My son Ishi is just beginning to understand something of the passage of time, we are exploring early autumn, waiting for the leaves to fall so that we can try and catch them. I can’t wait for the conkers to be ready, come on horse chestnuts, so that I can introduce Ishi to the joy of a game of conkers. Hmm, a three year old and a piece of string with a hard object attached to the end! Please enjoy some of my autumnal favourites.

I adore the title of this print from Ashleyg (above), Finding The Perfect One.

Queen Ann’s Lace Towel from Lotta Helleberg. Fresh and crip, yum, yum, yum!

Reuben-Original print from The Dark Tree. Sweet, with a side of sinister, portraits of vintage toys.

The yummiest tote from Rennes le Chateau

Real Feeling Leaf Index Post It Notes from Nothing Elegant. I was wary of sharing this shop as there are several little things I would like from it and I can’t get them at the moment, but that wouldn’t be in the spirit of things so shop up a storm!

Little Linen House from Harvest Textiles. Earthy!

All-In-One Agenda from Lineacarta. I really, really *want* this because it is beautiful, happily I *need* it too, so some chance of success with the iron chancellor (Adam-hello dear!).

I love pencils, these would go so well with the agenda above. From Nothing Elegant (again!).

Teardrop String of Pearls Terrarium from Monkeys Always Look. Takes me back to my 70s childhood, we had a huge bottle terrarium at my infant school. I’m glad terrariums are back in favour again, did anyone else make saucer gardens as a child too? Lots of moss and if you were really fancy a little mirror pond!

Ishi is desperate for a skateboard (and helmet too, he is super conscientious about this!). Maybe one day I will get him this wonderful one from Stuart Kolakovic.

Forager from Amy Ruppel. Dreamy.

Salt Pepper Dispensers from Chance Vintage. Very tiny!

Leafy Dottie from Allyson Mellburg. No tears today!

Abigail Brown is now making Butterfly Brooches. Pretty.

Perfect for my pencils and other doings, just $13 too, sometimes I wonder how Etsy sellers manage. Available from Zomb.

Early Riser by Dr Kennedy Jones. Autumnal.

I know *another* tea towel, can’t get enough of them. From Spin Spin.

Fox print from Eek Design. Because it’s a fox!

One day I am going to own a creature from Lemmikkiapina, they are all so heartbreakingly beautiful. Sigh.

Winter by The Good Machinery. I adore wintertime but wouldn’t it be wonderful to carry an invincible summer inside yourself.

Dr Love Is On A Mission from Meeniak. Look at the tiny bike! I need this little guy to visit my house.

The design of this bag from Psarokokalo is fabulous. Handsfree style is pretty essential with a 3 year old in tow, much cooler than a rucksack. Useful, may be in with a chance if I do a bit of begging!

Portraits, Letter and Notes from the Past by Paola Zakimi. Gorgeous!

Happy Apartment Building by Chet and Dot. I am in a whimsical mood today I think.

Two Sisters-Original Acrylic Painting by Elizabeth Bauman. Curious.

Stripe Top from Larimeloom. Stripes always get me.

I am planning a round up of the best places on Etsy to buy your christmas presents and goodies, hopefully this will be ready in plenty of time. This plan is deigned to be useful to people like my wonderful friend K who never have the time to browse, a quick, go-to resource. If any of you lovely kittens have any suggestions I am all ears.

Meet the Sea Ghosts, these little beings (non-beings!) have arrived in the Lou Lou & Oscar shop. You can read more about them here. I had planned a slightly bigger update that included some vintage pendents but decided just to list the one you can see in the image below. I balked at the last minute as I didn’t feel I wanted to take Lou Lou & Oscar into the realms of the confused. I love my plush, my embroidery, the occasional vintage dress but the trinkets don’t fit. I think I am just going to give them away, maybe via this blog. Perhaps as extras in my Etsy orders. We will see.

