A Peek Inside the Creative Life of Michal Wright-Ward

First off, a little backstory. Who are you? What do you make?
My name is Michal Wright-Ward, I've been making plush for about four years now. I make plush monsters, animals, and other silly creatures. I also draw, design and illustrate - cute/silly critters, of course.

What projects are you in the middle of right now that you should probably be working on instead of doing this?
Oh, there's always something cooking up in the studio. Right now I'm making plush and Christmas ornaments for my new online shop Mystic Forest Dwellers (www.mysticforestdwellers.com), and working on plush a gallery show I'm participating in this December. The sewing machine beckons (oy...).

Where do you primarily create?
Everywhere, in our little half-room studio, on lunch break at work, in the living room... Pretty much everywhere except for the loo. Don't ask what my husband said when I was hand sewing in bed one time.

Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere, mostly in children's books and in nature. I find that my fellow plush makers friends inspire me a hack lot too. There's just so much imagination at work out there, so cool!

Do you have a favorite book/blog/movie/etc you'd like to recommend?
I love theneedle.org, seeing what people are up to. Also Craft Magazine's blog and Whipup.net and Craftster.

Where can readers see more of your work?
I always post stuff on my blog http://yarn-n-coffee.blogspot.com, and flickr, but mostly lately - on facebook.

Thanks for sharing a glimpse of your creative lie with us, Michal!

A peek inside the creative life of Eerika Valkonen

First off, a little backstory. Who are you? What do you make?
Hi, my name is Eerika and I'm a toy making elf. Well, the elf part isn't strictly true, but among other stuff I make Rag Pets, soft toys that are filled with rags and personality. I also do a bit of illustration every now and then.
I'm 33, even though most of the time I feel more like I'm 13 and I live in the city that sleeps at night, also known as Helsinki, Finland. I like chocolate, Batman, sleeping in late, Tom Waits and a lot of other things too.


What projects are you in the middle of right now that you should probably be working on instead of doing this?
Instead of answering these questions I'm currently supposed to be working on my line of storybook themed Rag Pets, which is coming along slowly... very slowly. I'm also attending a short course on making antique style teddy bears out of recycled materials, and it's a lot of fun! It's nice to do something in a completely different style compared to what I usually do.


Where do you primarily create?
I work from home, spending the majority of my time at the workroom (our apartment includes a separate workroom) where I'm free to make as big a mess as my little heart desires and listen to soppy audiobooks, musicals and Disney soundtracks without anyone complaining about my choice of listening material. I also do a lot of hand sewing (often aided by my cat BooBoo, who really isn't very good at actually helping) in the living room, parked on the sofa in front of the telly. I am not ashamed to admit that day-time television is a big part of my working day.


Where do you find inspiration?
I wish I knew where inspiration came from, and why it usually comes at the most inopportune moments, like when I'm in the shower or just about to fall asleep! If inspiration isn't spontaneously foisting itself on me, I derive it from things I've read, seen, heard or even the people around me. Sometimes I see a piece of fabric that's just begging to become something or other and I find books to be an endless source of ideas and inspiration too, mostly because I read a lot!



Do you have a favorite book/blog/movie/etc you'd like to recommend?
I have several! But in the interest of this not becoming simply a long list of Eerika's Most Favourite Things, I'll list just the one of each.
My favourite book (right now, since this tends to change depending on what I'm currently reading) is "Her Fearful Symmetry" by Audery Niffenegger. Being one half of a pair of twins (I have a twin brother) myself, all things twin fascinate me, and all the bits about twin identity and descriptions of twinship in the book are wonderful. That, and it's a jolly good ghost story too!
I'd like to recommend a thousand blogs for people to discover and be inspired by, but I will restrain myself and simply urge you all to check out "Hyperbole and a Half", because it's hilarious and really entertaining and there's even a post that goes a long way into explaining why I'm more like a 13 year-old than a 33 year-old.
My all time favourite movie is actually a whole bunch of movies, since I can't pick just the one, no matter how hard I try to narrow it down. So, to rattle off a few, in no particular order: Baz Luhrmann's Red Curtain Trilogy (that'd be: Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge), Amelie, Ghost World and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.
And now that flu-season is here, I'd like to share my "flu buster"-tea recipe: brew a strong cup of your favourite fruity tea (I use a summer fruits + rooibos tea blend), add to it a squirt of lemon juice, a big dollop of honey and a slice of fresh ginger. Wrap yourself in a warm blanket and enjoy your cuppa with your favourite biscuits. :)


