plushyouinterviews

Cakespy Interview and Giveaway!

2009-03-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

So unless you are a weirdo, you can't go to Cakespy's website without 1) salivating immediately 2) spending a lot of time reading and drooling over Jessie's creations of the edible and not edible sort 3) feel inspired. The brainchild of Jessie Oleson's is a story that has inspired many artists and business people alike. And there are so many reasons why. I know this is not plush but I find her story so inspiring that I wanted to share it with all of you. Please leave a comment here with contact info for your chance to win a surprise gift package from Jessie herself. Enjoy sweeties.

S- To start, for our readers that may not know who you are, can you please explain the basics. Who, What, Why?

Cake- Helllo plush buddies! My name is Jessie Oleson (pronounced like the twins, even though it's spelled funny), and I am the Head Spy at a dessert detective agency called CakeSpy. I have a website where myself and a group of family and friends write about bakeries, recipes, and baking experiments; it's all sweetly punctuated by my original artwork, which consists of anthropomorphic baked goods, which I also sell. The motto of the site is "Seeking sweetness in everyday life", and I like to think you can find a lot of sweetness on the site!

S- At our last Grassroots meetup, I found it really interesting that you get so much mail. That is so fun! Can you tell us about a few of the more unusual things you have gotten? Favorites?

Cake- I love getting mail! Most recently, some of the highlights have included cupcakes shipped from Fields of Cake in Maine (alas, they were NOT OK upon arrival), cupcake dental floss from Archie McPhee, a condom-holder with cake artwork on the outside...and as a wild card, a biography of the woman who started POM Wonderful. Let's just say the mailman regards me with slight suspicion.

S- You recently did the street art installation in Seattle. Can you tell us more about that and how that worked out for you?

Cake- About a month and a half ago I made a big batch of fake cupcakes to which I affixed flags with uplifting sayings and placed them randomly throughout the streets of Seattle--I kind of thought of it as a big happy pill going out to the world. It got a great reaction and so now I am doing it on an ongoing basis whenever I have time to make a batch, and have posted a tutorial on how to make them in case others want to bring the project to their own town or city. So far I hear that people have been making them in Portland and NYC!

S- I think your story is so inspiring because you are now working solely on your Cakespy project. When you started did you know what to expect? Did you have goals and ways to make yourself bigger or did it just grow organically?

Cake- When I first started, all that I knew was that I wanted some sort of outlet to combine my loves of writing, illustrating, and baked goods--I thought, why not start a blog while I figure out what I want to do? However, what I didn't count on was the blog becoming what I actually do--leading to a webstore, and basically becoming its own complete sweet community with all sorts of baked good related content and artwork. It's basically heaven.

S- You have done a lot of grassroots marketing to grow Cakespy. Can you tell us what has been more effective for you? Things that did not work?

Cake- For me, what has really seemed to work in terms of promotion is when the projects we do on the site go "viral". While I can't say what the formula is for this, I think that it really has to do with having unique content, or doing something that will register with people. For instance the cupcake art installation got a lot of attention on blogs and on the radio, which translated into more hits on my website, and hence, more hits to my webstore. Other posts that have gotten attention have been my cupcake shipping experiment , Twinkie murder spree and candy salad tutorial . I also send out and randomly leave a lot of postcards with my artwork and mission statement around the city and really, everywhere I go--so that people can come across CakeSpy in sweet and unexpected ways. I mean, if I randomly found a cute postcard or cupcake sculpture out on the street, I'd be pretty psyched, so I can only imagine that others would be too!

S- You share some great recipes. How often do you make new baked goods? (oh and if you ever want to share...well you now know where to go)

Cake- I don't bake every day, but I would say maybe 3-4 times a week. I don't consider myself a great baker, but I am an enthusiastic baker and I love to try new recipes. If I'm to be completely honest though, what I love best is eating other people's baked goods. I'm so lucky to be in Seattle--there are so many great bakeries here.

S- What new products might we see from you in the future?

Cake- I'm currently working on more apparel--tees, baby onesies, etc--and some new stationery products like little notebooks. On the horizon--i.e., when I gots cash, I also want to source and produce a figurine of my most popular character, Cuppie the Cupcake.

S- You have done some great interviews. How often do you do them and how do you approach folks for them?

Cake- Whenever I come across a baker or bakery that intrigues me, I will usually ask for an interview; generally I will tell them about the site and send them links to a few of the other interviews I've done in the past so they can see what it might be like, and then we take it from there.

S- What are some of your big goals for the rest of 2009?

Cake- Businesswise, I really want to start setting up more wholesale accounts; I just printed up a flyer of my products so I'm pretty excited to get that out there; I'm also pretty keen to start working on a children's book with my baked good characters (fingers crossed!). Baking-wise, I seriously want to make the 15-layer cake (some crazy Southern thing a friend told me about), and in terms of travel, the RoadFood feature on "Heavy Crumb Cake" from Hackensack, NJ really resonated with me, so I definitely want to go there!

S- What is your all time favorite dessert? What is your favorite cupcake?

Cake- Shh--don't tell cupcakes, but my true favorites are birthday cake (something about the middle layer of frosting in addition to the top layer!), crumb cake, black and white cookies and--weird, I know--corn muffins.

As cupcakes go, as psyched as I am to try all of the crazy varieties out there these days, my favorite is--and will always be--vanilla cake with pink buttercream frosting.

Thanks Jessie for the awesome interview! Don't forget to leave your info here for your chance to win your own sweet treats from Jessie!

Alicia Paulson Interview and Book Giveaway!

2008-12-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

Do you ever read a blog and just think I wish their life was mine? Even if you like your life, there is just something about those photos and all the pretty that they surround themselves in...Well this is how I feel about Alicia Paulson. She has the gift to make every thing look beautiful, peaceful and calm. Just how life should be! I am sure she has her ups and downs just like everyone but looking at her blog makes me want to run home and sew and make my house pretty. I had the pleasure of finally meeting Alicia this past weekend at UCU where she did a book signing. She is just as pleasant in person! It was so nice to finally meet her and have her signing her amazing book, Stitched in Time: Memory-Keeping Projects to Sew and Share from the Creator of Posie Gets Cozy. Speaking of which, leave a comment here with contact info for your chance to win your very own copy!

S- For anyone who might not know about you...can you just give us a little bio on yourself?

AP- I am a craft designer – sewing, embroidery, and crochet – living in Portland Oregon. Since 2000, I have designed a small line of one-of-a-kind gifts and accessories called Posie: Rosy Little Things (rosylittlethings.com). Lately, I have been working on books, and publishing my own craft patterns and kits, so that keeps me out of trouble. And I try to write daily at my blog, Posie Gets Cozy (rosylittlethings.typepad.com). AliciaPaulson.com is sort of the traffic circle that keeps the things that I do organized.

S- Your book, Stitched in Time, recently came out (which again...is amazing!). Can you tell us more about the book and how it came about?

AP- Thank you! The idea first came my way back in January of 2007, when I was approached by a literary agent who knew that Potter Craft, the publisher, was wanting a book of "memory crafts." I had a bunch of other stuff going on, so doing a book wasn't really anywhere in my mind at that time, but as we started discussing the potential concept I just knew that that was my book. I started working on the proposal, and a couple of days later the agent called and said that the publisher had called her and asked her if she knew me – so it was sort of like other people saw this theme in my work before I did. But as soon as I started developing the idea it just grew and grew, and it all felt exactly right for me, and allowed me to express all the things I really care about when it comes to design.

S- I believe that craft books are often a resource of inspiration more than anything else. Your book is so pretty. Just looking at it makes me want to drink a hot cup of tea and sew. Were most of the photos taken in your home or elsewhere? Did you have a lot of control with the photos?

AP- Thank you again! Yes, almost all of the photos were taken here at our house. A few of them were taken at my friend Sarah's house and garden – the ones that feature her children. But everything else was done here, and I had total control of those images, both technically (for better or worse) and aesthetically – I styled and shot all of the photos myself, including the process shots. It was a huge but exhilarating job – from sourcing the locations and finding the models, to figuring out what everyone was going to wear and what the props would be. It was a bit overwhelming at times, with no one but an occasional husband assisting. But of course, once I'd done it, and had that experience of being able to totally control my vision (for better or worse!) I was hooked, so I'll do that again on my next book. Hopefully this time with a little more help and some different locations, but I am really excited about project photography. At some point, when you're making the items for the book, you realize that no one but you is going to be able to actually hold those items – the photo is really all they have.

And the design of the book – which I had absolutely nothing to do with – was just perfect. I couldn't have been happier with that!

S- What are your biggest sources for inspiration?

AP- Well, it's funny – I get asked this question frequently, and I realize that my inspiration changes but also stays very much the same. I am always inspired by fabric – tiny calicos, reproduction prints, historical motifs. Right now I'm researching folk art, so everything in my mind is red and blue, hearts and flowers, birds and trees. There is so much out there – old things that have been forgotten, but look, to me anyway, as fresh as anything contemporary I know of. I am so excited about reinventing some of these classic motifs. The possibilities inherent in them are really energizing me right now.

S- What are some of your favorite things to make?

AP- Right now, I am making several dolls for Christmas from the pattern on the cover of Stitched in Time. I've made six of them in the last couple of weeks, and every time I make one I am anxious to finish her so that I can see who she is. I like making things like dolls and animals because they have personalities that reveal themselves to you as you stitch.

S- Since the holidays are right around the corner and your house looks all nicely decorated...what is your favorite time of year and why?

AP- I like Christmastime a lot – although the day itself is not my favorite, ironically. I like this season with its sparkles and red details and quiet moments. But I miss snow terribly, so I'm always a bit fraught with longing, which, you know, that's the downside of December. I miss the light reflected off of snow in the front yard – in Oregon is just mud, all brown and gray.

I would have to say my favorite time of year is late spring – before everything begins, when it's all ahead of you. Spring in the Pacific Northwest is like a fairyland. I wait all year to open those bedroom windows and wake up to the sound of birds singing.

S- You were in Seattle this weekend to sign your book at Urban Craft Uprising. It was great to see such a big line of fans for you! What are some of the best parts for you in meeting your fans? Any crazy fans?

AP- Oh my gosh, I love to meet everyone. Sewing and working on books is, for me, a pretty solitary endeavor – I spend a lot of time by myself, in my own little stitching trance, and can go for days without having a conversation with anyone other than Andy, or the puppers, or the blog. So coming out and getting to put faces with names and see peoples' smiles – it's really wonderful. I love it. Everyone is so incredibly nice, and I am just so flattered that anyone is interested in what I do. It never gets old. I've gotta get out more.

S- For those that get distracted in their crafting, what do you think are some of the most important things to do to keep motivated and active?

AP- Well, let's see. I can relate to this a little bit – when I'm working on books, sometimes I sort of lose my spark, and feel like my efforts are uninspired, but I have to keep going (I think) because I'm on a deadline! I don't have the option of taking time off. But honestly, I think that just pushing through when you aren't feeling it is actually the wrong tack – I always try to do something completely different if those feelings start creeping in. Go to the library and get a big stack of books and just look through them. Cook. Take the dog somewhere good. Just take a break for a while, until that motivation starts bubbling up again, and you get an idea, and you can't wait to get home, and . . . You know what I mean. Sometimes you just have to not worry, and wait for it. It always comes back. But sometimes I think you just have to let yourself forget about it all for a while, so inspiration can sneak up on you again. It's a coy mistress.

S- Do you have any news you would like to share with our readers?

AP- Actually, yes! I haven't officially announced it yet, but I am working on my next book, which will be a collection of embroidery patterns – including "regular" embroidery, cross-stitch, and crewelwork. The book is basically a scrapbook of my favorite designs, applied to everyday objects in new, fresh ways. It has a very folksy, historical vibe. It will again be published by Potter Craft, and is due out in Summer 2010. I'm beside myself with excitement about it. My deadline is April 15, so I am working on it like mad.

S- What is your favorite craft supply?

AP- Ooooo, good question. Favorite craft supply. . . . I'd have to say that I'd be absolutely lost without my rotary cutter, ruler, and self-healing cutting mat. And my embroidery hoops. Not original, perhaps, but I use these guys every day, so it's nice to be able to give them props – thanks!

Wonder Thunder Interview and Giveaway!

2008-12-05T14:45:00.000-08:00

I have only recently had the pleasure of discovering the magic of Wonder Thunder but I am sure glad I did. They are a little bit like magic you know? Leave a comment here with contact info for your chance to win a 2.5" mini plush toast made by the WT team!

PY- How did Wonder Thunder come about?

WT- Wonder Thunder was assembled out of loose scraps, dirty screens, loose morals, and long winter days. We felt the need to fill our already busy days and nights with as much stuff as possible. The rest is history.

PY- Are you from a State that actually has thunder?

WT- Our lives in Tennessee were riddled with thunder storms, something we miss dearly here in the pacific northwest. Tennessee is known for it's sporadic tornado outbreaks, crashing trees, and volatile weather.

PY- You guys have a diverse collection. Who does what in your duo?

WT- We both come up with ideas and the illustrations, we typically draw things by hand then manipulate the drawings on the computer. Sasha screen-prints, Meagan sews. We both do the cutting, ironing, stuffing, embroidering, washing, folding, and cooking.

PY- Do you guys work on Wonder Thunder only or do you have "regular" jobs?

WT- Meagan works as a sculpture fabricator for a local glass artist, Sasha works part time at a couple record companies and does freelance design. Once the Wonder Thunder empire reigns supreme we plan to buy a vintage yacht and world peace.

PY- What is your favorite WT item currently?

WT- We celebrate the entire collection.

PY- What do you expect to be your big holiday seller?

WT- We'd like to sell out of everything. Honestly. Then we can pack up for the equator with empty consciences. We've been making lots of pillows the last couple weeks, it would be great to sell them. They are oh so soft.

PY- What do you guys listen to when you make stuff?

WT- Documentaries from the library, Dr Dog, The Band, Foals, Minus the Bear, Midlake, Murder by Death, Jenny Lewis, Black Moth Super Rainbow, NPR, This American Life, and Meagan plays MIA and Dan Deacon when Sasha's not around.

PY- What are some plans for 2009?

WT- We plan to expand into the pickle market. Seriously. We'll probably keep making different things as they come up.... shower curtains, lamps, paw paw witches, one apron, abridged autobiographies, and some other junk to peddle to the people.

PY- Where can people find your work?

WT- Online at wonder-thunder.com; in Seattle at Blue Bottle, Schmancy(soon!) & 20twenty(also soon!); in Brooklyn at Fact and Fancy; in Columbus, OH at Wholly Craft; in Murfreesboro, TN at Sugaree's; and in Portland, OR at Fontanelle. We'll also have some prints at Giant Robot SF during December.

PY- Funniest selling experience for 2008?

WT- That dog don't hunt. I mean, we don't have one.

Don't forget to enter here for your chance to win this guy!

Kayte Terry Interview and Giveaway!

2008-10-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

After a recent correspondence with Kayte Terry I have been totally addicted to her blog. I like to think that I am also an omni-crafter so I really enjoy the variety of amazingness she has there. It is very inspiring! Kayte has made really amazing and unique pieces for the last few Plush You shows and did a really nice writeup of the show last year for Adorn Magazine. Her awesome book, Complete Embellishing: Techniques and Projects is equally as inspiring. Full of fun projects that any omni-crafter will enjoy! Leave a comment here with contact info for your chance to win!

S- Can you first let our readers know a little bit more about you?

KT- Sure! I am a stylist/writer/crafter living in Brooklyn, NY. I love everything about making things and have been crafting for pretty much my whole life. I am definitely an omni-crafter and like making all sorts of different things but I am no good at making multiples. I like to use a lot of vintage materials so most of what I craft is one-of-a-kind. My favorite things are japanese craft books, paint by numbers, Liberty prints and the color pink.

S- You do a lot of writing for various publications on various crafty things and events. How did you get into freelance writing?

KT- I wrote a lot in college and always imagined that I would write really lofty art theory books after I got out of school. Of course, I totally stopped writing after college and didn't really pick it up again until I started blogging. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed writing. After that, I started writing a bit for Get Crafty and for the Adorn Magazine blog and eventually more jobs came in.

S- Because you do a lot of writing I imagine you get exposed to a lot. How has that fostered your craft? Has there been any negatives because of it?

KT- Yes, I am definitely always reading, researching, going to museums and shows...mostly I think it has a very positive effect on my craft because I have so many inspiring resources at my fingertips. I think that, as a crafter, it's really important to know what's out there, what the trends are and have a sense of the history of my craft.
There is definitely such a thing as inspiration overload though; sometimes it's hard for me to focus on one project and I always have to make sure that my own work isn't too derivative. Sometime I just have to turn off all the outside stimuli and focus on my on work.

S- How long have you been making plush? How does it differ for you than other mediums?

KT- I started making plush about five years ago. My first plushies were semi-deranged rabbits inspired by my very own bunny/muse Potato. After that, I experimented with pincushions. I made a few cupcakes and pears and I was hooked on making food.
There's something kind of ridiculous and impractical about making plush food that I love. I like challenging myself with more complex shapes and elaborate meals. Since most of my plush food takes a really long time to make and is therefore pretty expensive to sell, I make them for my own joy. When you craft for a living, it's nice to make things that you don't really think of as "product".

S- You book, Complete Embellishings: Techniques and Projects is really fantastic! How did that come about? What are some of your favorite projects in the book?

KT- Thanks!
It kind of came out of the blue. Collins and Brown, the British publisher that put out the book, contacted Christina, the editor at Adorn magazine (where I was working as a stylist and crafter) and asked if they had suggestions for a person who would be good for a cool book about embellishing. She suggested me and I started working with them on a Table of Contents.
I have always been a big fan of embellishing and sent them a bunch of pictures of things I have done to my own wardrobe plus projects I have made for magazines. I love the idea of taking something boring from your closet and making it amazing and cool again. I have been known to do some crazy renegade embellishing to my clothing when I am getting dressed to go out so it was a subject I was really passionate about.
My favorite projects are the Victoriana Cardigan and the Prize Ribbon Skirt but it's hard for me to choose just two! I like both of these because at first, when I started making them for the book, I wasn't really sure how they were going to work out. Especially with the Prize Ribbon Skirt, it started as one of my least favorite projects and morphed into a favorite as I tweaked and redesigned it.
I like the idea that embellishing is an organic process and I hope that each reader feels free to make each project to their own tastes. I really wanted to provide people with tools to embellish different things but I don't want to tell people exactly what fabric or trims to pick or which colors to choose.

S- Are you working on anything new in the book publishing side of things?

KT- Yes! I have a book coming out with Chronicle books next fall. The book will be all about appliqué and features 35 projects with some great contributors! Otherwise, I have been writing for the Craft Stylish blog and working on their magazine too.

S- Do you have any advice for folks that are interested in getting published?

KT- Do some research: go to a book store and see what's out there, what can be improved upon and what crafters seem to be really into now. If there are twenty books written on the same subject, you might want to tweak your subject matter. If there are none, you want to ask yourself if there is a wide enough market for the book. If there are a few, then you are probably in pretty good shape. Make sure you can show why your book will be different and/or better than those books.
Get a book about writing a non-fiction proposal or, if you have a friend who has written a book, get their advice. A book proposal should convey the tone of the book and give a little peak into what the rest of the book will be. You should write a sample chapter or two and be prepared to make a few samples of projects. Also, you should tell your publisher what you can do to help promote and market the book.
Writing a book is a team effort from start to finish.
You don't have to get an agent but I really recommend it. They do take a percentage of your advance but they will help you get a better deal so it usually works out in your favor. One more thing: don't expect to make a fortune, especially on your first book. It is a ton of work but it is really rewarding too! (S- I second that :)

S- What are some of your favorite crafty resources?

KT- I love Etsy of course and buy a lot of my craft supplies on Ebay too. My favorite fabric store is definitely Purl Soho here in New York and I love all the stores in the Garment district. I love getting lost in the craft section of Kinokuniya, purveyor of wonderful Japanese books. I read a lot of craft, design and art blogs too and enjoy getting lost in the blog spiral, where you just click from link to link to link. You never know what you're going to find!

S- Where do you see your business in the next 3 years?

KT- I would love to have another book or two in the works. Writing books has been so amazing and satisfying. I would like to do some more styling for other people's craft books too; I styled my own book and Diana Rupp's book and I really love it.
Someday, I want to be on Martha's show too! That's when I know I have really made it!
(S- I second that one too!)

S- Anything else exciting you might like to share with our readers?

KT- I am just so happy to be able to do what I love to do. Even though I work eighty hours a week and almost every weekend, it's totally worth it.

Don't forget, leave a comment here with contact info for your chance to win Complete Embellishings signed by Kayte!

Look What I Can Do- Interview and Giveaway

2008-10-07T11:39:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be appropriate to have a Plush You! loyal this week as it IS the WEEK of Plush You! It still blows my mind. Anywhooo, Dawn is one of my favorite people on Plush Planet. She came into Schmancy when I just opened with a HUGE bag full of the most amazing plush creatures I had seen. It's been a pleasure to see Dawn grow in the plush community, the craft community and in her art. Her work is similar in a lot of ways to when she started but now it's just more fine tuned and perfected. It's no wonder that she has received a lot of attention. Her work is fantastic! It is my great pleasure to feature the plush-a-holic herself for this special week of Plush You! Leave a comment her with your contact info for your chance
to win your own creature picked by Dawn herself!

S- Why don't you first tell us all a little bit about yourself and how you started your business.

DR- I was home with my daughter and started to sew her some creatures. She had such fantastic reactions to my Plush Art and she was THE reason I was inspired to begin and keep sewing. Plus my friends and family saw them and kept telling me I should sell them. So after a bit of time I decided to open my Etsy shop, January 9th 2006. Etsy was not really that well known at the time, hard to believe now, so I really had to promote myself. I started reading a lot of craft/art related blogs and was really inspired to start my own blog too. That's when www.Plush-a-holic.blogspot.com was born July 22nd 2006 the same day I became a part of the Flickr community and both have really changed my life. I am also an amateur photographer and went to school for almost 4 years for photography so I absolutely loved being a part of flickr (still do) and I really missed the thrill of creating. I used to spend hours and hours in the studio and color darkroom. Sewing changed my life. It made me so happy and gave me a sense of purpose agian. It was something I could do while my daughther was home with me and still feel connected to something bigger than myself. Something I could do for me.

S- You have two kids now but you still amazingly make stuff, update your site, your flickr, etc. How do ya' do it?

DR- Well, if you look at my shop you will see that I have been a bit slow lately. Having a new baby really makes it hard to have the energy to create. I guess I am just driven to keep going so that I feel a part of something bigger than myself and if I am being really honest I don't want to disappear from the Plush Community. I have worked very hard to be involoved in it. The connections I have made in the craft/art world are really, really important to me. Plus I am addicted to making Plush Creatures. I really enjoy the process and the finished product too. It's all so exhilerating!

S- Since I have had the pleasure of seeing you "grow" in the craft world, I feel so happy to see how well received you have always been. Unfortunately I have also seen some people obviously rip off some of your style. How do you deal with that?

