Wednesday, August 24, 2011

guest blogger interview time Kelley




I have promised an interview and here it is this is my first feature guest on my blog.
meet LittleElfsToyshop's, Kelley is the shop owner on Etsy.

Here's the following interview, she's such a lovely lady we're actually having a swap together so it'll be exciting in the next couple of weeks.

What inspires your felties?
I am very inspired by vintage childrens books, fantasy books and kawaii Japanese things.

How long does it take you to make a character? It can take anywhere from 45 minutes for a tiny miniature to 4 or more hours for a larger item. It just depends on the size and detail.

what wool roving do you enjoy using?
I use several different kind of wool, but my favorites are Merino wool roving and Shetland/Moorit.

How did you stumble across felting? what attracts you to it?
I saw a felting kit for sale one day and I thought, huh, that looks like it might be fun. I actually didn't like it at first because I poked myself so many times. Hahaha But the more I did it, the more it became something I just love to do. It's amazes me how many different things you can make by needle felting, I think that is the biggest attraction. It's sculpting and anything my mind can imagine I can make into little wool cuties, I Love it!

What is your biggest creation to date?
Hhmmm I think my biggest creation would be a nature tree I made that can change with the seasons. It was about 13 inches tall and was totally poseable.

what is your smallest?
The smallest thing I ever made was a custom order for a miniature swan, and I mean it was tiny. I think it only measured about 1/4 of an inch tall when I was finished. Definitely the smallest thing I've ever made.

What is your personal favorite so far? I made an elf girl sitting on a mushroom a long time ago and she is still my favorite creation to this day. ^_^



What is your creative process? how do you start creating?
I try and think of what I want to make, them break it down into parts, like legs, body, head, hips and so on. The just try and attach them as I go and add more wool as needed. Pictures are a big help, if I can have some kind of reference picture, it make the process a lot easier.

What is the story behind your etsy shop? what made you start it?
Since I was a little girl I always wanted to be a toymaker. I started my Etsy shop as a dollmaker and I still make dolls, but the little felted animals and things have since taken over and is now just about overrun with little felties. I just have so much fun felting, it’s hard to stop and do dolls again.

What are some tips for others out there wishing to create?
Give it a try and keep at it. The more you work at the craft you want to learn, the better you will be. Have a big imagination and try doing things you like; if you’re into cats, make lots of cats, and before long you’ll be great at it.



these images are owned by Kelley
thanks Kelley for your time in this guest interview!

9 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for the feature, it has been so fun. ^_^

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  2. I am so tickled with my little bear. Kelley does great work....I guess that's because it is fun for her. A great interview!

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  3. Great interview! I have ordered lots of goodies from Kelley - mostly cats for my niece. She loves them - and I look like a rock star for finding awesome gifts. LOL Kelley is so talented.

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  4. Love Elfie's creations, she is such a sweet person too!

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  5. Kelley is very talented! I love her little creations...adorable! Thank you for sharing this feature Whinging Ninja!

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  6. LOVE Kelley!

    I sent her a picture of one of our cats, Inky. He is a Tuxedo cat. She made him felted and we gave it to my 10 year old grandson, Noah, who adores Inky. I will see him sleeping in bed at night with the felted Inky in his hand.

    LittleElf is very talented.

    ♥♥♥
    Sue

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  7. great post! I would love to see that big tree Kelly! sounds awesome!

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  8. Love to read about crafty people. Kelley is so creative. A photo of her would have been nice too.

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  9. Found your weblog by accident for the second time these days so I considered I would have a nearer appear.

    Analyst Cv

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