Lovable Ladybugs in Handmade Plush Crochet

American ladybugs are red with black spots.  Asian ladybugs are yellow or orange. Plush ladybugs handmade in crochet in red, yellow and orange are simply adorable!  Each of these plush ladybugs can be found in my Etsy Shop Coastal Crochet Crafts.

Let's take a closer look at each one.

Red Ladybug in Crochet

 

Plush Ladybug in Red

Red Lady Bug loves warm weather and garden-time, flitting and frolicking among the plants. Since she's a plushie, she's also fun to cuddle.

This Red Lady Bug measures about 6-1/2" long and 5" high and is 4" across. She's hand-crocheted in durable acrylic yarn in red and black and softly stuffed with polyfil. Her antennae are crocheted and her facial features are embroidered in red on a black face.

Pretty Yellow Ladybug in Plush

 

Handmade Crochet Yellow Ladybug

This is my plush crocheted replica of a Yellow Lady Bug!

Yellow lady bug is bright and cheerful and loves sunshine and flitting about the garden.

Yellow Lady Bug measures about 7" long and 5" high and is 4" across. She's hand-crocheted in washable acrylic yarn in yellow and black and softly stuffed with polyfil. Her antennae are crocheted and her facial features are embroidered in yellow on a black face. 

Adorable Orange Ladybug Stuffed Toy

 

Handmade Ladybug in Orange Crochet

Orange ladybug is a fun toy ladybug who measures about 6" long and 5" high and is 4" across. Hand-crocheted in washable acrylic yarn in orange and black and softly stuffed with polyfil, orange ladybug has crocheted antennae and embroidered facial features in orange on a black face.

Ladybugs, ladybugs.... at home on Etsy

 

Red, Yellow and Orange Plush Ladybugs

Whether red, yellow or orange, a ladybug plushie is an adorable stuffed toy!  Come visit my plush ladybugs currently waiting for your visit at Coastal Crochet Crafts on Etsy.

Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home...

 

Well, what if a ladybug hasn't learned to fly?  Here's a cute storybook about a ladybug learning to fly.  In the story called "Look Out, Ladybug!" we follow a little ladybug as she bumps into all kinds of animals along the way while trying to learn to fly.  Children who are learning new things will understand the 'practice-makes-perfect' message. 

For Ladybug designs in home decor, check out these hand-crafted ideas, including ladybug coasters and kitchen refrigerator magnets and a quilted purse in a ladybug print.








Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

A Pair of Purple Plush Penguins in Crochet

Penguins are a group of aquatic flightless birds who live in the Southern Hemisphere.  They are typically tuxedo black and white in coloring, except for the Australian Little Blue Penguin.

Purple Penguins in Plush

When penguins are handmade by crocheting them in yarn, they become a plush toy which can be any color you can imagine.  Today we are going to look at a pair of penguins created in shades of purple who are currently living in the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts. In addition to liking shades of purple, I just discovered that Ultra Violet is the Pantone Color of the Year for 2018, so these purple penguins are definitely up-to-date! :)

Purple Plush Penguin

Paul the Purple Plush Penguin

Come meet Paul, a purple plush penguin pal handmade in crochet.

Created in purple and white acrylic yarn, Paul the Purple Penguin is stuffed with soft new polyfil and has lock-washer safety craft eyes for features, along with his gold crocheted beak and feet.

Paul Penguin is a squeezably soft purple penguin plush animal who measures a roly-poly round 5 x 5 inches.  

Lavender Penguin in Crochet

Lori, the Lavender Plush Penguin

Paul's penguin friend Lori loves being a plush penguin because she can be an imaginary color for a penguin and she chose her favorite, Lavender!

Lori is a plush Penguin handmade in a lavender shade of acrylic yarn. She is stuffed with soft new polyfil and has safety eyes for features, along with a beak and feet that are crocheted in gold yarn.   Lori measures a roly-poly round 5 x 5 inches.

If You Were a Penguin …

 

Colorful Penguin Colony

If you were a plush penguin, you could be purple or lavender or any color you chose.  The Coastal Crochet Craft Etsy Shop has a bunch of plush penguins available in all the colors of the rainbow, plus the standard tuxedo color combination.  Check out the Penguins in the shop's Penguins in Plush  section and see a virtual rainbow of color choices, including those in shades of purple. These plush penguins love visitors.

A Book about Penguins

Penguin book available on Amazon

This darling picture book for ages 4 to 8 years is a cute way to help children imagine what it would be like to be a penguin.  Told in rhymes, the story introduces scenes of penguin life from swimming underwater to tobogganing on ice.  If You Were a Penguin book is a delight for young children. 

For a selection of penguin-related gift ideas, check out this Penguins & Polar Bears Gift Guide.

