Plush sea creatures!

[Jadestone]

So I'm obviously a big fan of sea life... and one thing I've started doing this summer is making large plush sea critters ^^

Earlier this summer I made a giant squid for myself, and a friend commissioned one as well. Here's mine, blue tye-dye fleece with space pattern on the inside of the tentacles:
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z87/Jadestone7/IMG_3715.jpg?t=1340514704

You can't see them, but there's also small pockets a the ends of the two tentacles :)
The one I made for my friend was purple/white and more obvious tye-dye pattern, with fabric with small cartoon sharks on it on the inside.

Right now I've started another one like it... this one will be smaller, however, and a cuttlefish instead of a squid. I'm using the same pattern of fleece as in the one pictured, but this one will be a nice golden yellow. The fins/inner tentalces are going to be a lovely green/blue/gold material. I'm still making the pattern right now, but I hope to get everything cut out of the fabric today so I can start sewing tomorrow.

Anyway, thought people here might like seeing them :) The pattern I used for the squid can be found online here (http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/style/2009/02/12/fridiy-8-foot-giant-squid-pillow/) if anyone feels like trying one! They're super fun and cuddly, and surprisingly simple. Anyone else make plushes ever?

[Lyna]

omg awesome!!!! you made this?! that's AMAZING! can you do a seahorse?!?

[Mermaid Celissa]

I...want...one! HE'S SO ADORABLE AND FLUFFY!

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Wow, that is so awesome! I mean, really!

I've recently started learning to sew myself, and would love to make plushies at some point, though no giant squids (that's just over my head). What did you use to stuff it, btw?

Also, please show us the cuttlefish and any others you do! :D

[Jadestone]

Thanks guys :)

Lyna- I've never tried a seahorse! Maybe. Could be harder since they're bony, but a simplified one might be fun. And the whole body could be done in one piece, with the fin/ears added on. And a pocket for a pouch, hehe. A sea dragon would be pretty, though the details would be hard.


onelilmermaid- I hadn't ever made a plush before I did the squid. It's surprisingly simple, just requires patience! I pretty much followed the tutorial, though I made some additions/modifications of my own and used fleece instead of felt. And I used polyfill stuffing I picked up from Joann Fabrics.

And I certainly will! I could also post my progress pics from the squid (her name is Tetra) if people are interested.

Here's Tetra and my friend's squid, just found a picture:

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[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Patience? Oh no, that's my weak point! XD

Aww, they look so cute together!

[Jadestone]

Thanks :)

And yeah, though I multitask the whole time. The first squid took me about ~6 days to make, and I worked through the whole day, but the entire time I was also watching internet tv shows and playing online card games with friends. If I were to power through it I could probably be done in less time, but it's summer and there's no real need to rush :)

Pattern for the cuttlefish is all cut out now. Time to start tracing it on! Whee!

[Lyna]

If you coooould make a seahorse....you could totally pm me a price for making me a one of a kind Mermaid Lyna buddy.... :)

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

I am not sure I could multitask like that, haha. I can't even watch TV and eat at the same time.

I can't wait to see the cuttlefish!

Maybe somewhere there is a nice pattern for a sea horse...

[Mermaid Celissa]

What about a squishy dolphin like this little guy?

http://marinemammalconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Dolphin-Adopt-a-Dolphin-Program-300x207.jpg

[Merman Dan]

Lacking the ability to sew, I have purchased from Obey My Brain on etsy.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/376322_4224812669359_183673587_n.jpg

On my headboard I have 2 squid hats, a jellyfish hat, and an anglerfish hat from obeymybrain, as well as lobster, crab, hermit crab, seadragon, and scallop puppets from folkmanis, and a copepod and some krill from giantmicrobes.com. ;)

[Jadestone]

Lyna- hmm... I might have enough material left over from the cuttlefish to do a prototype, so I'll let you know :) Depends on how long this takes guy takes though... and when the material for my tail arrives of course XD Then all other projects will be put on hold, haha.

onelilmermaid-- Haha, right now as I'm drawing I'm periodically checking the internet and listening/singing alone with songs from the broadway Little Mermaid musical XD When I cut the stuff out I'll probably switch to watching a movie.

