Child' s Own Studio

Update

Child's Own Studio — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 08:37:34 +0000

Dear people who have written me or sent me a drawing, do you feel like I’m ignoring you?

563. Five hundred and sixty three. 563. That’s how big my wait-list is. Are you shocked? And I only make 4 softies a week!! 563 divide 4 is 140 weeks, or two-and-a-half years. Please do not send in a drawing, asking if it can be done by April.

So, things are going to change. (They have to, don’t you think?) Next Thursday, on March 1st, I will have a list of other, independent and talented softiemakers on the website, who will be happy to meet you and see your drawings, and make your softies. Some of them are from Australia, so if you’re Australian, this might appeal to you!

As for me, I’ll be sitting here, holding my head, and contemplating my next steps.

by Chad, age unknown

I will make my way through the wait list in my systematic way. I expect some of you will have made other plans or changed your mind or even forgotten about Child’s Own, and I promise that I won’t be offended. (For now, I have stopped answering new quote requests, because it just seems meaningless.)

by Gabby, age 7

The wait-list includes people who e-mailed between January 17 and February 22. If you sent in a request around January 17, then you will hear from me within the next couple of days.

Time to clarify a couple of things

Child's Own Studio — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:13:48 +0000

by Rian, age 9

I am looking only for experienced and/or established softie-makers with experience making and selling their softies. If you have an on-line soft toy craft business and would like to increase your exposure and commissions, then please contact me.

Thank you everyone, for your kind comments, helpful advice and suggestions. For the record: I am not interested in going on Shark Tank or Dragons’ Den (I’m Canadian, eh?). I’ve watched Dragon’s Den many times (great entertainment value) and I am very familiar with the set up and the investors on the show, and I am not interested in approaching them.

For pricing info and whether I ship internationally, please click on the FAQ on the horizontal menu bar above, ^ up there ^, just below the drawing of the happy goat.

Have a great week!

looking for crafty people

Child's Own Studio — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:03:18 +0000

I am not the only person who can make stuffed toys from children’s drawings. There are other capable crafters out there. Come out you guys: don’t be shy. Come and join this site. Let’s turn this into a real movement.

Kally and her giraffe

*****Update**** Interested softiemakers please contact me at info@childsown.com

Oy!

Child's Own Studio — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:09:44 +0000

Okay. I am officially swamped. Every time I turn on my computer, I get a hundred more e-mail enquiries. Last night I answered some of the e-mails, but today, I got several hundred more.

My site has gone viral; people say that I’m on Pinterest; people are blogging about me. But now I don’t know how long people will have to wait before I get to their order. The 4-6 week turnaround time has just gone out the window.

So, here’s an idea. Let’s keep Child’s Own Studio a secret for a while? Don’t share this website with your friends, pin me on Pinterest, post about me on facebook or blog about me. Yes, shhhhhhh….until I catch up.

If you sent me an e-mail or drawing ( I have seen so many sweet and funny ones ), please bear with me as I send out acknowledgements. I don’t have the time to provide quotes right now, and I don’t know when I can.

Please check out the FAQ (above, on menu bar) for frequently asked questions and yes, I do ship around the world.

I am a bit overwhelmed, but I am also very appreciative of all the enthusiasm and lovely comments people have been leaving me. Thank you soooo much!

Okay, back to my e-mails.

Four a week

Child's Own Studio — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:35:32 +0000

That’s how many I can manage to make without going bonkers. Isn’t the point of being self-employed that I can call the shots and decide how much work I want to do?

So, why do I feel guilty?

Esme’s bunny has super duper sonic bionic ears…

“This is Sonny Li’l Bad Guy, Keadryn’s imaginary friend who goes on extreme adventures. One day he is in the Alps and one day he is in Africa. Currently he is in the middle east. He’s hard to keep track of. ” (Jeff, Keadryn’s uncle)

Olivia’s dog with his rainbow stripes, great red tongue and sparkly wings is a most faithful companion.

Desiderata had started doodling a candle flame, but it gradually turned into a seahorse with pouty lips and long hair (that can get wild sometimes).

Cade loves to draw fantastic, powerful creatures, like this dragon, named Cartonthorus.

These are some of the projects I completed this month. I still have a bunch (of patiently waiting customers) on my list of orders to complete, and a growing number of people patiently waiting for quotes. Waiting. Even the people talking on the radio sound a little impatient.

