Ok, so I have been geeking out all night since I found this site.
My name is Erika and I live in Indiana. I am simply amazed by this technology. I found out about 3D printing on a doll forum. Another collector has ordered unique items as props for her dolls as it is difficult to find scale appropriate items. She explained it to me and I had a difficult time grasping the concept until my husband pulled up a video and really broke it down for me. After the initial shock wore off, I emailed friends of mine and practically shouted from my rooftop about my discovery. (still geeking out apparently) I collect various types of dolls including ball joint dolls and have several other hobbies involving varying degrees of crafting. For a long time I have spent countless hours scouring the internet and local resale shops for specific items to complete one artistic endeavor or another. I am gobsmacked that now, I have access to anything imaginable. I am not very adept with computer software so I plan to use Shapeways to make connections with people and commission what I am looking for. I am glad to enter into this community and look forward to meeting others.