Staying Home Sawyer

Real Life Living on a Real Life Budget

DIY

A Little Stuffing Goes a Long Way

DIY Project: Felt Animals // Owls, PenguinsIf you’re a child of the 80s, you must remember stuffed animal hammocks very clearly. I know I do, because I wanted one so badly for years. I mean, what else do you do with the eighty-seven stuffed animals of various shapes and sizes that must be displayed to all of the visitors you have? I got real tired of setting them up one by one on my bed every morning. Every seven year old knows how important it is to make a good first impression. Since getting rid of any of them wasn’t an option, I needed that hammock.DIY Project: Felt OwlMy mother must not have agreed with me because I never got my hammock. And although I have officially given up on getting one (it just wouldn’t flow with our bedroom’s theme), I still have several stuffed animals that I just cannot part with. They may or may not be stuffed into a box that my husband has no idea is there. If we ever have a child I will remind her of the sacrifices I made so she could have stuffed animals that are twenty years old (and my box of Barbies, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and a Troll collection). What child wouldn’t want those toys?! Hand Sewn Felt Penguin DIY ProjectBecause I didn’t have enough already (or because I was super busy on Saturday night watching Dateline) I decided to see if I could make my own stuffed animals. Because you know, that is what really cool 30 year old women do on Saturday nights.Hand Sewn Felt Penguin DIY ProjectTurns out, I can make them. And they’re pretty cute if I do say so myself. Only I feel bad keeping them, because as previously mentioned, we already have a box full of stuffed animals (here’s where my husband goes digging through the house in search of said box, to donate them all away).

And while we’re at it…I created little penguin cards to go with my penguin stuffed animals. Because you can’t give someone a stuffed penguin without a matching penguin card. Everyone knows that.DIY Penguin CardsAll the animals were hand-sewn by sight. If you’re anything like me, you’ll need your hot glue gun when you finish sewing the animal and it has no eyes. I created an instruction sheet (with templates) for the owl if you’d like to make your own.

Comments

  2. This is super cute, Shauna! I love it! Growing up I had the fattest collection of stuffed animals. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a hammock to put them all in either, but I did have this huge wicker chair that I threw them all on, and that seemed to do the trick. 😉

  4. So adorable. I enjoyed your childhood story. I don’t have a single thing from my childhood, but when I had kids I made sure they were allowed to have theirs! They are in their 20’s now and still have their toys! Hahahaha. Have a great day! Koko❀

    • That’s so great of you to have them keep theirs! Most of my stuff is packed away in my grandmother’s basement! I’ll be sure to have it sent to me if we ever have a child!

  6. Aaaw those are the cutest thing ever! You’re never too old for these things says your fellow 80’s kid haha ^^ This is one of the things I adore about you! Keep on being the awesome YOU <3

      • Haha don’t say that :p You are so inspiring person ;D Hm that’s a good question, I guess I liked My Little Pony, stuffed animals and dolls but I was more drawing, making up fake worlds, playing outside kind of girl :p haha

  10. You didn’t need a hammock, you needed to get rid of the 300 Beanie Babies you just had to have! Love the penguins!

  15. These are so cute! I always love reading your stories with each project….cool people are always sewing on saturday nights! lol 🙂

  16. Super cute! And I love that it has been predetermined that your potential future child will be a she!

    • I love that you noticed! I actually did that on purpose. This is why we are best friends. 🙂