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.

YUMMY & POPPET A COUPLE OF CHUBBIES

YUMMY & POPPET

I would like to introduce you to my two latest bears, Yummy & Poppet who are from my new range called "Chubbies" as they are all plump and chubby little characters who just want to be loved. 

YUMMY

Yummy is a very plump 11 inch One of a Kind shy bear who is made from a very pretty pale lilac German mohair. Her paw pads have been made from a cream cotton fabric with a very pretty pink rosebud print and tiny black embroidered claw detailing. 

This sweet little girl has very large, aged black glass eyes with white needle felted detailing for a soulful appearance and a large black, embroidered threadbare nose which has been slightly waxed. Yummy has been very slightly aged and stained and a few matching rosebud print patches have been added to add to her charm. She is fully cotter pin jointed, her head is wobble jointed for achieving those extra cute poses and she is firmly filled with a heavy weight stuffing, but her body is part filled with polythene pellets and stuffing to give her tummy a lovely squashy feel, but still keeping a rotund look.

Yummy is wearing a pretty cream cotton and pink rosebud print bow (which matches her paw pads) with little rusty bells hanging from the bow tails. 

POPPET

Poppet is the little pal of Yummy, separately the behave innocently but put them together and they are always upto mischief.

Poppet is a very tubby 11 inch, One of a Kind mohair bear who likes you to think she is a good girl, but when your back is turned she will be upto no good.  

Poppet is made from an antique, dusky pink German mohair, her paw pads are a dark dusky pink cotton fabric with printed polka dots and have black embroidered tiny claw detailing.

This cheeky bear has very large shiny black glass, aged eyes, with white needle felted detailing for that cheeky look.  Her nose has been embroidered with black perle cotton and aged for a thread bare appearance.  Poor Poppet has also been aged and stained to give her a little look of a well loved bear.

This chubby little bear is fully cotter pin jointed, her head is wobble jointed for an extra cheeky look.  Poppet is firmly filled with a heavy weight stuffing, but her rather tubby tummy is part filled with polythene pellets and stuffing for a little squashy feel.

To make Poppet feel a little bit special I have made her a matching cotton print ruff which has also been aged.

If you would like to adopt either YUMMY and POPPET please click on the bears name who you would like to give a home too for further details.

Hugs and Best Wishes

Jacqui x

BEARS & CHOCOLATE

I am back to give you my weekly update and just to show you that I have not been too idle, well maybe just a little :-)

I have been having lots of fun making two new bears called Yummy and Poppet from my new range of Chubbies who I will be releasing later on today, I think I might make a Panda Chubby next, but if you know me it won't be a black and white one.  Not sure what colours to do yet, will have to put my thinking cap on.

Here is a peep at four new Urchins, I was in a spring mood with the little ones.

Sally & Daisy

Sally

(8 inch with bent legs and arms)

Daisy

(8 inch long arms, straight legs)

Tuitti Fruitie & Cookie

Tuitti Fruitie

(8 inch standing)

Cookie

(8 inches tall)

I hope you are having a super Saturday evening, I am just about to get some really tasty chocolate, maybe not a little bit maybe lots heehee!!!

AT LAST THE CHUBBIES ARE HERE!!

As promised here are some pictures of my new range of very chubby bears called "Chubbies".  I have had some fun with these guys and have today nearly finished a pretty lilac one and a dusky pink one, they just need some finishing touches, and the hardest part is yet to come ....  thinking of names for them.

First one is Bashful who is 11 inches tall.

This is Minnelli who is 19 inches tall.

This is Cheeky Chops who is 11 inches

Last but not least Scrappy Joe who is also 11 inches.

I hope you have liked seeing my new range.  

Can't stop to chat as my fingers are itching to get back to my new girlie Chubbies who hopefully will be making their debut tomorrow.

Happy Wednesday!

Jacqui x

HEADS UP!!

Finally I can lift my head up from the large order of bears, which was increased to 150.  They were finally completed and delivered this week, and I am relieved and delighted to say they were well liked.  I did not have time to take pictures of them at different stages but here is a snap shot of a number of bodiless bears.

Today I am enjoying myself making a new chubby bear, this new range I have yet to show you as they have already all been sold, I do enjoy making these.  I will post some pictures for you to see to in the next couple of days.

This is Punchinello a 19 inch clown from my Arts & Crafts Range, who I had real fun ageing and distressing.  He is based on Punch from Punch and Judy.

Right I am off to get going on my new little chubby friend.

Wishing you all a really lovely weekend.

Hugs

Jacqui 

AFTER THE SHOW

We had a lovely day in London last Sunday.  After a very long drive we arrived at Kensington without the usual detours.  We arrived at 8.30am and there was already a queue forming.  As soon as the doors opened it was busy and stayed like that for most of the day.  We had a great day and met new and old friends (at this point I must mention my Revel friend...yes you know who you areLOL!!).  I am pleased to say a lot of our bears found new homes and my new range of bears was well received, can't wait to make more.  The next Hugglets is in September when we will be back in our usual place, I can highly recommend this show to any bear artist and to collectors who wish to be delighted by wonderful displays of bears from all over the world.

I have not had chance to recover from the show as it was back to work for me on the Monday morning wading through my orders.  I am not moaning as I much prefer to be busy than idle as my head is always spinning with bear ideas, too many at times as it makes me impatient as I want to get cracking straight away onto the next bear idea.

Thought you might like to see some of the bears I took to the show.

My stand at the show.