Cutesy But Not Cutesy - Handmade Plush Toys

An Open Letter to USPS and its valued customers

2011-12-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

As the holidays grow near, I am finding myself at the local post office, waiting in line with a large Santa-like sac full of packages to be shipped to various parts of the country (and the world) on a daily basis. As a small business owner running my own plush toy company during the holidays, this is a routine that has grown all too familiar to me over the course of the last 4 years.

I'm a regular at the post office. I'm there nearly once or twice a week all year long and make a daily schlep during the months of November and December. All of the workers at the post office know me by name and they recognize my packages as they come through with my quirky bunny drawing on each of them. Their faces light up when they see I'm next in line. A friendly face! A smile! I think I brighten their days and they brighten mine.

With all of that being said, it's disconcerting to stand in line with my fellow small-towners during the holiday season and to hear them complain incessantly about the long lines, the customer service, the lack of stamps, the lack of employees, etc, etc. People so impatient that they can't even wait 20 minutes or less to ship their dearest niece or nephew that brand new shiny toy so that he or she may open it on Christmas morning. What have we come to as a society when during the time of year that we're supposed to be bringing joy and cheer to everyone around us, all anyone can do is complain, impatiently check their watches, and threaten to never use USPS again?

Anybody who knows me in person or even online, for that matter, knows that I've never been one for confrontation. I make monsters for a living for crying out loud! How angry can I get, right? But recently I have been on the verge of standing up on a makeshift pedestal, monster in hand, in the middle of the long line at the post office (somewhat reminiscent of one of Charlie Brown's notorious monologues) and proclaiming my utmost gratitude to the USPS and most importantly the workers who have (probably unknowingly) helped me to grow my business to what it is today. As a regular customer I can honestly and without a doubt say that the USPS has never lost one of my packages in the hundreds, dare I say thousands, that I have shipped over the years. In fact, I've thought about moving many times but cringed at the thought about having to leave MY post office and MY postal worker friends. I can't believe the disrespect I have encountered this holiday season from customers to their postal workers. Treating them as if they make the rules, they're robots, or they're single-handedly out to make sure YOUR package does not arrive safely and on time. Forget the fact that they may even be humans with real feelings and emotions, have families to feed, mortgages to pay, elderly parents to take care of and so on. They're people just like you and I trying to do their job to the best of their ability and thankful every day that they even have a job in this economy. (Cue Charlie Brown music) Have people completely forgotten what the holidays are all about? Is it possible that people just don't know how to be human anymore?

With the threat of lots of changes looming over the US Postal Service, I ask you to remember small businesses like mine who depend on the USPS to get your furry little orders to you in a timely manner. Remember that the USPS, as frustrating as it may be to you at times, keeps so many small businesses alive and growing. So next time you threaten your postal worker with never coming back to USPS and taking "your business" elsewhere, remember me, my little pedestal, monster in hand, and the slow Charlie Brown music, proclaiming thanks to the USPS and its workers who make my days just a little brighter. And as the holidays grow nearer and the lines get longer, please remember that they're humans just like you and I, their job isn't easy, and a smile on your face will most definitely bring a smile to theirs.

So thank you Haddonfield, NJ Post Office and all postal workers around the country for helping me to deliver so many gifts to delighted customers all year long.

Warm, fuzzy wishes for a safe and happy holiday season to all!

Sincerely yours,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Monster Maker

Cutesy but not Cutesy for the Holidays!

2011-11-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

If you're wondering if you're ever going to get to see the monsters in person or if you've already met them and wondering when you can see them again, we've got a few opportunities for you!

1.) Philadelphia: We're super excited to announce that we'll have some very special monsters in a brand new pop-up shop in the Philadelphia Museum of Art! Set up by local Philly artist, Alexander Stadler, as an opportunity to showcase local Philadelphia designers, P.POD (Philadelphia Produces Original Design) is a pop-up shop taking over 300sq ft. of the Philadelphia Art Museums main museum shop. The shop will have an opening party on Nov. 11th starting at 5pm and will run all the way through until Dec 25th! So if you're in the Philly area, go and check out some amazing local designers in this unique opportunity.

Here are some brand new exclusive pieces we did for the museum...
"My Tiny Paper Crane" Series #1 and #2

2.) Pittsburgh: If you're in the Pittsburgh area we'll be headed to Handmade Arcade on Nov. 12th! The show runs from 11-7pm, but get there early to make sure things don't sell out!

3.) Houston: Houston! We shipped some hoodies out to SPACE, an exhibition style retail space. So if you're in Houston and want to snatch up some tiny hoodies for the winter, go check it out!

4.) Philadelphia: We're unbearably excited to be a part of the first ever Holiday Art Star Craft Bazaar! We've waited quite some time for a good chance to sell locally for the holidays and here it is, Philly! The show is at the 23rd Street Armory (between Market and Chestnut streets) and will have a preview party on Friday Nov 18th from 6-9pm and will be open Sat. and Sun. the 19th and 20th from 11-6pm. Philly, we want to see you for the holidays!

5.) Fargo: We're super excited to be a part of the Unglued Craft Fest in Fargo, ND! Unglued is a unique pop-up shop in downtown Fargo running from Black Friday through Christmas Eve. We met the organizers of this event in Chicago for Renegade and couldn't resist the urge to send the monsters on an adventure to Fargo! Go check it out if you're in the area!

6.) Baltimore: Next up is Bazaart at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. This will be out second year at this show and we absolutely love it! Great people wandering about in a great relaxed setting. The show starts with a preview party on Nov 25th at 5:30pm and runs Saturday the 26th from 10-5pm. So avoid the malls on Black Friday and come play with us!

7.) Baltimore: We're returning to Holiday Heap this year at St. John's Church in Baltimore on Dec. 3rd. Another one of our very favorite shows!

8.) San Francisco: Last but not least we'll be making our last trip of the season back out to San Francisco for Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco. We had so much fun last year at our last show of the season so if you need any last minute gifts we'll be there Dec. 17th and 18th from 11-6! We're also secretly hoping for another visit to Sightglass Coffee with whom we completely fell in love with last year after just stumbling upon them! Can't wait to see you again, San Francisco!

Here's a picture from last year's Renegade SF with fellow Plush artist APlushPlush.

If you can't make it out to any of these shows, you can always visit us online and contact us for a custom order. Please order early to be sure it will arrive on time, as we have a very packed schedule as you can see!

Chicago, Crafty Bastards, and London, Oh My!

2011-11-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Now for a long overdue update from the Monsterworld! We've been traveling all over the place having a great time meeting new people. We road-tripped out to Chicago for our second Renegade Craft Fair Chicago. We had such a blast! Chicago is filled with tons of monster lovers and friendly faces. I also got to meet some fellow Plushteamers and to go to the Threadless meet-up with my good friends Alvaro and John from Fuzzy Ink. We had a great time hanging out with the Threadless crew and I finally got a tour of the new Threadless Headquarters.

Me in the new Threadless Headquarters (photo courtesy of Randy Aquilizan)

We love Chicago and can't wait for our next excuse to go back!

After Chicago came Crafty Bastards, in D.C., quite possibly one of our favorite shows of the year. Despite the construction around the venue and the slightly unexpected continuous rain, it was one of the best Crafty Bastards yet! The people of D.C. show us so much love and have such a great energy about art and creativity. The organizers of CB also work so hard and do an incredible job at it! Here is a video we made for the Craftiest Bastard of 2011 contest...

Next up and most exciting for us, was our very first trip overseas with the monster gang! Myself, the monsters, and the Fuzzy Ink duo packed up our bags and headed to London for the first EVER Renegade Craft Fair London. We love the Renegade shows more than anything so decided to follow them over the pond, because... why not? What an incredible adventure! The show was on the second floor of the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane in East London. It was so much fun meeting so many new vendors from all over Europe! I finally had the amazing honor of meeting fellow plush artist Ninon from Berlin, who's work I've coveted for quite some time. She's as lovely as can be and her work is even more beautiful in person! I also met Jess Quin from Bristol, whose work I also love. I also met the amazing man behind Mr. X Stitch, Jamie. We chatted a bit about art and craft in London and he gave me a few laughs. I had met his counterpart Bridget, a.k.a Beefranck last year in Chicago. And last but not least I met the incredible fellow Plush Teamer, Sian, of Siansburys. I've only ever known her online and in forums so it was so amazing to travel so far and to see someone I 'kind of' knew! Here we are...

After the show we had a few good days in London to be tourists and we had a blast running around on the Tube trying to see as much as possible!

Taking the monsters to London had to be one of the most stressful yet rewarding adventures we've had thus far and we're so happy and have had such an awesome opportunity! The monsters really are taking us all over the globe, those little jet-setters!

Now we're gearing up for some holiday adventures so stay-tuned for and update on all the chances to see the monsters live and in the fur before the holidays are over!

Renegade Brooklyn and travel updates from the monster world

2011-06-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since an update from us because we've been busy traveling the country yet again for another monster-filled season of craft shows. Handmade Arcade was the first show of the season and the people of Pittsburgh welcomed us with huge open arms. Next up was a trip back to SOWA in Boston closely followed by one of our very favorites in our home town of Philadelphia, Art Star Craft Bazaar. Philadelphia showed us some serious love but this customer was by far the best.

Then my good friends over at Fuzzy Ink and I hopped in the Fuzzy Ink van and drove out to Austin for Renegade Austin. It was my first time out in Austin and I fell in love. What a great city!

