I um-med ah-ed for quite some time when invitations for next year's Hugglets' shows arrived, because after so many years exhibiting at their lovely London shows, committing to a change of plan, had me feeling very torn, but the truth is, I have been struggling to create enough bears to set aside for shows since Polly, Betty and my Grandson arrived and to be absolutely honest, after twenty years of bear-making, much as I have enjoyed the shows, I no longer have an appetite for the inevitable deadline crisis that always has me in a last minute twirl of bear-making madness.
Preparing to exhibit at bear shows is time consuming and costly, so I have come to the conclusion that in preparation for 2016, it is time to put on my big girl pants and make a firm decision about how to move forward. The result is, I will be taking a break from shows for the foreseeable future.
There. I've said it, so that makes it real. Phew!
So, I am looking forward to working at a more gentle pace, creating bears from the heart, walking each day with my girls, taking care of home, hearth and husband and of course, sharing time with my precious Grandson while he is still little enough to need me.
Yes, I think it's time to put the brakes on a little and maybe even smell those roses!
I will continue to share new bears via my website and will of course, keep in contact as usual, through my blog, mailing list, Facebook page, Twitter, Bearpile and ... well, you get the picture.
You can take the bear-maker out of the shows, but you can't take the bear-maker out of the ... er bear-maker!
:-)
The hardest part is to make the decision then a weight comes off your shoulders. Life never stays the same.
ReplyDeleteHugs Kay
Good for you Paula, you enjoy your grandson while he's small.
ReplyDeleteMargaret x
Have to agree with you Paula, I made that decision last year. Yes I missed the anticipation of the day when it arrived but I enjoy the freedom of no pressure and just to go at my own pace. Like your Polly and Betty ZIVA takes a great deal,of our time and I love every minute that she torments us!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your time with your girls and grandson - that I am envious of, our little Talitha is in Dubai and we miss them all dearly. X
You and your beautiful bears will be missed, of course, but glad you are going to have a lovely break and time with those two gorgeous dogs and your grandson. xx
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your support, I really appreciate your kind words. A tough decision but the right one for me now - can't believe how fast those twenty years went!!!!
ReplyDelete