Well back from the Sydney Teddy bear Fair and what a wonderful show Melissa put on- as usual! I always enjoy going to shows, to catch up with the familiar faces, both visitors and traders, and be inspired by all the wonderful work everyone's doing. It spurs me on to come up with something different for next time. Seeing Merilyn Pursell's fabulous sculpted faces, and her use of colour, and Debbie Gunnions new little creations ( Her little ducks were so cute!) not to mention seeing Louise Peer's fabulously perfect work in person, among many.
I was also teaching a few days of classes which is fun, again catching up with old friends, meeting new people, learning new things and maybe even teaching someone something they didn't know!:) Seriously though, I am just as likely to learn as the students, which I love. Theres always a new technique or a wonderful talent each person has to share.
Sooo you are probably wondering who that is in the picture... Victoria is a new piece I designed for Kim at Bear Essence's fabulous "Bear Tales" pattern 'magazine'. My 'brief' was to make a Bride and Groom pair, so naturally, me being me, I started on the easiest of the two! Next up on my drawing board will be Victoria's Groom, who I think I shall call Albert... ahh naming bears, so hard! The thought of making his jacket is making me jittery already.......:)

Smoky Morning

As many people would know, specially here in Australia, we have had a bad time recently with bushfires. I took this photo about 8am one morning during the worst of it, the red sun and smoke haze was eerie... One of the fires started just over the ridge in this photo, though fortunately for us the wind was in our favour and kept the fire from our town. Thanks so much to all the firefighters who were there day and night for a month, doing their best to keep us all safe!

Off to Sydney

Well my first show for the year is rapidly approaching... I had brilliant ideas of having some of my new pieces photographed and previewed here, but as usual, I am running behind and frantically trying to get finished in time.... I guess at least I am consistent!:)
I admire those Bear creators who are organised ahead of time, who have all their pieces photographed a week before the show.

I do have one piece photographed.. tho I am tossing up whether I want to sell it or not... I finished this set as a TOBY entry, and I was determined to keep it even though it missed out on a nomination. The three little bears are nestled into a pale Aqua Blue Edwardian ladies leather shoe, and I used lots of my prettiest vintage flowers to finish it off- I had this shoe for about three years just waiting to find the right project to use it with... sometimes it can be so hard to use and then part with special pieces you buy! So I am thinking now I will take it and see what fate decides for me... will I get to keep them or will they find a new home?

Something exciting to start the year...

Well, I needed some pushing to actually make my first blog post- I 'started' this blog months ago but was finding it hard to think of something to write about! Hopefully the first is the hardest and it gets easier from here...
So onto my exciting news... finally, after several years of telling myself I would enter the TOBY and Golden Teddy contests, I did it! And even more exciting, I actually won a TOBY Industry's Choice award in the Miniature Dressed Category.
So here's my little girl, Eloise.... she's made from vintage long pile Velvet, with a little lace dress and of course, one of my handmade hats.
The competition is very stiff for the Peoples Choice vote, so I am not too hopeful there, but I can honestly say it's thrilling to get this far!