Where can readers see more of your work?
You can see more of my work in my blog: http://www.ragpets.com
On Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitty_vane/ where I post lots of pictures of my everyday life,
and on DeviantArt: http://kittyvane.deviantart.com/ where you can see more of my drawings and such.


Thanks for giving us a peek into your creative life, Eerika!

A peek inside the creative life of Karla Fitch - Itsy Bitsy Spider

First off, a little backstory. Who are you? What do you make?
I'm The Itsy Bitsy Spider and I specialize in amigurumi crochet critters. I'm a mom, a wife, a writer, a crocheter, a kisser of boo-boos, and a lover of touchable, colorful art. My daughter, Kaia, is one of the big reasons I got into amigurimi crochet. After making afghans (and just about everything else) for more than 15 years -- I fell in love with a baby girl and have been making dolls to delight her ever since. She is my muse and my inspiration.
My original amigurumi designs are 100% hand made with the same quality and attention to detail that I would want for my own daughter. And, each stitch I hook in each piece I make holds a story. You'll find some of the stories right in the item listings on my shop -- for instance, did you know that the tooth fairy turns stale gumdrops into colorful mice so people won't accidentally have dental emergencies?

But, it is my hope that my creations' best stories are yet to be unlocked by the people who eventually receive them.

What projects are you in the middle of right now that you should probably be working on instead of doing this?
Right now, I'm working on several different projects -- it's actually rather NOT like me to be involved in several projects at once... but I guess I've been a little schizophrenic since my last show. I'm knitting a pair of socks for my husband for Christmas (*shhhh! Don't tell him!). For the shop, I'm working on a new baby dragon ( http://www.etsy.com/listing/59613957/pattern-baby-dragon-amigurumi-pdf ), an "Itsy Bitsy Spider Monkey" for a special order, and a little crocheted tea set pattern. I'm most excited about the tea set pattern -- so far I have the cup, saucer, spoon, and tea bag finished!

Where do you primarily create?
I have a "craft room" made out of a bedroom that is really too small to be a bedroom. Mostly I hang out in there because the little one likes to get into my yarn. But after she goes to bed, I occasionally like to crochet in front of a good TV show in the living room!


Where do you find inspiration?
Mostly stories. I have always loved reading (although with a two-year old, my reading now-a-days is mostly limited to kids' books). I also get inspired by toys that I see that I want to give my daughter and by my amazing colleagues on the Etsy Plush Team!

Do you have a favorite book/blog/movie/etc you'd like to recommend?
I absolutely loved The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket. She also has a wicked cool and BEAUTIFUL blog called Yarnstorm ( http://yarnstorm.blogs.com/).

Where can readers see more of your work?
My shop ==> http://www.etsy.com/shop/theitsybitsyspider
My blog ==> http://itsybitsyspidercrochet.blogspot.com/
Flickr ==> http://www.flickr.com/photos/37539972@N06/

A peek inside the creative life of Lorri-Marie Jenkins

First off, a little backstory. Who are you? What do you make?
my name is lorri-marie.
my passion is creating art with the cast offs from other people. i love found object work...metal, wood, doll parts, fabric. there is something deep inside me that hates to see things go unused by our society. it is hard for me to buy new art/craft materials, when i can find such a juicy treasure chest in the items that people are throwing away!