Mermaid Celissa-- d'aww. I have't tried anything that complicated yet, but I might sometime once I'm more confident with making things :)

Merman Æolius- I love it! I looove squid hats and I'd like to make one some day :) Looks like yours is the same blue material as much plush squid too! The jellyfish one sounds like fun, I looove jellies and will probably try a plush one of those at some point too, haha.

[Jadestone]

Just for fun... here's the material/pattern. I have a lot drawn on it now, but I snapped a shot before I started tracing.

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And a close up of the material that will be the fin/inner arms--it's so pretty!

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[Mizuko]

Those are seriously the cutest plushies ever!! XD

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Ooh, I love the material for the fin/inner arms! Sooo pretty!

Personally, I'd love to make a giant octopus! I've met one (sorta) at Sea World and I just love them...

[Spindrift]

This is awesome! I want to hug it. It must be nice to sleep with. :3

[Jadestone]

I would love an octopus too someday maybe! And yes, it's VERY cuddly.

Progress update: cutting out all the pieces now! Might as well start sewing tonight even. And watching The Little Mermaid as I work, hehe.

[Ayla of Duluth]

I would totally buy a plush seal
or a plush shark
or a killer whale <3
on that note I dare you to try a sea urchin ;)

for some easy ones, there's always the manta ray and a starfish. those of you who are sewing impaired could attempt one of those. I think I may try one.

[Mermaid Fenicia]

I made little plush seals for a fan-club years ago, still have the pattern from it so I can make them if I have time ;)

[Jadestone]

Ayla-- oh my god sea urchins, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. For... someday. When I'm much better. XD But manta rays are a fun idea, and yes they would be nice and easy :)

Mermaid Fenicia: Those are absolutely adorable! <3

[Ayla of Duluth]

those seals need to be seal sized like your squid is squid sized. then i'm all in. :3

[Mermaid Fenicia]

@ Jadestone: I made 1 everything they adopted a real seal, and they are named after Xena- & Hercules-characters ;) I even made them there little outfits too ;)

@ Ayla of Duluth: I have a live-sized seal-plushie in the bedroom ;) I've got it from a friend as a birthday-present ;)

[Jadestone]

They're adorable :) And I looove mythology names ^^ So awesome!


As for the cuttlefish... arms/tentacles all sewn! Turning them inside out then starting on the fin. I'm so awake right now, I might as well be doing something productive/fun if I can't sleep.

[Azurin Luna]

I've started to make plushies again, did so when I was just a little kid. For now I made baby dolls and a my little pony who are of noteworthy quality, but I might try my hand at some sea creatures too.

[Jadestone]

Awesome! You should post pictures of what you have so far anyway :) I'm new to this so seeing other people's work is fun & helps me learn.

Tentacles/arms all sewn and stuffed, fins sewn and attached into the body, working on stuffing them now. If I had enough stuffing I could probably finish the whole thing today, but it'll probably have to wait until tomorrow unless mom goes to buy more.

[Mermaid Saphira]

Gosh, I would love to try and make a manta ray! :)

Your plushies are beautiful, if you ever make a dolphin I would be very interested in 1!! ;)

[Jadestone]

Setback :( Sewing machine decided to pitch a fit and chew up one of my pieces of material, which created a small hole. Going to have to unattached all the arms from it which means spending some quality time with the seam ripper. Sigh. I suppose something was bound to happen.

[Azurin Luna]

I know how you feel, good luck!

