Custom Bunny

I just finished the sweetest little custom bunny... if you are interested in a custom critter, please feel free to email me!

I am loving doing these fluffy little tails...

I have a few more critters in various stages of completion... please check back later for a pic of what's on my table to get a peek at what is coming up next!

xo - Debra

Saoirse Sweetheart

Today I finished the sweetest little bunny that I have decided to call Saoirse Sweetheart...

Saorise Sweetheart has the most incredible fur.  It is longer than I usually do, and a bit wavy so she is super fluffy.  It is the softest cream color and it is tipped with lavender purple, which matches the beautiful Matilda Jane fabric that I used for her ears.  Also, I gave her a special little white furry tail. 

She will be in my Etsy shop at 7 pm EST tonight.  She will be $98 USD, a little more than the bunnies usually are, as the longer curly mohair fur fabric is quite a bit pricier.   I am getting ready to place another fur fabric order and am seriously thinking about getting some more longer fur, I really like how she turned out!

xo - Debra

March Madness

March has been full of all kinds of madness... the weather has been crazy (winter coats one day, short sleeved shirts the next), the kids are tiring of their home school routine as the end of the school year looms,  and the fun madness of knowing that spring will truly be here soon... the flowers will be blooming and the trees and grass will be gloriously green again. 

There has been some fur flying around here too :)

Both of these little elephants are made from high quality Heimbold brand mohair fur fabric,  are five way jointed, and have exquisite Liberty of London fabric from my dear friend Anouk's shop Fabrique Romantique on Etsy lining their ears.  I do adore Liberty of London.... I wish I could have sheets made from their luxurious cotton lawn fabrics.  They are $98 USD each (plus shipping) and will go into my Etsy shop tonight around 10 pm EST.  They are ready to go and will ship the same business day by USPS Priority mail.  


I also recently finished two sweet little custom critters, both pink:

They were so much fun to make!  If you are interested in a custom elephant or bunny, please feel free to email me at honeydotz (at) yahoo (d0t) com for more information. 

Thanks for visiting!

xo Debra

The Nuts And Bolts Of It (or All About Joints)

I have had a lot of questions about the jointing process and my labeling so I thought I would take a moment and explain how it all works. There are many different ways to joint a stuffed animal.  These are some of the most commonly used components:

These simple wooden buttons are what I use on the corduroy and velveteen animals.  Along with a combination of very strong string, they provide a nice mobility and give the critter a fun, rustic look.  It is fairly sturdy and any repairs are simple to make. 

These are plastic safety joints.  They are just what the name implies... plastic and safe.  This is supposed to be kid friendly and safe.  Not much more that I can add to this lol

These are the parts that make up a cotter pin joint.   This is one of the most old fashioned ways to joint a furry critter.  I like to use this method of jointing for the animal's head as it is super sturdy and the head has full mobility.  If done correctly, cotter pin joints will last practically forever (think Steiff brand animals).  These are super tough to do right, there is a certain amount of still in turning the pins to make them secure, but the end results are worth it. 

These are the parts for bolt and lock nut joints.  This is my favorite way to joint the limbs on the animals, it is incredibly sturdy, doesn't make pulls on the fabric, and will not come apart.  From all the research I have done and from the animals I have experimented with, I can safely tell you that is not going to come apart. I have to use some special tools to lock it all down and they do not come apart on their own, that is the nature of the lock nut. 

For now, I plan to do the furry critters with a cotter pin joint at the neck and lock nut joints on their limbs.  I really like the results, they are super sturdy.  I am still working things out for the fabric critters so there will not be many available until I am sure I am offering the absolute best of what I can create.   I am sure my faithful followers have noticed that all of my listings contain the admonition that the animals are for collectors.  There are a lot of safety laws that are in place now and it is getting practically impossible to legally sell things that are designed for small children, especially those at the age where things go into their mouths.  I can assure you that I take every precaution with all of the things that I make to ensure that they are sturdy and will last a very long time.   

I hope this was able to clear some things up for those of you that had questions... if you have any more questions, please feel free to comment here and I will be sure to reply! 

xo Debra

Upload 2/7/13

It's time for another herd to find their way home!  I have 3 corduroy elephants and one fur elephant ready to go this week.... here's a couple of pics:

The corduroy elephants are all stuffed with wool and have wooden button joints and black safety eyes.  One of them has some Matilda Jane Clothing fabric lining her ears!   They are $50 each plus shipping.

The mohair fur elephant is 5 way cotter pin jointed and fully pose able.  Her fur is a peanut color and her ears are lined with Matilda Jane fabric as well.  She has German black glass eyes and is firmly stuffed with poly.  She will be $98 plus shipping.

And don't forget about Crispin.... he is still waiting for his special home :)

Just a reminder.... because of the CPSIA laws, I have to recommend that these not go to kids who put things in their mouths.  They are made sturdy, but there are some small pieces that can be choking hazards.

The upload will be in my Etsy Shop at 8:30 pm EST.... see you then!

xo Debra

What's On My Table

Four corduroy elephants that need their tails attached and one mohair furry gal getting put together. If all goes according to plan there will be an upload tomorrow evening.

Upload 1/24/13

Happy Upload Day!  The upload will be at 9 pm EST in my Etsy shop...
please click on the "Shop" tab above to get there.

First up, we have Crispin.  I had the hardest time coming up with a name for this little guy... I asked for suggestions on my Facebook Fan Page and got so many wonderful ideas.  One suggestion was Honey Crisp (one of my favorite varieties of apple!) and that got me to Crispin,   It means "curly haired", and that seemed perfect as he is made from a sparse mohair with a curly finish!   His fur is the most interesting color... you can see the blue backing of the fabric under the green fibers.  I am really happy with the way he came out!  I used a Japanese linen-cotton blend fabric for his ears and they are so soft. 

And then we have Shy Violet... Her fur is really amazing.  It is alpaca and it is soft and has a wonderful feel to it.  I am not sure how many I will do in this fabric as it was VERY expensive and a little harder to get.  Her ears are lined with a Liberty of London fabric that you can get from Anouk at Fabrique Romantique.  She has such a lovely selection of high end fabrics and trims... I will be doing some shopping later this evening after the kids are in bed.

I was hoping to have a third little gal done in time for the upload, but thanks to the 6, 7, and 8 multiplication tables taking up the lion's share of my day (one of the joys of homeschooling!) she will have to go in the next upload along with some of the fabric guys.   Please remember that these fur elephants are pin jointed and have glass eyes, so I am legally required to list them as being collectibles.

Also, since the last upload went lightening fast (thank you so very much!!!) I respectfully request that everyone please just go for one per upload for now to help spread the love a bit.

Thank you... xoxo Debra