Swinging moods of blogspot... For comforting - Fishcakes

Today my blog is trojan free.... fuffiness of blogspot amazes me, indeed. One day it's fine - another - it's not. But - who cares. I visit here once in a while (for this heck trojan thing that none of my computer scientists friends and family members understands and can stop).

To comfort myself in face of capricious blog space, I want to recall one of my favourites: Fishcakes by uber-tallented and endowed with a peculiar sense of humour Voz Perkins . I like her doodles since I saw them, quite some years ago, on flickr (yes, there was a time, when I was doing doodles myself....) Kid's Kitchen Set with an apron embroidered with her "I Cook" and "I Bake" monsters, and coordinated set of recipe cards is still the coolest cooking/ baking set ever.
(And I LOVE Mahar Drygoods for great taste for children's toys, accessories and costumes - I've taken the photo of Voz's kitchen set from their site - thank you)
The sketcheress produced a lot of goods for last two years - you can see them (and buy them) here and many other places, too.

"Stay for Lunch" series with her whimsical monsters looks delicious - I can't wait to see them in person.

grrrrrrr....

I still don't have my camera USB cable! It's horrible especially when you have three new plushies completed and new doll finished and all of them ready to admire! I also have three new tote bags and some photographs of Ada to upload and publish.... These tote bags are my first attempts to sew with sewing machine - and, as I propably mentioned before Christmas, I'd felt in love with sewing machine. I know that having one would help me A LOT.
Well, maybe tommorrow would be the day of my going to the photo equipment shop to purchase this valuable tool. AThe more pictures I take of sweet and well done toys, the closer I am to my goal - to have my own style, footprint, or whatever it's called. I mean both: illustration and making toys.

And I want to make a new post at The Needle.org when the number of plushies makers increases every day. I don't want to be missed.

Imagini Visual Profile

Instead of uploading my toys or illustrations, I had this innocent indulgment. Look and try yourself - I found this quite interesting:

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Camera problems - some fun instead

Unfortunately, something's wrong with my camera's upload cable and I can not post ANY of my recently made photos!!! Ooooo, unhappy me.
And as I'm on the run to pack (unpacked yet) and move to T. everyweek travel - I must complete THIS post. But today is not wasted for the toys making and blogging - I arranged an appointment with a lady that runs wonderful Elf BookStore in Bielsko - Biała to make an interview. I'm planning to start a new blog - in Polish - about toys, books and things made for children especially. Not about my toys, this time.
And I've made some improvents in my poupeegirl account, when I'm logged as Alis. It's very funny site, with wonderfull cute illustrations and design, that brings real fun (so far I can not find any other reasons than fun, but that's ok).

Happy New Year! to everyone

It's been very long time since my last post and - in a way - I'm starting anew. Mostly about softies, but I wouldn't be me if I resign of writing few words about my family and family affairs. Today few things:

1. Last time I had a chance to post here I was planning to go to Poznań to large crafts and handmade goods fair. But I got cold and it was much much better just to leave all the items (Adam's earrings and my toys) to Maja, friend of ours, who is artist working in glass herself (she makes beautiful glass earrings!) and entrust her selling them. Few of my toys were sold. Maybe next year I'll be much more determine to participate in this event - I believe it's worth. But now I know that I need to be prepared much better and take part in it right from the beginning till the very end.

The worst thing about toys that were left in Poznań was - I haven't taken ANY photo of them! I'm affraid they are lost forever for my documentary - snif, snif...

2. Ada had her 2nd birthday! I can't believe how quickly these two years passed! Lucky girl could celebrate her anniversary for couple of days and had two parties: one for the family elders and the second - for parent's friends and her own friends. The most attractive thing for her was blowing the candles! She wanted me to light them up again and again - and she enjoyed herself blowing. Grandgrandmother'd made her raspberry cake and I - apple pie.
Here is my apple pie - unfortunately the photo can not give a justice to all the beautity of spice smelling apple pie with a wonderful crust (I'm not especially modest when it comes to my apple pie).
3. Unexpectadly - and I still burst with joy - I've received a letter from Kristen of Schmancy and PlushYou! that she'd seen my toys and liked them enought to mention about them in her blog! . I was (and I am still) so thrilled and flattered by this - she's a well known toys seller, toys shows organizer and blogger. Her kind opinion about my plushies encouraged me to send an application for PlushYou2008 exhibition. And now I keep my thumbs up for my application!

