Chopoli breathtaking

Following the treasury images back to their various sources, I knew that I had to feature the amazing work of German doll artist, Tatjana Raum, selling as Chopoli. She crafts beautiful tiny polymer clay fairy creatures inspired by the colors and milieu of her home in Bavaria. The delicate coloring and fine textures of these brilliantly proportioned figures is second only to the vivid, lively expression in their faces.

But there's more! Her Wooden Spirits which fuse wood, bark and polymer into magical hanging or standing sculptures, are even more extraordinary and beautiful. They form the base of her art prints, but each one is hand sculpted and textured in such a way that you believe that they are portraits of the tree's Dryad, emerging from a fallen bough, perhaps searching forever for their original tree. The extreme realism of the expressions and proportions combines with the whimsy of the coloration from the natural source material. I love how there is one angle where the face is staring right into your eyes, your soul.

Doll Treasury

Abi Monroe, ADO member and fine doll artist, has been so gracious as to include my "Journey" (a different detail above) in her latest treasury. There are some other very interesting dolls there.

Sweety birds

Here is Ann Wood's site where she sells awfully sweet hand made birds. They really are delicate and pretty. On her blog she is showing a whole flock of bride and groom birds.

She also has raggedy fabric collaged owls and lacy spiders from upcycled vintage materials. Very cool.

Kate Middleton Doll Contest

Dolls Magazine is running a contest to win the Franklin Mint Kate bride (mentioned previously). Go Here. It's a pretty thing.

Amazing origami

This is just incredible origami. Brian Chan folds insects, critters, objects and figures, including the Iron Man featured on Craft. Seriously - this is genuinely stunning. Had to show two pics - can you believe it? Each uses a single piece of uncut paper.

Toodlesocks

Sue Anne at Toodlesocks Studio fills her polymer clay babies and fairies blog with useful sculpting tips and tricks. Her wee babies are utterly adorable, so the tips certainly work! Perhaps her most unusual OOAK's are her apes. Orangutan babies - really an overdose of cuteness.

That was quick

Ashton Drake's Catherine Middleton porcelain bride doll. The tiara's not quite right, but the dress looks good. Also they do say "fully poseable."

Mixed media to the max

I was browsing at the Recycled Art Dolls Flikr site and I found Lisa Rupp's repurposed and recycled dolls and dogs - Mixed Media Max. I love mixed media and found object art in general. I like the sheen many of these old wood pieces have, as well as the humor of the faces. You can buy her sculptures from her Etsy store.

Rabbit Round Up

Here is a selection of offerings from Etsy.

A Little Catty, whose work is perennial in these roundups, has a sad faced cloth bunny gnome, Bambi Bunny, amongst others.

The Snippet presents Contemporary Folk Art dolls including Bunny and Ellie.

A ten inch tall polymer clay and cloth OOAK Bunny girl is by Xpression Dolls.

She's Built for Speed is a gourd doll by Mamagourds.

There are quite a few prim style Easter Bunnies, including one from Dumplinragamuffin and Baggaragg's Magnolia's Parasol. Piecakeprimitives has a Spring Easter Folk Art doll that is very sweet, and not a bunny.

Also prim style are the hand painted Bonnie Belle Bunny Rabbit by Mustardseed and Miller Campbell's Bunny Rabbit Easter Doll.

The yarn afficianados are not left out.

Lazy Muse's Amigurumi Bunny has a lot of personality.

Out of the Frame offers an Amigurumi Love Messenger bunny.

MariannW's Hand Knit Bunny Rabbit in a Cashmere Dress has a lovely old fashioned prim look, as does Cuteycritter's Barnaby Bunny handknit.

For a dose of cute, try Totally Timmy's adorable needle felted White Easter Rabbit, or Grimitive's Needle Felted Jelly Bean bunny, all dressed up in pink.

You can knit your own bunny from one of the patterns at Dawn Toussaint's shop, including the sweet lop eared Laurel.

Chubby Creepy Bunny Plush is a minature that comes from Estonian shop 5erg.

Nonesuchgarden has some beautiful sewn felt bunnies in sweet gelato colors that are adorable, including Clover.

