Reporting the departure of the Italian Mob

Isobel has just given me the green light to tell you about a very unexpected, but very happy,  mass departure from www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com of two of my Bear friends (Light Brown Furry Bear - Etsy Listing #69778197 and my special friend  - because he was made to look slightly like me, after Isobel had made me! - Brown Plush & Felt Bear - Etsy Listing #69777037), as well as all the Baby Koalas we had in stock and my good friend Ed Ted and new friend Big Koala!  They have all been packed away together - so none of them will be lonely - in a black bin bag and placed carefully in the boot of a Jaguar car that is going to be transported to a place in Italy named Sequals.

We've now got a lot more space in the various cupboards that Isobel stashes the toys awaiting their Forever Homes, but it means we have got some gaps that need filling before the Spring Craft Fair coming up in the Heytesbury Primary School, in March.  Still, as Easter is coming (so I am told - as a Bear that really doesn't mean much to me) and Rabbits and Hares are apparently highlighted at this time of the year, Isobel will have to concentrate on them rather than us Bears for a while, I expect.

Isobel and Peter's long-term friend, Mr.RE was the prime-mover in this massive movement out of our Shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) -  as I've only just met him, and being a very polite Bear, I decided to address him more formally.  Before he left to go back to Italy with the Cuddlies Mob, he took some pictures of Isobel and I (for publicity purposes, I overheard) and he took one of me, by myself.  Wonder what do you think of it?

This was taken within the new Mini-Photo Studio, trying out different backgrounds

Mr. RE also took several of Isobel and I together, which we are going to use as profile pictures for the various sites on which the Cuddlies operate or are mentioned (don't know them myself, but you - our Followers which now number 120 as of today!) will know what I mean.  Then, finally, we had a tremendous photography session in which I took part in the traditional farewell  pictures before our Cuddlies leave for their Forever Homes.

Here are some of them, including some in which Mr.RE decided not to feature me - because there simply wasn't room on the chair for all of us, and he wanted some of his new Cuddlies friends, whose Forever Homes are going to be where children of his family and friends live in Italy and elsewhere.  Not sure where the "elsewhere" bits might be, but I don't think they're going to be in England, anyway.

Light Brown Furry Bear and me - taken in a chair in the Residents' Hall

By the time these farewell pictures were taken, Isobel had taken over the camera - while Mr.RE moved us and the chair around so that shadows could not cut across us.  It was a very bright sunny day, and the Resident's Hall has windows on both sides of the room, as well as at one end, so there was an awful  of light causing lots of possible shadows.  We got moved around a lot before Mr. RE was satisfied, and we still got some shadows - but the overall effect was one we could all live with!

Here is Big Koala - or Mr. K, as Mr.RE has decided to call him. (I don't know whether that is his original name, or one that was decided on recently).    I'm sorry to see him go, as he has been a ColdhamCuddly for rather a short time.  Still, I can look forward to another Big Koala soon, because it was always understood that when Mr RE came to take his really long-time friend Ed Ted back with him, Big Koala would go too.  They'd lived in the same home for a long time - and shared space in the same attic for quite a bit of that time as well.  Followers of this blog will recall that his renovation/re-creation was posted about late in 2011, and Isobel had wondered if the original Big Koala had real Australian origins.  Mr.RE confirmed that his late father had brought him home for him when he was a little boy.  Mr.RE's father was an airline pilot and Australia was one of his usual destinations.

The Koala Family line-up, with me being allowed to participate

Ed Ted and Me - it was bit of a squash for both of us in the chair

Ed Ted, as many of our Followers may remember, was one of the first Patients in the ColdhamCuddlies  Soft Toy Clinic  - EtsyListing #79124185 - and had to wait a few months for Mr.RE to find the time to come and collect him after his treatment had been completed.  He and I had become quite good friends - and he used to accompany Isobel and I to various Craft Fairs to illustrate how Bears and other toys can be rejuvenated.  He was the lead feature in the ColdhamCuddlies Shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/Soft Toy Clinic - Etsy Listing #79124185) and since his departure has been replaced by a recently renovated Bear - Tommy Teddy - as the lead thumbnail photograph.

