Cy Bear having told you in last week's post that the first Grey Cat Puppet was en route to her Forever Home - and all of us finding out at the end of the bulletin that she had already got to Kennedy Airport, New York - I'm delighted to say that we got a snapshot on Friday afternoon, confirming that she had safely reached her Forever Home in 7 days after leaving us here in Kirkby in Ashfield. (Really great when the international postal services actually do what they say they do!!)
Apparently, the "American brother and sister" already in situ are actually not that impressed with her arrival on the scene. However, MsSD - our customer - whose views, after all, are what really matter is definitely satisfied! Another satisfactory end to an enjoyable business relationship: I really do enjoy these one on one contacts with my customers.
There are still a few more pictures to show you though: you will recall that two Grey Cat Puppets were made in the end, and the second version had yet to be completed last week. Well she has indeed been completed - and will be listed in our Etsy.com shop after this post has been published (and duly circulated over all the various sites on which I regularly post each bulletin as and when it is completed). That can be in threads on the 9 Etsy Teams on which I work to try to sell the Cuddlies, some of which ONLY are used as sites for this blog. There are also several Facebook groups and team pages on which I regularly participate.
Before I completed Grey Cat Puppet Version 2, I did actually change her face. In previous posts our version of the Grey Cat Puppet had appeared looking like the one on the left of this photograph:
She now looks like this:
She now has a black embroidered (using black double knit wool to achieve the look) and her mouth has also been slightly altered. It's amazing what a few stitches, done differently, will do!!
The following shots are temporary photographs, for the purposes of getting our newest Cuddly into the Shop (www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com). Any Arm/Hand Puppet really doesn't show well without a human hand inside it to give it a proper body. However, I'm currently "nursing" an unexpected summer cold, have declared a self-imposed "home stay" (so I don't spread the germs) and have used what gadgets I have to hand.
For instance, inside the puppet in this photograph is my new telephone (one of those you can walk around the flat with when chatting to friends and family!). It works for this purpose, anyway. I will be taking better pictures once I am again "in circulation", as I have plenty of friends' hands to call on by "talking nicely" to my fellow residents! However, Grey Cat cannot find a new home for herself, if she isn't listed, so these temporary shots will hopefully start the sales process!
Here's a shot of the puppet without any human aids - showing her calico lining (and the COLDHAMCUDDLIES label, too). This puppet was made with the same measurements provided by MsSD - so she is really suitable for a lady operator's hand (rather than the other Coldham Cuddlies Arm/Hand Puppets - which were made using dimensions provided by my previous Puppeteer customer from Tulsa, Oklahoma.)
I then moved the photo shoot into my bedroom - the normal scene for our Farewell Ceremony shots with Cy Bear - and took this one showing Grey Cat Puppet at full standing position.
We ended today's photo shoot with a rear view of Grey Cat standing - and really showing off just how fluffy he/she is! Believe me, the second version was no easier to sew than was the South Carolina-based version (who has definitely been christened "Henrietta" by the way).
Now it's back to serious replacements once more - pleasantly interrupted by the need to do some Patient therapy to the likes of the Puffin Toy from Rhode Island, meeting the Grey Cat Puppet challenge and being diverted from these projects with trips around and about our local area - in search of likely outings for and on behalf of my fellow residents. Now the month of July has caught up with us, Etsy (and many of my Teams) are focussing on "Christmas in July" events and I'm involved with those too inevitably. So, there's plenty for me to be doing- and keeping me out of mischief.
See you around soon, in company with Cy Bear, or allowing him free rein! Will have to be thinking about our 400th post in a couple of weeks too! So, until the next time.....
Your Friend, Isobel
