Nisse Instructions

 

Zoe:  Where is Nissefar?

 

Hammie:  Nanny said we had to find him!  He only wakes up at Yule time.

 

Pandy: Nissefar is near, I hear him.

 

Nissefar: (pulling Pandy onto his lap) Yes, my little one, I am here!

 

Nissefar:  I am here for all of you!  I want you to know that I love each and every one of you, that you are all Nisser just like me!  We have a purpose in this human world and it is time for you to learn a little about it.  You must visit all of this house's Nissefolk, they will tell you some things you need to know!

  

Audrey:  I met some of them last Christmas!  I know where they are!  Follow me!

The children went to see the Morso Nisser.

 

Morso:  Welcome to Yule, little children!  We are the Nisser that make sure that there is plenty of mischief.  We hide presents, play tricks on the cook, and always keep Yule from becoming too boring.  You must be mischievous in a good way, keep humans guessing, they like that.  Hammie, it will be your responsibility to make life interesting for everyone!

Next they went to see the Aalborg Nisser.

 

Aalborg:  Oh hello!  We have been toasting the holiday and telling long stories of Yule times past.  We wanted you to know that humans need to be reminded of the past and how important it is to keep traditions.  Tell lots of stories, keep the old traditions alive.  Audrey, this is somethinig you are meant to bring to everyone.

Next they went to see the Hamburg Nisse.

 

Hamburg:  Oh mein goodness, you leiblings are zo fine!  I am zo proud to each and everyone.  Happiness!  Good Cheer!  Laughings, these things are zo important to keep.  I want that you remember the happiness in life, bring it to peoples!  Pandy, mein darling!  You must keeps the happiness alive all the times!

Next they went to visit the Lolland Nisser.

 

Lolland: Hello little ones!  We are so happy to see you!  Nisser are meant to bring gifts to humans.  Gifts do not have to be grand, they need to be needed and bring a smile.  Then it is a good gift.  Gifts that are made by your own hand are the very best!  Remember to leave a gift that can be eaten to each human within a house hold.  Zoe, we think you will be best at keeping this important Yule job in order!

 Next they went to see the Langeland Nisse:

 

Langeland:  I see that you have all received your instructions!  I wanted to tell you about how to behave.  This is important for each of you, not just one to remember.  Nisser must be helpful to the household they occupy.  They must keep out of the way of humans and be as quiet as they can be.  They should refrain from too much mischief, but of course, it that is very hard to do consistantly!  I know all about that!  Be quick to return borrowed items, try not to eat all of the cakes, and above all, remember that humans need cheering up now and then.  Give them smiles.  Now, go see Nissefar, he is about to go back to sleep until next Yule. 

The children returned to Nissefar.

 

Zoe:  Nissefar, we have visited the others.  They told us what we need to do.

Hammie:  Yeah!  I get to be bad!

 

Nissefar:  That boy is going to be a GREAT Nisse!

Settling In

We have had a chance to settle in a bit, me and the 4 little children.  I am so happy, this is such a good thing for me.  Last night, I made up their little beds, tucked them in and watched them until I fell asleep.  Loving their sweet faces, their gentle souls.  No feelings of having to make companions sit because they are so large, not feelings of not being able to play.  I do wish I could have brought the trunk, but I want to work on it, make it just right as a playroom.  I have lots of ideas, so when I go back next time, I can work them into the playroom.

I have Zoe up here with me this morning.  She is so curious about all this trucking experience.  I am having troubles with her wig, it's too big and it seems I glued it on awkward, so that the one braid it too forward.  I tried rebraiding it further back but it didn't work.  I will have to wash it in very hot water to remove the tacky clue and see if I can reshape it.  I made the pants she has on as a test pattern, but since I needed to get the coats and hats done before I left, the sets of pants I want to make will have to wait.  I want to make rompers, jeans and winter type pants on the next home-time.   I LOVE that they can share clothes!  I am just not used to that, all of my companions have always had to have their own wardrobes.

