Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.
I am incredibly goal-oriented and deadline-driven. Give me a deadline and while I may be a procrastinator, I will also be wholly motivated to meet it — even if at the last minute. Give me a challenge that needs conquering and I will become obsessed with accomplishing it.
It’s probably these inward tendencies that make me particularly fond of the Eat Local Challenge, a movement that as of October 1st entered its fifth year.
Look at these great bags by Kirschbits that I found in the Try Handmade Inbox! I love seeing products that are both beautiful and reasonably priced. (Please buy the hobo bag before I do…)
Kirschbits was born in Schleswig (a small historic -and viking related- town in the northern most region of Germany) through the skills and creativity developed through my curiosity and desires to make different things, try different materials, and above all, Hand-making everything I shape in my mind.
Kirschbits is me, Vanessa Kirsch (Graphic Designer, Artist) a Venezuelan living in Germany. I make different kinds of handmade stuff (handbags, jewelry, art, design and graphics, etc). I throw in a whole bunch of ideas, concepts and above all, love and professionalism in everything I do.
kjoo bio: I am a graphic Designer with a passion for illustration and crafts. I discovered the better material in the world, the hand made felt, and since that happened I just can’t stop to try different combinations.
Cartoons! I watch tons of cartoons.
That was Mike from Skudfisher‘s response when I asked him what inspired his fun plushies. How can you argue with such enthusiasm?
Everything from Invader Zim to Rocky and Bullwinkle (both of which are responsible for huge chunks of my sense of humour). I also pretty obsessively try to absorb as much cool art as possible from the internet. Flickr has so many amazing independent artists that it kind of blows my mind sometimes. I can spend hours just going from artist or artist on flickr. I have some pretty amazing people on my contact list on there that I really admire.
Mike has been obsessed with drawing silly characters and monsters since he was little. Then 2 years ago he decided to try and make one of his monsters into a toy for his nephew as a birthday gift, lucky kid. It only took that one toy to turn sewing into an obsession and he’s been making plushies ever since. Each monster has it’s own story along with it’s likes and dislikes to ensure monster/child compatibility.
There is something very satisfying about coming up with an idea, cutting out the fabric and sewing everything together, into something you can hold in your hands, that I just don’t get from drawing. I still love drawing though!
Mike’s current favorite is Acorn! He thinks she is just so adorable and huggable and really loves working with faux fur material. And as I was working on this, my 2 1/2 year old son told me he wanted THAT monster – so I guess she’s not just Mike’s favorite!
Currently Skudfisher’s plushies are only sold through Mike’s shop, but after many years of attending craft fairs and enjoying Montreal’s great craft scene he hopes to get involved as a vendor there soon. So if you’re in the Montreal area, keep your eyes peeled.
If you’d like to keep up with Mike’s creations he keeps a blog of all his work at and updates his Flickr very regularly.
The Paper Addict: I love a whole bunch of aristic mediums, so many that it’s hard for me to decide what exactly I want to do! I love oil paints, fabric, paper, and photography. I dabbled a couple times in making candles. I thought about making soap…. I have sanded down furniture, stained or painted. Pretty much anything I looked at and thought I could make I have tried it or wanted to try it!