4. I added new cathegories to my shop : bears, bunnies and magpies. As usual all the toys are based on my sketches - so is magpie decoration. I chose magpies for the mix of my favourite colours: black and white. I prefer toys in these two colours. To make this cute bird, I've used 100% wool felt that I'd bought in Poznań, and I'm extremely happy for that purchase. I decided to make a limited edition of 18 of these cuties and tra-la! my dear trinlayk - my kitty swap partner (the reminder of my swap - here) had bought her! Hope it'll bring me luck :)
Zuleikha can be proud of her family - here is family picture before departure. Toys look funny together, I believe.
For Renate and her baby Michael I've made a custom order - baby blanket and bear - all in white with blue decorations. The eyes of a bear (I called him Ignatz) are hand embroidered for baby's safety.
This toy is quite satisfactory, had been bought already but recently I've designed another bear and I'm going to make it very soon. This next one will look more mature, and - what's more important - will be larger. I still want to buy growlers someday to add real beary touch to my plushies. But "someday" is a keyword for now.
And here is Iphigenia bunny - or I should rather call her - a hare (haress?). Iphigenia had been adopted, just before Christmas, and is on her way to USA for some time. I just worry that problems in postal service in Poland can cause her huge delay. Usually it takes about 10-14 business days for priority mail to get there, but now - they say that it can take twice more! But she's brave bunny, and has her softie with her so little S. girl will have her plushie in good condition., I believe.
5. Last but definately not least - I've been invited to the group the needle.org and blog under the title the needle.org the art of plush" by Claire from absolutely small ! Lucky me to be noticed by tallented flickrians. I love Claire's explanation for the reasons of founding the needle - read about it here , and join us. And now I just have to write something short but intelligent about my newest creations :) - I hope that this new collaborative circle will encourage me to be more systematical in posting!

World of toys and blogging

For few days I'm in a strange mood - trying to make supply for an my etsy shop and having so little time to do it. So it's still empty! I regret I'm rather a lausy graphic designer to make a simple and beautiful banner. And when I'm sleepless at night I'm looking for something new among my favourite blogs to cheer me up (take a look at my blogroll). The more I search the more I find interesting finds and the more I think that blogs of crafting people are the world themselseves. And lots of crafters love to describe their lifes - so I like reading those blogs more than any others: they are frankly without too much effusiveness, they are sweet without too much sweetness and they are - just about life! Great! Well, maybe it's not a very profound thought, but I like blogs and bloggin' more each day.
So this funny toy I found at Rosa Pomar's site and she did find it at This Next site. I'm all for slings, (those made by Rosa herself are beautiful), but not for the bottle - breastfeeding rules :) . On the other hand, I can not imagine breastfeeding toy... This toy is fashionista, I must say - slings are so in fashion now! When Ada was smaller I carrier her in a sling myself and still remember a funny situation - an old lady in the park seeing me with a newborn in a sling, offered to buy me a prom! I'm sure she had though miserable of me, hahahah. To end advertising slings - it's a perfect for breastfeeding also.
So, that's it. Let's back to toys.
But innovative toys are perfect for children of any age, and I found this "Let's Play Mail" at I'm Still Me site, while searching exhibitors of Bubble Press (I used to like it more, currently there is no so many toy makers exhibiting there). As authors describe this toy: "Provides hours of pretend play which encourages self-expression, and reading and writing readiness. Send pretend mail, postcards or parcels to Mom, Dad, kitty, doggie, boy/girl/brother/sister. Stamps, messages, etc. stick to mail pieces with easy to use Velcro for years of fun and learning".


Toys have their independent life, I suppose looking at the photos that softies makers do. We all know they do have. Like littlecottonrabbits rabbits, for instance.
Or monstrous monsters you can see among nifty stuff handmade by vozz - which means fishcakes . Monsters seem to be favorites of her creativity and creations: in this cozies
some small decorations
or even they can be a theme of bento box for her prescholer:
On her site you can see more monsters - I like the features of this monster - grumpy face, rosy cheaks and these beautiful horns make him very special.

Jennifer Murphy Bears moved her shop to ebay now, but she still makes gorgeous jointed bears in precise outfits. They are not children toys for sure for their safety eyes, tiny pieces, mohair furs and joints, but who wouldn't want such a sweet face?
And I like some banners - actually I could not choose which one is my favourite. They are all very special. Most of them are saved in .gif propably so I could not upload them here, but some - lucky for me - were not.
I like Marisa Maia's for showing the content of her blog and her sweet toys all at once
So Marylin Patrizio - her crochet creatures are great and I like her stuff very much. I hope she won't mind me mentioning about her here.
Or Claire Robertson with her sweet toys and illustrations. I don't know what I like more - the illustrations or the toys.
I've noticed I love banners with an sketch of the author and his (or rather her) creations. Like those girls above. On one of my previous blog banners (I had few already: banners, not blogs) I put this
But I decided to put my little girl among the softies - instead of me. And even now it's changed. Of course, some day I will improve my little banner here, but - just some day! Being full-time mother is more than full-time job!

indie business and VR

Blog managment is not an easy thing, I've noticed. After some hours of other blogs survey I think that generally people put a lot of effort to achieve popularity. And that's ok. So should do I. Let's call it investement: of time, work and attention.

