Daphne, a marshmallow of an ellie

Somewhere along the line, I'm sure I'll make ellies other than in pink! For now I'm enjoying the combination.

Tagged, random things....

I was tagged by Kelly at Yesterday's Glitter to come up with 5 random things about myself, so here goes.

1. I'm not dyslexic but when typing or writing I have to say outloud p and d to get them right, in my head they get mixed up.

2. I can still remember dreams from years ago. When I was little I used to have bad dreams, in my dreams the old Binatone bat and ball game used to play out with the ball getting faster and faster until I jumped awake! Weird, oh the other dream used to be monkey's jumping over the wall at the bottom of my garden and chasing me to try and wash my hair.

3. Talking of hair. I have'nt had my hair cut or coloured in years by a hairdresser, I do my own, with my husband cutting the back. Oh, it may be a sort of strawberry blonde/highlights colour now, but I'm really a ginger kid.

4. Passing my driving test was the most euphoric moment of my life, even more than giving birth or getting married. The other two things I knew would happen and I was quite chilled out about.

5. I once spent two and a half weeks in hospital with a DVT and I loved the food!!!!! The cheese and potato pie was my favourite.

Rules of tagging:

1. Link to the person who tagged you

2. Post these Rules in your Blog

3. Write 5 Random things about yourself

I'll leave this open to anyone who would like to join in, its good fun, have a go!

Blog giveaway at Ginger's!!!!!!

The lovely Ginger Brame has a fabulous giveaway. She has been in the bearmaking business for 25 years. In potteries slang that makes her an owd git. Translated that means, in our sense of humour, an old timer. That could be another post, why do the people of Stoke use cheeky phrases to people they like? Start to worry if I'm ultra polite to you!!!! Well duck thats one to ponder on..... Heres the link http://bearbits.blogspot.com/2009/02/announcement.html

Happy anniversary Ginger!!!!

Tagged, photo album

Rosie at http://rosiepblog.blogspot.com/ has sent me a lovely tag. I was asked to go to my photo album, choose my fourth photo folder and the fourth photo, here it is! Ha ha its my christening, 1968, with my mum and dad. It was at St Johns, Longton, Neck end. It was knocked down in 79 but I used to walk past it many times to get home when I was little. I can remember putting my foot in a hole near the church walls (don't ask me why, a kid thing) and it was covered in a tar like substance, my shoe stayed in the hole! I had to go home in my brother's pushchair, I can still remember being so mortified, as I was too old for pushchairs! Things you think about. Thanks for the memory Rosie.

Bubbles

What a funny day, I'm all on my own! After last week with Amy off, today its all quiet, I don't like it! Sometimes I love the peace and quiet and when I make my bears its upstairs out of the way but it feels...odd. Anyway not long till they come back and I wish they'd be quiet. When I say they it makes it sound like more than one child but I mean hubby and Amy LOL. I've ordered some bits and pieces for my bears, took photos of Bubbles and did 'shock' a little bit of ironing, some sewing as well. I'm doing a white elephant, of course with touches of pink. So just time to watch last nights repeat of Dr Who, then look like I've been slaving away all day, hee hee.

Orlando on ebay

I've just put Orlando on ebay. I actually worked the fees out today, something I did'nt want to think about, bad business, but..... To be honest it worked in to what I guessed. Ebay takes so much but......it sure gets me seen. That said normal sales nearly always involve paypal and their fees so I came to the conclusion ebay is'nt all bad. Its still a lot of money though, money you have to add on to the bear and in the end the collector. Bearmaking is still what I enjoy, I do the business side because the tax man says so but I'm just a maker at heart. I'd better be careful with these posts, 100 is not far off and it would be lovely to celebrate with a giveaway......better get bearmaking this week, keep you posted!

Ha thats where that belongs....

Well I had the bright idea of designing a bear that was quick and simpler to make, more affordable as my time and materials were reduced. Well I designed a pattern and got as far as stuffing it. I hated every minute doing it. Really, everything from no paw pads (major time saver) to non jointed, yuck. It does show although my head thought it a good idea, my heart just was'nt in it. All the bits that take time on a bear, take time for a reason, they make that bear. Me and my bright ideas.....

Oh no....in skive mode again

Well it started today, 'no I'm not going the gym'. OK my routine is out of sorts as Amy is off school and we were away yesterday, but I can feel it......messing around on the computer.....ahhh....I'm skiving! I did get some jobs done but then nothing on the bear front. Well I've decided to put the 'can't be bothered to sew' mode to good use and research, think, mess around and look into something I was thinking about. I'd like to design a quicker to make, simpler bear. Still with my look and style but a more affordable bear. So I'll put the messing around to good use, then when those fingers itch to sew I'll have something to show for my non creative period. Ta ta for now.

Tom and birthday wishes....

Well I seem to be OK on the bearmaking front, not too far ahead, not too behind. I've just listed Tom on ebay. At the moment I'm loving these little handfuls, still mainly handsewn, not too big, not too small. I'll be honest I made miniatures for a good few years but as times are hard, I needed to try and appeal to a wider collector base. A couple of days off, tomorrow we stay overnight in Southport, a lovely seaside town. Well when I say seaside, that should be beachside, the sea can't always be seen! Its hubs 44th birthday, owd git as they say in Stoke! I don't think he reads this, hee hee, 'I hear enough of your yacking'. Just in case, Happy birthday hubster.

Love.....

Well this week has gone quick. Tomorrow is Valentines day, sunday hubs birthday. Today is also 17 years since my father in law died. My husband was born on his dad's birthday, and looks so like him. We are able to look back with no sadness, hubs says it seems a lifetime ago, just happy memories remain. Our daughter never knew her grandad but would have been spoilt rotten, which she was by her nana who really loved her. So tomorrow is the day of love. I'm slightly of the 'too comercial', 'who needs an excuse to say I love you', but always secretly hopeful. Hee hee. Ah well, I've bought some pink bubbly and chocolates, I'll have the bubbly, they can have the choccies! Any excuse, if you can't beat them, may as well join them. I hope you have a love....ly day.

Vera

Well after a little too much Chardonnay last night, I'm seeing pink elephants again. This is Vera a little 6" handful. I do love these Ellies, they seem to have a very sad look about them even though it makes me feel good making them. I hope you like her. Back to the Chardonnay, well it is saturday night, maybe more pink elephants?

Ambrose

Well I've had to wait in for a parcel today so its given me a good chance to do a few things, well not housework, but I've dyed some mohair and took the pictures for Ambrose, a bear I started ages ago. Its funny how you can just get stuck doing a certain size, 6" in this case, but they are my favourites. Nearly all handsewn but I don't mind, just takes a bit longer. The mohair I've dyed used Kool aid, I've only got the reds and pinks but I love the effects, they smell nice too. I've cut an elephant out and a little bear, that will keep me out of mischief, well beats housework!

What next.....?

I've felt so grateful in the last few weeks, not only be able to make my little creations, but to sell them. Times are hard, so I am more than thankful. Of course, because a lot of my work is hand sewn, it does take time. Minimum wage, per hour, well perhaps not, but its not all about that. I really dare not add up the fees, tax, etc because I know it would make it look depressing. But that's the whole point, I can make a little business out of it, something I enjoy. Of course I can't do it for nothing but I'm glad to say my place in the working world is this, self employed, slimming club franchise person and bear maker! Yay.....I said it, bear maker.

So tomorrow, belongs to bear making, a half done bear to finish. What next? Who knows but I am sure glad there will be a what next.......?