New Classes

Doll friend Edwina Sutherland has asked me to announce that her new schedule of classes and workshops is up on her website. She makes and teaches gorgeous cloth dolls and needle felted characters of great personality. And by the way, she is an awesome costume maker and bridal sewist - more info from her blog. Her work will be found in the upcoming Quilting Arts Gifts.

Win a Doll

OK I know it's a bit cheeky, but here is a post about me.

My upcoming column in Natural Life Magazine includes a miniature diorama contest, with the prize being an Iggy Jingles Dream Star doll in your choice of colors. The contest is open to all ages, with the proviso being to use recycled packaging as the foundation.

Photos of your entries to Natural Life Magazine by April 30th (so plenty of time).

Kimberley's Kingdom

Here's another lovely fiber artist, doll maker and Reiki practitioner. In Kimberley's Kingdom you will find cloth faeries with needle sculpted faces, and charming needle felted creatures and spirit dolls. I like the organization of the website also, with her Etsy link button nicely visible on each page, and large scale pictures.

Focus on Fiber

I love it when info just comes to me.

Kathie Briggs, quilter, doll maker and fiber artist, will be attending the upcoming Focus on Fiber Retreat March 15-21 in Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Following these days of communion and creativity she is presenting an art doll workshop - details on her blog, which is worth visiting even if you don't plan to attend. If you can go, over three days, you and your fellow participants will create one of three gorgeous cloth dolls and learn a ton of useful techniques.

Both of these events take place at The Atlantic Center for the Arts, a vibrant looking facility.

Gung Hee Fatt Choi

When I was a little girl in Hong Kong, children celebrated Chinese New Year by going out to watch fireworks in the evening carrying cellophane lanterns hanging from bamboo sticks. These were wire outlined shapes, like animals, birds, or butterflies, with colored cellophane filling them. In the center was a little well holding a tea light or votive candle.

So just to be clear - hundreds of small children in crowded streets carrying highly flammable items hanging from sticks with lit candles inside. And yet no one ever seemed to be burnt up.

They were very beautiful,like carrying around a stained glass window.

Here are some paper patterns to make traditional Chinese costumes for your 18 inch doll. Carpatina makes some nice looking playline dolls and dolly clothing actually, including a wide range of international traditional costumes.

Giveaway For Haiti

Yve Hoosen is giving away a couple of her Freaky Little Things in aid of Haiti. Go here to make a donation and be in the running to win one of two of these beautiful hand painted dolls. Great idea!

Valentines from October

October Effigies artist, Kerry Kate, is having a pre-Valentine's Day sale on her Etsy store of stuffed print dolls with heart themes and motifs. These dolls are beautiful, dark, wonderful gifts for your macabre loving beloved. She also makes OOAK hand painted dolls, and keeps a very cool artful blog.

First dolls

Someone was wondering about the header here on this blog. Those are the first cloth art dolls my daughter ever sewed. I believe she was six, since the photo is dated 2006. She cut out shapes for the body from some outgrown sweaters, and then very carefully used a largish needle (I had to thread it for her)to hand sew the dolls together AND embroider the little face. All her own work. She makes jewelry too.

Doll Auction

Absolute Auctions is currently holding a huge doll auction continuing through February 21st. There are some antique dolls, porcelain antique and vintage repros and contemporary collector dolls. The current bids on many are remarkably low - although that may change as the auction moves forward. Many pictures of interesting dolls - click for more views.

Doll and Teddy Bear Expo

The Doll and Teddy Bear Expo is back! It will be held October 1-3, 2010 in Winston-Salem, NC. Highlights include a lifetime achievement award for Helen Kish, the DOLLS Awards of Excellence, and The Golden Teddy Awards from Teddy Bear Review.

Reborn blog

Thanks to Twitter, I can today feature a site that is surely delicious to reborn afficianados and collectors with lots of information. My Fake Baby is a good resource with articles, book reviews, links and news about Ebay bargains. There are photos too, although some are missing, labelled "unavailable". Still, those I can see are lush and show very realistic dolls.

