JANUARY 2012 NEWSLETTER

Happy New Year to all Western Australian Dollmakers and Uthando Friends,

For a moment, let us all hold in our imagining hearts, the reasons why Uthando Project exists. We want to support the lives of children, families, communities and organisations wherever there is over whelming hardship brought on by disease, poverty, wars, dissent and environmental disasters. The centre for Uthando's focus is KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa where the terrible devastation of HIV/AIDS leaves no one unaffected.

Our dolls may be given to children of all backgrounds. They are not necessarily orphans or children who are HIV+. It is hard for us to visualise a situation where everyone is affected by the pandemic. The reality is that in a population of 48 million people in South Africa, there are 1,200,000 AIDS orphans. The KZN population is 10 million.

However the principles of encouraging every child to have self expression through meaningful, sensitive play and of being free to communicate with parents or caregivers apply universally. Over the past 7 years Uthando has gathered together many wonderful dollmakers and their dollmaking skills. This expertise is open and available to other organisaitons to apply in their way in other regions, countries and cultures.

Our new book, 100 DOLLS, COUNTLESS HEARTS, is rich in ideas, patterns and inspiring stories. dollmaking can bring people together in new friendships and service.

EVENTS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

There are several events in Western Australia which you might like to join in......we need you!

Our goals are to see many more dolls made and made well, and to raise funds through the sales of the book for our NGO partner, dlalanathi in Pietermaritzburg in KZN,

The 100 DOLLS exhibition is the same as for CHOGM in October. It is really worth seeing the real dolls which are in the book.

MIDLAND 11 - 26 FEBRUARY

You are happpily invited to attend the Opening of the Exhibition at the Midland Junction Arts Centre at 11am, Saturday 11th February, (quite soon). The exhibition will be opened by Trish Langdon, CEO, Western Australian AIDS Council.

Light refreshments will be provided, entry is FREE.

MJAC is on the corner of Great Eastern Highway and Cale St, but the entry is off Cale St. There is limited parking before Dome Cafe. Otherwise park in Midland Gate.

The exhibition will occupy one room, with an adjacent room dedicated to dollmaking activities. There will be activities to suit different ages and abilities.

"Dressing a Doll",

"Draw a Peaceful World " on a doll's handbag,

"Make a Baby Doll",

"Create your own Dollmaking Kit"

If you would like to go on Roster for either mornings 10 - 1pm or afternoons, 1 - 4pm, please reply to georgia1@iinet.net.au or 9293 2363. As it is on for more than two weeks, we need many volunteers. it will be fun, not strenuous.

If you normally come to Gooseberry Hill on Fridays, please note that we will meet at MJAC on Fridays10th, 17th and 24th February. Everyone is welcome to come on these days and meet the Friday mob.

ALBANY 10 - 18 MARCH

The second Exhibition will be at the Western Australian Museum, Albany in the Co-op Building. Would anyone keen to assist, please contact Julie Fletcher 0439443666, brookend@wn.com.au

Julie brings together a fabulous group of dollmakers in Albany and their news can be found on Uthando Doll Maker - Albany Facebook.

Everyone is most welcome to attend and join in the activities.

MIRRABOOKA Wednesday 21 - Friday 23 MARCH

There will also be brief exhibition of the 100 DOLLS in the Mirrabooka Shopping Centre, outside KMart, for Harmony Week in partnership with the Family Development Unit, City of Stirling.

We would like this to attract dollmakers of all cultural backgorunds to enrol in one of our 3 workshops held over 5 weeks with Aboriginal dollmakers leading to a celebration for Reconciliation Week, May 27 - June 3.

These are exciting new developments for dollmaking and stories workshops which will be hosted by Aboriginal women. The workshops are called in the Noongar language Kadajiny Koort (Heart Learning). If you would like to participate please contact Iris Whitelock, Uthando Community Projects Coordinator; iris@crossburn.com.au

GOOSEBERRY HILL GARDEN PARTY Sunday 25 March, 2 - 5pm

We need to raise funds specifically to fly the 100 DOLLS exhibition to Cape Town, South Africa for the International Conference on Infant Mental Health. "Babies in Mind - the Minds of Babies", April 17 - 21.

