Latest bears and a day out .................

I am still battling with the after affects of a miserable dose of 'flu but have managed to complete some orders.   My handful of bears little girls have proved so popular and the latest Annabelle is now journeying to her new home.  These bears have been made from the same fabric and pattern but I have tried to dress each one differently. 

I also found  some vintage rayon in a rather washed out grey/blue colour in my stash.   This fabric was apparently originally used for curtains.   Dyed it turned into a rather mouse brown but it has made a nice little bear.   Her dress is made from a scrap of special vintage lace with tiny forget-me-not embroidery around the neck.   Aimee is now listed on e-bay.

I now have only a small piece of the golden rayon left and was a little peeved to find this type of fabric is now priced at some £85 per metre.   My stash has been around for so long, I am rather out of touch with prices.   Think I will be back to making miniature bears for a while, the on line show is drawing closer and I have lots of work to do.

Last month we managed a long promised day off.   Our first destination was to the town of Baldock in Hertfordshire.  Having read that this town was founded by the Knights Templar in the 1140s I was hoping to find it of interest.   The origin of the name is supposedly a derivation from the old French name for Baghdad (Baldac).   Unfortunately it is a town which seen better days but does have some fascinating old buildings and a 13th century church.   Tesco's supermarket is in a building with the most amazing Art Deco façade

 

 

We did find a rather nice haberdashery shop in one of the side streets.   Sadly, there are not many of these around any more,  the large chains such as Hobby Craft as well as on line shopping, have meant that many of these shops have disappeared.    There were the usual variety of charity shops but little else of much interest.
 
I find the names of villages and towns here in England quite fascinating and on my trips to London I pass a sign for a town called 'Wendy'.   I have not had much success in finding out the origin of this name, which apparently means "river-bend island"?  It is a tiny hamlet with just a handful of houses and a church and was merged with the neighbouring town of Shingay in 1957. I wonder what it would be like to live in a town with my own name?

I did spot the most perfect house .........

A typical English thatched cottage which we passed on our journeying .......

The garden is finally starting to look a little colourful.   The Angelica has grown so large that I have cut it back quite a lot so that the plants growing underneath have a chance to get some light.   Don't think I will be spending time trying to crystallise it this year,  too labour intensive and not something I use a lot of. 

Lots of work to do as I need to get the vegetable garden going.   Winter dragged on for so long this season and I have not really had time to catch up.

A lot of birds are visiting the garden at this time of the year.  We have noticed a definite decline in numbers of some species.   In previous years we were inundated with starlings, this year there have been just a few.

Finally all our kitties (not the best picture) sleeping in front of the window enjoying the warm sunshine. 

I have some new followers, welcome to my ramblings and thank you for your interest.

Until next time .............

A quick update ..........

It is some weeks since I actually updated my blog.   Time has flown by and I have had a lot of happenings to cope with.   I always seem to pick up some sort of virus at this time of the year and spent several days in bed (most unusual for me) feeling totally dreadful.   Being prescribed a course of antibiotics to clear bronchitis did help but I am still feeling a little out of sorts.   This has meant being very behind on my work and submissions for Teddy Bears of Witney.  The bears are all ready and waiting for their clothing and hopefully I will manage to complete everything in the next few days.

My little 'handful of bears' are proving popular and special commission Abigail will be on her way to Australia next week, another little similar girl still to be made.......

 I tea dyed some cotton lawn for her dress, raided my collection of vintage lace/tatting and embroidered roses on the bodice and skirt.   I am now trying to find a source of similar rayon fabric as I would like to expand this range of bears.   So far my basic research has proved relatively successful but I must admit to being totally shell shocked at the prices.   Most of the fabric in my stash was purchased so many years ago and replacing it will prove to be an expensive process.

On a sad note our little Merlin kitty has a growth at the back of his throat.  The vet has told us that it is situated in a spot which would prove very difficult for surgery.   At the moment he has a daily dose of pain killing medication,   is still eating very well and although very thin still seems to be enjoying life.   The lovely warm weather means that he stretches out in front of the window enjoying the sunshine.   Difficult decision to be made soon but for the moment he is coping.

I have managed some journeying in recent weeks so hope to have pictures to share next time.

Have a good weekend ........

A handful of bear

I seem to be sewing very slowly at the moment but have some pictures of completed bears to share.   Like all the crafters I have acquired a lot of supplies over the years including some long pile rayon fabric which is just not suitable to make miniature bears.

So I pulled out one of my older patterns, made a few tweaks and stitched a couple of slightly bigger bears.   The first one called Amelia is 5.75" and made from German rayon.   The fabric is dense and I ended up with a very round bear but after much trimming a very sweet little girl emerged.   She is dressed in an embroidered cotton lawn dress which I 'aged' with tea dye and trimmed with vintage laces.

 

Megan has suggested that I should call these little bears 'handfuls' as they are perfectly hand sized.   The second bear is Briony made from pink vintage rayon fabric.  This fabric was made in Poland for curtaining and is not quite as kind to work with as the previous bear as it is somewhat fragile.   At least I did not have spend a lot of time trimming the fur as it has a shorter pile.  She is wearing a pink dress made from one of Victoria's cast off's.  It was such pretty fabric and perfect for this little bear.

Finally one of my miniature bears.   Rebecca is wearing an embroidered dress made from vintage lawn trimmed with a wonderful piece of needle lace.  

