 This weekend we decided to stay very close to home, and we were rewarded with a crowd of familiar faces, new fans, a chance to do good for others, and a reminder of why we started making our little monsters in the first place. It was definitely different to wake up AFTER the sun came up, and drive less than 2 minutes to the show! Several of our friends came to visit, many of whom we hadn't seen in ages! Our dear friend Stephanie Rodriguez- another Chula Vista Artisan from "Revisited Art" on etsy- stopped by with her girls and surprised us with an ADORABLE handmade gift! (We forgot to take a pic, but we'll do that soon. In the meantime, you should go check out her shop!) This event was intended to help raise funds for Mountain Shadows Community Homes, and we not only got to help them, we also got to MEET some of the residents! "Miss Mary" was so sweet, so friendly, rolling right up in her wheelchair and introducing herself and SO EXCITED by our merchandise! She may be the best salesperson ever, because after she purchased a doll from us, she shared her happy and colorful doll with EVERYONE she met, and told them exactly where they could buy one for themselves, sending them directly to our booth. She even went so far as to explain how each doll was handmade using a GLOVE. Somedays, we wish WE had that much joy and enthusiasm! But the moment that served as a real reminder of WHY we love making our little monsters came when the cutest little girl in the world skipped up to our booth in her tiny ruby slippers. She had a hard time choosing which Zombie Baby doll she wanted...Little Goldilocks had to hug and love each doll to "feel" which one was just right. She settled on a sweet doll with pink hair and a pink striped dress, while we showed her how the doll USED to be a glove, and we showed her how we take the leftover thumbs and make our tiny Thumbkin Kitties and Bunnies, so nothing goes to waste. Well OF COURSE this darling three-year-old insisted that her dollie needed a pet too! She was so happy to skip away with a purple handled bag (her other favorite color, we were told) with her doll and kitty safely tucked inside...rushing back to ask us to cut off the tags so she could play with it right away! Later, we caught a glimpse of her sitting on a nearby bench, and the DOLL was 'talking" to the kitty, asking if it was hungry, and if it had a good day, while the kitty meow THIS is why we make our adorable little toys! Just add imagination!!!
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 The weekend before Halloween was a first for us...we decided to try something completely NEW and travel out of town! We've been looking for an excuse to go visit "Whimsic Alley", so when we got the chance to be a part of their Halloween Faire, OF COURSE we said yes! The hardest part? Figuring out how to pare down our collection of merchandise that typically FILLS a 10 x 10 foot space so that it would fit on a single table! Choosing which items to bring and which to leave 150 miles away felt a bit like having to choose a favorite child! But 8 boxes and 15 shopping bags later, the van was filled, and we hit the road! Have you heard about Whimsic Alley? What??? You haven't??? All self-respecting fans of ANYTHING Harry Potter or Doctor Who MUST visit this place at least once! You'll feel like you are walking into a book! Several wonderful shops-within-a-shop await, and there is something to admire nearly every time you turn your head! Seriously (or Sirius Black-ly??? Sorry, couldn't resist)...CHECK IT OUT! They also carry a lot of great stuff from other fave fantasy and Sci-fi series! Find their shop info at www.WhimsicAlley.com  We had no idea what to expect during the weekend, so we viewed the event as a "mini-vacation", and a chance to network, as well as to hang out with our friends from "Kit's Designs"...another San Diego-based crafter! The weekend we were there, the "Great Hall" was filled with 20-something vendors from all over Southern California selling some really amazing hand-made merchandise! We're not talking the typical granny slippers and potholders- we're talking AWESOME alternative stuff to wear, play with, and eat! Every vendor was friendly and fun. What a great company of vendors to be associated with! Friday was a great day to meet our "neighbors", and seemed to be the morning for all the vendors to buy from EACH OTHER as we got to know the location and enjoy the ambiance. Saturday, business really picked up, and we had our first "Celebrity Sighting". We can now say we know what Howard Wallowitz's Mother REALLY looks like, cuz she came by our booth! Sunday was exciting, because it included Trick-or-Treating for kids, and a boisterous costume contest. And what a surprise..our friends and neighbors from Chula Vista (really, they live a BLOCK AWAY from us!) came up to visit us, and their little daughter WON the costume contest with her precious "Mary Poppins" outfit, made entirely handmade by her Mommy Alma! All in all, it was a great adventure and worth the drive! Next time, anyone want to lend us a sofa to sleep on to save us the hotel fees? Now we have a few days to relax and enjoy the rest of the Halloween week, but only a moment, because our next show is NEXT WEEKEND! From now til December 14th, we'll be at 1 show or more every weekend! Time to get the Gingerbread baking and the stockings hung. AHHHH! Now THAT'S SCARY!!!  