Nigrica Little Folk of Faery

Here's a sweet Etsy store, Little Folk of Faery. It looks like someone has been out with their butterfly net capturing those pesky fairies and bottling them. They are ever so tiny, and I assume still just as magical.

This store, relatively new, is part of the Whimsical Art Doll Artisans team, which is dedicated to "the most curious, bizarre, eccentric, fairy tale-esque elements of life". Some familiar faces, others new.

Treasury alert

Here's a lovely Art Dolls Only member made treasury for the New Year.

I hope everyone's holiday has been grand so far.

Text Enhance Opt Out

OK. You can opt out of seeing Text Enhance on your computer (supposed to be "creating relationships between vendors and consumers" - right, thanks for the effort.)
Slowly mouse over the link until the te box appears. There is a small ? in the top right. Click on that and you get taken to an opt out page.

Thank you for your patience, and I can't see them now.

Text Dis-Enhance

OK Blogger has put Text Enhance into my blog - I may have allowed it, but it was unintentional on my part.

It's annoying and sometimes the links are counter to what I might have wanted to post - to commercial sites I haven't visited or considered. Nor am I sponsoring any of the "survey for a gadget" links.

If you hover over a linked word and it says "powered by Text Enhance" it is NOT my link. Click at your own risk.

Meanwhile I am going to try and take it off, but I have to research how.

That is all.

All Dolls Are Art 2012

Registration has been open for a little over a month for the next All Dolls Are Art conference July 26-29 in Austin, TX.

The theme of the conference is "World of Make Believe". Oooh, luscious.

The teachers include (wait for the trumpet!) Arley Berryhill, Annie Hesse, Marilynn Huston, Angela Jarecki, Fran Parrigan-Meehan, Lisa Renner and Christine Shively. Like a who's who, isn't it?

There are various other activities including a Pin Doll swap, sales floor and exhibits, and events to benefit Austin Children's Shelter, including a silent auction.

Yoborobo

In the cause of the holidays, and as an antidote to a certain commercial mass produced doll that leaves a bad taste in my mouth - all to do with creating fear in children - I've been looking at Elf Dolls.

I just found this terrifically cute Etsy store of seller Yoborobo. There are some sweet elvish monsters in cloth and felts as well as some very pretty and bargain priced little jointed polymer clay dolls.

Maggie Iacono to be Honored at IDEX

Maggie Iacono of Maggie Made Dolls will be presented with the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award by Dolls Magazine at IDEX in January, 2012.

A NIADA member since 1993, Maggie is inspirational not only because of the delicate beauty of her ball jointed pressed felt dolls, but also because she has managed to create a genuinely prosperous business that supports her family from doll artistry. Or to put it another way, she makes a living as an artist, doing what she loves.

Congratulations on the well deserved honor.

Black Eyed Kids Kickstarter Project

OK not dolls, but I know that there are a lot of Goth and Creepy doll artists out there who would dig the theme and visuals of this young lady filmmaker. I mean seriously - look at the poster right? She wants to make a horror movie with a microbudget. She has three days to go and she needs just over $4000 to get her full funding. Can you help by pledging any small amount and/or spreading the word?

Disclaimer: I don't know Sunshine personally. I just like to encourage enterprise and creativity in kids. Plus in her You Tube profile she talks about all my favorite books as her own!

Embroider Everything Workshop - book review

For the first time, I've been asked to review a book that might be of interest to doll makers. I'm so happy to be able to report that the book is beautiful!

Sewist Diana Rupp, creator of the Sew Everything Workshops, including her prior book of that name, has written "Embroider Everything Workshop", a comprehensive guide for beginner or aspiring embroiderers.

My late mother made counted cross stitch, producing about eight sweet embroidered bibs for my newborn and two crib blankets that were so pretty that I hung them. My daughter is now 12, and considers these to be her family heirlooms.  In a world where machine embroidered articles are available at many stores for very little money, I understand that the true value of embroidering monograms on dishtowels, or making small patches for your kid's jackets, is the love imbued in the process. Diana describes embroidery in part as meditative, and I have to agree that I feel that too when I embroider on my dolls and their costumes.

