While She Naps

Awesome Handmade Toys: Jess Quinn

The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. You can see previous posts in the series here. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

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Jess Quinn is an artist who openly embraces the creativity of childhood. Pompoms, embroidery floss, bits of floral fabrics and ribbons combine together to evoke funny, colorful characters. Her softies amuse me and lift my spirits. Come meet Jess and her work.

Jess Quinn

Formally trained as a painter at Glasgow School of Art, Jess now lives in Bristol, England where she is a full-time maker and mom to three kids.

When motherhood left her little time for painting she says "instead of snarling at that pram in the hallway I took up sewing and knitting once more and I’ve been making fabric sculpted doll characters ever since. Life is exhausting but rich."  

Jess grew up in a creative household. Her own mom is a knitter and sewer and made all of Jess's clothes when she was growing up. Her dad taught furniture design.

Jess Quinn's work table.

Most of Jess's work is one-of-a-kind. Truly no two of these characters are the same. Jess loves bright colors and vintage fabrics.

Garlic Girl by Jess Quinn

I'm particularly struck by the wonderful facial expressions she's able to evoke with just a few lines of thread and some felt cutouts.

Buzzy and the birds by Jess Quinn.

Her dolls and toys have a nostalgic feel, but are still so modern. Here are a few of my (many) favorites.

 

 

 

Carnival Birds by Jess Quinn

Rag Doll by Jess Quinn

 

Dolls and softies by Jess Quinn

Dolls by Jess Quinn

She makes both animals and dolls from cloth, but she also works with shrink plastic and pegs and clay. Jess draws on mugs and shirts and wooden spoons. I think she could take anything as her canvas and make it charming.

 

Horse by Jess Quinn

 

Cat by Jess Quinn

I'm inspired by Jess Quinn's attention to tiny details and freedom to experiment with all sorts of materials. She has a signature style that is easily recognizable and her work is incredibly beautiful.

Check out Jess Quinn's blog to see what she's up to most recently and head over to her shop on Etsy to get yourself an original doll.

Awesome Handmande Toys: A Chat with Toy Designer Lauren Venell

The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. You can see previous posts in the series here. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

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Today we're in for a real treat. I spoke with plush artist Lauren Venell about her work making large scale custom plush for clients and galleries and having toys manufactured overseas.

Lauren Venell with one of her Sweet Meats

Lauren has done some really impressive work. Take a look at this giant, wearable Mr. Burrito and I think you'll see what I mean:

Mr. Burrito by Lauren Venell

How do you go about planning this type of project? And how many hours of work went into making all that rice? Lauren tells me all about it, and the burrito pillow that preceeded the wearable version.


Stuffed Full by Lauren Venell

Lauren creates plush installation art in gallery settings as well. This piece, entitled Stuffed Full, takes us into a butcher shop where all the meat is plush.


Example of packaging for Sweet Meats by Lauren Venell

Even the packaging is convincing.

Lauren also has toys manufactured ovderseas, first her Sweet Meats and now a new line called Deep Creeps.

Leonardo the Octopus, a Deep Creep designed by Lauren Venell

Hear how she ended up with an 18-wheeler full of plush and zero sales (ahh!) and how she turned it all around. There's a happy ending here, I promise!

Lauren and I had a terrific conversation. We speak for about 45 minutes. Listen to the interview by clicking below:

 

Chat with Lauren Venell

You can see more of Lauren's work here, and connect with her on Twitter, too. If you'd like to learn more about Lauren's experience with manufacturing I recommend reading this Q& A she did with Rena Tom last year.

 

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Have a question for Lauren or me? Or just want to tell us something? Go ahead and leave a comment here and one of us will write back. Thank you and enjoy the interview!

P.S. I'm working on creating a legitimate podcast. It'll be about indie plush and creative business practices. I hope you're as excited about it as I am. It's coming...

Awesome Handmade Toys: An Interview with Monster Factory

The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. You can see previous posts in the series here. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

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Most indie plush toy businesses start out as one person's idea. One sewing machine, a big pile of fabric, and one girl (or guy) working very hard to turn an idea into something real. I'm always intrigued when I find an indie plush business that has taken a different route and been really successful.