And most recently, this past weekend, was our third year back in Brooklyn for Renegade Brooklyn. It being one of the closer shows to home that we do, it was a weekend filled with incredible friends and fans who came out to both help and hang out. It was truly one of the best shows and weekends ever. If only every show could surround me with the things and people I love the most.

It's always so amazing to meet fellow plush artists who I only really know from online. This time I got to meet Megan Barbour of Green Elevator fame. How adorable is she???

And because of all the amazing friends who came out, it was one of the first shows we really got to test out the new mascot head for a long period of time. It made an appearance in Philly at Art Star but the rain limited its face time. The weather was mostly kind to us in Brooklyn and the mascot was really able to romp around as it's meant to do. The response was incredible and below is only a snippet of the amazing memories it created.

I feel like an incredibly lucky monster maker to know and to have met so many incredible people throughout my travels thus far. Thank you to everyone we've met this year and we look forward to seeing and meeting so many more people in the weeks to come!

Kickin' Back - Design for Leisure at the Philadelphia Art Alliance

2011-03-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

The other day I finally has the opportunity to visit the show Kickin' Back - Design for Leisure at the Philadelphia Art Alliance in Rittenhouse Square where Cutesy but not Cutesy was amongst some of the finest designers in the Philadelphia area. It's so nice to be in such good company in our very own home city!

Fabric Horse makes some of the most awesome bags we've seen throughout our travels and they're based right here in Philly! We've run into them a couple of times at various craft shows but finally met them out in San Francisco for the Renegade Holiday Show. We laughed at the irony of both being from Philadelphia and finally meeting on the west coast!

These wooden toys also caught our eye by Holgate Toys based out of Pennsylvania. They've been in business since 1789 which is incredibly mind-blowing. It's hard for me to resist any vintage looking toys these days and I just fell in love with these instantly. It took me a while to wrap my brain around sharing a gallery space with a company that has been around that long!

And here's a peek at the monster display! They had the wall directly across from the entrance and staircase so their bright colors were immediate eye-catchers!

Thanks, Philadelphia, for inviting us to take part in yet another amazing show!

Listen to your heart...

2011-03-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

Adventures around the globe

2011-03-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember I've always wanted to travel the world. It's always been a dream of mine to travel to every state in the country and slowly but surely I'm marking them off of the list. Cutesy but not Cutesy has taken me to states across the country I'd never thought I'd have the chance to go to. Whether it be just traveling through as a weary driver or for a few days stay for a craft show, meeting new people and seeing new places are what keep me and my business going. One of the many reasons I had for starting the company was to have the opportunity to have small pieces of me travel all around the globe to places I may never have the chance to visit myself. The monsters are extensions of myself that get to go on small adventures of their own and tell their own stories to people I may never meet. I can assure you all that my adventures with the monsters are not slowing down any time soon with a few new states to mark off the list already coming up in the near future. We like traveling, we like meeting new people, and seeing new places and nothing can keep us from following our curious minds and passionate hearts.

With all of that being said, I started to grow a little jealous of the monsters' international adventures without me, so this time it was my turn. The monsters helped me pack my bags and sent me on my way on an adventure of my very own. One of the amazing things about working so hard during the year making monsters is being able to send myself on an incredible vacation knowing that all of my hard work really has paid off. I recently returned from a whirlwind trip from Costa Rica! As far as I know, none of my monsters live there or have ever been there but at least I was able to go and see it for myself. It was a warm break from the cold weather here in the Northeast and a much needed relaxing trip before the Spring/Summer busy season starts up again. I've had the amazing opportunity of traveling all around the world but Central America is somewhere that I have never been. It was absolutely beautiful and just what the doctor(s) probably would have ordered had I told anyone I was going. It was a bit of a last minute trip and I don't think we even had our plane tickets until only 48 hours before we were supposed to fly out of the country, but well worth the last minute planning stress.

Now, as we recharge here in the monster warehouse for some more monster making madness to come, here are some pictures from my adventures in Costa Rica! Enjoy!

A furry snowy Boston weekend

2011-01-25T19:48:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in one of the recent blog posts, Cutesy but not Cutesy was due for an adventure out to Milwaukee, WI this past weekend for the opening of the Plush Team's first group gallery show at Hot*Pop Shop Gallery and Boutique called CANDYLAND. Unfortunately, due to some unexpected (somewhat expected) weather in Boston, our flight was canceled and we couldn't book a new flight out to Milwaukee in time for the opening. We desperately tried to find a way out to the mid-west, mid-snowstorm and then diverted our minds to possibly flying someplace warm with our already-paid-for tickets in order to salvage what remained of the weekend. Despite having missed the ultimate mid-west adventure and meeting and hanging out with some of the best plush designers around in -6 degree weather, we managed to kick it in Boston in style and made the most of the weekend we had dealt to us. Below are some pictures posted from some of the people who were able to make it out for the show.

Rest assured, Milwaukee, we will see you some day.

We've also received word that the Get Stuffed show in Cleveland, OH that was up just before the holidays at the SPACES Gallery will remain up until April 1st with some new and updated pieces from some of the artists. They've also sent along some photos from the first hanging.

We're looking forward to heading over to Philly to check out the opening of the Philadelphia Art Alliance's Kickin' Back: Design for Leisure Show opening Thursday Jan 27th. Hopefully more pictures to follow!

Crazy Toys - A French Publication

2011-01-17T00:19:00.000-08:00

I'm super excited to announce Cutesy but not Cutesy's first international publication in a hardcover book! The book is called "Crazy Toys: Les artistes créent des doudous" and is published by one of the oldest publishing companies in the world, Aubanel Publishing as part of La Martiniere. The book is a compilation of the work from plush artists all over the world with various photographs and pages for each artist. Below are some photos of Cutesy but not Cutesy's pages in the book!

The book is available for purchase on the French Amazon site or directly from Aubanel.

Being published in a book was definitely one of the biggest long term goals for Cutesy but not Cutesy and so it's extra exciting that it has happened so soon! Now it's time to mark some other things off the list!

Starting off 2011 with a bang!

2011-01-13T23:59:00.000-08:00

There's been a severe lack of posts here and news updates since the holiday rush of 2010 began and we really apologize for that. Caravans of monsters were making their way all up and down the east coast and even a plane-full made the journey out to San Francisco this year for the last show of the season! While the journey was exhausting, every last mile was more than worth it to meet our customers in person and to see the smiles the furrybeasts bring to people's faces all around the country.

We've been taking a bit of breathing time to recover from the non-stop traveling but we're slowly coming out of hibernation and hitting the ground running with some new exciting projects for 2011! Cutesy but not Cutesy already has two gallery shows lined up for January. The first is in Milwaukee, WI for the Etsy Plush Street Team's first ever group show CANDYLAND at Hot*Pop Art and Design Boutique. The grand opening is January 21st and many of the Plush Team members will be making an appearance, including Cutesy but not Cutesy! It's so exciting to be able to make the trip out there to see Milwaukee for the first time and to meet some of the Plush Team members I've never met before! Here is a sneak peek at the monsters that will be making an appearance at Hot*Pop.

The second show Cutesy but not Cutesy has been invited to participate in is Philadelphia Art Alliance's Kickin' Back: Design for Leisure show. This is a juried and invitational show showcasing the work of designers and architects from around the Philadelphia region and their interpretations of leisure in contemporary states of rest and play. We're honored to be amongst so many talented Philadelphia designers in this show opening Thursday January 27th to the public. We'll post pictures just as soon as we see the monsters in their new temporary home at the Philly Art Alliance!

Finally, we'd like to thank all of our friends, fans, and loyal customers for making 2010 the best year yet for the monsters and I. We're hoping it only gets better from here with the new ideas and projects we have in mind and can't wait to have all of you along for the ride!

2011, we welcome you with open arms (and furry paws)!

Jump. in. leaves.

2010-10-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

Byron, myself, and our good friend Alvaro got the chance to spend some free time outdoors a few weekends ago. Byron insisted, INSISTED, that we go play in the leaves. We certainly didn't fight him on this one.

A life in fast forward.

2010-09-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone!?

I haven't had much time to post this summer as we've been traveling all up and down the east coast finding monsters new homes and we're gearing up for a fall chock full of road trips as well. The next stop is Chicago for Renegade Chicago. We're super excited to be a part of the show this year and it feels like we've been looking forward to this show since we missed it LAST year. It'll be our (the monsters and I) first time in Chicago so it will certainly be an adventure.

I'm hoping to return with lots of stories to share but in the mean time, I've made a short video giving you a sneak peek at my process. It's an hour of work in 7 minutes and 35 seconds. Enjoy!

Asimov Custom Plush

2010-06-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy just finished an exciting custom order and collaboration with Tom Dell'Aringa the artist behind the popular web-comic Marooned. Tom approached me about working with him on a limited edition plush based on his most popular character, Asimov. After checking out Tom's work, I happily agreed to work with him. Each plush is 18" tall and a little bit different and unique from the others. For more information on how to purchase one, you can check out the purchasing details and announcements as they come up on the Marooned blog.

