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Little hand-made critters that you can snuggle up to like this one (right) have been created by artist Beth O'Halloran, using used soft cotton art-handling gloves from her day job in a Dublin museum.

All the other textiles that O'Halloran uses are made from organic, plant-dyed materials. The toys, which can be made to order, are all stuffed with organic cotton. The barn owl and red squirrel are both endangered species in Ireland so with this in mind she's donating €5 from the sale of every red squirrel or owl to the Irish Wildlife Trust. Costing €65, critters for keepsies are perfect gifts for children from three upwards, and are available from www.crittersforkeepsies.com.