​​The Winter edition of our magazine is now out and it is packed with lots of exciting artistry and informative articles.  Don't forget to read the Bluesky social platform article in the magazine as it explains how easy it is to sign up for Bluesky and the IADR customized Feed.

There is the threat of AI increasing in 2025 in such a way that it will make it harder to be seen or even know what is real or not on these social platforms.  What is a doll artist to do?

Think ahead to the future.  That is partially what the International-Art-Doll-Registry (IADR) does -- especially for it's members.  Here are three ways that the IADR helps it's members be recognize as being "Real".

1.  When registering your dolls with the IADR before, it was protecting your doll's trademark and authenticity.  Now it additionally helps prove that you have created an actual doll and are able to produce it's own unique registration number with the IADR.  By doing so, validates that it is not an AI generated image when posting about your doll.

2.  By entering the IADR juried shows with your creations, you are again validating that you are a doll artist and your creations are "Real".  When social media says that by the end of 2025 we will be having a hard time telling the difference of an AI post and a real person, the juried shows take on a whole new meaning as to why be a part of them.  (And just a reminder - the Winter Blues juried show and Instagram Game are going on right now!)

3.  The IADR Art Doll Magazine is also going to be playing a part of validating the doll artist.  This is where the Doll Artist can share their work in progress, share their dolls, and be again recognized as being a real live human creating their art, not any AI generated images.  Any IADR member is always welcomed to share their art in our magazine.

These three ways are just the building blocks that create the foundation of the IADR Community.  Because, as a community, we help each other to learn, be supportive, and be seen as we go through these rapidly changing times right now.

Why a good resource you might ask?  I will be going into why use YouTube in more detail as I do my Marketing & Communication reports for our IADR members.  As soon as I finish up my research, I'll be sharing that information soon.  In the meantime, you can subscribe to the IADR channel to not miss any new videos as they are released.  To subscribe - click here: ​https://www.youtube.com/@iadr-internationalartdolls

​Starting January 6th will be our Winter Blue Game on Instagram that highlights the start of the IADR Winter Blues Juried Show Event.

​What are the ​rules to the game?

We are asking Non-Members and IADR Members to Play the Game by participating in this event with a Like, Save, and Comment on our posts in Instagram. ​

​The Prizes:  There are several ways to win at the Game.  First of all, the Best Supporter of the game will win/receive a Certificate of Support, be featured within The Winter Blues article in the Spring edition of the IADR magazine, and receive a free issue of that same edition of the magazine.

​If you have any questions email me at [email protected] 

Next on the list is the Year End Juried Show submissions.  If you have either entered a juried show in 2024 or participated in the People's Choice Event for 2024, then you are eligible to enter in the 2024 Year End Juried Show.  Deadline is December 31st for submissions with the form being on our website. 

If you are thinking 'Do I want to save money by signing up early for the 2025 IADR Art Doll Convention?' -  the Early Bird discount ends December 31st, 2024.  Yes, you will be able to sign up for attending the convention after that date, but the registration costs will be higher.   Why?  Because the discount is being offered to encourage early sign up to cover the initial convention costs.  Reserving meals, preparing awards, paying for advertising, and conference room deposit fees are just some of the expenses that go into making this a fantastic event to be attending.  So SAVE SAVE SAVE now by signing up early and marking your calendar for May 15-17th, 2025 in Florence, Italy.

If you are only attending one of the many workshops we are offering, get those sign ups in as well.  No registration is required if you are ONLY attending a workshop but why miss out on the fun of the Juried Show, the Presentation at the Awards Night dinner, and some of the free workshops being offered for registered guests only.   There is also an opportunity for to sell your dolls, but again those are for those that are registered with the IADR Art Doll Convention.  Check out our website for more information at www.international-art-doll-registry.com/2025-convention.html.

The last thing on my list to check is the Winter Blues Instagram game coming in January 2025.  Sign up now to be a Sponsor for the game and increase activity and followers to your own Instagram account by supporting this exciting activity.  Deadline for signing up as a sponsor is December 30th, 2024.  

A sponsor will be any IADR member that would like to offer a bonus gift (prize) to be added to the Winter Blues Game played on Instagram.  A bonus gift can be a tutorial, how-to, or helpful hint for dollmaking or craft.
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​Why be a sponsor?  For anyone that agrees to be a sponsor, their picture and a short post will be placed on the IADR Instagram account as part of this game.  Anyone that is following this event on Instagram will be asked to Subscribe to the Sponsor's account by Following, Like the post, and Share it to their Story timeline if the player wishes to be considered for the opportunity of winning a bonus gift.  This is a Win/Win opportunity for any sponsor and a way to grow your reach on Instagram.

