The doll Fairy or the world without Irina Parfinskaya's borders

Prelude

I got acquainted with Irina Parfinskaya thanks to my psychological work online. This attractive, beautiful, talented woman has no psychological problems, and her questions were rather from the category of uneasy thoughts of the native person. During our communication on Skype I felt accord with her. You know, happens so that the person absolutely unfamiliar hitherto suddenly becomes close even for many thousands of kilometers because you have a similar system of values and approach to the solution of problems. But also it turned out that Irina is a creative person. In her gentle hands surprising dolls are born. And these dolls... live. Each of dolls has the history, the destiny. And most of them scatter worldwide.


Irina lives in Portugal, she is married to darling and the man loving it. But also she is the loving mother and the wonderful grandmother for the grandson. Irina's daughter - almost the copy of mother. Together they look as sisters. Always support each other and together interestingly spend time. Irina has many friends worldwide, the majority of whom also as well as she create something the hands or are engaged in other creativity.

I already became the happy owner of two wonderful dolls created by Irina. One of them - Edinorozhka, departed to Novosibirsk to my granddaughter Miroslava more than a year ago. I am proud of the fact that I became the first who made the order for the Unicorn. Ira considers that it became for her the happy sign - the quantity kukol-Edinorogov different appearance and a floor (girls and boys) at her after my order sharply increased. There can be at me a hand easy. Or Unicorns became fashionable now?!


The second - a birdie Mr. Kiwi reached New Zealand and now participates in my video performances and likes to sit on the shelf at a fireplace. Always on a look also lightens us with the husband the mood.

You already understood according to photos that Irina's dolls - collection though children are more senior can play with them. But in general in these dolls there is some magic, soul thanks to which the hand will not be raised to put such doll in a usual box with children's toys. In some parallel Universe they precisely live. You remember the fairy tale by Andersen about the porcelain ballerina and the firm tin tell-tale who came to life at night, experienced love and other feelings and emotions, talked with each other, is shorter - lived life of living beings. To me also Irina's dolls seem. For certain they wait when all fall asleep then they walk about on the house or the apartment, communicate with each other and other spiritualized things and toys, and at daybreak return to the places and fade. Not without reason friends call Irina the Doll Fairy.


I want to acquaint you with this Fairy - Irina Parfinskaya. In her and her dolls there is so much life, light, energy and such powerful creative beginning that you involuntarily catch it, so, at you will increase health and good mood.

Irina, readers of wowcharm.us know nothing about you yet. Let's present that you are heard by each person of this planet, but at your order of only 50 words. Tell about yourself. Who are you, than is interesting and than is important for this world?

I am a happy person. Around me the loveliest people who give me love, inspiration, forces to move forward. I am a good friend. It is always ready to listen and rise in defense. I like to study and I am not afraid of changes. Easily I make decisions. I struggle with perfectionism. I very much appreciate trust. To me it is joyful when my dolls choose for the closest and dear people.

Yes, in you both ease and perfectionism, especially is really felt when I examine your dolls. And how brought you to Portugal? And from where you are?

I got to Portugal following a dream of a lodge by the sea. Constantly I did not plan to live there. But the destiny prepared for me a surprise in the form of a divorce. I decided to remain and since 2012 I live in this country on the beautiful island of Madeira.

My hometown - St. Petersburg. I am a Petersburger in the fifth generation. Very much I love the city. His melancholy, an introvertizm certainly are inherent also in me. It makes related me with Portuguese. To their "saudada" (inexplicable melancholy, grief and languor) to very conformably melancholic St. Petersburg. I grieve for the ballet, a smelts, a sit-round gathering under the lamp shade, to long walks along channels.

I love St. Petersburg too, often there flew so far there my daughter studied. She was always not indifferent to this city and Petersburgers. And what education at you? How does it help you with creativity?

The first dolls of Irina

I from family of engineers therefore the question of choice of profession did not stand. Then, in 1987, seldom who seriously thought of a profession. The choice of institute and technical specialty was made by the principle "not to leave girlfriends". I cannot tell that my engineering education is useless in we wash creativity. It helps me with creation of designs, fastenings, modeling of patterns for dolls.

Later, in 30 years, I graduated from sports college and worked as the shaping coach up to my departure for Madeira. It were wonderful years, huge and very grateful experience of communication. I became more open to people and had huge satisfaction from work. At this time there was also desire to share fine. It became the first step to personal creativity.

Oh yes I remember time when the shaping was mega-popular. In 1993 I was a fan of this direction from whom the modern fitness grew later. Pleasantly, as here we with you have something the general. And when you made the first doll? What the character was?

