Another year....

So here we are again! Another year almost done... I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that we have a wonderful happy healthy and wealthy New year ahead of us!
I am planning on doing something this year that I have wanted to do for the *longest* time... Attend Teddybear Total in Germany! It's all systems go at the moment... So keep your fingers crossed! I'm also signed up for Teddies Worldwide's March show- so it will be full steam ahead designing and sewing, stuffing and trimming, for the first few months of the year.
I finished my floristry course ( certificate III yay!) early in December, and have been working part time ( I still want/need teddy time! lol) at a place that does decorating for weddings and events, so things have been a little hectic...boy what an eye opener! Long hours, hard work, lifting, bending, getting poked by rose thorns, but learning lots, and getting to do lots of flowers... I must say it *is* exhausting though!:) .....or maybe I am just getting old hehe.
I thought I'd show you what's on my workbench at the moment- a couple of sketches for new bears and a new design waiting to be jointed and given a little face:) .....hopefully this afternoon! I usually design bears by sketching them roughly first, but I can't say they always come out that way when I get round to making them!:) I always keep a sketchbook to quickly draw out my ideas, then when I am struggling to find inspiration, I flip though the pages. Pretty much every time, something will jump out at me and say "make me make me!".....and away we go. Sometimes, it's a week later, sometimes it's a year, or more, before I feel inspired to bring a sketch to life.
See you in the New Year!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Just listed a little Holiday bear named Ginger- please stop by Bearpile to have a closer look! 

Christmas is looming so fast, I can't believe this year is already nearly gone......Plans are already underway for next year, with the first of Teddies Worldwide online shows, Teddybear Extravaganza, on March 21-23. I'm sure it will be here before I know it- so I better get my thinking cap on!

  I am also planning for in person shows too... hopefully I will be attending a new show I have wanted to visit for many many years... fingers crossed on that for now! 

Have you had time to pop by the Teddies Worldwide Christmas Treasures show yet? It really is a treat, I promise! I have two little creations still waiting on new homes, Merry Christ-mouse and Rudolph the Reindeer, but there's lots more to see, admire, drool over and maybe even buy! :)  by artists from all round the world. It all ends in a few hours, so don't wait. You can click on the banner just to the right and it will take you straight there:)

Just stopping by to introduce "Rosebud and Ivy" a little bride and bridesmaid pair I have just listed on Bearpile. 

 Hmmm well I think I best skip the apology! I had NO idea its been so long since I have posted to my blog- time has been flying so fast! Last weekend saw my final in-person show for the year, after a busy couple of months where I was lucky enough to trek to the other side of the world for Hugglets in London and the Salon Gueules de Miel in wonderful Paris! I love going to Hugglets, but I was a little overwhelmed at going to a show in Paris for the first time... It's funny how different countries have different tastes in bears and the suspense wondering if people will like your work can be unbearable (pun not intended! lol) Well, the show was wonderful, so many lovely artists and collectors to meet, wonderful bears and critters to see and buy.... it was a wonderful adventure.  And I have to say, everyone was so kind and forgiving of my lack of French language skills. I am happy to say many of my bears now have homes in France! Many thanks to Lucie who helped us with exhibiting, and all Les Amis de Gueules de Miel for having us!

Then last weekend it was off to the other side of Melbourne for the Woodend Teddybear show, catching up with lovely collectors and artist friends, and finding some new homes for some more creations:)

Now.... that I am sort of up to date..... lol.... its time for the Teddies Worldwide online show preview! Yes that's my piece in the picture above, Sugarplum. She is made from the lovely rare vintage longpile velvet and she sits on a little cushion inside a vintage tartlette tin from Paris, trimmed with silk rosebuds and vintage pearly bits. I do hope you like her! The preview is now on, so I do hope you will click on the banner (above right) and hop on over for a visit and vote for your favourite!

Of course I am still madly working on finishing off the rest of my pieces for the show. It is always wonderful to see what all the artists have concocted, the imagination never ceases to amaze me!

Byeee for now! 

   Well, down here in Melbourne weare smack bang in the middle of Winter! Rain and fog and wind... but the Jonquils are flowering and the blossom trees are starting to burst into flower- coming up to my favourite time of the year, Spring!
     I've added a couple of new faces to my Bearpile page, a "giant" at about 9" tall named "Georgie" named after the new Prince of course! And a teeny tiny girl made from hand-dyed Sassy long pile named Tansy. They are waiting for visitors over on Bearpile if you'd like to see more of them:)
     In a few weeks it will be time for Hugglets, so of course I am madly preparing new pieces for that.... why is it that the new ideas always come at the absolute *last minute*?? lol...or is that just me?
     Annnd a final bit of news- I was accepted into Teddies Worldwide Christmas Treasures online show which will be held on the 15-17 of November..... It's always so much fun thinking up new pieces to fit the theme of the show!
   
     

Here I am again finally! things have been busy and I've been very slack at updating my blog! I didn't realise how slack.... Time for me to hang my head in shame!

  Before I do though, I'd like to show you my preview bear for the TeddyBears Picnic online show over at www.TeddiesWorldwide.com . As always the show promises to be full of wonderful creations by artists from all over the world, to admire and add to your collection. I can't imagine there would be a collector who wouldn't find *something* that will tug at their heart strings!

The preview hasn't got long to go, and the show opens at 4pm New York time on Friday 28th June ( early morning Eastern Australian time Saturday 29th)

I hope to see you there!:)

  The Teddies Worldwide Extravaganza has begun! Here are some of my available pieces waiting for new homes. Stop by before the show ends (Sunday evening New York Time) to see all the fabulous pieces by artists from all over the world- there's some wonderful creations there!
 

Things are getting a touch busy round here! I've been doing some work experience at a lovely Florists in the city, and starting back at 'school' after the Summer holidays... boy is that a trip back in time! lol... And on top of that the Sydney Teddybear Fair is looming, and the Teddies Worldwide online show on the 22-24 March. What fun it is thinking of new ideas! Perhaps ones that finally use things I've collected over time lol! I'm sure most of you can relate to what I am talking about- those little trinkets, flowers, ribbons, fabrics etc that you see that you can't live without, but don't *quite* know what to do with just yet!

This little bear above, Valentina, actually uses one of those items,  a little candy container bought a while back in New York, it's been sitting on a shelf in my workroom where I have assorted bits and pieces on display waiting for inspiration to strike. Finally I have made the perfect bear to nestle inside it I think, and named her Valentina. I do hope you like her:)

TOBY time again..

It's that time of year again- Christmas is over, New Years is a distant memory, and it's TOBY time... I hadn't really been planning on entering the TOBY awards this year, but I got an email from someone at Teddybear and Friends reminding me of the deadline, and thought "oh why not":) As the deadline was only a day or two away, I really didn't have time to make a new piece, so I sifted through my photos from the year and picked a couple of pieces out.

Result being my little girl Antoinette here winning an Industry's Choice TOBY award in the Small Dressed bear category. It's always so exciting to find out one of your pieces has been chosen! The wonderful Valma from Teddy's Bits in Sydney emailed me and let me know,  always on the ball is our Valma! 

So here we are at the beginning of another year... I'm sorting out my shows for the year, thinking of new pieces I would like to make, new projects, new patterns... I wonder how many of the things I aim for I will actually get done!:) Coming up is the Teddies Worldwide online show, the Sydney Teddybear Fair, and plans are afoot for returning to Hugglets in September! 

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas/New Year/Holiday break.