about me
Hi, I'm Penelope, the sentient yellow duck plushie behind Clammy Heart! I'm an Aries lesbian artist originally from Iowa, now living in Portland, Oregon. I began Clammy Heart in 2017 after leaving Kansas City Art Institute's Fiber department with a robust background in garment construction, surface design, and textile dyeing. I purchased a the smallest, cheapest embroidery machine I could find (on my first credit card) to start making my own anime-inspired patches, and the rest was history!
My pets are a big part of my life – I have two dogs, two cats, two rabbits, AND a snail! When I'm not working on Clammy Heart or playing with them, I love reading Japanese literature, playing cozy video games, thrift shopping for old clothes and trinkets, listening to podcasts, gardening, and hiking with my fiancée Carmen.
about the brand
Clammy Heart was established in 2017, with just one embroidery machine, two patch designs, and a Storenvy store. I got a lot of commissions from my friends in the cosplay and fashion communities for custom caps, accessories, t-shirts, and patches. After my first 100 sales, operations moved to Etsy. Then, nearly 2,000 sales later, I opened my own storefront in September 2019. Now, I'm proud to say we've shipped out over 16,000 orders to 44 countries!
Everything at Clammy Heart is embroidered in-house, and fulfilled from our Portland studio. We now have one multi-needle, and two single needle machines, and work very hard to create our apparel and package the orders ourselves with love and care. For items that are not embroidered, we also use trusted, wonderful manufacturers in China for knitwear, bags, and keychains, to name a few.
The work we create focuses on the simple joys that make life a little happier. Animals, fruits & vegetables, flowers & nature motifs; all with dollops of playful nostalgia. You'll find us making apparel that's casual, colorful, inspired by Japanese fashion, and usually perfectly cottagecore. Nearly all items are made with natural fibers such as cotton, linen, and wool.
I have a huge interest in mutual aid and distributing resources. Clammy Heart has donated over $10,000 to charities since its founding. Most recently, we raised $1,755 for Anera to support Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Other supported charities include Black Lives Matter Global Network, Reclaim the Block, Marsha P. Johnson Institute, and WIRES Australia. In January 2021, we began a Black-owned Small Business Fund that gave $300 grants to 7 artisanal businesses. It was an absolute joy to facilitate and I look forward to doing this again in the future.
Have an inquiry about a custom commission? A brick-and-mortar store that you'd like to have carry us? A convention you'd like to see us vend at? Drop me a line at clammyheartinfo@gmail.com.
