Aw thanks @crosheille - certainly using the smaller than recommended hook helps to keep it very tigbt, and means the filling wont poke out when its tightly stuffed :)

I really enjoyed doing this how to, so i hope it is useful - i tend to forget that the finished items look quite complicated so it was great to break it down and summarise the steps if nothing else.

She does indeed have a stag pattern! Its actually in Simply Crochet issue 51, altered a bit to be a christmas reindeer, but same basic pattern, so might be a freebie on pinterest :)