Sloth, Turtle, Walda and the faces

My latest uploaded OOAK pieces currently available in my Etsy store.

A Fashionable Sloth

This week has been topsy turvy. I have been busy, exhilarated, a bit broken, resting, contemplative, patient, and figuring things out. Isn't this normal, for all of us really?

© Melissa Gaggiano

My fashionably attired, felt crafted, armature sloth doll is available in my Big Cartel store. She is a worthy addition to your doll collection.

© Melissa Gaggiano

I have been in development mode. 

Developing what? 

Developing stuff. Some of which you'll have to wait and see, but other things I can tell you about now. For instance I am having a go at needle felting a huuuuuuuuu-ge doll. It's a new direction for me. So I've got to be patient and not worry about the result.

I ordered felting wool from Highland Felting & Fibre Supplies. I'm so excited about working with these wonderful colours. Some of which will go toward making the above mentioned doll.

My youngest has been inspired by what I do. This week she has crafted a Sailor Moon mask, a hot dog, and an Easter egg. How neat is that?

Turtle + Other Good Stuff

© Melissa Gaggiano

In the week that has been I have finished making a sweet, fabric sculpted turtle. The turtle is 34cm tall and has a wire armature frame (being a poser is no longer a dirty word). The turtle is available for AUD $250.

 

© Melissa Gaggiano

I participated in a #drawinyourownstyle activity, playing along with Illustrator, Mel Stringer's Challenge. Aptly hashtagged as #melstringerdrawchallenge.  I had a lot of fun recreating Mel's illustration in my own way.

© Melissa Gaggiano

To recap the week just gone, I have entered my 2018 Sloth Project in Frankie Good Stuff Awards. Simply entering into these awards is a pat on my own back. It's a reward to myself and therefore worth mentioning, again. To find out more about the sloths, go here.

For those interested in making a smaller version of these sloths, there is a tutorial available on Etsy. To buy it simply go here.

Turtle + Sloth

© Melissa Gaggiano

After a couple of weeks of enforced rest, I feel ready and charged to focus on 2019 work. I have begun with the sculpting of a spectacled turtle.

The turtle has not given them self a name... yet. I can tell you that the turtle is made of felt, is being sculpted one section at a time, and began with a basic wire structure. As you can see from the below images, the feet and arms are complete. My next challenge is the neck, head and face.

© Melissa Gaggiano

In other news I have entered my 2018 Sloth collection into the Frankie Good Stuff Awards.

Designing and creating these sloths was a ground breaking project for me. I was applying what I could already do, trying new ideas, and creating a set that told a visual story. I was so happy bringing my passion for doll making, illustration and photography together.

Read this, to learn more about the Sloth collection.

© Melissa Gaggiano

© Melissa Gaggiano

© Melissa Gaggiano

Twenty Eighteen

These days I'm not much of a fan of New Year's Resolutions. Back in the day when I used to write those lists my resolve was bound to backfire. Looking back, I now understand my resolutions did not come with action plans or came with too high an expectation.

2018 is nearing completion, and no, I am not going to write a NYR. Instead I intend on using the next few weeks to rest, and take mental stock.

Doing the mental stock thing, I am following the recommendations of Marie Forleo. Marie is pure rocket fuel for my brain. Watching her videos really makes me think. And I do not mind revisiting her old videos, because, you know what? It's easy to forget, and travel off course. You are The Captain of your journey, but every good Captain refers to their Navigator. Yes, Marie is a Navigator of sorts.

With those brain farts out of my system, I want to share with you, my 2018 in review.

Let it begin:

Leonard Street (Australian indie fashion label) invited me to showcase my sloth doll designs in their Fitzroy store. The sloths are handmade armature (meaning, the limbs can move) felt dolls. Their clothes were made from the offcuts of Leonard Street fabric. Such an amazing project.

I am a regular contributor for the craft arm of My Poppet. My content has ranged from felt to paper projects. An exciting highlight was attending PAX as a media representative for My Poppet. Reporting my experience of this colossal event for My Poppet Living.

I have been a regular craft design contributor for the Australian magazine, Handmade.

I produced a downloadable ebook – a tutorial for making a simpler version of my Leonard St sloth designs.

I received a commission to make classroom finger puppets. The puppets were intended as a classroom tool, for students to express their feelings, in their transition to high school. These finger puppets have armature in the arms.

Although not craft design orientated, it is a worthwhile point to mention, I was hired as a photographer for a Fortieth Birthday celebration. It was both a highlight of my year and a creative job, therefore worth mentioning.

