When Alicja won her fight with a serious illness, she sat at the sewing machine and started making angels to thank all the people who had helped her in the worst period of her life. Today, her winged dolls go to people all over the world, cheering and comforting them.
The sound of the sewing machine is being heard in the whole workshop. A steady, regular rhythm. Alicja is tenderly holding scraps of fabric, turning them in her fingers. She is stitching them up slowly and thoroughly. Hands are like little sticks, legs are long and thin. Then she is taking care of the wings. 'They are like that on purpose, so that people can hug them' – she explains.
Then, she is stuffing the dolls and sewing on hair. She loves these moments spent on designing the angels and their outfits. When the dolls are finished, she sends them to Australia, the USA, to Germany, and RSA. They go to ill children, newborns, and to adults. They are supposed to protect and cheer everyone in need.
Alice is 45 years old, she lives in Kartuzy. Handicraft has been a passion of every woman in her family. 'I remember Christmas at my grandmother’s. The whole family would meet together, dozens of us. My grandma was not able to afford to buy each of us a present. So, she would knit socks and make soft toys' – reminisces Alicja.
Her mother, on the other hand, would sew dresses and blouses. Even in the 80's, when there was nothing in the polish shops, thanks to her, Alicja was always elegantly and uniquely dressed. '‘ If you want I can teach you to sew' – she would say to her daughter. But Alicja never had the time for it. She worked as a sales representative for many years. Numerous business trips. Always on the run and under stress. Three children. Her marriage broke up and then she quit the job. She was not able to travel this much being a single mother. Her teenage son, Mateusz, said one day – 'You know, I have a friend, his father is taking care of them on his own, just like you are taking care of us. You should meet with him' – tells Alicja. 'And this is how Tomek, my current husband, appeared in my life'.
Together, they took care of six children. 13 years ago, Alicja was expecting their daughter. Monika. At that moment Alicja got interested in the decoupage. Their house quickly got filled with painted bottles and boxes. 'I got really hooked on it' – she says.
And then the year 2012 came. I heard the diagnosis, which would have crushed everyone. Inoperable cancer. It was said that it was too late and it could not be treated. Then, on her way she met a real angel – 'it was doctor Renata Zaucha from Gdańsk. She looked at my test results once again. She examined me. And she gave me hope. She planned the whole therapy' – explains Alicia.
' Mum, I know all the angels, I pray every day for your recovery. They will help you. They always help' – repeated her daughter Monika. She was probably the only person who believed that everything was going to be fine. 'And I just wanted to live... for her' – whispers Alicia.
Alicia's mother would support and take care of her at her hardest moments. With time, some new 'good souls' appeared in her life. 'Suddenly, out of the blue, a friend from high school contacted me. I hadn't seen her for years.. She visited me and cheered me up. A friend from Wałbrzych supported me online, we chatted a lot' – recalls Alicia. Another friend, Ola, also called, and said 'Listen, I have a ticket for you. A ticket for a meeting with a healer'. In the middle of 2013 it turned out that the therapy worked. At the end of 2013 I was healthy.
'It's a miracle. You are probably the only case of such kind that we know of' – said the doctors. After 2 years of suspension between life and death, Alicia started getting back on her feet.
'Alice of Wonderland, the name suits you well' – said her friends and acquaintances.
Unique present
One day Alicia got fascinated by pictures of Tilda dolls, designed by Norwegian artist Tone Finnanger, which she found on the internet. She decided to sew similar dolls but... resembling angels, in order to give them to all of the people who were angels to her. She sat at the sewing machine and with the help of the internet, learned how to operate it. The thread would tear, she wasted a lot of fabrics but she didn't give up. At last, she was able to use the simplest seams. The small details she would do by hand. The first dolls were a bit clunky. They had uneven bodies and crooked legs. But day by day she got better at it. The first angel went to her daughter. 'I will sleep with it every night' – she said straightaway. the next angels went to her elder children and the doctor. Alicia felt that she managed to embed in those dolls all the good energy that had been given to her. She wanted the dolls to take care of them. 'They are beautiful, they have a soul' everyone said. Month by month the angels started looking more professional. The clothes were decorated with lacing, the faces with a blush. All done in a very subtle manner. One day, Alicia got an invitation for the Folk Art Exhibition in Somonino, where she was asked to present her work. ' Why would I go there? I? I can’t sew- she had a lot of doubts’. - 'You cannot be ashamed of your work, you should be proud of what you are doing' – said Mirka Kazana, a folk artist from Kartuzy who encouraged her. It worked. She went to the exhibition and then put the angels on the internet, on the website with arts and crafts, and later on her blog: www.ranchowdolinie.blogspot.com. First orders started coming in. 'This angel is for a friend who is at hospital, I want it to protect her' a client said. 'I will make a special one, it will be child-proof' ensured Alicia. 'There is no need, my daughter is 6 months old now, but soon will get older. This angel is supposed to protect her for many years to come' – said the client. One of the angels went to Alicia's friend who opened an amber gallery so that it could take good care of her. 'Nobody believed in my success, but the business is growing'- said her friend expressing gratitude.
Now Alicia has her loyal customers. One form Australia, orders a new angel every year. Her dolls are sent to almost every continent. Alicia is an expert now. Together with her friend, Ania they have been running arts and crafts workshops in the museum in Karuzy for over 2 years. They both teach how to sew angels and other soft toys. They also teach embroidery, painting on glass, china, and silk.
'The angels were supposed to be just presents for the loved ones. Sewing was supposed to help me to get back to life, and yet it became all my life' – laughs Alicja.