As quiet as a mouse!

So I really have kept ‘as quiet as a mouse’ about this one!!

I made this little mouse as a surprise birthday present for my mum (who I love beyond words).

Yesterday my mum, dad and sister came to visit Ade and I for the day all the way from Lincolnshire and we celebrated my mum’s 65th birthday! She wasn’t too pleased though at receiving cards with ’65’ on them. …Mum you are beautiful and do not look your age at all, you have a young heart and I love you!

Mum just loves seeing the odd picture texted to her of my needle felt creations as I usually can’t wait until the final finished product to show her how I am getting on. She often sees my latest creations not looking like very much and often without ears and legs or fur… but loves them all the same.:-)

When making her mouse it has been so hard not to tell her or show her a photo. She didn’t expect it and of course was so excited to be given a box on her birthday and find this cute (in her words) little mouse inside!

Her little mouse is saying ‘I love you’, with a flower in his right hand and left hand on his heart. He is lovingly hand-made from 100% wool.

Mum really does love him and to see the teary but smiley look on her face has made the wait and the time to make him all worthwhile..

It was her and my dad who gave me my name Amanda which means ‘fit to be loved’. The journey of accepting and growing into the meaning of my name was the inspiration behind the name of my needle felting business ‘fit to be loved’ and my hope is that all my felted creations like this little mouse are as the name suggests ‘fit to be loved’. Read more about me and the name here.

His core is made of natural undyed Corriedale wool from New Zealand. His fur and detail on his cute mousey paws, ears and face are of soft merino wool (non-mulesed) from South Africa (Cape) – chocolate brown, mink, raven and coral. I used coarser wools in purple and grass green for his flower to contrast with the soft contours of his body. You can see his size from the close up of me holding him in my hand. His eyes are made of wool too, so no glass or plastic but all 100% wool!

Do you have a birthday for a loved one coming up? need a gift idea to say ‘I love you’ ? You can buy one just like him or another bespoke animal of your choice from my etsy shop.

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