Simpli Jessi Interview

I don't remember the first time I laid my eyes on the work by Simpli Jessi BUT I do remember thinking "O-to-the-M-G, I need me some of those!"  And if you ask, sometimes you receive.  Thank goodness I did, I love these so much.  Here's a little interview I did with the artist. 

S- How did you begin making toys?

SJ- A good friend of mine was having a birthday party a couple years ago, and I knew I wanted to try to make him something by hand. I thought, and thought....then all of a sudden I decided to make him a replica of himself as a doll. I rummaged the house for scraps of fabric, I think I even cut up one of my shirts, and worked stitching and sewing for a good 6 hours straight. Of course it was the day of the party, I get these crazy ideas last minute. When the doll was revealed at the party, it was a huge hit. It looked just like him, and my friends encouraged me to start selling them. A couple years later, I found Etsy and Simpli Jessi was created.

S- I carry your toys in my shop (as you know) and when someone is looking for a doll for their little girl, I always steer them towards your dolls. I feel like they are the kind of dolls that little girls will drag around with them for year's and love to bits and pieces. Did you like dolls as a kid? Have a favorite?

SJ- I loved dolls as a kid. I was definitely a Barbie girl. My parents were lovely enough to give me my own designated space in the house to play with them so they could stay set up. My little friend from down the road would bring over her dolls as well, and we would play for hours. I think my favorite part was setting them up and dressing them.

S- What's the craft scene like in Michigan?

SJ- It really seems to be growing. There is a great scene in downtown Detroit, that's really eclectic. There seems to be a growing number if indie craft shows happening too, especially in Ann Arbor like the Tiny Expo that I participated in last December.

S- How often do you make custom dolls?

SJ- I would say at least once every two weeks I am working on some sort of custom doll order.

S- It seems like you use several online shop's for your work. Do you have any insight for other seller's on what you like about each one?

SJ- Something I look for in the different shops I sell at is location. For example, an online shop in Belgium is wonderful because it reaches a different group of people. I try to spread out as much as I can, throughout the US and Europe.

S- It seems like you are always working on some kind of project. Anything you are working on right now?

SJ- That's very true! I have a large painting I've been working on here and there. Also, the new collection of Simpli Jessi greeting cards are keeping me busy. I've always got my sketchbook around and when I'm tired of sewing, I usually sit and draw. That's how I come to some of the designs for the dolls. The cards have come to life from those sketches.

I Felt Awesome- Interview and GIVEAWAY!

 As you should all know by now, my friend, Moxie came out with a book recently titled I Felt Awesome: Tips and Tricks for 35+ Needle-Poked Projects.  As I have already mentioned, this book is AWESOME!  Moxie is hilarious and I'm not just saying that because she's my friend.  If you don't like to needle felt you would still thoroughly enjoy reading this book.  I did an interview with  her to join her giveaway here!  All you got to do is leave a comment with what you would love to needle felt and we will randomly choose TWO winners!  #1 winner will receive a signed copy of her book AND a kit!  #2 winner will receive a signed copy of her book AND a little present made by moxie!  Enter to win today!  Winners will be chosen Feb. 16th. 

S- You did all the projects for your book, I Felt Awesome!  How long did this process take? 

M- It seemed like forever! From the day I submitted an inquiry to the publisher to the day the book was on the shelves it was 2 years and some change. (There are a couple extra months in there because of a family emergency, btw.)

S- Not only does your book have GREAT projects but your writing is hilarious!  It seemed like you had a lot of fun.  Do you plan on writing more? 

M- Thanks! It was a lot of fun and a lot of very hard work. I'm not in a hurry to focus my energy on one project like that again for a while. However, if I get a great idea for another book, I'm sure I won't be able to keep it to myself.

S- Do you have any favorites from the book?

M- So hard to choose! I'm really happy with the yo-yo project. The moldy cozy still makes me smile. I also have the Ennui neon sign hanging in my studio and it continues to be awesome.

S- You are doing quiet the book tour!  Where may people find you?

