Thermies Inspiration

I can do a lot of crafty things well, but I can't draw. It's as simple as that. I simply can't translate what's in my head to what I want on paper so I'm always amazed and extremely impressed when I ask my husband, Eric, to draw something specific and...BOOM!...it's on the paper in a matter of seconds! Just from memory. 

Here is a sampling of some of the sketches Eric has done from the Woodland Creature category. Keep reading to find out a brief history of Eric!

Eric started drawing when he was very small and from many stories I've heard found himself frequently lost in his sketchbook for hours on end. He knew early on that he wanted to be an artist (of some kind) and gained more interest and technique from his grandmother who loved to paint with him. In my opinion it's a gift to be talented like this but Eric would probably say that he has been moved by comics, graphic novels and art historical movements that inspires his creative output.

Eric did eventually become an 'artist'. He majored in painting and minored in graphic design at the University of Arizona (Go Wildcats!), quickly started a career as a graphic designer and ended up owning his own business for many years. Later he decided to go back for his MFA in graphic design at the UW Madison (Go Badgers! He doesn't know which side he's on anymore!) to become a professor of graphic design which he is today. This is in fact his 'dream job'.

The photos you see are a sampling of some of the pages in Eric's sketchbook for thermies! We are starting with fun categories including: woodland creatures, bugs & insects, mischievous cats, ninja & lucha libre, beautiful birds and personalized gift thermies. We will be adding more creatures in the near future when I get the Etsy shop open.

These sketches are just a starting point for the final designs of thermies. Drawings are scanned and drawn over in Illustrator, made into layers and pieces and eventually filled with color. That makes it sound fast and easy, doesn't it? From watching, I can tell you that Eric makes it look easy but the process certainly isn't fast. There is much care and consideration that goes into each thermie design. We want to put only a unique and thoughtful handcrafted item in a customer's hands that will use and love their thermie on a regular basis!

We are very much enjoying the process and fabrication of thermies and hope you enjoy hearing and learning about it too!

Thermies Prototyping

Thermies are on the loose!

I'm up to my ears in thermie prototypes and I can't wait for their official release; which will be announced very soon. We will be selling thermies in our Etsy shop which I will post as a link here as soon as I hit the 'OPEN SHOP' button...so exciting!

So what are thermies you ask? Thermies are beautifully designed (by my husband) palm-sized heat packs (filled with uncooked rice) that are heated in the microwave and placed on or under cold feet in bed so one can fall asleep in complete comfort and relaxation! Doesn't that sound great?! One Thermie will stay warm for about 30 minutes under the covers. Ahh! Two thermies.....forget about it....you'll be zonked in 10 seconds flat.

Here is a peek at some of the pieces that go into making thermies!

1. Fabric of course!

I love fabric...and the fabric store. It's so homey and comforting at the fabric store, isn't it? A place that I find myself spending way too much time in and never wanting to leave. I think I literally touch every piece of fabric in the place. I'm like a kid walking by a dirty car who has to run a finger along the entire thing.

2. Printed fabric. 

We are using only 100% cotton fabrics for our thermies and are striving to use only items/products made in the USA. Support the USA! The top layer fabric is printed in our home studio, and cut, sewn and filled by me, Jennifer!

3. More fabric for layers and contrast (all cut with my favorite tool ever). 

When I used a rotary cutter for the first time I didn't know what to do with myself. I started cutting fabric just to cut it. I stacked it up to see how many layers I could cut and quickly found out that I wasted a LOT of fabric but I was having so much fun I seriously couldn't help myself. Who ever invented that thing definitely deserves an award (if they didn't get one already)!

4. Rice. Thermies are filled with only 100% uncooked white rice. 

Did you know that white rice is one of the few things in the world that never goes bad? We never use wheat, beans, brown rice, flax seeds, herbs, dried flowers, oils, scents or perfumes to fill our thermies which could eventually go rancid. Yuck! No feet would ever like that!

5. Thread. Another place I get lost at in the fabric store. 

It is a goal of mine to own every color of thread available. I would also like them arranged on a perfect little spool rack but let's face it, I don't have every color, just enough to match what I make, and they are all tossed neatly (is that possible) into a small wooden basket with a frog on the side. Boo! 

What I'm trying to get at is that all thermies have decorative stitching to add to the cuteness (is that a word?) and we also only use 100% cotton thread. I say, keep it cotton!

6. Labels and the thermies logo. I love branding!

How could we create thermies HEAT FOR FEET without a fabulous logo?! We couldn't so here it is!

Well, I guess that sums up what goes into making thermies! Thank you for looking/reading and check back soon for more.