moopy & me

A bit of a change

I have given Moopy & Me a bit of a revamp.... feeling brighter... but not bright enough. I think I will keep working on it.... and a shop update is long over due too...what I have managed to figure out though is how to create a poll (over there to your right). Every couple of days or maybe after a week, I will change the poll to show the next 10 toys and once we get through them all, we can vote on the final 10...etc

I hope to have a few of these guys available for you when I update the shop.... I am also considering putting them on Etsy because even though I have my shop set up.... it can be really hard to manage it...I am not able to stop you guys from buying a dozen toys when only one is available.... unless I am at my computer 24/7 to check ... I am thinking Etsy will have a function where you tell it how many things you have and when that sells then the shop is empty.... you know what I am yabbering on about?

I want to take this opportunity to thank (xoxox) all the Morphe II artists & designers for participating in this years exhibition.... (please don't think I have forgotten you... or not loved your little pressies that were stuffed into the parcels). It has been so much fun and literally hundreds of people have come through to take a look, my favourite visitors are always the kids..... they have so much fun picking their faves and writing it down for the People's Choice comp. And lots of people have been coming back for a second and third look, saying that each time they come they see something new... My aim for the exhibition and why I decided to do it, is for the same reason any of you make things by hand... I want people to 'get it' get the concept of how special it is to make and receive handmade things ...especially toys (and the process is so much fun....finding just the right fabric...watching your sketches come to life..) Yes, Lily has a Stacie (Barbies little sister) and I have Blythe, so I am not saying there is no place for manufactured toys.... but really you can't compare the adorableness (again with made up words) of handmade. Adelaide is considered by many (especially marketing departments) to be very conservative so it is really awesome to see people come over to the studio... see the Morphe II toys and say "Wow  so all these toys are handmade?.. oooh I love this one... so much nicer than 'store' bought, I will have to get one for my niece".... or the realisation that some of them could be hung on the wall as 'art'.

Sadly, Morphe II is drawing to a close but I have decided to keep the online shop up for an extra week because I took so so very long to upload it.. the new official closing date for online sales is November 9 (but for those of you who have bought toys... they will be coming down this weekend) 

My head is in a funny place.... some projects finishing... super exciting projects just starting.. Christmas just around the corner (wait we have Moopy's birthday first!)... more Sprout fabric to design... my art class kids printing up sweet illustrations in my 7th term of business... wow! I bought an old copy of MS Kids (the first one, it didn't ever make it to Australia) off ebay just to see me through another season without it.... and hey that pineapple plant is still alive (you can see it up there).

UPDATE sorry the mailing list box has been messing with the comments box?? who knows? If you were trying to leave a comment sorry I didn't get it, please try again, I will put the email list box in the side bar...geesh! technology.

I think it's ready!

Lily is hiding

I am pretty sure ... yes I am sure all the toys are up online FINALLY! the online shop will be open until October 29... that only leaves you seven days to make up your mind.... mmmmm. Happy shopping.

Morphe II shop update

Time is flying by and I only have half the toys uploaded..... I am thinking the shop will be ready later on tonight... like maybe very late... here are a few portraits to you going.

see y'all in a few (plus) hours, thanks for your patience.

Isn't this alphabet just the most perfect bedroom bunting!!

UPDATE I still only managed to get a quarter of the toys priced and up online...it's a start, if you would like to buy a toy (and hey why wouldn't you!) please email me with the toy number (which appears on the photo) and your shipping address, then I will Paypal you with the invoice. Shipments will start after October 28. AND I will keep slogging away at getting all 90+ toys uploaded.

UPDATE (Monday morning) Half the toys are now in the Gallery Shop

UPDATE (Tuesday arvo) 12 more toys uploaded .. getting there!! only 29 to go..

