Where handmade meets heart.
This is the story behind the stitches.
Hey there!
I'm Kelsey
It's so nice to meet you!
I’m a mom, maker, and dreamer who believes that every child deserves to feel seen and celebrated. When I couldn’t find a doll that looked like my daughter — with purple eyes and pink hair — I made one myself. That single stitch of love turned into a mission to give comfort, representation, and joy to other children too.
From preemies in the NICU to kids with unique abilities and big dreams, The Cora & Lilly Doll Project is my heart poured into fabric and thread.
Thanks for being here. You’re part of something magical.
IT TOOK LOTS OF COURAGE BUT
Look where we are now.
It started with one simple request…
When my daughter Lilly asked me for a doll with purple eyes and pink hair, I smiled — then searched everywhere to find one. But no matter where I looked, I couldn’t find a soft, lifesize doll that looked like her. I wanted something warm, comforting, and customizable — something that felt like her. So, I decided to make it myself.
Shortly after, Lilly was diagnosed with vitiligo — a condition that causes the skin to lose pigment in patches. As a mom, I felt the weight of what that might mean for her growing up. I knew there would be questions. I knew she’d sometimes feel different. And I knew I wanted to equip her with confidence and comfort.
So, I created a new doll — this one with bleach-like markings that mirrored her skin. I sent her to school with a book to help her classmates understand. I wanted her to know: her story is worth sharing. Her skin is beautiful. And she is not alone.
Then came Coralie.
Born at just 29 weeks due to pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome, Cora spent 2.5 months in the NICU. She was tiny but mighty. As she grew, we learned she had sensory processing needs and is on the spectrum. She inspired my first preemie dolls — smaller, softer, simpler — made for tiny hands and big hearts.
Over time, what began as something just for my girls became something much bigger.
The first doll I gave away was for a little girl with cancer who was losing her hair. I made her a doll with the same features — no hair, just like her — and her mom told me how much it helped during her recovery. The next request was for a doll with a cochlear implant. At the time, there wasn’t a single doll on the market with one. I studied, stitched, and figured out how to get it just right.
That was the moment I knew: this needed to be free.
Families already facing trauma and medical costs shouldn’t have to pay to see their child represented in a doll.
I wanted to create something that said:
You are seen. You are loved. You belong.
So I kept going — one story, one doll, one stitch at a time.
Get to know me
MY FRIENDS WOULD DESCRIBE ME AS:
Kind, loyal and always there for everyone
THREE THINGS I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT:
Animals, books and my family!
MY FAVORITE PLACE ON EARTH:
Home...or Hawaii
A QUOTE I LOVE:
Be that kind soul that makes everybody feel like a somebody
This isn't just a doll...
IT'S A SOFT PLACE TO LAND.
At The Cora & Lilly Doll Project, we believe every child deserves to feel seen, celebrated, and comforted — especially in life’s hardest seasons.
Each doll we create is more than thread and fabric. It’s a reflection of a child’s story — their bravery, their uniqueness, and their beautiful “different.” Whether they’re facing medical challenges, emotional struggles, or developmental needs, we’re here to remind them that they matter.
We don’t sell these dolls.
We give them away — with love, without limits.
Because childhood should still feel magical, even when it’s heavy.