Of Paper. On Paper

It's been too long since I mentioned anything at all about paper dolls.

Altered Pages, a place that markets primarily collage, mixed media, scapbooking and paper art materials, is offering an adaptable kit for a very sweet paper doll by Australian artist, Linda Baldock.

Meanwhile Art Doll Quarterly is seeking ongoing submissions for a new department - Paper Personas.

Well, what are you waiting for?

Puppeteer

There's been some enthusiasm about puppets recently. Here's some more for the topic.
Alexander Mergold is a Canadian puppet, doll and figure maker working in polymer and air dry clays whose marionettes, jointed dolls and standing figures are just wonderful.
His main style is naturalistic (I mean hyper real) portraiture and caricature. Many of his people are recognizable celebrities. His site is very cool and nicely organized -tons of pages to see. Be sure to check out the video of his puppets starring in a tv commercial - which incidentally gives an idea of the depth of the realism.
However if you visit his blog, you will find a whole other world of creatures and monster puppets and a lot of charming whimsy as well. Not to mention cool pics of wips and the underlying jointing. Here's his Etsy store.

Spring Mayhem

There are still a very few spaces left for Magic, Mischief and Mayhem this April 8-11, in Shelbyville, KY.
The line up of workshop instructors includes some of doll making's most eminent figures - Patti Culea, Judy Skeel and Cyndi Mahlstadt.
More information from anniedolls@roadrunner.com

Fiber Art class

Not really dolls - but it seems like the techniques could be used for doll making. Susan Sorrell is offering a bunch of reasonably priced online classes on a range of Fiber Art and Mixed Media topics. I like the look of Funky Felt Pins and Doodling designs - faces and fabrics perhaps.

Cute Ninja

I am indebted to Craft Magazine for the news about Ninja of The Month from Shawnimals. For a single price you will receive 12 numbered limited edition plush residents of Ninjatown Academy with accessories and other stuff. They are 426 very cute characters in the Shawnanimals world.

New Art Doll Blog

Megan Butel, Australian doll afficianado, has started a new blog about art dolls.
Art Doll Artists will feature news, tips, interviews and resources about and for art doll makers. More dolls online - yay.

Enchanted Resin

Don't look now - Marina Bychkova, the Enchanted doll maker, is about to start producing resin BJD's - still painted with limpid delicacy. She has written about her process on her blog.

Book Giveaway

Craft Gossip is holding a random draw give away for what looks like a really sweet book written by a felting doll maker about felt dolls. It is called "Felt Wee Folk" by Salley Mavor. On her blog are more deets about the book and about some challenges based on the felt characters. How cute are they?

Short Hiatus

There will be a short hiatus from new posts for about two weeks. I'll be back with new websites and events in the first week of February. In the mean time please revisit some of the older posted blogs for updates of people's doll art doings, and don't forget the Dolls and Miniatures section of Etsy!

Haitian Earthquake

Cross posted from my other blog:

I'm pretty horrified by the ongoing news from Haiti. When I don't know what else to do, or how to help, I make stuff. I will be making a Dream Doll, starting at once, to sell with the proceeds going to assist - perhaps the Red Cross would be a good place to donate. I'll decide that later. In the mean time, I want to challenge my crafting and doll making friends to do the same. Perhaps we can set up a day of auctions on Ebay for Haiti Earthquake relief.

Monstrous

Cody Goodin is having a blog giveaway to celebrate his blogging anniversary. The prize is this goblin monster critter. Go to his blog, and follow the intructions (follow, comment with contact info) to win.

Then pop across to the other happy reason for his celebration and visit The Dark Artists' Guild, which has declared the Year of the Monster.

Twin Pines For Sale

Received today from Nicholas Hill at Twin Pines of Maine, a company whose products I use for my dolls and which I have featured here in the past:

You can own Twin Pines Of Maine.

All of the products offered by Twin Pines were made specifically for
dolls simply because there were no safe, effective, commercial products
available to do the job at hand. The need for each product was described
by my wife, Barbara, so she could manage her extensive collection
safely. I make all of the products. My name is Nicholas Hill. I am a
chemist. I am not a doll collector.

