Have a Festive Christmas...

I know it's been a while, but I finally got my Aromatherapy back on and have made some Festives just in time for them to come and celebrate Christmas with you! Available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/117442470/festive-the-naturally-festive-plush

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved. Not to be replicated.

A little bit of love...

I decided we all needed a little love in our lives, what with all this gloomy, grey weather we've been having, so here are some Love Jr's

Available here : https://www.etsy.com/listing/92825385/love-the-naturally-uplifting-plush

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

A Collection of Mothers...

I thought I would make a Mother Montage; showing the four different types of Mother art dolls I have created so far.

All four types are available here : http://www.etsy.com/shop/tayloredcuriosities?section_id=11604550

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

The Mother of all Tranquillity...

Introducing a new edition to the Feeling family; Tranquillity.

This mother is scented with patchouli to make you feel utterly blissful.  There is a normal colourway (white, with orange womb) and an inverted colourway in this design.

Those of you who know me, know I have a background in Marine Biology and have kept fish for years, but there's no competition for me when it comes to goldfish; the red oranda wins hands down.  I find fish so tranquil, that I used my goldfish as inspiration for this Feeling.

You can purchase the White version here : https://www.etsy.com/listing/101145200/the-mother-of-all-tranquillity

And the Orange version here : https://www.etsy.com/listing/101145844/the-mother-of-all-tranquillity-inverted

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

And a second Mother of all Worrys...

Due to popular demand I have also created a second Mother of all Worrys.  As I said before, these will vary slightly due to being entirely handmade, cast and painted and the buttons are slightly different types, so no two will ever be identical.

Ever wondered where Worrys come from? Well now you know.

The Mother of all Worrys stands at 8" tall and has a hand cast, resin face, with hand painted details. Sewn onto the soft, grey, fleece body via tiny hand drilled holes. Made from soft, grey fleece.

This creature has a purple womb, complete with three tiny, fleece, baby Worrys, hand stitched into it. But this isn't just a womb, it doubles up as a pouch where a fully stuffed little Worry is nestled safely inside. Two long arms curl round in a protective, motherly way and are fastened on with purple button joints, meaning they can move back and forth.

This large monster is stuffed with a mixture of super soft stuffing and natural lavender aromatherapy, keeping that soothing effect that all Worrys have. The little baby (2" tall) is stuffed with the same. The mother has polypropylene beads in the bottom half too, allowing her to stand alone and adding a bit of weight.
Each piece varies slightly as all are entirely hand sewn and painted and have varying button types.

Available here : https://www.etsy.com/listing/101192595/the-mother-of-all-worrys

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

The Mother of all Fruitiness...

The second in my line of Mothers; this time I have created the Mother of all Fruitiness.  Well, where did you think those Fruitys came from?

Ever wondered where Fruitys come from? Well now you know.

The Mother of all Fruitiness stands at 8" tall and has a hand cast, resin face, with hand painted details. Sewn onto the soft, grey, fleece body via tiny hand drilled holes.

This creature has a green womb, complete with three tiny, fleece, baby Fruitys, hand stitched into it. But this isn't just a womb, it doubles up as a pouch where a fully stuffed little Fruity is nestled safely inside. Two long arms curl round in a protective, motherly way and are fastened on with white button joints, meaning they can move back and forth.

This large monster is stuffed with a mixture of super soft stuffing and natural strawberry aromatherapy, keeping that summer feeling that all Fruitys have. The little baby (2" tall) is stuffed with the same. The mother has polypropylene beads in the bottom half too, allowing her to stand alone and adding a bit of weight.


Available to purchase here : https://www.etsy.com/listing/100805682/the-mother-of-all-fruitiness

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

Poorly Jr coming tonight...

Here's the next installment in my Jr range of Feelings; Poorly Jr.  The same smaller size, but in my much loved menthol version.  These will be available in my Big Cartel shop tonight at 6pm english time, here's the link in case you want to keep your eye on them : http://tayloredcuriosities.bigcartel.com/product/poorly-jr

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

The Mother of all Worrys...

This is something I have been working on for a while now.  I scrapped the first mould I made and started again, and have changed the body a few times, so it's taken a few weeks.  But I'm finally pleased with the finished creature and ready to share it with the world.  So here is the 'Mother of all Worrys'.

