Published in Stuffed Magazine AGAIN!

It is just as thrilling as the last time!  I am down-right giddy over this.  I am holding myself back from carrying this magazine around everywhere, around showing it to strangers.

This One Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People Eater was actually submitted to Stuffed BEFORE Mildred the Monster who was published in the Spring 2013 issue.  I was nervous that he'd gotten lost or something because I moved in between when I submitted him and now.  If they don't like your work... they just ship it back.  They have had him so long that for awhile I'd forgotten about him.

How he came about:
My friend Dickson had a little boy come into his life (who stole such a big part of his heart that he wrote a book about it) and he asked if I could make a 'One Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People Eater' for him to give as a gift.  During the design process I decided that I wanted to go a different direction from the norm.  I crafted him as though the 'Purple People Eaters' were a species that has two eyes and two horns but his were damaged in some way or another.  I also made him a little 'people snack' that goes in his zipper pocket mouth.  I had so much fun making this guy that I was giggling the whole time.  I loved the way he turned out, and so did the little boy he was made for.....

so I made another to be submitted to Stuffed and the rest is history!  I saved the pattern, so I can make more if I ever end up with the time.  Maybe you'll see more of these guys in the future.  For now, just proudly walking around showing off my magazine.

Photo shoots and product picture process

 Anyone who sells anything online has grappled with the photography issue.  (ok, so maybe a real photographer wouldn't struggle as much but you know... I'm talking about the rest of us).  I've been selling online for over a decade so, even though I can still use some improvement, I've gotten the whole system down pretty smoothly.  Over the years I've sold a huge variety of things on eBay and I run a full time webstore as long as selling my handmades on etsy.  I've acquired several mannequins and props and such but most of the time, my tools are pretty basic. As you can see from the photo above, I've turned my pool table room into a staging area.  Poor hubby, never gets to play pool because that pool table (while covered) is an awesome craft table.
I'm always curious about how other folks do their pictures and stuff, so I figured I'd show how I do it just in case you were wondering the same thing.
This room is half windows so I only shoot at certain times of the day and I don't use a flash.  I have a simple point & shoot camera and just take loads and loads of shots then go through them and delete the yucky ones on the computer.

 When I put them on the computer I go through them pretty quickly and rotate any that need rotating and delete any that are blurry.  Then, I go through a second time and any pictures that are similar, I do the eye-test style thing... A or B? I choose the better of the two, delete the other, move to the next and do it again.  I do this until I'm left with a handful of different angles and closeups of detail but not more than one of each angle.

 Then I go and crop it all in tight.  Sometimes I add a watermark, but I'm still on the fence about whether or not I should.  Sometimes I find it tacky but totally want the credit if someone decides to "borrow" my pic for something.  How do you feel on the issue?  Watermark? or Raw photo?

The Andersons - a plush cyclops family

I had an idea pop in my head the other night and I just couldn't sleep until I brought them to life. I'd like to introduce The Andersons... Matty, Janet and their teenage son Skippy:

See the pictures closeup on my flickr page, or check out my shop to buy one

3rd and 5th attempt at getting these dolls right

I quickly shot a pic of Sue #3 and Steve #2, so here you go.  They are standing on my couch in my not-so-well-lit living room.  I love the way their hair came out in this round, but not a fan of their bodies.  I used a way too stretchy fleece.  I think maybe fleece will work for future dolls, but just not THIS fleece.  I love the color, (in better light it is like a good summer tan) but it isn't great quality

The most recent version of this design doll (Sue #5, Steve #3) is made from a combo of fabrics.  I kept the fleece for the hair but switched the body to an interfaced muslin.

I'm happy with most parts of these babies but I wish I'd painted their faces slightly higher.  This is the first time I'd painted the faces on a doll before stitching/stuffing.  I will probably not be doing that again. 

If you noticed, I've done all sorts of different things with the faces.  The first one's face I embroidered with my machine.  I don't have an embroidery machine so I just took the presser foot off of my machine and did it like a tattoo.  The second third and fourth drafts had safety eyes and embroidered mouths, oh wait, Sue #4 didn't even have a mouth!  But, this time, because I was using muslin, I figured I'd paint them.
I'm still not telling what I'm gonna do with these two, but now that I've got the pattern down the way I want it, I think I'll stitch up a couple of pairs for my shop and upcoming shows.
That is of course... right after I make them some clothes!  Can't have naked dolls running around all over the place.

