Beckoning Bears

A special project

2012-02-16T13:33:00.000-04:00

My daughter and I have enjoyed working together on a special project for a fundraiser. It is a mink bear from one of my older , larger patterns that I haven't used in ages. She chose the pattern and fur colors. She also cut out, trimmed and pinned all the pieces. I am doing the sewing and finishing. Hopefully it will be done soon and I will explain more about it then :)

Whisper- a new mink bear

2012-02-10T12:00:00.000-04:00

Please meet Whisper , a 7" mink bear. He is the first I have made in this off-white color from a coat I recently acquired. I love this fur and may have to make myself a bear in this color to keep. It is just so gorgeous . Whisper is available on my website HERE

Henzie, my newest bear

2012-02-06T13:54:00.000-04:00

Meet 7" Henzie, my newest creation. She is happy to have found a new mom in the USA.

Henzie was named by a gr. 5 student who saw my article in the newspaper recently. She likes to sew and was interested in my bears . She emailed me and said she was doing a school presentation about my business. She even invited me to her class, about 1 hour from my house. I was happy to accepted, so quickly worked on a couple of bears last week. Unfortunately, the class time was limited so the teacher was unable to allow me to attend after all.

This young lady was very disappointed , so I decided to email her a pic of the bear and let her choose the name. She combined her name and her best friend's name. I think it is a cute name and suits the bear well. Thanks Kenzie and Hannah for the great name suggestion :) I hope we still get to meet sometime soon !

A new bear coming tomorrow

2012-01-25T18:30:00.000-04:00

I have a new bear who will make his debut tomorrow on my website. I hope to have him listed at approximately 8pm Atlantic Time here on the Canadian East Coast . Check back to see his listing and the link HERE.

A crazy week

2012-01-21T16:51:00.000-04:00

Wow, it has been one busy week . I have had tons of wonderful emails from strangers commenting on the recent newspaper article . Such nice people ! It is exciting to chat about bears. It's been a challenge trying to keep up with all the emails. But I am thankful that people have enjoyed reading about my bears.

Plus I've been fortunate to have acquired some gorgeous new (vintage) mink fur , and met some lovely people. I have more mink to pick up too . I'll have a great stash to keep me in business for awhile. It's amazing how much fur is hanging around in people's closets.

On top of that I've been driving my son all over town to several job interviews. I am proud that he got 2 job offers and started a new job this week. So, it has certainly been a very exciting week in our house.

Hui -a panda looking for a home

2012-01-19T14:28:00.000-04:00

Meet Hui, my newest 7" mink cub available for adoption. He is made from recycled blond/ivory , and black mink fur. He is available on my website for immediate adoption. HERE He is the other bear that appeared in the recent newspaper article this week.

First bear of 2012 - Lewis

2012-01-14T20:50:00.000-04:00

Please meet 7" Lewis, my newest mink bear looking for a loving home :) You can learn all about him here :

A moment in the spotlight

2012-01-14T17:16:00.000-04:00

It has been such a crazy day , well week, here in the den. It all began last week when I got a call to be interviewed for the local newspaper. It was quite a surprise and wonderful opportunity as this paper has a large circulation. God has richly blessed me throughout my bear making journey . I guess this is my 15 minutes of fame lol. I have had lots of wonderful emails and comments from total strangers so it has been a fun day. It's nice to have such a good start to 2012 after such a challenging year last year.

I spent several days madly creating a couple of mink bears to have on hand, and then of course cleaning the sewing room. No one is allowed to enter that disaster area lol. Let's just say I am messy when I create. I hope to get those bears listed soon so check back.

I am rather introverted so when I opened the newspaper this morning it was a little weird having a photo of me starting back ! However, the reoprted, Andrea Nemetz, did a fantastic job interpreting what I said. She really "got" it . And the photographer, Eric Wynne, worked some kind of magic with his camera.

You can read the article online if you feel inclined : ARTICLE

I hope to get those bears listed soon so check back.

A New Year

2012-01-02T18:27:00.003-04:00

I hope that the new year is starting out well for you. It is always a time of reflection , hope , and opportunity to start fresh. There are things I want to change, and ways in which I want to become a better person. And, of course there are lots of bears I am looking forward to bringing to life !

I came across this video today that really moved me. I had to share . It is a tad long, but trust me it is worth taking the time to watch.

Make the most of 2012 . It's a gift !

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2011-12-24T11:38:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe it is Dec 24th already. All of our Christmas preparations are completed despite some minor setbacks the past couple of weeks. For starters a 20 pound ceramic pot fell out of the closet onto my head causing mild headaches, and mild whiplash for a week . My neck is still sore sometimes. Then 1/2 of the family got a nasty virus, and to top it off the Christmas tree fell over the other day smashing ornaments and totally flattening my poinsettia plant . It's actually quite funny now lol.

However, Christmas is all about the birth of Christ and not all the craziness that we put ourselves through ! I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas.

Here is a new song I discovered, and love, that sums up the reason for the season. I hope you enjoy it too !

A Christmas Teddy

2011-12-03T11:22:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it is December already !! I am so unprepared for Christmas, but it will all come together I am sure. I am trying not to stress over it.....trying lol. For me I just want to spent time with family and friends. I don't care about the gifts, it's not important to me.
In honor of the season I am pleased to introduce my latest Christmas teddy named, Winter. He will be on Ebay HERE until Monday , Dec. 5th. I think he turned out rather handsome and hope you enjoy him too :)

Fergus available for adoption

2011-11-16T14:41:00.000-04:00

I have been a busy bee and have an new mink bear to offer today. His adoption will be by lottery method. This means that if you are interested in buying him please email me your name before 3pm (atlantic time) tomorrow -Thursday, Nov. 17th. At that time, I will randomly select one name from the emails and that person can then adopt (buy) Fergus at the price shown in the listing HERE.

Juggles - listed on Ebay

2011-10-24T20:36:00.000-03:00

After a LONG break from Ebay, I have decided to list my newest bear, Juggles. He is 7" made from recycled honey/gold and black mink. He has a double jointed neck and magnetic paw . He is listed HERE until Oct 27th.

Also, meet Scotty. He is a 7" mohair bear that I will he giving away to someone on my mailing list October 30th. Feel free to join my mailing list to be entered in the draw.

Acorn - a new bear for Autumn

2011-09-22T14:48:00.000-03:00

Please meet 6.25" Acorn made from recycled mink fur. He comes with the leaves and little acorns I needle felted for him . He is available on my website HERE .

Good News !

2011-09-19T18:08:00.000-03:00

I know some of you have been wondering how my appointment went at the Oncologist & Endocrinologist . I am thrilled to say that it was wonderful news. My cancer was Stage 1 very low risk so no further treatment is needed at this time. I will get more tests done in 6 months to see how things look then . I just need to have my medication lowered as I am too hyperthyroid . I am so thankful that the news was so positive. The Edoncrinologist is sending me for tests for another issue he was curious about. But, I think that will all work out ok.

I'm working a new bear and hope to have it available later this week .

Thanks for all the prayers :)

Meet Arctica

2011-09-13T14:28:00.000-03:00

My newest creation, 6.5" Arctica who found a home very quickly. I have to admit I seriously considered keeping this bear. He just tugs at my heart :)

Back to a routine

2011-09-09T11:17:00.000-03:00

I love this time of year ! The weather is cool and I feel creative. It is an exciting time of change and a bit of uncertainty for all of us. My daughter started high school, and my son began college. My son turns 18 this Sunday, I can't believe it ! I am waiting to meet the oncologist next week so I can get on with things.

