Robyn Coburn

Several months ago Jayn wanted to make doll�s furniture for her soft
Madeline doll � about 16 inches tall. The only criteria was that is had to
be ordinary household objects. We used plastic chip packages, cardboard
boxes, sticky tape, straws and assorted containers. Together we made a
bedroom, bathroom with toilet, kitchen with fridge, stove and microwave,
living room, and a vehicle plus assorted small accessories. Whenever I
offered her one of her miniature doll things � for example a tiny teacup �
she would remind me that it *had* to be made from ordinary household
objects. This phrase she got from her Sleeping Beauty DVD.

At the time this struck me because I remembered being forced to use boxes
and scoops and old pincushions for my Barbie doll�s furniture because no one
would buy me the Barbie doll�s house I so desperately desired. There was a
kind of attitude from the adults (that I was supposed to emulate btw) that
�at least this forces her to be creative�, as if that were somehow lacking
in my life. I was always led to believe that Barbies were prohibitively
expensive at the time in the 1960�s � and now I wonder about that.

After a few days I asked Jayn if I could put the stuff away, as it was
pretty much taking up all of her play area, and starting to get knocked
about but not used. This was approved provided it was not to be thrown out.
OK. I put it all in a box and put it aside.

Well tonight she got it all out again, rearranged it, and is using it for
another doll under her table. Lucky no-one thought this precious stuff was
trash and accidentally tossed it!

Robyn L. Coburn


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Ren

"There was a
kind of attitude from the adults (that I was supposed to emulate btw) that
�at least this forces her to be creative�, as if that were somehow lacking
in my life. I was always led to believe that Barbies were prohibitively
expensive at the time in the 1960�s � and now I wonder about that."

I have issues over Barbie too.:)
My Mom wouldn't buy us the Barbie dolls, she was convinced they promoted poor self esteem in girls, so we got the very mainstream, family looking "Sunshine dolls" instead.
I figured out later, that the poor self esteem she tried so desperately to help me avoid, but did indeed come along, was due to being told my interests weren't worthy.

Forcing someone to be creative? ARGH. This really hits me between the eyes right now, as I'm honing a 4 week course on creativity. This morning I awoke with an entire meditation flowing beautifully through my mind. It's fairly lengthy, but at one point involves removing the shackles around your ankles that your parents/teachers/ministers put there...the shackles of Fear of Criticism that inhibit true creativity.

It's wonderful to know there are children that are free to be TRULY creative, using their own minds and materials in ways that they choose. I value creativity so much, and try to always provide an environment that allows for their unique explorations.
Like Jayn, I ADORED miniature worlds as a child...still do. I used to build small houses out of shoe boxes with my dear Grandma. We'd make little beds and curtains and all sorts of furniture, I LOVED this time with her. We had these little ceramic bears that lived in my built homes, she passed them on to me a few years ago...such sweet times. Ironically enough, the Grandma that generated some of my fondest childhood memories, is a total pain in the arse about homeschooling.:) Such is life.

Ren


"There is no way to
peace. Peace is the way."
~Quaker saying

Danielle Conger

Jayn's creativity *does* sound wonderful, and isn't it even more so because
she chose it?

FWIW....
Not to undermine the recycling, but something else just popped into my head
that she/you may or may not have fun with. Have you ever used Sculpey clay?
It's a polymer clay that can be molded, baked hard right in the oven and
then painted. That could make some really fabulous doll furniture, too. Only
if she's interested in it, of course. ;) Just thought I'd pass along the
idea.

--Danielle

http://www.danielleconger.com/Homeschool/Welcomehome.html

Libby

HI That is great that she is that creative I still make miniture doll
seens every christmas I clear out my dinning room and we make a
christmas village beleve it or not my boys love this to ( snow,
trees, ponds) you name it. Hopfuly she will never loose her
creativity Thanks Libby
--- In [email protected], "Robyn Coburn"
<dezigna@c...> wrote:
> Several months ago Jayn wanted to make doll's furniture for her
soft
> Madeline doll – about 16 inches tall. The only criteria was
that is
had to
> be ordinary household objects. We used plastic chip packages,
cardboard
> boxes, sticky tape, straws and assorted containers. Together we
made a
> bedroom, bathroom with toilet, kitchen with fridge, stove and
microwave,
> living room, and a vehicle plus assorted small accessories.
Whenever I
> offered her one of her miniature doll things – for example a
tiny
teacup –
> she would remind me that it *had* to be made from ordinary household
> objects. This phrase she got from her Sleeping Beauty DVD.
>
> At the time this struck me because I remembered being forced to use
boxes
> and scoops and old pincushions for my Barbie doll's furniture
because no one
> would buy me the Barbie doll's house I so desperately desired.
There was a
> kind of attitude from the adults (that I was supposed to emulate
btw) that
> "at least this forces her to be creative", as if that were
somehow
lacking
> in my life. I was always led to believe that Barbies were
prohibitively
> expensive at the time in the 1960's – and now I wonder
about that.
>
> After a few days I asked Jayn if I could put the stuff away, as it
was
> pretty much taking up all of her play area, and starting to get
knocked
> about but not used. This was approved provided it was not to be
thrown out.
> OK. I put it all in a box and put it aside.
>
> Well tonight she got it all out again, rearranged it, and is using
it for
> another doll under her table. Lucky no-one thought this precious
stuff was
> trash and accidentally tossed it!
>
> Robyn L. Coburn
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.658 / Virus Database: 421 - Release Date: 4/9/2004
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Dawn Adams

Robyn writes:
At the time this struck me because I remembered being forced to use boxes
and scoops and old pincushions for my Barbie doll's furniture because no one
would buy me the Barbie doll's house I so desperately desired. There was a
kind of attitude from the adults (that I was supposed to emulate btw) that
"at least this forces her to be creative", as if that were somehow lacking
in my life. I was always led to believe that Barbies were prohibitively
expensive at the time in the 1960's - and now I wonder about that.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I used to think that myself, even with the example from my childhood of
having a pile of Barbie stuff yet still raiding moms fabric scraps and old
socks to make clothes and still going out to dads scrap wood to find couch
and bed sized blocks. My daughter has sooooo much stuff and I don't hesitate
to buy her more anymore. She still gets bored with it all and that boredom
breeds a lot of creativity. People that think kids need to be denied things
to be creative really don't get how a kids mind works.

Dawn (in NS)

[email protected]

danielle, where do you purchase this type of clay? my boys love working with
clay and i have not found any that was like that, but i might have not looked
in the right places. i would love to get some for my boys. thanks, pat


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