Upcoming Doll Auction

The estate collection of long time doll collector and restorer, Kathy L. Hipp, is being auctioned without reserves on July 14th by Auctioneers John McInnis in Amesbury, MA. You can set up absentee phone bidding. 

On the website is a lovely slideshow of just a few of the over 700 items that will be available. The doll manufacturers included is a who's who of fine doll making. Her eclectic collection spans French and German antique dolls, Madame Alexander right through to Barbies, G.I. Joes and Star Wars figures. Also included are miniatures and accessories. I should think just visiting the previews would be like attending a doll museum.

New Classes from Ankie Daanen and friends

Received from Ankie Daanen - lots of new classes both online and IRL. 

New on-line class: How to make and costume a Heartbreaker.

Host: Adele Sciortino: adele@adelesciortino.com

. Four day class in Rye Brook, NY.

Class: How to make a ´Ballwalker´.

Dates: Sept. 22, 23, 24 and 25.

Host: Barbi Kantor Goldenberg: dollart29@aol.com

. Two day class during the NIADA Conference in Stamford, CT.

Class: How to make a ´Jack out of the box´.

Dates: Oct. 1 and 2.

Info: www.niada.org

.Two day class during the ARTIS...YOU conference in Stamford,CT.

Class: How to make a ´theatre´.

Dates: Oct. 4 and 5.

Info: www.art-is-you.com

.Dutch Touch Class in Sanford, FL.

Dates: 2013: Febr. 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Host: Annie Hesse: anniedolls@cfl.rr.com

.Four day class in Chapel Hill, NC.

Class: How to make a ´Cute Girl´.

Dates: 2013: Febr. 18, 19, 20 and 21.

Host: Lynda Baddour: lyndabaddour@gmail.com

.One day class during IDEX, FL.

Class: How to make an ´Innocent Dollface´.

Dates: April 11.

Info: www.idexshows.com

.Four day class in April 2013 in Fort Lauderdale,FL.

. Four day class in April 2013 in Mount Vernon,NY.

.Four day class in May in Rye Brook, NY.

Info: ankiedaanen@hotmail.com

Cat Copter

There is a creepy liveliness to the face, that I suppose is the mark of a good taxidermist. I have nothing more to add really. Just go see.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2012/jun/04/orvillecopter-flying-helicopter-dead-cat

Cool Article in Dolls

Just in passing here is a terrific article  by Stephanie Finnegan in the current Dolls digimag about the use of mini figures and altered dolls in stop motion animations. Very cool - lots of nice links.

ProSculpt Winners Announced

Jack Johnston Originals has announced the winners of their most recent ProSculpt one of a kind art doll contest. All the entries and the winning group may be viewed at the website.

There are three categories, Beginners, Advanced and Professional. I'm not going to list all the awardees here, but I do encourage you to look, and to pin them. I'm in awe of the level of skill and work, not just in the sculpting but also the costuming. Some are all clay, others have fabric costumes. Even the so called "Beginners" are amazing. Pictured is "Mad Hatress" by second place Beginner, Jen Lewis.

I wouldn't have wanted to judge the pieces (and I might have put the placegetters in different orders).
What do you all think?

The next contest will begin in June and run until December.

Art Doll - Sample of type - The White Maiden OOAK Polymer clay, wire and cloth - $275.00

If you are looking for a completely unique gift, perhaps for a wedding or for an artist, a one of a kind commissioned art doll would be a beautiful and different gift. Always a talking point, perhaps a spiritual focus or inspiring archetype, I will consult with you on the character of the doll you wish made. You can give a figurative sculpture.

Perhaps she can be made from a loved one's clothing or other meaningful fabric.


Click Here to Visit My Etsy Shop!

PBS Idea Channel

Thanks to Heath Fradkoff at Goodman Media for the heads up about the PBS online video series about pop culture, Idea Channel. This week the feature is about Hello Kitty, and there are also thought provoking episodes about Mario and an anime musician, among others. Who knew there were Hello Kitty coffins?

BTW, they are asking for ideas for future fortnightly videos. What can we come up with about dolls? The prevalence of elves amongst BJD afficianados? Something about upcycling as an aesthetic for fine art figurative sculpture? Toys or totems?

"Hello Kitty is one of the most recognizable characters in the world and has sold billions of dollars worth of merchandise since her debut in 1974. Host Mike Rugnetta wonders if  Hello Kitty’s popularity may be tied to minimalist design, while some equate her looks with the Superflat postmodern art movement, founded by Takashi Murakami, or modern Anime. In either case, it’s fun to look at this completely commercial character in the light of high art."


Remember, if you like it, Pin it.

Mini green and red Wish Doll with musk fragrant sachet - $12.00

This poseable mini Wish Doll wears a green and red geometric print dress and comes with a musk oil fragrant sachet pillow. Her sash is red and pink, her hands pale yellow beads, and her feet are amber colored glass beads.



I was inspired by Guatemalan Worry Dolls to make these flexible wire and bead dolls. This one is a miniature 1.5 inches tall, but very cute. I wrap the wire body with fabric remnants ...

Click Here to Visit My Etsy Shop!

Purple and orange Wish Doll with lavender scented sachet - $15.00

This poseable Wish Doll wears an orange and purple printed dress and comes with a lavender scented sachet pillow.



I was inspired by Guatemalan Worry Dolls to make these 3 inch tall flexible wire and bead dolls. I wrap the wire body with fabric remnants or ribbon, and use more to make the dress, sash and braid. I sew seed beads to the braid and sash. Each is slightly different, with different combinati...

