The Story Behind the Sheep Rattles
While some people count sheep to sleep – others dream of them. My desire to make these sheep rattles originated from a dream about a beautiful white sheep, the whitest, fluffiest sheep I had ever seen. And the sheep was comfortably curled in my lap, so warm and cozy. In my dream, I told my friend Doreen that I wanted to keep the sheep. She said, “Linda, a sheep is not like a dog. You can’t keep a sheep in your apartment!” I told Doreen that maybe I’d buy my sheep a pasture. She said, “Oh, that’s silly. You won’t buy a pasture.” To persuade me to come to my senses, she introduced me to a family who owned a farm. When I met with the owners and they mentioned their deep green pasture, my sheep’s ears perked up, and I felt bad. I was being so selfish. And yet my heart wouldn’t let me part with something so special. I wrapped my arms around my sheep and held on tightly. Then I woke up. I’ve been holding onto this dream and making sheep ever since, which has also inspired a variety of other animal rattles, including bunny rattles, giraffe rattles, elephant and more.
What’s inside: Each clay rattle is filled with tiny beads of clay and a little clay heart. No two are alike because they’re all handbuilt from scratch, emerging from the kiln with a different sound – either like bells or smooth pebbles knocking into each other.
What to do with them: Just let your mind wander over all those good things you want in life for yourself, your family, friends and the world, and shake the rattle to help keep those dreams alive…
Who buys them: These rattles are not toys for children, but rather interactive pieces of art for the careful hands of adults only. (Afterall, we all know fired clay is unlike durable plastic, and it can break.) Many customers purchase a rattle for themselves, so they remember to make a good wish each day, and they also purchase them for family and friends as gifts for graduation, birthdays, get well wishes, and many other reasons. I’ve had many people buy these as shower gifts to be used as a decorative object for a baby’s room. (I’ve been told that babies love to hear the sounds these sculptures make when their mothers shake a sheep or a bunny.) I’ve had musicians buy them, dentists, therapists, farmers, and just about every occupation you can think of.