It Won't Last, I Tell You.

From time to time my pincushion ends up looking like this.....

And when it does, I seem to waste an awful lot of

time trying to locate the right needle for a particular task. Rummaging around in the tangle, trying to get at my applique pins which seem to bury themselves deep in the nest of mess.......it all takes up valuable bearmaking time.

The last straw came recently, when I was in Victoria at Bear Essence teaching some workshops. My dear friend and owner of the shop (Kim) had a dig at me and my pincushion! Then this morning when the dog swept it to the floor with her over enthusiastic tail wagging, and sent a miscellany of bits and pieces flying, I decided it was time for a pincushion clean-up!

And this is the result..........

                    ...........but It won't last, I tell you!

Baby It's Cold Outside

The weather has certainly turned and we are heading into Winter after a rather disappointing Summer. Though, of course, I can look at it in a positive way and say that we never had that feeling of imminent danger this past Summer. No scanning the skies for puffs of smoke hoping that they weren't in our neck of the woods. The countryside has stayed remarkably green and now, with the Autumn colour in the deciduous trees, it's looking very pretty.

Nanou will be my next workshop at Bear Essence

I have just returned home after spending a few days teaching a couple of workshops at Bear Essence in Victoria. These were mixed classes of Teo the sunbear and a large polar/grizzly bear from a few years back. I must say that the girls all did beautiful work and some lovely bears were birthed. I'll be heading back over at the end of April for two one day classes, making Nanou in beautiful Japanese alpaca fur. Followed by a bear fair in Berwick which has been organised by Melissa Kemp, on 1st of May.

Just some of the girls and their bears

I managed to complete all my entries for the ACDAs before I left for Victoria. When Sandi told us that the challenge was for critters inspired by Beatrix Potter, I thought that it would be a breeze. However, this didn't prove to be the case! It was HARD! I can't go into what I made, but I can say that it was difficult not to end up making Jeremy Fisher, Jemima Puddleduck, Hunca Munca, Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten, Mrs Tiggywinkle etc,etc....... Remember we had to find ispiration from her work, not recreate her characters which are protected by copyright. I leave you with these tantalisng thoughts, you can ponder what inspired me and where it took me. On June 1st all will be revealed! So be sure to note that date in your diary, and head over to the ACDA site where you will be able to view all the entrants in this year's challenge.

Two Names

Cuddling up to a Moroccan Kitty

I went through all the comments. I wrote all the names onto paper. I cut them all into individual little slips and then I screwed them all up and put them in a basket (not a hat) My daughter picked out the following two names.............. Michele Vaile (soggibottom) and Adriana. Congratulations to you both! I'll pop these little sweeties into the post, just as soon as I've heard from you both with your postal addresses.........and I've made them. Shouldn't take me too long, they're only very small :o)

On A Train

All the way from Arizona

Now a pendant

Last year I travelled by train from London to Suffolk to visit my cousin Jane, and other members of my extended family. After sitting and chatting for a while, I realised that I had lost the dangle from one of my ear-rings. It was a pair of Navajo sterling silver, fetish style bears that I'd had, and worn for many years. I was pretty devastated by the loss, I was really attached to those  ear-rings and missed them terribly. I while back I decided to do a bit of an internet search to see if I could find something to replace them with. Yesterday these came in the mail, all the way from  eScape Market in Arizona. They are just beautiful! Gorgeous stylised, sterling silver bears inlaid with my favourite stone. It's amazing that such a simple thing can make a person feel whole. I'd been wearing those bears for so long and the loss of one of them affected me more deeply than I expected. I'm wearing these new ones now and they're making me feel so right! I've taken the bear remaining from the original set and added a silver jump ring and I've hung it from a silver choker. So now I can still wear it as a pendant. I could spend hours trawling through eScape Market, they have a wonderful range of Navajo and Zuni Indian jewelery, pottery and other crafts. Take a look, you might find something you "need"!

Just Four More Days!

You have just four more days to get your entry in for my double giveaway. On the 19th I'll be pulling two names out of the hat and each will receive a miniature bear made by me. If you scroll down a few posts you will find the right spot (it's the one with these two bears on it), just leave your comment and a means of contact.

Jo Jo's Coming To Sydney!

Hi there, I've just finished this alpaca panda cub named Jo Jo. She's such a sweet little thing, I rushed out and took some photos because I was so excited about her! Jo Jo is about 12.5" tall and she has a needle felted muzzle, which has fur rooted into it to recreate fuzziness after the sculpting of the needle felt is finished. This takes a long time to do, and involves rooting the hair row by row with a felting needle to get the right effect (this is not something you should do while watching the telly). I have also given her a needle felted nose, which I have hardened and then painted, giving it a lifelike pinkish tone inside. I also waxed and buffed the nose to a lovely soft sheen. Jo Jo has eyes that can be posed open, closed or sleepy. I think she looks really sweet when asleep, but under her eyelids she has  lovely blue English glass, starburst eyes. Her paws and feet have top trapunto leather features which are sculpted and dry brush painted using artists oils. I have also added little leather claws. I managed to get alot of glass pellets into this bear, so she's nice and heavy when cuddled. Jo Jo will be coming with me to Sydney in a few weeks for the Sydney Teddy Bear Fair. I can't believe that I'm looking at dates in March thinking how close they are! Where does the time go?

Don't Forget!

Tomorrow is the day! At 8pm Eastern Australian Daylight Saving Time, the BMV online show begins. I sure hope you can join us at the TBACA site for all the fun.

Insomnia Can Be A Good Thing

I finished this bear this morning. I've decided to name him Yasi, since I've been working on him this week and Yasi has been in the headlines all week. Not that he's anything like that terrible cyclone, (he's a sweet faced, gentle little bear) I just liked the name and though it might suit a bear :o)

A sweet faced, gentle little bear.

Rather sweet in "half asleep" pose

And fast asleep :o)

He's actually a variant of Nanou's pattern, with a little more fine tuning. I have given him slightly longer arms which I have set a little further forward on his body. Yasi is made from the other piece of Belgian plush that Melissa gave me, this one has a slightly lighter tip on it and is a blended mix of taupe, beige and grey. I have spent alot of time on trimming his face to get his sweet expression. I have also added open/close eyelids. This is a new thing for me, and one I've been pondering on and off for a number of years until the solution struck the other night when I should really have been asleep! Another little technique to tuck under my belt :o) He also has a full set of leather claws and beautiful sculpted and painted paws to complete him. Have a look at the photos and tell me what you think, I rather like him in "half asleep" pose.

Another BMV Sneak Peek

Here's another little peek at my BMV offerings. In just a week all will be revealed! I hope you can find the time to pop over to have a look at all the creations the members of TBACA have made for the show. This year the show will run over four days, starting at 8pm (Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time) on Friday the 11th through until Monday 14th at 8pm. This gives you plenty of time to go and take a look, I hope to see you there :o)

A Workshop In Sydney

Back in November, at the Mittagong Doll And Bear Fair Melissa Kemp from The Art Of Teddy Bears gave me a couple of pieces of Belgian plush to try out. I have just finished this gorgeous little polar bear (Nanou)and he's the sample for my two, one-day workshops which will be held on Friday and Saturday before the Sydney Teddy Bear Fair. It was quite different working with this plush, it trims beautifully and the bear looks really chubby because it's extremely dense and oh so soft! If you're in Sydney or are planning to be there for the show, perhaps you'd like to join me for a little workshop fun? If you're interested contact Melissa, I'm sure she'd love to hear from you :o)