Also, if you are offering a Workshop for the 2025 IADR Convention, please let me know if you haven't yet completed the application form.  If you want an opportunity to let people know about your workshop then please use the Workshop form on the website as soon as possible.  The description of your workshop will be used for the October Special Edition IADR magazine as mentioned above.  Don't forget to add pictures as those are what captures the interest first.  Deadline for submission to the magazine will be Sept 27th, 2024, Friday.  Its FREE advertising!!!  The Special Edition will be a FREE issue to everyone in order for it to be shared to get the word out even better.  If you would like to present a workshop at the Convention but don't know what you can offer, drop me an email at [email protected].  I am willing to help brainstorm for an idea with you.

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​Join in this exciting adventure!

We had a wonderful turnout for this 2024 Juried Show and here is hoping the next one coming up which is the 'Do What You Love' Fall Juried Show will turn out as well.  The 'Do What You Love' Juried Show starts July 22, 2024, with a submission deadline being September 16, 2024.

The 'Do What You Love' theme means just that - as an artists doing what you love.  If it is dollmaking or sculpting - those would qualify.  If you see a young girl skipping along the sidewalk with a big smile on her lips --- doing what she loves - let that inspire you.   Whatever touches your heart and brings you joy.  Allow that to inspire you and challenge you to create a special and unique submission for this entry.

If you have any questions about the theme or about the juried show don't hesitate to contact Lesley at ​[email protected].  Also, keep in mind that to be eligible to compete in the 2024 Year End Juried Event, you must have competed in a previous juried show during the year.

Doll judges or judging should not be a matter of choosing 'a who is popular' type of an event.  Doll judges have chosen to be judges because they have the skill level that we desire to achieve and they are willing to share their expertise with us.  In most competitions, and the ones I have submitted an entry into (as well as in the IADR Juried Shows), entries are sent to the judges without names.  The judges don't have a clue who they are judging, they are just looking at the body of the work.

Polymer judging is a little different than Porcelain judging too.  Overall, the appearance of the doll is always going to make the biggest impact but then comes the tie breakers.  Tie breakers are the additional details that are added by the artist to their creations.  It is those tie breakers that the judges will look at that will help them decide on one doll over another for skill level.  In the competition I entered, porcelain doll makers aren't judged on a full body sculpture unlike in a polymer competition (porcelain doll makers are required to use molds to pour in our liquid porcelain).  More often than not, it is the sewing for the porcelain doll that will be the tie breakers as well as the China-painting skills.  That is why it is nice to know what is important to the judges for their scoring.

Since the IADR Juried Shows are open to all type of medias from polymer, porcelain, cloth to fiber art - what is it that the IADR judges are looking for when scoring?  There are three areas that the IADR judges take into consideration.  Each area has a value of 1 to 5 points with 5 being the highest. 

Those three areas are:
(1) The Skill Level in creating your doll (how well it is sculpted and is the doll in proportion/well formed);
(2) Interpretation of Theme of the IADR show you are entering in; and
(3) The Overall Appearance of your doll.  The big impact look as I like to call it.

​Knowing what the doll judges are looking for helps the artist entering their submission for the competition to focus on for those tie breaker judging elements.

Not to say it isn't fun when our entry wins a category or achieves a win at a certain artistic level, but also if we don't win this time to remember - dust yourself off and start again.  Don't take it personal, instead take what the judges say into consideration for improving your skills for next time.

As I leave the doll convention this week, my doll (Faun) as a sculpted OOAK (one-of-a-kind) doll, did win in it's category.  Faun will go home with her ribbons, but I'll be dusting myself off for my attempt next year.  Without trying I wouldn't have learned what I have learned and would like to think that next year's submission will even be better! *Smiling*

Though the Winter Blues Instagram Game is over --- the Winter Blues Juried Show is now beginning.  IADR members please get your doll registrations done soon so you have that information for your Juried Show application.  Non-Members need to have the date of their paid entry fee invoice.  Anyone that needs help in filling out any of these forms, just give me a shout out in either Facebook Messenger or email at​[email protected].

With that in mind, the Deadline for the Winter Blues Juried Show is March 1st at 10 pm MST (Mountain Standard Time).  Also, if you don't get an email from me telling you that I have received your entry, then double check with me about it - you are not registered to compete until an acceptance of your application email has been received from IADR.

