2 bunnies and 1 elephant need new homes!

The giveaway tied in to the release of my new book is finally live.
Enter for your chance to win one of the adorable bunnies or the big yellow elephant!
Tell your friends!
Enter on Facebook
Enter on HMH blog
Good luck and let me know if you're a winner! xo

Merry Mice factory!

It's a mouse factory in here, with Mocha Crinkles cookies baking in the oven! xo

Mr. Elephant

I had this elephant doll lying around that I'd made years ago (from a beautiful heavy-weight wool). When a certain grandma wanted to buy him for her grandson's third birthday, he needed an outfit.  Sam loves "things that go" (I made him the bus pillow for Christmas) so I decided to outfit Mr. Elephant as a train conductor.

The overalls came easily and were so fun to make. But the cap was really tricky!! I was having spacial relations problems and it took me the longest time to figure out the folds. It's not perfect but does the trick.

There's a loop on his overalls for a tiny set of keys, and then I made up some train tickets in Photoshop. It was all a lot of work but a very satisfying result. I really hope Mr. Elephant becomes a favorite friend! xo

 

 

 

Easter is coming!

Spring has always been my favorite time of  year - the determined blooms emerging from a gray & brown world, speckling the sidewalks & yards with a confetti of color - it's so exciting!
If you have little ones in your life and like to sew, I have a special pattern in my etsy shop so you can get a Hop on Easter....These stuffies are totally baby safe, and all young children love them.

Happy Spring!
xo

Be Mine

special valentine mice sold in my etsy shop a few years back.
happy valentine's day!!
xo

Woollyphant

 Here's a fun elephant I made from this fabulous thick two-tone nubby wool fabric.

 Lester joined the photo shoot, looking innocent enough.

 But as a lover of anything wool, he thought this toy for him.

Help! Where is Lester's head? Where is the elephant's trunk?

Luckily, Woollyphant is a sturdy guy and he came through unscathed, ready for his trip to CA.
xo

It's a Double Decker!

 The adorable Sam was happy with his Christmas gift.

Apparently (which I had no idea) he is really into buses.
His mom reports that he kept repeating "It's a double-decker!"

And he quickly figured out that the wooden wheels turn. Clever boy!
I hope he has lots of fun with it.
xo

Joanne's Big Meadow set

This is the beautiful stuffed toy set that the very talented Joanne Friar made (from my pattern) for her grandson for Christmas. It's so interesting to see someone else's different fabric choices! Check out Joanne's stunning children's book illustrations here.

who's on the bus?

bus pillow/toy made for a very special little boy, who, i'm sure, has been very very good!

 it's about 11" x 19", and has movable wooden wheels. i hope he likes it!
xo

Kitty

I've been a long time away...
There's a new doll in my shop!
xoxo

custom kitty

custom flannel Kitty-Bird in easter colors for an etsy customer.
calling all daffodils!

big farm in austin, tx

a customer in Austin sent me this photo of the Big Farm set she made from my pattern. i just love how completely different it is from mine - i really dig some of her fabric choices!
besides reporting that the instructions were easy to follow for a novice seamstress, she said, "It's hard to give it away since my 3yr-old fell in love with each animal while I was making them."
yay!

who doesn't love a chicken?

the very chilly & gray weather here in the northwest has given me the Christmas Crafting Bug just a little early!
here's a new ornament i just designed, called "chicken 'n egg".
i'm offering the sewing pattern for sale in my etsy shop.
i can't wait to get our tree & display her with my other handmade ornaments.
this would be fun as a kitchen decoration too - keeping chickens being such the rage now.
and anyway, who doesn't love a chicken?
xoxo

little bunny softie

i designed a new bunny pattern for a very special baby who soon will arrive....
8" tall, made from wool, satin, velvet ribbon, and vintage flannel.
soon to be mailed to california...bye - bye, bunny!

there's a mouse in the garden!

i finally made a long-ago requested Strawberry Mouse for an amazing Etsy customer who has purchased quite a few of my plush animals.
she is made from a most precious 1940's cotton print...
and she's on her way to california.
good-bye, little mouse!

horsies found a home

some things sit in your etsy shop for a long time and you start to think they will never sell (and some things never do), but then suddenly out of the blue (like most sales are), somebody wants them, and it makes everything feel okay.
i knew that some small person would really love these horse softies, so it was frustrating to have them stuck in a storage box instead of being played with.
finally they are going to a home in wisconsin, maybe a horse ranch?
or at least a house with a nice yard.
i hope they have lots of fun galloping in the tall grasses!

learning to make a live link

theresia expained how to make a live link in a posting, so here goes.
this is one of my newer designs--"Sleepy Dog", available in my etsy shop. thanks, theresia, it was easy!

Daisy dog arrived safely in the UK!

theresia sent me this photo to show that Daisy Dog made it safely through the volcano cloud to her house in the UK. now she's hanging out with one of theresia's adorable mouse dolls, like the one i traded her for. one of the best things about Etsy is when you have the opportunity to trade with another crafter/artist. i think this was a happy deal for both of us!
this is MY mouse (theresia's original photo from the listing in her etsy shop) and i love her very much. i'll need to make her a sweater because it's still so chilly here in seattle!
see more of theresia's fabulous stuffed toys and pincushions in her shop:
www.strawberriesandcream.etsy.com