I made the first doll in 2013. In Lisbon I got to one wonderful little shop where the Portuguese hostess sewed and sold textile dolls. I bought a doll. And when came back home, it was already full of desire and determination to sew a doll. Sewed. And then could not stop any more.

I began to look for information on the Internet, bought master classes online. Happening in St. Petersburg, tried to undergo individual training. For me the new world opened. I mastered different materials, technicians, styles. I began to see the world in a different way. Began to pay attention to fine trifles to which did not pay attention earlier.

All your dolls – are absolutely unique, I did not see anywhere anything similar though she is familiar both with collectors and with creators of dolls. By the way, one of them too the Petersburger, but it works with the papier-mache equipment. Ira, you use and whether you buy ready preparations for dolls? Parts of a body of toys, clothes for them? What technologies do you use?

I do everything. From beginning to end. Experimented with different technologies as already told above. I do not use any preparations. I mold itself without ready forms. I use Fimo doll professional. It is special doll plastic, it is baked in an oven at 110 degrees.

All dolls from the idea prior to the final are born in the head. If I do by request or as a gift, then I consider everything, as for future owner of a toy. It is more part – intuitively. Sometimes, as in a case with a birdie of a kiwi for you, I study everything, as for characteristics of a prototype of the character whom I will create.

Well done! Author's unique dolls with the design ground on future owner of a doll are masterpieces. Share with us how the ideas of your new dolls are born?

I very much love animals, I like to consider photos. So there is desire to make the hippopotamus, to a giraffe, a doggie, a crow...

Most often my grandson who always wants a new toy suggests the ideas. Well and, of course, customers. As in your case. Your unicorn was the first. After him was many horses and unicorns.

And most often the ideas come when it is not slept, and then definitely not to fall asleep.

I understand that for the creator of his doll, a picture or the book as well as well as children are all darlings. But, maybe, among them there are such who especially are dear to you? Perhaps, unusual history is connected with some doll? Share with readers, please!

I had a doll Sonya, the burning brunette. And once on it the order from Brazil arrived, but with a request to make her the blonde. The customer was very sociable. I met halfway. In 2 weeks received fine photos with my Sonya. The doll really was amazingly similar to his girlfriend which endured the personal tragedy. Nobody can compensate loss, but it is possible to present a little heat and light. And at my Sony it turned out. The most surprising that date of creation of a doll coincided with date of birth of this woman. She wrote then to me about this surprising coincidence.

For me my main and important achievements are those responses which I receive from people. Their joyful photos with my dolls, kind words and wishes.

And the most surprising that at my dolls new life begins. In other country, in other family. It is so unusual... Sometimes I represent how my doll sits in the evening at a fireplace in the company of big German family or plays dolls with the blond baby.

Really mystical story with Sonya... And, by the way and - one of your Edinorozhek sits at a fireplace in the house of my son in far Novosibirsk, and the Birdie of the Kiwi - near a fireplace in our New Zealand family. Tell in what else countries there live your dolls? In what exhibitions and other actions do they participate?

My dolls live in Portugal, the USA, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Israel, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, Germany, France. So far I participated only in one Munecart exhibition in Spain in 2019. This year planned participation in two. Very much I hope that the situation in the world will change for the better and my plans will be carried out.

This geography impresses! And what such creation of dolls for you? Hobby? Business? Clean creativity?

My first dolls were created during very difficult and difficult period for me. Dolls saved me, pulled out from despondency and a depression. For me the light magic world opened. The world in which there are no borders, in which there is a place to dreams and plans which is filled with beauty and lovely talented people.

Now dolls for me both a hobby, and business, and creativity. And I am very happy with them. Through dolls I opened myself. I opened in myself the storyteller, the magician, the fashion designer and the makeup artist. Sometimes it seems to me that in the master of dolls all those professions of which each girl dreams are combined.

It absolutely agrees with you. All girls like to play dolls, and you went further. You began to create them! And what else except dolls interests you? What are other hobbies, work, interests? Than there lives Irina Parfinskaya when her head and hands have a rest from creation of dolls?

I most likely was lucky. As my work it is also my main hobby, hobby. Being engaged in the dolls I have a rest more, than I work. It agrees with Confucius: "Be engaged in what is pleasant to you, and you will not work day in the life".

Though I am interested in all fine and life in general! I love painting, music, I love long walks. I like to travel.

It is pleasant to communicate with the adherent! And how at you in Portugal there passes the coronavirus era? There is a quarantine? The forced self-isolation? How did it affect your life? How did affect the relations with relatives? How was reflected in creativity?

Of course the virus concerned also our island. Concerned during "the season" and struck all at once. As 80% of the island work with tourists, we felt emptiness of the island practically at once. The state and inhabitants responsibly approached a question, and practically at once Madeira passed into the level of state of emergency.

