Bears, Bears & More Bears!!!!

Sorry everyone - it has been so long since I've updated my blog. I'm feeling rather guilty!

So much has been happening - I'm currently finishing off 3 bears which will be for sale at the upcoming BLACK & WHITE BALL - our online June show via the Teddy Bears and Critters website (http://www.teddybearsandcritters.com/).

The show will run from 1st to 7th June 2009, so make sure you mark these dates in your diaries and click the above link or this button for more details.

I hope you can join us for the Ball - it's going to be an awesome show, attended by lots of very talented Australian & New Zealand bear artists - hope to see you there!

Beautiful Sunset

Thought I'd share this photo with you all - it was taken (by me if you can believe it!) last week at our local boat ramp while we watched the sun set after dinner. Perfection! You can never underestimate the wonder and enjoyment you get from nature. I never get sick of living here in the beautiful Shoalhaven.

Sydney Teddy Bear Fair 2009

Hi everyone! I've just returned home from trading at the 2009 Sydney Teddy Bear Fair.

What a wonderful day! Lots of traders, lots of collectors and great atmosphere - well done to Mel Kemp (Happy Little Souls) for organising a fabulous show!

I caught up with lots of existing friends, and also met new teddy friends - the fabulously talented Linda Benson (Benson Bears), Peta Smart (Wazza Bears), Raewyn Todd (Woodbury Park Bears), Lyn Parker (Parker Bears), Lorraine Almond (Almond Bears), Susan Leigh (Bearleigh Bears) and Merrilyn Pursell (Bearwildered Bears), just to name a few!

Am extremely tired as I type this (I should be in bed, as it's back to work tomorrow) It's been a very hectic weekend (Saturday afternoon/night was spent at A Day on the Green - an open air concert by Australian icons of music (Ross Wilson, Kasey Chambers and Jimmy Barnes) in leafy Bowral in the Southern Highlands of NSW) A late finish (10.45pm) saw us arrive home at midnight and I still had to do laminated hang-tags for my show bears! Off to bed at 1.30am, and up at 4.30am (what the????) to head off to Sydney, a 2 1/2 hour drive from home!

Apologies for not posting photos of my show bears earlier - I guess better late than never.

New Design!

I'm currently on 2 weeks annual leave from my day job (as an Office Manager in a chemical manufacturing plant) and have spent most of my days working on new bears to be ready in time for the Sydney Teddy Bear Fair next month (http://www.sydneyteddybearfair.com/)

Yesterday, on a whim, I gloriously threw myself into the design of yet another new bear for most of the day and will start cutting out today! Can't wait to see this little treasure unveil herself (yes! I've already decided she's a girlie bear!) Stay tuned for pictures once she's finished.

Hey, I could get very used to doing this bear stuff all day, every day! (day jobs however, keep the bills paid so looks like it's 'back to the grind' for me next Monday - doh!)

New Banner - Thank You Mel!

A big, big thankyou to Melissa Kemp of Happy Little Souls (http://happylittlesouls.homestead.com/) who set up my new banner - many thanks Mel!

Being a complete novice at software such as Adobe Photoshop, I was at a complete loss as to how to set up a banner - my daughter and I fiddled with it for a few hours, but couldn't get the size right to upload. I think there's a message there for me to stick to my day job and bear making!!!!

I'm a Finalist!!!

This is my latest bear BONGO which I entered in the 2009 People's Choice Competition of the Sydney Teddy Bear Fair. I'm thrilled to say that I'm a finalist in my Category - Section 4: Dressed or Fantasy Bear.

This is a completely new design for me, and also quite a large bear (well, for me anyway) - he sits at 24cm. I've been used to making much smaller bears - most of my previous bears have been 6" or 9" standing.

As this is a People's Choice voting competition, I would appreciate all the votes I can get - if you would like to see the competition entries (and hopefully vote for me), here's the link: www.sydneyteddybearfair.com and just follow the prompts.

First EVER blog!

Welcome to my first ever blog!

I'm very new at this stuff, so please be patient while I'm learning.

I've been making bears since 2007, so am still relative new and learning fast. After making ready-made kits and patterns from other bear artists, I'm now designing my own bears which are all hand-sewn with love. I hand-paint each my bears eyes to give them an individual one-of-a-kind look.

hope you like my bears - I'll post a few pics shortly.