Hugglets...not long now!

I am still finishing the teddies for Hugglets.  Since my head injury, I cannot managed sustained effort in the way I used to.  Therefore, I'm behind with photographing the bears!

I have a side profile photo of a large polar bear that will be coming with me and a photo of one of my little whimsical bears.

He's a biggie!  he is made from beautiful, white Schulte alpaca.  He has 6 joints including a double neck joint and a wire armature. He can stand on all fours.

I hand dyed the German mohair used to make Little Miss Sunshine.  She is wearing a broderie anglais onesie and can stand unaided.

Less than 2 Weeks Until Hugglets

OK.  It's less than 2 weeks until Hugglets, and I am busy creating new teddies for the big day.  Just a quick post to show you Bertie.  His design is a fusion of my realistic and whimsical teddies. He is made from beautiful chestnut Steiff Schulte alpaca and has cashmere, pulled toes.  I hope to post a few more teddies as previews before September 14th.  I am in the main hall - 34.  Please come and say hello!

Preparing for Hugglets 2

After being on holiday last week, it's back to my workroom.  I am presently working on my whimsical bears.  This year, many of them will be clothed.  I picked up some hanks of beautiful lace weight angora as well as a silk and mohair mix.  The angora takes hand dyes beautifully and is incredibly soft.  It knits up into beautiful cardigans and dungarees.

Pictured below are two new teddies that won't be making it to Hugglets as they have just been adopted by Kerryann.

I hope to post some images of teddies coming to Hugglets a week or two before the show.

Preparing for Hugglets

I'm finally back to making teddies.  It has been a long and difficult road, but the headaches are now fewer.  I am still finding it difficult to concentrate for prolonged periods, but now feel able to get back into my workroom.  I have spent my recovery time doing a little patchwork and quilting...not much at the sewing machine.  I've mostly been doing some hand sewing.

Having had a six month break, I now feel I am starting afresh with the bears and have a fairly clear idea about the type of bears I want to make and how I want to  make them.

It is always good to have a time frame to work to, so I will have to work hard to be ready for Hugglets on Sunday, September 14th.  I will be down in the main hall this time on Stand 34.

I will be posting photos nearer to September.  Here's a little teaser!

Recovery is Slower than I had Hoped

Unfortunately I've had to cancel my table at Hugglets on the 23rd Feb.  Recurrent headaches have seriously reduced my bearmaking activities.  I have been told recovery may take several months.  On the bright side, I hope I'll be recovered in time for the September show.

First Page Layouts

While I have been waiting for my clay head sculpts to dry, I have put together the first two pages of my Teddy Journal.  I wish I had thought of this before!  It allows me to make notes about each of the bears and it will be a reminder of the bears I have made. It also gives me an excuse to play with paper and glue!

Fun, fun, fun!

A Knock on the Head!

Unfortunately, I had an accident in the garden two weeks ago that left me with a head injury and concussion.  I am gradually improving, but have been told it may be several weeks before I get back to full health.  In the meantime, Mike suggested I try occupying myself with something crafty, but undemanding.  I have wanted to create an album or journal of my bearmaking for ages, but I never got around to it.

I picked up a sketchbook and have decorated the cover over the past few days.  I created some embellishments in polymer clay.  I used papers, lace, sequins, ribbon and buttons from my stash and used a Lucy Atwell stamp that I hand coloured and aged. All good fun!

Now I can start adding some photos of my creations!

Before I took the hit on my head, I had just finished little Minty.  He has been sitting patiently waiting to have his photo taken.

He is a happy little chap...about 9 inches tall...I think.  He stands nicely unaided.

His head and paws are hand sculpted and painted by myself.  He has glass eyes.

 

I have started sculpting again in the last couple of days, but I can't do much before my head starts to ache, so it is slow progress!

A Girly Bear

OK, so most of my bears are boy bears.  Time for a girly bear!  I have been enjoying myself playing around with paper clay, and thought it might be fun to make a closed eyes bear.  Camille is the result.  I often feel I have little control over how a bear turns out.  They seem to have a will of their own.  I thought it might be different, working in clay...but no, the bear decides its own look!

She has a blond mohair body, an armature and 4 nut and bolt joints.  Her head and paws have been hand sculpted by myself, gessoed, painted and sealed. Her outfit is made from silver panne velvet, ribbons, lace and an oystershell button.  She stands beautifully on her own and is one of a kind. She will be coming to Hugglets with me next month.

First Bear of 2014

Kristian is an 8 inch bear cub...my first of 2014.  His name means 'new beginning', so very apt for the start of the year.  I hand sculpted his head and paws using paper clay. They were then gessoed, painted and sealed.  He has glass eyes.  His body is made from a butterscotch coloured, short dense mohair.  He has a sachet od stainless steel balls in his tummy.  He cannot stand unaided.

Belated Happy New Year to all!