CUSTOM & NEW MINDSET

This guy makes me smile :D <- see? I love dinos and regret selling my first one to this day. But it gives me a really good feeling to know that, even though my original design was made last year, I can still recreate him and he still has that playful spark in his eye.

This T-Rex was created out of a thrift store blanket I purchased at my favorite shop right before we moved. So I find it fitting that my favorite shop provided the material for my new favorite plush... I know, I know, I say this every time I post a new plush. Each one is just as cute as the next but there's something about a guy with big feet that drives this girl crazy ;)



New Tags

This week has been interesting to say the least. Stress in the real world and online has made me take a step back and really think about where my life is going. So through lessons learned this week I have decided that I need to change my mindset. I want to start everyday as if it were a jumping off point.

I'm sure you've noticed that since we've moved my plush creation has gone down in numbers. The stress and excitement of the move really took a toll on me (more so than I thought it would) But I think I'm finally beginning to relax and get back to what I enjoy = creating things. So as I thought about the joy I find in my work, I thought about the joy that others find in my plush. That thought process led to my packaging. When someone receives my plush, what is their first thought? I want to continue to discover the fun of reusing items and I want to portray that in my packaging too. So you will hear it here first!

New packaging:

• The continue reuse of boxes.


• Plush will now come wrapped in 100% recycled tissue paper or 100% recycled brown paper (from the reuse of paper shopping bags)


• Packages will be tied with twine (this has many uses after the package is opened)


• Hanging tags on plush AND packages will be printed on Eco Highlights paper (FSC certified fiber from well managed forests)


• Thank you cards - Envelopes made with 100% recycled fiber - Cards made with 35% recycled fiber - Printed with nontoxic soy-based ink.


• And my plush will continue to be created with scrap fabric, thrift store clothing, and donated materials, plus stuffed with recycled shopping bags.

My goal with my plush is not to push RECYCLE in your face, my goal is to create works of art and prove that recycling can be cute.


-- So what's your goal? How can you take a step back from whatever bad has happened in the past week and turn it into something that you can adapt to and use to your advantage?

LEFTZ FANS

LEFTZ fans are popping up all around the world! Become a fan by adopting an Eco friendly plushie from My Shop then post your fan photo on the
LEFTZ Facebook Fan page!

ETSY FEATURES

Act your shoe size, not your age!

Created by "Flowerleaf" Featuring Nessie the Water Monster




Go Green... With Red

Created by "MyLifeBelongsToHim" Featuring Milkshake the Snake




It's Easy Being Green

Created by "Chveya" Featuring Tribal LEFTZ




Sit Monster Sit!

Created by "5orangepotatoes" Featuring Bella the Monster





Where the Wild Things Are

Created by "jaffajaf" Featuring Nessie the Water Monster

NEW DESIGN!

Nessie the Plush Water Monster

Ingredients:
Fleece scraps
Repurposed fleece jackets
Vintage buttons
Recycled plastic shopping bags

Size:
She stands a little over 8 1/2" tall and when on your desk her body reaches 15" long.

LIVING ROOM REDO PART 1

This is part 1 of my living room redo. After moving into our new house, we (as in I) decided that our living room needed a facelift. After some insane shopping and feeling like my head might exploded, I've found all the pieces to make it come together. Here is a couple of the pieces that are in place. Part 2 will include the room as a set when my end tables and rug show up.



New Pillows! I covered the old couch pillows with this great fabric from IKEA.


This is our new couch! It wasn't what I started off looking for, but I'm really happy with it. The couch turns into a bed for company and has storage underneath. The ottoman also can be used as a coffee table and has storage on both sides.


** Notice the horrid wood paneling - we plan on painting it to help lighten the room.

FEATURE & NEW SALE ITEMS

Featured on: I love the Yeti


Now on Sale!

Triabl LEFTZ - Green Tribe

This plush is part of the Tribal LEFTZ Collection. This fellow lives in the forest and is a great hunter. His shield, made from a giant Bigbe leaf, protects him along with his handmade spear.




Charlie the Pony
Steve the pony is made from repurposed fleece jackets and scrap cotton fabric. He has a layered vintage button eye and is stuffed with recycled plastic shopping bags.




Steve the Pony
Charlie the pony is made from repurposed fleece jackets and scrap cotton fabric. He has a layered vintage button eye and is stuffed with recycled plastic shopping bags.