Schmidty: The Saleswhale Extraordinaire and New Hope Sidetracks Gallery

2010-06-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy is happy to announce that she will have work at the New Hope Sidetracks Gallery in New Hope, PA again beginning in July with the official opening on July 10th. Paul and Ricky, owners of the Sidetracks Gallery, have stuck with me since the beginning and were really inspirational in encouraging me to continue on with my stitchery so it's wonderful to be welcomed back to their gallery to share their space with some amazing artists. If you're in the New Hope or Bucks County area, please do check it out!

The Monsters first trip to New England

2010-06-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

It's not every day, or every weekend, that I am able to look behind my booth at a show and say "I want to lay in the grass" and not only do it, but have someone there to tell me to "just do it". But that's exactly what I did this weekend in Providence. Not for long, but for long enough to breathe... finally. It has been a very busy few weeks of what has felt like non-stop making and traveling. Laying in the grass with the cool New England breeze, even for a moment, was just what I needed. And not only that, but when I asked my traveling mate (for the second weekend in a row), Alvaro, to hand me a monster... the split second of joy of just lying there with my own creation held tightly in my arms was a moment that will last me a long time.

This past weekend John (Fuzzy Ink) and Alvaro picked me up in the new Fuzzy Ink van and we all drove up together to Providence and Boston for their weekly open markets http://www.providenceopenmarket.com/ and http://www.southendopenmarket.com/. I can only speak for myself but I do know that traveling with fellow vendors makes long trips even more worthwhile. It was the very first time the monsters had ever been to New England and I think they really enjoyed themselves!

Fuzzy Ink and Cutesy but not Cutesy within harassing distance of one another, yet again...

I also had the opportunity of meeting yet another Plushteam member, Anne-Claire Regan aka Hiboucards who lives in Boston with her adorable family. Once again, always amazing to finally meet a Plushteam member in person!

It was a fun time in a new place and the Providence and Boston energy is great! We'll be back, I'm sure!

Thanks Providence and Boston!

(Photos courtesy of: Alvaro Arteaga.)

The monsters take on two cities at once...

2010-06-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Cutesy but not Cutesy traveled with the monsters to two cities at once! Yes, you read that right. We had an awesome time setting up at Art for the Cash Poor in Philly on Saturday and then with the trust of the monsters and the show in our good friend Brian's hands, we headed off down to Washington D.C. to meet up with the fellas over at Fuzzy Ink with whom we would be sharing a booth at Capital Pride on Sunday.

Upon arriving to the DC area we had the opportunity to finally meet the brains and brawn behind the T-shirt company Sharp Shirter, Dan Lachman, a good friend of Fuzzy Ink's, who was kind enough to provide us with a place to stay. Not only that, we also finally met the amazing Alvaro Arteaga an incredible graphic artist and illustrator from Chile who is currently staying with the guys over at Fuzzy Ink.

Here is John Paul of Fuzzy Ink, myself, and Alvaro Arteaga before all the crowds infiltrated our booth...

It's the first time Fuzzy Ink and Cutesy but not Cutesy had ever shared a booth though we've done shows with our booths next to one another. It's not really surprising that t-shirts with mustaches and monsters with absurd horns really mesh well, not to mention the fact that they really do attract a lot of attention! We seem to have a lot of similar creative ideas and aesthetics (and a shared love for monsters and mustaches) so seeing our work together in one booth was a lot of fun to say the least.

The event itself was huge and attracted an incredibly large crowd. The heat was rather oppressive but when the sky opened up and poured buckets of rain on everyone it actually felt kind of nice... the monsters got a little wet, themselves, but I think they secretly may have enjoyed it, too!

We met a lot of really amazing customers and the energy of the crowd was very uplifting. One of our favorite customers couldn't get enough of the monsters OR the mustaches...

And after a long busy day John, Alvaro, and myself met up with the infamous Jon Wye, whom I also met for the first time, and we sat down for a relaxing dinner filled with a little business conversation and some much needed laughter.

Yet another amazing weekend for Cutesy but not Cutesy thanks to all of the wonderful people we've met along the way! Thanks Philly and DC!

Cutesy but not Cutesy in Renegade Brooklyn 2010!

2010-06-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

After less than a week of being home from out California adventure Cutesy but not Cutesy had the honor of participating in Renegade Handmade's craft fair in Brooklyn. This is one of our favorite shows of the year and we're always incredibly grateful to be a part of such an amazing show. The wind was nearly too much to handle but that didn't stop most of the vendors from remaining in place and mildly windblown. It was a great weekend overall and we always enjoy seeing many of the old friendly faces of fellow vendors and meeting many new ones!

We also got to meet fellow Plushteam member Katarzyna Piotrowska aka The Pixels who stopped over to say hello. One of the best things about traveling so much is being able to meet so many of the Plushteam members!

One of the most excited customers of the day, Sam Carcamo of AngryYeti fame...

Yet another great weekend filled with old friends, new friends, good friends, happy customers, and monsters. Thanks Brooklyn!

Cutesy but not Cutesy goes west!!! (Part 2)

2010-05-31T15:33:00.000-07:00

After finding out about our Plushteam's gathering on the west coast and between trying to figure out how I would make it out there for the amazing event I immediately thought about how to make the most out of my trip once I got there. I am a huge fan of hiking and the outdoors and it's something that I don't get to do nearly as often as I would like. I decided that if I was going to finally go to California that I would somehow find a way to go to one of the national parks and give myself some much needed life-changing adventures in the outdoors. And that's exactly what I did. Yosemite is only a short drive (4 hours) from San Fransisco so there was no way that I was going to pass that opportunity up. I proposed the adventure to my two good friends Brian McManus (as mentioned in the previous post) and fellow outdoor lover Mike Petite and they were both happily on board with little hesitation. We headed off to Yosemite in a rental car the Monday after Makerfaire weekend and had ourselves a truly breathtaking adventure-filled few days. I am so lucky to have such good friends who can appreciate the same things that I do. This trip would have been lightyears different had I taken it alone and I am certainly glad I did not.

Our first stop was Mariposa Grove to see the Giant Sequoias. To our surprise there was snow on the ground... at the end of May... in California... and the threat of more on the way. As Eastcoasters, clearly we didn't do enough research about the weather in the northern California mountains, but alas, we made it!

We then made it down to Yosemite Valley where we were staying at Curry Village in a tent cabin but not before stopping for some awe-inspiring and possibly tear-inducing views...

And a shot of our cabin. With our new plush friends we picked up from Makerfaire designed by the amazing Christina Ward.

Day two could have been the most incredible hike of my life as of yet. We hiked so close to the waterfalls we needed to keep putting our raincoats on to protect us from the mist.

And yet another full day of hiking on the third day.

This trip was just what the Monster Maker's doctor would have ordered, I'm sure, had he known about it. It was truly just what I needed to get me through the jam-packed busy season and more memories than I ever thought possible.

Here's to good friends, Mother Nature, and the ability to know when you deserve something really special.

Cutesy but not Cutesy goes west!!! (Part 1)

2010-05-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

Recently, Cutesy but not Cutesy had the AMAZING opportunity to fly out west (to the opposite coast) to the Makerfaire Bay Area in San Mateo to help out the Etsy Plushteam with our collaborative booth sales and weekend workshops/demonstrations. This was the first time many of us were actually meeting each other in person since we're from all over the country (and the world!). Needless to say, it was one of the most inspirational and creatively comforting weekends I think I may have ever had. As an artist, it's always such an incredible experience to be surrounded by creative people and to be able to talk about your work in a way that those people can understand what you are saying almost perfectly clearly. Not to mention finally being able to meet those artists in person who work in the same medium as yourself who have inspired and supported you for years just through the internet... that, is truly something else.

I'd like to thank Christina Ward, Abby Langdon aka Abbydid, Leanna Butcher aka PlushGoodness, Denise Ferguson aka YummyPancake, Marcy Bridges aka Moonscreations, Claire Chambers aka Absolutely Small, Zazu Faure aka zfla and one of my best friends and honorary Plushteam member Brian McManus who ventured out west with me for an amazing and memory-filled weekend along with all of the members of the Plushteam who sent in their beautiful work for us to fondle and cuddle... oh and sell...

And as if all of that wasn't enough, Brian and I were able to catch one of our favorite bands OK Go and their performance underwater on the last day of Makerfaire. Truly incredible.

And to think that was only just the beginning of our west coast adventure...

"So, 4 years ago or so, Cutesy but not Cutesy was living in a sandwich...

2010-05-11T13:58:00.001-07:00

Yes, you read that right. But let me explain...

This all started last night when I was chatting with a friend about how overwhelming being a full time artist and business owner can be. Every now and then a monster maker gets overwhelmed, too. There, I said it. I'm sure I'm not alone in this and I'm sure the other artists, DIY-ers, and small business owners can attest to sometimes faltering and needing the encouraging push from a supportive friend. And this is just what I needed.

So now's where I start to explain the title of this post...

This supportive friend of mine, in the hopes that he could prove a point, asked me where Cutesy but not Cutesy was 4 or so years ago. I thought for a moment about where I was 4 years ago to the day and I chuckled to myself and responded "...in a sandwich." Not quite the response he expected, I'm sure, but it was, in fact, the truth.

Four years ago I was working in a small town in Pennsylvania at a cafe making, yes, sandwiches.

That's not all I made, I cooked up some other delicious eats under the watchful eye and expertise of my good friend and chef and I baked some pretty impressive desserts, if I do say so myself.

But, in a nutshell, and for the purposes of this post (and my friend's point), I was a sandwich artist.

