over the next couple of weeks we are going to find out a little more about the wonderful makers featured in the 2010 whipup calendar – starting with Susan Chi (Tada’s Revolution). Susan’s Grand Theft Auto, fun gorgeous characters crocheted with yarn – is our wonderful fun and quirky cover image.

Bio:
Susan Chi from USA / Saint Louis, Missouri – her website is: www.tadasrevolution.com
Main craft of choice: crocheting and sewing stuffed animals (amigurumi and nuigurumi)
Craft hero: Christine of SugarElf
Fave web site (whipup of course but do you have another fave?): Etsy, eBay, Three Potato Four
Fave crafty materials supplier: Kirkwood Knittery and Knitorious in Saint Louis

I asked all our participants to answer a few questions about their creative process:

1. When did you start making/crafting, and who or what inspired that first creative burst?
I first learned to draw when I was three years old. When I was growing up, I used to spent time around my uncle and cousin who were painting pictures all the time. I started to draw every day, whatever I could find, including my grandpa, and carrots.

2. What would you say was that light-bulb moment when you discovered your ’style’ and really hit your making stride?
I constantly find inspiration in art and nature, and I think that my style constantly evolves. Often going through phases. If you look closely at a string of my pieces or photo sets, you can usually pick up on my obsessions of the moment.

3. Why do you make – what do you get out of it?
Crafting and art has become a central thread of my life, and it is hard for me to picture life without doing arts or crafts of some sort. When I craft, it brings me order, peace, and happiness.

Find out more about how to get your hands on a copy of the 2010 whipup calendar here.

Don’t forget to get your whipup 2009 calendar - featuring 13 amazing works from 13 fantastic makers. Purchase through redbubble – international shipping is very reasonable and calendar quality is excellent.

Alice’s felt flower tutorial is featured as is Neta’s sock camera.

Don’t forget to get your whipup 2009 calendar - featuring 13 amazing works from 13 fantastic makers. Purchase through redbubble – international shipping is very reasonable and calendar quality is excellent.

The calendar features makers whose work is incredibly detailed – jodie’s selvedge dress, Shula’s baby wedding jacket and Helle’s crochet experiments.

Don’t forget to get your whipup 2009 calendar - featuring 13 amazing works from 13 fantastic makers. Purchase through redbubble – international shipping is very reasonable and calendar quality is excellent.

The whipup 2009 calendar features 13 artists/makers/designers whose work has been featured on whipup. This year I hand picked the participants but next year I hope to open it up for everyone. Over 13 days I will be featuring each of the participants – so you can get to know them (if you don’t already) a little better.

October crafty artist is Shula Hampson: www.poppalina.typepad.com. Shula is one half of a mother/daughter team from Melbourne who love to make things.

The whipup 2009 calendar features 13 artists/makers/designers whose work has been featured on whipup. This year I hand picked the participants but next year I hope to open it up for everyone. Over the next 13 days I will be featuring each of the participants – so you can get to know them (if you don’t already) a little better.

September artist is Emily Moss: www.ravenhill.typepad.com. Norway based artist Emily makes beautiful Matryoshka Dolls from her home studio, each doll is unique with detailed hand painted facial features.

The whipup 2009 calendar features 13 artists/makers/designers whose work has been featured on whipup. This year I hand picked the participants but next year I hope to open it up for everyone. Over the next 13 days I will be featuring each of the participants – so you can get to know them (if you don’t already) a little better.

April featured artist is Mimi Kirchner: www.mimikirchner.com/blog. Mimi is a fibre artist and doll maker. Her dolls are beyond amazing, with extraordinary attention to detail and personality.

The whipup 2009 calendar features 13 artists/makers/designers whose work has been featured on whipup. This year I hand picked the participants but next year I hope to open it up for everyone. Over the next 13 days I will be featuring each of the participants – so you can get to know them (if you don’t already) a little better.

Our January girl is Jodie Carlton: www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com, Jodie is a librarian and keen crafter from Australia. Her selvedge dress is featured – the dress took about five months to complete and uses over two hundred metres of selvedge.

The whipup 2009 calendar features 13 artists/makers/designers whose work has been featured on whipup. This year I hand picked the participants but next year I hope to open it up for everyone. Over the next 13 days I will be featuring each of the participants – so you can get to know them (if you don’t already) a little better.

Sandra Monat: www.herzenart.com: is our cover girl. Her gorgeous viking soft dolls grace the cover beautifully. This gorgeous fellow – viking no.54 is Eric Bloodaxe. Sandra is a German artist who makes toys to sell out of her home studio. Her work is featured in an upcoming book by Penguin soon to be published in Australia. Read Sandra’s latest news on her blog.