Lockdown Grandparents

I created Rosie to celebrate my granddaughter's 2nd birthday back in May ... which of course, happened during Lockdown. Sadly, under Lockdown Law, this meant my family wasn't able to gather for a traditional party celebration, so instead, we all sang Happy Birthday into our computer screens, while little Izzy watched and wondered. 

That morning, I drove my dogs close to my grandchildren's house for their daily walk (permitted under UK Lockdown law) and while my husband got the dogs out of the car, left 'Rosie' and her smart new dolly cot, on the doorstep, then rang the doorbell, stepped back to maintain the required social distance and watched with my Nana heart in mouth, as my delighted granddaughter discovered her special birthday gift on the doorstep and her Nana at the bottom of the garden path! Strange times indeed, but the smile on Izzy's face as she cuddled her new dolly was the most precious smile of all ... and enough to keep this Nana smiling too, as she blew kisses to her two excited grandchildren ... and in line with Lockdown legislation, turned around, wiped away a rogue tear ... and walked off into the woods with the dogs.

It has been so hard to be a Lockdown Nana, but I have tried my best to stay as close as possible to my grandchildren, whilst being forced apart by Lockdown. Each time restrictions eased a little, I scoured the Government website for the finer details, desperate to find a way to spend time proper time with the grandchildren I used to care for in my home each week... and each time it was clear that my life as a Nana was no longer under my own jurisdiction. The last time grandparents were legally allowed to care for grandchildren in the UK was prior to the 23rd March 2020. In more recent weeks the Government gave permission for us to spend time with our grandchildren at a social distance of two metres, which meant we were able to share walks and have some fun in the garden ... but still no hugs...

From 4th July it is my understanding we will at last be permitted to have grandchildren back into our homes ... but once again, at distance, minus hugs. I can't tell you how much these restraints hurt my heart, so goodness only knows what our precious grandchildren make of it all. 

Sadly, I don't believe our Prime Minister has given our youngest generation's feelings about being torn apart from beloved grandparents for months on end, very much consideration at all. I worry about the effect this may have on them, as they have so little voice of their own. It is for adults to consider what is best for these important little citizens and I worry that our Government has become so swamped with all things Coronavirus, that their feelings and needs have become something of an afterthought...

Maybe now that it has become economically critical for UK parents return to work, the true value of grandparents will become clearer to him.

Sending hugs and much love to all Lockdown Grandparents.

May we soon be recognised... and fully reinstated!

xxx

New Year, New Inspirations!

I don't know if anyone remembers, but about ten years ago I created a my own range of raggedy style cloth dolls called 'Paula's Prim Dolly Doodles'...

These dollies were so much fun to make! As I haven't made a doll for absolutely ages, I have decided to try and find time to explore doll making alongside my teddy bear making, in 2020.  To kickstart the new year, I started work on a large felt doll project in the Christmas holiday, using a 1998 pattern created by Janet Clark ... Janet used to make the most wonderful bears and dolls and I have always loved her work. I am hoping I can do Jan's pattern justice! I promise to share pics of my finished dolly when she is ready...

Besides working with felt, I have also been exploring 'Waldorf Dolls', a lovely gentle style of doll, created using natural fibres and needle felting. I would love to design my own dolly based on this interesting method of doll-making, so have gathered a box of bits 'n pieces and several, now out of print books, to teach myself the necessary techniques. I do love a new project in the new year ... it is always the perfect time to learn new skills! Who knows, I may even make the occasional Prim Dolly Doodle between bears too...

Here's to a super creative 2020!

:-)

Before we head on to the sparkle of Christmas, I thought you might enjoy one last peek at some my bears and dolls from Halloween past ...

These witchypoos and wizards always make me smile, I hope they make you smile too.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

:-)

Hester Harvest Witch

My 'Prim Dolly Doodles' have been on the back burner for almost a year now and needless to say, they are not at all happy about it.

With Halloween only a few days away, I simply couldn't ignore their pleas any longer, so decided it was time to set aside the bears and squeeze in a Prim Dolly Doodle Witchypoo in time for some All Hallowes Eve fun.

My dollies don't aspire to high artistry, they are proud of their primitive cloth doll roots.  Simplicity they say, allows a cheeky personality to shine through!

