Hello it seems a long time since my last post but I've been v busy getting a little hat collection together for a new shop that has opened in Stockport. For anyone that doesn't know Stockport, it's main industry used to be hatting and it now boasts the countrys only Hat Museum which is housed in one of the original mills from the turn of the century, I just love that place! but then I just love hats! On the bear front, Amy has gone to her new Mum and I'm working on some new head patterns which are quite similar to my very first bear heads only with a higher forehead , I'm eager to see the results. Cris has taken a week off work to give the front garden a makeover . Yesterday I had a quagmire instead of a drive but today and four tonnes of gravel later I have a nice new drive! Just need a nice new car to put on it now!!

Amy

Here she is finished at last! she will be on eBay tonight at 10pm GMT . Hope you like her , if you've been reading my blog you'll know that I took inspiration from a pink vintage Chad Valley bear. She's a little chubby baby bear so nothing like the old bear really but I just love the pink mohair with the biscuit colour backing and I managed to get a similar colour by dyeing it myself. She's a 7 inch bundle of pink joy! edit .Amy's natural colour is the one you see in the outdoor pics not the indoors where she looks a tad orange (too much fake tan ???? maybe........)

Hi ho hi ho.

Yes I'm off to work. Oh how I wish that I could stay at home and just surround myself with mountains of mohair , and make bears until I was dizzy!! But it's off to work I go and very reluctantly too because I really need to finish my pink bear in order to start my next! I don't know about anyone else but I'm beginning to feel that I can't work on more than one bear at a time. I feel that the rhythm is broken if I start another project and then the spark is lost and it's so hard to go back to. Maybe it's because I'm so new to this and still developing my techniques , I have a hilarious reminder of just how much I've learnt when I look at the first bear/"thing" that I made. It was made out of wool boucle with quite a lot of stretch to it so when I stuffed the head it just kept getting bigger and bigger and BIGGER!! Does anyone else have any pics of the first bear or softie that they made??????????? Please share ;-) . Hugs Ginie-Lee xx

Special Delivery!!

Hurray my bear making supplies have arrived from Susan at Bear Basics !!! So it's straight back to work on my new creation . I am trying out wood wool for the first time and already I'm loving the texture and fresh smell of it. I can honestly say that I was as excited about opening the parcel as I would be about opening a birthday pressie (even tho I knew what was inside ). Speaking of birthdays it's Matthew's birthday today , why not pop over and send him some birthday greetings ! Anyway I'm itching to make some progress on my bear so no time for pics now , but maybe later..... Have a great weekend , hugs Ginie-Lee x

Pink to make the bears wink!!

Think I must be going thru a bit of a pink phase at the mo. I found a picture of the most darling old Chad Valley bear and it's given me inspiration to make something with a vintage air about it. I dyed some mohair and to my utter astonishment it's turned out better than I expected and looks v similar to the old bears mohair . Although the pic may not show the true colour , it is a lovely shade of soft faded pink. I've started my pink bear today and am pleased with the results so far!!! The other pics are of some scrummy pink earrings that I made and a photo from my wedding last July .As you can see my husband and I are surrounded by a sea of pink! Pink to make the bears/boys wink ;-)

Happy Easter Monday!

This blogging business is taking a bit of getting used to , I mean don't get me wrong , I love it, it's just that as with all text sometimes things can be read in a totally different light/context! The other day I left a comment on paula's blog allbear.blogspot.com that made it sound like I was facing imminent death when all I was doing was dyeing some mohair ( well actually I did spell dyeing incorrectly ) cringe. Anyway I just want to wish you a Happy Easter Monday and I have some more pics of Millie who I have decided to put in my newly opened Etsy shop, do stop by and say hello to her! I plan to put Storm up for auction on eBay tonight , many Easter hugs Ginie-Lee x

Introducing Storm .

At last I finally get to post some pics of my latest creation. I spent the entire day decorating yesterday and was forbidden to go anywhere near my blog ( my husband and I are aiming to have our dining room decorated by Tues ) . I have to admit we made great progress and I'm pleased with the results but I don't think it's the best way to spend Good Friday!

The rest of the weekend looks more promising as my youngest sis has just got engaged and is having a party tonight to celebrate !! And I'm also looking forward to seeing my other sister Anna who's come up from Dorset with her children. And then of course there's Easter Sunday when I'm going to my friend Tim's baptism, so lots to do.

Anyway here's Storm who didn't turn out quite how I'd expected , as you can see she's a definite girl! I did plan on makin a boy bear but the features were so blatantly feminine that I just went with it. She measures 8 inches and has a wobble neck joint and can stand with ease due to those sturdy legs! She's quite loosely jointed and is weighted so she feels quite life like when in your hand. I think she has a cute quizzical expression but I get the feeling she knows more than she lets on! She wears a pretty vintage lace collar which is removable and has a vintage button fastened to her chest , I love embroidery so I did a little stitchery on her too. She's made with Schulte mohair and lots of love , I plan to put her on Ebay on Monday and she will be my first bear for sale ! Hope you like her , Happy Easter ,

Hugs Ginie-Lee x