What to Do With All Those Stuffed Animals
One thing that’s very easy to do is choose two animals and connect them. This is a whimsical craft which can be done in many different ways. Choose a dog that lies down on his stomach then attach a small stuffed cat onto his back. Or, choose a stuffed bird, remove his head, then attach his neck area to the mouth of a stuffed cat. Another idea is to choose several different animals, each one smaller than the previous, then stack them and attach. This pile of animals, or any one of the other creations, can be placed on a shelf of books, set on a spare bed, or settled onto the back of a chair.
If you have a really large stuffed animal there are all sorts of things you can do with it. If it has moveable arms and legs arrange them to hold a clothes basket. Stitch, tie or glue the basket in place and set in bathroom or laundry room. Give the animal a chalk board instead of a clothes basket and set him by the front door to say “Welcome”. Or, wrap the animal’s arms and legs around a poster bed post for a cute look to a child’s room. The large stuffed animals also look great when they’re hugging a floor lamp post.
Buy an inexpensive three or four-tier plate stand and remove all but the first plate. Cut a small hole in the rear area of the animal and glue the plate stand rod inside of the animal. Now the animal will stand wherever you place him. He can welcome visitors from the front porch, decorate the fireplace, or just stand in a child’s room. It’s usually very easy to find the tiered stands at a flea market.
Join hands on a bunch of small stuffed animals to form a bumper pad for a coffee table or end table. Stitch similar sized animals together at the hands then stitch tie strings on the ends to secure around the perimeter of a table or desk. Something similar can be made as a bumper pad for a baby’s crib. Put many together and make a border for baby’s room.
Cut the heads off of small stuffed animals and remove enough stuffing to where the animal is rather flat. Stitch the neck shut and tuck the animal head into the pocket of a child’s dress or jeans. Glue or stitch into place. Cut the head from a slightly larger animal and remove most of the stuffing. Hem the cut area then slide the animal over bed posts. Cut an opening in the back of the animal’s head, sew elastic into the cut edge, then place the head on a doorknob.
Cut the head off of most any stuffed animal and attach it to the top center of a Christmas wreath. Place a red “Santa” hat on top of the head and a giant red bow at the neckline. Or, stitch the animal’s head to the end of a festive scarf. Tie the scarf so that the animal head hangs just below the collarbone.
There are many great ways to save your stuffed animals from a lifetime in a cardboard box. Dig out some of your old friends and see what kinds of new things you can make. The animal projects are fun and unique for kids or adults.