M- Next up is gallery hanahou in NYC. (March 3 for the show opening reception and March 4 I'll be teaching a workshop and signing books.) I'm working on something for Baltimore but the details aren't firm. I have a secret desire to felt in all 50 states so if someone wants me to come to their town, they should drop me a line and see if we can set things up.

S- What are your plans for 2011?

M- Make more art!

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.

Penguin and Fish Interview and Plush Exclusive

As soon as I saw the application from Penguin and Fish for last year's Plush You! I knew I found a new favorite.  Why had she gone under my radar all these years?  Well who cares, we found her and we love her and that's all that should matter right?  I am so excited to have her as Schmancy's latest plush exclusive.  These adorable pieces will go up for sale the 23rd so be quick like a fox before they are all gone!

S- What was your inspiration behind this exclusive?

p&f- Foxes! I've always connected with the Aesop fable The Fox and the Grapes and have used that as a theme for several art pieces going all the way back to college. I've made a Fox and the Grapes mini screen printed book, handbag and ceramic tiles as well as a crocheted fox toy and embroidery pattern. It only seemed right to introduce little foxes as my newest plush character. I was so excited to start working on them. I always try to learn and experiment a little with each new plush design and for me the foxes were an experiment in adding a little more 3D-ness to my usually 2D faces. It seems like such a simple thing but it took me several tries to figure it out. You can see some of my first attempts on my blog.

 

 

S- What have you been up to since our last interview?

p&f- Man, it seems like a million and a half things. I moved into my first house! I love it so much. I have a whole room to myself for my studio and I also pretty much claimed most of the basement as Penguin & Fish headquarters. While I work I get to look out at my cute little yard and watch all the crazy bunnies running around. I have a feeling that after the fox plushes there may be some rabbit ones not too far behind. I also just exhibited in my first trade show: The International Quilt Market. There I got to show my embroidery patterns and kits to potential buyers. It took a serious amount of prep work, but what an amazing experience. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to sell wholesale items. I got to meet so many wonderful people, including several of my Twitter and blog peeps! It was tons fun and can't wait do participate in another one.

 

 

S- How has your book been going?  Any plans for another one?

p&f- No Monster Here is going well. It'll be up on Amazon.com soon so it can be purchased there as well as the nomonsterhere.com website. I created an embroidery pattern to accompany it and I'm hoping to get that up on the website soon as well. We're in the writing stage of the next book in the series...I can't wait to start illustrating it!

 

 

S- Any summer plans?

p&f- Besides working? Not really. Pretty pathetic huh. Although, the hubs and I are planning on having an outdoor movie night where we can invite all our friends over to the house, and they can bring their lawn chairs and blankets, then we'll project movies on the side of our garage. I'm pretty excited about that!

 

 

S- Top 5 blogs or websites you have been into these days?

p&f- True Up - http://www.trueup.net/

Desire to Inspire - http://www.desiretoinspire.net/

Just Something I Made - http://justsomethingimade.blogspot.com/

Dear Ada - http://dearada.typepad.com/

Sea of Shoes - http://seaofshoes.typepad.com/

Chickenpants Interview and Plush Exclusive

Claire Chambers of Chickenpants is a sweet sweet lady who makes really funny, cute plush chickens and other creatures with pants on.  She is our latest plush exclusive!  Here is a little interview I did with her recently.  And check out her fan page!  Her plush exclusive will be released tomorrow, June 9th!

S- What was the inspiration behind this project?

CP- I've been really obsessed with bunnies lately. I blame my own house bunny, Finnegan for this. I'm also obsessed with summer hurrying up and getting here already. Somewhere in all this obsessive thought, bunnies in swimsuits bounced onto my sketchbook pages.

S- How was Maker Faire this year?  What were some of the highlights?

CP- Maker Faire was amazing this year! It's always fun, but it was extra special for me this time because I manned a huge booth with the Plush Team. It was fantastic to meet so many plushiers I admire in real life...not to mention see in person so many plushies I had only seen from afar. I was star struck by inanimate objects!

