PUDDLE charitable opportunity

Most of us occasionally buy a fashion or other doll for her outfit. We strip her and are left with a doll we don't need and have trouble selling because she's not worth too much.

I've been keeping such dolls in a box for the last few years. This year, I made arrangements with the local public housing authority to go to two of their after school programs with my box of naked dolls and another box of felt and other fabric scraps. Each girl who came to the program chose a doll and then we made clothing for the next hour. It was a ton of fun for me and the girls. I gave away 30 dolls and could easily have given away another 10. (More girls showed up than had been invited, but it worked out okay because older girls helped younger girls with the outfits and didn't take dolls themselves.)

I would love to do this again next year, but I am all out of naked dolls. If you have some of those naked dolls around and would like to find them good homes, please consider bringing them to PUDDLE and giving them to me. I promise that they will be put to good use. They do not have to be Barbies. Most of mine were Barbie or similar fashion dolls, but I also had some small porcelain dolls, Dollar Store Bratz clones, little Cabbage Patch kids, and others. Boys are less popular - the four I had were the last four dolls to get taken - but I'll take them too if that's what you have. Oh, and if you have any spare shoes, I'd love those too (since it is hard to make shoes out of felt!).

Questions, please let me know, and thanks for considering donating your naked dolls to a good cause!

Just wanted to say thank you to McKenna, Staria, Kira Kira, WellerMade, and Asashi! McKenna donated a Pullip body; Staria, part of an obitsu; Kira Kira a doll, body, and chips; WellerMade, a head and obitsu body; and Asashi an assortment of bait heads, bodies, and eye mechs.

And also a big thanks to those who are donating their customization skills! Requiem, blair, Kisa, DayDreamerDolly, and myufish are all working on customs for PUDDLE.

If anyone else has bodies, body parts, heads, or eye mechs to donate, please let me know! (We especially need a boy body for a Namu head donated by Asashi.)

The website has a terrific new banner for 2011 from Stephanie Mansell. Thanks, Stephanie!

A big thank you to WellerMade for sending me a copy of the Winter 2010 FDQ with its PUDDLE coverage!

FDQ Winter issue

I haven't seen the inside yet, but as you can see from the covers (there are two alternate ones) of the next Fashion Doll Quarterly (FDQ), there is PUDDLE 2010 coverage inside!

Congratulations to effiethedal! Her photo "Kisses When Wet," which won the 2010 PUDDLE online photo contest judged by gogojimmy, appears in the October 2010 Doll Reader magazine! There is also a short blurb about PUDDLE. I've attached a couple of photos.

Hi. Just wanted to mention that the Willowbrook Wildlife Center now has a thank you for our donation on their website:

http://www.willowbrookwildlife.org/content.asp?pageID=THANKS

If you live near one or more decent bookstores, please be on the lookout for stories on PUDDLE in doll magazines! Let me know if you find something.

The November 2010 Doll Collector magazine has a one-page article on PUDDLE 2010 in the Doll Shows section! The piece includes photos taken by mamasllama of the dress-like-your-doll participants, the group shot, Keely's Cute Kimono, and my Dal Puddle. WellerMade is quoted, and effiethedal is mentioned as winning the online photo contest and making the outfits for the gift bags. Judge gogojimmy is also mentioned by name.

The magazine costs $6.99 on the newstand. Check a Borders or Barnes & Noble near you for a copy!

In addition, I have the opportunity to buy issues at a reduced rate. I have to buy them in sets of six. If you would like to order a copy for $6 including shipping from me to you, please let me (TrueFan) know right away.

A copy of the magazine donated by Doll Collector will be raffled off at next year's PUDDLE, and Doll Collector will be added as a PUDDLE sponsor.

There is a nice article and plenty of photos from PUDDLE 2010 in issue 4 of Ningyou magazine. I've attached a couple of pictures of them.

It's a lovely issue with other photos and articles of interest. Contact NingyouMag@dollymarket.net if you want to buy a copy of your own.

Also, a big thank you to Kanamai and Ningyou for donating one copy of the magazine to be raffled off next year.

