URSA Awards - I'm a Finalist!!!!

OMG!!! I'm beside myself with excitement, and am jumping out of my skin just about!!!!

My panda Wang Chung has just been announced as a second round finalist in this year's URSA Awards - how very exciting!!!!!



And here's where it gets interesting - the three entries from each category with the highest number of votes go through to the second round: except (drumroll ......) none of us know whether we've won first, second or third place!!!!

Second round voting is now open - all you've got to do is vote for just ONE entry - and the entry with the highest amount of votes (including first round scores) wins the URSA MAJOR award for 2010!!!

Just click on this link and follow the prompts http://www.bearsandbuds.com/URSA-2010/URSAAwards2010Finalist-VoteNowuntilSept102010BearsandBudsTeddyBearMagazine.asp

Wow! I'm just thrilled and honoured to reach this stage - the standard of entries from around the globe was amazing - there are certainly some wonderful, talented soft sculpture artists worldwide.

Voting is open from 8th August until 10th September 2010. Winners and placegetters from all categories will be announced in the October edition of the Bears & Buds online magazine.

A big, big thankyou to everyone who voted for me in Round 1 - your support means a lot to me.

2010 TBAAF Awards - Winners Announced!!!!

Boy, what a fantastic surprise!

My angel bear Aurora has won 2nd place in her category Fantasy Bear/Animal in the 2010 TBAAF Awards (Teddy Bear Artists and Friends)!!!!



A big thanks to Lanie & Darren who put an enormous amount of work into this site and setting up these awards, and to everyone who took the time to vote - there were over 600 single entries, and some very wonderful pieces from very talented soft-sculpture artists worldwide!!!



Here's the link to the TBAAF website if you want to check out all of the winners!!!
http://www.teddy-bear-artists-and-friends.com/thetbaafawardwinningartists2010.htm

New Baby Granddaughter!

What an absolutely fabulous weekend we've just had ... our second precious little (!!!) granddaughter was born in the wee small hours of Saturday morning - presenting Miss Isabelle Grace!



Such a cuddly bundle of love, this little miss decided to 'stay indoors' a while longer than she should have, and was born at a whopping 10lb!!! Ouch!



Elder sister Mikaela (at 2.5 years old) has already given her the 'once over' inspection at the hospital (such a laugh) and thoroughly enjoyed her first cuddle.



Mum, baby (and Dad) are all doing well - my daughter Kel and Isabelle came home today. Kel says she's so glad to be home - nothing like your own bed!



Welcome to our family little one!

URSA Awards - Time to Vote!!!!

Hi everyone! Well, it's the URSA AWARDS time again (how quickly does time pass by?? I can't believe it's been 12 months already!!!) Seems the older we get, the quicker time passes by ..... (but I'm not making any more comments on THAT here!!!)

Hope you can drop by to place your vote - there are stacks of awesome entries from some very talented artists worldwide, and I'm very proud to say that I have 3 bears in this years awards:

ODIE - CATEGORY 4 (Medium Outfitted Bears)


WANG CHUNG - CATEGORY 10 (Large Outfitted Bears)


and last but not least ...

The serene AURORA - CATEGORY 15(Far Out - Fairies, Angels, Mystical)


Here's the link to check them all out - http://www.bearsandbuds.com/URSA-2010/VotingBeginsinURSAAwards2010CompetitionbyBearsandBudsMagazine.asp

Good luck to all of the entrants - there's some really tough competition out there, and I'm honoured to be in such esteemed and talented company.

Thanks for dropping by .....

Odie's off to the USA!

Hi everyone - it's been another busy week here in the land of Nikkel Bears: more new bears in progress and more to cut out .... it's all happening!!!

Here's little Odie, one of my latest creations who is now just about to jet off to the USA to live with his new mum!



As with all of my bears, he's completely hand-sewn with custom hand-painted German glass starburst eyes in a pale icicle blue, and has a matching hand-crafted birthday hat and collar in the same shimmery ice-blue shades.



Wonder what's in the box????

WOW! TWO nominations in the 2010 ABC Awards!!!

Imagine my surprise, arriving home after a very stressful and long day travelling to read my emails and find out that not one, but two of my creations had been nominated for the 2010 Australian Bear Creations Awards!!!

How very exciting - these wonderful international awards are sponsored annually by the Australian Bear Creations magazine.

Congratulations to all of the other nominees - it's a real honour for me to be in such esteemed and talented bear artist company.

Here are my two nominees:

Bosco B Bear - Category 4 (small bear - undressed)


and La de Dah - Category 3 (small bear - dressed)

Aurora's off to a New Home!

What a wonderful week we've had! The Fantasy Ball online show run through the Teddy Bears & Critters Australasia website (www.teddybearsandcritters.com) was a complete success with some fantastic creations available for adoption.

I'm really pleased to say that one of my latest creations - Aurora (Angel of the Dawn) found her new mum through the show - a keepsake for her small daughter.



Hand-sewn from luxurious white alpaca (my favourite fur!) with hand-sewn trapunto paws and custom hand-painted gorgeous big sparkly deep azure eyes, Aurora has a serene look which is simply, well .... angelic! I hope you like her too!



I am always really honoured when a new Nikkel Bears collector appreciates the time, effort and attention to detail I put into my bears - I absolutely love making them for you!