Catching Up!

Catching Up!


Just catching up on my blog news, not too much to tell really, still pacing myself with the bears as my thumbs do not get much better and never will. I have had Accupuncture sessions on them which have helped just a little and continue with the pain killers. With the bears, instead of just working on one bear at a time I have at least 6 on the go at once so that if I am having difficulty with hand sewing I can change jobs and perhaps do some stuffing for a while or work on faces etc, this does help the pain and the bonus is I usually have a few bears all done at the same time. It is frustrating though as I do love making my bears and hope I can continue. Still doing the afternoon job but have this week off on holiday but instead of going away we are doing some jobs in the house to get ready for putting on the market for sale, this seems to take us forever as when we are tired after work, the last thing we want to do is decorating etc.
Anyway, I will leave you with a picture of Spangle and Razzle who are listed on Ebay this week ..... click here to see auction

Hugs
Pauline xx

A Nice Break

A Nice Break
We had a nice break in Suffolk last week visiting our Daughter. We stayed in a static caravan this time, the site was very relaxing with no facilities like swimming pools or entertainment, the only sounds we could hear besides other people coming and going were the birds and we could sit and look out at lots of rabbits hopping around but we usually stay in hotels and after a couple of days it sank in that we were not getting room service whilst we were out and so thought we had better start cleaning up a bit.

I have a bear fair looming in a couple of weeks so had to take some bears to sew up so it was just as well there was no entertainment on site, despite a few days out in the shopping malls and a few meals out in the evenings, I got quite a lot done and now just need to accessorize the bears ready to take to the show.

We would think about staying there again, we came home feeling a lot fitter than we usually do as we didn't seem to over eat like we do in hotels as really it was just like being at home, also our Daughter is a Dance Teacher and I joined in some of the early evening classes, besides all the kids classes, she runs 2 Zumba classes and 2 tap dancing classes for adults, I really enjoyed the Zumba.... hadn't tried it before and thinking of finding a class near home now to keep it up.

I haven't any holiday pictures from Suffolk to show as I didn't take any because we have been so many times to the area now but I will leave you with a picture of Chip, a miniature 3.5 inch commission bear just finished for a lovely lady.

Take care
Pauline

Machine's Galore

Machines Galore

I just thought I would introduce my latest baby, who is taking a lot of my time up at the moment, it's a Singer 99K, really old but working beautifully, I have developed a real obsession with buying sewing machines of late, there are now 5 living with me and I don't have the room. I now have a Singer 201K (also vintage), an Elna Club Computer, a Bernina Virtuosa and a Bernette (the baby Bernina), now this new Singer 99K, I don't need all these machines and this will have to stop I know but I do have my eye on an old vintage Bernina (just like the one I used at school years ago) and I think I may now have to use the "one out, one in" method and part with one before getting this new Bernina so that I stick with 5 and no more! It is interesting just how different they all are. I should be making bears as I have a fair looming in 3 weeks time but I am playing at making curtains/cushions, taking up new jeans, making boot cut jeans into straight leg jeans etc. and enjoying seeing what the different feet will do. However, I do have some new bears finished and just waiting for their accessories.. must put the machine away for a while soon and finish the bears. Will show some pictures in just over a week's time hopefully.

Have a happy week
Pauline

Time Flys!

Time Flys!

Don't quite know where the last few months have gone to! Can't believe it is February already, Christmas and New Year went by like a blink of the eye! Anyway, it is ages since I wrote a blog post but want to write more regularly now.

What have I been up to..... well we are wanting to have another go at moving house this year, we tried before but the housing market crashed whilst we had the house on the market and so we pulled out, that was 2 years ago, so we have been doing a lot of jobs around the inside during this winter to help it to sell, only the more things we do to make it nice the more I don't want to leave, if only one could put wheels on and move a house, that is what we would do because it is a different area we are wanting to go to which is nearer to my Daughter.

On the bear front, I was so pleased that Apple and Blossom won second prize in the British Bear Artist Awards in December. I have slowed down just a little on making bears lately, I have to pace myself because of Osteoarthritis in both thumb joints and a couple of fingers, diagnosed a couple of years back but has got increasingly worse just lately. I do however pick up the knitting in between as I can't sit with nothing to do, a few bear outfits here and there, a couple of cardigains for me (a long time since I did that). Anyway I will leave you now and be back with more news very soon. Hope you like the picture of Honey that was adopted a little while ago.

Hugs
Pauline xx

British Bear Artist Awards 2010

British Bear Artist Awards 2010

I am delighted to share some good news this week. I am really happy to have been nominated finalist in the British Bear Artist Awards 2010 with Apple and Blossom. Seeing these two mohair colours together reminded me of apple blossom in spring time and I decided to make coordinating apple blossom bears. I had great fun creating them and making their outfits.

