Barn Owl

Well, here she is... Isn't she amazing?!


If you guessed barn owl, pin a rose on your nose! She was so fun to design and create. My favorite feature is her flat face. (Yes, that is intentional!) Google "barn owl" and scroll through the images if you don't believe me. :) Although her opposable claws are neat, too. I made them bendy so she can "sit" on your finger, or a branch, or a pencil, or whatever. It's 12:22am and dark outside, otherwise I'd get you a nice owl-on-branch shot. Maybe next time.

Speaking of next time... Last up in my set of three owlies is going to be a Snowy Owl. I have not yet picked out the yarn for his main body. I just love working with the merino I used for the barn owl, however it is ivory, which is perfectly fitting for a barn owl, but not quite snow-white enough for a snowy owl. Especially a juvenile.

I do love the slightly fuzzy effect the merino gives, though... I don't really have anything fitting in my existing stash... hmm. I am smelling a yarn run in my near future! (Yes, yarn smells... at least, I can smell it... about a mile away!) Don't tell E. ;)

Etsy Holiday Boot Camp Pledge

I, amigurumiums, pledge to participate in the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp to the best of my abilities. I vow to check in every week, do my homework and support my fellow Holiday Boot Campers. I will read the weekly newsletters and blog posts, check in on the weekly forum thread, read the weekly blog post, check off the checklists and salute the mascot. I promise to share what I've learned with those who need it, support my fellow Etsy indiepreneurs and, most of all, have a positive and persistent attitude. I understand that together we can spread the word about our handmade and vintage goods, making this holiday season a more unique and meaningful one to gift givers and give-ees everywhere!

... What am I getting myself into?

The Great Horned Owl

Owls are everywhere lately. I mean, everywhere! It's mostly adults obsessing over them, and although my toys are made for children, we are all children at heart. Plus they are seriously hot this season.

No, hot isn't the right word. Pervasive. Ubiquitous.

So naturally I thought I'd try my hand at creating an owl toy, and since I obsess over crochet, I have designed not one, but three (!) owlie amis. After a little research I couldn't pick just one type (thank you Google images...). They are all so majestic.


My Great Horned Owl was the first one I completed from design to finishing touch. At about three inches tall, the only thing "great" about this owlie is his uber cuteness (if I do say so myself...).

My favorite part is his "horns" which in fact are not horns at all. They look like giant eyebrows, and it was important to make sure to position them just so. If I wasn't careful, he could have ended up looking quite angry. And that's just not becoming of an ami. :)

I hope to have my next owlie up by the end of the weekend. I am looking at her unfinished face right now. What kind of owl is she? Bet you can't guess!

Made in Chico

My handmade amigurumi toys are now featured at Made in Chico. (There they are on the front page! Big Sheepums, Lionums, Little Sheepums...) This is a very good thing. This is where little acorns like me become great oaks! Now I have exposure in a very classy traditional brick and mortar amongst the best and brightest products and entrepreneurs in Butte County. Just in time for the big holiday gift giving push. Every time I think about it, I get more and more excited. And proud. :D

Moving beyond my Etsy shop and individually commissioned products means I get to dig out another of my favorite crafts that has taken a back seat to crochet these days: papercrafting! E and I have been designing, cutting, drawing, stamping, and chalking out some super cute tags. Last night E's mom came over so I could borrow some Cricut cartridges (she *only* has 25... zillion...!) as well as pick her expert brain for ideas and tips. I am trying to keep them simple yet elegant, cute yet professional, subtle yet unique, and most importantly, keeping them to less than five steps each. So here's what we came up with:



Not the best pic. Also not complete, but you get the idea. You will hopefully be seeing a lot more of these around town, attached to my toys. ^_^