CHA De Witte Engel

I've been loving participating in the CHA Expo in Anaheim. I visited Pollika and saw the sweet line of De Witte Engel doll kits and supplies. In addition to the charming lines of tiny doll kits - fairies and pixies - from felt and cotton cloth, they also sell wood-and-rope doll bases, felting tools and felts, and an all cotton skin tone jersey in every possible complexion. Very soft and stretchy.

How cute are these?

Knitted critters

Here's a new book for knitters - the very clearly titled "Knitted Dinosaurs". There's some info about yarns and different pictures of the finished paleo-fauna on the publisher's blog.

You know, I don't knit, but these are cute. For knitters, they could make a nice alternative to socks and beanies for your kid gifts this year.

More Paper work

Somehow or other I'm just finding a lot of paper sculpture today. Today I learnt that in Japan the art of paper cutting is called "Kirigami".

Here is a person who makes cute figurative sculptures from your business cards. The Petrina Case Etsy store is sweet too.

The other site I found today markets patterns for 3D Kirigami including birds and dinosaur skeletons. Easy Cut Pop Ups has links to video tutorials, and at least one free pattern.

Print-and-Fold-A-Day

How did I miss this blog for so long?

Toy-A-Day is a blog with a daily download of a printable full color template for a folding doll figure. They are cute and nice graphic design. The characters vary wildly from celebrity portraits like The Beatles to The Little Prince to characters from contemporary storybooks and classic pop culture. They are up in the two hundreds now, so plan to spend a few minutes browsing.

Steve Jobs Action Figure controversy

As a likeness, this figure is amazing. As an interesting website, the in icons site is cool also. Lots of movement. But as a business move in the school of "better to ask forgiveness than permission"....that's a whole 'nother thing.

Apple is not pleased. But does Apple own Jobs' image or does his family? The comments are interesting.

Maybe just the licence them the figure already, and perhaps donate that money to some worthy cancer research charity. Is Apple going to get into the doll making business? Not likely. Maybe inicons should pay a hefty rude tax for not asking first - OK. Yet I'd like them market this doll. It's good work.

OTOH, as the relative (by marriage) of a celebrity, would I be happy to see a commercially produced portrait doll of my late father-in-law made and marketed without permission ? Well, I'd at least want it to be this gorgeous - but no. I'd want it to be licensed properly and above board. And maybe a US company...

We'll keep watch.

Steampunk Fair

Here is an event that will surely be of interest to doll makers - The Steampunk World's Fair. This will be held in Piscataway, NJ, May 18-20, 2012. At $50 for the weekend, this has to be one of the least expensive admission fees around.

There will cakes and costumes, and music and merchants. Too late to apply as a vendor for this year - but maybe for next....? No list of vendors yet - but there will surely be dolls. I mean, surely. {I wish they put links to more pictures from the past events on the site, and a list of last years vendors and merchants. That would be useful.}