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Hi I’m Pauline, this blog is where I share all the latest Funky Friends Factory News, Giveaways, Competitions plus LOTS of toy-making tips & tutorials to help you sew the cutest soft toys EVER!

Toy design inspired by nature!

Oct 16, 2010 | A day in my life, Blog

I have been waiting for ‘inspiration’ to strike, so I can get back into the sewing room and make the next Funky Friend. It’s a funny thing, no matter how much I want to make a particular animal, I’ve found, it’s just impossible to design a toy pattern ‘on demand’.

I have a couple of designs that I have worked and reworked and REWORKED and I just can’t get them to look anything like the image of the stuffed toy I have in my mind. Sometimes, I’ve completely given up on a particular toy design… and then suddenly one day, I’ll wake up and make the toy in one go, and wonder what on earth was stopping me???

I have been waiting for a while now for inspiration to ‘kick in’ as I’ve been trying a few new designs, and nothing seemed to be working… so on the weekend, I decided to take the day off from toy designing, and we headed off for a drive in the countryside.

We stopped for a tasty picnic by the side of the dam, and even had a little siesta!

I couldn’t resist the quaint little high street nursery that we passed the way home and bought some snow peas seedlings and lavender plants.

I don’t know if it was the fresh country air, or just having a change of scenery or completely taking my mind off my toy designs …

.. but almost as if by magic..

we turned a corner on the drive home…

…and there it was!

… a sign!

I came home, went straight to the sewing room and made my prototype of a little Aardvark THAT afternoon!

Hooray!

OK, I have to admit, I made the ‘Photoshop cloud’ as a little joke, BUT that’s EXACTLY how it felt! It was like I just HAD to make an Aardvark!!!!

Next time I’m stuck with a design, I’m definitely going to get out in the countryside – it seemed to work wonders!!!

Now if a cute name for my little Aardvark could just appear by magic????

: )

Right, back to the sewing room… to finish him.
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.
Bye for now
Pauline

10 Comments

  1. sue

    as always very cute design 🙂 how about Archibald the Aardvark – sounds kind of regal, refined like he is royalty. 🙂

  2. Stacey

    He is so adorable, I really thought that could was real for about 5 seconds…lol.
    Looking forward to seeing him as another pattern to sew!
    Looks like an Adam or Anne to me…hehe

  3. Colleen

    I did a double take on the cloud too. 🙂
    I can offer some names. You’ve already called it a “him” so here a couple of names. 🙂 Arty, Ari, Asher, Atli, Atlee, and Atlas. 🙂 I hope you find a name for him soon. He looks great!

  4. Kylee

    Lol, love the photoshop cloud, classic!
    Been trying to think of a name to do with the countryside or the sky or something but came with pretty much a blank.
    The only name that keeps coming to my mind is Arnie the Aardvark.
    Love ya work :0)

  5. Susan

    He is gorgeous Pauline. Nothing like a bit of fresh air to spark inspiration. For names – Arnie, Aiden, Airy (like ‘clouds’), Addicus…Susan 🙂

  6. Pauline

    Glad you liked my story!!!!
    🙂
    Thanks for the lovely name ideas – I wonder why you get a feeling it’s a ‘he’ or a ‘she’ for a particular toy??? Weird, hey?

  7. Justine

    Too cute! How about Armand?? …. Amos ?? …….. Abner?? Or perhaps a break with the alliterative tradition …. Mark the aardvark, tee hee!!

  8. Jodie

    What about a pretty pink aardvark called Arhlia or Ava, or an aqua blue Adro or Auggie. To cute! Hope the pattern is out soon coz a christmas ardvark would be festive!

  9. Stephanie

    I still like Aaron the Aardvark, to repeat the double A’s. But whatever the name, I am going to need to purchase the Aardvark pattern. I too hope that it is ready soon.

  10. Pauline

    The deed is done, I reallllly like ‘Alex’ but finally settled on … well you’ll have to read in the NEW pattern post… aren’t I a TERRIBLE TEASE!!! : )