• Hello and Welcome! I’m Ella and I’m something of an artistic, creative, curious and fanciful spirit. I love vintage doodads, cuddly animals, pink squirrels, embroidery, soft sculpture, stuffies, books, words, history, tacky tourist sites and a ton of other random, quirky things that make up my world.

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All posts in category Stuffies

A Morning’s Work

Lovely Lady by Władysław Teodor “W.T.” Benda

It’s a wonderful Monday, the start of a fresh new week filled with all sorts of goodness just waiting to happen and I, after finally getting that proverbial monkey off my back by declaring my opting out of the stitch-a-long, felt a rush of inspiration and set my needle and thread straight to work…

A Morning's Work 1

Here we have the results of a semi free-hand face. I sketched a pencil version in my sketchbook and then went all artsy by just sort of winging it with my fine point Mark-B-Gone pen (not my favorite to actually get out of fabric, but it was all I had on hand) and going from there. Then I stitched him up, stuffed him and made a pom-pom mane…

A Morning's Work 2

Too cute, right?! The darling fits right in the palm of my hand and is charming. I think his name is Chesterfield, after crazy uncle, of course. Chesterfield is missing ears here and I knew just how to fix it…with some needle-felting!

A Morning's Work 3

Ta-da! I used the reverse side of the two pieces I needle-felted together so that the ears were fluffy and the I whip-stitched them on and fluffed the mane a bit. I absolutely adore the outcome and now I’m think that perhaps Chesterfield may want a body, though right now He’s content being a cute little head.

That’s quite a morning’s work and I’m feeling very accomplished and content too! Happy Monday!

Namaste ~ Ella

1 Comment
by lawhimsy on February 25, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by lawhimsy on February 25, 2013

http://lawhimsy.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/a-mornings-work/

Stitched-Up Memories : A Tale of Two Bunnies

I have made many things over the past few years but I haven’t always shared them (mostly because I didn’t have a blog to share them on). I’ve been trying to get photos of everything as of late both to share here and for prosperity’s (and my design portfolio’s) sake. It’s also been nice to see how I’ve grown in my design abilities, my stitching skills and just in confidence and creativity. The two I’m going to share today are both bunnies (I have made more bunnies than almost anything else. Why, I dunno – they are just so cute!).

First up is this piece of embroidery. It’s taken off of two sketches of mine that I combined and then stitched  up with a combination of split stitch, chain stitch, satin stitch, stem stitch and french knots.  I haven’t yet decided what to do with the piece and so it’s currently sitting  in an embroidery hoop I have propped up on the radiator next to my craft room desk. It makes me happy to see it.

Next up is this sweet little bunny. This guy was an early practice in french knots. I decided that I wanted to master that particular stitch and so I did just that by outlining my bunny pattern with only french knots.  I then gave him a button eye and just this past Spring stitched him to a soft backing and added a handmade pompom tail. He’s been hanging on my inspiration board, though sometimes he’ll visit with his buddies (I made two fellow matching bunnies as gifts, only they are both stitched with a chain stitch and have no pompom tails – I hadn’t quite mastered the pompom yet and those suckers can be tricky…at least for me, lol).

So there’s a tiny peek into some past work. I think I need to do more of my own sketches and designs – not because others aren’t awesome – but because I really do enjoy the entire process.

Here’s to a creative day!

Namaste ~ Ella

1 Comment
by lawhimsy on October 24, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by lawhimsy on October 24, 2012

http://lawhimsy.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/stitched-up-memories-a-tale-of-two-bunnies/

LaWhimsy Lamb and Cutie Owl

What a Busy Kitty!

Here it is, already the middle of September and Autumn’s official start is but a few days away and I’ve been so busy that I can hardly believe it! September, for me, is not only the beginning of my Autumn schedule – It’s also the celebration of two major birthdays (one of which is the always wonderful Glory’s). That means I have surprises and gifts galore to think up, create, wrap and spring upon the birthday ‘victims’. There are also Festivals to attend, Flea Markets to dig through, the house to decorate for the season and, oh so much more. In light of this, today I’m going to share a few past projects that wanted to introduce themselves…

This sweet lamb is embroidered on both sides in a matching style and along the top of her tiny head. I think that the bright colors I choose add such a charming pop against her white felt body. She is about 4inches long and 2inches high and she was tucked into a stocking last Christmas (yeah, time flies, no?).

