2008 Crafty Bastards Vendor Spotlight: Chris Creatures
Get to know this year’s Crafty Bastards vendors! We’re posting a series of interviews of crafters who will be at the CB festival Saturday, June 28, at the Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center in Silver Spring, MD.
Chris Creatures has a knack for keeping her creations tasteful and enticing — perhaps too much so for our own good, lest we decide to eat them whole! The adorable, unique plushies bring some of our favorite Asian dishes to life. As the plushies adorn office spaces and coffee tables, they make great conversation pieces and always manage to bring a smile to our lips!
1. Using just three words, how would you describe your work?
happy, stuffed, and yummy
2. What are you doing to prepare for Crafty Bastards? Are there any new products or techniques that you will be trying out for this show?
I’ve been sewing non-stop!! I sew everything by hand so it takes a long time. Each plushie is made with love and care. There will be a few new things I will be bringing to the fair.
3. Is your craft widespread in the handmade community? What makes your stuff different from others in your craft genre?
Yes, there are tons of talented plushie makers out there. I could spend hours on Flickr looking at their amazing work.
I’m not sure how my stuff differs from others in the genre. I just try to make things that I feel passionate about. I’m inspired by delicious food, beats, and simple designs.
4. Starting an independent shop takes a lot of dedication, planning and hard work. At what point did you realize you had the chops to start your own indie craft business?
I have an early memory of selling handmade rings to kids on the playground in the first grade. I was taking orders and offering discounts if they bought multiple items. I think it may have been at that point… 
5. Where are your favorite places to find your supplies?
I live at the craft store. I try to avoid the same cashiers when I’m there so it doesn’t look like I’m there every day. Even though I’m there every day.
6. Crafting is a grassroots revolution of sorts. It’s catching on as people appreciate all things handmade, original, recycled and environmentally/socially conscious. Does this influence/inspire your work? If so, how do you incorporate it into your craft?
I try to do as much as I can to reuse and recycle. I keep and reuse all my fabric scraps. I also support and buy items from sellers that use recycled materials.
7. After seeing your work, many would-be crafters are inspired to start their own creations. Will you have any DIY kits available for sale at Crafty this year? Could you provide any simple how-to’s or tips for readers who want to get started on their own designs?
I won’t have any DIY kits by the time the fair rolls around. If anyone is interested in making plushies, I would definitely check out these 2 books- Plush You by Kristen Rask and Softies by Therese Laskey. All you need to get started is cardstock (to cut out a pattern), fabric, thread, polyfil and a needle.