DR- Honestly I was not prepared for that part of sharing my craft/art. At first all these really nice people would email me on Etsy alerting me to folks that were doing stuff that was similar to mine. I thanked them of course and just tried to not let it get to me. I mean really we all make stuff from our hearts and if you are just copying someone else you really won't be successful. There is a fine line between stealing someone's ideas and being inspired. So I just keep doing what I do trying to grow and improve as I go and I don't really get involved in any weird stuff. I actually feel really good that people say I have my own 'style and I truly feel I have worked very hard to be recognized in the craft/art community.. We are all inspired by others and as long as we make our craft/art our own and it is coming form within us it will all be good.

S- You have also made some amazing friendships in the craft community. How do you foster these virtual relationships and how has it helped your business and creativity?

DR- I am not very good at networking in real life(although I am getting much better) so when the inter web came into my life to my surprise I was really comfortable with making connections. Being a stay at home Ma can get really lonely especially if you are not a joiner and sadly I am not. So I love Virtual friends and meeting them in real life has been amazing. I really am so very very grateful to all the love I have rec'd from the craft/art community via the web. It has changed my life in so many ways and continues to do so. As far as helping my business or creativity it actually helps me to keep going. It shows me that people think what I do is worth doing and I just love sharing so very much.

S- Since you've started, what have been some of the fondest memories you have had in your business?

DR-My fondest memories really all have to do with the people I have met. I love seeing where my Love=Creatures end up and the folks out there that collect my work and send me gifts. Geez...I could have never imagined any of it. It is truly amazing to connect with so many people. I also love being in Plush You, this will be my 3rd year. Seriously it is such an amazing show and getting to be part of the book was AMAZING. Thanks so very much Kristen for all the opportunities you have given me and so many other Plush Artists.

S- If you and your family were to go on a 3 week road trip, what craft supplies would you have to have with you?

DR- Well....a bunch of sewn bodies that were stuffed and ready to detail, lots of thread and needles of course!! :)

S- What do you look forward to for 2009?

DR- Obama as president, sleeping more, having a social life, more time with family and friends, going out with my hubby...oh you meant in my Plush Life....
Having more time to make all the ideas that are swimming around in my head come to life. Acquiring more sewing skills to bring some of my ideas to a different level. Meeting more and more folks from the craft/art/flickr community and maybe someday getting to be in another book. Mostly though I just want to sew more :)

S- Where to you see your business in the next 5 years?

DR- I see me being able to have the time to fill up my shop more often and diversify. I am nowhere near ready to stop so all I can do is go forward and progress.

S- Where can people find your work?

DR- www.LookWhatICanDo.Etsy.com. www.Plush-a-holic.blogspot.com and again sooooon at www.Supermaggie.com

S-Since Plush You! is this Friday, how do you think shows such as this one, has helped your business grow?

DR- First of all Plush You ROCKS!!!!!!!!! It was one of the first shows of it's kind and I feel so very lucky to be a part of it. It enables you to meet a bunch of Plush folks and really see what they are up to and it definitely gets your work out there where tons of folks have access to it. Sometimes Plush Art gets kind of lumped into a hobby/craft category and shows like Plush You showcase it as an art and I really like that. Thanks so much Kristen for bringing so much attention to all the Plush and Plush artists out there. We Plush You xo

Thanks again Dawn for all your kind words and insight into your work!
Don't forget, leave a comment here for your chance to win your own Look What I Can Do creations!

Steff Bomb Gives away her Sole

2008-10-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

I discovered Steff Bomb when I started carrying her toy, Mr. Lertchman. She makes monsters and who can't appreciate that? I was so glad to see that she had applied to this year's Plush You show (which is next Friday btw??!!!!!). Leave a comment here with your contact info for your chance to win her Sole.

S- First tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into making plush toys?

SB- My name is Steff Bomb & i like making things? ha. i guess that pretty much sums it up. my favorite food is vegetarian corn dogs, my favorite color is brown, i love my boyfriend (his name is Evan & i think he is a dreamboat), and umm...i am allergic to cats (but i will snuggle them anyway).
i got starting making plush toys a few years ago when i lived with a bunch of friends back in Philly. i read about an all plush show called Plushtastrophe, in Pencil Fight #2. the show was amazing and oddly enough, it never dawned on me that you could do something like that. i have been drawing all of my life but never had a medium that i felt comfortable with...but after reading that article, plush just made sense. the next day, i bought a cheap sewing machine from a wholesale liquidator and i have been sewing ever since.
so, i guess, thank you Bwana Spoons. as it turns out, he is the 100% indirectly responsible for who i am today.

S- You haven't updated your site in awhile. What have you been up to since Oct. 2007?

SB- oh...you noticed that too, huh? heh...
i've realized that i am much better at keeping up with myspace than i am with my website, because i can update it on my own. i have never really been good with computer stuff. my friend Meghan Ansbach has been kind enough to offer to help me spruce up my website and even make the "news" section more of a blog...so that even with my lack of computer knowledge, i will be able to update it regularly.
i've been up to a lot, but its all sewing. actually thats pretty much all i have done since...but i am definitely not complaining. ha. i've also very very recently moved from Philly to Chicago. before this year, i have never even left the east coast. i have to be honest, as much as i love living in Chicago so far...i love Philly pizza much better.

S- One of your toys, Mr. Lertchman had an international release through ESC-Toy. How did that come about and how did that change your plush making career?

SB- oh man, it changed everything. completely and totally. late 2006-ish, i received an email from Erick Scarecrow basically saying that he likes my work and was wondering if i ever thought of mass production. coincidentally around that time, i had starting researching mass production because i wasn't able to keep up with orders. i thought it over, decided "what the hell", and starting saving. by April 2007, i had enough money to pay for the production costs. i know it's not the the best toy in the world...but i collect toys too, so it was surreal to actually see mine in stores all over the world, on the same shelves as Friends With You and Uglydoll's. it's opened so many doors for me too. i still cant get over that i get to be in awesome art shows...let alone alongside people that i have admired for years. i am not going to mention any names (cough cough Heidi Kenney cough cough)...but i still get all giddy about that stuff.

S- You also do crochet. What are your favorite crafts right at the moment?

SB- if eating junk food, snuggling, and napping are crafts, then they are my favorite. i am not so good at crocheting, but i do knit. every winter, usually after the holidays...i need a mini-brake from sewing, so i will pick my knitting back up for a bit. also, before i moved, i rented out sewing space in my friends' print shop. so from time to time i would screen print on work, like the top & front of a pizza box i had stitched.
...but no matter what, sewing will always be my number one favorite.

S- Where are you selling your work these days?

SB- hmm...i know that Jinxed in Philadelphia carries my toys, along with Rotofugi in Chicago...but i am not too sure where else off of the top of my head. i will admit that after the Mr. Lertchman release, i totally googled "Mr. Lertchman" to see where he was being sold. i have a webstore but its kind of half-assed. that will definitely be updated too.

S- I am writing these up while I watch Project Runway. Where do you find your biggest inspirations?

SB- my friends. hands down. they inspire me and keep me motivated, even when they are currently 12 hours away. i love them and wouldn't be where i am today without their constant help and support. that and food. all i think about is eating. that's why most of the things i sew are food related. i'm just hungry.

S- You have had some great press. How do you contact folks to tell them about your new work?

SB- i am a big wimp & i am very easily intimated, so i usually don't...with the exception of
Plastic and Plush, sometimes i will write them an email if i sew a new product. they are super nice. i also just started to post new art on the Rotofugi forums, but that's about it. generally, i have been really lucky with all of this. i am still shocked whenever someone else is interested in what i do.

S- What are you goals between now and the end of the year?

SB- ooh...finally catching up with all of my work would be amazing, updating my website finally, cooking my first Thanksgiving dinner, and surviving my first Chicago winter.

S- What are the top 5 albums in your player while you work?

SB- currently it's:
Belle & Sebastian - "Dear Catastrophe Waitress"
The Notwist - "Neon Golden"
Into It Over It - "52 Songs"
Tristeza - "Spine & Sensory"
Engine Down - "To Bury Within The Sound"

S- Would you like to share anything else with are readers?

SB- if you love Tyra Banks animated gifs as much as i do, you can send your favorites to steff@steffbomb.com & i will send you a funny one of Arnold Schwarzenegger eating a carrot or something equally as amazing.

Don't forget to leave a comment here with your contact info for your chance to win her Sole.

Hine Mizushima Interview and Giveaway

2008-09-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

The second I saw one of Hine's pieces I immediately gasped and smiled. When I asked her to be in my button book and she said yes, I immediately gasped and clapped my hands. The second I read that she had also applied to Plush You! I gasped and jumped up and down. Her work is simply amazing. She is one of those people I think a lot of people are watching and on the edge of their seat wondering what she is going to come up with next. I really enjoyed interviewing her and hope you enjoy reading it. Leave a comment here with contact info for your chance to win one of her amazing camera camera cases!

S- For those Plush You readers who might not know who you are, can you give us a
little background information on you

HM- Hello! My name is Hine (pronounced [hee-neh]) Mizushima. I was born and raised in Japan. I majored in Japanese traditional paintings at an art university, and worked as a designer/Illustrator for paper products in Tokyo. Then after I met my husband, we decided to move to Rome, then Paris, then NY. And two years ago we moved to Vancouver, Canada with our lovely son, and at the same time my creative life was completely changed! I was always just an Illustrator, but now I'm a PSMAVA (Puppet-Stop-Motion-Animation-Video-Artist) and a (slow) crafter as well, and I just LOVE to make things..

S- You have had various bouts of fame, with your video for They Might Be Giants, to your plush creations making the rounds on various craft sites. Why did you decide to get into plush work?

HM- I've never thought of getting into plush work before. I didn't even know what "plush" meant! But when I started to work on the second stop-motion music video for a They Might Be Giants kids DVD a year and a half ago, the wife of one of the band members, Robin, who is a talented musician and also a super crafter, made some great needle-felted number-shaped puppets for the video. So I wanted/needed to make other characters and the props with the same materials to go with them. That was the beginning. It was actually a lot of fun and easy to create 3D stuff with felting wool! Since then, I have been getting into plush work little by little. My plush always has wire inside, so you can pose them however you want!

S- How did you start working with They Might Be Giants?

HM- First of all, I have to say that I REALLY love their music! One day, I stumbled upon 'How to make stop-motion video with your digital camera and iMovie' on the Internet. So I made a video with tiny puppets for their music, just for fun. Then I tried to post it on their My Space page, but I didn't understand how it works. Then I found 'send message' button instead, so I simply sent them the link of my video. Then a few days later, they contacted me, asking me to work on a video project with them! I REALLY freaked out, of course.... I'm working on a different project with them now.

S- Do you favor any medium over another?

HM- Felt, felting wool, wool yarn and printed fabric. I also like matt color paper and printed paper.

S- How often do you try to make new products?

HM- I don't have any scheduled plan, but I always have new ideas in my head and on my sketch book. So if I have time, I try to give my ideas shape. But usually it doesn't work well at first time. So I let it sit, wait until it's ripe, and then try again.

S- Your camera camera cases and Phone iPhone cases are amazing! How fast did those sell out? How do you market your new products?

HM- Thanks! Usually those sell out in a few hours. But it probably wouldn't happen if I could just list more items on my Etsy store on a regular basis! And I'm ashamed to say I don't market now. But I often upload pictures of my new products and artwork on my Flickr page, and actually many customers come to my Etsy store from there and end up buying. And fortunately many people write about my cases on their websites and blogs. It helps me a lot, and I really appreciate that :)

S- Your attention to detail is impeccable. Has this come with a lot of practice or have you always been a perfectionist?

HM- Umm...., if you could see my desk (aka chaos), you would not think I'm a perfectionist! Recently I just happened to find a hand-sewn felt camera case which I made once for my camera 4 or 5 years ago. I was so surprised because it was so ridiculously bad! So it seems I'm getting better now. I always like to make small things. I think it is in my blood from my mother.

S- If you could spend more time on one thing, what do you think you would spend it on?

HM- Creating the same more plush dolls in the series that I made for the Plush You show, and making a short stop-motion video with them, or .... cleaning my desk?

S- What do you want to see for your business in the next few years?

HM- I would love to have a solo show and publish a book of my artwork, and while I have had a few series of zakka produced in Japan, I would love to be able to do the same thing in outside of Japan. But first, I have to make more pieces!

S- Any place folks can find you other than your etsy shop?

HM- My artwork website
My Flickr
My blog (in Japanese!)
You can also watch one of my videos, "The Secret Life Of Six" with many plush (puppets) for TMBG kids music here (my actual video starts at the 1:00 mark) here

Don't forget, Leave a comment here with contact info for your chance to win one of her amazing camera camera cases!. Leave your favorite colors too! Winner will be chosen on Sept. 30th.

Full of Fluff Interview

2008-09-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

This will be the second year Carey Huffman of Full of Fluff has participated in Plush You! I LOVE her work! It's amazing, sells really quickly and each piece has tons of personality. This year's pieces are AMAZING!! I am so glad we finally were able to learn more about the woman behind this work. Enjoy!

S- First tell us a little bit about yourself and how you started Full of Fluff.

FoF- I started Full of Fluff a year or so back while I was working in my first job as a graphic designer right out of school. I needed more creative stimulation than what I was getting at work and I thought that blogging would force me to do more crafting and write about my work. I have always loved toys and I started making more and more just before starting the blog. Toys are fun and a great way to make art where the only standard is how warm the smile of the viewer is. I chose the name Full of Fluff because toys are literally filled with fluff and my intent is that the blog would always be light and fluffy no matter what I am making.

S- What is your favorite organizational tool?

FoF- Pegboard. I love that thing. I can quickly look at all my craft tools and find what I need. I like how there is no right and wrong place to put everything, most everything tends to go on the closest hook to my hand when I am working.

S- How much time do you get to dedicate to your crafts?

FoF- It never feels like enough but I am sure many would think of it as too much. I work a full-time job but most evenings and weekends I cram in some craft time. I also try to carry a small working project in my purse. It can be surprising when you have some unexpected down time where you can get some work done. I also come up with a lot of my ideas while in meetings.

S- How do you promote your work?

FoF- I keep a blog and use flickr and craftster. People also love free stuff so whenever I post a free pattern I get a ton of traffic to my site.

S- What has been one of your most popular characters?

FoF- My biggest hit is my crocheted pacman but that is not an original character of mine. People like my Kitsume and what I am now calling my imps.

S- How long does it usually take you to make a guy from conception to final product?

FoF- That depends on the project. My fast time was about 3 hours where I made a sleepy kitty one lazy morning but it took me almost a year to make the right whale.

S- What is your favorite craft supply?

FoF- I have a real soft spot for cotton anything. Maybe it is the Georgia girl in me. I like how cotton does not pill or fuzz and looks nice and crisp. One of my favorite tools is a nostepinne, also known as a ball-winder-stick-thingie.

S- What is one of your biggest guilty pleasures?

FoF- I think I visit cuteoverload a thousand times a day.

S- Where do you see Full of Fluff in the next 2 years?

FoF- I hope to be more productive. I want to start making more toys and selling them on a regular basis. I also want to start writing more patterns so people can make their own toys and other fun stuff.

S- Any news you would like to share with our readers?

FoF- I hope to have my first for sale pattern up on my site soon.

Fluffels Interview and Giveaway!

2008-09-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

Fluffels are sometimes fluffy, often times adorable, occasionally sinister lookin' little creatures by Mariska Vos-Bolman. Mariska will be showing once again at Schmancy for this year's Plush You show! I love these little guys and hope you do too. Leave a comment here for your chance to win your own Cute Kitty Kit. Don't forget to leave contact info so we can tell you you won!

S- In case our readers don't know who you are, can you please briefly describe what Fluffels are and how you got started?

F- Fluffels are crazy but very cute soft toys. I try to give my creations a lot of character that will put a smile on your face. The name Fluffels is a combination of the dutch word for soft toys: Knuffels and the word Fluffy. Two years ago I bought my first sewing machine, after looking scared at it for two weeks (I was sure I was going to hurt myself) I tried my first project, a pillow. Then I made a Soft toy and there was just no stopping. :)

S- In 2007 you quit your Video game job to be a full-time plush artist. What made you take the plunge?

F- I wasn't enjoying myself at my old job anymore. I was doing the same thing for years and was pretty bored, I was making soldiers all the time. The Company itself was great, wonderful people. But I really needed a change. I already started making plush and selling them to several shops around the world. Doing this was so much more fun for me that I thought I'd give it a try. I won't say it isn't hard. But I'm enjoying myself and It is going better every month.

S- How have you marketed yourself to reach new audiences?

F- Enter lots of plush shows :) . You have to do a lot of marketing. Sent your creations to blogs, make a Flickr page. Don't expect to just start selling without doing any marketing. Hand out your business card to anyone you know, they might know someone that can help you do a bit of marketing.

S- Your gallery section is awesome! I love the Seattle pics! Do you have regular fans sending you their guys in their homes and whatnot?

F- Thank you! Some of them are sent to me by people and some I found on flickr and asked them if I can put them on my website. I think it is really cool when people send me a photo of their Fluffel! Some of the photo's are made by myself, I carry the Fluffels around to lots of places.

S- It seems like you have participated in a lot of plush shows. What have been some of your experiences with doing shows such as Plush You?

F- I love doing plush shows! It is so much fun to have Fluffels showcased in a show!
I see photo's appear on Flickr and that is so great! Most of the shows are in the USA, and since I'm in the Netherlands I just can't visit them. That is a shame, I hope to visit one one day.

S- You do really awesome DIY patterns as well. When did you start making them and how has it been giving out your patterns?

F- Thanks! I start making them a few months ago. I call them DIY Fluffies, because the style is a bit different then the normal Fluffels. The idea of people that are being crafty with my patterns is just great! I already had a lot of positive feedback and I'm planning on creating many more. For the tutorials I was inspired by the Japanese craft books, I loved the way they make illustrated tutorials to explain everything. You don't even have to understand Japanese and you can still make them. That's is exactly what I wanted to for my tutorials. Not much reading but cute clear illustrations.

S- How often do you create a new design?

F- I try to create a new design a least twice a month. But I'm pregnant now, so things are going a bit slower then usual. The baby comes first. :)

S- How often do you do custom work?

F- Almost never, only different color version of the Fluffels. I did do them in the beginning, but I prefer making my own designs. It takes up a lot of time and I have to many ideas of my own that I want to create.

S- What are your goals for the new year?

F- If I have enough time I would love to create a soft toy tutorial book. But that will take up a lot of time, first some more Fluffels, DIY Fluffies patterns and kits.

S- Where else can people see your work?

F- website
flickr site
patterns on etsy
etsy shop

Comment here with your name and contact info to win your own Fluffels Cute Kitty Kit

Geek Freeks Interview

2008-08-26T11:26:00.001-07:00

One of my all time favorite shows is called Freaks and Geeks - The Complete Series. I might have already mentioned that. Something about freaks and geeks always gets my goat. I love the work that the folks behind Geek Freeks have been doing. It's another geek freak combo that is too hard to resist.

S- Please explain who Geek Freeks are for our readers.

GF- Geek Freeks are the little critters we make out of felt, polar fleece and stuffing.
They are designed by Xander and then sewn together by Karla.

S- How did you get interested in the plush medium?

GF- Through our many many hours of blog exploring we'd discovered lots of talented
people out there who were producing really cool styley and original plush toys and thought "We can do that!"

S- You both have other full time jobs, what do you do and how do you
balance plush making with your day jobs?

GF- Karla is a Tattoo Artist here in Auckland (www.artofkarla.blogspot.com) and Xander is an animator/character designer (www.mukpuddy.blogspot.com)
The balancing part can be really hard, especially with our day jobs being so involving. It does help that those jobs are also creative so we're bringing different influences to the table. There's definietly alot of late nights and weekends taken up sewing and cutting out toys, it can be very tiring but thankfully we still enjoy it, and it's very rewarding when people want to buy your stuff!

S- How is the craft/art community in New Zealand?

GF- Well, as you'd imagine it is pretty small but there seems to be a resurgencence in craft making worldwide recently, especially with young people and we, as well as, a bunch of others down here in NZ, are definitely trying our best to do our bit. Karla and her friend City have just started organising a craft market here in Auckland, Kraftbomb (www.kraftbomb.blogspot.com) to help launch and showcase local crafters...It's gonna be huge!

S- As you are both surrounded with art, what are some of the most
inspiring things you encounter?

GF- As the designer behind the plushies Xander derives alot of his inspiration from cartoons and things from his childhood like "The Muppet Show" and the awesome toys he grew up playing with in the 80's.
As for Karla, she gets inspiration from her day job as a tattoo artist (you will be able to see this in our latest Plush You entry!)

S- Where would you like to see Geek Freeks in the next 2 years?

GF- That's a hard one, obviously we want to be successful in whatever we set out to do. But it's a really hard thing to do part-time, especially when everything is completely hand stitched (that's right, no machines are used in the making of our toys) I think the main thing is we just hope to still have fun doing it! If it stops being fun then I think we'll find something else to do!

S- If your guys could give advice to the world, what might they say?

GF- "Don't judge a plush by its cover!"

S- Where would you guys go on holiday if you could go anywhere in the world?

GF- Right now it's the middle of a miserable winter here in NZ (it's been raining almost every day since May) so we've been dreaming of going to a tropical island somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and just lying on the beach for weeks sipping cocktails! Yum!

S- What are some of your favorite plush artists?

GF- Geez, there are so many, but here are a few off the top of our heads: Lauren Faust, Jared Deal, Jen Rarey, Heidi Kenny, Anna Chambers, Cutesypoo.......

S- Any places our readers might be able to see your work?

GF- Geek Freeks blog
Geek Freeks website
Geek Freeks on Myspace

Beeper Bebe Interview and Giveaway!

2008-08-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

I really like the work by Beeper Bébé. It's really cool to think that this woman has only been making toys for three years now! Her work is really amazing. It's my great pleasure to interview Holly this week. Leave a comment here for your chance to win your own Woodland Baby Beasts, Your choice of which animal you would like too! Leave a comment along with your contact info.

S- How long have you been making plush?

BB- I’ve been making plush since my son was about 1 year old—which is the marker in my mind because his birth really gave birth to my interest in making toys. I have always been crazy about toys—although it was largely in secret from my friends and family because I felt it was kind of weird to be an adult and still love plush toys so much. Then, I had a friend who offered me the opportunity to participate in tandem with her in a neighborhood art crawl so I thought I would finally give it a try and make some patterns for some plushies. And they sold really well, and it all evolved from there. So, all said, I guess I have making toys for about 3 years now.

S- It seems like you use a lot of recycled materials. Where do you get most of your supplies?

BB- I do use a lot of recycled materials. I have utterly fantastic thrift shops in my neighborhood in south Minneapolis and I buy almost all of my stuff from one in particular—Savers. Although, I do have friends who offload their old sweaters and crafting miscellany to me knowing I will find a use. But I buy loads of wool and cashmere sweaters at my local thrift store, and unused fabric that they always seem to have in unreasonably large pieces (especially fleece), wool tweed suit coats, and then anything extra I might be looking for to make a particular piece. And I find a way to use most of the items I thrift—for instance, with a cashmere sweater, I will save the cuffs and make little scarves and cardigans and hats for my smaller plush, then I make little cashmere hats for babies from the bottom portions of the sweater with the ribbing, and will make larger plush from the body and arms of the sweater—and scraps that are smaller are made into smaller plush like my Beddy Bye Beasts, or if they are too small to use, I toss them in a sack and use some of these in combo with fiberfill to stuff my plush. So it is really like the native American philosophy of using the whole animal and wasting as little as possible.

