Crafty North Bend woman spreads joy with mice and frogs

Published 10:16 am Thursday, October 2, 2008

At least once a week for the past few years, Violet Malloy, 87, has made the trip from her North Bend apartment to Ken’s Restaurant at Truck Town in an effort to brighten people’s day.

With her, she takes about 15 of her hand-stitched mice and frog dolls to give away to patrons.

“I think she just loves to see people’s reactions when they’re given something for free,” said Malloy’s daughter, Judy Borrow, who also lives in North Bend. “She doesn’t want anything in return.”

Malloy said she views her crafts not only as a gesture of generosity, but also as a way to keep occupied.

“I think the fact is that she just loves to be around and meet people to give these things away. It’s her opportunity to meet people,” Burrows said.

Malloy moved to the Valley from Granite Falls after her husband died in 1995 to be near Borrows (a local elementary-school teacher who has been in the Valley since 1986).

However, even with frequent visits from her daughter, Malloy said she still finds that she spends a lot of time alone.

“A week is a long time by yourself. I have to have something to do,” Malloy said. “I don’t notice it at all when I am making my frogs and mice … I don’t get lonesome.”

At a garage sale about five years ago, Malloy came upon a $3 stuffed doll in the shape of a 4-inch mouse dressed in cloth and lace with an oval pincushion bottom and a felt head, its neck adorned with pearls.

“It was the awfulist thing I’d ever seen,” Malloy recalled. “But I bought it anyway because I wanted the pattern.”

She grew to love them and what they could do for her and for others.

“‘If you do this, you’ll never get lonely,'” said Julie Moshay, a server at Ken’s in North Bend, about what she has heard Malloy say on more than one occasion.

Soon after purchasing the garage-sale “treasure,” Malloy – who has always been interested in arts and crafts – began creating her handmade designs, even adding felt frogs and Santa patterns that serve dual purposes as both dolls and magnets.

She started giving them away to local businesses, residents and visitors. Since then, she has seen her creations passed along to others in a “pay-it-forward” way and they have popped up at local businesses and restaurants.

People are typically surprised and hesitant when Malloy first offers her works, but when they realize that she is giving them away out of the goodness of her heart, they become delighted, Moshay said.

“It changes the mood. I love to see her do that,” Moshay said. “I just think it touches their heart. People aren’t used to getting something for nothing in this world and Violet enjoys doing something nice for people.”

She has given them to visitors from 37 states and a few foreign countries, Burrows said.

Mallow also makes frequent stops at other local diners such as Twede’s Cafe in North Bend, as well as places outside the Valley.

“If I can be going that strong and be that big-hearted, if I should be so lucky to live to 87 in the first place, I would be lucky,” Moshay said. “I can just imagine her on the White House steps saying, ‘Here are mice. Can’t we all just get along?’ One has to wonder what that kind of love could do.”

Occasionally, people offer to pay Malloy for her goodwill gifts, but she politely refuses to accept the money, Burrows said. Sometimes people will surprise Malloy by paying for her breakfast or lunch.

Malloy said she has no plans to sell her work and though people have offered to sell the dolls on her behalf, she said she would not make them if it was about the money.

“Mom says, ‘No, this is just a hobby,'” Burrows said. “One woman said it’s like [she’s] giving away good karma.”