Loukeria for New York - Лукерья для Нью-Йорка

Hello! Привет!

You can find EVERYTHING in New-York. Exceptions were trams and ... my dolls :) But now you can find Loukeria in NY too.  
 
I made this Loukeria with love for my family.

 As other Loukeria dolls, she is wearing a complete Russian costume that can be taken off and put back. The fabrics are from my grandma's stock - you will not find texile like this anymore.

To complete the Russian look, I added Russian shoes and a hand-woven belt made on tablets:

 

... but I could not do anything about trams...

PS At the end of the post, as part of my travel report: a view from Empire State Building

Your
Kukliki

   Покажу вам новую Лукерью, которая уехала в Америку к племяннице. Та, кстати, сразу же назвала куклу Машей.... Возможно она и права :) 

Лукерья-Маша одета, как всегда, в русский костюм из рубахи и сарафана, пошитых из бабушкиных запасов. Таких тканей уже не делают!

Лапти - связаны. Ну никак руки не дойдут научиться плести настоящие лапти! Кстати, если вы знаете кого-нибудь, кто может научить по Скайпу плести лапти, посоветуйте пожалуйста! Я с радостью в обмен поделюсь своим каким-нибудь мастерством.

Поясок на дощечках, как и полагается.

ПыСы: классическое фото Нью-Йорка с Empire State Building (вид на север-север-восток, справа видно здание Крайслера)

До скорого,
Куклики 

Зима, уходи! - Winter, go away!

Hello! Привет!

When it is the end of March but the winter does not want to leave, when the spring is at is high point but the trees in the city look like Christmas trees.... time to take SPECIAL measures.

There is an ancient Russian rite: the Calling for Spring .  Songs, dolls, special bakery - all is made to help nature to wake up to the new life cycle.  

This doll is not a special one for the rite, but I made her using the brightest possible colours TO HELP WINTER TO GO!

Lets join the efforts and finally call for spring together!
What are YOUR actions? 

Kukliki

  Ох уж эта зима!!!!!

Уж Март на дворе, а она все деревья снегом припорошивает, да цветы хочет спрятать. Знаменитая Гранд Пляс в Брюсселе уже готова была туристов цветами встречать.... да не тут-то было!

Пора весну закликать.

Ну а можно еще такими методами: весенними куклами, да четко сформулированным сообщением:

Народ, присоединяйтесь!
Какие ваши действия? 

Куклики

Ведучка - Guider Doll

Hello! Привет!

Today, the first day of the Creacorner demostration, brougt me interested and interesting people and but also...  a new doll.  
It is long time since I wanted to make it, but as it happens with dolls, often THEY choose when to appear. So she has chosen to come today :)

She is a Guider: an image of a mother or a wise "big" tutor, who will cover your back and will turn you to the right direction.  

The doll's made on a tight linen wrap and is dressed using the old used tissues. The costume is very simple, to match the robustness of the raw linen and strong hands.

Your
Kukliki
PS  On a special demand, I share here my today's disordered working place :)

  Сегодняшний, первый,  день демонстраций в Creacorner прошел не только интересно, но и с личной выгодой :)
Я давно хотела сделать куклу Ведучку и вот рискнула сделать ее сегодня в качестве демонстрации. 

Образ очень нежный, но в тоже время уверенный и поддерживающий. Это может быть и мама за спиной у ребенка, которая всегда защитит тыл. Это может быть и тот взрослый... нет тот "большой" человек, кто направит в нужную сторону.

Кукла сделана на добротной льняной закрутке и одета в старые ношеные ткани. Хоть лицо и темное, но естественная фактура льна не портит образ, на мой взгляд.
И еще, захотелось оставить ее в очень простом наряде, может потому, что она получилась такая деревенская, с сильными руками? :)

А это - специально для Любы: мое сегодняшнее беспорядочное рабочее место :)

Ваша , 
Куклики 

Koliada: winter solstice - Коляда

Hello! Привет!

Вот и время для Коляды подходит. Пора полешко берёзовое подбирать и делать эту замечательную берегиню. Коляда - моя любимая кукла. Статная, уверенная в себе, деятельная, но при этом очень женственная. В моих глазах она олицетворяет истинную женскую суть. Кукла ритуальная, и должна быть сожжена после года служения, чтобы уступить место новой. В посте позируют мои Коляды, сделанные для рождественских базарчиков. 

  Finally, I got to tell you about my preferred doll - Koliada. The time has come. Winter solstice is coming.

Kolada doll is a doll made for ... , guess? Right, Koliada feast.