S- You have been making those adorably small bitty bebe's a lot more. Is a lot different making items that small? Why did you choose to go so small?

BB- I chose to go small because I personally love bitty things and think when things are smaller, they are somehow more adorable. And I had this image in my mind of a little hand sized doll I had when I was 6 years old and her little clothes and how easy it was to carry her around in my little purse and always have her with me— I always found having to my toys with me to be comforting. So I wanted to create something that could create that experience for other kids.

Certainly, working smaller has its challenges. It required a whole new set of tools to be able to turn out all those little corners smoothly and firmly stuff the doll. And I also had to trace my patterns onto the fabric (rather than pin them on as I usually would) because such little pieces require much more accuracy in shape or you end up with blobby, instead of bitty, baby parts.

S- Where do you get inspiration?

BB- My son inspires me. All the time. I started with making plush animals of every variety because my son is MAD about animals of all varieties and creed. I love to observe his creative play because it always inspires me. It just so funny how he will have a Batman action figure interacting with a rubber alligator (hugging it, for instance), inside of a vintage Little People hospital or something. I also get a lot of inspiration from nature--my woodland Baby Beasts were actually inspired by the real animals you can find here in the forests of Minnesota.

And of course, other plush makers inspire me. It is an ever evolving list of who I find inspirational, but Jess Brown, Eveluche, November Moon, Fern Animals, Flying Star Toys, and Clive + Sunshine are who I am in love with right now. And I always love Lizette Greco—everything she makes and how she makes it is phenomenal.

On a non-plush related note, I also find this sight about thrifting and living greener to be both hilarious and inspirational: Secondhand Nation.

S- If you told a stranger what you make, how would you describe your work?

BB- Handmade dolls and plush made from other people’s unwanted stuff. That’s it, in a nutshell.

S- When are you the most productive?

BB- Anytime I can find a quiet hour or two in my workshop—usually during my son’s naptime, or at night, with a cup of green team beside me, maybe a little piece of dark chocolate. I also go into productive overdrive about a month before I am in any sort of art fair—I tend to procrastinate and find the pressure of impending deadlines to be, well, hastening to the need to SEW NOW.

And I do a lot of hand sewing and embroidery work on airplanes while I am held captive by the airlines for my day job—although I do find that the motion of a needle is unnerving to fellow passengers—and I do get various sewing implements confiscated by security from time to time (seam rippers, bigger needles, etc).

S- What do you like most about working in this medium?

BB- I love working with reclaimed materials most—it aligns with my values around using what you have in the interest of using fewer resources from the earth. We are a total throw away culture so there is loads out there to work with. And it is always a surprise what can be found at the thrift store and this in and of itself brings me inspiration—I mean, a shaggy white faux fur vest? How could I not find inspiration in that (it became a Woodland Baby Beast bird, by the way)?

But I love making plush because I like to think they can offer comfort, innocence, happiness, and creativity to the world. As sappy as it is, I like to believe the caring I have in making my plush, are somehow felt on the other end with the kids who receive them.

S- Where do you live and how long have you lived there for?

BB- I live in Minneapolis and have lived here for almost 10 years now. We own a great old house that was built in1920, that is in the midst of a diverse neighborhood. Minneapolis is a truly cool city—it has a great music scene, has a deep dedication to the arts, and there are loads of parks to get out and enjoy the seasons in. There are so many art fairs that take place here, and so many galleries to peruse, and also, great ethnic restaurants. Although we do talk about moving away to the “big woods”, I am not sure we are honestly prepared to leave the opportunities of the city behind.

S- What are you most excited for in this year?

BB- Being in the Plush You show—really, I am! And I am excited about working on several new plush designs—I have a whole 5 page list of ideas just waiting to be designed and sewn up. I want to make some plush based off some of my childhood drawings I recently blogged about, and I have at least 2 new dolls designs, and I want to make a snake that can swallow some things because my son is crazy about snakes, and I have some all new animal designs I am working out…

S- Any news you would like to share with us?

BB- News? Well, I have a blog I just started a couple of months ago and am still working out the flavor—it is evolving. It is called Chez Beeper Bébé. It really covers my life as a plush artist, my home life (lots of cooking and recipes), and some of the more fantastic parts of my boring corporate day job (mostly the travel part).

I am anticipating being in the No Coast Craft O’Rama again this December, so am already preparing for that. I love the vendors at the sale and I love the shoppers—and the location is just a few blocks from my home. And the girls who run the sale rock. One of my best friends joined me last year to help out in my booth, and we just chatted and drank coffee and ate coconut popsicles from the Latino grocery in the marketplace where the sale is held, and watched the ocean of holiday shoppers. I am hoping she will join me again this year because it was a blast. Popsicles and plush with a friend—does it get any better?

Don't forget, leave a comment here for your chance to win your choice of one of these!

Love and a Sandwich Interview and Giveaway!

2008-08-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have never met Chelsea but I sure would love to. Chelsea sent me the sweetest email along with her answers that put a smile on my face. I forget that some folks have been reading this little blog of mine for awhile and it's nice to know that it has inspired folks. I started seeing all of Chelsea's creations on our flickr pool and each time she updated a photo I thought, man I wish I felt ok about talking about her again! It is my great pleasure to have her up for an interview. Please leave a comment for your chance to win your own monster made by Chelsea herself along with your favorite color and contact info.

S- What was the first plushie you created? How did it go?

LAAS- I think my first ever plush was in my home economics class in middle school. I chose this super difficult cocker spaniel plush to make. The pieces were all there and all I had to do was sew them together, but I got bored of it real real fast. My mom finished it for me so I guess that doesn't count, haha. After that I tried it when I was 18, and I made this panda pillow out of an old tshirt and some night sky fabric from an old crafty christmas present. Oh boy was that horrible. It took me a good 10-12 hours to finish it, and it was lopsided and more bordering the lines of scary than cute. I gave it to my little sister.

S- How long have you been sewing and how did you learn?

LAAS- A little less than a year, actually, haha. I picked it up last summer while I was working at a craft store. One of my favorite artists, Brandi Milne, had started making these creepy cute dolls and I thought they were awesome & wanted to try it myself. I didn't know how to sew at all, I knew the basics of a straight stitch just from stitching random things to my clothes or to my backpack. So I took out some embroidery and doll making books from the library and taught myself! It took a lot of trial and error, and I learned a lot from plush specific books. I've made one (or more) almost every day for the past year. I still haven't mastered the art, but everyday I get faster & learn more. It's like anything else... the more you do it, the better you become.

S- How is your alphabet project coming along? What made you do that?

LAAS- I finished it! A little less than a week ago. I put them all together in a nice little digital collage to show them all together. I started it because I wanted to have some sort of plush-specific goal to work on. Something that would take awhile but I'd have a lot to show for it. Plus I've just always loved projects revolving around the alphabet, because I'm always thinking things like "oh man, what are they gonna do for X!? or Q! Those are toughies!" Things like that are exciting to me.

S- How do you promote your work? What do you think has helped you the most?

LAAS- I try to be active on as many sites as I can find. I'm a part of myspace, craftster, getcrafty, indiepublic, livejournal, deviantart, flickr, conceptart, etsy and probably some others I can't think of. I contribute, enter contests, update often. I figure the more places I'm on, the more chances of getting noticed I have. Probably what has helped me the most was updating so often, and keeping my work fresh in peoples minds. I was always working on new things and updating, and I think that always helps a lot.

S- Have you made more mini plush earrings? Those were super cute!

LAAS- Haha thank you! I havent made too many recent ones, but I remake the popular old ones because they sell really well. I've remade the yeti ones a little less than 20 times. I do want to come up with new designs, and this reminded me! I probably will real soon. I didn't realize how popular wearing little fuzzy guys on your ears would be. I've made about 15(?) earring monster designs, plenty of room for more.

S- What is your most popular character? What is your favorite character?

LAAS- My most popular is probably my first big monster, Weeko. I've remade him about five times, two were special orders. They were my most expensive monster by a longshot, and every time I listed one they were gone so fast! One of the special orders I did was a 2 foot tall Weeko! And he had a 3 foot antlerspan. It was excitingly huge & the biggest plush I've made (so far).
Oh man, I couldn't choose my favorite plush, that's like asking a mom to choose their favorite kid! But if I had to choose I'd probably choose one of my 90s rappers bears I made for the Crammed Organisms shows. I worked on them so hard. Fresh Prince of Bear-air probably was the best, because the name just worked so perfectly & he had the best accessories. A huge flat top, shutter shades, neon striped hoodie and an attitude problem.

S- Where can folks find your work?

LAAS- on my shop! http://loveandasandwich.etsy.com or my blog http://threeeasysteps.livejournal.com

or on a lot of sites, but I update & post the most work on
http://loveandasandwich.deviantart.com &
http://flickr.com/photos/loveandasandwich

S- Name the top five albums played during your plush making.

LAAS- Chromeo= Fancy Footwork
Daft Punk= Alive 2007
The Essential Michael Jackson
Run DMC Greatest Hits
Any album by The Knife

I also listen to a looot of audiobooks. Roald Dahl books are the most fun to listen to. Especially when read by a very old british man.

S- What is your favorite part of making plush?

LAAS- It used to be writing their mini life stories & giving them names. But I recently moved from a plain flat city in Illinois to a green mountainous small town in New Hampshire, and now my favorite part is filling up a backpack of my monsters and taking them around to rivers and up mountains to take pictures of them in their "natural habitat". Or just thinking up cute scenes for pictures in general. I really want to make a monster photo book.

S- Any exciting news you would like to share with us?

LAAS- I have a website in the making! loveandasandwich.com Right now all it is is an enter page, but it's a damn good one! It's fairly close to done, it might even be done by the time this interview is posted! But probably not.

Thanks again for wanting to interview me!
<3Chelsea

Serena Kuhl Interview and Giveaway!

2008-07-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

I have had the pleasure of working with Serena Kuhl for several Plush You! shows along with her contribution to Plush You!: Lovable Misfit Toys to Sew and Stuff. She has always been supportive, inspiring and her work is funny to boot. I am so glad we finally have her for an interview. Leave a comment here for your chance to win your own cannibal bunny! Don't forget to leave contact info!

S- Can you first tell us more about yourself and how you got into sewing plush toys?

SK- My mum taught me to sew when i was really young, I used to sew a lot of pillows! I'd get sick of doing it half way through and then start making the stitches bigger and bigger! Then when i started school I was shown how to make these snake characters out of old tights, you were supposed to put them in front of doors to stop the draughts, so I ripped a lot of my stockings so i could make a legion of them! I didn't really make toys again until i was at art school. a bunch of female students were asked to respond to the theme "Male" in a sculpture, so i made a pile of pastel coloured phallic objects out of plush, and have been making them ever since

S- I feel like since our first encounter you have really expanded your work and your customer base. How have you reached galleries and shops so far away?

SK- Myspace is suprisingly helpful. It appears it's useful for something other then helping teenagers hook up! People have seen my work and requested it, or I send an email off to them. You get as many rejections and acceptances obviously, as there is a core crew who are operating at a professional level, and you find their work in every toy shop known. Ugly Dolls are a good example of this. A lot of shop owners are wary of investing space and money in something outside of the well exposed artists. and as I'm in a very isolated pat of Australia, everywhere is a long way away from me! So sending stuff to Sweden, the US or Melbourne doesn't really make a lot of difference.

S- You have also started curating your own plush shows. Can you tell us a bit how that came about and how others can get involved?

SK- Obviously i was influenced by you and the incredible success of the Plush You shows! I had had an idea for awhile about using the same format as the vinyl figure custom shows in plush, and then artists like Mju and Cupco got their versions out there, so I thought i better get on it! We have a Flickr group and a blog which has all the details, currently there is a lot of artist's profiles being posted, so it's another source of plushy info, along with the great Plush You blog. It's at http://plush-it.blogspot.com. Currently we have a full roster of artists, but if we decide to hold the show again next year, we'll send out a call to artists.

S- What are some of your most popular characters?

SK- Gimp bunnies, Poltergoost, and Bunbun. The first two I get, the last one is a weird looking pink bunny, and i don't understand it's appeal at all

S- I love the blood and whatnot you add to some of your characters...of which you did a fantastic tutorial for Plush You! book. Do you experiment a lot with various materials and how has that helped make your products unique?

SK- Actually no. Originally i was trying to make a clear drool with the silicon you use to seal windows, and that didn't work out too well. I then found dimensional paint. i used to use it just to embellish my plush, then i made the first Cannibal Bunny and it all fell into place very easily. You could say I'm just a natural at fake blood making!

S- I know you are a school teacher, have you made plush toys with your students and have any of them gotten into the plush movement?

SK- I don't really do plush at school. I assist any student whose interested, but kids get very leery when you try to push what you're into in a class. I also have classes with a lot of boys in it, and it's hard to sell plush as a manly thing to 15 year olds. Funnily enough, they're much more accepting of plush ideas when visiting artists suggest it. But we do do a lot of character design and stencilling, and my insane streak gets full range there

S- Because you have a full time job, how often do you even get to spend on creating new characters, participating in shows, etc.?

SK- A lot, but that's because I don't have a life! We have recently bought a house, so we can't afford to do anything except clean and renovate or hang around the house, so I spend my time making critters and coming up with new ideas. Luckily my partner is incredibly supportive, he assists with ideas and back stories all the time

S- What would you like to see for the plush movement at large?

SK- Maybe get a little more acceptance? Plush seems to be almost the poor cousin of vinyl. Looking at artists like Robyn Fabsits, her work is beyond what a lot of vinyl artists are creating. she rocks!

S-Where do you see yourself in the next 2 years?

SK- Getting a website together....yeah that might take 20 years

S- Any places we might find your work in the next few months?

SK- I have several pieces going to a Monster show in Sydney Australia, at Ruban Rat Gallery. Gallery 1988 in San Fran was kind enough to invite me to be a part of their monster show as well. Larry's Corner in Sweden just bought a shipment of my stuff, so Scandanvian buyers can get stuff from there, and Gallery 696 in Melbourne Australia has also just stocked my stuff as well

Don't forget, leave a comment here for your chance to win your own Cannibal Bunny!

Coco Howard Interview

2008-07-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

I am trying to remember the first time I saw Coco Howard's work. (I went over the questions and now I do) I had heard of her because her son Atticus shopped at Schmancy and told me his mom made some plush creatures. All I can remember in my sleep deprived state is how much I was in awe of her work when I finally got to see it in person. I do remember emailing a bunch of folks telling them about it and how they had to see it! It's really amazing-that's all there is to it. I am thrilled that she will be showing this year at Plush You! and so excited to see what she does next. Until then, here's more information about Coco for you. Leave a comment here (with your contact info please) for your chance to win your very own Coco Howard design!

S- Where to begin....Well for our readers that might not know much about you yet, can you please tell us more about you and your work?

CH- I grew up in Hawaii but have been living in Seattle for the past 20 years. At age 21 I had my first child, Atticus. He started drawing at an early age, and his artwork was my original inspiration for getting into character design. When he started school, I volunteered so I could be with him more often, and it was there that I got the opportunity to start an art therapy program. The program focused on plush toy making, and seeing what the kids made inspired me to start making plush on my own for fun. I’d been selling and giving creatures to friends and family, and a lot of people told me that I should try to sell them professionally, but I never thought it would be practical. Then last year I became a single parent and now I need to financially support my family on my own. My hope is that building the Softlife business will allow me the flexibility to parent while earning an income at the same time.

S- The first things I saw of your work were your amazing needle felted wall art at Anne Bonny. Since then, you have moved on to HUGE installations, recycled materials, various animals and creatures. Was the needle felting where it began or just the first stuff I saw?

CH- My first plush were felted dolls and creatures made from recycled sweaters that I made with the kids in my art therapy program. It wasn’t until I started making things at home on my own that I developed the felted paintings, which are my real passion, although they’re extremely time-consuming!

S- You started a blog sort of recently. I love looking at it to see what you are up to and read all the cute stories, see the clever pictures and whatnot. How much time do you spend on your blog daily and how has that helped you as an artist?

CH- The Softlife blog started in February, sort of on a whim. I had an idea to do a daily creature blog and started it the next day. I think I spend 3-4 hours a day on the blog, including making creatures, taking photos, and writing the story. Sometimes I feel limited by all the time that I have to devote to it, but it’s also good because it keeps me disciplined and forces me to create a steady stream of a variety of characters in order to keep the blog fresh. I’ve also really developed as a photographer, which I had no experience with before starting the blog.

S- Your work has a Japanese feel to it. Like your creatures belong in Miyazaki films. Where do you get your inspiration from?

CH- Japanese character design has been a huge influence on me. As a child of the 70s growing up in Hawaii, I was exposed to Japanese character design like Sanrio early on. Aranzi Aranzo has been a big influence on my work. The idea for the blog was inspired by an early Aronzo photo book that I found in the 90s. My kids really love Miyazaki and I’ve watched all his movies with them. His work is incredible. My biggest source of inspiration continues to be children’s art. I like things that blend light with dark to create a sort of mystery or surrealism.

S- You have some big pieces up in Seattle but you mentioned recently that you would like to do larger installations. How long do those big guys take and do you sell them?

CH- It takes me about 2 full working days to complete one of the 5-foot tall Denizens. The tough part is finding materials to fill them with. The Denizens that I make have inspired me to do larger things. My dream art project is to do life-size plush environments. I’d also really like to do needle-felted murals.

S- What have been some of the great unexpected pleasures you have received since you started crafting?

CH- In just the first year of starting Softlife, I’ve met a ton of other artists. It’s been really fun to share ideas and get inspiration from them. I’ve also been amazed at how much positive feedback I’ve gotten from people. Another thing that’s surprising is the fact that the more I do, the more ideas I have for new things I want to do.

S- Your pictures are great. I especially loved June 19th with the slug. Have you ever thought of making a little book or something for all of them?

CH- Doing the photography for the blog has opened up a whole new world that I’m really enjoying. One of my motivations for doing the daily creature blog for a year was the collection of photos that I’d have when I got done. I’ve recently begun to toy with the idea of putting together a photography show of photos from the blog, and I’d love to make a book out of the blog one day. If anyone out there wants to give me a book deal, I’m ready!

S- What are some of your big goals as an artist for this year?

CH- I have a lot going on this year. I’m doing the Plush You show in Seattle, as well as the one in San Francisco. Then there’s a third show in New York with Gallery Hanahou. A big goal of mine is to get the Softlife business up and running, and to expand awareness of it. Keeping up with the blog is another big one. I also want to look into getting grants that would allow me to do larger installations.

S- What are you most excited for in your career thus far?

CH- What I’m excited about in my career is the idea that this could be a career at all—that it might be possible to do something I love and make a living at it.

S- Where else can Plush You readers find you?

CH- Anyone can find me at my open studio at the Anne Bonny in Capitol Hill. I’m usually here for a good portion of the day, Tuesday through Sunday. I love to talk to visitors and share ideas. I’ll also be at the 3 shows I mentioned—Plush You Seattle on October 10th, Plush You San Fran on November 7th, and Lovable Huggable in New York on January 7th. You can also communicate with me on the Softlife blog (http://softlifeindustry.blogspot.com/) that I’m working on everyday.

Friday Coco brought me this! I sure am one lucky lady.

Devout Dolls Interview and Giveaway!

2008-07-08T17:43:00.000-07:00

I believe that Sara Lanzillotta is one of the old school plush ladies out there. She makes amazing plush dolls from her Hollywood plush portraits to her two headed dolls. She's super talented, super sweet and I am glad she is finally up here with an interview. Leave a comment here with your contact info for your chance to win one of her owls.

S- How did you start sewing? When did you start developing toys?

DD- My mom tried to teach me to sew when I was pretty young since she was a sewer as a profession and my grandmother was a sewer. I, however, was way too impatient and stubborn and didn't want to learn so I managed to avoid it until I was about 20 when I started teaching myself. I used to draw a lot and eventually started coming up with ideas for dolls and stuffed things that I wanted. Since they didn't exist in the world, I realized I would have to make them myself. I didn't have a machine back then so I was doing hand sewing. Eventually it lead to me getting my own machine. Once I had all the knowledge and accessories I went to town and made as many different things as possible. There was no looking back!

S- I see you at craft fairs all around town. Have you ever done shows outside of the PNW? Where can people find ya'?

DD- I occasionally do shows in Los Angeles. I'm from there so I get to cheat and use it as an excuse to visit family while I'm back. I do a lot of group shows as well that are across the country. It is easier to keep my shows close to home though so I tend to stay here a lot. If you're in Canada, you can find my things at The Lounge Collection in BC (www.theloungecollection.com). In Oregon I'm at Jaminga (www.Jaminga.com), and in Los Angeles I'm at Monkeyhouse Toys (www.monkeyhousetoys.com) Also, you can check out my "Stores and Events" page on my website. I list all my upcoming gallery and craft shows there. www.devoutdolls.com/stores.htm

S- Your squeakems, two headed dollies and mini pins seemed to really put you up on the list of plush makers. But your other dolls; such as the silver screen dolls, etc., are also really amazing. Which came first? How much time do you spend on both?

DD- I started with something more like my "floppy doll", very simple with clothing sewn straight onto the doll. My sister and I thought it would be funny to have a pretty doll in cute clothing but it would have something wrong with it like an extra head or extra arms and legs. I had so much fun making that first batch I just had to make more. The dolls led into me making plush monsters and then eventually into more structured art pieces. I split my time between the art dolls and making simple plush. I kind of have two businesses in a way. Half of it the easily reproduceable (but still one of a kind) plush and dolls that I sell to stores and on my website and the other half is more detailed soft sculptures for art shows and custom pieces.

S- You are also apart of the Blythe Doll club here in Seattle. I see that you are making and selling clothes for Blythe. How did you get into the Blythe Doll? Any suggestions on good sites to learn more about her?

DD- I saw the book by Gina Garan called "This is Blythe" many years ago and instantly fell in love. I started looking at Ebay at Blythe dolls and decided that $40 was just too expensive for an original Blythe. Ha! If I had only known what it, and I, was going to turn into! An original Kenner Blythe now goes for thousands! Takara (a Japanese toy company) is re-making Blythe now so it's much more accessable and you have many doll styles to choose from. I currently own 10 Blythe and am completely addicted. For fun in my off time I make doll clothes (yes, while I take a break from sewing for work, I sew for fun, what a nut!). I started selling my clothes at different doll shows and now have them on my Etsy site as well. I'm also part of a Seattle Blythe club. We meet about once a month and bring our dolls and take photos. It's really fun!

S- At the last IHR, you had a new owl design that is adorable. How often do you try to come up with new designs?

DD- I'm constantly thinking of new designs and new ideas. You have to in order to keep up with everyone else but also, to keep me from getting bored. I have so many ideas all the time, most of them don't get a chance to be made but I'll occaisionally go back to an old sketch and try it out. It's such a tedious process to come up with a new piece, I don't have the time to do a lot of them. I do try for at least one new line a year though. I think you need new items to keep people excited and to keep your business growing.

S- When you are not selling your work in fairs, how do you advertise your work?

