Amigurumi Zoo

Narwhal !! And mini whale :)

2012-01-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

I am whale crazy, this is pure insanity! Although they are super cute :)

Finally added the tusk, and made another whale in beige, so now i have 2!

Blue Whale Amigurumi-Now on Etsy!

2012-01-23T01:14:00.000-08:00

My little blue whale had made it into my shop!

I am currently creating an army of multi coloured whales (i clearly have no life!)

See below and link to my shop :)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/91233985/amigurumi-whale-plush-blue-whale

Adorable Whale Amigurumi Plush

2012-01-22T05:10:00.000-08:00

I FINALLY decided to get my act together and make the whale i have always wanted to make!
He was originally going to be a Narwhal, but i decided to stick with him just being a whale for now. I may add the tusk later on ;)

Photo 1, proves I'm human and have an extremely messy table!

Here's a better photo :) I took these photos with the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone. The true colour of the whale is a royal blue in 8 ply yarn.

ETSY Shop Features & Lovely Shops List :)

2011-10-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

This post is going to be dedicated to the fellow craft-lovers currently residing in the Etsy world :)

I think its hugely important for Etsy shop owners to be featured in blog posts & other sites to gain exposure. Afterall, Etsy is no Ebay! But, it is growing fast and sometimes it can be hard to find the little fish in the sea!
I have been featured quite a few times in other blogs and have decided to return the favour, i know the benefits of exposure and even if you don't get many sales, having a name for yourself is just as exciting.

I have tried to organise the shops below into categories, so hopefully it will make browsing easier :)
Show some love for the Etsy Folk!

Etsy Shops:

Jewellery:

Song Bird Cabin: This shop has a beautiful collection of jewellery! Stunning pieces that would suit everyday and formal wear! This shop has incorporated a lot of different materials, eg; copper, silver, resin, into their works of art to make them even more unique! Also, check out their blog: www.songbirdcabin.blogspot.com

Jac Jewelry: Another gorgeous jewelry shop full of modern and funky designs! Im loving the coffee girl necklace! Check this shop out! Another great gift shop!

Hot Mess Momma: Lovely fashion jewellery shop! This shops' designs are endless! Choose from an assortment of cuffs, bracelets, necklaces and more!

Phaness: Stunning jewellery and fashion accessory shop! I simply love the creativity and unique designs in this shop! If your looking for the perfect gift or to treat yourself-look no further!

Della Messina: Another lovely jewellery shop full of funky designs and gorgeous colours! Check out their blog too!: www.abeadersblog.blogspot.com

Ribbons In Bloom: This shop stocks beautiful handmade flower headbands, brooches, clips and other accessories. Stunning designs! You can never have enough hair accessories!

The Candy Tree 125: A lovely jewellery & Misc shop by Emma Dickie. This shop is stunning, not only will you find jewellery, but accessories too (Scarves, cushions, cross-stitch). A really lovely all-rounder shop!

Constant Baubling: This shop has some SERIOUS cute! If your into jewellery that turns heads and looks amazing no matter how you wear it-then this shop is for you! PLenty of personal favs in this shop! A must to check out!

Collecting/Hobbies/Vintage

Creative Bottle Caps R Us: If your a collector, or just love decorated bottle caps, then this shop is for you! Bottle caps seem to be a hot item lately, and this shop proves why! These gorgeously decorated caps make great gifts-especially the zipper pulls!

JP Country Market: This shop has a bit of everything! From vintage items to restored treasures! A little something for everyone!

Paper/Stationary:

42 Things: Jo has created a lovely store with a real home feel! I absoltely love stationary and tags, so this shop is like Christmas to me! Check out her lovely tags, die-cuts and seals!

Camels And Custard: If your a book lover (Like me!) then you will fall in love with this shop (also like me!). Many bookmarks to choose from-all shapes and sizes with an excellent choice of designs!

Lil Paper Boutique: Are you a scrapbook/stationary nut like me? If so, you will ADORE this shop! Full of lovely scrapbooks, tags and more! Very addictive!

Madlens Ribbon Riot: This shop is full of funky crafts made with ribbons and styrofoam! Check out their festive decorations for Christmas and Halloween! A very fun shop!

The Mum and the Rose: I have put this shop under paper stationary as they have some lovely cards in stock, however this shop really does a bit of everything. Here you will find beautiful jewellery, cards and artwork! Feel free to also check out their blog! hattierosebud.blogspot.com/

Art Prints/Fine Art/Photography:

Jayn Foley Fine Art: This shop is full of stunning paintings! I am a huge art fan and this shop blows me away! If i had any more walls in my home i would fill them with pieces from this shop. This shop is an absolute MUST for art lovers!

Hena Tayeb Photography: This shop is filled to the brim with lovely photographs taken in natural settings of scenery, architecture and animals. A stunning journey into fine photography!

Kshoo Design: This shop is full of bright gorgeous wall art. There are pieces that are designed for the nursery room and are gorgeous and bright. Would make stunning additions to any home!

Fleet Mark: If your looking for some beautiful works of art than this is the shop to visit! Many beautiful scenery and animal fine art prints to choose from-and plenty more! A must to check out!

Woodwork:

Black Forrest Cottage: If your looking for jewelry boxes, organisers, or cosmetic item stands than this is the shop for you! Plenty of beautifully constructed pieces can be found in this shop with plenty of designs!

