Nicole Licht Interview

I am in love with Nicole Licht's work. The first time I saw it I fell in love and it's been a long affair now. Her work is delicate, thought provoking and simply lovely. It has been wonderful getting to know her and I am sure the world has felt the same. I am honored that she agreed to do an exclusive for Schmancy which will go on sale soon. Until then, enjoy this interview!

S- What was the inspiration behind this exclusive?

NL- I’m just loving this start of spring and wanted to use some bright accent colors. We are inundated with excellent Polish rabbit decorations all over my neighborhood (Greenpoint, Brooklyn); I couldn’t help but be inspired!

S- With all your art skills, what was appealing to you about plush?

NL- Honestly, it started as a kind of ‘maybe this way to help pay some bills’ sort of thing. I’d never been very ambitious with selling or showing my artwork. Crafting and sewing, which I’ve always had as a hobby, just didn’t carry the same burdens or art rhetoric I had wrestled with so it was liberating in all sorts of ways.

S- What does a perfect day sound like to you?

NL- A work, errand, chore free day spent outdoors walking, talking, wandering, discovering, relaxing and eating, drinking along the way.

S- I love all the fabrics you use in your work. What are you favorite places to find fabric?

NL- I’m lucky to live in NYC where there are many places. For silk I head up to the garment district. I have been going to Belraf Fabrics on the Lower East Side of Manhattan (159 Orchard Street between Rivington St & Stanton St) for years and years, since before they moved to their new location. There is a rotating stock and lots of linens plus I think the nice, burly Russian guys who work there recognize me after all this time…maybe? Whenever I leave the city I scour thrift shops for fabric remnants, embroidery floss.

S- What are the top five things you think you need to do to be a successful artist?

NL- That is such a hard question, Kristen! One, I’m not really qualified to answer!

Make sure people can actually see what you are up to.

Don’t be so shy.

Don’t rest on your laurels.

If you feel kind of crappy like you just made something less than great, try and redeem yourself with something stellar the next go around (repeat and repeat).

Keep it personal.
That’s my faulty ongoing plan.
I’m open to another.

S- Top 5 albums on heavy rotation these days?

NL- In the spirit of Lindsay Weir’s A1 Sporting Goods store t-shirt in episode 14 of Freaks and Geeks (we just finished watching the complete series, so excellent!):

Soulo http://www.soulo.net/

The New Feelings http://thenewfeelings.com/cornerfrenzy_listennow.html

Ivory Coasts http://www.myspace.com/ivorycoasts

Bitchneck http://www.myspace.com/bitchneck

Otherwise I really love these songs:

Cults – River

And Akron Family - http://stereogum.com/mp3/Akron%20Family%20-%20River.mp3

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Each of these beautiful Rabbit wall busts will be for purchase very soon. Each are $58, if you want to reserve one please contact me and let me know. There are a total of 10.

Out Tomorrow!

New plush exclusive with the talented Anna Chambers will be released tomorrow! A perfect gift for the holiday season. Exclusive to Schmancy

Michal Wright-Ward Interview

Michal Wright-Ward made me speechless and I will tell you why. She made TWENTY FIVE amazing plush creations (see above) for her plush exclusive. They are all super detailed, crazy cute and well amazing. They will be on sale tomorrow, Dec. 2nd so don't delay. They would make a really great gift for someone you love. I had an interview with this amazing lady and here it is.

S- What was your inspiration for this exclusive toy release?

MWW- I liked the idea of making a group of plushies, which means they'll all be similar, and seeing how within it, I can make them into individuals. It's a bit of a commentary on the human condition, with a wink and a smile.



S- Do you have any thing else you must do before the year comes to an end?

MWW- It's been a very busy couple of years for me, so I'm actually taking a bit of a step back right now, taking inventory of everything I've done, collecting ideas and making decisions as to what I want to do next.



S- What has been your best plush making experience at this point in your career?

MWW- Seeing people's reaction to my plush. It's really been amazing seeing people look at them and smile, or laugh, or bring up childhood memories. It's like I told them a story and it made them happy, and that's exactly what I've been trying to do.



S- Favorite new supply or new technique discovered in 2009?

MWW- The new Viking Sewing machine I got from my husband for Christmas. It allows me to try new things and speed my work process. Great tools make a world of difference.



S- Goal for 2010?

MWW- Make more plush! I want to stretch my imagination farther. And I have a couple of (for now) secret projects I'd like to at least start on.

Squeakers now for sale!

You can now purchase these fantastic Squeakers by local artist, Made by Moxie. Exclusively made for Schmancy! Get them here

Made by Moxie toy EXCLUSIVE

I think Moxie makes the most awesome, clever, funny amazing felted toys this side of the Mississippi. Don't you? She has made these adorable squeakers for a Schmancy exclusive. Something I would like to add she doesn't do much of anymore...so get 'em while they are hot! They will be up tomorrow!



S- What was your inspiration behind these fantastic creatures for your plush exclusive?

MBM- Because it's an exclusive, I wanted to make something fun and personable... something that would "speak" to the people. Replace "speak" with "squeak" and you pretty much have it.



S- How has your work evolved from the beginning of creating magical felted monsters?

MBM- While I love making squeakers and finger puppets, I've become driven to creating conceptual pieces. A lot of times my work might be anthropomorphic, but if you look beyond the cuteness, you'll find layers of meaning.



