Mind you, I am still working on (casting on?) my knitted horse project from Freya Jaffke's "Toymaking with Children"....
Here is a photo of the newly finished project that has been keeping my hands so busy...
A custom order for a set of needlefelted dolls based on the children's show "Little Bear."
I created this set for a mama who wishes to give them as an Easter gift for her sweet little boys.
This is one of my first "sales", and I felt a little bit nervous for a few reasons...
*I've never created anything based off of a cartoon before...and I wasn't sure how to incorporate some of the more "cartoony" features. In the end, I decided to keep them expressionless and without eyes.
* Having never watched the show before, I had no clue what the characters look like to begin with. I also didn't know anything about their personalities. I spent much time on google looking for good representations.
*And lastly, and most poignantly, I felt sort of uneasy about exchanging for money. I don't know! Money just makes me feel kind of uncomfortable...maybe it's because we don't really have any (haha!), maybe I felt more pressure for the creations to be exactly what the customer wanted...maybe I just enjoy swapping more! This is what has kept me from opening an Etsy store, although I am thinking of it more and more lately. This experience has been good practice.
After 2 weeks of creating, it feels great to gaze upon a finished project!
As for the books I have been reading, I am throughly enjoying A Deeper Understanding of the Waldorf Kindergarten.
They are absolutely beautiful, Friend. Well done!
ReplyDeleteOh my! They are so beautiful. Amazing! (Thanks for stopping by my blog.)
ReplyDeleteLovely felt-y family.
ReplyDeleteThey are all beautiful! You really did a wonderful job. :) I have some felting on my Yarn Along today too!
ReplyDeletethose are really amazing!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteMoney makes me nervous, too. But to fuel my crafting habit, I've had to accept that I'll need to sell some of my finished products in order to buy more supplies. Though I still swap and give away 90% of what I make. (:
My goodness, those are so lovely! You are one talented woman.
ReplyDeletethese are gorgeous! I know what you mean about feeling preassure to get things just how the customer wants them with custom orders, I have this too.I look forward to seing your knitted horse
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteI recently discovered your blog and am so enjoying it! This set is lovely!!! You are very talented!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about feeling uncomfortable about money -- I sometimes feel the same way. If friends want to buy my items, I'd rather just make them for them as a gift, espcially the custom ones.
ReplyDeleteBut with Etsy it's different because it's often people you don't know and it's not actually paper cash money changing physical hands. The electronic-ness of it makes it feel less personal. And it's fun to go off to the post office with a nice little package for someone you don't even really know. <3
The bears are lovely, by the way!
Kelly @ Creating a Family Home
ooh! so cute. you should totally open up an etsy shop guilt free. not everybody is crafty or has the time and patience to do what you can do. be proud of your skills! : ) i will have to take a look at the book you suggest.
ReplyDeleteYou did a beautiful job on these. I love the way that they look enough like the characters in the show (a favorite at our house as well as the books) to be recognizable. The best part is that you left off some of the more "cartoony" features so that the play can be open-ended as well. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThese are stunning. I wish I had had a set for my oldest when Little Bear was her favorite show back in the day. You did an amazing job of capturing the characters!
ReplyDeleteRebecca! The set is GORGEOUS! I think receiving money for something you handmade, with love, is wonderful! Cheers,
ReplyDeleteNicola
Oh Rebecca! I cried when I saw them. Seriously I did! I love them so much. I can't wait to see Ben's face when he recieves these in his basket on Easter morning! They are perfect. More than perfect even.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. I am not paying you enough for them, not nearly. But talent and creativity is so hard to put a price tag on. I am much happier to pay you money because I am not very crafty...my talents are in areas that are difficult to barter with long distances (for instance I could organize your house, budget your finances, decorate a children's bedroom...) but seeing as distance is an issue...a lovely check with love will have to do...and a huge huge thank you!!!
The play mat is going to do me in, I can tell already!
Wow. What a beautiful creation. It is a tricky thing to put a price on ones work! I have recently entered the etsy realm and I agonize over each and every listing.
ReplyDeleteThey're great! Never heard of the show but I'll bet they are much appreciated. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThere are not too many cartoon shows that I would let my child watch, but I would let him watch little bear. I love the story lines. I think this is a great representation. You are very talented.
ReplyDeleteSO beautiful! You did a great job!
ReplyDeleteLove your needlefelted creations Rebecca! I think paying for something handmade is the best. I love buying from shops that sell handmade & even more so from etsy because its a solo individual that has poured love into this little shop. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAw, they came out beautifully! I know what you mean about that feeling. I have that feeling every time I sell something at my store. I think it's just nerves, wanting the customer to be pleased with their buy, etc. Something to let go of I think. Hopefully it goes away in time. Or maybe a deeper understanding of money is needed. Lately the thought keeps coming to me that money flows like a river. From one to another. An expression of love, good, & abundance.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work!
I know it's been said, but these are beautiful! My needle felting looks nothing like this, how do you felt it so hmmm tight and with minimal fuzzies? Take care.
ReplyDeleteOh those are soooo adorable-you talented woman!!
ReplyDeletexo,
Ang
Love! Great job! What beautiful Easter gifts! Those little ones will love them. Is this the same little bear from the books by Else Homelund Minarik? Those are sweet story books! Great work Mama!
ReplyDeleteOh Rebecca, your needlefelting is so so wonderful! I do not know what that show is, but they made me think of the three bears from Goldilocks (a favorite story of Chessa's..) I especially love the mama bear!
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE Little Bear! It is such a simple show, and it really captures the child like qualities, such as using the imagination and Little Bear is always outdoors, rather than trying to teach the children a lesson. I would say it's very Waldorf-y. Those are so cute!!
ReplyDelete