Long before there was a shop called Otter Chaos, there was Abby Green.
And long before there was a sign over the door, Abby was already using the phrase "otter chaos" to describe the wonderfully unpredictable moments in life.
The otter part? That's simpler.
She just really loves otters.
They're cute, playful, and curious. They hold hands so they don't float away from each other. What's not to love?
So when Abby opened a shop in downtown Silver City, New Mexico, Otter Chaos felt like a pretty natural name for a place that brought together so many of the things she loves.
So, what's in our Otter Chaos shop?
Otters, obviously.
Lots of them.
But Otter Chaos isn't just an otter shop. It's little bit of otter, a little bit of chaos, and a whole lot of fun.
It's a colorful, eclectic mix of local art, yarn and craft supplies, puppets, socks, journals, gifts, books, recycled and repurposed creations, and other fun things that caught Abby's eye and somehow found their way into the shop.
We love things made by actual humans. Things with personality. Things that make you laugh. Things that give old materials a new purpose. Things you pick up and immediately know exactly who you need to give them to.
And sometimes things you absolutely do not need but are going home with you anyway.
That's part of the chaos.
There's another part of this story: Craftaholics
Before Otter Chaos opened its doors, Abby had already spent more than 20 years as a professional organizer.
Over the years, clients had a lot of craft supplies they no longer wanted. And Abby couldn't stand the thought of perfectly good yarn, fabric, paper, beads, tools, and other creative materials ending up in the landfill.
So she started taking them.
Then people started donating more.
And more.
And more.
Eventually, there were enough supplies, and enough possibilities for what could be done with them, that Abby created Craftaholics, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to bringing people together through traditional folk arts and creativity.
Its philosophy is simple:
We gather. We laugh. We make things.
Craftaholics gives donated supplies another life through classes, workshops, gatherings, and creative projects while creating opportunities for people to learn, make things, and spend time together.
When Abby later opened Otter Chaos in Silver City, she was able to bring these different parts of her world together under one roof.
Otter Chaos remains the shop, while Craftaholics remains its own nonprofit organization. But if you visit us in Silver City, you'll quickly see how naturally art, making, reuse, community, and a slightly excessive number of otters coexist.
Turns out, they get along pretty well.
Made in Silver City and beyond
We're lucky to live in a town full of incredibly creative people, and supporting local artists and makers is an important part of Otter Chaos.
You'll find work from Silver City and regional artists throughout the shop, including pieces made with recycled and repurposed materials, alongside carefully selected products and an ever-growing assortment of all things otter.
And now we're bringing more of the shop online, too.
Whether you're looking for something made locally, something wonderfully weird, a gift that doesn't feel like every other gift on the internet, or just something with an otter on it, have a look around.
Come join the chaos
If you're in Silver City, come see us in person.
Browse the art. Squish a puppet. Buy some yarn. Find a ridiculous pair of socks. Discover an otter-shaped object you didn't know existed until approximately 30 seconds ago.
If you're somewhere else, shop right here and we'll send a little Otter Chaos your way.
Otter Chaos
208 W. Yankie Street
Silver City, New Mexico
Come for the otters. Stay for the chaos.