LOLLYPOP

Its only a week today until the Kensington teddy bear show, and I hope the weather improves for our journey as we have woken up to over 4 inches of snow... where did that come from ? I was getting used to seeing the green grass again.

I will be taking with me a couple of new Open Edition bears to be released at the show. This week I have released a little girl Open Edition bear called Lollypop who is 16 inches tall and has been made from the most wonderful, super soft, pink with white frosted tip fur. Fingers crossed I am hoping to take with me to the show a small range of my Toy-Box Treasures and I have pestered Darren to do a couple of his Furgotten Bears too, hopefully we will have them finished in time :-)

DOLLY MIXTURE - A SWEET BEAR

This is Dolly Mixture who is one of my Toy-Box Treasures. Dolly Mixture has been inspired by Steiff's Dolly Bear, but with a twist :-)

This little bear is 10 inches tall and made from three colours of short pile German mohair, an oatmeal colour for her head and a pink and hand dyed periwinkle for the body. Her dainty paw pads have been made from a hand dyed lavender coloured German wool felt. I am quite pleased with the way she has turned out as I do like making bears about 10 inches tall, I am thinking of making some Toy-Box Treasure about 6-8 inches for a change.

Dolly Mixture has found a new home and is on her way to live in the USA.

RAMSEY

This is another Furgotten Bear called Ramsey, who has been designed and created by my husband Darren. Poor Ramsey has had the "Darren Treatment" again....worn and aged! maybe one day he will make a bear who will look like new, I do not really think so as he does enjoy making his old looking bears, I do not think he would be able to control himself not to age and wear a bear :-) I have been looking over his shoulder today watching him put his final touches to a panda (I am feeling a little under the weather at the moment, so not much bear making from me).....I am so glad I am not that panda, I certainly do not need ageing anymore:-) I am trying to get Darren to take a couple of his Furgotten Bears with us when we go to the Hugglets show in London at the end of the month, hopefully he will have a couple to show.

NEW DESIGN - PRIMROSE

This is little Primrose, who is a new design of 8 inch bear. Primrose has small ears, a short muzzle, very large eyes which are highlighted with white, a very chubby body, straight legs and arms that are bent at the elbows. This little girl bear has been made from a pretty pale lemon mohair (you can tell I have been thinking about Spring). She is wearing one of my Mum's creations a pale lime green jumper with a little lace collar decorated with a daisy flower. I have really enjoyed designing this new pattern, my head is spinning with new designs at the moment, this is the trouble, once you start you cannot seem to stop:-) Little Primrose has found a loving home in Scotland.

I am working on my next bear who has been inspired by Steiffs Dolly Bear but with my Toy-Box Treasure twist!

WACKY WEASLEY

I am busy designing and creating some new wacky bears to release at the Hugglets Bearfest, in London at the end of the month. This is the best part of bearmaking, the design process. Weasley is a twist on one of my wacky designs as I normally do this style of bear with a cashmere muzzle and embroidered nose, but thought I would do an inset mohair muzzle for a change and a large needle felted nose. His body shape and arm shape is a little different too, his body is very stretched and his arms are extra long and very bent. I have a few more very different designs in the pipe-line, plus a new 8 inch bear to release, so its all fun in the Jac-Q-Lyn Bear camp at the moment. I will keep you posted on my progress.

HYACINTH

I thought I would show you my latest Toy-Box Treasure called Hyacinth, who has been made from the most wonderful lavender coloured, wavy kid mohair. Hyacinth has been created from my award winning pattern, and very quickly found a loving home in America. Hopefully she will be a bit warmer in her new home than she has been here, as we thought we had said goodbye to the snow, but sadly not, as it came back in abundance this afternoon. Never mind Spring is not too far away and with Spring around the corner I could not help myself by calling my latest bear Hyacinth after the beautiful, heavenly scented flowers that should be showing there heads very soon HOPEFULLY!!!