They begin to come to life as soon as their eyes are painted and as you can see below, by the time I create the hairdo, there's no holding these saucy little misses back!

I finished 'Hester Harvest Witch' yesterday evening, so didn't have time to hunt out her broomstick and take a studio photo before dinner ... but as you can see, she was determined to introduce herself anyway, the moment her little witch hat was stitched firmly onto her head!

Happily, Hester was content to pose for her formal Witchypoo photo this afternoon!  She was adopted within moments of making herself known online and will shortly hop onto her broomstick to spend Halloween with her lovely new owner.

Hopefully I will find time to make one or two festive Prim Dolly Doodles in time for Christmas ... please watch this space for further dolly developments!

Maisy-May

I had intended to start work on my next shop order of Tiddler bears at the end of last week, but made the mistake of painting a pair of pleading eyes on the doll below ... try ignoring a pair of eyes pleading 'please finish me' as you move around your workroom, believe me, it really can't be done!  So 'Maisy-May' came to life and found her new mum straightaway and today I will start a fresh batch of Tiddlers ... 'all's well that end's well', as they say!

'Maisy-May'

My Prim Dolly Doodles are so much fun to make I have decided to let them have their own Facebook page to play on ... if you would like to visit them, please click the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/PaulasPrimDollyDoodles

Sunshine days ahead!

The daffodils are blooming, the roses in my garden are leafing and we have Spring weather forecast for the weekend ... it's official, Winter has at long last passed!

'Rosie Red'

To celebrate the change in season, I'd like to introduce 'Rosie Red', my first Prim Dolly Doodle of 2013 and yes, before you ask, she is wearing knickers!

And to warm the cockles of your heart, a splash of daffodil yellow ... here's to sunshine days ahead!

Doodling!

Following on from my 'Doodles Discombobulate' post last week, this is Dolly Doodle's progress report and as you can see, she's not quite finished yet, but it won't be too much longer before this little lady will be able to meet her new mum!

After my previous post, I stuffed Dolly's arms and stitched her limbs to her body.  It's fair to say my dollies always look a bit strange at this stage!

Next I painted her shoes and pinned her head in place temporarily, to see if she was coming to life ... judging from her slightly embarrassed expression, she was!

Then it was time to cover her modesty, so I made a dress from pretty rose print cotton fabric and removed Dolly's head (poor girl!) for a dress fitting. From past experience, I have learned fitting the dress without the head in place makes life so much easier!

After gathering the sleeves of her frock, I stitched Dolly's head in place and cut a few strands of wool for her hair - she's hoping for a cute little snippy fringe and lovely full bunches, so there's more hair styling to do ... and I'd better not forget before I send her off on her travels, my little lady still needs her knickers made!!!!!

Not quite the usual hair stylist technique, but effective nonetheless!

Her hair needs a trim and some red hair ties, and there's a little more finishing to do, but all in all, my first Dolly Doodle of 2013 is almost ready to meet her public!

It's a fact, Dolly Doodles dissolve discombobulation!

I had intended to pop out to the Post Office this afternoon, to return a pair of Cinderella shoes I'd decided against for my niece's wedding in August, but after the small, but not insubstantial shock of receiving an email from my Dad's email address this morning, I'm feeling a little discombobulated and the shoe refund will have to wait.  Instead I'm going to eat a large slice of chocolate cake, wash it down with a mug of hot chocolate and curse those hateful email stealing spammers for their heartless theft of Dad's good name.  How dare they treat Dad's friends and family in this cavalier manner now that he is no longer with us?! I called the email hosting company after receiving the email, explained that sadly Dad is no longer with us, his email has been hijacked by spammers ... thankfully they closed the account immediately .

So, on to Prim Dolly Doodles.  Time to focus on a very welcome diversion this afternoon, some Spring doll making!  My Dolly Doodles have been on the back burner since Christmas, so it's about time I allocated them a few days sewing time. Yesterday I had fun selecting cotton fabrics for frocks and bloomers and picking out hand dyed yarn for hairdo's.