The work is a comprehensive introduction assuming no prior experience, and includes needlepoint, smocking and counted thread cross stitch as well as freehand linear and chain stitch based embroidery. Personally I would consider myself more than an absolute novice, but certainly not a proficient. So although I had some familiarity with some of the basic stitches, there is a lot more in the book that was new to me, especially the tips and tricks interspersed throughout.

I appreciated the clear diagrams of stitches in the first one third of the book, and the detailed information about different kinds of needles, threads and canvases. I learnt a lot of new stitch names, and enjoyed the historical info about embroidery and textiles that is featured along the way. Diana Rupp's passion for her vocation comes through in personal snippets about her journey and preferences.

The rest of the book is how-to projects designed for beginners to practice their new skills. Most of these are short and accessible for gifts, useful home wares, and a bit of fashion using different embroidery techniques. My favorite project in the book is the embroidered pet portrait, making an absolutely custom piece of textile art based on a photo of your pet, and demonstrating the skills to make custom embroidery designs from any photo. This is the kind of work that no mass-producing factory situation can duplicate.

Finally there is a series of brief Appendices detailing finishing, blocking and display techniques, some fonts for monograms,  and a useful index. The book is bound in one of my favorite crafting formats, the way I want my book to be bound when it is published, with a lay flat hard cover over spiral bound pages.

The special extras are an envelope of 48 pretty iron-on transfers as patterns and a pull out stitch practice card into which you are invited to poke holes. I'm not certain of the utility of this last item, since it is considerably stiffer than fabric and would not really facilitate some of sewing stitches. However it could be used as a template for practice stitches on fabrics, or a portable stitch guide.

So all in all, a useful, informative and pretty addition to a textile artisan's library.

Paper Doll books publisher

I love vintage style paper dolls, because I've been a costume designer. Historical paper doll books are such a fun way to do your research into historical costuming. I also like going back to original sources, like period magazines and other visual media - but paper dolls are just fun.

Here is Paper Studio Press. They have a bunch of very pretty looking paper dolls divided into categories, including movie stars and fashion eras. I'd like to use them in collage work. Read the Artists' bios to learn another secret of their charm - the dolls have been painted by some terrific illustrators and much of the art is vintage. The artists themselves almost all seem to have shared a childhood passion for paper dolls and art.

You Tube Cornucopia

I've only just come to realize what a tremendous resource You Tube can be for doll artists. A search of the phrase "art dolls" produces 19,600 results. Many of these video producers also link to artist's sites and stores.

Tutorials are very popular. Still Moments Nursery, a reborning studio, is one such producer. Nikki Holland has uploaded almost 300 videos on the Still Moments channel including many tutorials and how-to's filled with tips and tricks.

Others are more like news magazines, such as this mini-documentary from Russia Media rounding up art doll making in Russia with interviews and beautiful visuals, or this visit to a doll museum collection in Toronto (above).

Doll artists can make a video slideshow galleries and catalogs of their work, set to enjoyable music, like this adorable one from past featured Cart Before the Horse, or the sublime Anna Zueva.

Collectors show videos of their doll collections or visits to conventions, while stores display their merchandise.

Looking at all these, I suddenly feel like a luddite who has yet to step into the 21st Century. I have a video camera, and editing software.

Do you have favorite You Tube videos about dolls or doll making? Please share in the comments!

New Beaded Work In Progress

Ralonda Patterson has just contacted me with an invitation to follow the realization of her latest large scale doll project through her blog. She is a beautiful bead artist, and expects the journey of this doll to be of great interest to other doll artists. As she puts it, "I am excited to share this experience with you and  hope you will find inspiration and insight into your own process as you create."


I'm following, as I love seeing WIP's and learning about others' creative processes. See you there!

Paper Doll Book

Illustrator and painter Emily Winfield Martin makes prim-with-an-edge cloth dolls and maintains the Black Apple blog and her Curious Art Etsy store. Recently Random House has published her illustrated crafting book: "The Black Apple's Paper Doll Primer" filled with whimsical paper dolls for you to color cut and play with in many sweet and creative ways.

