So... There's News!

There's been so many long silences on this blog that I really should stop apologizing. It is what it is and that's the nature of creativity, right? Well, the past couple of months had lots of different projects in the works that are still under wraps (the reveal of one will be on Wednesday, November 23^rd over at the Mystic Forest Dwellers). Well, the time has come to reveal my absolute favorite of those WIPs:

Yup. We're going to be parents.

This has been in the planning for a very very long time, and finally the timing was right. We are so incredibly excited. The baby is due in June 2012, and yes - he/she will have lots of plush toys. Well - dah!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Love, Forever

I love doing commission work. Yeah, it's fun to make whatever I feel like and work to my own deadline (or, ahem - a gallery's). But commission pieces have an added value - an extra done of heart and meaning.

My latest - a wedding cake topper for our good friends who got married in Big Sur last weekend. The theme of the cake was a nest, and I've been asked to create a pair of birds for it. Cool!

The wedding's colors were chocolate brown, mustard yellow and red, so robins fit nicely into the color scheme.

 The nest is store bought (Michael's, I believe), with a wreath of flowers that was taken apart and assembled on it.

 Whatever you do, please don't ask me about the wings...

The cake's decorator was the bride's aunt from Australia, and she didn't see the nest or the birds until the day before the wedding, yet everything came out absolutely perfect. And the best part? It was a lovely day, and a very lovely wedding. Hooray!
More photos here, on Flickr.

Where Your Input is Requested, Again

May is a good month in our household, hosting both my birthday and Ant's. This year, my present has been extra awesome. Behold!


My recent survey/giveaway on the Mystic Forest Dwellers blog was so much fun - here's another one (but more of a contest this time): your challenge for the month, is to help me pick a name for her!
Here's the deal:
You suggest a name by commenting on this blog post or on our facebook page. If I pick it - you win a Welcome to the Forest button pack and a special discount code for the store for an entire year!
None of the names stick? Don't be sad, I'll raffle three buttons and a "thank you" hug to one of you, dear helpers.

Hints and clues:
1. All of the things that are dear to me are female. Case in point - Helga, my sewing machine and Lizzie McKindle (you can figure this one out, right?).
2. I love classic, old school names that are real, people's-y names
3. She's a hybric bike and is light metallic blue

Comments are open until May 30th, 12AM PST. Make sure I have some way of contacting you!

In Which I Ask for Your Help!

Hi cool cats and kittens!

As you might know, last year I started my new project Mystic Forest Dwellers. It's been going really really well, and now is the time to expand the line. There are many ideas rolling around in my head, but there's only so much time to make them. And so, me and my fuzzy forest friends would like to invite you to help - what would you like to see next from Mystic Forest? And just to sweeten the pie, there's also a giveaway - three voters who will post on the blog or on our facebook fan page, will get a super fun button pack!

How to vote, you ask? Simply, go here! See the survey on the side bar? Click on your favorite option of the five, and don't forget to post a comment. Want another chance to win? Tweet, blog or post on your facebook page (don't forget to link to us and tell us you did) - and you've got one more for the count.

The survey closes March 31^st so hurry up and cast your ballot! The three top favorites will become the next products to join the line.

^{See you at the polling booth!}

Breaking News! Breaking News!

Hi Kids! How've you been?
It's been a bit of a quiet month here, quiet but busy. And I can finally share with you one of the things I've been working on - and boy, am I excited!
I'll be teaching a plush making class! Yes, indeed. I've wanted to do this for a very long time, and the guys over at Blue Rooster Art Supplies thought it would be cool. How lucky am I?

If you live in the LA area and always wanted to try it, this is your chance. The class is for all levels, even if you never sewed a button and will take you from an original drawing (by you, your kids, your friend) to a finished plush piece to be proud of. Excited yet?
Here are the details:

Make your own Plushy!
Cost: $150
Duration: 4 sessions (three hours each) 11am - 2pm
Upcoming Classes: Four Saturdays 6/19 - 7/10 & 8/7 - 8/28

Learn how to make plush toys of your own design! Plush toys are not just for kids anymore, they hang in galleries and high end shops around the country. If you ever wanted to learn how to make them, this class is for you.
The class will cover every step from the initial design drawing, through construction, pattern making, fabric choice and sewing. We will focus on creative problem solving and student's self expression. Please bring a drawing (a doodle will do, more than one is welcome too) you would like to turn into plush, and let's get started!
Our motto is to teach you how to make the plush you want to make, looking for creative ways to make it happen.

