After being laid off from my job, I found myself with a lot of spare time between applying to jobs and waiting. I found out about a toy convention called Designer Con. Being a big toy collector, I went to see what it was all about. I was so inspired by what designers were creating and how they started out that it sparked a desire in me to try it for myself. After sleepless nights of different ideas bouncing around in my head, I narrowed it down to turtle shells. To me, their shapes are fun, and have a vast potential of design exploration that I didn't see at the convention.
Even though turtle shells are symbolic of being shy and introverted, it doesn’t mean they can’t have fun. I wanted to design a shell that had some personality as well as have the ability to have different personalities. With no knowledge of how to even start making a toy, I went all in and spent the next 6 months researching and failing miserably trying to make what I had in my head come to reality.

After several months of experimenting and lots, and lots, and LOTS of sanding, I had in my hands something I was happy with. I could have used a 3D printer and software to make this process quicker and perfect, but where’s the fun in that? I wanted to make something that I made with my hands that took me effort to create.
In this journey, I've seen how a lot of events in my life have slowly led me here. From taking up carpentry a few years back teaching me patience and how the process is more fun than the end product sometimes. Later, taking up model kit building and airbrushing, and seeing the ingenuity and detail that go into something so small. All these experiences have taught me so much, and now designing a toy, casting molds, and mixing chemicals feels like a natural progression of my career. Stay tuned for more Shellies! I have over 20 designs drawn out and ready to be get out into the world.