Thursday, July 22, 2010

Custom Pup

More showing off! This adorable puppy commissioned a custom head harness and paws set so he could have some puppy-kitty time with his ladyfriend, Princess Kitten. The harness was inspired by this older model of harness, but it's totally unique- the muzzle, gag (hidden from view), and furry straps were all specified by the customer.


I'm now making all head harnesses in with faux leather straps for a much more satisfying fit and feel. I've also switched over to heavy duty hardware meant for bio-horse tack and bio-dog collars. For this piece, I sewed the faux fur trim directly on top of the faux leather straps and riveted on a couple of long floppy ears for maximum cuteness.

The muzzle was an especially new one for me. I usually use rubber animals noses like in the first edition piggie harness, but this harness was about being adorable, not necessarily humiliation. So I sewed a little faux leather nose and hand-stitched it to a faux fur muzzle I had sewn and lined with polar fleece. It snaps in place right above the bone bit-gag, also detachable. I am a huge fan of gags- the bit-style in particular for the extra drool-factor. And what better gag for a puppy than a bone?

Thanks for sharing this super cute photo, Pup! Hope you and Princess Kitten had a great time!

Monday, July 19, 2010

The Fox and the Hound

One of the fun commissions I received recently was for two sets of paws and furry shorts (with tails!) for a fellow who goes by the name Pakkun. One set was for a cartoon fox and the other set was for a dog.

This was the inspiration image for the dog costume:


...and this was the final paws and shorts set:



Doesn't he look cute?

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Hiatus is over!

Did you miss me?

I'm still alive and I'm playing catch up! I moved out of my tiny temporary studio and I finally have the full set-up in my new permanent residence in Oakland, California. Over the next few weeks I'll be updating the website and posting on the blog more regularly.

If you haven't seen the photos from the New Designers' Fetish Fashion Show yet, please drop everything and go look at them on the fashion show's official site. For some more detailed commentary on my favorite selected photos from the lot, check out my Deviant Art page.

The show was back in February at the Fetish Fair Fleamarket in my favorite town Providence, Rhode Island. I got to see my dearest friends and eat my favorite restaurants and, for the first time, experience the Flea as an attendee instead of as a vendor. I had a really wonderful time. The show was definitely the highlight of the weekend. The theme for my three-piece collection was Service Animals and included a Police Pony, an Army Doberman, and a Firefighter Dalmatian. My talented models were Conrad, Faye, and Q. They did a really fabulous job! If you want to get the full experience of the fashion show, try listening to the song they walked to as you flip through the pictures. The photos were all taken by Boston photographer and rigger RopeRider.

My next few posts will be about the commissions I've been working on. I've had to take on fewer commissions than usual because of the move, but I still have a steady stream of work and there are a few pieces that I'd like to share with you. Stay tuned!

Friday, April 9, 2010

I'd Tap That

One of the ways I keep on task in my studio is to listen to something playing in the background. I listen to radio programs, audio books, and most recently I've been enjoying podcasts like Kink on Tap. Kink on Tap is a very smart discussion-based podcast about sex, gender and kink. It's run by two people I'm proud to call my friends: Maymay and Emma.

The format is loose. May and Emma invite guests to come talk about their own work and thoughts on matters of sexuality and then they all have a rousing discussion, full of tangents, intermittently steered by a few pre-selected questions usually about current events. If I weren't otherwise occupied I might get frustrated with the long,  rambling nature of the show. When I sit down and listen to a radio program or podcast I tend to like structure- maybe a little overview of what to expect and when, with quick summaries along the way. With Kink on Tap, I get an idea of what will be discussed in each episode from its brief description, but once it gets started I'm just along for the ride. Thankfully I have kinky animal costumes to keep me blissfully unruffled by the lack of structure. After each episode I go back and check out the links in the description (and in each episode's accompanying wiki page) and I'm oftentimes introduced to new websites, blogs, companies, organizations, and issues that I would not have otherwise been aware of.

Kink On Tap is such a marvelously chatty thing to listen to- I imagine the hosts sitting at a bar with their guests sharing pints. But that would be quite the bar: May broadcasts from the left coast, Emma from the right, and guests anywhere in between or beyond. If I wanted I could listen to the cast live and join the buzz in the chat room, posing questions to the guests and hosts in real time. I choose instead to listen to the published podcasts as they appear in iTunes and enjoy them at my sewing machine. And in my imagination I'm eavesdropping on some very smart people at the next table in our continent-stretching bar, talking about sex.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

More Cats, More Hats

The theme of honoring a beloved pet with a matching hat continues! And it's for another Sam, believe it or not.

Sam sent me photos of her dearly departed cat Topanga and I made her a hat inspired by the cat's unique coloration. The result was a bit more calico than Topanga, but it came out well and looks super cute on Sam. Don't you agree?

Monday, February 1, 2010

Cat in the Hat

I just got some photos of a commission I did for a friend of mine. Sam wanted a cute furry hat inspired by a real-life tuxedo cat.

Here's the sketch he sent me:

And here's the finished product, modeled by Sam and pictured with matching cat:
In other news, you should check out Sam's band Black Tape for a Blue Girl- their latest album, 10 Neurotics, features a song called Marmalade Cat inspired by yours truly! I got to see them live in Rhode Island last November- if you get the chance, I highly recommend catching a show.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Further Confusion

As a brand new resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, I couldn't help but take advantage of my proximity to Further Confusion, the annual San Jose furry extravaganza. This past Saturday I drove down to San Jose to see what all the fuss was about.

We got to the show just in time to catch the parade, which was a perfect way to start the day. Then I got a chance to cruise around the Dealers' Room and ogle all the furry art. I bought this print from Thornwolf, whose work I've admired for a long time. I also got to say hi to the folks at BunnyWarez and see their work in person. Seemed like there was plenty of furry porn and leather collars and I even saw a booth selling amazing dragon dildos. And by dragon dildos I don't mean dildos shaped like cute little dragons, I mean dildos styled to look like actual dragon cock! This makes me think that Wolf Princess Designs might do well at an event like this and I'm planning on applying to vend there next year.

I didn't see any classes and the panel that I went to about dragons was pretty dull, so I can't say much about the programming- except for the dessert buffet that appeared at one point which was pretty awesome! The highlight for me was viewing the art in the Dealers' Room and silent auction and seeing the range of costumes. There were creatures of all species, shapes, and colors and some of them were rather inspiring. Everyone looked like they were having a great time- lots of smiles and hugs everywhere!

I'll end this post with some of my favorite costumes:


This puppy was the cutest thing- a hands-and-knees design that looked absolutely adorable toddling around the convention (photo by Pup Ajax).


I developed a particular fondness for this well-dressed hare (this photo also by Pup Ajax).


But the quadruped razorback stole the show- incredible!

Check out the Further Confusion Flickr pool for more photos of the event.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Cat and Mouse

I just received two fabulous photos from a customer that I have to share with you, not because the white fluffy kitten set I made for her came out so well (although it did), but because of how much fun she's having with it:


Look at that sneaky smile! Now there's a cat who knows how to have a good time. What you can't see in the picture are the ten sharp metal claws at the tips of her paws- that mouse doesn't stand a chance!



Kitten wrote:

I loved how the feeling of being a kitten came over me when I put everything on. I had so much fun!

Thanks so much for the photo, Kitten! You wear it well.