What an exciting summer! While most folks were soaking up sun or trying to keep cool in the pool, the "Mostly Monsters" girls had quite a different summer run! We did do two small craft shows (just to keep our hand in), but we were preoccupied with a "show" of an entirely different sort! Our summer involved monsters, mad scientists, werewolves, vampires, drafty old castles, quite a few real live bats, and.... MUSIC! Who doesn't live a tap-dancing monster under the stars??? Yes, Taylor and I spend a huge amount of our time sewing, stitching, stuffing, painting, and creating. But we don't just know how to use a sewing machine with more speed and agility than a race car, or how to wield a needle like a magic wand...we are both MUSICIANS too! That's right...we are proud BAND GEEKS who both play clarinet. And accordion. Not many people will openly admit that, but we do! Once again, we were invited to be a part of the tiny Pit Orchestra for the Patio Playhouse summer musical... Mel Brooks' "YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN!". Since we both ADORE the original film, we jumped at the chance! If you're not yet familiar with Patio Playhouse, it's a great non-profit community theater group dedicated to encouraging young people to get involved in the arts. They offer programs all year for kids to learn the art of acting, summer camps for kids, and present several award-winning productions at various locations in the Escondido area.And each summer, they choose one special MUSICAL to present in the Kit Carson Park Amphitheater. However, they are on the tightest of shoestring budgets. Each night of the show's run, they try to raise funds to continue the program by holding a small raffle during the intermission. Being old hands at raising funds in our combined years in local Marching Bands, we know what a struggle this can be. So we wanted to help! Our contribution: to create 1 really special hand-made (and monster-themed) item for EACH AND EVERY NIGHT of the show to be raffled off! We had so much fun hunting down fabrics and creating unique items that would be JUST THE THING for the nightly drawing! "Abby Normal" brains, Backpacks perfect for any "igor", fuzzy hats to keep you warm in your drafty castle, tiny "voodoo" dolls, and of course- cuddly replicas of the Monster and his wife! We were tickled to death when the monster himself, actor Donny Bronson, posed for photos with his "mini-me"! (Also huge shout outs to Sean Doughty- the most hilarious IGOR ever, and Taylor's Doppleganger on the Accordion, and to Kelli Harless who hands down STOLE the show as Frau Blucher!) Cast, crew, and family also joined in the fight to try to win the raffle, and bought HANDFULS of YF buttons to support the program! Folks who weren't lucky enough to win the items they loved sought us out and have now become some of our favorite customers! We had so much fun being a part of this awesome show, and hope we have the chance to do it again. And we are so happy to have been able to help raise money to keep the fantastic program going! Check out www.patioplayhouse.org What's next, Patio? We're crossing our fingers and hoping for "The Addams Family" Musical!!! 
Or "How We Got Started" |
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So, here we are.
Back in the craft biz after a LONG time away.
But we've got a new style, a new look, and some KILLER cute stuff! Most Crafters we've met have either been doing this for a loooooooooooooong time, or they are NEW to the Crafting World.
Our old crafting buddies friends who've been somewhere in the middle have either moved on to other things, or they've gone on to make it in the BIG TIME!
So, since we've re-entered the crazy world of sewing machines, paints, canopies, and cash, we figured we'd better see what lessons we could take from the LAST go-round. Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, right?
So for my other craft friends who will probably be the only ones who ever read these rantings and ravings, let's review the two phrases heard by every last crafter on the planet....over and over and over again!
And dear Lord, please help me to remember to nod and smile every time I hear these phrases during the next 10 years, so I don't lose my sanity!
(She says on bended knee- yes, seriously and in all sincerity.)
"THAT'S SO CUTE"!
What a heartwarming phrase! Makes a crafter giddy to hear it.
The first 5,000 times. And of course, it's quite flattering!
SOMEBODY likes my stuff I worked so hard to create! But unfortunately, it doesn't pay the bills. So although I will sincerely WISH to have a nickel (or hey, even a PENNY!) for each time I will hear this (again) during the remainder of my Crafting career, I ask for the strength to continue to SMILE every time I hear this! And I hope my friends will remind me to be HAPPY the customers are still saying this 10 or 20 years from now! No matter how hard it begins to grate on my nerves. Whew.
"I CAN MAKE THIS."
Which is often modified to
"I should buy this and copy this!" or
"I could make one of these for ___(insert name of celebration here, i.e. Jenny's birthday, Aunt Hilda's party, etc.)"
or the dreaded
"That's so simple, I can totally copy this." which often concludes with...(dun dun duh....)"AND SELL THEM!!!"
This is the face-to-face version of the dreaded Pinterest re-pin of your item (which by the way is CLEARLY marked with a price and hyperlinked to your online shop) to the "I can make this" board.
In any case, here's our short response:
"Yes, you probably could. But WOULD you?"
The real response that goes on behind the scenes in my swirling brain:
"OUCH! Hello? Are you serious? You are going to say this in FRONT of me?
I wish you would realize that I am NOT doing this just for FUN- this is my JOB. And I don't put in 40 hours a week...it's more like 140. Plus."
