Christmas Presents & Christmas Cakes

I'm so pleased with these, Needle case, Scissor keeper and pin cushion, which I have made for a Christmas present. I am hoping to make some more for my mum for Christmas and of course I want some for myself as well!

I have also been busy decorating these little fruit cakes, which I am taking to the Christmas Fayre on Sunday. And the weekend after I will be at Hove Bear fair with some of my mohair teddy bears, new photos coming soon.

And a bigger Christmas cake, I'm really pleased with how they have turned out.

I cant believe Christmas is only 3 weeks away, I have so much I still want to do, places to visit etc, I love visiting the garden centres and seeing all their Christmas displays, it puts you in a real Christmas mood, I cant wait to get the tree up, I'm hoping to do it next week.

Teeny Bears Christmas Pudding

This is the latest Teeny Bear ready to make his way to Hove Bear Fair, he has steel shot in his tummy which gives him a nice plumb feeling! He does look like hes eaten all the pies!

Last weekends event was at a local craft fayre where I took a selection of Christmas Cupcakes, unfortunately the weather was awful on Saturday so not many people ventured out, but I had an enjoyable day all the same. I have another one in 3 weeks time at Sarisbury Green Community Centre which I'm looking forward to.

Golly Gosh!

These are the Gollies I have been busy making since Hugglets fair in September, they are a special order from Asquiths Bear Shop in Henley-on-Thames. Hopefully they will have arrived now and will be on sale in store shortly. My next bears I will be working on will be a selection of 'Cupcakes' to take to Hove in December, watch this space for a sneak preview!

'Christmas Cakes'

Hi, I know you may think its a bit early to be thinking about Christmas but I need to get baking early in time for the Bear Fair at Hove which is at the beginning of December, I also need to update my web site with some Christmas cheer. This is my first batch of 'Christmas Cakes' finished this weekend, they will be appearing on my web site very soon. The only problem is unfortunately you cant eat them!

Mum's Birthday

This is my latest 'Cupcake' made especially for my mums birthday, I have named it Gateaux, it really does look good enough to eat. Since the bear fair at Kensington last month I have been really busy making Gollies and working on a new selection of 'Cupcakes' in time for Hove Bear Fair in December.

Mums Birthday cake, which is vanilla sponge with a butter cream icing, it didn't last long!

This piece of brilliant art work is what my husband has been working on. He got this idea from a little pottery we visited on our holiday last year to Denmark, he has been planning it ever since, it looks really good in front of the rockery.

Cakes & Bears

'Mince Pie'

I had a wonderful day at Hugglets on Sunday, I sold more bears on the day than ever before and have lots of orders to complete. Hugglets is always a great fair, well organised and very well attended, its great to catch up with other bear artists and regular bear collectors and even better when you sell some bears, my 'Cupcake' bears sold like Hot Cakes! Also my Gollies went very well, I have an order for 10 for a very well known bear shop in Henley Upon Thames.

'Strawberry Tart'

I have also been busy making real cakes, here are a few pictures, there are 108 cupcakes on the stand, I had great fun decorating them.

Hugglets Bear Fair

'Chocolate Devil Cake'

'Battenburg Cake'

Hi, here are some new 'cupcakes' which will be appearing at Hugglets Bear Fair in Kensington on 13th September, it is a great fair and it is wonderful to be taking part again. It only seems 5 minutes ago I was there in February, I just don't know where the time has gone, we haven't really had much summer yet! (I think I must be getting old!) I've also been working on my entry to the British Bear Artist awards which takes place at the Hove Bear fair in December, I need to send my photo off by the end of September, this is the first time I have entered this competition which attracts some well known very talented artists.

Beaulieu

These are the last few bears ready to go to Beaulieu Bear Fair on Sunday, I am really looking forward to the show, the weather forecast looks good so there should be lots of visitors, there are lots of bear related things going on throughout the village, a great day out especially for the children. This is Dolly, I thought I would try something different, I am really pleased with her, it will be good to see what comments I get about her.

This is my entry into 'A Great British Summer' competition which will be judged on the day, fingers crossed the judges like mine!

I haven't yet named this Bear, I always find this the hardest part, she is wearing a lovely vintage embroidery englaise dress and wears a pink silk ribbon on her head (any ideas of a name?)

Ah don't they look good together? I'm quite tempted to keep these 2 for myself!

This one I air brushed although the picture doesn't show it very well, he has some on his paws and around his eyes and muzzle, he is also waiting to be named. I am hoping the recession will not make a difference to the turnout on Sunday, I know Amanda and Julie the organisers have worked very hard to put the show together and hope it is as much a success as last year.

'Cupcakes'

These are just some of my new 'Cupcakes' I have finished in time for The New Forest Bear Fair which is at the end of the month. I'm really looking forward to this bear fair, this will be the 2nd show held in Beaulieu Village, I love Beaulieu it is so picturesque and has lovely individual shops which I love to look around, and of course Bear it in Mind, which also stocks Teeny Bears. I have been making the most of the sunshine lately, tidying the garden etc, although I have to say I'm not very good when I come across the odd toad or slow worm, I down tools and go running in doors as fast as I can! Not quite sure why, I know they wont harm me, but they make me leap out my skin, quite amusing for the neighbours no doubt! does any one have any ideas to help me overcome my fears? At the moment the solution seems to be Hubby will have to do the gardening!

