Madawaska + Zombuki Book + In progress Deer

Madawaska (pictured below) is now available for sale online. She was in Rivet's Stuff This 2 show in December along with Petawawa (who has already sold). Click here if you're interested in giving her a home (this blog post describes my inspiration in making her just incase you missed it). :)



My friend Brigitte has released a new book called: "Zombukis Love You", featuring beautiful photography of her custom Zombuki dolls. It can be purchased in her Etsy shop. I made the kitty bonnet that Kazami is wearing on the front page, and also I made the plush deer on the back cover! :)



And finally... I'm making a new batch of deer for the shop. Here's a little sneak peek:

What I've been up to (AKA G-Force Trailer)

I haven't updated my blog in a few weeks because I've been super busy animating on G-Force, Disney's upcoming VFX movie about a team of secret agent guinea pigs (how cute is that, lol)! It's a lot of fun to work on (although it hasn't allowed me much free time to sew). G-Force comes out this summer. Check out the trailer:

Etsy: New Mini Rabbits + DeceptiDeer + Needle Felting

A new batch of Mini Rabbits have hit my Etsy shop! Mini Rabbits are little stuffed toys especially made for Pullips, Blythes, Momokos and other 1/6th scale dolls. They love being carried around and hugged! :)





My ex requested a Decepticon inspired deer since he loves Transformers and wanted a special deer for himself. The deer had to be black & purple colour scheme with red eyes. I added a smokey look around the eyes to make the deer look more menacing. I hand embroidered the Decepticon symbol. It was fun making something a little bit different from my usual deer design.





Below is my first attempt at Needle Felting. The mushroom measures about 1.5 inches high, and it was fairly easy to make once I got the hang of it. I'd love to try making a mini deer next time. I bought this mushroom kit at the Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica. UCC is a really cool place and offers craft classes, check it out if you're in LA!

15 Things

This isn't plush related, but I thought would be fun to post anyways. I was tagged on Flickr and on Leeanna Butcher's blog, so here goes...



Post a photo and state 15 things about you on the description, then tag 15 people to do the same.

1) I am a Canadian & German citizen but I live in the USA.
2) I got married barefooted.
3) I faint often and in strange places (the vet, tattoo parlour, subway station, etc).
4) My hiccups sound like bird chirps.
5) I had a pet duck when I was a kid.
6) My fears are: spiders, clowns, needles, hospitals and mental institutions.
7) I wish I was fluent in another language.
8 ) I animated on the Alvin And The Chipmunks movie.
9) I live 0.5 miles from the Pacific Ocean.
10) I wear cotton candy perfume.
11) All my closest friends/family are fire signs (except my mom who is an earth sign like me).
12) I have never tried smoking.
13) I can't chew apples (it's like nails-on-a-chalkboard sensation for me).
14) I wanted to be an Egyptologist but I lacked the math smarts, so I became an Animator instead.
15) I can hear my Canadian accent.

Etsy: Mini Rabbits + New Deer

The first batch of mini rabbits have sold out, so I've been busy sewing up a new batch. I'll be listing new ones in my Etsy shop next week. I also made a mini frog for a custom commission. I think it turned out pretty cute. :)



Here are some new deer that are listed in my Etsy shop:


On the left: Mint Chocolate Deer likes to eat cold ice cream cake on her birthday because it is in the Winter. After she is finished, she drinks white hot chocolate to warm up and looks out the window at the falling snow.
On the right: Strawberry Sorbet Deer works in a French bakery and makes all kinds of yummy treats. Her favourite is the éclair, which she looks forward to eating after her shift is over.


On the left: Watermelon Deer loves the Spring because the flowers are blooming and the birds are chirping. Her favourite thing to do is to run through sprinklers!
On the right: Green Tea Deer's favourite hobby is ikebana (the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging). She has a garden where she grows her own flowers specifically for making gorgeous bouquets. After she is done arranging the flowers she admires them while sipping a hot cup of tea.


