A Shark! A scary scary Shark!!

I haven't made any creatures in awhile so I'm excited to get back to work this week.  This week I'll be working on a SHARK!  Sweet isn't he?

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Holiday Bazaar at Haircut Hangout in downtown Hollywood

I sell some other softies over at a great little boutique children's hair salon in downtown Hollywood.  But, ever since putting my plush into that store, the owner has been excited about the Kids Creatures that I do.  So, because of them, I got an invite to be a vendor at their Holiday Bazaar.  The bazaar is being hosted by a super talented photographer Courtney Ortiz and Haircut Hangout.  They are going to raise some money and collect some toys for Team up for Toys for the Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital here in Hollywood.  The event is only 2 short hours of shopping and fun so make sure to put it on your calendar. 
Thursday, December 16, 2010 from 6 to 8pm
I've created a facebook event so if you'd like to go in and click that you'll be attending and then invite your friends... that would rock!

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Miguel age 26

This bird was drawn by Miguel at age 26, and this is the message that came along with the order:  "He said "I can draw a bird much better than you."  He was wrong." It makes me giggle :)

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Kid's Creatures at Stitch Rock 2010 and Monsters Under the Bed exhibit

The Kid's Creatures were on display at Stitch Rock last Saturday and a friend pointed me to this pic on facebook.  Unfortunately I didn't get to meet the photographer (lots of people were taking pics... hard to know whos who) but I've seen her work before and am honored that my little creature made the album.
Here is where you'll find the album on facebook

I handed out a boat-load of cards to people interested in getting their kid's pics made into softies so I have a feeling I'm gonna be real busy this holiday season!
Stitch Rock ended at 6pm and I packed up all my stuff (I was selling aprons there too and my other softies) had a nice yet quick bite and a cocktail with a couple of the Hollywood Craft Mafia girls at DaDa then headed over to Bear & Bird to see 'Lars' at the opening of the Monsters Under my Bed exhibit

I got there, literally, five minutes before closing so I missed most of the fun.  I know several of the other artists and the owner of the gallery but everyone had already gone by the time I got there.  And the worst part...  I totally forgot to get a picture of me next to my art!  I found some pics of the opening on flickr and facebook and "borrowed" this one below from Bear & Bird's facebook page.

You can barely see little Lars there in the corner.  He is a green skull man in a funky purple suit.  I'm gonna head back over there soon to get a better picture of him.
The original picture was done by Lars, he was 5 at the time of the drawing and it was done in crayon. 
The following pic not the best quality, I forgot to get a good pic before submitting him to the show.  This one was taken on my cell phone at night in bad lighting and he wasn't completely finished.

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

I'm sad for this...

I was doing some google searches on a totally different topic about something plush (can't tell you... it is a secret project I have brewing...shhhh) and I saw a funny image that I just had to click.

(pic credit... here)
It was such a cute thing and I thought... "hey wait... that is what I do!" and I clicked and yes, that is certainly what I do!  It was a blog post (you'll find it here) about a service that is offered up by the North American Bear Company doing the exact same thing as I do.  The post is from years ago but I clicked the links and yep, it is true, they DO make custom creatures from kid's drawings.  I'm so sad.  I really thought I had a new idea and it turns out that they have been doing it for ages.
I'm doubly sad because of the comments at the bottom of the blog post.  It just seams that people don't really value custom work.  I guess we (society as a whole) are just so accustomed to cost being the driving factor of things that we overlook the obvious.  If I buy a toy at any of the big box stores for $20.00, it has been designed and reproduced thousands upon thousands of times.  The design process at that point isn't really a factor anymore, one can calculate the cost in fractions of cents.  But, if something is designed and produced once.  That is it.  The design process can only be passed on one time.  Charging $20.00 for something that took hours to design and then hours to produce is just insane! 
I could keep going on and on with my soap box, but I won't bore you with my sad thoughts. 

Thank you for reading this and letting me vent :)


If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

My newest creature is going to be in an Art Exhibit!

