the patched creatures of cocoon designs
Quilts Secret Friend n° 3 by Cocoon Designs.
Cocoon Designs makes amazing creatures out of old recycled pieces of sweaters. They are hand patched and OOAK. Some are even made to custom like these mushrooms or those ones.
I really like them ! Here’s another “pointy ears creature” :
Cocoon Designs on Flickr.
doubleparlour : cassandra & ernesto velasco
Maiya 2 by doubleparlour.
I had included them in my review of 100 great artists @ Etsy and their art (see for instance their “creatures of habit”) still emerges from that selection as among the most powerful. I had not been in their shop for quite some time, but I discovered today that they also made small polymer clay sculptures and truly amazing ones.
The one above is named “Maiya 2″ for there was a first Maiya – very similar but with a different mood – which sold recently.
I also love this Toshiro immensely :
He’s described as :
A boy who dreams of flying kites and running away from home.
Doubleparlour, born in 2007, is a creative collaboration between Ernesto and Cassandra Velasco. You can find them on myspace.
one red robin’s wonderland of softies
Doddi Bear #4 by One Red Robin.
Jhoanna Monte Aranez is one of those women with so many talents that you could spend hours browsing through her blog, her flickr in awe and admiration at her skills and seemingly endless inspiration. But then, of course, this is what inspiration should always be about, an endless round of springing ideas and creations.
I had wanted to blog about that Doddi Bear for quite some time now – every time I came across it in my favorites it really stood out, it has everything I love – and when I settled to write about it yesterday I realized it was no longer available, and couldn’t find it in the sold items either. It turns out that Jhoanna “recently sent her off to someone as a thank-you for a wonderful thing they did for her”!
She has made 5 Doddi Bears and only one is still available in her shop :
But – among other things – she also makes the most amazing doll-girls such as this one (sold too) :
I could go on and on and post many of her creations and really had to stop myself from posting more photos for I tell you she is such a creative woman, so I beg you, check her blog, check her flickr and of course her Etsy shop for there are wonders ahead…
blythe fashion : kawaii fabric @ lepetitboutique
Blythe Bunny Bunny Love Dress by Le Petit Boutique @ Etsy.
I bought my very first Blythe outfits from Claudia @ Le Petit Boutique and I must say that although her creations are not all to my taste, she always has the most wonderful fabrics.
I am not very much into “kawaii” fabrics (which is one of the reasons I have not bought anything from her since, that and the fact that I just don’t have the money right now to be buying doll clothes) but she consistently manages to find some that are really amazing and very sweet like this one with bunnies.
I have been wanting to blog about that dress for a few weeks now – and simply did not find the time to do it – and now it is on SALE along with a few other dresses by Claudia.
yoshitomo nara’s my sweet dog by vilac
My Sweet Dog by Yoshitomo Nara.
It seems artoyz has recently widened their range of products to wooden toys – not just any wooden toys mind you but a small selection from the Artists’ catalogue of Vilac.
I’m not so fond of the Keith Haring’s chairs or the “Raymond” pencil holder/pot by Hervé Di Rosa, but I discovered “My Sweet Dog” recently when writing my article on Nara and it is simply perfect.
Furthermore, Vilac is located in the Jura (France) where my family comes from (both my parents were born there) and the toys are manufactured with great care there, which are all good reasons to buy those toys…
felt creatures by oliviaew @ etsy
Extra Large Bad News Bear Polar by oliviaew @ Etsy.
Love all the “felt creatures” by Olivia Ew, some of them creatures, some of them people, some “mutated”. You can see more in her Flickr gallery.
The two below are for sale @ Etsy :
the aliens are coming by dreamalittle7 @ etsy
UFO The Aliens Are Coming by Dream A Little @ Etsy.
Once in a while you stumble into something that simply sweeps you off your feet and it might just as well be because I love SF so much but those little aliens are the cutest ever ! But the real thing though is the flying saucer or UFO, for they would not be as interesting without it. This whole set totally rocks !
It is OOAK and an original creation by Dana Dunn and had I a little bit of money I would have bought it right now.
vinyl rarities @ artoyz
LauLau by Tak available @ Artoyz.
Michael Rouah from Artoyz has recently returned from a trip in Hong kong with a few vinyl rarities in his suitcase. Among them some hard-to-find be@rbrick sets, a rare early Michael Lau figure dating back from 2001 called “Lamdog Prototype Kiss”, “Spookiez” (Comix Box, 2006) a strange set including a girl and a dog, the Kaws x Bounty Hunter Kun Red Christmas version, etc.
A lot more followed by plane, including quite a lot of Blythe dolls – unfortunately they are mostly “Petites” – but thay have the Neo Blythe Mod Molly (December 2007, SBL) + Welcome Winter (January 2008, RBL). They are a bit expensive comparing to eBay, but since it is definitely hard to get Blythe in France – or in Europe for that matter although CWC and Takara are working on this – it’s great to have them here.
You will find all of this listed in the News or the Asian Designers sections of the shop.
I must say I particularly like this funny Monkey figure called LauLau designed by Tak and released by How2Work in June 2007.
gary taxali’s green toy monkey
The Toy Monkey by Gary Taxali – Exclusive Green Version available @ Kung Fu Toys
While Gary Taxali’s new vinyl figures “Oh No” + “Oh Oh” are on the verge of being released by Bigshot Toyworks, you can still find some of his Toy Monkeys. The yellow version (500 numbered pieces signed or unsigned) is the regular one and not many people are aware that a green version was also released in a limited edition of 200. It was at one point sold by some museum – I think it was the MOMA but I am not sure now – and I just found that Kung Fu Toys has it for $150 dollars.
You can still order the Original Toy Monkey Deluxe Edition @ Chump Toys or @ Orbit Gallery space.
Also see the Original Hand Painted “Toy Monkey” on Gary Taxali’s website.
Oh No + Oh Oh by Gary Taxali – sculpt by Scott Wetterschneider
Note that you can buy the Oh No Bronze Statue along with some artwork by Gary Taxali @ Magic Pony.
OH NO Bronze Statue – Gary Taxali
yellow toys
Michael Lau x Prodip “After Dark Project” – Pascagoula Alien in Yellow
I am not sure yellow toys are even sought after by collectors – some people collect black or GID toys for instance – but they are favorites of mine. This Pascagoula by Michael Lau has been on my wishlist ever since it was released about a year ago and since it still is a winter of financial discontent for me, this will be just for the fun of it…
400% & 100% Be@rbrick set Genevieve Gauckler
Shikito in Yellow by Superdeux
Rolitoboy – Gloomy Pity Boy by Mori Chack x Rolito
Onion Love Invader by Jaime Hayon
Astronaut Jesus by Doma
+ Ecstasy of Gold by krysto_O on Flickr.