EXTRA FUZZY MONSTER

Randolph the Monster

Ingredients:
Faux fur remnants
Fleece scraps
Vintage button
Recycled plastic shopping bags


After this fellow, I only have enough fur left to make one more! There is some scrap gray/white fur but I will have to play around with it. It's somewhat patterned so I'm not sure if it will look right. But we'll see :))

GIVEAWAY FEATURED IN STUFFED MAGAZINE

This is the original plush featured in STUFFED Magazine Vol. 3 Issue 2 July 2010!

"Pepper has never had a real home. She spends her life just getting by, but she dreams of a warm fire and a soft bed. She enjoys eating stale bread and leftover pocket fuzz." -- Pepper the Cat is a little over 12 1/2" tall and is 10" wide. She is made from repurposed corduroy pants, scrap fleece, and scrap cotton fabric. She has a vintage button eye and is stuffed with recycled plastic shopping bags.
A total of 16 recycled plastic shopping bags were used in the creation of this plush

Due to the materials used in these creations, these plushies could be a CHOKING HAZARD and are NOT intened for children. International friendly :) Ships anywhere!


HOW TO ENTER:
You DO NOT need to do all of these things to enter. Doing just one will suffice, however doing more things will equate to more entries! :)

1. Follow my blog, Fan Page, or follow me on Twitter comment that you have done this. (3 possible entries - 1 point for each)
2. Tell me your favorite iten in my shop (arttales.etsy.com)
3. Heart my shop on Etsy, then leave a comment.
4. Blog about my giveaway, Tweet, talk about it on Facebook and post the link.
5. Buy something from my Etsy shop and post the link to the transaction. (5 entries)


Also please PLEASE be sure to post separate comments for each thing you have done to enter yourself into this giveaway. Please be sure to include your e-mail address each comment you post, so that I can contact the winner.


Each comment will be numbered, and this is how the winner will be chosen through a random number generator. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) on September 23rd 2010. Winners will be announced September 24th 2010

SPARK

Spark

Featuring a mixture of 80's inspired designs, artwork, and wearables.

HUGE $10 SALE

Just a few of the plushies now listed in my Sale section!

BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

Bright and Beautiful

Above is my newest treasury creation. It was inspired by the lovely colors surrounding our new home.

It doesn't seem like a week ago that we were moving into our new home. All of our things are unpacked, my studio is setup, and I was finally able to sew again. Tomorrow the weather looks like it will be agreeable enough for me to take photos of our new home. I've missed all of you and I can't wait to get back to my normal posts!

WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAY

Whimsical Wednesday: Over the Rainbow

♥ ♥ I Heart the Carnival ♥ ♥





1. Peeptoe Kitten Heels - Vintage Shoes from FoxtailVintage
2. Rainbow Rattan Belt - Vintage Belt from leasvintage
3. Fisher Price Xylophone - Vintage Toy from ZebrasAndBubblegum
4. Polaroid One Step - Vintage Camera from kitschcafe
5. Souvenir Glass - Vintage from vint
6. One Piece Swim Suit - Vintage from pineapplemint




7. Rainbow Mug - Vintage from jamielanie
8. Picnic Tray Set - Vintage from craftycatladyvintage
9. Rainbow Shoelaces - Vintage from sunfunnels
10. Picture Frame Collection - Vintage from timelessNchic
11. Squirt Bear - Vintage Toy from HeyYoYo
12. Plastic Flower Necklace - Vintage from BreesVintageRevivals

WHEN YOU CAN'T SEW...

... try something new!

Since we are moving this weekend my studio and pretty much everything I own is packed up into boxes awaiting the trip. The move hasn't actually been stressing me out but not being able to sew is driving me crazy. There have been so many projects I have thought up this week, only to remember that they will have to wait a week :(

So to keep myself sane I decided that I wanted to give Needle Felting a try. I've admired this art for awhile and what better time than now to start.

Above is actually the second Needle Felt design I created. A LEFTZ monster complete with his little tooth :D



This was the first official Needle Felt creation (the true first creation was quickly taken apart due to an ugly factor) I named this sparrow Muffin and I think she is pretty cute ;)

So judge away! I really have no idea what I'm doing and any true Needle Felters are more than welcome to offer tips!

FUZZY FRIDAY

Fuzzy Friday:
Interview with Chelsea owner of loveandasandwich.etsy.com



Tell us how you start your day.
- I usually wake up around noon-1 (ahh the perks of working from home), take my 2 pups out, make bacon & eggs, check my emails & messages, and then get to sewin!

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I lived in Newtown, CT for 17 years of my life, a town about a half hour from the NY border. I just moved from my mountainous home in NH to an ugly city in MA, but only for the summer. After this summer is over I'm off to Seattle!

