I'm a member of the Etsy Plush Team, and every month or two there is a team challenge. This time, the challenge was to create a plush that would be perfect for Father's Day. One of the categories we could choose from was "geeky", so I was very happy to have an excuse to make an Admiral Ackbar plush. He's one of my favorite characters from Star Wars, and I've been wanting to make one of these for some time now. Here he is in all his glory (standing & sitting):
Ever since I've been making my shelf-sized, 10" jointed dinosaurs, I've wanted to create one that was much larger. I use little buttons inside each of the limbs on the smaller dinosaurs, so I had to order bigger doll joints for this upcoming project. The day before the joints were scheduled to arrive, I get a message from someone asking if I can make one of my dinosaurs in a larger size, about 2' tall. The timing could not have been better! I love when these things happen! The recipient of my largest jointed creation has already named him Eugene, and he is so happy to be going to a loving home.
I met Launchpad Toys during the Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco, and we had a great time talking about games, apps, plush toys & huge, jointed dolls. Fast forward a couple of months, and I've finally finished some of the largest and most complex plush I've attempted. The arms, legs & heads on these 18"-24" characters are fully jointed, so they can be posed like action figures. They are based on characters created by Launchpad, and go along with the app that they created. Toontastic is great, because it provides kids with jointed characters that they can animate and tell stories with. It's like a digital puppet show that can be shared with family and friends. How cool is that? Now, it's time to check out the final plush toys below.
This is their logo.
I love his little rocket booster feet!
And here's a character called Mr. Jinx:
I added elastic bands to the back of his hands so that he can hold things like plush bananas:
They're finally here! I've been dreaming about making jointed dinosaurs for a while now, and of course I have to choose one of the busiest times to try out a new design. I think it might be all of the creative energy flowing here in the studio and the excitement building around another Renegade Craft Fair. If you're in Brooklyn this weekend, come by Booth #22 to be the first to check out these new T-Rex toys! There will be a couple of other color combinations as well.
They Stand!
And they sit, too!
I can't stop making these. They're too much fun. This one is probably the girliest thing I've ever made, but I love it!
Available in the Zooguu Etsy Shop
My latest plush creation is a big departure from what I normally create. I was invited to participate in an upcoming show called "March of the Unicorns" at the Lichen Gallery. The Lichen is part of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. The show will run for the month of March. While I have made unicorns in my classic dome shape before, I've been waiting for a chance to break the mold and create something outside my comfort zone.
Not only does this unicorn stand up on its own, but its legs are jointed (using the hidden button joint technique expertly explained by my friend Mimi Kirchner), so it can be positioned in a variety of ways.
Closer look at the face & the top-stitching detail of the mane, beard & horn.
Front & Back view. This unicorn is very proud, indeed!
My inspiration for this design is the images of unicorns in tapestries and in architecture, primarily the bronze sculptures found on top of the Council House in Bristol, UK.
The first unicorn is going to be on display in Lincoln, Nebraska for the month of March, but I will be making the design available in my Etsy shop as well.
