Where are you from and tell us a little about yourself?
I’m from lots of places! I spent my childhood in northwest Indiana, my teen years in the Silicon Valley area of California, my early adulthood outside Seattle, and I’ve been living in New England for the last 8 years. Typically, I just tell people “I’m from America!”
I love playing games. I remember one Christmas – I think I was about seven – our family got a new Atari 2600 from Santa. So when I was home later that year with the measles, I was playing Pac-Man, Adventure, Pitfall, etc. When we moved to CA in 1987, we got our first computer, and I played the original SimCity and rogue-like games like Nethack.
Next came the original NES, and with it Zelda, Bubble Bobble, Paperboy, and other
classics. When I was in high school and the Internet took off, my dad helped me build
my first computer of my own (instead of the family computer), and I began playing more
graphics-based games. We got a Sega Genesis for Christmas. I moved out to Seattle and
bought a Playstation, and Final Fantasy 8. I met a local gaming group and got involved
in my first tabletop games. One of the gamers in the group was an anime fan and got me
started on “Evangelion”. And so it goes!
My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was about 15, while she was visiting from Chicago. My mom doesn’t crochet, though, and after I finished that first crib quilt, I’d forgotten how to set up the foundation chain – and there was no one local to teach me. It wasn’t until I got to UMass, and had to do a LOT of reading, that I realized just how
fidgety I get, and how much I needed to occupy my hands. So I re-taught myself to crochet from guides on the internet, and after a few ridiculous mistakes and sad little scarf attempts, I finally re-mastered the hook
I’m married to a wonderful, patient partner and we have 2 children in grade school. With our powers combined, we are possibly one of the nerdiest families around. Our older son recently ended a debate about “whether a light-saber, if dropped point-down, would cut through a planet” by reminding the adults involved that as soon as the saber reached magma, the handle would dissolve and the blade would vanish. Our younger son managed to set my high score on Zynga’s “Scramble” game to 787 – and this is a
game where making 200 points is a challenge! We all love to play games together, from
Fluxx to Mario Kart to Talisman, and the kids love all the best movies (Clue, Back to the
Future, Labyrinth, the Princess Bride), so it’s one big happy geeky household. J
Why did you start your Etsy shop, Hooked on Chibis?
My first time selling dolls was at Anime Boston 2009 in the Artists’ Alley. As part of my
success there, I learned two important things: people REALLY loved my black mages, to
the point where I couldn’t keep them in stock; and people wanted to know if they could
order from me. So I set up my Etsy shop as an opportunity for people who had seen me at Anime Boston to find me when the convention wasn’t in session (and really, who wants to only do business three days a year?).
How did you come up with the name Hooked on Chibis?
I wanted something clever that reflected both crochet and the “chibi” caricature method used in anime fan-art (Wikipedia has a brief but informative entry on what “chibi” means and how it originated at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chibi_(term)). Having grown up with “Hooked on Phonics!” commercials, “Hooked on Chibis!” seemed a natural idea.
What is your favorite item in your shop and why?
As corny as it sounds, my favorite items are the prototypes: the at-con commissions, the
first attempts at a new character design, wrestling with how to get six tails on something
with a butt the size of a silver dollar. There’s something very rewarding about design, especially when it’s been inspired by a fan and you have their enthusiasm to fuel you on. With all of that said, I think that my favorite doll is a Hello Kitty that I made on commission – she’s a favorite character of mine anyway, but it took a fan asking to prompt me to make her, and I hope to have her in my shop very soon!
How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
Deciding the medium was actually my first step. I’d been out looking at crochet books for some new ideas (really, you can only crochet so many hats and scarves), and I found Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen Haden. I made a Cthulhu from her patterns, then looked at him again and said, “you know, if I made him red, and gave him the coat from this
other doll, and made THAT white, he’d look like Zoidberg from Futurama!” After that, I started looking at the shapes, and mentally rearranging the pieces, and somewhere between “I can use any color yarn I want”, “I don’t HAVE to put those ears only on the monkey”, and “if I extended this piece here and then added some rows …” I made my first design: a Pikachu doll, with buttons for cheeks, some improvised ears, and a lightning-bolt tail that I’d designed completely on my own. He looked more like a teddy
bear than a Pikachu, but I was able to work with it … and now, 70 designs and several
hundred sales later, I have still not actually made that Zoidberg.