I have the most exciting project incubating (exciting for me at least!), I have decided to enter some work into the Jersey Textile Showcase next March and I want to set myself an embroidery challenge. The piece has to fit into an A3 padded envelop and must relate to the theme: All Is Revealed. I am going to try and chart my progress here at LL&O. Hooray, I am going to reveal my terrible handwriting, even worse sketching and duff preliminary ideas to you all. Now, here is a cool thing to take your mind off the above.

Ode to Harold & Maude from Mary’s Granddaughter via Flickr. I love that film and I love the sweet fringing around the hoop!

Oh, and I would love this little brooch too please secret benefactor!

I am sure that many of you will recognize those delightful teapots and cups above, as we are joined today by the wonderful Anna of Lilla Lotta. Anna has such a strong and instantly recognizable style, fresh, crisp and homely, inspiring thoughts of cinnamon buns, the smell of freshly baked bread, percolating coffee and cut grass in a spring meadow. Oh yum! In addition to running her amazingly successful Etsy shop Anna is also a mother to five beautiful children, I am in awe of her creativity and feel sure that Anna must get very little sleep indeed! Let us grab a cup of tea and settle down comfortably to meet Anna.

Tell us a little about yourself, the media you work with and your creative process.

“I am Anna. Mum to five young children. Living under the big blue sky in the South of France. Originally Swedish/Dutch, I have lived in 6 different countries in the last 20 years and am still not feeling quite ‘at home’ where I am at. I suppose I am a bit of a wanderer, slightly lost in the wrong era.”

“I am a bit of a fiddler and have a creativity compulsive disorder. A day without creativity, just does not seem like a proper day. I won’t call myself an artist, to me that would imply that I “studied” it at a grand school, in a specific class. And truth is, I have never taken a class in art or any other creative process. I suppose that is why the title “fiddler” suits me better.”

“I have never found a medium that takes my fancy the most. I flitter about, from one thing to another, like a flutter-by. One day I simply must paint in water colour and the next I feel the need to do lettering. Lately however I have been completely inspired by fabrics. I am working on a selection of Lilla Lotta fabric designs, which hopefully will be finished by the end of the year. Needless to say I have very little free time and do without sleep often. Who needs sleep anyways? *smiles* ”

From where do you draw your inspiration: music, books, people, nature etc?

“Inspiration is one of those things that can be found in every day living. It might be loud laughter and a smile that comes unexpectedly. Or those moments where little arms give such big hugs, incredibly warm and loving. It is like sparkle. Magic dust. The only reason you need to wake up in the morning and have a head filled with ideas. Things waiting to be created.”

” My source of inspiration is being the woman who runs around like a headless chicken most of the time and takes care of a large family with lots of little feet. Almost like living double the life and feeling doubly blessed.”

If you could talk briefly about the background to one of your pieces which would you choose and why?

“I would have to choose my recent creation of cotton tapes. By chance I made one to add to a 3D woolfelt house I was making as a Christmas gift and I needed a specific ribbon to go on the top of the roof. That is when it happened. How about making lots of different ones? A creative project where I could combine my love for illustrating with my love for fabrics. ”

“And it has been wonderful ever since! By the Autumn I will be able to finish a whole new selection of highly illustrated cotton tapes. I find myself feeling so blessed to be able to do what I love doing. Fiddling around and raising my family.”

You can find Anna in these places:

Lilla Lotta Etsy Shop
Flickr
Blog

Thank you so much Anna for sharing a little of your life and creativity with us. I feel so inspired by your attitude to the world and the obvious joy you take in creating your handmade goodness.

As I was putting this interview together this morning I began to read Anna’s blog, duh, I hadn’t come across it before, and laughed out loud at this post: 40 Facts About My Summer. I could relate to so many of Anna’s ‘facts’, I am sure you can too!