Crochet/Knit:

Stephanie Makes All: She's not kidding- she really does make all! This shop is packed full of delicate hand crocheted soap cloths, hand warmers, headbands & other misc decorations. Great all-rounder shop!

BV Life Style: Lovely shop with plenty of knitted scarves, hand warmers and sweaters! This shop will have you ready for Winter!

Tango Brat: Another lovely knitted shop! You have to check out the nose warmers! Plenty of wash cloths, scarves and hand warmers. Great gift ideas!

Gleeza: This is another great all-rounder shop! Plenty of lovely crochet pot holders, magnets, plush's, hats and other decor! Check this shop out!

Soaps/body shops:

Dirty Girl Soap Company: This is a lovely soap shop filled with plenty of handmade cold process and Glycerin soaps that look good enough to eat! And don't forget to check out her spooky soap range!

Hop And Herb: This is a lovely body shop full of Vegan shampoos, conditioners and fragrances! You cannot beat a natural handmade shop! Great gift ideas!

Coquette Bath: This shop is a wonderland of lip balms, perfumes, soaps and scrubs! An ultimate body shop full of refreshing flavours and scents!

Homewares/Decor:

Midnite Pine Creations: This shop is simply adorable! If your looking for bed linen then go no further! This shop stocks beautiful bed sets and blankets for crib/toddler beds. These would make lovely gifts, do check this shop out!

Clothing:

Babbalu & Livvy: Wonderful clothing shop full of gorgeous designs! Plenty of children's clothes to pick from in many styles & designs!

Purses/ Cases:

Chick-Lit Designs: A shop full of wonderful purses and book clutches! These would make the perfect gift for any avid book reader! A must to check out!

Mugs/Kitchenware:

Mugsleys: Aren't we all always looking for the perfect mug gift to give someone? I know i am! Well the hard search is over-create your own designs! This shop will gladly make your custom mugs so you can have the perfect mug each time! Not feeling creative? That's ok too-they have a large selection of funky already-designed mugs!

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Please feel free to post your shop in my comments section and i will add your shop asap :)

Please check out the above shops :)

FREE PATTERNS! & other cool crochet websites

2011-10-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

I have been saying i would post some freebies up, and unfortunately i have not had the time to make my own, so i thought i would create a list of free amigurumi patterns out there on the internet :)

Blogs/Sites
Crochet Pattern Central: This website has it all! From knitting to crochet to amigurumi. HUNDREDS of patterns and many added daily. Check them out!
Wolf Dreamer: Great crochet resource website with lots of cool crochet related info, tutorials & free patterns.
WebDesign School: Lots of great links to free amigurumi patterns!
Planet June: Great website with tons of crochet resources and free patterns
Free Amigurumi Patterns: Blog full of free pattern links

Individual patterns:

Super Mario Star: Adorable video game related amigurumi pattern (These types of amigurumi's make great gifts!)
Legend of Zelda Amigurumi: ADORABLE! Any Zelda fan needs to check this free pattern out :)
Mario Bro's Bob-Omb: Another one for the Mario fans, this is a great beginner Amigurumi pattern. Very easy!
Cute Bunny: Adorable bunny pattern
Owl: Adorable owl pattern
Acorn plushie: Free Adorable Acorn pattern

Feel free to comment with other great blog sites if you wish :)
No doubt this list of free pattern links and pattern websites will keep you busy for a long time!

Christmas Tree Amigurumi Plush

2011-10-13T21:01:00.000-07:00

This post is a tad delayed! I have created some adorable mini christmas tree amigurumi plushies! One of which is decorated with some lovely pink pearls :)

These were made pretty simply and i will be selling the pattern online shortly :)

For the meantime, the christmas Amigurumi plushies are in my etsy shop here: Mandasaurus Craft Etsy Shop

Halloween: Candy Corn Amigurumi Plushies

2011-10-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Halloween, i have decided to make some adorable Candy Corn Amigurumi plushies!

These little guys are great for decorating, or even to give away as Trick-Or-Treat gifts! Much healthier and more adorable!

As always, i have these little guys in my Etsy Shop. Click Here!

Long Weekend Plushie Sale!

2011-09-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for the long weekend! (In Australia anyway!)

I am holding a long weekend sale on all my felt plushies in my etsy shop! And am even willing to reduce my amigurumi prices (just ask) :)

follow this link to my Etsy shop HERE!

And as usual i have a new line of ornaments coming out, and these ones are quite suited to hanging on christmas trees or anywhere else :) These are available in my etsy shop.

Festive, Halloween & Christmas Felt Plush Ornaments

2011-09-23T01:31:00.000-07:00

As the title explains, i have made a few more festive little ornaments, just in time for the silly season!

Little Christmas Tree ornaments: Buy HERE!

Little sweet skull ornaments! Available from here!

Sweet ghost plush ornaments: Available Here!

Thats all for now :) More to come!

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel -Molly

2011-09-23T01:26:00.000-07:00

Well i have been blessed to have a new puppy!

She is an adorable 4.5 month Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

The image below is of my sweet little angel :) Although, she is going through her cheeky stage and has proved she is not always a sweet angel!

New Felt Plushies

2011-09-23T01:21:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a while since my last post and i have been doing a couple of new plushies of the felt variety.