DD- I am very spoiled and really do no advertising at all. I usually have more work then I know what to do with so I've stayed away from advertising fearing it would suddenly give me too much to handle. I've also slowed down the ordering off my website by not having a shopping cart. I still like to do things the old fashioned way I guess and have people write me for orders. That way they have the choice to really customize things and I make sure they get what they really want.

S- What is your favorite thing about designing toys and your line of work?

DD- My favorite thing about all of this is that I actually get to do it for a living! It's a dream come true, I still just can't believe it. I absolutely love being able to go into my imagination and create a character and then build that character out of fabric. I feel like I'm doing a magic trick every time. I've been able to create my own little world with all of the crazy characters involved and, better yet, people like them. So, my make-believe world is living on through other people's minds when they adopt the creatures, and in that way, adding to the story.

S- What are some things you would like to see for Devout Dolls in the future?

DD- I've thought about having a line of toys made by a larger company where I can just do the designing but, I go back and forth on that one. I have mixed feelings about it. I think, ideally, if I can just keep this up for as long as possible and still be able to live off of it, that's enough to keep me happy. I have very simple goals, that way I always accomplish them. I also believe in fate taking the reigns sometimes. If something big is going to happen, I welcome it but I don't really go looking for it.

S- What is on the horizon for you and your company?

DD- Definatley more gallery shows in the future, they're a lot of work but they keep my juices flowing. I'd like to do more animal/doll hybrids I think. I love animals and I love making doll clothes so I'm thinking of doing a cross between those two. Also, more accessory type items. I make scarves and pins now but I'd like to add some bags to that as well. And, of course, more Blythe clothes! I'm addicted, what can I say!

Dreamlets Interview

2008-07-02T16:01:00.000-07:00

I met the fantastic folks behind Dreamlets awhile ago now and thought they were delightful. I was so happy to see Amy at The Lab last week...and she even brought me a present :) Anyways, they were so nice to answer some very last minute questions so we could have our weekly interview. Leave a comment with contact info, for your chance to win TWO of your favorite dreamlets!

S- We've read about your business online and love your work... can you explain a little more about who Dreamlets is?

D- Amy: Dreamlets is a company, a brand, and a line of designer plush characters created by my business partner and beautiful designer, Matty Harper. We started the company in 2006, and have been actively selling Dreamlets since the beginning of this year. The name Dreamlets is inspired by a reference in Geek Love, a book by Katherine Dunn, but also speaks to one of our ideals - that dreams do come true and anything is possible.

Matty: "Dreamlets" is "Let's Dream" flip-flopped.

S- How long have you been making plush? What got you interested in creating your own line of dolls?

D- Matty: I made my first plush in 2004 (it was really horrible). It was a mangled body with a barely connected box head made from cotton sheet fabric with a bad floral print. Stanley was born just a week later... he was pretty cute considering.

I've been a graphic designer for 16 years now, and a lot of my clients sold "solutions" or software, things that really have no visual presence. It made me crave real physical products; industrial design is where my brain has been heading for a while now. I'm also an illustrator and felt like plush was a really accessible way to bring illustrations to life or off the page.

S- When I first met you two, you were just gearing up to launch your site (which is fantastic, by the way). Since then, your business seems to have really taken off! I've even noticed your work in a few higher-end stores, like Velocity. Is it still just the two of you running the show? Or has your company expanded to include more people?

D- Amy: Thanks for the complement on the site we like it too, kinda... Matty is actually in the process of totally redesigning it. We feel like we are already outgrowing it (bad planning:)

Yeah, we've been shooting for high-end stores, we love it when people appreciate Dreamlets for their design ascetic, so it's a natural fit to have them with a bunch of other museum quality pieces.

Matty: Dreamlets is growing like crazy beans. We have so many wonderful people. We bought this huge building in the middle of downtown Seattle to hold all these people and a private gym and daycare and stuff.... We have an office in Paris too, its a little smaller than the one in Japan. I'm constantly amazed at how much money there is in stuffed animals.

Amy: Matty seems to be confusing the dream with reality; really living the brand. But right now it's just the two of us...though we do have a couple of super smart interns that keep us on our toes, without them we tend to work really slow, they provide inspiration.

Matty: Our interns are real sexy too.

S- Also, given your success thus far, do you have any advice for folks looking to succeed in the plush industry?

D- Matty: Try to focus, and as odd as it might sound, don't be scared of success... This probably applies to anything you do. Also allow more time than you think for everything, it will all get to were you want it as long as you know where you want it and make steps, even small ones, toward it.

S- I love the giveback/charity program that accompanies your plush. How and when did it come about?

D- Amy: We really like the idea of products that make us happy and remind us to be kind or consider beauty or just to have something sweet to cuddle with after a long day. That said we also know that consumerism can take a toll on our environment in every sense of the word - socially, ecologically, visually, etc. So we give back to try to minimize whatever negative effects we might have. We started doing that from the very beginning, inspired by Patagonia.

Matty: We give to organizations that support creativity because we believe creative thought is what ultimately will save us; for example: it will take creativity to create more feasible alternative fuels and it creativity to get the world to start using them and it will take creativity for every step between.

S- Has anything in particular been inspiring you lately?

D- Matty: This is gonna sound narcissistic, but positive feedback for the Dreamlets has been really inspiring, it's been a long hard road and so when I hear that someone loves them I feel like I want to keep going...

Amy: I'm inspired lately by the bit of momentum we feel right now and the people we're surrounded by. I've always wanted to have a business where I worked with and for people I admire, where we made art, and could lead by example in the business world. Now, we're talking to more people like you, other people in the community, in the design world, our great interns, friends and family, and retail partners, and it feels like everyone wants to help us. I love how that works.

S- If your plush characters were asked to give one piece of advice, what do you think it would be?

D- Matty: Try to always have a soft smile, unless you have a huge smile, then you should have that one instead.

Amy: Be simple. Love like mad. Laugh like crazy every time you realize everything you want is here, just waiting for you to want it.

S- Are you planning to keep launching new characters?

D- Matty: If we don't have any secrets this isn't gonna be as much fun for anyone involved.

S- Anything else on the horizon for Dreamlets that we should know about?

D- Amy: Yes. :)

Don't forget, leave a comment with your contact info for your chance to win two of your favorite Dreamlets characters!

Sewing Stars Interview

2008-06-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

Teresa Levy of Sewing Stars is one of those masterminds behind the cute and cuddly. If you are a plush enthusiast, which I am assuming you are since you are here, then you most likely know who Teresa is. But on some crazy off chance you do not, well now you will. It's hard to look at anything she makes without a little part of you melting away in cute abyss.
I love her work and always enjoy seeing what she is going to come up with next. No matter what it is it is sure to be a delight. I am so glad that I finally was able to get even more information on her. Enjoy!

S- Just by any chance someone does not know who you are already, can you give us a little back ground on you and your art?

SS- well, i have been making stuffed animals/creatures since college. in the last few years i built up my website, and have been selling my crafty wares coast to coast at various indie craft shows as well as online in my own shop.

S- You are one busy lady! You sew, you make kits, you do drawings, etc. etc etc. How do you prioritize all the responsibilities of your business?

SS- i make a series of to do lists constantly. updating them, rewriting them, and even make little to do spread sheets for big projects or when prepping for a craft show.

S- A lot of your plush is pretty simple yet super appealing and sweet. Where do you find inspiration for all the various kinds of plush you make?

SS- hm, my brain is sort a weird place i think. every once in a while it sends me an idea, and then my hands try to make it. usually it works too! i do tend towards animals though, but lately i have been into putting faces on plush objects too. i also like to try & find ways to turn unusual items into a 'doll-like' form with arms & legs. which actually relates to doodles i often make when on hold on the phone, or decorating my left over container from a restruant.

S- You are an experienced craft show lady. With all the summer craft fairs coming following all the holiday ones, how do you prepare?

SS- like i said, i actually make a big excel spreadsheet of all the items i want to make for a show, and as i make them put them in italics and move along to the next item. its a handy way to keep track of everything i make too.

S- What is your favorite part of being a crafty lady and what advice would you have for folks that are wanting to foster more of their creativity?

SS- my favorite part is the ability to sew anything i envision. after years of sewing, it comes much easier to me now, and i love it. i think if people want to be creative they need to stay inspired by looking at lots of crafty books, magazines, etc, and also keep trying to improve with each project.

S- For the last few days I have been crafted out. Gearing up for a big event gets exhausting and I just couldn't take it anymore. After one night of way too many episodes of Weeds, I realized I couldn't do that for two nights in a row. You seem to craft even when you are sick, which impresses me to no end. How do you muster up the energy when you don't think you have it?

SS- i am not sure...i do take days off, and usually feel incredible guilt when i do. and when getting ready for a crafty event/show i often have an overwhelming guilt that keeps me working no matter what... i am not sure i recommend that as a way to be motivated though!

S- What drew you to making plush in the first place?

SS- well, if i had to pin point a pivotal moment, it would be when i was a freshman in college. i was being forced to make art all the time, but it was always what my teachers wanted me to do. typically i rebelled by hand sewing a series of weird creatures as a way to do something i wanted to do for a change. it then became something i did from to time, and eventually became what i did all the time!

S- What are some of your goals for the rest of this year?

SS- finish my book! i am in the thick of it right now...i also want to take part in as many craft shows as i can possibly handle come fall too. that is pretty much it... what can i say, i love my job!

S- Any places Plush You readers might be able to find you this summer or holiday season?

SS- well this weekend (June 28) i will be at Crafty Bastards (Summer) in MD. after that i am keeping the summer open for my book stuff & web shop updates. come fall/winter i would like to take part in Crafty Bastards (fall edition), felt club in LA, the bazaar bizarre boston and i will of course be helping out as well as selling at Craftland right here in Providence, RI!

S- What is one of your guilty pleasures in life?

SS- oh, i am huge geek...my addiction to collecting toys would be my guiltiest pleasure at the moment!

We Dream of Meat Interview and Giveaway!

2008-06-18T11:58:00.000-07:00

I personally don't dream of meat. I was a vegetarian for a long time but then I started feeling too sleepy and someone suggested it was my diet. One day, around the holidays, I had a week of running around. I was exhausted and had to continue playing the part of the energizer bunny. I ordered a burger. It was delicious. My friend was so happy that I was considering meat again that he took me to the famous Salumi's here in Seattle. Needless to say, I was sold. I am now a meat dabbler. Perhaps dreaming of meat is just the next step. If I don't start dreaming of the actual meat itself, I wouldn't be surprised if the creatures created by We Dream of Meat do. It would be pretty magical.

Leave a comment at the end of this interview for your chance to win your own Deadface. Please leave your contact info! Winner will be chosen on June 25th.

S- Who is We Dream of Meat?

WD- James and Stef. We live in Bristol, UK.
James does the drawing and cuts the patterns, Stef puts it together and makes it look nice.

S- You made some plush masks and bling for a Kid Acne video. Have you
continued to make these items?

WD- Those were a one-off we did for a friend of a friend who directed the video.
Kid Acne is perhaps more famous for his street murals in Sheffield and beyond.
If you Google him you can see some of his stuff - his style is pretty distinctive so most of the character design was done already.
The director is another graffiti guy who goes by the handle, Dscreet. He likes owls.

S- Do you guys really dream of meat?

WD- James does most of the time.

S- It looks like you guys have also worked on a few collaborations.
What came out of those collaborations with your plush?

WD- One plush we made using some spare bits of screen-printed cotton our friend Daddison (www.daddisonish.com) had lying around at his house.
We made Morris D Cottonsocks, one in red and white and another in black and dark green. Another was "Lenny" who we did in conjunction with graffiti's Cyclops and Sweet Toof (www.beforechrome.com). We made three or four in total and they were sold at a show in London. Cyclops was the one who hooked us up with Dscreet for the Kid Acne video. Bristol is somewhat of a hotspot for British street-art, it's a small place so these kinds of collaborations happen quite frequently.

S- Any future collaborations down the pipeline?

WD- Definitely more with Daddison, hopefully more with the BeforeChrome guys and a few more otherwise.

S- What do you guys listen to while making plush?

WD- BBC Radio 4 and 6. Sometimes 1 and 2. Occasionally 3. Never 5.

S- Do you guys have a favorite character you have made? If so, why?

WD- Coco always has a special place in our hearts because he was the first.
We made about 12 of him and a few others, bagged them up and taped them up all over Barcelona last summer with a little note and an email address. We even gave one to the sea - haven't heard from him yet. There are plans to do another drop-off project in NY in September - look out!

S- What do you see for the future of We Dream of Meat?

WD- To keep the momentum going. We want to to acquire more stockists - WDOM has sold really well in Berlin and it would be ace to branch out. An online shop element to our website is on the cards. Packaging packaging packaging. We are developing some really crispy boxes at the moment, also handmade. Some larger sized projects would be nice. Maybe just bigger than a small dog. Vinyl is definitely in the bigger picture.

S- If your plush could give advice to children what do you think it might be?

WD- Stay in skool.

S- What do you think is the best part of making plush toys?

WD- It's like having babies, without having babies.

Leave a comment here for your chance to win this guy!

Fantastic Toys Interview

2008-06-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's all said in the name. Fantastic Toys is an example. They really are fantastic toys! The first time I laid my eyes on them was over on our flickr pool so when I saw that Tim, creator and mastermind behind Fantastic Toys, applied for Plush You! I was overjoyed. I would finally be able to see the fantasticness in person. I am still excited and only wish October was sooner (although it feels like it's October here...why???). I am really happy to present you with this fantastic interview with Tim. Leave a comment with your contact info and your color of choice: Periwinkle, rose, mint, light blue, raspberry, purple. buttercup and pink for your chance to win your very own fawn!

S- I have seen your plush around flickr, etc and knew that you made amazing stuffed toys but looking through your actual website. Well I now have a million questions. First let's get a bit of background on you and your work?

FT- I started making toys about 10 years ago beginning with marionettes then eventually I moved on to miniature animal dolls and hand puppets. After doing a couple of miniature shows the dolls never took off the way I thought they would. About that time I discovered the world of plush and I knew I had to reinvent myself and start playing with felt. I started posting my creations on Craftster and flickr and the feedback was immediate and positive. So just under 2 years I have created a nice little niche for myself making soft toys.

S- Between the plush, the hand puppets and the miniature dolls, where do you spend most of your time?

FT- Currently I'm placing most of the emphasis on plush toys. But right now I'm having fun designing paper toys and DIY patterns. With the way the economy is right now people are holding onto their money. They're spending less and prefer to make it themselves trying to save a buck.

S- Do you do this full time or do you have other jobs?

FT- I would love to make toys full time but I have a part time job in the floral
industry to pay the bills.

S- What have been some of your favorite plush projects you have worked on?

FT- I usually do a new theme for any of the shows I do. I had fun with the North Pole theme I did last Christmas. Most recently the Story Book plush I made for an upcoming show have been some of my favorite characters.

S- You do beautiful toys. I think a lot of people have a hard time going from 2D to 3D. Any suggestions for how to make that transition?

FT- For the plush I actually do it the other way around. I make the plush and then I do illustrations of them. But I understand what your saying. I don't think its really that difficult. I usually encourage illustrators who want custom work done to try it themselves . Two sided plush are the easiest to make.. its the most common plush out there. Basically its just transferring your drawing to fabric and adding 1/4" - 1/2" seam allowance for sewing. Maybe not quite that simple but thats how I started. There's quite a few books on the subject now including yours. There are also many free patterns online that gave me direction when I first started constructing plush.

S- Your marionette's and hand puppets are amazing. Do you market those to a specific group? Speaking of marketing...how do you market yourself as a plush designer, etc.?

FT- My most recent puppets were made for a gallery show. I wanted to revisit making marionettes after 10 years experience in other areas. There is a significant difference from some of my earlier ones I made. Craftsmanship being the most noteable. I haven't spent a lot of time marketing the puppets. As for the plush, I've been fortunate to be featured on a lot of blogs from people who have seen my work on etsy. Flickr and the many softie groups has also been a great marketing tool. Locally I have done craft shows which have led to other engagements.

S- You seem to have been around the block a few times with craft fairs. How do you prepare for these crafty events, keep up stock, figure out displaying, etc?

FT- Minneapolis has quite a few excellent indie craft shows and hosts some of the finest juried shows. I've limited myself to a couple of shows a year. My main concern has always been having enough inventory. I allow myself at least 4-6 months preparation before a show. I'm not the kind of person that likes to wait till the last minute. I spend a lot of time and thought on my theme and display ... buying props through out the year. I look forward to my participation in the Plush You shows later this year.

S- How do you deal with being a plush artist, etc. in a craft community that is mainly dominated by women?

FT- You know I've been crafty all my life so it really isn't something I think about. The crafting community has been warm and welcoming and very accepting of my creative efforts.

S- If you could do your dream job what would it be or are you already doing it?

FT- I'd like to continue what I'm doing but on a grander scale. I prefer to design toys. It would be nice to have them manufactured by someone else.

S- What are your goals for your business in the next year?

FT- I'm working on a book proposal to submit to publishers. I'd like to finish that up soon. I'm also looking into having a national toy chain carry a line of my toys.

Don't forget...leave a comment with your contact info and your favorite color for your chance to win your own custom fawn!

Thank you Tim for the awesome interview!

Ana Paula Rimoli Interview

2008-05-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned before that I am a huge fan of amigurumi. Once I discovered my love for crochet, it was all over. I really wish I had more time for it these days. I am so glad people like Ana exist. She was a wonderful person to work with for the Plush You book, she has always been very generous and most importantly, her creations are adorable. Any age would love a treat from Ana OR from you as you can make your own. You can get her patterns on her Etsy shop or purchase her new book, Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet. The title sums it up. You can also leave a comment here (with your email or way to contact you) and possibly win your very own signed copy directly from the creator herself!

S- When did you begin making amigurumi toys?

AP- I started making lots of them when I was pregnant with Oli (5), but I had made some (without knowing they were "amigurumi") when I was little (I started crocheting when I was 6 or 7)

S- Were you a huge hit on etsy right away? How did you try to increase your etsy business?

AP- At the time I was working full time in an office type place, and wasn't taking Etsy that seriously. Once Martina was born (she'll be 2 in September!) and I was in maternity leave I started making a lot more toys & patterns and posting a lot more and finally realized that I could Etsy full time, and I quit! :) I've never done too much advertising, but I did join Flickr right away and started posting in different amigurumi/craft related groups. I think that's helped a lot!

S- You have an awesome book out recently that I will get to more later, did a publishing company contact you or did you contact them?

AP- I had been thinking about the possibility of a book for a while, and I finally wrote a proposal and sent it to Martingale. I was super lucky and they contacted me right away :)

S- How has Etsy helped you as an artist with exposure, etc?

AP- Etsy has been a great way of showing what I do/getting exposure. It's an easy way to get seen by tons of different people from all over the world that appreciate handmade stuff, crafting and the arts. I would have never thought about the possibility of writing a book if it hadn't been for all the nice people that wrote, bought so many patterns and were so nice and encouraging.

S- Do you ever teach crocheting? If no, would you?
AP- No, I've never tought. I tried to teach Oli a couple of times but she's left-handed and it was difficult for me to show her, we're going to try again, though :) I would love to teach a little ami class, and I'm kind of planning one. Hopefully in the summer I can start :)

S- How often do you update your site with patterns?

AP- I try to post a new pattern or toy at least once a week, but right now I'm working on a couple other projects, so it's been difficult. I'm hoping to get back into that in September, with good news to share :)

S- Do you feel like you try to keep a certain demographic in mind when working on a new piece or you just feel the mood to do something new and do it?

AP- Not really, but I think most of the toys work for everybody :)

S- How long did it take you to work on your book from start to print?

AP- Most of the patterns in the book were already in my Etsy shop, so I just had to make the toys and take the patterns from the Etsy shop. I think it took a couple of months to have them all done and ready to go, and then around 7 months for the book to be out. I guess it was pretty fast :)

S- Do you have any favorite moments since the beginning of your amigurumi career?

AP- My favorite part are the nice, nice people I get to meet, and the letters!.
I got one from a mom that works full time and has little kids. She told me that following the patterns she can crochet a little bit here and there, in her lunch time or late at night, and make toys for them :) That felt so good! I know how difficult it is to work full time and have little kids and knowing that I'm somehow helping moms makes me happy. I love the feeling of seeing Oli & Marti play with toys that I make for them, and I imagine that happens to everybody.
Lots of people are saying that they're learning how to crochet just to make the toys, or with the help of the toys, and that's great too. Crocheting has been the old lady/toilet paper cover of the crafts for way too long, and I love to be a tiny little part of bringing it back.

S- What is on the horizon for you and your business?

AP- I hope I can continue to do what I love, and that I can grow, get better and try different things too. I hope this doll-making thing lasts forever. When I was little I used to always think how cool it would be to just make toys all day, and here I am! I don't think it can get much better than this :)

Thanks Ana! Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet!

Loobylu

2008-05-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of gratitude towards Claire Robertson of Loobylu. When I was on the fence about blogs and blogging, I found her site. It was what tossed me over to becoming obsessive about blogs. I read her blog all the time and wanted to move to Australia and force her to be my friend. She makes wonderful things from paintings, sketches, plush and so much more. Her site is beautiful, her studio is lovely and everything she mentions makes me happy. I love that she is able to share her work honestly and even shares the bad times with her readers. When I decided to start Plush You! I contacted Claire and asked her if she might mention it to her readers. She did and voila, Plush You! was born. I was really excited that she decided to do an interview with us so I could learn more. Enjoy!

S- I started reading your blog years ago. It seems like you were one of the first bloggers. Why did you start blogging and how did it change your craft?

L- I started blogging at the end of 1999. I was working in web design and started documenting my life online. I guess publishing has always appealed to me, and my own (not very exciting) life provided limitless content and the instant feedback was / is very seductive. The support I got from the visitors to my blog gave me the confidence (and clients) to eventually quit my job and work as a freelance illustrator. With the emergence of the 'craft blog' scene I found huge inspiration and a wonderful community atmosphere to start exploring all sorts of crazy, previously unthought of (for me) areas of work such as softy making. No matter which direction my work goes in I know
there will be someone somewhere visiting my blog who will say "go for it!". That kind of support is pretty vital to me because I work at home in the suburbs with really only my mum, dad, husband, a five year old and a 2 year old around to say "hey, that looks cool! Keep going!".

S- Your art is really lovely. From the looks of it you have been doing more painting and stenciling these days than sewing. Do you go with your mood or do you methodically go about your various art and craft interests?

L- Thank you! I most definitely go with my mood - which is a blessing and a curse. It means I never get bored and I get to try lots of fun things but I tend to spend a lot of money on art supplies as I flip-flop around, and I never settle down enough to really perfect any one technique. I always have my favourite things I crave getting
back to and making softies is one of them. Next I want to try some wood block printing, and my uncle is turning some dolls for me to paint...

S- I am not sure if you are aware of this but the first year I did Plush You, I asked you to put up a post about my show on your blog.You were the only one I had contacted because I really enjoyed looking through the photos "Month of the Softies" that you do. I was astonished how many responses I had gotten the next day thanks to you.
How do you choose the themes for Month of the Softies?