Then I drew out three dolls (a nice number to work on in one doodling session) cut out my pattern pieces, stitched them and turned the pieces the right way out. I'm still playing with where best to stitch my lovely new satin 'Paula's Prim Dolly Doodle' labels, so this batch will be fixed into the back of one of dolly's leg seams, beneath the bloomers, but above the shoes.

I prefer my dollies to sit comfortably, so like to box off the bottom of the body sack to make a good solid seating area. 

Then I make a little slit in the back of the body and weight the bottom third with either glass beads or polyester pellets.

Before I wound up my day yesterday, I stuffed the bodies firmly with polyester fibre, making sure the neck areas were strong enough to take the weight of a doll's head, (which will be attached separately).  I also stuffed a couple of pair of striped legs, but only as far as the knee ... that way each dolly will be able to perch happily on a shelf with her feet dangling!

That's better, now I feel in a far better mood and can start working on the third pair of dingly dangly dolly legs - yes it's a fact, Dolly Doodles do dissolve discombobulation!

Prunella Poinsettia

I've tidied my workroom, zipped my camera back into its bag and am about to curl up in my armchair with something festive on the telly and my knitting in my lap ... yes, my Santa's Sack work is almost done and dusted for another year.  There's just one more Prim Dolly Doodle to introduce you to, before the All Bear studio closes and I down tools in favour of my sherry glass!

'Prunella Poinsettia'

Introducing 'Prunella Poinsettia' my last Prim Dolly Doodle of 2012!  I have popped her into Santa's Sack on my website www.allbear.co.uk ... so if she finds a new home in the UK today, there should still just about time for her to sit under your tree on Christmas Eve!  She's a girl who doesn't mind travel though, so if you're overseas and don't mind her being late to your festivities, she'll fly to you, as soon as she can!

Never forgetting x

'Angelica' ... a Prim Dolly Doodle request fulfilled to bring comfort to a customer at a tricky time of year.  Sometimes bears and dolls do important jobs and I am privileged to be able to help ... Angelica is one such dolly.

'Angelica'

Remembering our special people this Christmas.

xxx

Competing Creatively!

The 'TBAAF Awards' originally caught my eye as I felt they offered a fresh perspective on existing awards programmes by inviting participants to enter creatively themed categories, rather than the usual 'bare bear/dressed bear' style of competitions we have become used to. So this year, I chose several categories to enter and am delighted to tell you, was rewarded with sufficient votes from the public to receive four awards for my work!

'Valentina' won 1st place in her 'Raggy Dolls' category.

The most exciting news for me was that my Prim Dolly Doodle 'Valentina' had won an impressive first place in her 'Raggy Dolls & Friends' category - I'm not used to winning doll-making awards, so this was a very special thrill for me!

'Buttons' won 2nd place in the 'Christmas comes once a year' category.

I was also delighted to discover that one of my most favourite Christmas bears, a lovely shabby ol' fellow named 'Buttons', achieved second place in his 'Christmas comes but once a year' category. Way to go Buttons!

'Midsummer Magic', 'Peaseblossom', 'Titania' & 'Oberon' won 3rd place in the 'Midsummer Night Dream' category.

Peaseblossom, Titania and Oberon were honoured with a very respectable third place in their 'Midsummer Night Dream' category.

'Be my Valentine' won 5th place in the 'They came two by two' category.

And by no means least, two of my favourite bears from 2012, a pair of soulful classic teddy bears, were placed 5th in the 'They came two by two' category. 

I am so pleased the public enjoyed my entries and would like to thank everyone who took the time and trouble to vote for my work in this lovely creative competition, thank you all so very much for this super confidence boost!!!

Creating Christmas ... owls?!

The owl bug has definitely bitten me of late and for some strange reason, I have been compelled by unknown forces to create a Christmas owl ...

'Gloria'

Introducing 'Gloria', my first festive owl shelf sitter - she's perched herself in my workroom for the time being and if she's still sat there on Christmas Eve, I may let her fly into our living room to sit with Miss Tingle Twankey by the Christmas tree.  

'Miss Tingle Twankey'

In the meantime, normal bear service is about to resume, I promise!

Dolly Doodle Airs and Graces!

Octavia Orangewitch Dolly Doodle hopped on her broomstick to take up residence in Europe on All Hallowes Eve ... it seems my Prim Dolly Doodles are determined to follow in the bears' furry footsteps by becoming international jetsetters!