I have been creating soft plushies to use as decorations for Trees, houses, pets etc you name it!

The following are my newest. (These are also on Etsy if you are interested).

I can make these little guys into a hanging ornament by adding some ribbon upon request!

I am, as always, happy to create custom orders of the same difficulty level for the same cost as my others. Or if you would like something mores specific, just contact me for details :).

Below: Cutie storm cloud plush! Available here!

Below: A little Onigiri plush (Yummy enough to eat!) Available Here!

Below: An adorable little happy blue cloud plushie. Available HERE

Below: Happy elephant pliushie. Available Here!

Below: Lovely Owl plush. Available Here!

Below: Lovely deer/ fawn plush. Available here!

Below: Pair of sweet bunnies. Available Here!

More ornaments coming soon! Festive ones to come!

Amigurumi Zoo is on Facebook!

2011-05-22T01:41:00.000-07:00

Amigurumi Zoo has finally joined the facebook craze! Find all the latest images and special offers at my facebook page today!

Visit my Amigurumi Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cute-Crochet-Creatures-Amigurumi-Zoo/173234732732720

Or use this link HERE!

15% off any purchase if you have found my Etsy shop through facebook! Message me to let me know so i can give you the special coupon code!!

Brochure Advertising!

2011-05-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

I have decided to start expanding my marketing tools and introduce some letterbox flyers that i can distribute around the neighbourhood. See below for a preview of this flyers:
Also, great promo code on these flyers for 15% off any purchase in my Etsy shop!

If you have come here because of the flyers, leave me a message and let me know its working :)

Snow Ice Bunny

2011-05-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

As it's quite cold here in Australia right now, i thought it would be appropriate to create a blue snow bunny!

Blue snow bunnies available in my Etsy shop Here!

Etsy product description:
Cold as Ice? But as cuddly as a winter bunny? Tis the season (In Australia anyways!) to snuggle into something to fight away the frost bite! As winter looms so does this snow bunny! Grab him quick before he runs away with winter!

This little guy stands approx 7 inches (17 cm's) from bottom to tip of ears.

He stands alone without assistance and has been made from 8 ply Marvel 100% acrylic yarn (safe for allergy sufferers!) In the amigurumi crochet style.

He has been stuffed with Hobby fill, and has adorable rounded blue safety eyes. As these eyes are quite secure there is only a small chance they will come out (i have tried very hard and have never managed to pull them off) So this plush is safe for young children. But just to be on the safe side, not suitable for children under 3 years of age.
I am always happy to make custom bunny's with custom accessories so please let me know if you have a certain bunny idea in mind!

Made in a smoke free & pet free home.

Biiig Break! + New bunny 'gurumi's

2011-05-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

Im back! After a huge break, and i have created some adorable little bunnies which i will post shortly.

I have created a new ETSY account and have left my Amigurumi-Zoo account for good :(

So all new items will appear here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/

MandasaurusCraft

Hopefully my new creations will spark some interest and i can get snag a couple of sales :) (After all, i do need to buy a new TV!)

Please see below for the latest creations:

Zombie Bunny : Find him for sale Here!

Etsy Product description:
Beware the undead that lurks in the night!...Even if it is a cute little bunny with blazing red eyes!

Because this Zombie bunny is pocket sized-you can take him anywhere! Perfect for your pocket, workstation and even bed!... I did mention he was a zombie, right? ;)

This little guy stands approx 7 inches (17 cm's) from bottom to tip of ears.

He stands alone without assistance and has been made from 8 ply Marvel 100% acrylic yarn (safe for allergy sufferers!) In the amigurumi crochet style.

He has been stuffed with Hobby fill, and has blazing red flat buttons for eyes. Please note, this is not a toy that would be suited for under 5 years of age due to the eyes being buttons and not safety eyes (as i normally use).

I am always happy to make custom bunny's with custom accessories so please let me know if you have a certain bunny idea in mind!
Made in a smoke & pet free home.

And of course i haven't just created ONE new bunny, but TWO!

The newest bunny to join the team is the Innocent Bunny! And as you can see form his eyes, his name is quite fitting :)

This little guy is available for sale Here!

Etsy Product Description:
Who could resist an innocent little bunny? AND he swears he didn't do it! (Full of mischief!)

This little guy is the Innocent bunny with adorable looks that ensure he gets away with anything every time!! (Hide your carrots!)

Because this Innocent bunny is pocket sized-you can take him anywhere! Perfect your your pocket, workstation and even bed!

This little guy stands approx 6 inches (15 cm's) from his bottom to the tip of his ears.

He stands alone without assistance and has been made from 8 ply Marvel 100% acrylic yarn (safe for allergy sufferers!) In the amigurumi crochet style.

He has been stuffed with Hobby fill, and has adorable rounded safety eyes. As these eyes are quite secure there is only a small chance they will come out (i have tried very hard and have never managed to pull them off) So this plush is safe for young children. But just to be on the safe side, not suitable for children under 3 years of age.

I am always happy to make custom bunny's with custom accessories so please let me know if you have a certain bunny idea in mind!

Made from a smoke & pet free home.

Currently working on a blue bunny with blazing blue eyes for my partner, so if it goes well i will be stocking him too! :)

Super Mario Galaxy Luma Plush

2010-08-01T23:03:00.000-07:00

I have finally made something with my new sewing machine! And the first thing i made was of course some adorable Luma plush's from the Mario Galaxy video games.

