Laurie Made

I know I have talked about this person before but I love them!!!!

Fanciful Felties

Samantha just sent me a copy of her fabulous book, fanciful felties from mummysam: Sew People to Meet, Places to Go & Things to Do. 

I really love this book!  I have admired her work for a long time now and was finally able to work with her on a few shows.  Her work is often times very small adding to it's magical powers.  To be able to make such small works so intricate and beautiful takes skills and she's got a lot of them.  I can't wait to take a crack at some of these projects.  I think they would make wonderful gifts for friends or family but of course they gotta appreciate it!  I might just have to make a few for myself!  This book is really wonderful and a great resource for inspiration.  Go and get a copy now.  You deserve to buy yourself something.

The holidays

are right around the corner!!!!!  AHHHHHHHHHHHH

I like this guy!

Urban Craft Uprising

Okay, it's starting.  Today!  AHHHH.  I am most likely running around like a crazy person, sleep deprived but really excited.  Some things I am extra excited for are:

Seeing Anna of Mochimochi Land fame.  Anna is doing her FIRST craft show with UCU which I am so happy about.  I have been trying to convince that lady for year's now to do one so I am so honored it's with us!  She also did the amazing art work we have for this show.

Isn't it adorable?

I am also really excited about seeing Twinkie Chan again.  I met her sorta once but it was at Plush You! in SF and was awkward because I forgot her real name.  hahaha

I was going to start running down the list of all the vendors I want to shop with but this list would quickly get out of control.  It's gonna be awesome!

I Felt Awesome

I just got a copy of Moxie's new book, I Felt Awesome: Tips and Tricks for 35+ Needle-Poked Projects.

Where do I begin?  This book is, like the title, AWESOME!  Moxie's writing is hilarious, engaging and just fun.  Even if you didn't want to needle felt, you would still enjoy this book.  But you should be interested in needle felting because it's fun.  And if you are NOT interested in it after reading this book then I don't really know how to help you.

Some of the project highlights for me are:

Desk Bowling!  I got a preview of this project way back when and it blew my mind then and continues to do so.

Tilt A Wall would make an amazing gift for any pinball lover.

Bogus Billard would also make an amazing gift but you better really love that person because it looks time consuming.  If it doesn't say 'I love you', I am not sure what will.

Teach Your Children Well mobile cracks me up every time!

Medic Alert Bracelet is not just cute but it's practical.

I could go on and on but I don't want to spoil it all for you.  If you live in the Seattle area, Moxie will be at this weekend's Urban Craft Uprising show where you can pick up a SIGNED copy of her book!  Yay Moxie!  You are awesome.

House of Ingri Interview and Giveaway!

 A nice interview to learn more about the woman behind, House of Ingri.  Enter your name and a way of contact here for your chance to win a House of Ingri toy, Francis Love Bunny!  Winner will be announced on Dec. 18th!  My sister AND brother in-law's birthday.  OH AND their dog. 

S- Can you give us a little background on the House of Ingri?

HI- I had just graduated college and was working in animation when I made the first dolls. I’ve always been a bit of an obsessive doodler, and my little drawings were all over the office. One night I was trying to think of something nice to make my co-workers for the holidays and was digging around the attic looking through my scrap materials and craft supplies… I found a couple old vinyl table cloths and remembered a Naugahyde Monster that a friend of mine had found at a thrift store- I thought the idea of making vinyl stuffed toys out of my characters would be cool, I had some acrylic eyes and noses that I had bought at a craft store a few months before laying around, so that was the inspiration… the first dolls I made were pocket sized Francis Love Bunnies and Marty dolls.  

S- What made you decide to relaunch House of Ingri since you started?

HI- I was a 22 year old fresh out of art school when I launched the company the first time. I loved the challenges of running a business but had to learn a lot of lessons the hard way… I mean, I offered free international shipping… ha, ugh. I needed to step away for a bit and figure out how to build a strong foundation for the company and get a game plan together. I spent a few years working as a Producer at a very smart New York design agency and gained a lot of valuable experience there. I also have amazing friends who kept me inspired. When I married my husband Brian and became pregnant with my daughter, I knew the moment was finally right.   

S- Tell us about each character. 

HI- I have a whole world for the guys in my head… Francis Love Bunny is a nurturer- he has a garden and likes to bake, Marty is the attention-seeking troublemaker, Picco Panda is handy with a hammer, Moki Monkey is an adventurous thrill seeker, and his brother Miko Monkey is an artistic introvert. They all live next door to each other beside a lake, along with a bunch of other characters that live there too.   

S- How did your work appear on Oprah?

HI- They were doing a show on women entrepreneurs, and featured an online store where the House of Ingri dolls were sold, the dolls were on the homepage- it was random and lucky and very exciting.

S- What are you most looking forward to the relaunch of your toys?

HI- I can’t wait to introduce a broader audience to the world of Francis & Friends- we’re manufacturing the characters in fleece now so that they are both more huggable and at the same time affordable. There are more characters in store for 2011 and we’ll be introducing some great new books featuring the guys too… life is good and I’m very grateful- there’s a lot to look forward to.

Luv-able and Hug-able

Opening party: Thursday, December 9, 6-9 pm (RSVP info@galleryhanahou.com)

gallery hanahou 

611 Broadway, Suite 730, NYC

galleryhanahou.com 

*SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS*
Mon-Fri 12-6 pm / Sat 1-6 pm

[Closed 12/24/10 - 1/2/11]

Get ready for some serious hugging! The 4th annual "Luv-able + Hug-able" plush show kicks off at gallery hanahou on December 9th with more plushes than ever!

More than 50 artists will be stuffing gallery hanahou with their original handmade plushes, and this year's show will have a special theme of "Luv-able + Hug-able + Wearable!"  M

any of the cute and kooky plush creatures will double as fashion accessories, making perfect gifts for your holiday list. 

Join us on December 9th 6-9 pm for the opening party, where plushes can be taken home on the spot for immediate hugging! 

Everyone is getting plush mania! Many favorite plush artists from previous years have returned with new creations, and oodles of new artists are getting involved, including selections from the crafty people at Etsy and Plush You, new plush artists from Japan, and even a toy design class from Parsons.

For more information or images: press@galleryhanahou.com

December 11 workshop: Make a plush brooch with Jenny Harada

Plush queen Jenny Harada returns to gallery hanahou on December 11 to lead a workshop in making cool and au courant plush brooches! The workshop size is limited, so email info@galleryhanahou.com to reserve your space!

Date : December 11th 2010

Time : 1pm - 4pm

Price: $30 (includes all materials)

Signup: info@galleryhanahou.com