_{KIFFI 2008                                                               KIFFI 2007}

_{HISTORY OF THE KIFFI}

      _{In 2006, Sylvia Ion entered a competition sponsored by the magazine, DollCrafter.  Everyone used the same pattern supplied and the object was to design a festive over-the-top doll that could be used as a party place- setting.  Her design was printed in the magazine along with 3-4 issues of more contestants' creations.  She did not win.  Her husband Jim, however, liked it very much.  It reminded him of the animated movie, Nightmare Before Christmas -- odd and quirky.} 

     _{In 2007, plans for the Keizer Iris Festival Fashion Show began to emerge.  Time was short so it was decided that the doll would be given to the Best In Show at the event.  After a few days of laboring over an acronym,  Sylvia came up with Keizer Iris Festival Fashion Icon.  It was the "icon" part that took the most time.  Since then the KIFFI (move over Oscar) has been registered as a trademark.   Much to Jim's disappointment, Sylvia did not show her own fashion line that year, so she did not win and bring the KIFFI back home as he had hoped.  The doll went to a new home.  So the following Christmas, Sylvia made a replica of the first KIFFI and it stands on the fireplace mantel again.}

     _{This year the KIFFI has its name and the year printed on the base.  Each year's KIFFI will be a little different from the others.  This is because they are hand made by Sylvia and she likes to experiment a little.  They all have some similarities too.  Sylvia likes to use vintage beads and old dried corsages that make the figures look a little like boutique items -- or perhaps a vintage piece one might stand on a dressing table to pin corsages to.  Dried flowers and corsages appear in various places around the artists house as well.}

     _{And just to make things more fun this year, Sylvia constructed a life-size KIFFI to be in the parade this year.  The parade will move down River Road in Keizer, Saturday morning before the fashion show.}