Tuesday I had a doctor appointment to see about letting me start to walk without my boot. Â Things look good and I was released to but the problem is I can’t find a shoe that fits…well I did. Â I have an old rotton pair of Crocs that should have been thrown away years ago and my foot works in them. Â I don’t want to ruin the progress I’ve made by walking in the rotton shoes so I ordered another pair of Crocs and hopefully they will be arriving soon. Â Then I’ll walk in them until my swollen foot can fit in my tennis shoes. Â It’s starting to get colder and I’m going to need some type of shoe. Â It’s swelling in my foot that has me in this predicament.
Anyway, while I was in town I stopped at the Goodwill. Â I picked up a toy for the kids there, got home and left it sitting on the island.
The next day Kalissa and I went to town as one of my childcare moms had a baby and we want to go see him. Â It’s a wonderful little baby boy who I’m hoping will grow up and be friends with my little grandson Carver. Â Our family is friends with their family and have been for some time so it’s going to be so fun to see these two little guys grow up together.
We got home late. Â As I walked in the door with groceries, Hubby told me I had mail. Â I told him it would have to wait. Â I’ve had the longest week and was pooped. Â I scrambled around cleaning house and putting the groceries away. Â At 10 pm I finally made myself a sandwich for supper and went to bed.
The next day I was up and my first childcare kid was here when I saw a box from C in St. Paul.  That’s when I remembered there was mail for me.  As I looked at the box I saw that toy I had gotten at Goodwill.  I asked my little one if she wanted to play it.  She did so I sat her at the table.
The toy is called a Woodkins. Â To play one board lifts. Â Pieces of fabric are laid over the “doll”.
Then the board gets closed and it looks like the doll is dressed. Â See?My little one loved it. Â She’s a “fashionista” and loves all things girly so this was something I was sure she’d love…
As she was playing I went over to the box and decided to open it. Â It was FULL of wonderful scraps. Â All are bright and beautiful. Â I LOVED them.
Then my little one said something about the “dolls” clothes matching. Â That’s when I realized that there really weren’t very many fabric pieces to use for clothing for the doll.
That’s when it hit me…cut some more from these wonderful scraps. Â PERFECT. Â There were several pieces that were 3 1/2″ wide so I layered them and cut. Â Instant clothes for the doll.
They were a hit. Â It was perfect timing that the box and the doll were together on the same day. Â The fabrics in the box are perfect for the doll. Â The fabrics are bright and colorful…there were matching solids in the box too. Â She had so much fun playing with the fabrics making matching clothes.
I would like two more Woodkins dolls so more can play at once so I did a little Googling. Â Sadly, I can’t find them really. Â Amazon has them listed-but says they are unavailable. Â The ones on Ebay are VERY expensive. Â I don’t think they are being made anymore either. Â Shucks. Â I guess I will have to keep watching garage sales and the thrift stores.
As for those scraps…I don’t think I want to share any more of them. Â They are awesome!! Â I’m loving the bright vibrant colors. Â I’m thinking about keeping this box separate and making a quilt with most them. Â Wouldn’t that be a fun challenge for me to make a quilt from a box of most those scraps??!!
Thanks so much C in St. Paul…I’m loving them scraps and the kids are too!! Â It was so sweet of you to think of me. Â THANKS!!
There is a family in our church who had one of these many years ago. The girls played quietly with this in church. I thought it looked like fun. Blessings, Gretchen
Good morning, Jo. Just a little note to say that I have a Woodkins I would like to send to you and your little ones. I am not sure how to get your street address. Would you send it to me? I am going out of town middle of next week, but if you send your address soon, I will make sure it is in the mail before I go! I so enjoy your blog…every bit of it! :0) Ann
WOW…Awesome. Here’s my address
Jo Kramer
111 2nd Ave NE
Waucoma, IA 52171
My kiddos are going to love it!
Jo, if you love the crocks look at the ones with liners – they are great for cooler weather!
They come with all kinds of fleece and fur liners.
Wow, that is a super cute toy and how nice of Ann to share another one with you and the kiddos. The box of scraps looks great and lots of nice colors, cant wait to see if you make a quilt from them.
As a child, a toy like this would have fascinated me for hours! It is so unique because there is instant gratification when the pieces of fabric become clothing between the wooden templates. What lovely fabric scraps sent to you by C so you can share with the kiddos. I have been looking as I go thrifting for things your little ones might like but would like some guidance as to what to buy that would be interesting for them, since I am a senior citizen and have been out of the toy-buying hunt for years. When I was a child, I would ask for fabric scraps from my Mom and then I and another little friend would use those to make clothes for tiny little dolls with a needle and thread (boy, I bet those were winners, ha!) Well, anyway, it was such fun then, and it’s no wonder now that I am still playing with fabric after all these years.
I’ve never seen a Woodkins doll before but it looks quite entertaining. I see that one reader will send you one, but perhaps your husband or son (or daughter) could cut one out from thin wood? Or maybe, make a boy Woodkins doll??!
We had another form of that toy in our toy box and it was an absolute hit with visiting children. Tiny scraps can reach across her head and become hats and if other scraps are placed over her legs they form from a skirt, rather than leggings.
It was the most wonderful plaything, but is now in storage as we’re living overseas. I can guarantee it will provide your kiddos with hours and hours of quiet play – if you can source some more to stop any fighting. (It even seemed to fascinate VERY active boys) Good luck!