My husband’s new favorite character is Hackman, the tiny toy that vomits up things.

He recently scored these little guys in a holiday mystery gift bag from Toy Tokyo, and he couldn’t have been more delighted. One of them is throwing up designer logos (too awesome), and the other is throwing up a Shinto charm. Maybe he’s spent too much time as a tourist in Japan?

These cell phone strap toys came out in 2006, though they are new to us. I found that the makers, Mad Barbarians, have also made some giant plush Hackmen that can puke all over your carpet or tabletop of choice. How adorable, in a sick kind of way!

About a year ago (a bit less) I started this blog, so the beginning 2008 marks roughly a year of knitting toys and getting other people to do the same. It was such a great year!

(Mountain Man, one of the first toys I knitted)

Thank you to everyone who helped me, inspired me, or just visited Mochimochi Land over the past year. Let’s make 2008 even more toy-rific!

But once a year I can post photos of my parents’ cat Sasha, who will put up with a lot and still keep purring.

She was Santa Cat and Reindeer Cat for about 30 seconds each.

Last-minute gifts to myself, that is!

Yesterday I finally made my purchases at the “Luv-able and Hug-able” plush show at gallery hanahou.

Aren’t they adoooorable? The stripey monster is Bartholomew by Sewn by Blythe, little squid is by Lizette Greco +Grecolaborativo, and the curious pink and white creature is Cecilio’s Family Daughter by Eloole.

Today is the last day of the show, so if you’re in NY, see if you can’t fit a visit into your day. (It’s open noon – 7 tonight.) Some of the plushes will also be available online past the holidays, but the supply is really starting to dwindle!

Oh, and I was quoted about the show in this week’s Village Voice!