Chels Craft

Saffy's new collar

2009-11-09T11:51:00.004+11:00

Well, our "foster dog" featured in my last post has become our dog. And our cat, Milly, has been the epitome of grace and has accepted her.

I thought I'd take a moment to share my recent Etsy purchase with you. It's a dog collar, and I must say it is probably the most beautiful collar I've ever seen. And it's so soft that I'm certain it's comfortable for the dog too. Devonhill makes some amazing pet accessories.

I haven't even had a chance to "plushify" our dog, Saffy, yet; so I think re-stocking the shop may still be a little way off. But I have had a few enquiries lately, so there's a chance I might get a few plushies in the shop before Christmas; fingers crossed.

Doggie coat

2009-08-05T12:06:00.002+10:00

Sorry it has been a while. Things have been extremely hectic over here. But I thought I'd take a minute to show you a recent creation of mine: a doggie coat!

In the photo above, our foster dog is sporting none other than my very first dog coat. Of course, being on the property, it was covered in mud straight away. But it seemed to do the job. It is winter over here, and it does get quite cold on our block of land.

I made the coat from materials I had at home already. The outside is made from an old wool bale; the inside is lined with fleece, the tie-strings came from a set of towels I bought (they were just used to hold the towels together), and I had elastic strips left over from a previous project.

I don't know how waterproof it is, but the aim is to help keep rain off her, and provide an extra layer of warmth, which I think it does.

Moving madness

2009-05-19T21:43:00.003+10:00

Yes, I am still alive.

I've been moving house, hence the long absence! I fully intended on re-stocking the shop before I moved, but, as you know, these things don't get done some times.

The house isn't set-up fully yet, so I don't think the shop will see any new kitty faces for a little while yet.

But thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read this and check in on my blog. Hope you've all been well.

Blue

2009-04-12T19:54:00.003+10:00

Blue point Siamese and blue scarf in the making
My white wool scarf is finished and I've just started another scarf: a blue one made of bamboo yarn. Also, I'm restocking my Etsy shop; it's been way overdue for a restock for a while now.

Wool scarf

2009-04-09T11:54:00.002+10:00

I'm half-done with this knitted wool scarf. I call it Procrastination Project A. It seems, no matter how much I like what I'm doing at uni, I still need something to break up the monotony.

I'm using knitting needles that are size 10, so this scarf is getting knitted pretty quickly. Now I'm concerned I didn't buy enough wool. Isn't that always the way with knitting projects?

12 inch cats

2009-04-04T21:20:00.005+11:00

Left to right: tabby point, blue tabby and white, silver tabby, grey and white, black and white
These cats were made specially for a pet shop in LA, where they'll be used for display. They're 12 inches tall. (My "normal-sized" cats are about 7.5 inches tall.) I posted these guys today, so now they're on their way across the Pacific. I hope they make good models!

I am still swamped with uni (I'm writing a thesis this year), but I'm hoping to restock the shop in the next few weeks.

Embroidered badge

2009-03-31T17:46:00.003+11:00

Before
One of my quickest projects, ever: embroidered badge for a fleece vest.

I love this fleece vest, but I've always thought the machine-embroidered Uluru and "Outback Australia" were a bit corny.

So I decided to hand-embroider a badge to applique over the top of it.

If the aim was to make the vest less corny, I don't know if I nailed the brief: my embroidered horse looks more like a dinosaur with head hair, and for lack of anything to write in the banner, I wrote my name.

Oh well, if nothing else, it takes the orange - one of my least favourite colours - out of the vest.

After

Progress

2009-03-22T17:37:00.002+11:00

Large kitties special order - that small one isn't part of the order, she's just there for scale!
Yes, I'm still alive - despite uni's attempts. I am still swamped with uni work (I'm writing a thesis this year), but I have managed to make progress on my special order.

I'm so grateful for your patience... just remember, these kitties are lovingly hand-stitched! I'll do my best to make them worth the wait.

All about cat breeds: pointed colours

2009-03-17T19:57:00.004+11:00

Left to right, top row first: seal point, blue point, chocolate point, red tabby point, tortie point, seal himalayan (seal point Persian), lilac point, blue tabby point
Siamese cats are pointed cats. This means, their points - i.e. their face, ears, feet and tail - are a darker colour than the rest of their body.

Points are a coat pattern, and it's not breed-specific. Other cat breeds also come in pointed colours: Himalayans (colour-pointed Persians), Birmans, Ragdolls and more.

The main pointed colours are the following:
· Seal point, where the points are almost black and the body is fawn;
· Blue point, where the points are blue (or grey) and the body is blue-ish white;
· Chocolate point, where the points are a brown chocolate colour (as the name implies) and the body is creamy white;
· Lilac point, where the points are a very light grey and the body is white;
· Red point (also called flame point), where the points are red (or orange) and the body is creamy white.

To add to the confusion, there are also tabby points (where the points have a tabby pattern), which are sometimes called lynx points; and tortoiseshell points, which are sometimes called tortie points. These points also come in various colours.

Heigh ho

2009-03-11T17:52:00.003+11:00

Progress proof
Heigh ho, heigh ho,
It's home from work we go...

Well, not quite. I do all my plush work at home, so I am already home. The point is, I am working! Progress is slow but definate. I am excited about some 12" cats I'm making for a super-cool pet shop in LA.

US-bound

2009-03-10T19:09:00.003+11:00

Miniature Poodle-cross and Natural Point Tonkinese
These two left Melbourne (Australia) today bound for the United States. The dog (on the left) was a special order for my cousin. More photos on Flickr.

Take a nap...

2009-03-06T17:29:00.002+11:00

My cat Milly snoozing next to her mousie
I recommend having a snooze if you're waiting for a requested cat, a special order, or the next custom slots batch... I'm swamped in uni work at the moment - it's my first week back, after a year away from study. Rest assured I'm onto your orders as well. Sorry to have to test your patience!

Custom cats to CA

2009-03-04T20:39:00.003+11:00

Grace and Newman
I posted these two cuties today. They should be flying over the Pacific Ocean some time soon.

I rarely think about the long journey my kitties make to get to the doorstep of their prospective owners. Most of these kitties end up being quite well travelled! Luckily for these two, they have each other for company.

All about cat breeds: Russian Blues, British Blues, Chartreux cats, Korats, and Blue Domestic Shorthairs

2009-03-03T18:16:00.003+11:00

My friend's Russian Blue
A common misconception is believing any grey cat is a Russian Blue. The truth is, there are many grey-haired cat breeds, and grey colouring is simply that: a colour.

In the cat world, the colour grey is called "blue". Genetically, a blue cat has the gene for black hair, as well as a dilute gene, which it is expressing. The result is grey colour known as "blue".

Several breeds come in the colour blue: Russian Blues, British Shorthairs ("blue" British Shorthairs are sometimes called British Blues), and lesser known Chartreux cats and Korats. Even the humble domestic comes in blue.

The difference between these breeds come down to eye colour, head shape, ear size, body size, conformation, and hair texture or coat type. To me, Russian Blues are the most distinguishable because of their long faces and large, pointy ears. By comparison, British Blues have round faces and smaller ears; often, it's said that they look like teddy bears. A more obvious difference is eye colour: Russian Blues should have green eyes, whereas British Blues should have gold or copper eyes. Moreover, if you compare the coat of a Russian Blue and a blue domestic shorthair, you should feel a difference. Russian Blues have a double coat, and are particularly soft and plush to touch.