I was first drawn to Monster Factory for the creativity and unique look of their toys, but after doing some further research I became curious about their business model, too. Curious enough to get in touch and see if I could learn more. 

Monter Factory toys.

Monster Factory describes itself as a "character toy brand" making plush monsters that are collectible and all have a signature look and feel. Monster Factory toys are sewn from soft fleece, are firmly stuffed, and are easily recognizable due to particular characteristics like their eyes, colors, and basic shapes. Take a look:

 

Wilma, Royal, Pax and Wayne are Studio Edition monsters made by hand in Toronto by Monster Factory. They average 10" tall and cost between $30-$40.

I love the shapes of these toys. Really, I love the seams. But I'm weird that way. I love a good seam on a softie. I encourage you to take a look at the full line of Monster Factory toys. They're silly, imaginative, clever and cute. I'm super impressed.

The launch of Monser Factory collectible minis that will hit retail stores this year.

Today I'm really pleased to bring you an audio interview I recorded with Rhya Tamasauskas, one of the three founders of Monster Factory.

Rhya Tamasauskas, Adam Dunn and Bliss Man are the founders of Monster Factory

In our 27 minute talk Rhya tells the story of how an art project evolved into a company, how that company has grown over time, and where they're headed next.

You'll hear about:

• How they cleverly employed interns to help the business be more productive.
• What roles the six employees at Monster Factory play. (They're a plush business with a writer on staff!)
• Why a new series of Monster Factory mini toys will be manufactured overseas and how this move is allowing the business to flourish in entirely new ways.

Monster Factory now has over 100 toy designs. Each character is engaging, as is the story of this emerging toy business. I hope you enjoy the interview! Click the box below to start the interview:

Monster Factory Interview with Rhya Tamasauskas

If you have any questions or comments about Monster Factory's journey, please feel free to leave a comment and Rhya will respond to you!  And if you're in Toronto, swing by their studio!  They're open to the public Monday-Friday 10 am - 6 pm.

Awesome Handmade Toys: The Felt Mistress

The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. You can see previous posts in the series here. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

Are you ready for some softie inspiration? Of course you are. Today I'm showcasing some toys made by Louise Evans. Louise is better known as the Felt Mistress. She's a plush artist living in the UK. Louise was originally trained in fashion design and millinery and today she creates some of the best plush characters I've ever seen. Here's a sampling:

Demetri the Yeti by The Felt Mistress (all photos via the Felt Mistress and used with her permission).

 The glasses, the belt with cuffed jeans and furry toes poking out, the way he's holding his pipe - this guy kills me. She really captures men particularly well.

Herzog by The Felt Mistress

High-waisted pants are so perfect here. And again with the belt. I feel like I've met many people that ARE this dude.

Giant Japonice Yosemite Ocular Beetle by The Felt Mistress

I really enjoyed listening to this Make It Then Tell Everybody podcast episode in which the Felt Mistress talks about her process. She says that she doesn't draw much and doesn't really feel comfortable sketching, but give her a pair of scissors and she'll make you something! I love this. One of the things that's wonderful about softie-making is that you don't need to be a great 2-D artist to make a great softie.

The Felt Mistress did a wonderful series of bugs from felt including the beetle above. She's also done fantastic cut felt masks.

Tabatha Snark & Rolando in the Wonder Room, part of a display at Selfridges by The Felt Mistress

Creative softies are awesome in window. The Felt Mistress created this window for Selfridges.

  Hector Bunford

I think we can agree that Hector Bunford is a marvelous character. I love that his mustache is constructed in a similar way to the beetle's wings.

Rishikesh George Beatles Tribute

The Felt Mistress made this George Harrison for a Beatles tribute show. I think this character is utterly amazing. The vibrant colors and clean shapes give this piece a great vibe.

Check out more work by The Felt Mistress on her website, her blog and her BigCartel shop.

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Is there a softie maker whose work you admire? I'm always searching for artists to feature in this series. Send me an email if you think there's someone I should know about!

