Hairy, or Harry Clam Birth

I thought I might explain today about my process when coming up with a new item.  Most ideas literally just pop into my head.  As the amazing Dudley Moore once said as Arthur, 'Sometimes I just think of funny things.'

Sometimes I am inspired by things I am watching or reading or doing.  Such is the case with my newest item. Enter the Hairy Clam (tee hee).  I happened to be participating in a forum thread on Etsy about the sanitized version of inventory admin often promotes.  And I have to say that there is one common theme in these discussions I abhor- and that is that those of us who are interested in the more unique and perhaps edgier items are somehow abnormal or in the minority.  I think this is absurd.  When the biggest hits on television are Jersey Shore, which shows some of the most lewd behavior anywhere, and Dancing with the Stars, which pardon me?  Is a family show when the women's beef curtains are practically hanging out of their skimpy costumes?

But I digress.  Clearly America is not all that pure.  We like that which is absurd, risque, sexy, beautiful and funny.  I would compare the ratings of Jersey Shore to any random show from PBS for evidence.

As it was, in this thread, I mentioned the hairy clam as an example of the most extreme visual Etsy could promote.  And when you think about it, it's pretty pathetic that something that more than half of the population sees every single goddamn day when they put on their own panties is such a polarizing image.  Gott in himmel.

A few people chortled about the hairy clam comment and within moments I had a visual in my own mind (not like that you dirty bird) of a mug cozy showcasing a bearded clam.  Hahaha.  I just laughed out loud typing 'bearded clam'.  See, this is my method.  I make items that make me laugh.  And I just hope others agree.  So often I get messages from buyers and browsers who say they spent a good time in my shop just reading the listings and laughing.  I totally relate because I could do so as well.  I don't because I think that would be a bit nutty- sort of like talking to myself.  But I could.  In fact, if I should ever go senile I look forward to being my own customer.  That will be awesome.

The idea took life when I quickly sketched a cartoony clam with a beard.  Then I tried out a mustache.  Both seemed a bit off:

The beard looked more like a harem clam, you know with the veil in front of his face.  The mustache looked to me like he was in a cowboy musical.  So for the finished product I added a rug and it looked like this:

Once the patch was done I just had to pick a color for a cozy.  I chose a sort of teal that reminds me of the idealized ocean color.  I figured that's where all nice hairy clams like to be.  Moist and salty.  Yup, I just puked too.

So there you go folks.  An idea is born.  It cries and wets its pants.  Then it goes on a cozy.  All in the name of laughter and profit.  Muwahahaha.

My next goal is to get Mr. Harry Clam in the Etsy Finds.  If you have any pull, please do your best.  Let's make sure that Etsy becomes a place where the majority can shop.  Not just the stylish nuns.