It's easier to see the differences than to have it explained to you: search for the above breeds in your search engine to see what I'm talking about!

All plushies start life as a drawing

2009-03-01T16:26:00.004+11:00

Sketches of cats I'm making for a special order
Well, all my plushies do, at least.

One day I would love to do proper drawings (i.e., minus the scribbles and plus better colours) to make into prints or cards. One day, eh? I'll whack that on the end of my long list of things to do "one day". Sigh...

All about cat breeds: Birmans, Ragdolls and Himalayans (colour-pointed Persians)

2009-02-27T22:45:00.004+11:00

Plush blue point and seal point Birmans
I'm sure many of you, at one time or another, have swooned at the sight of a pointed longhair (or semi-longhair). With gorgeous blue eyes, dark points and pale bodies; pointed longhairs and semi-longhairs are certainly captivating. But what breed of cat are you looking at?

It's not always easy to tell. Birmans, Ragdolls and Himalayans (colour-pointed Persians) all have similar characteristics. They have blue eyes, medium to long coats, and colour points; which means their fur is darker on their points (their face, legs, ears and tail).

But there are subtle differences. Birmans always have white "gloves" on all four feet. Just to make things complicated, Ragdolls can also have white feet. These cats are called "mitted" Ragdolls. These two cats are difficult to tell apart. It comes down to more subtle differences like body shape and head shape.

Unlike Birmans, Ragdolls come in several patterns: mitted, colour-point (without "mitts") and bicolour; which means that in addition to colour points, cats can have white markings like a white blaze across their face.

Distinguishing between a Ragdoll and a Himalayan (colour-pointed Persian) is difficult only to the untrained eye. The differences are in the face, the head shape, ear size, body shape and coat length. Himalayans tend to have smaller ears and longer fur. Differences in face, head shape and body size are difficult to explain - type "Birman" into your search engine, then do the same with "Ragdoll" and "Himalayan". The more cats you see, the more obvious the differences will seem.

All about cat breeds: domestics

2009-02-26T20:43:00.003+11:00

My cat Milly
What is a "domestic"?

Domestics are the most widespread type of cat. Basically, a "domestic" is a cat with no particular breed. As such, they come in a range of colours, sizes and coat lengths. Domestics with different coat lengths are called domestic shorthairs, domestic mediumhairs, and domestic longhairs. Sometimes these names are shortened into acronyms: "DSH", "DMH" and "DLH". You've probably seen those acronyms written on your veterinary documents or in cat shelters.

Because domestics have such a large gene pool, it means they can come in a variety of different colours. Often, it's difficult for cat owners to believe their gorgeous and unique little kitty could belong to no particular breed. The truth is, some domestics - or "moggies" as they're fondly called sometimes - are really that beautiful.

Likewise, the large gene pool allows a variety of different personalities. Some domestics will happily spend the day in your lap, whereas others would rather spend the day racing around the house. These character traits aren't breed-specific, although some breeds are known for having certain characteristics.

What breed is my cat?

The average "shelter cat" is a domestic, although sometimes purebreds end up in shelters too. But less than 2% of all cats in the world are purebreds. If you adopted your cat from a shelter, the likelihood is he or she is a domestic. It's not easy to tell if a cat is a mix of a certain breed, because unlike dogs, the differences are much more subtle; dogs come in all shapes and sizes. If a cat has long hair, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a Persian cross. It's a cat expressing the long hair gene.

Personally, I don't feel disappointed about owning a domestic. My cat Milly is unique in her own way. She has a beautiful soft coat; it's long, but it's so silky it doesn't tangle easily. Purebred cat breeders strive to achieve this in many breeds (e.g. Birmans). But my cat is just blessed with silky fur. She also has "eyeliner" defining her eyes, which many people think is a beautiful trait. I won't go on and on. Essentially, she's a beautiful kitty. And she is "just" a domestic.

Inspiration

2009-02-24T18:46:00.006+11:00

I get my inspiration from real cats. I only have one, though; so I spend some of my time trawling through rescue websites - partly because I have a nagging desire for a second cat (not going to happen, according to my boyfriend) and mostly because I love seeing the variety of cats there are out there.

Recently I was looking at Ingrid's Haven's website, and they have some gorgeous fluffballs up for adoption. Ingrid deserves a medal - her shelter is non-profit and they rescue cats on death row. Being in Wallan, the shelter must have had to endure the recent bushfires. I hope everyone at the shelter - people and animals - are safe. All the cats at Ingrid's Haven are special, but here are three pretties who stand out of the crowd for me:

"Isadora" (photo credit: Ingrid's Haven)

"Agnes" (photo credit: Ingrid's Haven)

"Vera" (photo credit: Ingrid's Haven)

Cutie-pies in shop

2009-02-20T23:26:00.003+11:00

Blue Point Tonkinese
This sweet little Blue Point Tonkinese is in my Etsy shop now, along with a Siberian Husky, Tabby kitten, and many more.

Researching royalty

2009-02-19T20:59:00.003+11:00

Today I walked to my local library to photocopy some images of royalty. What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Well, it's research for my artwork. Yes, the astute of you will remember the subject of my artwork is a bunch of chickens... I promise it'll all make sense soon!

Silk belt

2009-02-18T15:00:00.005+11:00

Proof that I do finish projects!
My boyfriend's cousin is getting married in March, and we were invited to the wedding. Rather than buy a new dress, I decided to update a dress I already have by making a belt.

The whole belt is entirely handcrafted; even the embroidery and the beading. I used silk I'd bought for another project, and silk chiffon I'd picked up from Spotlight's scraps. I found some beads on sale, and bought some ribbon and metallic thread.

The belt looks beautiful with the dress. The photos don't really do it justice; I'm hoping someone at the wedding will be taking better photos!

More photos here: www.flickr.com/photos/chelsflickr/

My first proper artwork since school

2009-02-17T22:48:00.004+11:00

Brainstorm
So, here's the story: the biggest artwork in my home is an oil painting from Cambodia. It's beautiful, but the colours burn my eyeballs every time I look at it! It has to move, at least to another room. The problem is, there's no other painting to replace it.

So, my solution is to make my own artwork. It didn't take me long to find inspiration. I spent a few months over spring and summer living in the country, and now that I'm back in the city I miss my chooks (aka chickens) terribly. When I left, they didn't get the chop; they're living on my boyfriend's uncle's property now, and they're still free range. They're going to be the subject of my artwork.

I know, silly subject matter, right? But I'm sure all of you who have had animals before understand that some pets (even ones as silly as chooks) are just special.

There are three of them, so I'm using the number three as a theme in the artwork. I began with a brainstorm (see photo).

I hope I see this project through to the end. (I start projects and never finish them way too often!) If I do see it through, I'm hoping to keep you posted on my progress.

In progress...

2009-02-13T18:17:00.003+11:00

This little custom kitty is in progress right now...

There are only two custom slots left in my shop.

Bushfires

2009-02-12T20:57:00.001+11:00

Pet supplies I donated
I'm sure some of you have heard about the Victorian bushfires already. It's been devastating. There are fires all over the state. Over 1000 homes have been destroyed (literally burnt to the ground), leaving countless people homeless. The death toll is nearing 200, and it's expected it to exceed that.

