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Dollmaker's Journey CUSTOMER CONNECTION
August 2003 Issue Twenty-four
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Copyright 2003 by Dollmaker's Journey
Dollmaker's Journey Customer Connection newsletter
is a free e-mail newsletter. Tell your friends, family
and fellow dollmakers about us, and feel free to forward
this newsletter to those who might be interested. You
can visit our companion website at:
http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/
**Notice!**
You can read all the past issues online. Go to:
http://dollmakersjourney.com/newsletter/archives.html
The archives include an easy to follow index to all
the past issues.
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Dear dollmaker friends,
We are pleased to announce that we have purchased the
rights to publish Meo Feroy's popular pattern line.
Meo wishes to concentrate on designing and we are now
printing all of her patterns. Funky Fred, Floppy Floozy
and all the rest of her classic patterns will be available
both wholesale and retail through Dollmaker's Journey.
http://dollmakersjourney.com/stuffedmagic.html
We're thrilled and delighted to be adding the extraordinary
designs of Canadian doll artist BECKY HOLLOWAY. Because
her pattern line is so extensive, we will start with
a selection of our favorites and add more each time
we reorder. If you have any special requests, please
let us know (makaahanui@cox.net) and we'll do our best
to accommodate you. We expect to have the first group
of patterns on our site next week.
Once again we have an array of delightful new patterns,
projects and interesting sites to share with you that
we hope you'll enjoy.
Mary Ann and Bonnie
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NEW DESIGNERS OF THE MONTH FEATURE!!!
Because our July Sizzling Summer Sale was so successful,
we thought we should always have something on sale.
We've decided to feature two different designers each
month. From September 1-30 all patterns by LYNNE BUTCHER
AND SANDY CORSON will be 20% off. Check our next newsletter
to find out who the featured October designers will
be.
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CHARITY PROJECT
Renee Kropat, a community art program manager in Westerville,
Ohio, is putting together a special exhibit of dolls
for the holidays. The program is called Dolls Revisited.
She encourages anyone to take an old doll, dress her/him
up and then, after the exhibit in November 2003, the
dolls will be donated to needy children in the community.
More information is located on this web site.
http://www.gallery202online.com/linkpages/communityevents.html
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CHALLENGES
Sherry Goshon, one of our designers, has issued a new
challenge entitled "Art Nouveau, 1890-1914 to Art
Deco 1920 - 1930's." Pictures need to be sent to
Sherry by July 1, 2004. More details will appear in
an upcoming newsletter.
Beaded Art Doll Competition: Create an original beaded
doll representing the five seasons. You may view Official
Rules online at http://www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm
Or you may obtain a copy of the Official Rules by sending
a self-addressed, stamped envelope to All Dolled Up:
Beaded Art Doll Competition, Land of Odds, 522 East
Iris Drive, Nashville, TN 37204. Deadline is August
15, 2004.
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NEW DESIGNERS
We're welcoming two talented Australian designer to
our Dollmaker's Journey family. First meet LINDA MISA,
who brings us 4 fabulous patterns - "Lady Pod &
Sweetpea," "Merraeah and Baby," "Golden
Angel" and "Shelley." Three of them come
with an extra CD filled with color photos. We also have
a wonderful FREE project from Linda - "Ruby the
Christmas Pin Doll" that is a terrific introduction
to Linda's unique design style. Stop by and check it
all out! http://dollmakersjourney.com/ruby.html
Next, also from Australia, check out JUDITH PRIOR.