What makes where you live special?
I'll pretend I don't live in this town in MA since it's only for the summer & talk about where I lived in NH. What makes the white mountain region of NH special is just that, the white mountains! Wherever you look there's a beautiful backdrop, rivers running on the sides of the roads, everything is beautiful. I could drive 2 minutes down the road and be at a trail to go hike up a mountain, it was wonderful.



Tell us about how you got started creating plush.
I was looking at Brandi Milne's work one day, and she had made some little stuffed monsters for fun & I wanted to try it! I was working at a craft store at the time so I had access to all the supplies cheap, so I made a couple things for friends and I had more fun doing it than drawing so I made the switch over and basically haven't stopped since then. I think that was about 3-4 years ago.

What inspires you?
Cartoons & animated movies mostly. Monster-themed artwork. Sometimes just the color scheme of things I really like & want to imitate it in something. The materials I use are the most inspiring. I see a fur or a fabric I really like and try to think of what would look cool made with it.

What would your perfect day be like?
- A day full of delicious food made from scratch, taking my pups to the beach, and then working in a room alongside other artists, sharing ideas and enjoying being creative together!



If you had to choose another medium, what would it be?
Hmmm maybe clay! If I could have my own kiln. I loved taking pottery classes in high school & college. I just like 3D mediums. I do like pen & marker but I just don't feel as consistently inspired with 2D.

What's the one thing you can't live without?
My puppy Khan. I haven't been away from her for one day since we've had her! She's a horrible terror who pees on my bed sometimes but she's the most affectionate and amazing dog. She brings so much happiness into my life!



Extra: Tell us a random fact about yourself!
I have sort of a feet phobia hahaha. I freak out when people touch my feet or people put their bare feet near my face. I just find feet really gross and want them nowhere near me! haha


Random Silly Question:
Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
So people can make cool stuff like this!


Blog: loveandasandwich.blogspot.com
Etsy: loveandasandwich.etsy.com
Flickr: loveandasandwich
Chelsea is also a member of the Etsy Plush Team

NEW MONSTER DOMAIN

Adopt Trevor
Ingredients:
Faux fur remnants
Upcycled fleece blanket
Repurposed corduroy pants
Scrap cotton fabric
Vintage button
Recycled plastic shopping bag





Finally.. I am the proud owner of LEFTZworld.com! It seemed a little confusing to have LEFTZ all over my business cards and such but without a matching domain. For now this will be used as a intro page with links to all my social sites and my etsy shop


In other news moving day is finally getting closer! Time has been going by so slowly and I just want to get this move over with so that I can have my studio back. Even though there is a tiny bit of shag carpeting and some wood paneling, I really like our new apartment!

WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAY

Whimsical Wednesday: Let's Play!


♥ ♥ Tinkertoy, American Logs, and Building Bricks ♥ ♥






1. Chinese Checkers & Marbles - Vintage Toy from JoieDeCleve
2. THIMK - Vintage Board Game from allibell
3. Game Counters - Vintage Game Pieces from hellodarlingvintage
4. Monopoly Set - Vintage Game Pieces from dinosaurdrygoods
5. Crazy Eights - Vintage Game from 30one
6. Dartboard - Vintage Toy from picapicafound
7. Playskool Wagon & Blocks - Vintage Toy from onecozynest
8. Lorenz Bolz Tin Top - Vintage Toy from ivorybird
9. Bill Ding Blocks - Vintage Toy from tippleandsnack
10. Howdy Doody Cards - Vintage Card Set from rabbity
11. 1971 Fisher Price School House - Vintage Toy from Eclecticpelican
12. Wood Tennis Racquet - Vintage Toy from HelloVictory
13. Wood Bunny Ring Toss Game - Vintage Toy from takethecake
14. Dart Set - Vintage Game from WeLoveVintage
15. Dominoes - Vintage Game from LaBrocanterie
16. Baseballs & Softballs - Vintage Toys from TheModShop
17. Wooden Swedish Sea Captain - Vintage Toy from MonkiVintage
18. YAHTZEE Set - Vintage Game from OopseeDaisies


--

UPDATE:
WeLoveVintage has been kind enough to offer Free Shipping to anyone who mentions that they saw her Vintage Dart Set on my blog!

MANAGING MONDAY

Managing Monday: In The Garden


Globe Terrarium




Latte Mug




Spring Bliss




Hardcover Journal


"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. "
-- William Shakespeare

GIVEAWAY WINNER

Congratulations #27! Erika has won the Plush Circus Set!

I will e-mail her and she has 48 hours to respond, then I will have to pick another winner.

Winner was chosen by random with Random.org