In our endeavor to make our juried show easier to enter, Step-by-Step Videos have been created.  They are located on the Winter Blues Submission form. The English version is on the first page.  The Italian and Russian versions are located on their respected pages of translation.

These will hopefully be especially helpful to non-members or members new to the IADR that haven't entered a juried show before.  Hopefully everything you want to know should be there and even a few things you didn't. *Smiling*.

Again a BIG THANK YOU goes out to Adelaide Santini and Alena Cvetkovski who proof-checked and corrected my language when one can't just rely on Google Translate.

Also when submitting for a show, please take that final step of emailing me so that I can confirm your registration and that we have received your submission.  There are always glitches waiting to happen out there in cyberspace, so don't assume I have received your submission when you click on it.  Take that extra step to tell me so I can confirm for you that I have received your submission.  Your entry is not confirmed until you send your email to [email protected] and have received a return email confirmation.  

Again Deadline for the Winter Blues Event is March 1st, 2024.  I can't wait to see what fantastic entries will be submitted!

Thank you to Alena Cvetkovski for the suggestion of this unique juried show.  The Instagram game has been a good learning curve and it has been great in generating new interest in our shows.  Also a big thank you to our Sponsors who have donated great gifts for prizes and hopefully increased new followers for you too.

This is the only show we will be hosting that will be offering free yearly memberships as awards.  This gives new non-members a chance to try to win a membership with the IADR with only the investment of a $10.00 USD entry fee.  To the IADR members it is a way to win a free year.  Sounds like a win/win situation and this prize is being awarded in each category!

Juried shows are not only a way to win prizes, but they also help give us a perspective in how others see our art.  The critiques are valuable for us that are looking for ways to improve our artwork.  Juried shows are also a way to help the IADR grow in membership as well.  

When you post about a juried show in your social media platforms it gives us a shout-out while creating a possibility that someone else hasn't heard of this great opportunity yet.   Also by joining in the shows whether you are a Novice to a Master - helps create this opportunity so the shows may continue.  So when asking what you can do to help the IADR continue, join in the shows!  That also includes Past Winners - that is why the Master category was created so we can have something to work for and be inspired by.  Also send me your ideas too as I am totally open to anything that helps promote the IADR and dollmaking.  After all - Dollmaking is our Passion!

The IADR thanks those artists that submitted their work and to give us this opportunity to see that AI (artificial intelligence) has nothing on us when we can continue to inspire, create, and add to the beauty of our world with talent that is inspired with our imagination and our own hands.  Thank you again for participating in our event and also I would like to thank those that support our fellow artists with your encouragement and praise.

The Instagram posts started on December 15th to promote this event.  I am scheduling the posts for Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am MST in the USA for those that are helping to get the word out while playing our game *smiling*.  Keep in mind IADR members are also eligible to win the sponsors' gifts with one of them being a wonderful class type tutorial from Deb Woods.

The Winter Blues Juried Show is a special event that offers contestants an IADR Year Membership as the winning prize per each level category along with a beautiful certificate and the judges critiques.  This is also an opportunity for Non-members to try our event at a reduced entry fee of only $10 (USD) to enter. 

So as we are coming down from all the hustle and bustle of the holidays - don't let the winter blues set in - join the fun with our Instagram game and enter the Winter Blues Juried Show Event.  The submission of your doll deadline for this Event is March 1st, 2024.

If you have any questions regarding the Instagram Winter Blues game or the Winter Blues Juried Show Event please either email me at  [email protected] or instant messenger me in Facebook.

Something different in the Year End Event is that even though an artist may submit to be consideration in all three awards, the artist will only be eligible to win one (1) award per artist. 

​REMEMBER - you need to submit only one photo of each of your dolls being judged for a total of three pictures as you are submitting only three pieces of work to be considered for the year.  These three images can be submitted for each category which are - Rising Star - Best Doll of the Year - and - Best Artist of the Year.  A complete explanation of each category can be above the registration form in the members only section of the IADR website.  If you have any questions contact me at [email protected]​.

The game will run from December 15th to March 1st, 2024.  But the Deadline to be considered a PLAYER is January 19th, 2024.  So anyone that starts playing the game between December 15th to January 19th will be considered a PLAYER and will be eligible to win the prizes and bonus gifts.  After January 19th, then it will be the accumulation of their activity that will determine who will be a winner.

If you have any questions email me at [email protected] or Instant Messenger on Facebook.