Penguin Awareness Day is January 20 

 (c) Written by Wednesday Elf on 4/8/2015. Updated on 1/19/2018




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Playful Dinosaurs as Stuffed Animals and Toys

Playful toy dinosaurs are favorites of children. These ancient creatures seem to hold a fascination for kids and are enjoyed in many forms of plush animals and toys.

There are many different kinds of dinosaurs whose names I've always found hard to pronounce (or even remember), but most little boys can name them all.

Babysaurus - Dinosaur Baby Plush Toy

 

Babysaurus - the Plush Toy Baby Dinosaur

My favorite dinosaur is a plush toy version called a  babysaurus.  I created it in crochet with the thought in mind that it would make a darling new baby gift.  

Hand-crocheted in soft pale yellow acrylic yarn, babysaurus measures 21 inches from his nose to the tip of his tail and stands 10" tall at his head. In addition to having a pretty yellow body, babysaurus has pastel green spots and the pads of his feet are green. The mouth is crocheted in light pink yarn and the eyes are blue crocheted circles. A pastel delight, this dandy dinosaur is available in my Etsy Shop Coastal Crochet Crafts. 

Babysaurus Comes with Baby Blocks

 

Set of Baby Blocks for Babysaurus

Baby dinosaur also comes with a set of four blocks which spell out B A B Y.  Created with plastic canvas and acrylic yarn, the blocks make a cute decor accent for a baby's room and can be played with when baby is a bit bigger.

Wood Toy Dinosaur

 

Waldorf style Toy Dinosaur

A friend of mine in Missouri creates beautiful wooden toys with a scroll saw.  This Waldorf style toy dinosaur  This Waldorf hand cut wooden toy dinosaur will provide hours of imaginative fun for your little one. Perfectly sized for little hands, with rounded edges and an all natural polish, this dinosaur is safe for children ages 3+.

Susan's dinosaur toys can be found in her very charming Etsy shop she calls “Ooh Look! It's a Rabbit!”. The shop is filled with many other kinds of wooden hand-cut scroll saw toys, including a rabbit! 

Other Dinosaur Gifts

For more dinosaur stuffed animals and toys, check out this Dinosaur Gift Guide.

RAWR!  That means 'I Love You' in Dinosaur talk!

SUPER CUTE Dinosaur Poster RAWR small by bunnieclaire

 

(c) Wednesday Elf 3/11/2015. Updated 5/16/2020

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Plush Panda Bears

Crochet Panda Bear

This is an introduction to my hand-crafted interpretation of a Giant Panda Bear and those of other crafters who love to create plush animals as I do. 

The above cute Panda Bear currently resides in my Etsy Shop where he would welcome your visit.  Panda Bear is just one of the collection of bears (and bear-related items) who frolic in my Land of Crochet.  

Giant Panda Bear in Crochet

Plush Panda Bear in Crochet

This toy Giant Panda Bear is hand-crocheted in black & white acrylic yarn and filled with soft, new polyfil. His features are crocheted and embroidered, with plastic safety eyes in the center of the black 'patches'. 

This little roly-poly panda is just 5 x 6 inches and weighs about 8 ounces, a much better size to be a child's playmate as compared to the real Giant Panda who lives in the mountains of Central China and can grow to 4-6 feet tall and weigh over 250 pounds. 

 The Red Panda

Red Panda Cards by Sylvestermouse
 

The Red Panda also lives in China and the Himalayas.  Much smaller than the Giant Panda, the red panda is only a bit larger than a domestic cat and looks more like a raccoon than a bear.  You can see what a red panda actually looks like in this beautiful photo by Sylvestermouse. She put this darling red panda photo on a lovely greeting card, which is available in her Zazzle store.  It is also featured on other items.

Red Panda Plush Toy

Red Panda Plush Toy

Adorable Red Panda toy bear handmade in crochet by Liliya of Westfield, MA. It can be found among a variety of plush toys in her Etsy Shop BabyCrochetsShop. 

National Panda  Day

 

Available on Amazon

I see by some calendars that March 16 is National Panda Day.  A fun way to celebrate would be to read your child a book about Panda Bears while they cuddle a plush animal Panda Bear. 

Please, Mr. Panda is a delightful storybook about 'manners' showing a panda bear offering donuts to his black & white animal friends (a penguin, a skunk, and a whale) who forget to say "please" and "thank you".  The book is geared toward 3-5 year olds in the pre-school to kindergarten range. 

For more "bear" stories, visit the Parade of Plush Teddy Bears.  

NATIONAL PANDA DAY

March 16

*Plush Panda Bears Article was written by Wednesday Elf on 3/4/2015 and updated on 3/16/2021.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Celebrating Polar Bear Day – in Plush Versions and More

Adorable Polar Bear in Plush Available on Etsy

February 27th has been designated Polar Bear Day, a day set aside just for this native of the North Pole and a few other frozen regions.  Most of us only get to see them in a zoo.