At the island good statistics. And it is noted in many countries. Therefore it is necessary to hope that tourists will arrive to us as soon as it becomes possible. For me a little what changed, I spent a lot of time at home. Of course, there are not enough walks, there is not enough communication. But it not difficult is given me.

And again it is conformable with my life. It concerns also policy of New Zealand during a coronavirus era, and style of life, our with the husband. Perhaps, we are even engaged in self-isolation more, than to it. By the way, if the conversation on family came, share secrets of your family happiness? How did you get acquainted with Ricardo? Whether there are at you to him conflicts and if yes, that as you solve them?

We were acquainted by my daughter Zhenya. Ricardo appeared in my life when I was already ready to the new relations. There passed 3 years after the divorce, wounds almost dragged on.

I will not tell that it was the love at first sight, but interest arose at once. It was necessary to show an initiative that for me it is unusual in the relations, and even to thrust in friends on Facebook …

In the relations it is necessary to talk, share experiences and pleasures. To listen and hear each other. To support and be proud with each other. The serious conflicts at us do not happen, there is some misunderstanding connected with a difference of mentalities. For me life is a fight, for it - a relax. However in spite of the fact that we grew up and are brought up in the different countries, cultures, religions, we equally see many things. We have a similar system of values.

I will add from myself that Irina and Ricardo's cordial harmonious relations without having begun yet were reflected in her works created in 2015. As though to itself visualized and attracted the strong union in the life.

I wish you with Ricardo of long happy joint life. To find the true partner – great happiness. But in your life there is one more important person – the beloved daughter. What helps you to keep close and trusting relationship with Zhenya? It went on your feet or its sphere of occupations and interests differ?

We with the daughter very different though are externally similar. I am a technician, she is a humanist; I am an introvert, she is an extrovert; I am a single, she is a command player … And these distinctions can be continued long. I cannot call us girlfriends. I consider Zhenya as the friend. Over the years we become closer. I respect her as the personality. In it, probably, there is also a secret.

The daughter begins to work as the guide at Madeira, now develops author's children's routes, learns languages, dances a zumba, brings up the amazing son. Very much I love it and I am proud of it.

Very joyfully and here to find crossings. I have with the daughter similar relations. Ira, you are wise mother, happiness for the daughter to have such Friend. But I know that there is one more family member whom all of you love and which became a prototype of some dolls. Slightly open this secret.

Zhenya wanted a dog and it is obligatory that called Amelie. So parson Russell a terrier Cleopatra became Amelia. Now she is 8 years old. This is a heroic dog. In 10 months she was lost and spent week in mountains. Ate berries, lost a half of the weight, but survived. This incident impaired a little its character a little, but we all forgive it and very much we love it.

Wonderful history. I am very glad that for Amelie everything well ended! Irina, still we spoke only about good, but in life there are a lot of negative things. Also we make mistakes. What you would change in the life, be at you such opportunity. In the past or in the present?

I would like to change nothing in my life. Everything in my life is counterbalanced and is in harmony.

No comments! You look very good. Judging by your photos there is a noticeable similarity to Christina Orbakaite. Though in my opinion, your appeal nevertheless is unique. Women are always interested in secrets of beauty of other well-groomed and well looking women. Share the secrets of beauty and personal care.

The similarity to Christina pursued me since the childhood. But it seems to me that now we are not similar at all.

I have no special secrets of beauty. I use cream in the morning and in the evening, I prefer gel textures. I do sometimes ready masks, constantly I use patches. I do not sunbathe and I always use sunblock creams. When I am in Russia I do Botox and revitalization. Unfortunately we on the island have no such experts.

The main thing - regularity in everything. I can not take off clothes before going to bed, but I will surely wash away cosmetics and I will apply cream.

Yes, it was the answer of the true woman. And last question. Sophia Loren admitted once that very conformably personally to me: "If you were lucky to keep in itself the child's soul, then the best in your life still ahead". How can you comment on these words? Do you have some vital motto? And maybe, finally you will share the insight or understanding of what is important for you here and now?

Only the happy person, and at such people always the best ahead can keep the child's soul, they just do not think of bad. I try to live today and now. Over the years especially you feel fragility of this world, there is a wish to be in time a lot of things, to live every day with pleasure.

Often it seems to us that ahead still the whole life, but only at such moments we understand - now that moment to be happy. And I am happy that I found myself that the loved people are near that I live on the most beautiful island, surrounded with beauty. I wish the same and to all girls and women who read this interview!

Marine, I thank for this opportunity. It was interesting.

And you many thanks Irina, for acquaintance to your world where the fairy tale imperceptibly intertwines with reality. I wish health, love, good luck and success to you, your family and your dolls!