I finished The Reader’s Shoes and Book. Now I just have to decide whether to put her on a wooden stand, or let her sit on her own. I’m not sure if I’m going to permanently attach the book yet either. It’s just a little hand made thing with quotes from The Light Princess by George MacDonald.
joy murray art~stories~life 
Very nice! She looks so peaceful. Can you make a tree doll to set next to her?
Actually, there’s a Tree Doll in works. Hmmm…. Thanks!
She is adorable…….she would speak volumes (pun intended) if she remained mobile
and her companion could easily move her around, on desk-tops or whatever. As our interests and focus changes, maybe HER books would also change ………..?
SEE…………She’s already stimulated my thinking !
Thanks. I was thinking along those lines, too.
This is lovely! So serene. And she is perfect sitting on her own.
I love things that bring me back to my childhood, and this does just that!
Thanks so much. I think the consensus is no stand — she’ll be easier to tuck into a bookshelf or put on a bedside table. I will have to secure the book though — she developed a habit of dropping if she gets jostled. Thanks for the feedback!
Do you think you’ll be making any future Readers & Books available for purchase?
How did you come up with the idea? I also wonder where people start with a creation like this.
Thank you for inquiring. I will make some future Readers & Books available through an on-line site called “Etsy,” which specializes in hand-made goods. I hope to have a shop set up by the middle of October. My dolls are hand-stitched, one of a kind pieces. This one took about 40 hours to put together. Of course, I’m making up a lot as I go, I become enchanted with a pose or gesture I see someone make, and then I become enchanted with a piece of fabric and start to try to recreate it — keeping the enchantment in mind. These posed, one of a kind pieces will sell for between $500. to $800. I’ll also be making simpler forms that start at $50. and am considering making notecards and prints of the more elaborate pieces. My most important work is the custom & heirloom work I make for people and their families, and my Transcendent Series, through which I hope to give more positive and mythological images of bodies in transition from medical changes and aging. I get my ideas from life. I particularly enjoy making tributes to reading because I had a difficult childhood and was absolutely transformed by books.
My Irish grandfather, Jewell Murray, named me Joy, so I try to keep up his belief that I was put here to help bring joy into people’s lives.
I’m going to make a little pillow (or tuffet) for this reader to sit on.
I love Etsy! I’ll keep an eye out for you work there. I can tell by the end product that you must have felt that enchantment, because I feel it too when I look at the reader.
I’m also interested to find out whether you might be making small pieces for Christmas? Maybe for the Christmas tree? I’m from Ireland myself. Jewell and Joy are fantastic names. My name is Róisín, which is the Irish name for Litte Rose.
Looking forward to following your work.
I do plan to have some Christmas things, maybe some little fabric ornaments, wood spirits to put in the tree or sit on the mantel. I will keep you informed. Thanks so much for interest and encouragement. I love your name!
Yep, I’d love to be kept informed, as I know my family would love to have unique pieces of craft and keepsakes. Best of luck with this reader and I’ll call back to the blog as Christmas draws nearer!