April 10, 2024 • 58 mins
www.inthedollworld.com In today's episode, we sit down with Adwoa Cooper from Adwoa Design. Adwoa details her journey from using crochet for stress relief to developing a successful business, illustrating that the path to achievement can be as unexpected as it is rewarding.
Adwoa brings a fresh vibe to crochet, merging hip-hop influences with her unique doll designs that echo a whole culture's beat. We delve into how her dolls bring fresh perspectives to both the hip-hop world and the diverse community of doll enthusiasts. Adwoa's creations are not just dolls; they're narratives spun from her life's fabric, paying tribute to the mentors and the Amigurumi tradition that have shaped her path to prominence in doll crafting circles.
She also shares her wonderful stories about meeting her hip-hop idols, to her winning the of two won two top prizes in the California State Fair’s craft competition.
Wrapping up, Adwoa opens up about the intricacies of valuing her work, the supportive crochet community, and how she inspires the next generation to continue the crochet legacy. This conversation goes beyond crochet's technicalities—it's about life's intertwined paths, our passions, aspirations, and the happiness we infuse into our creations. Tune in for an episode that's as touching as it is thought-provoking, as we explore the art and heart of crochet dolls with Adwoa.
To learn more about Adowa Design please visit Adwoa Design
#Crochet #HipHopDolls #DollArtistry #Amigurumi #InTheDollWorldPodcast #GeorgetteTaylorITDW #CrochetCulture #HipHopArt #DollCollectors #AdwoaCooper #AdwoaDesign #ITDW
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hello everybody and welcome to In the Doll World, a
show spotlighting the passionand the people of the doll
community With your host,georgette Taylor, former vice
president and co-founder of BigBeautiful Dolls.
Join her as she talks tofascinating doll artists,
customizers, avid collectors,redesigners, authors and all the
people in between, as theyshare their journeys, give us
(00:27):
glimpses into their processesand what propels their passion
and drive that help to keep thedoll world moving and shaking.
Welcome to the show, helloeverybody, and welcome to
another episode of In the DollWorld.
I'm your host, georgette Taylor.
My amazing guest today is AdwoaCooper.
She is also the owner of AdwoaDesigns and she is also an
(00:48):
award-winning crochet dollartist.
She was the first place winnerof the California State Fair
Craft Competition in 2023.
And so I would love to betalking to her about that as
well, but I just want to welcomeher on In the Doll World.
Thank you so much, adwoa, forbeing a guest on the show.
I'm so excited to have you.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I am honored.
I did not know I was your firstguest of the year.
Yeah, so thank you so much.
As I was telling you I neverthought I'd see the day.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Oh, you're so welcome and I'm honored.
I'm so honored to have you onthe show Now.
I love your creations and Ican't wait for you to share a
little bit with our audienceabout what it is that you do,
why you got started.
So maybe we can get startedwith that.
Could you share a little bitabout yourself, where you're
from and also what inspired youto create Crochet Dolls, and
(01:39):
also how did your journey withAdewa Designs begin?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Wow, thank you again.
Well, I'm from the Bay Area, sohello to all my Bay Area people
.
Hello everybody from HaywardGosh.
Where do I start Growing up?
Out here?
I'm glad my parents picked adiverse area to raise me in.
I'm from Hayward, californiaoriginally.
I was about 18 when I left thearea and moved to Texas.
(02:06):
I served in the Air Force for avery brief period of time Well,
10 years but it was a calm erain the nation.
There wasn't really much goingon.
This was a period after DesertStorm and right before 9-11.
So I was very fortunate toserve during that time.
After that, came back toCalifornia, went into nursing
(02:30):
and with nursing it can be quitestressful.
So I found an outlet.
That's really the premise.
How I got into knitting andcrocheting.
I'm very thankful for mycoworkers.
Just one day I was walkingaround and looked in this room
and there were all thesetherapists.
They were having their break.
(02:51):
Some of them were knitting,some of them were crocheting,
some of them were probably doingembroidery, if I remember
correctly, and it was just avibe in the room.
I was like, wow, I want tolearn.
So I went in and I happened tosit next to a lady who was
knitting and she said well, youdon't know how to knit and I
(03:11):
explained to her.
You know, my mother wanted toteach me.
My mother was a knitter.
I have other relatives that arestitchers.
They made more quilts and wereinto sewing, but my mother
knitted.
I remember that and she triedto show me, but I was just too
busy.
I wanted to run around with myolder brother and play with the
boys and ride bikes, but shewould try and try.
(03:34):
She just wanted the little girlto learn, but I didn't have the
capacity.
I probably didn't have themotor skills yet, because I
remember I was very young.
So when she told me that I like, yeah, let's start knitting.
So she showed me the basics, um, I got started.
I did maybe two rows and Ithought, yeah, I got it.
(03:55):
But no, I went home that nightand forgot everything she showed
me.
But at the time I think this was, uh, 2009 um, I started
learning about the power ofyoutube.
So I went on youtube and youknow there's a plethora of
things to learn and I was like,oh, wow, here's some knitting
stuff.
So I went down that rabbit hole.
So that was my start withstitching.
(04:17):
It started with knitting.
Then someone told me oh, didyou know, if you crochet, it's's
a lot faster?
And I was like, what, really?
Then I started crocheting and,like any beginner, you want to
gift everyone.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Any moment, anything.
What?
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Here's a hat and a scarf A scarf yes.
So I drove my family bananasand they finally got to the
point and said we have enoughhats and scarves.
Thank you, we love you Can ofmy family bananas.
And they finally got to thepoint and said we have enough
hats and scarves.
Thank you, we love you.
Can you please sell this?
And I had an amazing coworker.
I would not.
I have to say something abouthim, nolan, I would not be at
(04:56):
this level if it was not for him.
This man would come to work andhe would see me on every break
trying to stitch stuff and hejust was so inspiring.
He'd say, well, can you makethis, can you make that?
And if it wasn't for him, hehelped me build up my confidence
.
And the next thing you know,other coworkers were saying, oh,
can you make this for me, canyou make me a hat?
And I'm like, oh, people wantto buy this stuff.
(05:19):
This is interesting.
So that was my foundation.
Then one day I was on, I waslearning about Instagram, so
this was a while ago.
I started learning aboutInstagram and I scrolled on this
page and I saw this lady makingdolls of look-alike people.
I have to say something through.
(05:39):
She's my crochet just mentorand she never even knew it.
Allison Hoff, she wrote thebook Amigurumi and that's how I
learned how to make the crochetdolls of people, and I saw the
people she was making.
But I noticed, you know, Ithink I saw a Quest Love doll
that she made and you know he's.
(06:00):
African-American and I noticedshe used certain yarn to make
like the texture of his hair.
But I remember seeing that Iwas like, oh my gosh, I want to
do this, you know, because a lotof hip hop artists, a lot of
R&B artists, I thought I wouldthink they would want a doll of
themselves, you know.
So, as I said, I went down thatrabbit hole.
I got her book, startedstitching and folks loved it and
(06:25):
that was how I got startedbetween that, and also my
children at this time.
At that era, the star Wars wasbeing rebooted with all the
prequels, and they loved that.
I grew up on episode four and up, so you know I'm Gen Xer, so
that was how I started, but it'sinteresting to see them
enjoying all these prequels onepisode four and up.
(06:46):
So you know I'm Gen Xer, so, um, that was how I started, but
it's interesting to see themenjoying all these prequels.
So I taught them, you know, youstart with episode four and go
up, right, right they.
They started learning the maincharacters and my oldest son,
isaiah, said mama, please makeme a Yoda.
I love Yoda, you know, pleasemake me a Yoda.
And I thought, oh my gosh, canI do this and I tried, I gave it
(07:16):
an honest try.
It was horrible.
He's such a wonderful child andjust a kind hearted child.
He took it from me and helooked at it and he said thank
you, mom, but I know you can dobetter.
And he walked out of the roomand it just stuck with me.
I was like, oh, my baby, justwell, he was my first legitimate
critic.
This is okay, but you gotta,you know, tighten up those
skills.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
But you know you can do better it's probably what you
would say to him.
Right, when you bring home a, cor b, you're like right right,
you know.
I know you could do better.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I guess he did.
He mirrored, I guess, what I hadsaid to him and it lit a fire
under me and I was like I'mgonna redeem myself, you know.
So then I got introduced toother crochet designers.
Um, another idol of mine, uh,lucy Ravenscar she's way, um, I
believe she lives in London, shespecializes in fantasy figures,
(08:09):
so she gave me a goodfoundation to kind of model and
I practiced on a lot of herdesigns.
I can do this.
So, between my coworkers, Iwill always be grateful for them
.
My children, my youngest son,israel.
He got my Etsy shop shut downbecause he liked the characters
(08:29):
from I think the game was calledAngry Birds.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
That was a big deal.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Yes, so he said oh, mama, I want Angry Birds.
Make me Angry Birds.
So I made the Angry Birds and Ilearned everything there is to
know about copyrightinfringement.
After posting those in my Etsyshop, within one hour my shop
was shut down.
Wow, I had a cease and desistletter from um.
(08:54):
I believe the company is calledRovio.
Who owns them?
Wow, they said you know, it wasjust very blunt, just hey this
is ours right, stop it even etsywrote me, because it happens a
lot.
They even wrote me and said youknow, hey you know, take it down
.
We'll open you back up, butplease, you know, respect you
(09:15):
know this copy, so I learned somuch.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah, and that's, that is a good lesson.
That's what oh, it's not a goodlesson to be shut down, but it
definitely is a good lesson tolearn you know what you can do
and can't do, because it is afine line.
And you really do have to knowthat.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
You have to respect that.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
And respect everybody's art, you know.
So that's right.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
So I you know, and that was a wake up call, some of
those lessons.
You never forget lessons likethat, and it sticks with me to
this day.
So now, if I get a request likethat it's like well, do you
realize what you're asking me todo?
Right?
It expanded, though, um, it gotto the point where, uh, I grew
(09:53):
up listening to a lot of hip-hopmusic that that's just like the
soundtrack of my formativeyears my teenage years, you know
I listen to a song.
I get this memory.
One day my cousin and I werechatting online and I believe
the artist Rick Ross wastrending at the time and I was
(10:14):
just joking around and I said,oh, I should make some hip hop
dolls.
And she goes really, crochetand hip hop, those two don't go
together.
And I said, you know, it waslike a challenge to me.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
I was like, really, you don't go together and I said
, you know, it was like achallenge to me.
I was like, really, you don'tthink the two go together.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
They go together.
Yeah, I like both, so you know,and for some reason it was a
Rick Ross doll that justinspired me because his features
were so unique and the image Iwas looking at.
I was like maybe I could dothat.
I ended up making a dollsimilar to him, posting it again
(10:46):
.
And then the next thing I knewI was getting all of these
orders for this doll and I justput rap artists, whatever I knew
, to tread lightly.
I just kept getting theseorders and orders.
What is going on?
And then I realized a blogger Ican't remember the name of the
(11:07):
blog right now, but she posted.
She, I didn't even know sheposted it and that's where it
was generating all these orders.
I couldn't believe it.
People from all over thecountry, people overseas, were
ordering them and I thoughtthere's something to this, you
know.
So I just kept going.
Friends would say, hey, can youmake my daughter?
(11:28):
Because, as I grew up, thereweren't a lot of dolls.
As you know, that looked likeme and I'm very thankful.
The youngsters nowadays call itbeing woke.
I had very woke parents,actually.
They read the doll study, yes,and were very aware that you
know she needs dolls.
Read the doll study, yes, andwere very aware that you know
she needs dolls that look likeher Presentation is important.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Yeah, exactly Very important.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
I'm so thankful for that because it stuck with me
all these years.
So parents would reach out tome saying I need a doll that
looks like my daughter, you know, and not just African-American
children.
A lot of people from the Latinocommunity reached out to me.
They wanted a doll thatrepresented their child Gosh,
this is still an issue.
I was in my 40s and this isstill an issue.
(12:13):
So I started doing that.
But I always kept the hip hopin my back pocket.
I would sneak a hip hop doll in, I would sneak a hip hop doll
in.
And then one day I donated somedolls to an organization, for I
believe it was the legends ofhip hop.
The wives of hip hop legendswere trying to get started with
(12:35):
a show about their story andthey needed gifts and items from
the genre for their pressrelease, and so I jumped on that
.
Um, I felt very fortunate they.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I sent an image like oh yeah, we need this so as luck
would have it.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Um, I sent a set of run dmc dolls with the little
turntable and it was really socool and I thought nothing of it
.
I'm like yeah you know I'm like,yeah, you know, I'm like I got
to get started somewhere.
So I donated these dolls A DJthat I had been listening to all
my life and I didn't evenrealize that DJ Scratch saw them
and he said, whoa, I want thosewho made that.
(13:17):
And the organizer told himabout me.
Her name is Dana and I'm sothankful for her.