About the instructor:
Michal Wright-Ward is a designer and illustrator with a degree in animation. In her four years experience as a plush artist, her work has been featured and sold in galleries and shops around the U.S. and abroad. She draws her inspiration from children's books and the animal world. She hates the words "you can't". She lives in Los Angeles with a menegerie of pets, monsters, and one very patient husband.


To sign up, click here, come to the shop (Blue Rooster Art Supplies: 1718 N. Vermont Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027) or call (323 661-9471).

See you in class!

Awesome, Possum, Orange Blossom

So, exactly how awesome has my birthday been? Very!
After a "celebrating the last hours of my twenties with me" party Saturday night, Ant and I went on a little adventure. Where to? The Wildlife Learning Center in Sylmar! And we had a private tour. Our guide Jen was super charming, and answered a lot of questions (see, I was trying to be a smart-a** and come up with good ones. That didn't always work). We also got to hang out, hold and pet some of the animals, which was totally nuts. And no, these guys are not trained, don't do tricks or anything like that. Most of them friendly/tolerated us because they were either used to people or are just very social animals. Here are our favorites:

The porcupine family were the most friendly, laid back gang. What do they really need to worry about anyway?


We got to hold a Tawny Owl, they're more feathers than bird, actually! Super light and fluffy.


The sloth was super funny. Every time she yawned she stuck her (long) tongue out, we just didn't catch it on film. And she yawned a lot.


Yes, I can hear you going "awwww!" all the way over here! I got to hold him too, but Ant's photos were better.


One of my all time faves - the Armadillo! These are not scales, BTW, it's hardened skin.


Kitty paws (on a seventy-five-pound Lynx)... And we got to touch them. Carefully.


I can't remember the scientific name of this guy, but it's a super cool dragon like monitor (that should be it's name, though)


Cool, ha? More pictures here.
But the coolness doesn't end here! Oh no. Check out what I unwrapped when we came home!

A pile of presents from my family and friends. Including a Shinzi Katoh teapot set, books galore, Ice-Bat, cute mushroom salt and pepper shakers, bath goodies... My friends and family are the best.

And then...

I got to bite into this red velvet raspberry cakewich from Cakemonkey. Yum!


There's one more thing I got for my birthday that I need to show you, but I need to take a picture first.
Find it on my Flickr stream in the next few days (let's see if you paid attention). Let's see if you can tell what it is. Special prize for the correct guess!

Thirty-Sometings

Yep, that's how my DS welcomed me this morning. And yes, it true. 'Tis my birthday today, and 'tis how long I've been around.
Really, thirty is just another number. Does it change anything? Probably not. Have I changed in the last decade? More than I can even begin to tell you. Am I excited? Heck yeah!
So to celebrate my turning into a thirty-something, I'm going to share with you thirty-some-things about me that you may, or may not have known. Later in the week, I'll tell you about the day's adventures, as they're not quite over yet. : )