 

I also finished Hammie's sweater:

 

It wasn't until I sewed it together that I realized I forgot to make a button hole at the top! I have no idea how I missed that.   Oh well.

My Angels Came

 

 

Two little angels came to live with me on Christmas Eve.  I could not have imagined their immediate impact on me, but they sure arrived filled with love and pure adorableness.  I now have five delightful little nisse children.

 

 

Pandora: Pandy was immediately perceived.  I saw her chubby cheeks, her soft grace and the wig I had ordered was a soft baby blonde in a babyish style and suited her perfectly.  Her faceup was easy and practically instant.  I just knew her and what enhancement she needed to come to life.  Pandora is so incredibly sweet and cheerful.  I love to hold her in my hand.  She is so cuddly.  I am discovering that Pandy is content, generally comfortable where ever she is and likes stories being read to her.  She is very imaginative and likes to talk to fairies.  She loves rhymes and rhythmic sounds.  Pandy's gift is to sense changes in the weather and environment.

 

 

 

Zoe: Zoe took a little bit longer to perceive.  I had difficulty with her droopy eye shape and the colouring as I could not decide on the wig....silver white or black.  I went round and round with it, even sitting with her in the middle of the night, trying to see her.  I almost wondered if we were going to bond at all.  Then today, I re-did her face, taking away the tomboy I had hoped I had, and found instead a little sweet angel, with thundercloud grey eyes and silver white curls.  She has the longest lashes of the four, giving a surprising lift by causing a focus to the upper eye and not the lower.  Funny how the black lashes work so well, when I in fact only used them because I ran out of the normal lashes.  These are far more dramatic.  I feel her presence now, and I am discovering she is very inquisitive like Audrey, worried like Olwen and a bit more serious than any of the children.  Zoe's gift is to sense the future.

Audrey: She is kissed by the sun, warm and friendly and loves to explore the world around her.  Her coppery hair and gentle freckles bring me such warmth and love.  Audrey chose me and started a love for the DZ BB's like no other doll I have had.  Audrey reminds me the most of Alice in Wonderland, very curious, very intelligent.  She has a gift of being able to read thoughts.  However she is too young to understand what the words mean.

Hamlet: The only boy, yet very attached to his sisters.  He loves to play cowboy and indians, camping, hunting and playing with boats.  He tends to like to argue for fun, tends to make fun of his sisters, but harbors no ill will, he just likes to be contrary.  It isn't hard for the girls to get Hammie to play with them.  Hammie often will melt women's hearts with his big brown eyes.  He sure did mine!  Hammie's gift is to find things that have gone missing.

Olwen:  Olwen is older than the children who are all about 5-6 years old.  She is 12.  Olwen worries about "growing up" and fears it as much as she looks forward to it.  She is protective of the children and often likes to play "mother" to them.  Olwen's gift is to withdraw into another world, to live for brief moments a story from a book.

None of the children understand their gifts.  Far too young to know the full extent of what will eventually become a powerful part of who they are as nisser.

What a wonderful Christmas this was!

A dream come true!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday was the first day of home time.  I rushed downstairs to find the various little packets I had bought during the run, some quartz beads, 3 pair of shoes for Olwen and a pair of gray glass eyes.  These little packets were all sitting on top of a box, which I knew was a gift from Alex.  She had mentioned it was something she found and it didn't cost much, something I could use on the truck so I thought maybe it was a little chair or a doll toy, but it was something that I had wanted for such a long time, a fabulous Trunk with a murphy bed!

