Meet Banjo !!!

Hi everyone - the last few weeks have been quite hectic in my bear studio, as I've been completing some custom orders and a couple of celebration bears for family and friends.

I managed to squeeze in a little time to make this happy little guy - meet Banjo! An 8" brown & white panda make from the most luxurious long-pile mohair in a deep, delicious chocolate brown and stark white, and of course, my usual custom hand painted glass eyes - I painted Banjos eyes in the colours of deep, liquid aquamarine pools to really contrast against his fur!



I also hand-crafted his little cap from gold satin with matching ribbon ruff around the edge of his cap and around his neck, and decorated with swirly, sparkly paint and twinkling diamantes - he's just a sparkling little panda!



I'm happy to say that Banjo has already been adopted!

Meet Cody - A Keepsake Bear!!!

Here's Cody: a 14" bundle of fluff I designed and made exclusively for very dear friends who welcomed their beautiful little daughter Ella Grace into the world last week!



Cody is hand-sewn from wonderfully soft beige and white alpaca (my favourite to work with) with white ultra-suede dry-brushed trapunto style paw pads and of course, custom hand-painted eyes in sapphire blue & violet shades.

Do you like her little porcelain teddy? My husband's aunty (who is a dab hand at teaching and creating porcelain dolls) made this little cutie and I couldn't resist adding it to Cody's pink dummy around her neck.



We drove up to Sydney to visit little Miss Ella Grace on Saturday - her proud parents loved this keepsake bear, but I'm sure not quite as much as we loved Ella!!! She's just gorgeous!!!

It's that URSA AWARDS time again!!!

How quickly does time fly? I can't believe one year has gone by since the last URSA Awards - and here they are again!!!!

I'm so pleased to let you all know that I have four nominations in the first round of voting this year:

Do you remember little Toto? She's now happily living in the USA, and to vote for her you'll find her in Category 3 (Medium Bare Bears/Buds 6-11").


And here's Kaluah, made from the most amazing, thick pile alpaca I've ever used - gorgeous! He's in Category 5 (Large Bare Bear/Bud 12-24").


Thirdly, in the Costumed Category (Category 12) is Honey, my sexiliscious playboy bunny-girl bear.


And last, but not least is my first ever critter - a squirrel called Nutbush (Animal Kingdom - Category 14) - he's my interpretation of Beatrix Potter's character Squirrel Nutkins, and a very distinguished fellow!


I hope you can drop by and cast your vote - wow! I think it's very difficult to choose - there are so many wonderful creations made by creative bear artists from around the globe (16 countries represented I believe).

Here's the link straight to the URSA AWARDS page http://www.bearsandbuds.com/URSA-2011/URSAAwardsbyPopularVote2011BearsandBudsTeddyBearMagazine.asp

Thank you ever so much for your support.

Hugs,
Marg xoxox

Isabelle's 1st Ever Birthday!!!

Wow! I can't believe that my baby granddaughter Isabelle has just turned 1 year old!!


Happy birthday my precious!!!



And we had such fun, with party hats, cake and lots of yummy finger food that my daughter Kel had prepared. Of course older sister Mikaela had to help Isabelle open her pressies - just because that's what older 3 year old sisters do!!!!





As a keepsake, I made Isabelle this beautiful 14" bear I called Cupcake - hope you like her!!!

Look Who's having a Giveaway!!!!

My wonderful friend Linda Benson is having a giveaway over at her blog - all you need to do is click on this link www.bensonbears.blogspot.com and add your suggestion to name her newest creation.



Don't you think he's fantastic???? Linda's drawing the winner next Wednesday (6th July) so hurry and get your suggestions in!!!!