S- How did Chickenpants come about in the first place?

CP- I used to be a temp, and my husband Dan and I would commute to work together. We share a demented sense of humor, and we think words are funny. Somehow we make up words, and Chickenpants was one of those. The word gave me a very strong idea. I remember racing into my cubicle to draw it. I still have that sketchbook page.

S- Summer is almost here (it's totally raining here and gross).  Any big plans for this summer?

CP- Agh! Actually, it's been cold and rainy where I live, too. (Northern California foothills) My big plans were to grow and then eat THE BEST TOMATOES EVER! (I live a very, very exciting life.) But if the sun doesn't cooperate...well, I will kick it's big golden butt.
Oh, and in real life plans, I'm working hard on a new Chickenpants comic project that I hope to launch in July. Stay tuned!  Chickenpants will be looking very different soon.

S- Top 5 blogs you are following these days?

CP- I've been really enjoying Hyperbole and a Half lately. (http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/)
I met David Malki at Maker Faire, and since then, I've been catching up on Wondermark. (http://wondermark.com/) Very funny stuff.
Michael Nobbs' wonderful blog about getting creative work done (even with limited energy) is always an inspiration. (http://blog.michaelnobbs.com/

And of course, Regretsy and Dooce are always in my reader.

Happycloud Thunderhead Interview

Meet the man behind, Happycloud Thunderhead. He has a beard, makes cute monsters and draws them too. Let's hear what he has to say.

S- Tell us a bit about yourself and your work?

HCTH- I am an artist. I live in Wisconsin. I used to live in Seattle. I have a beard and a cat. Her name is Lulu (my cat, not my beard. His name is Larry). My plush toys, dolls and illustrations are characters from the imaginary fantasy land of Thunderhead Kingdom and the elf village of Happycloud. That’s why I call it Happycloud Thunderhead. I make a variety of monsters, elves, heroes, heroines, sorcerers, goblins, creatures, etc…

S- I see you have a degree in the fine arts. What drew you to making plush?

HCTH- I didn’t quite get a degree, I did go to a private art college in Seattle for a few years and I really learned a lot there. My fine art work deals with abstracting found images and collage.

When I was a kid, I really wanted to be a cartoonist. Then, I saw the book Jazz, by Henri Matisse and I became obsessed with fine art. Although, most of my early paintings were of weird monsters and creatures. It has kind of come around full circle returning to monsters and an interest in illustration. I sort of started making plush on a whim, I just wanted to see what I could do with it; I enjoy a challenge. I tried it, really liked it, and I’ve stuck with it. Plush and illustration are now occupying way more time than art, and instead of separate interests I find my self thinking up ways to blend it all together.

S- It always seems like people are drawn to monsters. Why do you think that is?

HCTH- I think people like the idea that something which should be scary is instead very cute and fun; its silly and ironic. I think its good for kids to fight off the boogie man or monsters under the bed, having their own monster friend to protect them. I like monsters because they fit so well into the fantasy theme. I find myself coming up with lots of different personalities and stories for them. Most of my monsters live in the Forgotten Forest.

S- Where do you think we will see your monsters 10 years from now?

HCTH- I hope to have a line of toys in stores. I want to write some children’s adventure story books. I plan to continue working on my illustration and art. I may explore the notion of opening my own toy store.

S- What is your favorite kind of monster and why?

HCTH- Um, I don’t know. I like cute monsters. Like Gizmo, ET, or Ewoks…er, well, those are aliens but you know what I mean. I can’t stand scary movies, my imagination is to active and I scare myself to easily. I don’t know that I have a real favorite. I have a few monster characters that I want to write stories for but no one will know; Zog, Grum Grum or Krazzug Jr. If I have to pick, I’m gonna say Mer-man from the original 80’s cartoon He-man and the Masters of the Universe.

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.

Theresa Smythe Interview

One of the reasons I love doing interviews is how much you learn about all the artists.  I think everyone has such interesting jobs, interesting experiences and Theresa Smythe is no exception.  Enjoy!