40 Facts About My Summer

1. The weather in the South of France is hot. I mean it is really hot.
2. Being a mother to five kidlets is exhausting. Especially during the Summer.
3. I am drawing and painting every spare minute in front of a fan.
4. New banners for my blog and shop in the making. Everything will be brandnew and fresh in the coming Autumn.
5. Lots of highly decorative cotton tapes being made for the new season.
6. Only 7 days before my mother arrives.
7. Husbands work throughout the Summer.
8. I work throughout the Summer.
9. My head is exploding with ideas.
10. I have no real appetite during the Summer months.
11. Thai food does not agree with me and is returned within an hour.
12. I am already thinking about Christmas.
13. I am tired all the time.
14. There is absolutely nothing on the telly (and I am not even a big telly fan).
15. Bed linen is changed more often during the Summer.
16. My washing machine broke down about two weeks ago.
17. My children only want to eat ice pops.
18. Home made cake does not taste as good as it does in the winter.
19. I am still in love with my hot chocolate.
20. I am going through hand soap like there is no tomorrow.
21. My hoover is used about 4 times a day.
22. Paddling pools for little children are great!
23. Long trips in a car are not recommended.
24. I worry about the new school year and my children.
25. I still have not learnt any French.
26. I am totally behind with all my emails and visiting my favourite places online.
27. I spent very very very little time behind the computer. And if I do, I have to wrestle someone off first.
28. Sitting in the garden in the evening is like recharging your batteries.
29. France has some freaky insects.
30. I am not even mentioning the snakes and the lizards.
31. I don’t sleep during the Summer, I just pass out.
32. I am still totally lost.
33. I love being productive and being able to run my shop. It has saved my life.
34. I am grateful for meeting new friends. It means a lot.
35. Husbands are grumpier when it is hot outside.
36. My to do lists are taking on monstrous proportions.
37. I have to remind myself to drink less coffee, and more water all the time. It makes me really ill.
38. For some reason I have started biting my nails again.
39. I am doing my best.
40. I am a rubbish blogger.

He, he, he, excellent!

Thanks so much again Anna.

Today is a pretty one, just crying out for some delicious handmade goodness. I have been spending too much time over the past couple of days grappling with my dissatisfaction over the images that are currently in my Etsy shop, wrangling with their lack of personality and marveling at everyone else’s fantastic shots. Really, I would like to start again, revaluate and learn a lot more about photography. I have a few new things for the LL&O shop waiting in line to have their photograph taken, I am thinking of postponing this weeks shop update so that I can find some time to concentrate fully on lights and the camera. We will see. Less frustratingly, make sure that you pop back later in the week for another super fantastic interview. Until later my dears.

Printemps VI wallpaper necklace (above) from L’Oiseau Rare

Mr Owl Top from Me & Oli

1931 Bambi edition & Old Oval wooden frame both from Little Byrd Vintage.

A Grand Discovery print from Groundwork

Button Collection with Grey Screen Printed Button Holder from I Love Grey Skies

Pink Teacups from Silocurb

Frida Lace Necklace from Fox & Clover

Book Notes Journal – Letterpress Cover from Small Square Design

Moths Ball Print from Dear Dodo

Apple Jacket from Jacquelineknits

Everybody’s book of kittens zine from Gemmabear

Vintage Purse from Show Pony

Big Plans print from Joutomaa

5 pocket Okinawa leather bag from Valhallabrooklyn

Slanted Bow Top from Lamixx

Antique Lace Card from Hibou Cards

Hair Pins by The Sparrow’s Nest

Vintage Arabia Pitcher w Cat, Finland, Kaj Franck from Domestikate

Bandit Lunch Sack from The Small Object

Picnic Table Shirt from Oh Leoluca

Arctic Foxen from Abigail Brown

Fibonacci rabbit number pin from Das Kaninchen

Lovebirds Plate from Nina In Vorm

Answer a riddle painting from LoucheLab

THANK YOU wood stationery set from Palomasnest

Do you remember the secret project I was working on a while back, well look above and you will see what I have been up to. I have been asked by the lovely Amy Borrell to take part in the latest round of Bakers Dozen. Do fly over there now to wave hello to the limited edition of 13 Libertine Banners I contributed. I am so honoured to be surrounded by the amazing pieces work you will find at Bakers Dozen, some of my favourite artists too!