I function better when I can get into a routine, so as the kids headed off to school this week I headed to my sewing room . I have a new bear well underway and will likely have it ready in the next few days.

Finally....meet Ty

2011-08-01T18:16:00.000-03:00

He is 6.75" of recycled mink fur and looking for a new home :) Learn all about adopting him HERE

A little delay

2011-07-31T18:05:00.000-03:00

The bear I mentioned has been finished for a couple of days and I had hoped to list it by now. However....... my computer completely crashed Friday night . It was bad this time. The computer needed to be reformatted meaning NOTHING could be recovered . I lost everything from the past few months - since my last backup. Again proscratination got the best of me. To make it worse, the files I had backed up for my business can't be read. So I am slowly reinstalling programs, rebuilding my mailing list, re-creating my hang tag designs etc. Bear with me, I hope to have this sorted out in the next day or so. Or, I may be shopping for a new computer :(

Bear Therapy

2011-07-27T11:04:00.000-03:00

I didn't realize how therapeutic making bears really is ! I have been working on one for the past couple of days and it just relaxes my mind so much. It is the first bear I've made in almost 2 months. Where did the time go !! Watching the fur transform from an vintage coat into a cuddly , sweet faced bear is such a amazing thing. I feel so lucky to have this job.

Hopefully this little furry friend will be ready to look for a new home soon. It just needs an ear and some finishing touches .

The big "C"

2011-07-13T18:02:00.001-03:00

I saw my surgeon yesterday and it turns out my lump contained papillary thyroid cancer. It is a strange feeling when you hear those words. I know my eyes glazed over and I felt like I was in a dream like state for a minute. But deep down I really believe I knew it was cancer. The surgeon assured me I will be fine and it is the best kind of thyroid cancer to have ie; the most curable.

After a lot of thought , I can honestly say I am not worried. Sure, I felt a little overwhelmed in the car on the way home , no one wants to hear they have cancer. But my mind has been flooded with the positive things God has done through all of this. He really is so merciful !! He knows where this journey is taking me and I just need to trust him even when I don't like it or understand why. Life happens, it's not fair and even sucks sometimes but choosing to learn from it is going to be my outlook. I just feel bad for family and friends that are concerned about me.

The best news is that the primary treatment for this cancer is surgery...... well I've already had it done ! And, the cancer was contained so likely it's all out of my body now. I may need a radioactive iodine treatment in 2 months when I meet with the oncologist. But, chemo isn't required for this type of cancer thankfully. Fortunately, I will have 10 years of follow up scans regardless.

For now I look forward to many more years of bear making. I am itching to get back at it. Onward and upward :)

Recovering

2011-06-23T13:57:00.000-03:00

I was happy to come home yesterday from the hospital. I am healing well , but still feeling a little lightheaded and sore. My neck is quite bruised and swollen, but looks much better than I anticipated It will take a while for my thyroid hormone replacement to get sorted out too. Mornings aren't so great , but in the afternoons I feel better. Just need to wait a few weeks for the lab results, but the surgeon sounded postive.

I can't wait to start working on bears again. Hopefully soon :)

Surgery

2011-06-14T21:21:00.000-03:00

For those of you that have been wondering, I finally got a call this week with a surgery date after waiting 11 months. Yikes, that was a long time and a good lesson in patience. On Monday I will begin my 2 nights, all expenses paid, room service stay at the luxurious hotel known as the "hospital". In the meantime, I am getting lots of meals made ahead so I don't have to cook for awhile, and my family won't starve. Yeah, I know they would be fine, it's just the mom in me that thinks I need to plan ahead. It is such a busy time with school winding up, exams , proms and grad for both my kids. It looks like the timing will work out so I can at least attend their graduations, and for that I am thankful. And, they can be here to help me out if needed.

Unfortunately, the partially sewn bears will have to wait awhile longer to be born.

Prayers are appreciated for a successful surgery, quick recovery and a good lab report .

HERE COMES THE SUN- it really does exist !!!!!

2011-06-01T18:21:00.000-03:00

What more is there to say....the sun decided to shine the past couple of days. And, it was really warm . Yay ! It is such a welcome sight after so many weeks of rain. Ahhh....how nice to just sit in the lawn chair and soak up the vitamin D, or putter in the garden.

It also gets me inspired , so I went to work yesterday and cut out 3 mink bears. I'm loooking forward to bringing them to life over the next week or so. I also feel the urge to make something new- maybe from mohair and maybe a whole new design. Who knows. Time will tell.

I won , I won :)

2011-05-12T13:00:00.000-03:00

Look what I won last week just for being at my computer at the right time !!! I am soooooo excited, and amazed at this perfect bunny !!!!!! I've admired Janice's work for a long time , and had the privilege of meeting her last summer in Arizona. Check out her creations at http://www.boohbears.com/

This little "Love" bunny arrived just in time to celebrate my 21st wedding anniversary today.

I feel so blessed to be the owner of this beautiful piece of art !! Isn't she precious :)

Timothy, my newest bear

2011-05-11T14:09:00.000-03:00

Hi Everyone,

Here is my newest bear who is looking for a good home :) Timothy is a wee 6.5" cun made from recycled mink fur. He can be adopted from my website HERE

Delayed

2011-04-17T13:42:00.001-03:00

Sorry, the bunny I planned to list will be delayed indefinitely .

Checking In

2011-04-14T22:28:00.001-03:00

I'm a bit behind with my blog, I guess it tends to get shoved to the bottom of the priority list sometimes. But, I am still here, and working away for now. I'm still waiting for that surgery that I mentioned last year. I've been told it will likely happen in May, but have no definite date yet. Some days the waiting drives me insane. I've been waiting 9 months already .

However, last week I got my income tax done (woohoo), was sick with some virus this week , entered a photography contest for fun, and almost finished my last bunny of the season (I think) . It should be available in the next couple of days.

Hope all is well with you :)

New creations now available

2011-03-09T16:20:00.000-04:00

Please meet Bonnie bunny and Paddy bear now available for immediate adoption HERE

New creations in the works

2011-03-03T11:41:00.000-04:00

February break is over and the kids went back to school this week. It seemed like a very long 2 weeks, and we didn't get to see any more of the games. The kids had their own plans.

For some reason I never seem to be creative with others in the house. However, I have been busy this week and got 3 critters cut out . One is a wee bunny which is almost completed, and I am working on 2 bears. I'm not sure if I will make them all available at the same time or one at a time......I'm still deciding :) I'm also debating how many bunnies to make. I've had many people ask for more mink bunnies than my usual 1/year so they may just multiply this year lol.

I'll keep you updated !

Canada Games have begun

2011-02-12T18:08:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day of the Canada Games. I'm not really into sports much, but hubby and I decided to venture across the harbor to see what was happening. I'm glad we did, it was such a nice day and the fresh air was great. We arrived in time to watch the men's 500m speed skating competition. They used the new outdoor oval that was built just for the games.

Nova Scotia athletes

Quebec & Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan - funky outfit

British Columbia

It was fun watching these young men race at fast speeds around the oval . I enjoyed all the various colored outfits too. Some of them looked like alien suits lol.

Kendall is available for adoption.