S- It looks like you have worked on three books!  That's awesome.  What is the best part of working on new book projects?  How have you gotten into this line of work?


TS- Thank you--I just got contracted to do a fourth! It's been seven years since I got my last book deal so this is very exciting to me. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to make it back to my children's book career after having a child and experiencing a number of personal tragedies over these last seven years. I kinda lost my mojo for it.

The best part of working on book projects for me has to be "the beginning" and "the end". The beginning; because it's very exciting to take your germ of an idea and develop it ---and the end; because after working on your idea for a year or usually more, it's very satisfying to finally be finished and release it into the world! The middle is not my favorite because it's a long journey from beginning to end and like a marathon runner; you have to save your stamina to keep your interest on a book for such a long period of time.

I got into this line of work after working in the animation industry for over sixteen years. When I applied to the Rhode Island School of Design, I had animation for my first choice and children's illustration for my second. After leaving the animation industry later in life somewhat disillusioned, I wanted to know if it would be more satisfying pursuing what was my second choice for an art career. And ultimately it was, because I had more creative control over the final product.

S- It looks like you also had worked in film and tv for years.  What was that experience like?  How about a favorite story?

TS- At first it was very exciting and satisfying to the ego--who doesn't want to go to the movies and see their name pop up in the credits? It started out with much difficulty however, as back in 1984, when I graduated with my degree from RISD, animation was a dead horse. I was also living in Massachusetts which did not help, so I would commute to Boston for an occasional freelance job, painting animation cels for TV commercials whenever I got a chance. After a couple of years of that, I took the leap of faith and went to New York City and got to work at some much more prominent animation studios that gave me a lot more experience and most importantly let me draw!

My favorite experience in NY was working at Michael Sporn Animation Inc. where we made half hour specials for HBO and PBS based on classic children's books. I got to animate, immerse myself in children's books and occasionally do voice-over work for the specials which I really enjoyed. I also met my future husband when he came to pick up some freelance work at that studio.

In the tail end of 1990,  I made the move to Los Angeles with future husband to be and we got here right before the big animation boom that hit shortly after. Disney's big comeback film, THE LITTLE MERMAID, put animation back on the map and several studios opened all over the city and started scrambling for artists. It was a great time to be in LA for animation and the salaries were unlike anything I had ever experienced before. FINALLY, no longer a "starving artist"!

My favorite moment in animation was when I was hired by Bill Melendez to work on a Peanuts Special which to me was huge since I had been drawing Snoopy since I was able to pick up a pencil. I had grown up watching the Peanuts Specials on TV, and was selling my drawings of Snoopy to my elementary school classmates for 5cents apiece. Now I was in my thirties and working on one of those specials, drawing Snoopy for real!

Unfortunately, animation turned into drudgery for me when I realized it was very male dominated and my chances of being creative in the field were second to none. I was just one of many churning out boring, bland characters in an assembly line and my having to draw exactly like the guy next to me, in the next cubicle, was the measure of success. Any individuality and originality was not good, as the film has to look like it was drawn by one person. Such a contrast to being an illustrator, where your ability to be original and stand out from the competition is what is the key to success.

S- What do you think are the most important things to enjoying life?

TS- The most important things to enjoying life for me is having the freedom to be able to create. If I'm not in my studio making something--no matter what it is--I notice I get very grouchy. Creating is where I find my bliss and it truly feeds my soul. I think if you love what you do work-wise, life can be a very enjoyable experience. I've had enough yucky jobs in my lifetime to know the difference, right down to cleaning toliets to pay the rent. I feel very fortunate these days that I have a creative space, my studio, totally dedicated to my creativity.

I'm still working on creating a balanced life however, which I also feel is the key to happiness. I tend to obsess on certain aspects of my life at a time, which can make me very fickle, and sooner or later, things fall away that I haven't put my attention on.