If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would
that be, and why?
For doing chibi-style fan-art, since I don’t draw very well, my next step would probably
be some sort of 8-bit pixel art. I’ve always thought about 8-bit quilting, but I’m really
terrible at getting precise corners on my quilt blocks. I do okay for keeping the kids warm
and in designs where the corners don’t stand out as much, but you’d have to be a really
GOOD quilter to pull off 8-bit imagery and I’m not there. Yet!
Any advice on selling things handmade?
It can get very easy, especially as you get into a mental “mass-produce” mode, to dismiss mistakes or shortcuts with “I’m sending this away, I’ll never have to see it again!” Your customers are far away, it’s true, and you might never meet them, but that makes your product quality MORE important, not less. I’m not saying to pour every fiber of your
being into every item; you can burn out that way. But your customer should feel like you are personally invested in their satisfaction.
Do you have plans for expansion?
I’ve recently come to a point with my dolls where I’ve realized that the “crocheting to
occupy my time, and maybe sell some dolls and fund the habit” approach will no longer
work, that I’ve gained enough popularity so that I either had to take steps to actively
grow, or I had to put it down before I end up burning out from lack of organization.
Luckily, between my spouse, my cousin, and one of my closest friends, we are now
a team of 4 people committed to sharing the joy of these dolls with the world. We’re
stocking the store every day with new dolls, putting together an aggressive convention
schedule for 2011, looking for local consignment and wholesale opportunities, and
dreaming up new designs all the time.
Any other sites you can be found on?
I have a Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/hookedonchibis) and
for the moment, that’s been enough. I can be followed on Google Buzz as well (hookedonchibis@gmail.com) and I have JUST started a blog (http:// hookedonchibis.blogspot.com), so pardon the dust while we get used to blogging!
Anything else you would like us to know?
I can make a doll of just about anything. I think I can count on one hand the number of
times I’ve been asked to do a commission that ended up being logistically impossible
(dragonflies, for example, don’t lend themselves to snowman shapes), and just because
I’ve never heard of a character before doesn’t mean I can’t find a reference picture. I’ve
also learned to like new games and movies as a result of fan requests, and if there’s one
thing I love, it’s learning about new things! Don’t be afraid to ask me about your favorite
characters, the worst that will happen is I’ll have to do a bit of learning 😉
I received a Chibi for review I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew a small crocheted friend, but I also enjoy crocheting but lack the creativity so I was excited. Shipping was speedy. The little guy I received is named Kumagoro; bright pink and very cute!! He was very eye catching even to my boys who would walk by and see him on the counter, they had to stop to pick him up and ask what is this. LOL. If you’re into anime, you’ll recognize him from Gravitation, if you know nothing at all about anime? He’s an adorable little pink bunny with a ribbon that can be used for a multitude of purposes. I like how friendly this Kumagoro looks. I was at first concerned about the small black buttons for eyes and red flower on the front. They both seem firmly attached (even with a little bit of tugging). I would still use common sense and caution if this were for little kiddos. Both my little boys 1 and 3 enjoyed Kumagoro! They picked him up twirled him around by his little ears, squashed him and snuggled him. I myself enjoyed seeing him sit on my headboard hanging out, he was oddly comforting.
I like that the ears can stay where you put them but have no wires. These little guys are $20 and would work for various age groups, but just remember to use caution with the babies and buttons.
Winner will have 48 hours to reply to my e-mail. If I do not hear back from the winner than another winner will be chosen!
**Thank you to to Hooked On Chibis for sponsoring this review/giveaway. I will not receive any compensation from this giveaway in exchange for an honest review and the opinion above is 100% mine. I am also not responsible for the mailing of this prize.**
97 COMMENTS
Anonymous
14 years agoI heart hooked on chibbis at the etsy shop.
machell
machell.duke@sbcglobal.net
Anonymous
14 years agoI like Riku.
machell.duke@sbcglobal.net
lewalk
15 years agoEntered Forever Andrea giveaway.
lewalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
lewalk
15 years agoEntered Protect a Bed giveaway.
lewalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
lewalk
15 years agoGFC 2.
lewalk
15 years agoFollower of yours on GFC.
lewalk
lewalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
lewalk
15 years agoNetworked Blogs 2.
lewalk
15 years agoFollow you on Networked Blogs.
lewalk76
Leah W.
lewalk
15 years agoHooked on Chibis on GFC 2.
lewalk
15 years agoFollow Hooked on Chibis blog via GFC as lewalk.
lewalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
lewalk
15 years agoFB fan 2.