This Conference is such an important event for Uthando Project to present our wonderful dolls, the power of the dollmaking communities and the vital nature of play to those professionally involved in children's health from around the world. Our intention is to raise $4000 to cover air freight and expenses for Georgia to be the Curator and as a representative of Uthando. Presentations will also be given at the Conference by our founder and director, Dr Julie Stone in partnership with Rachel Rozentals-Thresher, CEO, dlalanathi. This inspiring duo working together, always show how international partnerships can be mutually uplifting - a genuine expression of aligned compassion and action,.

How shall we raise these funds? Please put this in your diary, A Garden Party!

Delicious coffee, tea, scones, entertainment, doll exhibition, garden walks, bring and buy jumble stall and many metres of useful fabrics (unsuitable for dolls) to sell @ $2 per metre.. This is a good deadline to bring along finished dolls to be shipped early April. If you would like to make one special doll to sell ($20 - $50) on the day, or earlier at the Midland and Albany Exhibitions, please do so. There is constant request for buying Uthando dolls and it would contribute mightily to the fund raising. Normally all dolls are always sent to the chlldren in KZN.  Any dolls for sale are made with that intention.

SCHOOL DOLLMAKING

Where would we be without the creative and consistent input from student dollmakers? So many schools participate and we trust will continue to include Uthando dollmaking in their curriculum. It makes  a positive difference if new teachers contact our Schools' Coordinator, Lynne Tognolini, 9293 3876 lynnetognolini@bigpond.com before commencing with their students. Often more adult / community help is needed to make the dolls strong and for the children to be proud of their skills and hard work. We can supply dollmaking kits @ $5 each for students and give free polyester stuffing.

We need to ensure that the hair is sewn on around the head (not just a topknot), no glue is used anywhere and that the clothing can easily be taken off and dressed again (not stitched to the body). Patterns for clothing and other doll shapes are featured for photocopying in our 100 DOLLS BOOK. You can also use our Pattern Poster $5 and the free pages to be selectively downloaded from our website on our Home Page, Dollmakers' Workbook, on www.uthandoproject.org

RETAIL BOOKSELLERS FOR "100 DOLLS, COUNTLESS HEARTS"

We are delighted to list the many retail book sellers who are selling our book. We now have the new stitched book binding. Please visit them and mention it to your friends.

RRP $49.95, variable.

Westbooks, 396 Millpoint Rd, Victoria Park

Woolly Lattes, 46 - 48 Grantham St, Wembley

Calico & Ivy, 1 Glyde St, Mosman Park

Books Plus, Jill St, Armadale

Patchwork at Homespun, 6 Harrison St, Willagee

Yarns on Collie, Shop 3, 17 23 Collie St, Fremantle

Hills Book Cafe, Sanderson Rd Shopping Centre, Lesmurdie

Dymocks, Rokeby Rd, Subiaco

Dymocks, 129 High St, Fremantle

Herb Circle, Shop 6, 22 Haynes St, Kalamunda

WA ART GALLERY, Northbridge

Millpoint Cafe Bookshop, 254 Millpoint Rd, South Perth

The Bodhi Tree Bookshop, U1, 416-418 Oxford St, Mt Hawthorn

Corona Books, Shop 103, Mandurah Forum, Mandurah

Margaret River Wool Company, 2 Rosabrook Rd, Margaret River

 Paper Bark Merchants, 240 York St, Albany

For all postal and international orders, uthandoproject@hotmail.com

SIGNING OFF

Hoping to hear from you.

As always, many thanks for all the dolls and accessories made with such generous spirit. Margaret Sutton and Ilona Wearne of Busselton sent the most fabulous collection of their dolls, animals, wraps, balls, clothes. It makes packing the dolls such an honour.

Oh, please no more donations of fabric until June .....a bit swamped. More wool though and haberdashery for the kits.

Nearly forgot. I do have an A4 poster document advertising the Midland Junction Art Centre exhibition, which I couldn't attach to this newsletter. If you would like it sent to you for distribution to friends or craft groups to encourage them to attend, please reply to this email georgia1@iinet.net.au

with love from Georgia and the  Friday Team.