Friday, April 9, 2010

The wind cries Mindy.


When I was about 12 years old I got a Singer sewing machine for Christmas. I had no idea how many hours I was going to spend in front of that baby. One of the first things I created with my machine was a dress for Mindy. See, Mindy was my doll that I took everywhere. She had cute blonde curls, 2 arms, 2 legs, and probably about 30 eyelashes. One day she fell into a duck pond and she was never the same. We went for a walk a couple of days later and we crossed a stream that runs off the duck pond. There was Mindy floating by and my cousin dove right in and came back with Mindy. I don't remember this, and I suppose we are not one hundred percent sure the doll we found a few days later was Mindy. But I can feel the excitement of the reunion of a two and a half year old girl whose doll came back to her after slowing bobbing away in nasty a nasty duck pond.

I'm not sure when she lost her legs, but before I had my sewing machine Mindy spent most of her life as a "mermaid" - she wore a long purple sock to cover up her leg holes. Then one arm broke off and I had to cannibalize another doll for a new arm and then she had 2 arms, each with a different color. Then the dog chewed up her other arm. At this point she was down to 7 eyelashes and in need some fine new threads. I fashioned the coolest dress for Mindy with my new toy. It was upcycled from a T-shirt of mine that had neon pink and black stripes. It was just long enough to make it look like she might have legs. I don't mean to frighten you with the photo, but I thought it was time for the story of Mindy to be told. She inspired my first sewing creations. (photograph 2010 with a Zemphira headband)

5 comments:

MAB from OtterCatHaus said...

Love this post. Mindy is forever.

Derya said...

OMG this is hilarious and so cute! I can't believe all the things poor Mindy went through!!

Zemphira ~ Scatter Art. said...

Yes, she lives on. FOR-EV-ER.

skeptis said...

LOL - at least you had a connection with a real doll, I had a pet 'caterpillar' that was actually my Barbie doll's faux fur stole. I didn't want the doll, just the pink furry caterpillar! I kept it in my pocket wherever I went! ;)

Ardith Goodwin said...

Mindy and Found Baby would be bestest of friends! Thanks for sharing your post with me. She is a doll!