Crafts Marketing List

From Moiracoon's charming shop. I rather like it this close to Halloween, 

even though it has no particular reference to the content of the post.

It's not strictly dolls, but it is a fantastically useful resource. Moiracoon, mixed media and quirky jewelry designer (dare I say another steampunk adjacent aesthetic) has created an extensive list on her blog of online arts and crafts marketing resources. Who knew there were so many marketplaces? I've bookmarked the post for future reference. She also has two Etsy stores (this is one, you can find the other in her profile.)

Artistic classes

The new online classes at A for Artistic are really beautiful and full of techniques that can be applied to other projects.

Starting soon is Marlaine Verhelst's "Your Own Horse". This features a kit with the basic horse shapes and other important materials. Also upcoming in November, "Creating a Hardscape Costuming" with Marilyn Radzat (pictured), "The Gatherer" with Cindee Moyer, and "If the Shoe Fits" with Diane Keeler.

Where else can you find all these eminent people gathered under one virtual roof?

Candy dolls

Thanks go to Shari Harel, who has sent me notice of a series very special events coming up in November of intense interest to doll collectors.

Theriault's Antique Doll Auctions will be presenting for auction "Many Wonderful Things" 19th and early 20th Century dolls and automata on Saturday November 19, 2011, and  "To the Manor Born" 350 Madame Alexander dolls from Candy Spelling's spectacular collection  on Sunday November 20, 2011 at the historic Waldorf-Astoria in New York. These gorgeous MA dolls will be on display, open to the public, for 2 hours that morning from 9am-11am, after which the auction will commence.

Catalogs featuring the dolls from both auctions are available from the Theriault's website. (There are some nice links to informative sites there also.)

The press release description of Candy Spelling's well chosen and cared for collection makes me wish I had the wherewithal to participate:

"early portrait models such as Victorian Bride, red-haired Pink Champagne lady, Judy portrait, and Deborah Ballerina. There are Godey ladies and gentlemen, rare models from the Coronation series including Estrella, dolls from the Me and My Shadow series including Mary Louise, Victoria and Agatha. “Most of these dolls are so rare that they only appear on the market every ten years or so”, notes cataloguer Florence Theriault, adding “And to find them in such impeccable condition is just pure pleasure”.

The collection also includes four examples, Rachel, Joseph, Ruth and David, from the rare biblical series, a number of Wendy models inspired by Gone with the Wind including Aunt Pitty-Pat, Cousin Grace¸ Nana, Cousin Karen, and Aunt Agatha, and a baker’s dozen of rare dolls created exclusively for FAO Schwarz during the 1950s. There are plentiful and exquisite examples of the Alexander fashion icons, Cissy, Elise and Cissette, and legendary Alexander models costumed by the couturiers of the Ice Capades. The 8” Alexander child charmer, Wendy-kins, has been a special favorite of Candy Spelling, and rare and bountiful examples are offered including fashionable children, ballerinas, storybook princesses, brides, clowns, and dolls in historical fashions."

On Saturday November 19th, in the evening Candy Spelling herself will attend a Gala Reception, ready to sign copies of the catalog, to be held at Alexander Doll Company in New York - with the opportunity available to make more special purchases.
Please call 800-638-0422 or email info@theriaults.com to RSVP.

Debate at Dolls

"Arriving at the Grand" by Joan Greene

Winner Fashion Dolls $500 and under.

Here is an interesting article and subsequent discussion over at Dolls magazine, the current issue of which has just come out online. Stephanie Finnegan is asking about the fine line between definitions and words. Do you define yourself as a maker or an artist or something else? What is the difference between an Art Doll and a Sculptural Figure? Could be fun.

You can also see a video illustrating the Dolls Awards of Excellence 2011 and revealing some cool news about plans at Dolls for the future.

Kaliningrad

Here is the site of recent follower, Oksana of Koenig-Artdoll. The dolls that she makes, from polymer and paper clays, wood and all natural textiles, stuffed with sawdust and embellished with encrustations of beads, are so beautiful and delicate looking. Where many other European doll makers tend to the lean and pointed (also beautiful!), Oksana's sweet faced figures have round baby faces, with tiny features, reminiscent of antique dolls from Victorian times. But the clothes are far more aesthetically linked to Russian and European folk art and I want to say Rococo, than Victorian costume.