I've updated the PUDDLE website with a new banner (thanks to Stephanie Mansell!) and the hotel code for next year. It's the same as last year - PDS. The guest room rate is $74.

The first "registration" deadline is December 10. Anyone who registers by that date will receive four free raffle tickets.

There won't be much happening for the next few months, but if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions at any time, please let me know!

I have attached the thank you letter I received for our donation to help sea turtles affected by the Gulf oil spill.

Reports about and photos from PUDDLE 2010 have been sent to 7 magazines - be on the lookout! And let me know if you see one of the stories. The magazines are: Adore (online only), Ningyou (from the Dolly Market Forum), Doll Reader, Haute Doll, Dolls, Doll Collector, and Fashion Doll Quarterly (FDQ).

We received a nice thank you note from the Willowbrook Wildlife Center for our $200 donation.

They also invited us, on our visit after next year's PUDDLE, to introduce ourselves at the desk and get a behind the scenes tour!

Announcing PUDDLE 2011!

PUDDLE 2011 will take place on June 11, 2011.

The hotel has not yet been set, but it will be in the Elk Grove Village area of Illinois. The theme for 2011 is cranes.

See www.puddlestyle.com for more details.

The third Pullip and Dal Doll Lovers Event was thoroughly enjoyed by the 70 attendees who made the trip to Elk Grove Village, Illinois, on June 5, 2010. Attendees came from 11 states and from as far away as California.

The theme of PUDDLE 2010 was “turtles,” and turtles abounded. Raffle ticket sales brought in $250 to be donated to the Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellen, Illinois, for their work with endangered turtles, and to the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program to help turtles affected by the Gulf oil spill.

While the total value of the convention was over $6000, all but $1000 of it was covered through generous donations of talent and goods. Thanks to the generosity of the event sponsors, each registered attendee took home at least one door prize.

Sponsors in 2010 included PullipStyle, Jun Planning USA, Adore Magazine, Ningyou Magazine, eTraders Place, Panik’s Toy Box, Re-Ment, the Doll Peddlar, Gigi’s Dolls and Sherry’s Teddy Bears, the Mimi Collection, the Sleeping Elf, JPOP Dolls, Denise’s Dolls, nekoshiei, and etsy sellers effiedalshop, sewgrandmacathy, blythesocdcloset, salukimom, daydreamerdolly, wellermade, sugarblocks, kanamai, and jackiekie.

Beautiful gift bags by Delightfulfreak and Matsuda:


WellerMade's Byul reads her copy of Adore magazine:


Group shot! (About half the people at the event)


The raffle prize table:


Dress-like-your-doll:


Just some of the many dolls that were present:


Custom turtles by TrueFan:


Custom Pullip, raffled off to raise money and winner of the custom contest, by Day Dreamer Dolly:


Pullip paper doll by nekoshiei:

donations

We raised $250 at PUDDLE for charity. I have just sent $50 to the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program to help turtles affected by the Gulf oil spill, and I will be sending $200 today to the Willowbrook Wildlife Center to help rear, care for, and rehabilitate endangered turtles. Thanks for your generosity, everyone!

I have created a very brief survey about the date for PUDDLE 2011. If you are seriously considering attending, please vote. Thanks!

Click here to take survey

Thanks to all for another successful PUDDLE! I had a great time - I hope all of you who attended did too.

PUDDLE is solvent this year! I have been reimbursed for my expenditures (which include purchasing Lala and Chanti, ordering the infamous mugs, and making bookmarks and the like) from registration payments, and the rest of the registration fees plus a generous contribution from PS will cover the cost of the meeting room. We sold about 60 gift bags and had about 70 people in attendance (compared to 44 gift bags and 60 in attendance in 2009, and 30 in attendance the first year).

I am not quite done sorting out the money from raffle tickets, but thanks to your generous support we raised at least $350. We'll keep $100 for seed money for next year's PUDDLE. I will send $200 to our charity group, the Willowbrook Wildlife Center, and I'd like to find an organization working to rescue sea turtles in the gulf for the rest. Five of us visited the Willowbrook Wildlife Center Sunday and we were very impressed. There were animals in various stages of rehabilitation and permanent residents all over the place, and it is obvious that they do good work.