Awesome Handmade Toys: Love and a Sandwich

The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. You can see previous posts in the series here. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

One of the best things about plush is the way it can lift your mood. Picking up an awesome stuffed animal that's soft or silly makes you feel good. Just ask any kid who's comforted by their favorite teddy bear. And for grown-ups? Playing around with a stuffed animal that's strange and hilarious can do wonders for your state of mind.

Chelsea Bloxsom makes just this kind of toy. Her work is funny and weird in the very best way. Chelsea lives right near me, in Boston. Her business is called Love & a Sandwich. She explained the name of her business to Dig Boston this way:

“I used to draw these two characters all the time, a boy and a girl, and they’d be doing weird cute stuff together, and the girl would always be thinking of love, and the boy would be thinking of a sandwich. That, and my last name is kind of hard to spell, anyway. Hopefully everyone can spell, ‘sandwich.'"

The Gibbles by Chelsea Blosxom of Love & a Sandwich.

I love the vibrant faux fur on these toys, and the teeth and eyes and horns.

Chelsea and a plethora of her monsters.

These toys are imaginative. They're light-hearted and fun and seem to say, "Hey you! Don't take life so seriously!"

Monster mittens by Love & a Sandwich.

I love these mittens. Love them.

                                                   Zombie Kitty by Love & a Sandwich.

 Custom order a Mustache Monster - you choose the color.

One of Chelsea's hottest items is the custom Mustache Monster. You choose the color and Chelsea will make one just for you.

Chelsea's workspace.

Chelsea makes certain signature designs over and over again, but she's not afraid to take on custom orders. She experiments. She makes all kinds of designs and keeps things fresh. 

                                        Fluffy Chinchilla by Love & a Sandwich.

These ice cream cones would be a great birthday gift. You'd open the package and just start laughing. I love them.


Ice cream cones by Love & a Sandwich.

Here's Chelsea at her desk fulfilling Christmas orders this year. 

Chelsea's toys are exuberant and lovable. They're everything fun about plush.

You can get your own Love & a Sandwich plush on Etsy and find out what she's working on via her Facebook page where she has 8,000+ fans. Clearly I'm not alone in wanting a cute, funny, brightly colored, furry monster to hug at the end of a long day.

Awesome Handmade Toys: Doinky Doodles

The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. You can see previous posts in the series here. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

In middle and high school I took a lot of art classes, both in and after school, and I enjoyed them and learned quite a bit about color theory and composition, but the thing I struggled with most was staying loose. Teachers would always say, "You're too tight. Try to loosen things up." And I would try, but I didn't really know what that meant.

It's hard to describe what being "loose" in your art means, but I know it when I see it and I admire it immensely.

When it comes to plush I think Doinky Doodles work is about as loose and free as it can get. In many ways it's the opposite of what I produce. And it's pretty great.

Doinky Doodles is the work of Pixin, an artist living in Singapore. She takes thrifted clothing and makes it into all kinds of imaginative softies.

Dads by Doinky Doodles.

I love this series of dads with their strained expressions. They look like they've just been called to a surprise meeting with the boss in the Executive Conference room and they don't know what he wants. 

Toucans by Doinky Doodles.

Two sweet toucans snuggle together on a branch. Look at the branch, though. It's black, and gingham, and two different browns and bright red. It's a wonderful branch.

Elephant Walk by Doinky Doodles.

This piece is just beautiful. Pixin is an expert with expressions. See how the guy up front is looking at the one in back? And without arms to catch themselves if they lose their balance, there's this sense of tension. Will they fall off?

Apple Tree House (based on Lego's Apple Tree House) by Doinky Doodles.

Lego is is square. It's based on everything being a straight line. Here is a Lego house with crooked windows. If I were making a plush version of a Lego house you can bet that I'd be sitting there with a ruler trying to get it all to be perfect. It has so much more life this way.

Leonard Lion by Doinky Doodles.

Here you can see Pixin's construction skills. Don't let her naive style fool you, there's complicated three-dimensional thinking going on here.

Call Me Uncle by Doinky Doodles.

No two Doinky Doodles are the same, not just because the material gets used up, but because Pixin has retained a childlike adventurousness to continue to experiment. Her work is skillful, but clearly made without a pattern. It's incredibly imaginative and, well, loose. What for me is still an elusive quality comes so naturally to her and for this, I have immense admiration for Doinky Doodles.