2011-02-09T16:35:00.001-04:00

Please meet 7" Kendall, made from recycled mink fur. He is available for immediate adoption on my website HERE:

ADOPTION PENDING

Cupid available now

2011-02-01T17:42:00.003-04:00

Please meet 7" Cupid, made from recycled mink fur. He is available now on my website . Thanks for taking a peek :)

Cupid is now RESERVED for a collector.

Zachary- looking for a home

2011-01-27T16:22:00.001-04:00

Please meet 7" Zachary made from recycled mink fur. He is available for immediate adoption here. (SOLD)

Back In Business

2011-01-26T12:26:00.000-04:00

I am happy to say that my computer is relatively fixed ,enough to use anyway. It still has some hiccups, but we'll work on those.

I also have one bear almost completed. It just needs ears attached and shading done. Hopefully it will be listed on my website Thursday or Friday. The second bear I'm working on has lost an arm. I don't think I have enough mink in that color to make a new one so I am praying it will appear soon !!! Who knows where it went. I'm baffled.

I've been watching the live den cam of Lily and Hope and the new bear cubs HERE. That can be addictive so I am trying to be disciplined. I'm also taking a photography class online and need to catch up on 2 assignments. It's busy here in the den .

A lesson about procrastination !

2011-01-20T13:38:00.001-04:00

I learned a hard lesson Tuesday, and have come to completely detest computers ! Unfortunately,my computer crashed and I'm sure I aged 20 years. It looked like I had lost the last 5 years of photos, business files , my mailing list , emails, everything . Yes I know , I know I should have backed everything up; some of it was . I had great plans to do that for the past few months but procrastination got the best of me !

Somehow my awesome husband worked his magic and repaired the hard drive enough to recover my files. I quickly learned how to use that external drive I got as a gift in October ! The computer started but we've had to revert to the old way of transferring data by typing out DOS commands. Nothing will copy or paste, I can receive but not send emails, programs are all messed up......the poor computer is old and confused. Just like me lol. I think we have saved the important stuff. If you are awaiting an email from me, I will get to it eventually-sorry.

We are hoping to start from scratch and wipe out the hard drive and start over. If that fails and it is too damaged I guess I'll have to get a new computer. That wasn't on our list of things to buy this year. For now I'll use this borrowed laptop.

I have a another funeral I want to attend tomorrow then I really hope the year settles down so I can focus on bearmaking . I do have 2 cut out and stitched. So that is a good start I guess.

I hope you are having a good week :) Oh, and go backup your computer.....RIGHT NOW !

First Bear of 2011

2011-01-12T17:48:00.000-04:00

Please meet my first bear of the new year ! He is a cute little 6.75" mink cub whose name can be chosen by his new mom or dad. He is available by lottery method until Friday , Jan 14 @ 10am Atlantic Time. You can learn all about him and how to adopt on my WEBSITE

2011 Already !

2011-01-05T15:18:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe it is already the 5th of January. I hope it has been a good year for everyone so far.

The kids went back to school yesterday, hubby is at work and I am excited to get back into a routine and start making bears. I had great plans to sew all week, but alas that has changed lol. I volunteered to help serve food at a funeral today , and have another funeral I hope to attend tomorrow. Not a great way for these families to start the new year :(

I am hoping this year will be a good year health wise for me and my family. I am still waiting for surgery which was supposed to be in Dec. or Jan, but has been delayed until May at least. I'll worry about that when the times comes :)

I'll can't wait to see what my first bear of 2011 will look like. Stay tuned for it's debut ... maybe next week.

Show Preview now open !

2010-11-15T13:00:00.000-04:00

The Teddies Worldwide online show preview is now open here : Holiday Show

Come check out the "eye candy" . There are tons of fantastic creations to see. And, this is just a small sample of what will be for sale on Nov. 20th-21st

A Sneak Peek

2010-11-01T15:17:00.000-03:00

I found out this morning that my sneak peek photo was one of the pics chosen to be used in an ad for the Nov. online bear show. I am so flattered . That also means you get an early look at 2 of my 4 bears that will be offered. You won't have to wait until the 15th to see my preview :) The two on the right are mine ; the one with the santa hat, and one with the red scarf. Thanks to Daphne , the wonderful organizer for the extra publicity !

Also, I am still waiting to hear from Gina G. , the winner of my birthday bear giveaway. I will choose another name Wednesday morning if necessary :)

Annual Bear Giveaway

2010-10-19T19:49:00.001-03:00

I cannot believe it is almost time for my annual bear giveaway !! How did the year go so fast ??? Each year I want to show my appreciation to all those who enjoy collecting and seeing my creations. So, everyone who is a member of my mailing list is entered into my draw to win a bear on my birthday. So.....on October 30th I will be giving away Tabitha as seen below. My parents almost named me Tabitha so that is why I chose this name :)

She is 7.5" standing and made from peachy beige and rose colored mohair .

Good luck ! If you aren't on my mailing list please feel free to join- see the sign up box in the right side column of my blog.

Bear Production

2010-09-30T11:37:00.000-03:00

I have been up to my eyeballs in fur the past 2 weeks. Once I registered for the November online show I got really motivated. I am required to have at least 3 bears to sell. Amazingly I have completed 3 mink bears in this short time. One of them is made from a mink color that I have never used before and it is really cute and different.

However, I have decided to list one of the bears for adoption later today. Part of this bear is also made from a mink color that is new to me. It is like the color of toffee.....yum :) Unfortunately, my son's motorbike engine totally blew apart in practice for the 2nd time this year (ugh !) so race season ended early for him , and I have to take my daughter to the dentist today to start the process for braces so all I see is $$$$ .

So check my website , or watch for your email later today if you are on my mailing list for the listing.

For now I must get back to making bears . I still have to complete at least 1 more for the show, and start on my Oct. giveaway bear too. It is an exciting , creative time in this bear den :)

Online Teddy Bear Show

2010-09-11T20:41:00.004-03:00

I am excited to announce that I will be participating in my first online Teddy Bear Show in November. There are tons of wonderful artists from around the world taking part so it promises to be a fantastic show worth visting "virtually". I plan to have 3 or more bears available.

I'll tell you more as the date approaches.

Feeling Creative Again

2010-09-03T12:53:00.007-03:00

Some people have been asking me when I'll have more bears available. Well, summer holidays are now officially over, school started for the kids yesterday. However we've been in the midst of a heat wave for the past several days- feels like 40C and it is so humid. I'm convinced this heat followed me home from Arizona !!! The temps are the same as the desert, but the difference is I don't have air conditioning in my house, nor do the schools . Cool weather is on the horizon but first there is a hurricane warning for Nova Scotia for tomorrow.

Despite the heat, I am starting to feel very creative . I am excited to get back to business and start a routine again. I haven't made a bear for awhile and I really miss it. I did manage to squeeze one out several weeks ago that I gifted to one of the ladies in Arizona.

Next week I plan to check my fur stash and see what bears are waiting to be created. So hopefully new bears will be available soon.

In the meantime, I got creative this moring and made this fruit basket for a family gathering later tonight. I'm pleased with how it turned out :)

I hope you have a blessed weekend :)

My Dream Vacation

2010-08-27T15:36:00.003-03:00

As I mentioned I just returned from an awesome vacation. I went to a place I have long dreamed of visiting.
We left home on Aug 17th and after a 4 hour delay at the airport finally arrived at our first destination. I felt like I'd traveled around the world after the first 2 days. You can see why from the photos . You can click on them to enlarge.

Did I go to Paris ?

Egypt ?

New York ?

Rome ?

Venice ?