Over the years the demand for each product has grown significantly and,
at present, tens of thousands of collectors in virtually every country
of the world enjoy the quality, safety and effectiveness of Twin Pines
Products. There is no competition from any company anywhere in the
world.

Sadly, a few years ago Barbara passed away. Since I am not a collector I
have decided to sell the Company. There is an announcement on the
www.TwinPines.com web site.

The sale will include all product formulations, production equipment,
raw material inventory, containers, customer list, domain name, complete
training and a very complete doll reference library.

Seller financing may be available for an appropriately qualified buyer.

The selling price is in the low six figures. Serious buyers only please
e-mail me at Nick@TwinPines.com .

Nicholas Hill

*I will add that I have used their cold water wash, the translucent green liquid, as an awesome spot cleaner and stain lifter on our regular clothes as well as for doll clothing. It does better on oily stains than pretty much anything else, and tiny drop goes a very long way. I have also reduced vintage Barbie ear greening with 911. Nothing gets that gone entirely, but I am happy with my results.

Gals and Dolls in the news

Here's a lovely article in her local paper about the doll club in which my doll friend Em participates. Don't their upcoming round robin projects sound cool?

Online classes

It has been some time since I posted about online classes, so I thought it might be a nice time to remind everyone of the new offerings at Joggles. As well as the luscious fiber and mixed media art technique classes, there are numerous doll and figure offerings - everything from beginning needle felting through fairy wings to cloth and polymer clay figures and art dolls. Currently classes are scheduled all the way through April, with many well known and admired doll makers facilitating.
Here's Colleen Babcock's "Bamboo Oracle". (Her blog is always worth checking out anyway.)

Ecstatic

...to have found this wonderful BJD collectors' and artists' resource, online magazine BJDCollectasy. Aside from a plethora of links to vendors, costumers and artists, there are some very beautiful photo galleries, lots of news about new products and releases, and links to YouTube tutes sponsored by the site.
Make a cup of your favorite hot beverage and allow yourself a while to immerse yourself. I'm very interested in some of the OOAK and limited edition costumers making incredible outfits for BJD's like Marbled Halls.

Jayn and I visit the LA Volks store

Only open on the weekend, the Volks USA showroom in Torrance, CA, has been on our list of places to visit for a couple of years. Finally last Sunday, my daughter just said "Let's go!" and so we did.

The ground floor is full of "Who's That Girl" dolls and fashions as well as the little fashion doll size EB Beauty dolls. The fashions are cool adorable, with fine details and accessories. We have an EB Beauty, yet to have her face up, so it was also cool to collect some free brochures about painting doll faces.

Up the stairs is the real magic - the Super Dollfies and other ball jointed dolls in the Volks collection. A vista of dressed dolls, all the parts for the full choice customizable system, fashions and accessories as well as the full range of supplies for face ups and doll care greeted us. They have sewing supplies, patterns and itty bitty doll sized notions. And the shoes!

The staff couldn't have been kinder, especially Jane, who spent a lot of time answering my Jayn's questions, listening to her stories, getting out parts to show her close up, and helping her hold some of the dolls, which she found remarkably heavy.

We are saving up to buy our first full size Dollfie doll and outfit, and when we're ready we are definitely going to the Volks showroom for our purchase. Then we will sit her in the beautiful victorian style chair set up as a photo op (as shown above), and take her picture.

Inspiration

I went on a browse and was led to Lisa Lectura Creations, the blog of a San Francisco area painter and mixed media artist. Her painting, mostly of female faces and characters are very pretty, very attractive with delicate linework and colors. Her blog is very beautiful to look at - a plethora of lovely images.
Doll connection - she takes prints on fabric of her own artwork and reforms the beautiful ladies into art doll stuffies of felt and quilted cloth embellished with hand embroidery, ribbons, beading and stuff. The pieces have a clarity and precision about them - finesse I think is the word.
Right now Lisa is having a "Blogiversary" give away - the art prizes aren't dolls, but nobody's perfect.

