Claim Your Character!
Life is a Journey - it's cliché but true - and the world is changing so
quickly right now, it can be tough to fully process the trip. Journey School
character development creates that intentional space to work through the
adventures we long for, lessons we cringe from, and all the woulda, coulda,
shouldas we simply don't fit into our "regular" lives.
There is something quite magical about
these small dolls. I was preparing for our booth at the Lavender Festival on
Vashon Island last Summer. I generally make several doll bases, and many shirts,
pants, boots, and various accessories. I then put the clothing blanks together into
sets, embroider the
faces, and finally, choose and craft each character's hair.
Well, this one beautiful base seemed to pick her hair right away, before clothes
or face or even a name. From the moment I went ahead with the hair first, this
"imaginary" character began demanding clothing pieces that I'd already
designated for other outfits - shoes from an Autumn Fairy, shirt from a Selkie,
basket from a farmer girl.
She was the first to sell that weekend. I found out
later that she'd been bought as a gift for a woman whose life had just collapsed
and who was having difficulty holding onto the truest pieces of herself.
Whether you plan to play or to heal, character development can sometimes be much
clearer when you externalize the story. Journey School
Character Bases provide that foundation.
Each character begins with a copyrighted Lucky Farm Doll Base - these are the
highest quality doll bases currently available. With a wire core wrapped in
cotton and wool yarn, these six inch bases
provide a flexible, strong body. You choose the hair style (long, medium, close
cropped, two braids, single braid or ponytails) and hair color, eye color,
and clothing color (either light or dark neutral). If you don't see a hair color
that suits the character you have in mind, you can make a special request.
However, we want to be sure that the development, the "enlivening" of your
character happens with your physical participation.
Every two weeks (for a year!), you will receive an email "assignment" from us to
help develop your character.
Simply click on the "Add to Cart" button, then enter the hair, eye, and clothing
information in the PayPal message box to get started on your own Journey. We'll
send your character and the first assignment within 10 days by USPS Priority
Mail. If you are purchasing multiple bases, we'll combine shipping and send
a few surprises!
****Please note that the development prompts are not necessarily "writing assignments". One of my daughters is an avid reader and writer but the core truth of her character shines through most clearly in her dramatic pencil drawings of a scene inspired by the assignment. My other daughter is a Master Accessorizor - I've never seen such detailed, tiny tools and toys. Her character is surrounded by physical representations of her gifts and dreams. There are no standardized achievements here - your character will grow best through those skills you truly enjoy.
We do ask that whether your character will be born to the Journey School community, travel through it as a trader, long to immigrate here, or plot secretly to run away from us, that you work within the context of Journey School as a real place where the Declaration of Four Sacred Things provides the foundation for our construction, our politics, our economy, our celebrations, and our plans for the future. Just to keep it real, every six weeks, your character will receive a package from Journey School. Whether it's a raw resource, a beautiful gift, or a challenge, we have found some of our most precious moments have come from the least expected lessons.
