That Sinking Feeling...

Last night, just as I was about to go to sleep my husband showed me something he'd seen on the Guardian website:

Felt Campervan by Lucy Sparrow

Grace's Favours Original Felt VW Cuddly Campervan

AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGG!!!!!

That was my first thought.

Well, that's me done for.

That was my second thought.

Bloody Hell... why can't I be an 'artist' and be featured in the Guardian?

That was my third thought.

And then I calmed down a bit.

Lucy Sparrow is a designer/artist/maker/call her what you will that I came across for the first time last year when she set up an empty shop front to make it into a felt filled corner shop:

Felt Food made for The Corner Shop by Lucy Sparrow as part of the Folksy Interview

Everyone from the Daily Mail to Etsy and Folksy wrote about it, so it was hard to miss and of course, knowing my love of felt, lots of friends and family sent me links.

And for the most part, when my jealousy is under control, I am very pleased for Lucy and impressed by what's she's achieved... but the Campervan.... that left me feeling not so pleased.

I know I don't have the monopoly on making felt campervans and whilst I believe I was the first person to create cuddly campervans (as I did extensive research before I made my first one and found none like it out there in internetland - I first talked about them here in 2012) I cannot stop anyone else from making the same iconic vehicle in felt.

But when someone much more famous and well regarded makes them... well, that feels a bit worrying.

Although I know mine are original and very popular, does the fact that Lucy Sparrow has had her's featured in the Guardian make mine less.... I can't even find the right word... worthy? Interesting to customers? Original? Creative?

No, of course not. But it is hard to feel cheerful when you see something that mirrors your most popular item, being promoted in the popular press, created by someone else.

I suppose the one saving grace is that unless Lucy is planning to make them to order and personalise them, my shop is still the go-to place for the original personalised Cuddly Campervan!

Felt Cuddly Campervans by Grace's Favours

And now that I've got all that out there I feel ok about it all again.

But it is hard to keep the green eyed monster at bay sometimes!