The next step is to take them to Brighton on the 13th December 2010 to be inspected by the judges and the results will be announced there. Fingers crossed that they will do well. The venue is the Brighton Race Course which will incorporate the British Bear Fair, it's a new venue for this fair as it used to be in Hove Town Hall. I have a feeling this will be a very popular fair and well worth putting it in your diaries.

Hugs
Pauline

Anyone for a Cuppa!!!

Anyone for a Cuppa!!

I thought I would bob in and post a picture of my latest miniature bear, so enjoyed creating this little cutie. I am always on the look out for interesting bits and pieces for the bears and when I came across this little cup and saucer I knew exactly who was going to sit inside it. I already had some black and white mini bear fur that was waiting to be cut out, once the little guy was finished, I went around some craft shops until I came across the right size of matching ribbons for around his neck and also to decorate his little saucer with. I named him Cup-O-Ty and I have listed him with Ebay this week hope you can take a peep, there are lots of pictures on his auction.

I do have another two cup and saucer bears in the pipeline, but I have the Leeds bear fair coming up in a few weeks and in the process of a few vintage style bears for this, I managed to find some vintage velvet and vintage style mohair, will be having my first go at wobble neck joints which should be fun.

Have a good week
Hugs
Pauline

A New Bear Design

It's been a very busy couple of months in our home, jobs in the house, garden and bears. I eventually have time to play about with new bear designs, do a little bit of much loved knitting and hopefully start on the jewellery making kit I got from Charlotte for Mother's Day back in March.

I just designed a new bear pattern, tweaking the last pattern I designed for a 4 inch bear and having a go at pattern slicing for the muzzle. I had a look in my fabric stash and found this lovely tan and cream long pile which I thought would be appropriate and with the tinge of Autumn that is in the air at the moment thought she needed a little wool dress. I am really pleased with how she turned out and want to make more sisters and brothers similar to her now. I called her Olga and she is listed with Ebay this week. I just realised I only have just over 4 weeks to my next bear fair so after my little play this week I will then have to push on with some bears or my stand will be empty.

Hugs
Pauline

Another Bear Creator in the Family!

Another Bear Creator in the Family!


Its being a long time since I up-dated my blog, time flies by too quickly, and with a feel of Autumn around the corner now my mind is more on bear making and less on gardening and sitting in the sun although we have only had a few weeks hot weather it has been lovely.

There have also been a few changes with my family, my Daughter is back in the bear making world after a break of 2 years due to the demanding work she has been doing dancing and singing in shows every evening. She has now decided it's time change direction a little, she is still connected with dancing but is opening a little dance school in September and is going to be teaching instead of performing. This will give her time again to feed her passion for bear making as instead of rehearsals through the day time she will now make her little bears and teaching dance in the evenings and Saturdays.

I was thrilled to see this little bear she just has completed, the first in two years, I think he is megga cute, his name is Bon Bon and he is a tiny 3 inches high. Charlotte's little bears can be found for adoption on her new blog Bears By Charlotte, do pop over to have a look.

Hugs Pauline xx

Stratford Show

Stratford Show

We had a very enjoyable few days away incorporating the Stratford Bear fair, setting off on the Wednesday before the show we drove down to Corton village, which is 3 miles from Lowestoft and around 9 miles from Great Yarmouth and a little further to Norwich. Our daughter is based in Corton at the moment so we stayed in a hotel near there and she joined us for days out in the area, we had a day in Lowestoft which is a small seaside place with docks, a nice beach and shopping area.

The weather was fantastic and we had a day in Norwich which is fantastic with a beautiful castle and cathedral to visit, the shopping centre is one of the best I have ever seen, and we were extra pleased to fall upon the Norwich Bear Shop, we spent quite a while in there as Charlotte is just as keen as me to talk bears, and as well as the usual manufactured bears I was pleased to see a good amount of artist bears in there too, I was espcially pleased to see Laurie Lou bears there, Laurie and I chat on line sometimes but havent met, if I had more time there I would have loved to arrange to meet up for a coffee, her bears are so cute and even cuter in the fur. There were also Bisson Bears, Blee Bears, Hoblins and many more.

On Saturday we said our goodbyes and drove from Corton up to Stratford where we stayed in a hotel not far from the fair, we had a lovely afternoon and night in Stratford, it's a gorgeous town, plenty of shops and spoilt for choice of places to eat. Sunday was the Stratford Bear Fair which was held in the Civic Hall, I have to say it was one of the best bear fairs I have ever exhibited at, a great party atmospere, lots of visitors came through the door and lots of bears found new homes. I spent the whole day chatting with visitors and artists. I hope to do this fair again next year and perhaps see a little more of the Stratford area.