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)

New bunnies

There's a whole new bunny population at FINN & IZZY in Victoria!

Trim the trees, it's December!

This is me right now - wrapping packages of misfit toys and sending them far and wide.

Except I don't have a piping hot chocolate on my desk like this Elfcat does. 

That's okay though, I have already seriously overdone it on the eggnog lattés this year!

(B - am I right or am I right??)

Poppets Heading for the Southern Hemisphere

Hello Australia!

I have just shipped a large order of kOoKyNeSs to the beautiful Australian children's store, TINY PEOPLE. They should be arriving in early December.

Tiny People has two locations, one in Byron Bay and one in Kirra Beach. They also have an online store here. Their collection of children's picturebooks is especially impressive!

The Christmas rush is in full swing hear at KP HQ, and Cyber Monday, the online equivalent of Black Friday, is just around the corner.

To mark the occasion, both the bunny scarf I posted about last week and Polar Bear Baffin are on sale in my shop.

Illustration Friday - "Music"

It's been awhile since I've had time to do some drawing and painting. I dug up these half-finished illustrations for the sake of this week's Illustration Friday topic. For anyone out there who has no idea what I.F. is, it's "an online weekly illustration challenge. A topic is posted every Friday and then participants have all week to come up with their own interpretation."

This week's topic is Music. Here is PimCat, balletically putting away her groceries to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. She simply cannot resist the urge to arabesque with a can of peas in her paw.

Same cat, different day, musical nonetheless:

She has her cake and eats it too....

Sadie celebrated her first birthday on November 6th! 

(Don't worry, that's chocolate, not.......the other stuff)

koo & poppet scarves!

I think these would make great stocking stuffers! 

I'll have more designs up soon :) 

Peeking Sneaky, Sneaking Peeky

Here is a glimpse.

These creatures, as well as several others, are on the shelves at FINN & IZZY now.

They will be available in the shop very soon.

"Baffin"

likes: ice cream

dislikes: brain freeze

"Flit"

likes: gardening

dislikes: pests

"Paloma"

likes: lunchtime

dislikes: soap

"Baxter"

likes: racing

dislikes: spies