These little guys are terribly easy to make and look adorable! I was quite surprised how much stuffing they need, however i suppose that's what i have to get used to when sewing (i don't use much stuffing for amigurumi's as they aren't all that big!!)

I have made the Luma plush's in 4 colours so far: Blue, Yellow, Pink and Black.
See photos below!:

Adorable Yellow Luma!

Blue Luma!

Pretty in pink Luma!

Black Luma!

And of course what would be the point of making an army of Lumas without a .... GROUP SHOT!

I have all these Luma plush's available for sale starting at $15 on Etsy, Check out my shop for more! And of course, i do take custom orders for different sizes/colours etc!

That's all for now! And up next-Pokemon Plush's!

John Marsden-Sackboy!

2010-07-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

That's right -the wild west is about to get transformed in to SACKBOY!
With a craft idea up my sleeve i believe i am the first to make the John Marsden Sackboy!

Photos will be added shortly.

For those who aren't aware, John Marsden is the main character from the video game 'Red dead redemption" Fun game to play with plenty of character. So i decided to make a tribute to the game (in sackboy form).
Keep an eye out for the next post which will include photos!

I am back on Ebay and Etsy after a brief break, so if there are any sackboy orders you wish to make, feel free to message me on ebay, etsy or here!

White Albino Sackboy!

2010-01-30T04:40:00.000-08:00

Well the other day i had a request for a sackboy made completely from white yarn.
I think i remember seeing some sackboys made from plain colours other than brown and wondered how this one would turn out!
Well i have now finished the little guy and think he looks pretty darn cute :) But maybe next time i will use a lighter coloured yarn for the mouth as i think it may be too harsh on the whiter wool. This wool has a slight shimmer to it too!
See images below!

And heres the little guy! He looks like he has a somewhat anime type smile on him due to the way the rows joined at that peak in his mouth! Somewhat cute feature!

I have since added a pure white zip pull to his chest but i have no photos since i have added that.

I have decided to add these white flavoured sackboys into my ebay and etsy shops as a permanent resident :) They are quick and easy for me to make just like the brown ones. I will also do custom orders of different colours if requested.

I will be sure to post the next interesting custom sackboy i am currently working on, soon!

-Amigurumi Zoo.

Sackboy with a Winter Hat

2009-12-18T21:17:00.000-08:00

This is the latest creation from the Sackboys i have been making.
This was a request from a lovely lady who purchased this as a gift.
I have uploaded images of this little creation, and im quite happy with how it turned out!

I crafted his hat from grey felt and super glued a red star to it.

Above: front view of the cute hat
Below: side view

Below: Back view of the hat

More creations soon (when i have the spare time)

Sackboy Adam from Adam & Eve-Just for Fun

2009-11-21T22:04:00.000-08:00

I had some left over green felt from a recent sackboy order i completed and got a funny idea in mind.
I wondered how sackboy would look as Adam from Adam and Eve..afterall-sackboy life has to be traced back somewhere right?

See pictures below:

The leaves were made from felt and super glued together to form a band of leaves.

Hehe thought i would post this just for fun~ Not being sold in my ebay or Etsy stores.

-Amigurumi-Zoo

Fuzzy Amigurumi Dust Bunnie's

2009-11-18T18:23:00.000-08:00

It would be no surprise to my mother to see these adorable dust bunnies lying around my room!

However unlike the usual dust bunnies, these little guys arent here just because you didnt clean your room!
I made these dust bunnies from Jazz yarn, hobby fill and safety eyes. They measure 2 x 2 Inch. They have tails also which are a measure of wisdom-the longer the tail the wiser the bunnie! (bet ya didn't know that!)

These were fun to make, however this type of yarn is somewhat challenging to deal with, and i probably wouldnt attempt to make a large amigurumi at this stage with this particular yarn..unless i didnt mind my stitches not being even and correctly counted etc.

However i will post the pattern for these little guys shortly. Its really just a basic circle and can be done very easily.
I will be making more variations with tiny fuzzy ears!

I have these little guys in my Etsy & Ebay shops for $4.95

Etsy Shop

The Art of Posting Parcels (With Love)

2009-11-17T01:44:00.000-08:00

Well seeing as though i am forever crocheting and selling my sackboys and lovely creations, its vital for me (i believe) to post these adorable creations in a way which will hopefully surprise the recipient! (in a nice way!)

I have taken some photos of how i generally pack my little sackboys before i pop them into the tough bags ready for post. These tough bags are extremely durable. I generally pop them into clear plastic self adhesive bags which i bought from ebay in a bulk auction of 50 for about $6.99.

Below are the images of my little creations before being put into the bags:

Arent they adorable! I make a small thank you card with my website on it and a nice gesture of appreciation-and then i wrap a ribbon around him to attach him to the card. If its a plain sackboy that im shipping, i use a blue or pink ribbon.

Thats all for now, just thought id pop some photos here of my little creations ready for posting (and to give me an excuse for a break from my crochet orders!)

Harvest Moon: Sunshine islands + Pig= Happiness!

2009-11-16T04:48:00.000-08:00

Well today was a pretty awesome day!

