MEET A HICKEYDOOGLE: Ziggy

Ziggy is a professor at a college of dentistry (he asked us not to mention the name).  He is certified to teach every class at the institution, but gets most excited about the course he personally created titled “The History of Toothpaste.”

Dr. Ziggy is also an amateur collector.  He own toothpaste tubes from fifty-eight different countries.  His most prized possesion is a toothbrush reportedly owned by Pierre Fouchard, a French oral surgeon widely regarded as the father of modern dentistry.

While he has dated extensively (mostly dental students) he has never married, citing a desire to “not have to choose between a woman and the all-consuming world of dental hygiene.”

What are Hickeydoogles?

Hickeydoogles are a private brand of softies.  Softie is a generic term.  It refers to a stuffed toy that starts it’s life as a 2D line drawing before being created in the fabric world.  Softies are usually primitive and childlike.  Some makers of softies prefer their toys to be cheery, while others create softies that look evil or mean. 

To see a wide range of great softies, go to the Softies of the Month Flickr group, or visit the online store Etsy, where many softie makers show their creations.

Meet the Hickeydoogles: Hugo

Hugo is a children’s birthday party planner from Seattle.  He especially enjoys special-needs parties.  He has a great sugar-free cake recipe for diabetic or husky children. 

Hugo lives alone in a one-bedroom apartment near downtown.  When he’s not creating fabulous birthday celebrations, he’s searching Seattle record stores for out-of-print records of fifties and sixties children’s music.

He also likes cheese.

Meet a Hickeydoogle: Lisa

Lisa owns an interpretive dance troupe made up entirely of professional sign language interpreters.  They perform at various health fairs and malls in the American Mid-West.

Lisa also works as a life coach for members of Mensa. 

Between her two careers, Lisa has little time for dating or outside friends, but says she’s always ready for Mr. Right to come along.  She’d like to have to have children one day.  She’d prefer one that looks like a girl and two that look like boys, but she’ll take whatever she gets, as long as they’re made from attractive fabrics and are fully stuffed.

Meet A Hickeydoogle: KEN

Ken is a sports lover.  He spent a blissful year as a line judge in the failed XFL (Xtreme Football League.)

Since then, he’s officiated for the IHL (International Hockey League) and the MLS (Major League Soccer).

He also enjoys shrimp, medium-length walks on the beach and anything that features Ms. Dixie Carter.  He has a wide collection of Masters of the Universe figurines (He-Man, Skeletor and the like).

He’s the current sci-fi expert for three popular drive-time radio shows in Wisconsin and is the proud owner of a potato chip that resembles Al Roker.

Ken is a sociable fellow and is looking to meet other 28-147 year olds interested in sci-fi and fringe sporting events.

Power Couple: Carl and Wendy

The latest Hickey Doogles to come up for adoption are a couple, Carl and Wendy.

Carl is often mistaken for an elf, so he’d like to remind everyone that he is

A Hickey Doogle named Pedro

Pedro is a nice guy.  He spent just over three years looking for a baseball card his mother threw away.  Because of this, he’s got a commanding knowledge of the garbage dumps and waste recycling centers in the Greater Canton, Ohio area.  Did I mention he’s from Ohio?

After he finally gave up on the baseball card,

Meet Phil and Teena!

This is Phil.  He’s a very quiet “person” so I haven’t gotten much out of him, except that he REALLY likes graham crackers (so much that he once worked for Nabisco) and that he

Meet Waledron!

Waledron was once a member of the royal court of the Kingdom of Viti in what is now Fiji.  He served King Ratu Cakobau from 1871 to 1874.  During a tumultuous stretch of 1874, he had himself sealed in a steamer trunk and shipped to San Francisco.

He spent much of the early 20th century in the bottom of that trunk, relegated to the abandoned luggage section of the port until a theiving young porter took the trunk and popped the rusty lock in the privacy of his own home.

Fortunately for Waledron, he found freedom in 1970, at the start of the disco era.  His bright coloring and funky antennas helped him blend in during the time period.  He found work as a FM receiver for much of the seventies.  In 1985 he moved to Tempe, Arizona and took up basket weaving.  His work has been exhibited in galleries as far away as Boca Raton, Florida and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Adopt a Hickey Doogle

Hickey Doogles are looking for good homes.  Many have traveled from distant galaxies; others, from small midwestern towns.  Often, they are trained professionals looking for a home with a loving family. 

Each Hickey Doogle begins its life as a line drawing.  Through the magic of the fabric arts (ta-da!) they are realized as soft toys (referred to by fabric artists as “softies”).

Each Hickey Doogle has a story.  And each has his/her own strengths, weaknesses, talents and problems.  So read carefully before you adopt a Hickey Doogle based solely on looks!