"The Italian Mob"

Ed Ted and Mr. K cannot really be classed as The Italian Mob, because they are being returned to their original Forever Home - never mind that, that has changed from somewhere in a place called Essex, England, UK to a place called Sequals, Italy!

There's going to be another post coming up in a day or two - featuring our two new Glove Puppets, listed earlier this week as Melissa and Melinda Mad March Hare Plush Glove Puppets - as well as news of another impending set of departures (featuring 4 Baby Rabbits and Auntie Brenda Brown Rabbit - who heading for their Forever Homes (not sure if they are likely to be together, or spread around the family of a Mrs. SP from Medford, Ma, USA! 

Oh - and another development:  the labels Isobel and Mr.RE had been working on towards the end of last year are almost ready for use!  Samples were received on Tuesday morning, while Mr.RE was with us - which was convenient!  It was a real coincidence, because we only knew Mr.RE was coming to see us a couple of days before he arrived, and the labels had been being prepared several days prior to that.  After some slight changes were discussed, Isobel today gave the go-ahead for the order to be completed.  They should be with us in a week to ten days, I think.

Whatever else can be said, the Coldham Cuddlies, Isobel and I seem to be on a bit of a roll at the moment!  Long may it continue, as long as Isobel can keep up with the necessary replacements!  Bye for now.  Cy Bear

Tommy Teddy's Rejuvenation Therapy

As suggested by Isobel a couple of nights ago, I've got the great pleasure of telling you all about Tommy Teddy's rejuvenation.

Although he arrived here in the summer, we've actually not had him "in person" since about mid-September when he virtually fell to pieces after Isobel had unpicked him and washed him very gently - by hand, in specially soapy mixture for delicate fabrics.  We were a little worried as to how we were going to put him back into a Bear shape and our task was made a little easier when Golden Teddy arrived and spent a week with us - enabling Isobel to trace his shape (without taking him to pieces) and then taking him back to his home (at the back of Heytesbury Parish Church).

Golden Teddy and I before he returned home after helping us

Then, Isobel had a problem finding fabric that would be suitable to make the new Tommy Teddy - eventually, after searching the local haberdashery outlets, sending an ear to Susan at Bear Basics in Wincanton (she couldn't help, alas) and finally searching the internet, Isobel settled on a pale blue and a pale pink fleece (the latter being used in the interim for the Baby Pink Rabbits that recently went to Saudi Arabia - which Isobel posted about on November 14, 2011 - "Welcoming Three New Baby Rabbits.)

Isobel began the process of making Tommy Teddy by tracing the various pattern pieces from the cardboard templates she'd created when Golden Teddy was with us.  The pink fleece is not at all like the salmon pink Tommy Teddy's face and paw pads were originally made with.  However, Philippa - Tommy Teddy's Forever Friend - had been sent swatches of  materials (we got about four different shades) and had chosen these for the final version.

Tommy Teddy's pieces before being sewn together

Isobel first sewed his head pieces together, put in the eyes - Philippa decided that Teddy Bear eyes would be better than the hand-made ones Tommy Teddy had somehow acquired during his earlier life, and then stuffed it.

Then she added the ears and embroidered the facial features:

Then Tommy Teddy's arms and legs were stuffed and attached to his body.  Isobel finally stuffed the body and here he is before the head was added to the body

Finally, Isobel put the head on to the shoulders and there was Tommy Teddy looking like a new Bear.  It was only at this point that we all realised that the finished version was a very big bear - even bigger than my friend Ed Ted.

Tommy Teddy - a frontal view

Isobel then took a side view of the new Morrell family addition - because he really is  new Bear to look at!

Just to prove how big he is, and because most of our Followers have got used to seeing me saying goodbye to the Cuddlies when they leave the shop at www.coldhamcudlies.etsy.com for their Forever Homes, here is a picture of Tommy Teddy and me together!

Just see what I mean?

Don't think I really need to say any more, do I?   Tommy Teddy will be travelling with Isobel and Peter when they go to stay with Philippa next week.

