Consider Yourself Plushed

It's this time of year again. It's Plush You! time! I've been lucky to be invited to participate in this show for the past four years, and each year I try and push myself to make things I've never made before. This year's challenge? Plush wearing clothes!
After admiring the work of the amazing Felt Mistress, and successfully making plush that can stand on their own, it was the only obvious next step up the evolutionary ladder to start constructing garments for my plush. Granted, those couldn't really be worn by humans, but they work just fine on display.

And so, without farther a due -

Heathcliff

Professor Hobart

and Hannah

More photos here.

Plush You! opens October 14th, 5-9PM at Schmancy in Seattle, WA. If you're around, you should drop by to check it out. Hooray!

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!

More from Mystic Forest (I Know You've Been Missing Me Too)

A lot is going on around here these days (when does it not, honestly...), so here's today's blurb - 

The Mystic Forest Dwellers shop is getting ready for an update!
This Thursday, 4/28 at 12PM PST, the shop will be stocked with plush galore, button packs and hopefully, a surprise too!


Ready? Set? Shop!

First Plush (and Post) of 2011

Happy new year + a month! It's been industriously quiet here since we came back from our South African holiday adventure (photos and tales of wonders soon). So much to do, and so little time, eh?

I've been doing a lot of drawing and some sewing - and here's the end result of some of it - 

This is Gus my first complete plush for the year, made for a little gallery show at work. If he looks familiar it's because he was originally meant to go to Chicago with these guys. 

More photos here.

Happy February!

New from the Studio

My studio has really been seeing a lot of action these past few months. I've done four gallery shows this year, besides developing, making and selling Mystic Forest Dwellers. Phew! You should see the floor of the place...
The latest work - for Oh No! Doom Gallery's group show Soft Serve, this weekend (12/11/2010) in Chicago:

Robin

and Trina 

More photos here. What's really exciting for me about these two, is that they are my first pieces that stand on their own! I'm really really happy about how they came out. They will be available for sale through the gallery's art store after the opening, I believe.

Have a super weekend!

New Plush! Well, Plush-Y Stuff Anyway

I think I mentioned this before, but this has certainly been the year of Plush for me. One of the coolest things that happened this year, is getting invited to participate in the annual Luv-able & Hug-able show in Gallery Hanahou. Super flattered! This show always amazes me.

This year, the show's theme is Luv-able & Hug-able & Wear-able. Yep, clothes and accessories related plush. What's a girl to do? Make monster-y garb! Introducing:

Mila Hat, Scarf and Pin

and Milo Hat, Scarf and Pin

More photos here.

The show opens December 9th, in NY, NY.  More details here.
Go get yourself a furry monster scarf. It's going to be a cold winter.
Ciao!
Michal

3... 2... 1... Launch!

It seems like only yesterday I stated conceptualizing it, and today - the Mystic Forest Dwellers web shop is officially open! Wow... Where did the time go?

I positively have plush butterflies in my stomach. Eeeep! After months of thinking and trying things out, and ordering, and thinking some more..., it feels so so good to be finally out there - on the web, and finally fully in business.
It feels a lot like a culmination of lots of previous experiences and try-out for me. Like when I was making papier mache creatures for a local shop a decade or so ago, my etsy shop, some experimentation with packaging and branding I did with some portfolios in the past, all of my plush making career so far... It feels to some degree like I was meant to get here. And while I'm super nervous about being a "business owner" (gulp), there's something very exciting about it. Or like a fellow just-starting-a-new-venture lady told me a few weeks ago: if it's not bold and risky and out of your comfort zone - it's not really worth doing. So true.

So pop by to the shop, and catch up on the adventure on the Mystic Forest Dwellers blog, or the Facebook fan page. Let's make this bold, risky, out of my comfort zone and fun - sucess.

They Too Came from Planet Plush

If you're in Seattle this weekend, you should definitely check out the annual Plush You show over at Schmancy. There's going to be some seriously gorgeous plush and lots of fun activities. Go-go-go!

My contribution this time is part #2 of my series They Came from Outer Space that I started at Plush You LA a month or so ago. Why quit when you're having fun?

Watch out - some aliens are coming your way!


 The Brain

Sergeant Moffat

I'm not in love with the photos... It's finally fall here in LA and it's been raining for three days straight (remember the temperatures here last week? So weird...), so I used my new portable light box that Ant got me (yes, I know he's the best). If you have any tips and tricks for using those to take awesome photos, especially with a white background - I'm all ears.
Stay warm!

