Custom kokoleo bed sheet sundresses

I compiled some photos of custom sundresses that I currently have the fabric to create.

 Since the fabric and bed sheets I use are vintage and hard to find, I have a limited supply of each print. Often, I've found, when customers peruse my sundresses they find a pattern they love but it's in the wrong size. By custom-making them, I can save my fabric for those who really want it and can make a dress in size six months to six years. This way, customers can choose their favorite trim and buttons and get a true one-of-a-kind that they helped design. Check them out in my Etsy shop or email me if you're interested.

EtsyRain Spring Show + Space Needles

It's been over a week since the EtsyRain Spring Handmade Show at the Intiman Theater but I couldn't let the event pass without posting a little recap. I was busy in my booth for most of it, but I did manage to snap a few pics. Here's the entrance:

and my booth, outside in the corner:


Here I am in my booth with a furry frogmonster peeking out from behind me:


It was great to finally do a well-known Seattle show and get to know some of the local indie crafters. I doubled the money I spent to participate and sent some kokoleos out into the city. I did some great trades - a kokoleo kid dress for a Public Market screen printed tee by tomato-tomato and a plush bunny for a squirrel pillow from Alise's Pieces, plus I bought some delicious gourmet lollipops from This Charming Candy (but don't tell my kids because I ate them all.) Also, the owners of a couple shops in Seattle gave me their cards, so that's encouraging. Still, I felt kind of like the new girl in school, not really knowing the cool crowd and missing my craft friends from L.A. I just need to get out and do more shows and attend more EtsyRain events.

The forecast called for rain but thankfully it turned out to be a beautiful day, if only a tad chilly. I had a view of the courtyard fountain:


and looking out from the entrance I could see the Space Needle:


Speaking of Space Needles, I designed a new Space Needle applique and have been having fun attaching it to things. In addition to the sundress I showed a few posts earlier, I also made some totes:





and pillows:

(I sold this one at the show)

(This one sold at Happy Delusions, but I made another just like it.)

and whatever you would call this:


A skinny pillow? A plush? Whatever it is I probably won't be making any more. It was pretty darn difficult. More pillows and totes and sundresses are in the works though since people seemed to really like them at the show. What can I say? I've got a thing for needles.

omg Bunnies!

Ever since I made Baby Petey, the bunny featured in my last post, bunnies have been popping up all over. Yesterday I chased a bunch around my backyard.

Introducing Flora Cordora:

 

Sounder:

Ofie:

Squinky:

 Q.T.

and Relbit:

Luckily I was able to catch them all, name them, and take them down to Happy Delusions in downtown Renton where they are currently awaiting adoption. They're also available in my Etsy shop  for any out-of-town adopters.

And then there's this guy:

Who I affectionately call "Ubby" a.k.a. the Ugly Bunny. He was the the first to hop out during my manic bunny-making spree last week. He's soft and sturdy and there's nothing really wrong with him except for the fact that he's different from the other bunnies and doesn't really look right sitting next to them. I know this sounds mean but he's okay with this. He doesn't want to be with them anyway. He wants to be with you!

If you want Ubby to be with you too, simply leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite thing to find in your Easter basket. Peeps? Reese's Eggs? Jelly Beans? Cheetos? I want to know! On Saturday afternoon I'll do the Random.org thing and draw a winner. Maybe someone you love will find Ubby in his or her Easter basket this year.

Studio Tuesday - Design-It-Yourself Tooth Pillow

It's teeth-losing time!

Sage has this weird (but normal, I'm told) thing going on where his adult teeth start coming in before the baby ones fall out. He must be part shark. When the first tooth fell out we weren't prepared with a tooth pillow for the occasion. Luckily, I had mine from waybackwhen and he used it. Last week, when his second tooth started getting loose I told him to design himself a new tooth pillow. Here's what he came up with:

After our Sesame Street Body exhibit excursion on Wednesday (it must have inspired us to make our own crazy creature) we started assembling it. I cut out the shapes, he assembled them, and I guided it through the sewing machine while he stepped on the presser foot. Then he stuffed it:

and I stitched up the hole. Viola! A hungry drooly crazy-eyed tooth monster!

His mouth doubles as a pocket for the money. I also added a tiny tooth pocket inside the mouth to keep the tooth safe.

