Kim Matheny

We are proud to present
Kim Matheny
Aka
HomespunDolls




Kim lives in Pocahontas, Arkansas USA. She is a self-taught doll artist and her other job is owning a Hair Salon.
All hair stylists are artists you know!



Kim has sketched and painted since she was a little girl, her aunt remembers her drawing clothes designs when she was 4 or 5. Kim started needle-felting dolls in June 2010 after her mother was diagnosed with cancer, it was a way to de-stress and clear her head.



A few months later she started sculpting dolls from clay. She loves to make OOAK sculpted dolls and use wool fibers, polymer clay, fabric and embellishments. She's heard her dolls described as so ugly they are cute!
They love to frown, scowl, and pout...
sometimes, though rarely they do smile.



Kim’s art dolls are all fantasy, little elves, ogres and  goblins they are her creations. She likes them to be a bit on the ugly cute side and to look like they found their clothing and props around the house and in the nature all around them.When possible she uses vintage fabrics and trim on their outfits.



Her favorite crafts to buy are old Victorian arts and crafts. She also collects Books and Zombie anything! She recently re-did her living room with a vintage zombie steampunk look.
Kim also likes to collect the old cabinet card photos, the more bizarre facial expressions and outfits the better she likes them.



Kim and her mom would always discuss the newest elf when she went with her mom on her trips to chemo. Her mother always supported Kim’s creating.
 Kim also gets her husbands opinion when she finishes a dolls face and at their final completion. Her Auntie, (Aunt Diane) is one of her biggest supporters, she has encouraged Kim from the beginning. Kim has another Aunt, (Aunt Marilyn) who has given her some of the most beautiful vintage trims she has found while "thrifting". Kim told me she has been encouraged by everyone in her family to continue.



Kim is married to J and she has two wonderful boys, Tyler 20 and Kanyon 11. She also has 2 dogs who are like kids named Angus and JooJoo.



Her newest project she just finished is Belladona a Acrobatic elf and she recently started another goblin. She’s seeing him with all his little warts and a very ragtag but fancy outfit, in a goblinish sort of way.



You can find Kim on
Etsy
facebook
Her Twitter id @HomespunDolls
and her blog






 When Kim first started learning she told me she looked online for videos and tutorials and still does. She hasn’t taught any classes but if someone is interested and asks how to do something she begins to tell them what she knows and encourages them as much as she can. She donated a doll to one of the  Relay for Life teams auctions recently and was so honored they asked her to do it.




Her favorite designer who inspires her is
Kamila Mlynarczk of WoodedWoods,
FairyStudioKallies,
Lorell Lehman,
Brian Froud.
Kim says she gets inspiration from the books she reads too, ( she really loves young adult paranormal fiction). Sometimes she gets inspired from a vintage finding that she just knows would make great elf clothing or props. Her favorite season to create for is Fall. The colors and the cool weather just make her want to create.




I always want to know what information people would share to help others be successful in an online business and Kim told me…
“Make sure your pictures of your items are as clear and un-cluttered as possible ( this is something I'm still working on). Promote your work, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs. And remember it takes time, it will happen be persistent.”





One of Kim's needle-felted elves was featured in the 2010 Winter issue of "Celebrate 365".



Kim is a very proud member of Team ugly cute, Creating the Hive, the OOAK Guild, and Art Dolls Only Etsy team. I know we will see a lot more of her in the future after all who can resist those faces!