The return of Sam Scarecrow

 

Back in the early 1980's, my sister knitted a Jean Greenhowe scarecrow for my daughter as a gift. 'Crowman' as he became known was much loved and sat on my daughter's bed for many years. Fast forward to early Spring 2026, when I was flicking through some old knitting pattern books, now deemed vintage (!)  

As I flicked through my knitter's Memory Lane, I rediscovered the original 'Sam Scarecrow' pattern in one of Jean's lovely books and it made me smile to see him again. Then my knitting cogs began to whirl! My sister had invited me to an Easter themed celebration at her lovely house in the countryside, planned for our Mum's 84th birthday a few weeks later. I knew she loved to decorate her home for Easter, so I decided to knit Sam Scarecrow as a surprise thank you gift for all her hard work.

Jean's patterns are great fun to knit and very detailed, so Sam was quite a time consuming project but I managed to finish him just in the nick of time and my sister was both surprised and thrilled with him ... and she instantly remembered making him herself, all those years ago for her first niece, my daughter!

A Spring posy

When I was a small girl, there was a low gate at the end of our garden and sometimes Dad would take us through that gate to play in the woods beyond. Even now I see the bluebells and primroses in my mind's eye, soft colour and delicate blooms spread like a dainty pastel carpet over muddy banks.  In those days of childhood innocence, my sister and I would pick posies of woodland flowers, clutching them proudly as we took them home muddy footed, for Mum to keep in a glass milk bottle on the kitchen windowsill. They were the happy days of childhood, days when the woods were full of magic and adventures.

Fast forward more than half a century and I don't mind telling you, one of my favourite walks of the year is still through the woods in Spring. A twisty stroll among nodding bluebells, shy primroses and tree branches bursting with tiny new green leaves, brings with it a beautiful peace ... one that can only be truly gifted by Mother Nature.

These days I preserve precious childhood memories through my creativity, weaving the beauty of those first spring flowers into my teddy bear designs to share with collectors, so that they too, can feel the gift of a timeless Spring, bursting with beauty and hope for the future.

Apple Blossom Serenity

 

Spring is such a lovely time in the UK. The blossom trees are an absolute picture in their beautiful pastel shades. It is the perfect season to be inspired by nature and for creating pretty pastel teddy girls. 'Apple Blossom' is my latest teddy bear, a vision in peachy pinks and pale apple green, with a tiny hint of lilac... capturing a moment of sweet teddy bear serenity.

The Spring Ball

 

THE SPRING BALL

After the wettest and muddiest of winters, Spring has at last arrived in the South East of England...

... and it is such a joy to watch gardens and the local countryside, waking to a swathe of pretty pastel blossoms dancing in the breeze... from the palest, to the most bold and flirtatious. Mother Nature at her most feminine!

There are also daffodils in heartfelt yellows and oranges, swaying gently in the borders, guaranteed to warm the chilliest of walkers, frilly hyacinths in pretty tutus of pink, blue and lilac, the shy purple crocus (almost at an end now) and sturdy camellia shrubs adorned in the most fabulous pinks and reds, demanding the eye of any passerby.

This week, the most spectacular sign that winter has now passed, has to be the breathtakingly beautiful magnolia trees, their branches dramatic with glamorous pink and white blooms, inviting us all to enjoy the show as they reach for the sky. Definitely the Belles of our Spring Ball, for a few more days at least, until wind and rain sweep back in to claim them... but never mind, it will soon be the turn of our magical Bluebells, currently waiting patiently in the wings to take centre stage!

It is such a lovely time of year and for this teddy bear maker, the 'Spring Ball' is always an inspiration!

Springtime Pals

 

SPRINGTIME PALS

After creating Hyacinth Bunny and Bluebell Ellie-Bear earlier this month, I decided to make a teddy bear pal for them and Buttercup Bear came into being ... then I kept looking at the trio and thinking knitted jackets in appropriate colours might be a lovely detail to bring them together as a collection ... then last week, my poor dog Betty hurt her leg on a walk so I couldn't work upstairs in my workroom (bear with me, this does all make sense in the end ...!) as the vet forbade Betty from using stairs until after surgery (Betty always sleeps by my workroom door as I work). I took the opportunity to move my new collection of bears downstairs to keep Bets company and to cut a long and rather painful story short, knitted them sweet little jackets, with Betty sleeping peacefully at my feet.

I sometimes find that bears (and their friends) need a little time to let me know exactly how they would like to present themselves. The design process isn't always clear at the start of a new project and this sweet group of friends had clear ideas about how they wanted to look. I love the soft pastels they chose for Spring; they are so pretty!

As for my sweet Betty, she continues to put on a brave face whilst waiting to see the orthopaedic specialist. She loves to run and play, so this has been a worrying time, but I am sure that with expert care and plenty of love, she will soon be on the road to recovery.

April

April has been such a beautiful month, with the exception of a few chillly days. The weather this month would have been perfect for celebrating my son's 35th birthday, had we not been quarantined from one another under the UK's Lockdown rules, at the time. It should also have been a wonderful month for exploring our local woods and enjoying the bluebell with my grandchildren. Instead, we have had to make do with virtual contact online and the one thing that proves, is that virtual lives are simply not enough for anyone...

