Cozy Bunny Pillows

It's January in northern Ohio, which means it's pretty stinkin' cold outside (and cloudy nearly every day thanks to good old Lake Erie).  Thankfully, my bunnies get to stay in our garage until the bunny barn is built, and although it is heated from the ducts underneath the second story, it does get chilly on blustery 15 degree days!  Trying to think like a bunny, I imagined myself in a winter coat, sitting on metal mesh wire with my tootsies getting all cold and nasty.  That might work for some, but my spoiled bunnies expect the equivalent of a Hilton, and I felt like I was providing more of a Motel 6 experience. ...but I had a solution!

My friend Wendy from Hickory Ridge Hollands had an excellent idea to help keep bunny buns toasty.  She makes these awesome cozy pillows for many of her bunnies, and she was nice enough to give me one when I purchased a bunny from her last summer.  I gave Envy the pillow last week, and she is constantly lazing atop it like a queen.  As the other jealous girls gave her the stink eye and started spreading rumors about the poor girl, I knew it was time to get crafty and make some pillows for everybunny. 

With my "20% off anything" Jo-Ann Fabrics coupon in hand and my kind hubby in tow, I perused the endless aisles of material and started loading colorful bolts of flannel and fleece onto my hubby's arms.  I was thinking of spending around $30, and with the sales and my coupon, I smugly patted my frugal self on the back as I headed to the register with my rainbow pile of fabric bargains.  Long story short and $55 later, I had enough fabric to make a few pillows and felt very naive that I let Jo-Ann outsmart me with her coupon exclusions and end-of-bolt "special pricing."  She's one cunning gal, that Jo-Ann. 

Having spent so much on the small bag full of fabric, I knew these pillows better look like a million bucks...even though they're just pillows for, um, rabbits.  (Insert eye roll)  I decided upon a pattern of 14" square for most of the pillows, and after cutting the fabric, I embroidered each bunny's name (GIVE ME A BREAK, woman, seriously??) since I have an embroidery machine.  Once embroidered and the edges were sewn, I turned it right-side-out, stuffed it sparingly (that silly bag of stuffing was 10 bucks!), stitched the opening, and then sewed along the edges again to make a nice 1/2" border.  I also stitched a small spot in the center to turn the pillow into more of a cushion.  Sixteen pillows later, I was pretty proud of myself...and began to worry that the boys in particular would immediately shred (or hump) their pillows.  Overall, I think most of the bunnies will use and appreciate their pillows.  (And no, little bunny, I do not provide a mint on your pillow or complimentary turn-down service.)