Mustachioed Mobile

 

I finished my mustache man mobile and I love them very much.  They are such charming fellows.  What is it about mustaches?  The curly, handlebar kind?  You just know who ever sports one is so polite, chivalrous and into shuffle board.  You know their jokes are of the corniest variety, featuring pun, pun, puns.  I like to imagine these four as being in a barber shop quartet and diligently practicing throughout the day for their nightly, night-night performance.

I really loved making these guys and am pretty excited about mobile #2, which was the brain child of Erin and Mike Lee, the talented photographers of Tall and Small Photography.  They had me make a sumo mobile for their niece, Vivian (pretty name), and I am making another for the shop.  I like to wonder about the lives of Sumo Wrestlers while I sew their roly poly shape.  I am just throwing this out there, but the life of a Sumo Wrestler has not been documented in the medium of reality TV.  I think it needs to be.  I am so curious.


The mustached guys are for sale in my shop.  I think I will make them a made to order item as well, in which you can customize their color palette.  I'll give it a try, I usually don't like to do such things to keep my schedule open for whatever fancies me (sewing-wise, not bon-bon-wise), but I feel like being business-y lately.

In other news, Joseph is preparing for a big interview, so Walter and I have been helping by getting out of the house.  Mainly we've been going to the zoo.  It's an hour away from us and just the most perfect, little zoo.  No thrills and frills like carousels and carny games, it's just sweet greenery, wandering peacocks, moochy giraffes, howler monkeys, and otters that always are putting on a show.  And goats, Walter's favorite.  Mine too.  I feel like I repeat myself a lot on this blog, maybe I've said this before, but I would love a few goats.  It's funny how one ages, when I was in my early twenties I longed for a big city life, now in my wise thirties, just give me a pair of goats.

I hope you are all well!  Stay tuned for Sumo Mobile take 2 and have a lovely, dovely week.

Dapper Men Mobile

These men are going to be floating above a baby some day.  While the baby drifts off to sleep, they will be discussing shuffle board and malt milkshakes.  I am already so excited about them.  Now that the Handmade Market is over, I plan on making 10 mobiles for itty bitty babies.  Maybe this means I have baby fever again.  It probably does.  I usually do, so that would be a fair assumption.  I also just really enjoy giving myself these assignments to jog some creative ideas.  All the mobiles will go up in my Etsy shop when I am finished, so if you have a little fellow cooking in your oven and your nursery theme is "mustache", then you are in luck! 

Also, here is a video I found of a jerky elephant while doing some animal naming with my son (you would love to hear him say 'kangaroo').  She's a really jerky elephant, but for some reason I couldn't help but watch it about 5 times, laughing harder and harder with every viewing (sorry baby elephant!).

Bloomington Handmade Market

This past Saturday was the Bloomington Handmade Market.  This was most likely my last BHM :( because I am moving in the fall, but more on that some other time.  I had a great time, like I always do.  I love people watching, Bloomington is full of interesting people, all with sculptural haircuts.  I wish I was brave enough to get my hair cut in a sculptural way, Edward Scossorhands-esque, which is not how they wear it in Bloomington, but still.  People had such lovely things to say.  The BHM has is a DJed event. At one point a group of young girls each picked up a Swaddle Bear and started dancing with them like they were at the very coolest prom ever.

My booth display

 

The sweetest moment, however, was after this guy pictured above told me that my designs were "sharp" and then turned around to check out another booth and revealed that there was a sweet little dog head poking out of his backpack. 

I bought a few things while I was there.  My booth neighbor is a photographer and has been in all of the Handmade Markets so far, yet for some reason I had never looked through her photos before---they are so captivating---I bought one that seems to be photo collaged, but looks like one solid image of a man petting a tiny giraffe in an old victorian living room.  Her name is Mia Beach, and you can see photos on her web-site.  I also bought soap from soap-makers who make all their soaps from what they grow on their farm----literally from the herbs to the dairy that their cows and goats give them.  They also have llamas (you don't milk those though, I asked).  The soap I got is Basil lime zest and so refreshing.  You can also buy their soaps here.  LAstly, I bought a sweet print from an artist named Laura George, based out of Chicago, I was delighted looking through all of her prints and it's nice to bring a little of her magic back home to put in a frame.  Her Etsy shop is here.

All my leftovers are now in my Etsy shop waiting for you, yes you!  They love you and want to snuggle with you on your couch! 

Love birds

This is a commission for a friend of mine.  She is giving softie likenesses to some friends of hers who are getting married.  They look adorable----I mean, as humans, but I think they transfer nicely into plush form.  Weddings are fun.  My brother is getting married this October, and I am so excited.  My little man gets to be the ring bearer.  He will have a nice part in his hair like a little, tiny gentleman.

Piggy tails

I made these cuties this past week because I wanted some female dolls made for the Bloomington Handmade Market.  I tend towards boy dolls.  I don't know why this is, maybe because facial hair is so much fun to sew.  I wanted these girls to be colorful and fun, the kind of girls who are equally at home romping around the woods and skipping rocks as they are at having tea parties with fancy china.  Let's never let our girls stop romping around the woods and getting dirt on their knees (or, if you are the pink haired girl on the top right that I just made, let's never let you stop getting dirt on your ankles, since you really don't have any knees to speak of).  Their hair is made out of fleece, which doesn't get all scruffy like felt does, and it feels soft to the touch.  Their hair is supposed to look a bit like piggy tails, not devil horns. 

I hope you're having a lovely week!

Strong Man Pyramid

"Hey, Hey, Hey!"

That is what they shout as they jump on top of one another.  "Hey, hey, hey!"  One day I'll learn stop motion animation and make it happen.  One day.  (Heavy sigh).  The weather has been moody today.  It gets very dark (which for some reason makes the leaves seem neon green) and windy and then it weeps a little.  Then, a bit of bright sun and cheer...  Then, gloom again.  It has been fun to watch. 

I'm off to make cauliflower soup.  What are you having for dinner?

Run Over

Sadly, my macho men were performing feats of strength on the street when they got run over by a truck.  So sad. 

Just joking.  They have yet to be stuffed.  I like the way they look this way, all flat and shriveled.  Too long on the beach with too little spf.