Clearance Blank Nesting Dolls

I'm a pretty big saver, so I love a good sale.

The Golden Cockerel warehouse is clearing out stock of tons of clearance blank nesting dolls. All of them are oddly shaped or sized, old, or slightly defective. Pricing starts at just $2! If you've ever thought about painting your own nesting doll but weren't sure you'd do such a hot job, these blanks are a perfect and inexpensive practice canvas. They also make a great craft project for a group of small kids. Paint, draw, or woodburn--it's all up to you! A hand painted nesting doll also makes for a real tear-jerker of a gift. I know you can make something really awesome. :-)

Call (1-800-892-5409) or email (Amy@GoldenCockerel.com) for more info!

Have a great weekend!

Amy

www.GoldenCockerel.com

Russian Crafts 101

Hello, there. I thought it might be fun to learn a little more about some Russian crafts. Sometimes, it's hard to know whether a design is part of a time-honored tradition or just something pretty. So, here are three Russian painting and craft styles that we might want to be on the lookout for:

Zhostovo: This Russian craft of painting flowers on metal trays has been around since the early 19th century. The most common design is a bouquet of wild and garden flowers on a black background. The tray's edges are decorated with a gold design called uborka. When the paint has dried, the tray is given a bright shine with layers of lacquer. The pin shown above is painted in the Zhostovo style.

Khokhloma: An art form that began in the 17th century. Here, items carved from wood are decorated with a red, black, and gold berry design. The craft had begun to fade away by the early 20th century, but was given new life during Soviet rule. In the 1960s, the Soviets built two factories dedicated to Khokhloma production, the Khokhloma Painter and Khokhloma Painting. The two have since become Russia's largest producers of Khokhloma collectibles. The nesting doll pictured above is painted in the Khokhloma style.

Gzhel: The Russian village of Gzhel has been renowned for its pottery since the 14th century. Located to the southeast of Moscow, Gzhel has been producing white ceramics with brilliant blue floral designs since 1802. These ceramics share their name with the village. The wooden egg shown above is painted in the Gzhel style.


Okay, now go wow your friends with your new Russian knowledge!

Adiós,

Amy
www.GoldenCockerel.com

PS: Questions? Comments? Email me at Amy@GoldenCockerel.com or leave a comment here at the blog.

Reader in the Spotlight II

Kelly Flanagan has been fascinated with nesting dolls ever since 1993, when her father gave her one from Brest, Belarus for Christmas. Since then, her collection has grown to over 100 and she loves "every single one." A former art student, she most certainly has an eye for beauty and an understanding of the countless hours of work that go into each piece.

"I do not have a 'theme' like some collectors have," Kelly says. "Some collectors like to collect dolls from the USSR, some collect antique dolls, some collect fairytale theme dolls, or dolls from a few particular artists. I think I try to have all sorts of dolls. I have an antique doll, I have a couple USSR dolls, mushroom shaped, pear shaped, egg shaped, even some very unique carved matryoshkas."

Kelly believes that artist matryoshkas will be a much sought after item in the coming years. "They are becoming harder to find and much more expensive due to the time it takes to make a museum quality doll. I truly see my matryoshka collection as a fine art collection."

One of Kelly's beautiful dolls.

Another of Kelly's favorites.

Some fast facts about Kelly:

Favorite food: Prime Rib

Favorite band at the moment: Linkin Park

Favorite Book: Digital Fortress

Why she likes nesting dolls: "I love how the painting is done on a three dimensional surface (which is quite difficult) and it is not just one piece of art work. With the opening up of every doll, there is another new, beautiful piece of art."

If you would like to be our next featured reader, leave a comment or email me at Amy@GoldenCockerel.com.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Amy
www.GoldenCockerel.com