If you have any feedback on this year's PUDDLE or suggestions for next year, please let me know. The number one comment I've heard so far is that we need more tables around the edges. I agree, and I will be discussing that with the event manager if we decide to stay at the same hotel in 2011.

Payment is due on the website. If you'd like to sponsor one month of hosting the website without advertisements, please let me know. Sponsorship is $5 for a month and your name will appear on the list of sponsors:
http://www.puddlestyle.com/sponsors.html

It's almost here! There is still room, so if anyone decides on Saturday to join us, you'll be welcome!

I am happy to confirm that we will have a workshop at this year's PUDDLE, conducted by Requiem. She is one of the best Pullip customizers in existence and will share her knowledge with us.

If you have any customization questions, this will be the perfect time to ask!

Requiem will also be judging the customization contests.

The photo shows the two Requiem customs I own, Ditto and Noirette.

You can see her doll galleries here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/requiemart/collections/72157622816604041/

A number of great items will be raffled off at PUDDLE. Each item will have its own bin. You put your raffle tickets in the bins of the items you most want to win.

Each gift bag will contain one raffle ticket. Additional regular tickets are 50 cents each or 3 for $1. There will also be three special raffles of dolls. The doll raffle tickets will cost $10 each.

First is a limited edition Comic-Con Lala Pullip. No more than 25 tickets will be sold, with a minimum of 12 needing to be sold for the raffle to take place. Second is a limited edition Doll Carnival Chanti Dal (assuming Jun Planning USA sends her in time!). No more than 40 tickets will be sold, with a minimum of 15 needing to be sold for the raffle to take place. The last raffle doll is a lovely one-of-a-kind custom Pullip made from a rescued doll by May/Day Dreamer Dolly. There is no minimum or maximum number of tickets for her.

Raffle winners will be chosen at the end of the day. A lot of lucky winners will go home happy! Raffle proceeds go to our charity group, the Willowbrook Wildlife Center, for their work with endangered turtles, and to help cover the cost of PUDDLE.

I arrived home tonight to find a big box that turned out to be filled with 25 mystery packages of Re-Ment! The packages contain sets from a rare series no longer available for retail and are a donation from Re-Ment. I peeked inside one and I'm sure everyone who receives a set as a prize (gift bag, door, or raffle) will be pleased.

I also received a big bag of gift bags from Delightfulfreak! She and her friend have been drawing on them and they are cute, pretty, and cool. Thank you!!

Please consider entering the PUDDLE dress-like-your-doll contest!

Although it's great if you have a fancy cosplay outfit for you and your doll, you can also enter in matching jeans and t-shirts or any other coordinated outfit of your choice. Keelyvh will be judging the contest and distributing the three gorgeous doll kimono she donated as prizes. (You can see and buy examples of her work at her etsy shop: http://keelyvh.etsy.com/ .)

***

A reminder that you can post on the PUDDLE forum if you have items to sell at PUDDLE (especially dolls), or if you are looking for a split partner:
http://puddle.forumotion.com/buy-sell-trade-splits-f4/

Grab your camera or your favorite art supplies and create some entries for the PUDDLE photo/art contest!

There are two categories: (1) photographs and (2) artwork of Pullip, Dal, Taeyang, Byul, or Namu with an obvious or subtle connection to the PUDDLE theme of Turtles.

There will be multiple prizes, depending on the number and kind of entries. Each person can submit up to two photographs and two pieces of art. Bring your entries to PUDDLE. They will be displayed for judging and a fan favorite vote. Complete rules here:
http://www.puddlestyle.com/contests.html

Go have some fun and make some art with your dolls!

- True

A big thank you to May, Jackie, Dave, and MissMandyLynne!

