DOTY Awards Announced

Heidi Plusczok - Lilli Frog Princess

Collectible Vinyl/Plastic doll over $150

Dolls magazine, hot on it's merge with Doll Reader magazine, has announced the industry choice Dolls of the Year Awards. The winners are noted on the website. The Public's Choice ballot for DOTY will be in the June issue, along with pictures of the industry winners.

As part of the merge, Dolls will no longer be awarding the Dolls Awards of Excellence as a separate awards.

Folks, Dolls Magazine will be presenting special issues of Haute Dolls quarterly, that is part of the regular subscription. I encourage all doll lovers to subscribe if at all possible.

Carl Turner

Ceramicist and sculptor Carl Turner creates "Seussian" Taxidermy and other unique whimsical creatures from clay. On his blog he includes WIP pictures, including plasticine marquettes. Meanwhile more of his work is shown at his online gallery, through Saatchi Online.

OMG

http://briandettmer.com/

Only from cutting away - no moving the images or adding.
Also sculptures from upcycled cassette tapes.
Watch the videos too. They are cool.

Sean E Avery Sculptures

Here is the website of Australian figurative sculptor and illustrator, Sean Avery. He uses recycled materials like old cd's and circuit boards for his cool animals and creatures. You may have to convert the metric measurements. This Giraffe is a little under 20 inches tall.

Thanks Failblog. (His work was categorized as a "Win".)

No more ADO

Art Dolls Only, home to some wonderful doll artists, is closing as a club. The sad news was announced by the co-founders a few days ago. The club was an invitation only group, and one's work was scrutinized before acceptance. I have to admit to being a bit dazed, as the club appeared to be thriving with monthly and quarterly challenges, a traveling doll project, an e-zine, and a seemingly vibrant web presence - website, Facebook and Ning. However it seems that the heavy workload of promotion and treasuries and posting reminders was falling on a small minority of members.

There will still be a new ADO Etsy Team for former members, and folks are working out some kind of Facebook page so that we may keep in touch. The tag ADO Team will still mean something - a reminder of glories past.

Out of the Box(es)

Pablo Curutchet's giant man sculpture is made of recycled boxes. He has also made humongous puppies. Why do I think oddly of Minecraft? In any event rather cool.

Barbie Ma Muse

Vermeer inspired.

French artist Jocelyn Grivaud has created a website for Barbie's 50th Anniversary that is a loving tribute to the beauty and artistry that inspired her childhood joys, and apparently her own mother's knitting. Barbie is treated as the subject of famous artworks (including antiquities), with thoughtful commentary. I think it's clever and fun. Plus it is highly educational because there are also links to info about each fine artist.

My only problem is that I had planned a series of altered Barbies as statues, starting with my Winged Victory, and I see she already has a Venus de Milo. Well mine will be different.

My version of Winged Victory.

Thanks, Sandra, for the link.

IFDC Rocks!

The theme of this year's International Fashion Doll Convention is "Shock, Rattle and Roll". Convention events are themed around 20th Century iconic musical eras - and it's the 10th Anniversary.

Attendance is limited to 250, so don't wait to register. Workshops and seminars are listed in the Convention Packet PDF and includes JAMIE Show.

July 25-28, 2012
The Orleans Resort and Casino
Las Vegas, NV

Sheri

Sheri de Bow makes beautiful polymer clay and mixed media dolls, busts, head ornaments, and other fine art - all with distinctive large wide-open eyes. Her dolls engender a tension between whimsical, fragile beauty and danger. Her blog, Ostrich Girl, tells all about her recent exhibitions.

Claudia's Adventures

For your viewing pleasure, something to make you smile - The Adventures of Claudia blog.

From the same creative visionary who brings us Gerbils in Hats.

Life is good.

Kickstarter Obos

Here is another Kickstarter project that is close to funding and looks like fun - Obos by Really Brothers. I like the look of these - nice clear graphics and recycled cardstock. I like the limited packaging too - very slick. Good luck! I hope your get reach your target.

Oh, and here is Planet Obo.

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.}

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.