The Show is Open!!!!

Hi everyone - what a fantastic day! Well actually, the weather in my part of the world is pretty lousy: dark clouds, heavy rain and cold - hope the weather is better where you are.

I'm so glad to announce that the 3rd annual ACD (Australian Creative Design) Awards Show has now begun!



There are so many lovely entries this year - our theme was Beatrix Potter, and you'll see how talented and imaginative everyone has been!

Please do try and find the time to drop by www.bearartistsonline.com and follow the show links.

Oh, and don't forget - you still have time to vote in the People's Choice competition. The winner is announced on Saturday 4th June, so hurry and get your votes in!

My entry this year is NUTBUSH, a modern take on Beatrix's Squirrel Nutkin! Hope you like him. We had to challenge ourselves with this show - Nutbush certainly challenged me - a totally different pattern and facial features than what I have been used to with my bears, plus leather claws (which I've never done before - a big thank you to my friend Linda Benson of Benson Bears for showing me how it's done!)

Back to the Land of Oz

Well, where does the time go??? I didn't realise it had been so long since I let you know what I've been up to lately, so I'm feeling a little guilty!!!

We've actually just returned from a 3 week hiatus in Phuket, Thailand - very different weather to what we've come home to! Every day was a sunny, hot & humid 32-36 degrees celsius - the perfect weather for lazing at the beach and swimming, as you can see.


Our holiday started with the annual Phuket Bike Week celebration - hundreds of bike enthusiasts gather at Patong Beach from all over Asia and in fact the world for a 3-day festival of competition, demonstrations, live music, food and drink. Many wonderful and strange bikes on display - some people certainly have vivid imaginations!!!


We found a lovely place to eat our breakfast every day at the top of a steep hill overlooking the whole of Patong Beach - always a cool breeze wafting through and below us a vista of thick tropical gardens and the brilliant blue Andaman sea.




Our holiday also co-incided with Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) - what a wonderfully wet and fun experience! Everyone (including locals and tourists) arm themselves with squirt guns, buckets or any container for that matter to throw or spray water at unsuspecting oncomers!!! The locals also are adept at sneaky baby powder attacks on wet passers by, and the whole day and night is a riot of laughter and fun!!




Here's a Thai version of BBQ! A deep pot placed on hot coals and filled with water: you cook yourself - veges, meat and seafood simmer in a flavoured broth, while you place your meat or seafood on the top to BBQ through the vents! I have never seen this before, and I've got to say, we enjoyed it immensely.




Like all other holidays, ours ended much too quickly - this week it's back to cool weather, miserable skies and W-O-R-K!!!

The Countdown Begins ......

My life is crazy at the moment!!! And there's only 4 sleeps to go!!!

My bears and I are in the middle of a whirlwind of online and face-to-face shows and it's about to get even busier!!!

This coming weekend - 12-13 March I have 3 bears available in the BLOOMING BEARS online show. I can't wait for you to see them!

Here's a little sneak peak at Pandora!


I hope you can join us at the show - it's going to be massive: there are 75 world-class artists participating. Choosing a fantastic bear or critter is going to be very, very hard!!! I'm really looking forward to having a cuppa and sitting down to check out all the lovely entries.

Here's the link to the show: www.teddiesworldwide.com - hope you get a chance to check out all of the beary eye candy!!!

Sydney Teddy Bear Fair 2011

Goodness! March already!!! Where is the year going??

What a busy year so far it has been for me - lots of bear making and shows!

This weekend (Sunday 6th March) I'll be trading at the Sydney Teddy Bear Fair at Sydney's Olympic Park, Homebush Bay. There'll be new Nikkel Bears making their debut at the show, and I'm hoping to catch up with some of my wonderful collectors and bear artists friends ... we don't often get to see each other 'in person' so it's a lovely opportunity to see everyone's new bears and have a chat!

If you're in the Sydney area this weekend, be sure to drop by and say 'hi' - here's the link for more information on the venue and transportation/parking in Olympic Park http://sydneyteddybearfair.homestead.com/

A Walk Through my Neighbourhood

Now that summer is on the wane here in Australia, we've had some pretty crazy weather as most of you have heard on the news around the world.

In my little part of the world, we've had a mix of extraordinarily dry, hot days hitting 45 degrees celsius, and where the air burns your throat when you breathe in right through to steamy, humid and stormy afternoons and nights, followed by cool, overcast and showery days where a light jumper or cardigan is called for.

Last weekend was one of those steamy, stormy afternoons - our plans for a takeaway Chinese picnic overlooking the river turned into trying to juggle our food on plates while sitting in the car with all the windows up and the air conditioner on just so we didn't fog up the windows!!! Ha! Ha! So funny!

Once the rain cleared, we were left with brilliant skies as the sun set on another wonderful day ... we took a walk around the foreshore and I took these pictures which I thought I might share with you ... hope you enjoy a snapshot of my little world!!!

Big Adventure for 2 Nikkel Bears!!!

Hi everyone!

What a busy, busy weekend I've just had. As you know, I had 3 bears showcased in the TBACA 'Be My Valentine' online show. What great fun we all eventually had! I suspect gremlins invaded our 'live' online chatroom on Friday night which meant although the show was open and collectors could email artists and sales were made, none of us artists could 'talk' to each other via the chat room until Saturday night ... it gave us a sense of being there, but not being there (if that makes sense at all!!!)

Anyway, it was great to catch up with all of the Aussie and international member artists who took part in the show - some of which I've actually never met but feel like I've known for a long time (we're only a 'click' away) and others who I'm fortunate enough to see at various 'in the fur' shows closer to home. To all of you girls - thanks for a very entertaining weekend and to Sandi - huge thanks for a wonderful show, yet again!

Here's my two bears which have now started their big adventure to meet their new mums, both jetting their way off to the USA. Can't wait for them to arrive!!!

Kaluah - 14" of luscious, cuddly alpaca (don't you just love his cute toesies!!!!)


and Electra - beautiful and vibrant angel bear made with the loveliest curly mohair.


For me though, it's back to bears! This time madly getting new bears ready for the Sydney Teddy Bear Fair on 6th March and Teddies Worldwide 'Blooming Bear Show', another online show 12th-13th March. Phew! Who's got time for a normal job???

Be My Valentine Show - Sneak Peek!!!

WOW! Can you believe it - there's only 5 sleeps left until the 'Be My Valentine' online show!!! The countdown is well and truly on!

I'm pleased to say I've got 3 bears available at the show - here's a teensy sneak peek to whet your appetite! I can't wait for you all to see them: as those of you who follow my blog will know, I've been working on a brand-new design and am really happy to say that a couple of my bears at the show will be the new design!



I'm getting really excited ... I just love these online shows and Sandi Smith does a fantastic job behind the scenes putting it all together many months ahead. There are going to be so many fabulous bears and critters from many talented artists worldwide: I can't wait to see them all!

Hope you can find time to pop into the show sometime during the next weekend - just click on this link: www.teddybearsandcritters.com