Spreading the net wider

ColdhamCuddliescalling is about to seek a wider public.  Just a quick line to update folks on what's been happening this week in the ColdhamCuddlies family scenario, as well as mine!

Beginning with me - because it has potential to grow the Cuddlies line - is that I have finally accepted an invitation from the Etsy BESTeam to join them in their endeavours to Boost Etsy Shops through their blogs.  Am still finding my way around, and feel it's a bit daunting - never seem to be able to find my way back twice to the same site(s), but I guess it will all make sense soon!  Hope so, anyway.  Debbi, the Administrator and Team Leader invited me before Christmas, but I've been dithering about it for a week or so and finally took the plunge as of January 3.  Am on two weeks' probation - which is just as well, methinks (for everyone concerned) - and have yet to do my first featured blog, but hope to correct that tomorrow - just in time for the first week anniversary.

Not sure whether it is connected, but after week - if not months - of trying, I seem to have finally sussed how to grab buttons!  The New Katney - a prominent Blogger Help person - has been tearing her hair out (metaphorically speaking, I hope) trying to explain how to do it, but in the end although I followed her instructions, after weeks of non-success, all of a sudden - with a link from the BESTeam site as it happens -  I managed to get a five-button scenario;  and all at the same time, too.  Since then, there have been some additions, and now I've got the hang of it more will follow - so, please, watch this blog space!

Next week, after consultation with my new team mates, I hope to be announcing the beginning of the ColdhamCuddlies Guest Blogger sessions.  I've been mulling over how I can invite folks to guest blog about their shops and products, while at the same time maintaining the toy theme that is the thread of  this whole ColdhamCuddliescalling blog.  Think I've hit on the right format - but will trial it via BESTeam before opening it out to those who've included me as a Guest  first, and then to the wider Etsy family.  Again, watch this space.

Hairy Bear 4 is now complete.  He will be listed tomorrow - after I've taken pictures using our new Mini Instant Photo Studio (mentioned in our post "Resolutions for 2012 + Future Plans/31.12.11), but I've taken a series of the usual snapshot pics I've used to date to illustrate my posts to date - just to whet your appetites.

Provided the surface is level, Hairy Bear 4 stands by himself!

 I'm seriously considering listing these Bears as Limited Editions. The popularity of this particular Bear means I'm rapidly running out of the Hairy Bear fabric from which they are made.  As you may recall (either from previous posts, or from the individual descriptions of the toys in our shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) many of the toys are made with off-cuts obtained from the same source as the polyester fibre. - where I'm off to tomorrow (for Rusty's further treatment in the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic - described in my last two posts).  I visit them twice a year - with extra calls when more stuffing is needed - to collect off-cuts they would otherwise take to the dump, and on the last two occasions, they have not had any Hairy Bear material for me. I'm hoping they may have some when I see them tomorrow - but if not, Hairy Bear 4 will have an added tag - "Limited Edition Bear - 4/7 or 8.  I think I have enough fabric in store for another 3 or maybe 4 more Hairys.

Then, earlier this week, Ferdinand Fox - the Hunting Gentleman, was sold to a Heytesbury Resident, who has had her eye on him ever since meeting him at the Craft Fair held at St. George's RC Church in Warminster earlier this year.  Although resident in Heytesbury for some years, MrsPW is in fact a Canadian-born lady, with a daughter - who is a keen rider - still living there.  Now Canada, as I know, is a big country, and I'm not sure exactly where MrsPW's lass resides (think it could be British Columbia), but I will, of course, discover (and report) where Ferdy's new Forever Home will be.   However,  I'm going to be in trouble with Cy Bear though:  Ferdy left www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com before I remembered to allow  Cy Bear to perform his official Farewell duties, so he missed his opportunity for another photo-call!  Oops!

That means I shall be de-activating Ferdinand Fox from the Shop for the moment, while I get round to replacing him.  Still, selling Ferdy last week, means that  I've got cash in hand to purchase the polyester fibre from Fine Quality Feather Company (my Frome, Somerset supplier) and saves me a trip to the Bank.  Helpful, because if I paid them with a cheque, I'd have to pay Value Added Tax) (VAT)  at 20%:   this way, as a cash transaction, I don't and that's a saving!!  All goes towards the bottom line, as they say!

On that mercenary note, I'll close - with some further illustrations of Hairy Bear 4:

A rear-view of Hairy Bear 4

Hairy Bear 4 sitting on the Printer!

Head and shoulders - Hairy Bear 4

Until the next time - wish me luck with the BESTeam, please.  Isobel

Getting Ready for their new homes

Good evening, everyone - sorry for the delay in our posting but I've been busy, and so far, Cy Bear has not learned how to input his contributions for himself, let alone me.  As I've said before, do wish there were more hours to each day!

Anyhow, here's what's been happening.  I've managed to complete the order for New South Wales and in the next couple of days (Wednesday is early closing day in Heytesbury - they still follow that schedule in the only shop in the village, which also happens to be the Post Office as well.), the two White Baby Rabbits ordered by Mrs. GC of Beecroft, New South Wales, Australia will be winging their way to their new home.

The earliest I find I can begin to work on Coldham Cuddlies business (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) is usually the afternoons, and tomorrow is no exception!  So, Thursday will likely be when they are posted from the village.

Oh - before I go any further:  Annie from Okalahoma, newish Etsy friend at EmptyontheInside and blogger at http://doughdirtdye.blogspot.com has kindly included me as a Guest Blogger.  She's posted a version of my post about the Soft Toy Clinic, using Little Red Ted's treatment as her post - and has invited me to provide her with the Ed Ted therapy programme as well.  That's another job for me later this week.  Isn't it great to be so busy doing things one enjoys?  

Meanwhile, Panda Bear is ready for his journey to Saudi Arabia, and with any luck, his replacement will be in place shortly after he leaves us.  His preparations for the trip included a photograph taken today in the garden here at the Hospital of St. John.  The weather finally allowed me to get snapping, and we've got a whole lot shots to share with you, including this one of Panda Bear:

 

Sitting among the marigolds

In addition to this activity, have managed to work out how to put Tommy Teddy back again.  That really was a puzzle and it took me a whole morning, getting increasingly frustrated  and losing pins all over the ironing board, surrounding floor and in my fingers before I worked him out.  Then I found that none of the bits of cardboard in my stock was big enough for me to create the template for me to cut out the final covering for the old fellow.  Today, I got the biggest piece of cardboard I could find in Warminster, and am not sure if even that is going to big enough!  Watch this space.

I've also completed a new member of the Coldham Cuddlies family and will be listing him tomorrow - using his appearance for another posting.  He'd been named Little Ed Ted and mentioned in an earlier post when I was renovating Ed Ted, because I'd been able to use the Ed Ted leftovers.  He's got another label, which will be revealed in the next post.

Meanwhile, here is a picture of Cy Bear - who will probably be doing the introduction of the new Cuddly - with the Baby White Rabbits taken in the garden this afternoon.  Must not put his nose out of joint must we?

 
Goodnight for now.  Isobel