Things to Do When You’re in LA (on a 6 hour layover)

The last time I set foot outside the LAX I was seven years old. I took a picture with E.T., I went to a zoo, and I witness a flood at the Universal Studios. So when Emi of Pygmy Hippo suggested that I come and see her at her shoppe during my layover back to Oz, I became religious. You read that right. I had to pray to the Great Organizer of the Universe that nothing would delay my flight so I may go and meet this girl whom I’ve been working with for about two-and-a-half years.

Nothing did delay my flight from Denver to LA, although there was a hairy moment involving a power outage…not something you want to hear at an airport. I planted myself into a cab piloted by a very accommodating driver who put up with my incessant chattering and pointless questioning. You spend two months painting in a basement and I’ll bet you will talk the ear off a cornstalk too! We arrived at the Shoppe just as the sun was losing its last rays and I started screaming like a One Direction tween fan as soon as I spotted Emi. Arms were flapped and words were shouted at top volume. It was so great to see this fabulous shop and its proprietress in person at long last!

Look at this gal! I could, even if I try, never ever look half as cute as her!

Emi’s man Nathan more or less built every single item in the shoppe. He had measured the counter space just so so it was literally designed just for Emi! I’d love to spend hours in there, browsing and trying not to knock over things with the giant butt I’ve acquired over the two months thanks to Mom’s delicious cooking, but alas, there was another flight awaiting me.

We hightailed to the Culver City In-N-Out Burger. As a former East Coast being, I’ve heard great things about their legendary burgers and insanity fries. Emi and Nathan ordered some off-the-menu items for me. It was a shame I was so excited to meet them that I couldn’t finish my animal style fries. But that’s just an excuse to come back out another time, isn’t it?

Thank you, Emi and Nathan for treating me to the best layover meal and conversations ever!

The Pygmy Hippo Shoppe has been featured in many media outlets. This is the one I found that was pretty darn special.

World’s Smallest Commercial

As some of you might know, Emi of the World’s Smallest Whacky Gift Shoppe in LA has graciously allowed Bobo Babushka dolls to be on display there for the past 2 years or so. It’s on one of my top 10 places to visit if I should ever get a chance to leave the confines of LAX during my layovers.

If I ever set foot in there, Emi’s going to have to forcibly push me out. No doubt.

The Pygmy Hippo Shoppe has made a commercial, which is hysterical. I’m beyond thrilled to see that one of the BoBo sets was featured in a scene!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf7KYUtm1MM

If you’re in the LA area, pay Emi and the Pygmy Hippo Shoppe a visit!

Although my etsy shop will be closed for the next two weeks or so, my studio is still open. There’s no rest for the wicked. It’s time for us to take a mini vacation and for Anthony the Aussie to see America. He’s only seen the underbelly of NYC from far too many Law and Order episodes.

See you soon!

Magnet Mania!

They’re here! Mini matryoshka-shaped magnets!

Click on the pics for close ups.

Frida Kahlo, Punk Gurl, Lady Gaga

NYC tourist munching on a bagel, Steve Zissou, and Lady Gaga (again!)

Mermaid in purple glitter, the strongman, mermaid in turquoise glitter

Marie Antoinette with cake, Cupcake pageant winner, green luchador

Assembling these guys were fun. They’re made 100% out of polymer, lovingly baked and hand-painted by yours truly. Making these magnets were a little different than painting matryoshkas. For one thing, you can make all sorts of head gear. For another, my mermaids finally got real tails!

They’re now available at my etsy shop, ready to add some attitude to your fridge…or whatever magnetizable surfaces that suits you.

The Young Ones Update

Wow! Came back from brekky and noticed several requests for “The Young Ones.”

They’re now in my etsy store.

If you’re interested in owning a set, convo me through etsy and we’ll sort something out!

A Trip to Wynnum

Anthony and I have cleared our weekend to head up north for some wedding-related stuff and the Swampland Festival—I mean, Wetlands Festival—at Nudgee Beach. They were, happily, left untouched by the recent floods. It’s business as usual and that’s good to see…especially since we have friends living there!