Isobel also tells me to tell everyone that the blog will shut down for a few days, while our computer has an MOT - in the UK all cars have to have this every year, once they have reached the age of 3 and means they are roadworthy!  Suppose a computer MOT is somewhat similar.  Someone is coming to take it away while Isobel is away, and once they return, the computer will come back.  The "doctor" is then going to set it all up again, and tell Isobel what NOT  to do, so that it will work really well - and we can blog even more, and better!

Before I go - Isobel has heard from AB from Ardwick, Manchester that Brown Bear Plush Glove Puppet is "beautiful:  even better than the photo".  So, he's arrived at his Forever Home and it's a good way to end this post.

Good night everyone, and here's to the next time!  Cy Bear.

Renovation of Brr Bear - Final stages

Hello there folks - Cy Bear back again, ready to continue Brr Bear's story.  As you can see from this post's title, Brr Bear is now finished.  Here is a picture of him, before I continue the blow-by-blow account of the final stages of his treatment.

Brr sitting on the left-over piece of his coat fabric

When I left you last time, Isobel had got Brr Bear's head sewn up with the wood stuffing inserted in his muzzle.  The next day, she completed sewing up all his limbs, ears and body and then began to stuff each of them individually.  Before putting in the polyester fibre, she tacked  Brr Bear's original body pieces to the matching piece of his new coat before sewing up each seam.  That way, Brr Bear remains in body, if not in view!

Each limb had a joint attached and because there were two pieces of fabric for the post to go through, Isobel used a knitting needle to make the initial hole.  The joint post then went in quite easily as a result and the arthritic fingers Isobel suffers from coped quite well.  She does find it quite difficult to get the limbs to stay tightly together, but they are fine for Brr Bear I'm pleased to say.

By this time, it was Friday again (where do the weeks go to, I wonder?) and the weekly meeting with Mrs.DK Brr's Best Friend took place.  The chosen brown eye was returned.   It was agreed that the growler would be put in so that Brr Bear spoke when he was tilted forwards (the positioning of the growler inside a bear apparently is crucial in deciding whether  he/she has to be tilted forwards or backwards in order to make a noise!).  The things we bears have to put up with!  Finally, Mrs. DK did not want claws to be embroidered on to Brr's legs and paws - as she could not remember him ever having any!

Brr prefers to sit down, so he is propped against the printer for his sideways view

With all that settled, Isobel was able to put the eyes into Brr's face immediately she began Friday evening's sewing session, and then stuffed the rest of the head, gathered the neck around the joint piece and attached his head to his body.  Then each limb was put in place and the body began to be stuffed.  Isobel laid Brr Bear on his tummy, put a layer of polyester fibre in position in the middle of his body and then put the growler in.  After that she arranged the stuffing all round the growler, making sure that the end with the holes in faced backwards so that he spoke properly!  Once he was fully stuffed, the final seam on his body was completed and I'm told you cannot feel the growler at all - but he certainly makes a noise when he gets moved!

That item was a first for Isobel, and she is very relieved that it appears to have worked!  She has a booklet provided to her by another company providing bear basics which gives her step-by-step instructions on how to put growlers in, sew on ears etc. which she refers to all the time. However, it's one thing to read about it:  quite another to actually do it!

When the body and head were fixed together, it was time for Brr Bear's ears to be placed on his head.  With the eyes in place, and head on the body it is much easier to see where they should be attached, and Isobel pinned them in place - but left them to be completed the next day, because they can always look different in daylight!  With the aid of the picture of Brr Bear which she had been consulting along the way, there were some adjustments to be made, but she thinks she has now got them in more or less the right position.  (It may not be exactly where he had them before, because with a new coat and two layers of fur there is a slight difference in size - not really noticeable - but it does affect the position of such things as ears, noses and mouths.)

Brr isn't lop-sided:  it's just that he does not like to stand!