Nope. All of these places were found on one long street ! Only in Las Vegas of course :)

Vegas sure is an interesting "Planet" not to mention 43C or 108F degrees hot, yikes. Being in the desert that heat is to be expected :) . There was so much to see, but if you aren't a gambling or party person it leaves a lot to be desired. I can say I've seen it but doubt I'd ever visit again. It was too busy and loud for me.

Fremont Street in Old Vegas was interesting. It has the largest projection screen in the world over the street. Pretty cool watching and listening to the music
!
However, our second destination was a 5 hour drive to Arizona, and that is the place I was waiting to see !!!! On our way we visited the Lowell observatory and looked at the moon and stars through a giant telescope, stopped at an old volcano and lava flow, visited Indian ruins in the painted desert, and finally arrived at The Grand Canyon .I never dreamed I'd ever get to see this wonder of the world . There are no words to describe the beauty of this place. It is the most gorgeous place I have ever seen ! It seems surreal standing on the edge looking at the vastness. It certainly made me feel weak in the knees looking down that one mile drop behind me.

Can you see the 2 people at the base of the orange cliff ? They look so tiny.

It even rained long enough for 2 beautiful rainbows to appear right in front of us. This literally made me teary because I love rainbows. Here I was standing at my dream spot with rainbows. All was right with the world at that moment :)
We then traveled to a town called Sedona which had amazing Red Rock formations. A storm rolled in later that night off in the distance and made for beautiful coloration on the rocks.

I was so excited to be here because I had arranged to meet some other bear artists for lunch. What a great time I had getting to know these ladies: From left to right - Joanne Livingston ( Desert Mountain Bears), Me (standing) , Janice Woodard ( Booh Bears), Alison McKee(eTeddys).

Now I am back to reality and feel beyond blessed to have had this wonderful vacation with my husband and kids. It was our best vacation ever.

A GRAND vacation !

2010-08-25T14:55:00.002-03:00

I have just returned home from an unbelievable vacation at 2am this morning after 3 flights and 10 hours of travel ! I went somewhere GRAND , saw some amazing sights, scenery, and met some wonderful people. Now I need to get some photos sorted out and I'll share some with you. Until then I'll keep you guessing where I went lol .

A visit to Peggy's Cove

2010-07-26T15:21:00.010-03:00

It was a busy but wonderful week. My hubby was on vacations so we did a couple of short trips around the area. It was a also my daughter's birthday. I am still recovering from the sleepover party where the girls stayed up until 6:30 am I was told !!! I could hear them giggling at 4:30 .

Saturday we visited one of the well know tourist areas in Nova Scotia. Peggy's Cove is a functioning fishing village of 46 people. The lighthouse and granite rocks draw tons of tourists every year. It was a perfect day to be there, warm but with a breeze off the water.

Before you get to the lighthouse there is this granite monument. It is in memory of those who perished off the shores of Peggy's Cove on SwissAir flight 111 in 1998.

Entering the village of Peggy's Cove.

The famous lighthouse that once housed the only functioning post office in a lighthouse in Canada.

The granite rock landscape is quite interesting.

Unfortuntately the water is like a magnet to tourists ( and locals) . Every year people ignore the warning signs and get caught off guard and swept into the ocean. Most are rescued but some are not so lucky.

This guys was lucky. I was sure he would get swept in.

A little village on the way home.

It is such a picturesque area that I always enjoy visiting.

Petunia - A flowery bear

2010-07-18T16:17:00.003-03:00

Fresh from the den this afternoon is Petunia. She is only 8" tall and is made from the softest 1" sparse matted mohair. It is a cream color with purple tips making it very pretty. She reminded me of the purple color of my petunias this year so her name was easy to choose. She is in need of a new home and all the details for adoption are available on my website .

Yin-Yang my latest bear

2010-07-12T15:56:00.003-03:00

Please meet 7.5" Yin-Yang made from recycled black & champagne mink fur. He is available on my website via lottery until Wednesday. Please click HERE to learn more and see more photos.

A Challenging Week

2010-07-08T21:23:00.003-03:00

It hasn't been a great week I have to admit. I was sick for 5 or 6 days with something. I don't know what it was really, I was just very nauseous and had no appetite. I feel better, but still a little sick sometimes. Maybe it is stress ?

Yesterday I met with the surgeon for my 2nd biopsy results. The news wasn't what I was hoping for. There are some abnormal cells on my lump. This may or may not be cancer, but the lab was unable to determine that for sure. There is a good chance it isn't cancer. However, the only way to tell now is to have the surgery. The choice is mine, but is it really a choice. I cried all the way home, called my husband at work and cried some more. I'm more peaceful about it today trying to take the "glass is half full approach".

So, now I am on the waiting list for 6 or 7 months to have the surgery done. Since the lump is growing on the center of my thyroid the whole thing must be removed so I'll need to take medication daily, forever. The tumor will then be analyzed and radioactive iodine treatment may be necessary if it does turn out to be cancer :( I really don't know why I am sharing all this. I am a private person usually. But, thanks for listening :)

On a happier subject- bears. I started a mink panda last week and it is about 80% done. I need to attach the head and ears, and sew the seams. Maybe it will be ready by Monday.
I'll post it as soon as it's ready.

Hugs , Tammy

Happy Canada Day !

2010-07-01T11:12:00.003-03:00

I love living in Canada , and today is a day to celebrate this wonderful place on the 143rd birthday.

Fundraiser Raffle

2010-06-29T20:05:00.004-03:00

A fellow bear artist , Alison McKee of Eteddys, is holding a raffle for a chance to win this gorgeous 33" bear !!! All proceeds are being donated to help a young lady in need of a lung transplant. I hope you will consider helping out by entering the raffle. You can get all the details here :

Finally , a new bear named Ziggy

2010-06-27T16:25:00.004-03:00

Hey, who stole the last 2 weeks ??? Really, I have no idea where they went and I don't feel like I accomplished much !! I kind of lost my motivation to finish this bear somewhere along the line. However, Ziggy is now available to travel to a new home. If you would like to adopt him just click HERE to learn more.

Join me in my garden

2010-06-14T18:28:00.012-03:00

I sat in my sewing room most of the morning cutting out bears. The fur was just a flyin' until later in the day that is.

I have a window that overlooks my front garden. I love flowers, but I don't have much of a green thumb......I plant things and if they grow it is a miracle because they get no assistance from me. I just let mother nature take over lol. However, I've been watching an iris as it prepared to open , and this morning I noticed one leaf unfold. To my surprise by the afternoon it was in full bloom and so beautiful. This is the first time it has bloomed in 2 years . I put away the bear bits and pieces and grabbed my camera .
As I looked around I decided to photograph some of the other flowers in bloom around my garden . There aren't many but they are so colorful.

My rhododendron is in bad shape really, but a there are few blooms. I really should take better care of this poor bush.

I love the fushia clematis. I also have a purple on in the backyard. I noticed that most of the plants right now are blooming purple or pink....funny that.

Of course there were lots of bees buzzing around collecting pollen. This guy stopped long enough for me to snap his picture :) I love his fuzzy back lol.

Thanks for joining my in the garden. Tomorrow it I'll get back to trimming bear seams and maybe get some sewing done. Who knows. I have a few other things that need to be done first.