This is the biggest piece I have made in a long time.  For some reason my resin faces NEVER turn out how I imagine them in my head, so it is pretty much an 'I wonder what it will look like' session, when sculpting these.  The face is entirely made by hand, like the rest of my creations.

This creature has a purple womb, complete with three tiny, fleece, baby Worrys, hand stitched into it.  But this isn't just a womb, it doubles up as a pouch where a fully stuffed little Worry is nestled safely inside.  Two long arms curl round in a protective, motherly way and are fastened on with purple button joints, meaning they can move back and forth.

This large monster is stuffed with a mixture of super soft stuffing and natural lavender aromatherapy, keeping that soothing effect that all Worrys have.  The little baby is also stuffed with the same.  The mother has polypropylene beads in the bottom half too, allowing her to stand alone and adding a bit of weight to the plush.  She stands at 8" tall.

I will be adding her to my Big Cartel shop soon (if you like her, I will be making more mothers).

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

Introducing : Focus...

An issue I have struggled with lately is being able to get motivated and stay focused with work, so I have created a study buddy to help me keep on topic.

Focus Jr is the mini version I have created of my normal Feelings range.  These little creatures stand at just 3" tall and now have not only stuffing and natural aromatherapy (citrus lemon this time) inside, but also polypropylene beads to help them stand alone and give a really satisfying bit of weight to them.

Focus is the newest addition to the Feeling family and is made from a super bright yellow fleece, with little mis matched saftey eyes.  It has a hand embroidered, orange circle on it's chubby belly to represent your inner chi/sun (I spent some time at a Buddhist temple a few years ago and got to meditate with some of the Buddhist monks there, where you focus on your inner sun to clear your mind).

Smaller tags than usual on these little dudes and with them all being individually sewn by hand, not machine, expect slight differences between each of them.  Each one is unique.

I have a batch of five made so far and will be adding these to my Big Cartel shop later on today : http://tayloredcuriosities.bigcartel.com/ So keep an eye on the shop.

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

The Feelings 2.0...

The new and improved Feelings, now have stuffing beads in their bottom halves to help them stand alone and add a satisfying weight to them.

Still scented, still chubby and still full of emotional issues. I will be adding these to my brand spanking new Big Cartel shop very soon.

Tea Feelings...

I have been working on these for a few weeks now and have been getting really excited about the release, So I am even more stoked that they are featured on some wonderful websites too!  Introducing my newest creation : Tea Feelings.

I have combined plush, resin and vintage teacups to create these little creatures, bathing in tea, that have similar scents to their full plush counterparts.  Each 'tea' is a mixture of clear resin, layered with natural additives like rose petals, orange slices or lavender buds and then depending on the size of the teacup, one, two or maybe even three little creatures sit inside. 
These are different from my usual work as they are collectibles and each one will be one of a kind as I treasure hunt for reject teacups that no longer belong to full sets.

The idea is that each type of 'tea' approaches a different aspect of life i.e. Tired tea has an orange scent which can help you feel more energetic and Love tea has a rose scent which makes you feel uplifted (the same as my Aromatherapy Plush).  What do you do when you have a problem? Pop the kettle on and chat it out.  These are based on a similar idea.

Those who follow my work, know how much of an over qualified tea drinker I am and these combine all the aspects that make my work 'me'.  I have attached some photos of various angles to show the tea and the Feelings in it.  These will be something I am going to produce a lot more of in the future, working on each one like a small piece of art.

Some of these will have saucers and some won't.  It depends on the treasures I am able to find, but all are unique.  Each piece comes with a vintage tag explaining the type of tea it is and what emotional issues it helps with.  The pieces will be added to my Etsy shop as they are made.  These two will be available soon, with plenty more to come.

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

Easter Baby Boom...

It's nearing that time of year when the Daffodils are out, baby lambs are springing around and we all want chocolate eggs! As you know we had a recent baby boom amongst the Worrys here at Taylored Curiosities HQ, but imagine our surprise when six litters came out bright pink and blue! All we can think is that it must have something to do with the Cadbury Mini Eggs some of the expectant Worrys had pilfered from my fridge.  All of these litters were twin sets too, a lovely Easter edition to the gang.

These Easter editions come numbered out of six.  There are only six of each colour way, but you get one of each colour per set.

