It does take a little imagination and a lot of play to capture these magical creatures.  But they aren't the only source of inspiration.

Stories are a great resource.  Tales we read growing up like Knights fighting Dragons, Dragons befriending a Princess or even the tales of far off countries where there were young peasant boys saving the princesses from evil.  Don't forget about the boy who defeated the evil that we dare not mention.  Heroes show up in the most interesting way.  We all have a favorite and what better way to bring those fun loving memories to life, than by creating a special character through sculpting.

I hope you enjoy finding that special magical moment and can't wait to see what has inspired the inner child within you.

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*

​The articles that are sharing what our dollmakers around the world are doing is a wonderful way to travel without the additional cost of a room and plane ticket.  We both agreed that we thought our magazine was amazing!

What does the IADR Art Doll Magazine have to do with your marketing need?  The IADR magazines stay on our website for anyone to view or purchase months or years down the road.  Plus, if an IADR member is currently submitting with the new issue, again it is a way to be seen at no cost to the member.  Here are four ways members make use of the magazine for their marketing?

Just saying... if you are finding it hard to market, don't like marketing, don't know how to sell/market, or just want to inspire others with your artwork... IADR is here to help.

Otherwise a fantasy animal with your character is totally acceptable and would be really cool to see *smiling*.  If you have any questions regarding the jury show then contact me through Facebook Instant Messenger or email me at IADRegistry@outlook.com.

MARKETING - You can't sell if you can't be seen.  With your IADR membership you have the opportunity to create your gallery of one-of-a-kind art dolls on our IADR website at no additional cost.  You can showcase your dolls and your work in progress in your own Artist's Studio page.  Not only are you not limited to how many dolls you wish to add to your page, but you are also able to add links to where they can be bought or to learn more information about them.   Plus with the Peoples' Choice Event that will occur this fall, an additional boost of Marketing power is added with all the people that will take the time to look through ALL of the studio pages.  It was a fantastic reach that we hit last year and hoping for even a bigger one this fall.

AUTHENTICY - There is piece of mind that goes with the registration of your OOAK artdoll in our IADR Registry.  Customers can receive a certificate with one of our templates for you to use as an IADR member at no additional cost to assure them that indeed they are receiving a unique and handcrafted piece of artwork.

ADVERTISING - There are four ways to easily advertise your artwork in our IADR Art Doll Magazine.  (1) First just grab some advertising space by creating a Do What You Love page.  (2) Second is by entering our juried shows as all entries for our shows will be featured in our magazine.  (3) Let me know if you would like to be featured as the IADR Doll Artist of that issue and (4) Write a short article to send to me to be featured in our magazine.  All this advertising reach is included as a benefit to all current IADR members as well as receiving the magazine free.

YOUTUBE - (Which is outside of Facebook and Instagram) is another platform the IADR uses to be seen.  We do work to have our members seen and have the opportunity to inter-react with each other through our Facebook group and our Instagram account, but we also reach out to be visible on other platforms as well.  At the moment our podcasts are our biggest contribution to the Youtube media.  But we are always working on different ways to be seen there like, for example, our past video of the Winter Blues juried show.  Again all entries are featured in each presentation. 

As an IADR member there is also no additional fees to join in our JURIED SHOWS EVENTS.  You also receive the perk of having your art doll critiqued and the possibility of winning that category certificate (and prize), but there is the proud ownership feeling of knowing you are also helping the IADR grow.  The Juried Shows are our biggest marketing and advertising draw.  

To have access to a website, to have your work visible through advertising, and to maybe be featured in our magazine are all included with your annual IADR membership.  Unleash your power - take control and expand your horizons. 

We also reach out through our own website and blog.  This week alone the reach was up 163% for visits to our site.  This is when I realized that since not all of our members are even on Facebook and don't realize that we have been growing, it's time to use one of our best reach-outs which is through our own blog.

I would like to take this time to welcome our newest members:  Nina Lazareva (Russia), Guia Della Santina (Italy), and Andy Tatler (United Kingdom).  Also I would like to welcome some of our other new members that have joined in the past few months for those that aren't on Facebook: Vincenza Rito (Italy), Cherie C Davidson (USA), Natalia Eremina (from Ukraine now in the Netherlands), Alexandra Sandu (Romania), and Julie Trent (USA).

Speaking about Youtube, why not drop on over to view the video showcasing our entries from the Winter Blues Juried Show?  Thank you to the participants for sharing their art with us to inspire and illuminate our world. ​The video can be reached at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9Hy8OIri6Q or click on the picture below.

But there's more!  This is where our worker bees have been a buzz'n.  Check out Amanda Parkinson's article on her experience of selling at her first Doll Show.  Learn about Cold Porcelain with Angela Rinaldi which is very interesting as well as visit Jerry Knegtel's magical fantasy land with her Candy Floss Fairy.  Adelaide Santini also shares her visit with doll artist Laura LaFauci and there is still even more.

This month we are looking at fairy wings.  I just finished my pair that I did by coloring on fabric with crayons (something we did in a past meeting) and I enjoyed trying out this new process.

Also make sure to double check your time with us as here in the USA as we just "Sprang Forward" an hour for Daylight Savings Time.  I am hearing through the buzzing of the bees that the rest of the world will change later in the month.  So, come play with us and if you haven't joined in before, simply instant messenger me in Facebook or send me an email at IADRegistry@outlook.com​ in order to get the Zoom link to join us.

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​IADRegistry@outlook.com.

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.

This then became my inspiration for our own IADR Art Doll magazine.  We are all doing what we love (hopefully), so why not show it off?  Plus, as an IADR member, we should have perks like this one.  So any member that wants to show off what their latest love is has a free page in the IADR Art Doll magazine.  This is over and beyond the Facebook Collage or interviews.  This is YOUR page!

That is why I gave you a rough layout above of what your page could consist of as it should have a minimum of three photos and a short introduction of three lines.  You can also post your links of where you are selling it if you wish.  Send me your Do What You Love submissions to the IADRegistry@outlook.com email address. Subject line: Do What You Love - so I know what the pictures are for.  Don't miss out on this free advertising and cross-marketing opportunity for your creations by being shy *smiling*.  Help us inspire others by showing off your creations!

Also the Winter Blues Instagram game is winding down with the deadline for the Winter Blues Event being March 1st.  Keep in mind when you submit your entry, make sure you send an email to the IADR so I can confirm the receipt of your submission.  Only when you get a return email from me confirming that I have received it - will you know you are IN!  Beat the Winter Blues by joining in this artistic opportunity to shine.

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 IADRegistry@outlook.com 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!