Black Bear Cub Finished

My young black bear cub now has a body...but no name yet.  He will be coming to the Stratford-Upon-Avon Teddy Event on the 10th June.  I hope you like his photos.  He is my favourite bear so far!  I am presently creating a brother for him.  He has a locline neck and spine, wired arms and is quite a hefty little chap!

Realistic black bear cub

I am busy working on my second black bear cub for the Stratford-Upon-Avon Teddy Bear Artist Event in June.  This little sweetie has no body yet, but looks like mischief to me!  He has a locline spine and has been photographed propped in a Kilner jar.

How to make Nursery Blocks for Teddy - A Tutorial

I have a few vintage teddies, including the lovely Mr Bing above.  I thought that it would be nice to create some nursery blocks showing old bear images for him to play with.  I looked around and found that it is possible to source genuine old wooden blocks from Ebay and others, but I particularly wanted to choose the images to be used.

If you would like to make some for yourself, I have created a tutorial.  I also created a block using JPEG images of old family photos.  Just click on the link Tutorial  or click on the Tutorial menu at the top of the page and have fun!

Win some, Lose some

Winning

1. I'm really happy with the critters I have created for the Friends of Teddy online show.  I'm not allowed to show them before the show starts.
2. It hasn't rained for 24 hours.
3. I have planted up my hanging baskets and planters with fuchsias, petunias and geraniums.
4. My tomatoes and cucumbers are in their final pots in the greenhouse.
5. My salad leaves are growing well.
6. My peas have germinated.
7. Some runner beans have germinated.
8. I now have my outfit for my son's wedding.
9. The garden looks beautiful this time of year. Photos below were taken this morning.

 Rhodedendrons and tulips - a match made in heaven

 I love the different shapes of maple leaves

 We have lots of different forms and colours of aqueligias in the garden.  They cross-pollinate and self-seed freely. 

 Azalea luteus - the scent is heady and wonderful.

 Clematis montana grows over a garden arch and gate.

 Comfrey is SO useful.. I will steep the leaves later in the season and use it to feed my tomatoes.

 Dicentra alba is so old-fashioned but delightful.

 Geranium pratense - one of the few truly blue flowers in the garden.

 Conference pear

 Not sre what this is called - a pink relative of the bluebell.

 Rhododendron Pink Pearl - big, blowsy flowers.  We believe our shrub is over 50 years old.  When we moved into the house, 95% of the shrub had reverted to the species plant, with just one small branch of the cultivar remaining.  It now puts on a fabulous display every May.

 Pink scabious - How can such a pretty flower have such a horrible name - it sounds like an ailment!

Soloman's Seal - I love its architectural boughs!

 Growing Inside

My Dad used to buy me an amaryllis (hippaestrum) bulb for Christmas every year.  I now have the pleasure of seeing them all flower every summer!

 The greenhouse is getting into production!  Salad leaves, tomatoes and cucumbers in the photo.

Losing

1. My workroom needs a tidy!
2. None of my french beans came up.  I dug around where I planted them, and cannot find a single bean!  I planted some more in the bed this morning.  I went indoors for two minutes, went back out and found a pigeon where I had just finished planting.  Possible culprit?  I have now sown some more in a seed tray in the greenhouse. 
3. I'm way behind with my bear-making for my summer shows.
4. My Williams pear tree doesn't have many fruit set despite being smothered in blossom.  I don't think there have been enough insects for pollination due to all the rain and cold temperatures.My Conference pear seems to have a good amount of fruit set (but it is self-fertile).
5. My Beauty of Bath apple tree has little fruit set, although the James Grieve seems to have plenty.
6. I need to lose the pounds I've put on over the last few months!
7. The rain has made the weeds grow really well.
8. I'm not getting any younger! :)

 Best wishes to all!

A Place in my Heart

It's funny how some bears just find a special place in my heart.  I think that 'Blessings' is one of those!  She is about 12 inches tall and has a locline neck and spine.  She is made from Schulte alpaca with a needlefelted muzzle and brown leather pawpads.  Her limbs have been wired so she can be posed in a variety of positions. Hope you like her!

In my opinion, you can never have too many cuddly black bear cubs!

Decisions, decisions

I am making a black bear cub at the moment.  The head is almost, but not quite complete.  He has a locline neck and spine.  Poor chap's head has been photographed propped up in a Kilner jar.

 I have a bit of a dilemma.  I don't know whether to give him bent legs, so he is designed to sit and be hugged like a teddy...or to give him a 'standing on all fours' body.  The standing on all fours body has to be stuffed more firmly so that he can stand well, so is not so huggable.  Which would YOU prefer? 

Last Goodbye

Yesterday, I drove down to Hampshire to scatter my father's ashes in the sea. Maureen, my Dad's second wife and I were able to fulfill my Dad's final wishes.  He had a great love of the sea, having served in the Royal Navy, and then the Submarine Service during WW2.  He spent many years sailing during his long retirement.  Dad was a one-off and much loved. I miss him terribly.  I took a small posy of forget-me-nots and bluebells to scatter on the sea.

Eternal Father, strong to save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,

Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,

For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard

And hushed their raging at Thy word,

Who walkedst on the foaming deep,

And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,

For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood

Upon the chaos dark and rude,

And bid its angry tumult cease,

And give, for wild confusion, peace;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,

For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!

Our brethren shield in danger's hour;

From rock and tempest, fire and foe,

Protect them wheresoe'er they go;

Thus evermore shall rise to Thee

Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.