(Almost) Open for Business

Things are heating up very quickly around here! Next friday the annual Plush You show opens in Seattle (look for some more of my They Came from Outer Space plush!) and my new venture, Mystic Forest Dwellers will officially go public! Not yet sure if I'm more excited or nervous...


The shop opens October 14th, but before that - I'm taking pre-orders! Interested? Here's how it goes:

1. You read the posts on this blog or on our Facebook page and decided that your life will not be complete without one of them Dwellers.
2. You go to the shop (Yep! That's where it lives, at least for now) and check out the price of the Dweller you'd like to bring home.
3. You write an enthusiastic email to infoATmysticforestdwellersDOTcom and let me know which Dweller you'd like, your address and what email address your paypal account is connected to (sorry, only paypal at the moment. Once the shop opens, you'll be able to pay with credit card/virtual check too)
4. I'll send you an invoice within 48 hours. Once you pay, your order will be secured!
5. Your very own Dweller will be sent to you after the shop opens on October 14th.
6. You're so happy your mind might melt. You live happily ever after, amen.

How does it sound?
This email address is temporary, so if you have any question please use the shop's contact page. And to the first five buyers - a special surprise!

I hope to see you there!

Introducing... Mystic Forest Dwellers!

This year has definitely been The Year of the Plush for me. I'm participating in three major plush shows, I taught a class about making plush, and have been working on one major secret plush project that is finally ready to be revealed. It had its ups and downs, debates, setbacks, collaborations and contemplations - until it took its final form and shape. I am so very excited to introduce to you my new project - Mystic Forest Dwellers.

Mystic Forest Dwellers is a line of plush, handmade in small batches, of a unique set of characters designed by me. They are are a bit animal, a bit magical and always full of personality. The line is made of five regular forest habitants and future limited edition friends that will come for short time visit. There are additional products planned for this line, so stay tuned.

You can follow the adventure of the dwellers on their blog, facebook page or twitter (yes, they have internet access and they are not afraid to use it). And most importantly...

Mystic Forest Dwellers will officially begin selling plush goodness on Thursday October 14th. This week, we will reveal a new design every day up to the beginning of the pre-sale, which will be Thursday September 30th. Crack your piggy banks and make room on your shelves kiddos because we are in business!

The dwellers and I are so excited, we can't wait to meet you!

They Came from Planet Plush

Wow, the Plush You LA opening was incredible! If you saw me there and we never got to talk - sorry, I was running around like a plush headless chicken a bit, he he. The show is up until 9/19, and you can also purchase available plush online through Munky King right here.

These are my contribution for the show - my new mini-series They Came from Outer Space:

The Little Pilot

The Kuzbanian Marsh Dog

Admiral Ka-Blast

More photos here.
Part two will be in Plush You! Seattle, in october. Extra credit for figuring out the geek reference in these dudes.
Exciting updates coming this week, stay tuned!

Plush You LA is here!

Plush You, if you've never heard about it, is one of the bigger annual plush shows. Back in 2007, I first participated in one, and I have to say - I don't know where I'd be plush-wise without it.
It takes place in Seattle once a year (usually in October), but this year, we're also having a show here in LA, at Munky King. So excited! If you live in the area, please do come in. It'll be awesome! I'll be there, as well as Kristen Rask of Schmancy, and a slew of other talented plush peeps.

PLUSH YOU
8.26.10 – 9.19.10
Opening Reception: Thurs, August 26th 7-10pm

Plush or Mush!
Yours truly,
Michal

Update!

Well, AN update, there's more to come. Today - Plush Class session 2 with me at Blue Rooster in Los Angeles has been moved and will now take place on 8/28 - 9/18, saturdays 11-2. Sign up here.
And now - back to the sewing machine. Plush You! LA is in two weeks time. Eeek!
See you soon for more exciting updates.
Ciao!
Michal

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!

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!

They're here!

Hooray!
My Plush exclusive is available for sale here. Get them while they're still available!

Plush, Plush and More Plush!

My latest plush endeavor:



Welcome to the world my new-sewns - the twenty five girls of my Schmancy Exclusive series "Not Like Everybody Else". There are eight red, yellow and pink girls (all names starting with 'M') - and one little blue Elizabeth.





They'll be available from Schmancy in store and here online on Wednesday, Dec. 2^nd. Hooray!

Plush You!

Tonight at Schmancy, Plush You show opening! We couldn't make it this year, but if it's going to be anything like last year, it'll be awesome.
I realize I never got to show you what I sent in this year (it's been nuts around here, I'll tell you some other time), so here they are:

Rose

Violet

and Lilly


More pretty pictures here. Progress pictures here.