Meet Lisa Russell | Cryptid Comforts creator.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Russell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
The biggest thing that my business has taught me is that having a great support system is so valuable. I’m so lucky to have so much support surrounding me. From my teens to my early 40’s I worked many jobs. Occasionally I was trying to pursue a career, like when I worked as a portrait photographer for Moto Photo, or teaching at Portland Jewish Academy, but mostly my jobs were in coffee shops, or other aspects of food service or retail. I worked various positions from Hostess to Manager in many various states and places.
I typically loved my jobs; at least for a while. I would always form relationships with my customers, clients, students. That made the job important to me. Over the years at each one things would change , or my perception would, and I’d move on to something else. Often I’d leave the state to start fresh.
I always created on the side. Occasionally doing pop up art shows in cafes, or selling at a street fair.
I used to paint, sculpt, do photography, and more. I was always working on something in my free time. I loved to create from the time I was a little kid. I never thought I could make a living doing it.
Cryptid Comforts didn’t really start to form in my mind as a viable career option until I moved from Portland for my partner’s job. I wound up with a job that no matter what I couldn’t find a way to love. It was by far the worst job I’d ever had. I was working in an after school program, for a group that treated their staff horribly, with children who were disrespectful, and sometimes violent. There were a few kids in the group I bonded with and loved, but it couldn’t over shadow the bigger problems. I had developed a horrible ulcer and anxiety issues. I cried all the time. My boyfriend told me I should just quit and we’d be fine. So after only being there 5 months I quit.
After quitting that job I decided to try to sell my creations more. I had done a few local events. Even traveled a few hours for various events on the coast and I did well at them.
I hatched a plan to do a little tour out east. I used my family in Tennessee as a home base. They were very supportive giving me places to stay and letting me use their vehicles. My mom , my sister , and my niece even attended events with me. I stayed with friends in Kentucky, Illinois and Florida. Friends would road trip with me to events too.
When I returned to Washington we moved again and bought a house in Waitsburg, WA an adorable small town full of amazing artistic people. I started working at the coffee shop in town with the understanding that I’d be gone for months at a time. Having a job that was ok with that was amazing. They wanted me to pursue my art and helped with it.
Then covid happened, and my plans were ruined. No events, no pursuit of dreams, just coffee service. It was great having a job to help get me through that time. They even did a show of my plushies at the coffee shop when we reopened the interior. Which helped a lot. The local newspaper wrote about it, and it powered me through that time. I was surrounded by creative and encouraging people. I learned about selling online and social media during that time to continue to grow my brand. In 2021 I was able to go back out on the road. I had security knowing my cafe job was waiting for me if I wanted it, but I never went back to work there.
I was too busy creating and able to sustain a living doing it.
We moved to Colorado soon after, and a few times there I thought I might need a bigger income, but it always worked itself out.
It certainly helped that my partner was making decent money at his job too. He had also pursued his dreams later in life and went back to school to find a career he excelled at. We’ve supported each other through a lot of life transitions. Allowing us to do work we love.
I’ve had the love and support of my family, my partner, my friends, and even my employer to sustain me. Without them I couldn’t do this. I’ve also made new friends along the way who share that love and support too. I’m very lucky to have so many people to help me grow.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I created Cryptid Comforts a few years ago. I specialize in creating hand crafted stuffed plushies that are Cryptozoology themed. For those not familiar with Cryptozoology, it’s the study of hidden creatures. Examples are Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, Mothman, ect. I have branched into other things like pet toys, tote bags, tumblers, pins, keychains, and more all designed by me. I do some horror work also, but my main subject is Cryptids and Folklore creatures.
I even authored and illustrated a children’s book, with my friend Brandi Haile, called Why so sad, Squonk?.
It’s a niche subject which really requires creators to find their people. The cryptid community is constantly growing and I’m so happy to be a part of it.
There are themed events all over the country that focus on these creatures, From Estes Park Bigfoot Days here in Colorado to McMinnville UFO Festival in Oregon, Mothman Festival in West Virginia, Cryptid Con and Cryptid Block Party in Kentucky, Frogman Festival in Ohio, Fouke Monster Festival in Arkansas, Green Eyes Festival in Georgia, Wytheville UFO festival in Virginia, Hodag Festival in Wisconsin, Big Muddy Monster Festival in Illinois, and the one that I cohost, Squonkapalooza in Pennsylvania. That’s just to name a few. There are many more and more are popping up all the time.
Creating Squonkapalooza with my cohost Joe Fogle if Cryptoteeology has been one of the most difficult and most rewarding things I’ve done. 2023 was our first event and it was bigger and more successful than we could have imagined. It felt amazing to see our hard work in action and hearing our vendors tell us how happy they were with the event. I was a proud mama watching it all unfold. Putting together an event is so much work and constant frustration, but I’m the end it was such a great feeling that we decided to do it again. This years event will be August 10th in Johnstown, PA. It’s especially difficult hosting an event in PA while living in CO. My co-host is amazing though, and he lives in Johnstown. He is the one responsible for all the boots on the ground work. Our friend, Holly Wholahan of Holly Who Art, created our website. Squonkapalooza.com.
A little background on the Squonk is that it’s the saddest creature in the world. It’s from Lumberjack folklore. It was mentioned in a book called Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods that came out in 1910. It’s said that this creature lives in the Hemlock Forest in Pennsylvania and cries all the time because it’s so ugly. It’s skin doesn’t fit, it’s got a face only a mother could love. In fact its only defense mechanism is to cry so hard it completely dissolves into a puddle of tears and bubbles. Yes, it seems like an odd creature to have a festival for, but the event embraces all folklore and cryptids. It’s more of a street fair for the community. We have games, entertainment, speakers, crafts, and the best cryptid vendors around!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my friend were to visit at the right time I’d take them to Monster Day Greely. It’s my favorite festival in the area. It takes place in August. Lots of fantastic vendors, people in costumes, fun for the whole family. There’s also Estes Park Bigfoot days in April. Meow Wolf in Denver is a great immersive art experience. You want to really take your time going through it. There’s so much to see at every turn.
The Electric Cure and Slashers are the bars I’d want to take friends to.
For the 80’s kids Totally 80’s pizza in Fort Collins is a lot of nostalgic fun. It will bring back memories of things long forgotten.
Taking a day trip out to Estes park to see the Stanley Hotel would be a must do as well.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Partner Joshua Parrott. My family, Pat and Marty Russell, Kim and Aaron Evans, Darby Del Duca. My Friends, Brandi Haile, Lisa and Caleb Wilson, Mark Crowell, Jennifer Probst, Lisa Powell, Suzy Woods, Erin McIntyre, Cassie Finchum Green, Eddie Leuken, Holly Wholahan, Brittany and Daniel Shultz, Joe and Jess Fogle, Whitney Yadon, Robin and Brian of Mystic Novelty Co, Lane Gwinn, and everyone at Ten Ton Coffee in Waitsburg, WA.

Website: https://linktr.ee/cryptidcomforts

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/cryptid_comforts

Facebook: https://Facebook.com/cryptidcomforts