More about The Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic

Hello Everyone!

Somewhat belatedly, I find myself fulfilling the promise (threat?) that ended Cy Bear's last  post almost a week ago.  But the delay has been for many reasons.  Sewing commitments:   I am in the midst of making four Wolves, two which are in response to a definite order,  and the other two are my experiments. These are for a very specific requirement and it's the first time I've attempted to produce a Wolf Cuddly - more anon, when they are completed.  The ones that aren't accepted by the Customer - a published author, who wants to have some Cuddly Models for her own enjoyment, once her second book in a tri-part series reaches completion - will be listed as full members of the COLDHAMCUDDLIES family on www.Etsy.com.

However the principal reason is down to my usual problems in dealing with technology.  Below is a copy of a pdf file that was sent to me of one of the pages in the Letters Page of The Lady Magazine - a long time U.K. weekly publication with a fascinating history of its own.  Try as I may, I cannot get it more legible than this, but it does give you an idea of what I am so excited about.  "The Lady and I" feature is published every week and deals with a different reader's relationship with The Lady magazine, and last Friday, January 10 - it was  MY TURN to be featured. 

 I had responded to a previous article dated November 22, in which the author illustrated what can happen to a series of Much Loved Bears - and the state of some of them were even worse than some that have been Patients in the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic (Etsy Listing # 79124185.)

Because I want you to see what the feature contained, I am providing the full "translation" - some of my long term Followers here may recognise Edward Bear's "Before" and "After" pictures that are included in the feature!  (How Edward Bear Became a New Bear - 20/01/2013 and "Oops Edward Bear Needs a New Nose"- 31/01/2013) both describe Edward's original treatment - goodness me a year ago, almost to the day!  How doth tempus fugit!!

The feature begins:

"THE LADY & I

 Being parted from her beloved bear when she went to boarding school may have led one reader to a creative career in toy making.

 I was fascinated to read the article Loved to Bits about worn bears (22 November issue), because when I first went to boarding school, I was not allowed to take my beloved bear with me - my parents were dismayed at her state of disfigurement.  But when I returned home after my first term, I was upset to find that she was no longer there.  Perhaps that is why I wanted to save other bears and their owners from a similar separation.

I went on to become a toy maker of new, handmade plush toys, and today I am often asked if I can treat older bears that live in my village.  It's not a task I undertake lightly, because the owners of said bears have to be very sure that they do indeed want their companion bears to look "better".

When they have been restored, they can look very different from the state in which they have existed for however many years they have been together.  The oldest bear I have treated has been more than 100 (best estimate), and most are in their 40s to 80s.

If there are readers who have a bear - on their bed or in their attics - that might welcome being "rejuvenated", restorers like me love to give new life to old favourites."

Now, normally, each contribution to the Letters Page includes an attribution - Name and address - but for very understandable reasons I received the following explanation from the Letters Editor when I wrote to express my thanks for being published.  I had also enquired if it would be in order for me to use the fact that I had been published in such an august publication as The Lady here, and afterwards, by linking the post (as I usually do) to Facebook, Google+, Twitter  and, more recently, www.  Etsyology.net (blog@etsyology.com).   

In an e-mail, the Letters Editor responded:

• Dear Isobel,

Thank you for your e-mail – I’m delighted you’re pleased with it, and yes, please do feel free to make mention of it.  Attached is a pdf of the page which you might find useful.

I’m sorry we didn’t actually include your name & town – I think we were so concerned not to seem to be promoting a business that somehow that got edited out altogether.

 (The Letters Editor has also promised to forward any enquiries that might be precipitated by anyone reading the item.  Here's hoping!!)

Even on the partially successful scan, there is a further item included, part of which which says:

"Each Week the writer of The Lady & I wins a copy of Memory Lane's double CD, My Special Angel.  Be swept up in nostalgia with this beautifully presented album featuring more than 50 original hits from the TV show Call The Midwife (a BBC programme which is very popular here in the UK).  Send your stories (of 350 words) to the address above, marked The Lady & I"

I'm very pleased to be able to confirm that today that double CD arrived and I've spent a pleasant hour or two wallowing in the tunes of yesteryear.   (I haven't followed the programme - as I  tend to be sewing or "playing" with the computer (aka social media marketing!) at the time it is broadcast.  I do believe I'll even be able to exercise to it in between the weekly Zumba sessions!

That's it for tonight Folks!  Until the next time!  Isobel