Since the Polar Bear is the world's largest carnivore, a bear who can grow up to 9 feet tall and weigh 1400 pounds, the best way to have a personal polar bear is to get a plush toy version or one in wearable form or perhaps in book form.

Handmade Polar Bear Cub

Plush Polar Bear on Etsy

This Amigurumi crochet polar bear is just a baby. He measures 8 inches long (9 inches long if you count his tail) and about 4 inches high. He is softly stuffed with new polyester fiberfill and is very huggable. He was created in crochet using white acrylic yarn and has black embroidered eyes, nose and claws.

Baby polar bear is looking for a warm toybox to live in. He's tired of the cold and snow at the North Pole. :-)  At the moment he is curled up in a warm corner of the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts.

*Note: This baby polar bear has sold, but another can be created just for you by request. 

 

 

Polar Bear Hat in Handmade Crochet

Handmade Crochet Polar Bear Hat and Booties

Plush toy polar bears are not the only polar bear related items created in crochet.  Here's a darling polar bear hat and booties perfect as a gift set for a baby shower or darling as a photo prop.  

Created by a crochet crafter in Costa Mesa, CA, this polar bear hat & booties set can be found in her Etsy shop Crochet by Dana. 

Fun Polar Bear Facts

• Polar bears are considered marine animals because they spend most of their life at sea. Their scientific name means "maritime bear".
• Polar bears are related to the brown bear, but their bodies are adapted for cold temperatures, snow and ice.
• Did you know that most polar bears are left-handed?  No wonder I like this mighty bear, being left-handed myself.

Polar Bear Gift Guide

 

If you are looking for polar bear gift ideas, this gift guide has a nice collection in a variety of items, some of which are handmade by clever crafters on Etsy.

Amazon also has a nice variety of plush polar bears, such as this cutie from Gund, a leader in plush animals. 

GUND Original Snuffles Teddy Bear, Premium Stuffed Animal for Ages 1 and Up, White, 10”

 

Goodnight Little Polar Bear

 

Hush Little Polar Bear: A Picture Book

Time to say goodnight to our polar bear and his 'day'. This bedtime story for tots will be a sweet way to end a day and let your youngster and little polar bears everywhere get ready to sleep. 

A lovely rhyming story in a sturdy board book for all children who like the polar bear.  Cuddle with a plush polar bear while listening to this sweet bedtime story. 

"Hush little polar bear./Sleep in the snow,/and dream of the places/where sleeping bears go." 

 

Polar Bear Day

 

Keep February 27 on your calendar from year to year to remember to celebrate "Polar Bear Day" on this special day!

 

(c) Wednesday Elf. Written on 2/25/2015. Updated on 2/27/2024

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Handmade Honey Bee in Crochet

Plush Toy Honeybee

Nothing is sweeter than honey and that goes for this sweet plush toy "Holly Honeybee", hand-crafted in crochet, that I made for my Etsy Shop. Plush toy bees love to buzz around in my 'Land of Crochet'. 

This Honey Bee is handmade in crochet using yellow and black acrylic yarn. She measures 4 inches long and 4 inches tall, counting her wings).

Holly Honey Bee's wings are created in white yarn. She is softly filled with new polyester polyfil. Her features (eyes and a smile) are embroidered in yarn

 

Differences Between a Real Honey Bee and this Toy Honey Bee

• Real Honeybees live in hives of 50,000 or more bees

• Toy Honey Bee is happy to be a child's playmate and live in their home.

• Real Honeybees make lots of honey which beekeepers harvest for people to eat.

• This plush crocheted honeybee and other plush animals enjoy having a tea party with honey cookies and the children who enjoy them.

Honey Bees and Bumble Bees

Bumble Bee in Amigurumi Crochet

• Honey Bees are wasp-like and slender
• Bumble Bees are furry and pudgy

Bumble Bee and Honey Bee in Handmade Crochet

My crocheted bumblebees and honeybees are typically similar in color and not much different than each other! Plush animals can be anything the crochet crafter wants them to be. :-).

Honey Bees and Honey

This cute board book is available on Amazon

Pooh's Honey Trouble

The best thing about honey bees is they make honey.  And no one likes honey better than Pooh Bear.  So it's not surprising that this sweet plush Honey bee's favorite book is “Pooh's Honey Trouble” starring her favorite character, Winnie-the-Pooh. Toy honey bee loves to read all about Pooh looking for his favorite honey snack in this fun 'touch-and-feel' board book. The book is perfect for babies and toddlers and plush toy honey bees.