I think that he looks like Nick Cave back in the days of The Birthday Party! Zebra fabulousness (above) from Skunkboy Creatures of course. Here we are again friends, it is time for another plush gathering. I am feeling so inspired by the wonders on display here, my fingers are itchy and desperate to get snipping and stitching and stuffing! Things have been a little quiet on the creature front for me recently, that is going to change very soon though. I had planned to release a little list of the places you can find my work this year, I am waiting to hear if I have been accepted into one particular show, once I know you will know-keep your fingers crossed for me please kittens. Now, feast your peepers on plush heaven!

“Quand la pluie tombe chez moi” by Cocon

Wonder by Melissa Stanley

Victorian Lady by Junker Jane

Lumi by Le Train Fantome

Family by Matilde Beldroega

I can’t help making up background stories for the new creations from Astulabee. Oh, especially the Show Pony!

Endearing foxes from Oso Polar

Super floral fish by Flora Douville.

Kootoom, Turris & Pecten by Sarah Bourque.

Deer by Takiyaje.

Plushrooms from Kitty Bee.

Beuys Bunny from Das Kaninchen.

Jinx Moon Bunny from Moon’s Creations.

Peascape in Strangeland from Kit Lane

Large Fabric Bird by Abigail Brown

Rabbit from Fawn Potter.

Francis by Flannery O’Kafka

Cat from Red Craft Works.

Miss Black Dahlia from Meeniak.

The Classic Maggot in White with Pink Heart from Pterodactyl Pants.

Feathery Doll by Cathy Cullis.

Doli Mary Chestnut from Misako Mimoko

Crazy cool! I want a plush wall. Collected work by Ninon.

Before I forget please do join me tomorrow for the ever shifting weekly interview, so exciting, meet me in Argentina!

I wish I were a pigeon feather, sealed in a test tube and beautifully photographed by Alyssa of BROOKLYNrehab. I would become a thing to treasure, to be looked at anew, a witty and clever idea executed to perfection. Every object collected, re-visioned, customized, created in the BROOKLYNrehab studio fills me with longing and a little bit of joy, it is no wonder that every single best of Etsy post I have put together has included something from Alyssa’s shop. I have developed a serious passion, let’s join Alyssa right now!

Tell us a little about yourself, the media you work with and your creative process.

“Hi! My name is Alyssa Zygmunt, fashion designer by day and indie crafter by night. Most of what I am paid to design professionally is ultimately discarded in the cruel product life cycle also known as “the pursuit of the latest greatest fashion,” so the least I can do is make up for it with my creative hobby. The idea behind what I do as BROOKLYNrehab is to re-look at the objects around me to update, repackage and promote them as things of beauty to be saved and treasured rather than thrown away.”

“The starting point for me can either be vintage or modern mass production. Vintage objects are easy. I find the aging process a thing of beauty. The bumps and briuses accumulated along the way hint at past lives and serve to add character. I love to photograph these items in modern settings that suggest new uses and have others fall in love with them as well.”

“Brand new objects born into the world through mass production are much harder to “save” as it is often designed with a built in obsolescence in mind. These are often viewed as interchangeable and sometimes indistinguishable. Since I can’t stop the mass production of these (as much as I love handmade), my goal is to transform them from anonymity into something memorable or personable.”

” I consider these a blank canvas for my own designs and commentary. For example, I repurpose test tubes as specimen jars for my pigeon feather take on the modern New York souvenir. I customize restaurant grade egg cups to enhance the feeling of ownership. You’d think twice before throwing away a cup that has your name on it!”

“While all this is true, sometimes I just like to have fun! Even though I *think* way too much sometimes, ultimately my goal is to make people smile. I want to enrich people’s lives and encourage them to form positive bonds with their objects. It sounds silly but I think of selling my gnomes as finding homes for wayward chotchskies (sp?). It is an adoption process not a retail experience. I’ve given birth to quite a few porcelain delights which leads me to the next topic *i*n*s*p*i*r*a*t*i*o*n*”

From where do you draw your inspiration: music, books, people, nature etc?

“As much as I draw inspiration from the city and all that it offers, it is what is missing that also motivates me. I miss nature. I love the sights, sounds, textures and animals associated with the great outdoors, so I create it in the studio in the form of branches, birds, owls, mushrooms and squirrels.”