For something on the odd side of whimsy...

Here's Fiona Art's Easter Butcher Bunny.

Loopy Boopy has a couple of big eyed bunnies including Roy the Rabbit Boy Strange.

Clothmoth has a whole troup of embroidered bunnies that are beautiful including Mommy Bunny.

Pictured is Sir Cedric Goodhead's Harelequin the Rabbit Jester.

Tickletoot's Wooden Art Doll Bunnies are too cute.

Happy Spring

Gargoyle contest

My Feenix is sponsoring an art contest to create the visuals of a fictional creature, which includes a 3D category.

They mention sculpture, paper mache or stuffed animal. The character is described in the fantasy adventure book, "Blood Trinity", out now.

There is one thing - they do say that if selected as a finalist, you send in your original piece but it will not be returned. So that is something to consider as a doll maker. The Grand Prize is $1000 plus other goods.

Knitted figures

Fiona Goble's latest book is "Knit Your Own Royal Wedding". I think it looks charming. Ms Goble has also written other books including "Fleecie Dolls" and one about soft Monsters.
Her flikr stream has more photos of her textile crafts and soft dolls.

RIP Dame Elizabeth

An extraordinarily beautiful repaint of the Barbie that looks photo real. Didn't you think at first it's a photo of the lady in her costume?

Here's Divine Dolls Creations page of Elizabeth Taylor face ups in costume repros from a selection of her best loved classic films.

Looks like the Franklin Mint portrait doll has sold out everywhere very quickly.

The "Father of the Bride" Barbie looks just like her from that sweet movie. Watch for it on TCM.

Colleen Babcock classes

Colleen Babcock will be teaching classes in the US and Canada during April and May. The full schedule can be found on her blog. She has one pattern that is exclusive to the class which is this very pretty Medieval stump doll lady with her cross stitch.

*new* Exhibit

The final show at the *new* gallery in Toronto will be Lois Schklar's "Thirty Years of Dolls".

The opening reception is tonight March 5, and then the show runs until March 20.

Lois blogged with Fiber Quarterly, seeking dolls from private collections for the exhibit. The fQaroundtown blog lists events, exhibitions and features the work of interesting Canadian textile artists. Worth browsing around.

Tiniest

Found on the beautiful blog of art doll maker Karagozlu Surey.

Highly Anticipated?

Or should that be constipated. It's been a while since I posted something with this particular tag.

I'm not sure which is more peculiar, the toy or the fellow promoting it. Also scroll down for a delightful coloring book page.

And the english translation is here.

Can't hardly wait.

IFDC Vegas

The International Fashion Doll Convention will be held July 6-9, 2011 in Las Vegas. The theme this year is Wizard of OddZ. Should fit right in to Vegas.
The Registration is limited to 250 participants, so if you plan on going I wouldn't wait to register. At the website are links to a couple of Yahoo chat groups connected with the conference. In addition to lots of fun events, dinners, artists' gallery and the awesome competitions, there are a number of inexpensive creative workshops - furniture, accessories, face ups. Past year convention dolls have looked gorgeous. Oh and don't forget - costumes are encouraged!

More Scrumptious Miniatures

Here is the blog of recent follower Kathy Olaf-Obrenski of Wee Little West. In addition to selling her delicious looking miniature food plates, she holds regular sweepstake give-aways on her blog. The colors are lovely and the food is highly detailed and beautifully presented. She doesn't say on her blog what her materials are; I'm guessing polymer clay. I only wish that there was something to show scale in the photos, like a coin. Some of these are so incredibly realistic it's hard to believe they aren't life size. Too bad they aren't; they look so yummy.

Soldier in Action

Found by my husband on Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide - Rupert Valero, a soldier in Afghanistan is assembling very interesting figurative sculptures from recycled found objects. Some have a robotic quality. He is interviewed here with links to his flikr, and sells his work on his Etsy store.

In a Treasury

How nice to have "Journey" included in a beautiful doll treasury on Etsy! I'm in the good company of a bunch of other doll artists who have appeared here in the past.

Thank you to EarthenJewels, who makes very lovely hand made earthenware beads. Seems to be a theme today!