L- A Month of Softies has become a bit of a community driven project now utilising the wonderful Flickr. We've changed moderators a couple of times and sometimes it's a case of members suggesting themes and then one is eventually settled on for the month. I haven't been personally involved in the running of the project for a long time now. It's great that a project that was started years ago continues to grow and flourish and attract new members all the time despite the occasional lack of nuturing it gets. It's a very simple idea - create a softie based on a theme every month... it manages to accommodate people who are just starting to find their crafting feet to seasoned softy creators who need a little focus for a month.
Visit here

S- When I look through your blog I have a hard time understanding how you can balance your art, your craft, your children, your blog and your store. How do you explain your mastered skills?

L- Balance? What balance?? I haven't mastered it all! It's a continuing frustration for me, and I am sure I'm not alone in this. My house is a mess. It's a bit sad, but something had to give. Housework gets the lowest priority - children the highest. I have recognized since becoming a mother that if I don't have a chance to be creative then I become depressed and resentful and absolutely not much fun to be around. Because of this, my art work - whatever it might be at any given point - is pretty high up on that list of priorities too. My blog has stopped being so important. I used to spend a lot of time on my blog and it had become a part of my identity. I would meet people who I hadn't seen in a while and they would say "err... so how's your blog?" and I realised I wanted that question to be more like "how is your work going? What are you making these days?". I have come back to it this year with a promise to myself that my blog is my side project. Another thing I have discovered since becoming a Mother is that if you have limited time your production goes up drastically. I look back on the years I was doing freelance illustration before I had children and wonder what on earth was I doing with my time. Now I try to use every spare minute. Every nap time is a flurry of activity, every spare couple of hours when my Mum might take the kids for a bit I rarely sit around doing nothing. As cheesey and as cliched as it
sounds, It's all just a case of prioritizing and making time work for our family. This doesn't mean we find ourselves being an exhausted, over-scheduled family, it just means I need to get plenty of sleep so that i can keep my energy levels up. It certainly doesn't always work, but I keep trying new ways.

S- I loved your findings after having a No Spending Month. What precipitated this act?

L- A lack of funds! Also - our family is going through a bit of a self reflective stage where we are looking at how we spend our money and the effect it has on our long term goals and also the impact it has on the planet. The most amazing thing about the No Spend Month thing we did was that we cut down on the amount of garbage we produced by half without even really thinking about it.

S- Do you have a nine to five job where you have to go and spend your day or is your art your full time job?

L- My 9 to 5 job -- (my 6am - 7.30pm job - with stints occasionally at 4am) is being a mum. The art fits in around that. When both my kids are in school (3.7 years away, but who's counting?) art will be my full time job. I have between now and then to work out how to make that possible. (S- I think you will be fine!)

S- What I absolutely love about your blog, which can also be seriously bad at some points, is how many amazing things you find. Everything is beautiful and makes me want it right away. Where do you spend most of your luxury time on the web?

L- Flickr, Etsy, and about a zillion blogs which are mostly craft, art and design related. Currently I spend copious amounts of time on interior design related blogs. I guess it must be some kind of vicarious-living thing because our house is so out of control.

S- Do you have any new plush projects in mind for yourself that you would like to work on?

L- I do. I have some ideas which I just need a little time to sit down and start. I am keen to follow some ideas about my family ancestry and make strange creatures based on my heritage.

S- You are also the chief editor of Kiddley (now I am totally confused..how do you do it???). Sorry, I digressed. Anyways, can you tell our readers more about Kiddley as I am sure many of them would love to know about it!

L- Kiddley is on a permanent hiatus (we just didn't have the time to keep doing that one!) but the archives are all still there. It's a blog which concentrated on great things to do with kids - lots of crafts, links, ideas and projects. It's a blog which has awesome archives because we used to get lots of really great guest bloggers.

S- What are some of your goals for this year?

L- I am planning on starting a shop on etsy (or similar) and I am planning to keep on getting as much art-for-art's-sake done as possible.

You can also see work here

Thank you Claire!

Jess Hutch Interview

2008-05-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Jess Hutch is a lovely person. She has participated in Plush You since it began and I am pleased as punch that she is still going strong with her plush making. I had the pleasure of going out to dinner with Jess last year and it was great to be able to sit down with her and chat about her work and to get to know the woman behind these amazing creations. I can't wait until Friday when I will be able to hang out with Jess again as she will be showing her work at Schmancy. In a few hours you can visit our new Schmancy Gallery site to see what will be at the show and to purchase any work before it is up this Friday. Until then, read a little more about Jess.

S- When we met about a year ago you mentioned that you might like to stop blogging. This Jan. you made the plunge and said good bye to the blogging world. How has it helped your creative process? Is it everything you hoped it would be?

JH- It's been great in a lot of ways... using my blog and flickr to show my work to the world was hugely, hugely important for me while I was trying to work out my aesthetic and my creative direction. However, I got to the point where the number of comments or hits I got had an effect on the projects I chose to work on. I felt that as I was creating things, it was almost like I had a hundred people in the room with me. So I decided to step back a bit and create in a more silent, personal space. It's been great. However... I've also found that it's kind of hard to work without the encouragement of other people, artists and people who like my work and pay attention to it. Like I need their support to keep my motivation going. So it's mixed! But I think it's been useful and a good experiment.

S- Looking through your work, you seem to have gone through some phases. From knitting more, embroidery, screen printing and now more painted stuffed toys. Do you just go with your flow or do you dabble in everything all the time?

JH- I get bored pretty easily, at least with various media. I seem to always stay within a pretty narrow range with what I represent (usually weird serene little animal/human hybrid characters) but I am always, always thinking about different ways to go about it. I even want to try wood carving, I'm not even kidding. I think I just want to explore everything... just different ways of depicting what's in my head. Comic books, oil painting, etc. There's so much out there, and I just kind of follow my bliss with it.

S- I noticed that a lot of your work has little stories involving ghosts and spirits. Are you really into ghost stories and mystical beings?

JH- Yes. What I really love is the idea that our normal world, the one that we can study and observe, is just a shell. That unusual beings and strange occurrences occasionally present themselves, and we just have to be open and aware. I'm not sure I really believe any of this, but I'm open to it and love to contemplate the possibilities.

S- One thing I really love about your work is the color palette. It varies but seems to stay within certain families. Where do you get a lot of inspiration for your work and color combinations?

Well, my stuff is very modern and graphic. Super simple. I am always concerned that the cartooniness of what I do, coupled with really bright colors, would just completely shove it out of reality. So I like to use more natural, muted colors, because I think it brings it back a bit. It's a little more relatable (which is always what I'm try to achieve). Rust, grey-green, ocean blue, brown, etc.

S- You giant knitted guy was amazing. When we met you were working on it. How long did it take you and what is he doing now? When did you learn to knit and then go to designing your own patterns?

JH- He took forever. I don't really remember how long - 20-30 hours perhaps? He's in our workroom, just hanging out. I think I'm going to take some more photos with him doing various human things - that was the original idea, then I got sidetracked with some other projects - then I think I'm going to sell him. I want him to hang out with someone else for a while.

I learned to knit about, oh, 5 years ago? My sister taught me. I started doing my own patterns almost immediately, when I realized that no one had written patterns for the types of clothes and toys I wanted to make.

S- You seem to be a very discipled artists that might try something once and realize that it's not for you even if the demand is there or whatnot. How do you decide what works best for you and when to say no?

JH- Heh. Well, the fact that I have a fulfilling full time job (as a data analyst at a non-profit) allows me to be very, very selective about how I spend my creative time. It also, unfortunately, forces me to be very selective. It's kind of a lucky/unlucky thing. I have limited time outside of work and personal commitments, and I want to spend it doing only what is personally fulfilling to me. The worst thing ever is getting home from work, making dinner, taking care of various home things, then slogging through 4-5 hours of creative work that I don't really want to do. It just sucks any enjoyment out of it. So I made a decision fairly early on to only ever do what I enjoy, or what satisfies me creatively. I don't rely on the income from it so I'm able to do this. However, it can alienate people who really want particular things from me, which is something I've never really learned to deal with. It's definitely complicated. But I'm glad that the things I work on are always, always, done with love and care and interest.

S- Every time you have participated in Plush YOu! your work sells like hot cakes. You definitely have a fan base out there. Now that you have stopped your blog and do not use flickr as much, how do you keep connected with your fans?

JH- I don't, really. Which is hard. As I mentioned above, I really miss that interaction and the feedback. I'm currently thinking of ways to have it both ways, if that's even possible.

S- I love your work that is two dimensional with the same thing also three dimensional. How much time difference is there between the two and do you like one more than the other?

JH- It depends on the medium. Recently I've been working on 2D oil paintings and those take just about forever. I think that in general I will always gravitate toward 3D work. There's just a relatability there that I love so much. I create these characters to depict something very personal and I want people to see them and understand. I want them to feel something. We're 3D ourselves, so it just takes that much less effort to relate to something that's three-dimensional. I think.

S- When you started blogging, etc. you said that was your first time sharing your art and showing people. How did that help your art career and do you have any favorite moments?

JH- It helped a lot. I needed to hear from people. And hearing from people who are themselves so, so talented helped a lot too. I think my favorite moment, or series of moments, is looking at something I'm working on and finally feeling like I'm doing what I always wanted to do, which is showing my creative work to people.

S- Anything on your horizon we should be looking out for?

JH- I'd like to show my oil paintings at some point. I want to do more photography of my dudes, perhaps within an actual narrative that I can then print as a little book. Maybe I'll try some more realistic stuff. I don't know, I guess I'm just always doing what seems like the right thing at the moment!

Thanks Kristen, that was great - can't wait to see you this Friday!

Mucho Interview

2008-04-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

It's kind of funny interviewing your friend you hang out with all the time but I did. Mucho is my friend, the one I watch 90210 and Melrose Place with. We watch each other's cat's when we go out of town and we have craft nights which are my favorite. Pamela is really swell and a great crafting friend. Here's a little more about her. Leave a comment at the end of this post and you'll have the chance to win your very own Mucho Drumstick!

S- When did you start crafting?

M- I guess my mom taught me to crochet when I was in grade school but she only taught me the chain stitch so I couldn't really make anything. She taught me to use a sewing machine when I was a little older that was probably the real start. I got into crochet again in my 20's.

S- You sew and do a lot of crochet. Would you say you have a favorite?

M- Definitely crochet but that's because I can create in 3-D easier than in sewing. I haven't quite grasped that skill yet.

S- How long does it usually take you to come up with a new crochet pattern?

M- Sometimes it's a couple hours sometimes a couple days. I try to think it trhough in my head first and then do trial and error until I'm satisfied with the outcome. I realized that even if the design comes easily on the first try, I still need to write it down. I made things I haven't been able to recreate until after multiple tries.

S- You recently had to go to the doctor for tennis elbow from all your crafting and work. Did you learn anything useful other crafters might like to know?

M- My doctor fitted me for a wrist splint which you can just pick up at any drug store and I will definitely be wearing that every time I crochet. S- Also look at the new Craft magazine out on May 6th.

S- What is an essential craft supply for your work?

M- hmmm....Where do I begin. I can keep myself pretty happy and content with a crochet hook and a few skeins of yarn for days.

S- How often do you try and create a new design for your etsy shop?

M_ I definitely would like to more often. Maybe every couple months. I work 40 hours a weeek and like to have a bit of a social life. It's hard to balance it all.

S- What has been one of your most memorable craft experiences since you started Mucho?

M- Urban Craft Uprising was a pretty awesome time. It was my first craft fair, I was with good friends, met amazing crafters and saw tons of cool stuff.

S- What's your biggest source of inspiration?

M- Friends suggestions, Japanese advertising, mascots and Japanese products and old craft books and magazines. Oh and food of course!

S- What's on Mucho's horizon?

M- Well as soon as I rid myself of this stupid tennis elbow I hope to come up with some new amigurumi designs and fill my etsy shop a little more.

S- Anything exciting you would like to share with our Plush You readers?

M- You can learn how to make bacon bowls on Not Martha, I think that's exciting! I will also be in Kristen Rask's (that's me) new book and I will be participating in this year's Plush You show.

Leave a comment here for your chance to win your own Mucho Drumstick!

Ariana Marinelli

2008-04-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

I really try not to have favorites but I have to say, Ariana Marinelli is one of them. Ariana has participated in Plush You! every year and each year her work arrives there are gasps of delight from anyone that lays their eyes on her work. It's really a work of art with great attention to detail and the love that goes into each piece seeps out of the seams. Ariana is a true inspiration and I hope you agree. Leave a comment at the end of this interview and one lucky winner will receive two albino hedgehogs. Winner will be chosen on May 7th. At the end of the interview is another added bonus from Ariana.

S- When did you start making plush toys?

AM- I actually remember specifically what introduced me to the online craft/plush world. I was browsing the magazine section at my local library. I was thumbing through Budget Living (I still miss that magazine!) when I saw an article about Jill Bliss and her website blissen. I went straight home and looked up blissen.com, which led me to many other online craft sites. These led to other craft sites, one of which was Loobylu’s Month of Softies.

I made a couple of small plush pieces and something about it just clicked for me. I believe that was sometime around the fall of 2004. Loobylu is how I found out about Plush You. Without the Plush You show I don’t know if I would have taken plush making to the next level. The show definitely inspired me to push myself.

S- A lot of your work are really small detailed pieces, do you mainly hand sew or use a machine?

AM- I would say it is pretty close to half and half. I sew what I can by machine, but I do a lot of hand sewing. I wouldn’t be able to make what I do without all of the handwork. I am actually kind of a hand-sewing evangelist! It might be a little more frustrating at first but it really can’t be beat in terms of the control it gives you over the sewing process. I am always so surprised that more people don’t start with hand sewing and then move on to the machine because it requires so few supplies. It also builds your skills and makes you a more versatile sewer.

S- As you have been in the Plush You! show all these years; I have been able to see your work change and progress. Last year you did awesome plaques which I own one of :) What do you think has influenced your work through the years the most?

AM- Wow, that is a good question! Creative inspiration can be very difficult to pin down. I would say it is a combination of many things. Most of my ideas come from the process of making things. I make something and as I am making it I see how it could be different, or better. I then make something along the new parameters and the process repeats itself, so I guess it is literally the evolution of ideas through making. I am also inspired by my environment. Many of my ideas come from things I see on a day-to-day basis.

Of course, who isn’t inspired by the many talented plush makers creating great work?

S- Your work is very artistic. Did you study art?

AM- Yes I did. I graduated from the Oregon College of Art and Craft in 2002. This is where I shamelessly plug my Alma Mater! If you are looking for an art school with dedicated instructors, a challenging curriculum and a beautiful campus, this is your school.

I actually started out at the now defunct Atlanta College of Art and Design, where I was majoring in sculpture. I transferred my junior year to OCAC where I majored in metalsmithing. I don’t work with metal anymore (it’s very toxic) but it definitely prepared me for detailed handwork.

S- So many folks are moving to Portland these days. How has Portland fostered your creative side?

How hasn’t it?! I am from Portland and while I’ve lived all over the world I always come back. My parents moved to Portland right before I was born, they were attracted by the strong alternative medicine community that was just beginning to flourish in the late 70’s. I grew up surrounded by free thinkers; my parents had a lot of friends who were artists, they sent me to a Montessori school, we even lived in a communal house for a while. I think these experiences helped shape my creativity.

After living in Atlanta for a while I ended up moving back to finish my art degree at OCAC, which is an incredibly supportive community.

Outside of my personal experience, Portland can be both good and bad for fostering creativity. Portland is literally brimming with creative, talented people. This is good because there are always great shows to see, lots of inspiration, lots of creative thinking that ends up making the city a great place to live. The down side is that tons of people are competing for finite opportunities. Also Portland is a notoriously difficult retail market. People are tight with their money here. (I know I am!) There is even a saying,” If you can sell it in Portland you can sell it anywhere!”

S- Do you participate in any of the crafty events in Portland? Any favorites?

AM- I have been a vendor at Crafty Wonderland several times. It is a really well organized/publicized event. The ladies behind it do a really great job! I think it is a good event for getting the word out about your small craft business, as it tends to be well attended.

While it isn’t in Portland I think my favorite craft show on the West Coast is Felt Club. Since it only has two shows a year, they are really huge, massively attended, and tons of fun!

S- What is a must have for your studio space?

AM- My studio is located in an artist co-op. There are some fairly strict noise restrictions as the walls don’t go to the ceiling, so if you want to listen to music or the radio it has to be turned down really low, to the point where you can barely hear it. This is where my iPod saves the day! I am far more productive when I have something to listen to, it helps me concentrate and get into a productive zone.

Other than that, I have to have all the usual tools that most plush creators have: sharp scissors, sharp needles, sewing machine, and I really can’t live without my pliers!

S- You conducted a workshop for Plush You several years back. Is teaching something you do as well?

AM- OCAC has a really great summer camp every year for kids and teenagers. Most of my teaching experience has been for their Art Adventures program. I taught ceramics for an entire summer one year. I have also taught some teen painting workshops. I’m hoping to teach some teen workshops this coming summer.

S- I am so glad to see that you got yourself a website! I know a lot of people that will be overjoyed. Part of starting your shop is that you really have to promote yourself. Something that cuts into your creative time and is really time consuming. How have you approached this part?

AM- Honestly, I am still figuring this part out! I think a lot of it comes down to perspective. I try to approach all aspects of my business as a way to express my creativity. Looking at it this way helps me to be more engaged and prevents me from feeling discouraged or becoming resentful that self-promotion is necessary.

It also helps that the Internet is brimming with fantastic advice regarding self-promotion. So far I am working my way through all of the great articles on doshdosh.com. I am also looking into some of the classic crafty promotional tools like The Sampler, and sending media packets to magazines etc… Logistically I try to spend a day or two working on self-promotion, and my other free days are spent working in the studio. I will have to wait and see how this works over the long run.

S- What are your goals for your plush creations in the next few years?

AM- Other than keeping my website updated and participating in awesome plush shows, like Plush You! I would really like to create larger pieces that, when shown together, would tell a story. I have some ideas involving many plush Chihuahuas, and another idea involving disappearing figures. Ultimately I would see these being placed in a gallery setting.

On top of the awesome giveaway Ariana is providing, you can go here to download a pattern for these adorable hedgehogs!

Jenny Harada Interview

2008-04-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Jenny Harada then you know how awesome she is. I finally got to meet her last summer at Renegade Craft Fair and then was lucky enough to hang out with her at the Etsy Labs this past December. And as cheesy as this might sound, Jenny is seriously like a ray of sunshine. She's passionate about her work, her family and helping Plush You to be a success. I think Jenny kicks ass and I think you will too. At the end of the interview are the details of her awesome giveaway! Don't forget to leave a comment.

S- Were toys the thing that got you into sewing or had you mastered the art of sewing before?

JH- I wouldn't say I have mastered sewing yet, even though I have been sewing for 28 years. The first things I ever sewed were clothes for my dolls. Stuffed toys soon followed because my dolls (and me) needed little friends. I pretty much started sewing because my mom was doing it and I wanted to do whatever she was doing. It was fun, so I stuck with it.

S- What drew you to making toys in the first place?

JH- I was a kid when I started making them, so it was just natural that I wanted more toys! What better way to get more toys than to make them yourself? I never really stopped since then. I don't want to grow up. Then I studied toy design in college but decided to persue animation instead of toy making. Is wasn't until years later that I began seriously making lots and lots of my own toys all the time.

S- A lot of your work uses a lot of recycled components such as doll
heads and limbs, jewelry parts, etc. Is this something you try to
incorporate in all your work or is it more of a organic process when
you find something cool?

JH- It is a result of being a collector. I collect things. I have a hard time throwing things away. I will save something thinking, "Oh I could make something out of this!" It may be years later that I actually use it. Lately I try not to save things anymore because my collection of stuff is seriously out of control. I am trying hard to whittle down the accumulation of stuff, and that is how I started using doll parts in my plush. I had a handful of them that I wanted to use so I sewed them into some plush. I had so much fun with it that I ended up buying more doll faces! Now I have twenty times more than what I started with. A friend of mine just sent me a box of super crazy old doll heads too. I can't wait to use them.

S- When we did the Etsy Lab Plush You! book party, you said that 2008 was going to be your year of organizing and getting back into your groove. It seems like you are doing it from my end of things! How is that going?

JH- Things are going along much better than last year, that is for sure! When I was pregnant with my second child, I was nauseous almost all the time, so it was really hard to get anything done. Then when she was born, adjusting to having two kids was rough for a while too. I can't complain, it's great in so many ways, but it left no time for plush making. Now that she has grown up a little, I can give more attention to my art. Getting organized has been a challenge because of the stuff collection habit that I mentioned in the previous question. I have so many ideas that are waiting to come to fruition. Not actively creating stuff for over a year meant that all those ideas have been just circulating in my mind, festering, oozing, waiting to break free. I feel like I have the energy to bust out some good stuff right now. If I can conquer the organization thing, I think I will be able to create some great things. When my space is organized, it makes it so much easier to sit down and make something without any distractions.

S- A few months ago you taught a class at the Etsy Labs for making a
little monster. How did it go? Is this something you would like to do more?

JH- It was tons of fun. I had a great group of students and it was a relaxed and happy atmosphere. Everyone at Etsy is so nice! I am going to teach another class there in June. It will be about how to sew a stuffed animal from a pattern, and how to customize it to your own liking. Watch the Etsy Labs shop or my blog to find out when sign ups become available.

S- You also paint. Is this something you would like to do more of?
Do you balance your time with
both or concentrate on one more than the other?

JH- I don't paint as often as I would like to. There are so many things I would like to do that painting is low on the totem pole right now. I do think about it often though. I like working with fabric in 2D as well. I call it "soft painting" but some people might call it patchwork or quilting. I think maybe I am a little intimidated to paint more. I definitely have not come anywhere near mastering paint, so I get frustrated that I can't get the paint down how my mind envisions it. With fabric I know what I am doing a lot more, so it is easier to just forge ahead. I also feel like I have just begun to explore the possibilities of working in 2D with fabric, so my ideas for 2D art tend to materialize in the form of, well, material! I haven't painted in months actually. Hey, now I have a strong desire to get out my paintbrushes! Perhaps some kind of paint/sewing combo is in order. I will add that to my totem pole.

S- You have been doing plush for a long time now. As a
veteran of plush making, do you have any advice for someone just
starting out?

JH- Sew sew sew! Just keep making stuff and your skills will improve. Have patience. Rip some stuffed animals apart to see how they are put together and what the pattern pieces look like. Try sewing things from commercial patterns and other crafter's patterns. Make some plushies from the Plush You book! When you start designing your own plushes, make them your own. Don't try to copy your favorite plush artists. You will shine brighter if you do your own thing. Start with your favorite materials in your favorite colors. Making something based on your favorite animal is a good place to start. Learn from your mistakes and most of all have fun!

S- What is a favorite tool you have that is a must for any craft room?

JH- I always like to have an old hairbrush on hand. When working with plush, especially long shaggy plush, it is handy for getting the hairs to do what you want them to. Not everyone works with the fuzzy stuff though, so my second answer is a good pair of scissors. Dull scissors suck the joy out of cutting. I got a fancy pair from my mother for Christmas a few years ago and they are so special to me because they cut like a dream!

S- I find it a little difficult to use all the furry fabrics. It
seems messy and harder to work with. You use a lot of it! Any advice
to cut down on messes and to make it easier to use?

