Twinkles with Josey

A few months ago Josey and I were chatting about how much fun it would be to have a few quick, fun, one day classes leading up to Christmas...

But who would have guessed what would happen when Josey designed this gorgeous little bear hanging on tight to his Christmas bauble...

Twinkles has become one of the most popular patterns and kits we have ever sold!!!

We have just finished the first of 2 one day classes and these photos show some of the work created by Josey's students.

Petra, who is not technically a "bear" lady booked into the class just wanting to paint baubles for her tree and skipping on the mohair bits... She painted the most beautiful purple and silver baubles... 

 These then inspired Josey to paint some herself using the same colours, but with the addition of some purple mohair and lots of bling... and here is the result!!!

Without the use of joints, these little bears come together very very quickly, there is still plenty of time before Christmas to make one for yourself or to delight a friend with...

pINs aND nEEdLeS...   

A little incident happened in our home last week and although I posted it on my personal Facebook page, I have been asked by some of my fellow bearmakers to blog it, in an attempt to save others from going through a similar experience…

I come from a line of women who have always sewn for a living – my great grandmother, my grandmother, and my mother -- hence from a very early age I was introduced to pins, needles and thread.  My predecessors had great respect for these sewing tools, and whenever one was found on the floor, it was as though they had found a nuclear weapon --  immediately picking it up and sticking it into its pincushion home.  If a needle was dropped whilst sewing – well they would not rest until it was found!!!

But I have to admit that I am more than a bit blasé when it comes to these things and now its come back to bite me.  The other day whilst sewing, I threaded my favorite doll sculptor needle and in a blink of an eye it disappeared (I’m blaming the cat).   I searched for it high and low – more because it was my favorite needle than anything else.  In the end I gave up and threaded another.

Two days later my baby boy (who is 21) walked into the room barefoot, I heard a yell and he had found my favorite needle embedded in the sole of his foot.  To make matters worse, as he quickly pulled it out, it broke with more than half remaining inside his foot.

My peaceful morning turned into chaos with a phone call to our doctor followed by a trip to the nearest hospital Emergency Dept.  The x-rays confirmed it all, but as it had gone into the foot vertically it was going to prove a challenge to remove.  The doctor made a small incision and using his tools prodded and probed trying to get it out, but he only succeeded in pushing it in further.  In the end he stitched him up , sent us home and this week we have an appointment with a Plastic Surgeon at another hospital where they will once again attempt to surgically remove it.

My son is on crutches, in quite a bit of pain and discomfort and all I want to do is KICK myself.

Moral of this story:  Please be careful with your needles and pins, they really are lethal weapons!!!

A tIMe tO pLAy…

Well the weather in Melbourne today was WET, WET, WET and there was not many a brave soul who would venture out in it.  But three of my beautiful and very loyal class ladies decided that come rain, hail or shine nothing was going to keep them away from their weekly Saturday bear class and they set out to face the elements.

It was a small class, very relaxed with loads of time to play.   Kim and I were even able to join in.  We had both started Geraldine bears with Merilyn last week, but hadn’t had time to finish them yet and today gave us the opportunity to be able to do this…  Here are a  couple of photos for you.  Mine is the pink and Kim’s is the blue and they are the beary best of friends, just like their mummies in real life…

Brenda also was able to put the finishing touches on her Geraldine – the gorgeous burgundy one pictured below.  Isn't her dress exquisite -- it is a hand crotcheted and beaded little number which Brenda bought from a doll show and has had hiding in her stash just waiting for the perfect bear to wear it.   Just beautiful!!!

I must say we all had a lot of fun using the bedazzlers and “bling blinging” our bears with all the Swarovski crystals we could get our hands on.  Look at them sparkle!!! 

The rest of the class did some preparation work for the upcoming Twinkles class which will be taking place next Tuesday, drank cups of tea, chatted and enjoyed the day in the company of some very passionate bearmakers…

Hello to all our beary special friends...
Once again time has gotten away from us very fast, the year is drawing to an end, and our blog has been left behind.  Our apologies as I know that we have many friends out there who love to check our blog and see what we have been up to...
There has been much excitement in the air, as Merilyn Pursell of Bearwildered Bears has visited us for a whole week running three separate workshops and even surprizing us by managing to sneak one in on Tuesday night during our social stitching class! Go Merilyn!!

There were lots of giggles and laughs and the order of the day was FUN, FUN and more FUN.  There is never a dull moment in Merilyn's workshops -- with her vast knowledge and experience -- the workshops are always a huge success and she leaves us awaiting her next visit with much anticipation. 

I am posting some photos that were taken during the workshops and I am sure that you will agree that every single bear is to die for...

Thank you Merilyn for being so giving and sharing your skills with us... Can't wait for your return in April 2012...  Bear hugs xo
PS:  Merilyn has left behind a small selection of her bears for us to sell on her behalf.  They are absolutely irresistable and would make stunning Christmas gifts for a lucky someone!!!

What does one do on Melbourne Cup Day if one isn't into horse racing???


Why sewing of course... and today I did just that!!!  I finished off a UFO four years after starting it!!!  Not a bad effort (lol)...


Actually I taught this little reindeer last week and after seeing the fantastic results my students achieved, it inspired me to rescue mine from the plastic bag it had been living in for the past four years and finish him!!!  It just goes to show it's never too late...

This little fella was made from the "Reindeer" pattern by Tickell Bears.  Patterns and kits are available from Bear Essence...  Why not try to beat me and make one in two months just in time for Christmas!!!  The challenge is on...