Here are some of my plushies
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[Ayla of Duluth]

you...you made a my little pony...
I think i'm in love with you xD

[WavyMermaidy]

OMG there is way too much cuteness on this discussion board...I love everything everyone has made and shown on here. Love to see creative people, and cute stuffed animals are just irresistible in general...way to go, guys :)

[Mermaid Fenicia]

I've made some mermaiddolls/-plushies to ;)
This big one on her plushie -shell (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=294759687263794&set=a.294759397263823.69108.100001892965231&type=3)& a little one (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=294765980596498&set=a.294759397263823.69108.100001892965231&type=3) ;) The little ones are for sale (5 euro + post & package) in all different colors ;)

[Azurin Luna]

you...you made a my little pony...
I think i'm in love with you xD

Hehe, I'm going to make more of these only bigger next time so I don't have to handsew it completely

[Jadestone]

I love the pony! Esspecially the embroidered eyes :) Adorable.

Finally almost done ripping off the old seams... then just have to cut a new piece and start this part over >.< thankfully it was the easiest piece to recreate that had the issue (a simple long rectangle). But then I will redo it over SO CAREFULLY. The machine seems to be cooperating now at least.

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Ugh, I have to spend some time with a seam ripper and a skirt I'm working on. :( As soon as I can get materials, I am going to make some sort of sea critter! I also have been meaning to make little mermaids too. I want to make some tiny ones that my doll can use as a doll, lol.

[Jadestone]

Fun! I've been mostly doing giant things, I should try a small one sometime. I guess I'm so used to doing other artistic stuff on a small scale (tiny paintings, jewelry, etc) that doing large things was appealing for once!

All the seams done, new material cut out, and now to pin it into place and try again...

[Jadestone]

Well, everything went swimmingly the second time. Here's a shot of the unstuffed 'shell.'

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It is much larger than I expected x_x I'm bad at judging size from patterns, oops. That's a yardstick next to it. Not that this is a big problem for me, there's just going to be very little room left in my bed for me at this point ^^

Have since stuffed it a bit, but waiting till tomorrow to sew on the bottom cap and finish stuffing. And eyes as well.

[Amethyst]

Omg! Everyone's plushies are sooooo cute and brilliantly made!!! Everyone here is soo talented!! :D

[Mermaid Annariea]

GOSH DARN IT, NOW I WANT A PLUSHIE.
time to learn to sew, i guess.

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Oooh, it looks awesome!

[Jadestone]

Just the last piece and eyes to do today. Was going to do the last peice but then it required math so I'm putting it off till later XD

Going to experiment with different ways of doing the eyes for now, though I'll probably just do the same type as my other squids (though with the w-shaped pupil :3 )

[Merman Dan]

I wish someone made sock sea monkeys for sale ;)

[Azurin Luna]

Hmm.. intresting to try out, but now I'm working on ponies and a handpuppet

[Jadestone]

Oof... still handsewing x_x This piece, an oval that goes under the head/above the tentacles, is the hardest one to attach since it can't be done on machine. And I care a lot about how it looks after so I'm doing "invisible" seams for it, so lots of twisting and contorting and aligning the fabric. But I'll be done with that part tonight hopefully, and then I'll be practically finished :) Got more stuffing too.

[Jadestone]

HAND SEWING DONE!!

Just the eyes now :) Might try to do it tonight, might wait till tomorrow. I just got my monofin and kind of want to just hop into the lake and test it out now, even if it is dark ^^

Edit: here's a crappy quick pic I snagged with just my webcam :)

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[Spindrift]

It's so... cute. :3 Even without the eyes lol.

[Arella]

These are all so adorable!

[Jadestone]

Designing the eyes now. Trying to find the perfect blend of realism (w-shaped pupils, size, placement, bulgy-ness) and simplicity, so it'll be mostly correct-looking but still cuddly and cute :)

Edit:

First eye totally done! Except for attaching. Second one just needs to have the yellow edge wrapped around and sewn into the back to give it a smoother, cleaner look.
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[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Oooh, looking great so far! I am excited to see the finished work!

[deepblue]

Here's Tetra and my friend's squid, just found a picture:

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OH my gods! These are amazing.

You're quite talented!