She told him you know, yeah,you can have them.
You know, told him about me.
So that was.
I thought that was the end ofthat.
I'm on social media I think itwas Instagram and you know how
(13:40):
you follow someone and you getthe little alert that they're
going live and I thought, ohwell, let's check him out.
He's going live.
What is he talking about?
So I click the button and youknow it comes on and I'm
watching and I see him lookingat the phone and he's talking to
his audience and he's lookingcloser and he points and he says
hey, you made those dolls.
(14:02):
I need you to make a doll of me.
I dropped my phone when he saidI said could he be talking to
me?
And I you know scrambles pickedit up and he goes yeah, I don't
want to mess up your name, butyeah, I need you to reach out
and I just text back whateveryou want you know so, and then
that's how that started.
(14:22):
He wanted his doll.
I made it in his likeness, andit just kind of snowballed from
there um so crazy I went to highschool with um spice one.
He's our bay area legend inhip-hop and he honored me with
making his doll and he loved it.
I had to make him two and hismother, uh rest in peace to her,
(14:44):
because she passed.
But his mother liked it so muchshe took it from him and I've
been meaning to make him anotherone, but it's just been crazy.
But I was like there'ssomething to this, you know, and
when you think about it, hiphop culture you know it's a lot
of.
The foundation of it was duringthat Gen X.
We were into collecting things,especially now that we're older
(15:06):
and we have the money to buywhat our parents did yes,
exactly, that's so true.
They're into action figures,they're into comic books, so
it's fitting they enjoy having adoll in their likeness and it's
really just snowballed fromthere.
It's amazing, but when the faircompetition started started, I
(15:27):
would always go to the fair withmy family, mainly my
grandparents.
They would take us every yearand we'd go through the gallery
and look and I never saw a dollthat looked like me.
Um, it just was a fact.
Um, but the doll competitionhas grown tremendously.
But back then we're talking theearly 80s it was more dresses
(15:49):
and sweaters and blankets.
But as years went on, there wasthere were more dolls.
So of course, when I gotstarted making dolls I was like
you know, why not, why not entersome?
So the first time I entered Ibelieve it was um the golden
girls I made again AlisonHoffman had a, a pattern it is
(16:10):
the cutest thing.
Um, I entered, I think, justDorothy and Sophia.
I ran out of time so those werethe two figures I had made.
So I entered those and I got anhonorable mention and I thought
what you know, I couldn'tbelieve it.
But I also kind of messed up.
I entered it under crochet.
What I should have done wasentered it in dolls and toys so
that was a learning experience.
(16:32):
Okay, all right so the next yearI learned my lesson.
I entered um.
I can't remember what wastrending that year um uh, uh,
deadpool okay, okay, know thecomic book figure.
I entered that and little did Iknow, gosh, it leaves me.
But the company, his moviestarted trending and their
(16:55):
company reached out to me and Ithought, well, okay, and they
were just saying we need itright away.
And I thought, well, you know,this is crochet, this isn't mass
produced, this takes time thistakes days.
And they said oh no, we haveconfidence in you, you can get
this done.
And I thought, okay.
And they said don't worry aboutrush shipping, we'll send it,
(17:15):
we'll send you, you know,everything you need.
Okay.
So that made me get the let out.
Then the next day, I get anothermessage from them.
They're like oh, and, by theway, throw in a set of girls,
and girls too.
I'm thinking, sir or ma'am, Ididn't know who I was talking to
.
I'm like this takes time.
And they said well, you don'tunderstand, we have a deadline
to meet.
And I'm thinking well, who isthis?
(17:36):
You know I let it go.
I'm like, okay, let me just getthis done.
I focused matter of fact.
You know I have a full-time job.
I think I called in sick a dayor two just to get this done.
I focused matter of fact.
You know I have a full-time job.
I think I called in sick a dayor two just to get this order
done.
And I, you know maybe, oh, Idon't work for them anymore, but
yeah, so I went ahead.
I knocked it out, got theinformation, went to FedEx
(18:00):
because it had to be there thenext day, and the technician
I'll never forget this.
They entered the address andthey looked at me and they
looked at the address and theysaid who do you know from Fox
Studios?
And I said I'm sorry and theysaid you do know, this is going
to Fox Studios.
And my mind was blown.
I was like what in the world isthis request for?
(18:22):
Because I thought it was kindof just like a very I don't know
interesting person, like theywant a dead doll and they want
Golden Girls.
What?
Speaker 1 (18:32):
in the world.
You know, little did I know.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Fox Studios was doing a promotion it was the Golden
Girls, I believe 20th, 20th,30th anniversary, I can't
remember now and Deadpool movierelease 20th, 20th, 30th
anniversary, I can't remembernow and did pool movie release
and I didn't know the characterhad this um thing, I don't know
bond with b author, I think, hissword.
He named b it my son is gonnakill me for not memorizing this,
(18:57):
but um, I didn't know theconnection, so sure enough.
I wake up the next day and afriend of mine she sends me this
message.
She goes hey, are these yourdolls?
And I click on it.
It was on Facebook, it was onInstagram.
They put the doll.
I'll send you an image of this.
They put the doll, both sets ofdolls.
(19:17):
It was very neat.
They had like a CGI baton and Ithought oh, my God.
Even, even the designer, umAllison.
I remember she went on her pageand said, hey, who's making
these dolls?
That's my pattern.
You know it was amazing, but itjust made me realize.
You know people are mocking meand saying, really, you
(19:38):
crocheted, you sit in a rockingchair, right.
But if Fox Studios, if hip-hopartists, if they, you know, yeah
, so that gave me the, the proofthat I needed.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
There's something to this yeah, you know something to
it, but the things, too, aboutthat is that you just never know
who's watching you never everknow.
You know, it's so funny when yousaid that.
It reminds me when, when wewere doing the big, beautiful
dolls we had, we had aconversation with monique a
while back you know, years ago,because I mean I was just when
we first started, which is solong ago, 20 something years ago
(20:09):
but and we had a conversationwith her and her brother and we
thought we were going to do somedolls for them, you know,
because we really wanted toexpand the company and so those.
That didn't pan out.
But probably about two, threemonths later my mom calls me and
she's like oh my God, turn theTV on.
(20:30):
So I turn the TV on.
It was Entertainment Tonight.
I never forget thisEntertainment Tonight and
Monique had one of our dolls onEntertainment Tonight Amazing,
it was the Dina doll and she wastalking about the doll and she
was like, oh my God, isn't shebeautiful and doesn't she look
like me?
And blah, blah.
And we were just like stunned.
I was, I bet I was totallystunned.
(20:51):
I mean now she didn't referenceus, but I don't know if that
has something to do with, youknow, entertainment tonight or
whatever it was saying that youknow, the reference us or
anything like that Cause.
Obviously that's an endorsementper se, but it was just so
interesting.
You know, you never know and youjust never know, never know
who's looking at you don't knowwhere your things show up at,
(21:11):
but your uh competition you wonfor the rap dolls, didn't you?
Wasn't that I did I?
Speaker 2 (21:17):
waited um the year before I did um.
Was it black?
Yes, black panther.
When the movie was trending, Iwon first place for that.
And then I thought, my goodness, what in the world am I gonna
do this year?
Because, you know, my littleego got involved.
I'm like I'm the crochetchampion, I have to follow up,
(21:37):
you know, and so.
But it just really motivated meand I thought, duh, you're
turning 50.
Hip-hop's turning 50.
Make a tribute to hip-hop.
And that's exactly what I did.
Nice and the patrons loved it.
I I don't want to get emotionalabout it, but it's just
priceless seeing people react tothem.
The patrons at the fair lovedit.
(21:59):
Little did I know.
Like you said, you never knowwho's watching.
The community loved it.
Um, channel five reached out tome.
Our local news reached out tome.
Our local black newspaper, theum, they're out of sacramento,
california, the observer.
I couldn't believe it.
They did articles about it andfolks loved it.
(22:19):
They loved it and it justfurther reinforced.
Keep going.
Look, the people like what youdo.
It brings so much joy as dollsdo.
Yeah, that's, that's the firsttoy I remember, a baby doll and
I remember that joy and that'sjust what I do now.
It just brings joy to people,yeah, but um, that was priceless
(22:41):
, though, to see um the dollsrecognized yeah and um I don't
mean to creep people out, but Ilike going to the, to the
pavilion, and I just kind of sitand I just watch and just
seeing the children come,especially african-american
children, and they look and likethey they're recognizing the
(23:02):
dolls and they're identifyingwith the dolls and it's just
very rewarding.
Yes, the accolades are nice,yes, the awards are nice, but
that is, it's just so addictiveto see people's response,
whether it's good, bad orindifferent.
I love that because it gives mefeedback.
Um, it's telling me it eitherway.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
It's telling me to keep going right, yeah, um what
you do is a passion that youhave and you love doing it.
So you want to know that peoplerespond to that, you know, and
that they receive your work,because you do put a lot into
that.
So walk me through a little bitof your creative process, like
how did you even think of this?
Speaker 2 (23:41):
but really music is just so influential over me, I.
But I always have music playing, whether I'm in my office,
whether I call my littleworkshop my stitch lab it's in
another room in the house, but Ialways have music playing and,
(24:05):
you know, music can bring back amemory.
Or if I've seen this personlive, or sometimes I'll be
watching an award show and I'llbe inspired from that, or even a
movie.
Okay, um, speaking of movies, Idon't know if, uh, you saw the
dolls I made from, uh, thechristmas movie jingle jangle.
That movie inspired me so much.
(24:28):
I'm I'm watching the movie andmy son you know I was the
annoying mom, I'm like we're allgonna watch this movie.
So my sons are sitting therewatching with me and my oldest
looked at me and he said mom,can you just watch the movie?
I can tell your brain isthinking about and I'm like I'm
sorry you know so I gottapresent.
But to answer your question,music, the visuals I get from
(24:51):
different movies I like, evenmemories, childhood memories.
I'm very nostalgic of memory.
I'll pop up and I just get thatinspiration.
One of my favorite craft fairsthat I did, I made a Rick James
doll.
I think it was the Street Songalbum cover.
(25:12):
I just remember as a littlegirl seeing him.
I thought he was so cool.
My mom was very like you, likeRick James.
No, but I just remember hisbraids, because I had little
braids too.
I'm like, oh, he's so cool.
And I remember the thigh highboots and one day I was like I'm
going to make a Rickick jamesdoll.
And, like you said, you neverknow who's looking on etsy,
(25:33):
who's following you on socialmedia.
You know his bass player, oneof his original bass.
Uh, girlfriend saw the doll,bought it for him, gave it to
him for christmas, and his onlycritique was I really wish you
made a little bass guitar to gowith it.
And I thought, oh, why didn't Ithink of that you know but then
, you know, I started thinkingmore collaboratively.
(25:55):
Hey, maybe they play the bass,make a bass If they play the
trumpet, the trumpet to go withthem.
But music really inspires me,it really does, wow.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Now you know you've been in the crochet business for
a while now, so what has beensome of your biggest challenges
that you have faced Just in thedoll making journey?
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Oh, yes, there are definitely challenges.
You know, when you have apassion for something, some
people assume that, oh, you likedoing it, just give it to me.
And I'm like no, I mean, therewas a time when I would do that.
But when you finally getyourself together and say you
know what, this is going to be alegitimate business.
(26:37):
I need to value my work.
I need to price accordingly,because you don't want to insult
the industry.
I learned that the hard way.
I still have emails saying,girl, what are you doing?
You're giving your work away.
And I thought, oh my girl, whatare you doing?
You're giving your work away,you know?
And I thought, oh, my goodness,what am I doing?
So I would have to say mybiggest challenge you see this
(26:58):
person.
They like your work, they adoreyour work and they want it.
And perhaps they're telling youthey can't afford it.
But one thing I've learned ispeople can afford what they want
to afford.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
That's what I say all the time.
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
It's interesting and I had to learn this.
I had to get thick skin becauseI used to let people intimidate
me Like how long does it takeyou to make that?
How much are your supplies?
I'm like whoa, wait a minute.
And I learned this analogy froma mentor.
They don't know they're mymentor, but they told me.
They said you know, have youever gone to a Mercedes Benz
(27:37):
parking lot, or even a Bentleyparking lot?
Do you walk in there and say,oh, no, no, this is not in my
budget.
No, they will kindly walk youto the door and say see that
over there, that's CarMax.
You need to go over there,right?
So they taught me you aremaking one of ones.
You have a skill that otherpeople don't have, right.
(27:59):
They need to pay you for thatand they need to respect what
you do.
And if they don't tell them,the nearest Walmart is 5.5 miles
away and you can get somethingwithin your budget.
You know, know, I wouldn't tellsomeone that, but I've learned
to have an educational momentwith them yes, yes and yeah
because it's you know it.
I wish I could mass producethese, but then for me it would
(28:21):
take away from it, because I putmy heart and soul into these
dolls and people that are loyalto me.
