The Promised Update on latest events

The Produce Sale in Heytesbury Parish Church took place as arranged, and I was given a nice space in which to display the smaller Coldham Cuddlies that have recently joined the family.  The space consisted of a trestle table which had been arranged on top of three church pews!  Very sturdy, but difficult to access without some agility on my part.  This involved hopping on to the seat of one pew and climbing over the back of the one in front, and lowering myself, via the kneeling bench, to floor level.  My Zumba classes have certainly helped, as it was not too difficult to accomplish, despite the concern of several of my fellow St. John's residents.  They clearly did not think me capable of such activity!  (Let you into a secret:  I wasn't sure myself, actually, but in the event, it was a cinch!)

Those being exhibited included the Hedgehog Family, The Owl Family (the latest was listed yesterday in our shop at www.Etsy.com/coldham cuddlies and has been named as Oliver Owlet, Etsy Listing #107123292 ), the replacement for Barry Beaver, and also the three prototypes Golf Club Head Covers - which will be listed later today, or over the week-end.  Black Gorilla was there too, but didn't seem to attract too much interest, but that may have been my fault, as he did get a little smothered by Baby Bunnies of different hues.

My two latest  Dressed Lady Bunnies were there too, with Jemima Bunny having a notice in front of her saying "Reserved:  Purchased in Mexico.  Destination:  Ontario Canada".  I'm waiting for a pattern for two bears, complete with their own uniforms (one a Policeman, I'm led to believe:  the other a Beefeater - of Tower of London fame!) and once they are made - if I can manage it - all three will go to Ontario together.  Will keep you all posted as and when!  Jemima was accompanied by the Halloween Bunny and they were both there to indicate the difference between one toy complete with a Carrot, and the other without.  (Naturally, a carrot can be added easily should a customer require it - but it will cost a little extra!)

MrDA-B, whom you may recall very kindly loaned me a Golf Club from his collection as a model, attended and was good enough to provide a customer test.  Pleased to report that all three passed with flying colours.  All were made with my existing Bear Head pattern, but appear as Golden Bear, Brown Bear and Panda Bear.  Now I'll try the same thing with a Rabbit's Head and the Fox's Head patterns, and have sent away for a Tiger toy, which I shall adapt along the lines I've done with Black Gorilla (BG - who featured in our post on August 12, 2012).

MrDA-B's  customer test consisted of putting his hand up through the tubular wool sock and confirming that, if needed, a bigger Club could be fitted into the space currently being occupied by his No.1 Driver.  He was also pleased with the elasticity displayed by my version of the Club's handle cover.  So, I  am now confident of introducing these new Cuddlies as full members of the Coldham Cuddly Family.

Here are photos of all three of them - not necessarily in order of preference or production:  just as they have been photographed:

The Golden Bear version:

Etsy Listing #107240612

The Panda Bear

Etsy Listing #107241362

The Brown Bear - I thought having a black handle cover would be just too much dark colour:  MrDA-B seemed to agree!

Etsy Listing #107242111

Our friend, Fred Bear still remains in a mutilated state as a Patient in the Soft Toy Clinic.  PatC, his Forever Friend, telephoned me early last week to say that during discussions between her sister and herself, both had come to the conclusion that my suggested fabric for his renewed paw pads was not entirely to their liking.  Elder sister, however, has got some delicate glove leather which she felt would be much more appropriate and both ladies wondered if I'd be prepared to wait until she returned home and searched for said leather.  Naturally, since they are the customers, there was no question of it being anything else but convenient!  (It did mean I could get on with the Golf Club Head Covers after all!)  So, as elder sister does not go back home until the end of August, and has difficulty getting around, seems it will be some time yet before Fred Bear can return home himself.  He's no trouble:  he's lying quietly in a corner, out of the way, so his further treatment report will have to wait too.

(Never being backward in coming forward, I did suggest that if elder sister had other fabrics that were looking for a home, and she considered them suitable for dressing future Cuddlies, I'd be more than happy to accommodate them as well as the promised leather!  Wouldn't you folks do the same?)

So, what did happen at the Produce Stall - other than an approval for the Golf Club Head Covers?  Not a lot really: except that almost at the end, one of my fellow stall holders came over and purchased one of the Baby Koalas - they really are a popular member of the Cuddlies Family!  So, the first venture into the 2012 selling arena was not entirely fruitless - especially as I really did not lay the toys out as well as I might have done.  Also, I was not expecting too much:  it was really an opportunity to show off the newbies, as well as rehearse for the real sales events later in the year.  The event really concentrates more on the provision of fresh bakery and garden produce, as well as a Raffle.  Last year I was quite lucky on the Raffle:  to date, this year, I have not!  Still there's a few weeks yet....  However, that means we have one less Koala in the Shop to sell:  although two more are still looking for Forever Homes!

Next thing on the agenda is the rehabilitation and creation of Tigger Long Legs and the Lop-Eared Bunny Arm Puppet.  Hope to have these up and ready for listing and sale in time for the 2012 Greatest Coffee Morning in the World (in aid of MacMillan Cancer research) due at Slater's Barn (as last year) on Friday, September 28.  So, off we go... until the next post!

Good bye for now.  Isobel