Happy New Year! Thanks to everyone who has paid at least their $25 base fee for PUDDLE 2010. If you have not yet done so, just a reminder that if you pay by midnight tomorrow (1/1/10), you'll get six free raffle tickets. More registration info here:

http://www.puddlestyle.com/register.html

Hello! Now that we are into the holiday season, I know no one (except me) will be thinking about PUDDLE until the new year. However, once we are into the new year, it will only be five months until PUDDLE! Hurray!

So, just a reminder that if you pay your base fee of $25 by 1/1/10, you will receive 6 free raffle tickets. Perhaps you can ask for the registration fee as a holiday present! (If you need my paypal address, please email me at truefan at live.com and I'll send it to you.)

Also, if you are coming to PUDDLE, a reminder to send me your registration information if you haven't already (your name, the names of others coming, what you'd like on your nametag(s), where you are coming from, and your email address). You do not have to pay when you register.

I'll start advertising the event contests in the new year too, but you can get a jump on the contests and start thinking now about customized and modified dolls, custom outfits, entries for the photo and art contests, and the dress-like-your-doll parade. More details here:
http://www.puddlestyle.com/contests.html

I am still looking for donations for prizes and gift bags, and someone to coordinate the ordering portion of PUDDLE 2010 t-shirts.

Lastly, if you read Doll Reader, check out the letters to the editor in the December/Janiuary 2010 issue. They published my letter thanking them for the PUDDLE coverage.

Happy Holidays!

Many thanks to Panik's Toy Box!

They donated not one but TWO $50 gift certificates to be used as prizes at the 2010 PUDDLE. They have lots of cute and creepy items for sale - check them out!

http://www.panikstoybox.com/

Please vote in a survey about possible PUDDLE souvenirs:

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB229S3S87DAD

Please vote only once. Thanks!

Exciting news! I found a bait Pullip head, and May/etsy seller Day Dreamer Dolly has agreed to donate her time, a body, and supplies to create a Pullip custom for PUDDLE! She does great custom work. (The eyes of her custom Chii light up!) The doll may be a raffle prize or she may be a door prize, depending on our financial state next spring.
:-]
In other exciting news, MissMandyLynne is donating a custom mini she recently finished. I'm still holding out hope that JP USA might donate some dolls, but if they don't, at least we will have some dolls for prizes.

Thanks, May and MissMandyLynne!

There is a short story and three photos about PUDDLE 2009 in the January 2010 Contemporary Doll Collector! The photos were taken by babelglyph, Gina LaGai, and tiglem.

If you are happy to see the coverage, please consider (1) buying a copy of the magazine, (2) thanking the magazine for the article - the email address is lsass@scottpublications.com, or (3) both. Small images are posted here - please don't let them keep you from buying copies of the magazine! Magazines are folding right and left. We want to help keep the doll magazines in print.

Contemporary Doll Collector even sent me copies of the magazine, which was very nice.

cute dresses from sewgrandmacathy

I know it seems like PUDDLE 2010 is a long way off, but it takes lots of time and planning to get everything in place! I've been soliciting donations and watching out for sales so we have plenty of items for prizes and gift bags next year. I was happy to receive these Dal-sized dresses with turtles on them from etsy seller sewgrandmacathy for next year's Pullip convention. (Although she doesn't usually have a lot of outfits tailored to fit Dal ready made in her shop, she is always happy to make Dal items to order. All of her clothing is well made and very reasonably priced.)

Thanks, Cathy!

We have a new charity for 2010!

The Willowbrook Wildlife Center is about 10 miles from where we will hold PUDDLE in 2010. The Center works in conjunction with the Forest District of Dupage County’s Natural Resource Management team with the rearing of Illinois state endangered Blanding’s Turtles.

This summer they hatched 260 turtles that they are caring for. The money we raise at PUDDLE will go toward the continued care of the turtles. Since the theme of next year's PUDDLE is TURTLES, I think they are a perfect match. They will also accept donated items; I'll post the list of items when I receive it. They will acknowledge our support on their website and in their newsletter. If anyone is interested, a visit to the Center on Friday or Sunday is possible.

http://www.willowbrookwildlife.org/

Just a reminder that if you have not yet paid your base fee of $25 but do so by Halloween, you will receive 9 free raffle tickets. That's a 12% discount!

I received my September/October issue of Haute Doll, and it has a wonderful two-page spread on PUDDLE 2009! I've attached a small version for you to see. Please don't let this prevent you from buying a copy! If you are happy to see PUDDLE coverage in Haute Doll, please consider (1) buying a copy of the magazine, (2) sending an email to Haute Doll (karenc@hautedoll.com, hautedoll@sbcglobal.net) thanking them for the article, or (3) both.

Brian has three photos in the magazine. Babelglyph and her Lola by DGRequiem are featured in two photos, and mamasllama is seen receiving her Haute Pullip. Her custom Mimi is also shown. There's an adorable photo taken by Carlos of Miss Mandy Lynne and Sophia. Three adorable photos by Elizabeth, Tafka, and Victoria show Pullips reading their own mini issues of Haute Doll. Etsy sellers sewgrandmacathy and effiedalshop are mentioned as sponsors.

