About Karen Waschinski and adopting her soft sculpture stuffed bears, woosels, and other creatures

Using my late grandmother's Mundlos 1936 pedal sewing machine, I create creatures with
very clear personalities that enjoy being handled and played with. I've been designing my own critters since 1994 and launched "Scratching at the Window" in September of 2004, making it official in February 2005.

Each animal has a very discreet ultrasuede tag sewn into a seam close to the tail
(so far they've almost all had tails!)
bearing my initials, "KW".

C.K., a special retirement gift, ready to go

If you've seen a "Scratching at the Window" creature that you would like to adopt, please click here to see prices and click here to see critters eagerly awaiting adoption. If the critter you like isn't available anymore and you'd like to place an order for a similar creation, please do not hesitate to email me (woosel[at]scratchingatthewindow.com) for an estimated "birth" date if you'd like to be placed on the waiting list. Of course, each animal is unique but I will try to capture whatever it is that appealed to you.

If you'd like to see how creatures are brought to life, please visit the following creation stories:

Making
Twilight the Rat,
a special order

Making
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
(a dressed bear)
and the Demon

Making
Sarah Bratbie,
the first dressed rat

Are you interested in the history of the Teddy Bear? Click here! (Thank you, Ashleigh!)

Shipping charges will depend on the weight and size of the animal and the distance he or she will have to travel from my home here in southwestern Ontario, Canada. For the adoption fee, I accept eTransfers, PayPal, personal cheques (within Canada), bank drafts and money orders.

Quin the rat and Russel my ever-patient dog

Gryphon on the way to his new home

Above all else, my critters and I want to have fun! They all embody playful spirits that want to share the pleasures of this life, with all of its adventures, thrills, and even its sorrows. They are storytellers seeking out that special someone with whom to share a lifetime of wondrous tales.

Thank you for your interest!

While they await adoption,
critters looking for new homes spend some of their time in a glass case,
watching the world.

Of course, Willow my pup checks them out occasionally!

We love rats and bats, so it was a thrill to rescue one: click here to read about the beautiful bat we saved from a burr bush!

I have taken up quilling and am enjoying this wonderful art, which is much easier on the eyes and hands! To see some examples, please click here and ask about upcoming workshops if you're in Southern Ontario.

I am indebted to the late Jim Henson, his Muppets and his amazing Creature Shop artists who have obviously inspired me, along with the work of Brian Froud, Bill Peet and Charleen Kinser.

I am also very grateful to Teddy Bear artist Sarah Forrest of Shea Bruins/Bruin Mischief who so many years ago said, upon seeing my swans, "You are an artist."

A lovely pair! My friend Angelika Schäfer-Siegmund's dancing mouse found safe passage over the waters riding on the back of a royal Snow

It is my pleasure to be part of the Teddy Bear community, both as a collector and artist. Nowhere else have I come in contact with so many wonderful, talented, generous people!

Finally, I want to thank my mother for her support, for understanding this obsession of mine and willingly taking in a critter or two!

Pamina the rat with flowers

more...

For the vampyre novella "A Vampyre's Faerytale: Da Fhaol Mharbh", please click on the silhouette cover above.

What's this? What's this? Click on the haunted poster to find out!

For the Day of the Dead and Hallowe'en 2013, we were in Los Angeles!
Read about our amazing experience and see all the glorious photos by clicking on the above poster!