Summer of Sloth

I’ve made a lot of sloths this year—they’ve been popular in the shop. Somehow each sloth I make becomes more and more elaborate—the latest one, Magenta—even has eyelids.

 

sloth crew

I like figuring out how make the little fiddly details like sloth lips and octopus eyes. That’s when the magic happens. I also have a deep interest in creating textiles—developing visual textures with embroidery, appliqué, quilting, dye and bleach, etc.

Here’s a group shot of everyone in the Etsy shop right now. My beautiful upcycled, eco-conscious fam.

I aim to run a low-to-no waste shop. But that’s another post, for another day.

Why did the moose cross the lake?

…Just for funsies, apparently.

I am proud to say that I have recently increased my moose knowledge by about 98% due to an almost-direct encounter with moose-kind. While visiting Lake Massasecum in New Hampshire last month, I witnessed a moose swimming across the 409-acre lake. Said moose seemed to be criss-crossing randomly, but moving at a rather determined pace. While watching breathlessly through binoculars, I began to question the moose’s motives. And then, being a worrier, I began to worry about the moose.

Luckily, my companion had the wherewithal to read aloud from the internet: Baby moose are born knowing how to swim and continue to be great swimmers as adults. A full-grown moose can swim 6 mph*, and keep that pace for two hours.

*Note that the average human walking pace is 3.1 mph, for perspective.

Swimming Moose at Lake Massasecum, NH

Moose also enjoy swimming because:

• It cools them down on hot summer days.
• They can get away from the black flies, which OMG IKR?!
• There’s food down there—they can close their nostrils, which is a pretty unique skill to have among ungulates.
• Respiration rates slow down while immersed, so they can remain underwater for a while, snacking and stuff.
• It’s good for the weary bones, reducing their chances of osteoporosis and arthritis.
• Mountain lion and wolf cannot sneak up on moose while in lake.

Furry McMurray’s, animal pub

When the zoo closes and all the people go home, the animals clock out from their jobs as species ambassadors and diplomats. Some like to unwind at Furry McMurray’s, an all-animal pub on the north side of the zoo. It is a very chill place.

The sloth arrived 45 minutes ago and has just made her way to the bar. She would like to order a sloe gin fizz please. No rush though—take your time.

And this is what I’ve been working on since my last post, when I wasn’t randomly visiting goat farms, making cheese* or working as an ambassador for my species. I’ve been doodling animals with beverages and animals doing people things for quite a while now, and there’s a bit of a backstory developing. There’s an air hockey table that the otters especially enjoy…

All the random little drawings in my sketchbooks are coalescing into a cohesive Thing. This could be a goal, even… more on that story as it unfolds.

*YASSS, I have acquired the ability to make cheese in my kitchen. #lifechanging
Also more on that—and the goats—later, I’m sure.

Lifestyles of the sewn and stuffed

We had a bit of fun this weekend, styling some environmental shots with a few of the animals from my Etsy shop, creating little vignettes with props and accoutrements from around ze house. Not uncoincidentally, I also got a lot of dusting done in the process.

This photo set includes a couple of animals from my new series featuring hand-dyed canvas faces. I’m pretty excited about this batch, as I’m finally at a point where I’m bringing together everything I’ve been incubating for the past several years.

Hop over to my shop if you have a minute, and check out the new merch. More owls and sloths coming soon, and then I may make another cat.These are such exciting times we’re living in.

Why Cats Drink: Furnando

 

Respect the craft, man. I put a lot of work into being this fluffy.

Imogene: sloth is made of lazy

This is Imogene. Lest she be forgotten—for alas, we hardly knew ya—this post is a loving tribute to the cutest sloth I’ve made so far. Barely 2 months old at the time of her adoption, she’d only been in the Etsy shop for a few weeks. I shipped her out to Chicago yesterday. *a single tear*

Imogene is sewn from upholstery fabric found in the remnant bin at the craft store and a bathrobe bought on clearance and worn once to a costume party. So… ahem. This sloth is made from couch and bathrobe—literally made of lazy.

Imogene’s pattern is of my own design—I’m sort of making up these critters up as I go along, letting the patterns evolve through trial and error. I’m currently working on an otter, because otters are cool. I’ll probably also start another sloth this weekend, as I only have one left in the shop and they’re pretty popular right now.

 

Boys Who Brunch

In my ongoing fascination with animals doing people things, I give you Boys Who Brunch, a cut paper collage featuring all recycled materials: paint chips, security envelope, greeting card envelope, hang tag from a screwdriver set, and a magazine page.

I really should do more like this.

Four Day Weekend, WHUT

I paid off my car three weeks ago, which means that, precisely two weeks ago, every scary warning light on my dashboard started lighting up like a pinball machine. I dropped the car off Friday, and the mechanic pronounced it totally unsafe to drive.

Somehow though, the planets aligned with the Julian calendar and my work schedule to allow me a four day weekend with no car, no obligations, and no Valentine. These being the perfect conditions for a creative storm of making and sewing, I took full advantage of the solitude.

I made a new cat– Snickers, designed and made a new sloth (sloth 2.0)– Moe, made a faux leather pillow for my couch– BlackStar, and started a David Bowie doll with his own little leather jacket made from scraps. Snickers and Moe are available in my etsy shop. The Bowie stuff is MINE.

SketchBook PageDump

A few recent pages from my sketchbook– I’m exploring surface design and patterns more and more. One of my goals for the next year is to use more color in my sketchbook and take more pages to this level of finishedness. But them otters tho…

Major Floofington would like some respect.

 Just because he’s *The Fluffiest* don’t assume he’s not a critical thinker with excellent strategizing skills and organizational abilities. Never underestimate the fluffy ones.