Each of the sets comes with a Mummy Worry, two Easter babies, an Easter postcard and a bag of mini eggs, so they wont get too hungry on their way to their new homes ;)

Available from my Etsy shop this afternoon, once they are gone that's it, so get yours quick!

Clutter Magazine you rock! ...

Thank you to Andy of Clutter Magazine for this great feature.  You really know how to brighten someones day! It was so cool to read this and see my work against that awesome brick wall, so thank you ;)

To read the full article follow the link : http://www.cluttermagazine.com/news/2012/03/plush-feelings

A way to deal with loss...

Grief and loss are feelings that we have all experienced at points in our lives. Heartache is here to help you deal with that naturally. The aromatherapy will calm and soothe you, easing the heartache and feelings of grief.

Heartache is made from the softest lilac cuddling fleece and has a wonky mismatched pair of safety eyes. A deep red woolen cross is hand stitched where it's heart should be. Lovingly stuffed with an extra squishy chubby belly and a marjoram filling which is a proven aromatic remedy to help you deal with grief.

Accidentally made to fit perfectly into your hand, you can take this calming creature anywhere you go. No need to worry anymore.

Heartache comes with a vintage tag that explains it's natural powers in case you buy this as a gift.

Heartache is 4" tall.

Each Feeling comes with an adoption certificate, signed and dated.

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

Happy Mothers' Day...

Happy Mothers' Day to all those mothers out there, biological and adoptive as it doesn't matter which kind of mum you are, you are all wonderful and all love unconditionally.  I hope you all have a wonderful day x

Stock for the Stuff Fair...

I thought you might like to see some photos of the stock I made for the Stuff Fair on the 15th/16th of March 2012.  I have been sewing almost solidly for three weeks (fitting it around degree work when and where I can) and this is what I have achieved.  Each one is sewn entirely by hand, not machine, so they are individuals and each has it's own little quirks.  Look at all those faces ;)

Here are some of them ready to go to the show...

Thank you Jeremyriad...

Thanks so much to Jeremy of Jeremyriad for this really beautifully written feature about Worry! It was a superb read and really made my day.
To read the full article click the link : http://www.jeremyriad.com/blog/toy-talk/plush/anti-anxiety-plush-toys/

Friends...

We had more glorious sun today after a few days of fog and gloom, so I took the opportunity to take some fresh photos.  I FINALLY managed to capture the real blue of Afraids' fur (fleece :P) so you can get a much better idea of the colour and contrast with it's white, glow in the dark eyes.

Obviously Tuppy couldn't miss a photo op, and joined us for photographising fun!

Copyright © Penny Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

My Nest...

I have been working on this for a while, around all the other things I try to fit into my days, and yesterday I finally finished it.  Plus it was a bonus as I got some actual sunlight to take photos outside.  Here is my hand made nest.  It took a while to make, but I am really pleased with the end result.  I've always wanted my own nest (it's actually a prop for photography).  I have used twigs, twine, feathers and a beautiful moss to create this.

Wonderful Words...

I recieved this email last week and (don't worry I have checked with the sender) am sharing it with you now, as it really touched home to me, that what started as a way to make my designs 3D, has become so much more than that.

  
"I have thought about it for awhile and I would like to share with you the path one of your Worries had. I do not share it so you will feel sorry for me, but rather, as the creator of these wonderful toys I want you to feel encouraged by what you do.

I'm not sure exactly when it was that I discovered your shop. All I know is that upon reading the description of a Worry, I wanted to adopt him. I contacted a friend and made the arrangements.

Worry lived in my pocket. Under my pillow. Came with me every time I left the house. I didn't feel so alone, knowing the creature in my pocket understood. I got through each day and slowly began to heal. I stopped panicking when I would have to approach somebody. After all, Worry understood and his sweet lavender scent made me smile. He was soft, fit comfortably in my hand and his wonky eyes just added to his adorableness.

I took him with me to my therapy group and there was a girl there that was in the same state I had been only months before. She now has that Worry, and when I saw her last she had it tucked in her bag.

That little Worry took on a very special path. He helped me and is now helping someone else. I have sent your link to your Etsy shop to several people, each with their own stories, their own Feelings that they will connect with and maybe adopt.

This was my story.
Worry was my Feeling.
Such a simple thing that meant so much, all because you decided to reach out and touch the world."