On the left: Chocolate Caramel Deer likes to collect stamps and postcards from around the world. She puts them all in a scrapbook she made herself.
On the right: Banana Blueberry Deer is a successful interior decorator in Deerville. She loves to decorate in a retro design scheme with very bold colours. Her favourite addition to any room is a hanging bubble chair. (Custom commission)

Etsy: Mini Rabbits are now available

The mini rabbits have launched and are now available in my Etsy shop. They have been created specifically for Pullips, Blythes and other 1/6th scale dolls. They are completely hand-stitched and have tiny button eyes. They love to be carried around and hugged, and from what I've heard dollies love them. :)





I've also listed another pink deer in the shop:

Strawberry Parfait likes to eat oreo cookies while playing chess against her brother. She says that cookies help her concentrate. I'm not so sure about that.

Etsy: Mini Plush Rabbit preview, Deer, Blogs

In my spare time I've been concocting a new product for my shop... mini rabbit plushies for Pullips (and other 1/6th scale dolls)! They are completely hand-stitched and have tiny button eyes. They will be available for sale after Christmas. Here's a little preview with some happy dollehs below:



I've also made more deer (the pink/blue are brand new colour combinations!). Most of them have sold, but there is still one blue/pink deer leftover in my Etsy shop.


[On the left: Strawberry Sorbet Deer works in a French bakery and makes all kinds of yummy treats. Her favourite is the éclair, which she looks foward to eating after her shift is over. On the right: Strawberry Parfait Deer likes to eat oreo cookies while playing chess against her brother. She says that cookies help her concentrate. I'm not so sure about that. ]


[On the left: Blue Bubblegum Deer holds the record for most chews on one piece of gum. She practices her bubblegum chewing everyday and only breaks for her yoga class. On the right: Pink Bubblegum Deer likes to chew gum in flavours of cotton candy, strawberry and cupcake icing. She is competing with Blue Bubblegum Deer for World's Best Bubblegum Chewer.]

Last weekend my good friend Brigitte (creator of the Zombuki's) named one of her necklace styles after me! OMG, so sweet! ♥ If you comment on her post during the month of December you'll be entered to win one of her pretty necklaces. Check out her Etsy shop for more awesome jewellery.

And last but not least, a few people were super sweet and featured me on their blogs:

• Shopping for Reindeers... Shopping List Saturday Style by fancypicnic
• Etsy Finds Friday by thelongthread
• Oh Deer, Oh Deer, Oh Deer by hereprettykitty

Thanks people, you're awesome! ♥ Happy Holidays, everyone!

Plush Art Show: Stuff This 2, Part 2

The opening night of Stuff This 2 was a grand success (check out this article by Bryan Coffee of Tomopop)! Lots of people showed up, and lots of plush were sold, including my little Petawawa. :) The show will be held until December 31st, so if you missed out on it there's still a chance to check it out before its over. If you can't make it in person, the plushies can be bought online. Just shoot Rivet Gallery an email with the plushie you're interested in, and they'll hook you up.



[Rivet Gallery packed on opening night, photo by MatthewLee]



[Petawawa & Madawaska (below the adorable snail) surrounded by awesome plush creations, photo by MatthewLee]

Plush art show: Stuff This 2

Two weeks ago I mentioned that my plushies will be in Stuff This 2, a plush art show at Rivet Gallery in Columbus, OH. The show is open from now until December 31st (if you're in Columbus go check it out!). I created two original one-of-a-kind plushies for the show. Here they are:

Madawaska
Madawaska is a wandering nesting spirit. She spends her days walking through the forest waiting for birds to nest in her hair. When a bird family has chosen her head as their nesting ground, she finds a safe place to stand under the shelter of a taller tree. She listens to their conversations as they prepare their nest on her head and quickly becomes up to date on all the latest bird gossip. The Swallows always chirp about the grand pine tree that the Blue Jays live in, the Swallows squawk about the grain stash the Chickadees hoarded without sharing, and the Cardinals simply chatter about how pretty they are compared to any other bird (the Finches do not agree with this one bit). Currently she is the proud hostess of three brand new robin eggs. The Robin parents are already discussing what Universities they want their young ones to go to, as well as whether or not to put them on a strict worm and moss diet.