You can check out Pixin's website here and see more of her work on her Flickr stream. You're in for a treat.

Awesome Handmade Toys: Jennifer Muskopf

The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. You can see previous posts in the series here. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

I like handmade dolls and I like fantasy characters like monsters and robots (and robot monsters), but what I really love are handmade stuffed animals. When I see someone who can truly make them well, I fall in love.

Come see what Oakland, CA artist, Jennifer Muskopf, is making. It's so good it hurts.

Elephants by Jennifer Muskopf

The interaction between this big and little elephant, the curves of the bodies, the bright pop of color underneath...I love these guys. They're beautifully crafted, they tell a story together, and I just want to pick them up and look at all their seams.

What first drew me to Jennifer's work was her ability to capture movement in plush form.

Polar Bear by Jennifer Muskopf

Again, with the bright underbody. And look at the movement here. Where's he headed? These toys tell a story.

I first found Jennifer's work many years ago (2007?) when I stumbled across her website and found her series entitled, "Animal Interactions." I've never been quite the same since. Take a look:

Animal Interaction by Jennifer Muskopf

Predator and prey relationships. There's death...

Animal Interaction by Jennifer Muskopf

...and birth.

Each toy is alive and in the midst of living a real animal life, but at the same time they're so clearly sewn from fabric. You can imagine these fabrics as upholstered chairs, but they're effectively used here as animal skin.

Jennifer can set a scene like nobody's business.

Plush scene by Jennifer Muskopf

I just want to live in there. And in here:

Plush scene by Jennifer Muskopf

The mud, the baby elephant, the big elephant bending down...this is just incredible.

I did a Q&A with Jennifer about her fabric birds in last chapter of The Artful Bird (along with Ann Wood and Abigail Brown) if you'd like to check it out. She makes great birds.

When I see work like this I remember why I do what I do. These stuffed animals makes me so happy. They're beautiful, original, and superbly crafted. I'm inspired and ready to get back in the studio now. I hope you are, too.

Visit Jennifer's website to see more of her plush animals.

Awesome Handmade Toys: Violetta Testacalda

The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

There are a few softie makers out there whose work is truly unmatched, at least in my opinion. These are artists who have a clear, unique vision, whose work is immediately recognizable as their own, whose craftsmanship is so remarkable it takes your breath away.

Mole by Violetta Testacalda.

Look, I'm really into plush, and I can get excited about a pretty wide variety of stuffed animals, but there are a few people whose work I would literally do almost anything to see in person.

Violetta Testacalda is one of those people.

Crane by Violetta Testacalda.

Violetta is an Italian softie maker and I first found her work years ago on Flickr (Remember when Flickr was awesome? Ah, those were the days.). She sews her stuffed animals from cotton and often paints on them and sometimes she adds yarn, too. 

Hedgehog by Violetta Testacalda.

Her photo styling is incredibly charming.

And her toys are like fresh illustrations that have jumped off the pages of a favorite storybook.

And here's something else I love about Violetta Testacalda: she shows us her process. I feel at times like there is an unsaid agreement among craft bloggers to not show what you're working on until it's all done. Don't show that quilt you're making until you have a chance to photograph it perfectly made on the bed. Don't show that product you're creating for the hot new company until it's on store shelves. Don't reveal the book, or even that you got a book deal, until it's available on Amazon. And then...ta da!  The big reveal. 

But we all know that making things is slow, and messy, and doesn't happen by magic.

Sloth sketch by Violetta Testacalda

And I love honesty.

Sloth sewn up, prior to stuffing. By Violetta Testacalda.

Sloth in progress. Photo and toy prototype by Violetta Testacalda.

Sloth by Violetta Testacalda.

Violetta openly shares progress photos of her pieces on her blog. You can witness how a sketch becomes a pattern, and you can see how it all looks before she's painted it.

Snail by Violetta Testacalda.

And you know what? These steps don't detract from "the big reveal." On the contrary. When you look at the final piece you appreciate it all the more (at least I do) knowing what went into it.