I have never submitted anything for a real art exhibit before so I'm pretty nervous.  I kinda cheated though because I chose one that is an open call and all artists are accepted (he he he he) so even if my work wasn't good enough, I don't have to feel the burn of being turned down.  I'm sure that there are lots of folks who really wouldn't consider making a stuffed animal to be "art" but I know the work that goes into what I do, so I feel that it most certainly IS art.  I wouldn't consider everything I create to be art though, just some.  

I usually like to post the finished product here on the blog but think it would only be fair to wait until after the exhibit ends.  So, if you just can't wait to see this newest creature, you are gonna have to go check him out at Bear & Bird in Fort Lauderdale from October 2nd to November 13th.

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Samantha age 6

These next photos are just a little peek into how I work. I print up the pics and keep them and some supplies in a basket that I keep close by the couch.  Whenever I'm watching TV or relaxing while the kids are playing, I'll grab this basket and work a little.  I usually work on only one at a time, but I keep the printed copies of the next creatures in the basket too so I can be thinking them over ahead of time.  I keep the coordinating thread, shears, needles, wires, crochet hooks (I use them for stuffing), pliers and pins inside the basket.

(My 4 year old took this picture) .  

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Alexander the Elephant

I've discovered that making stuffed animals from construction paper drawings is surprisingly harder than crayon or marker drawings.  This one was done almost completely by hand because of it.

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Allison, I have no idea how old!

As you can see... my son likes to be part of the action and my "photo area" isn't really that professional. This is how I know that the work I do is child safe.


Allison is my cousin's child and she is now nine years old.  When she found out about my creatures project, my aunt (Allison's grandma) went digging through the artwork that she had that was made by her grandchildren and unfortunately, this one didn't have a date on it.
At first glance, you'd think that this one would be very simple because the circles are so perfect.  Well, in reality, that was the hardest part!  I usually do these things free hand and try to emulate the imperfections of the kid's work.  But, to do something free hand and make it perfect, is a real challenge.  I actually had to make two attempts at the one.  The furry fabrics are usually stretchy so I thought that making the backside out of a woven cotton would help.  Nope.  That was a complete fail.  So, I threw the entire thing away (well... I unstuffed it first ... didn't want to be too wasteful) and started over.  The second attempt came out better and it is furry on both sides.
The antennae have craft wires in them and are bendy. 

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

One more for Half Price

When I started this venture, I decided that I would create the first 10 creatures for free then the next 10 would be sold for half price.  The response has been overwhelming!  I had volunteers for the first 10 so quickly and the orders have continued to come in.  I'm giving y'all fair warning.. there is only one slot left for the half price creature.  So, If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Ashlyn age 6

Ashlyn said this is a "bug monster".   I was so excited for the challenge of the braces but not sure how I was going to do it.  After reading several magazines and blogs about plushies, I borrowed the idea of using polymer clay.  The teeth were the first thing I created and then did the fabric parts around the teeth.  I had originally planned to make the antennae out of wires but then decided I'd rather have them a little thicker by using fabric and still have him comfy to sleep with.  The glasses are thick craft wire hand sewn onto the face.  According to Ashlyn's description, the red part was a jacket, so I made the body out of the deep purple and the red jacket is completely separate.  It has elastic at the sleeves, collar and bottom and zips up the front.

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Ok, we can tell Jamieson that his Zebra is ready

Jamieson is 6 years old and I finished his zebra/dinosaur last week.  This little bunny creature is drawn by Jamieson but is a creature for his little sister Rowe who is 2 and not yet old enough to draw her own creature.  What a nice big brother.

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Jamison age 6

Shhh... don't tell Jamison that this zebra (or is it a dinosaur?) is finished because I'm not shipping it out until I finish his sister's too.

Just so you know, I've got orders backed up for 6 weeks but there are only 4 slots left for the discounted creatures, so if you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here.  (it is first come, first served) I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks - 

Danielle, almost 4

Danielle is Joey's little sister.  I made a penguin for Joey last month and Danielle, who at first wasn't really that into it, decided that she wanted her work to come alive as well. 

If you would like a Kid's Creature created from your child's drawing, you'll find information here. I've got a facebook page too, if you'd share with your friends, that would be fantastic!  Thanks -