Friday, August 9, 2013

Another Milestone Birthday

I have been busy making cats and mini dogs for the Bear Scout. I'm glad it's her traveling the country doing doll and bear shows. I really enjoy going places but really like sleeping in my own bed.


I hit the big 6 - 0 a couple of weeks ago. It was a great birthday, with the most family in one place in a long time. Also the most people in our home since we moved here. Bill spent the day before making lasagna and it was a big hit. Physically, I feel great, but when I think about my parents at sixty.....I thought they were really old.
Sooooo, back to work. Two online shows in November and more critters for the Bear Scout.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Christmas Treasures Show



Now it's really time to get going on Christmas creations. I have been accepted to participate in the Teddies Worldwide Christmas Treasures online show. The preview and voting for Collector's Choice will begin Nov 1st with the show taking place Nov 15th - 17th. I have a couple of cool ideas in my head....just waiting for stores to put out their Christmas fabrics. Teddies Worldwide shows are always excellent and I am really looking forward to this one.
Meanwhile, a bunch of mini dogs and a couple of black cats are on their way to the Bear Scout for her next show.
 Also, Bean, a cute Boston Terrier is waiting for his new home. Bean will be on Bear Pile soon.
 

Monday, July 8, 2013

Time to vote for the URSA Awards


I didn't realize that I haven't posted in over a month. Not sure how that happened. 
The first round of voting in the URSA competition opened today. The winners are determined by online voting. Brownie is in Category 10 and Patina is on category 14. There are 16 categories(there is no category 13) with a bunch of wonderful creations. You can vote in all the categories or only some. You can come back later and vote in the ones you didn't before. Round one ends July 31 and round two starts August 12. Winners will be announced Oct 1. I hope you will vote for Brownie and Patina but make sure to vote! Click the picture below to get to the voting pages.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Trying to get in the Christmas Spirit


The mocking birds keep making nests on our back porch. I have to duck to keep from being buzzed if I go out there. Another sign of Spring/Summer is the wet season has arrived here in Florida. We are experiencing the first tropical storm of the season with heavy rain and tornado warnings through out the day. But... it's time to make Christmas critters. The magazines need photos by August and I have an online show in November. The current humidity is not helping me get in the mood.
I have been selling some items on ebay and etsy. The local estate and garage sales have yielded some nice finds. We are looking forward to some visits from family in the next few weeks. I have a milestone birthday coming up next month...not sure how I feel about it.
Think I go play some Christmas music...that always makes me feel young.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Dogs & Cat


Whew! It's been a long time since I have posted. I was busy making some cats and dogs to send to The Bear Scout. Felicia Hymer is the Bear Scout. She takes Teddy bears and other critters to shows and shops made by artists from all over the world. Recently I went to the big doll and bear show, IDEX, in Orlando. I had the pleasure of meeting Felicia there and showed her some photos of my work. So a box of 11 dogs and cats are now in St Louis, ready for the Brightstar show on Sunday the 19th. I will post more pictures on my facebook page this weekend.

Mean while, these two Teddies are on sale in my etsy shop. There were 4 on sale but Dodi and Russell have already been adopted.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Little Bears and Dogs from scraps


The last couple of weeks I decided I needed to use up most of my mohair stash before I ordered more. These 3 bears are from small pieces that were left over. Andy Panda is already on his way to a new home. The other two, Summer and Lola, will be available on Bear Pile . I also made a tiny string jointed dog. The plan is to make several of them before the Greater Orlando Doll Show on May 5th. The little dogs are the perfect pet for Barbie. As for the plan to use up my mohair stash before ordering more.....fail. Put in an order yesterday.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Bebe has new shoes...

Shoes for bears have been on my mind. Wanting to make shoes for upcoming creations, I decided to make some for a bear that is still waiting to be adopted. Bebe looked like she could use some booties. I used a Simplicity pattern for felt baby shoes as a guideline. Pulling out some craft felt to experiment with, it took several tries. Now Bebe has some yellow felt booties. Now, to translate the pattern to some smaller feet as the new creations will not be as big as Bebe. I also have to update the photos of her on Bear Pile.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

After the show and a special order puppy

Well three out of five bears are on their way to new homes. Brownie, Lillyann, and Buddy have all headed north. Patina and Serafina will probably show up on Bear Pile soon. I am thinking of entering Brownie and Lillyann, maybe even Patina in the URSA competition. Still thinking on it.

I don't think I ever posted about the article in the Teddy Bear Times, a UK magazine. It was the February/March issue. I had forgotten they had asked for photos and some info until a friend on facebook saw the article and messaged me. The friend was also kind enough to send me a copy. It is a beautiful magazine with nice glossy photos. Because of the article, Emmitt the clown bear now resides in the UK. I also received an order for a little dog similar to one pictured in the article.
Believe it or not, I am already thinking about winter and Christmas bears. Maybe our colder than normal spring has something to do with that.
 