I notice that she credits past featured Anna Zueva as one of her teachers.

Just looking at beautifully made, gorgeous dolls never gets old at all.

Froud in New York

Ah, fortunate denizens of New York and environs, you have two opportunities in the near future to participate in one day workshops with Wendy Froud.

The days are Saturday, November 19th or 26th at the Animazing Gallery in Soho.

Animazing Gallery is hosting an Art of the Frouds exhibit from early December to mid-February. All of this is to celebrate the Froud's book. Also visit the Facebook page.

This is a very fun Etsy store

I've just discovered CurlyCueDesign - an etsy store that describes itself in part as "Steampunk Adjacent" - which I love. The collage style jointed paper doll puppets are really gorgeous and evocative. They come with small accessories, and you can get clothes for some.

Much ADO E-zine!

Click here for the beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Much ADO E-zine from Art Dolls Only. I sit amazed to see that all this beauty is free.

A collaborative effort with gorgeous art work, tutorials and useful information, this is a must for any art doll enthusiast, maker or collector.

I have a brief article in it (about the mini monthly challenges) and there are pieces from some of the most familiar and hardworking doll artists around. There are even downloadable pattern pieces included.

Summer Dreaming

Here is the blog of recent follower Summer Smith, Dreamspirations Gallery. I love the depth and clarity of her sculpts, especially what she can achieve with paper clay, and delicacy of her paint and chalk work. Scroll down past the fine crochet work for more sweet elves and other sculpts.

She also has an Etsy store.

Doll project on Kickstarter

I've found a few doll related projects on Kickstarter, and this ambitious one from Bezel Dolls, is current.

I'm posting it because it is doll related, even if it does have a bit of a "too good to be true" air about it. Let me explain. These folks intend to release licensed celebrity likeness dolls (aiming for extremely high resemblance) to the collector market, in both talking and non-talking versions, at what sound like rock bottom prices.

Now I love a good celebrity doll, and the company has a somewhat undefined relationship with incredible repaint artist Noel Cruz, who is "helping" with the designs. The photography on the project site is of his repaint/face ups of assorted fashion dolls that are amazing looking. These one of a kind dolls start at over $800 on Ebay, and the pictured Angelina BJD reportedly sold for $3,350.

In the light of these prices, using Noel Cruz's extraordinary dolls as illustrations feels a bit "bait and switch" in referring to dolls that will retail at under $40, if you know what I mean. The project is certainly a lesson in marketing and promotional buzz generation - google Bezel Dolls and see for yourself. Everything on line seems to be self generated.

However other than saying the Bezel dolls will be good likenesses and will wear clothing reminiscent of styles the celebs have worn, there is very little info about the proposed dolls themselves. I gather from looking at the shipping box size (for the rewards) that they will be 11.5 inch fashion dolls - but do they have joints? What kind of hair? How many will be made of each edition? I have to believe that at the price points they are not going to be hand painted, or very limited editions. But then again look what Jason Wu could achieve for amazingly low prices.

So I guess, since I am here to promote doll art and doll collecting, if you have $25 (+ shipping if outside of US) to spare for something sight unseen and brand new then maybe go for it. I honestly don't have any idea what the doll will look like when you receive it - but they say they are going for Nicki Minaj, so it should be colorful at any rate.

Boxcar Fair

OK, they have all their funding, but you can still be part of something wonderful.

Here is another amazing puppetry and film art project from Kickstarter. The project is awesomely cool, as are the artists participating. There is a nice video summary showing some of the automata in action.

The puppets are from the mind and hands of Tom Haney. You don't want to miss these. Many of the gallery items have quicktime movies of the delicate, whimsical motion. Click on the most recent figurative vignettes in the portfolio to find work in progess shots, interior workings and design sketches. (Love seeing other artists' processes!)

