Sophie, the woman behind Dreaming of Johnny, is a dreamboat. She will be with us on Small Business Saturday from2:30-5:30! <3
Tell us about Dreaming of Johnny and the ‘softer side of creepy’.
Dreaming of Johnny is the name of my brand. I used to go by “You Were Swell” but I had a change of heart in what I was creating and decided to start fresh. I’m hugely inspired by teen culture of the 50’s and 60’s, and there are so many “Johnny’s” mentioned in love songs by girl groups. I wanted to capture that classic pining for a dream boy vibe in much of my work and products.
I love the images from that era, I get a lot of inspiration for my work from vintage magazines and movies. Everyone looks so peachy keen and happy. I also have a great love for darker things - I’m a huge horror lover and am very drawn to the grotesque. I like to combine my love for sweet and pure culture that was portrayed back then, and slightly distort it or shift it and hint at the darkness that lies beneath the idealist imagery. I also love all of the classic Universal monsters, and often incorporate them into my work. But I like to soften the monsters and show their tender sides. I like to sweeten dark things, and add darkness to sweet things.
Although you are nationally known, why is it important to you as a maker to shop local???
I think it is tremendously important to shop locally and support local businesses and makers. It’s great for our local economy, but more importantly it helps to strengthen our community. I was born and raised in Urbana, and I feel so lucky to live here as an adult too. I absolutely love living here, and am thankful for the strong sense of community. There are so many fabulous local businesses and makers in CU, and I want them all to continue to thrive and prosper here.
Who are your fur-babies?!
We are very proud parents to 6 purrfect kitties! There’s Mikey, Diablo, Lemmy, Starla, Billie Jean and Rocky! Mikey is my first baby, I got him in 2010! He’s a beautiful and stoic fluffball. Onto the next - in 2013 I found a tiny black cat hanging from my fence by his leg(poor thing) - this is Diablo! He’s the sweetest, most loving and sensitive creature I’ve ever encountered, I feel so lucky to be loved by him. Jump to 2017, my fiancé Justin and I decided we wanted to raise a kitten together. We adopted a beautiful brown tabby boy from the Humane Society and named him Lemmy(after Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead). He’s a wild one, but such a pure hearted soul. We had no plans on getting anymore cats for a long time. But one cold March night in 2018, a lonely little female cat(later to be named Starla) came to our porch. We fed her and made a special box for her to sleep in. That lasted about 30 minutes. We let her inside and fell in love with her immediately. A couple of weeks later at a vet appointment - it was discovered that she was pregnant! She gave birth to 3 little girls and 1 little boy. My mom took 2 of them, and we kept the other 2 - Billie Jean and Rocky! They provide us with so much love, joy and entertainment. I feel like the luckiest gal in the world to share a home with them.
What is your favorite treat at the shop?
Wow this is a challenging question!!! I adore every delicious treat I’ve tried at Hopscotch. From the mouth-watering savory quiches to the delicately sweet macarons - I’m in love! If I had to choose one thing though, it would have to be one of the mini brown butter cakes with vanilla icing. They are so yummy and comforting - and I love the size and convenience of them! The perfect treat. I also love coming in to see the super creative seasonal lattes you guys create. Excellent coffee drinks!
