This is a great book filled with the cutest stuffed animals. I've always had a love of stuffed animals. I don't know if it was because I spent most of my childhood alone (my older brother died when I was very young) or if I just have a soft spot (no pun intended) for them. All I know is they make me smile. My dad used to hold my little bear named Pudgie and tell me stories at bedtime. Wiggling Pudge's head back and forth like it was actually him who was talking. These are some of my very best memories from when I was little. I also had an aunt who would make me handmade toys for holidays. I still remember the life sized doll she made me that looked just like me, or the little stuffed house with a tiny family of stuffed bears inside. My aunt's creativity infused itself into me through those amazing gifts she made me and now that I am older I understand what true treasures they were and how much love went into to creating them. My stuffed animals were like my little companions, my best friends I could tell anything to, the ones who listened and were there for me when I was lonely. I still have them (although no longer displayed out on my bed), I know I was freaking you out for a minute there. But they are still very special to me. So once we decided to have a baby I knew stuffed animals would be one of the things I would want to craft for our little one. This little hedgehog is my first go at a stuffed toy and it was really easy! I gave her to my 1 year old niece who loves her. I'm looking forward to making some of the other little buddies in this book. Who knows, by the time baby arrives maybe we'll have an entire zoo!
