Featured Artist: MINU

Based in New Zealand, Minu is an illustrator and a toy maker. I am in love with the little stuffed creatures (Bous) and how their ears seem to blow in the wind.

::www.minu.co.nz::

::www.minu.etsy.com::

Koo & Poppet HQ: from a caterpillar to a butterfly! (eventually)

Our basement is currently a construction zone. For the sake of my sanity, last night I at least organized the piles of all the things that have been recently ousted from my office during the reno. All pens, and I mean ALL pens, are in one place. You have no idea how satisfying that knowledge is for me!

Yes, Scott is selflessly slaving away his weekends to give me a brand new sparkly workspace for Koo & Poppet to conduct business and create. I'm contemplating an entire chalkboard wall, which would serve not only as one bigmassivehuge list-making place, but also as the back-drop for photos of new Koos (on little white shelves). Anyway, while I'm sure no one really cares about the office upgrade, I do want to share my first official decor purchase (from derder), and yes, I know these are EVERYWHERE:

For times when I don't notice for 5 minutes that the bobbin thread has run out; for times when I sew over a pin and break a needle; for times when Coco The Whippet eats a Koo.

Featured Artist: Naoko Stoop

I thought I'd add a new segment to the blog this year. Every so often I'll feature artists whom I've stumbled upon via the web. I've marked so many as favourites on Etsy to be revisited later, and this is a perfect way to ensure I do so.

The first featured artist is Naoko Stoop who was born in Tokyo but illustrates from her home in Brooklyn, New York. She writes on her website: "My artwork comes from the everyday life in my neighborhood....Most of the materials I use are from the neighborhood...Since I was little, I was fascinated with creating things on used paper....'brown paper bag collection' came from this fascination. I use used and folded brown paper bags as my canvas....Drawing living things is central to my exploration of life. Combining this with painting, collage and printmaking, I am trying to create images that project the beauty in life."

I think her work can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and several of the pieces would complement each other in triptych form. I imagine them looking beautiful in a gender-neutral woodland nursery....but then, I'm biased!

I've always believed that working with collage requires a kind of deliberate sentiment, if that makes any sense, though I'm not sure it does. Nonetheless, there is a certain something in the quality of her work that convinces me she must be a sincere and gentle person, and who doesn't love one of those?

Visit her website here to see more

A westcoaster flies east for the winter

Here are a few photos from our holiday in (on?) Prince Edward Island:

Can't you just hear the quiet?

One of my very first blog posts was about this distinctive place. You can read it here, if you wish.

Lost Generation

This video has been around for awhile now, so you may have already stumbled upon it a dozen times, but regardless, it's a good one....worth the minute and forty-four seconds of your time!

New friends, new beginnings

Ingrid, Pilar, Sienna and Finnley are the new year's first additions to Klub Koo!

Some are more excited about it than others :-)

So I guess this will be my Ringing In The New Year post, or at least, as close as I will come to one. Let's see.....I don't think I'll re-hash all the happenings of 2009, nor will I set unattainable goals for 2010 (let's face it - I might just have to learn to live with my "kangaroo pouch"). Rather, I will say this:

In 2010,

I hope to be more:

patient with all people and things; my family, my dog, my computer, bad drivers.

organized. My new home office will include the following designated spaces: CUTTING, SEWING, SHIPPING, ADMINISTRATION, STORAGE. Let it be known that I WILL NOT AGAIN LOOSE TRACK OF EVEN ONE SEWING NEEDLE

handy around the house. I usually leave all the manual labour to my husband, but there is no reason why I can't do some jobs myself. Yesterday I removed some old metal brackets from the wall with a screwdriver and changed a lightbulb. Don't laugh - I know there are others out there like me.

I hope to be less:

wasteful. I'm pretty good as it is, but there is always a way to use less.

tardy. I have had problems with punctuality since grade two, and it's something I really wish to change. Also, I always have too many bags with me. You'd think I could put everything I need in one big bag, but instead I wind up walking from the car to the house with a purse, a diaper bag, a shopping bag, and a bag filled with miscellany. Inevitably, at least one pinky finger has nearly been amputated by the time I reach the front door.

of a consumer. Of this, I am truly guilty. I love to shop, and sometimes I shop impulsively. This year, I will only buy what I need (which rules out a lot of the things I love, like shoes).