” I also enjoy being a modern anthropologist observing how people relate to the world around them and the objects they hold dear. I was directly inspired by my observations to create the “Love note series” where I pair a vintage postcard and a found object, then add a message such as “lost and found” or “secret rendezvous.”

“I hint at an underlying story that you can choose to use your imagination to complete or use as a jumping off point for your own lives.”

If you could talk briefly about the background to one of your pieces which would you choose and why? Please tell us the story behind the piece.

“The piece that everyone seems most interested in right now is the pigeon feather New York Souvenir. I’ll try to answer the most frequently asked question: “WHY?” After nearly 10 years of living in New York, I still find it a thrill to be here. Perhaps it was growing up watching Fame on TV; somehow, I just knew I would live here one day. It seemed like the place to be if one is creative. Pigeons to me are just one of those reminders that I made it here. The feathers are also symbolic to me so I started picking them up on my path between home and the ceramic studio. As they accumulated, I found creative ways to display them which I posted on flickr and on my blog.”

“After receiving positive responses, I decided to find a way to share my finds with other feather fans. A test tube is the perfect way to transform the once simple feather into a treasure with sentimental value. It also seals it from being touched which allows me to tap into the collective consciousness that we all share as city dwellers and poke fun at the notion that pigeons are dirty. I do have plans to expand on this idea which hopefully will show-up in my ETSY store soon.”

Places to find Alyssa:

BROOKLYNrehab Shop
Blog
Flickr

Thank you so very much Alyssa for sharing your work with us and for being such a sweetheart too. Really, I am such a lucky girl, I get to *meet* my heroes, ask them questions and then spend contented hours exploring beautiful images to post on LL&O. In fact, I am sitting up in bed at 10.37 am writing this, the sea gulls are shrieking and the fog horn is wailing. Next week we will be in South America and I will reveal a tiny new addition to the LL&O sidebar! Hmm, curious kittens, meet me back here soon.

Oh, that little Hare guy above just kills me! One look and you already know who my super fantastic guest is today, her work is so distinctive, charming and original. Kate is the genius behind Girl Savage and I have been stalking her shop since I first joined Etsy. Grab a cup of something delicious, sit back and marvel at Kate’s wonderful creations.

Tell us a little about yourself, the media you work with and your creative process.

“I live in Chicago with my husband, two spoiled cats and one even more spoiled muppet-like dog. I’ve been creating things as long as I can remember. My mom says when I was little you could hand me scissors and paper and I would be happy for hours cutting out shapes. I guess I finally figured out to take my shapes, cut them out of wool felt and stitch them into animals.”

“I love working with wool felt, it has such warmth to it and can be made into just about anything. My creative process is sort of as scattered as I am. I sit and think, what do I feel like making today and then make it. I think I have a strange knack for picturing how to make something 2D into a 3D shape. I will take a side view sketch of an animal and make into a 3D pattern.”

From where do you draw your inspiration: music, books, people, nature etc?

“Most of my inspiration comes from cartoons that I watched as a kid and Richard Scary books, I was fascinated with them. I also draw inspiration from nature and folklore.”

If you could talk briefly about the background to one of your pieces which would you choose and why? Tell us the story behind the piece.

“I guess I would have to choose feltidermy. They came out of a request from a video director who wanted to know if I could make a deer head that was mounted to a plaque and could be used like a puppet to lip sync. Oh, and he needed it delivered cross country in about a week. I had to laugh, but it got me thinking about mounting a plush head to a plaque like taxidermy. There were not many people doing faux taxidermy at the time and none like this so I gave it a try. I wanted to set mine apart from anyone else, so while stitching the first one together, I came up with the word feltidermy. I ran to the computer to look it up and the word was not being used anywhere, so I started using it for my work. Oh and don’t feel badly for the little animal that lost it’s head…these guys never had a body to start with, they wouldn’t know the difference.”