Having got the ears sewn in firmly, the penultimate thing  to be done were the facial features.  His nose was embroidered on, as was his mouth and then Brr Bear was ready to be introduced to the world once more.
However, when Isobel looked at him this morning, Brr Bear looked as though his mouth was a little crooked.  She undid the stitching, re-did the mouth and - hey presto - he now has a really cheerful, straightforward look and I'm proud to call him my latest Bear friend and honorary member of the Coldham Cuddlies family!

The final thing Brr Bear needed though was to have his muzzle plucked.  This is an optional bit of facial grooming, and Mrs. DK specifically asked that it be done for Brr Bear as she could not remember him looking any other way but bare-nosed!  This action, too, was a first for Isobel and took quite a bit of time.  Using a pair of tweezers (from a manicure set) Isobel plucked the fur off and used the wood stuffing edge to provide the borders.   This action is provided as an extra treatment in the Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185)
 at a cost of £10.00 GDP.

Brr Bear - ready to stride off back home

With that, I'll end this post -  Cy Bear.

Isobel, meanwhile, is pleased to tell everyone that Brown Bear Glove Puppet is complete and she is well on the way to completing Panda Bear Glove Puppet.  These will form the next post in a couple of days or so.  Tommy Teddy's fabric arrived at the end of last week, but his treatment is not going to begin until after the Greatest Coffee Morning in the World (in aid of MacMillan Cancer) on September 30.  Philippa, Tommy Teddy's Best Friend is quite agreeable to the delay and it will enable me to produce some more Glove Puppets with different animal heads in the interim.  They seem to be taking me a couple of evenings to produce, which is helpful!  Now I, too, will end this post!  Isobel

Brr Bear Renovation Project - Deconstruction process

We've been talking about Brr Bear and his proposed treatment in the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185) in several posts during the last few days:  so, here is the first post about the actual process.

This is what he looked like upon arrival in the Clinic towards the end of July this year.  The delay in starting his treatment has been due to the fabric supplier for his new coat being on vacation the whole of August, and because there were other patients already in the Clinic undergoing treatment.  Therapy is offered strictly on a first-cum-first-served basis, or strictly in order of arrival.

Brr Bear sitting in Tommy Teddy's lap, both  being welcomed by Cy Bear

The first step was to send an ear off to Susan at Bear Basics to see if she was able to match his existing coat.  It's a little worn, but not nearly as bad as Ed Ted when he arrived in the clinic in early July.  By the way, Tommy Teddy is a Morrell Bear, who has been in the family since the early 1970's.  He's travelled to Western Canada and back to the UK, and even went to Belgium for a spell while my elder daughter was working there, so can be described as a "well-travelled" toy.  He was an interesting pale apricot and blue bear when new and has been sent to see if he can have a complete make-over so that he doesn't continue to let down the Bear Team back in the UK.  He arrived here at much the same time as Brr Bear, and his ear was sent off at the same time to Bear Basics.  Alas his coat match is proving more difficult to achieve.  Bear Basics has nothing to offer, but am very pleased to say that a piece of  Steiff Shulte 17mm Old Cream Windswept Finish Mohair fabric is ready and waiting to be used to renovate Brr Bear and give him a new long-term future.  Meanwhile, the search to complete Tommy Teddy's treatment goes on - with some light at the end of the tunnel, I'm pleased to be able to report.

Brr Bear while waiting for his new coat material to arrive

Now that the Glove Puppet project has been launched - but not yet listed on the www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com shop site (we're waiting for a few more to be constructed before we do so) - Brr Bear has occupied my full attention.

His sample ear came back and has joined the rest of his pieces, which have now been taken to pieces, prior to being washed.  He has accumulated "wear and tear" dust over the years he's been sitting on his Best Friend, Mrs. DK's bed, had an eye replaced - but in the wrong place, and his paw pads in particular needed replacing, as they had badly frayed.  His coat has several bare patches as well.  Mrs DK also mentioned he once had a voice:  so he will be given back  a growler, as I now have a selection in stock.  Later this week, a conversation will be held between Mrs.DK and myself so that final instructions concerning Brr Bear's reconstruction can be carried out, and she can then choose the right voice tone to be placed within his body when it is stuffed.  Meanwhile, here are some more pictures of Brr Bear - as he currently is:

This one shows Brr Bear's face (right front of picture, next to the unpicking tools),  then in the front centre is the crown and on the left of that his two ears.  Behind them is part of his body (the other half is just out of the picture, but is definitely there!), his two arms come next and on the right at the back of the photograph are his two legs pieces.  They are all inside out, waiting to be first scrubbed with a brush to remove the remaining kapok stuffing before they are washed.  Otherwise, the sink would get severely blocked, as over the years, the stuffing has collapsed and now looks like this:

I've had to put it into a plastic bag, as otherwise it would fly all over the place.  Taking it out was quite difficult and I spent a lot of time sneezing and coughing with the dust and broken down stuffing material.  Though very soft, it was very flighty!  It is destined for the garbage, together with the cotter pins and old growler once this post is complete.  We have no need for any of them now.

You will have noticed the pair of red pliers in the tool kit:  these are a vital component of getting the cotter pins out of any bear I've found.  You can see the collection of 5 different ones I've extracted from Brr Bear's arms, legs and where his head and body were joined and found when getting them separated that the original construction was nothing if not scrappy.  Put it this way - it's not to the standard I offer and it amazes me that Brr Bear has lasted as well as he has!

The final photograph for this post shows the rest of Brr Bear's innards as it were - the cotter pins, the existing non-operating growler (interestingly the current growlers are just as big - which makes the job of selection a lot easier!) - the hard wooden chip stuffing which make up his muzzle and the blue eyes (two of them - Mrs. DK was under the impression that one of his eyes had been brown originally, but when extracted, they turned out to be blue, but not the same pattern - which would account for the misunderstanding).  I'll have to establish whether or not she wants the replacements to be brown or I could still re-use the mismatched ones.  Also, as the wood stuffing is in quite good condition, will she want it put back (which I'm happy to do) or will she go with a stiff, clean polyester fibre stuffing which is my preferred option for any toys with which I am connected. 

Now the next step is to clean up the little chap and see where we go from here.  till the next post then.
                                                                            Isobel

Introducing Glove Puppets to the Cuddlies

The time has come for me to branch out a little - and that's thanks to Ed Ted's Best Friend, RFE.  After sending Ed Ted for treatment, and continuing to clear out the attic in his childhood home, he came across Big Koala (who was pictured with Cy Bear and Ed Ted appeared in our last post) and two glove puppets.

  Many of you may well be familiar with the television puppets Sooty and Sue (golden teddy bear glove puppets) who featured for a long time on Children's Television here in the UK during the 1970's and 1980's.  These two are Sooty and Sue look-alikes, having been hand made - probably by RFE's Mum or a friend of hers - to entertain  him when he was a little boy.  They were a little worse for wear, but not like Ed Ted and I've again been given a free hand as to how I treat them and what I do with them.  When complete, the intention is for both puppets and Big Koala (who still has to undergo his Clinic treatment) to be given away to a children's hospital for the patients there to play with.  The exact donor site has yet to be selected - but I'll keep you posted when a decision is made.

Big Koala, with his friend Ed Ted

So, to begin with, I took both the puppets to pieces.  The Sooty type has a really nice head, but was stuffed with lots of bits of wool, tightly packed together. They were not very clean looking, so have been discarded. Once in pieces, the Sooty head looks as though it will provide a really good template for a new puppet.

The Sue look-alike was a bit less impressive, her head was much smaller, her ears were badly crumpled, and the whole head was  a very hard feel. When I took her apart, I found the head to be made up of wood chippings, tightly packed together and shaped to provide a bear-type head.  Her eyes were small, perched on a thin piece of wire - there's a photo of head innards and eye coming up - and as I took them out of the stuffing, one eye came away in my fingers.   Very little force was needed to effect the separation! Tres dangereux!