There have always been bushfires here, but this time they've been so much worse. I've heard of people who had less than a minute's notice: they were packing up, only to turn around and find their front door on fire. Some fires were moving at 150 km/h... How do you outrun a fire like that? Every time I watch the news I cry. So many people have lost everything.

I've tried to help as much as I can. I've donated money to the Australian Red Cross appeal, the Wildlife Victoria appeal, sent handmade toys to the Toy Society (for giving to children affected by the fires) and dropped off a box of pet supplies at a vet clinic. Still I feel like I haven't done enough.

If you'd like to help out, here are some websites with more information:

www.redcross.org.au
www.wildlifevictoria.org.au
salvos.org.au
www.donateblood.com.au
www.ozbushfireappeal.etsy.com - Etsy shop where proceeds from anything bought will be donated to the Australian Red Cross.
thetoysociety.blogspot.com - People collecting handmade toys to give to children affected by the fires. The blog also has links to people collecting other handmade goods to donate.
Click here to buy a photo of Sam the Koala who was offered a drink by a passing firefighter; proceeds go to the CFA (Country Fire Authority).

News on the bushfires: www.abc.net.au/news/

Toys I donated

Pam's horse

2009-02-10T13:42:00.002+11:00

Here's a photo of a special order made for my boyfriend's Grandpa. It's a horse made to the likeness of his neighbour Pam's horse: a skewbald with the most amazing white mane.

I sell other horses like this (that I call Brumbies) in my second Etsy shop called Sparrow's Fart

Custom slots in shop

2009-02-09T12:34:00.003+11:00

Custom slots are available in my Etsy shop now.

Custom cats make great personalised gifts, for a friend or yourself. They'll look hilarious propped up next to your real kitty, or they'll give you great comfort if you're commemorating a kitty who has gone over the rainbow bridge.

British Blue, Siamese, Black and White

2009-02-07T19:33:00.003+11:00

I've listed three new cats to my Etsy shop.

Custom slots will be going up on Sunday February 8 at about 7 pm US Pacific Time.

Shops up and running again!

2009-01-30T22:15:00.004+11:00

Cats
Finally... my shops are up and running again!

My "Hamster" shop is stocked with a few cats and kittens, and my "Sparrow's Fart" shop is stocked with a few little brumbies (horses).

Hope you all enjoy my critters on offer - custom slots will be available soon! Let me know if you'd like me to drop you a message when they've been listed.

Hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season!

Brumbies (horses)

Chicken

2008-12-07T18:21:00.003+11:00

My shop's still closed because of my dodgy Internet, but I thought I'd post a blog entry just to let you know I'm still alive. And I wanted to show off my latest creation: a chicken!

Plush chicken

Her name is Gertrude, and she's modelled after one of my real chickens. Plush Gertrude's body is made of silk velvet. Her wings are made of cashmere wool, her legs are made of raw silk, and she has wool felt details. Her tail is made of calico and has a piece of wire in it. She also has pellets in her, which means she's weighted down and can sit nicely on a shelf. I think she's really cute!

End of year reflections

2008-10-30T00:00:00.003+11:00

My first handmade plushie
I know, it's not the end of 2008 yet, but it has been nearly a year since I made my first plushie.

I've always loved plushies, although I've never known much about the plush scene. This year I've been introduced to the world of handmade plush, the business world (sort of), the blogosphere and the art world.

I feel like I've gotten back in touch with my artistic side. As a student of publishing, I don't get many opportunities to be arty.

I used to think art is just an extra thing some people are interested in. But lately I've realised art adds colour to an otherwise mundane life, and in that way it is an absolute necessity.

A necessity just like you folks are: you read my blog, purchase my creations and send me nice messages. Without your support, making plushies wouldn't be half as purposeful. So thank you - it's been a great year!

Shops down

2008-10-29T23:24:00.005+11:00

Both my Etsy shops are "closed" temporarily, because I won't have regular Internet access from now until mid-December.

Please keep an eye on this blog if you'd like to know when the shops are up and running again.

To make things easier, you could subscribe to my blog. Someone showed me a great Youtube video that explains blog subscription and RSS feeds in plain english. I really recommend watching it! It only takes a minute. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU

Another cartoon character, Ben

2008-10-28T11:33:00.005+11:00

My boyfriend needed another drawing for his presentation, and since I posted about my previous drawings, I thought I'd share this new drawing with you. Meet "Ben", the human version of "Sam" the Superb Fairy-wren:

He looks a bit anime-like... totally unintentional!

Silk scarf

2008-10-27T13:34:00.007+11:00

I made the nicest scarf last night! I had heaps of material left over from making the silk horse, so I used it to make a scarf!

It turned out really well, and because it's so long, it's really versatile.

I bought a scarf for someone recently... now I'm wondering if I should have made one instead!

I can wrap it around my head...

... Or wrap it around my shoulders...

The middle part is two-toned silk; the brown material is raw silk, and the purple material at the end is silk chiffon

Silk brumby

2008-10-26T16:24:00.004+11:00

I made this silk brumby for part of someone's Christmas present. I won't say who, because it'll spoil the surprise (more than it has already)!

This brumby's special because it's made of silk materials. Except for the flowers: I bought them separately and sewed them together. It's meant to look like the flowers horses receive when they win races. The horse itself is made from two-tone silk, raw silk and silk chiffon.

The chiffon reminds me of bridal veils. It's tempting to make a matching stallion with a bow tie and a top hat! I wonder if there's a market for silk horse wedding cake toppers?

Knitting progress

2008-10-25T19:36:00.004+11:00

You might have noticed that I've had "Knitted scarf" written down as a current project for the last few weeks.

I'm not ignoring it, it's just taking a bit longer than it should. I've finished one ball of yarn so far!

I'm not going to be selling it, it's just something I'm making to wear. Mind you, the weather's getting warmer here in Australia, so I think I've missed winter - doh! I hope I'm not still knitting this scarf by the time winter comes around again!

Kitten postage costs

2008-10-24T19:33:00.003+11:00

Kitten hanging on a Christmas tree

I posted a kitten to a friend the other day, and it cost about $2 (not including the envelope)!

It seems it depends on who processes my packages at the post office: some clerks consider a package with one kitten inside a thick letter, and others consider them parcels. The difference in postage costs for letters and parcels is a whopping $7.

I think it's safer for me to keep listing my kittens at the current postage cost ($7.90, which is less than what the post office charges - but if I set my prices any higher than that, customers seem to think I'm overcharging, even though I'm not). And if I happen to get a clerk who considers the package a thick letter, than I'll refund the customer the difference in costs.

It's just annoying that I can't list kittens with postage costs at $2, in case I get a clerk who charges me the parcel rate of $9! I bet a lot more people would purchase kittens if they only cost $2 to post overseas.

Altering clothes

2008-10-23T17:46:00.004+11:00

I bought a hideous Supre dress off eBay because I liked the top part of it. I figured I was never going to wear the dress, so I cut off the bottom half of it and hemmed it. A photo of the dress-turned-top is above - I think it looks much better now! (See below for a photo of the rest of the dress.)

The second piece of clothing I altered this week was a pair of jeans from Portmans. I found them in the bargain section in city store's basement, for $20! Bargain! They were too long, and I didn't like the red bits on the cuffs, so I chopped them off too and hemmed them.

New clothes... yays!

lol, poser... but I have to attempt to make the jeans look good, don't I?

