Kawaii Kittens!

I've still been in a stitching mood since the Kawaii Koalas so I've been diligently working on some Kawaii Kittens. These kittens were derived from the previous koala pattern. I made a few changes here and there and voilà -- a whole new animal! I've been thinking about adapting the original pattern to make a bunny, a sheep, a monkey . . . the softie possibilities are endless! Sorry, I digress. Back to the Kawaii Kittens . . .

I wanted the kittens to have a sort of country, calico-y feel . . . but still remain stylistically kawaii, if you know what I mean. I thought the best way to achieve this was to use some folksy fabrics for the main part of the fur such as plaid or corduroy, and then use some fun Japanese print linen for the patches. The blanket stitching on the patches definitely adds to their homespun feel, too. I also passed on making them decorative flowers for their ears, which is what I tend to do with most of my softies. Instead, I gave these kittens a simple collar with a golden bell.

Well, here they are:


Here's a how the backside looks like. They have a wavy, little tail:


On a Blythe-ier note, I will be adding these Ice Cream Sundae berets to my shop shortly. I made these awhile back, and they slipped my mind, and I never got around to listing them.

<This "flavor" I call Berry Swirl. I used a pink and white variegated yarn and it makes a nice motley, swirly pattern throughout.

This "flavor" is Blueberry, obviously. :) The yarn is a deep purple-y blue.

For this month's Reader Appreciation Giveaway I wanted to give something really special (to make up for being so willy-nilly about the giveaway the past few months) -- A Kawaii Kitten just for you! This Kawaii Kitty is made from soft blue corduroy and has spots cut from a floral print Japanese dobby. Will someone please give her a good home? Well, you know how this works -- I'll pick a winner at random from this post's comment pool.

Last, but not least . . . the winners of the Hawaiian macadamia nut chocolate boxes from the last giveaway! Thank you for your support Evie and Sandy Michelle! I will contact you both soon!

Thank you for all for dropping by again! Happy crafting! :)

Kawaii Koalas!

Aloha everyone!

I know, I know . . . I've been M.I.A lately, but I have a really good excuse this time! I had an influx of custom orders to do so it was hard to get any fresh crafting done. The custom orders were all amigurumi so by the time I was finished, I felt a need to put my crochet needle down and do something completely different.

I delved into my box of old project ideas and patterns and rediscovered my tried and true koala softie. The koala pattern was the very first softie pattern I ever drafted. I still remember the delight of having an idea in my head slowly come to life in my hands. It felt magical. And it was the spark that ignited my cute and crafty obsession.

I was a wee bit apprehensive when I started the koalas because it has literally been years since I've made one. I was afraid I wouldn't embroider the faces right, that I couldn't re-capture their "spirit". These softies are so different from my amigurumi, whose faces are quiet and humble. With my koalas, the personalities are more lively, their expressions more developed and detailed . . . and I have to render it all with a needle and thread.

Well, here they are:


Here's a close up look of one of their faces along with the crochet twin cherries by her ear:

It wasn't the easiest thing, but I managed alright, I think. :)

Since we spoke last I also managed to whip up some new cards for my blog/ shop. I was getting low on MOO cards, and I was going to order more, but then I thought, "I have this nifty, new laser printer . . . " So I gave it a go with some basic printable blank business cards.

Well, they're nowhere as nice as my former MOO cards, but I think they came out alright just the same, and they were fun to design and a lot less pricey. Here's a tip if you are going to try these at home: The cards I purchased came in perforated sheets. I recommend not tearing them apart. Instead, hold a ruler along the perforated edge and use an exacto knife to cut them apart. The edges just look neater and sharper that way.

Lastly, I've been woefully horrid at keeping up with my monthly giveaway, haven't I? I really am trying. It's just been so difficult to keep up with my blogging lately. I'll definitely try to pick up the pace from now on. Anyway, I have two Reader Appreciation Giveaways this month (an extra to make up for missing last month). My pal P pointed out these super kawaii Hello Kitty mini candy boxes at a local store. Hawaiian Host chocolate covered macadamia nuts are a yummy-licious staple here in the islands and I was surprised to see the character endorsements they have now -- Hello Kitty and Lilo & Stitch just to name a few. P said they'd make the perfect giveaway for my blog and I think he's absolutely right! So you know how it goes -- I will pick two people at random from the comment pool at this post.

Thanks again for dropping by! :)