Her delightful patterns include leprechauns, glamorous
dinosaurs, gypsies, genies, mermaids, movie stars, musicians,
and a unique Australian Frilled Lizard. See them all
at http://dollmakersjourney.com/prior.html
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UPCOMING EVENTS YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS
September 7-10, 2003 - C3 - Classic Cloth Conference
Courtyard by Marriott and Grappone Conference Center,
Concord, New Hampshire
For catalog contact joyce@aadadoll.org OR call 603-226-4501
OR access C3 catalog at: www.aadadoll.org
(Adobe Acrobat format)
October 2-5, 2003 - Camp Doll U
Seattle, Washington
For brochure send $3 to: Two Friends LLC, 2423 SE 322nd
Street, Seattle, WA 98042
OR visit the web site: http://www.dollu.com
October 29-November 2, 2003 - Houston Quilt Festival
Houston, Texas
For more information visit:
http://www.kringlecreek.com/southern%20doll%20conference.htm
March 17-21, 2004 - Kansas City Doll Fair ~ The Art
of the Doll ~
Kansas City, Kansas
For more information: http://www.kcdollfair.com
To save yourself time and energy, get all the details
on upcoming doll related events at CLOTH DOLL CONNECTION:
http://clothdollconnection.com/
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SPECIAL GIFTS FOR YOU
FREE project from LINDA MISA, our newest Australian
designer - "Ruby the Christmas Pin Doll" -
has a terrific introduction to Linda's unique design
style. Stop by and check it all out! http://dollmakersjourney.com/ruby.html
Our collection of FREE PATTERNS continues to grow with
the addition of "Pompey the Clown." from our
newest designer JUDITH PRIOR. This delightful 10"
doll makes a perfect gift for any child. http://dollmakersjourney.com/clown.html
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NEEDS HELP
Carol Marston makes hat shapers (to create felted hats
for people), and has been asked to size them down for
dolls. She has almost completed a new doll line which
includes bonnets, derby, bowler, top hats, opera hats,
farmer's hats, baseball hats, witch hat, fedoras of
different types and a few ladies hats not yet named.
She needs to know what size doll heads are most popular,
so she can create hat shapers to fit them. Should she
create forms for commercial dolls - American Girl, Barbie,
Gene, etc., or do you have a favorite head size for
cloth dolls? This would not commit anyone to any sort
of obligatory purchase...she just doesn't know that
much about sizing hats to fit dolls. If any of you can
help, please contact Carol at: cmarston@journey.com
You can see her website at: http://dollmakersjourney.com/clown.html
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NEW PATTERNS
We have a delightful array of patterns from our favorite
designers.
ALLISON MARANO'S newest elf "Phidias" is quite
a charmer.
http://dollmakersjourney.com/marano.html
You'll learn to make eyeballs from scratch and incorporate
a porcelain doll
skeleton into the body of SUZETTE RUGOLO'S free-standing
"Howie the Gnome."
http://dollmakersjourney.com/rugolo.html
We're adding two more imaginative characters from MARY
TRESSLER - the
lovely art deco "Agatha" and the exotic, heavily
beaded "Dragon Dance."
http://dollmakersjourney.com/tressler.html
SHERRY GOSHON treats us to her peaceful little beings
she calls "Wee Waddles." The kit for this
irresistible, easily made doll comes with a resin head
and 2 arms. One look at them and you'll know why she
considers them Serenity's children. http://dollmakersjourney.com/goshon.html
JANE COUGHLAN'S newest creation - "Pippi"
- is a charming 4-1/2" play doll who lives in an
incredible quilted house that folds up. Two very exciting
projects for the special little people in your life.
http://dollmakersjourney.com/coughlan.html
BRENDA COULTER's "Xanadoo" is an amazing
female witch doctor - the absolute
ultimate in "Girl Power!" You've got to take
a peek at this lively new character. http://dollmakersjourney.com/coulter.html
Speaking of CDs - ANNE HESSE's popular "Knobbies"
pattern now comes in a CD format that's loaded with
color photos at a reduced price
http://dollmakersjourney.com/hesse.html
LORRIE UHEREK's "Buxom Becca" is also presented
on a CD. http://dollmakersjourney.com/friends.html#uherek
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CUSTOMER CREATIONS
One of our Korean customers, Jeong Moon-young sent
us pictures of some of her latest dolls. Thought you
might be interested in seeing what is happening in Korea.