Happy New Year

Thank you to all the followers, visitors and doll artists, collectors and fans who have made making this blog so gratifying for me over 2009. I've been pretty busy recently, as you can tell by the dearth of posts, but with the New Year I intend to post more often.

You can help by letting me know of any exhibitions, events or contests related to dolls and doll collecting that you hear of, as long as they have some kind of online presence. I'd love to help you promote your dolls in my small way.



Meanwhile here is a doll artist starting the New Year right, with beautiful dolls on Etsy.

I mentioned this artist before in a round up post, and now I'm coming back for more. A Little Catty makes whimsical, odd, dolls and figures, of fiber bodies with painted and sculpted paper clay and mixed media details. They all have a lot of character and really fun and interesting stories. Frankly I think her dolls are bargain priced for their size, level of detail, and the workmanship involved. But that may change if they take off - so get yours while you can.

Suji Rising

One of the most interesting things about Suji (tm) Angels Pray for Peace dolls is seeing the development of the dolls over time, in the gallery. I'm seeing a doll maker blossom as an artist, and the increased sophistication and quality of the dolls. They incorporate beautiful quilting and fiber art techniques, mixed media and many different color stories and themes. I enjoy the organic, earthy angels and the geometric, ethereal ones equally.

Suji is a member of the Central New York Doll is Art Guild, dedicated to the advancement of art dolls and educating the art loving public about dolls as a collectable fine art. Stop by - there are some beautiful dollmakers (and their work ain't bad either).

Simpli Jessi

Jessi Halliday of Michigan makes sweet cloth figures in folksy/prim style with hand embroidered faces. Her blog has pictures of her dolls, also on Etsy, and if you want what looks like a kick-ass apple pie recipe scroll down a few days. (Sorry I missed your blog giveaway.)

Nina

When you visit Nina Originals you will find not only her beautiful art doll and mixed media work, but also photos from workshops and group events that Nina has attended over time. She has been a prolific participant in trades and swaps over time, with much beautiful work including jewelry to show for it.
I realize it's not strictly a doll, but this Halloween Mummy Cheese Log just tickles the heck out of me.

Must be something in the water

The Canadian Doll Artist's Association is a national association dedicated to the advancement of artist dolls as an art form and the many, many wonderful Canadian art doll makers (and some international members too). The association publishes a newsletter, facilitates workshops and mentoring, and holds a conference.
Save this date: In 2010 Celebration! will be held April 29 through May 2 at the Four Points Sheraton in Meadowvale Mississauga Ontario. The theme will be "Renaissance Dreams". Lots of inspiration there!
When you visit the site be sure to allow plenty of time to browse the member galleries, with links. Very beautiful.

Moonbeam Wings

Sashi Nayagam is a UK cloth doll maker, with some paper and mixed media thrown in for variety. She has just posted a pretty lace wing tutorial on her blog, where you will also find a nice finger turning tute and other WIP's. Check out her website for some free patterns.

Episode Guide: Science of the Movies : Science Channel

Episode Guide: Science of the Movies : Science Channel

Posted using ShareThis

Upcoming episode about stop motion animation with hand sculpted figures.

There must be more to this story...

From Fail Blog.

Dolls to Alaska

Received via Patti Culea...

We were hoping you might hit up your list of terrific doll-maker-friends, to
once again enter the Alaska Fiber Festival show.
This year we will be giving out a $250.00 viewers choice award for the
crowd's favorite doll. The entry fee is $20.00 plus shipping to & from the
show (if the doll maker doesn't sell or doesn't want to sell the doll at the
show). If they do want the doll to be listed for sale, the AFF will retain
20% of the sale price, sending the rest to the maker.

We would like dolls to be here by Feb. 15th, 2010. They can be shipped to:
Deb Hardman
5911 E 142nd Ave
Anchorage, AK 99516
907-345-5888

Doll maker should include
1. Maker's Name
address
phone number
e-mail

Any special set up instructions should include a photocopy of the doll
attached to the contact info.
Return postage including insurance

If dolls aren't sold they will be packaged up & shipped back on or before
March 20th.