Thank you so much Kate for giving us this fantastic insight into your work. I am so glad that the little disembodied creatures are happy and unscathed by their experiences! If you would like to visit Girl Savage you can find Kate in these places:

Girl Savage Etsy Shop
Flickr
Blog

Yay! Another inspiring interview, who is next I wonder? Well, as the ‘Monday’ interview appeared on a Wednesday this week I have to confess that the next interview *should* have been part of my spring/birthday week. For various reasons I decided to hold off for a little while but I am nearly ready for the grand reveal! You are going to love it I promise you. Back soon kitty cats. X

One of the lovely things about extending my birthday week is that it gives me the perfect opportunity to share the handmade gifts I received with you. I am a lucky and extremely happy birthday girl!

First off is a gift I bought for myself (every birthday I choose a couple of meaningful items to mark the turn of another year). I ordered this a while ago, you may remember it from the Forget-Me Not show at Gallery Hanahou in February. How felicitous that it actually arrived the day after my birthday, just in time to appear in this post. You may have noticed that there is a very special someone missing from my birthday/spring extravaganza, where is Miss Nicole of Astulabee, surely you aren’t still honouring that admiration truce from way back? Everyone knows how important Nicole is to me, I adore her as an artist and as a person (who wouldn’t? Such beauty, intelligence and all round good-egg-ness!). I would have pestered for a little something but the lady has been so busy with the American Craft Council show and hot on its heels this amazing project, I didn’t want to add to the mix. Oh but be assured I will be badgering soon, very soon (sorry Nicole!).

The piece is called My Love For You Is A Roller Coaster and I love it more than I can say. As you can see from the detail above the stitch work is so very fine and delicate and yet so powerful at the same time. I was truly astounded when I took it out of its protective wrapping, thank you Nicole for being such a genius!

Who is that foxy fellow with the sly and cheeky countenance? Why it is Mr Arctic Dodger of course, I have been warned that he is little bit tricksy, he has behaved impeccably so far and keeps me company from his window sill vantage point. I see him silhouetted against the night sky and sometimes I swear he is waving at me. Dodger is a gift from the unbelievably amazing Margie of Resurrection Fern, he is so beautifully designed and realized, right down to his removable wool jumper. If you look carefully you can see Dodger’s companion Etienne the Merfish, who travelled with my foxy friend to keep a scaly eye on him! I was moved to tears by Margie’s beautiful gift, and though we have never met in person, I have some little pieces of Margie’s magical presence around me. Thank you so much Margie.

Hooray, someone must have read my birthday wishlist post! I received the loveliest bag of birthday goodies from my dear friend Karin, including these gems from Etsy. I have been drooling over the reading wolves print from Oh My Cavalier for ages and am so happy that it is mine, all mine!

So very precious. I am in love with these tiny little twig hairclips from The Sparrow’s Nest. They were packaged so beautifully in a hand stamped box filled with fairy-sized paper leaves. Perfect.

And, yes, yes, yes, do you remember the darling miniature plastic fawns from The Thin Veil, just crying out to sit on top of some pretty cupcakes? Well, I have some. They are so photogenic, I am going to have some fun with these. Thank you so much Karin and Evie for giving me the most wonderful gifts and thanks also to Mr Probert for flying the best presents of all over to me!

Do you recognize that exquisite style? No one illustrates vintage garments as beautifully as Diane. I knew that this had to be my birthday dress as soon as I saw it. My pictures don’t do it justice. You really need to feel the weight of this dress, examine the beautiful beadwork and explore the enchanted subaqueous garden Diane has created. I am becoming a bit of a collector of pieces from Hibou Caillou Chou, this is seriously desirable art work and you can wear it too! Diane is another wonderful person that I have *met* through Etsy and blogging, I am so happy and proud to be a part of such an amazing community. You are one of the coolest Diane!

I hope that you are feeling inspired by all of this handmade goodness? There is plenty more coming up this week. Don’t forget to pop back later for a very special announcement. Hmm, curious!

**Etsy is down at the moment for site maintenance so I can’t access the shop links, I will return and edit the post later with the appropriate contact information**
Done!