Have you ever tried to make a manatee? I have a lovely plush manatee from a company called Nature Company which isn't around anymore. I've not seen any others, but I imagine some marine parks probably have some.

[Jadestone]

deepblue--Thank you! I've never tried a manatee! The ones you see here are the only plush things I've made, really :)

Excepting... MY NEWLY FINISHED CUTTLEFISH!! Here he is :3

Full view:
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Close-up of tentacles and the fabric I'm in love with:
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Eye:
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And with me:
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I'm so pleased with it! And my fingers are glad to be done as well... I'm surprised I got it done so fast, considering I wasn't even rushing. Not that I'm complaining :)

[Azurin Luna]

Cute! Seems squichable too :D

[deepblue]

You're blowing my mind, That sounds terribly silly, but I'm just so in love with that cuttlefish!

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

:O Awesome! Spectacular job!

[Merman Dan]

My headboard:
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/390828_4367776523366_578036704_n.jpg
As I said when I posted this on FB "Yes, this is my headboard. Yes, I am 46. Yes, my wife thinks I'm an idiot." ;)

[Mermaid Fenicia]

They are cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute ;) and yes I'm 43 and have a lot of plushies my self including a very big seal and a very big white tiger :p

[Jadestone]

Azurin Luna- VERY squishable :)

deepblue- Thanks so much!

onelilmermaid- Thank you!! :)

Merman Æolius-I love those! I have a lot of those beanie babies myself in fact.

Mermaid Fenicia- I have a big leopard, as well as many other stuffed animals from when I was growing up (and that I sometimes buy on whims when I become too attached to them in shops, heh).

[Patches]

Ahhh I want one of those squid plushies!!! 0_0
Or an octopus plushie like this made into a purse with a long shoulder strap.
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I wish someone could make me a Toothless plushie that big for under 300 dollars. I've seen some
on etsy for like hundreds ad hundreds. >.<
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[AniaR]

how did I miss this thread of adorbz?!

[Aradia]

Um Jadestone, can we please be super best friends forever? YOU MADE MY ONE FAVORITE SEA CREATURE THAT I KEEP MEANING TO DO!!!!! I can't believe you even made the eyes the right shape! *gushes over cuteness*
I actually live in Australia and went to the Giant Australian Cuttlefish mating season in Whyalla last year but sadly they're declining in numbers. There is a guy making a documentary about said decline if you're as super-obsessed with cuttlefish as I am (which is a lot) - http://cuttlefishcountry.com/

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Oh my gosh, that octopus purse!

[Kanti]

Bahh you guys are so talented I can't sew to save my life x__x

Also Azurin, I fucking love that my little pony!! Awesome work!
I wish I knew how to do that sorta stuff x___X

[Azurin Luna]

Thanks Kanti :D

I'm getting a better hang of it, so I might start to make more of them to sell them :) Hopefully I get enough together to get an embordery machine so I don't have to do the eyes by hand anymore

[Ayla of Duluth]

Oh dear god, somebody make me that toothless plushie! -eyes light up with admiration-

[Jadestone]

Ahhh I want one of those squid plushies!!! 0_0
Or an octopus plushie like this made into a purse with a long shoulder strap.
6008
I wish someone could make me a Toothless plushie that big for under 300 dollars. I've seen some
on etsy for like hundreds ad hundreds. >.<
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That's so awesome!! I actually made a hoodie based off of Toothless' design and a sweater someone else made two summers ago, let me find the pictures...

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(this is what my face really looks like most of the time XD)

:) I loooove dragons, and now I can look like one sometimes, hehe. I also made a set of 6ft movable dragon wings but they are not for casual wear x_x


Um Jadestone, can we please be super best friends forever? YOU MADE MY ONE FAVORITE SEA CREATURE THAT I KEEP MEANING TO DO!!!!! I can't believe you even made the eyes the right shape! *gushes over cuteness*
I actually live in Australia and went to the Giant Australian Cuttlefish mating season in Whyalla last year but sadly they're declining in numbers. There is a guy making a documentary about said decline if you're as super-obsessed with cuttlefish as I am (which is a lot) - http://cuttlefishcountry.com/

Of course we can be super best friends forever! And I do looove cuttlefish, and squid ^^ That's so awesome you got to see them!! I've never seen a cuttlefish D: I would love to someday, it's really sad that they're not doing as well... :(
But I will definitely have to check that documentary out!!

