Seattle's Child

Your guide to a kid-friendly city

Living (and loving) the plush life

Leeanna Butcher is one of those lucky artists who has a remarkable talent and happens to be able to make a living out of it.

Leeanna Butcher is one of those lucky artists who has a remarkable talent and happens to be able to make a living out of it. The trifecta in this case is plush, passion and pure joy. Plush Goodness is Leeanna’s line of whimsical critters and fairy tale favorites — with some hipster dolls thrown in for good measure. Each comes to life in her home studio, where rainbow-colored fabrics and felts ensure that her work is full of whimsy and vibrant detail. 

In 2007, Leeanna was working — or not working — on an illustration and things weren’t coming together the way she’d wanted. Creatively stumped, she examined her art supplies, grabbed some leftover felt pieces and an emergency sewing kit and whipped up her first huggable creation; she hasn’t looked back.

Photo: Joshua Huston

Leeanna Butcher, owner of PlushGoodness, does custom work as well as selling items in her Etsy shop.

In addition to the items sold in her online shop and at craft fairs throughout the year, Leeanna is also available to do custom work for customers, re-creating favorite characters and pets with the amount of detail and care that makes her work a real treasure. 

“This year, I had the honor of creating a memorial plush of a customer's beloved dog that had just passed away, and that was a very special commission for me,” she said. “To help someone who was going through a difficult time, as well as creating a lasting and comforting memorial of their pet, was something that I will never forget.”

etsy.com/shop/PlushGoodness

About the Author

Kristen Rask