A few weeks ago, I got a convo from an Etsy buyer asking me if I would make her a custom toy… I’ve received convos like this before, but most of the time, they really just want one of my designs in a larger size or it doesn’t end up coming through because the buyers expectations of quality can’t meet the price they expect to pay.  (I love a challenge, but it’s hard to deliver a good product when buyers expect to only pay about $30 for at least 10 hours of work.. ouch.)

But, this custom order went through very smoothly.  :)  She asked me to make a kettle bell (don’t worry, I didn’t know what it was either until she sent me a link–it’s basically a weight that’s a ball with a handle) and I figured that after some minor pattern adjustments, this was something we could definitely work out.

I’m really proud of how it turned out!  It’s pretty big at 11″ x 11″ and I’m very satisfied with the felt applique I made and hand stitched on the back.  Check it out!

Buffy the kettle bell is the toughest physical trainer out there. She’s worked with celebrities, royalty, and CEOs, but her favorite clients are the nice “Average Joes”. She’s loyal and will stay by your side as long as you need her–but really, who would let go of this cutie?

I love how the applique turned out.  I chose a font I liked (I used Rockwell which you can download at dafont.com for FREE) and sized it to what I needed in Word.  To save some ink, when to Font and check the outline box since I only needed the shape of the letters to be printed out.  Then I cut the letters out and traced it onto the gray felt with a disappearing marker (you can buy it for a few dollars at Joann’s.  TOTALLY WORTH IT.)  And here comes the time consuming part, I hand stitched the letters onto the finished plushie with a simple backstitch.  Hulu helped me pass the time.  I watched last week’s episodes of Parks and Recreation and the Office.  :)

Want one of your own?  Send me an email to jane@janiexy.com and I’ll re-list it for you!

Sergio and I LOVE going to the movies.  Now, we’re so busy making toys, we only get to make it out about once or twice a month (we used to go about 2x a week…I can’t tell you how many times we got to the theater and realized we already watched every movie there..).  As you know, a big part about the whole movie experience is the popcorn but I just hate getting those darn kernels stuck between my teeth and gums.  Ouch!

That’s why I created a plushie popcorn!  It’s huggable and has all the fun of popcorn, without those annoying kernels!  It’s fresh off the sewing machine, so I haven’t thought of a name or story yet, but I do know that each of these babies will be slightly different (making yours that much more special) and most likely limited edition.  Here are some pictures!

That’s hand stitched tan felt on the bottom to give it that contrast that real popcorn has.

I especially have an appreciation for them when they’re handmade… by someone other than me. My awesome friend, Sarah, made this Yeti for me after I told her that I’ve found a new appreciation for them after I watched an episode of Monster Quest. They’re pretty cool.. And because my friend is so cool, I’m naming this Yeti, Sarah.

Sarah (the person) is a hobby crafter so she doesn’t sell her creations, but I’m pretty sure that if I saw this little guy, I would buy it… *hint hint* Sarah…

So, meet Sarah (The Yeti)!

Yay!  About 2 weeks into this blog and we have our first bit of recognition.  (At least what I know of.  Maybe I should google myself.)  The awesome, awesome blog, One Pretty Thing has featured my pattern of our favorite cat–Ramses.  And the coolest part–maybe tied with the fact that we’ve been featured–is that my very good friend, Amy from Mod Podge Rocks, project got featured as well!  Well, she wrote the project for a blog swap she did with Somewhat Simple.  Phew!  That was a lot of links for one post!

Thanks again One Pretty Thing!  And make sure to check out the other links.  But make sure you have time because you can get lost in all the great projects and posts in these blogs.  I ♥ crafting.

I love plushies.  They’re soft, cute, and they’re a fun and quick project!  I was like you about 4 months ago.  I loved them but it seemed impossible to find free patterns online of plushies that were simple to make.  Fortunately, I somehow woke up with the knowledge one day of how to make them and now I’m sharing the wealth!

Ramses is a new member of the Janie XY family.  Here’s his story:

Ramses was named after the great Pharaoh (um, his name was Ramses in case you were wondering).  Unfortunately, this cat doesn’t like all the attention or responsibilities that comes with being someone in the public eye.  He enjoys his privacy, likes to read under the dining table,  and in his own words, “excels at mediocrity”.  His parents don’t always approve of his behavior as they’re celebrities (you might have seen them before–they were extras in The Aristocats) but Ramses could care less.

Download the Pattern by clicking the link below:

Download Ramses the Cat Pattern

If you like Ramses, check out my shop!