I think I did that right and didn't accdentally do three entries for that one. Lol. Sorry. I got caught up reading their blog posts and forgot where I was in my entries here. Thanks.
lewalk
15 years agoAm a FB fan of Hooked on Chibis.
lewalk76
Leah W.
lewalk
15 years agoFollow their feed 2.
lewalk
15 years agoFollow Hooked on Chibis feed with My Yahoo as lewalk76.
lewalk
15 years agoFaved Hooked on Chibis.
lewalk
lewalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
lewalk
15 years agoAdded Hooked on Chibis to my faves on Etsy.
lewalk
lewalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
lewalk
15 years agoI really like the Avatar ones cause I love the cartoon, will hopefully see the movie soon, but I would get the Hello Kitty one if I won since I would be giving this for a gift. My doggies would eat mine if I got one for myself. Lol. Bad doggies.
lewalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
CathyH
15 years agoentered luxury pillow system
cathyguitarteacher-77 at yahoo dot com
CathyH
15 years ago2 follow w GFC
cathyguitarteacher-77 at yahoo dot com
CathyH
15 years ago1 follow w GFC
cathyguitarteacher-77 at yahoo dot com
CathyH
15 years ago2 follow w networked blogs
cathyguitarteacher-77 at yahoo dot com
CathyH
15 years ago1 follow w networked blogs
cathyguitarteacher-77 at yahoo dot com
CathyH
15 years ago2 Heart Hooked on Chibis on etsy cathyhorner
cathyguitarteacher-77 at yahoo dot com
CathyH
15 years ago1 Heart Hooked on Chibis on etsy cathyhorner
cathyguitarteacher-77 at yahoo dot com
CathyH
15 years agoMy favorite is Ina Yamanaka
cathyguitarteacher-77 at yahoo dot com
Anonymous
15 years agoI like Totoro. 🙂
Amanda, apw222 @ aol.com
Marci J
15 years agoI love the Hand-crocheted plushie – Link
june_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com
Ai Mei
15 years agoI love Sephiroth! Makes me want to play Final Fantasy 7 all over again and beat it 🙂
studentsavingbucks@gmail.com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years ago2
Google Friends Connect – following your blog publicly as Louis
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years agoGoogle Friends Connect – following your blog publicly as Louis
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years ago2
following on networked blogs
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years agofollowing on networked blogs
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years ago2
Google Friends Connect – following Hooked on Chibis! publicly as Louis
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years agoGoogle Friends Connect – following Hooked on Chibis! publicly as Louis
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years ago2
I like Hooked On Chibis! on facebook (Louis Here)
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years agoI like Hooked On Chibis! on facebook (Louis Here)
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years ago2
I *heart* Hooked On Chibis on etsy (rosidentevil)
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years agoI *heart* Hooked On Chibis on etsy (rosidentevil)
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Raven In A Blue Room
15 years agoI love the Kumagoro
Thank you for hosting this giveaway
Louis
schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com
Sheila Araujo-Vaz
15 years agoMy favorite item is undoubtedly the hello Kitty!
sheilalvaz at gmail dot com
manthas24
15 years agoI entered for your Herby Relaxation Doll and Lavender Sachet
manthas24
15 years agoI entered for your Handmade Bracelet
gustosa giveaways
15 years agoentered 3 pearls creations
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
jhitomi
15 years agoI am entered to win the handmade bracelet.
jhbalvin at gmail dot com
Anonymous
15 years agoI think megaman is my favorite.
