What are your dolls made of? I work mostly with three different materials: polymer clay, air-dry clay or paper clay; and some pieces are made of needle-sculpted fabric. How long does it take to make one? A 7" doll can take up to three days and a 30" doll sculpted in air-dry clay can take up to six weeks to be completed. Do you do custom orders? Yes, as long as the subject belongs to the fantasy realm and I can also adjust to your budget; my price range for custom orders starts at $70.00 How long in advance do I need to place an order? Depending on the complexity of the doll you wish to have custom made, I may need between one week to six months advance notice. Orders are secured with a 50% non-refundable deposit of the total value of the doll. Do you sculpt only the heads? No, the doll is entirely made from scratch and is completely hand-sculpted and dressed without commercial molds or patterns. I also dye some of the fabrics used for the costumes. Hand-woven textiles and natural fibers such as silk, hemp, cotton, rayon and wool are employed for dressing and embellishing these dolls. All of them (except when noted) have a wire armature enabling different ways in which you can display them. No two dolls are alike (unless it is a limited edition); each one of them is a unique creature with a well-defined personality and that is why I name them and write stories on their "birth" cards. What is your pricing criterion? I account for the time and cost of materials I put into each doll. Glass eyed dolls will always be more expensive than those with beaded or painted eyes. How long have you been making them? For almost 10 years. Are the stories that you write for each doll your own? Most of the times yes; but you can suggest or contribute a story if you purchase a custom doll. Where do you get inspiration? Inspiration sometimes is triggered by stories that people tell me, others by wonderful illustrations from books and a lot of the time it comes from letting my imagination go. Often I let the creatures take over my sculpting and adopt the shape they want to have. Do you create large dolls as well? The bigger the more exciting it gets for me! From which country is your kind of art? I believe it has a strong European influence. Are they puppets? No. Are they suitable for children? NO! They are meant for display only, often they have gone to children’s bedrooms as guardians or magical friends, but they are NOT TOYS. Do you ship abroad? Yes, Items will be shipped via Priority US Mail or UPS. All items are insured for the full price. Shipping varies between items. I can estimate costs before shipping. If you prefer using another carrier, please let me know and arrangements can be made. Do you accept layaways? Yes, please contact me for information about layaway plans.