I lived near the river in one of the most beautiful areas of Pennsylvania there is, with some of the best friends a recent college graduate could ask for, a wonderful boyfriend, and the world (and people's taste buds) at my finger tips. But we all know that the reality is that a life like that can't last forever and besides, I wanted so much more for myself than making sandwiches (not that there's anything wrong with that). I wanted to use my creativity that had so come to life as a fine arts major in college and I knew if I worked hard enough, someday I would do just that. Admittedly, I was always looking for a way out, thinking up new ideas for my future, new ways of creating, and becoming, and living.

This. This is when the monsters were born. Somewhere between reheating someone's lukewarm soup and making another customer's turkey, brie, and raspberry panini, I began sewing. I keep this picture of one of my very first monsters from when I was working there on my refrigerator to remind me everyday of where I started and how far I've come. (Yes, he's wearing a tie.)

Life took it's course after that (and threw in some curve balls to keep things exciting). That job and I have since parted ways and the same with the wonderful boyfriend (the friends, however, I've held on to). And that brings us to today and to the supportive friend's attempt at proving a point...

...so 4 years ago Cutesy but not Cutesy was living in a sandwich. You've gone from one small sandwich (not sure what kind) to a business built on something that you are truly passionate about. You've worked incredibly hard to make your vision a reality, which is much more than most people can say they've done with their life. I can only imagine how demanding your work is, but seeing how hard you work to be successful I can say, without a doubt, that you'll make it through this summer and beyond.

Not only did this bring a huge grin to my face and uncontrollable bouts of laughter for a long time after, but it did prove a point. It put everything into perspective for me and it reminded me of how hard I have worked to get where I am today and though it might not always be apparent in the throws of it all, some day all of this hard work will pay off. And none of this goes for just me, but for everyone who sets their mind and heart on something and dives into it with everything that they have. If you work hard and are passionate about your dreams, all of it will pay off in the end, some day, some how... no matter where that dream was born. This is something that we all need to remind ourselves from time to time.

I encourage all of you to think about where you were 4 years ago and think about how far you've come.

For me?... 4 years ago, Cutesy but not Cutesy was living in a sandwich.

Plush You/Schmancy Olympic Challenge

2010-03-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

I've had the great honor of participating in the wonderful plush Olympic Challenge being held by Kristen of Plush You fame. You can read up more on the details here. Over 180 artists have entered and were assigned a competing category. I was assigned opening ceremonies and after much frustration I came up with what I think was the best solution.... the Vancouver Olympic Torch Monster!!! I've named him Vin and he's 52" tall! Holy smokes!!!

Please wish Vin and I luck as we head into competition for gold, silver, and bronze plush metals!

Cutesy Dishware is here!

2010-02-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

Like the ambitious artist and crafter that I am, I began planning for new projects for 2010 in the middle of the busiest time of my 2009 year. But it's planning for future exciting projects that I think gets a lot of us through the struggles of the hectic holiday season.

My newest project comes to you in the form of monsters you can eat off of! Yes, that's right, Cutesy dishware is here with mugs, plates, dishes and more to come! The dishware is painted with non-toxic porcelain paints and heat-set to be dishwasher safe!

I have a few more new projects I am working on including new screen-printed t-shirt designs! As soon as I can get my hands on some models to model them for me, I'll have pictures of those, as well!

Happy monstering!

Monster Journeys!

2009-12-28T17:49:00.000-08:00

As 2009 winds down, I have been enjoying a bit of rest and relaxation and spending some much needed time with distant friends, friends I've lost touch with, and of course, family. The holiday season always goes by so quickly, making it even more important to try to enjoy every last bit of it. I made a decision last year that I would only ever give handmade gifts for the holidays, not necessarily handmade by me, but handmade by someone, somewhere, like me. There's something so incredibly fulfilling about picking out thoughtful, one-of-kind gifts for the people who are dearest to me. Knowing that I am supporting the handmade movement and an artist and entrepreneur like myself, is more than half the joy. I was able to convince my family to do the same this year making our Christmas morning just a little more fulfilling. I felt, for the first time, like we weren't just giving each other "things" but we were giving one another little works of art that were painstakingly created by someone with an obvious passion for the craft. Also, in doing so, we were supporting the handmade movement and artists who simply love what they do and work hard for what they believe in. It was a warming experience to say the least and I hope it's a tradition that we will continue for year's to come.

With all of that being said, I wanted to send out a huge thank you to all of my wonderfully amazing customers that I have met in the past year both online and traveling here and there. I had the opportunity to travel to cities (and states!) that I had never been to and each one was more welcoming than the next. Not to mention all of the places that my monsters have traveled to without me this year! Some places that I am nearly certain I will never get to travel to myself but I believe they have been welcomed with open arms and made to feel right at home no matter where they are. I feel truly grateful to have met so many amazing people throughout my journeys, both artists and non-artists alike. It's because of the support and encouragement from everyone that I have met that keeps the monsters and I pushing on. So, thank you, again.

As I hunker down for a long winter in the studio, I am hoping to make more frequent posts as I gear up for my many plans for next year. In the mean time, I've mapped out where my monsters have journeyed to just based on online sales. There are hundreds (dare I say thousands???) of other monster homes out there that will probably always remain a mystery to me and I think I'm o.k. with that. :)

Bring on 2010!!!

more...

Stuff This! at Rivet Gallery in Columbus, OH

2009-11-25T13:20:00.000-08:00

It was a wonderful surprise to be invited to participate in this year's Stuff This! group show at Rivet Gallery in Columbus, OH! I had the great honor of making my first trip out to Columbus (and to Ohio, for that matter) for the Tiny Canary Indie Design Market. What a wonderful show that was and what a great energy the people of Columbus have! I had an amazing time at the show and Megan Green of Stinkybomb soap, formerly a Plush Team Member, was generous enough to offer me a comfortable place to stay and a good taste of Columbus eats each night I was there. I am looking forward to sending my work there for the Stuff This! show and only wish I could make the trek out there again to see it!

Without further adieu I bring you...

"made for each other."

Luv-able and Hug-able Show at Gallery Hanahou

2009-11-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

We're happy to announce that our pieces for the wonderful Luv-able and Hug-able group show at Gallery Hanahou are finally complete and ready to be shipped off to NYC! The show runs from Dec 3rd to Jan 9 so if you're in the area and looking for adorable gifts for very special people, stop in and see the work of many amazing artists from all over the world!

Crafty Bastards Round-Up

2009-10-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to participate in Washington D.C.'s largest indie craft festival, Crafty Bastards. It was truly an amazing event and I am in awe of how well organized and incredibly well attended it was. The weather was beautiful, though there were threats of rain earlier in the week... I think we all did our best no-rain dances to fight it off together. I met a lot of really wonderful people and saw a lot of fellow craft friends that I always enjoy seeing at these events.

I made some great purchases myself. I bought an adorable ring from Figs and Ginger whose work I always love to peek at. I also took home another creature from fellow Push Team member Phil Barbato... Thorgrimm the Defeated. And my mom brought me a sweet little surprise from Lumpkin.

And now for some pictures!

I made a giant monster to hang from the top of my tent beckoning monster lovers to come in my direction...

I promptly sold said monster 3 hours into the show... but the monster lovers seemed to not need any beckoning...

There were a lot of awesome people wandering around!

A better view of my collaborative prints with my sister Robin Koss of Wind Up Bird Studios.

A monster lover caught in the act of making an adoption!

A close up of some of the handsome fellas...

The last four photos courtesy of Dots, Lines, and Polygons.

Thank you, Crafty Bastards!

Bring on the holidays!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

2009-10-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we over at the Etsy Plush Street Team want to help save the boobs! In order to raise funds and awareness about this insidious disease, the members of PlushTeam have created mammary-themed plush. 80% of every purchase goes to the Susan G. Komen Institute, an international fund dedicated to raising money for Breast Cancer Cure research. There have been some amazing plushies designed by my fellow artists which you can check out here on the Plush Team Blog. A lot of them have already sold (and it's only the 7th day of the month!) but there are still many for sale in the Plush Team's Etsy Shop. So help us raise money for the cause and save the boobs! Remember, 80% of every sale will be donated!

Here is my donation, also available in the Plush Team Shop.

Monster lovers... cont...

2009-08-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

In response to yesterday's post about happy monster customers, Heidi Elliot sent along a photo of her from Art Star Craft Bazaar with her new handsome fella, Simon.

Heidi had been following my blog for a while and that's where I first met her. She had mentioned she would try to make it out to Philadelphia for Art Star and what a great surprise to finally put a face to a name! You can read more about her adventure to Philadelphia here and peruse the rest of her crafty blog here. Thanks, Heidi for sending along such a great photo!

Cutesy but not Cutesy and satisfied monster lovers

2009-08-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

Now that Cutesy but not Cutesy has some down time between the end of the summer season and the start of the fall and holiday seasons, we finally have time to sit back and really think about all of the happy homes we've supplied with monsters this year (so far)! This is something that is sometimes easy to forget when traveling from place to place and state to state, weekend after weekend. But... sometimes these reminders show up right at our doorstep (or in our inbox) right when we need them the most...

This is a photo taken at Artscape of myself and Vanessa Petersen, of Churchton, MD, with her new monster companion. Vanessa first saw my work featured in STUFFED Magazine and was thrilled to discover them on the very streets of Artscape in Baltimore! It was a tough decision, but I think Vanessa made a good one! I think we may have a future plush designer on our hands... :)

And with that, if YOU have any photos of yourself with any members of my monster family, I'd love to see them! Please send them along!

