More Cuddlies are on their way - as Christmas Surprises

While in the middle of getting ready to write and post the remaining Christmas cards (intra-UK and locally in and around where I live), I'm trying to do more than one thing at once - and not succeeding terribly well at anything!!  I'm running off my round robin letter - yes, despite everyone's scoffing about such missives, I find them a terrific way to keep in touch with friends and family and shall continue to do one every Christmas until I am unable so to do - but am getting myself muddled with the pages, because this year I've actually produced a two-sided offering, and I really didn't think it had been that eventful!!  I've just wasted several pages, because I didn't present the paper the right way to the printer so it could print the second side!   Oh well, c'est la vie!

Earlier today though, I spent time parcelling up the last two Cuddlies to be sent off in time to reach their destinations before Christmas.  One, as Cy Bear told you in our post last week, is off to Louisville, Kentucky where MsMK is hoping to receive a pair of Ladies Slippers based on our Mens Badger Slippers(Etsy Listing #158936304) to fit a small lady's foot.  Because the original was trimmed with a sober brown satin ribbon I decided that I'd try to find a more feminine decoration - and this is what they've turned out like.

I'm rapidly running out of Badger striped fabric, alas - although there is plenty of flecked plush fabric that will meet the needs of a Badger's body in future.  There was enough to do the two slipper sides for this pair of slippers, and because no heads were required on these particular Slippers, I was able to use some of the flecked fabric for the front panels.

 However, there may be an order for the Mens' Version in the offing.  It's from a London UK source, but the Buyer wants to have heads on them.  They were originally made to show what a pair of Cuddlies  Slippers for Men would look like without any!  I'm waiting to hear back, because I feared there would not be enough for two more heads, but did offer to make them with different plush fabrics.  But since the correspondence began earlier today, I have discovered a small stash of striped fur and have told the prospective buyer.  Now am waiting to see if she gets back tonight.  It will take me a couple of days to make the two heads and fix them to the original Mens' Slippers, but a  Size 10 Man's model was requested - and that is what we have!  The final guaranteed posting date for UK parcels has still got a way to go

Meanwhile, here are some more shots of the Ladies' version from different viewpoints:

The Slippers from the rear

This one is taken with both slippers sideways on and here is one of the left foot slipper head on.  

The ribbon this time is actually a cotton one, with red check background and red flowers embroidered on - it's rather an attractive ribbon which came from one of my friends, who has had to give up her sewing due to failing eyesight.  There are similar amounts of ribbon trim in my stash, made with the same cotton ribbon and similar decoration, but in Pink and Pale Blue.

Also due to be dispatched to a London destination is a pair of Childrens' Slippers made for a lady from Heytesbury village who divides her time between England and Australia.  She wisely spends the UK winter months in the Southern Hemisphere and comes back to the UK for our spring and summer.  Earlier this year MrsCB purchased a pair of my Fox Head Small Size Slippers for Kids for an Australian grandchild - because they don't have Foxes in Australia.  So, for this Christmas, while she was away in Australia, before leaving for the Antipodes, she ordered a pair of Small Child's Slippers made with Koala Heads, because of course, we don't have Koalas in England.  This what they have turned out like.

The pattern for the heads is the one used for my Small Tree Bears (which is another name for a Koala in Cuddlies' Family-speak anyway) whereas the pattern used for my  Koala Headed Mens' Slippers (Etsy Listing #158098231) is actually that for a small Baby Dressed Bear, which is a toy that has yet to feature in the Cuddlies Family.  When placed side by side, they don't really look that dissimilar, do they?

Perhaps the Mens' version have larger ears, and the heads are bigger, but then they should - so they remain in proportion with the difference in feet size!

Meanwhile, back with the Children's Koala Slippers, this them from the rear and this next picture is a close up of the ribbon trim - a satin pink spotted ribbon which I found when recently staying with Philippa in High Wycombe (having omitted to take trimming with me to complete my sewing while I was away).  I have to keep sewing every day, otherwise my fingers really do stiffen up, and it can be the very devil to get them going again!!

Both pairs of slippers are now wrapped up and ready to be posted on my way to Zumba tomorrow morning.  The Childrens' Slippers are wrapped in Christmas Paper and bubble wrapped, with a card written by MrsCB contained in the Christmas parcel.  A covering letter to the Little Person's parents - without letting them know what is in the parcel, in case MrsCB hasn't told them to expect slippers! - is in an envelope, stuck onto one side of the parcel (forming the address) just to make sure it gets to the intended destination in good time.

Before they were prepared for their impending journeys, Cy Bear insisted that they be given the traditional farewell ceremony with him supervising - just to see that they meet his stringent standards!

Well, in the time that I've taken to input this post, the printing for the Christmas card enclosure is almost done:  so I've utilised my time productively this evening!  Now have got to edit this and publish it before going to bed.

By the way, this blog has reached a milestone in the last few days.  The last time I checked, earlier today, we have had 20,034 views since we began our ColdhamCuddliescalling saga in March 2011.  When compared with some viewing figures of other blogs perhaps that's not many:  but to my way of thinking, it's not bad!  

Closing down now - hope everyone is getting ready for Christmas without too much of a fluster.  Nice to be chatting once again.  Isobel