Long may he reign supreme!

Not that I don't enjoy the challenge of contemporary design, but traditional bears were my first love and they still know how to tug at my heartstrings today ...

'Becks and Scrump' circa 1996

In fact, I remember my early classic bears as old friends.  'Becks' and 'Scrump' for example, two super teddy bears made by my sister and I, way back in the mid 1990's.  They were made from glorious Schulte mohair in two alternative shades of gold.  My sister Fiona designed Scrump (right) and I created Becks (left).  We didn't collaborate beyond choosing the mohair together over a cuppa and yet when completed, our bears looked just as though they were brothers, meant to be together!

'Orwell' Circa Circa 1995

Then there was Orwell, another early 90's bear, beautifully big and totally traditional. I think I made about ten of these bears, but never kept one for myself ... now I so wish I had!  I recall being absolutely delighted with this 25" teddy bear as it was the first time I felt as though I had succeeded in creating the kind of teddy bear I would like to buy for myself.

'Timeless' Circa 1995

Not long after Orwell, came 'Timeless', a whopping 26" growler.  He was made for the  final Hugglets' 'Festival of Artist Bears' show, in Stratford Upon Avon.  I stood behind the table with Fiona and as the doors opened a lady flew across the room to scoop him into her arms ... we watched as she fell hook, line and sinker in love with him!  We had a super time at that show standing among the most fabulous bear artists of the time - it was a completely thrilling day for two bear-making sisters quite new to selling their work!

'Gorgeous George' Circa 2007

Luckily for me, traditional bears really are timeless and a decade later they were still very much in demand.  'Gorgeous George' was another bear of whom I was very proud. I gave him a gentle nod to modernity by introducing hand painted glass eyes and subtle shading to the eye socket, but as you can see, he remained true to his forebears.

'Bellamy' 2009

Since the traditional teddy bear heyday of the 1990's, I have made many, many teddies of all shapes, colours, styles and sizes, but throughout those years have never been distracted from my first love and what I consider to be 'a proper teddy bear'.  Leaping forward some fourteen years, brings us to 'Bellamy,' a magnificent 23" bear commissioned by a devoted gentleman collector.  Once again, I used only the very best Schulte mohair to help me create a bear I could be proud of.  There's something so special about Schulte mohair, not only is it fabulously silky, dense, gloriously rich in colour and strong ... it is also absolutely perfect for creating teddy bears of distinction!

'Stirling' 2011

There's no doubt in my mind, traditional teddy bears should never grow old or become outmoded.  They are bears to care about, bears to cherish and most definitely bears to take with us into the future.

Hip hip horaay for our traditional teddy bear!
Long may he reign supreme!

A bear like Alice ..

Isn't it odd how memory works ... I've been working on this teddy all week and until this morning wasn't sure if I'd made a he or a she bear, then remembered making the hand knitted shawl collar she's wearing, tried it on and hey presto, her gender was defined.  I still didn't have a name for her though, then for some inexplicable reason the name 'Alice' popped apparently out of nowhere into my head and triggered a memory from way way back, to a gift my mum bought me when I was a young girl, a hardback novel called 'A town like Alice' written by Nevil Shute.  

17" Alice

It's been at least thirty five years since I read that book and probably as many years since I last gave it a second thought, but today either the book memory triggered my bear's name, or my bear triggered that specific book memory ... I'm not sure which, but it made me wonder, do we really ever forget anything, or can memory store every tiny detail of our lives in case some seemingly insignifcant snippet might come in handy sometime? I wonder ... !

Mary Jane's Tearoom

So what does a bear maker do on show day, when she can't go to the show?  Well, in my case I sat in my armchair glued to three back-to-back episodes of Downton Abbey, whilst finishing this cute knitted teddy for my Great niece; she's been on the back burner for a while, so I am very pleased to have completed her at last!

Sunday at home may not have been quite as exciting as show day in London, but it was relaxing and enjoyable.  By the way, if you enjoy knitting, the pattern for 'Candy', together with several other equally enchanting designs, is available to purchase from the lovely 'Mary Jane's Tearoom' website ..

Mary Jane's Tearoom Shop

Happy knitting!

No Show!