Hideous dress part and cuffs

Woodlander blue

2008-10-21T17:15:00.002+11:00

woodlander blue
Originally uploaded by astulabee

This gorgeous fellow arrived in the mail today. He's officially my favourite thing I've purchased off Etsy, ever!

These guys are handcrafted from wool, and have raw silk faces and silk capelets. I love the embroidered silk hairs - they provide the perfect amount of detail!

Astulabee, the artist, even made an extra blue hoodie for me.

I've been eyeing-off Astulabee's creations for a while, and I'm so proud to be the owner of one of her artworks!

Shop closing for the next few months

2008-10-19T00:32:00.003+11:00

A plushie in the making
I just finished my last custom order for the rest of the year (I'll be taking photos of Smilla tomorrow morning, if you're reading this, Melinda)!

My Etsy shops will be closed during November and most of December. At the moment, it looks like it may be closed for some of January as well, unfortunately.

I'll be closing the shops on 29 October. That means if you'd like to purchase something from my shops before the end of the year, the shops will be open for about another week and a half.

I'll probably write a lengthier post about my end-of-year musings, but to start off, I'd love to say a big thank you to everyone who has purchased one of my creations, shown interest in my work, and especially to those of you who I've had a great time chatting to over the Net. It's been great being able to spread the love! I hope my plushies have made you smile!

Brumbies in Sparrow's Fart Etsy shop now!

2008-10-17T00:10:00.003+11:00

My new brumbies are available in my Sparrow's Fart Etsy shop now.

I love them, they're one of my favourite things I've made. I hope you like them!

See my Flickr for more photos.

Plush Team October challenge

2008-10-14T00:00:00.004+11:00

I made this bunny for the Plush Team's October challenge. To see the Plush Team's other creations, and comment on and vote for your favourites, go to the Plush Team's blog now!

This plushie is available in my Etsy shop.

Black cat in a pink bunny costume

You can pop the hood off!

Storage boxes

2008-10-13T00:09:00.007+11:00

I made some much-needed storage boxes this week.

I wanted the boxes to be white or off-white. At first I attempted to spray paint them. That didn't work too well, so I stapled some calico to the boxes that had shoddy paint jobs. I made lining for two of the boxes as well. I think the boxes turned out all right!

I cut up a sponge and dipped it in acrylic paint to decorate the box

I spray painted this shoebox and sewed a lining to go inside it

A photo of my work station - as you can see I have a bit of a bird obsession!

Names, names, names...

2008-10-11T22:33:00.004+11:00

Okay. I know I changed this blog's URL not long ago, but I'm going to have to change it again, one last time (hopefully).

The new URL will be http://chelscraft.blogspot.com

Why the change? Well, the name "Chelsea's Little Animal Pound" is just that - a name. Most customers know me by my Etsy username, Hamster. So I think I'll stop trying to push the name "Chelsea's Little Animal Pound", and scratch it altogether. That should avoid any confusion.*

I was going make my blog's URL hamster.blogspot.com, but the problem is this blog doesn't cover my Hamster etsy shop exclusively - it covers my other Etsy shop (Sparrow's Fart), and my other craft, sewing and art projects as well. So I decided to go with http://chelscraft.blogspot.com. That should cover everything.

The new URL will be effective in a few days. Sorry to make you all update your bookmarks yet again!

Likewise, my email address will be changing to chelscraft@gmail.com (chelseaslittleanimalpound@gmail.com will no longer be used).

Thank you so much for your patience. I think this will simplify things for everyone!

*You're probably wondering, why Hamster? Don't you make cats? I do indeed - Hamster was my old MSN nickname.

Custom slots

2008-10-11T00:06:00.002+11:00

Chloe pictured with her plush friend - Thanks for the photo, Renee!

I'll be listing a couple of custom slots to my Etsy shop this Sunday (12 October) evening, US time.

This may be the last custom slots available for the rest of the year, so if you'd like a custom kitty, get in quick!

If you'd like a custom dog, please discuss it with me first, because I no longer make all dog breeds.

Also, if you plan to purchase a slot, please make sure you have your photos ready to be emailed to me (or in an online album).

And finally, if you miss out but would like to be notified when my next batch of custom slots is available, please drop me a message (you can email me at chelseaslittleanimalshelter@gmail.com or convo me via Etsy).

Thanks so much for your interest, everyone!

Plushies back from Renegade!

2008-10-10T23:18:00.004+11:00

Well-travelled plushies!
Some of my plushies made it back from the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago! These guys are back up for sale in my Etsy shop now.

So, how did the Fair go, you ask? I wasn't there (the Fair was in Chicago, and I'm in Australia), but I've heard it was raining like crazy and flooding in some areas... despite all that, a few members of the Plush Team braved the weather to put our plushies up for sale.

Thank you so much to those of you who took one of my plushies home!

Totem Exhibition

2008-10-10T13:56:00.005+11:00

I can't remember if I mentioned this earlier, but I'm participating in an exhibition at Fed Square (here in Melbourne) called Totem: Dolls with Souls. It's part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

The exhibition is still up for the rest of the weekend (ends 12 Oct), so if you're in Melbourne, pop down to Fed Square and have a look!

I visited the exhibition yesterday: everyone's dolls turned out so different to each other, yet the whole show was still cohesive. I was really impressed!

The exhibition is inside one of the glass walls at Fed Square's atrium, and it turned out to be an awesome exhibition space.

It was cool seeing something I created, on display in such a public space. And it was cool seeing my name in Fed Square!

Totem was curated by Sayraphim Lothian, who was super-organised and so communicative. She made it a real pleasure to be part of Totem.

See more photos in my Flickr.

Spot my kitty! (Clue: bottom right)

Brumby version 2

2008-10-08T15:16:00.003+11:00

I made some minor adjustments to the my prototype and I think version 2 is an improvement!

I rounded out the bum, and I think the rug is a better fit and looks better in felt.

Version 2 is made of calico, with wool blend felt and hand-embroidered details. His mane and tail are made of acrylic yarn.

The rug is made of wool blend felt with leather front ties.

I think I'll be making a few more of these and posting them in my Sparrow's Fart Etsy shop at a later date.

See my Flickr for more photos!

Version 2 is on the left, and the prototype is on the right

New cats and kittens in the shop

2008-10-07T23:37:00.007+11:00

I've just listed the following cats and kittens to my Etsy shop.

Blue Point Tonkinese, Ginger and White Maine Coon/DLH, and Black cat

Dangle-able Black kitten

Dangle-able Blue Tabby kitten

Dangle-able Seal Point kitten

Brumby prototype

2008-10-06T18:28:00.007+11:00

Brumbies are feral Australian horses.

I've been trying to come up with a horse design for a while, and finally, I bit the bullet and just made one.

If I sell these, they'll be available in my Sparrow's Fart Etsy shop.

Version 2 is on the way! Here's the prototype:

The prototype is made of calico, with wool blend felt and hand-embroidered details. The mane and tail are made of wool.

See my Flickr for more photos.

Also, I made a rug for him to wear!

I can't make all dog breeds anymore...

2008-10-01T13:44:00.005+10:00

After much agonising, I've decided I can't accept custom requests for all dog breeds.

Unlike cats, dogs come in different shapes and sizes, and it's much harder to make them accurately than it is to do so with cats. It just wouldn't feel right sending a plush I'm not happy with to a customer.

