Custom Can Be Frustratingly Fun

Yes, getting custom requests can be frustrating but in the end they can be pretty fun too. I look at it this way, it keeps the rust off of the brain gears. I have schooling in clothing design, creating and many forms of art & craft but not once did I take any doll making courses. Sure I've read a lot of books and look up info on the net if I need to but there is a lot to be said for hands on learning. That said, it takes me forever to come up with a new pattern since I have to think in 3D and my mind does not work in the usual ways, so I am told. There are no creature-creating-forms, like a lovely convenient dressform, I could work off of unfortunately. It all has to come out of my discombobulated brain.

Why do I bring this all up? Well, I have a repeat customer that I absolutely love and dread requests from. This customer loves to only give me the absolute vaguest of descriptions such as "a bunny" and "a panda". But in being so vague I can make them however I see fit. I have an idea of this customers sense of humor, likes & dislikes so off I go right? One hang up, I have to do them from absolute scratch! So I pour over my books and think and think and stab at the paper and think some more. Finally, eventually I get it just right. Have I mentioned this customer is extremely patient and I'm a perfectionist? Hah, yes we're a good customer/creator match.

So without much more rambling here are my latest creations:

Big Ninja Bunny Foo & Spawn of Ling

Big Ninja Bunny Foo carries a grey felt throwing star & a felt carrot that doubles as a throwing knife (not pictured, sorry). Foo is made of squishy soft fleece with pose-able ears, felt nose & hand embroidered face.

Spawn of Ling has a hand stitched stick of tan & green felt bamboo. It can even be twisted to look like that novelty bamboo. Spawn of Ling is made of the same squishy soft fleece, has hand embroidered mouth, hand stitched felt eye patches and nose.

Big Ninja Bunny Foo also brought along a friend who now chases after my Scrap Bats. Meet Mini Ninja Bunny Foo:

As you can see he is still learning the ninja-ing thing and the Bats are still getting the better of him. He's also available for adoption!

So in the end, you see, it's all definitely worth it!