Friday, November 11, 2011

All Things Corduroy -or- A Little Plush From a Few of My Friends

As I mentioned in my last post, I've had the privilege to curate a corduroy plush show for the Corduroy Appreciation Club's big meeting on 11|11|11.  I am here to share with you this incredible work.  I'd like to say, it has been such a pleasure working with these 11 extraordinarily talented artists, and I'm grateful to have such wonderful friends who do such incredible work.  Work that will be available for sale November 12th at noon at the Plush Team's website.  Buy some.  

Pinwale Pin Whale by Squirrel Momma


Meet the Pinwale Pin Whale.  The Corduroy Appreciation Club’s main public symbol is the whale. The whale is a homonym of wale. Wale, or wales, is the raised portion of Corduroy fabric—its most distinctive trait and what makes Corduroy, Corduroy. Whales also possess attributes the CAC and its membership wish to exude: strength, endurance, intelligence, sociability, and mystery. The Whale should always be facing left.
About the Artist:
Squirrel Momma, who sometimes goes by the secret identity of Amy Williams, is a fiber artist living and working in West Michigan. Trained as a metalsmith, she has now turned to soft sculpture and is fascinated with bringing to life tiny creatures and making sure each and every one gets to tell the world his bizarre and amazing story.  Find more of Squirrel Momma's work at www.squirrelmomma.etsy.com.

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Cordelia by ThEm DoLLz
Meet Cordelia, a pensive lady who has spent hours upon hours reflecting upon a sense of fellowship rooted in the historic and culturally significant fabric known as Corduroy.  
About the Artist:
This piece is created by Jen Musatto of ThEm DoLLz.  Each of her dollz are handmade with love using new or recycled clean fabric, buttons, safety eyes, and new polyfil. Each one is a one-of-a-kind creation, as she does not use a pattern. Cordelia is signed by the artist on her back patch to assure authenticity.  To find more work by ThEm DoLLz visit www.themdollz.etsy.com.
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Wavy Wade by Patti Haskins
Wavy Wade is the Whale of Wales.  Wade thinks those cords are so groovy he styles them everywhere he goes.  The Corduroy Appreciation Club’s main public symbol is the whale. The whale is a homonym of wale. Wale, or wales, is the raised portion of Corduroy fabric—its most distinctive trait and what makes Corduroy, Corduroy. Whales also possess attributes the CAC and its membership wish to exude: strength, endurance, intelligence, sociability, and mystery. The Whale should always be facing left.

About the Artist:
Patti Haskins is a self-taught artist and her work reflects her love of animals and her goofy sense of humor. Whether crocheted, sewn, painted, or computer generated, chances are the subject matter she portrays will be animal. Most likely, cat or dog; but fish, bunnies, squirrels and ferrets and now a whale have been known to leap out of her studio.  See more at pattihaskins.com.

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"Waling" Banshee
"Waling" Banshee

According to Irish folklore, banshees are fairy women (or ghosts of women who died, commonly in childbirth) who wail when death is nigh. Their wails are most often heard at night near woods.

About the Artist:
Jessica Puckett, the creature creator behind Plushroom Soup, sees no reason why plush can't be a little strange, like most of us. And even though she wears corduroy at least twice per week, this is the first time she's dressed a plushie in wale.  It will not be the last.  Find more of her work at www.plushroomsoup.etsy.com.

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Dapper Whale by Chris Creatures
Dapper Whale comes with a corduroy driver cap and removable corduroy vest, making him in full compliance with the "two item rule," the Corduroy Club mandate that all members where a minimum of two items of corduroy to gain admittance to the meeting.  

About the Artist:
Chris Hwang a plush artist living in the DC Metro area.  ChrisCreatures are inspired by simplicity, humor, and hip hop.  Find more here: www.chriscreatures.etsy.com.