If you're interested in a custom dog, please contact me first (either through Etsy conversations or via email at chelseaslittleanimalshelter@gmail.com). I'll let you know whether or not I can do a good enough job at replicating your pup.

(Dogs will still be available in my shop, although they will be Boston Terriers and Collies mainly.)

Kittens!

2008-09-27T13:00:00.010+10:00

Kittens!

These guys are available in my Etsy shop now.

Kittens are back, and are much more awesome now, in my opinion! Dangle them on keyrings, bags, door knobs, Christmas trees... whatever!

They're about 3.25 inches tall and 2.5 inches wide, and like all my plush animals, they're handcrafted with love.

They're made of soft fleece and are stuffed with Hobby Fill. They're soft and squishy. Their eyes are made of felt, and their little noses are hand-embroidered on. And they each have a string attached so you can hang them where ever you like.

Christmas tree ornaments...

Hang them on bags...

Hang them on door knobs...

Attach them to your keys!

Big Milly and the "secret" project

2008-09-22T19:51:00.006+10:00

I made a big plush "Milly" (my cat) last week, just for the fun of it. I don't plan on selling cats this size, I just felt like making a giant one!

My regular-sized Milly is next to big Milly for scale

Also, I've had "secret project" listed under my current projects for a little while. I've been trying to come up with funky-looking toys that I can make with the bright materials I have left over from my bunny-making days. They're a bit kooky; I hope you all like them! They don't have a name yet, for now I'm calling them "Wilde Beests" (someone please tell me if some other plushie-maker is using that name for their toys)!

Wilde Beest Bear

Wilde Beest Rabbit

Custom slots

2008-09-18T21:59:00.005+10:00

Pixar pictured with her plush twin (another previous custom order) - Thanks for the photo, Esther!

Mr Doobie Cat pictured with his plush twin (a previous custom order) - Thanks for the photo, Lise!

I'll be listing one or two custom slots on Sunday September 21 at around 7 pm US Pacific Time.

Sorry about the small number of slots - I've caught three colds in the past three weeks, and the one I have now is by far the worst! On top of being sick chronically, it's not fun! My cold should be gone by the time I start your custom (I wouldn't want to pass it on to you, of course) but I think it's a sign that I should slow down a bit - hence the small number of custom slots being offered this time.

Thanks for your understanding!

Australia Post price changes

2008-09-16T18:35:00.004+10:00

Australia Post have increased their postage prices. International parcels have increased in cost by 3.8%.

I'm absorbing the extra costs and leaving my postage costs as they are - at least for now.

Even before Australia Post's price changes, I was charging less than what Australia Post charges, and was absorbing the extra costs. I do it to keep my postage prices reasonable.

If you see in increase in my postage charges later on, it'll just be because I can't accommodate the extra costs. Thank you all in advance for your understanding!

For the full article on Australia Post's price changes, click here: Price changes effective 15 September 2008

Shop update

2008-09-11T22:33:00.005+10:00

These two kitties are in my Etsy shop now.

Russian Blue

Chocolate Burmese

Also, I won't be able to check my emails this weekend; so I'll reply to any messages and process any sales I receive during this time when I have Internet access again on Monday.

I know a few of you are waiting for custom slots - they'll likely be available not this weekend, but the next weekend. I'll let you know the details closer to the time.

Thanks for your interest, everyone!

Milly's tag and rosette

2008-09-09T18:16:00.008+10:00

I bought a tag from Pure Panache Pets on Etsy last week. I love the colours, and it looks great on Milly!

The teal-coloured circular tag is from Pure Panache Pets

Also, a little while ago I decorated some kitchen towels with kitten prints and lace - I had some materials left over, and this is what I made with the materials and some ribbon:

Completely pointless, but I think it's cute!

Hehe, she looks like she's proud... little dumpling

Shop restock

2008-09-07T21:48:00.000+10:00

These three pretties are available in my Etsy shop now.

Seal Point Siamese, Calico (Tortoiseshell and White), Tabby Point Mix (or Lynx Point Balinese)

Trackie-daks

2008-09-05T14:45:00.008+10:00

I made some tracksuit pants for my boyfriend - it's a long overdue present.

I made my own pattern. It has an elastic waistband at the top, and elastic in the pant hems so the pants don't drag on the floor. My boyfriend's really skinny, and he says it's the first pair of pants he's owned that stays up without a belt or draw-string!

Also, I made a label that says "This is the back"... because somebody couldn't tell which side's the front and which side's the back!

I thought it was obvious!

Milly doing a smashing job as "Project Supervisor"

She chose a convenient location from which she could oversee the project... on top of the fabric I was trying to cut!

What to do with scraps

2008-09-01T19:33:00.001+10:00

I try not to waste any material I buy.

I'm a hoarder, and I can't bear throwing away even the tinest of scraps when I'm making my plush cats. One day I decided to sort all my scraps into piles...

A fleece "edge" pile (the edges of the fleece I buy curls up - it's difficult to describe)

A "large scraps" pile

And a "small scraps" pile

I find fleece "edges" from my first pile make good Australian animals tails.

An Australian animal with a fleece edge tail

I used some of the large scraps from my second pile to make Milly a rug, which she loves.

Birds on the rug from top to bottom, left to right: Brolga, Purple Swamphen, Flame Robin, Galah, Scarlet Honeyeater

Milly checking out the rug

Milly deciding she likes the rug

She didn't leave the rug the entire day except to eat dinner, after which, she returned to her new rug promptly!

And here's the secret - I sewed a zip to the side of the rug, and put a sachet of dried catnip inside

Finally, I used small scraps from my third pile to fill a dress mannequin I made.

Here's how I made it: first, I bought a large stick from Bunnings, and nailed a cardboard box to the middle of the stick.

Then, I measured myself and cut out corresponding pieces of material (using leftover purple fleece from my bunny-making days.

I sewed the pieces of material together, then pulled it over the cardboard box. I filled the rest of the space inside with small fleece scraps, sewed up the bottom of the mannequin.

It might not be perfect, but I saved myself $450 (which is what I would have spent if I bought a proper dress mannequin)!

It turned out too big, so I'm going to have to make some adjustments to "slim" it down to my size!

Hamster Etsy shop restock

2008-08-30T23:07:00.000+10:00

These new stuffies are available in my Etsy shop now:

Maine Coon

Odd-eyed White Devon Rex

Seal Point Siamese with a tail kink

Tabby

Feel free to request any non-custom cats you've seen in my shop for the next shop restock.

Black wrap dress

2008-08-28T09:40:00.001+10:00

Photo of the black dress I made - the belt was bought
I finished making my dress, finally. It's a black wrap dress with elbow-length sleeves and a collar.

I hand-sew my plush cats, but for clothing, I use my sewing machine. I'm still learning: while making this dress I learnt how to do an easestitch, staystitch, understitch and blind hem. I learnt how to baste and fuse interfacing too.

This dress is the first thing I've made using a pattern made by someone else. I bought the pattern from Butterick.com for $2.99!

I think it turned out quite well!

I was mentioned on the Plush Team blog!

2008-08-26T00:45:00.003+10:00

We interrupt this broadcast for a current news flash: I got a mention on the Plush Team blog! Check out the entry here:

http://www.plushteam.com/2008/08/20-days-untill-renegade.html

The Plush Team are counting down 'til the Renegade Craft Fair (Chicago). It's very exciting because it's the first time I'm participating in a fair. At times like this, I wish I could be in the US; it would be great seeing my plushies for sale at a craft fair stall! All of you who live in or close to Chicago will just have to check it out for me, and take lots of photos!