May is donating a number of things, including a turtle bed and a wonderful custom doll made from a bait head I purchased. She will be raffled off, with a limited number of special tickets sold. Thank you to Jackie! Jackie, who lives in Portugal, has donated 10 wonderful clothing items for Dal or Pullip. I've attached a photo of some of them. I've purchased quite a few Dal items from Jackie, and they are well made and cute. Her Artfire shop:
http://www.artfire.com/users/Jackiekie/
Her etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/jackiekie

Dave's Dolly Decor has been added as a PUDDLE sponsor. Dave is donating two Little Pullip/Dal sized Rocking Chairs. Dave is taking special orders to be delivered at PUDDLE. You can visit Dolly Decor on etsy:
http://kanamai.etsy.com/

MissMandyLynne sent me a nice big box of cute little items for the gift bags.

Thanks, all!

Khait from The Doll Peddlar is attending PUDDLE and will be selling Monique wigs, Petite Luxury furniture, and other doll accessories (no Groove dolls though - please contact PullipStyle about those).

She is travelling by car, so she will have limited room to bring stuff. If there is something in particular from The Doll Peddlar that you'd like her to bring, please let her know in advance.

The Doll Peddlar is also donating items for the gift bags!

Hi all. This is just a reminder that the deadline for getting the hotel convention rate of $69 plus tax per night for June 4 and June 5 is May 15.

A note to those of you who aren't planning on spending the night: last year a number of people were sorry they hadn't booked a room. Although PUDDLE "officially" ends at 6, we have a room reserved in the hotel dining area so we can continue socializing over dinner. In the evening we'll have a doll pajama party (which basically consists of us chatting and playing with our dolls), and last year's didn't end until well after midnight! It's also nice to have a place to stash your stuff or to change for the costume contest.

If you are at all tempted to stay the night, you can advertise for one or more roommates to split the cost on the forum:
http://puddle.forumotion.com/

The group code for reserving a room is PDS. You can book online or by phone. You can choose a king or two doubles. Most rooms have a frig and microwave. Holiday Inn Chicago Elk Grove Village Hotel web site: http://www.hielkgrove.com/

Phone numbers: Hotel Local Phone: (847) 437-6010; Toll-Free: (888) HOLIDAY

There is still time for you to create one or more entries for the PUDDLE customization contest! There are four categories: (1) customized full-sized dolls (must have new or significantly altered chips, wig, faceup, and clothing); (2) modified full-sized dolls (anything less than as described in number 1, so a stock doll with a new wig and chips would qualify); (3) customized and modified mini dolls, including Angel dolls; (4) any doll, stock or customized, in an outfit completely made by the contestant.

There will be multiple prizes, depending on the number and kind of entries. Each person can submit up to four entries total. (All four can be in one category, or one in each, or any combination across the categories.) You do not have to make the outfits of the dolls in the customized and modified categories (although you can), as long as you note on your entry form who did make the clothing. The exception is the fourth category, which is specifically for an outfit as designed and made by you.

Complete rules here:
http://www.puddlestyle.com/contests.html

Entry slips will be handed out at the event, or you can go ahead and type/write up the information and bring it to PUDDLE. Your entry will be given a number at the event.

Go have some fun and customize/modify/create!

Congratulations to our online photo contest winners! Gogojimmy has chosen "Kisses When Wet" by effiethedal as the Grand Prize Winner:

She says: "I think it stands out because of the color choice - as if it's taken directly out of the 70's, and since you can't really see the Dal's face you automatically focus on the kiss and thereby the turtle, so it's perfect for the theme. Also the fact that last year's theme is present is really nice to see."

She picked "Mermaid" by Strawberry Cuteness as the second prize winner and "Claire and turtle 1" by mioshu as the third place.

She says, "It was really hard to pick! As you can see it has taken me days ;) - all the photos are great!"

Congratulations to effiethedal, mioshu, and Strawberry Cuteness! Effiethedal wins a $50 gift certificate to online shop Panik's Toy Box. Strawberry Cuteness and mioshu will receive a set of notecards of the new minis (donated by Jun Planning USA last year.) (Winners: If you are not coming to PUDDLE, please send me your address so I can mail your prize.)

Thank you to gogojimmy for judging and to everyone who took the time to enter.