Cutesy July round-up and other updates

2009-08-03T15:12:00.000-07:00

As we wind down our six-show-in-a-row whirlwind tour with one show in Collingswood, NJ left to go and gear up for some much needed rest before the hectic fall and holiday season, here are a few snippets from our time on the road.

First, as mentioned in a previous post, we were at the Manayunk Fine Arts and Crafts Festival in late June. Here are some delayed pictures...

The booth

The EMS on segways

Area Chef's getting some air

One very cool customer

And the Fiber Arts Award

From Manayunk we moved on to Haddonfield, NJ where we met many wonderful people. Unfortunately, we have no photos of this show... but you just have to trust that it treated us kindly :)

The next week we made our way to Baltimore for ARTSCAPE with Wind-up Bird Studios. Three 10 hour days in a row with hundreds of thousands of people. This had to be the most exhausting show we've done but fantastic nonetheless. And we were in good company, I saw a lot of familiar fellow crafter's faces as well as met some new ones! We had the honor of sharing our tent with Chelsea of Lola Miren. She has some of the most adorable baby products I have seen! We also met some great people who attended the Mortal Plush show in DC where we have "The American Dream". What a great weekend!

Soon after getting in from Baltimore and after only a couple days of hectic stitching to restock, we headed on the road with mom to Asheville, NC for Bele Chere. Mom had never been to North Carolina, let alone West Virginia and Tennessee, both of which we had to travel through... so it would be a true adventure for all! Asheville truly is an amazing place and this festival was a great event. We had so much fun meeting people from Asheville and the surrounding areas and meeting new vendors. It was nice to be so far away from home because it meant meeting that many new people! We had a booth across from Raimbow Tree who relocated to Asheville from Alaska a few months ago. Her work is amazing and I ended up buying a skirt from her and she purchased my favorite monster, a fair trade in the end if I do say so myself! :) We also met Yvonne Miller of Atlanta who we ended up trading with for some awesome wall art, as well. Overall, the Asheville show ranks above all the rest... it had the best music, the best food, and the most amazingly appreciative and supportive vendors and customers. I think mom never wanted to leave!

We don't pump our own gas in New Jersey

Some new top-secret products?

Street performer

Day 2 exhaustion and Barley's Pizza

Another happy customer!

And that brings us to this past weekend at the Stone Harbor Arts and Crafts Festival. Despite having to wake up at 3:45am each day to drive down to the show, the drive into the sun-rise sure was a beautiful one. We had never been so close to the beach before and what an adventure for the monsters! We ran into the wonderful couple behind Clay Monster whom we first met in Manayunk. They're work is too awesome, great minds think monsters! Unfortunately, there was a huge storm on Sunday and being solo this weekend, I decided to pack up the fellas early just before the downpour and lighting showed up. The tent wasn't as lucky, as it had to be the last to go into the car. I ended up having to hold it down from the wind gusts while trying to take it down at the same time. I'm sure it wasn't a pretty site at the time, but looking back at it... it might be mildly comical. With the sopping tent finally in my car, I ran in bare feet (the shoes were too soaked to wear) to gather the rest of the goods... and the monsters and I were safely on our way home.

Everyone hiding in their tents

Stopped traffic on the drive home

And as if that's not enough to take in... we're super excited to announce that we'll be participating in this year's Crafty Bastards in October and the Luv-able and Hug-able show at Gallery Hanahou in NYC in December!

Finally, our submissions are on their way for the Plush You show at Schmancy Gallery in Seattle in October. Here are our submissions...

The Keepers of the Mountains

Summer Mountain Keeper

Winter Mountain Keeper

Spring Mountain Keeper

Mortal Plush at Art Whino Gallery

2009-07-10T16:35:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy is very excited to be a part of the Mortal Plush show at the Art Whino Gallery in D.C. The opening is tonight and they've just posted some pictures of the work all hung.

Also, if you're in the Anaheim area, the grand opening of Rothick Art Haus is also tonight. Looks like they have some really awesome artists for their opening and my monsters will be available for purchase in their gallery, as well!

And if that's not enough, if you're in South Jersey you can come see me and my monsters on display at theHaddonfield Arts and Crafts Festival!

A little bit of history goes a long way...

2009-07-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I had the honor of participating in the Manayunk Arts Festival which has been considered the largest arts festival in the Delaware Valley. The days were long and the streets were packed, it was undoubtedly an exhausting weekend but my mom (my wonderful helper) and I came away with a few wonderful memories that we are sure to laugh and reminisce about in the months to come. Not only was I honored to participate but I was presented with an Honorable Mention Award for the Fiber Arts Category and got to display a ribbon on my booth! This is the first time I've received an award at any of these craft shows! I'm not the best at receiving awards and the picture they snapped of me probably looked more shocked and confused than anything else but it certainly was a good feeling. (More pictures to come of this later...)

Traveling to my many shows throughout the seasons I have met a lot of people and boy do they sometimes say the darnedest things. My mom and I have even discussed having a notebook where we can write down all of the things that people have said and done that made us laugh or smile throughout the days....

With that being said, despite having won an award and meeting many wonderful people, the highlight of the weekend can be summed up by one particular family. It was early Sunday morning, post award, pre-100,000th person to pass by the booth (just a guess, there were LOTS) when this family stepped into my booth. There was a mother, father, grandmother, and three daughters, one in a stroller. The whole family walked into the booth somewhat in awe, dad and the two older girls the most excited. I said hello and smiled at their excitement when the dad looked up at me and said, "Did you sew all of these BY HAND?" This is a question I've become rather accustomed to, so I said, "Yes, everything is hand-stitched and one-of-a-kind". He then proceeded to tell his daughters that I was the artist and I made every single one of them and then he turned to me and said, "You know, if YOU were around in 1776 you could have been Betsy Ross!" Slightly caught off guard at this comment I said, "Yes, yes I could have." Again, he proceeded to tell his daughters that I was the artist and I could have been Betsy Ross! Then one of the girls came over to me and looked up at me behind her big sunglasses and said, "You LOOK like Betsy Ross!!!" Not knowing what Betsy Ross really looked like, I asked her, of course.... "She had broooown eeeyes and brooowwn hair..." And it was at that moment that Dad realized my actual name. Diane Koss. "Even your name is close!!! I bet you're related!!!" And there it was, I unknowingly and unintentionally changed history in those young minds. They MET the relative of Betsy Ross on their visit to the City of Brotherly Love. As they left my booth with huge grins on their faces, I thought to myself, this is why I do this. No, I don't do it to change history in young minds (although I'll pat myself on the back for that one) but I do it because in that moment I gave that entire family a memory that they can share. So those girls might grow up to think that Betsy Ross made monsters and that Diane Koss hand-stitched the American flag, but what does all of that really matter in the end. I'd take ten minutes of pure excitement, inquisitiveness, and happiness over a minor inaccurate history fact any day!

Now onto that inaccurate history fact... I didn't put much thought into whether or not I actually looked like Betsy Ross until now... but they may have been on to something here...

Renegade Brooklyn

2009-06-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy had a few big weekends in a row with Collingswood Mayfair, Art Star Craft Bazaar, and Renegade Brooklyn. All were a great success! We had a wonderful time meeting our fellow neighbor vendors, other artists, shoppers, browsers, etc! It was great to see many familiar faces from past years and past shows and with the help of some really wonderful friends the shows will go down as very memorable ones! Below are some pictures of Renegade Brooklyn and once I get my hands on the ones from Art Star and Collingswood I will be sure to post those, as well!

We're restocking inventory and gearing up for our next big show in Manayunk, PA. In the mean time you can check out some wonderful write-ups from previous shows at Inhabitots and Nerdabout New York. Stay tuned for more upcoming show info and photos!

T-shirts are in!

2009-05-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

New Cutesy T-shirts are in early! T-shirts are $15(+ shipping/handling) but will be discounted at $10 up until May 30th. Leave a comment in this blog post with the style and size to order your Cutesy T-shirt!

More T-Shirts are coming!!!

2009-05-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy has a few new T-Shirt designs on their way and will be available in about 2 weeks. In addition to the standard logo-tee, we've added two original Cutesy monster designs!!! Check out the new designs and get your order in early (before May 30th) for a special discounted price! Limited quantity! Post a comment with your size request and you'll be added to the list (Adult S, M, L, XL ).

The American Dream - I am not your toy.

2009-04-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

I have been feverishly building up inventory for more upcoming shows, but in the mean time I took a break to create a piece for a gallery submission upcoming in July. The theme is emotion... This was my first attempt at joining two monsters with one antler... and it sure was quite the challenge! This piece is 33" tall and 29" wide and is titled "The American Dream".

Cutesy but not Cutesy featured on Etsy!

2009-04-17T15:07:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy is happy to announce that we have been featured on Etsy's Handmade Blog!!! What a wonderful surprise and opportunity it has been! You can check out the feature here about my experience working with animator David Popolow of Right brain Animations to bring my monsters to life!

Thanks David and Etsy!!!

Cutesy but not Cutesy - A work in progress

2009-04-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hello all! A quick update from Cutesy but not Cutesy... we have been hard at work scheduling and applying for spring, summer, and now fall shows. We are happy to announce we will be participating in this year's Renegade Brooklyn, Art Star Craft Bazaar, Philadelphia, Cherry Hill Art Blooms Festival, and Collingswood Mayfair. We've also been accepted to participate in this year's Plush You at the Schmancy Gallery in Seattle, WA. Stay tuned for more announcements in the near future!