1. I've been a vegetarian for ten years now (almost, I will be in august). That's a third of my life. Wow...
2. I can eat the same thing for months, and only that thing, then all of a sudden stop and not touch it for years.
3. I'm the pickiest eater in the world, so if you ever meet my future children - mommy is allergic to broccoli (and green beans, peas, cooked baby carrots.. cauliflower... fennel... celery...)
4. That being said - I am trying, so (dad, don't faint) I've recently been eating kale, chard and sugar snap peas (although I'm on the fence about the peas. They can't be trusted).
5. I do, on the other hand, love cheese. Really really love cheese. Especially brie and goat cheese (or brie made out of goat cheese).
6. I'm lactose intolerant.
7. My right leg is a fraction shorter than my left. So that fancy, nonchalant pose I'm always striking - not really that cool.
8. I've worked as a secretary, waitress, web designer/programmer, illustrator, youth instructor, customer care assistant, teacher's assistant, retail worker and in animation production.
9. I think that secretly I'm a hypochondriac (watching House doesn't help any), but I think I've actually invented a new syndrome: I worry about most aches and pains but I'm so scared people thinking I'm a hypochondriac that I don't even go to the doctor.
10. I've had pets most of my life I really can't see myself ever living without any. And if I wasn't married I'd probably be hoarding them (or opening up a shelter).
11. I love pens, pencils, notepads and sketchbooks. Almost too much.
12. My ears are pierced in five places (two on the right and three on the left). My belly button is pierced too.
13. I have four tattoos. Tomorrow - I'll have five. And no, that's not going to be the last one either.
14. I used to drink 8-9 cups of coffee a day each exam season when I was in high school.
15. I used to sing in the school's choir. I can't play any instruments, though. Too clutsy.
16. I actually have a decent musical ear. I can tell a cover from the original easily, even a good cover.
17. I can't work without background noise, usually TV/movie/podcast. Not music though. Not sure why.
18. I used to go to ballet when I was little, but I'm a horrible dancer. Dancing at clubs doesn't count, and I'm horrible at that too.
19. I am married to a former ballroom dancing champ.
20. I have hand lotion and lip balm in every purse and on every desk and table.
21. I can curse in four languages. Guess which has the juiciest insults.
22. I hate ironing clothes. With a passion.
23. I hate following patterns, I always adjust and adapt them. But as a kid, I colored methodically inside the lines. Not sure if one contradicts the other.
24. My favorite color is red. I'm growing very fond of yellow too.
25. While I love colors an patterns and use them a lot in my work, I wear mostly black and grey and my tattoos aren't colorful either. Patterned clothes? Forget about it.
26. I am terrified of caterpillars and worms. And my back stairs garden can get pretty scary (especially in the lettuce patch).
27. My lucky number is three. This year I've been married for three years, on top of turning thirty years old. This might just be my year.
28. I used to be the tallest girl in my class until I turned twelve. Than I stopped growing and everyone shot past me. I've no problem with my hight now, but at the time I felt kinda cheated.
29. I don't really like musicales. And I really don't dig country or heavy metal.
30. My iPod is full of pop and cheesy 80 music. Most of my gym playlists' names have the word "cheese" in them.

New Stuff (or - Heck Yeah, I'm Showing Off!)

I got some cool new stuff recently. It's funny, I tend to go in purchasing spurts. It's either I get nothing for months, get stingy and pre-occupied and forget what the inside of a shop looks like (except for coffee shops. I practically live in some), or I go buying and buying and buying. I have to say, though - these new acquisitions are long overdue.

The first thing I got is new business cards. I've ran out of of my plush moo cards, and it was time to get some "grown up" business cards. Especially at the stage I'm in with portfolio submissions and job search. So I ran some ideas, did me some research and this is what I came up with.


These are not the real cards (yet). I made some mock-up cards, printing my top two designs into heavy, nice paper, then cut and glued front to back. Yep, they both feature Freddie.

This is the end result. Wadda ya think?

After ordering samples from a number of printers, I went with GreenerPrinter. They're not the cheapest of the printers I checked out, but their product's quality was far superior to the others, including some printers that cost more. The eco friendliness is a nice bonus, too. The cards came out perfect, the customer service was extremely friendly and helpful (I run a waaaaaay old version of Photoshop, I needed help with the file saving settings) and the cards came in right on time. So yeah, me super happy and proud (and looking for any excuse to hand them out). Love!

I also got a new phone. If you can even call it a phone. It's a Droid Eris, and it's more like a computer that occasionally makes calls. Sheesh! I am not a technophobe, I swear, but my mind is kinda blown. I run my electronics down to the ground, so generations and generations pass before I get to replace a (really) dead machine. I should stop being surprised at what a new technology can do, once I (finally) get it.
It's funny though, as an 80s (ok, 1980 if you must know) kid, personal electronics technology has advance so much it's hard not to feel like a dinosaur sometimes. Ant and I were at Best Buy, researching the phones we were going to get (he has the Motorola Droid), and we were using a demo iPad. I won't say we were struggling with the thing, but it took some adjustment. Across the display from us, a kid that couldn't have been more than ten years old was using one like he was born to do it. Ant was musing that it's good we were getting these fancy phones, before we fall too far behind and embarrass anyone who knows us.
I swear, by the time our future kids are going to be ten years old, we'd be communicating with computers with our minds. Better start training.

