When you think ‘soft’ and ‘cuddly’, lightsabers may not be the first things to come to mind. But that’s exactly what Michelle Sharp’s Softsabers are–plush lightsaber pillows for hugging and out of this world pillow fights.
SaberSourcing interviewed Softsabers creator and Etsy seller Michelle Sharp about her cuddly lightsaber pillow creations.
Find Softsabers in the MSharpCreations Etsy Store [AFFILIATE LINK]:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MSharpCreations
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How did you come up with the idea of creating a ‘cuddly’ lightsaber pillow?
I have always been a creative person and I love to make things with my hands. When my first child was about 3-4 years old, I was trying to think of something that I could sew for him that he would love. There are so many things to sew for little girls, but not that many for boys. My son always loved to hold onto my arm as he fell asleep at night and I joked to my husband about making an arm pillow. The cogs in my brain kept churning and I drew from my family’s love for Star Wars and decided a Lightsaber pillow would be the perfect thing for him to hold onto.
At what point did you decide to turn your saber pillows project into an Etsy store and business?
I already had an etsy store and I was making handmade baby products. When I saw how much fun my boy was having with his Softsaber I thought I might post it on my store and see if it would sell…and it did!
How involved are your kids in the Etsy store?
My kids motivate me. Their excitement for the products I design and produce helps me to know how other kids and adults might respond to my products. They love to be my models for my photoshoots too. My husband is so valuable to me as well. He supports me in everything and comes up with some good ideas himself. It’s definitely a family business.
What’s your favorite part about running your lightsaber pillow business?
I love that I can design and produce something that so many people love at first sight. Softsabers bring happiness to people and I feel so grateful that I can be a part of that.
How do kids react when they see Softsaber pillows?
Kids LOVE Softsabers! Not only kids though, adults have the same reaction. Once they see them they smile, laugh and want to touch it. Once they do they realize how soft they are and they just want to hit someone. There are no worries, though, because they don’t hurt! People love to snuggle into them too because they are very soft.
I have a story I want to share that happened last year at a Salt Lake Comic Con. A mother came up to our booth and she had a son in a wheelchair. She began to ask the child if he wanted a Softsaber. He was unresponsive. She bought a Softsaber for him and when she placed it in his lap, he latched onto it and the biggest smile appeared on his face. The mother told us that he had been so excited to come to the Con but had been overwhelmed by it. This was the first smile that she had seen on him that day and now felt that coming was worth it. I was so touched that I was able to be the creator of something that brought that child so much happiness on that day.
Any thoughts about expanding your product line to include other saber related or non-saber related products?
I have been working on some new styles and designs in the Star Wars universe as well as other fandoms such as Doctor Who and Star Trek. I’ll be debuting some new products in the next week or two. My husband and I are always thinking of new products we can create. We have a lot of fun with it and I love making new designs and patterns.
What’s your favorite lightsaber and why?
That is a hard question. I think all of them are pretty cool. I think when it comes down to it though, Darth Vader’s is my favorite.
What’s next for you?
Raising my young family of 7 kids is my main focus right now but I am always looking for ways to build my business. Running M Sharp Creations has been a blast so far and we love sharing our joy with others!
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Find Softsabers in the MSharpCreations Etsy Store [AFFILIATE LINK]:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MSharpCreations
COVER IMAGE CREDIT MSharpCreations
