Hi everyone!
Despite the extra day this year, February really flew by! I can’t believe it’s already March. I was able to tackle some new projects this month, but I also ended up coming up with more things to do, so I feel more crazy than ever, haha! Has that ever happened to you?
Anyway, the response to the dragon plushies from February’s challenge was huge! I could hardly expect any less since everyone loves dragons 😀 This month’s creature might not be as well known, but let’s hope it still gets some love!

Little kappas!

If you’re a Japanese culture nut like me, you may have already heard of kappas. But for those uninitiated, kappas are turtle-like trickster creatures that live near rivers and lakes. They’re said to kidnap children, and so are a common way of scaring kids into not playing near the water. They love cucumbers, which is why my plush are each holding their own tiny cucumber. The ‘water plate’ on their head always has to stay wet or else they may die. It’s common to see scary and creepy versions of kappa artwork floating around in prints and paintings, but it’s no surprise that Japanese companies have kawaii-fied them like these guys here. I chose to introduce them in March because it’s said kappa travel down from the mountains to the rivers in the springtime.

I think the difficulty on this one is maybe just a smidge less than the dragon from last month, but not by much so I still gave it a 4/10. Sewing on the water plate is a little tricky (though a little easier if you do it by hand — just takes longer), and the head is also sewn on by hand. With all this, it can be difficult to make sure everything is aligned right, so it helps to always pause and get a good look at your work while you sew to make sure nothing has shifted.

★ So how do you get this pattern? ★
If you’re NEW to this site, this pattern is my one time only FREE gift to you! Just submit your email address to subscribe to my blog between now and March 31st (found in the submission box on the right sidebar above “My Books”). This will earn you the pattern ONE TIME for THIS MONTH ONLY.
Give it about 24 hours for your new pattern to arrive after signing up. But if it doesn’t, or you have other troubles, you can check out more info at the main Monthly Crafting Challenge page, the FAQ, or by emailing me.

★ What if you’re not new to this site? ★
If you’ve already signed up for email updates, that’s where the CHALLENGE comes in. You can also earn this pattern if you make one of the projects from this blog, my books, or my Etsy then email me or message the finished project to my Facebook through the month of March.

★ What if there’s no way you can participate this month? ★
If you think you can’t make anything this month, I also have the pattern ready for purchase on my Etsy for a very low price. And you can use coupon code MCC2016 for an extra $1 off.

So don’t forget to check back next month for another new legendary creature! And keep sending me photos of your amazing creations!