It's Sunday morning and as you know, I should be in London at the Winter Bearfest show in Kensington Town Hall, but instead I'm home, feeling a little 'out of the loop' after cancelling my stand.  On the plus side, I didn't miss having to wake up at horrible o'clock this morning and certainly haven't missed heaving my stand equipment and bears from the car to the exhibition table against a freezing February wind across the River Thames, but I am missing the excitement of our first major UK show of the year and it is an odd sensation not to be taking part with my latest bears on this occasion.

I may have posted these photos before, but they still make me smile, so I'm sharing them again today.  They were taken about twenty years ago at a Hugglets' show and as you can see, my son and I were making the most of our visit back then! We visited the shows as a family of passionate teddy bear collectors and always had a wonderful time choosing special bears to take home.  The enormous bear you see us both holding on this occasion, is 'Sir Hugh', made especially for me by one of my oldest bear making friends, the utterly charming Mr. Frank Webster.  We took Sir Hugh to MacDonalds for a burger and chips after the show and as you can imagine, he raised quite a few smiles from passers by!

These days of course, I'm on the other side of the table introducing my own range of teddy bears to collectors.  I tend to spend the entire day chatting because teddy bear shows are always extremely sociable!

It doesn't matter how many years I've been exhibiting, after setting up my stand in the morning, it's always a nail biting time waiting for the doors to open and a stream of eager collectors to flood into the hall.  I've never been the world's most confident sales person, so standing beside my new offerings at opening time is a daunting process until the first visitors have stopped for a chat and a hug with my bears, reassuring me my creations are a welcome addition to the show.

During a show, I can never resist taking a peek at the vintage bears; all those gorgeous old teddies with secret histories ... if only they could talk!

And if I can stop chatting for long enough to wander round the stands myself, mohair suppliers' stands are a tremendous lure; I'm just like a kid in a candy store among all those fabulous new fabrics!

It's far too cold to do much else today, so I shall log in to Facebook from time to time to enjoy my friends' show photographs as they share them.  I hope everyone has a fun show in London and as for me, I will just have to be patient and look forward to taking part again when the next teddy bear show comes to town in September!

Hurry up Spring!

So much for all my Spring hopes!  

I came downstairs to a flurry of snow this morning; Winter it seems, is back to torment me, brrr!!!

11" Mimosa

I won't be swayed by the weather though, Surely Spring is just around the corner?  My new little alpaca girl bear is dressed ready for warmer days and prettier gardens ... come on Springtime, hurry up!

Knitting Episodes!

Several episodes of Downton Abbey later and my little lilac girl bear is all ready for Spring, dressed her best hand knitted frock.

14" 'Lila'

Waiting in my work basket is a half made cream alpaca bear and I am wondering if the snuggly turquoise cardigan I began knitting at the weekend will fit; there's one sleeve and a neckband left to finish, so I think I can justify treating myself to another episode of Downton Abbey this afternoon, horaay!

Convalescing

I spy hyacinths and crocus peeking through the earth in my garden and the sun is shining ... could this mean Spring has at last arrived?  I do hope so!

I'm feeling much brighter today ... I am a great believer in the body's capacity to heal itself and rest seems to be working well for me this week, for which I am eternally grateful. Sadly I have had to cancel my stand at the Hugglets show in London next weekend, but on a happier note, since the pressure to meet the show deadline has been removed, I have instead been able to enjoy a little knitting and Downton Abbey on DVD ... there must be worse ways to spend a few days!

The Best Laid Plans

Fifty was an unwelcome birthday, for all the wrong reasons.  It began nine days ago, in the usual manner of days, with a hot shower, but before I had time to check my mirror for mischievous wrinkles, a nasty pain bit me in the side and my birthday celebrations took a rapid downhill tumble towards cancellation.  The doc suspected kidney stones, combined with an infection and as the pain was so great, there was nothing for it but to stay in bed for a week and pray for it to pass.  Thankfully it did eventually pass and I'm now back on my feet, wobbling my way slowly around the house again.  Needless to say, after such a dramatic arrival, I rather lost my appetite for celebrating my first half century on this planet ...