This is the first time I've used non-traditional elements on a plush toy (the straw nest and feathered collar) but I felt very strongly about using them. Even though those elements are not handmade by me, I think they give an extra detail to her overall design. I love the spotted pattern on the feathers. Her teal eyes are from a new colour of felt I went bonkers over when I found it at a fabric store (some colours of felt are super hard to find). They echo the striking blue of the robin eggs in the nest, making her appear friendly to potential nesting birds. ^_^ Madawaska is currently on display and for sale at Rivet Gallery.

Petawawa
Petawawa is a ballerina for The Animaltown School of Interpretive Ballet. In one performance she played the role of a fawn who pranced, jumped and twirled to a beautiful violin solo. The moment on stage was so empowering for her that from that point on she knew she wanted to be a deer. She made a hooded deer cape and practiced her graceful fawn dance moves before she tracked down a small herd of deer. She performed her prancing fawn steps for them and they were convinced she was a one of their long lost deer spirits (mostly because she knew the secret hoof shake) and accepted her into their clan. Petawawa was so overjoyed with happiness that she jumped up and cheered, but as she did this the ribbon on her hooded cape became loose and it fell off. It was revealed to the whole herd that she was really just a girl in a cape. Petawawa was crushed as her dreams of becoming a deer were ruined. Fortunately the herd of deer were so impressed by her prancing that despite her being human, they accepted Petawawa into their fold. Sometimes Petawawa finds it a pain to sleep in the field at night and she says it's hard to eat grass and bugs, but overall she is extremely happy of her new life with the wandering deer herd.





Petawawa is my love for deer transfused into doll form. I also really liked the idea of a doll wearing a deer cape. The antlers are stuffed, and the cape is fully lined with super cute Japanese fabric of a rabbit and raccoon. The maroon and dark pink felt fabric are also part of the super rare colour stash I recently found. I think she really looks like a ballerina with her pulled back hair and ruffled collar. (Her eyes are both the same colour of light pink even though they look like two different colours in the photos). I LOVE the fabric of the raccoon getting set on fire (LOL), and I was so happy I had an excuse to use it again! ^_^ Petawawa is currently on display and for sale at Rivet Gallery.



Inspiration. These plushies were inspired by several things...

1) Animals. Obviously I'm super into deer, but I've also been really getting into other animals, especially birds. I also love rabbits, hedgehogs, raccoons, chipmunks (they will be a part of the "Animals" series)... and pretty much any kind of northern wildlife that lives (specifically) in my home country of Canada. I drew the original ideas for these two when I was on the train. You can see my original sketch here.

2) Cocorosie. American sisters who live in France and make the awesomest music ever. I have been listening to them obsessively lately, especially their song "Animals" (you can listen to it here). I love these lyrics in particular:

I always knew that I would spend a lot of time alone
No one would understand me
Maybe I should go and live amongst the animals
I'd spend all my time amongst the animals
And on the tracks I would go they lead to the sea
To be amongst the animals

So tragic! I don't know why, I just really love it.

3) Nature. Both Madawaska & Petawawa's names are from locations in Ontario, Canada near the area I would go camping with my family during the summers of my childhood. I have very fond memories of roughing it amongst the Canadian wilderness. I was also inspired by the scenery and nature I saw when I visited my parents in Nova Scotia a few months ago. I'm usually into bold colours, but when I was coming up with ideas for these two plushies, I decided to try a softer palette. I'm sure it's from being in Nova Scotia. See for yourself... here's what I captured when I was out there:








(Click HERE if you want to see the rest of the pics from my trip.)

If you are in Columbus, OH stop by Rivet Gallery and check out the show. If you can't make it, you can still check out the plush art online here. :)