My pre-ordered DS Lite game came this afternoon from gamestop (after me eagerly awaiting for it all day), and with it came the special plush pig that ships will all pre-orders!
Very glad i pre-ordered to get the plush pig as it is simply adorable<3 ! And also the fact that the game hasnt even been released here in Australia yet....
I haven't had much time to play it due to my uni exams this week (one tomorrow) so i will be setting time aside tomorrow afternoon after my exam to play it. It seems quite similar to Island of Happiness in that it has the same characters and they are runnign the same businesses and whatnot. I know there are perks like races and other mini games which i have yet to encounter in IOH. Then again..i have yet to get any animals in IOH due to the fact that i constantly run out of stamina in the game (i sure do miss the Nes version "Friends of Mineral Town" where you could relax in the hot springs to completely rejuvenate!) this may appear later in the game who knows! But for now it seems I'm doing a daily routine of watering half my crops and trying to scavenge grass roots and such to keep my stamina up. Farming is never easy!

Apart from being overly excited about my new HM game, i have been extremely busy with sackboy orders! I have had 4 in the last few days with about 5 more to come! Its a good thing i love crocheting, and with my new job and more flexible hours, i will surely have alot more time to make new amigurumi's!

I am just itching to create my sackboy in bunny suit!

New Castle Crashers Pics & Twitter!

2009-11-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

Yay! Amigurumi Zoo is now on twitter!
Follow us to see all new creations, updates and more! Click the cute button below to visit me on twitter!

As promised, here are the new photos for the CAstle Crashers pouch i had just recently made:

And below: With my DS Lite inside the case (perfect fit!)

Thats all for today!

Happy Cloud Iphone / Ipod /Cell Pouch

2009-11-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

I don't think i ever posted pictures of the adorable cloud pouch i created. I made this guy back in September i think.
It features a white cloud with blue eyes and a blue cloud button on one side, and a blue cloud with white eyes and a white cloud button on the other.
The pouch is lined with white felt for maximum scratch protection.

Unfortunately i dont seem to have the sam colour embroidery thread as the colour of the blue felt i have, which just means the stitching looks a little darker then the actual felt. This doesn't matter to me a whole lot and it kind of gives it character!

This pouch isnt quite as big as the last two i have made ((Luma & Castle Crashers case(see posts below)), however this would still fit an iphone, an ipod and of course my Blackberry cell phone.

I have taken much better photos than i previously took and i have posted them below:

Hey look , once again iv taken my photos by the same ornaments in my Apartment! It is becoming somewhat of a trademark for me, heh.

Below: Plenty of room with my Blackberry curve in the pouch. Not sure how the more bulky blackberry models would go in this pouch, i know the blackberry bold is rather chunky.

Below: more photos

I love this particular shot, the natural lighting makes the felt rather shimmery.

Unfortunately i didn't catch as much natural lighting on this shot, but it still looks adorable! (probably a weird thing to say about a phone case!)

And, lucky last image!

This image shows a ncie comparison of the size of the case, as sometimes its a little hard to tell. The actual finished size was 5.6 Inch long by 3.5 inches wide.

This pouch is located in my ebay shop HERE and my Etsy shop HERE

As always, more soon!

Castle Crashers Phone / Ds Lite/ Camera Pouch!

2009-11-06T23:07:00.000-08:00

A castle Crasher's themed item was never too far away! And here it is!
My fav castle Crasher playable character is the blue guy, and so i cut him out of felt, each and every pice..and then hand sewn each piece together onto the felt background.
There is a double layer of felt for the top side of the pouch to hide all the loose thread ends and such, this also protectes the screen if an ipod is going into it.
A DS Lite also fits into this pouch quite snuggly. See images below!

Above: Close up of the pouch! Gotta love the Owelet to his right.

Below: My DS Lite can fit comfortably inside this pouch (note in this picture the DS lite is not all the way inside the pouch)

Blow: The back of the pouch. I chose a plain black because it would probably get dirty sitting on bench tops and whatnot. So at least a black backing wont show dirt (and less washing!)

Below: My blackberry curve has plenty of room in this pouch. Its almost too big to just put a blackberry in, but with hands free and accessories etc , it would make a great fit.

And this is an inside view. Although due to the lack of natural light i had when taking the images, you cant really tell that the inside top piece of felt is a dark blue colour.

More Castle Crashers pouches and key chains coming soon!

Super Mario Bros LUMA Iphone/Camera Case

2009-11-05T23:33:00.000-08:00

Whee! Another creation!
This time it's another iphone/cell phone/camera case featuring a lovely pink Luma from the Super Mario Bros video games!
This pouch is made from felt, and is completely hand sewn! It took me a good 2-3 hrs to complete. I love sewing on all the details to make it come alive, and it makes it a lot more interesting to look at!

Below are some photos of my latest creation:

And as usual i take photos of my creations againt the same ornaments in my house!

Above: With my Blackberry Curve sitting inside, there is still plenty of room. I thought i would make it bigger as i don't own an iphone and i know they are a bit bigger-but also this way it can fit cameras and small items in too.To give you a better idea on size, it can just fit a Nintendo DS lite in it!

Above: Plenty of room for my phone, and if i wanted to add some other things like hands-free or earphones in the pouch too, i could do it easily.

Above: Inside view. I have a double layer of felt for the top side of the pouch.I ahve done this layer in black, so it doesn't get dirty from putting things inside that aren't particularly squeaky clean! (and whos phone is!?)