On the way over, I did something that I’ve been meaning to do for a while now…visit the Collective Store in Wynnum. A very enterprising woman named Leonie has opened up a most marvelous shop right here in Queensland. I’ve seen something similar during my travels in Asia and was hoping someone here would do the same. Well, Leonie did it and she did it so well. You can rent a space at The Collective to display and sell your wares. The shop is absolutely beautiful. Leonie created a harmonious space housing so many diverse objects from artists all over Australia. I was gobsmacked and more than honored to have my dollies sitting in such a gorgeous store. It’s like being inside a live-action Etsy shop!

All the items in the store are handcrafted and absolutely gorgeous. You can find anything from clothes to home decor to jewelery to an outrageous hand-carved rocking horse that looks like it can weather any storms Australia dishes out.

(And that’s real horse hair too!)

I’m happy to say that the Good Luck Faeries will be featured at The Collective Store in the very near future (as well as the Toadstool Pincushion). In the meanwhile, watch out for some new additions in Etsy in the next month or so!

Are these things fabulous or what?

It was a real treat to see my Rainbow Girls sitting in the front window!

If you are in Australia and have created beautiful things to share with the world, check out The Collective Store. Click on the icon on the sidebar and it will take you to their website, where you can find out more on how to join.

…and Back Down Under Again

Just because my partner Anthony does expedition kayaking, my friends have all snarkily asked me if I was going to get picked up at the Brisbane airport in a kayak.

I’m pleased to say that yes, he did come and pick me up with his kayak (he’d just been out on a night paddle and made an effort to fit me into his schedule).

I’m back in Oz now and rearing to start painting again…that is, once my jetlag is over and done with and that my dolls clear customs. However, the ones featured at the craft fair will be systematically added into my etsy shop very very soon!

BoBo Babushka in Brooklyn

Even though the weather was bordering on violently strange, those two days in Brooklyn had been a ton of fun. Renegade was beyond my expectations…although I wish I had a little bit more time to look around the other stalls! Fortunately a few of my favorite artists came by my booth for a chat and I absolutely enjoyed meeting everybody who took time out of their busy schedule to visit.

Many of you wanted to know about the display case for the dollies. I had to recall my art school days when I had very little time and budget to construct outrageous structures so I turned to foam core and chip boards. By combining the two, you can actually achieve a wood-like effect. They’re also surprisingly durable. I should know—the dollhouse survived windstorms and rain and a thorough inspection by Bo, my bulldog.

Me and Po’Trowski, whose face was tatted on Leon’s back from “Ink’d”

The wind forced Matt, my booth mate, and me to remove the tent before it decided to go for a stroll down Lorimer Street. Fortunately I had my home girls Po’Trowski, Lara, and Shawna and a giant wad of glue dots helping out.

I will be returning to Oz later this week. After the dollies clear customs, they will appear in my etsy shop. In the meanwhile, I plan to spend my few remaining days in the Big Apple hanging out with my peeps, my wonderful parental units and of course, Bo.

…Pamela, thanks again for the matryoshka tee! I’m sorry it didn’t make it into the photos!

Let’s Go to the Fair!

I’ve always bought handmade gifts for people. For one thing, they’re unique. For another, I’m supporting the arts through one of my favorite forms of self-expression: Shopping!

It’s never once occurred to me that one day I may start my own little handmade gig and I absolutely love it! I get to meet a lot of interesting people from around the world through my computer. Internet is a marvelous thing. Unfortunately, with internet shops, one doesn’t usually get to see the “realness” of an object, which is why, since I’m in New York for a little while, I’ve decided to showcase BoBo BaBushka dolls for the first time live and in person at…

If you are local and want to while away a Saturday or a Sunday afternoon, please come out to McCarren Park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The fair is on June 5th and 6th, 11AM-7PM, rain or shine. BoBo BaBushka/She Hit Pause Studios is located in booth 216.

I have added a “Renegade” button on the sidebar. By clicking on it you can see all relevant information to get yourself there. And if you’re not in the NY area, don’t fret! Renegade hosts these events in San Francisco, Chicago, LA and Austin all year round.

I’m really looking forward to this event and working with the talented photographer Matt Schwartz of She Hit Pause Studios. We’re going to rock the 10’x10′ space! To quote Hannibal of The A-Team: “I love it when a plan comes together.”

Shop News

Today’s foreign travel takes us to Mexico and Russia!

“Los Lucha Libre” and “Matryoshka Dolls” sets are in my etsy shop now!