Sue and Steve

I've been working on a set of dolls that I have big plans for.  I can't tell you the plans, they are secret. Well, at least for now.
So anyhow, These dolls are going to be so cute once I can get them the way that I want them to be, but right now they are just really giving me trouble.  They are a reminder of how much I still have to learn about plush.  I am loving the challenge, but really getting tired of starting over.
Sue's first draft started out here, and for the life of me, I have no clue why I have no pictures of Steve yet.
The Sue & Steve I'm working on today will be the 4th Sue and 3rd Steve.  Steve 1 and Sue 2 got thrown in the trash and Sue 1, 3 & 4 and Steve 2 are all not-so-perfect playmates of my children now. (below is Sue 4)

I think I may have finally fixed the errors and will have some dolls ready to show tomorrow (fingers crossed)

I am a ROBOT

It is the pictures.  It is the pictures that slow me down.  I make things like a crazy person.  I sew all the time.  I drive my family crazy because I've got stacks of sewing projects in every room of the house.  I usually bring more merchandise to a show than will fit in my space but my blog and my etsy shop don't reflect that at all and it is all the fault of the pictures.  I don't have a fancy camera and am not a talented photographer.  I have to spend so much time and concentration on taking good pictures.  It is by far the hardest part of selling online.  At least for me anyway.
I was so excited to share the Robots that I said to myself, "screw the great lighting and neutral background", and just took some pictures of them standing on my kitchen table this morning.  Which, by the way, was where I had put them when I finished up last night.  My four year old likes to critique my work and since it is the hubs who gets up with the kids in the mornings, I place finished projects out for her to check out when she gets up. Surprisingly, the pics turned out ok and so here you go.  Robots.

More Treasuries!!

Christmas is coming! by ModernHomewares:  My Santa/Elf apron (it is reversible... Santa on one side, elf on the other!) bottom right

Little Things with Big Eyes by tahliday: My irritated little triangle bed fellow 2rd spot over on the bottom

Orange You Glad by fairytaleinc:  My mischievous orange bed fellow softie bottom right

Summer Time Pals by cappomaggi:  My sweet yellow bedfellow bottom right

Seems like my stuff likes to hang out on the bottom and to the right ;)

Bed Fellows all around the house

I'm still trying to find my 'groove' with plush.  I am happy with the quality of my products but I think I still need lots of work on the little details involved in selling.  I don't have a label that I like nor do I have any ideas for how to improve.  I keep experimenting with photographing and although some of the more recent pictures have come out really good, I realized when I made the mini versions that if you had never seen them in real life, you would have no clue as to how big or small they really are.  So, I've been wandering around my house trying to find places to photograph them against backgrounds that would help get an idea of the size.

I have small children, therefore.... stained furniture, there are many places in my home that I just don't want anyone to see!  I managed to find a couple of spots, but I still don't think that it helps.  Any ideas?

There are Three Sides to Every Story

I'm in another Treasury :)  This one is called 'There are Three Sides to Every Story' and oh how true that statement usually is!  I think it looks pretty cool, all those triangles. Thank you Sophisticated Lady for including my maroon velvet softie.

Haircut Hangout in Downtown Hollywood

My Bed Fellow softies are now available at Haircut Hangout in downtown Hollywood.
118 S. 20th Ave, Hollywood, FL  33020
They don't have a website, but you can find them on Facebook
It is the coolest shop.  One of those kinds of places that makes you feel good all around.  I dare you to go into this shop and not smile.  You can't.  It just isn't possible.  They have these cool hair cutting chairs and kid's movies and games to keep kids occupied while getting their hair cut. 
I'm so proud that my softies are here because they are seated among some really awesome stuff!  If there is a child in your life, you need to check out this place!  

 I haven't had a chance to stop back in since I took them there on Wednesday, but my friend stopped in yesterday and snapped this pic of them up on display.  I'm super excited too because I see that the owner also posted one of my Kid's Creatures fliers next to them.  Sweet!