 

I literally broke into tears, I was so happy!  When I think of the times I would find one, and would bid, I always lost the auction.  I just couldn't afford what they would go for.  As I understand it, they were sold by Cracker Barrel (restaurant) in their old fashioned shop, and they are no longer made.  There is a similar one made for American Girl size dolls, but this one is smaller, made for the 10-12 inch dollies.  Many years ago, I had seen one of these decorated to the hilt for a fancy french fashion lady.  There were small perfect perfume bottles on the vanity, little bundle of letters wrapped in ribbon, a fan....all the little details that so thrilled me.  Ever since seeing that, I have always wanted one of these trunks!  My only sigh, as I sat for perhaps a whole hour just staring at it in all it's perfect wonderment, I thought, once again, I wished I had stopped at just having Audrey.  This could have been a perfect little girls room!  But then I though about how much I love Hammie and well, the two new girls coming is part of a dream I have had too.

Just a couple of days ago, I was so sure we were not going to make it home for Christmas, and now, I have a Christmas present!

Oh and the wig I had bought for Olwen, well it is PERFECT!  I was so worried about the "honey" description for the colour, but it is the softest honey, not brassy or yellow at all.  More like a soft doe colour and she looks so pretty!  I am debating on whether to change her face up to match, her face up right now is more pale and silvery blue, I would love to give her more warmth.  I think I will wait to see if Zoe arrives in time, because she will need a face up and I can do both at the same time.  I won the auction for a "boy cut" pale blonde wig for Zoe, which will be perfect for my little tom boy girl.  So will the gray eyes, as they are too large for Olwen and I adore her bright blue eyes anyways.  So Zoe will be the more pale one, as the friend I had back in high school.  Pandy is the one I am not sure about yet.  I have a bid on a pale pink wig (I almost bought Evie a pink wig when I first got her) and have always wanted to try having a companion with soft pink hair!  That one won't come in time before I leave, so IF Pandy arrives, she will have to do with whatever I have in my bag of wigs.  I am worried about her not getting here in time....but that is the way it is with Christmas being in the way!  lol.

 

Impending Nisse's

 

Audrey:  You know what?  There are two more Nisse's coming to live with us!

Hammie:  How do you know that?

 

Audrey:  'Cause I heard it in Olwen's head.  She knows.

Hammie: Are they boys?

 

Hammie:  I would have a friend to play with.  We could play cowboys and indians.

 

Hammie: I wanna be an indian when I grow up!

 

Audrey:  I want someone to play house with.

Hammie: I want someone to build a fort with.

 

Audrey: There are two, maybe one is a girl and one is a boy.

 

Hammie: I guess that would be ok.  Then I could be a indian and he could be the cowboy and I will scalp him!

Audrey:  Icky.

 

Audrey:  Do indians like tea parties?

 

Hammie:  Only if there's lots of sugar in the tea and ginger biscuits!

Audrey: And lemon tarts.

 

Audrey:  uh oh....Olwen is coming......she'll want us to take a bath!

 

Hammie: Indians don't take baths.  They dance in the rain.

Olwen:  (from afar) Where are you???????

Zoe is on her way ALREADY!!!!!!!!!

OH!  I just got a response from the seller, they were able to send Zoe out today on a 2 day delivery!!!!!!!!!  I am so excited....perhaps Pandy will arrive before I leave again?????  The excitement is so intense!

Everything Changes

I had seen a couple of DZ BB's for sale for half price.  I mused over them, but after having just gotten Olwen 7 weeks ago, I just didn't think I could even ask for one.  I put 3 dolls on auction, hoping I could partly pay for it.  I agonized over (as only dolly-nuts can do) and this morning, being a wonderful morning (we had a shower and breakfast out) we got back to the truck, I fired up my laptop and sighed.  The auction was about to end, and I just mentioned it to him, he said "Ok"!  YIKES!  But there was another one, I wanted, and which to chose?  I love them both!  There was Ami with her closed eyes, and Sis with her quirky eyes, large like Hammie's.  I chose Sis, then won her.  I was so excited, that husband said I could try for the other one too.  OMG.  Yes, I feel like jumping for dolly heaven joy!  She doesn't end for awhile, so my fingers will have to be crossed for her.  I am hoping with all my might!