There's a lady every year sheorders a doll for me, whether
it's a graduation, a wedding orjust a special friend, that she
wants them to have a unique gift, and I love that and she
(28:43):
appreciates what I do.
She never haggles me about ohwell, I'm getting two, can you
give me a good deal?
And she respects that.
I'm not a big box store, right.
So for me, pricing well, Ishouldn't say it.
Still, it used to be an issuefor me.
Now I'm very unapologetic.
This is my fee.
(29:03):
This is what you want.
This is going to be my fee.
If you want to go with that,here's our contract, right, this
is going to be my fee.
If you want to go with that,here's our contract, right.
You need to come back?
Great, but this is my fee.
Um, and it's taken years for meto be able to say that yeah, I
can imagine that.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
I mean you know it's so funny, like I all the people
that I interviewed.
That is definitely one of thechallenges is about you know,
pricing their no start justlearning how to price their,
their uh, their uh, their art,because you know, a lot of times
you're creative and you knowthat you could do it and
sometimes it comes easy tosomebody or you've learned it to
the point where it does comeeasy to you now and sometimes
(29:39):
you don't.
Like you said, if you don'trespect the work that you put
into it, then you can't expectother people to respect that,
and sometimes you do.
Some people still, like yousaid, challenge you and they
want to know why is it cost thismuch or why is it do that, and
I don't think that you need toreally have an explanation about
that.
It's your art.
You know, it's something thatyou do and you spend time on,
and that's what this is thereason that they're reaching out
(30:00):
to you, because they love whatyou do.
So then they pay for what youdo.
I mean, I think that's a bigchallenge, you know, in this, in
the doll creative space, butit's your time and it's your
hours, you know, and it's yourcreativity and your knowledge
(30:21):
you know to create those things.
So I totally understand thatthat is a big challenge.
I think in the art world ingeneral, you know what I mean In
the artist world.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
So, yes, yeah, Because you always hear about
the starving artists.
But, yes, no, it shouldn't bethat way and we need art.
Art makes us happy.
Um, I have a friend who he's,uh, into collecting art pieces
and, um, he saw, I couldn'tbelieve, my job put the article
(30:47):
and the links to me winning atthe state fair, at work and my.
So now my both worlds arecolliding.
My co-workers are like, hey, Isaw you and I you know and it
was kind of nice having itseparated.
It's kind of nice now to meshthem but, um, I, he had
mentioned to me he was an artcollector and um, he told me, he
(31:07):
said you know, people arecalling your dolls toys, they're
calling it crochet.
He goes, you do realize whatyou're doing is art.
And for him to say that, myheart just skipped a beat and I
thought thank you so much, youknow, because so many people
minimize what I do.
Yeah, like, that's made out ofyarn, that yarn really, and you
(31:30):
know, like all by the yarn, willyou make it for the cost of the
yarn?
I'm like absolutely not and theydon't.
But that's the thing.
They don't realize howinsulting that is.
They don't know, they don'tknow and don't realize the work
that goes into it Really.
You know, you have to learn howto create those things.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
You know, and because you, and just because you think
about it, you still have tolearn how to get it out of your
head into that doll.
And once it does, you know thatdoll has to speak for itself.
That's.
It's not just about oh, let mejust put these needles into the
yarn.
I mean it's a lot of thingsthat go with that.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
It's definitely a technique and other crocheters
they'll say like hey, I makeblankets, like how did you start
doing that?
And what they don't understand.
I'm like, well, if you couldmake a blanket, you can do this.
I'm just not doing it.
We're doing the same stitches.
These dolls are literally.
Maybe, depending on howcomplicated are, maybe four to
(32:24):
five different stitches, okay,okay.
And if you can, and you're justdoing it in a circle instead of
at length but every crocheter Italk to that doesn't make dolls
.
They're like oh no, I, Icouldn't do that and I'm like no
, you make these elaborate,detailed blankets you can't, oh,
no, no no, so it's just one ofthose things.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
It's just one of those things yeah, yeah, it is a
required practice, isn't itRight?
Speaker 2 (32:50):
And you have to be in the right state of mind too,
because I can make blankets, butit's not for me.
I'll have people that willwrite to me, and I find it
interesting.
I've been doing this for overfive years now as a business,
and I'll still get requests likeoh, your dolls are crocheted.
Well, I have a baby shower togo to.
Can you make me a blanket too?
And when what I do, I reach outto my friends who specialize in
(33:14):
blankets and booties and hat.
I could do it.
But they can do it and it'sbeautiful.
And they always ask me girl,you could do this yourself, what
you're sending me customers.
I'm like, yeah, because this iswhat you do and it's very nice.
When they get the dollarrequest, they send me the dollar
.
It's a beautiful thing, it'sbeautiful.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Speaking of that, yeah, let me ask you so you
mentioned it before about youknow how you share the
information with other artiststo maybe create blankets and
vice versa.
They'll share stuff with you.
Do you do collaborations andpartnerships with other people
with the type of what you do?
Absolutely what would they?
What would they be on mysharing?
Can you share one of them withus?
Speaker 2 (33:56):
or, um, you know how did, how did you know it's been
a minute, but, um, unfortunately, after the uh, george floyd, um
, uh, murder a lot of people.
What's a nice way of sayingthis?
In the past, black doll artists, we were there, but were we
(34:17):
getting the likes and shares?
Speaker 1 (34:19):
Not really I'm like, yeah, that's nice what you're
doing, right.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
But after that it was very interesting how relevant
we became, Wow.
So, I had so many people reachout to me after that terrible
incident and I picked up on avibe that was quite disingenuous
, so I had to let a few go, butpeople that knew me before, who
(34:44):
were promoting me before, whowere supporting me before, of
course I would collaborate withthem.
There were a lot of peopleonline.
They would do giveaways, theywould do promotions and they
would highlight me on their pageand I appreciated that so much
because I made connections thatI still have to this day, so
that was very nice.
(35:04):
These are people I never evenmet before.
We're online friends and themaker community is vast.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Yes, it is huge, it's huge.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
And then when you get more local and then we're like,
oh, there are other knittersand crocheters, you know you
start linking up and it'samazing what word of mouth can
do.
But there was a lot of onlinebecause you know we had to deal
with COVID.
You know so a lot of remotethings of online because you
know we had to deal with covid.
You know so a lot of remotethings.
Um, I haven't had folks.
Um, oh, she's gonna get me Ican't think of the name of the
(35:36):
school right now, but, um, witha lot of the online schools and
whatnot, um, she reached out tome and wanted me to just, you
know, do a presentation aboutcrochet, it's origins, why I do
it.
And I thought, sure, and Ithought, you know, I'll
volunteer to do it.
No, she was going to cut me acheck for this and I was like
(35:57):
what, you're going to pay memoney to talk about my passion.
That's mind blown.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
That's good, that's beautiful, that's what you want.
That's what people want.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Yeah, and I was so naive, I'm so naive, I'm like I
don't even know what to ask for,you know for feet and it just
things just got really real allof a sudden.
But I learned the power ofcollaborating in that way.
And you know, you have yourfollowers, they have followers
that never even heard of you andyou just start fusing together
(36:27):
and the next thing it's justgrowth and bigger and bigger.
But the best collaboration isjoining the american black
beauty doll association.
Those, yes, those are my dollsisters.
Um I I have to give you thebackground, though it still
blows my mind.
I'm a part of this organizationI was doing a show in jack
(36:51):
london square in oakland.
It's a beautiful area.
Um, don't, don't listen to thehype about oakland right now.
There are still some very niceareas.
Um, one of my favorite um showswas done in jack london square.
Um, because I'm originally fromoakland, so any excuse I have
to go back to Oakland.
I love doing that and Iremember being number one, the
(37:14):
only doll vendor, number two,the only, of course, black doll
vendor.
I kind of stood out um.
A lady came into my booth.
She admired everything I do andshe goes are you part of the
Black Doll Association?
I'm like Black Doll Association, I didn't know there was a
black doll association.
She goes yeah, they're righthere in oakland.
You aren't a part of them?
(37:34):
I said tell me.
Well, I need more information.
She goes well, I'm sure you canlook it up online.
So I go home, of course I Icouldn't find them and, knowing
what I know now, it's because Iwasn't searching correctly.
Our seo is a little interestingand we're working on that, so
we're a lot more discoverablenow.
So I'm not joking.
(37:54):
What, almost four years later?
Wow, four years later, thepresident of the organization,
ms Faith Elena Monique, reachedout to me mind blown.
I'm just mind my own business,la la la online.
I get a DM from her.
Her I was.
I've been looking for you guys.
It was so beautiful.
So there's a process you apply,they interview you and I was
(38:19):
just a mess.
I'm like I really want to dothis and they are the sweetest.
Yes, they are kindness, mostgenerous, understanding group of
women and so creative yeah socreative and I'm how I'm so
proud to say I'm a member ofthat.
Um, I just I'm just notified,I'm part of the social media
(38:42):
team now.
So that's um, that's wonderful,it's beautiful and um, every
year now I did my first event.
Let me back up.
I did an event with them and,um, I was hooked.
I was like, oh yeah, I need tobe a part of this.
So, um, every year we do ourshow, but we do other things
throughout the year.
(39:02):
This year, it's so many plans.
We're going to be knockingy'all socks off.
That's so beautiful.
I'm, I'm so excited.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
Yeah, it's so funny.
I got the call on my end rightTo ask me to participate and to
do a show.
They were able to bringtogether for me a lot of the
artists, a lot of the peoplethere that established the
American Black Doll BeautyAssociation and their show and
it was just beautiful, it was sofunny.
I remember thinking, oh my gosh, I got like six or seven, eight
(39:30):
women on this.
How, how is this going tohappen?
You know?
um, I was a little a littlestressed, but I really wanted to
do it and I'm just so honoredthat they reached out to me, as
you know, um, um, you know someperson that could, you know,
showcase what it is that theydid, and I really appreciated
that.
So much, you know.
So I want to thank them again.
(39:51):
Thank you to the AmericanBeauty Doll Association for
doing that for me too, you know,because it gave me an
opportunity to just see what'shappening in Oakland and in
different parts of Californiaand to find other people out
there to showcase.
Well, we appreciate you so much.
So, yeah, what kind of futureprojects and expansions are you
considering for, you know, forAdwa Designs?
(40:13):
Like, how do you plan on goingwith this?
Speaker 2 (40:16):
You know, five years now actually, I actually got my
DBA.
I became a legitimate business.
It takes so much discipline.
Yes, it does, yeah, yeah.
The one year my tax guy waslike we're not doing this again.
I had to go through my otherbank accounts to figure he goes
(40:36):
no, you use your businessaccount.
I had to grow up real quick.
Grow up be a business woman,right.
So legitimate business startedin 2015.
I'm sorry, 2016.
Okay, all right.
So it's been going good someyears, better than others, but I
(40:57):
do work full-time, right.
I still have my career innursing.
So that's you know, I'm a mom,that's that's my real job, mom,
um, and then I'm a nurse, so myjob's getting in my way.
So I'm looking forward to thenext four and a half years.
Tell me about it.
I'm making my moves now to getto when I retire.
(41:20):
I'm going full time into this,right, so I'm.
I'm doing my homework now.
I have a lot of great mentors.
People out there don't evenknow they're my mentors.
I'm learning from them thesteps I need to take to get
where I need to be right.
Um, ultimately, I already havemy eye on the shop downtown
fairfield, california, where I'mgonna be setting up shop um a
(41:43):
lot of people tell me I'll justdo it out of your house.
I'm not comfortable doing thatum so I'd like to have a
designated space for designatedspace.
So it's building up to thatokay um, but just lessons yeah
um group sessions, um, everyshow I do it's wonderful.
Um, I'll have, there'll be ateacher attending a doll show or
(42:04):
a craft fair and they'll say mystudents this they need their
enrichment.
And we'll exchange contact info.
Some follow up, some don't.
Right, a lot of parents willsay my daughter needs to learn,
or my son, you know he wants tolearn.
You know there there's a lot tobe done, a lot of work to be
done.
I'm taking the baby steps now.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
And it's just you.
I get that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
I look forward to when I can dedicate fully to
this, but now, after I get offwork, this is what I do, you
know, and then I do the mamafirst, and then I do this when
they get situated.
But, um, um, being a member ofthe American black beauty doll
association, this is what I'veneeded.
We're going to be so busy thisyear.
We're more organized this year.
(42:51):
In the past, we would startpromoting more right before the
doll show.
We've learned nothing.
No, no, throughout the year weneed to be doing that.
We're going to have a plethoraof workshops and all of us have
our own medium.
I'm the only one that crochetsor does the Amigurumi dolls
right, right um, we haveporcelain dolls uh, resin dolls
(43:13):
and resin um and, and we'realways learning and learning new
methods, but it's all based inmaking dolls.
Yeah, um, a lot of associations.