A beheading

2010-06-10T10:06:00.004-03:00

Rosco got tired of sitting on my website so I beheaded him yesterday lol. I created a new head and am ready to take him outside for a photo shoot. I hope he co-operates. Sometimes an extreme makeover is called for :)

It has been a busy week here. I got 2 rooms painted , had my 2nd biopsy ( hopefully the last... I'd rather have a tooth pulled I think !) and celebrated hubbies birthday. I've also been busy driving my daughter everywhere as she is on crutches due to having water on the knee. More trips to the doctor are in her future I think to determine what is causing her problem. She's had a rough few weeks poor kid.
And, I can't believe school is almost over . I always feel a little panicky that I didn't accomplish all that I wanted. I'm not sure how bear making will progress as the kids are older and don't really want me around much anyway , other than to provide food and drive lol. Of course this summer my son can drive so I'll likely be stuck home without wheels a lot. That will be an adjustment !!! It always takes a couple of weeks for us to get into a routine .

Anyway......watch for the new bear later today hopefully.

UPDATE: Meet Sandy who is looking for a new home.

Changing hats this week

2010-06-02T17:00:00.001-03:00

I've put the bears aside this week and have picked up the paintbrush. I mean the one for walls not fun artistic painting ! I got the urge to repaint some rooms in the house so that is my project this week. It always takes a little longer than expected, and I've been known to paint the room , then repaint it a different color the next day lol. It is so hard to tell what the color really will look like from those tiny paint samples !

I do know that I am very messy and end up with as much paint on myself as I do on the walls. But, it's fun to change things up once in awhile.

Hope and Lily Reunited

2010-05-27T09:16:00.007-03:00

It is truly a miracle ! I checked facebook all day yesterday for updates but eventually I had to stop as it was all to emotional. Hope had been seen Tuesday afternoon, but then nothing. It was amazing to think that she was still o.k.

Then this morning I was overjoyed to discover that during the night Hope had been spotted again , captured and reunited with Lily her mom. Thank you God and research team for granting us this miracle ! The video of the reunion is so beautiful, just listen to the emotion in Hope's bellowing, then the purr of her nursing ( and Sue the biologist sniffling). What touching sounds this morning.

Enjoy the video. I've watched it over and over along with all the Lilypad fans :) Just click on the video twice to make it bigger so you can see the whole screen :)

Now I may actually be able to stay focused on the bear I am working on !

Where is Hope ?

2010-05-25T10:03:00.005-03:00

I know most of you will think I am crazy , but I am just so sad and concerned for a certain little bear cub. You may remember several months ago I mentioned a live bear cam in the den of an expectant bear mom named Lily. Well, I have been watching that camera since mid January, and was fortunate to be watching when Lily gave birth to her first ever cub named Hope on January 22. I watched that little bear daily until they left the den. Ever since then the North American Bear center has kept thousands of Lily and Hope fans updated with photos and videos as they live in the wild. It has been an incredible and educational journey. I admit I am addicted to learning about this little family. They have stolen my heart, especially that feisty little cub !

Lily & Hope after leaving the den
( I hope the North American Bear Center doesn't mind me using their photo )

Sadly, 4 days ago Lily left Hope asleep high in a tree. The researchers don't know why. She returned a couple of days ago, but 4 month old Hope is missing. No one has seen her, and researchers are doing their best to search . How long can she survive on her own ? No one knows. As of last night Lily appeared to have moved on and may have abandoned her search. What does that mean ? Does she know something we don't ?

I just feel so sad. Me, along with thousands of fans, are trying to stay hopeful , but with each passing hour I fear the worst. Nature has to take it's course, they are after all wild animals. But, I've become so attached to them , I am such a softie at heart I know :( Please pray that Hope is found soon. I can't imagine how distressed Lily must be too.

You can watch videos about them here

Still available

2010-05-24T18:19:00.002-03:00

Yep, Rosco is still looking for a place to live. Seems no one wanted to try their luck in the lottery so he is available to anyone that wants to give him a home. Poor guy feels a little left out :( I could always keep this one for myself now couldn't I .

Rosco Up for Adoption

2010-05-22T16:43:00.003-03:00

Please meet Rosco who is now ready to spread his wings and find a new home. He is available on my website HERE : Again , I am taking names of anyone interested in him until Sunday night , May 23rd @ 8pm Atlantic Time.

A new bear on the way

2010-05-20T14:41:00.004-03:00

I am working away this week on another bear. I hope to have it ready for adoption tomorrow or Saturday. It's head is still not attached ....... I feel like that myself some days lol !!!! I'll be sure to let everyone know when and how it can be adopted :)

A lesson in patience and trust

2010-05-17T11:16:00.004-03:00

I think that is what I am supposed to be learning . I went to my surgeon for my biopsy results this morning only to find out that it was "inconclusive". So...... I need to make some decisions. The surgeon gave me 3 choices :

1) Do nothing but monitor the lump by ultrasound periodically.
2) Get another biopsy
3) Surgery to remove my thyroid gland and lump if I am really concerned it may be cancer , and then take medication forever.

He highly suggested another biopsy so I guess that is the route I'll take. I just hope this time it will tell us something definitive. Now that I know how icky that biopsy procedure was I'm really not looking forward to it again. Oh well, I've been waiting 5 months for an answer so another month or so won't really matter :) God has given me a real sense of peace about this whole thing thankfully.

Enough about my health. I think I just need to type it out here as a form of therapy LOL.

Back to bears, that's a much more exciting topic for sure :) I need to figure out what fur I want to use for the next one.

Sully ...looking for his forever home

2010-05-14T19:16:00.005-03:00

Please meet Sully. He is a 7.5" mink cub available for adoption on my website. I haven't made one with the inset muzzle and tummy for a LONG time and I think he is kind of cute :)

You can learn all about him HERE

Celebrating 20 Years together !

2010-05-12T16:53:00.005-03:00

Wow, where did the time go ???? Ahh.....look at us so young , naive, and in love lol.

Waiting, waiting and more waiting

2010-05-11T09:53:00.003-03:00

Wow, 2010 seems to be a year with health issues for my family ! All this medical stuff and waiting is really starting to wear me out.

It seems like all I have been doing this past week or so is spend hours sitting in Hospitals or Doctor's waiting rooms . I had to take my daughter to the doctor, then for blood tests to see if she has Mono. I've called the doctor everyday for a week to get the Mono test results. No one seems to know when it will be ready, they tell me to call "tomorrow". Then they don't return my calls . She has missed over 2 weeks of school, and has tried to return but only lasts part of the day. I just want some answers. Maybe no news is good news ?

Then I had to take my son for x-rays and to see a surgeon about a spinal problem after waiting 10 months . Praise the Lord he won't need surgery after all !!!

Plus, all this waiting for my biopsy results is hard too. I hope to have results next week. This issue has been going on since December and I am tired . Some days I want off this roller coaster ride !

However, tomorrow is a new day.........and it will be our 20th wedding anniversary ! Now that is something to celebrate.

Meet the new bears

2010-04-30T16:32:00.006-03:00

7.5" Ganache and 6" Cocoa are looking for a new home. They are being offered by lottery method until Monday, May 3rd. You can learn more about that HERE.

It has been a busy day and I am about ready to go to bed for the night. I was up at 5am and got my mom to the airport. Then home to see if my daughter was ready for school. She's still not better so I am taking her to the doctor tonight just to make sure all is well. It doesn't look like she'll be competing tomorrow. Poor Hubby and I are still like 2 ships passing in the night. He is only here to sleep until this computer dilemma gets resolved.

