Here, there and everywhere ..

I am making a concerted effort to catch up with some bear-making this week because not only do I have a shop order to complete for 'The Bear Shop' in Norwich, I also have a fun online Summer show looming large on my calendar.

Hopefully I will soon have a new bear to add to my website too ...

Between my bear-making and baby knitting for my new grandchild due in October, not to mention researching how to patchwork quilt, I'm feeling as though I have unfinished projects here, there and everywhere at the moment! 

I really need to bring something to completion as soon as possible, so must get back to work and tackle that pile of teddy bear pieces first!

Autumnal updates and auction headaches!

Summer has now slipped quietly away to make way for rich golden leaves and a sharp nip in the morning air, so inspired yesterday, I decided to give my website an autumnal makeover - nothing dramatic, just a few background and text colour changes to warm it up, a quick gallery update and the addition of a cute slideshow of some of my 'big boy bears', past and present; I would like to change the front page design sometime soon, but that will take more time and maybe some help from my sister, so will have to wait for now. If you would like to take a peek at the changes, please pop over to www.allbear.co.uk My next autumnal update will involve a trip to the cosmetics counter in town, yes, my make-up bag could do with a makeover too!

Peony' live on Ebay now!

I also decided to take the plunge this week and list one of my three remaining show bears on Ebay but boy, has that become confusing to use of late! I don't list on Ebay very often, it's fun now and again but I must admit, I prefer to work with my website instead. Despite that, I knuckled down to create a simple listing on Ebay.com for 'Peony', my pretty pink and cream panda girl. However, since doing so, I have now discovered the listing doesn't show up on Ebay.co.uk (and presumably on any other Ebay sites outside the US) unless a specific 'Paula Carter' search is put in ... how frustrating is that?! Working out the shipping was confusing too - was Peony being sent 'inland' or 'overseas'? How could such a simple question be so complicated?! All the inland shipping costs stated were for within the USA, but of course Peony is waiting patiently in the UK, so now her shipping costs look higher than the normal inland charges, but they really aren't because she will have to be sent airmail to the US, which wasn't provided for in the Ebay shipping section! All pretty headache making! Ah well, what will be, will be! If you would like to check out Peony's auction page, hopefully this ridiculously long link will transport you there:

Update: 27/09/08 Peony has now found her special someone and will be moving to the US!

Would you believe a guy from Ebay telephoned me years ago inviting me to use their service when they went live for the first time, telling me my work would be made very welcome on their site? Believe me, I didn't feel particularly welcome yesterday as I battled boggle-eyed, through the settings to make my auction listing with them. Please keep your fingers crossed so that Peony find's her special someone very soon, despite my confusion!

Sneak peak of new charcoal grey bear's paw pads!

Don't worry, yesterday wasn't all about computer work, I also managed to cut out a big bear from a fabulous piece of Schulte mohair ... well, there's always at least one piece of mohair that cries out to be purchased at a show isn't there?! This particular piece is a stunning charcoal grey, with beautiful frosted tips and it is ultra soft and dense, totally gorgeous! It should make a fabulous bear and as it's been a while since I made a darker coloured bear, I'm really enjoying the prospect of working on such a potentially handsome big bear! So far my bear has been cut out, pinned and trimmed and his paw pads have been airbrushed in readinness - I even squeezed in enough time to paint several pairs of twinkly glass eyes while I was cooking the tea last night too! I should have him ready by the end of this week ... (fluey cold willing, I'm feeling a bit like death on legs at the moment - yuk!) Watch this space!

Trialling ted fabrics for Intercal

I forgot to mention I have been invited to trial several new fabrics from my supplier in the US and have been asked if I will send photographs when my bears are completed, for promotional purposes. So far, I have made up three of the four new fabrics and the finished bears will be featured on Intercal's website http://www.intercaltg.com/ and also in their mailshots, to help promote these lovely new fabrics.

'Shamus'

You met two of the bears in earlier posts ('Finnegan' and 'Finley') and today, after a long day in my workroom, I can share the third bear, 16" 'Shamus' with you. As you can see, he is wearing the little waistcoat I knitted last week, but I will probably photograph him 'in the bare' for his Intercal debut as they really need to show off the fabric properly.

Shamus is made from a beautiful alpaca fabric, so lovely to the touch! There's something about alpaca that suits pure German wool felt paw pads perfectly, so rather than my usual velvet, I shaded some beige wool felt paws especially for him. I thought it would be a nice twist to give this cute classic teddy bear a cheerful red nose and matching stitched claws, something not too contemporary but a little less than traditional and maybe a trifle unexpected!

Airbrushing Shamus's pure German wool felt paw pads

Unfortunately it is pouring hard here yet again which means Shamus will have to wait until it brightens later in the week to have his photos for the website taken in the garden. In the meantime though, here are a couple of snaps taken in the conservatory a few moments ago. Oh and before I forget, I must tell you Shamus will be coming to the Stratford show with me on Sunday!

16" Shamus

Little pots of paint

I haven't done much in the way of airbrushing for a while, so I thought I'd haul out my mini compressor and have a play this afternoon. Airbrushing is a great way to add extra interest to a bear and once you're confident with your equipment, imagination is your only limitation ... or so I'm told!

I'm about to start work with some sage green and pale cream mohair and want some pretty paw pads to complement my mohair. Incidentally, the paw pads are cream UltraSuede, but wool felt would accept the paint just as well, if not better. I didn't have the exact shades of ink/acrylic paint I needed, which meant I had to mix what I did have available until I reached a satisfactory outcome.

Preparation (I've been painting eyes too!)

Suitable paints and inks

It's all in the mix ...

Using a pipette to transfer the mixed paint to my airbrush

First colour application

Second application and finished paw pads

There's no magic formula for airbrushing paw pads in this simple way, it really is just a case of 'point and shoot' until you achieve what you were hoping for. A steady hand helps too! If all goes according to plan, these particular paw pads should soon be featured on a new 18" bear ... watch this space!

As you can see, my airbrushing skills are very basic, so if you would like to see the work of a true master, please spare a moment to visit Judi Paul's blog at http://luxembears.com/Blog/ Judi's airbrush work is amazing!