What I've Been Doing

Hi y'all. Here's another "oh, it's been a while" kinda post. I've been very busy, some good, some bad. You'll forgive me if I don't feel like talking about it, right?
Let's make an effort to talk more often, ey? Promise I will. I have some interesting stuff to tell you, but in the meantime, enjoy this new plush I just finished yesterday. His name is Freddie, and he's the first plush ever that I've actually made for myself. Seriously, I'm stoked.


more photos here.

Stay awesome, and stay tuned!

In The Meantime...

Happy 2010... and a month. I've been MIA again. It seems to be a repeating pattern over here this past year. I've been busy, and soon I'll be able to reveal what was I busy doing (exciting stuff!).
In the meantime, I have a formspring form in which you can ask me anything you want to know, from what my favorite animal is to what I eat for breakfast. Go on, you know you want to!
go ahead and ask!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays, friends! (Yeah, I know I didn't post about Hanukkah, how dare the lunar calendar not match this year? Bah humbug)

May the coming new year bring only great, fun, creative things for you all. I have a lot coming up in 2010 I'm super excited about, so stay tuned. I mean - hey, I might even blog about stuff every once in a while.

Many hugs,
Michal

New(-ish)

So... What have I been up to lately, except for making plush until my fingers fall off?
1. I have a new Facebook page: Yep, I joined the raving masses. I too am on Facebook now. If you want to make friends, look up Michal Wright-Ward (yeah, that's me. In case you never knew that).

2. I have new ink: A new tattoo (or technically, two)! I love it/them.

It's actually about a month and a half old, and I just got it touched up this week. Cool, eh?

3. We have a new car: Unintentionally, actually. We loved the Civic, and were planning on keeping it for many years until it died. Well... We did. Kinda. It got totalled in an accident almost a month ago. We're perfectly fine, thanks for asking. Still shook up a bit. It helps that we just got the official police report and we've been found 0% guilty. Phew! And now we're driving a CR-V around town. Oy...

4. The garden has been re-vamped: I took out the squash plant who's flowers and fruit kept rotting. No natural pesticide/fungicide could beat it, Grr... Now I'm starting some leafy greens, flowers and strawberries. The tulle you see is a new method I'm trying to deter caterpillars and leaf-miners. Yeeck!



5. Not do new, but exciting - look how my little pocket-size-bunny-baby has grown! She's a real bunny now, and a bossy one too. She chases the cats around the house, demands her food at specific times and she won't let me stop scratching her forehead. Really, that's my hand.


There's some more new and exciting stuff cooking up here, I'll keep you posted. Promise.
Ciao!

Easter in August

What's that? Who's there?



Ta-da!
Her name is Maple, (not Mitz Petel, but I have thought about it) and she's the teensiest bunny I've ever seen. She's a bunny, so she won't grow much, but the fact that she's totally pocket size makes her even cuter. Awww!!




Since Max died last year, I've had a hole in my heart looking for something small and cute to fill it. I'd say this little ball of fluff is perfect for the job. We're already smitten.

What does Suki think? Well, as long as she gets her cuddles she might agree to share. Might. If you ask in advance. In print, in three notarized copied.
She drives a hard bargain this one...

It worked!

Yay! My computer and I went through the upgrade and update nicely and (pretty) smoothly. Phew! Macs are lovely, but boy, do they have a way of making your heart stop sometimes, especially if the resident IT guy (poor Ant) is a PC person and the user (that's me) is only somewhat technically informed. But it could have been worse. Like if I actually broke something and not just entertained the guys at Melrose Mac by forgetting to take the front panel off the optical drive's tray...
So I'm back, but all of my interesting stuff is on the backup drive. So yeah, not even a kitty photo to keep you entertained. Sigh, how cruel of me... I promise to rectify the situation as soon as possible.