S- I am in a creative slump.  I hope I am not alone in feeling this way as I am sure I am not.  I can't seem to get the "mojo" back.  Do you ever get in a creative slump and how do you try and pull yourself out of it?

TS- Ah yes, many, many times I have lost my "mojo" for one thing or the other. For the last seven years, I lost all my children's book making mojo. I couldn't even sit in the book store pulling volumes off the shelf to leaf through like I used to.  I wasn't inspired by anyone or anything in that field for such a long time.

The way I got out of the slump is by experimenting with new materials. These past seven years I have been experimenting...
I've been carving my own rubber stamps, making glittery skulls, teaching myself how to sew in order to make stuffed mohair jointed bears and other critters, indulging in my love of vintage holiday decor and making my own vintage inspired decorations, exploring the mechanics of pop-up books, and connecting with other like-minded individuals on the internet. I could always find inspiration there and I loved the challenge of learning something new.

I feel much more enriched these days, having indulged in these various art/craft forms over the years. And It's exciting for me to see how I will use what I have learned in my next projects. I'd love to combine them all somehow in the future. Who knows, maybe that means a return to animation for me someday? Anything is possible! It's all about evolving...and growing as an artist. Being open to change is what makes life worth living as well as making it exciting.

S- What are most excited for during this summer?

TS- Renting an RV and traveling to Yosemite and other places with my family for a major vacation--it's been on the to-do list for a long while. And I'm very excited to go to Munky King for the plush-you show of course!!!

Lou Lou and Oscar Interview

I discovered Lisa's blog, Lou Lou & Oscar after the show I curated at Gallery Hanahou last Feb.  I immediately bookmarked it and have been hooked since.  Since then I have had the pleasure of doing a trade with Lisa, talk to Lisa more frequently then a lot of other folks I have never met and feel like she is my long lost friend.  I am a big fan of her work and can't wait to get her little guys in the shop.  Her exclusive will be released March 1st due to my pending vacation.  Anyone that orders them after the 3rd will have to wait a few weeks to get them in the mail.  Either way, it will be worth the wait!  Here is an interview I did with her. 

S- What was your inspiration for this exclusive?

LL&O- The natural history of the Arctic, from auroras to lemmings, the ice bound and the aquatic. I could have created a hundred Fish Boys with polar characteristics, the Arctic region is such a fecund source of inspiration. I cannot help but project my imagination upon the mysterious terrain and the water beneath the ice pack, I often wonder about the creatures that may exist, undiscovered, in this realm. I haven't come to the end of my arctic adventure that's for sure. I am also interested in cryptozoology, secret histories and hybrid identities, the fish boy grew out of reading around these subjects I guess. Fish Boys are happy, fun-loving creatures, they love to read but don't really care for over-thinking. I am aware that I have become too close to my creations!

S- How did you start making plush?

LL&O- As a way to save my sanity when we moved to this tiny island off the coast of France!  I inherited a sewing machine from my Step Mum and felt inspired to try and make some softies for my son, I really needed to do something creative, something that would result in an object that could be held and loved. My first attempts were pretty dire, I overheard my son saying "don't tell Mummy you don't like the robots", ha, yes they were supposed to be robots! I got hooked and just couldn't stop in spite of my early failures. I was lucky to come across some amazing work when I started out, that really pushed me to get better, aspiration, to try and make meaningful work.

S- Your site is so beautiful to view.  It seems like you take a lot of time with your photos, writing, etc. On average, how often do you update your site?  How has it influenced your art?

