Topsy Turvy School Project

Well I thought that school couldn't be more time consuming than it had been in the last year and a half but I was wrong. It turns out taking two literature classes at once is MUCH more time consuming than math and history. Mostly it is because of the amount of reading and writing that is required in a literature class. I suppose I need to get used to it though, being an English major and all. *sigh*

In addition to all the reading and papers both my literature classes require a creative project that relates to the texts we are reading. The first one I have completed is for my American Literature class. We are reading texts that were written from the beginning of "America", including Native American and slave era samples, all the way to the 19th century. Of course it is a no brainer that any creative project for me will include some kind of doll or sewing project as it is what I know how to do best. I thought it would be interesting to make a doll that would replicate something a slave child or slave era child would play with.

I did a little research as well as asked opinions from my doll peeps on what kind of dolls were known to exist during the time. One suggestion I received was for a topsy turvy doll. If you haven't heard of a topsy turvy doll, basically they are dolls that have two sides with a dress or outfit that covers the other side. I don't know if that is a good explanation so go here to see some modern options. You can also see better pictures and buy patterns for them here.

For my doll I made my own pattern and it was MUCH harder than I originally thought it was going to be. The difficulty was in the dress. First of all the dress has to look finished on both sides and has to be able to turn which required keeping the top of the dress and skirt separate. I ended up hand sewing much of the doll's outfit which was a bit time consuming. I wanted the doll to look homemade and old so I tried not to stress out too much about the little flaws here and there.

If you are interested in the history of the topsy turvy doll, including the speculation over why the doll would be black on one side and white on the other you can read about them here.

Without further ado here is my doll! Come back soon to see the next doll I am making for my other class. I don't want to give too much away but the class is Shakespeare.... Bye for now!

Adopted BeBes!!

I have been accumulating pictures from various customers of my dolls in their new homes. Some of them are so cute I thought maybe I would make a post to share some of my favorites. Enjoy!

This is my favorite!!! Soooo sweet!

Here is that teeny tiny BeBe baby that was a custom order over Christmas. I was so happy to see she fit snuggly in the matchbox she was intended for.

Amarion in his new home!

This picture cracks me up. He looks so protective of his dolly.

Awww sweet!

Creating a Monster

There's this really great blog called ionlylikemonsters and a while ago the owner of the blog sent out a call for plush artists to make some brothers for her blog mascot Roland P. Fingermonster. I thought it was a great idea and promised to make a monster right away. Well you know me and I couldn't just leave it at something simple so I have been working on him for several weeks now (it also was because school is kicking my butt this term). Anyway! While I was working on him the other day I decided to take some pictures of my progress. I intended to document his whole creation but as the day turned to dusk the light started to wane and since I refuse to use a camera flash, the documenting ceased. It would have been too much of an effort to set up my photo tent to take a picture every five seconds as I worked on him, so I only have the first parts to share with you. Don't worry though, I have all kinds of tips on creating monsters and working with long fur!

Let's start at the beginning.... You have clicked over and seen Roland by now right? It is important because I used his image to design my "brother" monster for him. Here is what I came up with.

The first step for me when creating a new design is to figure out what the basic shapes of the design are. In the case of the guy above there is the outline of his body which includes the gusset (the top of the head) and the rest of the body. Here are what the pieces look like when taken apart and photocopied.

When working with fur, especially long pile fur, it is important to keep in mind which way the nap of the fur is going. Depending on the look you are trying to create you will probably want the nap going all in the same direction, and usually up or down. Sidewise fur usually looks funny although you might be going for that. The bottom line is just to be aware so you aren't surprised or disappointed when you turn your pieces. I want my nap laying down so here is what my pieces look like when cut out.

Usually I am opposed to pinning in all shapes and forms. This is because I am lazy and can't be bothered with it. However, I will ALWAYS break this personal rule when working with fur. Fur is slippery and thick which makes it extremely tricky to sew. The main thing you want to do when pinning your pieces is to keep the fur inside the seam facing the right side of the fabric. As you pin, keep pushing the fur down between the pieces. This will help hide the seams when you turn the fabric of your monster and also leave less fur for you to pick out of the seams later. This first picture shows how the fur is sticking out as I pin and then next shows when I have finished pinning and all the fur is nicely tucked inside.

When you start sewing fur you might want to leave a seam allowance that is larger than you normally would leave on other fabrics. Even though you have pinned your fur it can still slide a lot and you want to make sure you get both pieces sewn together. When you are done sewing a piece make sure to check both sides to make sure they are sewn completely together. If they aren't go back over them, it doesn't matter if it looks pretty on the inside it is the outside that will count.

Next you need to decide on the placement of the gusset and get it sewn on. I refer to my originally drawing at this point and notice that I want his gusset to come down a little bit as the forehead and form the top of the mouth. I eyeball it and mark where I want it to be.

Now you want to pin the gusset on really well and sew that together. It is starting to look like a furry helmet!

