Attempting to re-start the posting process - here goes!

It seems a long, long time since I posted here - and yet it's only been two weeks!  However, in that time I've discovered a lot of things about computers that I never knew (nor wished to!), but have  I've now sussed how to upload pictures to Etsy, so there are two more Cuddlies in our shop at www.Etsy.com/shop.coldhamcuddlies.  Obeying the suggestions received via Tim Adams of Handmadeology Team on Etsy to then post the item to one's blog, I'm now going to try and do it there today and thus prove that I have indeed mastered the arcane route through Windows 8 and all.

 (To be fair to Tim:  he did suggest it should be done immediately after listing on Etsy - but frankly I was so exhausted by the effort needed to do the listing yesterday, that I decided today would be better late than never!)

Etsy Listing #59809283

Our latest Country Gentleman Fox is a Retro Collectable Chestnut Plush Furry Fox Toy, dressed in Hunting Pink - the latest version of a popular ColdhamCuddlies toy.  He's actually a re-listing of one of the original ColdhamCuddlies listed on Etsy in September 2010 - one version of whom found a Forever Home on the outskirts of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada early in 2012.

(He was purchased early by a lady from our village of Heytesbury for her daughter who still lives in British Columbia.  It later transpired, as these things do in subsequent conversations, that not only did she know where on Vancouver Island our home was at that time, but also that I worked for her father's accountant in Victoria, during our sojourn on the Island!!)

His body is made separately with calico and stuffed with polyester fibre which meets all international safety standards.  He has a waistcoat which is made with Red Felt, over a striped Brown and White waistcoat, which is not actually visible.  Like all our Collectable Toys, this Country Gentleman is not made to be undressed, and is ideally suitable for children aged 3 years upwards. His riding trousers are made with white felt and his boots are made from Black Suede Glove quality Leather, with self-colour tassles as a turnover at his calf.  His jacket is made with red felt.  He has a white felt stock round his neck and his head paws and tail are made with chestnut brown plush furry material  His tail is tipped with white plush furry material to distinguish him from the lady foxes.

This Country Gentleman Fox measures 17.5 inches (40.45 cms) from tip of ears to the sole of his boots, with a tail measuring 5 inches (10.03 cms).  He weighs approximately 250g and is stuffed with polyester fibrefill meeting all international safety standards.  This allows him to be treated as a Small Packet when travelling via the UK Royal Mail's standard parcel postal rate.

This Country Gentleman also has a companion - by name Beau Fox:  allow me to introduce him here:

Etsy Listing #128704624

O.A.A.K.Beau Fox, the latest in a line of ColdhamCuddlies Retro Collectable  Fox Toys, is made with Chestnut Plush fabric and  dressed in a Royal Blue Velvet Coat, trimmed at the wrist with light blue ric rac trimming.  He has blue tartan waistcoat, which can be glimpsed under the coat front, which is fastened with two silver gilt buttons.  His bushy tail has the white tip that all Gentleman Foxes grow up with.  His Apricot Felt trousers are made in the traditional riding habit estyle and are set off with Crimson Leather Boots with a self colour tassle turnover at the calf.  The leather is glove quality and very soft.  He has a white stock, decorated with a red emblem,  to set off the Royal Blue Velvet Coat. As a Collectable Toy, Beau cannot be undressed - but he makes a cuddly armful for children ideally aged 3 years and upwards.  He is not recommended for younger children because of the buttons on his coat, which might be vulnerable to prying little folks' fingers.   Previous incarnations of Mr. Fox have become Company Mascots.

(I've just remembered that one early Mr. Fox - dressed like our Country Gentleman (before ColdhamCuddlies became more than a hobby) sat on a bookcase in Peter's office.  He was a Father's Day present one year, as he admitted he'd always envied our daughters their Foxes in Edmonton, Alberta and became a conversation piece when visitors came for meetings!  Alas, he is no longer - having not survived our moves around the UK).

Beau measures 17.5 inches (40.45 cms) from the tip of his ears over his muzzle to the sole of his feet.  His tail is 5 inches long (10.03 cms and he weighs approximately 250 g.  This would allow him to travel as a standard Small Package via the Royal Mail International parcels system.  He is stuffed with polyester fibrefill meeting all international safety standards and has plastic brown eyes fixed with a safety backing.  His facial features have been applied with black double knitting yarn and his fluffy ears are lined with light fawn satin.

These Foxes usually take between 3-6 days to produce from pattern to final article, and Buyers should be aware that I no longer drive and am thus reliant on rural public transport in order to reach Royal Mail outlets capable of handling international packages.  This I do on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays of most weeks - so in cases where deadlines are a factor, please take this fact into consideration when placing your orders.

As is my custom here, I'll be doing a blow-by-blow description of each Fox's construction, in later posts, but just to end with - and to rejoice in my having achieved what I did begin to think an impossibility - here is a final picture of both gentlemen, sharing the limelight together.

It's good to be back - and here's to the next time:  soon.  God Bless.  Isobel