I survived my biopsy today. It was really unpleasant and stung because they didn't use any freezing. I had watched a video of the procedure on youtube so had myself prepared. It took the doctor 3 attempts to get that long needle in the right spot, and he just jabbed it HARD into the front of my neck, what a nauseating feeling, yuck . At least I couldn't see it !!! Then he wiggled it and poked it around and sucked out some tissue all the while telling me not to breath LOL, gag. Oh well, a small price to pay to find out what is going on :)

Overall it has been a good day really. I feel really happy inside, God is so good to me :)

I wish you all a wonderful weekend !

An interesting week

2010-04-28T09:58:00.003-03:00

I am still working on my bear and really hoping to have it done by the weekend. But, things have been thrown off schedule a bit. My daughter has been home sick with the flu. Poor kiddo, I am hoping she will be well enough for her final dance competition on the weekend.

My hubby has been working crazy hours to fix a computer disaster at his workplace. He comes home long enough to sleep then off he goes again. Poor guy :( So , I am holding down the fort this week and trying to fit in bearmaking when time allows.

Friday I have to get up at 5am to drive my mom to the airport. She is headed to Cuba with my brother, sister-in law and niece. Then I have to go to the hospital for my biopsy. I'm not worried but I'm also not looking forward to it. I'm glad it is being done though. I'm just praying that I don't come down with the flu in the meantime !

I'll let you know when the bear is ready.

Bears, and busyness

2010-04-23T12:30:00.006-03:00

Hi, Thanks for popping in !

It has been a busy couple of weeks in this den. Dance competitions are still underway for my daughter with more this weekend and next. Then we can relax for another couple of weeks before the end of the year recital . It has been tiring keeping up with extra rehearsals, and early morning competitions ( competing at 8 am with VERY loud music is a bit much LOL) .I am excited about this Sunday though as the parents along with the dancers ( about 130 of us all together) will be competing in a fun dance off in front of about 30 other dance schools . I better start stretching now so I don't injure myself LOL. Some of the dads have to dress in women's aerobic wear , my hubby being one of them. It should be an absolute hoot !
Just another word of caution. My credit card number was stolen AGAIN . This happened last year too and I know it is from online purchases. So, even when you think it is secure, it may not be. Thankfully the fraud dept. caught it and called me. Someone has been having fun making purchases in Ontario over the past month. At least it is a separate card I only use online and with a very low limit for this exact reason. Someone suggested using preloaded Visa/ Mastercards and I may start doing that instead. It is worth the extra few dollars.

Lastly, I have a new mink bear on the cutting table waiting to be sewn together. It will likely be next week sometime before it is completed.

New bear coming Monday

2010-04-10T14:01:00.003-03:00

As I mentioned in yesterdays post, I have a new bear that I will be offering on Monday April 12th. I expect he will be listed for adoption at approximately 5pm Atlantic Time. In the meantime, here is a little glimpse of him.

Enjoy the weekend. I'll be spending the rest of my mine at
my daughter's dance competition. I think the girls get more excited about the hair, makeup and sparkly costumes LOL.

Is there anyone out there ???

2010-04-09T12:25:00.005-03:00

I have been so delinquent updating my blog that I wonder if anyone even checks in anymore !

I am still here. I've just been preoccupied with life, my health and changes. Some things have been stressful, but some are exciting at the same time. I am in the process of working with a surgeon to sort out some health issues. I feel like I am always at a health appointment. Isn't that a sign of getting old LOL ???? I still need to have a biopsy on a small lump, but have been assured that I shouldn't worry. I admit I have been worried... who wouldn't be in all honesty , but this week I feel confident that things will be o.k. I'm leaving it in God's hands at this point.

I have also realized it was time to remove some things in my life that are causing stress, and make some other necessary changes as I feel led. It has been so hard to let go, but will ultimately make me and my family stronger I think. So, it is exciting .

I am also in the process of doing my income tax so I'll be glad when that is done so I can spend more time on bears. Also, my daughter is in the midst of dance competitions and my son has started motocross practice so it is a busy time driving kids everywhere they need to be.

Amongst all this, I am working on a new mink bear that I hope to have ready for sale sometime on Monday ! Bearmaking is my sanity LOL . I'll post updates as the date gets closer.

Liam , a new mink Panda for Sale

2010-03-27T13:38:00.002-03:00

Hi, Please meet 7.25" Liam , my newest mink paw panda. He is listed for immediate adoption on my website here if you care to learn more :)

You Are Invited -March 11th

2010-03-07T16:54:00.002-04:00

First Web Show coming soon !

2010-03-04T11:13:00.002-04:00

I have been working hard on several creations over the past couple of weeks. Next week I plan to offer them all at once as a web show . They will all be listed at the same time , and I hope there will be something for everyone.

Some of the creations include my annual mink bunny, a mini bear, an elephant, and some other bears too .

I'll post little sneak peeks in the next couple of days, along with the date and time of the show !

I'm looking forward to it, and hope you will be too.

Skiing after almost 20 years !

2010-02-21T21:12:00.005-04:00

I thought I would share my weekend adventure to give you a good laugh :) After nearly 20 years my family convinced me I had to go downhill skiing . My hubby taught our daughter to ski last year, and our son learned the year before. My hubby and I used to ski once in awhile before we had the kids.

As we approached the hill I got really nervous. Gosh, at 43 I knew it would be a lot more painful if I fell than when I was in my 20's ! However, I strapped on my skis and decided to be brave. I also decided to skip the "bunny" hill and go straight to the top of the big hill. As we neared the top, I was anxious about getting off the chair lift without falling. By some miracle I didn't embarrass myself LOL.

It is always a little frightening looking down the hill for the first time. The snow was a little sticky because it was warm , and it even rained a bit later in the evening. I started out o.k. and thought I was doing quite well after awhile. I even felt like I was going rather fast .......until we got home and I watched the videos my daughter took.

I laughed and laughed at how pathetically slow I was, but hey, I was still proud that I went and had fun. You can have a good laugh too if you watch me on this video. Oh......just ignore my screams LOL.

It was the first time I had skied at night, and It was really quite peaceful . The view from the top down the 600 ft drop as darkness fell was beautiful.

My neck and back are a little sore today from smacking my head on the ground , but it was worth it !

More surprises in the mail !

2010-02-20T11:06:00.004-04:00

Wow, I am so blessed ! I received another wonderful surprise in the mail this week from a dear friend and collector. It was a special valentine that decided to take a few extra days to arrive, but I love it regardless . I adore the handmade card, of course I love the candy LOL, and the crystal heart necklace is so pretty.

I had heard about these teddy bear sugar cubes and pasta so I even received a little sample of those LOL. It's so funny what teddy bear shapes are created .

So again, it has been a fun mail week. A huge thanks to "H" for making me smile with this sweet surprise !

Introducing Snowflake, a mink cub

2010-02-17T12:57:00.003-04:00

Publish Post

Snowflake is 6.75" tall , and made from gorgeous recycled mink paw fur. He is one of the few bears I have made in a solid light shade, and the first in this creamy blond color. He is being offered on my website by silent auction. You can read all about that HERE.

EDITED : FEb 20- Snowflake has been adopted

A peek at my latest bear

2010-02-16T17:09:00.004-04:00

Here is a little sneak peek at the bear I finished today. I hope to have him available later tomorrow .... somewhere ! I may try the "Best Offer" method again to allow everyone a chance at him. I'm not sure yet.

My camera batteries are charging so I 'll have to finish the photo shoot tomorrow if the weather co-operates. I think we are supposed to have snow then rain .

