Cutesypoo Toys - feature #47

Name: Cutesypoo Toys
Website links: Cutesypoo Toys | Blog

What do you make?
My husband and I make cartoons for a living and formed this company out of our love of toys. I just wanted to recreate the kind of toys that inspire kids, instead of the toys you just get from the toy store that are made in china, why not make one of a kind of toys that kids really fall in love with? Plus we always wanted to make our cartoons come to life and animating them is ok..but when a kid can hold and touch and hug a toy...then that is really something!! Most of the toys we make are custom printed with ecofriendly inks such as the cone gnomes, but recently we are making embroidered toys with our new embroidery machine such as our cutesypoo pillows and plush kitties. Of course, we always try to make out toys ultra cute!!

What or who inspires you?
Kawaii culture like Hello Kitty, I worked on the Pucca tv show and that was an influence, japanese zakka style magazines, friends, flickr..food! I think of food when i make toys ..like the colours i will ask myself ...does it look yummy enough to eat??



How did you get started?
I have been to japan twice and after i got back from the first trip there i started to try to sew my own toy bunny from a japanese felt book and when i did i was hooked! Funny thing is I tried hard not to create my own stuff because i am so creative at work I wanted to do a "mindless thing " while i relaxed in front of the tv at night ..but eventually I couldn't help myself when i started to draw something in my sketchbook i just HAD to make it!! The first thing i made was a plush coconut bun and i still have it.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
Cotton canvas, vintage scraps of fabric because it looks good and fleece and minky because it is easy to sew.

What is the hardest and your most favourite part of crafting?
Easy! My favourite is drawing up the ideas and also the satifaction of a completed project and my hardest is the whole part between that!!



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them

My Daily 5 ( Crafting and non crafting in no particular order )

Flickr: Endless inspiration and wonderful comments help me stay in touch with the DIY community.

The Clothes Horse: I love fashion so much and she has the best style and things to say in general a really nice blog to follow.

Patchwork Pottery: A very talented friend i met through Flickr! She lives really close by as well so we like to craft and have tea when we can!

Must have cute: The lastest dose of Kawaii and cute.

My Paper Crane: She is the queen of plush food..nuff said!



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
I know everyone says this but it's true! Stay true to what you are and what you want to create but also be realistic with your products and see what sells and do research by doing craft shows to see what people think of your stuff. In other words..don't just ask family and friends...



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
Artist...
I went through art training my whole life, this is probably a phase ...who knows? i could easily drop it all tomorrow and make comics ;D

(photo images courtesy of Cutesypoo Toys)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...
Locomotive Clothing - feature #46
Hand & Shadow - feature #45
Kove Handmade - feature #44
Sam Bradd - feature #43
Katrinshine - feature #42
Penelope Brown - feature #41
Laura Bucci Handmade - feature #40
Track and Field Designs - feature #39
Irit Sorokin Designs - feature #38
Clockwork Fantastica - feature #37
Divesin - feature #36
Flight Path Designs - feature #35
Plantscapes - feature #34
Olive - feature #33
Uncle Phil / Flipside - feature #32
Kim Werker - feature #31
Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

things to do :: rhizome free store

photo credit: warm 'n fuzzy

Each month, Rhizome hosts a free store allowing Vancouverites an opportunity to share resources with each other. This months' theme is arts and crafts supplies, so if you do any kind of crafts, you will most likely have a stash of goods that you can pass on to somebody else.

How does it work?
Bring something you are ready to pass on, and / or take home some new-to-you items. This isn't a swap. It's free stuff.

date: Sunday, March 13th, 2011
time: 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
location: Rhizome Cafe - 317 East Broadway, Vancouver

For more information, please visit their website here. Thanks to our friends, Plush, for giving us a heads up!

check out :: plush on main

Plush is opening up their studio doors for some free craft drop in sessions on Saturday, December 4th and Saturday, December 11th from Noon to 4:00 p.m.

Whether you are making decorations for your home, working on a holiday party outfit, or making gifts for other people, drop on by and make use of Plush's tools and work tables. It's like having your very own craft studio plus you get to socialize with others PLUS you get to meet B & B Plush. Win! Win! Bring your materials and we’ll provide sewing, cutting, painting, and glue gun stations, as well as access to a big heap of fabric remnants from Plush's studio.

Event: Holiday Craft Drop In
Dates: Saturday, December 4th and 11th, 2010
Time: Noon to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Plush - 4296 Main Street, Vancouver

No registration is required for these drop-ins. Please keep in mind that Plush is a professional workroom full of sharp things and pointy bits, and as such is not small-child friendly.

tinywarbler designs - feature #19

Name: Kate, tinywarbler designs
Website links: Etsy, Blog


What do you make?
I make small, soft animals made from my original patterns. They are made from melton wool, cashmere blends and I use cotton fabric and Japanese cottons as accents. They are stitched entirely by hand and are now being stuffed with soft (local) lambswool. I also make some limited edition items during special holidays. There will be bats in the shop again soon, just in time for Halloween.
(and for fun, I am teaching myself how to make quilts.)



What or who inspires you?
I can find inspiration in almost anything! Obviously I am inspired by nature (I love watching animal planet!) but sometimes all it takes is a song, or a color. My creative husband is a constant source of inspiration for me as well.



How did you get started?
I’ve been creating and making things since I was little. Drawing, coloring, ceramics, collages- I loved it all. There was then a long period where I didn’t make anything, then
I started to work for a local designer couple making their jewelry as production work. That got my hands moving again and inspired me to create something of my own.
I had the urge to use some the fabric I had started collecting, so I picked up a pencil and started sketching. One thing lead to another and next thing I knew I had made an elephant. It all happened within a few hours. I was hooked. (and shocked!)



What are your favourite materials to work with?
I love working with textiles.(meaning, I have a slight fabric addiction!) Wool, linen, cotton fabric. It’s a nice contrast to the silver and bronze I had been working with in the jewelry studio.

What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
I think there is nothing more satisfying then the process of having an idea and seeing it through to the end so you have a tangible, finished product. Although it can be frustrating when an idea doesn’t translate as smoothly as you’d like it and you are left with a tangled mass of fabric, thread and wool that doesn’t look anything like what you had in mind. (can you tell this just happened recently?)



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them

Etsy: so great for finding unique, handmade items, great fabrics and supplies. Plus my shop is there!

Flickr: so many amazing and beautiful photos here. I have spent many an hour here.

This American life: I love listening to ira glass while I’m sewing. I’ve laughed out loud and been moved to tears.

Whip up: a great place to get some tips on a new sewing technique, check out some patterns or just enjoy the eye candy.

A Cup of Jo: Joanna always has such pretty eye candy there, fashion, art, music, video clips.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Oh, I don’t think I’m qualified to be offering up advice! I just try to keep an open mind, do everything to the best of my ability and treat people the way I would like to be treated in return. For me, I always try to remember that I started doing this because I like to make stuff. If it stops being fun, then I think it’s time to move on.



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I think these terms have become interchangeable. The craft movement has become so pervasive that I think it really blurs the lines between the two. I’m really not too fussy about it, I don’t mind if people consider my work art or craft, perhaps it’s a bit of both.



(photo images courtesy of Kate, tinywarbler designs)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...

telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1