Cool blog Mondays

I'm not one for collecting plushies, softies of whatever name those cute little cuddly toys can have. But in the past year, I have seen so many amazing handmade gems, I could well be tempted. Starting with Stephanie Congdon Barnes and her beautiful creatures straight out of fairy tales. Her creations are so popular, she sells out as soon as they are on her blog.

Isn't that lion just beautiful?
Softies have caught my eye so much that a few months back in Wellington I just HAD to buy a book on how to make some. It's cleverly called Softies. I have made one model out of it, but still haven't got round to making any others. On my yard long "to do" list. You can also find lots of patterns online, my favorite one so far is the whale on Small Dream Factory. Also on my "to do" list. The best thing of all when making them is that you can often use bits of scrap fabric to make them, leftover from a bigger project. And they make great presents for welcoming a newborn!

If you are starting to feel tickled by it all,  Softies Central is another blog all about the little buggers and the talented crafters behind them.
I also found this great one on Two Little Banshees: