There is only one, ever decreasing week until the 'Teddies 2008' show in London and am I ready? Am I 'eck as like. I'm feeling particularly disorganised this time and am approaching the show with a growing sense of resignation, because I would like to have been able to accomplish so much more than I have time for. Ah well, I guess that's life!
Paula's pre-show workroom
Show work in progress!
I had an unexpected visit in the week - my Dad rang to ask if he could pop in with his sister my Auntie Mona. As I can count the number of times I have met this aunt in the past thirty years on just two of my fingers, of course I said yes and we spent an enjoyable afternoon catching up, making me very aware of how fast and how craftily, time flies steals away our precious years. (In fact, it feels like no time at all since Fiona and I were naughty little girls, relishing the prospect of secretly tormenting our poor cousin Stephen, while Auntie Mona entertained our parents in her home!) After all these years, we had plenty to chat about and to my delight, Auntie Mona, now a fabulously fun and feisty eighty years old (I'm sure she won't mind me telling you) confessed (with a noticeable twinkle in her eye) that she has her very own teddy bear collection, which even her brother, my own father, has been unaware of, until now! In fact we share a keen interest in crafting and I discovered Auntie Mona is actively involved in judging craft competitions for the Town's Women's Guild. As she sat hugging one of my show bears that afternoon (while my Dad delighted in gently teasing his older sister - brothers it would appear, never do quite outgrow such antics, no matter how many years slip by!) she told me all about her long-standing passion for embroidery, knitting, jewellery making, sugar crafting and cake making and I found myself pondering - is it possible for a crafting gene to be mysteriously passed through the generations?
I had an unexpected visit in the week - my Dad rang to ask if he could pop in with his sister my Auntie Mona. As I can count the number of times I have met this aunt in the past thirty years on just two of my fingers, of course I said yes and we spent an enjoyable afternoon catching up, making me very aware of how fast and how craftily, time flies steals away our precious years. (In fact, it feels like no time at all since Fiona and I were naughty little girls, relishing the prospect of secretly tormenting our poor cousin Stephen, while Auntie Mona entertained our parents in her home!) After all these years, we had plenty to chat about and to my delight, Auntie Mona, now a fabulously fun and feisty eighty years old (I'm sure she won't mind me telling you) confessed (with a noticeable twinkle in her eye) that she has her very own teddy bear collection, which even her brother, my own father, has been unaware of, until now! In fact we share a keen interest in crafting and I discovered Auntie Mona is actively involved in judging craft competitions for the Town's Women's Guild. As she sat hugging one of my show bears that afternoon (while my Dad delighted in gently teasing his older sister - brothers it would appear, never do quite outgrow such antics, no matter how many years slip by!) she told me all about her long-standing passion for embroidery, knitting, jewellery making, sugar crafting and cake making and I found myself pondering - is it possible for a crafting gene to be mysteriously passed through the generations?
Angus with friends (left, standing) now safely in my workroom!
Before I go back to work on the four furry heads waiting for me on my worktable, I must quickly tell you Angus arrived safely! It was such a strange feeling, almost one of deja vu, to be opening a cardboard box containing one of my sister's earliest designs, a bear neither of us ever expected to see again! I had a big grin spread across my face as I spied Angus's ear poking up through the polysterene packaging. He is every bit as handsome as the day he was originally made available for sale all those years ago and is even still wearing his ribbon ... I can remember when we went shopping for that ribbon! The only thing he has lost along the way, is his original 'Auntie Bears' hangtag. Unfortunately another bear was sold at auction wearing Angus's hangtag, a case of mistaken identity. Never mind that though, let's keep it our little secret eh?! Angus is now safely ensconced in my workroom and when I emailed Fiona at work to tell her he was on his way to me, she wrote back to say ...
Before I go back to work on the four furry heads waiting for me on my worktable, I must quickly tell you Angus arrived safely! It was such a strange feeling, almost one of deja vu, to be opening a cardboard box containing one of my sister's earliest designs, a bear neither of us ever expected to see again! I had a big grin spread across my face as I spied Angus's ear poking up through the polysterene packaging. He is every bit as handsome as the day he was originally made available for sale all those years ago and is even still wearing his ribbon ... I can remember when we went shopping for that ribbon! The only thing he has lost along the way, is his original 'Auntie Bears' hangtag. Unfortunately another bear was sold at auction wearing Angus's hangtag, a case of mistaken identity. Never mind that though, let's keep it our little secret eh?! Angus is now safely ensconced in my workroom and when I emailed Fiona at work to tell her he was on his way to me, she wrote back to say ...
"I am very chuffed to think that Angus will be sitting watching you create the next generation of teddy bears!"
Hey guess what Sis? So am I!
Before I go, I must mention one last thing - my photographer sister Tina has now joined us in Blog Land! She says she's a bit unsure of what to write, so I'm sure she'd enjoy a few comments on her current entries from readers! Please spare a moment to find out what Tina gets up to in a day's work, by reading her 'Viewfinder' blog ... http://tinas-viewfinder.blogspot.com/
Glad that you have Angus back sitting alongside you Paula.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with getting all your bears finished for Hugglets.
Enjoy your weekend.
Hugs
Carolyn
Time flies, Paula!I feel depressed when, at the end of a week, I realize an ENTIRE week has gone- what have I produced in ALL that time?!
ReplyDeleteCrafting is highly time- consuming, even for a little something!
Hope you'll have a 'super-productive' time before Hugglets!
Have a beautiful week,
Monica.
Hello! Lovely to hear from you both! Thanks for popping in to share Bearing All with me, I really appreciate your company!
ReplyDelete