Above & Below: A close up of the detailing work done on the phone case. Each colour is hand sewn onto the other colours of felt. here is a lot of work involved in this case-but i think the work surely pays off with this pretty finished result!

I will be adding more of these phone cases in my blog soon!

This phone case can be found in my Etsy store HERE and also my Ebay store HERE

I will also be putting this item up on my Amigurumi-zoo.com website with some hints and tips for making felt cases, and how i stitch my felt pieces together.

More coming soon!

Patchwork Sackboy -New Images!

2009-11-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, so the images i posted last time were taken at around 3am with poor lighting (no sun whatsoever and a desk lamp) so i thought i would repost the nicer sunlight photos i have taken to showcase my sackboy on ebay and etsy.
See below!

Ahh how much better photos are in the sun light!

Below: Candy Pink Sackboy ! Nothing beats a patchwork sackboy covered in pink!

Below: Lucky last photo! I have used more on my ebay & Etsy pages, but they are basically the same as here :)

Well thats it for now!
And if you havent noticed, i have finally updated my blog layout to match my lovely new website Amigurumi-zoo.com!

Patchwork Sackboy

2009-11-03T08:11:00.000-08:00

As promised!
Tada~ Patchwork Sackboy!
This little guy is absolutely adorable-and super pink! He has a pink button for an eye plus a normal safety eye. He has pink stitches around his head and arms, and of course he is absolutely covered in pink-goodyness!

This little guy will be making an appearance in my Etsy shop HERE And my Ebay shop HERE
See the photos below! Better photos will be added once i am able to take some in the sunlight (rather than 3am in the morning!)
Left: My messy desk with Patchwork Sackboy!

Below: Frog Sackboy & Patchwork sackboy in the works!

Below: Details of patchwork sackboy up close

More images and new products soon!

Amigurumi-Zoo now has a .com!

2009-11-02T20:31:00.000-08:00

Yay!
Amigurumi-Zoo now has its own .com website!
Our new website is: www.amigurumi-zoo.com
This blog will still be updated a couple times a week and will be side by side with the website.
The website is still under construction and it should be up very soon!

New sackboys designs will be posted within 24 hrs!

Sackboy, Domo Kun & Mario galaxy Luma Keyrings!

2009-10-31T20:57:00.000-07:00

Oh yes!
The best of the best combined to make an adorable 4 piece keyrings set featuring: Domo Kun, Sackboy, Patchwork Sackboy and the adorable Luma from Super Mario Galaxy!

These little guys are made from felt, stuffed with hobby fill and blanket stitched around the outside.
The patchwork sackboy has a button for an eye and they all include their own tiny key rings, to make it easy to add to key sets!

These little dudes are available in my ebay HERE, and also in my Etsy store HERE.
My fav has to be patchwork Sackboy- I am actually making an amigurumi version of this guy, so he should be in my Ebay store within 3 days!
Heres a close up, just after i finished making this little guy:

As you can see i have plenty of buttons for future projects!
Click the images for a bigger, better view of them.

I am also taking custom orders for these guys, eg. different colours and sizes, different characters etc.

So if your interested just comment/email!

-Amigurumi Zoo.

How to Sell Your Handmade Crafts

2009-10-17T03:11:00.000-07:00

Making handmade crafts can be an enjoyable experience, a fun time waster and can end all gift idea dilemmas!
However, not many people are aware that they can make a little extra income from doing something they love!
You might think making scarfs and crochet toys and such are simply figt ideas or for yourself-oh how wrong you are!
Many people buy handmade crafts because its handmade! Many people these days don't want to spend money on something that wont put any money back into the economy, or something that is made by a machine and the company ears 90% profit from the item!
Many people don't mind forking out a bit more cash for something made by hand with more care and quality than that of a production line.
Etsy is the major website for buying and selling all things handmade. This can be furniture, books, art, crochet toy and clothes, knitted garments, patterns, pottery and much more.
The website traffic that Etsy brings in is considerably smaller then Ebay, simply because it only sells handmade goods.
If your having a hard time starting out on Etsy-don't panic! You just need a couple more items in your shop for exposure. Also, make sure your tags (which i will explain in the next paragraph) have no spelling mistakes, and are suited to what you are selling.
Tags are used to explain an item in one word. You may choose as many tags as you wish to help those who are searching for your item.
If you were to list a jacket, you would probably want the following tags- jacket, sweater, jumper, cotton (if made from cotton) clothing.
etc, theres many more that you can ass including the size, colour and other details that make the jacket unique.
Make sure when writing your description for the item that it is accurate! People do not want to be misled by short descriptions or hidden information!

Once you have your information on your listing correct and enough items in your shop you will notice people buying or putting your items into their favorites, (this is an Etsy feature).

Ebay is somewhat similar, however you wont need to work as hard to market your product as there are millions of ebay users searching for items every day.

Take clear photos of all your crafts, write interesting descriptions and you will be on your way to selling your own handmade goods!
This can be a great way to earn a casual second income and work from home!

Crochet & Amigurumi - An Introduction

2009-10-17T02:25:00.001-07:00

Ok so i have posted images of my amigurumi crafts in the works and completed, so now its time to give a bit more explanation about the process and maybe an insider view for those who are thinking of taking it up.
You don't need to know how to crochet to start-I certainly had no clue, and all i had was vague memories of my nana teaching me to knit when i was about 10 years old.
Dont be discouraged by any technical terms i might use-you will pick up these terms in no time at all and will be using them like a second language yourself soon enough!