Steampunk Animals

New Jersey artist, Tere Hurst makes gorgeous anthro figures and animals. One store sells sweet little figures of cloth and paperclay, including pins, that look like they stepped directly from the pages of Peter Rabbit or The Wind in the Willows. In another the animals are steampunk characters and Victoriana, sculpted and delicately painted. There's a simple clarity to the shapes and colors. Steampunk but still sweet, rather than gritty. A blog for the dolls, and another for the creative journey.

Coupla Etsy cloth doll artists

Amanda Sue Myers is a tattoo artist with a line of pretty cloth dolls in her Etsy store. They have big painted eyes with a painted illusion of deep 3D and layers of costuming.

Jennifer LoveJoy, with her shop JenFey, makes beaded and embroidered Dragons, Animals, Fairies and cloth Spirit Dolls with beads and embellishments.

Just like 'em. Different from the usual, different from each other.

Here's an Etsy Sale

Shabby Chic Shreds is having a big sale, including a bunch of cute prim style art dolls, to celebrate a wedding. Hit the store, enter the coupon code MUSTHAVEIT and get a nice discount.

Then go ahead and visit Evie's interesting and pretty blog.

Brigitte Doerner

This is the web portal to the fascinating world of a puppet maker and doll artist, Brigitte B. Doerner of Czech Republic. There are links to blogs and etsy - but the most interesting part is the step by step photo essay detailing the carving of a marionette. Be sure to follow the Projects links.

Free Tee Tute

Here is a tutorial and FREE downloadable pattern for a tee shirt for 18" dolls - would probably also fit 16" American Girls with little fuss. Thank you New Green Mama.
That is all.

She's A Pirate

Noticed on Craft Magazine...

Here is the website for "She's A Rebel" a short stop motion animation film being independently realized by artist Daisy Edwards. The site documents the process and progress with lots of cool WIP stuff early on as well as shots of the working puppets and sets. Really cool to see and read. The story, by the way, is about a female pirate.

Win a Bear, Oh what a cutie bear.

Oh yes, this is a truly adorable little bear. Go here to Wendy Walker's site and scroll down for all the deets on winning this sweet wee jointed bear, and see all her other beautiful and prizewinning miniature work.

All Things Small

All Things Small is a maker of highly detailed miniature plants and flowers for doll houses and other miniature uses. They are so pretty and fresh looking. I especially love the potting station. The material used for most of these plants is rice paper. Also available from the simple and clearly organized website are kits, tools and accessories.

The sizes for each flower pot or basket are in the descriptions. Once again, I wish miniaturists would include something standard like a coin for visual reference in their photos. But you can't have everything.

Haunted Dollhouse

Here is a Flikr set of an interesting miniature doll house. The Blogess isn't usually about dolls, but this is a cool thing to examine. Can't show a photo, but do follow the link.

Wee Peeple

Kendra Niagra's website, Wee Peeple Dolls, is huge and fun, and her cloth dolls and animal totems are beautiful. Clearly she has a delightful sense of humor. But seriously, the website goes on and on. Just keep scrolling. And there are stories too.

I especially enjoyed exploring her recycled materials tutorials.

Contest to win Supplies

This might seem a little odd for a doll post, but the products are wonderful. I'm on the ScraPerfect design team and of course I use the Best Glue Ever, Embellie Gellie, Perfect Crafting Pouch and Perfect Cleaning Cloth in my scrapbooking and paper crafting.

But they are also fantastically useful for doll making. The Best Glue Ever is great for fabrics, as well as putting beads or rhinestone embellishments on to surfaces. The Embellie Gellie is a tool that I use for lifting and placing small items, as well as  holding small items down while I alter them. The Perfect Crafting Pouch prepares all kinds of surfaces - including fabrics! - for clean and crisp stamping or printing, AND is a fantastic mold release for polymer clay in silicon and other molds. The Perfect Cleaning Cloth is anti static and removes Pouch residue and cleans your spectacles beautifully.

HOW TO WIN? Go to Facebook.com/ScraPerfect and post a response on the thread that says: 

WANT TO WIN A PRIZE??? Just tell us where you heard about this contest for ScraPerfect Products.  We'd also like to hear questions or comments about our Magically Perfect Craft Products...Where's you first heard about them? What do you love about them? How you use them most?....