I hope that you, the darling customer, won't notice that I am trying very hard to keep it to myself that I would prefer not to tell you where I bought that specialty fabric, how to sew it together, what machine I use, how I hand-stitched it so carefully, how many hours I spent creating it, and what the pattern should look like. This is a REAL job, as well as a labor of love.
I wouldn't ask Betsy Johnson where to buy that particular fabric so I could copy her dress, although I've often been told that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Flattery doesn't pay for college tuition.
(BREATHE IN-BREATHE OUT. Shake it off.)
All I ask is a little courtesy. Plagiarism stinks. Sigh.
So, if you are a crafter reading this, know we are all in the same boat, and have ALL heard this, and I sympathize with you, fellow crafter who finds themselves trapped at their worktable at 2:00 AM.
And if you are a potential CUSTOMER reading this, please take a moment, and realize that crafters are real people working for a living, and please...
BE NICE to us too! We're artisans, and we work very, very hard to create our goods that we offer to you.
Okay, enough ranting. Time to pack up the van for a VERRRRRRY long day at tomorrow's Street Fair, and time to arm ourselves for the
"CUTE" & "COPY" speeches about to come our way...we love our customers, but this job is not an easy one. Good thing we LOVE it!!!
Back in the craft biz after a LONG time away.
But we've got a new style, a new look, and some KILLER cute stuff! Most Crafters we've met have either been doing this for a loooooooooooooong time, or they are NEW to the Crafting World.
Our old crafting buddies friends who've been somewhere in the middle have either moved on to other things, or they've gone on to make it in the BIG TIME!
So, since we've re-entered the crazy world of sewing machines, paints, canopies, and cash, we figured we'd better see what lessons we could take from the LAST go-round. Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, right?
So for my other craft friends who will probably be the only ones who ever read these rantings and ravings, let's review the two phrases heard by every last crafter on the planet....over and over and over again!
And dear Lord, please help me to remember to nod and smile every time I hear these phrases during the next 10 years, so I don't lose my sanity!
(She says on bended knee- yes, seriously and in all sincerity.)
"THAT'S SO CUTE"!
What a heartwarming phrase! Makes a crafter giddy to hear it.
The first 5,000 times. And of course, it's quite flattering!
SOMEBODY likes my stuff I worked so hard to create! But unfortunately, it doesn't pay the bills. So although I will sincerely WISH to have a nickel (or hey, even a PENNY!) for each time I will hear this (again) during the remainder of my Crafting career, I ask for the strength to continue to SMILE every time I hear this! And I hope my friends will remind me to be HAPPY the customers are still saying this 10 or 20 years from now! No matter how hard it begins to grate on my nerves. Whew.
"I CAN MAKE THIS."
Which is often modified to
"I should buy this and copy this!" or
"I could make one of these for ___(insert name of celebration here, i.e. Jenny's birthday, Aunt Hilda's party, etc.)"
or the dreaded
"That's so simple, I can totally copy this." which often concludes with...(dun dun duh....)"AND SELL THEM!!!"
This is the face-to-face version of the dreaded Pinterest re-pin of your item (which by the way is CLEARLY marked with a price and hyperlinked to your online shop) to the "I can make this" board.
In any case, here's our short response:
"Yes, you probably could. But WOULD you?"
The real response that goes on behind the scenes in my swirling brain:
"OUCH! Hello? Are you serious? You are going to say this in FRONT of me?
I wish you would realize that I am NOT doing this just for FUN- this is my JOB. And I don't put in 40 hours a week...it's more like 140. Plus."
I hope that you, the darling customer, won't notice that I am trying very hard to keep it to myself that I would prefer not to tell you where I bought that specialty fabric, how to sew it together, what machine I use, how I hand-stitched it so carefully, how many hours I spent creating it, and what the pattern should look like. This is a REAL job, as well as a labor of love.
I wouldn't ask Betsy Johnson where to buy that particular fabric so I could copy her dress, although I've often been told that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Flattery doesn't pay for college tuition.
(BREATHE IN-BREATHE OUT. Shake it off.)
All I ask is a little courtesy. Plagiarism stinks. Sigh.
So, if you are a crafter reading this, know we are all in the same boat, and have ALL heard this, and I sympathize with you, fellow crafter who finds themselves trapped at their worktable at 2:00 AM.
And if you are a potential CUSTOMER reading this, please take a moment, and realize that crafters are real people working for a living, and please...
BE NICE to us too! We're artisans, and we work very, very hard to create our goods that we offer to you.
Okay, enough ranting. Time to pack up the van for a VERRRRRRY long day at tomorrow's Street Fair, and time to arm ourselves for the
"CUTE" & "COPY" speeches about to come our way...we love our customers, but this job is not an easy one. Good thing we LOVE it!!!
Thoughts from the Monsters...
Sabrina & Taylor are the sole employees at "Mostly Monsters", so we :
design the stuff, make the stuff, tag the stuff, pack the stuff, ship the stuff,
and of course drag it back and forth to shows on a regular basis.
So if we mess up...PLEASE forgive us!
We're only human!
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