Honey Cookie Recipe

 

Handmade Honey Bee doesn't really eat, but she would be very happy to keep you company at a tea party where you are serving some delicious Honey Spritz Cookies.  Sweet honey is the main ingredient in this recipe over at the Food Network. 

Come Visit this Cute Plush Honey Bee 

Happy Honey Bee is ready for your visit to the beehive in the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts. With little encouragement, this honey bee would be very pleased to follow you home. 

More Plush Insects on Etsy

Plush Caterpillars in Crochet

Toy honeybee and bumblebee are friends with other plush insects in my Etsy Shop, and we all know there is nothing cuter in the insect world than ones created in colorful yarn that are very friendly, soft and lovable.  Come to my Etsyland and check out a cuddly colorful caterpillar friend who sports five different rainbow colors and whose creation was inspired by the Baby Einstein caterpillar.  There is also a small 'stick' caterpillar in orange & yellow with a leaf on his head, inspired by the animated Tumble Leaf series.  A 'cute and cuddly bunch for sure.

More BEE News

• Honey Bee and her caterpillar friends hope you enjoy National Honey Bee Day each year on the 3rd Saturday in August

• And, if you'd  like to learn how to encourage bees to visit your backyard garden, read Beverly Owens article about "Bees Should be Encouraged to Thrive."  Bev tells you just what flowering plants and trees encourage bees to visit.

(c) Wednesday Elf. Article written on 1/14/2015. Updated on 8/21/2021









Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Crafty Crocheted Toy Cats

 Colorful Toy Kittens and a Plush Mouse

 Colorful Toy Kittens and a Plush Mouse

Toy cats in crochet can be any color you choose.  It's part of the magic of handmade stuffed animals.  As cat owners know, felines come in many colors and color-combinations.  But the only place you'll find kittens and cats in pink and blue is in a handmade plush animal, such as these found in my Etsy Shop.  

Pink Plush Kitty Cat

 A Plush Pink Cat

The minute I saw this pink yarn, I thought of the movie and song “Pink Panther', a long-time favorite of mine. The movie cat, Pink Panther, is long and skinny, but my little roly-poly pink kitten is just as charming. Hand-crocheted in acrylic yarn and filled with a soft polyester fiberfill, she measures a nice, round 4.5 inches by 4 inches. Her tail is another 3 inches.  Pink kitty cat has blue eyes and a black nose and whiskers, which are embroidered in yarn and embroidery thread.  She's a sweet pink cat purr-fect for girls of any age, from babyhood to college age.  Pink is lovely, but what about little boys?

Toy Teal Tomcat

Crocheted Teal Tomcat Plush Toy

Teal is a delightful shade of blue that appeals to little boys.  Boys like cats too, so Teal Tomcat was created in crochet just for them.  The pattern style is the same as the pink cat, but this Teal cat has 4 white paws to contrast his teal body.  He could also be a Turquoise Tomcat, which is another word for this shade of blue. Teal Tomcat measures 4 x 4 inches overall, with soft stuffing and embroidered features, making him safe and secure for any age child. 

Handmade Kitty Cat Coasters

Cute Cat Coasters

Handmade Creative Cat Coasters

If you don't have a need for a crocheted cat, but love cats in general, here's the perfect household accessory.  A set of cat coasters to hold your coffee or tea cup or beverage of your choice. Or they can be 'Playtime Coasters' for children to use at a 'tea party' with their plush cat.

These cat coasters are handmade using plastic canvas and acrylic yarn.  The set includes 4 coasters, each one done in a different color, which fit into a holder for storage.

The coaster holder is a cat box in blue with K I T T Y spelled out in light blue letters on the front and a gold fish, a pink ball of yarn and a gray mouse decorating the other three sides of the box.

A Mouse in the House?

Mindy the Handmade Mouse

We all know that cats like mice, so I'd be remiss if I didn't show off a cute hand-crocheted Mouse.

Come meet Mindy, the Amigurumi stuffed animal Mouse who is also a member of my Roly-Poly Plush Pets Stuffed Toy Animal line. Mindy is delighted to be here, but stays away from the 'cats' also living in my Etsy shop.

Mindy the Mouse is made with a light gray and pink acrylic yarn and filled with soft polyfil stuffing.  Her eyes, nose and whiskers are embroidered in yarn, so she's a completely safe toy even for babies and toddlers, with no removable parts.  She measures 6 x 5 inches -- a nice roly-poly roundness that is just the right size for little hands to hold.  Babies love to grasp the ears and feet and use them for teething! A toy mouse is the very best kind of mouse to have in the house!

Come visit this collection of handmade cats, kittens and a friendly plush mouse

These crocheted cats, kitten coasters, and plush toy mouse are all available in my Etsy Shop, Coastal Crochet Crafts.






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”