wild things

long ago, Mary Jo recommended me to her daughter Jamie to make bridesmaid dresses and now Mary Jo has called again because Jamie has a new little Maddox, to be honored at a Where-the-Wild-Things-Are-themed baby shower. 

and i was all, "uh oh, i never read that book."  it's true, it was always checked out by other kids and i never got my turn (lip quiver) no, it was always checked out, but i just read other stuff.  i knew the pictures, and the movie previews looked awesome, but still, never read it.  so i Googled for pictures and discovered that my "Frosty the Snoman" plus a mini crown, plus a leaf for a tail, meant that the main character would be a snap.  those monsters? (were they called "monsters"?) they were many and intricate, and while i have to admit i took the easy route, it is a book about/ a shower for a little boy [and if you know little boys, they're all "main characters."], and when i dropped them off, Mary Jo said that any stuff they found for the party was always the monsters--nothing about the kid.  so now they have him, featured as a cookie!
i used to have a policy against licensed characters, considering that at one end of the talent spectrum, i could make a well-known character look ridiculous, thus disappointing my customer, or the other, that i'd make them well enough for someone to point out my copyright infringement.  i figured if you wanted a Barbie party, i'll make pink stars; or Harry Potter would get some white owls; stuff like accessory images.  but if i allow for it to be like "fan art" where the artist redrawing it isn't trying to mimic it, but reimagine it, then i'm not so nervous about characters.  i've seen "Regular Show" characters drawn like Anime, or the Star Trek crew as cookies a la Playschool's "Little People," and it's fun.  my "little ponies" weren't "My Little Ponies" so my little "wild things" turned out just right--this artist's interpretation of a cute little boy going "Rarr!" in some white pajamas. 
Congrats to the whole family and welcome little Maddox!  and coming soon, some softballs, purple butterflies, Easter, a couple birthdays, and now that i'll have coworkers, maybe some projects just for fun?