Happy Felties :: Handmade Holiday Vendor Feature

Business Name:  Happy Felties

Owner:  Mary Dell

Website:  www.happyfelties.etsy.com

What is the best handmade gift you've received?My absolute BEST handmade gift was given to me by my mother back in the 2nd grade for Christmas. It was an "Art Box" filled with every kind of cool crafting goody possible - pipe cleaners, all types of papers, glues, glitters, pom poms, strings, Popsicle sticks, felt, fabric...the list goes on and on!! She basically gave me the gift of creativity. She has always fostered my creative quirky soul. Even when I was just learning to stand, she would tape paper on the walls and let me scribble to my heart's content!

What is your newest crafty creation?  Is there specific item you'd like to feature for the show?
One of my newest (and probably to date, most FAVORITE) creations is the Baby "Hot and Crispy" Bacon Rattle (wearing a striped tie! tee hee hee). I like to let my mind wander to silly places (and I was particularly hungry on this occasion) when I invented my bacon rattle. I felt my bacon should be somewhat "distinguished", so I decided he should wear and blue and yellow striped tie. Voila! Who doesn't like bacon?? And more importantly, who doesn't like a cute toothless baby gnawing on a tie-wearing bacon rattle? ;)

Is there a story behind your shop name? My shop name is short and sweet (kinda like me!). I wanted something catchy and that also captured the "feel" of my work. I have always been described as a "happy" person - heck, one of my nicknames is "Mary Sunshine" (which is kind of ironic, actually, because I'm not a morning person....hmmm). But once I've woken up, I'm quite perky and talkative and overall pleasant to be around. My art is a lot like that. And I work with felt. So there ya go - "Happy Felties!" =)

Describe your studio.
Quirky and kitschy. A have an old secretary desk that I scored at a thrift shop a few years back that had been painted pink and white and has pictures of women (from various artists) decoupaged all over it. It's where I store my felt and various odds and ends. My work desk is an old farmhouse table, and I sit (always indian style) in a retro metal/plastic yellow chair (like the kind of chair you would find in an old laundromat). My walls are decorated with various retro kitschy memorabilia and old needlepoints (once again found at thrift stores). OH, and OWLS, of course!! Lots of 'em (because I'm kinda obsessed...)

What is your favorite thing about the Holidays?CHOCOLATE. Holidays are always about chocolate. Seasonal chocolate candies (I always raid the Russel Stover's section at Walgreens for each holiday). Basically from Halloween to Easter, I have a shamefully large stockpile of chocolate (which I don't like to share, unless I really love you). And now that I have kids (3 boys and 1 "bun" in the oven due in June), I get to relive all of my fave holiday memories - including trick or treating, Santa, and dying Easter eggs! =D

What are your influences?I'm a HUGE kid at heart. Even when I'm old and decrepid, I still hope to be just as young at heart as I am now. Bright colors and patterns, children, animals, and food are my biggest influences. I like making happy things that make me smile and will make other people smile too. :-)