I'm particularly happy that effiethedal won. Although she can't come to this year's PUDDLE, she made a Dal, Pullip, or Taeyang outfit for every gift bag, a very generous donation of her time.

Only four weeks to go now! Our charity group this year is the Willowbrook Wildlife Center, located close to where we are holding PUDDLE.
http://www.willowbrookwildlife.org/

Anyone who is interested is invited to visit the Center after we leave the hotel on Sunday. We'll work out details at PUDDLE.

One of their activities is rearing endangered Blanding's Turtles. We will be donating a portion of the money raised from raffle sales to the center, but they also sent along a list of items they can use, if you would like to donate items.

- Reptomin® floating food sticks (turtles)
- ZooMed® Aquatic turtle food
- Aquarium thermometers
- Gift certificates: PetCo, Petsmart, WalMart, Visa, MasterCard
- Duetto® internal multi-filter (model #DJ100)
- Replacement parts for Duetto filter, including: Mechanical pre-filter, Biological filter, Chemical filter cartridge

Only a month to go until PUDDLE! I hope you are all excited as I am.

If you are planning on attending but have not yet registered, please send me your information even if you are not ready to pay. So far, we have 58 total attendees, with 45 receiving gift bags. People are travelling from 11 states: Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, California, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Arkansas, Ohio, and Massachusetts.

Please check the list of nametag names below. If you think you have registered but are not on it, or want something else on your nametag, please contact me (TrueFan). Please note that, for security reasons, everyone who will be in the meeting room will need to wear a nametag when they are in the room.

Attendees/Nametag Names:

Mike/PullipStyle
Shana/PullipStyle
True
Blythes OCD Closet/Diane
Gina
Tafka
Keely
MissMandyLynne
Babelglyph
Pat Weller/WellerMade
Abby
Lara Mae
Elizabeth
Kathleena
Annie/icravemeowmix
Tricia
Megan/ravenwcatz
Kari/JrFanKari
Lori/May
Jan
Kim
Vicki
Stephanie
Dan
Caroline/Cara Chan
Karmin
Dwayne
Ben
Debbie
Athena/Asashi
Brian
Avi
Kisa
Renee
Claire
Julie
Laura
Carleigh
Kenly/Khait
Sohj
Taylor
Karen
Lynne Larkin/Queen-Bee
Kanamai
rpb3000z
Sheepie
Snowy
Requiem
Mamasllama
Kate
Krissy
Izzi
Lily
Rebecca
Bobby
Lynet
Joseph
Nicole

I visited the Elk Grove Village Holiday Inn on Friday. It is very nice and staff were helpful.

I got to see a guest room and was happy with it. Two thirds of the rooms come with a mini frig and microwave in addition to coffeemaker. To make sure you get one, when you check in ask for an "Executive Suite" (or specify you want a frig and a microwave). Just a reminder: the deadline for reserving a room at the convention rate of $69 per night plus tax is May 15. The group code for reserving a room is PDS. You can book online or by phone. You can choose a king or two doubles.

Holiday Inn Chicago Elk Grove Village Hotel web site:
http://www.hielkgrove.com/

Phone numbers:
Hotel Local Phone: (847) 437-6010
Toll-Free: (888) HOLIDAY

There is a large open area with tables (and where breakfast is served) where we can congregate in the evenings for our "pajama parties." There is also a small outside seating area. There is free wireless throughout the hotel and two internet computers for guests. There is a pool, jacuzzi, and workout room. There is a free airport shuttle to/from O'Hare.

****

The meeting room I currently have reserved is huge. On Friday I was given an option to use only half the room at half the price. (A wall can be pulled across the middle.) Right now we have the same number of people attending as last year. (That's paid attendance.) Cutting the room in half would greatly reduce my money worries, as we are a long way from paying off the double meeting room. Last year's meeting room was 625 square feet. The larger half of the room is four times that - 2500 square feet. The full room is more than seven times that. Comments please.