The first thing you should do before you dive into the world of amigurumi, is to browse the internet for patterns of toys, accessories, or other things you would be interested in creating.
This can be anything from scarfs, tea coseys, toys and lots more!

Amigurumi is a fantastic gift idea with a personal touch. You can customize the gift to your own liking. Just as you can customize any pattern you find (by making it bigger/smaller, etc).

Theres a fantastic web site that acts as a directory for patterns of crochet toys. Its called Crochet Pattern Central.
This website has an array of different types of patterns and many skill levels.

You should pick an easy one to begin with so you don't get discouraged right from the start!

Once you find a pattern that is labelled 'easy' or does not have too many steps you can begin.

A tip is to print your pattern out and take it into a crochet/arts & crafts shop. This way you can find what you need for the pattern (as most wil have a list of materials needed at the top of the page).

Most patterns will state a particular sized crochet hook. This will determine the size of your amigurumi and how tight the stitches will look. If you dont mind how much it will differ from the pattern then you can pick any sized hook, but try not to stray too far from the sized mentioned.
After you have your hook you will need to find yarn. Choose the appropriate colour yarn for the pattern (or make it your own and choose somethign completely dfferent!) However, depending on the sized hook you chose, you will need to buy the size appropriate yarn. Some yarn may be too thick for smaller hooks and visa versa. If your following the pattern material guidelines you wont have any problems, just buy what they used and it will (should) work out.

Once you have your materials and your home with your coffee and your pattern infront of you, the best thing to remember is dont freak out! The pattern may look like a mixture of letters and numbers; see below for the most common phrases used:

SC= single crochet. This is simply one crochet
Magic Circle= This is the circle created when first starting an amigurumi, its a circle which you will stitch a certain amount of single crochet stitches in it to get started (and this determines the starting size of the project).
INC= This is an increase, its simply two single crochet stitches in one crochet stitch.
DEC= Decrease stitch. This is one crochet stitch made in two crochet stitches.
Chain= This is a series of single crochets in each other that are connected to the amigurumi by the first stitch only (to make ties and strings from your amigurumi)

Theres plenty of awesome videos on youtube which demonstrate each individual stitch and this is a huge help when first starting out (and even learning new stitches for those who have been doing this for years!)
Goodluck!

Domo Kun Phone Pouch

2009-09-13T03:14:00.000-07:00

With an array of felt laying around i figured it was about time to do something with it!
So, i have seen plenty od phone cases and pouches with ordinary designs and thought it would be cute to have more softer and interesting designs.
So i decided to make a Domo Kun phone pouch! This can be bought in my etsy shop HERE

I made this pouch from a double layer of felt to protect the phone from scratches. One layer could probably suffice but two would be best. (see below)

I hand designed and cut my own patterns into paper and pinned them to my felt and cut out my shapes. After much trimming and fiddling with the pieces i managed to make them match up! I blanket stitched the teeth to the red felt and did a normal stitch inside. I also blanket stitched the outside with acrylic yarn to give it a more homestyled appearance.

Below:My blackberry curve fits inside perfectly and im sure an iphone would probably fit too.

More phone cases coming soon!

Halloween Sackboy Jack o Lantern

2009-09-09T03:37:00.000-07:00

Its almost that time of year again where kids eat candy and scare the neighbors! - Halloween!
Although its not celebrated here in Australia-it is still a popular holiday theme.
I thought Sackboy would look cute dressed as a jack o lantern and so here he is!
This little guy can be purchased in my etsy store HERE or my ebay auction HERE
Pics below!:

Above: His cap is fully removable (as with all of my amigurumi dolls)
Below: behind view

Below: great for decoration!

All my amigurumi dolls are available in my etsy and ebay shops!

Etsy & Ebay Stores -OPEN-

2009-09-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

Well i thought it was about time to open an Ebay store..seeing as though i had opened an Etsy shop already. So now i have the best of both market places!

All my Amigurumi's are listed on my ebay page HERE

Also all my items are listed on my Etsy shop HERE

If your interested in any amigurumis i also do requests and comissions :)

Sackboy in a Frog Suit Amigurumi

2009-09-04T06:15:00.000-07:00

I decided it was about time to start making my Sackboys in something a little different from their usual brown yarn. So, i put my thinking cap on and, inspired by the Super Mario Bros games, i came up with Sackboy in a frog suit!
I think he turned out fantastic! If your interested in purchasing your own Sackboy he is in my ETSY store.
Below are some photos of the finish amigurumi:

Above: Side View and webbed fingers!

Above: His hat is fully detachable

Above: Photo from the back
Nice smaller photos this time. I may upload the higher res photos a bit later on.

Halloween themed sackboys coming soon!

Sack Boy Number 2

2009-08-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Because i had so much fun making the first sackboy-i decided to make another one with a different body shape. I wanted to fix his head a little as i found the first one was a bit too long. (Trial and error) i have seen many Sackboy patterns but none have suited the size and shape i was after so i have made one that i think i am finally happy with!

His little sun cape is made from felt and it just pops over his shoulders and head. Its not connected although i did consider putting a button on the front of it to keep it on but it doesn't appear to have problem staying on so i thought i would leave it as is.