Sparrow's Fart shop restock

2008-08-23T19:32:00.010+10:00

I've just listed some new Australian animal plushies. They're available in my other Etsy shop, Sparrow's Fart, now.

The new batch of animals includes an antechinus, a bilby, a Kookaburra and a kangaroo.

As some of you know, I have two shops on Etsy: the main shop is called Chelsea's Little Animal Shelter (my username is Hamster) and features plush cats and dogs; the second shop is called Sparrow's Fart and features my Australian animals.

Each Australian animal is one-of-a-kind, and won't be found anywhere else but at Sparrow's Fart.

These unique Aussie animals are individually handmade using a 100% cotton print featuring vintage Australian beer and food advertisements; so no two will ever be the same. Each animal is made from a cotton print on one side, and the other side is made of soft fleece.

Bob the antechinus

Bill the bilby

Bernard the kangaroo

Barry the Kookaburra

www.sparrowsfart.etsy.com

Custom slots available this weekend

2008-08-21T14:22:00.003+10:00

I'll be listing four custom slots this Sunday evening (August 24, US Pacific time) on my Etsy shop.

If you plan to purchase a slot, you'll need an Etsy account (they're easy to set up, and they're free). Also, please make sure you have pet photographs ready to be emailed to me (or on an online album).

Often it takes me a few minutes for me to list all the slots, so please keep refreshing your browser.

If you miss out this time, let me know if you'd like me to give you a heads up when the next batch of custom slots is available.

Thanks, everyone, for your interest in my work!

Cartoon character drawing

2008-08-17T18:58:00.012+10:00

I drew a Superb Fairy-wren (a type of bird found in Australia) cartoon character for my boyfriend to use in his planning presentation. Here are some of my drawings of the bird - I think he's cute!

Sam the Superb Fairy-wren

Sam the Superb Fairy-wren with some of his friends: a White-browed Scrubwren, a Striated Pardalote, and a White-plumed Honeyeater

As you can tell from the caption above, I'm a bit nuts about birds. I love drawing too, so this was the perfect project for me!

Magnets

2008-08-12T23:10:00.005+10:00

My shop magnets have arrived! It's a shame they arrived only days after I sent the Renegade 10 off, but it's mostly my fault; I should have ordered them earlier.

Anyway, they're here and will be given out with each order sold through my Etsy shop.

Cats on magnets: Russian Blue, Seal Point Siamese, Dilute Tortoiseshell and White (Calico), Black and White, Tabby, Blue Point Birman, and Tabby and White.

Etsy shop re-stock, and Plush Team project

2008-08-10T23:32:00.008+10:00

I've re-stocked my Etsy shop with a few animals, including a pair of Siamese twin Siamese cats that I made for the Etsy Plush Team project called Let's All Go to the Fair!

For the Let's All Go to the Fair project, Etsy Plush Team members can create plushies that fall under the following categories:

1. Midway food
2. Livestock
3. Sideshow creatures

I chose sideshow creatures, obviously! Here they are:

Siamese twin Siamese cats!

And here are the rest of the new plushies in my Etsy shop now:

Golden Persian (behind), Pug, Black cat with white spot, Siamese twin Siamese cats (behind), Ginger Tabby and white cat

It took me a while to take photos of the new toys, because somebody kept getting in the way, hehe!

Silly Milly...

She moved, eventually; happy to survey the new kitties from a distance.

Renegade cats

2008-08-05T15:34:00.000+10:00

The Renegade 10
I've finished making my cats for the Renegade Craft Fair, finally.

If you're wondering where half the stock from my Etsy shop has gone, I've pulled some of the items from my Etsy shop to send them off to Chicago to be sold at the Renegade Craft Fair alongside toys from other Etsy Plush Team members.

Making the last few cats to be sent to the Renegade Craft Fair didn't take as long as I took to complete my special order, because making cats is a lot faster when I'm not bed-ridden! For those of you who don't know, I have a chronic condition that sometimes makes me bed-ridden. That's why it can take me a while to complete orders sometimes. (That's also why I can list custom slots only at certain times.)

My chronic condition isn't the the reason my latest batch of custom cats have taken so long to complete, though. I'm waiting to receive some photographs from the people who purchased the last two custom slots I'm working on. Once those two cats are complete, I plan on listing the next batch of custom slots. (Email me at chelseaslittleanimalshelter@gmail.com if you'd like to know when I list the custom slots.)

Also, I made some tags to go with the cats being sent to the Renegade Craft Fair. The cats I list on Etsy don't have tags (they just have a small tag that says "Thank you!" on it).

A Siberian Husky, part of the Renegade 10, pictured with his tag

It's a shame I haven't received the one-inch magnets I bought from a seller on Etsy yet; I was hoping to include the magnets as promotional goodies to go with any toys that are sold at the Renegade Craft Fair! Oh well, my good old Flickr mini-cards and hand-stamped cards will have to suffice.

Special orders finished

2008-08-03T16:24:00.004+10:00

Now that my special orders are done, I can focus all my attention on getting some cats made up for the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago. I'll be sending a bunch of toys to Chicago to be part of the Plush Team stall at the Renegade Craft Fair. The toys have to be in the US by mid-September, and I have to leave enough time for international shipping, so really it's quite urgent that I get them made and shipped off within the next week or so. I'll take photos of all the cats going to Chicago when I've finished making them.

Cutting pattern pieces... for a dress

2008-07-27T19:45:00.005+10:00

Okay... so, I may have gotten a bit waylaid from my main project at the moment, which is making a bunch of cats to be sent to Chicago's Renegade Craft Fair.

I found myself cutting out some pattern pieces for a dress earlier this week. Oops! Oh well, rest assured, I have stopped, and am back to making some cats to be sent over to Chicago.

Once those kitties are made, I will be re-stocking my shop. So for those who are waiting for some new stock to arrive in my Etsy shop, hang tight! :)

Milly, making herself comfortable while she "helps out"!

Plush Team!

2008-07-15T21:06:00.005+10:00

I'm officially a new member of Etsy's Plush Team!

I've participated in two projects so far. The first was to make a plush version of the Plush Team mascot, "P T Stitchy". He's up for sale in my Etsy shop now.

The second project was to create a replica of a childhood plush, in our own style.

I'm looking forward to more fun projects coming up.

Name change

2008-06-17T23:08:00.008+10:00

I'm changing my shop name from Chelsea's Little Animal Pound to Chelsea's Little Animal Shelter.

The word "Pound" could be associated with confinement and imprisonment, and I don't want to give the impression that I support that.

So, my new shop name is Chelsea's Little Animal Shelter. Accordingly, I'll be changing the URL of this blog to http://chelseaslittleanimalshelter.blogspot.com.

Before I change this blog's URL, I thought I'd give you the chance to update this URL in your bookmarks.

I'll be changing our address in one week's time. The new URL won't work until then, but please update your bookmarks now.

So, here's my new blog address: http://chelseaslittleanimalshelter.blogspot.com

Please update your bookmarks! Thank you!

Colourful kitties

2008-06-16T01:29:00.009+10:00

Here's the latest batch of kitties, available in my shop now:
A Snoeshoe, Blue Point Siamese, Tortoiseshell-Tabby (Torbie) and White, Seal Point Siamese, Savannah Cat, and Blue Cream Persian.