Early Birthday present

This is my early Birthday present from my Husband, he has been tidying up our front garden and has build a stone wall which is planted with alpines, and this Teddy Bear sits at the top end of the wall, doesn't he look good?

View from the pavement, it will look even better once the plants have started growing.

I've been busy making more bears in preparation for the New Forest Bear Fair which is at the end of June, (check out the link at the top of page) its a great event which is free to everyone, the whole village of Beaulieu gets involved.

Hello Again!

Look what I've been doing!

Hi I just thought I would let you know I am still around, I have been really busy lately, there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. I have been busy baking more Cupcakes, I have arranged to have a stall at 'Lady's Night' at my old infant school, where I am planning on taking a selection of decorated cupcakes hoping to get some orders for summer weddings. I love baking and decorating these and spent some time over Easter planning for this (business cards etc) These are just a few of the cupcakes made over Easter, and of course are now all eaten, its a good job I have quite a large family to share them with! I hope everyone had a good Easter, with lots of chocolate eggs, I really enjoyed doing Fairenuf's Easter swap, hope you did too?

Happy Easter

After receiving my Easter Swap I decided I couldn't wait any longer to put my Easter tree up, its the first time I've had decorations at Easter, I thought it would make a change. I love spring time with all the lovely bright flowers and the trees starting to bloom, the only thing I don't like is that my hay fever has started already.

This is some of the wonderful swap presents I received from Beki, I was so pleased with my gifts, this was my first swap so it was very exciting. I love the shopping bag which is in aid of cancer research, and the wooden bunny is going to sit by my Easter tree.

Some more wonderful gifts, I'm sure I could get carried away with swapping, its like having a Birthday!!

More gifts, some great bulbs to plant in the garden, apparently they attract Butterflies, that will give Toby something to chase! Chocolate eggs, before they were eaten! and the Easter Bunny keeps hopping in the picture.

Emily the Easter Duck hanging around before she was sent to Beki, I hear she has settled into her new home ok. I think I will have to make myself one now!

That's all for today, I have an early start in the morning, I am doing a car boot sale with my SIL! no doubt we will be coming home with just as much as we sell!

Bear Making Workshop

Bear it in Mind

On Saturday I had a great day teaching 3 lovely lady's how to make a mohair bear, I was asked to help a friend who was unable to teach the class herself, it was the first time I had done any thing like this so I was a little bit nervous! As you can see from the picture they all made a great job of them although 1 lady didn't quite get finished and has another leg to finish at home. It was so nice to spend the day with such nice people with quite a lot in common, and of course still get the bears finished.

The finished bears, don't they look great?

I'm so pleased with this window box I planted in the Autumn

These Hyacinth's have a great smell

I've got my Easter swap finished and all packed up ready to post tomorrow, its quite exciting, I can't wait to receive mine, watch this space! I've also been busy cutting out new Bears as I have a fair coming up in June and I need to make more 'Cup Cakes'

Lovely Day Out

I had a lovely day out yesterday in the little fishing village called Bosham, its a very picturesque old village, which also has a wonderful craft village, it is stuffed full of all types of crafts, we had a field day looking around, but oh so much you want to take home! I got this lovely heart wreath from the florists, just perfect to hang on the empty nail in my recently decorated bedroom.

I had to have these boxes, I have a thing for anything with cupcakes on, I found myself on ebay last night looking for more cupcake bits and pieces, much to my husbands annoyance! I am watching quite a few pieces but as usual I will probably be a good girl! (this time anyway) just had tax, mot etc on my new car 'Daisy' which you will be pleased to know I can now drive without stalling, finding parking a bit harder in a small car, the kerb is so far away!

I also found these great smelling bath bombs in Bosham, I'm not sure I will use them in the bath though they look to good.

This is my little fella Toby, who wanted to help take my photos this morning, I think he wanted to go for a walk in the lovely sunshine.

This is the latest bear to join 'Teeny Bears' finished this week, I am thinking about trying my airbrush out on this one (scary though) once its done that's it!

Driving Miss Daisy!!!!

Meet 'Daisy' my new car! I have down sized to a little Daewoo Matiz, although once sat in it doesn't feel quite so small. Why is it when you drive a different car its like taking driving lessons all over again, stalling it at just the wrong place, bad gear changes etc, and it feels like people are staring at me............. I am sure I will get used to driving 'Daisy' she looks so cute!

I love it when the spring flowers all start to appear, especially the Pansies, they look like little faces staring up at you. This one has popped up in my hanging basket out side the kitchen window over the weekend and stares at me when I'm washing up.

I really need to get motivated and start making some new Bears, I have lots of ideas in my head, I just need to get on and do them! Also I have been asked to run a Bear Making workshop at Bear it in Mind in Beaulieu at the end of the month, I have never done any thing like this before, I hope I can explain myself properly other wise there may be some odd looking bears created on the day!