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Honey Badger Doesn't Give a Sh*t by Fuz Frenzy
This faux taxidermy sculpture is paying tribute to several honorable entities at once.  First, the crochet method used creates ridges, thus forming the wonder that from this day forward shall be known as CORDUROY CROCHET!  

As if that weren't enough, the subject matter the artist has chosen is that of the fearsome honey badger, the same one we all know and love for not giving one sh*t, depicted here in an eternal struggle with a cobra.  The honey badger is a favored mascot among the members of the Plush Team, primarily because of the infamous youtube video by Randall.

About the Artist:
Jennifer Clayton is the mastermind behind fuzfrenzy.  See what happens when you go to art school and end up crocheting monsters and whatnot.  www.fuzfrenzy.etsy.com

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Hipster Wholphin by Christina Ward Creatures
Introducing Hipster Wholphin.  One side smile, other side smirk, this marine mammal is wearing a scarf made of vintage Wisconsin flannels and corduroy.   He is an expert in all things indie, totally vegan, and knows way more about Wes Anderson than you do.   This hybrid combines the best qualities of the dolphin and the whale, elevating his cool factor to unfathomable heights.  His parents make an unlikely couple, having met at a gallery opening of moronic art while sipping krill-washed bourbons.  

About the artist:
Christina Ward is a stoic dilettante making ridiculous animals out of fur, fleece and yes, corduroy. She lived in the LES of NYC in the 1980's but now lives in Milwaukee; making her an ur-hipster. 


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Woody Allen, Corduroy Enthusiast by Plush Goodness
A famous lifelong Corduroy wearer and unconscious ambassador for the "everyman's fabric", you may also know of Woody Allen for his writing, directing, and sometimes acting in almost 70 feature films. Resplendent in his corduroy blazer and pinwale corduroy pants, Mr. Allen is fully compliant with the CAC's rule to wear 2 pieces of corduroy minimum.  

About the artist:
Plush Goodness (aka Leeanna Butcher) is a freelance textile artist, fabric collector, and plush-aholic living and working in Northern California. She received her degree in Character Animation, and now uses that training to make her drawings come to life in plush form. When not busily sewing new creations, she spends her time with her scruffy dog and equally scruffy artist husband.  Experience more of her work at www.plushgoodness.etsy.com.

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The Squid and the Wale by Plushinator
Amid the pod of whales we find a shining star, or rather, squid.  As everyone knows, the whale is the mascot of the Corduroy Appreciation Club, but the cephalapod is equally worthy of your adoration, sporting his baby wale in a most glorious combination of plum and pink.  Sometimes it really is preferable to stand out from the crowd, isn't it?

About the artist:
Lana Crooks loves the antique, the creepy, the cute and the mysterious. She began her artistic life as an illustrator, but became a sculptor of fabrics and found objects. She constructs all kinds of creatures (commonly those from the deepest oceans, but even the ones from under your bed).  Explore more of her work at www.plushinator.etsy.com

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Grow a Pair by Scrumptious Delight
title: "Grow a pair"
description: corduroy capsule vending machine
dimensions:20" x 10" x 10"
materials: corduroy (of course!), vinyl, capsule vending balls, felt.
the idea:  This handmade vending machine will happily dispense to you for the incredible price of .25 a capsule containing one pair of miniature corduroy flare pants.  To "grow a pair" just add water and -voila- slip into your full-sized pants.  

Becky Gould is the artist behind  Scrumptious Delight.  She is originally from Bournemouth in the UK but has roved the world, from Portugal, Spain, France and has now settled in Vancouver.  Becky has created plush since she was a child, but felt her passion for sewing really ignite after her son was born ten years ago.  Since then she has exhibited her work internationally and enjoyed recognition in various media outlets, including the cover of Stuffed magazine.  Visit her at www.scrumptiousdelight.etsy.com.

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11|11|11 by Raggy Rat
the work

a triptych, actually
comprising of - 
'the day'
'the month'
'the year'

and being three sets of paired number one plushies, all in cord.


