Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Look What I Can Do- Interview and Giveaway

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!



Go here to read full interview.

16 comments:

Teneisha R. S. Jones said...

Hi dawn, I love your work. All of it!!

-Teneisha
teneisha.by.design@gmail.com

Henry said...

I'd want one of these ieven if I didn't have a daughter.They are so cool and collectible!

Eva said...

Dawn is one of my fave plushie artists! Actually, my plush addiction started with buying one of her owls. It was my first handmade plush and I've been hooked ever since. Also, she's one of the nicest people ever! Thanks for the giveaway!

kamewh said...

I love the bottom one! So cute!!

Unknown said...

ooh those are so cute and creative!

neuroni said...

I love these! And hi! I've been reading this blog for a few weeks now, great stuff!

Roni (ronicajay@gmail.com)

Kimberland Designs said...

I love all of Dawn's creations. I have been following her blog for awhile and I enjoy seeing the different creatures that are created. The sun and clouds she created recently are adorable. I would love to win one of her toys. It would be very loved =)

Kimberley
pup_p_love@hotmail.com

Leeann said...

wont be able to make it to plush you this year... maybe in the future :D love your work tho.

flurogoddess said...

Oh goodie! Dawn's on PlushYou!

Wahoooo! I love your work Dawn.

jenniferlfee @ gmail.com

Jennifer said...

Amazing work as always, dawn is amazing!!

Anonymous said...

Hello Dawn,
Your creatures look so huggable. I especially love the eyes; they look sleepy as if the creatures are fighting to stay awake, as if the creatures are being pulled between the day world of fun and night world of rest.

Love, Jenny Messerle
messerle@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Dawn's plushies are so unique and well... PLUSHY!
And I can totally relate to the phrase "sewing changed my life". Although I am quite the newbie at sewing, I now cannot imagine not having a needle, some thread and fabric in my life!
Thanks for the interview, and thanks Dawn for sharing! =)

zlyn88(at)gmail(dot)com

Maggie Muggins said...

OK - so I'm hooked on plushies! Dawn - you make such adorable ones, I can't wait to get one for my son to play with. He'll love it
!

isabel f. said...

hi Dawn! your work is amazing!!
you are really creative, keep going, and good work :DD

http://rosaechocolat.blogspot.com/
http://flickr.com/photos/54566212@N00/

Anonymous said...

I love Dawn's Love=Creatures. & that last bunny is so sweet!

Unknown said...

I've gone over to the plush side (from vinyl)after seeing all the great plush KR has put up this year. I like the cute/creepy vibe Dawn does with her figures and eyes. ~Mark B