Kawaiiland Featured Vendor: Nerdy Cat Crafts
Kawaiiland Featured Vendor Nerdy Cat Crafts features exclusive, handmade 8-bit style designs inspired by video games, cats, and all things geeky.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.
My name is Lauren Wong, and I am a cosplayer, crafter and owner, creator and designer of Nerdy Cat Crafts.
NCC specializes in exclusive, handmade 8-bit style designs inspired by video games, comics, cats, anime and all things geeky. Right now, NCC only makes cross stitched pins and magnets, but will be adding embroidered patches, prints, and jewelry in the near future! I also love taking requests and custom designs. :)
How did you become an artist?
Since I was 2 yrs old, I've always loved to draw and work with my hands -- my favorite mediums being paper, cardboard and tape. I would try to build anything with moving parts, including a (miniature) wheelchair, a car, and most notably, a gas station pump including spinning numbers and credit card/receipt slots. I also used to make flip books.
When I was 12 yrs old, my grandma's friend taught me how to needlepoint and cross stitch with yarn and floss. I started by making Looney Toons pieces from a needlepoint book. Then I started making my own designs, mainly as gifts for friends and family. Being a huge San Francisco Giants fan, I also designed and made pins after my favorite players on the team - mainly JT Snow and Ellis Burks.
I continued to do needlepoint and cross stitch on and off throughout the years only as gifts. It wasn't until 2013 that I discussed with friends and family about how I should make something of my talent. Then, on September 28, 2013, with the inspiration of another admirable artist (Arthur Moy aka SpeedBrkr), Nerdy Cat Crafts was born. :)
Aside from cross stitch, I also love to cosplay. So far, I've made and cosplayed as Chun-Li from the Street Fighter series and Panda Annie from League of Legends.
What does the word Kawaii mean to you?
When I think of the word "Kawaii", I think of "cutesy" and "Japanese". :)
Do you have a favorite anime or cartoon?
I grew up watching cartoons such as Rugrats and Doug on Nickelodeon, but my all time favorite cartoon is the 80's classic, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -- COWABUNGA!! :D Though I do have a lot of anime designs, I didn't actually grow up watching anime, so I can't appreciate the nostalgia and hype my friends have for animes such as Sailor Moon or Dragonball. However, my boyfriend introduced me to a few animes and my favorites are Death Note, Soul Eater and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
What is your ultimate goal with your brand?
I love designing and crafting things that make people go, "Wow!" The ability to express and share my love for video games, cats, comics and all things nerdy is what inspires me to keep creating. I recently got a new embroidery machine and can't wait to start adding patches to my shop!
I enjoy meeting new fans and artists who share the same love and passion for gaming, kawaii and nerd culture, and would love to collaborate with them some day. I want to be able to travel more, meet fans and set up my own booth at other conventions. My ultimate goal is to make NCC a well known brand in the nerd/gaming/kawaii communities all around the world. :)
And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in art/design/fashion?
Keep practicing to discover what type of artist you want to be and to develop your own unique style. Browse the works of other artists for inspiration. Don't be afraid to try new things. As artists, we are our own worst critics, so it really helps to put your work out there and get the opinions of others.
But, the most important thing to remember is to love what you're doing. Video games have always been my passion and my go to "escape from reality," and crafting has been the only thing to match up to that. Once it starts to feel like work and you're no longer having fun, that's when you need to take a breath, take a step back, and put your attention elsewhere for a bit. Then, when you come back to it, you'll be ready to go twice as strong! :)