Remember, I told you about Summer solstice and the Kupavka doll?  Similarly to Koupala, Koliada is one of major yearly celebrations by pagan Russians and this Winter Solstice period was also marked by the Christian feasts: Christmas and the New Year. 

At this day people think back what the passed year brought. Whether the year delivered the good or bad, they showed the gratitude. So the next year would be happier and easier. 

During Koliada celebration, people wish each other happiness and wealth on behalf of Koliada Doll.

Like all the rite dolls, Koliada was made every year anew. During the whole year, Koliada doll would stand at the visible place guarding the house and helping the dwellers in all the affairs.

Koliada is made on a birch log (sacral Russian wood) and has two specific protection symbols: a couple of bundles with salt and bread to bring the richness to the house and a broom to chase all the evils from the house.  
After a year of good service, the old doll was burned in the sacral fire (the new fire made with fire striker or by friction).

Winter Solstice is the most promising feast. 
As of Solstice date, the day grows longer.  "As a sparrow jumps" but longer! Always!

The pictures show the Koliada dolls, I made for the Christmas markets this year.

Your 
Kukliki

God’s eye, Ojo de Dios, Божье око, Namkha

Hello! Привет!

Божье око - стариный русский обережный знак, и тибетский, и марокканский, и мексиканский, и турецкий... Так мне замечают разные люди на ярмарках.  И правда, Божье Око существует в разных культурах под одинаковым названием. Удивительно! 
Поместите его на видном месте у входа в дом или помещение. Яркий образ привлечет внимание входящего и направит его мысли и намерения в позитивное русло.
Инструкции по изготовлению этого амулета в Инете найти несложно, но вот тут вы найдете как изготовить сложную версию знака, почти мандалы. 

God’s eye, Ojo de Dios, Божье око, Namkha are all the names for the same symbol and translated all have the same meaning: The Eye of God.

Fascinating, when I sell it on fairs as part of my Russian traditional exposition, people of different nationalities pass by to say that there is the same symbol in Turkey, Morocco, Tibet, Mexico.

How did it happen that God's eye weaving technique stays the same all over the world and refers to the same sacral meaning? 

Has it appeared independently in different places?  With the same name and meaning?????

Or is there a common root? More likely. Another proof that we all are much closer than it looks like :)

Of course, the interpretation of the symbol is different depending on cultures and traditions. The four ends of the sticks may mean four sides of the world (with the central point being the fifth, spiritual, dimension) or the four elements of the (same) world. The colours also have different metaphysical meanings.

The usage of this amulet also varies on continents:
- in Tibet, Namkha serves as a prayer flag ans a meditation practise
- Ojo de Dios in Latin America is made by Huichol Indians to protect the children during life
- Russian Божье око serves as a protection against bad wishes and bad eyes

Russians suggest to place God's eye at the entry of your house or room. Its bright image attracts attention of the guest and turns his mindset to a positive side, protecting your dwelling against the negative thoughts or intentions.

Just while writing this post, I realised that having a God's eye in a house brings the presence of the the universal human culture and values to your place, whatever appearances they may take anywhere else.

And the last thing. I am happy to bring to your dwelling this universal proection and spiritual sign. You can find the God's eye made by me in my Dawanda shop. 

Goood luck!

Your 
Kukliki

Oryol's Mother - Орловская Кукла

Hi all! Привет!

 Наконец я ее сделала - Орловскую куклу, или как я ее называю Орловская мамка. Она на меня смотрела с фотографии из книги Котовых, но я никак не могла к ней подойти. Ну вот свершилось и мы познакомились. Своей трогательностью она мне напоминает куколку Убоженьку, хотя, конечно, это совсем другая энергетика. Кукла, для разнообразия, не обережная - игровая, сделанная мастерами XIX века в пику кукле новой, заводской и дорогой, не всем доступной. Представляете, было время когда фабричные товары были дороги, а ручная работа означала доступность товара.

   This  doll has seduced me immediately, when I saw in the Kotov's book on traditional dolls. It is touching and I felt very close attraction to it. These things happen with traditional dolls :)
But to admire is one thing and to do is another. Despite the interest, I could not approach this doll to make it for quite a while. These things also happen with traditional dolls :)

Finally I did one for myself and I like so much both the process and result, that I made a whole lot, a Market Day :)

This doll is, for a change, not a rite or protection doll. This is a doll for games, although you can see that it is inspired by the traditional protecting dolls. Unlike protecting dolls, the body of Oryol's Doll is sewed.
Oryol (Орел) is a town located south of Moscow, half way towards Ukraine, so quite a south place, speaking of traditions.
This doll is a typical example of  artisan toys spread in villages as an alternative to the expensive factory dolls, that appeared and spread in XIX century.

