By Contributing columnist Michelle aka: LittleToad

So you’re in the grocery store waiting in line and you see the headline of the National Enquirer “Bigfoot Spotted in California: Undeniable Proof inside”. If you’re like me, you open it up to see blurry images that could be a lost hiker. Well, look no further for proof that the Yeti and Bigfoot do exist! You can find lots of them on Etsy.
I had the opportunity to talk to some great artists on why they chose this particular subject for their pieces. Not only do I hope you get a kick out of their answers, I hope you will take the time to discover these great shops and add them to your favorites~I certainly have!

 Pigdogonline  has a surreal collection of unique and offbeat items and is a perfect setup for her Yeti Pop painting. She was inspired to create this particular piece when she wanted to create a winter scene but didn’t want to do the typical snowman. “I have always had a special place in my heart for yeti’s and thought it would be a fun whimsical piece.”  Not only is her work fun to look at, but a portion of her sales throughout the year gets donated to local animal organizations to help the many homeless animals in shelters today.

 Somethingbunny ’s shop is super adorable and pulls at the heart strings. It is a very unlikely place to find a Bigfoot but with her own spin on it, it’s truly a heartwarming piece. “Whenever I think about the infamous Bigfoot, I always imagined him being the misunderstood type. Feared by some, hunted by others, I’m sure he must feel very lonely at times. I wanted to create an art piece showing a more vulnerable and gentle side of Bigfoot, to let everyone know that even Bigfoot has feelings and yes, he gets lonely sometimes, too.”

 The shop of  PhilBarbato  is full of everything and anything, so I wasn’t surprised to see an Orange Yeti painting there. I love this piece because of his unique rendering and out of the ordinary color choice. When I asked what his inspiration for this piece was he replied “I think maybe I was feeling like a sad hairy ape myself at the time.” Stop by and visit his shop and you will find prints, paintings, plush, buttons, shirts and surprises.

At WhaleandBee I first discovered this Yeti card on Valentine’s Day but it’s perfect for any occasion and perfect for the yeti lover in your life. “I was thinking about how yetis/bigfoot are often depicted as angry, mean, and crazy, when probably they really just want some love. Remember Harry, from Harry and the Henderson’s? We should have learned something from that movie. So, I made a drawing of a loving yeti for a change!” Her shop is full of wonderful doodles that will be sure to leave you with a huge smile on your face.

 Bluepony’s  shop is stuffed with, well, stuffed creations. There is a wide assortment of plush creatures, including “Harry Larry the Yeti Monster – Plush – Toy – Art doll”  “I’ve always wanted to do a Yeti…his name came from a former boss/employer of mine with white hair…all of my critters are named after people I meet.”

At first glance, MoonPathDesigns looks like an unlikely place to find Bigfoot but upon closer inspection you will find a mix of traditional babywear to anything but the usual. This adorable onesie that boasts “Bigfoot is my Daddy” was inspired by their daughter’s heritage (no she’s not being raised by Bigfoot’s). Their daughter is part Italian and part Hawaiian… i.e., lots of hair and wide, wide feet. “We figured our daughter needed to be able to celebrate her obvious Bigfoot heritage, so we developed a design to allow her to wave her Sasquatch flag proudly. Plus, we love the Autobiography of Bigfoot books.”

 Thea’s shop Little Felt Hearts , holds creations so adorable and  unique, that a yeti seems like a perfect fit in her collection. Melvin, the Yeti, was inspired by her wanting to make a giant huggable furry creature. “My mission for my shop is to let my imagination run free in cute and fuzzy forms.”  The quality and detail she puts into her creations is wonderful.

 Flapper Girl ’s store is like finding a great vintage store in your neighborhood. She spends most of her time either combing through vintage treasures at antique malls and thrift stores, or expressing her creativity though sewing, embroidery, and jewelry design. She brings these two passions together with her store. The kitchen is an unlikely place to find a yeti but her Yeti Apron is adorable. “This piece is a part of an apron collection I made all about the mythology surrounding the winter season. I’ve always loved the tales of the abominable snowman, and really wanted to include him in one of my designs.”

I had the opportunity to ask these artists what they would do if they ran into a yeti or Bigfoot and their answers are not only hilarious but really give you a great sense of their unique personalities.

“I think I would give him a hug and bring him home with me”- pigdogonline

“I would ask Bigfoot if he would like to join me for a cup of tea and biscuits! Or whatever snack that suits his fancy. I’m sure he would be very friendly because he just seems to be misunderstood”- somethingbunny

“Give him a hug” -Philbarbato

“I’d ask him to have a drink with me so we could get acquainted in a relaxed atmosphere. Then, if he was up to it, we’d go shoe shopping and he’d buy a pair of Onitsuka Tigers if they had his size (royal blue ones with white stripes and red accents). If things were still going well, we’d go out for a pasta dinner and then maybe catch a concert if someone good was playing. At the end of the night, I’d send him home with a plush Domo to keep him company in the woods and a promise to call within a week”-whaleandbee

“Haa, I don’t really know…maybe try and get a picture of it” -Bluepony808

“Offer him a cupcake. And then run”- MoonPathDesigns

“If I was ever to bump into a bigfoot or yeti I think I would stare at it from a distance see how it reacted  and then go up to it and start a conversation and see if it knew English. If not, I would just give him a hug and rub his tummy”-Little Felt Hearts

“Be very quiet and still, so I wouldn’t scare him away. Then just watch him for awhile, and finally discover what kinds of things the elusive yeti likes to do”-Flapper Girl

Photo courtesy of PearsonMaron

Tags: adorable, bigfoot, cute, etsy, indiesmiles, LittleToad, new shops, sightings, yeti

5 Responses to “Yeti & Bigfoot Sightings? Part 1”

Leave a Reply