A Confession first: then February Farewells

Hello again - after a bit of a blip in posting here.  What with Peter not being well (now on the mend, thank goodness) and two new orders in addition to the Italian Mob's departures last week, I ended up in a bit of a tizzy at the week-end, wondering exactly how I was going to meet various deadlines - as well as keep up with all the bits and pieces I am now committed to on Etsy forums, etc.  Am catching up, I'm pleased to say, so reasonably regular service will now once again commence.

However, those of you kind enough to regularly follow us here at www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com may just have noticed an omission to the roll-call of travellers Sequals, Italy-bound in our last post on February 2.  The missing "person" was Hairy Bear with Light Brown Muzzle.  The reason was that during the farewell photo shoot under the auspices of our friend (and major client, now) RFE,  Hairy's head came off!  Major disaster seemed to loom, but all's well that ends well.

Upon admittance to the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic  (Etsy Listing #791234185) immediately RFE and the other members of the Italian Mob had departed, the problem was solved.  When making him, I had omitted to sew the gap through which Hairy's neck disc fitted, sufficiently tight.  This resulted in the disc managing to work itself lose each time Hairy had been handled.  Since he was one of my first Hairy Bear attempts - and so far, the only one with a light brown Felt Muzzle, complete with matching Paw Pads - he had been handled quite a lot since his inception.  Thank goodness RFE thought it was funny - and so, instead of travelling to Italy via Jaguar like his other friends, this Hairy Bear is going to leave us tomorrow (February 10) travelling like most other ColdhamCuddlies have done - via the not so comfortable auspices of Royal Mail and its international counterparts.  As with everyone else who has left www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com, he will be wrapped carefully in a layer of chemical free tissue paper, then have some bubble-wrap placed around him and then be slipped into a polythene mail bag for dispatch from Warminster Post Office tomorrow. That way the Heavens can open, it can rain, snow or otherwise precipitate, and he will still arrive dry at his new home in Sequals, where he can hopefully be re-united with his ColdhamCuddlies pals.  Don't know whether he will get there first or last:  we've not heard from RFE  since his departure:  he, himself, could be anywhere - he's that sort of guy!

Panda Bear getting ready to go to Neosho, Missouri

Hairy Bear will be accompanied to the Post Office by one of the remaining Panda Bears, who is destined for Neosho, Missouri and his Forever Home with Mrs.VY.  Mrs.VY and I  have been corresponding via the Etsy Convo site for some months now, discussing first Hairy Bear with Light Brown Muzzle (so glad his head did not fall off had he gone there), then possibly Light Brown Furry Bear, but has finally settled on Panda Bear.  Checking the record of our contacts, I see that our first contact was when she actually favourited the Panda Bear now living somewhere in Saudi Arabia.  That first contact was way back in Spring of 2011.  It's nice when long-term contacts end up with a transaction, although that's not the most important consideration for me in maintaining my conversations.  I've made some really lovely friends via this means of communication - and fully intend to carry on doing so:  so.....you have all been warned!

Before he leaves us, Cy Bear insisted on the usual farewell photograph - here it is, sitting in one of the comfortable chairs in the Residents' Hall here at The Hospital of St. John.

Getting ready to be wrapped up

Looking at him, he looks quite happy - despite having to be de-stuffed so that a bigger, better plastic joint system could be used and the offending gap sewn up really tightly.  There should be little further problem facing Hairy Bear now - it's just an awkward happening, but fortunately easily put right.

Now to happier events:  as Peter and I agree, RFE can come anytime and visit (he's a lucky omen!) - because no sooner had he departed, and I went on line to check on my ETSY Activities, but I found that Mrs.SP from Medford, Massachusetts had ordered 4 Baby Bunnies (2 Grey and 2 Brown - in self-colour and white fronted versions for each colour), but also Auntie Brenda Brown Rabbit as well!

 Now, embarassingly, many of the Baby Bunny collection had found Forever Homes during the pre-Christmas period (particularly during the Christmas Fayre in Heytesbury Church - reported in posts on December 16th, 2011 and 11th January, 2012).  As I had omitted to deactivate them in the Shop, they were apparently available for sale - so, guess what I've been doing (instead of blogging!):  making baby bunnies to meet Mrs.SP's requirements!  Anyway, eight more are now available for her to choose from, the pictures coming up have been sent to her via the Etsy Convo system and I await her selection.  Thought you might like to see them as well!

Beauty Parade of the Brown Baby Bunnies

 Similar display of the Grey Baby Bunnies

They each have their labels under those displayed (I had a real problem trying to get the numbers to show up on the photo), so that when Mrs. SP has made her selection, I can wrap them up immediately - complete with their numbers on.  The labels will peel off easily once they arrive in Medford - but I can be assured that the right bunnies arrive as selected!

This post has gone on long enough - so, the rest of the farewell pictures will form the text for the next bulletin from the home of www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.  Good bye for the time being everyone!  Isobel