[Kanti]

Man Jade you are wicked talented with this stuff!

[Jadestone]

Aha, thank you!! It means a lot to me, I just got into the sewing-side of crafting when I made the hoodie, so I've been working at it since. I'm thinking I might try to sell the plush sea creatures next summer (when I have time to make them and my sewing machine) as a way to raise money for the silicone tail I hope to someday own... :)

[MountainMermaidBrooke]

Funny enough, Toothless was based off of a totally aquatic endangered salamander in Mexico called an Axolotl (Ambystoma Mexicanum). ;)

[Kanti]

You should!
I know if you made an etsy store selling those hoodies and squids you'd probably do a great job
and make a whole lot~

@Brooke - wow you know what that's interesting now that I think of it he does sort of look like
an axolotl o_o

[Jadestone]

Wow! I didn't even realize how much like an axolotl he looked before, since he acts so much like a cat. But I adore salamanders, and now I love Toothless even more!!

And thanks Kanti :) I'd just need to figure out how to ship them places, they are rather large, heh...

[Kanti]

You can just use any sorta postal service, the customer covers shipping anyway, no?

[Jadestone]

Yes, but it'd have to be a pretty large box XD

[Azurin Luna]

The company that makes the squichables places them in a bag and pump some of the air out so they would fit smaller boxes.

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Oh, like those vacuum bags they sell on TV?

[Azurin Luna]

Yeah, but they use normal cleaar plastic bags and tie them shut with a small iron strip or peice of tape

[ShyMer]

I just found a cute whale plush tutorial (http://valaanvillapaita.blogspot.com/2011/05/tee-se-itse-valas.html) on pinterest- It's made from denim <3

Too bad it hasn't been translated to English yet, though I think I could figure it out.

[Jadestone]

Oh my gosh that's adorable! I don't understand the words but the pictures do seem pretty clear :)

[Azurin Luna]

My new pony, nameless, but cute anyway. Maybe I will make a pony seahorse someday
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s425/AzurinLuna/th_408ef26d368a7a3392f9038453f6ddcf.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/albums/s425/AzurinLuna/?action=view&current=408ef26d368a7a3392f9038453f6ddcf.jpg)
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s425/AzurinLuna/th_d993f24b8e60ddf50203a10c8ced9466.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/albums/s425/AzurinLuna/?action=view&current=d993f24b8e60ddf50203a10c8ced9466.jpg)

Sorry for the sideway pictures, iPad is being annoying :(

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Oooh, that pony looks great!

[Azurin Luna]

Thank you! I will be creating more of them, since apparently my collegues at work also want one as a childhood memory

[Patches]

That's a pretty sweet hoodie! I would def commission you to make one for me. :3 I lusted over this hoodie from calgary cosplay for months but they tried to charge me like 350 dollars to remake it and I'm like le fuck? Haha nooooo. Way too expensive. 6552

[Azurin Luna]

Oooh! Cool looking, I would so get one. Even if it's only to shock my co workers here ;)

[SilverSiren]

Lacking the ability to sew, I have purchased from Obey My Brain on etsy.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/376322_4224812669359_183673587_n.jpg

On my headboard I have 2 squid hats, a jellyfish hat, and an anglerfish hat from obeymybrain, as well as lobster, crab, hermit crab, seadragon, and scallop puppets from folkmanis, and a copepod and some krill from giantmicrobes.com. ;)

Ahhhhhhahahahahahahahahaaaa! Awesome! I would totally wear that out.