They're more like collectors.
I mean, we collect too, yeah,but we're really into the making
part and we want to teach theyouth.
They need this because theskill is fading.
Speaker 1 (43:33):
You need younger people coming up.
So, that way it passes on.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
And I have boys, so they're not really interested.
I have a great niece.
I'm hoping I can inspire her,but the need is there and we're
ready to fulfill it.
And, ultimately, doll showscoming this fall.
But the need is there and we'reready to fulfill it.
And, ultimately, doll showscoming this fall.
I'll be competing again.
I'm the reigning champ in thestate fair.
(44:00):
So I gotta figure out how toknock everybody's socks off
again this year.
I have several ideas, but Ihaven't narrowed them down.
I have three different ideas,so I still.
You know, we have to presentour doll sets in April, so I got
to get the lead out for that.
But for me personally, forAudrey Design, in the spring I'm
(44:23):
going to release my dollcollection.
I don't want to tear up aboutthis, but my dad saved a drawing
that I did when I was inkindergarten.
You couldn't ask me what I hadfor lunch yesterday, but I
remember this.
Over 33 years ago now, ourkindergarten teacher, mrs Oliver
, she told me, she told thewhole class draw a picture of
yourself.
We're doing self-portraitstoday and I thought, oh, wow.
(44:45):
And you know I didn't know.
Even then I was pretty creative.
Art skills were a littlelimited.
But instead of just drawing apicture of myself, I asked for a
long sheet of paper and shejust went with it.
She had different constructionpaper out.
I got this rectangular longsheet of paper and I ended up
(45:06):
drawing pictures of myself withdifferent hairstyles because my
mom loved to do my hair, okay.
So I just, and she asked me, whydo you want that?
And I said, well, because myhair doesn't look like this
every day.
I wear it like this and I wearit like that.
And she said, okay, go ahead.
I didn't know she was enteringthat drawing into a local art
competition for the school.
(45:26):
I don't think I won an award,but I still have it and you
could see the stamp of the artshow.
So I know it was, uh, displayed.
So my dad gives this back to me.
You know I'm 50 now.
He hands this to me, goes, oh,remember this.
And I thought, dad, you savedthat.
And you say, yeah, why would Ithrow this away?
I had it framed, I put it in mystitch lab and it just hit me
(45:51):
one day.
It's like there's your dollcollection right there.
Yeah, that's you know.
So that is it, and I'm tryingto figure out.
I don't design my own dollpattern yet.
Okay, because, as I said, Idon't want to infringe on anyone
and I use all these wonderfuldesigners, right, but I use bits
from this one and bits fromthis one, but I need to just
(46:14):
focus and center and do my own.
But in the meantime, when I dothat, do users.
I have their permission to usetheirs and I obviously disclose
that.
Um, so that's my baby right now.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Oh, that's gonna be really really beautiful I can't
wait to see.
That, did you how did you playwith dolls a lot when you were
younger?
Speaker 2 (46:34):
oh, absolutely my parents um, as I mentioned, they
, um, my dad was a lot morevocal about it than my mom.
I remember a lot of birthdayswould come and go.
I'd want a specific doll and ifit wasn't brown texture to the
hair my dad wasn't having it,and I appreciate that now it
just instilled a lot in me.
Um, but I did.
(46:55):
I remember one of my first toyswas a doll behind me.
Um, yeah, this is my firstcabbage patch kid.
Um, she's still.
She stays in here and inspiresme.
I remember her.
Some of my favorite dolls werejust the typical uh, baby alive,
baby, this and that, yes, um,when strawberry, I was so happy
when strawberry shortcake had alittle brown friend I think it's
(47:18):
peach blossom I was like,finally I can get a strawberry
shortcake.
I'm telling you my dad justwasn't having it, wasn't having
it.
Speaker 1 (47:25):
Yeah, I get that yeah .
Speaker 2 (47:26):
And some of my earliest memories of playing
with these, taking themeverywhere with me, putting them
in the car, and I just rememberthe joy that they gave me when
I was upset or when I was introuble.
I just remember the joy thatthey gave me when I was upset or
when I was in trouble.
I had my dog telling my dog,I'm going to run away and you
know, it was just you learn toplay, and that was one of my
(47:47):
formative memories just havingthem, whether I sat them on the
bed.
it was to the point where Ithink I was maybe 12.
My grandmother pulled me to theside and she was you know what?
You're too old for this, youknow, and I remember her taking
several of my dolls and I hidthis one.
Speaker 1 (48:06):
I was like you're not taking Lolita, You're not
getting this one, yeah.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
So yeah, and in here, you know, of course, my
grandmother's passed on nowShe'd probably be like you do
what now.
You know, yeah, probably belike you do what now.
You know, yeah, even my dad, he, he didn't get it what I was
doing with the doll making andhe said, wait a minute, wait a
minute.
You went to nursing school andyou want to make dolls?
I said, dad, you know, yes,it's what I want to do.
(48:30):
Until the day he came over, Ihad something to do.
He had to ship some dolls forme.
So he came over and I wastrying to get it ready and he
happened to look and he saw theinvoice and he said, I'm sorry,
um, what, what is this for?
I said, dad, this is what Ineed you to ship.
(48:51):
He said, wait a minute, theypaid that much for that doll.
I said, yes, dad.
Then it was a different story ohyeah, can you take a leave of
absence from your job and do,and I'm like, oh, now you get it
.
Now, that's the way it is yeah,you know, I get that.
Speaker 1 (49:07):
I mean, I understand that because they have a
different perspective on, ohyeah, you making sure that you
have a livelihood.
You have to think back to theirway of life, how they were
raised, that kind of thing.
It was so funny.
I had a friend that I spoke torecently.
He mentioned that he was saying, oh, my son's friends.
(49:27):
They were talking about theirdreams and what they want to do.
And I'm like, well, they'regoing to be broke.
And I said to myself, did yousay that to them?
I mean, because he's thinkingit has to be something concrete
that he could see that you'remaking money.
You know, sometimes peoplethink, oh, this is my dream to
do that, and it's like, yeah,your dream is probably not going
to lead you to actually makingmoney.
So he was afraid of that forhis child.
(49:49):
But I said, but you know, I, Iwould.
I would have done itdifferently, you know.
But I've done had thatconversation differently, you
know, because I think it.
I think it's not very.
I don't think it's very helpfulto just squash somebody's
dreams or passions.
You know, I need to just showthem, you know, that you can
still do both.
You know you can have a careerand something else to earn that
(50:11):
income.
But you can always still buildyour passion and your dream.
You know to.
You know, replace that incomeand for some people they don't
care if it replaces it, theyjust happy to do it.
It just depends on how you seethat for yourself, you know.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Well, and it depends on what you want, because we
have this term in the makercommunity called a jobbius right
when you like doing it.
If you make a little money,great.
But then you have thelegitimate maker, entrepreneur,
pushing it and I get a lot ofcalls and I'm sorry, not calls a
(50:43):
lot of direct messages.
People say, hey, I want to dowhat you do.
How do I get started?
And I appreciate that, that youthink enough of me to ask, but
I've learned to.
You know that takes a lot ofenergy and a lot of time,
because a lot of people want toknow how to do it and I tell
them this is what I did, this ishow you do it.
Speaker 1 (51:02):
Very few people will actually do it because it's work
, exactly Because it's work, andthey realize, oh, now, this is
really like another job in a way.
Right, not just like, hey, youknow, even when it comes to
broadcasting, oh, you're apodcaster or whatever, that's a
lot of work.
Oh, my goodness, it is a lot ofwork, you know.
And and at some point you know,like you said, if you're just
(51:24):
not, if you're not doing it as ahobby, you want to be able to
transition and monetize, youknow.
So it is a lot of work.
It's something that you have tobe, you have to be aware of and
figure out how you're going todo that for yourself, just like
in any art form, you know.
So, yeah, but we appreciate yourwork, we appreciate what you do
and you know the amazing dollsthat you crochet and show.
You know, and and and and bringin your culture and who you are
(51:47):
as a person and the things thatyou loved in your life.
You know, and you representthat through your dolls.
Now, I know your dolls are likeyour babies, and we don't we
don't ask this of people but doyou have favorite dolls?
Oh, wow, and you know what?
What makes it really special toyou?
Speaker 2 (52:04):
you said it.
Um, they're like your babiesand I would never say, oh,
you're my favorite child, youknow right.
But I would have to say there'sactually maybe two that I would
have to say are absolutely myfavorites.
Um, and there's a reason why,um, I mentioned hip-hop and I'm
(52:25):
just so just ingrained withhip-hop.
There was a time when Iactually wanted to be a rapper.
A lot of people are going tohear that and be like oh, really
, do I have the skill?
No, and I'm glad I wasself-aware enough to say you
know what?
No, do not do that, do notembarrass yourself.
But the, the artist thatinspired me to do that, was
(52:46):
Slick Rick.
He is still doing his thing and, um, I made a smaller version
doll of him and the, thepromoter that I mentioned
earlier, dana, I didn't realizeshe was connected to him and I'm
so thankful she was able tohand him that doll and I have an
image of him holding it and Iwas like he has the doll and he
(53:09):
liked it.
She sent him a picture of itand he said oh, it's dead on
Dead on me and I adore that.
So that will always be one of myfavorites.
Just because you know the man,I heard his album, I knew every
word of the song and I, you know, in my room I want to be a
rapper and then, like I said,that went by the wayside.
Thankfully, trust me on that.
(53:31):
So, besides his, I would alsohave to say giving dolls to DJ
Scratch and DJ Jazzy Jeff, thatwas mind blowing.
Speaker 1 (53:45):
That's so cool.
Speaker 2 (53:46):
And to be able to hand them to them.
They were doing a tour and theycame to San Jose, california.
I was so nervous.
I was driving there, my handswere shaking all the way.
I got to the venue.
I sent him a text.
You know I'm here.
Where should I meet you?
Oh, come on up.
You know, I felt like such aVIP.
(54:08):
I went up and he found me in thecrowd, which blew my mind, and
I remember him opening his dolland looking at it and in that
moment I was like this is what Iwant to do the rest of my life.
I can't believe this.
And you know he's from New York, you know they don't smile, but
he gave me a Brooklyn smile,just that, so it like he said
(54:32):
this is amazing.
And then he said let's go findJeff.
And I was like wait a minute,jeff, just as in Jazzy, jeff,
like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,are you kidding me?
And he just said it.
So he goes, come on, relax.
And I was like so we go to giveJeff his doll.
And in my mind I'm screaming andif you see the image, I look
(54:53):
very calm, just you know.
We walk up to him and he says,hey, jeff, and he turns around
and it's like we're in a nightof music is booming, and he
turns around and he does thatsmile and just he looks at me,
the man.
I just couldn't believe it andI handed him his doll and just
(55:16):
his smile when he saw it.
And I handed him his doll andjust his smile when he saw it.
So those two moments just willstick with me forever and ever.
But everyone that sees thepictures, I'm like, oh my gosh,
and I'm like, no, you don'tunderstand my mind at that
moment.
It's just etched in my brainand just making them for them
and seeing images of them andjust trying to capture their
(55:40):
details and you know this iscrochet yeah, it's in their
image.
It's not a dead ringer, but intheir image, and just the fact
that it brought them joy, it wasjust a win-win.
I couldn't believe it.
So those two moments were justmind blowing.
Speaker 1 (55:58):
Yeah, I can see how those would really really really
be special to you.
So that's beautiful, thank you.
I'm so excited, I'm so excitedfor you, I'm so excited for your
expansion and the you knowfuture things that you have
coming up and uh, can you justshare with everybody how they
can find out about you and wherethey could buy your beautiful
dolls at?
Speaker 2 (56:16):
wonderful and I'm lucky enough to be Audua Design
on every platform.
I'm always on Instagram,usually on Facebook.
That's where most of the peoplethat like what I do are at my
website.
Same thing Audua Design.
A lot of people put an S on theend, but it's actually
auduadesigncom.
(56:37):
You can find me on there.
This year I'm getting mynewsletter out.
This year I'm getting my emaillist.
With some consistency.
It's been there, but it's timeright.
So if you want to know what I'mdoing next, my next move, my
plans, if you want to give meyour input, what I should make,
definitely get on my email list.
I'm on Audra Design, everywhereyou can find me.
Speaker 1 (56:59):
Well, thank you so much, Adwo, for being a guest on
In the Doll World.
Again, I am just thrilled thatyou decided you said yes, and
I'm so excited that people getto see what you do, why you do
it, why you're passionate aboutit, and get to explore your
journey with you.
So I'm just really thrilled,thank you.
Thank you again so much You'reso welcome.
Speaker 2 (57:19):
My honor was being here, thank you.
Speaker 1 (57:26):
Again, thank you guys , so much for watching In the
Doll World and we will see youon the next episode.
Hello everybody, thank you somuch for listening to In the
Doll World.