Sweet treats from Russia

2010-02-12T11:18:00.005-04:00

I have the best collectors, I really do ! They are so kind, and thoughtful and truly make my job so enjoyable. I love the emails, cards, phonecalls and just knowing that my bears have brought these people into my life is such a humbling feeling.

I have been having a very difficult week , but today I received a wonderful package from Russia. I was told something was on the way, but for some reason it has taken 6 weeks to get here. But, the timing couldn't have been more perfect ( God is so good that way LOL) . Wow, I was like a little child when I opened this lovely box of Russian treats , photos and little wooden stacking bears. This has truly has warmed my heart , and added a little sunshine to my day. Thank you "T" , you know who you are :)

I really don't know what I've done to deserve my customers, but I feel so blessed and thankful for each one.

That's Amore

2010-02-09T17:38:00.004-04:00

Please meet Amore the 7" recycled mink cub I was working on this week. He is available on my website for immediate adoption.

UPDATE: Amore is now SOLD

Noses and Toes

2010-02-08T10:09:00.003-04:00

Here is a little sneak peek at a new mink cub who will hopefully be completed this week . His body is complete, but he needs a head. I was a bit delayed on this as I ran out of noses. I took some time last night to make up a whole batch from apoxy sculpt. I had to mix in black paint so it was little messy LOL. I love apoxy sculpt though; it is so durable and rock solid ! The noses hardened over night, and now I have lots of sizes to choose from to ensure a good fit for each bear.

A Rite of Passage

2010-02-01T20:26:00.003-04:00

Today is a very special day in the Den ! My son passed his driving test today so is now a fully licensed driver at the age of 16 ! Wow, that seems so young as a parent, but I remember how old it seemed when I was his age LOL.

He is just beaming and soaking up all the freedom that comes with this Right of Passage. As a mom , I can honestly say that this is one of the scariest moments I can remember. Watching him pull out of the driveway behind the wheel of our car , with his friend, for the first time today brought feelings of both pure joy and pure fear LOL. I can't be there to protect him, but I trust his driving ability after spending many hours practicing with him over the past 4 months. Thank goodness for cell phones too !

It's just that need for speed that all boys have , and the car full of kids that can make any mom worry. Maybe he'll get all that speed out on his dirtbike at the motocross tracks instead . Here's hoping !

Valentino is Looking For Love

2010-01-25T18:13:00.004-04:00

Meet 6.75" Valentino , my first mink bear of 2010. He was snatched up within minutes of appearing on my website, for which I am always grateful . Looks like he may be headed to Singapore for Valentine's Day.

An update to my Lily bear cam post earlier : I don't know if you've been watching, but I was so thrilled to be watching when Lily's cub was born on Friday. I got all teary when I heard those first cries and saw the little paw reach out to touch it's mom's nose. I have to admit I am somewhat hooked on that camera now. I'm like a mom checking on her newborn baby. I was equally excited to get a glimpse of the cubs head today before Lily put her big paw gently around it for protection and comfort. That baby sure is demanding and has an good set of lungs LOL.

Have you seen Lily ?

2010-01-21T19:42:00.002-04:00

Incase you haven't seen this, I wanted to share as it is very interesting. A webcam has been placed near the den of a 3 year old black bear named Lily . It is believed that she will deliver her first litter of cubs soon. It appears that she has been in labour for several hours and is very restless at times. I've been watching all afternoon in hopes of seeing this miracle of birth take place :)

You can watch Lily here

A bear in the works

2010-01-21T10:06:00.002-04:00

I have been working on a new mink bear this week from a new pattern that I drew up last week.
I am really happy with the way it is turning out. It always makes me chuckle though, no matter how I change a pattern the bears still look very similar. I guess that has a lot to do with the way I finish the face :)

I had hoped to have it completed by now, but I've been feeling a bit unwell for a couple of days. With any luck I'll get him/her completed soon.

Helping Haiti

2010-01-15T11:30:00.004-04:00

I'm sure the world is well aware of the disaster in Haiti this week. I can't even comprehend what those people are trying to cope with when something so devastating happened so quickly.

I have friends who went there over a week ago with their 3 children, and a small team , to do some mission work in an orphanage. They certainly encountered more than they planned for in their 2 week trip . Praise God they are o.k . I got to chat online with them last night so I feel reassured that all is well. I was concerned how their young children might be handling this situation. It will be nice to see them home next week whenever they can get a flight .

They were about 150km outside of Port-Au-Prince, but still felt the earthquake and up to 30 aftershocks. Yesterday my friend's dad went into the city with other volunteers to help anyway they could. The area they are in is by no means prosperous, yet they were willing to share whatever they could to help those in more need. It always amazes me that those with so little seem to be the first to give.

It sounds like what they saw was unimaginable, and something they will never forget. They have posted their experiences on their blog . Haiti needs so much prayer and help right now, and God is there in the midst of it all. Look how the world is coming together so quickly to help our fellow man !

Mac & Cheese....good for the soul :)

2010-01-12T17:56:00.005-04:00

I decided that 2010 was going to be a year that I found places to volunteer in my community. I have a few places that I feel draw to already. When my kids were younger I helped a lot at their school , and I miss that contact with the outside world. Working at home honestly does get lonely sometimes, and I feel like I've become a bit of a hermit . I need to fix that asap.

Today was my first time out and it was wonderful to meet new people and help some kids out. I spent the morning helping to prepare about 100 boxes of mac & cheese for a free lunch offered once per month to a local high school. This program started 3 months ago so this was the 3rd meal. It is prepared by church volunteers, and served by police officers, teachers and community members . I estimate about 350 kids came to the sports complex and enjoyed the hot meal. Wow, those teens can eat LOL. I didn't get to interact with the kids much , but had a wonderful time mixing , stirring, chatting, washing, mixing , pouring and more mixing.

So, today I can honestly say mac & cheese was good for my soul :) It is such a terrific feeling to give back to the community. I'm already looking forward to next month.

Now, I'm not telling you this to brag in any way. I just thought it might motivate someone to get involved in even the smallest way. You'd be surprised how "full" it makes you feel.

Felicity , my first bear of 2010

2010-01-08T11:52:00.002-04:00

I am pleased to introduce Felicity . She is 8.5" of beautiful ivory and hand-dyed pink mohair . She is available for immediate adoption HERE.

Cranberry dye for a new bear

2010-01-07T20:01:00.009-04:00

A few weeks ago I came across a bag of cranberries in my freezer. We had picked these a couple of years ago and never used them. I didn't want to be wasteful , so decided to experiment with them as a mohair dye .

So I gathered a pot, some salt and a little vinegar. I crushed the berries in the blender then boiled them in a pot of water on my woodstove. The fire was burning nicely so why waste electricity by turning on the stove :)

The color was very rich and vibrant . I had previously cut out the bear pattern and put the desired pieces in after it cooled a bit. I left it for about 30 minutes stirring often. I kept checking the pieces to see how much color they absorbed.

My son looked in the pot and thought I was making chicken balls with a cherry sauce LOL.

I then washed off all the liquid and put the pieces out to dry. I was a little disappointed that the shade was such a pale pink. It is pretty, but I had hoped for more of a deep cranberry tone. It was fun to experiment anyway.

Well, I spent the last few days working on the bear and she is now complete. I do like the soft tones now and think she looks pretty for my first bear of 2010. I'll get her photos done tomorrow and hope she finds a new home soon.

Back to the routine, or so I thought !