****

The hotel is in a busy business area. There is an Old Chicago restaurant in the hotel. Across a busy street are Wendy's, Starbucks, Panda Express, and Quizno's. There are more places a short distance across more busy streets with many stoplights, so those are the best meal opportunities.

I need input on meals. Please let me know if you have any feedback.

- Friday night I suggest an informal meeting at 6:00 or 6:30 (any preference?) for anyone who has arrived. I suggest either Quizno's or Panda Express, which should have vegetarian options and enough space although we might not get to sit at one table. Any thoughts?

- For Saturday lunch, I suggest we are on our own. You can eat at Old Chicago, walk across the street to one of the fast food places I mentioned, or brown bag taking advantage of your frig/microwave. That way people can take a break from PUDDLE if they want, or bring their food into the room. Sound okay?

- Old Chicago has a room that can be reserved. It fits about 40. I am thinking of reserving this for Saturday evening. Anyone who'd like to keep partying can meet for dinner a short while after PUDDLE ends. We might have the option of a limited menu or buffet (pizza, drinks, salad for around $9 per person) if I let them know in advance. This would speed up when we eat. Old Chicago is more expensive than fast food but not extremely pricey. Thoughts on this option? I have to let them know pretty quickly if we want to reserve the room and also if we want the limited menu/buffet.

- Last year a few of us stumbled across each other having breakfast in the hotel. I'm inclined to leave breakfast to the same sort of arrangement next year. I'm sure many people will be hitting the road quickly. We can also make informal plans to meet at Starbucks or a Dunkin' Donuts down the road at PUDDLE if we like. If anyone is interested in meeting up at Mitsuwa Mall or going to the wildlife center we are supporting on Sunday, let me know.

Please let me know what you think about all my questions. Also please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

do you need sales table(s)?

I visited the convention hotel on Friday. More on that later, but for now, I need some information.

If you are bringing merchandise from a shop to sell, do you want one or more sales tables? They have six foot and eight foot tables. Please let me know which you need and how many. Thanks!

Many thanks to Denise's Dolls for donating a lovely outfit - the dress, overskirt, necklace, and boots in the photo. Asashi will be selling other outfits from Denise's Dolls at PUDDLE.

Just a reminder to get to work on entries for the PUDDLE contests! Bring one or two photos or artwork with a turtle theme to enter in the photo/art contest. Find matching outfits for you and your doll for the dress-like-your-doll contest. Modify or fully customize one or more dolls for the customization contest, and/or design and sew an original outfit. We will have lots of wonderful prizes for the winners!

Details on the website:
http://www.puddlestyle.com/contests.html

A big thank you to Sleeping Elf for a generous donation of three mohair wigs, including the gorgeous mint green wig seen in the attached photo. Please visit her shop:
http://littlebloomers.tripod.com/thesleepingelf/id33.html

***

If you are pretty sure that you are attending PUDDLE but are not yet ready to pay, please go ahead and send TrueFan your registration information as soon as possible. If you don't know all the particulars, you can send the missing info later. You do not need to pay now, but we need a better idea of how many people are attending. It's only two months away now!

Here is the info needed:

- Your name
- The names of all others in your family who are coming, if applicable
- Your nametag name (and nametag names for everyone who will be in the meeting room)
- Where you are coming from (City, State, or Country) and approximately how many miles you will be travelling
- Your email address
- Other information you'd like to pass on, or any questions

Thanks!

last day to enter!!

Just a reminder - today is the last day to enter the online photo contest! Please take a photo of your Pullip, Dal, Taeyang, Namu, or Byul with some sort of turtle theme and send me a link via PM on the various forums or email the photo to truefan@live.com. Entries will be accepted as long as it is still April 1 somewhere in the world!!

Thanks to Jpopdolls for their wonderful donation of four wigs! A photo of three of them is attached here. If you order from Jpopdolls, please thank them for their support of PUDDLE. Here is their website:
http://www.jpopdolls.net/
***
April 1 is the deadline for the PUDDLE online photo contest, and only a few people have entered. It's going to be a nice weekend in many places - please consider taking some photos of your doll for the contest!

