Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Beautiful Marwa...



The latest doll in the Trash It Out round robin is Marwa - and not only is she a vision of beauty, the first thing I noticed as I opened the box upon arrival was the amazing smell that escaped the box before I ever laid eyes the doll.



Marwa belongs to Sandy - her name is of Hindi origin and means Sweet Marjoram - a fragrant herb. Heaven is what came to my mind when I first saw her...



Check out that cute bee in her bonnet



She came with this book of herbal recipes and other healing remedies. The book is a work of art with page after page of wonderful recipes/messages in an amazing array of colors.



Above are the pages I added to the book (Monica - do you recognize the heart up in the right hand corner?).



Marwa had a secret garden added while traveling. I didn't add anything to the garden at her feet, but it is a marvel to behold.



I did add a little bag of fresh herbs - picked from my garden - attached to one of her arms - that's in a photo further down the page.



As you can see - her backside is just as pretty as the front with a big bow and lots of layers in her skirt.



In her hands she lovingly holds a big heart to which I added a big glass lady bug.



And a bird button by Debbie Mumm with a final touch of red and black glass beads in a picot stitch around the edge of the heart.



I happen to have a beautiful clay cab on hand by Golem Studios with a blue bird on it - it at just seemed to go with Marwa. I was lucky enough to see their work up close and personal this past June at the Bead & Button show in Milwaukee. The beaded piece is pinned to the doll and can be removed and worn. (Just below the bird is the small bag I mentioned earlier with some fresh herbs).



There are glass beads in several colors and small Swarovski crystal bicones around the outside edge to add some extra sparkle.



It is backed with red Ultrasuede.



Last is the small journal that travels with the doll - besides the Imagine A Woman poem seen here, I noted the items I added on another page.



Only one doll left to work on before each of our dolls come "home". This has been an incredible experience for me - so many good lessons learned and to be included such awesome company is just a giant bonus!

Each photo is "clickable" for a larger view.

4 comments:

One Crabapple said...

gosh I love it love it love it

Your photos are brilliant

and I can't believe that the beaded medallion is MINE

:)

Thank You

xo-S.

One Crabapple said...

your beading is perfection

girlgonethreadwild said...

My goodness Grace your photos are just as exquisite as Marwa is, love being able to enlarge them & soak up the details~ your beaded brooch is wonderful, I would have loved to have seen Sandy's face when she scrolled down your post to see what all has been done to her doll.. it will be like Christmas at the return of the dolls :):):)

I DO remember that heart! as always Grace you have captured mine.. xoxo

Gloria Martin said...

Grace, Your additions to Marwa are stunningly beautiful. What gorgeous beadwork!!!
Lucky Sandy, but then again...we all are; for having had the opportunity to play and share together, and in the end hold a piece of each others heART within our dolls.
xo Gloria xo

Leaves of Grass

This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body - Walt Whitman