Category: Workshops

We went to The Joy of Opera event at the Cockpit theatre this week.

Shea, Lee, Cristina, Emmanuel, David, Rose, Melvin, Richard, Philip, Stacie, Ellie, Mariia, Connie, Red and Michelle joined us to make dolls.

Most of the makers started their dolls then they paused to attend other activities at the event and then they came back to complete their work. We made 16 dolls in total – 12 we finished at the Cockpit and 4 of them I finished at home.

‘Spread the love. A lovely opportunity to be still and present.’

‘I enjoyed the collaborative direction the doll making take – we all sat and made our dolls and chatted – a lovely way to spend an hour.’

‘This has been really freeing. I was initially resistant and wanted to do it quickly. I then calmed down and felt invested in creating something new – filled with dreams. I was so pleased to add a heart. I was filled with joy when they all stood up.’

‘It’s a wonderful and healing experience! Very relaxing…’

‘Making the doll today was so therapeutic, not only did I feel helpful and somewhat creative but I also got to meet lots of new and very interesting people. I got to work on my skills with needle and thread and also my people skills. After completing my doll, the meditation we did as a group left me most relaxed I have been in months. This was a lovely experience, thank you Regina.’

‘Relaxing and informative work. I hope my doll has a good impact on the world.’

‘Craft something for someone that has meaning for her work, that has dreams with a heart, it was very interesting and fulfilling. What my experience is I’ll keep it for me. Thank you to have shared with me part of your world.’

‘It was a beautifully mindful thing to do to create a heart person in the middle of my shift at The Cockpit. To concentrate on making a peace/heart doll made me more aware of time passing in my surroundings and also made me aware of how lucky I am to work in a place where this sort of thing happens. I hope the doll goes onto new adventures.’

I am so grateful for all the makers and for the special time we spent together. The dolls were introduced to the leading Cock of the Cockpit, thank you so much Michelle, they got so excited, they can’t stop talking about it! I am super mega grateful for Bill who invited me to the event. It was an absolute joy to be with you all, thank you!

The Joy of Opera

Lauren, Molie and Iona joined us to make dolls yesterday at Barons Court Theatre scratch night. We worked part while we were in the audience and part at the end of the scenes in the pub above. We made 9 dolls in total.

‘The simple things are usually the best.’

‘It’s nice to spend time creating and meditating.’

‘A great creative experience. Would recommend for a friend.’

I am grateful for the makers and for Leo and Sharon for having me again, we had a lovely time together, thank you!

We went to the D&D event ‘How can the Fringe add the greatest value to the UK creative sector?’ in Edinburgh.

Elspeth and Kathryn joined to make dolls. Varshini came over to be with us. We had inspiring conversations about the right and left side of the brain, we agreed that simple pleasures are the best. We made 5 dolls in total.

‘Feeling grateful for my community. Shared dreams and exploration. A gentle way of being. Changing things and holding space gently. I’m feeling calm, settled.’

‘Thank you again, Regina, for the chance to sit quietly ad make a doll with dreams and a heart. I had a lovely time!’

I am grateful for making dolls once again in my beloved event D&D. I felt quite moved as the last time I was in Edinburgh was 25 years ago with a show I directed and we had a fantastic time.

Thank you so much for the makers, for Elspeth who donated her pillow full of dreams and for Varshini who once more made a brilliant introduction, thank you!

What a privilege making dolls this month in the stunning island of Paros in Greece! 

Marouso and her son Odysseus joined us. I’ve finished Odysseus’ doll as the law of mobility took him to other adventures. 

Marouso made her doll and meditated hers and Odysseus’. We made three dolls in total. 

We had a lovely conversation and I’ve just discovered I’m a digital nomade. 

‘It was a very peaceful and really inspiring experience.’ 

I felt blessed to have made dolls in Paros with someone I’ve just met and felt like family. Thank you so much Marouso and Odysseus for helping the project, thank you! 