Check it out!

Re-Ment International has merged with Re-Ment Co, Ltd. (Japan). The correct website address is www.re-ment.co.jp. Thanks to them for their sponsorship!

Re-ment USA (http://re-mentusa.com/) and the Mimi Collection (http://www.mimiwoo.com/) have signed on once again as sponsors of PUDDLE. Thank you!

Many thanks to Etsy seller Sugarblocks, who is now a PUDDLE sponsor! Sugarblocks sells supercute socks - check out the shop:
http://sugarblocks.etsy.com/

Good news! JPop Dolls (http://www.jpopdolls.net/) and Jun Planning USA have both signed on as sponsors of PUDDLE 2010! A big thank you to both of them.

Here is a photo of my Sooni Dal Puddle in a wig donated by JPop Dolls to last year's PUDDLE.

I received my October 2009 Doll Reader today, and it has an article on PUDDLE! I've attached a small photo so you can see. (Please don't let this stop you from buying a copy of the magazine!) Congratulations to Brian and Gina - their photos, two of the best from PUDDLE, appear with the article. If you were a sponsor of PUDDLE 2009, or if you won one of the contests, you are mentioned in the article!

If you are happy to see the article, please consider (1) buying a copy of the magazine, (2) sending an email to Doll Reader (mkinsey@madavor.com) thanking them for the article, or (3) both.

There are still some design updates in the works, but most of the content on the home page has been updated. Check it out! (And please let me know if you have any questions or notice any mistakes. Thanks!)

http://www.puddlestyle.com/

I haven't seen the issue yet, but there is definitely going to be some news about PUDDLE in the next HauteDoll! Check out the table of contents online:
http://www.hautedoll.com/features.php

Many thanks to May for becoming a PUDDLE sponsor! Her etsy shop is Day Dreamer dolly (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5128374), and here are two examples of her darling sets.

Keep an eye out for doll magazines with articles on PUDDLE 2009! I haven't seen any yet, but I live in a town with no bookstore. Doll Reader, Haute Doll, Dolls, and Doll Collector all received news items.

Also, if you go to another convention and receive a nametag on a lanyard, you might want to save the the lanyard for PUDDLE 2010. We don't have the cash to buy lanyards to go with our nametags, so it would be great if attendees brought their own. (If not, we'll have yarn for the nametags, like last year.)

Thanks to MissMandyLynne for sponsoring a month of the www.puddlestyle.com website!

Thanks to eTraders Place for donating gift certificates and some adorable pet sets (as seen in the photo!). Thanks also to our newest sponsors for PUDDLE 2010, Panik's Toy Box and Gigi's Dolls and Sherry's Teddy Bears, Inc. Please visit all their shops at the links below:

http://www.etradersplace.com/osc/

http://www.panikstoybox.com/

http://www.gigisdolls.com/

Thanks to WellerMade for sponsoring a month of the website!

We still need five more website sponsors to pay for the puddlestyle.com monthly website costs through next June. Will you consider being a sponsor?

Sponsorship is $5 for one month, and your name will be listed on our sponsorship page: http://www.puddlestyle.com/sponsors.html

(Gypsylou and I are still working on the website update, but you will be listed on the updated page.)

If you would like to sponsor a month, please pm me (TrueFan) on one of the forums or email me at truefan at live.com for my paypal address. Please tell me which month you'd like, what name you want listed as the sponsor, and if you have a reason for choosing that month. (And if you want to sponsor a month that's later in 2010, that's fine too!) Thanks!

Thank you to everyone who paid at least $25 of their PUDDLE 2010 fees by August 4! The winner of the $25 gift certificate for Diane's etsy shop, blytheocdcloset, is icravemeowmix! Here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5087428 Thanks to Diane for donating the gift certificate!

Anyone who paid their $25 base fee by August 4 will receive 15 free raffle tickets at PUDDLE. Those who pay by Halloween will receive nine raffle tickets, and those who pay by January 1, 2010 will receive six. Anyone who pays by Valentine's Day will receive three. Anyone who pays after May 1, 2010 will pay $5 extra ($30 as the base fee instead of $25) and be subject to cancellation if the event sells out. Raffle tickets cost 50 cents each or three for $1, so paying early is like getting a discount!

The convention guest room rate is $69 plus tax per night. Only 10 rooms are guaranteed at the convention rate, but the hotel can add as many rooms as they choose. They are most likely to do so well in advance the event. We will get the rate for both Friday and Saturday. The event code is PDS. The cut-off date for convention rate room reservations is 5/15/2010.

Adore Magazine, a Photo Magazine for Pullip, is now a PUDDLE sponsor! Many thanks to Sue for advertising PUDDLE in an upcoming issue. You can find a link to Adore on the Sponsors and Links pages of the PUDDLE website.

PUDDLE mascot Puddle (a Sooni Dal) has a new look - freckles and the JPop wig I got in this year's gift bag! She is looking forward to showing off her new style at next year's event.

The convention code for the hotel guest rooms will be available in the next day or so.