Yes there was a time, when "factory production" meant "expensive" and "artisan" and "hand-made" meant "affordable". Well, time changes.

Your
Kukliki

Doll-Of-Ten-Hands - Десятиручка

Hi all! Привет!

Чего не хватает современной женщине? Той, что и хозяйка, и мать, и жена, и деловая женщина, и личность, и активистка и комсомолка???  Ну конечно - десяти рук! Ну и пару дополнительных часов в сутках. Интересно, но похоже что ситуация не менялась последнюю тысячу лет, наверное поэтому и была придумана Русской Женщиной (а может и ее мужем?) замечательная кукла - Десятиручка. 
Хотя кто знает, может раньше в сутках было только 20 часов???

   This time of the year is when the harvest is behind and women can now be fully dedicated to the exclusively feminine tasks of combing and spinning the wool and the flax, weaving and sewing. Until the soil is ready for next cultivation cycle.

No surprise, that the saints and feasts celebrated in October-November are mainly linked to women trades. And the rite and protection dolls to be made these months are real women helpers.

Question: What does a modern woman need? Especially if she is a mother, a wife, a business woman, a creative personality, a housekeeper etc, etc, etc.
Answer: Modern woman needs ten hands (and probably 26-27 hours in a day).

Woman's condition did not seem to change for the last few hundreds of years - since the centuries Russian women were making themselves this Doll-Of-Ten-Hands. 

This doll was/is made to solicit for help. Days ago a young lady, starting to prepare her marriage portion, would make such a doll and then burn it begging for help. This doll was also put at the housewife working place.

Disclaimer: the Doll-of-ten-hands does add you few additional pairs of hands but is unable to add additional hours to the day. Helas!

Your
Kukliki

Russian doll: Insomnia - Бессонница

Hey all!   Привет!

 Наше последнее занятие началось с того, что оказалось что все мы, мамы, с детьми у которых не так все и благополучно со сном. Поэтому мы и начали вечер с полезной куклы Бессонницы. И похоже, она уже кое-кому помогла.  А я, кстати ее еще использую и с эфирными маслами, от насморка :) 

    Last week,  the announced master-class on Kouvadka dolls has started spontaneously with a conversation about our kids and their sleeping problems. Someone asked me provocatively if there is no by chance a Russian doll to help with this. 
Yes! I said,  There is a doll for your case! Since you need it, lets make it.

So we started the evening with making Insomnia. A doll like this:

Insomnia doll is made of two rags with no threads used to shape the body, only nodes.
A mother would make this doll when her kid was crying by night, not being able to sleep. She would put it to the kid's bed saying:

Insomnia, insomnia,
do not play with my baby, 
but play with this doll.


And guess what, this week one of the mothers told me that her daughter, after the course, has had finally a quiet night. A chance?

Your Kukliki

Rzhev Happiness Doll - Ржевское счастье

Hey all!   Привет!

Резюме  Ржевское счастье  - очень милая и женственная куколка. Крохотная, головастая, с длиннющей косой, крепко стоящая без поддержки, она очень символична для женщин. Куколка в общем не обережная, но такой сильный символ, подкрепленный пожеланиями при дарении может вполне стать оберегом.

    It's a long time since I told you about Russian traditional dolls. So this is another special one (well they are all special :)

The Rzhev Happiness, or simply a Doll for Happiness.
Rzhev (Ржев) is an old town located in the European part of Russia. The town history begins as of 10th century, and in the archaeological layers of the around the same time, this doll was found.

It is hard to be more feminine than she is! Isn't it? And she is, indeed, a symbolic representation of a woman or even of femininity. Fragile and robust at the same time. 

The plate (коса) is a heart of the feminine symbol, as it a very important element of Russian women appearance. At wedding, the husband-to-be was literally buying the bride's plate. Cutting the plate of a woman was a punishment and expression of total humiliation.
The long plate is attached to the doll in a simple and ingenious way, just with threads. This plate serves also a support for the doll, so she can stand solidly without any external help.

This doll is not really protective one, but rather a doll to offer or even to play.
Still though, it is made without sewing.

The doll is usually four to six centimetres high. I tried to experiment and made her a friend, which is as high as a couple of centimetres. So I needed to make a real macro shot:

Your Kukliki