Christmas memories ...

Christmas with my family came and went in what now seems the bat of an eye.  I loved spending those precious few festive days with my family, but now the time has come for life to roll forward towards a New Year.  Before I let Christmas 2010 slip away though, I'd like to take this opportunity to preserve a few happy memories here...

Christmas Eve ...

My son, Christmas Morn!

Daisy's first Christmas

Cheers!  Our Christmas Day lunch

Boxing Day walk in Mote Park ...

Fay modelling her Christmas woollies

Hungry birds on a frozen lake!

Mote Park, beautiful in the wintery sunshine

Me and Stuart walking off our Christmas pud!

Fay and Stuart chuckling ...

Sunset over the frozen lake

There are only a few days until the clocks strike midnight to welcome in 2011.  Like many of you, I will say goodbye to 2010 with my heart full of both happy and sad memories - but let's not dwell on the past, let's wave it goodbye and step boldly forward into the new year ... after all, our future awaits us.

A bear is for life, not just for Christmas!

We drove through a blizzard to reach the supermarket on Saturday and everything looked so beautiful in the snow, but the downside of the snow is that it causes havoc in the UK because we aren't properly prepared for it; our airports have closed, our trains can't cope with the icy conditions and horror of horrors, many of our delivery companies can no longer guarantee parcels will arrive in time for Santa's big night out! 

13" 'Clara'

My last bear of 2010 is a pretty little girl called 'Clara' and she would make a super Christmas present for any bear collector, but sadly with the weather meddling the way it is, I would need to whistle up a magician to ensure she could sit under your Christmas tree in time for the grand present opening on Christmas morn! 

I have popped Clara on my website in the hope she finds someone special to love her, whether she arrives with them this week, or a few days late for the Christmas celebrations ... after all, a bear is for life, not just for Christmas!

Secret Santa!

Can you keep a secret?!  I have a little treasure to share with you today, she travelled all the way from Singapore to boost my battered Christmas spirit ... 

These three little friends were made by Rita Diesing of Ridibears

Little Bine arrived yesterday and snuck under my Christmas tree as quietly as a little mouse to squeeze between her two new friends.  No-one else knows she's there yet ... only me!

Buttons in Santa's Sack!

I'm supposed to be tackling some Christmas shopping today, so I'd better get my skates on, but before I launch myself towards the festive frenzy, I want to take a moment to introduce 'Buttons', the first of the three bears I told you about yesterday ...

'Buttons' is now available from www.allbear.co.uk

Isn't he a sweetie?!  I finished him last night and must admit, I wouldn't mind finding him under my own tree on Christmas morning!  

Dear old Buttons will soon be hopping into Santa's Sack, so if you are still searching for your special 2010 Christmas bear, please pop along to www.allbear.co.uk to find out all about him!

Update: I am delighted to say, Buttons has been adopted in time to spend Christmas with his new owner!

Stuffing.

I've been mulling over advertising this week. I haven't done anything about it yet though, but think I probably ought to as I am aware mine has been woefully inadequate during 2010.  In the current economic climate it's tricky to judge where best to allocate precious bear business funds and I'm sure I'm not the only bear maker with a tendency to allow advertising to slide down the 'to-do' list in favour of purchasing lovely fabrics!  I think there comes a point when a well placed advertisement is definitely useful to remind collectors a bear artist is still alive, kicking and creating beautiful bears .. maybe I should turn this mull into a New Year's resolution?

Mango Chutney & Morwyn, pictured in Teddy Bear Times magazine!

It is of course, always a bonus to have bears published, so this month I am extremely grateful to Dawn, editor of Teddy Bear Times magazine, for including three of my bears in the Christmas issue of Teddy Bear Times magazine.  If you would like to order a copy, or even sign up for a subscription, please visit www.teddybeartimes.com for further details.

2010 Christmas issue of Teddy Bear Times magazine

With only a couple of weeks until the Christmas festivities take over, I freely confess a need to wind down and take a much needed break.  After my rollercoaster 2010, I feel as though the stuffing has been knocked out of me and I'm craving a little relaxed time with my family; perhaps then I will find strength enough to make a postive start to the New Year ...

But enough of that, first I have three teddy bears in my work basket, waiting for me to stop waffling on and stuff them before Christmas!

Perfect peace.

Miraculously the rain crashed down clearing heavy snow and ice from the Kent roads, in perfect time for our Sunday afternoon drive into the heart of the countryside. Despite the melt, many fields were still dusted with snow, glistening in the winter sunlight ...

We arrived at the vineyard prepared for the cold and also for muddy fields, Fiona wearing trendy leopard print wellies, me muffled in a cheerful orange and pink striped scarf and bright pink boots.  Squelching past row upon row of vines, our laughter rang out as we tried to decide which would bear luscious grapes for a fine red wine harvest next year and as we did, it became clear to us, we were in the perfect place, on the perfect day ...

As the sun dipped in a final glorious blaze, we stood shoulder to shoulder with our sisters and a little later, with tears and smiles we walked away, content our Dad was at peace, at last.

Wellies, woollies and waterproofs!

Since my previous post, the wintry conditions haven't improved; in fact Kent is now officially a Winter Wonderland.  I think the best thing to do in times like this is batten down the hatches, make a nice hot cuppa and admire the view through the window, but we had no milk or bread yesterday, so I had to concede a need to bundle myself into wellies, woollies and waterproofs and brave the snow if I wanted some lunch!

My clomp to the supermarket was breathtakingly cold, yet undeniably beautiful ... isn't it amazing how a thick covering of snow turns even the most ordinary of scenes into a picture postcard?!

By the time I arrived back on my front porch, I looked like an abominable snowman and couldn't wait to peel off my snowy layers to make a hot drink.  Needless to say, I didn't venture out again, instead I snuggled into my armchair my feet toasty in furry slipper boots, to finish little Nicholas's winter cardigan.

16" Nicholas

This afternoon I'm going to tuck myself up in the warmth of my workroom ... I feel a pink bear coming on and this snowy weather is perfect for bear making!

The weather outside is frightful ...

My heart sank when I heard the predictions for snow throughout the UK this week, which is most unlike me.  Last year the heavy snow and our fleeting picture postcard world had me reaching for my welly boots and camera ...

But not this year.  This year I'm staring out the window praying for the fastest thaw known to man, because I made a special promise to my Dad before he left. By hook or by crook, I must travel in the next few days, because some things in life and death are more important than the weather.

So today I'm cosying up in my armchair to finish knitting this bear's woolly pully, but I'll be keeping one eye on that window, willing the sun to shine and the snow to melt away ...