I hope you enjoyed the show.
Please don't forget to sharethe podcast with other doll
enthusiasts, such as yourself.
They can find us at Facebook,instagram and Twitter at In the
Doll World.
The show can also be downloadedon all apps where podcasts are
streamed.
To see videos of our interviews, please visit our In the Doll
(57:48):
World YouTube channel.
And don't forget, in the DollWorld is also on Alexa.
Just ask Alexa to open DollWorld.
Did you know that you can nowleave a voicemail or give us a
review?
We would love to hear from youor suggest a guest for the show.
You can do all that by visitingwwwinthedollworldcom and, until
(58:08):
next week, add a little playinto your life by collecting a
doll, sharing a doll or giving adoll a home.
And again, thank you forlistening to In the Dollar World
.
Hello everybody and welcome to In the Doll World, a
show spotlighting the passionand the people of the doll
community With your host,georgette Taylor, former vice
president and co-founder of BigBeautiful Dolls.
Join her as she talks tofascinating doll artists,
customizers, avid collectors,redesigners, authors and all the
people in between, as theyshare their journeys, give us
(00:27):
glimpses into their processesand what propels their passion
and drive that help to keep thedoll world moving and shaking.
Welcome to the show, helloeverybody, and welcome to
another episode of In the DollWorld.
I'm your host, georgette Taylor.
My amazing guest today is AdwoaCooper.
She is also the owner of AdwoaDesigns and she is also an
(00:48):
award-winning crochet dollartist.
She was the first place winnerof the California State Fair
Craft Competition in 2023.
And so I would love to betalking to her about that as
well, but I just want to welcomeher on In the Doll World.
Thank you so much, adwoa, forbeing a guest on the show.
I'm so excited to have you.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I am honored.
I did not know I was your firstguest of the year.
Yeah, so thank you so much.
As I was telling you I neverthought I'd see the day.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Oh, you're so welcome and I'm honored.
I'm so honored to have you onthe show Now.
I love your creations and Ican't wait for you to share a
little bit with our audienceabout what it is that you do,
why you got started.
So maybe we can get startedwith that.
Could you share a little bitabout yourself, where you're
from and also what inspired youto create Crochet Dolls, and
(01:39):
also how did your journey withAdewa Designs begin?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Wow, thank you again.
Well, I'm from the Bay Area, sohello to all my Bay Area people
.
Hello everybody from HaywardGosh.
Where do I start Growing up?
Out here?
I'm glad my parents picked adiverse area to raise me in.
I'm from Hayward, californiaoriginally.
I was about 18 when I left thearea and moved to Texas.
(02:06):
I served in the Air Force for avery brief period of time Well,
10 years but it was a calm erain the nation.
There wasn't really much goingon.
This was a period after DesertStorm and right before 9-11.
So I was very fortunate toserve during that time.
After that, came back toCalifornia, went into nursing
(02:30):
and with nursing it can be quitestressful.
So I found an outlet.
That's really the premise.
How I got into knitting andcrocheting.
I'm very thankful for mycoworkers.
Just one day I was walkingaround and looked in this room
and there were all thesetherapists.
They were having their break.
(02:51):
Some of them were knitting,some of them were crocheting,
some of them were probably doingembroidery, if I remember
correctly, and it was just avibe in the room.
I was like, wow, I want tolearn.
So I went in and I happened tosit next to a lady who was
knitting and she said well, youdon't know how to knit and I
(03:11):
explained to her.
You know, my mother wanted toteach me.
My mother was a knitter.
I have other relatives that arestitchers.
They made more quilts and wereinto sewing, but my mother
knitted.
I remember that and she triedto show me, but I was just too
busy.
I wanted to run around with myolder brother and play with the
boys and ride bikes, but shewould try and try.
(03:34):
She just wanted the little girlto learn, but I didn't have the
capacity.
I probably didn't have themotor skills yet, because I
remember I was very young.
So when she told me that I like, yeah, let's start knitting.
So she showed me the basics, um, I got started.
I did maybe two rows and Ithought, yeah, I got it.
(03:55):
But no, I went home that nightand forgot everything she showed
me.
But at the time I think this was, uh, 2009 um, I started
learning about the power ofyoutube.
So I went on youtube and youknow there's a plethora of
things to learn and I was like,oh, wow, here's some knitting
stuff.
So I went down that rabbit hole.
So that was my start withstitching.
(04:17):
It started with knitting.
Then someone told me oh, didyou know, if you crochet, it's's
a lot faster?
And I was like, what, really?
Then I started crocheting and,like any beginner, you want to
gift everyone.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Any moment, anything.
What?
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Here's a hat and a scarf A scarf yes.
So I drove my family bananasand they finally got to the
point and said we have enoughhats and scarves.
Thank you, we love you Can ofmy family bananas.
And they finally got to thepoint and said we have enough
hats and scarves.
Thank you, we love you.
Can you please sell this?
And I had an amazing coworker.
I would not.
I have to say something abouthim, nolan, I would not be at
(04:56):
this level if it was not for him.
This man would come to work andhe would see me on every break
trying to stitch stuff and hejust was so inspiring.
He'd say, well, can you makethis, can you make that?
And if it wasn't for him, hehelped me build up my confidence
.
And the next thing you know,other coworkers were saying, oh,
can you make this for me, canyou make me a hat?
And I'm like, oh, people wantto buy this stuff.
(05:19):
This is interesting.
So that was my foundation.
Then one day I was on, I waslearning about Instagram, so
this was a while ago.
I started learning aboutInstagram and I scrolled on this
page and I saw this lady makingdolls of look-alike people.
I have to say something through.
(05:39):
She's my crochet just mentorand she never even knew it.
Allison Hoff, she wrote thebook Amigurumi and that's how I
learned how to make the crochetdolls of people, and I saw the
people she was making.
But I noticed, you know, Ithink I saw a Quest Love doll
that she made and you know he's.
(06:00):
African-American and I noticedshe used certain yarn to make
like the texture of his hair.
But I remember seeing that Iwas like, oh my gosh, I want to
do this, you know, because a lotof hip hop artists, a lot of
R&B artists, I thought I wouldthink they would want a doll of
themselves, you know.
So, as I said, I went down thatrabbit hole.
I got her book, startedstitching and folks loved it and
(06:25):
that was how I got startedbetween that, and also my
children at this time.
At that era, the star Wars wasbeing rebooted with all the
prequels, and they loved that.
I grew up on episode four and up, so you know I'm Gen Xer, so
that was how I started, but it'sinteresting to see them
enjoying all these prequels onepisode four and up.
(06:46):
So you know I'm Gen Xer, so, um, that was how I started, but
it's interesting to see themenjoying all these prequels.
So I taught them, you know, youstart with episode four and go
up, right, right they.
They started learning the maincharacters and my oldest son,
isaiah, said mama, please makeme a Yoda.
I love Yoda, you know, pleasemake me a Yoda.
And I thought, oh my gosh, canI do this and I tried, I gave it
(07:16):
an honest try.
It was horrible.
He's such a wonderful child andjust a kind hearted child.
He took it from me and helooked at it and he said thank
you, mom, but I know you can dobetter.
And he walked out of the roomand it just stuck with me.
I was like, oh, my baby, justwell, he was my first legitimate
critic.
This is okay, but you gotta,you know, tighten up those
skills.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
But you know you can do better it's probably what you
would say to him.
Right, when you bring home a, cor b, you're like right right,
you know.
I know you could do better.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I guess he did.
He mirrored, I guess, what I hadsaid to him and it lit a fire
under me and I was like I'mgonna redeem myself, you know.
So then I got introduced toother crochet designers.
Um, another idol of mine, uh,lucy Ravenscar she's way, um, I
believe she lives in London, shespecializes in fantasy figures,
(08:09):
so she gave me a goodfoundation to kind of model and
I practiced on a lot of herdesigns.
I can do this.
So, between my coworkers, Iwill always be grateful for them
.
My children, my youngest son,israel.
He got my Etsy shop shut downbecause he liked the characters
(08:29):
from I think the game was calledAngry Birds.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
That was a big deal.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Yes, so he said oh, mama, I want Angry Birds.
Make me Angry Birds.
So I made the Angry Birds and Ilearned everything there is to
know about copyrightinfringement.
After posting those in my Etsyshop, within one hour my shop
was shut down.
Wow, I had a cease and desistletter from um.
(08:54):
I believe the company is calledRovio.
Who owns them?
Wow, they said you know, it wasjust very blunt, just hey this
is ours right, stop it even etsywrote me, because it happens a
lot.
They even wrote me and said youknow, hey you know, take it down
.
We'll open you back up, butplease, you know, respect you
(09:15):
know this copy, so I learned somuch.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah, and that's, that is a good lesson.
That's what oh, it's not a goodlesson to be shut down, but it
definitely is a good lesson tolearn you know what you can do
and can't do, because it is afine line.
And you really do have to knowthat.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
You have to respect that.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
And respect everybody's art, you know.
So that's right.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
So I you know, and that was a wake up call, some of
those lessons.
You never forget lessons likethat, and it sticks with me to
this day.
So now, if I get a request likethat it's like well, do you
realize what you're asking me todo?
Right?
It expanded, though, um, it gotto the point where, uh, I grew
(09:53):
up listening to a lot of hip-hopmusic that that's just like the
soundtrack of my formativeyears my teenage years, you know
I listen to a song.
I get this memory.
One day my cousin and I werechatting online and I believe
the artist Rick Ross wastrending at the time and I was
(10:14):
just joking around and I said,oh, I should make some hip hop
dolls.
And she goes really, crochetand hip hop, those two don't go
together.
And I said, you know, it waslike a challenge to me.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
I was like, really, you don't go together and I said
, you know, it was like achallenge to me.
I was like, really, you don'tthink the two go together.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
They go together.
Yeah, I like both, so you know,and for some reason it was a
Rick Ross doll that justinspired me because his features
were so unique and the image Iwas looking at.
I was like maybe I could dothat.
I ended up making a dollsimilar to him, posting it again
(10:46):
.
And then the next thing I knewI was getting all of these
orders for this doll and I justput rap artists, whatever I knew
, to tread lightly.
I just kept getting theseorders and orders.
What is going on?
And then I realized a blogger Ican't remember the name of the
(11:07):
blog right now, but she posted.
She, I didn't even know sheposted it and that's where it
was generating all these orders.
I couldn't believe it.
People from all over thecountry, people overseas, were
ordering them and I thoughtthere's something to this, you
know.
So I just kept going.
Friends would say, hey, can youmake my daughter?
(11:28):
Because, as I grew up, thereweren't a lot of dolls.
As you know, that looked likeme and I'm very thankful.
The youngsters nowadays call itbeing woke.
I had very woke parents,actually.
They read the doll study, yes,and were very aware that you
know she needs dolls.
Read the doll study, yes, andwere very aware that you know
she needs dolls that look likeher Presentation is important.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Yeah, exactly Very important.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
I'm so thankful for that because it stuck with me
all these years.
So parents would reach out tome saying I need a doll that
looks like my daughter, you know, and not just African-American
children.
A lot of people from the Latinocommunity reached out to me.
They wanted a doll thatrepresented their child Gosh,
this is still an issue.
I was in my 40s and this isstill an issue.
(12:13):
So I started doing that.
But I always kept the hip hopin my back pocket.
I would sneak a hip hop doll in, I would sneak a hip hop doll
in.
And then one day I donated somedolls to an organization, for I
believe it was the legends ofhip hop.
The wives of hip hop legendswere trying to get started with
(12:35):
a show about their story andthey needed gifts and items from
the genre for their pressrelease, and so I jumped on that
.
Um, I felt very fortunate they.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I sent an image like oh yeah, we need this so as luck
would have it.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Um, I sent a set of run dmc dolls with the little
turntable and it was really socool and I thought nothing of it
.
I'm like yeah you know I'm like,yeah, you know, I'm like I got
to get started somewhere.
So I donated these dolls A DJthat I had been listening to all
my life and I didn't evenrealize that DJ Scratch saw them
and he said, whoa, I want thosewho made that.
(13:17):
And the organizer told himabout me.
Her name is Dana and I'm sothankful for her.
She told him you know, yeah,you can have them.
You know, told him about me.
So that was.
I thought that was the end ofthat.
I'm on social media I think itwas Instagram and you know how
(13:40):
you follow someone and you getthe little alert that they're
going live and I thought, ohwell, let's check him out.
He's going live.
What is he talking about?
So I click the button and youknow it comes on and I'm
watching and I see him lookingat the phone and he's talking to
his audience and he's lookingcloser and he points and he says
hey, you made those dolls.
(14:02):
I need you to make a doll of me.
I dropped my phone when he saidI said could he be talking to
me?
And I you know scrambles pickedit up and he goes yeah, I don't
want to mess up your name, butyeah, I need you to reach out
and I just text back whateveryou want you know so, and then
that's how that started.