I'll be right back

Computer and I are going on an adventure. The optical drive perished after good four years of service, and as a reward, i also got it some extra memory and am going to format it so it's all happy and rejuvenated.
So if you see me kinda frazzled, muttering to myself or bursting into tears over the next couple of days - that's why.


On the other hand, I have a Mac, so I'll probably be back in half an hour, all happy and relaxed. I should do one of those "I'm a Mac" commercials, really.
See ya on the other side!

And the "Maybe the Best" Award goes to...

1. Maybe the coolest nail polish color ever: It's OPI "NY Apple Red" (or some such), but it says more tomato to me. It's the pedicure I got at the end of a long spa day Ant got me for my birthday (he's definitely the coolest husband). And yes, of course it's a cup of coffee in the background. Dah.


2. Maybe the cutest plush pattern ever: It's Katy Kitty (with an extra coat pattern!) from Larissa of Mmmcrafts on Etsy. This is one heck of a well written pattern! It's very easy to follow, super cute, and I didn't even alter it much, I know, it's a shocker. Strange, how I drew very carefully inside the lines as a kid, but I refuse to follow any pattern without some sort of alterations as an adult... I'll ask my psychology student friend. But I digress, super cute, please buy it and support this super talented lady (or any of her other patterns). I made this for my best friend for her birthday and she loves it. Now I just need to make one for myself.


3. Maybe the tastiest banana bread in the world: - the low fat banana bread from The Veganomicon. Hands down. Make sure to add a bit of soy/rice/almond milk (for extra gooey-ness) and some walnuts and chocolate chips. I'm making an average of a loaf a week. I kid you not.

4. Maybe the best TV show: The Shield (well... maybe the best after Dexter, depends on what season you're talking about) The Shield. Excellent show, but sheesh... not for the weak of heart or stomach, though. It's like a mix between The Sopranos, Law and Order (do you really need a link?) and Dexter. Funny though how it's all shot in Los Feliz, Silverlake and Sunset Junction, which is all a ten minute radius from us, on foot. Yeah... Got to love LA.

Hey! Whatsherface is back (maybe)

Hey look! I'm still around! Dear, oh dear - have I been gone this long?
Life has been really busy since we got back from Christmas break, and I can show you none of that (yet, at least). Busy, but good busy. My, oh my...
So what have I been doing? Drawing, mostly. And sewing with my beloved Helga, working out, drawing some more, working, sleeping (very little, usually on the couch), growing another year older (last year of my 20s, people!), getting addicted to new TV shows (House and The Shield), drawing even more, playing paintball (yeah, sis, I'm a job'nick, but i can hold my own on the paintball field!), cooking and making new friends (between drawing sessions).
What can I show you? This little cake topper I made for our friends' Amanda and Phil's wedding (photo courtesy of the happy couple and their wedding photographer. That's the day our camera died, seconds before the wedding ceremony started. Of course).


I have more to share, I promise not to vanish on you quite so often. If I misspell stuff more than my usual though, please forgive me, I must have drawn all night again.
Ciao!

Why, hello there!

This post is brought to you by my silly little Bean Sprout camera (no, it's not our new camera, just something for the time being, while we save for the fancy Canon we're liking, and yes - that's teal nail polish. I'm having flashbacks of high-school. Eeeesh...)



We've had a lovely 3-day weekend, and a valentine's day. Ant bought me some potted tulips and a strawberry growing kit, but no fancy dinner due to the second and last installment of this, but that didn't matter much. You know, we're not really fond of shopping holidays. And anyway - since our engagement anniversary was only two weeks ago, what can beat that on the romance scale?
And what did we get for our engagement anniversary? these:


This is mine


and this is Ant's


(You can tell this is a kiddy camera, right?)

Yep, they're real, yep they hurt to get, and yep - we love them a lot. Mine is on the right wrist, Ant's on the left, the same hands we hold when we walk around together (all together now - "awwwwwwwwwwww...").
Want another "awwwwwww" moment? For both of us these are tattoo #2. Both of our first tattoos are dragons, both that we ourselves have designed, and are on the right side of the body, and on two different continents - we got them around the same time.
We were meant to be together, babes.