Taking a breather

Calm before the storm....Moopy waiting for the guests to arrive... About 20 minutes after this photo was taken my little studio was packed full of eager toy fans.... even Kirsty & Kristen made the trip over ... oh and of course Fiona too! (Audrey & Lily ran around all night together, giggling and terrorising the guests... in a cute way!) I was so busy chatting and putting orange spots on sold toys ... I forgot to get my camera out so I don't have any pics of the opening night..dang!! Family and friends have taken some thankfully, so I will try to track them down. But don't worry.....

I will set up the online Morphe II shop (even though I said I wouldn't ... it is a lot of work.. but hey, it would be a shame for those of you who are super keen to buy some toys, to miss out) ...so with 100 or so photos to take and upload...  we should be ready to go! The good news for those not living in Adelaide.... I am aiming to have the online shop filled with the toys made lovingly by all your favourite designers in the Morphe II exhibition, close of business here in Adelaide 5:30pm Sunday October 15.

And in other news... a Morphe II mook is being put together!! I know. FUN!... gorgeous photos, adorable toys and patterns!! it will be available early early 2007 .... I will no doubt be keeping you posted. There is also a Peoples Choice Award.... I will let you know more about that too, basically you can all pick your fave toy (I will have them catalogued with a number so please don't tell me yet!!)... and if you are the 10th person to pick the Peoples Choice toy you win a copy of the mook plus an owl/kitten or bird that I have made and more importantly the designer of that toy features front and centre in the mook.

Well that's it for me this week... I am taking a breather ... sorry to those who I STILL owe mail/emails too... I will get back to it next week.

and as I said don't worry, literally 100 more pics to come!

Mail, mail & more mail

check out all the sneak peaks of Morphe II toys that are arriving in my mail box everyday

Michelle even popped a scrumptious block of my fave Lindt choccy in for luck I am sure!(how did you know I love the lemon and almond??) It didn't last long, I nibbled on it as I was busy mailing out piles of postcards today. Thanks Michelle xxx

I have also been meaning to show off the super cute and fun colouring book & stickers that vegas and venice sent me ages ago... I just can't get a good shot of the white paper... I have pinched this much better pic from her etsy shop. Lily is just itching to get her unsteady hands to those adorable illustrations... I don't know if I can bare it...

and to finish off for the week here is Lily enjoying herself at the Royal Adelaide Show... she has never seen fairy floss (cotton candy... for those in the US) in her short little life.. can you tell?

Look familiar..

Getting there

What do you think? No really! I havn't sent it off to the printer yet.... I will sleep on it and then see if I 'see' anything not quite right in the morning.... then I should have them back from the printers in a week .... I hope! the deadlines are fast approaching... (that's SEPTEMBER 25 for those who need a subtle hint ;D)

Thanks for all your comments lately xoxox ... to answer a few questions: no, I didn't embroider those cushions and yes,  I would love to try it out ... when I do I will post up the book no. and pattern.... promise! And I am pretty sure I want to make Lily a pinny out of the fruity fabric... and the lovely marimekko is in my shop window as a backdrop for all to enjoy.. (well those who live here)

Ok now it's time to get back to work... I have this very big deadline for a client... I do graphic design work for a couple of big financial groups... don't get me wrong, I respect these people for paying my bills and feeding my family but one day I hope to not need them..... it's not exactly design work if you know what I mean.... they just tell me what they want and then I do it... then they change it ever so slightly 50 times ... grrr

UPDATE the Morphe II blog has been updated and for those in the exhibition.... the ever so important deadline and address have been posted there x Y x

Check out the talent!!

MORPHE II Participants

oh boy am I sleepy, after much nail biting I managed to (just) get the list down to 30... (well 33... I had trouble people big trouble!!) this has been one of the hardest things I have had to do... I want all those who applied but didn't quite make it, to know that I looove you all but my shop really is tiny and I am worried about how I might fit 90 odd toys in let alone any more.... I think it might be a good idea for Morphe to move to bigger places next year so that I can fit you all in.

check them all out over at my shop... as in click here

I am going to bed now and will chat more about all the excitement after a good nights sleep.

Oh and if you applied and you havn't heard from me via email... well that is no good .. please email me so we can work out what happened?