Doll Chit Chat January Newsletter
Hello everyone and welcome to Januarys Newsletter.
We'd like to wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year.
A very warm welcome to all our new members joining us this new year.
Remember all those who are members and have been for a while who have zero posts please get posting or your membership will expire.
Himstedts Galore;
You can look forward to more from your himmie section in 2010 including mini competitions, themed months, games, stories and new areas.
We'll be exploring himmies through the decade this January.
We've also added a new area for all those who enjoy enhancing their himmies from new hair styles to total repaints we just might inspire you to be creative too.
With the new edition of Kleine World for all your mini himmies and our repair department is sure to come in handy this coming year.
New Arrivals;
Congratulations to all those waiting and receiving new dolls this new year. We'll be with you every step of the way from those anxious moments waiting for your new arrival to those sighs of relief as your new doll arrives.
Gift Thanks;
And if you like giving and receiving gifts then you might be interested in our all new RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) list. It's open to all members of Doll Chit Chat.
So have fun in the new year and bring a smile to a members face.
Shows;
If you know of any shows around the world or in your area please let us know in your Shows section so we can add it to the DCC calendar and monthly newsletters.
Doll Chit Chatter;
2010 is the perfect time to get to know more about dolls and doll related items so why not share your news and views in Doll Chit Chatter.
From debates to discussions, polls, showing off your dollrooms and doll collections, we have something for everyone. Don't forget to plan your next doll meet in The Meeting Place.
A great way to meet up with old friends and new enjoying your hobby together.
Dolls,Dolls,Dolls;
If you love dolls in a variety of mediums or just your favorite medium then this section is for you. From reborns to silicone to dollshouses to Kish we're sure to inspire you to show off your dolls here.
It's also a great place to view new dolls you would never think of collecting and get to know old dolls you've missed seeing.
We've loved seeing your dolls in their Christmas outfits so we can't wait to see your dolls in the coming year also.
BJDs;
Talking of dolls in different mediums check out our BJD section with FAQs and stories from our talented members with news and views from changing wigs and outfits to totally new looks.
Thank-you to all the ladies who have shared their BJDs with us.
If you have some new ideas for our BJD section please let us know,we'd love to hear them.
About You;
Please spare a thought this new year for our members less fortunate who need our prayers. Thank-you to those who come to Prayer Corner to sit a while and say a prayer for those in need.
Thank-you to all those members who offer advice and a shoulder to cry on in Chocolate and to all those who selflessly help others get to know the forum better with help posting and posting pics.
Thank-you to our members who share funny stories, their pets and grandchildren as well as sharing a small insight into their lives in About You.
You all make Doll Chit Chat one big extended family. We are best doll community on the net.
Doll Events for January;
If you're thinking of visiting a show this month maybe for the first time you'll find them all on our DCC calendar. Here are just as few on this January.
WEST COVINA NEW YEAR DOLLMAKERS SHOWCASE & DOLLS SHOW (Artist Wares + Antique & Vintage)
JANUARY 2ND.
SAT 10-3, WEST COVINA ELKS LODGE (Inside the lodge)
541 WEST MERCED AVENUE
WEST COVINA, CA.
U.S.A.
Anaheim Doll Show & Craft Sale
Sun., Jan. 3, 2010 ~ 10:00 AM ~ 3:00 PM
City Anaheim
Event Doll Show & Sale (Jewelry & Collectibles)
Organization
Company Anaheim New Year Dolls & Collectibles Clearance Sale
Location Anaheim Plaza Hotel
1700 S. Harbor Blvd, Anaheim (near Disneyland)
Admission
Contact (831) 438-5349
Information dollfestival@aol.com
Wisconsin Doll & Bear Show
Sunday, January 10th, 2010 ~ 9 AM - 4 PM
City Wisconsin Dells
Event: Doll & Bear Show & Sale
Theme/Title: Annual Wisconsin Dells Doll & Teddy Bear Show & Sale
Location: Antiqua Bay Resort
I-90 Exit 87, Wisconsin Dells
Contact: Sharon Hagen (608) 254-7445 bizrwag@verizon.net
Crossroads Doll & Teddybear Show
Sat., & Sun., Jan. 16 & 17, 2010
City San Diego
Event Doll Sale
Organization
Company Crossroads Doll & Teddy Bear Show
Location Sheraton Mission Valley
1433 Camino Del Rio S., San Diego
Admission
Contact Dorothy Drake (755) 384-7713 dorothy@dolls4all.com
Information www.dolls4all.com
Annual Dolls in Winter Show
Sun., January 17, 2010 ~ 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
City Mounds View
Event: Doll & Bear Show & Sale
Title/Theme: Annual Dolls in Winter
Antique to Modern Doll, Bear & Original Artist Sale
Business: C Promotions Plus
Location: Mermaid Americ Inn Event Center, 2200 Country Rd 10
Corner of County Rd 10 & Country Rd H, Mounds View
Admission: Adults: $5; Children Under 12: $1
Contact: (763) 434-9023 car4ann@msn.com
Information: www.CPromotionsPlus.com
Dolls & Friends Doll Club Annual Doll Show
Saturday, January 23, 2010, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Knights of Columbus
644 E. Chandler Blvd.
Chandler, AZ
Cost: Adults $4
Information: Jeri 480-839-4484
Elaine 480-540-3474
The Charms of Yesteryear Doll Show & Sale
Sat., Jan 30, 2010 ~ 10:00 AM ~ 3:00 PM
City: Glendale
Event: Doll Show & Sale
Theme/Title: The Charms of Yesteryear
Company: Verdugo Hills Doll Club
Location: Glendale Civic Auditorium
1401 North Verdugo Rd., Glendale
Admission: $5.00
Contact: (310) 391-2853
Please enjoy our Blog for January.