The dolls will be on display at the Conoco-Phillips Atrium March 12-14.

Please let me know if you can help us out, & I would appreciate just an
e-mail for a head count on anyone who would like to participate.

Thanks so much,
Deb Hardman
AFF Doll Coordinator

Cyber Monday on Etsy

Thanksgiving is done and so is Black Friday. Here is a round up of some of the great doll deals that are available on Etsy now for Cyber Monday (aside from the shipping deals and free gifts at my store, that is.)

Anniemaize has a fairy riding a snail that is very sweet.

I like this whacky Mrs. Claus from A Little Catty.

Fairies by Nuria makes 5.5 inch tall polymer clay fairies with all kinds of professions and themes, including a Christmas Fairy.

Not everything has to be pretty-pretty to be cool for the holidays. Check out Dolls and Dead Things for some beautiful creepy Barbie redux dolls like the deceased but still magic Sugar Plum Fairy.

Offering free shipping on some extraordinary art dolls and busts is Nefer Kane. I love the character in the faces. They have a wistful, deep mood. There is another post here in Nefer's future.

Parker Farm includes this new vintage style Santa in their inventory.

Reminding us to give to those less fortunate, is the Deb the Doll Gnome's doll pattern called American Poor.

The Modern Quilter's all cloth Ginger Blue would be a great cuddly doll gift.

Future Rock Star has a couple of Harajuku inspired hand painted soft pillow dolls for kids.

Last, but not least Eufaria has a whole collection of charming polymer clay and fiber fairy ornament dolls in a multitude of colors.

Felt real

OK this needle felter, Robin Joy Andreae, is achieving an insane level of realism with her work. Just incredible finesse. I can only imagine the kind of time commitment each of these little animals takes. And her piggies are so cute too.

Monkeys In Space

If you have an I-Tunes account (or are willing to get one), here's a nutty contest with prizes for making a monkeys-in-space themed miniature diorama. One of the prizes is an amigurumi figure. Hurry - the contest closes Sunday, November 29.

Beaded dolls

Doll friend Lynn Manning makes beautiful beaded dolls and cloth dolls with bead embellishments. She is a prolific and enthusiastic participant in challenges with the Beaded Art Dolls Yahoo group. They also have a blog with many slide shows of people's work. Explore and be inspired.
But don't eat 'em, they only look like candy.

Eclectic visions

Thanks for the heads up, MA. I have been enjoying looking at the mixed media spirit style dolls of Michelle Marquette. The dolls are tall, from vintage fabrics with the patina of age - there is a simplicity about them that is quite compelling.

She is a featured artist at a couple of galleries including Show of Hands in Denver, and Albuquerque venue, Mariposa Gallery.

There are a few more mixed media and fiber art doll makers part of the stable there, including Sarena Mann and Nancy Corrigan whose sweet and bright stuffies have a colorful appeal that is quite different from Michelle's dolls.

I love art dolls - something for everyone.

Fashion doll collector

Fashion doll enthusiasts will enjoy Fashion Doll Empire, Cliff in Hong Kong's thoughtful and picture heavy collector's blog. He writes enthusiatically about his own doll collection, upcoming releases, gently compares and critiques different body types and sometimes includes tutorials, like some recent helpful tips about modifying doll neck holes to facilitate interchanging heads. It really makes you realize how crowded the BJD fashion doll field really is.

Magick Workshop

Well it's short notice but anyone planning to visit the Bethlehem, PA area on November 21st can enroll in a polymer clay miniature figure sculpting workshop facilitated by Molly Stanton of Elven Elysium.
Molly also has an Etsy store where her delicately detailed, fine featured fantasy creatures are available for sale.
Oooh, she also has a store at Custom Dolls, Houses, & Miniatures. I'll have to look around there some more. Stay tuned.

Plethora of Giveaways

Thank you Glo, for compiling this handy dandy list of other art doll and mixed media bloggers who are holding blog giveaways now and in the near future. Visit Mrs. Art Doll Maker for deets.