Which was a shame, because my family went to so much trouble to make it a special day.  My daughter bedecked our lounge with balloons, streamers and confetti, there were lovely cards, many of which had been hand made,  a pretty cake ready for candles, guests and platters of party food ... such a pity, but I guess, once in a very blue moon, that's life.

As is the way of all things, after drama, we move on and already Valentine's Day has arrived! 

So Stuart, my husband, my friend, it is the perfect day to thank you for taking such good care of me and keeping my spirits up while I have been unwell ... I really don't know what I would have done without you.  

You are already mine and for that Valentine, I thank my lucky stars xxx

Fact Facing

After worrying my work was going nowhere fast throughout January, I now find I did actually manage to complete nine bears, not to mention the several still in progress ... so my bearmaker's 'fug' has at last been replaced with a tentative sense of accomplishment, just in time for February's onslaught.

These five Tiddler bears will be hopping over to the 'One More Bear' shop in Trentham on Monday, a tiny bit later than originally planned, but only by a week or so ...

Little Blue 8"

Nutmeg 8"

Herbie 8"

Tiddly Ted 8"

Pickle 8"

And as soon as my latest Tiddlers are in the post, I will be straight back to my 'work-in-progress' basket bears, to whip up a few more for the Hugglets show and also to try and finish my order for a US shop - all going well, I should be able to share more news about that order later this month.

Despite time fast running away from me before the show in London, there is one thing I can't postpone ( much as I might prefer too!)  Half a century on this planet is apparently momentous enough to require a nod to its gravitas, together with a birthday cake with my family, so on Tuesday I am obliged to set aside my sewing and instead face my fiftieth birthday full square in the eye ... 

... but until the very last minute I reserve the right to squint reluctantly at this most belligerently ageing of numbers and pretend I'm still a fabulously youthful, energic 25 year old, with the world at my tippytoes!

Reserved!

Still feeling somewhat fuggy, but perhaps ever-so slightly less now that I have managed to set aside two finished bears for the Winter Bearfest show.  This is of course, a long way short of a full table of furry new bums, but at least it's a start!

18" Periwinkle is made from beautiful hand-dyed alpaca ...

And his little buddy 'Tod' is just 12".  I know you've seen him in an earlier post, but here he is again, this time after his official photo shoot.  Incidentally, he is made from alpaca too ... I love that it makes such cuddlesome teddy bears!

Play Time?

I've been in a bear-making fug for the past couple of weeks and yesterday, even dumped a bear head unceremoniously into the waste bin.  It's the same old problem ... dark days flatten me, I've over committed myself on the run up to one of the most important shows of the bear making year and there just aren't enough days, bright or dark, in such oh-so-short weeks. I know, I know, what a sulky grump!

It wouldn't take much to sort out my sulky creative self; a few daffodils and a burst of sunshine would make such a difference and one or two extra days in each week with no commitments would be all it took to give me time to make the new bears and dolls dancing in my head ... 

This bear maker needs time to play!

Birthday Boy

Because I know he won't be able to resist taking a peek today ...

Happy Birthday to my ol' relic,

With loads of love,

from 'Er Indoors xxx

Here, there and everywhere!

Only five weeks until 'The Winter Bearfest' and as usual at this stage, I seem to have bits 'n pieces all over the place - but very little finished and needless to say, an ominous sense of impending panic!

There are new fabrics I'm still hoping to find time to work with ...

My desk hidden under piles of 'bears-in-progress' destined for the show and also an impending shop order ...

A yet-to-be-started basket of teddy bear pieces waiting for their turn on the sewing machine ...

... and of course, as it's a winter show, sweaters and scarves in various stages of completion (not to mention the knitted teddy waiting patiently for her dungarees, a gift for my Great niece!)

Oh, that reminds me, I also have a balls of my new favourite yarn yet to be cast on!  (By the way, I'm loving this random stripey stuff from Turkey as it reminds me of the gorgeous colours in my framed photo of my kids and nieces taken on my wedding day!)

So as you can see, I am nowhere near ready for a major show yet, but I remain ever hopeful that when the big day arrives on the 24th February, I will have a collection of lovely new bears to take to London with me!

It's Snow Day for Cats!

After covering most of the UK last week, the white stuff finally reached Kent at the weekend ... brrrrr!!!!!