Speaking of investment: so far I have to stop my flickr activity because I almost have the amount of 200 photos I could use. It would be better not to buy a pro account before I don't have some more stuff in stock. And that means some fabric stashes, felt and polyfil to buy. Besides, gazing at other's works took my precious time - though I loved it!!! I met so many wonderful artist there, so many tallented people. Thank goodness for internet. On the other hand: I've even dressed my yahoo avatar in t-shirt of the ONE campaign. And today I was watching if Krista published any new photos on flickr - why? To know if she's OK! Her labor day is soon. Then I realized that's the Matrix - the reality I just believe in. I know Krista only as a flickr tallented photographer and sensitive pregnant blogger and what - I want to know if she'd delivered already or not! Slight contact and exchange of comments made me feel like knowing her very well. Strange thing, internet.

But - to contunue my first subject - I still have my goal in my mind: to make plushies and to draw for children. And some day to make clothing for children. Label "lalootka's attic" sounds good for me. Anyway - to be an indie designer, not a mass producer, of course. The reason is simple for me: I believe in educational and socializing role of handcrafts. Mass production does not have "soul" - handcrafted objects do. Generally people rather suffer from being just one of the mass and want to be unique and special. Handcrafted objects give you an opportunity to feel that not everything is produced in China yet. Popularity of any object with a tag "one-of-the-kind" is clear then. I don't see any other way of learning children the R-E-S-P-E-C-T :) for work of others, for their own work than to offer them beautiful, good quality, handmade objects: furniture, clothing, toys. And books of course - even books should escape from mass production. Idee fix? Maybe - but I just want to take my chance. Educating grownups in crafts is another thing worth thinking.

Well, I've noticed also that I collected a lot of interesting labels here - representing women's initiatives mostly! Good - I believe in girl's power. One of my faves is "the Moms pack" - I chose this button because as the only one it showed no too sweet and cute face of motherhood. Now I'm alpha female and can do anything to bring up my cub. My both cubs actually: Ada and "lalotka's attic". I'm so curious and excited if it's gonna work out! Goddess, help me.

I knew that something will start with a business - we moved into the house no 36 and in feng shui it's a number of investments and growing business.... :) We should live here some time longer and then move to home no 28 - "easy money", hehehe.



On the other hand - my survey through websites and blogs of indie designers will help Adam and DD to start with KazawaProject also. I believe that Adam will use my knowledge! Information is priceless, isn't it? I wanted KazawaProject to be a label gathering young Silesian artisans and designers of various fields, but so far Adam is interested only in jewelry. Summer will be test for us both (ot rather the three of us, counting DD) if what we do finds an interest and customers.

By the way: I received a custom order, tralalala. To make tiny animals for Noah's arc, fox plushie and blanket for a baby. Fortunately my "genius personal sewer" which means petite sewing machine works. Making blanket in hands only would take too much time.


Tommorrow I go to Toruń for final lectures with my students. And to start exams - I'll test them of ethnography of Poland and ethnography of Slavs. The worst thing for me is to give them notes - I want to be justice. Afterwords they will have a chance to give me a note - evaluation questionnaire, hm. I don't think I like it, but I understand the neccessity of such responce.

1st of May, picnic and adoptions

Today I've changed my blog - from "soft toys - social anthropology" into this one. The reason is silly: I forgot both username and password! And decided to start anew. So I'm starting.

Since yesterday we have "the longest weekend in modern Europe" which means celebrations connected with 1st and the 3rd of May. Everybody is celebrating in its own way - Adam, Ada and I we decided to visit family and friends. Oma - actually grandmother's garden made me astonished and happy: it was so beautifull!

Plenty of flowers, birds singing aloud, apples blossoming - I took my camera and shot pictures like mad.


Actually, I have more pictures on my flickr! lalootka profile.... but here is a place to write something I can not place there.


Yes, plants, flowers and birds singing in quite silent countryside made me happy as I haven't been for quite a time.

Going by train every week twice from BB to Torun is tirering. And being apart from my family - desperate!. Anyway - there is no point of complaining. Worse thing is that I'm almost up to my flickr limit of 200 photographs! And I will have to buy pro account to share there some more photographs. I'm becomming an addicted to photography: both making and sharing, and watching! I frame every scene: view from my window, sleeping child, clouds (actually, right now) in sunrise...

But I almost forgot to write about picnic and adoptrions!!! Today, we went for country picnic - something connected with Polish - Czech - Slovak macroregional cooperation, friendship and so on. It took place in Jaworze, beautiful countryside. And it was really fun. I made some funny pictures.
I've noticed a mass production of exotic brunettes - it's funny because all those girls are abvious Slavian blonds. Fashion victims? But what fashion is this?
Ada was extremely happy playing with elder children nad we, grumpy adults, had some fun with their parents.

For me, such picnics are always reminiscences of folk culture:
playtime, music, decorations, food - plenty of it, decorations are rather kitchy, but maybe there's a point in it. Anyway, we had fun.

And - for me as a softies maker today was lucky day: two of my creations had been adopted today. Kitty Sara and monster 70. Making this monster really was fun because he's my old pattern - I had it since my elementary school, and today (I made it today, before lunch) added some improvements and voila! here he was: happy monster in appeal that suit to 70ties: era of disco music, with his stripes and circles on the body. And I made labels, for the first time - to advertise my creations, od cource.
I think that 6:14 is high time to go to sleep... .