I so miss the chaos, the cuddles and the smell of my real life. I want to hear squeals on a Tuesday, shrieks of laughter, mischievous whispers. I want to feel the warmth of little hands in mine, to read stories snuggled together on the sofa, to chase around the garden together, to wipe spaghetti hoops from chins and snot from noses. 

I just want this Lockdown to be over, so I can be Nana again.

That's all.

The day we caught the train

Happy Easter Everyone!

After being unwell for a few days last week (the perils of looking after small children) it was lovely to take a walk on Bank Holiday Monday and have some fun with my family in beautiful Mote Park.

My Grandson has been eager to see the miniature trains in action for quite a while, so when we found out they were running over the weekend, of course that's where we headed! We all had so much fun riding the trains ... in fact, I think the grown-ups enjoyed their rides almost as much as our very excited four year old!

:-)

Wisteria Tweedy

On this beautiful Easter Bank Holiday, I am delighted to introduce a new Tweedy Ted to my website..

Wisteria Tweedy

Wisteria Tweedy is a new size of Tweedy at 16" ... a lovely, cuddly, snugglesome size in fact.  I have used a beautiful lilac herringbone Harris Tweed for this lovely teddy bear and contrasted with pretty pink. As with all my bears, Wisteria Tweedy is five way hardboard jointed and has glass eyes (yes, just like my mohair bears!) These bears are so fun to create and with the wonderful array of tweed available, design possibilities are endless!

If you would like to find out more about my Tweedy Teds, please pop over to www.allbearbypaula.com

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter.

:-)

Update: Wisteria Tweedy has been adopted!

Apple Blossom

Spring blossom is always one of my favourite times. The countryside is absolutely beautiful here at the moment and if you have a creative leaning, it can be particularly inspiring!

20" Apple Blossom

 This is 'Apple Blossom', a celebration of our English Spring. She was adopted yesterday and will be flying out to the US to meet her new owner. Thank you so much if you went to visit her on my website and sorry if you missed her. I am looking forward to starting work on my next teddy bear very soon ... and in the meantime, let's all enjoy the Spring blossom!

:-) 

Peachy

Blossom, blossom everywhere! 

Spring is such a beautiful season, isn't it?! 

It has been a fabulous Saturday today, blue skies, warm sunshine, trees bursting with blossom and even a few freckles making a cheeky appearance across my nose! I had a lovely walk with my dogs in the orchard this morning, then after lunch at my little garden table, finished this pretty new teddy bear.

15" Just Peachy

I have called her 'Peachy' and if you are interested to know more, full details can now be found on my website:

www.allbearbypaula.com

I hope you all enjoy a lovely weekend and a Happy Mother's Day tomorrow!

:-)

Cherry Blossom Skies

A cherry blossom sky ... how positively perfect!

It doesn't matter how many years pass, the first sight of a cherry blossom sky never fails to lift my spirits after the dark days of winter. This was the picture that greeted me as I walked my dogs along the lane yesterday afternoon ... isn't it beautiful?! 

At last, Spring has officially sprung!

:-)

Magnolia Blossom

Hello from a grey and stormy UK!

Spring has taken a step backwards here this week and my dog walks have been decidedly gusty for the past few days! I am hoping this stormy weather will soon blow itself out and give Spring the opportunity once and for all to arrive. I would dearly like mud free, warm, dry walks for a change please ... and while I am on the subject, it would be perfect if the local magnolia blossoms I see in neighbouring gardens, could have a chance to bloom properly, without being blown at gale force from their branches!

Despite rain and gales, it has at least, been a great week for bear making and I have been working with alpaca, a lovely natural fabric, perfect for creating comforting chunky, cuddly, teddy bears.

16" Magnolia

So, on a rainy Saturday afternoon, I would like to introduce you to my latest teddy bear 'Magnolia', hot off the press! She is a beautiful oatmeal coloured alpaca girl, now available for adoption ... and of course, cuddles!

 For further details, please visit:

www.allbearbypaula.com

And if you are able to offer Magnolia a kind home, I would be delighted to hear from you!

:-)

Update: Magnolia has been adopted!

Blue skies and a Roly Poly

Exactly year ago this week, we were being battered by the 'Beast from the East', a ferocious snow storm but for the past three days this year, the sun has been warm, the skies blue and daffodils and blossom are starting appear everywhere. It seems there can be no predicting our British weather!

We're enjoying early Spring sunshine this week!

Having fun in the sun at a local Woodland Trust with my Grandson.
We climbed a tree together, so this photo was to celebrate us not falling off our perch!

Needless to say, I have been making the most of this unexpected sunshine by going out and about with my dogs and my Grandson. After all, how often are we ever able to enjoy warm sun in the UK in February?!!! We have enjoyed some lovely local walks together and have all been feeling relaxed and happy in the Spring sunshine.

12" Roly Poly

Happily, I also finished a cheerful new bear for my website between walks. I hope you will agree, he is a cracking little chap!

'Roly Poly' is now available for adoption from my website, so if you would like to know a little more about him, please click the link below ... thank you!

 www.allbearbypaula.com

:-)

Update: Roly Poly has now been adopted.