Art Opening in California

Opening this Saturday at The ARTery at The Lab in Costa Mesa, California is Animal Instinct. Benefiting the Humane Society, the exhibit will include the work of over 25 artists celebrating the beauty & wonder of animals with sculpture, photography, graffiti-influenced work, prints (including etching & letterpress), crochet, plush, paintings & more.
The picture is a Beastlie by participant Leslie Levings.

Danse Macabre

OMG - it's after Halloween but you have got to check out Freaky Little Things new website, the Nightshade Hall. It really is a total aesthetic package. There are great galleries of Yve's work, which displayed as they are really show the breadth of her talent.
Be sure to read the stories contained in the Ballroom and the truly original and fun way the ADO Halloween challenge has been enhanced to a new level of humor and artistry. Now I'm even more sick that I didn't finish my doll in time to attend the party. Very cool, very,very cool.

Sea Gypsy

I must admit to being drawn to all the different art in the Sea Gypsy Studio. I like her dolls - paper, polymer clay, cloth and found embellishments - very much. But it's worth browsing back through earlier posts to see some of her lovely vintage fabric hangings and colorful, highly detailed textural painted portraits of women. Plus she crochets - I agree, you can never have too many flowers.

Cloth, Paper, Scissors art doll challenge

If you get the Cloth,Paper, Scissors email newsletter, "Embellishments" you will have already heard about the ‘Mother Earth’ Art Doll Challenge.

Here's part of the description:
"Make an art doll representing Mother Earth and enter our reader challenge. We’ll show a selection of our favorites in the March/April 2010 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors and on our website.
But hurry, the deadline for submitting your entry via email is December 18, 2009."

Finalists send the actual work to the magazine (one of my favorites). The rules aren't up on the site quite yet, but you can probably subscribe to Embellishments and read all about it.

If you have questions about the “Mother Earth ” Reader Challenge, contact Barbara Delaney at 978-897-7750, ext. 207, or bdelaney@interweave.com.

Day of the Dead

Here's a quick round up of some of the Day of the Dead skeleton dolls and Catrinas around the place.

Mystic Voodoo has a selection of figures.

Spirit Mama on Etsy has a cool Rocker Muerto Doll

Du Buh Du Designs has a whole gorgeous DotD photo display on her website right now, that is lucious. That's one of her pieces pictured above. Also check out her ornaments.

Lynn Dewart is a mixed media artist and doll maker that I have only just discovered. She has a selection of Bone Dolls for sale through The Next Door Gallery and intriguing gallery Vintage Religion.

For a change here'e a Vogue Knitting pattern for DotD soft dolls. They are kinda cute.

Happy Halloween

Alas for my busy, busy October (my daughter's birthday month) - I have still not completed my ADO Halloween Challenge doll. But here are some Etsy sellers who have managed to complete some beautiful creatures....

UK craftist, RedFlannelElephant has a cool needle felted witch on offer.

Mystical Mara is a jointed cloth witch with paper clay face and hands.

Crone Cottage has a Folk Art witch with distinctive features and green skin, named "Winnie".

Mary Magpie has added a rather gorgeous green skinned Goth Witch to her shop full, which has removeable clothing and a planned wardrobe.

Berry Mice Creations presents Zelda the Witch, who is very cute.

Meanwhile Pamela Junks Minis has a whole collection of teeny tiny miniature witches available.

KaerieFaerie52 has a coven also, including the fun Theater Witch.

No Halloween would be complete without a visit to Mealy Monster Land. Wendy found a cauldron....

Save the date

Creations in Fiber will be held May 20 - 24, 2010 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The teachers so far include: Jean Bernard, Sherry Goshon, Arley Berryhill and Maurine Adrezin. There is also a doll contest divided into cloth dolls and mixed media dolls.

Fairy Godmother

Julie McCullogh makes fantasy themed cloth dolls. I especially enjoy her Broadway show characters, being an old theater person from way back. I worked in the wardrobe on the Australian production of "La Cage Aux Folles" in the early 1980's. Her website has lots of layers, history, pics of studios and dolls made from Julie's patterns. A fun browse.