THE PRIZE: The Best Glue Ever, Embellie Gellie, Perfect Crafting Pouch and 2 Perfect Cleaning Cloths. 

Contest Details: Contest ends November 15, 2011. Winner will be drawn at random form the Facebook posts. Paid shipping to the US, as well as Israel & Brazil where we have DT members. (If winner is from another country, they may choose to pay shipping or forfeit the package.)

There are also TWO online articles:

Cool Techniques & Tools for Papercrafting

Courtesy of ScraPerfect Products
Create a card and learn how to instantly dry pigment without heat, archieve inkjet printing on vellum, apply glitter to acetate with no static cling, and more!

How to Scrapbook Using Homemade Adhesive Dots
Courtesy of ScraPerfect ProductsNeed tiny adhesive dots ones for beads or micro-gems, long ones for fiber, or giant ones for making flowers? Read how to make them any size or shape, save oodles of money, and be "green". 

More info and ideas at the ScraPerfect blog.

Lucille

Lucille Ball would have been 100 today. Google Search is marking the event with a vintage tv that shows clips from "I Love Lucy" on the search engine home page.

Mattel has been making beautiful portrait dolls of Lucy, sometimes with Ricky, sometimes with Ethel, since 1997. Here is a fan site with a list of the entire line. I didn't realize it was so many. As portrait dolls, they are very nice because they really do capture her face and her expressions and the costumes are splendidly detailed renditions of the tv show garments. We have a couple ourselves.

Franklin Mint released a beautiful 16 inch vinyl portrait of Lucy in 2002 to celebrate 50 years of Lucy on television. This doll had a bunch of wardrobe accessories including a trunk. Check collectors' sites for sales or auctions of that one.

Effanbee made a collectible Lucy doll in 1985, but in my opinion the face and hair looks more like Ginger Rogers than Lucy.

Finally, here are some Kelly dolls styled as Lucy.

Danger ahead

If you knit at all you will love Rebecca Danger's critters. She sells knitting patterns and sewing patterns that you can download instantly for cute animals and monsters too. Be sure to visit the FAQ tab for useful links to how-to videos and other helpful info. Now all you have to do is choose really cute yarn to end up with really cute stuffed toys.
Oh - want to try before you buy? Under the shop tab, she has some free patterns.

Upcoming Doll Classes in NM & NY

Marlaine Verhelst - Taking Care of the Chicken

Received from Ankie Daanen:


***********************************


Hello, Dear Dollfriends.
 
I like to let you know news about upcoming dollclasses.
You might be interrested!!
 
MEET ´THE DUTCH TOUCH´.
Marlaine Verhelst and Ankie Daanen will come to Albuquerque, NM!!!
In a five day class Marlaine will teach hand sculpting into airdrying stone clay, based on human forms and proportions
and painting the piece with watercolor.
Ankie will teach inspiring lessons in clothing and finishing the doll in a personal way.
All students will go home with a finished piece!
 
DATES: Monday October 15th through Friday October 19th, 2012.
PLACE: Sandia Courtyard Hotel & Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM.
Roomrates are $59,- for two persons, incl. breakfast / excl. taxes.
The total fee for the five day class will be $ 875,-, payable in three terms.
Kit fee will be $25,-, payable the first class day.
For more info on this class you can get in touch with Ankie: ankiedaanen@hotmail.com
 
ONE OPENING in the ´DUTCH TOUCH CLASS´ in Rye Brook, NY!!
DATES: October 25 through October 29, 2011.
For more info on this classyou can get in touch with our host Barbi Kantor - Goldenberg: dollart29@aol.com,
or with Ankie: ankiedaanen@hotmail.com
 
TWO DAY CLASS IN WESTCHESTER, NY, MOUNT VERNON:
Ankie will teach a two day class : how to make a ´doll out of the box´.
You will learn how to sculpt a fantasy dollhead and hands from air-drying clay.
How to make a body, how to paint and finish the doll and how to decorate a box-on-wheels and finish the complete project.
 