(14:22):
He wanted his doll.
I made it in his likeness, andit just kind of snowballed from
there um so crazy I went to highschool with um spice one.
He's our bay area legend inhip-hop and he honored me with
making his doll and he loved it.
I had to make him two and hismother, uh rest in peace to her,
(14:44):
because she passed.
But his mother liked it so muchshe took it from him and I've
been meaning to make him anotherone, but it's just been crazy.
But I was like there'ssomething to this, you know, and
when you think about it, hiphop culture you know it's a lot
of.
The foundation of it was duringthat Gen X.
We were into collecting things,especially now that we're older
(15:06):
and we have the money to buywhat our parents did yes,
exactly, that's so true.
They're into action figures,they're into comic books, so
it's fitting they enjoy having adoll in their likeness and it's
really just snowballed fromthere.
It's amazing, but when the faircompetition started started, I
(15:27):
would always go to the fair withmy family, mainly my
grandparents.
They would take us every yearand we'd go through the gallery
and look and I never saw a dollthat looked like me.
Um, it just was a fact.
Um, but the doll competitionhas grown tremendously.
But back then we're talking theearly 80s it was more dresses
(15:49):
and sweaters and blankets.
But as years went on, there wasthere were more dolls.
So of course, when I gotstarted making dolls I was like
you know, why not, why not entersome?
So the first time I entered Ibelieve it was um the golden
girls I made again AlisonHoffman had a, a pattern it is
(16:10):
the cutest thing.
Um, I entered, I think, justDorothy and Sophia.
I ran out of time so those werethe two figures I had made.
So I entered those and I got anhonorable mention and I thought
what you know, I couldn'tbelieve it.
But I also kind of messed up.
I entered it under crochet.
What I should have done wasentered it in dolls and toys so
that was a learning experience.
(16:32):
Okay, all right so the next yearI learned my lesson.
I entered um.
I can't remember what wastrending that year um uh, uh,
deadpool okay, okay, know thecomic book figure.
I entered that and little did Iknow, gosh, it leaves me.
But the company, his moviestarted trending and their
(16:55):
company reached out to me and Ithought, well, okay, and they
were just saying we need itright away.
And I thought, well, you know,this is crochet, this isn't mass
produced, this takes time thistakes days.
And they said oh no, we haveconfidence in you, you can get
this done.
And I thought, okay.
And they said don't worry aboutrush shipping, we'll send it,
(17:15):
we'll send you, you know,everything you need.
Okay.
So that made me get the let out.
Then the next day, I get anothermessage from them.
They're like oh, and, by theway, throw in a set of girls,
and girls too.
I'm thinking, sir or ma'am, Ididn't know who I was talking to
.
I'm like this takes time.
And they said well, you don'tunderstand, we have a deadline
to meet.
And I'm thinking well, who isthis?
(17:36):
You know I let it go.
I'm like, okay, let me just getthis done.
I focused matter of fact.
You know I have a full-time job.
I think I called in sick a dayor two just to get this done.
I focused matter of fact.
You know I have a full-time job.
I think I called in sick a dayor two just to get this order
done.
And I, you know maybe, oh, Idon't work for them anymore, but
yeah, so I went ahead.
I knocked it out, got theinformation, went to FedEx
(18:00):
because it had to be there thenext day, and the technician
I'll never forget this.
They entered the address andthey looked at me and they
looked at the address and theysaid who do you know from Fox
Studios?
And I said I'm sorry and theysaid you do know, this is going
to Fox Studios.
And my mind was blown.
I was like what in the world isthis request for?
(18:22):
Because I thought it was kindof just like a very I don't know
interesting person, like theywant a dead doll and they want
Golden Girls.
What?
Speaker 1 (18:32):
in the world.
You know, little did I know.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Fox Studios was doing a promotion it was the Golden
Girls, I believe 20th, 20th,30th anniversary, I can't
remember now and Deadpool movierelease 20th, 20th, 30th
anniversary, I can't remembernow and did pool movie release
and I didn't know the characterhad this um thing, I don't know
bond with b author, I think, hissword.
He named b it my son is gonnakill me for not memorizing this,
(18:57):
but um, I didn't know theconnection, so sure enough.
I wake up the next day and afriend of mine she sends me this
message.
She goes hey, are these yourdolls?
And I click on it.
It was on Facebook, it was onInstagram.
They put the doll.
I'll send you an image of this.
They put the doll, both sets ofdolls.
(19:17):
It was very neat.
They had like a CGI baton and Ithought oh, my God.
Even, even the designer, umAllison.
I remember she went on her pageand said, hey, who's making
these dolls?
That's my pattern.
You know it was amazing, but itjust made me realize.
You know people are mocking meand saying, really, you
(19:38):
crocheted, you sit in a rockingchair, right.
But if Fox Studios, if hip-hopartists, if they, you know, yeah
, so that gave me the, the proofthat I needed.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
There's something to this yeah, you know something to
it, but the things, too, aboutthat is that you just never know
who's watching you never everknow.
You know, it's so funny when yousaid that.
It reminds me when, when wewere doing the big, beautiful
dolls we had, we had aconversation with monique a
while back you know, years ago,because I mean I was just when
we first started, which is solong ago, 20 something years ago
(20:09):
but and we had a conversationwith her and her brother and we
thought we were going to do somedolls for them, you know,
because we really wanted toexpand the company and so those.
That didn't pan out.
But probably about two, threemonths later my mom calls me and
she's like oh my God, turn theTV on.
(20:30):
So I turn the TV on.
It was Entertainment Tonight.
I never forget thisEntertainment Tonight and
Monique had one of our dolls onEntertainment Tonight Amazing,
it was the Dina doll and she wastalking about the doll and she
was like, oh my God, isn't shebeautiful and doesn't she look
like me?
And blah, blah.
And we were just like stunned.
I was, I bet I was totallystunned.
(20:51):
I mean now she didn't referenceus, but I don't know if that
has something to do with, youknow, entertainment tonight or
whatever it was saying that youknow, the reference us or
anything like that Cause.
Obviously that's an endorsementper se, but it was just so
interesting.
You know, you never know and youjust never know, never know
who's looking at you don't knowwhere your things show up at,
(21:11):
but your uh competition you wonfor the rap dolls, didn't you?
Wasn't that I did I?
Speaker 2 (21:17):
waited um the year before I did um.
Was it black?
Yes, black panther.
When the movie was trending, Iwon first place for that.
And then I thought, my goodness, what in the world am I gonna
do this year?
Because, you know, my littleego got involved.
I'm like I'm the crochetchampion, I have to follow up,
(21:37):
you know, and so.
But it just really motivated meand I thought, duh, you're
turning 50.
Hip-hop's turning 50.
Make a tribute to hip-hop.
And that's exactly what I did.
Nice and the patrons loved it.
I I don't want to get emotionalabout it, but it's just
priceless seeing people react tothem.
The patrons at the fair lovedit.
(21:59):
Little did I know.
Like you said, you never knowwho's watching.
The community loved it.
Um, channel five reached out tome.
Our local news reached out tome.
Our local black newspaper, theum, they're out of sacramento,
california, the observer.
I couldn't believe it.
They did articles about it andfolks loved it.
(22:19):
They loved it and it justfurther reinforced.
Keep going.
Look, the people like what youdo.
It brings so much joy as dollsdo.
Yeah, that's, that's the firsttoy I remember, a baby doll and
I remember that joy and that'sjust what I do now.
It just brings joy to people,yeah, but um, that was priceless
(22:41):
, though, to see um the dollsrecognized yeah and um I don't
mean to creep people out, but Ilike going to the, to the
pavilion, and I just kind of sitand I just watch and just
seeing the children come,especially african-american
children, and they look and likethey they're recognizing the
(23:02):
dolls and they're identifyingwith the dolls and it's just
very rewarding.
Yes, the accolades are nice,yes, the awards are nice, but
that is, it's just so addictiveto see people's response,
whether it's good, bad orindifferent.
I love that because it gives mefeedback.
Um, it's telling me it eitherway.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
It's telling me to keep going right, yeah, um what
you do is a passion that youhave and you love doing it.
So you want to know that peoplerespond to that, you know, and
that they receive your work,because you do put a lot into
that.
So walk me through a little bitof your creative process, like
how did you even think of this?
Speaker 2 (23:41):
but really music is just so influential over me, I.
But I always have music playing, whether I'm in my office,
whether I call my littleworkshop my stitch lab it's in
another room in the house, but Ialways have music playing and,
(24:05):
you know, music can bring back amemory.
Or if I've seen this personlive, or sometimes I'll be
watching an award show and I'llbe inspired from that, or even a
movie.
Okay, um, speaking of movies, Idon't know if, uh, you saw the
dolls I made from, uh, thechristmas movie jingle jangle.
That movie inspired me so much.
(24:28):
I'm I'm watching the movie andmy son you know I was the
annoying mom, I'm like we're allgonna watch this movie.
So my sons are sitting therewatching with me and my oldest
looked at me and he said mom,can you just watch the movie?
I can tell your brain isthinking about and I'm like I'm
sorry you know so I gottapresent.
But to answer your question,music, the visuals I get from
(24:51):
different movies I like, evenmemories, childhood memories.
I'm very nostalgic of memory.
I'll pop up and I just get thatinspiration.
One of my favorite craft fairsthat I did, I made a Rick James
doll.
I think it was the Street Songalbum cover.
(25:12):
I just remember as a littlegirl seeing him.
I thought he was so cool.
My mom was very like you, likeRick James.
No, but I just remember hisbraids, because I had little
braids too.
I'm like, oh, he's so cool.
And I remember the thigh highboots and one day I was like I'm
going to make a Rickick jamesdoll.
And, like you said, you neverknow who's looking on etsy,
(25:33):
who's following you on socialmedia.
You know his bass player, oneof his original bass.
Uh, girlfriend saw the doll,bought it for him, gave it to
him for christmas, and his onlycritique was I really wish you
made a little bass guitar to gowith it.
And I thought, oh, why didn't Ithink of that you know but then
, you know, I started thinkingmore collaboratively.
(25:55):
Hey, maybe they play the bass,make a bass If they play the
trumpet, the trumpet to go withthem.
But music really inspires me,it really does, wow.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Now you know you've been in the crochet business for
a while now, so what has beensome of your biggest challenges
that you have faced Just in thedoll making journey?
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Oh, yes, there are definitely challenges.
You know, when you have apassion for something, some
people assume that, oh, you likedoing it, just give it to me.
And I'm like no, I mean, therewas a time when I would do that.
But when you finally getyourself together and say you
know what, this is going to be alegitimate business.
(26:37):
I need to value my work.
I need to price accordingly,because you don't want to insult
the industry.
I learned that the hard way.
I still have emails saying,girl, what are you doing?
You're giving your work away.
And I thought, oh my girl, whatare you doing?
You're giving your work away,you know?
And I thought, oh, my goodness,what am I doing?
So I would have to say mybiggest challenge you see this
(26:58):
person.
They like your work, they adoreyour work and they want it.
And perhaps they're telling youthey can't afford it.
But one thing I've learned ispeople can afford what they want
to afford.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
That's what I say all the time.
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
It's interesting and I had to learn this.
I had to get thick skin becauseI used to let people intimidate
me Like how long does it takeyou to make that?
How much are your supplies?
I'm like whoa, wait a minute.
And I learned this analogy froma mentor.
They don't know they're mymentor, but they told me.
They said you know, have youever gone to a Mercedes Benz
(27:37):
parking lot, or even a Bentleyparking lot?
Do you walk in there and say,oh, no, no, this is not in my
budget.
No, they will kindly walk youto the door and say see that
over there, that's CarMax.
You need to go over there,right?
So they taught me you aremaking one of ones.
You have a skill that otherpeople don't have, right.
(27:59):
They need to pay you for thatand they need to respect what
you do.
And if they don't tell them,the nearest Walmart is 5.5 miles
away and you can get somethingwithin your budget.
You know, know, I wouldn't tellsomeone that, but I've learned
to have an educational momentwith them yes, yes and yeah
because it's you know it.
I wish I could mass producethese, but then for me it would
(28:21):
take away from it, because I putmy heart and soul into these
dolls and people that are loyalto me.
There's a lady every year sheorders a doll for me, whether
it's a graduation, a wedding orjust a special friend, that she
wants them to have a unique gift, and I love that and she
(28:43):
appreciates what I do.
She never haggles me about ohwell, I'm getting two, can you
give me a good deal?
And she respects that.
I'm not a big box store, right.
So for me, pricing well, Ishouldn't say it.
Still, it used to be an issuefor me.
Now I'm very unapologetic.
This is my fee.
(29:03):
This is what you want.
This is going to be my fee.
If you want to go with that,here's our contract, right, this
is going to be my fee.
If you want to go with that,here's our contract, right.
You need to come back?
Great, but this is my fee.