You can't really see the Blue Cream Persian in that photo, so here's another one:

And a photo of his back:

This kitty's back was made by hand-sewing individual patches of different-coloured craft fur together.

Latest kitties

2008-06-08T19:15:00.004+10:00

Here's the latest batch of plushies! For sale in my etsy shop now.

Huskies, a Miniature Schnauzer, a Golden Persian, and a partially-shaved Chinchilla Persian.

A Champagne/Dilute Ginger Tabby and White, a Grey and White cat, a Seal Point Siamese, and more!

Crazy-eyed cats

2008-06-04T12:40:00.006+10:00

Life has gotten a bit crazy, so I'm getting behind with re-stocking the shop. I have a few new doggies that I haven't taken photos of yet. So, for now I'll post some photos of some of my latest cats and dogs, in case you missed them in the shop.

Slightly cross-eyed red point Siamese.

Lazy-eyed tabby and white cat.

Tri-colour Collie.

Blue Abyssinian.

More customs!

2008-05-27T22:03:00.007+10:00

I made three custom cats for craftybirdy on Etsy a little while ago, and I *had* to share these photos she took with you:

Dexter and his plush twin. Such an elegant-looking kitty!

Alex and his plush twin. (I hear Alex and his twin still feel a bit awkward with each other ;))

St John and his plush twin. Isn't the real St John such a cutie?

Photos courtesy of their owner, craftybirdy on Etsy.

100 sales

2008-05-20T14:08:00.003+10:00

100 sales on Etsy, hoorah!

Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest in my plushies, I'm very grateful! :)

New custom slots and prices

2008-05-19T00:30:00.005+10:00

I've just listed some custom slots on Etsy.

I've had to raise the price for customs, they're now a flat rate of US$35.

I've had to up the price because I put a lot of care and effort into customs. They usually have more details than my regular kitties do, and each one takes me at least a day to complete. I really put my heart into making customs; and I can no longer work myself to death for US$16.95 a day.

That said, I really do enjoy doing customs. And I wish I could take everyone's requests, but I just get more requests than I can handle. So, I've upped the price and have decided to list custom slots whenever they're available.

I'm looking forward to doing this batch of customs. Whether I'm making a plush version of a current pet, or making a plush cat to commemorate a kitty that's left us, having satisfied customers at the end of the process makes me happy :)

My pets, finally!

2008-05-15T22:33:00.005+10:00

I've finally had a chance to make a plush version of my own dog! Here's plush Cassie, the Blue Merle Rough Collie:
You can't see it very well in the photograph, but one of her eyes really is blue, and the other is brown.

And I changed the colour of Milly's eyes, they're a much better match now!

Customs, customs, customs!

2008-05-09T12:38:00.007+10:00

I've been inundated with custom orders for the last few weeks. I finished the last one yesterday, finally!

I thought I'd show you three of my favourite customs:

1) Rory, the Classic Tabby Persian

2) Mia, the Tortoiseshell Point Himalayan

3) And Rosie the Tortoiseshell and White/Calico

Sadly, I can't do custom or wholesale orders at this time. I will be offering custom slots in my Etsy shop towards the end of the month. Get in quick, since customs seem to be popular, and I can only take on so many at one time :)

If you'd like to be notified when these custom slots are available, please send an email to chelseaslittleanimalshelter@gmail.com.

Thanks for your interest!

Behind the scenes

2008-05-06T19:04:00.008+10:00

Here's a quick behind-the-scenes look at how my plushies are made.

(If you own any cats from Chelsea's Little Animal Shelter, please cover their eyes; they might find the following photos a bit upsetting!)

1) First, I draw a sketch if the cat I'm going to make. Then, I cut out all the pieces of material I need, and sew them together.

2) The cat is stuffed...

2) The tag and the tail are the last pieces that are attached to the cat.

4) And lo and behold... a kitteh!

The part that takes the longest is cutting out all the pieces and sewing them together.

And obviously, the more detailed the cat, the longer it takes. Tabbies tend to take a lot longer because it takes time to sew on the stripes and other details.

Divine duo

2008-04-27T22:45:00.005+10:00

This divine duo have been put up for sale at Chelsea's Little Animal Pound. The photo below shows the latest batch of kitties. There aren't very many since I've been pretty busy with some custom orders! Thanks for your interest everyone! :D

New cats in stock

2008-04-21T12:44:00.005+10:00

Thanks to everyone who bought a bunny during the sale. :)

There's some new stock in the shop now; there are lots more cats, so have a look.

Take one home today!

www.hamster.etsy.com

Custom prices

2008-04-17T16:54:00.011+10:00

Here are the new prices for custom animals.

Custom cat (regular): $16.95
Custom cat (Tabby): $19.99
Custom cat (other complicated pattern, e.g. Bengals): $21.99

Custom dog (existing breed): $19.99
Custom dog (new breed): $21.99
Custom dog (new breed, with a complicated pattern): $24.95

Prices are in US dollars.

White half-deaf cat (an example of a "regular" cat)

Seal Point Siamese (another example of a "regular" cat)

Black and White cat (another example of a "regular" cat)

Tabby

Silver Tabby, back

Snow Spotted Bengal (an example of a custom cat with an "other complicated pattern")

SALE!

2008-04-11T20:48:00.004+10:00

www.hamster.etsy.com

Massive sale! Up to 70% off plush bunnies! Grab a bargain stuffie for just $5!

Please come and have a look. :)

www.hamster.etsy.com

Watch out, kitties! The dogs are in town.

2008-04-06T18:04:00.007+10:00

Dogs!

The first three doggies at Chelsea's Little Animal Pound are up for grabs in my Etsy store now.

So far, there is an Australian Kelpie (or Dobermann), a Sable Collie, and a Yellow Labrador.

If there is interest in these guys, I'll have a go at making more breeds.

Cats!

2008-04-02T19:05:00.007+11:00

This is the newest batch of cats. There's a range of breeds and colours: Silver Tabby, Seal Point Siamese, Snowshoe, Chocolate Point Siamese, Tortoiseshell and White/Calico, and Tabby.

I'm going to be phasing out the bunnies, except for a select few that seem to be the most popular. I'll be making more cats from now on. And a few doggies might be on the horizon!

Silver Tabby, back

Snowshoe cat

Chocolate Point Siamese

Sparrow's Fart

2008-03-30T18:26:00.004+11:00

www.sparrowsfart.etsy.com

My Australian animals haven't been selling too well. I've gotten lots of nice comments about them, but people often say that they look so different from my other toys.

So, I've opened a separate shop for them on Etsy. Now that they've got their own shop, I hope it'll be easier to find customers who want to buy them.

Check out the new shop at: www.sparrowsfart.etsy.com

Custom kitties

2008-03-24T00:21:00.005+11:00

Sorry for the lack of news lately. Rest assured, things have been busy at Chelsea's Little Animal Pound.

More and more kitties are appearing in the shop, and I have some surprises just around the corner.

I'm also doing custom cats now. Milly (my cat) is pictured below with her mini-twin!

If you're interested in getting a custom kitty, drop me an email (chelseaslittleanimalshelter@gmail.com), or convo me on Etsy.

