner child, so she wouldn’t be jealous to other kids (there were no such dolls in my childhood, they lived somewhere else), but as a very mature and so grown-up person.
I finally did it, and it felt good.
At the very beginning it wasn’t Rory, our heroine, because she didn’t exist before I’ve got my first Waldorf doll from another, Czech doll artist, but I’m glad that everything turned out this way, because otherwise, with The Perfect Doll of All Times, there would be no Anežka, little brunette, made according to all the rules for ordering such an item.
Rory is made of cotton, stuffed with organic wool, and contains a ball of thread in her head. She is perfect.
Rory was made by Taisiya Styopina (@taisoid), a doll artist from Ukraine. Many years ago my dream was to visit one of her masterclasses (and her creations were the first Waldorf dolls that I’ve ever seen). It never happened, but to get one ready doll is also an option.
Rory wasn’t made to order (no surprises — also good), but was definitely for me.
There were other dolls during the many previous years, nice and cute, but this one was unforgettable. And she had a name, and her name was Aurora, as the first ray of sunshine (as I know, usually all the naming issues are left for doll’s new «moms», but not this time), and we were meant for each other, this doll and me.
I’ve noticed the name only after purchase, but there was one more nice coincidence: my another anniversary gift (the Gift, actually, the one and only), a limited Orient Star watch that was prepared in advance, was from collection dedicated to the same first ray at dawn.
Rory patiently waited till my birthday and the culmination (or the low point, I still confuse these concepts) of my midlife depression, because without such a reason, there’s no way I’d persuade my family to spend so much on a doll.
After her first appearance in April, in June she still wasn’t sold (though she was well-promoted, even with a photo-session with Teddy bear picnic).
Due to a couple of circumstances that affect my life in every possible way during the last years, I was shy to ask if I can buy the doll (for the same reason I gave up once my dream to order my own custom doll from Taisiya), but suddenly the doll was added on Etsy, and that was my chance. Perfect crime, no fear to be rejected or to upset anybody.
Although most of her journey took place at the airport in Poland and at customs in Prague, the wait turned out to be a little nervous. Brave little doll with gentle smile and funny braids travelled from Zaporizhzhia, getting a great story and biography, and when she finally got home, everyone felt relieved (I think, I don’t have to explain why).
Czech taxes were huge, so huge, even our postman was impressed. He never saw such an amount just for one parcel before. Moreover, the Czech Post answered my email for the first time in seven years, which means: being honest with filling declaration totally worth it (note: Czech customs don’t trust the word «gift» on a parcel (and don’t check documentation, apparently), so my box got stuck in the declaration process).
Now Rory is living her best life in Prague. She is well known in nearest haberdashery stores and at Starbucks in Chodov. She visited Prague castle and Designblock, making an acquaintance with Tititi toys and František Jungvirt’s glass frogs, because doll’s life could be and should be interesting.
Becoming an admirer of Czech design after that, now she got a strawberry-pendant (technically, just a bead) from the collection Scandinavian Forest by Nastassia Aleinikava (Anastázie Kahotski). Because Rory loves stRAWberRYs (here I have to mention, though dolls are neither kids nor pets, they are… let’s say it, also funny).
Rory already got woolen booties made by Vaida Petreikis, knitwear by We Are Gommu (and a little mug by Smaltum, and a doll chair by Ferm Living to be somehow displayed in our apartment, and a stack of books by Tove Jansson, and wax crayons by Stockmar to blush her cheeks, and a suitcase by Kazeto, and tiny wooden tiger ROaRY by unknown Czech artisan, and silk ribbons of all the possible colours by I don’t know who…) and a lot of dresses sewn by me using Taisoid’s patterns.
The patterns are great. With their help I provided Rory with a basic wardrobe, made with fabrics that were bought just after the doll has arrived with an intention to create a Taisoid wardrobe for a Taisoid doll (just like on pictures).
It was sort of a challenge, actually. Since buying fabrics online doesn’t provide the result that was imagined, one piece of Japanese cotton turned to be a headband with teddy bear ears, and Nani Iro (cotton+silk) was replaced with linen (but it became a little scarf later). Some pieces were added to the collection just because I wanted to finish the look or to experiment with pattern.