(Please be advised that if you are hoping that a softie be ready in time for a birthday, well, there’s nothing wrong with hoping…)

New Website

Child's Own Studio — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:35:30 +0000

King Elf by Jacob, age 6

Welcome to the new website/blog! Take a look around. Not bad, WordPress.

It was time to consolidate Child’s Own Studio’s website and blog. I also got rid of the FormMail order form (didn’t take PDFs and found lots of spam for me) and I have eliminated the gift certificate, because I really do need to see the drawing beforehand.

Everything else is pretty much the same: same e-mail address: info@childsown.com (looks anonymous, but this is The One And Only e-mail account).

I’m also hoping that this blog format is better at communicating the fact that I am a one-person-working-in-the-spare-bedroom-artisan. When I first started Child’s Own Studio, I took a business course, where I learned how using “we” communicates a professional business presence, but really there is no “we”. Just me.

I still haven’t figured out how to hire someone to help me. Every soft toy is a unique project – and if it doesn’t come out right- like today’s project- I do it over again. Because I’m Mme Pickypants.

Recently, I tried to get my son (nine years old) to help me around the studio, but he didn’t like working for Mme Pickypants.

You might suggest that I (really) hire someone else to help me with the admin stuff, packaging and photography, so that I could just focus on the softie-making. I’d tell you that I enjoy doing all the other stuff, if only because it provides me with a break from softie-making. You might then say, well, you’re not running a business. And I’d say, you’re right, this isn’t a business. This is a craft.

Maybe if I offered more money to my son…

His Royal High Elf

A Couple of Cats

Child's Own Studio — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:27:00 +0000

I’m Only A Cat

by Eva, age 10

I’m only a cat,

and I stay in my place…

Up there on your chair,

on your bed or your face!

I’m only a cat,

and I don’t finick much…

I’m happy with cream

and anchovies and such!

by Lizzy, age 6

I’m only a cat,

and we’ll get along fine…

As long as you know

I’m not yours… you’re all mine!

poem by unknown author

Runa’s elephant

Child's Own Studio — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:42:00 +0000

by Runa, age 5

Once there was an elephant,

Who tried to use the telephant—

No! no! I mean an elephone

Who tried to use the telephone—

(Dear me! I am not certain quite

That even now I’ve got it right.)

Howe’er it was, he got his trunk

Entangled in the telephunk;

The more he tried to get it free,

The louder buzzed the telephee—

(I fear I’d better drop the song

Of elephop and telephong!)

Poem Eletelephony by Laura Elizabeth Richards

Tidings

Child's Own Studio — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:41:00 +0000

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me:

an orange owl

by Hanna, age 7

and a fruit tree

by Piero, age 7

On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

a friendly zebra

by Hannah, age 5

On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me:

three fair-haired dolls

by Nicky, age 7

by Riley, age 10

by Evelyn, age 9

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me:

four fantastic figures

by Jess, age 6

by Brendan, age 9

by Aiko, age 8

by Jenny, age 14

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

A FIVE GREEN-EYED BUNNY!!!

by Avery, age 8

Whoa!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND HAPPINESS IN 2012!!!

The Unseen Playmate

Child's Own Studio — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:47:00 +0000

When children are playing alone on the green,

In comes the playmate that never was seen.

When children are happy and lonely and good,

The Friend of the Children comes out of the wood.

by Wyatt, age 5

Nobody heard him and nobody saw,

His is a picture you never could draw,

but he’s sure to be present, abroad or at home,

When children are happy and playing alone.

by Dante, age 6

He lies in the laurels, he runs on the grass,

He sings when you tinkle the musical glass;

Whene’er you are happy and cannot tell why,

The Friend of the Children is sure to be by!

by Olivia, age 8

He loves to be little, he hates to be big,

‘Tis he that inhabits the caves that you dig;

‘Tis he when you play with your soldiers of tin

That sides with the Frenchmen and never can win.

by Eloise, age 4

‘Tis he, when at night you go off to your bed,

Bids you to your sleep and not trouble your head;

For whever they’re lying, in cupboard or shelf,

‘Tis he will take care of your playthings himself!

by Anna, age 6

(poem by Robert Louis Stevenson)