All you need to do is take some photos of your doll and send one (or two) to TrueFan. While there needs to be a connection to the PUDDLE theme of "turtles," it can be very remote. A turtle toy, an outfit with turtles on it, a turtle button, a doll reading The Tortoise and the Hare, a picture of a turtle or a turtle-shaped cloud in the background. And you could win a $50 gift certificate to online store Panik's Toy Box! It would really help me out if some of you would enter. Thanks!
***
If you'd like to prearrange a doll split at PUDDLE, don't forget about the forum:
http://puddle.forumotion.com/

Hi all. This is just a reminder that the deadline for getting the hotel convention rate of $69 plus tax per night for June 4 and June 5 is May 15.

The group code for reserving a room is PDS. You can book online or by phone. You can choose a king or two doubles.

Holiday Inn Chicago Elk Grove Village Hotel web site:
http://www.hielkgrove.com/

Phone numbers:
Hotel Local Phone: (847) 437-6010
Toll-Free: (888) HOLIDAY

You can advertise for rides, riders, or roomies on the forum:
http://puddle.forumotion.com/

A big thank you to Keelyvh! She is donating three beautiful kimono to PUDDLE, to be used as prizes in the costume/dress-like-your-doll contest (which she will also be judging). You can see photos here:
www.flickr.com/photos/keelyvh/sets/72157623636372614/

And more of her work in her shop:
http://keelyvh.etsy.com/

Online photo/art contest deadline approaching!

Want a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Panik's Toy Box? Enter the PUDDLE online photo/art contest! I haven't received any entries yet, so you have a really good chance of winning! (You can submit up to two entries online and two different entries at the event if you are coming.) The deadline is April 1. You do not have to attend PUDDLE to enter!

The complete rules are here, but the main things are that it must be your own work and connected in some way to the PUDDLE theme of turtles.
http://www.puddlestyle.com/contests.html

Gogojimmy will be judging the entries. Here's a link to Panik's Toy Box. They have a lot of cool and creepy stuff.
http://www.panikstoybox.com/

So, take a chance and take some photos! Thanks!

big thanks to WellerMade

I received a big box with 13 beautiful handmade outfits from WellerMade! One person at each of the 13 tables at PUDDLE will receive one as a door prize. Check out her handiwork at her etsy shop:

http://www.wellermade.etsy.com/

Thank you for the generous donation!

PUDDLE is now listed on the Jones Publishing online calendar of events:
http://www.jonespublishing.com/jphome/jphome_calendar.asp

big box in the mail today!

I got a big box in the mail today!

I don't want to spoil the surprise by showing you exactly what's inside, but here is a clue:

Many thanks to Sugar Blocks! The items were not a donation, but they were discounted so PUDDLE could afford them. Be sure to visit the sugarblocks etsy shop!

http://sugarblocks.etsy.com/

Jun Planning USA has offered to sell me a 2009 Doll Carnival limited edition Chanti at her original cost for PUDDLE! I also have a 2009 Comic-Con limited edition Lala. I'm still working out details, but they will probably be raffle prizes with special limited raffle tickets.

They will be adding the PUDDLE website to their Links page and donating other items to PUDDLE. I have added their new website to our sponsor page. Check it out!

http://www.junplanningusa.com/

Many thanks to JP USA!

Many thanks to the Mimi Collection for contributing to PUDDLE!

Today I received a big bag filled with Mimi bags and 20 pair of eyes.

Be sure to visit the Mimi Collection for many cute items for your dolls.

http://www.mimiwoo.com/

If you are coming to PUDDLE, have a shop, and will be setting up a table at PUDDLE, please contact me! I'm going to create a Vendor page on puddlestyle.com. Thanks!

I just had to share - a listing for a Haute Doll issue on ebay includes our photos from PUDDLE 2009!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220535275015&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

Also, a reminder that there is a forum for finding rides, riders, and roomies:

http://puddle.forumotion.com/index.htm

It's time to start thinking about the PUDDLE contests! There are four categories to the customization contest, three for the photo/art contest, and the dress like your doll contest.

More details here:
http://www.puddlestyle.com/contests.html