In the meantime, I have been asked to take some process photos of myself at work for some shows that I have applied for. Fortunately for me, my process and materials are fairly simple to photograph!

Updates from Cutesy but not Cutesy

2009-03-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

I have been working on building up the monster inventory for a busy spring/summer schedule of craft shows. But in the mean time I have finally created some fellas based on my logo/mascot! They are members of the Little Ones, a group of monsters that pop up anywhere they think fun and chaos is needed! Keep an eyes out for Little Ones where ever you go, they tend to pop up where you least expect it...

Available here.

It's Aliiiiiiiive!!!

2009-02-24T12:24:00.000-08:00

Over the last few short months, Cutesy but not Cutesy had the wonderful honor of working with David Popolow of Right Brain Animations and Backseat Conceptions to make my creations come to life! David created 3 short films using Cutesy but not Cutesy monsters and stop motion magic! Check out the final compilation here and stay tuned for more collaborations in the future!

The Recession Monster

2009-01-21T16:41:00.001-08:00

It sure has been a while since the last post, the busy holiday season came and went, the hoots and hollers of the New Year gone in a flash, and the President-to-be made his way on the Whistle Stop Tour and is now simply "Mr. President". News from Cutesy but not Cutesy has been slim, but for good reason. We were asked to team up with New York based company,FullSix, and their Paris offshoot, Six and Co, to help them bring to life an idea in the new year. What better than a plush Recession Monster to bring in the new year right? So while these little angsty, adorable fellas are making their way into the offices of art directors and CEOs around the world, I'll leave you with a few images of what I have been up to here on my end... And to top it all off.... Six and Co just launched this Recession Monster website. Enjoy!

New show added to this weekend's schedule!

2008-12-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy just added a last minute show this weekend. Now you can check out Cutesy but not Cutesy at the Philadelphia Independent Craft Market at 941 North Front Street.

So.... you can come check us out at the F.U.E.L Gallery from 6-9 on Friday night at 2nd and Arch in Philadelphia, you can come see some new fellas on Saturday at 941 N Front Street in Philadelphia, and if you're in the Allentown area you can check us out live and in person on Sunday at the Starlite Ballroom at 1221 S Front Street. Come see art, drink wine, laugh, and buy handmade for the holidays!

Just until the cows come home... Young Blood Gallery - Atlanta

2008-11-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy has had a very busy holiday season thus far and, obviously, very little time to post updates. Finally, a little time to breath and post a brief update...

I have just shipped off my piece for the "Home" show at the Young Blood Gallery in Atlanta, GA. It runs from Dec 6th to the 28th. It's about 40" tall and 16" wide and titled "Just until the cows come home...".

I will also be having 5 pieces in the Grand Small Works Show at the F.U.E.L. Gallery in Philadelphia, PA. The opening is Dec 5th from 6-9pm. The show runs from Dec 5th to the 28th.

In addition to these galleries, I will be selling my monsters at 2 more craft events in the Philadelphia area...Indiemade Craft Market on Dec 7th at the Starlite Ballroom in Allentown, PA and at the Punk Rock Flea Market on Dec 20th at the Starlight Ballroom in Philadelphia, PA.

Check back for images from these shows and past shows!

Corny Monster - Candy

2008-10-13T09:08:00.001-07:00

Corny Monster - Candy
Originally uploaded by dkoss2

The voting has opened for the Plush Team's Halloween contest. Please go here and vote for this Corny Monster by dkoss2! Vote!

All packed up for NYC

2008-10-10T11:20:00.001-07:00

All packed up for NYC
Originally uploaded by dkoss2

I just shipped out another 10 pounds of Cutesy goodness on it's way to NYC for Vida's Market in Greenwich Village on Oct 18th. I hope they like being close to each other because it sure was stuffy in that box of theirs.

A lot of new and exciting news from Cutesy but not Cutesy but I will update on all of it when things surface!

If you're in the NYC area check out this market designed specifically for mother's, there should be a ton of wonderfully handmade wears!

Philadelphia GIVE Festival-Sept. 20th

2008-09-17T14:34:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy will be in Northern Liberties (3rd and Poplar) at the Philadelphia GIVE Festival. It will be an all day music festival with arts and crafts for sale as well. All proceeds from the festival will be donated to benefit local charities. Admission is $10 and an extra $10 will get you a bottomless cup of beer! If you're in the area, come out and enjoy the new fall weather, good music, and good people!

New additions to Cutesy but not Cutesy

2008-09-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy has been hard at work planning and preparing for her busy busy fall season filled with craft shows, etc. Here are some of the newest additions to the Cutesy collection.

First, T-shirts are in. I have S, M, L, and XL. They are $15 each or $10 with the purchase of a monster! Contact me if you are interested! :)

Next is a new hand-painted stool...

And, finally, free-standing monster #2...Cleveland...

First Self-standing monster!

2008-09-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

I just completed my first monster that is able to stand on his own. I weighted his legs and feet to allow him to do so....There are still a few kinks I need to work out with the future ones but for now he is able to stand upright! Meet Clark...

Custom order!

2008-09-05T19:14:00.001-07:00

Sock Monkey in Red Baron
Originally uploaded by dkoss2

Here is my newest project. It is a custom order for an old friend of mine from high school. She needed a unique present for a new born baby whose new room is completely overtaken by sock monkeys. Admittedly, it's difficult for a monster maker to compete with a sock monkey, so this is the best I could come up with! It is about 18" long and 15" tall and will hopefully make a new baby very happy some day!

Renegade Chicago

2008-08-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

I packed up half of my inventory and shipped it off to Chicago yesterday for the upcoming Renegade Chicago Craft Festival. Ten pounds of Cutesy but not Cutesy monsters are now currently in transit from their origin in New Jersey to their future destination. I hope they're safe and enjoying their time away from home.

...oh...and I hope I didn't pack up my LIVE monster by accident!

Monster Cupcake!

2008-08-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to introduce the newest...sweetest addition to the Cutesy family! The Monster Cupcake!!!

and an original painting of the Monster Cupcake!

Now onto real monster cupcakes I can actually eat! Yum!

Cutesy gets pressed....and THREADS!!!

2008-08-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy has gotten much blog press as of late. Many thanks to those who appreciate my monsters enough to write a these wonderful blog posts about them!

First, the cutesy monsters were featured on a blog for hip moms and moms-to-be called coolmompicks.com. You can check out that post here... CoolMomPicks

Also, featured this week on a wonderful new blog Kidado which can be viewed here... Kidado

And last but not least on SimplySentimental which you can check out here... Simple Sentimental

Phew...and in other news... Cutesy but not Cutesy finally has GEAR! Sweatshirts, t-shirts, tote bags, and even baby onesies!!! Mix and match your favorite style and color with Cutesy's logo here... Skreened

The next few weeks are going to be filled with flying fuzz and calloused finger tips as I get ready for my full packed late summer-fall craft fair schedule... and, of course, shipping out my items to Renegade Chicago to join the Plush Team in the best craft booth to ever be seen by human eyes!

Monster Cone

2008-08-10T18:51:00.000-07:00

Meet the newest edition to the Cutesy but not Cutesy team!

Sonny the Monster Cone!

Sonny is a monster ice cream cone, fully equipped with chocolaty drips and chocolate antlers. Sonny may look intimidating at first but how bad can he be, he's fully built of ice cream! Sonny is the sweetest fella you'll ever meet and he will NEVER do anything to hurt you! He will always be there for you when you need him, no matter what! Sonny is the best friend any person could ever have!

Sonny is about 20" tall and his antlers span about 12". Whoops! Every now and then he gets over-excited and drools chocolate on the carpet! So cute!

For you, Little one

2008-08-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

"For you, Little one" is the first in a series of paintings (hopefully) inspired by traditional and modern, eastern and western imagery. It is painted with acrylic paint on canvas then hand stitched onto blue cotton fabric. I then stretched it and built a frame around the edges. This piece is 18" x 16".

New! Hand Painted Stool...

2008-08-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

I just finished my first hand-painted stool. The elephant design is something that I did in plush form a while ago. I decided that I would like to incorporate more painted designs into my Cutesy but not Cutesy work. I have found that I work in reverse from most people. For some reason I am able to make things in plush form without drawing them at all first...but then once it is three dimensional, then I am able to draw or paint it as I like. Whatever works! I am excited to add new projects to my fall and holiday collections and craft shows!

Harold the Circus Elephant and his little rabbit in the hat...

Cutesy but not Cutesy featured on Coolmompicks

2008-08-05T20:23:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy had the wonderful surprise of being featured on coolmompicks.com, a blog featuring various small business owners, designers, and woman-made wonders for moms of all kinds! You can view the blog feature here... Ugli-er Dolls... and check out the rest of the blog here... coolmompicks.

Cutesy but not Cutesy was also featured on today's Daily Dish from Seekingdesigners.com which you can check out here... Timmy the World's Smallest Circus Monkey

In other news, I am hard at work designing my own web page which will hopefully launch just in time (hopefully!) for the holidays. I am also gearing up for various craft shows throughout the Philadelphia area. I will post an official event list here once all the details are worked out for those of you who might be interested in seeing some of the creations in person.