Having got the heads off, I then attacked the bodies - or the bit where the hand goes in to operate the puppets.  Sooty's was a somewhat complicated piece of cloth which had been folded and stuffed into the wool.  Am not sure how it operated as successfully as it did - but I have decided to discard that piece as well as the body, as it seems to be more complicated than required to use in future.  This is how it looks:

The V-shaped darts are where the separate arms were sewn in.  Don't think my arthritic fingers would enjoy attempting to fit these into place, so am going to go with Sue's more straight-forward design, shown here:

To complete the Glove Puppet project, I've decided to actually use a combination of the two Bear puppets' patterns.  Sue's body and finger stall which fits into the head through the body - you can see where it should go in the centre of the  photo above;  the rest of the completed puppet will be taken from Sooty's profile.  A picture of all the bits can now be seen:

On the left of the photo, are the crown - with a plastic nose so tightly fitted that I cannot get it out, Sooty's hands and side of face, complete with his eyes - which again, I cannot move, there's Sue's head stuffing left in as a contrast (it's now in the garbage bin!), with the little eye and finger stall peering through.  The finger stall is made with cardboard, which has been shaped and glued together.  Sooty's black ears (in much better shape than Sue's brown ones) are being retained for the pattern template.  When made, I will be able to differentiate between the two puppets, because Sue's ears are made with brown plush and I'll embroider the facial features in black and brown yarn to match the respective toy.  When the templates are drawn, I will be discarding the original fabric pieces, as they are really too disreputable to use.

So the next stage is for me to press the pieces flat,  draw the templates on cardboard, as I have done with all the other recent toys I've made,  and cut them out and place them on the new golden plush fur fabric I just happen to have in stock.  There's enough for at least two puppets, and I may be able to get one more - it will depend on how they fit on the piece of material.


However, the really exciting thing about this whole glove puppet project is that when complete, I think the finished head will be similar in size to my Rabbits and Foxes already offered at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.  I'm going to experiment with a head of each toy to see if my suspicions are correct.  If so I will  then be able to offer Bear Glove Puppets in future, as well as the other animal puppets as well.  With Christmas, Thanksgiving etc. coming up, think they should provide a good novelty or stocking stuffer item!  What think you?

A quick update - the Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185) - can now forge ahead.  Susan from Bear  Basics got back in touch yesterday (September 1), having re-opened her business after her summer vacation. She has been able to match Brr Bear's fur and the material has been ordered - and actually arrived here today!.  Alas, Tommy Teddy's matching has yet to be achieved, but I have decided to look for something in the fleece line - there are more pastel colours on offer in that area, I believe.

The little bear with a big burn on his cheek is called Rupert, and I'm meeting his Mum tomorrow to see if the swatch from Bear Basics is acceptable to her.  If it is, I will be ordering that at the beginning of next week, together with a selection of Growlers for placing in bears that have been known to talk.  Brr Bear is one of them, so by the time I've deconstructed  him, given him a wash and ironed him back into shape, I'll be able to place his new voice into his body when I come to re-stuff him.  Delivery date for him is  two week's hence!

So, I've got my work cut out - think Cy Bear will be posting the next few editions of the blog!  Meanwhile, I'm signing off.  Isobel

Introducing a new Friend

We are both very pleased to introduce you all to a new Friend, who has come to stay with  us for a week.  His name (the one we've given him, anyway - because we don't know what anyone else calls him!) is Golden Teddy and he has a very special job to do for us while he is with us.  He is to be the model for Isobel to use when rejuvenating Tommy Teddy - because he is the dead spitting image of how she remembers Tommy Teddy, when he first came to stay with the Morrell Bear Family in the 1970's, and will make the job easier for her to achieve.

Golden Teddy and Cy Bear on a convenient garden chair

The interesting thing about all this is that in all the years they've known him, Isobel has never seen another Bear like Tommy Teddy, and although he is not the same colour(s) as him, he is the same shape and size.  He is also made with a more modern pattern (and Isobel thinks she can improve on that too while she has Golden Teddy staying with us) so rejuvenating Tommy Teddy is not going to be quite as much of a nightmare as he might otherwise have been.  Here is one of the latest pictures of Tommy Teddy - before he was deconstructed and given a bath, and Isobel struggled to put him back together again.

Can  you see the similarity?