[SilverSiren]

That's a pretty sweet hoodie! I would def commission you to make one for me. :3 I lusted over this hoodie from calgary cosplay for months but they tried to charge me like 350 dollars to remake it and I'm like le fuck? Haha nooooo. Way too expensive. 6552

Awesome hoodie, I think I might try my hand at making that. And NOT charge 350 dollars! That is a bit excessive.

[SilverSiren]

Jadestone and Azurine, great plushies! Love em'! Love the squid Jadestone. Love the PONY Azurine! I would love to commission you sometime for one.

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

That hoodie is epic! $350 is a bit much though... Aww, man, I need to learn to make plushies and things now! *silly pout*

[Jadestone]

That's the hoodie I modeled mine off of :) I also could not pay $350, but I just loved it so much. Mine's much simpler though, it doesn't have the widened lower arms/claws/hand pockets, the tail, or the scales. I also only made it in, like, a week though. Haha.I'm going to make another, though not based on a Toothless deisgn. It's going to be a pseudo-costume of Smaug, from the Hobbit. It'll be red, with more details (red/gold) than this one, more spikes (and without the signature Toothless ears) and "jewels" (rhinestones or small sections of embroidery) on the front. Though not over the left breast side ;) I'll make a detachable tail for that one as well.I won't get to make it till the summer when I'll be home and at a sewing machine. But then I'll get to feel awesome when I am dressed up as Smaug for the 3rd Hobbit movie!!

[Kanti]

I shudder to think of the amount of work that went into it though! If it's $350 it must have been a lot
of work to do! And it sure looks like a lot o.O

Also Azurin you should sell MLP dolls! You really have a knack for them! It looks so cute!

[Jadestone]

Oh yes--I'm pretty sure the woman who makes them makes the hoodie itself as well, instead of adding things to a pre-made hoodie base. With the ones she makes with color, she also dyes all the cloth herself. Plus she has so many details. Her stuff is beautiful and I'm sure it's worth that much, but just not something I can afford x_x

[Jadestone]

And Axurin, I know LOTS of people who are in love with MLP (Living on a sci-fi/fantasy theme hall at Uni may be the cause of the numbers of Bronies around me, I suppose), and I'm sure many people would love to buy characters from the show, or commission their own (a surprising amount of the Bronies I know have created pony "characters" for themselves) if you decided you wanted to try to sell them :)

[Azurin Luna]

@ jadestone, Kanti, silversiren. Thank you! I've just started with them and I didn't think the intrest would be this big, since it isn't were I live. I might get to selling them if everybody stays interested in them. :D

[SilverSiren]

YES PLEASE! I WANT ONE... LIKE... NOW! I want a rainbow dash, I'm the first to put in an order, me! lol

[Azurin Luna]

Lol, I just started and you want the most difficult on of them all. I will at her to the list, I have two others to do first and I need to find the colors too.

[SilverSiren]

YAAAYYYYYYYY rainbow daaassshhhh plushie! I have been a MLP lover since I was really little, I still have my 1980's flutterby pony, you know, the ones that have butterfly wings that flap with the little button on their backs? Love em. I used to have the original rainbow dash plushie, she used to be white with a rainbow mane and no wings, but I have always liked winged ponies the most. Thank you Azurin, let me know when you get to her and I can send you payment. No hurry or anything, I just wanted to sqweek in there for one, you did an incredible job capturing the likeness of the ponies.

[Azurin Luna]

Thank you very much :D
They are totally hand sewn and the eyes are the worsed to do, but as long as people are happy with them, I will happily sew them :)

[NatalieMermaid]

SOOOOOOO CUTE!

[Ashe]

These are all so adorabubble!

[Mermaid Saphira]

They are cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute ;) and yes I'm 43 and have a lot of plushies my self including a very big seal and a very big white tiger :p

I use to have a giant plush white tiger, but he got holes in him somehow and his beads fell out :(

I love that hooded jacket! Dragons are so awesome!