Thank you for your beautiful work, Violetta!  You've been an inspiration to me for so many years!

Awesome Handmade Toys: Robot a Day

The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

I'm a huge fan of self-discipline. I love self-imposed rules because I think they can drive personal productivity in a way that no rules imposed from the outside can ever come close to. I'm also a big fan of setting boundaries as a way of inspiring creativity. Iron Chef is a chief example of the creativity that is born under imposed limitations.

And I've always been intrigued by artists who can take on a daily project. Daily projects by their very nature include both self-discipline and boundaries and they can foster intense creative growth.  So I was immediately drawn in when I came accross a website called Robot a Day.

Robot a Day is the creation of Erin, a creative artist from Kitchener, Canada. Erin had been sewing and selling handmade pouches that looked like robots for two years when one day in 2007 she decided to add a mustache to one of them. "A light came on in my head!" Erin said. "I could dress them up! Since I had so many ideas for them I decided to make it a bit of an art project and do one a day, Monday through Friday."

Erin created five unique robot pouches a week for a little over a year. Then she slowed down to making one bot a week "and eventually a bot whenever-I-feel-like-it, which is why I haven't quite made it to 365 yet even though it's been 5 years."

Even so, I think this Robot a Day project is amazing. Working within limitations is a great way to stretch the boundaries of your creativity. I asked more about the limitations she set up for the project.

Erin told me, "For the most part the bots are essentially the same; they're all based on the same shape and size of bot. This was important to me because it meant I had a starting point, it's much easier to make something almost every day if you don't have to completely reinvent it each time!"

A self-imposed pace forces you push yourself to create even when you don't feel like it. Erin agrees. "It's definitely pushed my skills. I've been able to create some bots that initially I had no idea how to make; it's really satisfying to be able to express an idea or gesture you didn't think you could translate to that medium. I think it's also taught me that creativity isn't always a flash of inspiration, but can come from hard work and diligence."

Boundaries and deadlines come together in a project like to this to produce some pretty impressive results. As Erin says, "Honestly it really took over my life for a few years!"

Documentation is a key element here as well. "Having a blog to post it to was really important for me too, it felt like an end goal for each bot; get it online and then it's done!" Blogs are great that way, aren't they?

I love this project and the creativity and drive it's spawned. You can read about all of Erin's robots on her blog, Robot a Day and support her project by buying a bot from her shop. Thanks, Erin!

Awesome Handmade Toys: Snuggly Ugly

This post is part of a new periodic series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts will feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration.

an original Snuggly Ugly

Indira Villalobos-Starr is a Venezuelan American living in Brooklyn with her husband and one-year-old baby girl. When Indira received a sewing machine from her husband as a Christmas present her first project was a monster made from a sweater that had accidentally been shrunken in the wash.

an Original Snuggly Ugly

Making that first monster was the start of her business, Snuggly Ugly. Indira makes cashmere monsters in two sizes. The original Snuggly Ugly is a larger toy with needle felted wool features. The Snuggly Munchkin is smaller and has felted wool features that are sewn in place. 

a Snuggly Ugly Munchkin

Every toy has a pocket for hiding treasures.

Indira has a custom toy option in which you send her your shrunken sweater and she transforms it into a unique Snuggly Ugly just for you.

I asked Indira how she took such lovely product shots. "I did buy some semi-professional lighting (two soft boxes) and a 54" roll of white paper to use as a backdrop. Consistency is the hardest part I have found so far.  We want all the backgrounds to look clean and the same from photo to photo."

an original Snuggly Ugly

"If you have a product with so many colors like the Snuggly Ugly monsters it is better to take the photos over white color because it will give you a nice plain white background and it will bring the attention to the target, our dolls."  I think the bright pop of color against such a white backdrop, with an adorable baby playing with the product, is incredibly effective.

When I look at these monsters the designs feel so free. There is no perfect symmetry. The stitching detail on the legs is whimsical and fun. These monsters are loose and playful and that's what I love about Snuggly Ugly.

Check out the Snuggly Ugly Etsy shop and Big Cartel shop to see more of Indira's work.