Q&A

Do you use new, recycled or vintage materials?

I use all of them! I very much like using vintage and recycled materials whenever possible; doing so creates a more interesting final product while also re-using materials that need a second life. That said, some materials I use are necessarily new. For instance, the plush creatures are filled with new polyfil and new (store-bought) dried beans. (The beans add a little weight). However, many of the eyes, butts, belly buttons, teeth, and other details are made from vintage or recycled buttons, recycled hardware, and/or deconstructed costume jewelry. Many of the bodies of the plush creatures are made from recycled (but thoroughly washed/cleaned) clothing. My metal robot-creatures are made almost exclusively from recycled metal and hardware.

Do you glue or sew creatures together?

Both! Plush creature bodies are sewn (both by hand and by machine). But for secondary parts—like eyes and butts—I sometimes use glue and sometimes I sew the parts on (and sometimes a piece is both glued and sewed). I consider the final look and durability when making these decisions.

Who are your creatures designed for? Are they durable?

The plush and metal creatures are designed for teens and adults who have goofy senses of humor. While I take pride in the quality of the things I make, they’re not toys and not for ‘play.’ They like to sit on a nightstand or next to you while you work on the computer. And, while reasonably durable, if people enthusiastically attempt to pull off body parts, they will likely be successful. Please handle them gently and encourage others to do the same. That said, I’ve received photos of people traveling with their plush creature companions which makes my heart happy.

How long have you been making creatures?

I’ve been sketching and doodling creatures and monsters since I was a little kid. And I began making plush creatures in my 30s (over 20 years ago). Initially my plush creatures were designed as flying bug-creatures that I created for my friends’ --who all started having babies around the same time--to hang in their nurseries. But then I realized many of my friends liked them so much that they ‘borrowed’ them from the nurseries in order to hang them in their own bedrooms or in their offices. And I realized that adults like little comfort/companion buddies, too. My creature ‘style’ has gone through different iterations through the years and will continue to evolve, but they have always had the same overall vibe: goofy, imperfect, often scrappy, sometimes anxious, totally relatable.

What about your metal creatures?

I started experimenting with making metal creatures much more recently, about 6 months ago. This included finding recycled metal parts and exploring building/construction styles. It also meant learning more about various metals, different glues, and new methods to continually improve on durability and quality. Similar to plush creatures, the robot-creatures are not toys and are designed to sit next to you as a companion. (They’re also good conversation starters!)

Who is the little pink creature in your logo?

That’s Esmerelda. She’s one of my oldest and dearest creatures. She’s been with me through this entire journey. (She’s sassy and has lots of opinions whenever I move in a new direction.)

Why do you do what you do?

There’s a quote I like by Howard Thurman: Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. I’ve worked many jobs over my career from social work to research to project management. I enjoyed those jobs, but they didn’t make me ‘come alive’ as creating art does. When we do the things that make us come alive—whether sewing, singing, playing a guitar, working out, birding, gardening, writing, whatever—we’re able to share our joy with others directly and indirectly. And that's needed because life is too important to be taken too seriously. Or, maybe a better way of saying that is, minimally, we all need humor and silliness and weird art to balance out the serious parts. :)

How do I know when a new creature is listed?

I currently have a Creatures Northwest Facebook page. You can follow that page if you'd like to see new creatures as they become available: https://www.facebook.com/creaturesnorthwest

Additional Questions?

If you have any questions about my shop or my products, please email me at annelarthur@yahoo.com