Francesca, Sowmya, Carolina, Laura, Jagoda, Emily, Lauren, Lucy, Leo and two other people , a boy and a girl I forgot to ask the names, made dolls at the last scratch night. We made 13 dolls in total. One of them is missing, I hope we will recover it soon.

Actually only two makers finished their dolls and meditate. I’ve already finished all the others, they were almost finished so it was an easy task.

‘I just forgot to add a heart to my doll, it was very sturdy but had no feelings – and I thought that was a nice metaphor for how we humans can be sometimes. Fortunately Regina helped me to fix the doll. I loved the whole experience.’

I’m really grateful for everybody who made dolls and for Leo and Sharon who always receive the project with such care and love, thank you! 

Emma and Leo made one doll each. Leo was glad making another doll, I think it’s his 4th. We made seven in total.

‘I really loved creating the doll. Very special to connect to my theatrical dreams and heartbeat through the doll making in a theatre. Feels very fizzy.’

I am very grateful for the invitation and for another brilliant evening together.

63 + 77 + 39 + 20 + 34 + 16 + 18 + 33 = 300

That’s the number of dolls we made only in big D&Ds from 2014 to 2020 and 2024.

Actually we made some in 2013 but I didn’t register the number. There is a photo of them lying down on the floor and I said ‘without dreams and a heart we can’t stand up.’

Those are pics of some of them in each year.

They are teens now and we have been looking at childhood photos, so many happy memories.

‘There is always room for a little more dreams.’

‘I enjoyed filling my doll with dreams sitting down and having uncomplicated honest conversations with people. I wish my doll well. It was a lovely experience to sit down with.’

‘A firm figure, so stuffed

that the red thread snaps at the hip.

My skirt button pops off

as I sit to make the final snip.’

‘A very relaxing and fulfilling experience. Making my doll at d&d made my day because was something out of the ordinary. I extremely enjoyed my day with dreams and a heart. The doll I made had only a couple of breaks that were easy to fix and made my doll is unique.’

‘I am very happy to bring you one doll closer to 3000. Thank you for a peaceful hour and lovely conversation.’

‘My doll today embodies my dreams for my daughter who is having a difficult time at the moment. My heart to her heart, my dreams to her dreams. Thank you x.’

‘A beautiful mindful moment of focus and reflection. Creating something bigger than the sum of its parts.’

‘That was so darn relaxing.’

‘Putting dreams into my feet and hands, brain and heart. Allowing me to roam free and keep running and exploring for ideas I long for a better world. A dream land.’

‘It was magical! To be focused, to be creative, to be quiet, to have a heart, to be absorbed, to be, to just be…Thank you!’

‘So many dreams packed into a small body. A heart obscured by dreamstuff. Return to the pulse.’

‘There is a lot of space inside us for a lot of dreams. Our hearts connect to the pulse of the universe around us. It’s easy to get a little saggy at the seams but tender energies can reaps, renew and strengthen us. This is what I ‘learnt’ today with my dreams and a heart doll.

Ps I also learned that ‘learnt’ can be spelt ‘ learned’ – and ‘spelt’ can be spelled ‘ spelled’ or ‘spelt’. Lol .’

‘My second doll has silky skin, firm yet yielding arms, a defined waist, a distinct left thumb, a big right toe, several stitches under the left arm, a squiggle under the right shoulder blade, neat white stitching up the left inner thigh, a heart that beats with wings of

butterflies and the buzz of bees.’

‘A lovely contemplative experience with interesting thoughts and conversations. I’ve put a little part of me out into the world.’

‘It was a beautiful experience. Namaste.’

‘Thank you little doll for carrying these dreams with you. I know they are in a special place with you. I am grateful for the small part I have had in your making.’

‘I loved the relaxing feeling of slowly making the doll. This has really made my day.’

Thank you so much for your help and for the lovely time we spent together, love you all.