Click Here to Visit My Etsy Shop!

Hummingbird Miniatures

Oh my gosh, these are so delightful and I love, love, love the use of the hand in the photos to actually give proper scale. These are magically detailed.

I've been reading and watching a lot of marketing tutorials and how-to videos recently. The Hummingbird Miniatures blog seems like a case study, with the lovely, consistent aesthetic, and a very simple and clean visual.

I love the items in the Etsy shop which include miniature foods, miniature food jewelry, and tutorials! Also visit the sister shop Pixie Dust Miniatures.

If you like it, Pin It!

Orange and purple Wish Doll with musk oil sachet - $15.00

This poseable Wish Doll wears an orange and purple dress and comes with a musk oil fragrant sachet pillow.



I was inspired by Guatemalan Worry Dolls to make these 3 inch tall flexible wire and bead dolls. I wrap the wire body with fabric remnants or ribbon, and use more to make the dress, sash and braid. I sew seed beads to the braid and sash. Each is slightly different, with different combinations of f...

Click Here to Visit My Etsy Shop!

Blue and pink starry Wish Doll with lavender sachet - $15.00

This poseable Wish Doll wears a blue and pink starry print dress and comes with a lavender scented sachet pillow.



I was inspired by Guatemalan Worry Dolls to make these 3 inch tall flexible wire and bead dolls. I wrap the wire body with fabric remnants or ribbon, and use more to make the dress, sash and braid. I sew seed beads to the braid and sash. Each is slightly different, with different combinatio...

Click Here to Visit My Etsy Shop!

Best Cleaner Ever coupon

This is a great cleaner for inks and glues on your hands, your rubber stamps, your cutting tools - and your makeup brushes. Go to the site to see videos of it in action. It will wipe off your hands with a damp cloth.

Perhaps of more interest to doll makers, it will clean polymer clay off your pasta roller nicely, and is not drying to your skin like alcohol can be. It also takes stains and marks like ink, out of fabric. It is non-toxic, vegetable oil based, and fragrance free. It works to lift sticky residue like Tea Tree oil, only it's not so volatile and it won't hurt your skin.

Celebrate Earth Day 2012 with a coupon. 

Get $2.12 off the Best Cleaner Ever!

It’s safe for the environment  AND safe for you.

This solvent is safe for skin and has NO harmful fumes and cleans almost anything from and spray paint off your hands and permanent marker off your table, to solvent ink off stampsadhesive off scissors. It seriously works like magic (without the hocus-pocus).

 

Use coupon Code:  BestCleanerEver4EarthDay2012 

Go here!

Native American Traditional Dolls

From the Smithsonian Museum comes the Smithonian in the Classroom series of educational posters. I've just found one about Native American Dolls which features profiles of several doll artists making traditional dolls from their tribal nations. Perhaps skipping the classroom exercises, the profiles are definitely worth reading start to finish.

Here's more about one of the featured artists, Clara Begay, whose doll is pictured.

Little Miss Matched contest

Go here to Dolls Magazine to enter a drawing to win all four of Tonner's Little Miss Matched play line collection of dolls. Very poseable, many reversible outfits, cute.

Doll Project tutorials

Very excited to see that Jessica Acosta Hamilton of Doll Project is now offering a selection of beautiful tutorials in her Etsy store. Some of the more unusual lessons include Tiny Shoes and Collage Dolls, as well as a tutorial for her signature item with the following eyes - Pin Dolls. 

If you like it, Pin it. 

Kerijoy Wall Dancers and More

It's been some time since I featured Keri Joy Colestock's wall dancer dolls. In the interim her Etsy shop has exploded in a riot of color and new sculptures.

The Wall Dancers are still delightful and have that signature Kerijoy "joyful whimsy" look. But there is also an intriguing collection of found object, mixed media, figurative and surrealist sculptures. I've been Pinning like crazy.

Oh and my new motto is going to be "If you like it, PIN it!" Pinterest boards really do seem to be the simplest way to bring new eyes to all of our work. I'm constantly getting notified of repins from people I don't know - and that is awesome! Every pin becomes a link back. Every repin becomes a new strand in the enormous web of appreciation. Please Pin - Etsy makes it super easy.

Some of what I've been up to lately

Another pretty, fresh Dream Star doll made from vintage Indian printed cotton - brought over by my mother-in-law in her travels in the '60's and '70's. This time I've decorated her 8.5 inch form with an assortment of vintage and new buttons in coordinating earth tones. Some are wood, bamboo, plastic and mother of pearl. I just love old buttons. She's also embellished with many glass beads, and...

Click Here to Visit My Etsy Shop!

I love discovering a new store on Etsy. L Delaney, maker of gorgeous realistic vintage style miniature doll house accessories, is having a BIG miniature raffle for the month of April. For every $20 you spend at the store, you will be entered into the raffle to win a miniature item. For every 10 entries into the raffle, L will add another prize.
Here's a page about the raffle that you can tweet and link to help spread the word.

But the miniature items are beautiful. Many are made from recycled and upcycled elements, then aged and worn. Truly wonderful additions to your doll house - or miniature stop motion movie set.

Froud classes in France

Wendy and Brian Froud will be teaching master classes in sculpting and drawing at medieval Chateau De Belcastel in Aveyron, France. There are three sessions over August as well as other activities around the historic castle and local village.

At last a chance to answer the age old question - does being somewhere amazing and beautiful make creativity blossom? Feel free to take up a collection for me to go and advance this valuable research. Sigh.