JH- Keep your dustbuster nearby! I am constantly sucking up fuzzy bits. It's true, it is messy. There's no way around it. I just deal with it because I love the look of it so much. It does take patience to work with it. I am not sure what advice to give on making it easier other than just using it a lot to get accustomed to it. After I finish a project, I do a big clean up before starting something new. Masking tape is great for removing furry fibers from your clothes. Or you can wear Bill Cosby style sweaters so noboby will notice.

S- The Dali Lama is here this week in Seattle. He has driven by Schmancy numerous times and never stops by to say hello. If your plushies could help him save the world, what ideas do you think they would have for him?

JH- Keep your smile on. Even if you aren't feeling like a smile, just force it. Very soon you will be smiling sincerely and it will spread to other people. It is very easy for stuffed animals to give this advice because their faces never change. I saw the Dalai Lama speak in Central Park in NYC many years ago. It was very inspiring but he didn't say hello to me personally either. Also, the plushies have this advice: hug bigger and more often!

Giveaway details are:
Jenny will make a custom plush for the winner based on their two favorite colors and two favorite animals, so leave your choices in the comments! The rest is up to her. It will be a surprise! Winner will be chosen April 30th

An interview with Abby Glassenberg!

2008-04-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

Abby Glassenberg is an incredible soft sculpture talent and a favorite of ours over at Schmancy. She has been making plush pieces since 2005, and if you read her blog (and you should read her blog), then you already have an idea just how much she's accomplished in that time. Her new website is launching this Friday. She was kind enough to do an interview with us, and had some inspiring and helpful answers to our questions. Thanks again, Abby!

S- From what I observe, you’re an incredibly prolific plush talent.

AG- Thank you! I actually work more slowly now than I have in the past because each piece takes longer to complete.

S- On average how many pieces do you finish in a week?

AG- I usually make one complete sculpture every four or five days, depending on how much time I have to work. On most days I can squeeze in about two hours in the studio, but that can totally go out the window if one of my children is sick or school is canceled or something.

S- How long does it take you, from the initial concept to the finished product, to complete a piece? Can you give people a little bit of an idea of that process for you?

AG- If I am drafting a totally new pattern, starting from some photos and a sketch, it probably takes a few days longer than if I am making a bird that I’ve made before.

S- Your work seems startlingly accurate at times! Your attention to detail is incredible. Do you do a lot of research for your pieces?

AG- I enjoy the research process. I usually look online and in birding books for some images of what a real species looks like in nature. Then I look at commercially made soft toys of that particular bird and I look at other artists interpretations, too. This helps me to get a sense of how the body form has been broken down into basic shapes and exaggerated for effect. Finally, I create a sketch as close to the size of the finish piece as possible. This sketch becomes the basis of the first draft of the sewing pattern.

S- One of my favorite parts about your work is your use of mixed media! You create fabrics out of unlikely sources and often enlist the help of found objects. What are some of your favorite materials to work with?

AG- I really like to find fabrics in unexpected places, like the labels sew into clothing or flour sacks. Those bits of fabric that sneak into your life and you don’t even realize it. Most of the other found objects that eventually get incorporated into my sculptures I find at the Wellesley Town Dump. I pick up things and take them home and then think about them, sometimes for a very long time, before I figure out what exactly they should become.

S- Where do you find most of your materials?

AG- Most of my birds are sewn from Kona cotton that I buy at commercial fabric stores either locally or online. I love Kona cotton because it is strong and I stuff very firmly. The rest of my fabric I have collected over many years for all over the place. It’s an addiction.

S- A large part of your sewing skills are self-taught! Are there specific tools you could not live without or you wish you'd known about sooner? Do you have any tips or books you'd recommend to someone looking to hone their skills on their own?

AG- Yes, I learned to sew in 8th grade Home Economics. I bought my sewing machine then, too, and it is a very basic machine (a Bernette 330) and I love it. The manual had gone missing for over a decade, but it recently was found and that was a big help.

Learning to use my machine to my advantage was a long process, but has really cut down on my initial frustrations. The first big milestone was figuring out that I needed to use a very short stitch length! Then, changing from a regular presser foot to the running/quilting foot. This keeps the tiny pieces that I sew from getting sucked down into the machine! Using very thin needles (I’m fond of size 10) helps a lot because they make smaller holes in the fabric. Most recently I have switched to wool stuffing which I am loving.

Freezer paper is an invaluable tool. I draft all of my patterns on it and then iron it onto my fabric and sew around it before pulling it off. This allows me to be very accurate in sewing tiny shapes.

Surgical forceps are also a tool I could not live without. Great for turning tiny things inside out, for stuffing firmly without poking a hole in the fabric, and even for clamping fabric together.

Coating hand-sewing thread with beeswax to prevent tangles is a great tip, too. And tiny sharp scissors, of course. I could go on, but I’ll stop there!

There are some great books out there for people interested in learning techniques. I recommend Good Design in Soft Toys by Rudi de Sarigny, Anatomy of a Doll and Designing the Doll, both by Susanna Oroyan. Interestingly there really doesn’t seem to be a book specifically about creating soft sculpture. Maybe I need to get to work on that!

S- Reading back entries in your blog, it's amazing to see how your work has come along over the last three years. To me, it really seems you've found your own style within the genre of plush. In retrospect, do you think there are certain things that stand out as having inspired changes in your work?

Last March I had a wonderful show at the Wellesley Public Library. I made 53 soft toys for that show and afterward I suddenly realized that I didn’t want to make toys anymore! I knew I needed some time to focus on making more complex, sculptural pieces and that is what I did, without any real goal in mind. As I started to post them on my blog and on Flickr they started to attract interest from galleries and retail stores and things just took off from there.

AG- Your business actually began as a creative outlet/way to occupy your time while your first daughter, Roxanne, was napping. I find a lot of people in the crafting community are mothers as well, and I imagine it would be a definite struggle to balance the two. Do you have any advice to other mothers looking to balance attention to their craft with attention to their kin?

For me it has always been important to have a balance in my day-to-day life. I feel so thankful that I am able to be at home with my two daughters, Roxanne and Stella. Being here each day, teaching them and watching them grow, is the most important thing in my life right now. But I need to have something else going on at the same time, something that connects me with the adult world and give my mind another area to focus on. Sewing soft sculpture has become that other area. The combination of being a mom and being an artist is really a good one – I can work from home, my work is quiet, I can pick it up and put it down at any time. My blog keeps me connected to this wonderful community of creative people who inspire and motivate me every day.

S - I love the shift you’ve made from cute softies for kids, to more detailed pieces, collage, and now mixed-media sculptural pieces. Do you envision yourself as ever branching away from soft sculpture, or continuing to branch into other forms of art?

AG- Soft sculpture is my true love.

S- I was talking with someone the other day about how plush seems to have changed in the last few years. He was describing fabric and stuffing as "the new sculpture." -- the materials are more accessible, and they can be cheaper and easier to recycle than more ‘traditional’ forms. To me, the evolution of your work embodies that shift from "plush toys" to "plush sculpture". As your audience widens, do you find you’ve met any resistance to the concept of plush as sculpture/art?

This is a good time for plush. The market is growing and there are lots of galleries and stores interested in indie fine artists. I am so happy to be able to participate in this new interest in alternative, affordable art-making.

S- Speaking of which, you’ve been doing a lot more gallery shows! How do you feel the experience differs from craft fairs or selling your work on your own? Is there one you prefer?

AG- I am really enjoying showing my work in galleries. I love thinking about how to create a cohesive body of work and then plowing away over several months to make it happen. And there is truly nothing like arriving at an opening and seeing all your hard work on display and watching people interact with it.

S- You have a gallery show opening on April 4th at the Paperboat Gallery? Can you tell everyone a little bit about it?

AG- The show is called “Feather Your Nest” and I will be showing with the amazing Amy Rice. I will have ten soft sculptures in the show which opens April 4 and runs through the month. There will be an opening party on April 18 if you live near Milwaukee. All of the work will be for sale through the gallery. I’m totally excited to be part of this show!

S- Has anything in particular been inspiring you lately? Books, songs, other artists, blogs, etc?

AG- I know I’ve said it before, but I am continually inspired by the work of Tamar Mogendorff. She is my soft sculpture hero.

S- Any other up and coming plans we should know about??

AG- I have a few shows booked for the winter of 2008-2009. My website, abbyglassenberg.com, is launching this Friday, April 4, so come check it out! And otherwise I am busy experimenting with new designs and new materials and having a lot of fun.

Thank you so much for interviewing me! Plush You was my very first show and I think it is awesome.

-

Thanks again to Abby for her great responses. Make sure to visit her blog, etsy and flickr to see more of her work and show your support. Also, if you're in the Milwaukee area, make sure to check out Abby's latest show at the Paperboat Boutique and Gallery. It runs April 4th through the 30th!

Mr. Funky Interview and Giveaway!

2008-03-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

Narumi Ogawa is the clever brain behind Mr. Funky! She has a recent book full of easy-to-follow tutorials for adorable dolls and accessories. You can make hats, scarves, flowers and even a water bottle carrier (my personal favorite). She was nice enough to do an interview with us, and she's even offering up her new book, Mr. Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful, as a prize for one lucky Plush blog reader. Leave a comment to be entered! Thanks again to Narumi for the interview. We loved learning more about her.

S - You've been crocheting as Mr. Funky since 2003. How long did you crochet as a hobby before you decided to make the leap to business?

MF - It probably took me 1 year to establish Mr.Funky. I had never crocheted in my life until year 2002. I started going to crochet class at yarn shop every Saturday for 2 months. I was crocheting ALL THE TIME!

S - Since you began, have you been able to turn Mr. Funky into a full time job, or do you have another profession you balance as well? Do you have any advice for people who want to make their craft their business?

MF - In 2003, I started showing my Amigurumi dolls to store owners. I also showed my creations at parties, clubs, art walk and sample sales... basically anywhere I went. There were so many events in Los Angeles, and I just took advantage of the opportunity of living in La La Land. I talked about Mr.Funky to every single person I met. At that point, I was working as a movie editor for a small company and a model scout for movies. I didn't think Mr.Funky would turn to be my full time business, but I participated in 2 trade shows in summer 2003, and I received huge orders from the shows. After that I started working with sales reps in California, Texas, Georgia, and Massachusetts.

S - You grew up in Tokyo, Japan. A lot of the cutest Amigurami books and patterns I've seen come from there. Do you think growing up in Tokyo had a large influence on your work and style?

MF - Most definitely, and I am lucky to be born in the 70's. I LOVE 70's culture. I am inspired by the cool Japanese animations, cartoons, TV shows, and music and they are mostly from 70's. Also my dad was musician, and he's taken me to see lots of Jazz concerts and live music since I was a little kid. I often create Amigurumi dolls by listening good music.

S – Are there certain musicians in particular that inspire you?

MF - Sun Ra, Miles Davis, Max Roach, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Zakir Hussain, Fela Kuti.

S - On your website, you talk about your work being inspired by fashion from the 1920s through the 1970s? Are there specific designers or pieces that inspire you as well?

MF - I have lots of designers and art pieces that inspire me. I think that good color coordination is one of the most important keys of my creations. I often see greatest products come from simple designs with great color combinations.

S - Last July, you came out with your book Super Crochet Wonderful. It's great! Can you tell people a little more about both the experience of creating it and the book itself?

MF - The experience of writing this book was amazing. It was like having 2 full time jobs, and I worked really hard for this book! The book shows how to make Amigurumi dolls and crochet accessories like hats and scarves. I included both written and diagram instructions. If you know single, half and double crochet, you can make most of the projects in the book. It's really fun, and I want everybody to check it out!

S - I like that the book has a mix of both crochet accessories and dolls. Which did you begin making first? Do you find you have more fun with one over the other?

MF - I started making both accessories and dolls at the same time. I like working on both projects, so I don't have more fun with one over the other.

S - When did you start coming up with your own patterns and designs? How often do you find you create new patterns, and do you have a particular process that helps you invent new pieces?

MF - I started coming up with new designs soon after I started crocheting. When I come up with new ideas, I usually draw sketches and sleep on it for days, sometimes weeks. After that I review the idea, and if it's doable, I go to the yarn store, get some yarns and actually create the piece. So creating new designs take one day to weeks, it depends on my mood.

S - The book is great because the instructions and patterns are easy to follow, but I also love your book's emphasis on being able to use inexpensive yarn. Do you have favorite places to buy yarn or favorite brands you would suggest?

MF - If you live in LA area, I would suggest going to Yarns Unlimited on Pico Blvd in Santa Monica.

S - Your website is adorable as well! I love the introduction with bunny in the boat. Do you find you do most of your business online? How often do you update your shop with new things?

MF - I used to do online business well, but I had to stop for a while because my wholesale business became more demanding. Right now, I am selling only Mr.Funky book on my website. I should be able to update my site within 1 month for new products. I will definitely let you know when it's ready!!

S - Lastly, any upcoming plans you'd like to share?

MF - I am focusing on more new Amigurumi dolls and Hyperbolic crochet and free form style. I also have been working on Amigurumi kits. Besides crocheting, I am learning web designs and I hope to update my site on my own!

Everyone should check out Narumi's new book! You can buy it directly from her here, or leave a comment for your chance to win one.

Mochimochi Land Interview and Giveaway

2008-03-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

This winter I had the pleasure of meeting Anna of Mochimochi Land. If you don't know of Mochimochi Land yet, where have you been? Anna makes some of the most cleverly cute knitted creatures I have seen to date. From Tubby, to the Luvgun to Pepto, she has something for everyone. The best part is, for $5.00 you can get one of her patterns and make one of your very own and occassionally she has a FREE pattern up on her blog. And what's even better than that is if you leave a comment here you have the chance to win a $15.00 gift certificate to Mochimochi Land! I will be meeting up with Anna again in NYC in a few weeks so I think we will choose the winner on March 31st.

S- How long have you been knitting and when did you start designing your own toys?

MmL- I first learned to knit in high school, but I really picked it up again about five years ago in college, when I met my then-boyfriend, now-husband's mom, Bonney. She is an expert knitter, and encouraged me to try all kinds of projects. She also gave me tons of free yarn from her gigantic stash, so I couldn't refuse!

The first knitted toy that I made was my own design -- it was in late 2006, when my coworkers and I were getting ready to open our new gallery. The gallery logo looks a little creature-like, so I thought it would be fun to make toy versions of it to give as gifts to my coworkers. They were so much fun to make (and so well received), that I soon had a shelf full of all kinds of knitted toys.

S- How long does it usually take you to come up with a new design? What's your process?

MmL- The longest part of my design process is coming up with an idea. I like for each of my toys to have something a little unexpected about it, and good ideas are not always forthcoming.

When I finally do come up with a concept, and it seems do-able, the actual making of the toy design doesn't usually take me so much time -- anywhere from an evening to a week or so. I do a combination of writing out a pattern in advance and writing things down as I improvise. I often have to rip everything out and start again a few times, but since all of my toys are relatively small, that's not so heartbreaking.

S- I know you have at least one job, working at Gallery Hanahou, do you have any other jobs or do you get to spend the rest of your time concentrating on Mochimochi Land?

MmL- Working at gallery hanahou and CWC-i (the illustration agency that produces the gallery) is my only job. I used to work there full-time, but I started working part-time in early 2007 so that I could have a good amount of time to devote to Mochimochi Land. Not because I had a very specific plan for Mochimochi Land, but because I was excited to see where it could go with some dedication. I'm really happy with the way I divide up my days now -- I think I have a very good balance of the gallery and Mochimochi Land. And the two are also mutually inspiring!

S- You launched Mochimochi Land a little over a year ago now. What have been some of your fondest moments since you began?

MmL- I have so many great memories already! Probably the best ones have to do with the amazing photos knitters have sent me of their finished Mochimochi Land toys. I held a photo contest last year in my Flickr group, and I received the funniest, most adorable, most artistic entries, all featuring toys people had made from my patterns. I'm definitely going to hold another contest this year.

Another wonderful memory was the day that I tentatively stepped into a yarn store in Tulsa called Loops to introduce myself. I was visiting my parents in Oklahoma over the holidays, and on a day when there wasn't much going on, I decided to meet the staff at Loops and let them know that I make patterns for toys. When I mentioned my website to them, all of them instantly knew who I was, and they gave me the warmest welcome ever! One of ladies there had just bought a pattern off my site, and she asked me to autograph it. I couldn't believe it. Now I have plans to teach a class at Loops in June, with a new pattern that I made with them in mind.

S- Unfortunately part of being an artists is that you have to promote yourself and be a business woman. How do you approach these aspects of your art?

MmL- I think I've had a lot of luck with getting my patterns exposed to the right people without doing so much promotion, largely because the online knitting community is very supportive and sharing, so once I caught the attention of a few people, word of mouth really worked for me. I've also found that Flickr and Ravelry (a new-ish networking site for knitters and crocheters) are very helpful in helping more people to find my work.

The business aspect of my work is also pretty simple, at least for now. Because most of my sales are of pdf patterns, I have virtually no overhead, which is great. However, I'm starting to sell more printed patterns at wholesale, and I'm also contemplating selling kits for my patterns, which will mean a little more budgeting. But that aspect of a craft business is also a little exciting to me at the same time.

S- I have seen so many patterns being sold for great prices on etsy and other sites such as your own, obviously. How often do you try to update your patterns and site?

MmL- Lately, I've been trying to update my website with a new pattern about once a month. Maybe that doesn't sound like so often, but it usually takes at least a month to get a pattern tested by a few people, so I have to plan ahead, which isn't easy! I also try to update my blog a few times a week.

S- I have to ask about your Martha Stewart appearance. How did that come about and what was it like?

MmL- That was the craziest thing! My mother-in-law Bonney signed us up to be in the audience for the taping of Martha's "knitwear" show, and they had asked all of the audience members to bring something they'd made. Before they brought us into the studio, they looked over everyone's creations, and picked mine out along with some others to be on the show. The actual moment of talking to Martha on her show was kind of a blur (you can see it on my blog), but the coolest thing about the whole experience was meeting the other knitters in the audience, along with Martha's production crew, who were all super nice and complimented me on my designs.

S- Gallery Hanahou had the Luvable and Hugable show several months ago and has really amazing art shows to boot. Were you very implemental in having the plush show? What is your job at this gallery?

MmL- The original "Luv-able and Hug-able" show was held in 2006 at Gallery LELE in Tokyo, which is also produced by the CWC Group. I didn't have anything to do with the organization of it, but they let me put some of my toys in the first show in Tokyo and also the recent one at gallery hanahou, which was awesome. Both shows were big successes, so we're planning to do the show annually now.

At gallery hanahou, my job is mostly pr-related -- I write our press releases and the copy for our invites and websites, among other things.

S- What are your goals for Mochimochi Land this year?

MmL- Since so much of my interaction with knitters is over the web, I'd like to start doing some in-person events and workshops for people to get together and knit Mochimochi Land toys. Maybe some pattern debut parties? I haven't started organizing anything yet, but that would probably happen in New York, where I live. I'm also starting to put together some ideas for a possible book of patterns, though I don't have a publisher yet.

I'm also thrilled to be participating in Plush You again this year along with the show at Double Punch. It's a lot of fun to make some more complex, one-of-a-kind pieces, and that way my toys can reach some non-knitters as well.

S- Any other exciting news you might like to share with us?

MmL- I just released a new pattern on my website for Butterfull, the world's fattest butterfly! He comes with a pattern for dead flowers (whom he's inadvertently squished), and he's been well received already.

Thanks Anna for the awesome interview! Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a $15.00 gift certificate to Mochimochi Land!

Claire Chambers Interview

2008-03-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

I have been talking with Claire Chambers for awhile and finally was able to schedule this interview. She has been busy, quit her day job, has been making awesome videos to promote her art business, started The Needle and is a member of the Etsy Plush Team. With all that on her plate she still had some time to do a little interview for us. Thanks Claire!

S- Your recent stop motion animation films are amazingly cute and a fantastic way to promote yourself. Since your first one have you seen an increase in business, etc?

CC- Thank you! They are a lot of fun to make. I've noticed a definite increase in recognition for my creatures since releasing these videos. One of my Chickenpants Limited prints
(http://www.etsy.com/shop.php user_id=5069584§ion_id=5275279) even made it to Etsy's front page recently, too.

S- How long have you been working on plush?

CC- I started in plush about a year and a half ago. One of my first creatures was one of the prince's cousins from Katamari Damacy. Followed quickly by a "French Bulldog" that looked more like a bunny. (http://flickr.com/photos/smallchick/383901335/in/set-72157600047890584)

S- I noticed that you started your etsy shop a little over a year ago. What have you learned since beginning your shop that might be useful for people interested in starting their own?

CC- I feel like I've learned so much in the past year! It's hard to sum it up without sounding hacky, but here we go: Don't be afraid of the trial and error proccess- you're certainly not alone in going through it. Don't be afraid to reach out to people who's work you admire. It's ok to be scared, just don't let the fear stop you from doing what you've got to do. And take the best photos you possibly can.

S- I also noticed that you recently quit your day job. Does this mean you are now a full time artist? What made you take the plunge?

CC- I am indeed! It really was just time to take the leap. My art had expanded to the point where I just couldn't keep any balance between it and the rest of my life. Of course, having an extremely supportive husband helps enormously.

S- You started the site theneedle.org. Can you explain a bit more about what this site is?

CC- The Needle is a collaborative blog for plush artists. I am a big fan of sites like Sugar Frosted Goodness and Three Thumbs Up, which are collaborative blogs for illustrators and visual artists. I think it's a wonderful idea- it gives artists a place to show off their work and it feels like a sort of community. There is something amazing happening with plush. It truly is developing as an art form, and I wanted there to be a place that would give a sense of the scope of the movement from the perspective of the artists. If you're interested in joining, send an email to theneedle.org@gmail.com.

S- You are also a member of the Etsy Plush Team. Could you also explain what that is exactly and how one might go about becoming a member?

CC- I can't sum it up any better than what the team statement already says, so here it is:

"Etsy Plush Street Team consist of a group of etsy artist supporting and furthering the ideas behind plush dolls, toys and all the soft areas in between."
Basically, it's a great supportive network of plush artists. We hold various events and contests, all in the name of...well, getting our names out there.
If you're interested in joining, shoot an email to plushteam@yahoo.com.

S- What would you say is your favorite part about making plush toys?

CC- It's a toss up. I love putting the faces together- when I see the personality of a piece really start to come together. But I also really love it when I can see people's happy reactions to the creatures.

S- Since you do photography, painting and plush, do you try to switch up your activities during the day to give your body a break and to break up the repetition in work?

CC- Actually, no. I'm really bad about this. When I get started on one thing, I have a very hard time switching to another sort of project. When I start off making plush creatures, I get tied into that for days. It's the same with painting, or photography. (and answering emails!) I get obsessed with seeing that pieces get finished. I like your idea though- I'm going to have to try that.

S- I also noticed your list of things to do and or remember when feeling a little less motivated. It sounds like you have read the book, Getting Things Done. I am a big fan of this book as of late and have found it very useful. Have you read it?

CC- I haven't yet, actually! It's on my list. I've learned about it online, and what I've heard seems impressive.

S- What is on the horizon for you and your business?

CC- So many things! I have a few gallery shows coming up- including one in April that is going to be a sort of installation. I'm quite excited about that one. (keep tuned to my blog and flickr for updates on that!) This week I'll be releasing March's Chickenpants Limited print. And of course, there will be more Chickenpants movies.