I have also started making the infamous laptop cozies again. It seems to be around this time, with school just around the corner, that people really go searching for a good protective covering for their precious laptops! The cozies this fall have a slightly different style than they did last fall which I am very excited about. I am also working on various drawings, paintings, booklets, etc which will reveal themselves in the next few weeks hopefully! Busy, busy, busy!

Plush Team Banner

2008-08-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

I finally completed the banner for the Plush Team that was graciously funded by a grant from Etsy. The banner is entirely hand-stitched using durable canvas fabric. It is 6 feet by 2 feet in size and ready to be hung prominently at the first of the Plush Team's group shows in Chicago at the Renegade Craft Fair in September. The Plush Team and all of its members are all hard at work gathering plushies to send on over to add to our abundant display that will represent some of the finest plushie designers in all the land! If you are in the Chicago area, mark your calendars. Now. And if you're not in the Chicago area, hope and dream with me that the Plush Team will have the opportunity to show together in a town near you. All of you!!!

World's smallest circus monkey?

2008-07-16T20:17:00.001-07:00

World's smallest circus monkey?
Originally uploaded by dkoss2

I have finally completed by piece for the Plush Team's newest project "Let's all go to the fair!". I made this circus monkey for the sideshow creatures category....he's the World's Smallest Circus Monkey...or it's the World's Largest Banana...it all depends on how you look at it! The banana itself is actually about 20" tall leaving the monkey at almost 32" tall! Not so small after all, is he?

Another Cutesy but not Cutesy siting at Subterranean Books

2008-07-14T12:52:00.001-07:00

C.O. Set Up at Subterranean Books
Originally uploaded by Cranky Yellow

Those are some cutesy monster legs! I came across this rooting through some flickr photos of the Crammed Organisms show in St. Louis. We've all been waiting patiently to hear news of how it went and to see and hold the long-awaited books...

Back from Vacation, a new Cutesy but not Cutesy discovery!

2008-07-02T05:11:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy is back from a wonderful whirlwind vacation in Shanghai and Beijing, China! There was a lot to see and experience and we came home with a bag full of Chinese plushies!

In the meantime, while we were gone, Cutesy creations did a little traveling on their own! Cutesy but not Cutesy has recently been working in collaboration with Todd Marrone of Ghosticorn Apparel to design some limited edition logo plushies for them. With the first prototypes sent off to him before the vacation, we came back to discover that it didn't take long for the plushies to find new homes after taking them to a big East Coast Roller Derby Extravaganza! Keep an eye out for more Ghosticorns by Cutesy but not Cutesy in the future!

Plush Team on Front Page!

2008-06-15T19:39:00.001-07:00

Plush Team on Front Page!
Originally uploaded by KoolKookyKreatures

Sandra, of the Cutesy but not Cutesy family, makes it to the front page of Etsy! It's a great collection of wonderful plush creations by the fabulous Plush Team.

In other news, Cutesy but not Cutesy will be on vacation from June 19th to June 29th to visit a friend who has been teaching in Shanghai, China for the last year. A trip to the Great Wall is scheduled amongst other once in a lifetime sightseeing opportunities! However, when we return, it's all business again with a line up of craft shows, websites, and new monsters to come! Stay tuned!

Cutesy but not Cutesy siting!

2008-06-07T17:58:00.001-07:00

C.O. Set up at Star Clipper!
Originally uploaded by Cranky Yellow

The first siting of Cutesy but not Cutesy at Crammed Organisms in St. Louis. Can you find which one we call family?

Crammed Organisms

2008-06-05T22:42:00.000-07:00

Cutesy but not Cutesy will be making an appearance at the Crammed Organisms shows in St. Louis. There are four different venues and four different weekends for this GIANT plush show. Somewhere in the crowd are Cutesy but not Cutesy monsters! If you're in the St. Louis area, you should try and hunt them down! And take pictures! :)

http://crammedorganisms.com/

Cutesy but not Cutesy at Appel Farm

2008-06-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

I'll be packing up the remains of my inventory from the Craft Bazaar and taking it down to the Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival in Elmer, NJ. I have never been to this, but I have always heard good things...especially about the music. I am looking forward to seeing how different (or similar) it is to the Craft Bazaar in Philadelphia. I am not sure what to expect and I don't know how many people the festival draws in...it will certainly be a learning experience. It is supposed to be hot and sunny, perfect monster buying weather! I look forward to hearing There Might Be Giants if nothing else. More pictures to come upon my return!

http://www.appelfarm.org/festival/welcome/index.html

Art Star Craft Bazaar, Philadelphia

2008-06-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

It sure has been a long time since I have had the time to update my blog, but what better to start with than the Art Star Craft Bazaar photos from this past weekend? The Art Star turned out to be a great success despite the looming clouds and tornado watches on Saturday. Sunday more than made up for the bad weather on Saturday with perfectly clear skies and a wonderful (sometimes blustery) breeze.

I, unfortunately, didn't have a chance to wander around the fair myself but to make a quick, quick purchase from the lovely My Paper Crane. However, I did get to meet many wonderful crafters who wandered their way over to my booth.

It was wonderful seeing the looks on people's faces as they wandered by my colorful table. This has to be one of the best parts of selling in real life rather than just online. If only I had counted the number of people who immediately gave my monsters personalities and voices and made them dance for their friends.

I look forward to more events like this in my future, this being my first one of this kind, and I, of course, look forward to next year's Art Star Craft Bazaar!

$.25 Dream Machine - Felt Gumball Machine

2007-08-16T18:48:00.001-07:00

$.25 Dream Machine - Felt Gumball Machine
Originally uploaded by dkoss2

I finally finished this today. I had the most trouble attatching the top to the stand. I keep forgetting tension doesn't work with plush items. I'll learn one of these days. Finally, with a bit of struggling, it balances and stays put.

I tried to include some small "toys" that reprersent "The American Dream" or something like it (house, car, vacation) and fantasy (unicorn). What could be better than putting a quarter in a machine and having one of your dreams come true? If it only things were that simple...

It is life size, but no, it does not function as a normal gumball machine. I'm not that ambitious YET.

I can't wait to figure out what's next!

New Soft Sculpture - They told me it would eat me up...

2007-08-06T07:28:00.001-07:00

New Soft Sculpture - They told me it would eat me up...
Originally uploaded by dkoss2

This is the newest edition to my collection. I am trying to get back into more detailed soft sculptures and take a break from the sweater monsters. I drew an image of this on my wall before my first day of class in the city and have imagined it in plush ever since. Finally, it's here! I am very happy with it and had ALOT of fun making it!

I am moving on to my next one, which I have already made a head of broccoli for...

In the mean time I rekindled my love for Clae Oldenburg and his soft sculptures. I hadn't looked at them in a while but I believe that somewhere they made quite an impression on my little imagination as I was growing up.

Etsy - Philadelphia Inquirer

2007-07-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia Inquirer July 29, 2007
One big, booming online crafts fair
By A.D. Amorosi
For The Inquirer

South Philadelphian Sara Selepouchin , an enthusiastic Etsy seller (girlscantell), offers a green bag.
What Etsy makes, the world takes.
Haven't heard of Etsy? That's about to change. Because Etsy.com, founded by three former New York University students, including Chris Maguire of Roxborough, has quickly become the go-to site for all things handmade, and all the communities that surround and support craft work.

Since its 2005 start, Etsy.com has become so popular that it has spawned apostles who have formed "street teams" in various cities. Etsyians, they're called. And what they've created online amounts to a virtual international craft fair - without the corn dogs:

Concertinapieces in North Bend, Ind., sells intricately woven acrylic yarn toys with names like "Vlad the Blood Orange" for $6. Jacquelineknits of Woodbridge, Ontario, hawks hand-knit, hot-pink apple jackets - to protect your fruit from bruising - for $7.

Katrinakaye of Amsterdam coolly combines vintage Scandinavian fabrics and army bags for $35 purses named "Skipper" and "Wedge."

Aquaenergydesigns of Santa Clara, Calif., makes Glycerin Exfoliation Body Bars for $3. Meanwhile, Keemo of Boston sells upscale jewelry of malachite, ruby and moonstone, with her priciest piece - a turquoise necklace - going for $950.

Unlike the staid online storefronts of industry behemoth eBay, Etsy sellers write funny asides or quirky stories to go with their items; they also share stories in Etsy's online forums. And the community recently received a "real world" boost with the opening of an Etsy interactive lab and teaching facility in Brooklyn, N.Y.

"We want to bring back some of the artisanal quality daily objects had back before the Industrial Revolution," said Maguire, 34. "There's something indescribably satisfying about knowing the person who made your T-shirt, or beaded your custom banjo strap."

It's a message that is catching on: While the site recorded sales of only $170,000 in its first year, by June 2007, its members had sold more than $1.7 million worth of merchandise. The site now has more than 325,000 registered users, 50,000 of them sellers.

"Our bandwidth and traffic became so huge at one point, we actually ran out of power - not enough electricity for Etsy," joked Matt Stinchcomb, 31, Etsy's marketing guy, who has been with the site since the beginning.

Etsy started as a collaboration between Maguire, then a senior at New York University, and recent grad Robert Kalin, a casual friend.