Daisy couldn't work out why her world had turned white.

I'm sure she was thinking 'Mum, did you do this?'!

Goodness knows how she still found her favourite paving stone under the snow, but find it she did!  So she plonked herself down and pondered the wonder of her cold white world for a-while ...

... then seemed reassured when she noticed there were still birds in the sky!

Puddle on the other hand, refused to step on the snow, taking avoidance tactics round the edge of the patio to avoid chilly paws on her very quick trip back into the house!

As for we humans, Stuart dragged me out in the falling snow on Sunday morning to buy a newspaper, so I made good use of the snuggly scarf I knitted last year ...

... and was very content to spend the rest of snowy Sunday tucked up cosily indoors with our cats!

Positive Planning

The first couple of weeks of 2013 have flown by with me catching frantically at their coat tails, a phenomenon which seems to become more and more familiar the older I become!  However, despite days speeding up faster than ever before, I am pleased to report I have managed to make a few bears both for customers and the impending Hugglets show in London.  I have also overhauled my website, ordered new bear fabrics and components, put together a portfolio of last year's work, together with a 2013 calendar for my workroom - jobs I prefer to complete as early as possible in the new year as they help me to organise myself.  I am also delighted to be able to tell you that two new shops, plus my existing outlets, have asked to stock my work in 2013, so it appears 'All Bear' is definitely back in business for another year!

The Hugglets 'Winter Bearfest' show is only a matter of weeks away, which means I really must work hard to make bears both for my stand and also for the shop flying in from the US hoping to collect from me.  Each day between now and show day has been carefully planned and written on my new wall calendar to ensure sure I use my time wisely and don't waste any of those precious days!

Putting together my portfolio of designs quickly highlighted I didn't make as many bears in 2012 as I usually would in a year, which I suppose, was due to the time involved in planning my wedding.  No such excuses this year though (although I'm guessing a new puppy in the Spring may prove a little diverting)! I am  determined to be more businesslike in 2013 and make more bears.

Having said that, I am pleased I found time to make a few Prim Dolly Doodles last year ... they were such fun to make! I am hoping to work a few new dollies into this year's work schedule, alongside my new bears.

Puppy???  Did I mention a puppy?!  Oh yes!  Well, I need company while I work and am hoping an able assistant will help keep me fit and be the perfect antidote to long days spent working alone ... hopefully I will  have a little more news to share with you on that subject later in the Spring.

So, that's the planning sorted, now to the doing!

A Birthday Wish

A birthday wish

for you, my Dad

who left too soon ...

A birthday wish

for you, my Dad

who left too soon

with no goodbye ...

My Dad as a young man, being cheeky with his sister and mother

A birthday wish

for you, my Dad

who left too soon

with no goodbye,

save the twinkle

forever in your eye.

Staying true

I really enjoy creativity in bear artistry, but am far more likely to gasp in awe at a well designed traditional bear than I am a trendy modern bear and that's the beauty of bear making, there really is something for everyone.

O'Grady

Over the years I've been known to dabble with many a contemporary technique and I always enjoy the process of creative exploration, but the older I grow, the less I feel the need to make my point with trendy embellishments and the more my inner bear maker tells me to stay true to what first captured my creative soul so many years ago ... classic bears, made from the heart.  

I was very touched earlier today when someone I respect enormously described 'O'Grady,' the bear above, as 'magnificently traditional, with a twist' ... I must admit, I couldn't have hoped for a greater compliment to begin my eighteenth year of bear-making!

If it ain't broke ...

Today I would like to introduce my first bear of 2013. I decided to start my 2013 bear work by creating the kind of bear I enjoy best ... big, beautiful and quite classic in style.  New Year may well imply new beginnings, but as the old saying goes, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' and as I prefer to evolve without the call for radical change, that suits me just fine ... after all, there is something very soothing when it comes to time honoured tradition!

'Janvier'

So, this is 'Janvier', a rather handsome cinnamon bear of some considerable stature.  He lays no claim to modernity and rather than a fashion forward fellow, he is proud to be utterly timeless ... in fact just how any respectable traditional teddy bear should be.

Welcome to 2013 Janvier ... and here's to many more months of happy bear crafting ahead!