It fits nicely on his bed rail, easily accessible to the Tooth Fairy who visited Sunday night.

This gave me an idea (my kids inspire all my best ideas). . . I bet other kids would like to design their own tooth pillows too - I should offer this service on kokoleo. So today I updated my (sadly barren) monster shop to offer a Design your own Monster and Design your own Tooth Pillow service. I can't wait to see what kids come up with. Grownup designs are welcome too - I'm an equal-opportunity monster-maker.

Made by Monday - Obnoxious and Ridiculous

I guess I have a weird sense of humor. I enjoy making things that are kind of obnoxious sometimes.

I don't like hunting but I do like irony. Somehow, somewhere, I acquired a box of NRA patches. I almost threw them away because they make me feel creepy with their great big capital letters promoting a gun-loving lifestyle. I decided to work with that creepiness though, and juxtapose them with opposites of deadly.

I'm really not a violent person, I swear, but splatter painting is fun. I have a whole box of patches that I get out and look at from time to time. Sometimes one jumps out and begs me to do something with it. I turned this one into a roadside sign:

and made the bill a road.

This one makes me laugh because I imagine whoever wears it will keep getting called "Nancy."

What's up, Nancy?

I sewed ties to this one, and painted the bill with nail polish:

I stitched them on with on a machine. It's hard sewing ties to a hat on a machine. I sometimes force my machine to do things only an industrial machine should do. I added these hats to the kokoleo Guys shop yesterday. Someday soon I'll add the shirts I've been working on.

I made this eyeglass necklace for my friend Matty, a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training, to put in his fund raising auction.

It's the logo for Fog City Wrestling, where the event is going to be held. I don't know jack about wrestling, but I hope some wrestling fan will buy it for his lady friend and raise Matty some money. I threw that card and packaging together in Photoshop last week to make it look semi-professional. I made these lovely ladies last week and stuck them on cards too:

20% of the proceeds from the sale of these earrings will go to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure breast cancer fund.


These images were taken from some "bust developer" course that was being advertised in an old Ladies Home Journal. I wonder what these ladies are doing now? I hope their boobies are doing well.

Honestly, I'm not always so bawdy. I can do sweet and cute too like these personalized pieces I did over the last few months:





See? They're not the least bit offensive or ridiculous.

Look! Kokoleo in Craft:!

Have you seen the latest issue of Craft: magazine? The one with my idol Amy Sedaris on the cover?

Go get it! I'm in it! On pages 149-150. A two-page spread!

I'd show you a better close-up but I want you to go out and buy it. Show it to your friends and say, "I know that girl!"

Please tell them I don't always look that maniacal. Eek! (No offense to the artist, I'm just vain.) Still, I'm honored to be part of such an awesome magazine and among so many talented artists and crafters. Props to Jenny Ryan for featuring my original tutorial on the Craft: blog, which led to the editor asking me to write an expanded version for the magazine. Jenny also has a tutorial in this issue, Make a Silly Snake (pgs. 140-142), excerpted from her book Sew Darn Cute:

And check out some of the other awesome stuff in this issue:

These recycled microfiche cuffs by Julie Yu are amazing. I want one! I don't, however, want one of these:

but it sure is cool to look at. It's by artist Susan Danis. It makes me want to make great big art again.

Since I like to repurpose vintage patterns too, I fell in love with this pattern, fabric and collage embroidery by Gina Bailey of doecdoe.


And Martina Celerin's textile art is beautiful:


That's just an itty bitty glimpse of all the awesomeness that's in there. Go get it and see for yourself! In the meantime, check out all the new eyeglass jewelry I just added to the accessories section of my website. Or just buy the latest Craft: magazine, follow my tutorial, and make your own!

Upload Update!

Last week I banned myself from the sewing machine. I became one with my web site and uploaded over 50 new items to the kids embellished shop. Like these:









What do you think about repurposing vintage pop culture imagery? I feel a little weird selling copyrighted images like the Muppets, but man I love the Muppets, and I know other people do too. By taking old forgotten fabric and cutting out the good parts, I'm letting these images live on for another generation. Or, that's what I tell myself to justify it. What do you think? A-o.k. or outright theivery? I'm just a fan, man.

I also put a few new things in the pants shop:



and some eyeglass jewelry in the accessories shop:





Lots more to come. Check it out: www.kokoleo.com.