So the story goes.
“I told you we was get into trouble”, scolded big sister to Séoirse, while trying to pat a generous dollop of butter on her morning biscuit. “But, it wasn’t all my fault! you were there too! You should have warn’ me when you saw her coming. What good is a big sister if she is not going to keep cha outs of troubles?” retorted the little fellow, feeling a little dejected at the incriminating tone of his sister.
After polishing a tall glass of milk, several biscuits swimming in butter and oozing in strawberry jam, both children looked a bit pensive. Recounting the previous days activities, and all that entailed falling out of favour with their sweet but stern neighbour Miss Potts, was a bit too much to swallow atop the filling breakfast. “Come on now, we must get on. We are not cowards like them Joneseses, we oughta apologize to the old cat”, urged Saoirse. “Don’t call her that! She’s a sweet ole’ lady and she gives us mint humbugs and ginger nuts too!” retorted Séoirse in dismay at such crude name-calling. “I’m talking about Sissy you big ole’ block head! Not Miss Potts! The nerve.”
After wiping their hands on the cloth napkins resting on the table they carried their empty vials to the ceramic kitchen sink, full to the brim with soapy water. A strong but vibrant wind was coming from the open kitchen window, tossing the tea towels to and fro and making the whole place look very clean and shapely. They moved to the bathroom to try to tease out a few of the “rats’ nests” off their hair before embarking on the short walk to visit their neighbour Miss Potts.
A lovely cottage Miss Potts’ was. It had been in much better shape half a century ago, but was now a bit on the crumbly side of things. The children loved to play around her front garden, and help with the “weedin’ and puttin’ by” that Miss Potts seemed to always be amidst of. She wore long grey aprons, a wool skirt, wooden clogs, and a linen bonnet under her gigantic straw hat. Her wrinkles told stories by themselves, all happy we supposed, and her smile was already missing a couple of teeth. Still, the children were a bit apprehensive about how they would be received after their appalling behaviour the previous day.
It was almost as if they had dreamt it all up. The cracked terracotta pots were nowhere to be seen. The half-burned cat basket had now been piled tight with new geraniums, and tabby old Sissy was contently purring their welcome. Saoirse and Séoirse looked at each other, assessed the situation, gathered a big gulp of air, hunched their shoulders and muttered to themselves while opening the derelict wooden gate to the cottage.
Miss Potts was as usual bent over some plantings, addressing them with a firm but kind voice, telling them of the weather and the village gossip. The children stood in stunned silence, deep in observation of the expert ancient hands that were dancing before them, performing their artistic contrivance for their eyes only. This was no depressed drudgery, this was the work of an artist, they both seemed to agree. Miss Potts raised her eyes when she spotted the children’s shoes, and welcomed them by raising her rosy cheeks in a most befitting smile. You could see this was a gesture that commonly graced the face, the path of it worn out on her skin, like a dusty country road flanked by greenery and wildflowers. She got up, and after giving them both a little peck on the cheek, placed a hefty basket in each of their hands and took them into the back garden. “We ought to harvest the morning herbs children, or there will be nothing for today’s stew and certainly not much for tea. Come along now, don’t dawdle.”said Miss Potts as she walked around the cottage to the back garden. The children, with a skip to their step, and a twinkle in their eye, followed her suit, anticipating not just getting their hands wet and finding a worm, a snail or two, but also the next meal at the hands of their adoring neighbour. Stronger appetites you have never met.
At the end of the day, they went home to show their hard-working mother the fruits of their childish labour, payment they said, from Miss Potts for doing ‘next to nothing!’: another small jar of strawberry jam, a bottle of coltsfoot wine, a bundle of snowdrops they found growing close to the entrance to the murky woods and several baked potatoes the children had cooked themselves by a small bonfire they had made of broken twigs and rubbish gleaned from the garden. Sure, they were quite blackened, but that’s how they liked them best they assured her. Mother welcomed them with a smile, and brought them inside the house while the kettle boiled and steam was rising in the range. After eating supper and scouring them clean, she put them to bed. They fell asleep to a strong wind outside, a bright new moon, a hooting owl and their liquorice dreams.
I hope you enjoyed their little story. I was very motivated to write about them the minuted I decided to work on them.
Saoirse [sear-sha] and Séoirse [sor-sha] are figlette dolls, entirely handmade by me. Saoirse stands 20 in. tall and her brother mere 19 in. She likes to point that out quite often. They are both made with sun-kissed dutch cotton fabric, stuffed very firmly with clean canadian wool. They are of slender construction with slightly tubbier arms and legs than other figlettes [to shake things up a bit]. They both sport numerous figlette-design characteristics: ears, neckline, thin bodies, rounded knees, long feet, sculpted belly button and buttcheeks. Their hair is mohair yarn [DollyMo brand] in two distinct shades of orange: Saoirse’s is a bit darker than her brother’s. Their heads are needle-sculpted with traditional waldorf-dollmaking techniques. Their eyes and mouth are embroidered and their rosy cheeks have been blushed with red beeswax. They have a rather smily expression but they seem somber and pensive at times, it all depends on how they are feeling.
Saoirse wears a lovely wide-plaid cotton long-sleeved blouse, with cashmere ribbing on sporty neckline and closing at front with three wooden buttons. Her brown and white stripe short skirt is also made of cotton with elasticized waist, sewn apron decorated with top-stitching and bird wooden button.
She wears girly underpants with a pretty pink bow, plus cotton jersey socks. Her maryjanes shoes are done in traditional crochet stitch, and close with wooden buttons to match her blouse. As accessories Saoirse wears a velour bonnet, lined in linen and square removable collar, made in lambswool and also lined in linen. The collar closes with hand-sewn hook-and-loop, and therefore can be worn on either side, much to her delight.
Séoirse wears an organic cotton top, with long turtle neck made of repurpose cashmere ribbing. His short pants are made in pure navy linen, with side pockets that reveal a little of cotton plaid, and up-turned hems; a waist band with threaded elastic helps keep them in place. He has fully-functional cotton briefs and a pair of socks in a lovely white and wine stripe. Séoirse wears comfortable wool boots, made as well in traditional crochet stitch. As accessories he gladly sports his jaunty cap, made of repurposed lambswool, and a very short scarf made of matching cotton plaid and lined with organic cotton sherpa fabric. The scarf has a little wooden button as adornment.
Each doll is priced at $785. Postage charges include insurance and tracking numbers. Shipping within Canada is $40, to the United States $35 and any other countries is $120. All prices are in USD and taxes apply to Canadian residents. Any overpayment in shipping is promptly refunded when I send the doll your way.
Both Saoirse and Séoirse are looking to find a home where their imagination can soar, and where they can be made available to have a life full of wonder. If you would like to welcome one (or both) please fill up the form below (you can only select one of the options!). This form will be live until Monday April 20th at 9 PM EDT. At that time, I will close the entries, and proceed to select a name from the list, sending paypal invoices right after. Please only enter for yourself, not on behalf of others.
- - - THE FORM HAS BEEN DELETED. THANK YOU!
Thank you kindly for reading about these little munchkins and if you are wishing to give one, or both, a home, my deepest appreciation. I hope they can fulfill their purpose in life, which is to make people happy. See you all tomorrow night.