What projects are you in the middle of right now that you should probably be working on instead of doing this?
right now i am getting ready for several art/craft shows in berkeley. i have created many, many, mini-monster key fobs that i will sell there (and some are listed on my etsyshop). these fun little monsters are very useful in locating your keys...and entertaining others! they were published in 'stuffed magazine' not too long ago. i am still left with lots of fun colored pieces of fabric, but the inventory of the mini-monsters is plenty...so i have started to make some fun flower pins. ordinary? that just will not do...so i am singeing the edges of the fabric first...love it! i have a passion for well loved blue jeans too.....i take old, well loved jeans and patch them up...i will be published in the february edition of'greencraft magazine' with some of these delicious jeans. i also have some small artworks that have been created on abandoned flash cards. these will be for sale in berkeley as well....that is what i should be working on now...tee hee.

Where do you find inspiration?
i have a play group that gets together once a week, and another play group that gets together once a month. female artists are so darned juicy and inspirational...i just show up and i am both inspired and nurtured by their creative ideas!

Do you have a favorite book/blog/movie/etc you’d like to recommend?
i am not one to spend a lot of time with books, movies or blog searching...my attention span is too short....so i rely on the face to face inspiration!


Where can readers see more of your work?
i have an etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/LorriMarie
and a blogspot http://wingingit-wingingit.blogspot.com/
i do my best to keep up with these connections....but as a woman with family, a full time job...and lots of fun to be had everyday....i am not as diligent as some others!

Thanks so much for giving us a peek into your creative life, Lorri-Marie!

A peek inside the creative life of Shana Astrachan

This week, I'm very proud to be able to post an interview with the lovely and talented Shana Astrachan. Shana and I work a lot of the same craft shows, so I'm not quite sure where we first met. In any case, she is awesome, and here is a peek into her creative life!

First off, a little backstory. Who are you? What do you make?
My name is Shana Astrachan. I live in San Francisco, California. I make jewelry and objects, my designs evolve from my love of metal and experimenting with unexpected materials and unconventional approaches to working with them. I am always up for the challenge of transforming a new material in a unique and beautiful way.

What projects are you in the middle of right now that you should probably be working on instead of doing this?
I am crocheting a big basket from twine, and since I am in the midst of opening a retail space for my jewelry and design objects this isn't what I should be working on, but it is sitting under the coffee table unfinished for now. Plus I just knit my first pair of slippers two weeks ago. I have so much jewelry to make right now, I better get to work!

Where do you primarily create?
My studio and kitchen and living room and bedroom...

Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere it seems. From other makers, from vintage crafts, from the materials themselves.

Do you have a favorite book/blog/movie/etc you'd like to recommend?
Two favorite books with the same title, 'I Like You' (the 1965 Sandol Stoddard book and the Amy Sedaris 2006 book)

Where can readers see more of your work?
www.shanaastrachan.com
ShanaAstrachan.etsy.com
shanaastrachan.blogspot.com
crafthaus.ning.com/profile/ShanaAstrachan

Thanks for sharing a peek into your creative life with us, Shana!

A peek inside the creative life of Kaeti Lindquist and Tyler Poncho

Today's interview is a special one. After all, it's not often that a creature gets to be part of an interview.

First off, a little back story. Who are you? What do you make?
We are Kaeti Lindquist and Tyler Poncho. Kaeti lives in Madison, Wisconsin and loves to sew, draw, paint and make up silly stories. Tyler Poncho originally was born on Peacock City Planet. A few years ago, he teleported into Kaeti's head and gave her instructions on how to recreate his body and bring his visionary toy business to life. In his true birth he was cut by turtles, sewn by birds, and stuffed by bunnies to form the true sentient being of Tyler Poncho as he exists on Peacock City Planet.
Click here to see Tyler Poncho's birth!

We make many distorted Teddy Bears and other monsters. Our favorite is our two-headed bear, the Double Bear. We also have a series of toys based on Kaeti's childhood, Stuffed Animal World. These animals are slightly less frightening than those from Tyler's Amalgamated Menagerie.

What projects are you in the middle of right now that you should probably be working on instead of doing this?