http://adoll.net/abc/kor_wedding.jpg
http://adoll.net/abc/chan_rosy.jpg
http://adoll.net/abc/hami.jpg
http://adoll.net/abc/sera.jpg
You ought to see what another customer, Adele Sciortino,
did to Anne Hesse's Poet Doll pattern (http://dollmakersjourney.com/hesse.html)
Check out Dominetto at:
www.artdollingetc.com
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SUPPLY NEWS
STUFFING TOOL - We're leading off our list of new items
with a fantastic new stuffing tool from Down Under called
the "Speedy Stuffer." The ergonomically designed
wooden handle takes the pressure off the hand while
helping you move a continuous stream of stuffing into
your body pieces. Great for arthritis suffers! An absolute
MUST HAVE for every doll maker's toolbox. http://dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html
LACE KITS - JUDY SKEEL has created fabulous lace kits
for her new Renaissance doll Penelope. If you want a
collection of laces and trims that are to die for, check
out http://dollmakersjourney.com/skeel.html
BOOK - Mudworks: Creative Clay, Dough, and Modeling
Experiences, by Mary Ann F. Kohl, ISBN 0-935607-02-1
contains an incredible collection of recipes for making
a wide variety of moldable "stuff" including
play dough, nutty putty, elastic Jell-O, wax, goop,
and so much more. Lots of fun for kids and adults who
love to experiment. Available from http://Amazon.Com
BOOK - For those who are interested in Victorian children's
fashions check out
Antique Children's Fashions 1880-1900 from Hobby House
Press ($17.95)
http://www.hobbyhousepress.com
MINIATURE FABRIC PRINTS - Check out http://www.minidolls.com/special_fabrics.shtml
EMBELLISHMENT GRAB BAGS - This supplier of embellishments
even has a doll section with wonderful grab-bags: http://www.flightsoffancyboutique.com/
ACRYLIC DISPLAY CASES - Company will create custom
acrylic display cases and holders for dolls. Email David
Zaborny for special requests at: aqcrylicnuthead@aol.com
Check out their website at: http://www.acrylic-display.com/
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DESIGNER TIP
Sandra Corson-Walker, featured designer for September,
puts pompoms into her doll's noses to help them keep
the proper shape. She doesn't use glue. Instead she
stuffs the head and then uses her hemostats to slide
the pompom in place. Sometimes she also puts one in
the chin or several in the cheek area, depending on
the look she is after. You can see her dolls at: http://dollmakersjourney.com/corson.html
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NEWS FROM THE HOME FRONT
Bonnie FINALLY has a sewing room you can walk in. She
finished it just in time to teach 12 teenage girls from
her church how to make hand puppets for a charity project
for Bethany House. The girls have also created a wooden
puppet theater. It was quite a challenge to create puppet
patterns simple enough for the girls to make and yet
sturdy enough for small children. The girls came up
with quite a list - princess, prince, fairy godmother,
farmer, dragon, Pegasus, elephant, horse, pigs, chicks,
owls, cow, frog, cat, dog, etc. etc. and Bonnie had
to figure out how to make them. She used a combination
of fur, felt, and fabric, and child-safe eyes. It was
fun to tell the girls "You want a green frog? Go
look in the green fabric box. You want a yellow chick?
Check out the colored fur box." The results were
amazing. Hopefully the puppets will be finished in one
or two more sessions.
For the first time in many months Mary Ann designed
and made a doll for an exhibit - The New England Fiber
Arts Festival. Each time she designs something new,
she likes to present herself with a special creative
challenge. The day after receiving the invitation to
submit a doll, she found a picture in the newspaper
of a dancer leaping exuberantly into the air. Her challenge
became conveying that physical movement. Next month
we'll have some photos and you can see if she succeeded.
Now she's beading up a storm on a special healing doll
for her sister Barb, so happy to be back in the creative
mode again.
Mary Ann and Bonnie
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OTHER SITES TO SEE
Patterns from the 70's for crocheted hats, purses,
dresses and ponchos!!
http://web.archive.org/web/20010215223334/www.cei.net/~vchisam/groovy/hats.html
Colored pencil challenge site great tutorials:
http://cpchallenge.com/index.html
Interesting historical costume site
http://www.marquise.de/
Create a light tent for perfect close-up photographs
http://www.texaswoodartists.com/tips/photo_mart.html
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We'd love to hear your thoughts about our Customer
Connection newsletter.
Contact the editor Bonnie B. Lewis at enchantedR@aol.com
with any comments, suggestions, address changes, etc.
Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to any
of your friends. Help us spread the word about Dollmaker's
Journey! All we ask is that you forward it intact, with
all the subscription information included.
Thanks! (By the way, you might want to print this out
and put it into a binder to keep for reference….)
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Copyright © 2003 Dollmaker's Journey
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