First Crocus of Spring

Today was a beautiful sunny day and I spotted the first crocus of Spring ... they are such delicate little flowers pushing through the earth and after a long Winter, are a welcome sight. I have had a nasty bout of 'flu recently so to find Spring just around the corner, cheered me no end!

11" Crocus

Today seems the perfect day to share my latest little teddy girl with you and yes, I have named her Crocus!  

If you would like more details, this sweet 11" bear is now available to adopt from my website:

allbearbypaula.com

:-)

Updated: Crocus has been adopted and will be living in the US!

Snow in March, sunshine in April

For the past few weeks, my life has been a busy whirl of Mother's Day, Easter and birthday celebrations, the obligatory Easter Bank Holiday decorating project and of course, daily dog walks.

And on those dog walks, we have experienced every kind of weather from snow in early March, through to glorious Spring sunshine today!

Snow in March ...

Spring sunshine in April!

There's rarely a dull moment when it comes to the British weather as it never seems to hand around long enough to bore; although I must admit, I am tired of the endless swampy mud puddles and longing for dry earth to walk on!

We celebrated my son's 33rd birthday yesterday and my daughter's 35th birthday three weeks ago. My goodness, I know it's a cliché, but where on earth does the time go?! It only seems yesterday I was holding each of them in my arms for the very first time. I loved being a young mum and will always have a deep nostalgia for those happy days, but I am so proud of the adults my two have become ... independent, well respected, hard working and loyal, they quietly go about their daily business with good grace and a twinkle in their eyes their Granddad would have mirrored in his own, had he still been with us. 

Happy Birthday you two. 

Much love to you both, always.

Your Mum xxx

A perfect couple

Celeste and Albert looked so perfect sat together on my bookcase, I decided to photograph them together. The pics came out really well and now I am considering whether to feature them on new teddy bear hang tags.

It has been a while since I ordered new tags, so I think now is a good time to update. It's always fun to freshen things up and Spring time is the perfect time for such things!

And on the subject of Spring, at last it seems to have arrived here in Kent, in the nick of time for Easter. Last week we were battling sub-zero temperatures, snow and icy blasts from the East for the second time this year and today, the snow has melted, the sun is shining, daffs are blooming everywhere and thankfully, my woolly hats and scarves are back in the drawer where they belong!

:-)

PS. Celeste has been adopted but if you are looking for a big, beautiful, traditional boy, Albert would be delighted to hear from you! 

Full details can be found on my website:

www.allbearbypaula.com

One Snowy Day

Snow is falling here today. There I was hoping Spring was just around the corner but instead we have 'The Beast from the East' looming large and have been warned to batten down the hatches!

Inspired by snowdrops and other early Spring bulbs starting to bud on my walks last week, I painted a sweet teddy wearing her Spring bonnet, but now I'm thinking I should probably have given her a pair of furry snow boots and a cosy ski jacket to wear, like the bears in the sketch below!

Ah well, I suppose at least the cold weather means it will be a good week to stay warm indoors while I work on my latest mohair teddy bear!

:-)

Fairy flowers

The bluebells have been absolutely beautiful here in the UK this Spring, so when I found a pretty blue mohair, of course I had to make a 'Bluebell' teddy for 2017!

15" 'Bluebell'

I have loved walks with my grandson and dogs through our little patch of woodland along the lane this Spring and pray the local developers are refused permission to plough a road through the heart of this much loved ancient woodland.

Every Spring our patch of woods is carpeted with these gentle fairy flowers and the air filled with their soft perfume. I love these peaceful bluebell walks, they really are quite magical!

:-)

Update: Bluebell has now been adopted.

Sniffin' the breeze

It's been all about dogs today. :First, a town based obedience training session for Betty featuring scary traffic, echoe-y subways, crazy people (!) busy pavements, litter, the river, ducks, pigeons, steep steps, a wobbly bridge, ... you name it, we had it thrown our way. I was so proud of my little 'un, she coped brilliantly and definitely earned a run in the park with her little staffy pal afterwards.

Home for a bite of lunch, then 'ding dong, round 2'!  A lovely off lead walk with Polly through pretty woodland and an orchard, then across a couple of huge fields, pausing to sniff occasional blades of grass, leaves and of course, the breeze! Eventually we turned back to retrace our steps and headed home at a leisurely pace. I love walking with my big girl in the Spring sunshine and except a few bulldozers carving up the local landscape (grrr!) there wasn't a soul to be seen today.

Perfick!

:-)

A Primrose

I finished work on a lovely teddy bear yesterday, a commission to celebrate the new season.

20" 'Primrose'

As I have mentioned before, finding pretty yellow mohair for large bears isn't always easy, so I was thrilled to find a gorgeous primrose yellow mohair recently. It has been fun to knit for this project, although I confess, calculating the sizing for her short sleeved cardigan proved a bit of a headache! It was worth the struggle though, as that purple yarn and yellow mohair look stunning together. Oh, and I hope you'll agree, my pretty crochet flowers add a perfect 'Spring time' flourish to this lovely teddy girl's outfit!

:-)