Right now we're making a Tropical Joseph Petticoat for Soft Serve at OhNoDoom! in Chicago. I also have to put together at least 9 pieces for a gallery that is opening down the street from our home. On the 27th we have a Red Heel Sock Monkey workshop at the Overture Center! We're really excited about this, we have reference books prepared (all filled with gorgeous monkeys!), our kits assembled, and Tyler's got his sewing paws ready to show the monkey enthusiasts how to make there own Red Heel Sock Monkey. Seriously, I should be sewing instead of typing.


Where do you primarily create?
I primarily create on my couch. I cut out all the animals, and machine sew their parts up in my work/storage room. I love to do all my embroidery, hand sewing, stuffing while listening to Pandora, or watching some instant movies on Netflix. Last year I made a Where the Wild Things Are full body costume and won a kick-ass LED TV, so I watch that while I make my toys.

Where do you find inspiration?
I love zoos. Right now my favorite animals are camels, alpacas,flamigos, giraffes,....there's a bit of a trend of similar features, so you get the idea. I love awkward looking animals, and always strive for silliness in my designs. My favorite book and illustration of all time is Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, especially the original illustration by Ernest Shepard. I get a lot of inspiration from my childhood, characters and places I made up, and books I read.

Do you have a favorite book/blog/movie/etc you'd like to recommend?

HyperboleandaHalf.blogspot.com!


Where can readers see more of your work?

• tylerponcho.com

• Kooky at the Shops at Northbridge, 520 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago.

• Tyler Poncho's Amalgamated Menagerie
  is available on Amazon.com.

Thanks for giving us this peek into your creative life, Kaeti (and Tyler)!

A peek inside the creative life of Krissi Sandvik

Today's special treat is a chat with artist Krissi Sandvik. She was kind enough to answer a few questions and share some peeks at her work and her studio. (Yay! I love getting to see other artists studios!)

First off, a little backstory. Who are you? What do you make?
I'm Krissi Sandvik. I am a suburban housewife with pink, magenta, purple and sometimes blue hair. I am a white girl with a love of Dia de los Muertos. I love to drive my little car fast on curvy roads and play with lots and lots of makeup. I like glitter and graveyards. I am often obscured by my character, Skelekitty; so much so that some people think I *am* Skelekitty.

What projects are you in the middle of right now that you should probably be working on instead of doing this?
I SHOULD be finishing two custom mats that I am painting to match a couple of my art prints and getting ready to hang an art show. There are also some half-finished mixed-media collage pendants that should be completely finished AND one of my groups, Glitter Bitches Handmade, that needs some blogging done. As far as my 'housewife' duties go, I should probably also be thinking about taking my Jack Russell Terrier for another walk before it rains.

Where do you primarily create?
I have a "studio" off the kitchen in our home. I believe it was designed as a family room, but I've obscured the original ideas with artwork and storage, so you'd practically never know it. My art table sits in the middle of the room with lots of outlets and lighting within a step or two of all my storage & my desk looks out a huge window into our overgrown backyard (mental note: add "gardening" to list of projects I should be doing).

Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in contradictions, pop culture icons, Day of the Dead, gothic and industrial aesthetics, bright colors and humor. My love of animals also comes through very strongly in many of my "muertos" works and in the custom pet portraits I've been painting lately.

Do you have a favorite book/blog/movie/etc you'd like to recommend?
I'm an Anglophile at heart and Withnail and I is one of my favorite movies of all time.

Where can readers see more of your work?
I feel like I'm all over the web!
My website is krissisandvik.com or you can visit Krissi's Art Studio on facebook at www.facebook.com/krissisandvik
Skelekitty is at skelekitty.com and has a fan page on facebook too: www.facebook.com/SkelekittyFans
You can be overwhelmed by photos on Flickr at www.flickr.com/misskrissi (just look for the art collection)
OR
My shop is open on ArtFire at skelekitty.artfire.com



Thanks for giving us a peek into your creative life, Krissi!