S- Where do you see your monsters in 10 years?

MBM- Ruling the night.



S- What are you most excited for in the next few months?

MBM- I'm excited to be a part of the 5th Annual Urban Craft Uprising show in Seattle. I'm also working on an instructional needle felting book due out in 2010. The next few months will be full of felting, writing and possibilities.

Schmancy Exclusive- Mochimochi Land

The latest Schmancy exclusive are these adorable Baldees by Mochimochi Land. We love everything she comes up with and these are no exception. 5 designs, 4 of each design. Get one or collect them all! Male and female baldness has never been so cute!

Schmancy Exclusive- Heidi Kenney

Ever wanted to know what broccoli would look like in plush form? Well you no longer need to wonder because Heidi Kenney has made them just for Schmancy. Heidi makes the most adorable things, including food. I hope I am reincarnated into her next lifetime. I think this will be released Wednesday but I don't know for sure yet so just consider this a warning. There will be adorable broccoli to buy very soon!

Sweet Meats Interview

I had the pleasure of sitting next to Lauren, creator of Sweet Meats at the You Bazaar! They were selling like hot cakes...can meat sell like pancakes? hmmm. Anyways, they are awesome and there is no reason to argue with that. This Wednesday, get your bacon on with an exclusive Schmancy release. This bacon will not be sold at any other retail location except for Schmancy. Get your bacon before anyone else! Released July 29th at Schmancy. I had a little email chat with Lauren about her meats and what makes them so special.

S- Sweet Meats are all the rage. What made you want to make stuffed meat?

SM- There were butchers on both sides of my family so I grew up with a deep appreciation for meat. I've always been a crafter, and when I decided to try my hand at soft sculpture, meat was a natural subject for me.



S-Tell us a bit about the new bacon that will be in Schmancy

SM- Oh man, I'm so excited about this bacon. I've been working on this design for literally years, I almost can't believe it's finally finished! "Shapin' Bacon" uses Sweet Meats "crinkle technology" to create a toy that is both super soft and posable, allowing YOU to decide just how crispy you like it. It is going to be sold as a limited edition of 1,000.



S- What are some of your summer plans?

SM- Most of this summer I'll continue to roll out Shapin' Bacon while working on a whole new (non-meaty) line of plush. Then the hubby and I will take some time at the end of August to visit family on the East Coast and relax a little.

Hine's Banana Slugs and Interview

Today is the next awesome Schmancy plush release. These adorable banana slugs were made by the super talented Hine. They are super limited so don't delay! We caught up with Hine for a quick interview.

S- I really love your work. Everything you make has so much detail and care. How long does it generally take to make a piece and how often do you create a new piece?

HM- Thanks! I make each piece quite slowly. According to one of my friends, I am slower than a turtle at any work! :D I think I am probably twice as slow as an average crafter (I need 48 hours a day!). I'm ashamed to say I actually don't create many plush or dolls, but when there is a special occasion, like an exhibition, a commissioned work or a video project, I love to elaborate and concentrate to create my pieces.



S- Can you tell us a bit about your toy for Schmancy?

HM- They are Banana slugs. I know only three types so far, the yellow ones, wild ones (rare) and albino ones (very rare). If you go hiking in the forests in Vancouver, you can often see them. One of them is actually my assistant. You've probably seen him in my stop-motion video (http://sheishine.blip.tv/file/1677747/). He always works very hard, but he is tiny, so he can make only one Camera camera case a month. Recently my friend Mr. Squid (32, single, ....anyone?) also got a cute Albino Banana slug as a pet (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheishine/3626013218/). I'm working on a stop-motion video with them now.



S- What are some of your summer plans?

HM- Making some pieces for the Plush You show will be one of the most important things in my summer plans. And we are going to visit NY soon, which is very exciting. There is also an exhibition of Kokeshi art in LA from July, in which I'm participating. I hope I can make a visit there. Other than that, I spend my not-too-hot summer here in Vancouver as always.

Sewing Stars Toy Exclusive

Next up in Schmancy toy releases are these adorable cuttlefish by the talented Teresa from Sewing Stars. If you want any please let me know so I can set one aside for ya'. In the meantime, check out our interview.

S- You make a large amount of sewing goodies. What is your favorite aspect to sewing stuffed toys?

SS- The best part of making stuffed toys is when they are finished and i can play with them. ^_^ But if you mean the actual sewing, I rather like turning pieces inside out. Seeing them start to come to life is always really fun.

S- Tell us about your collection for the Schmancy Exclusive?

SS- I wanted to make something somewhat summer inspired, which lead me to thinking about the ocean and all the crazy critters in it. After some google image fun time, I settled on the cuttlefish. They are amazing swimmers and so ugly they are cute! I also tend to make a lot of items that have a feminine aspect to them, and wanted to make something that boys or girls alike would enjoy as well as old or young.

S- Got any special plans for the summer?

SS- Relax, spend some time with my friends, and eat seafood at Point Judith, RI at least a few times this summer!

These adorable cuttlefish are about 9" long top of the head to tip of the tentacle, and even though there will 20 of them, no two will be exactly the same. She used different tentacle lining fabrics for each one.

They are about 9" long top of the head to tip of the tentacle, and even though there will 20 of them (maybe 24 if time permits), no two will be exactly the same. I am using different tentacle lining fabrics for each one.