And check out this awesome video made special for this weeks interview

Croqzine Interview and Giveaway!

2008-03-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

I have been eyeing Croqzine for awhile now and finally purchased a few copies several months ago. I thought it was such a great little zine that I decided I would like to interview the editor. So I did. Heather was very gracious and said she would throw in a giveaway. If you leave a comment here we will choose three lucky winners who will get a copy of their latest zine. Croq is full of awesome interviews, information and resources written by some of our favorite crafters. It's something you will keep on your shelf to look at from time to time for information and inspiration. Thank you Heather for this awesome interview and generous giveaway!

S- How did Croqzine come together?

CZ- Several crafty people were brought together via The Sampler. We were all interested in reading a zine about crafts, but we weren't finding a lot of them, so we decided to
write our own!

S- One thing that I noticed was your recent switch over to 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper. Do you have any thoughts or good resources for other crafters that want to keep their business as environmentaly friendly as possible?

CZ- My thoughts are this: it's more expensive for us to go 100% post-consumer in terms of the cost of our paper, but it's too expensive responsibility-wise to NOT got 100% post-consumer. We love the earth and we want to do whatever we can to reduce our environmental footprint. Yes, using 100% post-consumer paper brings the cost per issue up a bit, but it is so worth it in the long run! Since we frequently write about environmentally friendliness, it made sense for us to (um, how to say
this without using a cliche?) practice what we preach and spend a little extra to buy environmentally-friendly paper. We are by no means perfect, but we would like to find other ways to reduce our environmental impact and will seek other ways to do so. Possible ways we will do this in the future: use soy ink when printing (when we start to do larger print runs), donations of a percentage of our proceeds to charitable organizations, other ways we have yet to research and discover.

We encourage all of our readers to do whatever they can to make their lives and businesses more environmentally friendly! And don't forget to recycle your CROQ zines (hopefully by passing them on to others who would enjoy reading them)!

S- What I really love about your zine is the variety of submissions in it. It is a really great resource for a lot of crafters not only for the business side of craft but you guys also give a lot of very helpful tips for kids projects, on the road projects and yummy vegan recipes. How do you guys figure out what the main focus of each issue should be? and what submissions you take?

CZ- In the past several issues, we have come up with random themes (examples: The Trash Issue, and Travelin' Crafty) and given them to our regular contributors as a starting point for story ideas. There's no real method to our themes, we just settle on whatever seems interesting or fun. In every issue, we try to cover the following topics: craftivism, interviews with crafters, craft scene news, parenting, a few craft or DIY projects, and recipes (usually vegan/vegetarian). We accept submissions of all types! Check out our Submissions page for more details (http://www.croqzine.com/submissions.html). If you have any
ideas (large or small), feel free to contact me!

S- I really loved #10 issue: Travelin' Crafty. There were some really great articles on crafts to do in the car, traveling for craft fairs, eating cheap on the road and a great interview with Jenny Hart. Does Croq do a lot of traveling for events? How do you guys spread the good word of Croq?

CZ- We haven't done a whole lot of CROQ-specific travel, although our staffers live in all parts of the USA (and also in other countries), so we are represented in different regions by our staffers who attend craft shows and events. Maybe someday when we get a bigger travel budget, we'll be able to do a bit more!

How do we spread the word? Well, lots of online methods (advertising, giveaways, blogging), and donations (goodie bag donations for various craft shows, prizes for shops and other websites). I also leave CROQ at my local hip hairdresser's shop! Ha ha!

S- I feel so lucky to be apart of the craft community. As a kid I would never have imagined that I would actually have a wide community, all over the world, that enjoy the same sorts of things that I do. It is a really great time to be involved and to see it grow. Portland seems like an amazing place to be for the craft community. It seems like a strong place for community and craft events. For people that aren't so lucky, do you have any suggestions for how to build up their own craft community in their local town?

CZ- Before I answer your question let me just extol the virtues of the internet! Without it, we would not have this awesome craft movement! It's the juice that makes the craft scene go. Next, let me say how great of a craft scene Portland is... on ANY given day there are multiple crafty things happening. We have so many things happening that we have our own email list that emails us about every week's events (DIYAlert.com - it's AWESOME!). I wish I was twenty again so I had enough energy to go to every craft event... there are so many great things happening in Portland.

Okay, so now to answer your question. How do you build up your craft community in a town that isn't so craft-crazy as Portland? Use the internet to find others like you in your community. If you can't find any, make sure you post around on all the crafty sites to let others in your community know that YOU are out there (sites that come to mind: the regional boards on Craftster.org, getcrafty.com, and supernaturale.com). Create groups on your blog site, Facebook, or Myspace. Post notices on
craigslist.org. Participate in any small craft happening that happens within reasonable driving, biking, or bus distance. Put on your own events - organize a knitting group, a Church of Craft, or a Dr. Sketchy's. These can be done with as few as two or three people. Once you establish a regular routine, more people WILL come. Organize classes or a craft show. Again, these can be done with a few people working together.

Not to tease, but we have an excellent article about "Crafting in a Small Town" in issue #11 of CROQ... it addresses this question better than I have here.

S- Dayna Mankowski of craftyscientist.com had a great idea she mentions in Issue 10 to be a crafty ambassador. I thought that was a great idea. Do you know if anything happend with that?

CZ- Actually I don't! I need to find out.

S- Do you have any suggestions for someone that might like to start up their own zine?

CZ- Yes, I have a LOT of suggestions. DO IT! It's so fun and worth it. Regarding starting a zine, the first issue is always the hardest - it's hard to try to define the look, content, etc. Keep a notebook - I usually keep a running list of stories that I would like to see in the zine.

If you are going to accept contributions from others, it might help your contributors to know if you have any specific vision about your zine and whether there is anything that you are not interested in including (for us, we don't include poetry or personal promotional stories.) You should also let them know what's in it for them. We give each story a byline with name and website, and then we give a complimentary copy of the zine to contributing writers.

If you don't know anything about making zines, check out the book "Stolen Sharpie Revolution" by Alex Wrekk. You can get it at WhammyIndustries.com (it's a zine distro). It will get you started, and it's really inexpensive (like less than $5).

Also, a special note to parents: making zines could be a GREAT creative outlet for your kids (any age, although the younger they are, the more you will need to help them!), as well as bringing them some pocket money. Just a thought. If you are interested, give me a shout and I will discuss this more with you!

S- If someone lives in the Portland area and would like to volunteer some time to help what should they do?

CZ- Well, I just moved about forty minutes south of Portland, so if you live in Salem (or you don't mind driving), email me! I can always use help! If you want a crafty friend to hang out with, I'm your gal!

S- If someone has an idea for an article, how do they go about submitting their work?

CZ- Check our aforementioned submissions page, and email me your query.

S- What's on the horizon for Croqzine?

CZ- Well, I just re-opened the CROQ shop after a two month hiatus in which I moved, had a baby, and went insane. Now that I have found my marbles, we're planning to collaborate in some way with our sister craft zine, Australia's "Mix Tape Zine." (If you like CROQ, you must check them out!) Other dreams include podcasts, video casts, and possible a book version of our back issues. The dreams don't have any specific dates attached to them, though! In the meantime, look for our issues to come
out quarterly, with the seasons.

Thanks Heather!

Thank you so much for asking me!

* Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a free copy of the latest Croqzine! We will choose winners on March 19th.

Made by Moxie is Awesome!

2008-01-31T12:29:00.000-08:00

I saw Moxie a few year's ago at UCU. Her work left a mark on me because it was really good and anyone that knows her work knows it is impressionable. We then began emailing each other and most of her emails made me blush and laugh. I knew I had to forge a friendship with this "moxie" lady. Now, every time I get to hang out with Moxie it still brings out some blushes in me, she inspires me and most importantly makes me laugh. She was kind enough to star in our pre Plush You kick off, teaching myself and others how to needle felt. It's fun to learn a little more about her every time we hang out (we have the same birthday) and this interview just made me learn a bit more.

S- Can you first explain what needle felting is and it's process?

MbM- Well first you should know that felt is a matted fabric and is the oldest textile known to mankind. The first felt was made through wet felting, where natural wool fiber is agitated using soapy water, causing the fibers to interlock. Bring in the industrial revolution and the felting needle was born. The needles are super sharp with little notches. When you poke wool fiber with these needles, they do the same job that the water and soap can do. Hundreds of these needles in machines make the felt you buy at the craft store. By taking those same needles in hand, "dry" felters can create flat fabrics, sculptures, etc.

S- If anyone is not yet aware of you and your mad skills yet, let's start at the beginning. When and how did you discover your love for needle felting?

MbM- I discovered felting (she said, deftly sidestepping that embarrassing and untrue thing you just said about how everybody knows about her mad skills), by accident. I saw Nikola Davidson felting at an Urban Craft Uprising event. It wasn't love at first sight, but I liked the colors and was fascinated by the process. At that time I was working with kids and had Nikola come and teach them. I bought some supplies for myself and, honestly I didn't think too much about it. I made some wallets for myself, some cuffs for friends, that kind of thing. Then one day I got bored and started "doodling" with wool and a needle...that's when magic happened. Two hours later I snapped out of my art-haze and had my first sculpture to show for it: a bunny with fangs wearing a suit. That's when my life changed forever. I stopped doing pretty much all other crafts and needle felting became oxygen for me.

S- I know your work is very time consuming. It has been very difficult for a lot of artists and crafters to figure out how to price their work. How do you figure this aspect out?

MbM- I know, it's really hard. Money makes art complicated and when you add in any insecurity you might have, pricing can be a sweaty panicky experience.

Most of the time, I start by doing the calculations that pretty much all the books and websites tell you to do: you figure out the cost of your materials and time and add on a sum for profit. At that point I do allow a certain amount of intuition. If it took me an unreasonable amount of time to make something simple because of a misstep, or because I was developing a new technique, I'll subtract a little. If it was super fast but also a one-of-a-kind piece, I might charge a little more. Finally, when it comes to sculptures and art pieces, I will often ask myself "how much are you willing to part with this for?" I mean, I love all of my work...a lot. So, I might charge 3x the reasonable calculation rate because that's how much it would take to pry the work from my hands. And because it's sculpture, I don't need a hundred people to buy at that price. It just takes one.

I'd like to say too, that it's really really important not to undercharge for your work. It does a disservice to all artists everywhere when you miscalculate your prices...I try to remember that when I feel shaky. Think about it this way, pricing your work appropriately is a way you can contribute to the larger art community.

S- To help you work more but to also take care of your body, you made ergonomic tools. What prompted you to make these handy tools?

MbM- I have rheumatoid arthritis which is really lame and I hate it. My hands can get pretty painful. I don't want to damage my body or cause pain to myself but I really meant it when I said that felting is oxygen to me so I had to find a way to expand my consequence-free felting time. By having two or three different shaped tools that accomplish the same thing, I can switch between them to ease the repetitive stress. Right now I'm actually having more trouble with the hand that holds the fiber in place than I am with my poking hand so I'm looking into new ways of holding/controlling as I work.

S- You have been featured on Craft: several times for this and that but this new issue hitting stands any day now features your project on the cover. It's so exciting! How was that for you?

MbM- Aw, thanks! I kinda can't believe it still. Maybe when the issue hits the newsstands it'll feel real. The folks at Craft have been really supportive of my work, and the work of so many great crafters and artists. I'm addicted to the Craft blog too. I get really inspired by people with ideas, and the blog does a good job of being a creative hub. I enjoyed making the monsters and tutorial for Issue 06. It's not a needle felting project but I'm really proud of it. I think I made it a fun tutorial to read even if you never want to do the project. (I like making people laugh almost as much as needle felting!)

S- What I find so great about you is that you are an awesome teacher! Every time I have had the pleasure of seeing you in action, you are very patient, supportive and kind. Is this something you would like to pursue more? Is it a natural talent or have you had a lot of practice?

MbM- Stop it, you're making my smile muscles hurt! I do absolutely love to teach the people. I believe in open-ended teaching methods and am always happy when I get to give people the tools and inspiration to discover their own creativity. I've always been a pretty patient and positive person and that helps when you teach. I also have a background in school-age enrichment and I've been able to translate a lot of those skills to teaching adults. And yes, I'm hungry to do more and more teaching, because it's just so much fun.

S- What are your goals for your business for 2008?

MbM- Beyond the laundry list of sculptural pieces I'd like to create this year, I'm exploring some retail possibilities, some writing possibilities and more teaching. I've also gotten a small taste of having my sculptures in a few shows and I'm interested in following that path as well. I don't know, Kristen! I felt the things that need to be felted and try not to be too goofy in the process. :-)

S- Do you have moments where you are really into making finger puppet sand then other times where you are really into making jewelry or would you say you switch it up pretty often?

MbM- Because felting is my job AND my passion, I will sometimes split my time accordingly. Like, I'll have my "work day" where I felt the custom orders, wholesale pieces, etc. Then when I'm felting "on my own time" I open up to all possibilities and work on whatever I'm in the mood for. Doing it this way helps because if left to felt on a whim at all times, all I would ever make would be puppets, and the occasional sculpture. Oh man, this is making me crave puppet making time so much! Are we done yet?

S- Since the beginning, what would you say are some of your most favorite things you have made?

MbM- How do I choose? Obviously, I loves me those puppets. I'm extremely proud of the three dangerous girl sculptures I did for the PlushYou! show last year. Oh, that "Etsy-Sketch" I made for the lab came out better than I had hoped for as well. Meh, I can't choose. It's all about the process...I learn something from every piece I make, and I feel really lucky about that.

S- Anything exciting on the horizon for you and your business that you would like to share with PY readers?

MbM- Personally, I'm the most excited about the Bay Area Maker Fair in May and of course, PlushYou!. Also, one of my resolutions this year is to eat more sandwiches and I'm looking forward to all of those as well.

You can check out all Moxie's rad work here

You can also read her hilarious and genius blog here

Shawnimals Interview

2008-01-18T11:56:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest things about owning Schmancy is watching people I have worked with become super successful. I remember talking with Shawnimals when I opened in 2004. Since then I have seen his name pop up more and more. From art shows, vinyl toys, craft fairs, exclusive toy runs and more, he has been an inspiration to many. I finally got around to hitting him up for an interview and I am so glad I did. I can't wait to see what surprises are in store for him and his company!

S- I was lucky enough to meet you and your wife this last summer during your honeymoon. Since then what has been going on in Shawnimals world?

SH- Likewise! We want to visit Seattle again some day. Let's see... since then? It's all such a blur! Where to begin? Soon after our honeymoon adventure, Jen and I got back to work for a show at the wonderful Domy Books in Houston full of paintings, drawings, and, of course, plush friends. It was a blast! Immediately after, I got on a plane out to NYC to pitch a video game idea based on Ninjatown to a potential publisher. They loved it, and we started working on the deal. Now, some 7 months later, we're working on the game for Nintendo DS which is due out in the Fall. In addition to that, we're always making new characters, plush, and other fun stuff alongside our trusted employees.

S- Shawnimals story reminds me a lot of Uglydolls story. You started small, making stuff in your home and now you have games, vinyl and are getting some of your plush manufactured. It's just amazing. What have you learned along the way? What suggestions do you have for those still making stuff in their studios or in their kitchens but aspire to be successful like you?

SH- The Uglydoll comparison is a fair one, though they've definitely taken a different direction and ran with it! We'll take it as a compliment in any case. :) We've learned so much along the way, it's ridiculous. I don't need to tell people this, but if you do what you do full-time (making stuff, being an artist, etc), be prepared to work harder and potentially be more stressed than ever before. It's completely worth it though, because you love what you do, and no longer have to go to a job you hate.

Besides that, I used to think that it's easy to start a business as an artist nowadays because of the internet (etsy, myspace, personal sites, etc), and more and more galleries and boutiques being turned on and into handmade and limited run stuff, but I didn't full understand what was involved to do that same thing on a much larger scale, and still maintain your sanity. I still think it's easier than, say, 10 years ago in some respects, but doing it right is much more complicated.

By "right", I mean making sure you have your finances and taxes in order, getting proper licenses and permits, understanding what it means to bring on employees and do payroll, and plan ahead at least a few years at least to consider how your business might grow or change. Then, perhaps most importantly, how do you find time to be creative when you're dealing with all of these day to day business issues? Be willing and prepared to pay people to help you with this stuff, because it will pay off in the long run and allow you time to be more creative.

I realized a little while back that I was playing business rather than running a business, and this playing was getting in the way of me being creative. After realizing that, and inviting the business part of my personality to sit and have a few beers with the artist side of my personality, I finally have some semblance of internal peace in the office / studio.

S- No matter what kind of artist you are, there is a lot that goes into maintaining your art as a business. You obviously want to do your art the most but you still have to do the invoicing, marketing, website updates, etc. It's a lot to handle and I have the hardest time with it all doing it mostly by myself. You have a great website, a great blog, great products and you are super popular. How do you
maintain this all? Where have you been able to delegate some of the power?

SH- Looks like I got ahead of myself with that last answer! :) Thank you for the nice words. Maintenance, especially with regard to book keeping and various web sites, will always ALWAYS be an issue. We're not at the stage to pay someone to, say, re-design our sites and update content, or come in everyday to handle our books, but it just comes down to project managing. Stuff will fall through the cracks (trust me) but if you have some kind of system in place where, say, on Mondays you do this, and Tuesdays you do this, and maybe Thursday is "business day" then at least you know what goes where and how your time will be spent on a particular day.

Delegating things can be a difficult, especially for an artist, but it's integral to being creative and sane, and when you think about it, makes a lot of sense. Take, for instance, processing our orders from the web site. Does it make more sense for me, personally, to sit there and process and pack and ship every single order that comes in, or would my time be better spent in the studio working on character designs, or replying to emails about something in production? Granted, I still pack and ship things now and again depending on the day, but most of that is handled by one of our employees.

S- It seems like you do a lot of exclusive releases with various stores and galleries. How does this work? Do you present it to the store/gallery or do they ask you to do a limited release through their space?

SH- It's a combination of both. If we know a store or gallery is particularly fond of something, say, a color or character, and we have an idea to bring something out, we may go to them first. In other cases, we've been approached by stores and companies with a specific idea or product they want to work with us on or license. Either way, it's almost always a collaborative effort that takes times. Prototypes, packaging, PR materials, etc. all take time (and money) to develop.

S- You also do canvas art. What came first? If you could only spend your time doing one or the other would you be able to choose?

SH- Studio art came first, back in 1995 or so. Actually, I take that back! Cartoony comic-type character came first, back in grade school in high school! :) Anyways, in 1995 I painted mostly abstract figurative stuff, and then over the years, cartoons came back into paintings and drawings and eventually sculptures. Those stuffed things then became Shawnimals. As for one or the other, I wouldn't choose, because it's all good. Some days it feels right to paint something, while other days it feels right to sew or draw or work on a drawing in Illustrator.

S- Do you have a favorite creation you have done? I love the mustache and the ninja and the radish and the...well I could go on and on. Do you have any personal faves?

SH- There's two: I know it's probably apparent but I really do love the Wee Ninja. It really captures my aesthetic. Here's this thing that's so simple, with no mouth or nose. Just two eyes, and chubby limbs. But thinking back to the past characters, Razor Beaked Cat Wing is my second choice. It's this fake mythical beast that has this horrifying name, but is really kind of furry and cute at the end of the day. There's so many though, it's seriously hard to choose, if I may sound shameless for a moment.

S- What was the first Shawnimal creation? Was it something that looked totally awesome and made you realize you wanted to do more or was it a struggle? My first knitted scarf is so horrible looking I can't believe I tried again.

SH- Floppy Cat Monkey. It is so crude, and kind of beat up at this point, that it's kind of charming. Like an old stuffed toy from when you were a kid, you know?

S- What have been some of your fondest memories so far doing Shawnimals?

SH- Those moments when Jen and I can step back and take it all in. You know, no stress or any craziness. Just sitting back thinking about what we've done, what we're doing and what we'll be doing in the future. Specifically? The moment when I was able to call and tell Jen the videogame deal went through.

S- You have had some vinyl toys out already and have more on the way. Was vinyl something you always wanted to get into or was that just a nice added bonus?

SH- I had thought about it, of course, but didn't have any specific desire to be honest. We met up with adFunture through Rotofugi, and that relationship developed and we had the Wee Ninja come out. It was well received, but some time passed allowing us to figure out how Shawnimals should translate from plush to vinyl, and now we're really excited about getting our Wee Sticker pork dumpling vinyl out.

Generally though, there are some really amazing vinyl toys out there, and I know we'll be doing more, but I'm also interested in other materials for sculptural toys. Maybe rubber, wood, other things that aren't used as often, not to mention handmade / hand-cast stuff.

S- What is on the horizon for Shawnimals?

SH- Now that we're having some of our plush manufactured, we're finally able to work on some in-house handmade plush projects that we've been wanting to do. These will be out every quarter or so, limited to 100 or 200 pcs, and in most cases will be fully packaged with a lot of bonus goodies.

Of course, we'll also be working on the game throughout this year prepping for the release, and then bringing out more plush, vinyls, fun merch and apparel and other unannounced goodies. If you come out to NYCC in April, stop by our booth!

Thanks for the interview! Appreciate you getting in touch.

Hillary Lang

2007-11-29T14:17:00.000-08:00

If you are a crafter and/or read various craft blogs you must know who Hillary Lang is. In fact, if you don't...where do you live? Well Hillary is the mastermind behind the adorable site Wee Wonderfuls where you can purchase plush patterns of various characters, you can drool over the various projects she seems to always be working on or you can just go there for a little pick me up when your day is grey. Hillary has mastered the art of cute and took it to another level. I have been a fan of hers since I discovered her on the web and continue to love seeing what she is up to. I picked her brain a little in the hopes that more cute power would run off on me...along the way I might have embarrassed her by my super fan questions...I swear I am not creepy :) Enjoy!

S- I basically think you are a genius. You have mastered the art of making everything so cute. The product, the packaging, etc. Do you have a background in design?

HL- Ha! An evil genius I hope. Thanks :) I don't have a background in design, but I've always been a fan of cute.

S- I read on your "About" page that you just started making these cute little toys about three years ago after getting some books out of the library. I love hearing all the trial and error stories as it always makes me feel "normal". What are some of the horrors of your trial and error experiences?

HL- Well I look back on the earliest dolls I made and am pretty horrified. There's an unpacked box of misfit toys somewhere around here. The 3D concept was one I couldn't figure out for quite a while. A toy would look so cute and then I would stuff it and yikes, lots of skinny minnies in that misfit box.

S-You also happen to be an amazing quilter. I have really wanted to get into this quilting thing but I am scared. Any advice to those of us interested in taking a crack at quilting?

HL- Oh geez, thanks! Hardly amazing. I really consider myself a novice quilter. Even after taking a quilting class I still feel like I know nothing about quilting. I think that may be the secret to it, you never feel like you know what you're doing? So maybe it's not something to be too scared of? The trickiest part with making quilts for me is the quilting. You can piece anything together on the sewing machine but to machine quilt a bed size quilt on a sewing machine is a nightmare. So I guess my advice would be start with something small, a crib or lap quilt or even a table runner or placemats. Get a handle on the concepts and work up to tackling a larger project. Of course this is hindsight advice. The first quilt I ever made was queen sized and is still sitting in the guest room at my parents' house with stitch witchery holding it together!

