Sunday, January 9, 2011

What is IDEX anyway?

Besides being "Dolly Heaven", it is the International Doll Expo. It is held in Orlando Florida every year at the beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek Inn Resort.

~IDEX INFO/REGISTRATION~

Doll artists and collectors come from around the world for this annual event held at the end of January. I live in Eastern Oregon. Over the last two weeks, we have had daytime highs in the single digits and up to 36 degrees F. Orlando in January is very attractive to me! LOL The 2011 IDEX is my 5th and I am just as excited for this show as I was for my first.

With a show floor of 2 grand ball rooms (the Rosen is BEAUTIFUL!!) filled with dolls of all kinds, it takes all three days to see "everything" and even then, I always miss things. (Dealers are entitled early access to the show floor and I am a dealer. Please see the IDEX INFO link above for General Admittance schedule.)

The dolls, new release doll kits, bears, doll things and treasures are very exciting but the thing I most look forward to is meeting with artists and collectors who have become my friends. We share a lot of laughs together and there are many events to participate in together. The annual DOTY (Doll of the Year) winners are announced at a lovely dinner complete with entertainment.

Last year I had a show booth on the show floor and I taught a day long class. That was a dream come true. But after having attended the three previous years with dear friends, I really missed the "vacation" part of it all and spending relaxed time with my dolly friends, so this year, I opted out of showing and teaching and am just attending on "vacation". Of course, I will still meet with sculpting and reborn artists to brainstorm our industry and things of the future. And I will spend every evening outdoors in the hot tub with my gal buddies laughing and reminiscing the exciting events of the day. Pure luxury!

Oh yes, and of course I will take dollies to "play" with and we always look forward to a trip to Down Town Disney with our dolls.

If you ever get the chance to attend IDEX, you simply MUST attend!

I've spoken of EXPO before too and showed at EXPO 2010. EXPO is the Doll and Teddy Bear EXPO and was held in Winston-Salem North Caroline last October. I heard just yesterday that EXPO will sit 2011 out but there are plans for a 2012 EXPO to be held in Cleavland Ohio. Ohhh...I hope so! I have family I have not seen for YEARS in the Cleavland area! I am very excited!

Have a wonderful Sunday.

XXOO





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