Felted Familiars

I am fortunate to know some incredible people that inspire me with all that they do. Because they inspire me, I wanted to proclaim their awesomeness to the world so that others might be inspired as well. So every Friday, I will feature an incredible person that I find inspirational. No, you won't find these people on a Wheaties box or on the cover of Time magazine, but they are the gems, the up-and-comers, the real people that make us pause because we are inspired by who they are and what they do. Some are my friends, some my family, and some I haven't yet had the pleasure to meet, but these are the stories that should drive all of us to greatness and remind us to never give up the pursuit of our dreams.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner I wanted to introduce you to Erin Nix, who I have been proud to call a friend for 16 years and counting. She creates adorable felted creatures and thrives on custom orders of beloved pets among other requests.

We bonded initially over our love for animals. I remember being amazed at her collection of live creatures back then: two cats, a dog, two anoles (lizards) and an underwater frog named Aunt Bea. I had never known anyone so kind, full of joy and passionate about animals. Today, Erin has turned her love for animals into a home-based business, hand-crafting little creatures out of felt. She calls them Felted Familiars, based on Medieval European folklore that foretold of supernatural creatures that were believed to assist people in the use of magic. 

"I call them “familiars” because they provide smiles and companionship as you go about the magic of your daily life in everything you do," she says. The creatures she creates are fantastic, one-of-a-kind, and take her hours, sometimes- days to create. She uses dyed sheep wool and special needles to sculpt the wool into bears, dogs and even dragons. To get an idea of the time and care that goes into each creation, watch her create a Felted Familiar and you will be amazed. 

"There is something mesmerizing and invigorating about being able to sculpt animals out of wool," said Erin, who spent nine years of her life devoted to studying sheep while obtaining her Animal Behavior Science degrees from Montana State University. "To see what you can do with wool is really exciting." Erin says she loves the art of crafting the Familiars because it gives her an opportunity to run her own business and to make people smile. "I have never had a job before where I look forward to Mondays," she says. "I feel like there should always be more animal stuff in the world and I love bringing joy to people through my creations." 

So if you are looking for something truly one of a kind for someone you care about, or you want to remember a beloved pet in a fun way, send Erin a picture and watch her transform your two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional keepsake. You can find her premade crafts in her Etsy shop or order custom creatures through her website: www.feltedfamiliars.com