Who is that beautiful person reclining upon a bed of monsters? Why, it is Tania of course, otherwise known as Ninon, plush maker extraordinaire! I have been watching the development of Tania’s work over the past months and every time she uploads an image of her latest creature creation onto Flickr I am blown away. I adore her insistence on spontaneity and the uniqueness of each of her ‘monsters’, there will never be two the same, Tania must plug into some super-saturated well of creative energy! I was desperate to find out some more about Tania’s creative process so you can imagine how thrilled I was when she agreed to appear on LL&O. I am still pining for Nero Bolotovski (the wolfy man bellow), he belongs to another, I would love to know who was lucky enough to scoop him up.

Devastating plush charm!

Only Gaspard E. Pinopine (above) could make up for the loss of Nero. Hmmm, sorry, let’s get on with the interview.

Tell us a little about yourself, the media you work with and your creative process.

“My name is Tania Patritti, I was born in a little town in the Alps in northern Italy almost 31 years ago, but after many moves around italian cities, last year I decided to move to Berlin…and now I am really enjoying it!! I have a degree in History of Art and I am interested in photography, animals, music, cooking vegan food, cinema and, of course, crafting.”

“I started sewing using my mother’s sewing machine in 2001, my first mission was to make my own bags and some clothes for me and my bravest friends… I’ve always liked the idea of wearing things that are unique and I think it’s a bigger satisfaction walking around with something handmade, even if it’s very simple and not perfect. I like imperfections. I can’t stand the idea of “serie”, in fact everything I make is one of a kind. A lot less boring….”

“At the moment I am working full time on my crafting projects. Lately I am mainly focused on my softies “Les Monstrìs”. I started making them 5 years ago and I like the fact that they are evolving everyday…I’ve always been drawing little strange creatures and in the years I felt the need to bring them to the 3rd dimension. My first attempt was with papier mache, but later I decided to make them softier with fabric and polyfill..in fact I am a fabric addict and the part of the job that I enjoy the most is to put colorful fabric together.”

From where do you draw your inspiration: music, books, people, nature etc?

“My inspiration comes from everything that surrounds me, my drawings, movies, dreams, insomnia, people, ideas given by friends, internet, memories of my childhood…I like to challenge myself and feel the subtle evolution of my work day by day.”

“I like the fact that the idea of making something in a certain way often comes without even thinking about it! I definitely follow my instinct when I am hand-making something. I don’t use or make patterns. For me the feeling of freedom that comes with this job is very important and for this reason I prefer working on my own projects instead that on commission, even though I am open to work with/for people with whom I feel that there is a common view on things.”

If you could talk briefly about the background to one of your pieces which would you choose and why? Tell us the story behind the piece.

“Mmh, to answer this tricky question I went over my archive of pictures of Les Monstris and figured out that maybe Desperate Junino is the one that has something to tell…: I made him in the summer of 2007 when I was living in Turin…it wasn’t a very happy phase of my life and this somehow reflected on the faces of the monsters that I was making at that time. Junino was my first attempt in using a little bit of free hand machine embroidery technique and what I like most about him is that it’s closer to the drawing that I was making and much more expressive. Usually I don’t like softies that are cute just for the sake of it, I appreciate more the ones that have something “twisted” in them.”

“I hope not to sound too immodest with what I am going to say, but, another reason why I am so fond of Desperate Junino is because of the person that bought him from me. I had a booth at a summer festival in Turin where Sonic Youth were playing and at some point in the afternoon Lee Ranaldo came over and we chatted a bit and then he chose Desperate J. and another one for his two children, that are really into softies…now, can you imagine your favorite guitar player of your favorite band since you were 15 taking a picture of you and your stupid monsters? I was so embarassed, but trying to look laid back somehow…yes, in fact here I am, telling you this story 2 years later, eheheh… I was very happy also because he chose my favorite one!”

You can find Tania in the following places:
Flickr
Super Ninon blog
Etsy Shop

That story just kills me! Can you imagine what an incredible rush it must be to have a member of your favourite band take your work home? Thank you so very much Tania, I loved reading your responses and have been inspired to inject a bit more spontaneity into my own work. As both me and Tania share a love of Sonic Youth I thought it would be fun to share our favourite songs with you. Tania’s first and mine to follow. Have fun jumping around to these!