This Mobile Kicks!!!

Who better to watch over your baby at night than 4 highly trained Ninjas!  This was Joseph's (hubs) brain child.  He loves Ninjas.  We just watched Ghost Patrol last night and there was a preview for GI Joe in which the GI Joe folks have to fight some ninjas and the ninjas are quite captivating (although the preview's music was a Jack White song that would make even a fight scene involving myself look cool).  Their mouths are covered, so there isn't any of that fight scene grunting nor any of those slow-motion jaw dislocation shots, which make ninjas seem more sophisticated and graceful.  But, back to these mobile ninja guys.  These Ninja baby protectors are more soft and gentle.  And, I don't think they'll be taking anyone by surprise with their high contrast belts.  Plus, their little heart badges makes you want to drop your samurai sword and open up your arms for a Ninja hug.  Even though babies aren't going to be touching these guys, I still like to pay attention to the textures I use.  They are sewn out of a soft black fleece, which make them look like little dark storm clouds.

Thank you to Molly, Stuffed Nonsense, and Rebecca for your suggestions.  I am planning on making customizable options for Sumo mobile and Ninja mobile next week.  This summer will be my last-ditch effort to turn Pink Cheeks Studios into a successful business in the complete sense of the word business.  I love it so much, which makes it partially successful to me, but I need to bring in enough money to cover rent in order for me to continue not being employed in the "real" world.  I can envision it, and I am even excited at the challenge of making it happen.  I feel so business-y lately, like I could throw on a pant-suit, head to a diner and order some sort of business women's special.

I think for me, the secret will lie in these mobiles.  They are my "secret weapon" literally with these fierce Ninjas!  I want people to be able to choose colors and personalized options so that they are extra special presents for new babies and for parents who are super excited about preparing their wee one's nursery and filling it with whimsy and wonder.  We shall see.  Wish me luck!  And, if you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear them at any time!  Thank you.

Fuzzy Wuzzy Was A Mobile

My bear friends are done!  This is the fuzziest mobile so far.  Even the hoop is fuzzy.  Have you ever toured Elvis' house in Graceland?  Plush everywhere.  Plushy carpet, even on the walls.  The King liked things comfortable and soft, and I think he would have bought this for baby Lisa Marie.  I wonder what she is up to these days?  Do you remember when she was briefly a pop star?  Or, when she was married to Michael Jackson?  I am so glad my parents weren't ever celebrities.  I think it would have made life confusing. 

It feels really nice to sew these ridiculous things when Walter is napping.  It feels especially nice because now there is stress about the upcoming move to Louisiana, and I have always sought stress relief through working with my hands.  I alternate days of sewing with days of de-cluttering and general stuff-removing to make packing easier.  So, I already enjoyed sewing, but now sewing doesn't just equal "making stuff" it equals "not organizing" which makes it awesome x 1000.  Did I just do math? 

If you are a savvy business person/ crafter and you have any advice you are willing to pass out for free, I would really appreciate it!  I would like to make these mobiles customizable.  What sort of custom options should I offer?  What do you think of the hangers and hoops?  Should they be made of something else?  If so, what?  Any other advice you want to dispense would be massively appreciated.  I went to art school, so I can handle criticism, so don't worry about hurting my feelings or anything.  Thank you!

Two Cures for the Mondays

 I know this went viral a couple of weeks ago, but I saw it late and I can't stop thinking about it. It's so beautiful, it moved me to tears. Thanks Cain, for building an arcade out of cardboard! Thanks Cain's Dad for letting Cain take over nearly your entire store with his cardboard arcade! Thanks documentary filmmaker guy for recognizing something beautiful and documenting it for us to see!

And also, I really love the Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me blog: Sandwich Monday, where they eat a different concoction, usually a fast food item, and critique it using witty banter. If you work and experience the "Mondays", this will most surely ease you into the work week. I think Eva always has the best lines. My favorite is the Wow Boa (can I try one please) entry when she says, "A bao is what a pop tart looks like when it's eaten too many pop tarts."

Tree Hugging Babies

My tree children mobile is complete!  I had fun making the toadstools.  My sketchbook is filling up with more and more ideas which feels nice.  I am too giddy about this project.

In other news, my family is officially moving to Louisiana.  My Joseph got a job at a University down there teaching painting and drawing.  Congratulations Joseph!  This means a few things:

1.  Walter is going to have a southern accent.
2.  Albert (our dog) is going to smell things he's never smelled before (alligators!)
3.  We have to start packing, packing, packing.

It's going to be very different.  Louisiana is really far down there.  I once took a zydeco dance class in the basement of a church,  so at least I'll know how to dance like a native. 

Sumo Mobile

My sumo friends are done and available in my Etsy shop!  I am loving making these mobiles.  I am pondering which to do next....  It might be furry, or maybe leafy. 

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!).