Cats

2008-02-29T17:45:00.008+11:00

Ta-dah! Here's my new range of kitty cats. They come in a variety of cat colours: Seal Point, Blue Point, Tabby, Dilute Tortoiseshell and White/Calico, and more.

I'm considering creating a custom listing for a plush cat, done to the likeness of your pet cat. I'd love some feedback about this idea.

Have a look at more photos at this link: http://www.flickr.com/gp/7356883@N07/K91677

Seal Point Siamese and Blue Point Birman

Tabbies

Tuxedo cat

Dilute Tortoiseshell and White/Calico

100 Etsy users' favourite!

2008-02-25T19:15:00.002+11:00

100

Today, 100 Etsy users have listed our Etsy shop as one of their favourites! Hooray!

Busy, busy, busy!

2008-02-20T16:42:00.003+11:00

Cheshire cats, multiplying!
Remember this guy? A little while ago, I entered a plushie-making competition.

My entry didn't win, but Jen (the person running the competition) said she'd still like to offer my entry at her booth and see which version -- my plushie or the winner's plushie -- sells better.

Jen ordered 15 of these guys, so I can't do any custom orders at the moment. I'll be relisting custom orders in March.

New Australian animals

2008-02-15T15:43:00.010+11:00

Australian animals
I have a new line of Australian animals being released at my Etsy shop now.

These wonderfully unique Aussie critters include antechinuses, wallabies, bilbies, koalas, and soon to come are quokkas, possums and pademelons. Don't know what these animals are? Who cares! You won't find anything like them anywhere else.

These guys are each hand-sewn, using a 100% cotton print featuring vintage Australian beer and food advertisements; so no two will ever be the same. Each animal has one side made from a cotton print, and the other side made of soft fleece.

The first antechinus, bilby, wallaby and koala are available in my Etsy shop now.

Arun the bilby

Arun the bilby, reverse side

Arthur the antechinus

Arthur the antechinus, reverse side

Alvin the koala

Alvin the koala

Albert the wallaby

New bunnies

2008-02-08T19:12:00.000+11:00

Only some of our new bunnies
A new batch of bunnies are available now. Some of them have been made in the new colours I purchased a little while ago.

I'm in the process of listing them on Etsy, but for a sneak preview, I've posted some photos here and on my Flickr page.

Mr Hopeless, in a new colour: rich brown

Mr Hopeless comes with a felt rose, handmade by me

Colin the cooties bunny, in a new colour: periwinkle blue

Gerald, in a new colour: dark grey

Happy birthday Mofo bunny

Happy birthday Mofo bunny

Door hanger bunnies

2008-02-06T17:38:00.000+11:00

Door hangers

My new line of door hanger bunnies are out. They're all up for sale at my shop, www.hamster.etsy.com.

These guys are smaller, slightly more affordable; and since they're door hangers, they have a function.

Decorate your door with them! Switch them around when your mood changes!

There's also a custom door hanger listing available at my shop.

My room, my mess, my problem door hanger

Don't bug me door hanger

Come in! door hanger

Staff only! door hanger

Plushie-making competition

2008-02-05T21:02:00.000+11:00

Etsy user, juror2, is having a plushie-making competition. Here's a link to more pics of my entry.

http://www.flickr.com/gp/7356883@N07/J273sC

Juror2 is launching a new children's book called the Queen of Hearts Learns to Share, and she wants to sell a plushie of one of the characters alongside the book.

She was nice enough to ask if I wanted to enter the competition, and I said I'd love to give it a go!

Mikiye Creations' blog

2008-02-05T13:43:00.001+11:00

A few days ago, Chelsea's Little Animal Pound was featured on www.mikiyecreations.blogspot.com, a fellow Etsy seller! She's made a few entries since, so you might have to scroll down a fair way to see her entry about us.

How flattering!

New colours!

2008-01-30T13:53:00.001+11:00

New colours
I have a new line of animals coming soon.

Saturday was the most exciting day ever, because Spotlight ordered a whole new range of fleece colours! I'm so excited because these are the colours I originally wanted to use to make my animals.

The new fleece colours I have are light grey, tan, a rich brown, and periwinkle blue.

Here are my first two creations with the new colours (see pics). Travis the travel bunny is up for sale on Etsy, and Bear will be available on Etsy soon.

Bear, and Travis the travel bunny.

The backs of Travis the travel bunny and Bear. Travis the travel bunny has a leather heart hand-sewn onto his back, and the words "Travel bunny", which is hand-embroidered.

Travis the travel bunny, for sale at www.hamster.etsy.com.

Travis the travel bunny comes with his own soft, hand-sewn leather suitcase; as well as his teddy bear, some rope (always useful for travellers and explorers) and a little watch so he never misses his train. (The watch has stopped, but should work again if the battery is replaced.)

Custom slots, now available on Etsy.com!

2008-01-26T20:38:00.000+11:00

I have some custom slots available now on Etsy.com.

So, if you're looking for a personalised gift for somebody; whether it's a birthday, anniversary, or just for fun; a custom bunny is a unique gift that almost everyone will enjoy. Check out my custom listings for more info.

Available colours

Smokey the Tasmanian devil; a custom animal

Speedy Jumpy the Rabbit, with "Angie" hand-embroidered on his tush; a custom bunny

New line, "Slightly Insane" animals

2008-01-22T20:33:00.000+11:00

I have a new line of medium-sized bunnies for sale on Etsy. This line of bunnies is called "Slightly Insane" animals.

Slightly Insane animals: YaY! bunny, o rly? cat, and LOL! bunny.

Chels Craft

Saffy's new collar

Doggie coat

Moving madness

Blue

Wool scarf

12 inch cats

Embroidered badge

Progress

All about cat breeds: pointed colours

Heigh ho

US-bound

Take a nap...

Custom cats to CA

All about cat breeds: Russian Blues, British Blues, Chartreux cats, Korats, and Blue Domestic Shorthairs

All plushies start life as a drawing

All about cat breeds: Birmans, Ragdolls and Himalayans (colour-pointed Persians)

All about cat breeds: domestics

Inspiration

Cutie-pies in shop

Researching royalty

Silk belt

My first proper artwork since school

In progress...

Bushfires

Pam's horse

Custom slots in shop

British Blue, Siamese, Black and White

Shops up and running again!

Chicken

End of year reflections

Shops down

Another cartoon character, Ben

Silk scarf

Silk brumby

Knitting progress

Kitten postage costs

Altering clothes

Woodlander blue

Shop closing for the next few months

Brumbies in Sparrow's Fart Etsy shop now!

Plush Team October challenge

Storage boxes

Names, names, names...

Custom slots

Plushies back from Renegade!

Totem Exhibition

Brumby version 2

New cats and kittens in the shop

Brumby prototype

I can't make *all* dog breeds anymore...

Kittens!

Big Milly and the "secret" project

Custom slots

Australia Post price changes

Shop update

Milly's tag and rosette

Shop restock

Trackie-daks

What to do with scraps

Hamster Etsy shop restock

Black wrap dress

I was mentioned on the Plush Team blog!

Sparrow's Fart shop restock

Custom slots available this weekend

Cartoon character drawing

Magnets

Etsy shop re-stock, and Plush Team project

Renegade cats

Special orders finished

Cutting pattern pieces... for a dress

Plush Team!

Name change

Colourful kitties

Latest kitties

Crazy-eyed cats

More customs!

100 sales

New custom slots and prices

My pets, finally!

I can't make all dog breeds anymore...