Sorry been out of the radar for a few weeks. Still health issues but slowly and surely getting there and hoping to get back to normal n a few weeks, if not better. Fingers crossed! As promised in my earlier write up, Snoopy T-shirt, I thought I would finally share here what I have done to that Procreate sketch. And of course, give you a fuller story behind it. So what have we here? My little Snoopy plushie! Or as we say in Japanese, “Kawaii Snoopy-chan”, my favorite toy back in 4th grade. That sweet little beagle from the Peanuts comics, whom I cherished, loved, almost lost forever and unexpectedly got reunited with some 50 years later…
That’s right, I had this little gem since I was 9 years old! Vivid memories come flowing back looking at Snoopy-chan as I recall my mom getting it for me at Kiddy Land, a toy-store in Tokyo that was big in the 1970s, back then specializing in U.S imports. That’s right, even long before I got my first Hello Kitty plushie aged 11! Loved my little Snoopy to bits and remember bringing him to school everyday and playing with him during class till the teacher threatened to confiscate it. Like all my stuffed animals, though, poor Snoopy got cast aside when I became a teenager because being cute was not cool. He just got forgotten for years, but at one point, I wondered what my Snoopy was up to when I came back from university in London. He was nowhere to be seen though! I figured he got stolen by one of the kids of some expat family we had been renting our furnished apartment in Tokyo to back in the 1980s because a few things disappeared when they moved out. That made me very upset although by then I was in my 20’s. Fast forward 40 years, and I am now looking to sell that apartment in Tokyo. I need to empty it out so start tidying up, going through old personal possessions and sifting through old carton boxes gathering dust in storage. And as I open one of them, look who turns up!
My long-lost kawaii Snoopy-chan! Imagine my excitement when we got reunited. I felt like a 9-year old all over again. So after all those years of grief and accusations, Snoopy had secretly been hiding in one of the boxes to get away from those kids! And imagine the utter delight and excitement as I pulled him out of the box. I literally squealed and jumped up and down like a child till the janitor of our apartment ran over and asked what was wrong haha! And now, after over 50 years, Snoopy has since turned all grey with his head tilted to one side but is still in decent condition. Family suggested I take her to one of those “stuffed animal hospitals” they have in Tokyo (I know, only in Japan!) and get her washed, restored and re-stuffed but nah… I love the way he is. Love that worn-out, cuddled up vintage look and besides if I get him looking good as new, it isn’t really the same is it?
And now… I think we should give Little One the honor of wearing a kawaii Snoopy T-shirt to commemorate my emotional reunion with this our old adorable canine friend! That first Procreate doodle was merely to experiment with the new Comic brushes. So pleased with it that I thought I would develop it further and, well, color it all in using the FT Crayons brushes! Crayons definitely give that childhood memories vibe, don’t you agree? And of course, Little One is so thrilled to be able to have this honor. Have fun with Snoopy, Little One, I trust you!
My Kawaii Quarter 