Where did Golden Teddy come from?  Well, every Saturday morning each summer, the Parish Church in Heytesbury holds a produce sale, at which the local gardeners donate their surplus produce for other villagers to buy - with the proceeds going towards the upkeep of the Church.  It's a 12th Century building, so you can understand  it takes a lot of looking after.

Well, last week Isobel went to see if there was anything she could buy, as well as to get some raffle tickets, which are also sold and are a real money-spinner.  Isobel has been quite lucky this year, incidentally, which is why she goes back so regularly!  Sitting in one of the pews was Golden Teddy - and she had not seen him there before.  However, upon enquirng, she found out that Golden Teddy has a very important job.  He is the offical Church Child Comforter.  Whenever a little person finds the old building - which is rather large, echoes a bit, and can be rather dark and cold sometimes - a bit overwhelming, then they are given Golden Teddy to cuddle.  Apparently, he has one particular little girl-friend who makes a bee-line for him, whether she is overwhelmed or not!

After checking to see there were no Family Services planned for the Church this coming week, Golden Teddy was allowed to come to stay with us for a week - and Isobel will be taking him back to his duties, when she sets up a table on which the smaller ColdhamCuddlies (Baby Rabbits, Koalas and Pandas in the www.coldhamcuddles.etsy.com shop) will be displayed at next week's produce sale.

The Hospital of St. John residents have undertaken responsibility for organising next week's event, and Isobel has been allowed to show off the little Cuddlies!  This is a first for us - which is exciting  and it will also be a practice-run for another sale which we've been invited to attend on September 30th - which is the MacMillan Cancer Research "Biggest Coffee Morning in the World" - an annual event held in a big barn located on one of the farms in the village.  So, we're beginning to get some local publicity, which we hope will be successful for both the Shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) and the Soft Toy Clinic (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/#79124185).  Isobel is planning to create some posters showing some of the rest of us and, obviously, we'll be telling you all about those as they come and go.

Now we've got to end this post as Isobel must get on and finish stuffing the second replacement Baby White Rabbit and complete sewing and stuffing the replacement Panda Bear.  The Panda Bear destined for Saudi Arabia left Heytesbury for his new home this morning.

Golden Teddy - sideways on

Goodnight from both Isobel and Cy Bear!

Ed Ted - Treatment complete

Cy Bear and Isobel are both pleased (and not a little relieved, respectively) to announce that Ed Ted's rejuvenating treatment is satisfactorily completed.  Here he is  - NOW!

Taken in a neighbour's garden

And just to remind you all, because it is nearly a month since the therapy began, here he was when he arrived early in July:

Ed Ted - first glimpse

The final stage was not without some excitement.  Once the head was attached, Isobel stuffed Ed Ted really firmly, only to find that the left arm did not lie right.  So, she unstuffed him, and after a bit of difficulty managed to fit the arm in the correct position.  Now, he's a very proud Associate Member of the Coldham Cuddlies family, and whilst not able - yet - to feature in the shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com, he soon will be, as Isobel intends to officially announce the opening of the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic sometime this coming week.  She intends to use similar pictures of both Ed Ted and Little Red Ted to illustrate how the Soft Toy Clinic will operate.

The Clinic's impending opening has been bought forward, as we now have two more patients awaiting treatment.  We'll introduce them here in this post and talk about them at greater length in forthcoming posts.  Their names are Brr Bear, whose best friends are Mrs. DK and Mrs. HR (the latter being the daughter of the former). 

Brr Bear in front of Tommy Teddy

Tommy Teddy is one of the Morrell Family Bears - currently in elder daughter, Philippa's, collection and has been with us since the early 1970's.  He was originally pink and blue in colour:  he's faded somewhat, so Isobel is going to give him a new coat - hopefully in similar colours, and re-stuff him with safe polyester fibre as he's currently stuffed with rubber foam,  that could be dangerously inflammable.  Foam rubber in the 1970's here in the UK was not treated and was often used to stuff cushions (and toys) before it was found to be so dangerous when involved in fires.

With that, we'll both end our updates from the Coldham Cuddlies fold for today.  Good night all - Cy Bear and Isobel