PUDDLE 2010 will be on June 5, 2010

PUDDLE 2010 will be on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at the Elk Grove Village Holiday Inn:
http://www.hielkgrove.com/

It is very close to online shop Pullipstyle.com and their ample supply of dolls. The meeting room can hold 250 people. The convention guest room rate is $69 plus tax per night. Only 10 rooms are guaranteed at the convention rate, but the hotel can add as many rooms as they choose. They are most likely to do so now rather than close to the event. We will get the rate for both Friday and Saturday. I'll post the code once I have it.

The base cost for attending PUDDLE 2010 is $25 per family unit. Each additional person who is a doll fan and will be participating in contests, BST, etc., is an additional $5. Very small children do not have to pay unless they need a gift bag. Grandparents, parents, spouses, and siblings who are just along for the ride and aren't interested in dolls do not have to pay the fee (unless they want a gift bag). I will still need their names, as we will want everyone in the hall to be wearing a nametag so we can tell if someone in the room is not connected to the event.

Anyone who pays their $25 base fee by August 4 will receive 15 raffle tickets. That's like getting a $5 discount! (You can pay for your additional members at the same time but you don't have to.) Email truefan at live.com for the paypal address. Please, please mark the payment as "Personal" as we are just sharing the cost of the event. Also, please no credit or debit cards. You can also send TrueFan a check.
Keep an eye on the website for details as we get closer to the event:
http://www.puddlestyle.com/

And also the blog:
http://puddlestyle.blogspot.com/

I am maintaining an email distribution list for people interested in attending PUDDLE 2010. If you would like to receive updates and help plan PUDDLE, please send your email address to truefan at live.com.

Also, the theme for this year is TURTLES!

The second Pullip and Dal Doll Lovers Event (PUDDLE) was held on June 6, 2009 in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. The event was sold out, with 60 attendees who enjoyed gift bags, contests, doll pajama parties, and more. There were at least four dolls on hand for every attendee. Lovers of Pullip, her boyfriend, and his kid sister traveled from a dozen United States and Canada.

The day included a trip to Mitsuwa Japanese Mall for lunch and shopping. Online shop PullipStyle.com delivered both preordered and impulse-purchase Pullip, Dal, and Taeyang dolls, in addition to donating kawaii notepads for everyone. Raffle items donated by online store The Sleeping Elf Ltd and by etsy sellers keelyvh, salukimom, sewgrandmacathy, and BlythesOCDCloset were raffled off, and over $100 was raised to benefit the Save-A-Pet adoption center in Grayslake, Illinois. The event gift bags were filled with goodies from PullipStyle, Jun Planning USA, Rement International, and over a dozen other sponsors, including the Mimi Collection, AmbitiousLove.net, CanCan-Jseries, JPop Dolls, and eTraders Place, plus etsy sellers Megipupu, Jackiekie, FollowtheWhiteRabbit, Burntbao, and CommonlyCute. Etsy seller EffieDalShop made a pair of doll pajamas for every gift bag!

Mamasllama was awarded a Haute Pullip in New York doll, donated by HauteDoll Magazine, for her winning entry in the doll customization contest. Kirakishou, the winner of the dress-like-your-doll contest, won a cute kimono from etsy seller keelyvh. Gogojimmy and tiglem, the winners of the online and event photo/art contests, received gift certificates from online shop panikstoybox.com and etsy seller MyOwnLittleWorld. Seven lucky attendees went home with mini dolls donated by event coordinator TrueFan and given out as door prizes. The $3,000 cost of PUDDLE was funded by a small registration fee and generous donations from the sponsors.

PUDDLE 2009

PUDDLE 2009, on June 6, was an unqualified success! Officially we had 50 attendees (the event capacity); unofficially, it was more like 60 than 50. Details on the winners of the contests as well as links to photos will be along shortly.

If you are interested in attending PUDDLE 2010 and would like to receive email updates, please send an email to truefan at live.com. The date for PUDDLE 2010 has not yet been set, but it is likely to be in early June, in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.

Tomorrow is the big day! News to come....

Congratulations to gogojimmy! Her entry Blown Away is the winner of the 2009 PUDDLE online photo/art contest. She wins a $50 gift certificate donated by online toy store Panik's Toy Box. Honorable mentions go to beanbunnybass, glasshouse, and Luffygirl (for her first entry). Thank you to everyone who entered the contest: beanbunnybass, bee_couture, Glasshouse, gogojimmy, haileebobailee, LuffyGirl, Matsuda22, McKenna, Meesa, Miss Mandy Lynn, Tiglem, and TrueFan. The entries received almost 100 votes, and it was really fun to see the creativity and talent. Thanks also to Panik's Toy Box for the gift certificate. Great job, everyone! I look forward to more great work for PUDDLE 2010!

Pullip and Dal Doll Lovers Event

PUDDLE, or Pullip and Dal Doll Lovers Event, is a convention held in the United States for lovers of Pullip doll and her friends. The next PUDDLE is June 6, 2009. This blog will be used to post information after the event and ongoing news about the planning of PUDDLE 2010.