I hope to do more:

writing. I used to write a lot. Since Sadie was born I've kept a journal of letters to her, but my entries are infrequent. So are the occasions when I actually sit down at my computer and really write something here on this blog.

painting. I used to paint a lot. I used to become frustrated when I was painting if something wasn't working out the way I wanted it to. try a little of that patience.

running. I have a love-hate relationship with running. I dread it like the plague, but I feel so good afterwards. And a little more time to myself might be kind of nice.

I hope to do less:

worrying, especially about things that are out of my control.

procrastinating. Seriously, a girl can only organize her closet so many times.

snoozing, as in snooze button. I want to train myself to become a morning person, FINALLY. I love mornings! I would love to wake up early, go for a run without procrastinating, resist the urge to consume a latte from the coffee shop (but if I did I would be sure to use my own mug and not a paper one), arrive home at the time I said I would be home, fix a leaky tap before sitting down to paint something that goes terribly wrong but I wouldn't get mad about it. And then I would write about it all on this blog without worrying about my grammar.

Oh, and there are lots of other things I hope to be and do in 2010. For updates on the progress, you know where to find me ;)

What do you hope to do more or less of this year? What will you be? What won't you be?

Opinions please, my friends

Welcome back everyone!

I feel as if there is so much to write about this month. Resolution, inspiration, renovation, tales of travel, tales of excessive holiday chocolate consumption.....

I mean to get to all of it, but for tonight I will simply put it to a vote:

I am working on the 2010 Koo & Poppet kollection, and I would like to know: of the five japanese fabrics featured below (all from karaku's etsy shop) which THREE would you like to see adorning the tummies of three friendly misfit creatures?

Polka dots

Strawberries

Trees

Vines

Paris

I'm very grateful for your input, thanks!

I'm off

In four short hours I'm catching a flight from the west coast of Canada to the east.

We're spending Christmas in Prince Edward Island with Scott's family. I'm very excited to get there and slow down the pace a little bit.

This will likely be my last post of 2009, so, on this winter solstice (close enough), I just wanted to thank you all so much for your support during Koo & Poppet's first year. Thank you to those of you who've introduced yourselves on this blog or by any other means. Thank you for stopping by, thank you for reading.

I'm signing off with an assortment of images that remind me of the kind of Christmas I hope to have.

original photo sources found here (thanks to Kristin for introducing me to weheartit!)

Peace and happiness in TwentyTen.

Tis the season for giving away!

The irresistible City of Dionne blog is hosting a Koo & Poppet giveaway this week!

You can enter for a chance to win Avril the bunny.

Likes: making stuff

Dislikes: setbacks

Avril is very creative. She was just born that way.

Good luck to those who enter!

::Koo & Poppet giveaway::

Thanks Dionne!

Vancouver periphery

Last weekend Scott and I sailed the Georgia Strait and spent a quick 24 hours in Vancouver.

It's been two and a half years since we've called this city home.

We had a festive drink with friends R&D at Bacchus, and drove through Stanley Park on a cold and sunny Sunday morning.

And then rode the ferry home, to the island.

See? West coast winters aren't all rain!

Begging your pardon....

Lads and lasses, meet Pekoe.

She is a distant cousin of Mignon, though they can't seem to agree on anything.

Croissants vs. crumpets, you know, the usual bickering between the French and British.

Happy first birthday Sienna!!

Illustration Friday: "Hatch"

Not my usual style, but I had to participate considering this week's topic was suggested by moi!

::Illustration Friday::

Of the ape variety

What do you think?

This monkey was a custom order but I'm considering adding him to the 2010 collection.

He's a little bit silly and a little bit charming. And all bits bananas.

New product - bunny nursery pillows!

These pillows will be listed in the shop soon, along with a bunch of other misfits who are in need of good homes.

p.s. If you would like to read more about Koo & Poppet, check out this article published in a local newspaper.

Little Carter from Calgary

Here is the latest wee inductee to Klub Koo:
I never realized that any Koo & Poppet product had the potential to be substantially larger than the child who enjoys it!

I made this pillow along with an "A" pillow for big brother Aiden last September. One of the cutest and funniest things I have ever read was a message sent to me from my friend Charlotte, who purchased these pillows for her friend's children:

"I forgot to mention in my earlier message that Aiden loves the card you sent just as much as the pillows (the one with the instructions of what pillowforms to buy and how to wash them). He gets his parents to read it to him every night before he goes to bed."

Coming soon, new Koo & Poppet bedtime stories: "Once upon a time, there was a pillow who loved to be spot-cleaned and hand-washed when necessary....."

(Aiden, you're awesome)