S- I am not sure if you remember but for the second Plush You! show Blair did a tutorial on making your wee wonderfuls for the pre Plush You event. It was such a fun project for many as you really could put as much or as little into it. Was this one of your first masterpieces?

HL- It was something I did early on. I was trying to come up with something more abstract, something just blobby cute. It is a really fun shape and it feels very satisfying with some beans in the bottom. I love checking out the wee gallery. The creations are really all over the board.

S- Your patterns are really great. They all seem very simple to follow, have super cute packaging and are adorable end results. How did you start doing the patterns and what is your process?

HL- Thanks! Well I'd started out trying to sell dolls I had made and then soon realized that wasn't for me. I don't enjoy making the same doll over and over and I'm kind of a freak about my workmanship. I never feel like anything is good enough to sell. So then I started thinking patterns and it's been such a great fit for my husband and I. Process is funny because I don't think I've yet to design a pattern specifically to sell. Wait, our latest, the gnome, I did. Everything else was just something I made and then later decided to do the pattern. So my process is to fish through all the scraps of tracing paper I keep in a bag searching with fingers crossed for pattern pieces, finding what I think is right and trying to recreate the toy, realizing that was a first draft and nowhere near the toy I have in my hand, racking my brain trying to remember what I did to get where I did. Once I've finally recreated the pattern I work on the instructions and drawing the diagrams while Tim works on the design and making everything pretty in Illustrator. Voila! Piece o cake ;)

S- I really still do not see how you have the time to make patterns, blog, flickr, have two kids, a husband, a life, make tons of plush, quilts, etc. How do you do this? Are you just an amazing time management lady, drink 20 cups of coffee a day and not sleep? Any advice for those of us that might need a little help in the time management arena?

HL- It's so hard to find the time. So so hard. I'm really crunched for it now so I find it hard to give any advice. We're always working on new time management schemes. Thing is, it's part of our living now so it is prioritized as such. It's no longer crafting as hobby around here that gets fit into spare moments but rather a hire a babysitter, enlist all the help you can find to keep the small business up and running type of thing.

S- How much time would you say you dedicate to all of your passions. Like plush, embroidery, quilting, etc.?

HL- Well right now plush seems to be pushing the others out except embroidery which is holding it's own. Quilting is making a comeback soon but knitting, oh poor knitting...

S- I feel like a lot of people get really nervous about sharing their patterns, ideas, etc. Not as much as the art world; the craft community is more open to sharing but still. How did you decide to share your work and does it ever make you feel vulnerable?

HL- I used to get really worked up about this sort of thing but at some point I just decided to have faith that I will always have new ideas so I don't have to cling to the old ones so tightly. That doesn't mean I don't get peeved when I see people have modified ever so slightly my patterns to be the basis for their 'original' designs or that I don't get panicked that I'll never have a new idea, but I came to the realization that I couldn't really move forward if I was too uptight about putting my work out there in the world.

S- I am very excited to hear what plans you have for the future? Any you would like to share with us?

HL- Ooh plans! I love plans. Short run, I have lots of fun projects I'm dying to get to for Christmas... glittery felt stockings for the family, a gumdrop quilt, hot air balloon ornaments, and hopefully lots of craft projects with Oscar. After the new year, I don't even know! I keep getting distracted by dreams of doing a book and I love thinking of ideas but the reality of it seems like a giant homework assignment that I just can't imagine committing to. I'd love to do a book diy style, maybe PDF or Lulu. I want to start a new make-a-long story (after finishing the old one of course). I'd like to work on doing some patterns for quilts, also have been kicking around some ideas for illustrated cards, I have dolls sitting around waiting for photo shoots, I've always wanted to do kits with vintage/recycled fabrics, maybe design some fabric, make lots of cute outfits for Phoebe, ouff ok, now I've exhausted myself.

S- How has this overall craft experience, exposure, etc. been for you? What do you see for the craft movement's future?

HL- It's been awesome! Crafting for living? Are you kidding? It's more than I could have ever hoped for. I have no idea what the future has in store for the craft movement. Crafters take over the world? That's where my money is.

Aimee Ray

2007-11-16T11:38:00.000-08:00

Aimee Ray participated in last year's Plush You! show and just came out with her new book Doodle Stitching. I thought this would be a perfect time to interview her to learn more about her and her book. Congrats to Aimee on this recent accomplishment! It looks like a wonderful book to add to my craft bookshelf.

S- You just came out with your book titled 'Doodle Stitching'. How long have you been doing embroidery?

AR- I learned to embroider when I was about 5, but just picked it up again a few
years ago and began designing my own patterns.

S- I get a lot of questions about doing a book and it's weird to give advice since I just did one and worked with one publisher. What was your experience putting together Doodle Stitching?

AR-Well, I was lucky, Lark (my publisher) actually contacted me after seeing my
work online and asked if I'd like to write it! I was stunned but of course I
said yes. It took about a year to write, illustrate and design and make all the projects. It was a good experience, they were very helpful since I'd never written anything before, but not overpowering.

S- What do you think makes your book unique to all the rest?

AR- It has basic instructions and an introduction to embroidery for beginners, but it also has patterns and projects that would appeal to any level of embroiderer. My original artwork and pattern designs make it unique.

S-I am a huge fan of Blythe dolls. I noticed you make some super cute little outfits and friends for Blythe. How long have you been making clothes for her and do you have any advice to those of us that might be interested in making our own clothes for her? ie. resources, etc.?

AR- I started making Blythe clothes when I got my first Blythe in March! Sewing
tiny patterns is not really my strong point, mostly I make clothes just for my own dolls so I don't have to worry if they're not perfect. :) The online Blythe community is awesome! There are some great free patterns and resources at Puchi Collective and lots more at This is Blythe

S- You are also a very talented painter. How do you think plush making has helped foster your art career?

AR-Thanks! I've always been interested in lots of different artistic outlets. I
think branching out into different areas like plush making has definitely helped a wider range of people see my paintings and illustrations who otherwise may not have found them. Plus, plush toys are an art form in themselves. There is a lot you can do with fabric that you can't do with paint. I just love trying new things and I think overall that helps me grow as an artist.

S- I also love your embroidered canvases. How long would you average working on each piece?

AR- The smaller canvases (around 5 or 6 inch square) take a few hours. The larger art pieces (around 11x14) can take weeks or even months to finish. I usually have several projects going on at once, so embroidery is great, you can set it down for however long you like and pick it up again in the same place later. I work on embroidery a lot sitting on the couch watching movies.

S- I have always been interested in contributing to Home of the Sampler. How do you think participating in this amazing project has helped your career?

AR- It's hard to say exactly since I don't know how most of my customers find me. But I definitely recommend submitting! It is a great way to get actual samples of your work out there, which I think makes a much bigger impact than just seeing a web or magazine ad. Plus it's free, and any advertising and promotion you can do for your business is beneficial. The ladies at the Sampler are super cool to work with and they have lots of great contacts, so you never know who could end up with your sample.

S- What advice would you give someone interested in starting to do more embroidery?

AR- Just go for it! Embroidery is cheap, easy to learn, and there aren't many
rules. You can be totally creative and make it up as you go along, or if you don't want to think too hard, find any image you like, make it into a pattern and turn it into stitched artwork.

S- Are you participating in any craft fairs for the holiday season?

AR- I actually have never done a craft fair but I would like to sometime in the
future.

S- What are you looking forward to the most during this year's holiday season?

AR-Seeing my family of course, and having time off of work to work on my own
projects!

Flying Star Studios

2007-11-04T12:56:00.000-08:00

I can't really remember the first time I stumbled upon the work of Florence Forrest of Flying Star Toys but I do remember how her work made me feel. I was immediately in awe of how pretty her work was, how you really could see how much care she put into each piece and how it would appeal to a large audience. With that being said, I decided I needed to spread the good word and asked her to do an interview. It was really fun thinking of questions for her and I am so glad she had fun answering them. Thank you so much for taking the time!

S- It's ironic to read that you grew up in a puppet theater as the last woman I interviewed, Jennifer Strunge, currently works for a puppet theater. I've never thought so much about puppets before! How do you think that growing up in this kind of environment influenced your work today?

FST- I believe that time growing up in the environment of the Queensland Theatre of Puppetry to have had a significant influence on me as a toy designer. The characters from the puppet theatre were characters imbued with stories and I got to see them act out their stories in their soft fabric flesh within the magic precincts of the theatre. The theatre is still a place I'm very much intrigued with today and hence my work with OzFrank Theatre here in Brisbane as design dramaturge.

It certainly has aided my close relationship to toys and characters and the imagination of stories - they were my first friends.

S- Back in 2004 you started making plush toys by making 20 miniature cloth dolls that represented the creative community of Brisbane. That resulted in you making two life size dolls which you named, Lilli and Tom. You continue to maintain a blog about the life and the adventures of them. How has your plush changed since their creation and how has their life helped to broaden your work within your community?

FST- Lilli&Tom miniature series and Lilli&Tom life-size were a great opportunity to take art into the community, into the lives of people. Like many artists today I'm a big believer in the magical, transformative nature of art and that transformation and magic is best when it intersects with people in unexpected places and within the ordinary day, not just housed off in special places like a gallery. I think of my toy designing as type of folk art in the sense it is an art people can associate with everyday and is a common type of object, though this is not strictly the definition of folk art I feel that generally people can more easily relate to a toy than they can to say Abstact Expressionist painting. For me I'm looking at the gentle communion of story and experience of vision and the poetry that lies inside the human being - toys are a perfect medium for that journey.

Lilli&Tom life-size go to places you and I might go, they turn up and I photograph them picnicking by the sea or having coffee at the weekend markets. They enter the arena of life and enliven that place for others; something is happening, something unexpected, additional and other is happening in that environment. I'm creating a direct individual act upon my society and by doing so it becomes part of the culture of the city, it's very exciting. Lilli&Tom stand for honest contentment and natural piety. They are a reminder to enjoy the peace and security we have, for as we have it here in Brisbane it is indeed like a paradise. Lilli&Tom are not obsessed by anything, they are however self-posessed meaning that they act and enjoy and that their clear minds do not create mischief or distubances. This is the image I want reflected into people minds when I take them into the world and when people see their photographic journey, at least at the unconscious level.

When I first made Lilli&Tom minature series they were an art piece mascarading as a product. They are individual, completely handsewn each having its own outfit made from vintage kimono fabrics and story of what they do in Brisbane with the overall intention of an installation to be seen by Brisbane people. They are very specific to their region, infact you might say they are more akin to native costume dolls. My work in toy designing has over the years, since then, developed toward a product orientated approach which has taught me a great deal and has rather improved my toy designing rather than restricted it.

S- You say in one of your blog posts that wholesome is a good word to describe your toys. Can you explain more about this to the readers here?

FST- When I started making toys in 2004 the Plush revolution had just started. Mostly the toys were of the ironic kind or monster plush, my work is, in contrast, poetic and rooted in the skills of the embroiderer. So for a long time I felt my work to be outside the trend....not that I let that stop me :) But Plush has evolved to include so many more sub-genres. It really is an exciting area to be a part of because we are making it happen as each designer develops their own style and contibute to the scene as a whole. I think that there is room for all original toy designers now not just the ironic or the odd.

Wholesome is a one word description that encapsulation what I have called The Flying Star Toys Manifesto: To bring joy the the weary heart, to be a light in the darkness, and to be a vision of compassion is what it means to be a Flying Star. This guides what I develop and what finally becomes a Flying Star Toy design. A Flying Star Toy develops in a relationship to the purpose stated in the Manifesto so, that is to say, that a Flying Star Toy is a manifestation of wholesomeness. It is also another reason why I take great care with all the materials and construction of each toy because it must be a worthy vessel to carry such intentions

S- What I find so interesting about your work is that you seem to think a lot about the world, our environment and how we view our connections to both and then you translate that into each piece you make. It is almost as if every piece you make is a sociological experiment or something. How do you see your work fitting into our environment and surroundings?

FST- Toy making for me is an extention of my curiousity into areas of story creation, mythology, human relations, imagination and the intersection of objects with the mind. That said it is a personal artistic journey of process, myth making and creation. The curious way in which I must come into a relationship with something for a toy design to be born. To let you in on a little secret I rarely ever sit down with a piece of paper and try to come up with a toy. People sometimes ask me, can you make me a duck or a dragon? I say no, that I haven't designed any of those yet and I don't know if I ever will. I simply haven't come into a personal relationship with them yet and so they have not appeared. It is the witnessing of life and thoughts, and one's surroundings both big and small that end up generating my designs.

S- You seem to be a big art collector, critic and one who supports your local artists. A lot of people ask me why I think plush has become such a popular medium with artists these days. I believe it has been a great way to get your art out there, and your name, for a bit cheaper than canvas art. How do you think plush has helped artists to get into the world?

FST- Plush is a legitimate medium in its own right with its own rules and restriction, its own freedoms and natural subjects. Exhibitions such as Plush You! are doing a great deal for the respectablity of Plush as a craft/arts form and its popularity will only increase with time as it builds its own momentum. Making Plush is still a very new thing too and so there are still far fewer people making Plush that say painting or illustrating, perhaps it's easier to get noticed as a point of difference.

S- Birds seem to have been a popular thing to plush in the last few years. I really love your interpretation of finches and other birds. I have been thinking lately about how I see so many amazing plush pieces and in a way it seems to be inhibiting me from taking a crack at things because I think I can't do it as good as so and so or think that it's been done so many times why bother. Do you ever battle with similar issues and how do you deal with them?

FST- I too marvel at the work that's being done by the many other amazing plush artists. I feel we are all spurring each other on by taking ourselves and the work of our peers seriously. It is hard sometimes not to feel intimidated but these are the gifts of creativity born in humanity and the expression of it in the hands of true artists is always an individual journey that should be enjoyed for its variety. Having one's own journey with Plush is what it is all about. This is the same for any artist and their medium.

S- With that being said, how do you think your work stands out from all the other plush out there?

FST- Aside from the aspects I've already discussed, Flying Star Toys are not based on one particular character family that is then elaborated. Having one character family is an excellent way of exploring Plush but my journey takes me to various waters creating many character families brought together under the manifesto of the Flying Star Toys. I often think that I have selected a difficult route but it is the one that is open to me and is the one I must follow.

S- I have also been thinking a lot about my process and one thing I always go back to is how when I am making something on a daily basis and then look back at them, often times I have a certain color palette I was drawn to on a particular day and how that seems to reflect my mood or feelings. You make a wide variety of plush toys that seem to change from time to time. How does your work reflect you as a person and what is currently going on in your life?

FST- Currently I have about 8 new designs yet to be released created in my last design period, which included work like Ishmael's Whale and Red Finch White Finch. This design period bought me closer to forming my signiture style that represents the core nature of Flying Star Toys. The process of maturation has been both exciting and painful. The development of Flying Star Toys could not have happen without my dedication to that process. One of the hardest lessons for me was to understand were the line between art and design was. Learning how each could serve the other and learning when the art needs to butt out and knowing where designing for a commerical market needs to take the back seat.

S- As you continue to market your work "in all seriousness", what else do you see for yourself in the future?

FST- One of the benefits of having a complex toy world is the number of avenues I can take them. Mostly I'm aiming for the high end retail market that appreciates high quality, limited edition design. I'm also planning ranges that are more one-of-a-kind art pieces, which now that I've established a solid base I can go back to. And as story is such a large component to what I do, in the long term I'd love to develop books having the toy as its subject. Finally, of course, exhibitioning as much as possible.

S- With the holidays approaching, what are you expecting to be your hot sellers? What are your big holiday fairs?

FST- I have work going to a toy Exhibition in Cairns called "Toy Box" - 23rd Novmber to January 5th. The Umbrella Collective (http://umbrellacollective.blogspot.com) is holding our annual Christmas show on November 17th and Flying Star Toys will be at the Makers Market at the Gallery of Modern Art here in Brisbane on the 25th of November so its all coming up very quickly. The main toys I'll be selling this year will be FlockA2s, Ishmael's Whales, Red Finch White Finch, Biscuit Bunnies, Katkin Rattles and Fruits of Eve (launched this month). Yikes! I'd better get to it!

Thanks again Kristen for giving me such researched interview questions. I really do appreciate your interest in my work.
I'm looking forward to Plush You! 2008 :)

Warmly Yours,

xx Florence

Jennifer Strunge Interview

2007-10-31T12:21:00.000-07:00

The first time I was exposed to Jennifer Strunge I freaked out. I couldn't stop staring at the monsters and wondering who is this Jennifer person and will she be my friend? Her work is very inspiring as she takes monster making and sewing to a totally different level. Her inflatable monsters are too good to be true, her monsters for exhibits and sale have so much personality that you could easily be fooled into believing that when they are done they sit around and yap it up with Jennifer in her studio. Perhaps some drink whiskey, they definitely tell good jokes and you will want to invite them over for a nice dinner and good conversation. In a perfect world, this would all be very possible. Thank goodness we have Jennifer in the world.

S- I was reading about you in American Style and they quote you saying you have been "a practicing artists and puppeteer since preschool". Do you remember some of your "early" pieces you worked on at such a young age? Any favorites?

JS-Ah yes...as far back as I can remember I was making things from scraps and trash, and more often than not, they turned into characters of sorts with names and stories of their own. Mr. Weiner was a very early memorable one, he was basically a three foot strip of foam padding that I drew eyeballs and a mouth on...but as simple as he was, he provided many days of fun, until one day I brought him into the local pool, and he was never the same! I made some pretty rad sock puppets back in the day too! My mom was a school teacher, and also used to take me to this place that sold factory salvage things by the pound, so there was always tons of weird stuff around to be used for creations.

S- You were in the fiber arts program at MICA. As a trained artist, did you feel that your schooling was supportive to your kind of work?

JS- MICA was a great experience for me as an artist. It allowed me to experiment with so many different mediums and interact with tons of people with totally different views. I found the fiber department conducive to the kind of work I was drawn to making...things that were tedious, time-intensive and repetitive. My senior year I started making these three dimensional quilts, and eventually giant monster puppets, it was something that no one else was doing at the time, and I got fantastic feedback and support.

S-One thing I find so appealing about your work is the color schemes. Your monsters don't have a lot of patterned fabric going on or anything too distracting so that you really just feel like your monsters are almost alive. The colors go together beautifully so that they are really pretty monsters...if that's possible, you are the one for the job. I know you use mainly recycled materials so is this a big challenge for you or is it a pretty organic process?

JS- It definitely takes time. Each monster is different, and made from recycled clothes and materials, so I never have one set color palette to work from. Basically when I'm making monsters I have a huge heap of clothes/linens piled up in my studio, and I just start pulling out colors that I find pleasing together, sometimes they are the first things I pull out, sometimes it takes a while to find just the right arrangement, and sometimes I have to stop what I'm doing and take a trip to the thrift store, or my closet! I really let the materials, in form and color, help dictate what the monster will turn out to be...so it's important to me that they are recycled, and in a way given a new life.

S-In the issue of Urbanite, they say "Even in Strunge's apparently friendly monsters, there is a conflict between what is approachable and safe for the viewer and that which is distant and dangerous." To me they look more friendly, like they would be the perfect thing to tell your secrets too because they would keep them. Would you say your monsters are more friendly or dangerous?

JS- Definitely friendly. I like to think that they are on my side...but would protect me from any real scary stuff that may come my way. They are protectors of your secrets, and your toes.

S- Your inflatable monsters are truly amazing and seem like the hardest thing to make. What was this experience like for you in making such large scaled monsters that are also inflatable?

JS- I basically just had to think about things differently, as these monsters were given form by air, not fiber-fill. Usually I work intuitively, making it up as I go along...but for these guys I definitely had to do some planning. One is made from an old army parachute, so I used some of the original shaping and seams to help guide the shape of the monster. It was a totally fun project since these were the biggest monsters I've ever made, but also challenging for sure. If those guys had been stuffed, they would have to be moved with a construction crane!

S-When I look at your work and know that for one, no two pieces are ever the same as you do not work from a pattern and then for two, I realize how long some of these processes can be, how are you able to price your work so reasonably? It really is impressive.

JS- Well, I've come to realize that I should be charging more, and will eventually have to if I want this to become my main source of income. Right now I work at a puppet theater and in school programs. I want people to be able to afford them, but now am realizing if I can only make 1-2 big monsters a day, then they need to cost more. I'm still figuring out the business part of my Cotton Monster venture...and I'm definitely an artist first, so it's a struggle managing everything else.

S-I am not sure if it is obvious on this blog yet but I am a HUGE fan of Craft magazine. I love what they are doing and how they have really helped to grow the craft community and to help expose so many crafters. I really loved the monster bra featured in the last issue and I really love the costumes you have made, how often do you make wearable monsters compared to the more cuddly kind?

JS- I love the wearable monsters; those were really how the Cotton Monsters began in my senior year of school. I haven't had too much time to make them as of late, as the online business of making the little monsters has taken so much time. The monster bra was made last year for a breast cancer foundation fundraiser, and I've done a few big commissions recently...but would love to have an extra day in the week to work on bigger projects! There's nothing like walking around the city with a big old monster hanging over your body! Luckily Halloween is here, so I got to allot some time to make a monster bunny mask of sorts.

S- As far as having a full time job goes, your job at Black Cherry Puppet Theater seems really ideal for you. How has this job helped to foster your creativity and exposure?

JS- It's been great. I love being involved with different communities, and working at the Puppet Theater has taken me to all edges of Baltimore, that I may not have had much access to before. I really love working with kids and just seeing the awesomeness that comes out of their creative projects is always inspiring to what I'm working on. Kids have such a fresh eye sometimes they can make you re-examine how you've been thinking about something. I also perform with the theater's marionette shows, and it's always fun to be on that end too...manipulating something and making it come alive. I recently got to work with another local group, Nana Projects, as a guest monster artist, cutting out monsters and skeletons for a "magic lantern show". This job has definitely opened lots of doors for me!

S- I think one of the most satisfying things as an artist is not just the recognition you might receive from fellow artists, colleagues or the press but to actually see how much joy the actual work brings to the viewer or buyer. It seems like this is also very important to you in your work. What has been some of the more satisfying moments you have had in making your monsters for exhibits and festivals?

JS- Totally. I think that's what keeps me going. To know that whoever is getting this box that I'm mailing out with a monster inside, whether they are young or old, is going to get a giant smile on their face and not be able to resist hugging it! It's great at craft festivals to watch people's faces as they approach one, or they immediately pick one up and refuse to put it down. The last installation I did, I spent probably a couple hours arranging all these monsters, giant ones, big ones, and little ones. Within the first half hour of the opening, they had all been completely moved around and re-arranged. So even being an artist in a gallery, where you traditionally are told 'not to touch', the Cotton Monsters just cry out for that human interaction. And I think it's awesome!

S- If your monsters had advice for all of us, what do you think they would tell us?

JS- Not to take ourselves too seriously. It's hard to be in a bad mood in a room full of Cotton Monsters. They surely help me put things in perspective.

S- What is on the horizon for Cotton Monster?

JS- Oh man, more breeds are always developing. I would love to make more giant and wearable monsters too. I'm excited to begin new work for gallery installation projects...hopefully in the not too distant future. And there is this quilt I've been dreaming of for years, which I will make entirely of eyeballs, that's next!