Pin Keeps

I have always love pincushions or pin keeps and so I thought I would get busy and make a few for the Coast Collective gift shops.

Since I love making mini bear/animals I combined my two loves and made several pin keeps.  I am sharing the results of my twisted mind.  Most of the pin cushions are stuffed with polyfil and crushed walnut shells (good for sharpening pins).  The pincushions themselves are either velvet, wool felt or velveteen to add texture.

First are two wee Siamese twins, Kalie and Kate.  They sit proudly on their pincushions that is adorned with hand crocheted flowers. 

Next is a shy mouse that sends his love.  This is a design by the talented Monica Spicer. This wee fellow stands on a velvet pin keep.

Now for the country mouse who proudly stands a top a plump velvet tomato pincushion:

We now travel to another continent and have Gentle Gerome the shy giraffe and pesky Marcel the monkey:  Marcel has a pin box attached which he thinks will be quite handy!

To round out the gathering of animals, I included two delightful pin keeps made from a Cheswick design, bunny and Ellie the elephant:

Finally, to wave goodbye to this group I went back to the west coast for inspiration and made a wee mushroom folk atop his wool felt pin cushion:  This wee mushroom pin keep can be hung as an ornament as well. After all, not everyone is a sewer!

The Velveteen Rabbit

I was not fortunate enough to come across the children's story book titled "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams until later in life.  Actually, it was my dear sister who gifted me the book on my birthday a number of years ago.

I read the book as an adult and fell in love with it!  It is a timeless story about childhood and toys and love.  This story is about a lovely Velveteen Rabbit who was given to a lucky boy for Christmas.  The Rabbit was well loved, but time passed and slowly he became dirty and worn out.  By this time the Rabbit wanted to become real, just like the "Skin Horse".

This story touched my heart and if you have never read it, please do read it and read it to your children, your nieces and nephews and to your grandchildren for it is a story that has held a special place in the hearts of children (and adults) for generations.

This wee bunny is my tribute to the "Velveteen Rabbit".

Here he is with his own toy.  He is about 7" tall.

I found a lovely faux velveteen that was so easy to sew at my local, wonderful fabric store called "Gala Fabrics" here in Victoria, BC.

The "Velveteen Rabbit" and a few of his friends that I made for him are now in the gift shop at the Coast Collective Gallery in Victoria just in time for Easter!

Bear with his Easter bunny slippers and green "blankie"

The flower pot bears are only 3.5 " tall and they are ready for Easter.  The little one with his bunny slippers is just 4" tall and carries his Easter blankie with him wherever he goes.  What a funny group!

Poppy Love

I am very happy to present my new teddy, "Poppy Love".  She was inspired by my love of poppies and my love of UK artist Melanie Jayne.  Poppies are one of my ideal flowers, bright, colourful, low maintenance and flowers that always brighten my day.  Poppies, and red poppies in particular, bring me back to memories of the Tuscan hills!

"Poppy Love" measures 21" to the top of her hat but is only 12" sitting.  She is made of plush white mohair with suede paw pads, glass eyes and is fully jointed.  To add extra warmth and character to her face, I tried needle sculpting her nose and muzzle (first time) and am quite pleased with her look.

I took a fun afternoon class on wet felting flowers with local felting artist, Tracy Black, and I was hooked!  Twelve flowers later I knew that they would adorn a green felted "hat" for Poppy.

I hope you enjoy her as much as I enjoyed making this sweet bear.

Felted Critters

A couple of years (wow) ago I signed up for a class by Barby Anderson to make a felted bunny and mouse.  I finally dug out the file and tried my hand at dry felting.  I was quite pleased with my first attempts to make this wee bunny and mouse (3.5") plus another wee bunny (3.25") with a crocheted blanket.

A wee mouse carrying her worry doll in her pocket.

Her buddy the bunny with his carrot (3.5")

Together they make a cute pair.

A tiny bunny (3.25") holding his carrot.

The bunny with a hand crocheted blanket.

Here is a parting photo of the cute bunny trio in their Easter cups:

First Stuffies of the Year

I cannot believe that we are already well into 2014. Life really is too short! This new year I want to live, let live, laugh and love deeply. I want to let the "bad stuff" of 2013 go and let the best of this year in.

 I am beginning the year with a couple of new stuffed animals; a girly elephant named Tutu and a sweet giraffe called Gilly.

I used an adaptation of a Monica Spicer pattern.

I used a pattern from Canadian teddy bear maker Kayrn Ruby.  

New Teddies

Well I am happy to say that I have been busy making some adorable mohair animals for the Coast Collective gallery.  To date I have a wee chickadee, a sweet elephant named Emily, a giraffe named Gerome, Emma, and a funny little bear that wants to be a duck!

Emily's BFF, Suzy Q.

Emily loves the colour green.

Gentle Gerome with he's buddy Marcel the monkey

Going "Quackers"

His sweet face under the duck cap!

Emma and her Christmas Teddy