They do not have face-ups, which is fine, I can do that.  I have always been intrigued with dolls with closed eyes.  At first, I thought how discomforting that would be not to be able to look into a companion's eyes, but I grew use to seeing the photo's on DOA and then started to imagine the possibilities.  Since my little ones are all Nisse's then I could go with one always being so sleepy, or go ahead with the blind aspect.  I will think on it.

 

This is DZ BB Ami. Her face is just too sweet! IF she comes home, her name is Pandora, Pandy for short.

 

This is DZ BB Sis the one I did win.  I don't think the eyes come with her. Her name is Zoe after a childhood friend I had.

I would then have four little Nisse children.  Three girls and a boy.  Poor Hammie!  Way too many tea parties for his taste.  The one experience I have NEVER had, was companions that can actually share clothes and shoes!  WOW.  It's too exciting to comprehend!

I really thought this was a goal I would achieve one a year at a time if at all.  I would also like to get Zhujwei and another boy as my last two BB's.  Those will definitely take time to be able to get.  But, I am also willing to stop at four if they end up being enough.  lol.

.

The Stories Fell Apart

There is something about Christmas that makes me happy.  What a difference a day makes.

I want to write about a wonderful idea I had.  It was perfect, but once I got involved in it, I realized that I also felt agitation, feelings of sadness as I wrote each story out.  All the work I had poured into Belsant Tower, all the stories, all lost.  Even the castle is gone, as I could not pack it in the POD.  Sigh. I wanted to rescue it all somehow.

My idea was to take each name my Evie had in the past and make it a genealogy that could be my doll's family past.  Evie's parents would have been Ismay and Silas (the Belsant Tower stories) and Lili Marlene (Evie's first given name) would have been Susan's (now Olwen) mother, the soldier and nun story (the haunting of Belsant Tower) would have been Miriam's parents.  I connected my porcelain dolls as servants to the various families and wrote a wonderful Christmas story about everyone discovering their past and how they are related.

But as I wrote the stories, I became upset.  I realized that my imagination and stories always got more involved and convoluted, leavng my doll companions mere actors in endless plays, instead of the simple companions I so miss playing with.  It also kept me constantly on the hunt for new characters.  In creating this last story line, I needed a mother for the children, a sultry Portugese (tan DZ SD) and well, that would be $500 and who has that kind of dolly funds?  Not me.  What the heck was I doing?  I had created a monster that would have had to be played out and endlessly.  It is so much work.

And my poor Evie, never having much of a chance just to be herself.  It has caused a riff between us.  How could I have let this happen?  She is my heart, the one companion who has outlasted everyone, and she lays in a dark drawer because she is too large ti be on the truck.

Halfway into the Christmas Calendar story that would have introduced the characters and brought them into one cohesive story, I found myself totally discouraged.  Along with bad internet connections and days without access, along with the terrible depression that was overcoming me, I had to give up the idea.  I was justifying my dolls existence, causing me to spend all this time between this one and that one, when all I really wanted was to play with Audrey and Hammie.  It's so hard to explain.  I just hate chaos and commotion, I get agitated when there is too much going on around me.

What I don't want:

1. Too many dolls
2. Different scales going on
3. Complicated stories
4. Sad stories, death and adult themes

What I do want:

1. Simple joy, simple photo's of everyday life
2. Evie, Emyr, Olwen, Audrey and Hammie as my companion family
3. Aloe Vera and Olivia the Pig as my fun companions
4. A time period I can work within as a hobby.
5. Improve my knitting and sewing skills.

Today I also decided to change Noah's name to: 

EMYR: Welsh name meaning "king."

and Susan's name to:

          

OLWEN: Welsh Arthurian legend name of the heroine of Culhwch and Olwen, composed of the elements ol "footprint, track," and (g)wen "fair, holy, white," hence "footprint/track of the holy one." Olwen was the daughter of the fierce giant Ysbaddaden who was fated to die if she ever married. She was a magical girl who caused flowers to spring up wherever she went.