2010-01-04T15:45:00.005-04:00

Here we are already the 4th day of the new year ! Today I woke up excited to get back into my routine with everyone headed out the door to either school or work. I was looking forward to quietly working on a bear, but alas MY plan went out the window LOL.

My upset mom called tell me that my uncle passed away unexpectedly in Ontario. Within 30 minutes she called me again to tell me she slipped on ice and fell down her stairs ! I rushed to her house , 10 minutes away, to make sure she was o.k. She was shaken up and is very sore, but I think she'll be o.k.

On my way home I stopped for some groceries and was nearly sideswiped in a parking lot ! So, I decided to come home where it was safe LOL.

Eventually I did attempt to start on the bear, but my sewing machine has other plans too. It just doesn't want to stitch properly. Now, school is over, the kids are home and I must plan supper so I'll have to put off bearmaking until tomorrow.

Funny thing is I found this whole day very humorous, and it didn't upset me in the least that my plan was foiled . Sometimes we need to be reminded that the world doesn't revolve around our plans at all. I was needed elsewhere and I am glad I was willing and able to be there for my mom.

My New Year's Resolution is to keep a positive attitude. Let's hope that plan works out :)

Happy New Year !

2009-12-31T13:13:00.000-04:00

Wishing You A Very Merry Christmas

2009-12-22T09:50:00.003-04:00

I received this cute video ecard today from a sweet friend and wanted to share it with all of you.

I hope you are all ready for the big day ! The gifts are all bought and wrapped in this den......yikes, I just remembered I better take the turkey out of the freezer as soon as I finish here !!!
Remember, Christmas it isn't about all the "stuff", it is about family, friends and celebrating that little baby boy born in a manger so long ago :)

Enjoy !

Noel - the missing bear :)

2009-12-15T16:46:00.005-04:00

Some of you may be wondering what ever happened to the mink bear I was making. I did take photos on Sunday like I mentioned. I decided to do a private listing on my website exclusively for my mailing list members . They were the only ones who had the link to his info. I am happy to say that Noel is heading to Manitoba for Christmas where , "The weather outside is frightful " LOL. I hope he doesn't freeze in those insanely cold temps. I know his new mom will make take good care of him when he arrives though.

Here is the link so the rest of you can enjoy more photos now that he is officially adopted.

The bear is FINALLY done !

2009-12-12T11:01:00.002-04:00

Yes, can you believe it LOL !!!! The head is attached and I even made a velvet and mink santa hat for him to wear. I plan to do photos tomorrow , then offer him for sale somewhere. Not sure where yet.

An eventful week

2009-12-09T15:40:00.004-04:00

Well, I do apologize for taking longer than expected to get this mink bears head completed. I ended up spending Sunday morning at the emergency for another panic like attack. My blood pressure and heart rate were sky high so they did lots of blood tests and an EKG to make sure I wasn't having a heart attack. I had to start blood pressure medication and had a follow up appointment with my doctor today which ruled out thyroid problems. I HATE taking pills :( Who knows why this is happening as the symptoms are common for many different things. I'm am glad the doctor discovered the blood pressure issue though ! I 'll change my diet and exercise more to see if that will keep the blood pressure under control too.

I still need to have another test done to see if we can sort this out, but the wait may be 3 months I'm told. So, hopefully this medication will keep me on track until then . It seems to be making me tired so I have to have sneak a few naps here and there LOL.

I really do hope to get this bear done by the weekend if all goes as planned LOL. I hope you can wait :)

I've lost my head LOL

2009-12-05T15:31:00.003-04:00

I've been working on this champagne and black mink bear the past week in between Christmas shopping and all the other activities. It looks kind of funny without a head, but I assure you it will have one soon. I still think they look like turkeys this way LOL. I hope to get the head completed and attached in the next few days. Then he/she will be looking for a new home.

I'm pretty sure this will be my last mink bear of 2009. I always get a little sentimental each year when I say that ! I 'd like to get a mohair bear made if time permits. But, I can't promise. It depends how the days unfold, and they seem to fill up quickly this time of year :)

A Teddy Preview

2009-11-30T15:10:00.005-04:00

I completed a new mink panda today named Nougat, and will be offering him on my website tomorrow @ 5pm . This 6.25" cutie will be first come first served, but here is a little teaser until then :)

He reminds me of a yummy candy bar, like a Toblerone, with the cream colored nougat inside and chocolate outside. Who can resist that temptation LOL.

Jackson, a mink cub

2009-11-24T14:56:00.002-04:00

Please meet Jackson , my newest 8 inch recycled mink cub looking for a new home. He is available via silent auction on my website until Friday, November 27th. You can learn more about adopting him HERE.

Working away quietly

2009-11-22T15:15:00.003-04:00

You may think I skipped the country, but I'm still here :) I have been quietly working on 3 bears actually, while enjoying my new Casting Crowns CD. This music totally inspires me ! The bears are in various stages of completion, but I hope to have at least one ready by mid-week.

In the meantime, enjoy this little flower I found in my yard the other day. It's nice to see some blooms this late in November.

Something Fun - A blog award

2009-11-14T11:42:00.003-04:00

I'm still taking it easy, but I spent the week just working on a bear which sold within minutes yesterday. I was very excited about that !

Today I received this lovely Over The Top Blog Award. Hmm, maybe that was because of my "over the top" previous post LOL. I usually don't have the time to participate in these award, but today I thought it would be fun to play . Now to whom should I pass it on ????

Rules :-
1. Use only 1 word answers.
2. Pass along to 6 of you favourite bloggers.
3. Tell them you've given them the award.
4. Have Fun !!

1. Where is your cell phone? Coat
2. Your hair? straight
3. Your mother? lonely
4. Your father? Passed
5. Your favorite food? Pizza
6. Your dream last night? forget
7. Your favorite drink? Pepsi
8. Your dream/goal? Happiness
9. What room are you in? Craft
10. Your hobby? Photography
11. Your fear? Mice
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Bearmaking
13. Where were you last night? Church
14. Something that you aren’t? Extrovert
15. Muffins? Banana
16. Wish list item? Peace
17. Where did you grow up? Canada
18. Last thing you did? Laundry
19. What are you wearing? Jeans
20. Your TV? Evil
21. Your pets? Purring
22. Friends? Away
23. Your life? Busy
24. Your mood? Calm
25. Missing someone? Dad
26. Vehicle? OLD
27. Something you’re not wearing? Mascara
28. Your favorite store? Craft
29. Your favorite color? Yellow
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Tuesday
32. Your best friend? Winnipeg
33. One place that I go to over and over? Ocean
34. One person who emails me regularly? Harriet :)
35. Favorite place to eat? Chinese

Panic Attack

2009-11-09T09:55:00.002-04:00

I experience something very frightening last night, my first and hopefully last panic attack ! It came out of nowhere. What a horrible feeling as the heat then cold rushed over me, my chest tightened, my heart was pounding, my throat felt tight, and I could hardly breath. I felt faint, dizzy and VERY scared. It lasted about 20 minutes . At first I thought maybe I was getting the flu, but any longer and I was ready to go to the emergency. After, I was exhausted and slept for awhile. I am so glad my husband was home as he was away most of the week on business.

Life has been very stressful lately, and I guess it just manifested as a full blown attack. Time to slow down , and spend more time letting go and letting God deal with it. He's much more capable than I am :) Time too to make an appointment with my doctor just to be sure there isn't something more going on !!!

I'll just take it easy this week and work on a bear . That is always relaxing :)