Um, and it's taken years for meto be able to say that yeah, I
can imagine that.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
I mean you know it's so funny, like I all the people
that I interviewed.
That is definitely one of thechallenges is about you know,
pricing their no start justlearning how to price their,
their uh, their uh, their art,because you know, a lot of times
you're creative and you knowthat you could do it and
sometimes it comes easy tosomebody or you've learned it to
the point where it does comeeasy to you now and sometimes
(29:39):
you don't.
Like you said, if you don'trespect the work that you put
into it, then you can't expectother people to respect that,
and sometimes you do.
Some people still, like yousaid, challenge you and they
want to know why is it cost thismuch or why is it do that, and
I don't think that you need toreally have an explanation about
that.
It's your art.
You know, it's something thatyou do and you spend time on,
and that's what this is thereason that they're reaching out
(30:00):
to you, because they love whatyou do.
So then they pay for what youdo.
I mean, I think that's a bigchallenge, you know, in this, in
the doll creative space, butit's your time and it's your
hours, you know, and it's yourcreativity and your knowledge
(30:21):
you know to create those things.
So I totally understand thatthat is a big challenge.
I think in the art world ingeneral, you know what I mean In
the artist world.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
So, yes, yeah, Because you always hear about
the starving artists.
But, yes, no, it shouldn't bethat way and we need art.
Art makes us happy.
Um, I have a friend who he's,uh, into collecting art pieces
and, um, he saw, I couldn'tbelieve, my job put the article
(30:47):
and the links to me winning atthe state fair, at work and my.
So now my both worlds arecolliding.
My co-workers are like, hey, Isaw you and I you know and it
was kind of nice having itseparated.
It's kind of nice now to meshthem but, um, I, he had
mentioned to me he was an artcollector and um, he told me, he
(31:07):
said you know, people arecalling your dolls toys, they're
calling it crochet.
He goes, you do realize whatyou're doing is art.
And for him to say that, myheart just skipped a beat and I
thought thank you so much, youknow, because so many people
minimize what I do.
Yeah, like, that's made out ofyarn, that yarn really, and you
(31:30):
know, like all by the yarn, willyou make it for the cost of the
yarn?
I'm like absolutely not and theydon't.
But that's the thing.
They don't realize howinsulting that is.
They don't know, they don'tknow and don't realize the work
that goes into it Really.
You know, you have to learn howto create those things.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
You know, and because you, and just because you think
about it, you still have tolearn how to get it out of your
head into that doll.
And once it does, you know thatdoll has to speak for itself.
That's.
It's not just about oh, let mejust put these needles into the
yarn.
I mean it's a lot of thingsthat go with that.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
It's definitely a technique and other crocheters
they'll say like hey, I makeblankets, like how did you start
doing that?
And what they don't understand.
I'm like, well, if you couldmake a blanket, you can do this.
I'm just not doing it.
We're doing the same stitches.
These dolls are literally.
Maybe, depending on howcomplicated are, maybe four to
(32:24):
five different stitches, okay,okay.
And if you can, and you're justdoing it in a circle instead of
at length but every crocheter Italk to that doesn't make dolls
.
They're like oh no, I, Icouldn't do that and I'm like no
, you make these elaborate,detailed blankets you can't, oh,
no, no no, so it's just one ofthose things.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
It's just one of those things yeah, yeah, it is a
required practice, isn't itRight?
Speaker 2 (32:50):
And you have to be in the right state of mind too,
because I can make blankets, butit's not for me.
I'll have people that willwrite to me, and I find it
interesting.
I've been doing this for overfive years now as a business,
and I'll still get requests likeoh, your dolls are crocheted.
Well, I have a baby shower togo to.
Can you make me a blanket too?
And when what I do, I reach outto my friends who specialize in
(33:14):
blankets and booties and hat.
I could do it.
But they can do it and it'sbeautiful.
And they always ask me girl,you could do this yourself, what
you're sending me customers.
I'm like, yeah, because this iswhat you do and it's very nice.
When they get the dollarrequest, they send me the dollar
.
It's a beautiful thing, it'sbeautiful.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Speaking of that, yeah, let me ask you so you
mentioned it before about youknow how you share the
information with other artiststo maybe create blankets and
vice versa.
They'll share stuff with you.
Do you do collaborations andpartnerships with other people
with the type of what you do?
Absolutely what would they?
What would they be on mysharing?
Can you share one of them withus?
Speaker 2 (33:56):
or, um, you know how did, how did you know it's been
a minute, but, um, unfortunately, after the uh, george floyd, um
, uh, murder a lot of people.
What's a nice way of sayingthis?
In the past, black doll artists, we were there, but were we
(34:17):
getting the likes and shares?
Speaker 1 (34:19):
Not really I'm like, yeah, that's nice what you're
doing, right.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
But after that it was very interesting how relevant
we became, Wow.
So, I had so many people reachout to me after that terrible
incident and I picked up on avibe that was quite disingenuous
, so I had to let a few go, butpeople that knew me before, who
(34:44):
were promoting me before, whowere supporting me before, of
course I would collaborate withthem.
There were a lot of peopleonline.
They would do giveaways, theywould do promotions and they
would highlight me on their pageand I appreciated that so much
because I made connections thatI still have to this day, so
that was very nice.
(35:04):
These are people I never evenmet before.
We're online friends and themaker community is vast.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Yes, it is huge, it's huge.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
And then when you get more local and then we're like,
oh, there are other knittersand crocheters, you know you
start linking up and it'samazing what word of mouth can
do.
But there was a lot of onlinebecause you know we had to deal
with COVID.
You know so a lot of remotethings of online because you
know we had to deal with covid.
You know so a lot of remotethings.
Um, I haven't had folks.
Um, oh, she's gonna get me Ican't think of the name of the
(35:36):
school right now, but, um, witha lot of the online schools and
whatnot, um, she reached out tome and wanted me to just, you
know, do a presentation aboutcrochet, it's origins, why I do
it.
And I thought, sure, and Ithought, you know, I'll
volunteer to do it.
No, she was going to cut me acheck for this and I was like
(35:57):
what, you're going to pay memoney to talk about my passion.
That's mind blown.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
That's good, that's beautiful, that's what you want.
That's what people want.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Yeah, and I was so naive, I'm so naive, I'm like I
don't even know what to ask for,you know for feet and it just
things just got really real allof a sudden.
But I learned the power ofcollaborating in that way.
And you know, you have yourfollowers, they have followers
that never even heard of you andyou just start fusing together
(36:27):
and the next thing it's justgrowth and bigger and bigger.
But the best collaboration isjoining the american black
beauty doll association.
Those, yes, those are my dollsisters.
Um I I have to give you thebackground, though it still
blows my mind.
I'm a part of this organizationI was doing a show in jack
(36:51):
london square in oakland.
It's a beautiful area.
Um, don't, don't listen to thehype about oakland right now.
There are still some very niceareas.
Um, one of my favorite um showswas done in jack london square.
Um, because I'm originally fromoakland, so any excuse I have
to go back to Oakland.
I love doing that and Iremember being number one, the
(37:14):
only doll vendor, number two,the only, of course, black doll
vendor.
I kind of stood out um.
A lady came into my booth.
She admired everything I do andshe goes are you part of the
Black Doll Association?
I'm like Black Doll Association, I didn't know there was a
black doll association.
She goes yeah, they're righthere in oakland.
You aren't a part of them?
(37:34):
I said tell me.
Well, I need more information.
She goes well, I'm sure you canlook it up online.
So I go home, of course I Icouldn't find them and, knowing
what I know now, it's because Iwasn't searching correctly.
Our seo is a little interestingand we're working on that, so
we're a lot more discoverablenow.
So I'm not joking.
(37:54):
What, almost four years later?
Wow, four years later, thepresident of the organization,
ms Faith Elena Monique, reachedout to me mind blown.
I'm just mind my own business,la la la online.
I get a DM from her.
Her I was.
I've been looking for you guys.
It was so beautiful.
So there's a process you apply,they interview you and I was
(38:19):
just a mess.
I'm like I really want to dothis and they are the sweetest.
Yes, they are kindness, mostgenerous, understanding group of
women and so creative yeah socreative and I'm how I'm so
proud to say I'm a member ofthat.
Um, I just I'm just notified,I'm part of the social media
(38:42):
team now.
So that's um, that's wonderful,it's beautiful and um, every
year now I did my first event.
Let me back up.
I did an event with them and,um, I was hooked.
I was like, oh yeah, I need tobe a part of this.
So, um, every year we do ourshow, but we do other things
throughout the year.
(39:02):
This year, it's so many plans.
We're going to be knockingy'all socks off.
That's so beautiful.
I'm, I'm so excited.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
Yeah, it's so funny.
I got the call on my end rightTo ask me to participate and to
do a show.
They were able to bringtogether for me a lot of the
artists, a lot of the peoplethere that established the
American Black Doll BeautyAssociation and their show and
it was just beautiful, it was sofunny.
I remember thinking, oh my gosh, I got like six or seven, eight
(39:30):
women on this.
How, how is this going tohappen?
You know?
um, I was a little a littlestressed, but I really wanted to
do it and I'm just so honoredthat they reached out to me, as
you know, um, um, you know someperson that could, you know,
showcase what it is that theydid, and I really appreciated
that.
So much, you know.
So I want to thank them again.
(39:51):
Thank you to the AmericanBeauty Doll Association for
doing that for me too, you know,because it gave me an
opportunity to just see what'shappening in Oakland and in
different parts of Californiaand to find other people out
there to showcase.
Well, we appreciate you so much.
So, yeah, what kind of futureprojects and expansions are you
considering for, you know, forAdwa Designs?
(40:13):
Like, how do you plan on goingwith this?
Speaker 2 (40:16):
You know, five years now actually, I actually got my
DBA.
I became a legitimate business.
It takes so much discipline.
Yes, it does, yeah, yeah.
The one year my tax guy waslike we're not doing this again.
I had to go through my otherbank accounts to figure he goes
(40:36):
no, you use your businessaccount.
I had to grow up real quick.
Grow up be a business woman,right.
So legitimate business startedin 2015.
I'm sorry, 2016.
Okay, all right.
So it's been going good someyears, better than others, but I
(40:57):
do work full-time, right.
I still have my career innursing.
So that's you know, I'm a mom,that's that's my real job, mom,
um, and then I'm a nurse, so myjob's getting in my way.
So I'm looking forward to thenext four and a half years.
Tell me about it.
I'm making my moves now to getto when I retire.
(41:20):
I'm going full time into this,right, so I'm.
I'm doing my homework now.
I have a lot of great mentors.
People out there don't evenknow they're my mentors.
I'm learning from them thesteps I need to take to get
where I need to be right.
Um, ultimately, I already havemy eye on the shop downtown
fairfield, california, where I'mgonna be setting up shop um a
(41:43):
lot of people tell me I'll justdo it out of your house.
I'm not comfortable doing thatum so I'd like to have a
designated space for designatedspace.
So it's building up to thatokay um, but just lessons yeah
um group sessions, um, everyshow I do it's wonderful.
Um, I'll have, there'll be ateacher attending a doll show or
(42:04):
a craft fair and they'll say mystudents this they need their
enrichment.
And we'll exchange contact info.
Some follow up, some don't.
Right, a lot of parents willsay my daughter needs to learn,
or my son, you know he wants tolearn.
You know there there's a lot tobe done, a lot of work to be
done.
I'm taking the baby steps now.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
And it's just you.
I get that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
I look forward to when I can dedicate fully to
this, but now, after I get offwork, this is what I do, you
know, and then I do the mamafirst, and then I do this when
they get situated.
But, um, um, being a member ofthe American black beauty doll
association, this is what I'veneeded.
We're going to be so busy thisyear.
We're more organized this year.
(42:51):
In the past, we would startpromoting more right before the
doll show.
We've learned nothing.
No, no, throughout the year weneed to be doing that.
We're going to have a plethoraof workshops and all of us have
our own medium.
I'm the only one that crochetsor does the Amigurumi dolls
right, right um, we haveporcelain dolls uh, resin dolls
(43:13):
and resin um and, and we'realways learning and learning new
methods, but it's all based inmaking dolls.
Yeah, um, a lot of associations.
They're more like collectors.
I mean, we collect too, yeah,but we're really into the making
part and we want to teach theyouth.
They need this because theskill is fading.
Speaker 1 (43:33):
You need younger people coming up.
So, that way it passes on.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
And I have boys, so they're not really interested.
I have a great niece.
I'm hoping I can inspire her,but the need is there and we're
ready to fulfill it.
And, ultimately, doll showscoming this fall.
But the need is there and we'reready to fulfill it.
And, ultimately, doll showscoming this fall.
I'll be competing again.
I'm the reigning champ in thestate fair.
(44:00):
So I gotta figure out how toknock everybody's socks off
again this year.
I have several ideas, but Ihaven't narrowed them down.
I have three different ideas,so I still.