The Start of A New Direction

It is cold and gray with snow everywhere.  This sort of scene depresses a lot of people, but not me.  Right now I am so relieved and happiness is seeping in.  We have finally been granted home-time.  It almost didn't happen.  I spent nearly a week worried about it, the assignments that were coming through took us everywhere except where we needed to be.  Emotionally, I crashed and beyond all of the stress of it, exhaustion was a big hindrance for us both.  We've been on the road too long this run.  This is not the blog for all of this, let me just say that we are finally on our way and will be home for Christmas.  It was an extremely close call.

I promised myself that I would make a decision by year end about my dolls.  I am extending that decision to March, by then, I will be sure.  I am going to start talking about it, wander through the process and explore what it will mean to me and my companions.

 

I have found that my heart has been completely taken by Audrey and Hammie.  In such a way, that there is nothing that can compare to them.  Their size, their weight, their looks, their way of making me smile ever single time I see them to the way I feel when I hold them.  I am seriously considering adopting out most of my dolls and settling with the ones that mean the most to me.  There are many reasons for doing this, and many other ideas that also keep me from doing it too.  One thing is for sure, I want to explore it, I want to find the right thing for me.  I am feeling close to it.

Right now I am working on a simple striped cardigan sweater for Hammie.

 

We will be home on the 22nd (probably very late) and have the 23rd to relax.  I hope I have enough energy to put together a little idea I have brewing.   If not, that's ok too.  Sometimes the simplest moments of just being together are all that are necessary to make everything all right again.

Christmas Love

Sigh

Depressed.  I have so many ideas running through my head, so many projects I would like to do, but trucking is not letting me express them.  I get so frustrated.  The constant bouncing leaves my knitting tension off, my fine sewing jagged, my fingers often poked and bleeding.  I tried to sit in back and play, but we get tossed around like tumbleweeds. Perhaps it's winter, perhaps it's the endless gray days.  I don't know but I just don't want to do anything.  Hopefully this will pass soon.

I was outbid on the last three dolls I bid on, knowing full well I would be.  I am not needing a new doll right now, I think I am just trying to put a thrilling edge to this depression to nudge it a bit out of the way.  I was so worked up about the Christmas Calender, I even have several days already photographed, and I have no desire to post them.  It's like I feel drained of colour.  I feel no pull towards anything.

I absolutely HATE Susan's wig.  I can't wait to try the tibetan lambs wool wig.  I will probably have to dye it, but it's has to be better than this one she is wearing.  It looks like straw.  She is keeping me company today.

 

I think Susan is as depressed as I am.  I am back to looking for a new name for her.  Today, I like Sylvia, Pella, Jenny and Norah.  I downloaded a really fun name generator off CNET, something I can play with when I am laying on my bunk at night with no internet.

I also downloaded a program called Life Chart.  It is pretty interesting, it maps out a person's life by events that have happened over time.  While I would have a dickens of a time trying to pinpoint timelines in my own life, I thought it may be an interesting way to track a life for my companions. Not sure what I would do with it, I haven't explored it all that much yet.   CNET is dangerous, I find all kinds of things when I am bored.  lol.

We are heading to NJ.  After that, we should be heading to TX to the company yard, then to home-time for Christmas.  I cannot hardly stand the wait.  Depressing.

I binned

I did it again.  I looked at dollies on eBay.  Someone put a bunch of Zwergnase on, starting at $9, I bid on one, but only a little bit and I know I will be outbid.  I just had to.

So to console myself, knowing I will most definitely lose, I held Audrey and Hammie and smiled at Susan and decided it would be far better to look at practical things.  I found some yummy foods for Audrey and Hammie:

 

 

These should be fairly good in scale for them at 4-5 cm each.   I loved the rice, as that is exactly what Nisse's eat for Christmas.  Hope they arrive before I get there!

I also completed one more lacy sweater, this one I am sending to Tracy for trade in the wonderful cast iron cauldron that she sent me for Aloe Vera.