Questions with Melissa

(Tootsie Monster...my fave!)

isen't this the cutest face you've ever seen?!? if you said yes, then you should meet the artist behind this loveable creature, Melissa Stanley. recently, i had the privilege of interviewing this talented lady crafter, so here goes nothing!

PLF - Melissa, I got the impression that you started your off as a painter (please correct me if i'm wrong)...how did you blossom into a crafter (in other words, what started it off for you?)

MS - Hmm, I have always painted and drawn, and I still do - although that has taken a back seat to my new 'buisness' as a sewer/crocheter/embroidery person. I don't know about any labels, I mean I don't think I'm a "craft artist" or a "fiber artist" or really anything, I just like to say that "i make things" and leave that up for other people to interpret. Anyway, I started crocheting a while back, and at the same time I was doing a lot of watercolor paintings. Then I started embroidering on the watercolor paintings, then I started watercoloring on embroidery pieces, and then I started sewing in December '08. Everything does come from the 2-d drawing and sketching though. I start with a drawing or sketch and then try to wrap my brain around how to build it out of fiber materials.


(painted bug watches)

PLF - Ok, so lets get down to it, cause i'm sure everyone has been wondering... where the heck does the inspiration from your pieces (i.e the Tootsie Monster) come from?

MS - Hahaha - yea, these come from all over the place. Usually the inspiration is simply I want to show someone something - I just want these little things to exist. The Tootsie Monster was just something I wanted to show my friend Joe.

PLF - If you could be any of your monsters (is it ok if I call them monsters or would you prefer something else), which would you be?

MS - They are little monsters! They are mischevious bastards, all of them. But for me... I dunno, I am partial to the one I am working on now, it's an Undine, a water spirit, she's creepy but I like her. (she'll be done tonight). Or the yellow portal-monster, "wonder". Or a crochet cat-cow, that'd be pretty great.

(the Undine)

PLF - I know you have a soft spot for Vietnamese food, if you could sit around the dinner table with some Pho, who would you invite to join you (living or dead) and why?

MS - I really love eating in southeast asia - the food is so fresh and colorful and flavorful and amazing. For dinner company I suppose I could list some interesting celebrities or authors or people like that, but honestly I'd rather chow down with my Vietnamese friends Thiet and Mein and Ly, and their families, and a lot of 333 beer. I guess if I had to pick someone famous I'd say Anthony Bourdain, because he'd enjoy it a lot, and he knows the good stuff.

(PLF - hey! i'm from southeast asia! we would probably get along!)

(sometimes, she makes cute plushies too!)

PLF - I noticed that you have a ton of blogs. How do you manage? are there any super powers involved?
MS - I do have a few, that is true :) I just do it all really for my own amusement, I don't have any audience in mind - just like, talking to myself. So that makes it easy and fun for me.

PLF - Alright, last question. Early bird or night owl?

MS - Both! I get up at 5am every morning. I work all day, take a couple food breaks, and then work all night until 11pm. Except Saturdays. Saturdays I try to sleep all day.

(Melancholy Amigurumi)

now, if you can't get enough of Melissa, you can visit her personal blogs, Art + Life = Love,
Eat Steak, Canned Culture, & EdandMel_Travel. (see! i told you she has a lot of blogs!) if you still haven't had enough, you can visit her via Flickr, or say hello through ETSY! whew!!

thanks so much Melissa!! it was so nice getting to know you!

...now, who's next?!