Dianna Effner and the Doll Dreamers Guild presents:   A Creative Costuming Project Workshop.

This year the focus will be on costume design using simple garments embellished with various design elements like ruffles, lace and floral details.  We welcome doll makers as well as  doll collectors who like to design costumes for their dolls.  This years design is still in the works but we will be building on the techniques we worked with for the past 2 years.  We will be demonstrating working with Colorhue fiber reactive silk dyes again.  We will have a tempting selection of silk fabrics and silk ribbons to use for our costume projects, such as crepe georgette, satin georgette, crinkle georgette, soft organza  and silk knit.  A gorgeous new silk that I plan to bring this year is seersucker gauze.   I'm hoping to bring some silk tulle as well as various widths of silk ribbon.  Color coordinated shoes will be a part of the mix.   We will be offering Rubber Stamp Tapestry peg stamps and Versa Craft inks pads for creating color customized printed fabrics.  Iron on transfer designs will also be available again. Included in each participants kit  will be  a 13 inch blank doll  to use for fitting during the session.  Each student will also receive a selection of fabrics, laces and ribbons with a selection of patterns and instructions. Each student will be allowed free and full use of the dyes, markers, stamp inks and peg stamps and so on.  A mohair wig will be provided for each student to demonstrate using the Colorhue dyes to dye mohair and how to coordinate costume with hair color.      

Here is a picture showing the costumes we worked on during the past 2 workshops. The other picture shows a ribbon headband decorated with folded ribbon roses.  Last years  patterns will be available along with more surprises and options especially for those who have already done these costumes.  

Bring your favorite doll to dress.  We will be discussing creating and combining colors that flatter each doll.  Color is what it's all about.   

Sauder Village is a wonderful place to get together with friends and work with wonderful dolls and wonderful stuff.  We look forward to working with you there. Dianna Effner.

A description and information about my 2 day creative costuming workshop has been posted on Sauder Village Web site.  

Here's the link:
http://www.saudervillage.com/Creativity/DS_Teddy.asp

Doll Show in North Carolina!

This month some of us Doll Dreamers are off to a show called the Down East Doll Show and Conference.  The event takes place in Greenville, North Carolina at the Greenville Convention Center June 21st-24th  The event features various workshops, parties, ceremonies in addition to the shoe on Friday and Saturday.  It appears that reborn babies is the primary  focus of this event.  I will bring Huggy Bear but I also plan to introduce my 18 inch reborn porcelain American Kidz and Studio Dolls and perhaps demonstrate my new painting techniques at the show.  I will also bring some other porcelain dolls to show and perhaps to sell.    Hope to see some of our Expressions Customers there.  For more info or to register for this event go to http://www.downeastdollshow.com