Hang tag design - front

In fact, they have even requested their own professional hang tags!

Hang tag design - reverse

And they've asked for satin sew-in labels ... would you believe it?!  Talk about airs and graces, at this rate they'll be demanding their own website next!

Happy Prim Dolly Doodle Halloween!

Ever since I first discovered a magical storybook about witches in my school library when I was knee high to a grasshopper, I have been fascinated by the notion of witches gathering to fly the night skies on All Hallowes Eve ...

Octavia Orangewitch

It's been far too long since I indulged my inner doll-maker but of course, I couldn't let Halloween pass unmarked, so this week I've claimed back a little Paula Prim Dolly Doodle time to create 'Octavia Orangewitch' - she is of the new generation of witches, no hooky warty green noses for this young lady, oh no!  Octavia Orangewitch is a modern gal with highlights in her hair, a lovely orange party frock in which to dance the night away and beautifully beguiling big green eyes with which to cast her spell over you!

Happy Halloween!

A big 'un and a Dolly Doodle Witchypoo!

I am delighted to say, this rather impressive fellow found a lovely new home in the States almost as soon as he made his website debut yesterday!  I will be making his travel arrangements today, so he can meet his new mum (mom!) in the next few days.

22" 'Polperro'

I love making big bears in luxury mohair and am so grateful that after all these years of creating them, there are still collectors out there who love them too!

Halloween Witchypoo in progress!

  

With Christmas looming on the horizon, I have several shop orders to work on in the coming weeks, but first I'm squeezing in a dolly day ... it's been far too long since I made a Prim Dolly Doodle and I am determined to finish a 'Witchypoo' in time for All Hallowes Eve tomorrow!

Vanishing Act!

We're enjoying an Indian summer here in England with temperatures up in the eighties ... phew!  With so much sunshine beaming through my workroom window this week, working on Halloween pieces seemed a little topsy turvy, but I had fun anyway!

I've had my camera out this afternoon and can at last show you my finished Witchypoo Dolly Doodle ... complete with bloomers, I'm happy to say!

 

Polly Pumpkinwitch

I have also been working on a little black bear cub.  I called him Merlin and believe me, this little fellow was every bit as meddlesome as his namesake when I pointed my camera at him ... black bears are so tricky to photograph!

 

12" Merlin

Well, that's me and Halloween just about done for this year. I have a shop order to work on next and after that, it will be time for thinking Christmas thoughts.  One thing's for sure, with or without any hocus pocus, 2011 is fast doing a vanishing act!

A Third Hat Trick!

Since becoming a recent convert to the joys of modern telephonic communication, I have developed a secret guilty pleasure - that of collecting my email and checking my Facebook account on my Iphone, from under my snuggly duvet each morning.  So imagine my delight this morning, when even before I had raised my head from my pillow, I spotted a link to the 2011 'Teddy Bear Artists and Friends' Award winners webpage and there listed, were three of my own entries, each of which had scooped third place in their category!

'Elwyn' - 3rd place in the 'polar bears' category

'Autumn' - third place in the 'groups' category

'Fleur' - third place in the 'creative doll' category

Thank you so much to everyone who voted for my work!

What a lovely start to this beautifully sunny Autumn day!

If you would like to see all the TBAAF Award winners, please visit:

TBAAF Award Winners

Prim, but not quite proper!

Just to prove I can (very occasionally) do as I am told (those who know me far too well will be choking with disbelief right now!) here is yesterday's Dolly Doodle again, this time at 'Paula's Hairdressing Salon'.

Hairdo in progress!

I can't quite bring myself to give this 'Witchlett-in-waiting' a wickedly wild hairdo, so instead I'm using a lovely burnt orangey chunky yarn, plaited into into cute pigtails ...

Hmmn, I still don't think she's Witchypoo enough yet.  She is prim and almost proper (she's not wearing any bloomers yet, so really not proper at all!) but something's missing ... of course, not only does she need her knickers (!) she also needs a smart pointy hat to wear out on her big night!

Well that's it for today's Witchypoo progress report.  When this mischievous miss's undergarments and hat are finished, I'll grab my camera and take a proper pic to share with you ...