You know, we have to presentour doll sets in April, so I got
to get the lead out for that.
But for me personally, forAudrey Design, in the spring I'm
(44:23):
going to release my dollcollection.
I don't want to tear up aboutthis, but my dad saved a drawing
that I did when I was inkindergarten.
You couldn't ask me what I hadfor lunch yesterday, but I
remember this.
Over 33 years ago now, ourkindergarten teacher, mrs Oliver
, she told me, she told thewhole class draw a picture of
yourself.
We're doing self-portraitstoday and I thought, oh, wow.
(44:45):
And you know I didn't know.
Even then I was pretty creative.
Art skills were a littlelimited.
But instead of just drawing apicture of myself, I asked for a
long sheet of paper and shejust went with it.
She had different constructionpaper out.
I got this rectangular longsheet of paper and I ended up
(45:06):
drawing pictures of myself withdifferent hairstyles because my
mom loved to do my hair, okay.
So I just, and she asked me, whydo you want that?
And I said, well, because myhair doesn't look like this
every day.
I wear it like this and I wearit like that.
And she said, okay, go ahead.
I didn't know she was enteringthat drawing into a local art
competition for the school.
(45:26):
I don't think I won an award,but I still have it and you
could see the stamp of the artshow.
So I know it was, uh, displayed.
So my dad gives this back to me.
You know I'm 50 now.
He hands this to me, goes, oh,remember this.
And I thought, dad, you savedthat.
And you say, yeah, why would Ithrow this away?
I had it framed, I put it in mystitch lab and it just hit me
(45:51):
one day.
It's like there's your dollcollection right there.
Yeah, that's you know.
So that is it, and I'm tryingto figure out.
I don't design my own dollpattern yet.
Okay, because, as I said, Idon't want to infringe on anyone
and I use all these wonderfuldesigners, right, but I use bits
from this one and bits fromthis one, but I need to just
(46:14):
focus and center and do my own.
But in the meantime, when I dothat, do users.
I have their permission to usetheirs and I obviously disclose
that.
Um, so that's my baby right now.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Oh, that's gonna be really really beautiful I can't
wait to see.
That, did you how did you playwith dolls a lot when you were
younger?
Speaker 2 (46:34):
oh, absolutely my parents um, as I mentioned, they
, um, my dad was a lot morevocal about it than my mom.
I remember a lot of birthdayswould come and go.
I'd want a specific doll and ifit wasn't brown texture to the
hair my dad wasn't having it,and I appreciate that now it
just instilled a lot in me.
Um, but I did.
(46:55):
I remember one of my first toyswas a doll behind me.
Um, yeah, this is my firstcabbage patch kid.
Um, she's still.
She stays in here and inspiresme.
I remember her.
Some of my favorite dolls werejust the typical uh, baby alive,
baby, this and that, yes, um,when strawberry, I was so happy
when strawberry shortcake had alittle brown friend I think it's
(47:18):
peach blossom I was like,finally I can get a strawberry
shortcake.
I'm telling you my dad justwasn't having it, wasn't having
it.
Speaker 1 (47:25):
Yeah, I get that yeah .
Speaker 2 (47:26):
And some of my earliest memories of playing
with these, taking themeverywhere with me, putting them
in the car, and I just rememberthe joy that they gave me when
I was upset or when I was introuble.
I just remember the joy thatthey gave me when I was upset or
when I was in trouble.
I had my dog telling my dog,I'm going to run away and you
know, it was just you learn toplay, and that was one of my
(47:47):
formative memories just havingthem, whether I sat them on the
bed.
it was to the point where Ithink I was maybe 12.
My grandmother pulled me to theside and she was you know what?
You're too old for this, youknow, and I remember her taking
several of my dolls and I hidthis one.
Speaker 1 (48:06):
I was like you're not taking Lolita, You're not
getting this one, yeah.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
So yeah, and in here, you know, of course, my
grandmother's passed on nowShe'd probably be like you do
what now.
You know, yeah, probably belike you do what now.
You know, yeah, even my dad, he, he didn't get it what I was
doing with the doll making andhe said, wait a minute, wait a
minute.
You went to nursing school andyou want to make dolls?
I said, dad, you know, yes,it's what I want to do.
(48:30):
Until the day he came over, Ihad something to do.
He had to ship some dolls forme.
So he came over and I wastrying to get it ready and he
happened to look and he saw theinvoice and he said, I'm sorry,
um, what, what is this for?
I said, dad, this is what Ineed you to ship.
(48:51):
He said, wait a minute, theypaid that much for that doll.
I said, yes, dad.
Then it was a different story ohyeah, can you take a leave of
absence from your job and do,and I'm like, oh, now you get it
.
Now, that's the way it is yeah,you know, I get that.
Speaker 1 (49:07):
I mean, I understand that because they have a
different perspective on, ohyeah, you making sure that you
have a livelihood.
You have to think back to theirway of life, how they were
raised, that kind of thing.
It was so funny.
I had a friend that I spoke torecently.
He mentioned that he was saying, oh, my son's friends.
(49:27):
They were talking about theirdreams and what they want to do.
And I'm like, well, they'regoing to be broke.
And I said to myself, did yousay that to them?
I mean, because he's thinkingit has to be something concrete
that he could see that you'remaking money.
You know, sometimes peoplethink, oh, this is my dream to
do that, and it's like, yeah,your dream is probably not going
to lead you to actually makingmoney.
So he was afraid of that forhis child.
(49:49):
But I said, but you know, I, Iwould.
I would have done itdifferently, you know.
But I've done had thatconversation differently, you
know, because I think it.
I think it's not very.
I don't think it's very helpfulto just squash somebody's
dreams or passions.
You know, I need to just showthem, you know, that you can
still do both.
You know you can have a careerand something else to earn that
(50:11):
income.
But you can always still buildyour passion and your dream.
You know to.
You know, replace that incomeand for some people they don't
care if it replaces it, theyjust happy to do it.
It just depends on how you seethat for yourself, you know.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Well, and it depends on what you want, because we
have this term in the makercommunity called a jobbius right
when you like doing it.
If you make a little money,great.
But then you have thelegitimate maker, entrepreneur,
pushing it and I get a lot ofcalls and I'm sorry, not calls a
(50:43):
lot of direct messages.
People say, hey, I want to dowhat you do.
How do I get started?
And I appreciate that, that youthink enough of me to ask, but
I've learned to.
You know that takes a lot ofenergy and a lot of time,
because a lot of people want toknow how to do it and I tell
them this is what I did, this ishow you do it.
Speaker 1 (51:02):
Very few people will actually do it because it's work
, exactly Because it's work, andthey realize, oh, now, this is
really like another job in a way.
Right, not just like, hey, youknow, even when it comes to
broadcasting, oh, you're apodcaster or whatever, that's a
lot of work.
Oh, my goodness, it is a lot ofwork, you know.
And and at some point you know,like you said, if you're just
(51:24):
not, if you're not doing it as ahobby, you want to be able to
transition and monetize, youknow.
So it is a lot of work.
It's something that you have tobe, you have to be aware of and
figure out how you're going todo that for yourself, just like
in any art form, you know.
So, yeah, but we appreciate yourwork, we appreciate what you do
and you know the amazing dollsthat you crochet and show.
You know, and and and and bringin your culture and who you are
(51:47):
as a person and the things thatyou loved in your life.
You know, and you representthat through your dolls.
Now, I know your dolls are likeyour babies, and we don't we
don't ask this of people but doyou have favorite dolls?
Oh, wow, and you know what?
What makes it really special toyou?
Speaker 2 (52:04):
you said it.
Um, they're like your babiesand I would never say, oh,
you're my favorite child, youknow right.
But I would have to say there'sactually maybe two that I would
have to say are absolutely myfavorites.
Um, and there's a reason why,um, I mentioned hip-hop and I'm
(52:25):
just so just ingrained withhip-hop.
There was a time when Iactually wanted to be a rapper.
A lot of people are going tohear that and be like oh, really
, do I have the skill?
No, and I'm glad I wasself-aware enough to say you
know what?
No, do not do that, do notembarrass yourself.
But the, the artist thatinspired me to do that, was
(52:46):
Slick Rick.
He is still doing his thing and, um, I made a smaller version
doll of him and the, thepromoter that I mentioned
earlier, dana, I didn't realizeshe was connected to him and I'm
so thankful she was able tohand him that doll and I have an
image of him holding it and Iwas like he has the doll and he
(53:09):
liked it.
She sent him a picture of itand he said oh, it's dead on
Dead on me and I adore that.
So that will always be one of myfavorites.
Just because you know the man,I heard his album, I knew every
word of the song and I, you know, in my room I want to be a
rapper and then, like I said,that went by the wayside.
Thankfully, trust me on that.
(53:31):
So, besides his, I would alsohave to say giving dolls to DJ
Scratch and DJ Jazzy Jeff, thatwas mind blowing.
Speaker 1 (53:45):
That's so cool.
Speaker 2 (53:46):
And to be able to hand them to them.
They were doing a tour and theycame to San Jose, california.
I was so nervous.
I was driving there, my handswere shaking all the way.
I got to the venue.
I sent him a text.
You know I'm here.
Where should I meet you?
Oh, come on up.
You know, I felt like such aVIP.
(54:08):
I went up and he found me in thecrowd, which blew my mind, and
I remember him opening his dolland looking at it and in that
moment I was like this is what Iwant to do the rest of my life.
I can't believe this.
And you know he's from New York, you know they don't smile, but
he gave me a Brooklyn smile,just that, so it like he said
(54:32):
this is amazing.
And then he said let's go findJeff.
And I was like wait a minute,jeff, just as in Jazzy, jeff,
like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,are you kidding me?
And he just said it.
So he goes, come on, relax.
And I was like so we go to giveJeff his doll.
And in my mind I'm screaming andif you see the image, I look
(54:53):
very calm, just you know.
We walk up to him and he says,hey, jeff, and he turns around
and it's like we're in a nightof music is booming, and he
turns around and he does thatsmile and just he looks at me,
the man.
I just couldn't believe it andI handed him his doll and just
(55:16):
his smile when he saw it.
And I handed him his doll andjust his smile when he saw it.
So those two moments just willstick with me forever and ever.
But everyone that sees thepictures, I'm like, oh my gosh,
and I'm like, no, you don'tunderstand my mind at that
moment.
It's just etched in my brainand just making them for them
and seeing images of them andjust trying to capture their
(55:40):
details and you know this iscrochet yeah, it's in their
image.
It's not a dead ringer, but intheir image, and just the fact
that it brought them joy, it wasjust a win-win.
I couldn't believe it.
So those two moments were justmind blowing.
Speaker 1 (55:58):
Yeah, I can see how those would really really really
be special to you.
So that's beautiful, thank you.
I'm so excited, I'm so excitedfor you, I'm so excited for your
expansion and the you knowfuture things that you have
coming up and uh, can you justshare with everybody how they
can find out about you and wherethey could buy your beautiful
dolls at?
Speaker 2 (56:16):
wonderful and I'm lucky enough to be Audua Design
on every platform.
I'm always on Instagram,usually on Facebook.
That's where most of the peoplethat like what I do are at my
website.
Same thing Audua Design.
A lot of people put an S on theend, but it's actually
auduadesigncom.
(56:37):
You can find me on there.
This year I'm getting mynewsletter out.
This year I'm getting my emaillist.
With some consistency.
It's been there, but it's timeright.
So if you want to know what I'mdoing next, my next move, my
plans, if you want to give meyour input, what I should make,
definitely get on my email list.
I'm on Audra Design, everywhereyou can find me.
Speaker 1 (56:59):
Well, thank you so much, Adwo, for being a guest on
In the Doll World.
Again, I am just thrilled thatyou decided you said yes, and
I'm so excited that people getto see what you do, why you do
it, why you're passionate aboutit, and get to explore your
journey with you.
So I'm just really thrilled,thank you.
Thank you again so much You'reso welcome.
Speaker 2 (57:19):
My honor was being here, thank you.
Speaker 1 (57:26):
Again, thank you guys , so much for watching In the
Doll World and we will see youon the next episode.
Hello everybody, thank you somuch for listening to In the
Doll World.
I hope you enjoyed the show.
Please don't forget to sharethe podcast with other doll
enthusiasts, such as yourself.
They can find us at Facebook,instagram and Twitter at In the
Doll World.
The show can also be downloadedon all apps where podcasts are
streamed.
To see videos of our interviews, please visit our In the Doll
(57:48):
World YouTube channel.
And don't forget, in the DollWorld is also on Alexa.
Just ask Alexa to open DollWorld.
Did you know that you can nowleave a voicemail or give us a
review?
We would love to hear from youor suggest a guest for the show.
You can do all that by visitingwwwinthedollworldcom and, until
(58:08):
next week, add a little playinto your life by collecting a
doll, sharing a doll or giving adoll a home.
And again, thank you forlistening to In the Dollar World
.
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