Molls94@yahoo.com
manthas24
15 years agoI entered for your Luxury Pillow System
manthas24
15 years agoI entered for your Pink and Black Blooming Ring
manthas24
15 years agoI entered for your Fall Felted Keepsake Bowl
manthas24
15 years agoI entered for your "Oh Darling, Let's Be Adventurers
manthas24
15 years agoI entered for your Curious George Prize Pack
manthas24
15 years agoI entered for your Carmex Tints
manthas24
15 years agoI entered for your Cystex (cranberry supplement) –
manthas24
15 years ago2 I follow you on GFC manthas24
manthas24
15 years ago1 I follow you on GFC manthas24
manthas24
15 years agoI love the Hand-Crocheted plushie – Hello Kitty
dixiechick61688
15 years agoI already follow HOC on Facebook. It's under Amanda Batta.
simple_plan61688@earthlink.net
Entry #2
dixiechick61688
15 years agoI already follow HOC on Facebook. It's under Amanda Batta.
simple_plan61688@earthlink.net
dixiechick61688
15 years agoMy favorite is the Heartless, I love Kingdom Hearts.! 🙂
simple_plan61688@earthlink.net
PinkHaloSpartan
15 years agoThe link to the blog doesn't work. It has a space at the beginning of it.
Chi Chi
15 years agoI followed u on this blog via GFC #2.
Chi Chi
15 years agoI followed u via GFC #1
Chi Chi
15 years agoFavourite item is the adorable Kero from Cardcaptor Sakura 🙂
nyliram364 (at) hotmail (dot) com
gustosa giveaways
15 years agoentered pink and black blooming ring
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
gustosa giveaways
15 years agogfc follower
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
2
gustosa giveaways
15 years agogfc follower
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
1
gustosa giveaways
15 years agonetworked blog follower
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
2
gustosa giveaways
15 years agonetworked blog follower
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
1
gustosa giveaways
15 years agofollowing hooked on chibis on fb
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
2
gustosa giveaways
15 years agofollowing hooked on chibis on fb
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
1
gustosa giveaways
15 years agogustosa heart hooked on chibis
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
2
gustosa giveaways
15 years agogustosa heart hooked on chibis
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
1
gustosa giveaways
15 years agoi like Hello Kitty
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
mom2girls
15 years agoMy daughter, who knows a cute bunny when she sees one, says this is the cutest:Kumagoro SO that would be my pick 🙂 What nice work you do!
tracyschultz@yahoo.com
jhitomi
15 years agoentered the Felted Bowl giveaway.
jhbalvin at gmail dot com
jhitomi
15 years agogfc follower 2 as jhb
jhbalvin at gmail dot com
jhitomi
15 years agofollowing you on gfc as jhb
1
jhbalvin at gmail dot com
jhitomi
15 years agodefinitely my fave is the Hello Kitty! Hello Kitty fan from way way back.
jhbalvin at gmail dot com
Jessyca
15 years agoI love Hello Kitty. Brings back memories.. =)
jessycafoster@hotmail.com
Katie
15 years agoSubscribed to the shop feed via Google Reader
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
Entry 2
Katie
15 years agoSubscribed to the shop feed via Google Reader
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
Entry 1
Katie
15 years agoI follow you on GFC (Katie)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
Entry 2
Katie
15 years agoI follow you on GFC (Katie)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
Entry 1
Katie
15 years agoI follow you on Networked Blogs (Katie W)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
Entry 2
Katie
15 years agoI follow you on Networked Blogs (Katie W)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
Entry 1
Katie
15 years agoI follow Hooked on Chibi's Blog on GFC (Katie)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
Entry 2
Katie
15 years agoI follow Hooked on Chibi's Blog on GFC (Katie)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
Entry 1
Katie
15 years agoI follow Hooked on Chibis on Facebook
(Katie W)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
entry 2
Katie
15 years agoI follow Hooked on Chibis on Facebook
(Katie W)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
entry 1
Katie
15 years agoI favorited Hooked on Chibis Etsy shop
(my username on Etsy is zacbop)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
entry 2
Katie
15 years agoI favorited Hooked on Chibis Etsy shop
(my username on Etsy is zacbop)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
entry 1
Katie
15 years agoMy favorite is MEGAMAN! (though it was hard to decide, they are all so cute!)
katie at honorsocietylive dot com
Anonymous
15 years agoI heart hooked on chibis on etsy shop #2
Machell
machell.duke@sbcglobal.net
Anonymous
15 years agoI heart hooked on chibbis at the etsy shop.
machell
machell.duke@sbcglobal.net
Anonymous
15 years agoI like Riku.
machell.duke@sbcglobal.net
Jenn at Sweet T Makes Three
15 years agoI'm a GFC follower #2
Jenn at Sweet T Makes Three
15 years agoI'm a GFC follower #1
Sweet T Makes Three
15 years agoI like Hello Kitty. 🙂