Saturday, March 23, 2013

The show is on!


The Teddies Worldwide show started yesterday evening and last until 4pm NY time tomorrow(Sun 24th). Brownie has been adopted but as of now my other 4 bears are available. Patina and Seraphina are fairy princesses. Lillyann is all ready for Easter Sunday. Little Buddy comes with a wardrobe and a carrying case. Lots of other Teddies and critters available at the show www.teddiesworldwide.com

Friday, March 8, 2013

Teddies Worldwide Preview

The preview has begun. Lots of wonderful Teddy Bears to look at and vote on. Voting lasts until March 22nd at noon. The show and sale begins at 4pm March 22nd and lasts til 4 pm March 24. Besides Brownie I will have 4 other bears available.
Brownie is my preview bear. He is a helpful little elf bear. 
Vote here.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Teddies Worldwide Show

 Show link
Almost ready for the show. Four Teddies are complete. Today I worked on photos and descriptions. I still need to make at least one more bear but the ideas in my head are in conflict. Can't decide on which mohair to use, can't decide on color, can't decide on what it will wear. I think I have decided on one then it doesn't go with the other. Does that make sense? No? Not to me either. 
Well the preview begins on Friday the 8th. The photo for my preview bear is uploaded. I will post that photo here after the preview starts. Show is March 22nd through the 24th. I WILL be ready!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Show Time!



Pretty much packed and ready. I look forward to this show each year. Currently, it is the only in the fur "all Teddy Bear" show I participate in. The kitties, Parker and Petey and Shenanigan will all be available at the show. If you will be in the Tampa, Florida area....come on down! Show info here

Monday, February 11, 2013

Heads Up!

Almost ready for the Tampa show in just 2 weeks. Five new cats will be available. I am anxiously awaiting the mailman as I am expecting some fabric so a little bear needs some clothes

While waiting, bears for the online Teddy Bear Extravaganza at Teddies Worldwide are works in progress. Creations must be kept hush hush so no sneak peeks. The show will be next month. Preview and voting for collectors choice begins March 8 so stay tuned.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Off in the wrong direction

Yes, I know I am supposed to be making critters for upcoming shows. It is not the time to work on a prototype of a new pattern. But the idea for the new creation was banging around in my head and it refused to go away til I did something about it, So, last night was spent drawing out the pattern. Today it was cut out from a scrap up upholstery material. Now to sew it together, maybe tweak it a bit....then see if I can get back to what I should be doing.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Valentine Special and Nancy's Notions

Baby seat cover finished and on it's way. Soon I will get back to bear making....several shows coming up. Valerie and Tino have been listed on Bear Pile for a special price.
Today was spent photographing and listing yard sale finds in my Nancy's Notions etsy shop. Some vintage crochet books(I wish I had learned to crochet) and some vintage brass drawer handles.
I also spent some time researching this garage sale find. The marking on the bottom reads Rosenthal Group Germany Classic Rose. But the flowers are hand painted and signed so it wasn't a reproduced pattern. How does that effect the value. It is in very good shape with only some of the gold edging worn off. Back to researching....

Sunday, January 13, 2013

For Baby

Been working on this all week. It took a couple of weeks to get everything together. Even after starting this project I had to go back for more supplies. My niece's baby girl, Annabelle, is due the first week of Feb. Rather than the Winnie the Pooh cover on the infant car seat, my niece has decided she wants pink John Deere. After pricing a custom made cover on etsy, she messaged me, asking if I could make one. She took the cover and canopy off the car seat and sent them to me.  I knew right away it wasn't going to be as easy as I thought.  I used wrapping paper and the Winnie seat cover to make a pattern.
The John Deere cover needs to go over the Winnie cover because it has the proper padding. The John Deere material is a one way design so all the tractors have to go in the right direction.
My niece saw this bumpy soft velour in blue used for a seat cover on etsy. I found it in brown at Hobby Lobby.
All the slots cut in for the belts. The edges finished with bias tape. I am thinking I will add some velcro the both the Winnie seat and the new cover so it stays where it's supposed to.
Now to finish the canopy. Then back to sewing bears! 
 
 

 

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Monkey Business

He is finally done, my first mohair monkey. I have been working on him on and off for at least 3 months. His face was the problem. It just wouldn't take the direction it was supposed to. He even got a second head. Don't know why this mohair(which I love). For some reason it said monkey. 
Presenting Kazoo! He is 7 1/2 inches tall sitting. His arms, legs, and tail are wired. The leather collar has copper colored star shaped brads. Not sure if he will be my last monkey or not.