Here is a photo from behind. His little cape goes flying out behind him as though he was running! Its a cute arrangement and i may consider different outfits for him as he has in the game. Unfortunately time permits!

You will find this little guy in my Etsy store!! More coming soon!

Bob-omb Amigurumi

2009-08-22T02:54:00.000-07:00

Another post & another Amigurumi!
Not much has happened since my last post however i did open an etsy store and i have listed my cute Sackboy Amigurumi with sun cape in it! Find it HERE.

I have made an adorable Bob-omb which is now in my Etsy store! HERE!

Above: the completed Bob-omb from the Super Mario series!
Below: a sideways view of his little body . Note his wind up and fuse!

He stands 4 inch tall (not including his fuse) so as you can see he is a cute pocket-size!

More photos:

I will be making more of these little guys with different colours shortly!

Thats all for now! Be sure to check out my Etsy store for more Amigurumi's!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7792621

Little Big Planet- Sack Boy Amigurumi

2009-08-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

I always thought the little guy from Little Big Planet was a little bit creepy and 90% cute, so i decided to test my luck on crocheting an actual Sack Boy!
I don't think i did such a bad job but i will probably be using a lot less darker brown yarn next time so his features can be seen more clearly.
This guy stands approx 6 inches tall, unfortunately he doesn't actually stand up by himself but i think with a bigger amigurumi he would have flatter feet and more surface area to stand up on.
Pics below!

Above: The little guys head with felt mouth & tongue. Not sure at this point if i like the tongue and unfortunately due to the dark wool you can barely see his felt mouth!

Below: The almost finished product (minus the zipper and the rest of the decorative white yarn stitches)

Below: You can see his white stitches made in white thread, this will eventually follow his contours around as per the original Sack Boy!

Below: His teeny tiny fingers! There are five, and they were made by doing 5 lots of 2 and 3 chain stitches and then single crochets back down and repeating until the hand was done! Very fiddley but it is probably the most effective way of getting fingers on a miniature amigurumi without too much hastle.To make them not curl you could easily connect yarn from inside the arm tube out to the individual fingers and pull it tight to straighten them..but again this was trial and error!

Below: To get his head flat-ish i pulled string from one end of his body to the other end and back up without letting his body relax, so this kept this head squished down flat and all his pieces joined together. This technique is great when your amigurumi is a bit too bouncy, especially after you have stitched him all together.

And finally here is the little guy still almost completed but in some more artificial light. This brown wool has a habbit of turning different shades of brown-unusual but a nice effect!

Bunnie- Completed!

2009-08-07T20:54:00.000-07:00

Finally i have finished my Bunnie Amigurumi!
I admit it took a lot longer than expected and some parts were quite fiddley compared to others-but it was all worth it in the end!

Last night i completed his hood and scarf, 100% completed!
This little guy is now prepared to be flown to the US!
Photos below: Click image to view full size.

Above: His completed Scarf
Below: Scarf & Hood-Note the hood does have its own strings to tie it up at the front, but these aren't as visible when the scarf is placed around the Bunnie.

While making my Bunnie i did call upon some fantastic youtube videos to assist with particular stitches- the following are fantastic recommended tutorials on the different stitching techniques & how to pull them off!

Video for a half double crochet stitch, click HERE
Video for how to start a magic crochet stitch/start an amigurumi, click HERE
Picture tutorial, step-by-step on how to join your Amigurumi, click HERE

Semi Complete-and a Tad Bit Proud!

2009-08-05T06:21:00.000-07:00

Finally my bunnie actually looks like a..well- a bunnie!
I do have his hood yet to complete but for now he is looking mighty fancy! I have stitched his pieces together (which was probably the hardest step so far!) and hes finally taking shape. However i did need to insert a stitch inside the entire length of his body and back out and in again to pull his parts closer together and to get a nice round overall shape. This also hid the stitching on his neck and upper arms.
Photo below! And as always click for a better view of the entire image, as blogger likes to cut them just shy of the edge of the image.

Just some more detailed photos: Lets all ignore the uneven stitches!

Below: his feet look uneven in this photo but this little guy is fairly adjustable and arms and legs can be squished into place!

Lucky last-

First Blog- First Amigurumi !

2009-08-03T02:32:00.000-07:00

Wohoo- First Blog, and it's about time!
This also marks the creation of my first Amigurumi bunnie...well the first half of it anyway!
This little critter (pictures soon) will be flying off to my Partner soon! And then i can concentrate on my Ninja project which will be available for sale in my Etsy store. More info soon!

UPDATE!
5/8/2009:
Wohoo-and he's almost done! I have only his hood to do. But for now I'll post the progress photos!! (( Click the image to view the full image))

Above: (Stage 1) The very beginnings of my Amigurumi- instructions and all!
Below: Inside view, circular crochet.

After the initial stage of increasing the bunnies head i added some eyes and then started decreasing my stitch to finalize the shape!

Getting there!
Below: Finished the stitching for the head and stitched the X for the nose. Looking like a blob with eyes at this point-but still adorable. I stuffed the amigurumi just before i finished stitching him. I used a soft fluffy fibre filling, so he is very soft and squishy!

Below: i finished stitching his ears-realise done was bigger then the other Opps! In the photo below i held them up to his head *not stitched at this point* so i could see how he was shaping up!