Maguire was studying video gaming, an individualized program he cobbled together through programming, art and animation classes. His interests had always been diverse: A 2000 Masterman graduate who spent his childhood in Feltonville, Maguire ushered at the Academy of Music, worked at the Camp at Oak Lane Day School, and played nerdy, folk-punky rock with the Revolving Dorks (a name he still uses as his Etsy handle).

Kalin, now 27, was looking for a programmer to help him with client-based Web design work, building software for social and business communication. The two worked on various New York projects that required both panache and manageability - a restaurant, a rare book dealer, an arts festival.

Then in September 2004, Maguire and Kalin redesigned Jean Railla's GetCrafty.com, a community Web site focused on the new wave of DIY-ers. Through that project, the duo discovered that many next-generation crafters felt ready to sell their wares, but had trouble finding a good online venue.

"When we started Etsy, we found it incredible that e-commerce had seen so few innovations since the early '90s," Maguire said. "The only real ways you could shop online had remained the same. . . . Our aim was to shake things up and show people that there are 'other' ways to shop online."

Maguire and Kalin brought in NYU's Haim Schoppik and Flash artist Jared Tarbell to create browsing tools unique to the site. It helped that all were crafters in their own right - Schoppik and Maguire build custom computers and make video game-pixel portraits of people, Kalin does carpentry, and Tarbell sold prints of algorithmically generated art

And where does the name Etsy come from? From the Latin for "and if." From a program Maguire and Haim wrote that spit out random phonetic four-letter URLs that were not yet owned by anyone. These are just a couple of the explanations that Etsy's founders playfully offer.

They decided to make Etsy more accessible and less expensive than eBay. Etsy charges listing fees of 20 cents and takes 3.5 percent of each sale; eBay has as many as 40 different fees, depending on what's being sold and how.

Etsy's founders also wanted to give the creative community a means of making a living doing what its members love to do, and of communicating with one another. The Etsy chat forums and live interactivity are the lifeblood of the site, according to Maguire.

"Giving the users ways to interact with us and one another - that's what keeps people here," he said. "Without the forums, chat rooms and conversations there wouldn't be a community, and we would have grown much more slowly, if at all."

The crafters appreciate that you don't have to be computer literate to have a beautiful store on Etsy. Once you have good photos of your work, you can set up shop in minutes.

"I don't have to hire a Web designer, don't have to pay for expensive software, don't have to commission a publicist," said Sue Eggen, 30, of Giant Dwarf. "I just pay a small fee and I get to do everything myself, with word of mouth by my side.

" 'Etsy Forever' will be my next tattoo."

Eggen heard about the site two years ago when she ran into Kalin handing out flyers at the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn. The Fishtown resident fashions items such as flapper cloche hats and mod glovelettes using recycled materials and found objects.

Because Etsy is a place to buy and sell all things handmade, Eggen feels someone interested in handcrafted materials is more likely to find her work there than in a vague search online.

Sara Selepouchin, 25, has become such an avid Etsy seller (girlscantell) that she's turned community organizer. If she hears of a new Philly Etsyian (there are roughly 345 sellers in the city and nearly 1,400 registered buyers), she invites the person to join the Philly Street Team to share ideas.

The silkscreener, who lives in South Philly, also travels to EtsyLabs several times a month to attend classes and workshops. She says being an active part of the Etsy community increases her sales. "Once they [people] know you, it's so much easier to justify buying from you."

Both Eggen and Selepouchin think Etsy has changed the craft market. While buying handmade has gained immense popularity and big businesses have tried to appropriate the art form, Etsy has stayed true to the DIY aesthetic and has always kept the artist first. At least that's what Eggen thinks.

"I believe without this community, the crafting revolution would not be where it is today," she said.

Even more mainstream designers are catching on. Although Philadelphia fashion designer Bela Shehu owns her own Center City clothing salon and sells online, she, too, thought she'd give Etsy a go. "I just heard of it not too long ago and set up a shop the other day," she said.

Maguire says he gauges the site's progress through the number of sales made in a day, and not the money.

"When the number jumps up, I know we're doing something right," he said. "More people are selling the stuff they've made with their own hands, and we're another step closer to granting more people the ability to quit their day jobs and do what they love."

Maguire himself will soon be off to Berkeley, Calif., to work on Etsy's West Coast offices and live with his girlfriend, Lara Roman, whom he's known since Masterman (she's getting her Ph.D. in urban forestry from the University of California at Berkeley).

His latest project will be a virtual Second Life craft bazaar - an extremely experimental, two-dimensional, real-time craft fair, where users stake out virtual plots, move around the fair, and buy items from other people's booths. He's also working on a way for Etsy users to post requests for custom work.

All these pluses and no minuses? No detractors? According to the Etsy forums and the rising registration rates, there seem to be none.

"Who doesn't like us?" asks Stinchcomb. "Sweatshop owners and Wal-Mart. But that's just a guess."

Plush crazed

2007-07-27T08:41:00.001-07:00

Plushteam Self Portrait
Originally uploaded by dkoss2

I finally took and posted one of my first photos with me and one of my creations together in the same shot. It happened to be a self portrait so it only made sense but I am considering doing this with the other plushies so that customers and viewers can get a better idea of how large some of them really are. It might help to people to understand them a little bit better and get a better idea of how huggable they really are! On a side note, believe it or not, I am running low on sweaters to use to make the sweater monsters. I may have to do a run through on my closet to see what I can sacrifice. I am trying to find at least one more shop in the Philadelphia area that is willing to sell my creations on consignment. I just really love for more people to be able to see them, even if they don't sell, I think just seeing them would make some folks smile and afterall that's really what it is all about.

Also, the Plush Team got a shout out on the Softies Central blog which I just discovered. What a fantastic little sight that has been set up tp showcase plushie designers, creators, and lovers! I absolutly adore felt food of all kinds and there's alot of that to be seen here! This is sure to be a site that I will be frequenting!

New Hope Sidetracks Gallery - Final Product

2007-07-24T20:51:00.001-07:00

New Hope Sidetracks Gallery - Final Product
Originally uploaded by dkoss2

It's finally done. After many a nail bent and many a customer from the downstairs flower shop scared away by my hammering, it's done. I am really happy with it. It feels really good to spend alot of time on something and then to complete it finally. It has been a while since I have worked on a long term project, taking my time to make sure everything is in its right place. I am mostly pleased with it and can't wait to see it hanging somewhere other than in my apartment!

Felt Nudes Progression

2007-07-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

My work for the New Hope Sidetracks Gallery is slowly progressing. I will finish with enough time to spend an appropriate amount of energy on the background and framing.

I watched a fantastic documentary on Ansel Adams in my photography class. There is also a series of PBS specials called ART 21 which have some excellent documentaries on modern and contemporary artists. I enjoy these kinds of documentaries and wish they were more widely publicized or less expensive to buy on VHS or DVD.

I am looking forward to next semester's classes already, though I will miss the ones from this semester. I am taking a screenprinting class and hopefully, maybe a cyanotype printing class. I can't imagine my life without classes. I just love learning, there's so much to learn and so much to know and so much to experience. I don't think a day should go by without me having learned at least one thing, and I intend to keep it that way. For me, that's what it's all about, learning, and then sharing what you know with the world in whatever way you know how.

Enough about that, I'm looking forward to more progress on the nudes tomorrow and hopefully some work on the background and hanging mechanism. I am also looking forward to a good hike in the Pines on Saturday, followed by family extravaganzas, and a job interview on Monday.

Enjoy.

Lemon Grass Philadelphia, PA

2007-07-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

Today we did a test run to the University City area taking the PATCO to the Market-Frankford Line. An easy commute, though mildly confusing with the construction at the 8th and Market Station. We got out at the 40th and Market station and walked a few blocks down to 37th and over to Lancaster where Lemon Grass is. A small little place with about 25 tables(?) and traditional decor of Thailand. With only 2 waitresses, one cook, and one dishwasher (yes, we counted) and a FULL restaurant it was by far one of the best dining experiences I have had. The waitresses were amazing, doing everything from taking orders, filling water glasses, clearing plates, etc, all in a fantastically timely manner. I got Lemongrass soup which was absolutely delicious...sweet, sour, and a little spicy! I also got Veggies Mussaman which consisted of various vegetables and potatoes in a delicious curry peanut coconut sauce. And then, of course, for dessert we got Mango Sticky Rice. Absolutely amazing, a great combination of warm/cold, sticky/smooth, and delicious/irresistible! I was impresses with the service, the great atmosphere, and the nearly flawless tastes. Next time I have something to celebrate, I would like to return and get the Apple Cider Wine and enjoy something completely different though probably just as good. Mmm!

Naked in New Hope

2007-07-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today I finally sat down and plugged away at my nude figures for the New Hope Sidetracks Gallery in September. I was dreading and avoiding this project because I have always felt that I have a difficulty creating realistic looking forms. And of course, I avoid doing sketches or making patterns ahead of time, so it took me a bit of time and reworking to figure out the proper shapes and proportions. Something about sculpting with fabric seems so natural to me. I thought, after the fact, that I don't think I could have sculpted that successfully in clay yet I did a decent job with felt and cotton. There are some things I'd like to fix in the next figure. I think there will be seven in all climbing a tattered rope-like background. I can only hope the more I do the better they will get and the faster I will be able to do them. I, however, am not looking forward to doing the next one even though now I have a general idea of how to do it. I would love to learn more about soft sculpture and textiles in general. This is something that I never had the opportunity to learn as an undergrad but I think there are so many possibilities with textiles.