The mouth is the next part and again I trace the mouth from the original drawing as reference.

To make a mouth that goes in you have to create a trim around the inside of the mouth. This is done by cutting a strip from the same mouth fabric (in this case black fleece) in about an inch to two inches (or depending on how deep you want the mouth to be). Then you sew that piece to the inside of the mouth (fleece) and the outside of the mouth (fur).

Okay this is the last progress picture and it was taken with the dreaded flash! You can see how his mouth has come together though.

And since that is the last of the progress photos here he is done! I am about to email Janet at ionlylikemonsters to see if she likes this guy. Wish him luck!

Boom! Done!

He thinks he is pretty funny.

Crazy arms/legs. This picture is a little creepy.

He's got his eye on you.

Bye!

Merry Russian Christmas!

It is that time of year again when the Plush Team draws names and sends each other plush gifts for the holiday. Instead of celebrating at the "western" Christmas time we choose to do a Russian Christmas because it is celebrated a little bit later in the season (January 7). This gives us crafters a little more time because most of us are the busiest during the holidays. In addition it is a secret swap so no one but the person in charge knows who has who. It is so much fun to anticipate what kind of plushie goodness you will be receiving.

This year guess who was in charge of the swap? Meeeee! Unfortunately because I drew the names I knew who got me but the good news was I couldn't have been more pleased with who it was. I almost felt guilty because if I was going to cheat she is probably who I would have picked because I have been a huuuuuge fan of her plush for a loooong time. Luckily my Mom has pounded a guilty conscience down deep into my soul and there is no way I would do something like that! It is better when it works out honestly anyway right?

Before I show you what I got let me tell you what I gave. My swapee partner was Anne-Claire of Hibou Cards. I was so swamped leading up to the send date that I didn't really get a chance to make something special but I had a couple octopodes sitting around that have really really wanted a home. I decided to send her this guy because he was/is my personal favorite. Luckily she liked him!!!! Read all about how he is settling into her home here. Here is one of her pictures in case you don't want to click over. She has an awesome pirate parrot that is his buddy now.

Now on to the present I received! Like I was saying I have been a huge fan of Becky aka Scrumptious Delight for a long long time. I received my package from her yesterday and had been sitting on pins and needles waiting for it because she had told me she was working on something special. I spent my time waiting wondering if it would be a cotton candy or perhaps some pickle preserves. I received a hint from Becky's husband because him and I have been working on a super secret project. He said that it was special and awesome and I would love it. Errrr I was stumped.

As you can imagine I ripped the package open as soon as it arrived. I took the time to read Becky's adorable card and then ripped the paper off the plush! I never could have imagined something so clever, amazing and thoughtful. I really think she should make more because everyone will want one! Here it is!

Becky used small rectangles of velcro to give the "wall" a brick look. Not only is that a clever use of velcro but it serves the purpose of holding up the felt graffiti and the totally awesome spray cans. All the pieces are removable and can be stuck on where ever you want!

I know that the graffiti lettering was done by her talented husband Aymeric so I really appreciate his contribution as well! Now I am going to have to work more on some felt graffiti so I can add to the wall! Did you also notice it says "Boom" which stands for my other shop Boom! Plush!? So personal and sweet!

Well what do you think? Is it not the most awesome plush ever!!!?? A big thanks to Becky for making my day/month/year.

Pro Nails!!

My pal Sarah posted a video on Facebook the other day on how to make marble nails. I thought it was so cool! She agreed and today we decided to try it for ourselves. It was really fun and we learned a lot along the way. It definitely wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

She decided in the end that the effect really wasn't for her so she took hers off and painted them solid black. I left mine though because I like crazy colors. I think if I did it again though I would come up with a strategy that matches better. I was just doing colors all willy nilly. Anyhoo here is how they look!

Hot Pop Gallery Show

Hello everyone! The Plush Team is doing a group gallery show at Hot Pop Boutique & Gallery in Milwaukee. The show opens on January 21 and runs through March 20. The exciting part is the theme.......Candyland! I was really excited about the theme because I love candy/treat themed plush. Originally we were scheduled to have the show in May but got moved to January. That is the downside. It was really hard to find time to work on plush for the show with all the Christmas crazies but I was able to get 5 pieces done (which what was asked). Since the show goes through March we have been told that as things sell (hopefully) we can send stuff to restock. Soooo there may be more candy plush from me in the near future!

Because I am still trying to promote both of my shops (Boom! Plush! and BeBe Babies and Friends) I wanted to make pieces that would represent both. I decided to make 4 Ice Cream BeBe Cones and one candy monster. The monster is a spin on the Lemonheads candy character. I made him to look very similar to the actual character but made him furry and gave him horns. I really think he is cute!

This is the original character in case you don't remember.

And my monster!

I had a needle felted lemon sucker that I made a long time ago so I stuck that in his hand.

Doesn't he have a sweet face!? This is another one I kind of hope comes home to me hee hee.