DATES: November 1st through November 2nd, 2011.
For info on this class you can get in touch with Gwen Jackson: mamagdolls@msn.com
Gwen has extra bedrooms for students.
 
NOTICE: Find out all about classes Marlaine and Ankie teach in August during the NIADA convention in Denver.
www.NIADA.org
 

by Ankie Daanen

*******************************************************
I've been to Albuquerque. The old town is pretty, there are nice Mexican food restaurants especially and there is lots of art to see in the region.


Please contact Ankie directly for more information. These are all wonderful opportunities to work with masters of the doll making arts.

Filigree Fantastic

I never ceased to be amazed and inspired the creativity in the world. I have just found the adorable and whimsical site for The Filigree, a Fairy Tale Newspaper. The site features information about the paper, gorgeous fantasy animals and anthro figures ("filigreetures") made using polymer clays over armatures and repurposed silk fabrics for the skin textures, Art Dolls and the most gorgeous Paper Dolls.

The paper dolls are a big feature of the Etsy store. The whole concept and brand is most intriguing.

Gather at the Old Farmhouse with Junker Jane

Junker Jane's Monster on Etsy

I was explaining my slow progress on my Aesthetic Preferences Profile quiz on my MMM blog. I mention shabby chic/prim as a major style look. Here's the group blog of an Etsy team, Old Farmhouse Gathering, that make many beautiful prim and american folk style things for the home including beautiful dolls.

For anyone interested in running down a sweet rabbit hole the artisans button on that page takes you to a plethora of links to their blogs and shops. There delectable foodstuffs, traditional recipes, shaker furniture makers and of course dolls, like Prims Gone Wild, Angelbug Prims, and Night Owl Studios.

I think Junker Jane may be my current favorite, though. These go beyond the typical prim rag doll, to be prim rag monsters. Her work has an unmistakable look, lots of assymetry, lots of layering. Even though she appropriates elements of the prim aesthetic like aging, distressing and raggedy edges, you never think you are looking at an antique. They feel both aged and contemporary.

The Junker Jane website is also nicely organized. Her photography is exemplary.

Harry Potter all gone

As it happens most (but not all) of these dolls are sold out, but they sure are fun to look at. We have Tonner's Hermione and Ron at the Yule Ball, and they are truly beautiful detailed dolls.

Win a Kokeshi

...courtesy of the Craft and Folk Art Museum store in Los Angeles. In conjunction with the current exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum, you can win a sweet kokeshi by artist, Kathy Yoshihara, by going to this blog post article and commenting before July 19th - so hurry along.

A world of teddies

Here's an online show of artful teddy bears. You can vote for your favorites but only for 3 days, July 15-17! There are some adorables amongst the miniatures and the full size.

Lego art

Ok this is just highly amusing to me. There are tons of ads on the site but scroll down for the famous album covers recreated in legos. Beatles predominate, but there are some others too.

International Art Doll Registry

Here is a community site for doll artists, the International Art Doll Registry. At this site there members can access tutorials, get critiques and help, and participate in challenges - but most of all show their dolls to the world with links to their sales sites. The annual membership is a reasonable $39.00, and there are also annual contests.

The next associated learning opportunity will be a Polymer Clay Sculpting Seminar hosted by Deb Wood. This will be in Minnesota August 17-21, 2011. Details from Deb directly.

Ric Rac Softies

Here's Jodie of Ric Rac's tutorial for making a personalized plushie doll. A quick browse around her blog finds other soft dolls, whimsical stuffed miniatures made by reducing patterns, and a general fondness for clean shapes,  pretty felt colors and a sharp eye for retro influenced design. I like it.

Vote for your Bu

Bu's are little droplet shaped vinyl figures. Joining the trend started by Kid Robot and Munny figures, various artists have transformed these blank canvases into art dolls and other decorative things with paint and mixed media. You can vote for your favorite until June 30th.

Figurative artists' call

The Pacific Art League in Palo Alto, CA has a call out for participants in a juried show "Figures and Faces" in the main gallery. They are looking for all media other than film and video. The deadline for jpeg submissions is July 5th for the exhibition in August. Fees apply which look commensurate with other similar shows, and there are also prizes.  The works must be for sale.