DOLLY DOO's and NELLIE TOO!

It has been a lovely Easter weekend, with the sun shinning and plenty of chocolate, what more could I ask for!

Buxton Pavilion

Last weekend we attended our second toy fair this year and we had a really lovely day with a few sales and a gorgeous journey through the beautiful peak district to the famous spring town of Buxton to exhibit at the Pavilion.  We are very lucky to live about half an hour away from Buxton so there was no need for an early start like we have to have when we go to London.  It did seem a bit weird though being so close to a fair but I am not complaining as I do enjoy going to Buxton, the scenery is fantastic all year long regardless  of what the weather is like, its a photographers dream.

I have been busy creating this week, with a new Dolly Doo 12 inch urchin (urchins with needle sculpted hands and wrists and big needle sculpted feet and a crazy hair do! )

Petal (now living in the south of England).

I just could not resist in turning my Chubby Bear pattern into a Chubby Elephant this last week, and here she is "Nellie" an 11 inch loveable elephant with a really squashy trunk.

Nellie (has found a loving home in the USA.)

I am now playing with the pattern to make a Chubby Hippo, as I just love Hippos.

Last but not least a little mischievous Urchin boy called Smiffy, he will have a little girlfriend called Ginnie but she is not quite finished yet.

Smiffy 8 inches.

Wishing you all a great week ahead.

Hugs

Jacqui

WHERE IT ALL STARTED

Martha & Lottie

It has been many years since I have done a Toy Fair, as I exhibited regularly at these events, before putting my toes into the water to exhibit at a bear fair, and as I always had a very good time, and met lots of lovely people thought it would be good to have another go.  So this last Sunday I had a stand with the same organiser I used years ago.  So with bears packed up we went to Manchester.  I am delighted to say we had a great day, the weather was glorious and we chatted for hours with old and new friends, and to top it all off sold quite a few bears.  I can't wait for next weekend as we have booked to do another in the Peak District which is only 20 minutes from our house so this is what I call a local show.  The thing with Toy Fairs they attract both young and old, male and female, but can have a tendancy to be leaning more towards trains and cars, but I did notice the attendance of more teddy bear exhibitors had increased by a lot, it was nice to see ones who regularly exhibit and attend at the Hugglets Bearfests, so this is a good sign I think, as at Toy Fairs you never know what you might find, not only the old bears and dolls but even a bear accessory and you even gain a wider public audience who you might be able to introduce bear collecting too as they might not have even considered visiting a bear or specialist doll fair before.

Just to show you I have been working ...PROMISE LOL!!!  Here are a couple of new bears I made last week.

LOTTIE

Lottie is a 14 inch traditional style bear with a little hump, hockey stick shaped arms and long straight legs.  She is made from a dense golden blonde, German mohair on a warm biscuit backing.  Her paw pads are made from a fudge brown German wool felt, which have also been embroidered with black claw detailing.  She has antique shoe button eyes and a black embroidered, thread bare "D" shaped nose.  Sad Lottie has been aged and stained and even has the odd patch of fake darning, poor little girl!

Lottie is fully jointed and firmly filled with a heavy weight stuffing.

This traditional bear is wearing a hand made, stainded cream and pink cotton print collar which is edged with a cotton lace trim.

MARTHA

Martha is a 28 inch OOAK bear with a hump, hockey stick shaped arms and long straight legs.  This big girl is made from a pretty lavender/blue curly mohair and a beige curly mohair.  She has large matt glass eyes and a big "D" shaped embroidered nose which has been waxed.  Inside her tummy is a large loud sounding growler.

Martha is fully jointed and firmly filled, around her neck is a pretty blue and pink floral cotton collar, edged with a deep lace trim.

Seeing as I have taken a visit into the past, I thought for next weeks toy fair I would take along a couple of the style of bears I used to make back then, so it will also be a pattern re-visited too but with a few of my present day techniques I now use on my bears.