Hi there. I’m catching up with my toys and catching up with my life too, I guess. I have to break down my post into three parts, to catch up with the toys I have made.
I finally have Hug Me Monsters! These are chenille, soft and fuzzy, sock dolls, and I have had them in progress, in my workroom, since January! It feels good to be pushing through to the other side, finishing toys and showing them to you.
This pink one with turquoise horns was my mom’s favorite. This Hug Me Monster got adopted by the time I woke up the next morning, after putting her in my shop.
My mom was so kind and patient to photograph me with a monster, so I could show their size in relation to a person. We have been having such awful heat, as I am sure most of you have, and it wasn’t too much fun being outside, melting while trying to look pleasant. It was so humid, my hair began to frizz and stick up in the air. Photoshop Elements is handy for neatening one’s self up after the fact!
This royal blue and turquoise Hug Me Monster also found a home already.
These have the first incarnation of my custom-printed fleece eyes, which I designed and then had printed by Fabric on Demand. I sealed all the colored parts with non-toxic Liquitex fabric medium to make sure the color was secure. Then I hand embroidered around each color of the eyes with floss, using a blanket stitch. The monsters are almost entirely stitched by hand, with a needle and thread or floss. There is only one machine-sewn seam in each horn, which I attach by hand after I stuff them. The monsters took me a while, hours each, as do all my toys.
My Hug Me Monsters come with hang tags, that can be personalized. I can print a name or “For + a name” on the front of the tag, and I can print a message on the back of the tag. I then insert the tag into a clear vinyl sleeve, run a satin ribbon through it, and tie it to the monster.
My dad especially liked the pink-and-tan striped monster with the gold horns. When my mom and I were taking photos, he started laughing. I didn’t understand why. Then I realized he was laughing at the monster. He got a big kick out of it, which made me feel good. If they make someone laugh or smile, then I am doing my job right.
I really like these cuddly chenille socks I used for the monsters. I have a couple pair I put on my own feet in the winter, socks not monsters. I reserved most of the chenille socks I collected for Hug Me Monsters.
Their horns, along with their eyes and hearts, are made from fleece. I used pearl cotton floss to chain stitch a smile on each one.
I have been feeling better, still tired a lot of the time, but better. I’ve been having my blood retested every six weeks at the hematologist’s, and although my white blood cell count is still high, it is going down. It remains a mystery. I was a bit alarmed when I realized I had been referred to a cancer center, and they sent a sample to the Mayo Clinic for testing, but they don’t seem to think it is anything like that, since normally it would go up in that case. I feel sad and a little scared when I go there, because I know the other people there are sick and trying to make the best of it. I was drawn to all the pillows in the lobby that people make and donate. I instinctively grab one while I wait and it is comforting. That is a kind use of a craft. One had kitties on it, and you know I love kitties. I took the measurements down from the pillows, about 9 x 18 inches of fabric, a convenient size to cut from a yard or fat quarter of cotton, two pieces, sewn together with about 1/4 inch seams. They are a good size for hugging.
My next blog installment will be…Hug Me Kittens. I have more of those finally too. I had hoped to be well stocked by now, as I wanted to make the August submission deadline for the Brown Alumni Magazine holiday gift guide, but I don’t want to apply and then run out of toys by the holidays. I have a feeling I cannot sew that many in time. I’m trying to focus on the fact that I am getting things done, and trying not to dwell on how much time it takes me.
My beautiful fox friend I mentioned in my last post, made another appearance and I was able to get some photographs. I took these from a distance.
She came in the early evening to nibble on the long grass I left in the back yard. The grassy patch has become popular with crickets. I am sure mice, bunnies, deer and snakes like it too. It got too long to mow, because there is a wet patch underneath it, and it grows too quickly to maintain. So, I let it grow. I am not brave enough to try to walk through it any more.
When she was done pulling seeds off the grass, she trotted back to the woods, as she usually does, after looking around a little.
She is so pretty. Our vet said to stay away from her, and don’t leave any food, like cat food, out or encourage her in any way. I leave water out for the animals, which he said is fine. He also told me to watch for any unusual behavior, like not running away when she should, but she seems to be healthy and normal. One of our neighbors clapped his hands at her and she did run. The vet said that is a good sign, but to be careful because foxes can be carriers of rabies, even if they are not symptomatic.
I get worried that people will get worried about her being around. I want her to be able to go peacefully on her way. I am hoping she will have the sense to avoid coming out in front of everyone, but she seems used to being near people. She hasn’t shown any interest in chasing cats, but I worry about that too. I have told my immediate neighbors who have cats outside that I have seen her out in the evenings, to be cautious. I have also told them she seems normal and healthy.
I am wondering if she has fox pups in the woods. She always comes and goes at the same spot. I used to see eggshells on the lawn and in the woods, but I hadn’t seen a fox in years. People in the neighborhood have chickens and ducks. I hear a rooster on the other side of the trees. Maybe she set up her home to be near them, or maybe she just makes the rounds.