Worthy mention:

I handcrafted a felt furniture set. The bed and couch were designed to suit the dimensions of an LOL doll...

... and it was well received.

Go Ahead! Make Your Own Sloth

© Melissa Gaggiano

How could I not be excited? Today I am launching my first craft tutorial ebook, and it's all about the sloth.

This book has been quite a few weeks in the making. There were times I wasn't sure this would actually come together. But a combination of perseverance and getting some sleep, made it possible.

And now, I present to you "Sloth – Felt Design Tutorial", available on my Etsy store.

This PDF download provides you with all the information you would need to make one of my cute sloth designs. It includes:

- material and tool listing
- simple, step by step instructions with matching photographs
- pattern pieces template page

The dimensions of the doll presented in the tutorial are as follows:
Height – 17 cm
Width – 6.5 cm

A little background story...
This sloth originally emerged as a much larger doll that has showcased in a Leonard St clothing boutique in Melbourne. The original sloths wore doll size clothes, replicating Leonard St fashion. For more information about this – Leonard St Sloth.

I then decided to product a smaller scale of the sloth (without clothes), and make it available as a tutorial, for you. Which is where this book comes in.

Visit my Etsy store and buy your own copy of "Sloth – Felt Design Tutorial".

© Melissa Gaggiano

Finger Puppets + Other Things

Commissioned finger puppets,
made by Melissa Gaggiano.

I was recently commissioned to make finger puppets, to be used as classroom tools. The purpose of the puppets is to act as a prop, through which children can express their thoughts and feelings. Such a wonderful thing, and I couldn't have been more thrilled to create something that could be beautiful and useful.

I have also been making accessories to go with this sloth doll. I made a book and pencil out of felt and thread. I've made felt books before, but this was the first time I crafted an actual felt pencil. That was different. I can hardly wait to get this off to the intended birthday kid.

© Melissa Gaggiano

© Melissa Gaggiano

Tuxedo Mask, Mermaid + Other Cuties

This has been a week of announcements and other fun things.

Firstly, there is this finger puppet tutorial that I created for mypoppet.com.au. If you're a fan of Sailor Moon and making crafty things, then this project is for you.

My Poppet Project

In Handmade magazine, issue 37-3 you will find my Lambie doll design. Lambie is as soft as a pillow, if not, softer. You will want to make this fellow and tote him around for cuddles.

I was commissioned to make "Mirabella", a cloth mermaid doll. She was constructed using a variety of techniques:
- She is machine and hand stitched.
- Her facial and body details have been painted and drawn.
- Her hair is partially needle felted.
- Her body has internal armature.

In other things I have been constructing miniatures. Miniature food...

... and miniature sloths.

Leonard St Sloths in Fitzroy

At last! I can show you the very project that has kept me so very busy the past few weeks. I have created two, super loveable sloths for the Australian fashion label – Leonard St. 

These limited edition, collectable sloths are on display in the Leonard St Fitzroy store and are also available for sale. 

Leonard St – Fitzroy
132 Gertrude St
Fitzroy VIC 3065

Store Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 10am – 6pm 
Sunday: 11am – 4pm


A few facts about these sloths:

• The sloths are made using a varied combination of doll making techniques, including hand stitching, needle felting and armature.
• Both new and upcycled materials (Leonard St fabric offcuts) have gone into the making. The most prominent material used is felt.
• The sloth dolls have armature, meaning they can be posed. Even the sloths' claws have armature.
• The sloths are 95% hand sewn.
• The sloths' clothing has been loosely inspired by Leonard St designs.
• From conception to, pattern making and right down to the final stitch, the sloth project took 48 working hours. That's 24 working hours for each sloth.

Each sloth comes with:

• Certificate of authenticity.
• Miniature accessories – a bag and felt crafted coffee cup.
• Box packaging, with a window view of the sloth inside.

Visit Leonard Street in Fitzroy and say hello to the sloths on display. For more information about these sloths and commissions send me an email.

Cute Sloth, Small Sloth

© Melissa Gaggiano

    A quick breakfast, a coffee [or two], a little arm sloth sewing… and my work is done. Happy sloth equals happy little client.

© Melissa Gaggiano

Slothful Work

New doll design & construction
by Melissa Gaggiano

My youngest client put in a request for a blue sloth. So today I sit, think, draw and construct something entirely from scratch. Stay tuned for the finished sloth.