Meet the ‘Armani of teddy-bear artists’
By Marge C. Enriquez
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:53:00 07/05/2009
Filed Under: Arts (general), People
MANILA, Philippines – When he was a boy, Audie Sison had a teddy bear that was kept by his mother only for display. He yearned to hug and play with the soft toy, but that desire was never fulfilled.
Years later, that suppressed childhood longing transformed into a creative endeavor, which has made Sison a star in the world of teddy-bear artists.
Coming from a clan of doctors, Audie Roman Francisco Sison studied BS Zoology at Far Eastern University. But a career in medicine was far from his calling. He ended up working in marketing and promotions at the Philippine Conventions & Visitors Corporation.
Sison was promoted to senior convention officer and also performed as a dancer in the firm’s folk-dance group. In 1986, he left for Madrid to study Spanish Philology, which covers language, literature and culture. He also started shuttling to the Netherlands, the homeland of his longtime partner.
In 1991, Sison started accumulating dolls and teddy bears when it became a trend. After three years of collecting, it dawned on him that he could also produce teddy bears.
“Why pay top dollar when you could get one that looks like an antique? But I could not sew a button on my shirt, let alone a bear,” he says. “Picking up a needle and some mohair, I looked at my collection and said, I can do it!”
He started with commercial patterns purchased at teddy-bear shows and hobby shops. After five trials, he was dissatisfied with the teddy bear’s faces. With his background in visual arts from Madrid’s art school, he created his own designs, inspired by the teddy bears of the 1900s.
Classic version
Teddy bears were created by a German seamstress, Margaret Steiff. The classic teddy bear is characterized by glassy eyes, a stitched snout, a hump back, long arms with spoon-shaped paws, and small ankles with long feet.
The Steiff toys were made of mohair, felt, alpaca or woven plush, stitched by hand and filled with polyester and wood shavings.
Sison says his teddy bears are as traditional as the Steiff toys. “All my bears have that nostalgic, elegant and sweet look.”
For materials, he favors German mohair for the body, wood wool and poly fill for the stuffing, wool felt for the paw pads, and glass and antique shoe buttons for the eyes. The secret of his vintage look is his “needle sculpting,” which he compares to the fastidious contouring of the face.
He has earned a reputation for elegant bears. The Lady of Taste, which sports a hat with a tulle veil evocative of European ladies, has been on the cover of international teddy-bear magazines.
His favorite work is the sailor-boy bear with deep-set eyes; it has also been the most photographed. He dyed plain mohair several times, airbrushed the muzzle and embroidered it to achieve the bear’s timeworn look.
Sison made a breakthrough on the international scene when he joined the Japan Teddy Bear Association and Convention. He came with 22 hand-stitched bears and left Japan with only two bears.
His reputation quickly spread among teddy bear collectors. He also did tours in San Diego, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Berlin and Austria.
Sometimes he would get faxes from strangers who would reserve a bear. “By the time I get into my hotel room, the phone would be ringing. I’d ask the caller, ‘How did you know?’ ‘I’ve been checking the hotels.’”
That’s how in-demand he is. For 10 years, Sison signed autographs at My Friends & Me, touted as the best teddy-bear shop in the States, in Leesburg, Virginia. The shop is famous for collectibles produced by the best teddy-bear artists in the world.
Sison is a two-time winner of the Teddy Bear Artist of the Year, the Oscars of the industry, given by the Teddy Bear and Friends magazine.
He is also a recipient of a Golden Teddy award. For a bear that evoked a 1900s look, Sison became the only recipient of the Winners’ Circle Award, adjudged by past winners.
Master bear-maker
His works have landed on covers of major teddy-bear publications. He was even dubbed by magazines as “master bear-maker” and the “Armani of teddy-bear artists” for his simple but exquisite workmanship. The restrained use of accessories enhances, not overpowers, the bears.
Sison is mum about the price of his teddy bears, but hints that they fetch at least $500. A miniature, standing at four inches, starts at $90. He says he’s the only artist in teddy-bear fairs who is allowed not to put a price tag on his wares.
“In fairs, people say, ‘I love your bear so much but I have to mortgage my house.’ Or, ‘I have to save my salary for four months,’” he says. “Everybody has a teddy bear made out of synthetic. What we do as artists is not a toy but an art.”
Sison is able to capitalize on his skills in marketing and promotions. Last year, he was the marketing director for the Philippine Pavilion at the Zaragoza Expo in Spain. Japanese and Korean organizers have hired him to be the international representative and coordinator for their teddy-bear shows.
He invites teddy-bear artists to attend. In exchange, he is given a commission, perks and a rent-free booth in the fairs.
“Collecting and making teddy bears is passion for me. I never thought of it as a business. If I sell, fine; if not, I don’t care. I want to make something I can be proud of,” he says.
Happy New Year Everyone!
