Steff Bomb Interview

 Meet Steff Bomb who makes monsters with buck teeth and adorable expressions.  She is Schmancy's next plush exclusive.  Coming out very soon are these awesome chipwiches (i will announce when they are ready for grabs).  A limited edition so if you want to place a hold, let me know.  Until then, read more about the lady behind chipwiches and many other cuddly foods.

S- What was the inspiration behind this exclusive?

SB- After any Chicago winter, I am always ready for the summer to come back full force. Even though it's only 50 degrees outside, I'm already riding my bike in a t-shirt- haha. All I wanna do is think about summer fun, so it was either make ice cream or a bottle of SPF 70.

S- What are your summer plans?

SB- My only real plans are to actually try and enjoy the summer more. I spent the whole time last year inside sewing.  Before I could say "let's go to the beach", it was cold again. I'm a bit of a workaholic, but I guess that goes hand in hand with my stubbornness in wanting to sew plush for a living. I'm going to have to find balance with work and fun, or just find a portable sewing machine (maybe one that runs on batteries) so I can sew outside all day.

S- What are some of your goals for 2010 for your business?

SB- Not only surviving (which is definitely not easy at times), but growing in every area -- from getting my plush in stores, to expanding merchandise (new plush, t-shirts, prints, etc), to collaborations and gallery shows. Just trying to get my name out there and keep my fingers crossed that people enjoy it as much as I enjoy making it.

S- Where might you like to see your plush in 2018?

SB- It's weird to think that I have been doing this for 7 years already and still love it with every old bone in my body. I just hope that by 2018 I am far better at sewing than I am now, haha. I would like to think that I'll still be making plush then, but maybe because it's the future it'll be cyborg sandwiches instead of people food.

 

S- Favorite cookie/ice cream sandwich combo?

SB- Easy, cookies & cream...which is really just Oreos and vanilla. To be fair though, you won't ever have to twist my arm to eat any cookie/ice cream sandwich combo.

I Make Monsters

I think these new little ice cream sandwiches are super cute.  Found here.  I threw in the tree stump too because it is also real cute!

Record Store Day

Today is Record Store Day

Learn more about who is participating around Seattle at Monkey Around Seattle

Steff Bomb Gives away her Sole

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.



Read full interview here