Last but not least here are the little BeBe Ice Cream Cones! It's funny because a couple people have pointed out that they are scary which took me a little by surprise. It's weird when you make something and you see it one way and then someone points out something about it that you never would have thought before. Depending on what is said it can be a little alarming. I have to admit hearing that they are scary did kind of shake my confidence. Mostly because I didn't mean them to be, or think they are, scary at all! I can only think of one thing that makes them scary and that is if you literally look at them like you are eating a baby...which is not what I meant at all! I sort of thought in my head that the babies are so sweet...like ice cream! I'm really not the first one to make plush ice cream cones..I mean look at this, this, this and this.

If you live in the Milwaukee area be sure to stop by Hot Pop where you can find all of these guys as well as a bunch of other awesome plush by the Plush Team!

Christmas Highlights!

It was a crazy Christmas holiday with something new to do and someone to see nearly every day. I am enjoying relaxing now and playing with my new toys. Next week school starts back up so I am working through my long list of things that need to be done before then. But before I get back to it I thought I would share some of my favorite highlights from the holiday this year.

If you've been reading my blog you know that I handmade all my gifts this year not necessarily because I wanted to but because becoming a student has seriously cut my funds, like to $0. It turned out to be a good thing though because I think I really gave everyone something that fit their personality. What's better than getting something you would never expect but was made with love just for you? Nothing I say.

My step dad with his "wood rat".

My Mom with her carolers.

And brother with his flame. He says he will strap it to the front of the firetruck. Yay!

The other best event this holiday was getting to see my nephews. They live a couple hours away now so seeing them is really a special event. Of course they are super squirmy and hard to get pictures of but here are a couple. They love dinosaurs and got a whole bunch for Christmas.

Wyatt told me he is "fixing the dinosaur's teeth".

I received so many wonderful gifts this year but here are some of my favorites. The crowning glory surely is my new sewing machine from my Dad. My Dad bought me my first sewing machine about 4 years ago. It definitely isn't fancy but it has served me well all these years. It made me a little sad to retire it but it had gotten loud and had a few inconvenient quirks due to how badly I have treated it. I think it will be good to have both in case my new one breaks down or I need to borrow one to someone. The new machine I got this year is a Brother and has a whole bunch of features for making clothing. Of course I don't make clothes but I like having the option because I would love to learn in the future. Also it is computerized and has all kinds of crazy programmable stitches. I had a lot of fun trying them all out. I have already been using the machine and it was a super smooth transition and I love it! Here she is!

This next gem isn't a gift but could have been by how much joy it brought has me and continues to bring. My brother's roommate is this hilarious funny guy and my brother is kind of hmmm how shall I say it.. uptight? Both of them are bachelors (which is crazy pants) but they are. Anyway my bro's roommate got them some silly Christmas sweaters at Goodwill and they took a silly photo in front of their fireplace. My brother almost didn't give me one because he is afraid of what people will think. I told him to lighten up cuz it is HI-larious! (Brother is on the right).

My Mom and step dad got me all kinds of goodies including a vintage 60's suitcase, a gift certificate to get my car cleaned, underwear from my pal Ashley, black boots and more. However the thing I have used the most already are these adorable knit slippers. Look how cute!

Now I must get back to checking things off my to-do list! Later dudes...

Merry Christmas!

Last but not least here are the ornaments I made for my Dad's little tree. I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday!

Christmas Gifts Part 2

I told you there would be a part 2!!! I am in the home stretch and feeling a lot better than I was the other day. I think it is going to all get done. Yay! One thing that has been awesome about making plush gifts for everyone this year is that for some reason they have all come together with little frustration. Every single plush is a new design for me that I have never made before but even so I have not had to start over once! This is a huge accomplishment. It must be the love going into each one.. :) On to the plush!

First I made these Christmas ball monster ornaments the other day. The red one went to a holiday gift exchange and the other is hanging here waiting for someone to receive him (although I'm not even sure who that will be..maybe me).

The next gift is for my brother. He is a fireman and I thought it would be fun to make him some kind of flame or fire plush. While I was browsing the Internet looking for inspiration I came across this guy. After seeing him it was impossible to draw my own design without him looking just like it. Normally I don't like to use anyone else's work as I prefer to draw my own. I think it is more unique and ethical if you know what I mean. I decided because it was just a plush for my brother I would just make the plush exactly like the illustration (just this once).

And lastly I finished my step dad's gift today. My step dad has a nickname that is "wood rat". He is obsessed with woodworking and has made all kinds of wood projects and furniture. For instance I went to their house the other day and found some of my older dolls sticking out of his newest toy box. He sent me this picture later.

So I decided to make him a plush rat that would be holding a "wood" sign that read Wood Rat. I was really really happy with how he came out and wanted to hug him. He is so soft and squeezable! I am happy that all these gifts will be staying in the family though.

That's it for now! There still should be a part 3 coming as I am still working on a couple more gifts but the post might be after Christmas. If I don't post before the holiday I wish you all the best!