LL&O- Thank you for the kind words, I don't feel as though I deserve them, the site has fallen a little fallow and I am hoping to consolidate all of the virtual spaces I inhabit into one website this year. I got very caught up with my blog initially and spent more time planning posts than actually making things, always more ideas than hours in the day, sounds familiar I bet? It did come down in the end to a choice between creating/crafting and blogging, making things won out, I missed it. I noticed too that the quality of my posts had been declining, it upset me, posting for the sake of it, worrying about diminishing views, it all felt inauthentic and a little silly. I think the latter realization has lead me to revaluate my work as a whole, to ask why I make it in the first place, what am I trying to achieve through it, in this sense the site has influenced my work. I have gone from updating mostly everyday to maybe once every week at the most. I am trying to post only when I have something to say. I know my blog could be much better, I do take a lot of care with pictures, less care with writing.  I find that writing comes relatively easily, the other stuff is much harder for me, which is why it excites me I think. I am hoping that some changes coming later this year will enable me to share a little more of myself. I am a nosy parker and love the glimpses of life behind the scenes that my favourite bloggers offer, I want to do more of this myself.

S- What are you looking forward to in this new year?

LL&O- This year is going to be full of change and upheaval for me and my little family, which I welcome. I can't give too much away yet but I know these events will have a big impact on my work. Sorry for being such a secret squirrel! I have a 'milestone' birthday coming up next month, it is really no different from any other day but I confess to feeling excited and scared about it. I can't wait to conduct a thorough remodeling of Lou Lou & Oscar, that is certainly on the cards, new creatures too, I have a whole book full that need to come to life. I am so looking forward to the shows I am taking part in this year, really jumping up and down with excitement. Last year I discovered that making work for a show gives you an almighty kick up the bum, deadlines, concentration, the attempt to become more technically adept in order to realize your mind's imaginings. So, yes, hooray for shows!

S- What are the top 5 albums in your music rotation right now?

LL&O- I am the worst person to answer this question, I can happily listen to the same album for months to the exclusion of everything else. All of these have cropped up recently.

For Your Pleasure-Roxy Music

Homework-Daft Punk

Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective (I've been trying to love this but I don't, hoping it will grow on me, hasn't yet!)

The Madcap Laughs-Syd Barrett

Live At The Witch Trials-The Fall (everyday, forever!)

Yummy Pancake Interview

Next Wednesday is the release of the newest Schmancy Plush Exclusive  brought to you by Yummy Pancake.  I did a little interview with her and here it is.

S- Have any new year's resolutions you would like to share?

YP- Yeah, pretty much your typical resolutions - I'd like to try and eat a little healthier, and be a bit more organized, especially in my little basement studio.  My studio currently looks like a craft supply monster threw up in it.

S- What was your inspiration for this plush exclusive?

YP- I love zombies, zombie movies, zombie videogames, anything zombie.  I even joke that zombies live in the dark corners of the attic and basement of my house(it's really no joke!).  I figured that if I made an awesome Zombee Toastee plush, it would appease the zombies that live in my basement and they just might be inclined to help me organize my studio down there.  I also wanted to give each Zombee Toastee their own identity, so they are each named after friends of mine and come with little adoption certificates ^_^

S- Any other new characters we might expect to see this year?

YP- I have a lot of strange new ideas and characters that will be making an appearance this year, including some relatives of Mr. Toastee.  I never knew he had such a big family!

S- From the beginning of your business, what is a favorite Yummy Pancake story you might like to share?

YP- At the very begining, when I started designing plush, I needed a name for my business that reflected both myself and my plush.  Only one name popped in my head - Yummy Pancake.  The name actually comes from a great memory from my childhood.  My best friend Andrea and I used to make silly videos with my dad's video camera, and this one little video we made for yummy pancakes just sticks in my head because it was so hilarious and simple! I had a small vinyl Strawberry Shortcake character holding a stack of crepes (it was Crepe Suzette) that looked like pancakes. We filmed her and just said "Yummy Pancakes are so good, your friend's will want to drop by" and then poured a whole bucket of my vinyl figures on top of her. It's alot funnier when you see the video.  If I am ever able to find it, I'll stick it on YouTube ^_^

S- Do you plan to participate in any large craft shows this year?

YP- Yes!  So far, I will be participating in OddMall in Cleveland, Ohio on May 8th.  I'm really excited and nervous because it is my first really big show.  I hope to do a couple more this year, but OddMall is the only one I have locked down so far.  I hope that a lot of folks stop by and say hi!!