In this view of the top of the little lamb’s head you can see a bit of the matching embroidery detail on her sides as well as her sweet head details. I ever so carefully embroidered that teeny-tiny piece before blanket stitching it on. I also did each side before sewing the whole thing together so as to match the sides up as best as I could. They are really spot on and I would show better proof of this had the pics turned out better (shadows can be so cruel).

This little cutie owl is all of 3 inches tall and He has some charming seed stitch and french knot details.  He was also tucked into a stocking as a surprise. The white felt is actually sewn on behind the brown to add some charming dimension and I once again added the embroidery details before blanket stitching him together.

Here they are chilling out together with the phone girl on my craft studio desk. I actually had to borrow them back for these pics, but their owners didn’t mind and Glory even got in on the action…

Great Shoes on the Lamb, no?

Yeah, we have our fun, lol! I hope you enjoyed these two cuties ’cause I have more to share and since one of the birthdays has passed, a few of the gifts I made can be shared without ruining the surprise (Glory, you, however, will have to wait until next week to see your surprises, bwahaha). I even think one of the gifts I made will become a freebie embroidery pattern, so keep an eye out!

Hope you’re all enjoying your day ~ anyone else been getting super creative this month?

Namaste ~ Ella

2 Comments
by lawhimsy on September 19, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Creating Whimsy, embroidery, Stuffies
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Posted by lawhimsy on September 19, 2012

http://lawhimsy.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/lawhimsy-lamb-and-cutie-owl/

May I Leave in Stitches

   Another month, another set of silly happenings, odd life curve-balls and a doll of a stitchalong. Yes, despite an excited start, a stall in the form of getting sick (share and share alike around here, hehe) and then in playing pleasant hostess (a role I quite enjoy, most of the time) I managed to finish the stitchalong and the challenge of making it into a completed project. My “A Little Curtsy Goes a Long Way” became the dear pancake doll/pillow I envisioned when I first beheld the pattern all the way back on May 1st. I am so delighted in how it came out – the colors are even better, the stitch combination even more harmonic and the total end result even more charming than I could ever have hoped!  I really don’t mean to toot my own horn, but well, there it is, lol ~ thank you for your indulgence. *wink*

I think we compliment each other

As you can see, I did the hair with a stem-stitch and back-stitch combo, then I used back-stitch as the main outline stitch. Then there are some seed-stitches, satin-stitches and french-knots thrown in as filler stitches (plus I really like how they add such a pretty, tactile feel to a piece).

Even Weiky thinks she’s cute!

I am glad it’s done (I was starting to dream about it – and in a stitches starting to rip, fabric fraying sort of way – eep!) and now I am looking forward to a new Month, new projects and a new Narwhal Stitchalong! I hope everyone has a great end of May and beginning of June!

Namaste ~ Ella

 

5 Comments
by lawhimsy on May 29, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by lawhimsy on May 29, 2012

http://lawhimsy.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/may-i-leave-in-stitches/

Late Love Delight

Schmuckles

So Schmuckles here is a darling of a pom-pom mousie based off of the really, really cute bunny tutorial that’s been bouncing around Pinterest and blog-land (pun fully intended, hehe).

Schmuckles actually started off with the intention of being a bunny, but when I accidentally made the pom-poms bigger than I should of (I used three fingers, not two – gasp!), I started thinking “this is a mouse” and then the ears just came to me in a daydream that I almost forgot in another daydream and so there ya go. I made the wee heart garland with a toothpick that I cut in two and then colored with a sharpie. A bit of embroidery floss and some felt scrap hearts and *bam* cuteness. The base is an old button that I covered after I pulled out the pin part and replaced it with a bit of wire for the feet to slide into. The happy recipient of this Valentine was delighted and I am thrilled to say that Schmuckles is very comfortable in his new home (that is, when Sinny isn’t trying to get him).

Who Me?