This plush piece's title is a poem honoring the grandest of Corduroy Appreciation Club dates, 11|11|11.  Meetings of the CAC occur only on dates which resemble Corduroy, which includes 1|11 and 11|1.  Also worthy of excitement are the times 1:11 and 11:11.  I think you get the gyst.  

About the Artist:  
The Raggy Rat is a place where you will find all kinds of goings on, although not all of them are based around rats and mice!


Cat Owens enjoys working in many ways, but always come back to fabric and stitches. These days she even sticks fabric on her canvases! She enjoys private and community commissions as well as picking an idea and seeing where it takes her, and creates anything from costumes and puppets, to miniature toys.  www.raggyrat.etsy.com











Thursday, November 3, 2011

What on earth have I been up to?

I've been oddly quiet for far too long, I know.  It's been a strange year that way.  Lots of covert operations going on over here, but I'm here to share some of it with you.

First off, there's a really nifty facebook app I'd like you to check out.  I can't take credit for any of the handmade plush featured in it, but let's just say I have extremely intimate knowledge of every piece in there.  One of them was replicated 100 times for promotional  purposes.  I imagine that whoever had that project must have been very busy indeed!  But, as I said, legally the artist responsible for this work cannot publicly take credit for it.  Whoever she may be.

Feel Better Friend!  An app full of handmade plush.  By someone really awesome.
What I'm pretty sure I CAN take credit for is that adorable baby girl in that photo.  I totally made her.  Isn't she gorgeous?  Okay, quit staring and go play with the app.

Next up, there's a very special date approaching.  11|11|11 is NEXT WEEK, and I've been making preparations for a few months to celebrate this grandest of dates in high style with the Corduroy Appreciation Club, a social club based in New York City that celebrates this every-man's fabric and its related items.  They hold spectacular meetings on dates that resemble corduroy, and this upcoming date of 11|11|11 is the date that most closely resembles corduroy of ALL TIME!

Not one to miss out on grand events, I will be packing the family into the minivan and trekking out to New York to attend this meeting, which is reported to be the last of its kind.  I have this on authority, as my brother and his betrothed help run the organization.  A multitude of wondrous events are planned, some of which are still being kept under wraps, but suffice it to say we have a very personal reason to attend this meeting that celebrates all things corduroy.  I wouldn't miss it for the world.  Once it's over I will regale you, not to worry!  Many, many pictures with hilarious descriptions will rain down upon you, dear reader.
The whale is the mascot of the CAC, and should always be facing left.  
 But I've had another role to play as well, that of Plush CORDinator (get it?  get it?).  I'm cultivating a small exhibit of 11 plush pieces by 11 plush artists from my beloved Plush Team.  These soft sculptures are incredible to behold, and will be displayed one night only at the CAC meeting held at the Desmond Tutu Center on 11|11|11.  Alas, the event is sold out, so if you don't have your ticket you're out of luck to see the exhibit in person.  Not to worry!  These pieces will be available for purchase on Saturday, November 12th beginning at noon at the Plush Team's etsy shop, so that you may add one of these amazing creations to your private corduroy collection.

Look at my fancy membership card!  Backed in CORDUROY!!!  Jealous?

To attend a CAC meeting you must be wearing a minimum of two items of corduroy, which for this most auspicious date has been raised to THREE items.  I've been making dresses, ties, helping with spats, scouring vintage shops, and I think we're good to go.  Jason even has a pair of cordarounds, whose horizontal wale greatly diminishes crotch friction.  Fancy!

So, while I put all the final details on our preparations, check out Plush Team's blog, where I've been celebrating 11 days of corduroy, revealing a different plush piece from the show each day.  Also peruse the CAC's blog, as they have their own 11 days of corduroy to help you get into the spirit.

A sneak peek at a special project I made for the CAC.

ALL HAIL THE WALE!!!