I am busy knitting an outfit for a mini bears, adjusting one of my patterns.   It does seem to be taking for ever but I have reached the sleeves so hopefully it will be completed soon.   Then it is back to stitching some of the many bears all cut out and ready to sew which have been sitting on my work table for weeks!

Merlin's follow up visit to the vet showed some improvement in his health.  He has actually gained a little weight and is eating well.   There is still cause for concern and we will have to monitor his progress carefully.   He has had continual problems with his skin and been on and off steroids for most of his life.  This could be the cause of the nodules on his side and in the back of his throat or could be something more serious.   As he is now over twelve years old it seems unfair for him to undergo a battery of tests and as he is, at the moment, happy with life we will just continue with the treatment he is receiving.

Spring seem to have finally 'sprung' with a couple of sunny days but the air is still cold.   The garden is starting to show some colour so hopefully warmer weather is on the way.   My fuchsias which I tucked in the green house over winter are actually starting to show some signs of life so hopefully they have survived.

Until next time ..............

Easter Greetings

 

Wishing you all a most blessed Easter holiday.

Today is the day when we all over indulge in chocolate and end up with a sugar high!    The weather is still cold with patchy snow but the spring flowers are trying hard to brighten up the garden.

I have been very slow with my bear making this past week,  perhaps needing to take a much needed break.  I completed the 'bigger' bear made from the rayon fabric,   did not like all the long fur so I have trimmed the bear considerably.   I did take a before picture and I am now busy stitching clothes for her and will share some pics of the completed bear soon.

Please keep our little kitty Merlin in your thoughts.   His health has not improved and another visit to the vet (who was this time more thorough in her examination)  shows a lump in his throat,  could just be an infection or possibly something more serious.   He is now on antibiotics and pain killers and due for another visit next week but the prognosis is not too good. 

 

Spring ....... lost on the way to summer?

The Teddy Bear Extravaganza on line show was a great success.   Megan's little bear won first prize in the best dressed category and seven little bears will be winging their way to collectors across the pond.  Just one little girl did not find a home.   Perhaps I should complete the crochet hat I originally planned for her before time ran out.

This is one of my creations from the show.    I made a tiny velvet purse trimmed with roses and ribbons which is the perfect setting for Roselaine.  

 Like so many residents of the northern hemisphere I am a little tired of winter.   We awoke yesterday to that pristine silence after a heavy snowfall.   The white world outside looked pretty but I am sad that my newly planted primulas and flowering bulbs are all under a deep layer of snow.  I wonder whether they will survive to see in 'spring'.   A picture taken of our front garden showing one pot of primulas buried under a layer of snow. 

 I am longing to actually get outside and do some gardening.   Forecasts for the rest of the week including the Easter weekend are not too promising but we have been promised a heat wave in April!    A bunch of daffodils provide a splash of colour against the white background.   These pretty flowers are sold in bunches at this time of the year still tightly closed and not even kept in water.   It is quite amazing to see how they open in the warmth of the house and I love their subtle fragrance.

The inclement weather is hard on the wild life.    Bronwen's three rescue hedgehogs are still hibernating and should actually have been released back into the wild.   The birds are obviously struggling to find food and the seed we put out each day rapidly disappears.

Finally a picture of Victoria taken on her second birthday surrounded by some of her presents.  Hard to believe how the past two years have flown by,  this little girl has brought much joy into our lives.

Time to get back to work,   parcels to post and orders to complete.   Looking through my fabric stash recently I found some long pile rayon which is not suitable for tiny bears.   As I am in that state of what on earth can I make that is different, I have cut out and am busy stitching some slightly larger bears.   Will share some pics soon.   Have a great week.


Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.  ~Doug Larson

Teddy Bear Extravangza

Something I forgot to add to my previous blog.   Megan has created a special little bear called Aurora for the Teddy Bear Extravaganz.

 

 

The preview is well under way and to see all the fantastic bears and vote for your favourite, do visit www.teddiesworldwide.com!

Still busy finishing one little bear but I will share a picture of all our special show creations this coming weekend.

An ailing kitty ......

A short blog update.    Forgot to mention in my last blog that my little Merlin kitty is still not too well.   His recent visit to the vet and blood tests show that he has a higher than normal white blood cell count and has lost quite a lot weight.   He was always a little large so that is not too serious and he is still eating well but is not a happy little furry child.   We have to keep a close watch on him over the next few weeks to see if he starts to improve or another visit to the vet will be necessary.

One order finally complete.   I was asked to repeat one of my 'older' pieces, a bear in a box trimmed with flowers.   As I made the first bear some time ago and no longer had the same fabric it has taken a while to find something suitable as well as find vintage flowers which are a good match.  After all the fiddly painting of flowers they were not quite the right shade.  I had to use some of my really special flowers, you know the ones which you keep in one of several boxes with all the pieces of vintage lace which you do not want to part with!!

I have also made another little purse this time with a panda bear.   All this purple is rather a change from my usual pinks 'tho.   Definitely no more making tiny pansy flowers for a while.

It is Victoria's second birthday this weekend and as she has developed a liking for penguins, I spent an entire morning wandering around Cambridge looking for a suitable soft toy without much success.   Arrived home wet, cold and miserable after getting caught in a snow shower and found just what I needed on line.   Now I understand why I like shopping on the internet.

Until next time ...............