I still need to knit a cardigan (I bought a tutorial for it as well), but I’m too lazy, so the yarn is still a yarn.
Anyway, I finally started to do something that I really like.
«Stop doing rubbish and find a serious profession!» told me my parents when I was ten, so I had to quit sewing small things and switched to my own clothes (and since that time no job looked serious to me, I still try to figure out what does this «serious» mean).
«Listen to your inner voice, buy a rice cooker, and begin doing what you like!» told me self-help books thirty years later. So, my childhood activity is back, and now it’s time for my patterns and my models. Midlife crisis works wonders: I suddenly remembered my skills and the fact that I created doll clothes since I was five and, damn, I was good.
I don’t know how far it will take me, maybe I will open my own shop on Etsy, maybe I won’t, but one thing I know for sure: there will be a lot of doll dresses, because I already bought a lot of Japanese and Korean cotton and Merchant & Mills fabrics and I have too many ideas in my mind.
As for Rory, she became my partner in crime: everything is tested and approved by her, and if the doll looks happier and cooler than before, it means success.
As a bonus: not-thinking of making a new text for this site (what to find? what to say? does this book/exhibition really worth it? do I have to take pictures?) gave me a clearer mind and a lot of time to read books (The Tale of Genji! four volumes! with all the notes! finally!). And, as a result, not only to know more, but to be calmer and to write in a relaxing atmosphere. Making something by hand is very rewarding.
I’m still not confident enough for making dolls and I’m not sure if I really want to (even if I have tutorials, I use them for sewing doll tights, for example, because doll patterns help to make something that really fits — consider it as a lifehack, if you wish), but I’m in love with making doll clothes.
And now — back to the theme at the beginning of this text.
I invented Rory’s biography the day she arrived this summer. Originally it was written in Russian, now I decided to translate it, because it may be useful as text in English one day.
So, here it is:
New life starting on Monday
It is well known that child labor is bad.
So, to make this world a better place, I decided not to exploit my inner child anymore.
In this regard, I introduce everyone Rory (short for «Aurora»; she was called that once, I did not rename).
This is a Waldorf doll, which means: she is handmade, that is, unique, and stuffed with sheep wool, that is, natural. She is very real. Such dolls are not «bought», but «adopted» (and I like, how well English word «adoption» conveys this nuance).
Rory is also a child in many ways, but she is a toy, so she is allowed to do a lot.
And now she will be responsible for everything childish and spontaneous on this website. Wooden toys, both nailed and unnailed to the floor (note: this is a joke in Russian, about difficult childhood and the difficulty of moving objects), hand stitched teddy bears with buttons, the taste of Japanese ink, small drawings for the inner compartment of a backpack and other light craziness — it’s all on her. And in some cases, she will additionally act as an independent expert.
Rory, of course, will have absolutely nothing to do with Steiner education, because that’s not the topic that we are interested in (nothing personal, by the way).
To make it more fun, Rory has a legend. For example, she likes pancakes with strawberries, swings in the yard and a film about Ponyo. She likes to draw, but she hasn’t decided yet what bees do better: wax crayons or honey watercolours. She can read, and her favourite books are those about the Moomins (but not all of them). She knows nothing about her musical preferences, because for now she has to listen to records of her elders. Rory dreamed of becoming a polar explorer when she grew up, but then, when she was explained that by that time all the ice would have melted (and her relationship with water leaves much to be desired), she decided to be an astronomer — it is more reliable. She considers the zoo to be the most interesting place in the world, but the island in Animal Crossing is also a nice place to go.
There probably won’t be any other details, because every eccentricity must have its limits, but in general, Rory is something like that.
I’ll leave serious topics (if they are even possible here) to myself, and my inner child will finally be able to do things that are appropriate for her age. Washing dishes, taking out the trash, walking dogs, herding sheep… And other permitted and educational games. After all, if it’s around the house, then it’s not work at all, but pure fun (any mother of a family can confirm). Let’s let the others work. Because that is good, that is right.
In my July’s version of the text I didn’t mention Rory is five years old, just because most of the Waldorf dolls are the same age, and I thought it’s not important. Now I mention it. And don’t worry, despite everything said here, my inner child is okay. I try not to let her down (again). She’s got a doll, after all. And she is still responsible for the craziness.