Also Sponsors will be listed in the IADR Winter edition (published January, 2025) Magazine in regard to our Winter Blues Event.  Winners of the Winter Blues juried event (which is after the game ends) would be published later.

As far as some of the bonus gift items:

• Tutorials don't have to be long.  Just a short explanation on how to make something.
• Same for the how-to instructions which don't have to be doll related either.  For example , it could be explaining how to make an accessory for a doll.  Or it could be how to make an ornament, a jewelry item, or how to sew or create a costume accent.

​If you need help in coming up with an idea and would like to participate, then just email me at  [email protected] or Instant Messenger.
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Winners playing the Winter Blues Game for these bonus gifts are determined by their participation and support of the Juried Show game posts.  Sponsors and Players both have the same opportunity to win a bonus gift.

Deadline to sign up for being a Sponsor for the game is Dec 30th, 2024.

Have you registered for the IADR Art Doll Convention yet?  December 31, 2024 is the last day to get the best rate to register for the IADR Art Doll Convention in Florence, Italy, for May 2025.  After that date, the prices to register start to go up.  To register guarantees a opportunity to enter our first live juried show, an opportunity to take workshops from talented artists, and a chance to sell your own artwork.  This event includes fun, meeting other doll artists, and the sharing of our love for dollmaking.  The convention is open to all doll artists in all mediums.

I am still learning all the fun features to Bluesky myself, but there is a sense of positive outreach and community to this platform.  To make this easier to understand - Bluesky is similar to Instagram that you can post to the stream of posts that creates the timeline.  Then build a community of followers that will help your post be seen by either commenting on it, reposting it on their timeline, or simply leaving a like to it.  The nice thing to Bluesky is that it works with #hashtags to help you be found in searches.  Bluesky also allows outside links to your product in your post!  That means a higher rate of people clicking on it and going to where they can learn more about your artwork instantly instead of having to look to other places (like your bio for example) for that information.  Or simply loosing them because they could never find it.

So, how do you find the IADR on Bluesky?  Here are the 3 easy steps to do just that.

1.  Download the Bluesky app which has the butterfly logo on it (see image above).  Then create your account.

3.  Start building your community with going to the search option on the left hand side of the screen inside of your Bluesky account.  Type in #iadregistry and you will find our account.  Start following the IADR and we will follow you back.  Use the hashtag - #iadregistry when posting your posts.  (I am guessing on this part -- but it should work.)  When you use the IADR hashtag when creating your post, then I should be able to do a search for anyone using it.  When I find one of our IADR members using it I will then like the post, repost it on the IADR timeline, and comment.  This will boost your post back up the stream on the timeline as we build our community.

Helpful Hint:  As I said, posting to Bluesky is like jumping into a stream of flowing water.  When you repost other people's post on to your timeline (which should be things you like or supporting other artists), then your own post gets lost.  The helpful hint is PIN your post.  When you create a post and post it to your timeline, go to the post and at the bottom of it - to the right should be three little grey dots.  Click on them and a list of options should pop up for you.  The first option should be is to PIN your post to your timeline.  That way that post will be the first post anyone sees that comes to your page.  So, as you help build your community of followers by being seen with reposting their posts on your timeline or simply sharing those things you enjoy --your PIN post will always be there.  When you want to update it or change it out, you can unpin it and pin a new one.  It also seems you can pin several posts to your timeline.  I'll be doing more research into that and also planning on a more in-depth look at this new platform with an article about it in the January 2025 IADR Art Doll magazine.

And as always, if you have any questions about Bluesky or the IADR then drop me an email at [email protected].

But we are not there yet.  We have a Convention Planning Meeting scheduled for 8:00 am MST - 4:00 pm (Italy time) on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 via Zoom.  Members of this committee should have received some of the information we will be discussing through Instant Messager prior to the meeting.

Please mark your calendar for that.  If you are new and wish to be a part of the Planning Committee, simply email Lesley at [email protected] to let me know you are interested and to receive an invite to the Zoom meeting.

Also, mark your calendar for the IADR YEAR END Juried Show event as the deadline to enter is December 31st, 2024.