Namaste ~ Ella

1 Comment
by lawhimsy on March 28, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by lawhimsy on March 28, 2012

http://lawhimsy.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/late-love-delight/

Teddy Time

Yuletide spirits may have long since faded into precious memories and the luster of the New Year has been burnished by daily activity but that doesn’t mean that the gifts made and given have become any less dear or sweet to share…or so I hope at any rate, hehe. This past holiday season saw me a bit less ambitious than usual when it came to gift making because my old, hand-me-down sewing machine bit the dust (I still have hopes of refurbishing it at some point and I now have a new one, but more on that in a later post) so it was hand-sewing all the way. I actually adore hand-sewing, however when one is on a rather tight time-line it can cramp one’s style and in more ways than one. With that in mind I decided that mini, hand-sized stuffies would fit the bill quite nicely and what could be cuter than a wee teddy bear (I mean besides a wee-anything. Tiny = Cute in my book any day!)? I grabbed some felt and went to work. I free-hand cute out my pattern so each bear is highly unique and then I used a blanket stitch to pull it together and then gave them string-jointed arms and legs. A set of small, black safety eyes gave a bit of soulful personality and *bam* a gift was born.

These are two of the bears - the blue one was my first

All-together I made 4 bears, although one had such a wonky set eye that I didn’t feel right giving him and so he was adopted by my sis and now has a wee pair of pipe-cleaner glasses.

This one got a tutu and ballet slippers

I also made a wee Zazzel (which is my Mom’s dear Maltese doggie) and did it ever turn out adorably (not to toot my own horn, but, hey, there it is).

See ~ How Cute is the Zaz?!?

All-in-all I am quite delighted at how nicely they turned out (though, of course, I can see about a million ways they could be better – isn’t that the way it goes, doh!) and the recipients seemed delighted as well and that’s what truly matters in the end!

The wonky-eye is on the other side and the glasses were off for this pic.

There are a few other, small things I made as gifts but they shall wait for another time. Until next I write I hope everyone has a lovely time!

Namaste ~ Ella

4 Comments
by lawhimsy on February 19, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by lawhimsy on February 19, 2012

http://lawhimsy.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/teddy-time/

Sock-o-lantern

Craft had a link to the absolutely sweetest Halloween idea that goes oh, so perfectly with my sockingtons – a sock-o-lantern! Heidi Kenney of My Paper Crane had the tutorial up and I simply had to make my own.

I think He’s a real darling and He’s already getting into trouble with the sockingtons (pics of that to come later!).

1 Comment
by lawhimsy on October 27, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by lawhimsy on October 27, 2011

http://lawhimsy.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/sock-o-lantern/

It’s that Spooky Time of Year

October has come around (admittedly a few days ago now, but better late than never, right? Right?!) and I am getting all geared up for that delightfully spooktacular time of year ~ Halloween! I love to celebrate everything possible and since Halloween practically screams “decorate for me” I do just that.  Last year I added a delightful duo in the form of my sockingtons or sock skeletons, Jack and Willyfred.  I saw the Martha Stewart project (http://www.marthastewart.com/265579/sock-skeleton) popping up everywhere and I just had to try my hand at it.

Jack is the more adventurous of the two and more often than not gets them into trouble that Willyfred has to get them out of. They love to hang out with the top hat and it’s skull buddy.

Willyfred would prefer to just chill out and maybe play a tune or two.

Here they are hanging out with Crispin, another resident Halloween ghoul who when He’s not adding to the Halloween ambiance can be found hanging out on the back staircase, year round (He’s a delicate fellow and prefers company to a dark box in the basement where more of his fingers or other bones could get broken, besides, he always has a grin to share!)

I’m looking forward to seeing what kinds of mischief they get into this year and maybe even with a new friend or two…

3 Comments
by lawhimsy on October 6, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by lawhimsy on October 6, 2011

http://lawhimsy.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/its-that-spooky-time-of-year/

This is Lexie

Lexie is a little dear who loves all kinds of bright, happy things like balloons, puppies and ghosts (To Her they are very bright happy sorts of things, tee-hee!).

Her face is hand-stitched using a back-stitch, her cheeks are appliqued using saved bits of an old shirt, her tongue and nose have been touched with a light blush and her body and bow are made up of the softest of fleece. She’s 18″ tall from toe to tip of the ear and about 15″ wide from Cheek to Cheek. She’s one cuddly gal!

*all photos taken curtsy of  Photo-Glory~ check her out She’s awesome!

1 Comment
by lawhimsy on October 11, 2010  •  Permalink
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Posted by lawhimsy on October 11, 2010

http://lawhimsy.wordpress.com/2010/10/11/this-is-lexie/


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