Another Otter takes off across The Atlantic

Hello there Everyone:  Cy Bear back - on time again! 

Actually, the blog is being prepared a bit ahead this week, because for reasons best known to technology (or even Etsy!), after being on the Shop site all Friday afternoon, when Isobel tried to get back after her evening meal, she wasn't able to access the Team site, so she could finish her daily promotion duties.  So, she thought she would get ahead and allow me tell you about the third Otter Golf Club Cover/Saver - as promised in my last bulletin.

The final look.

As MrLA didn't respond to the invitation to go with our other, more colourful version of our Otter - based on the original pattern by Jenny Mai of Fluffmonger.com - Isobel went ahead and began (as usual) by knitting the handle cover.

Because there had been quite a lot of brown double knit yarn used in the colourful version  -https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/723285529/lucky-the-otter-head-golf-club?ref=shop_home_active_14  our stock was low, and so we faced the usual dilemma of knitters the world over - trying to get an exact match.  One would think dark brown would not be a difficult task to undertake, but because Isobel is still hampered getting about (although she is now able to get places by 'bus, which makes life a whole lot easier), she can't walk as far as she did before the fall.  So, we had to make do with the nearest local supplier - who normally is great!  We got a pretty good match, but ,on the day we searched, we had to make do with the best one available that day - which was in an acrylic double knit wool, whereas we had hoped to do it in wool. (Isobel prefers the texture).  

However, in order to make sure we meet the dispatch deadline we went ahead with what was available, and Isobel melded the wool into the acrylic fibre.   The finished product doesn't look too odd, actually, because she made it look as though the shade difference was deliberate!

If one looks closely, one can see the slight shade difference.

Also, Isobel decided to give this Otter black whiskers and mouth for his facial features - instead of the brown we had used for the previous two versions.  We think we will carry on with this face look, because it matches Otter's eyes better - and the brown silk used for the previous Otter versions didn't really look like Isobel's original vision for them.

Otter No.3 looks a bit stern in this side view, but actually it's a whisker getting in the way of him enjoying his grey satin-look fish (as opposed to the gold fish shown in the colourful version).

Here's one of the latest Golf Club Saver - with club in situ - from the rear view.  After the photo shoot, the latest Coldham Cuddlies Golf Club Saver was wrapped up and posted from the local post office later on Thursday afternoon.  (Just for fun, Isobel has just inserted the Tracker Number for the package into the Royal Mail site, and finds that the package has been received in Chicago, so is well on it's way to the intended destination - Columbus, Ohio).

When Isobel was on line on Thursday after the postal session, she found that FrauAB from Bochum, Germany had left a lovely review about the Brown Sister Bear "in the style of a Poor Clare Nun"- which we'd sent off the previous week.  FrauAB was one of the lovely customers who stuck by Isobel after she had had her accident, and Etsy suggested we cancel the order - so that Coldham Cuddlies didn't fall foul of the dispatch dates not being met "rule" - for which we are very grateful, of course. 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/644247608

We're excited to get it - because it was actually given in German (a first for us), although there was a translation too.

"andrea bauer on 06 Aug, 2019

5 out of 5 stars    

cooles madamchen super idee und sehr "süß" vielen dank!

which was translated (by Micrososft) as " cool madamchen super idea and very "sweet" many thanks!"

As neither Isobel or I speak German, we're happy to accept that translated version! 

So another Clerical Bear goes home to make someone happy.  Isobel is now working on a Padre Bear for one of  our best UK customers.  MsMP  - a fellow parishoner at St. Barnabas Cathedral, Nottingham is determined to have the same number of Clerical Bears as we do in the Shop.  Every time she gets one from us though, she finds someone who she thinks would like one even better  - or buys it off her - so she comes back for another!! 

Naturally, we don't mind - we wish there were more folks like her!!  St. Barnabas Cathedral benefits either way - because, as you may recall, 20 per cent of each Clerical Bear sold goes towards the Building Maintenance Fund, and it's Isobel's way of celebrating the fact that St. Barnabas Cathedral was opened 175 years ago this year. 

So that's this week's post done. Our apologies for the change in typeface mid-way - caused by Isobel importing Frau Bauer's review to the page.  We don't know why that happens - nor why the whole font size decreased while we were typing.  One of the many mysteries of technology that Isobel (and I, when she is otherwise engaged) cannot fathom, but carry on with - regardless!

See you all soon - even next week, with luck!

Your Friend, Cy Bear

Carrying on from where we left off

Greetings Everyone:  Hope you're all fighting fit and well.

Cy Bear back once again, after yet another delay, but this time it's because Isobel simply ran out of time after getting back into the Etsy promoting games rhythm, as well as the fact that she was/still is in a rehabilitation regime causing her to have less time to do everything at the same pace it previously took place.  Daily patterns are returning to normal:  but there is still a way to go, and the next stage in the recovery process begins tomorrow, with her first physiotherapy session - designed, she understands, to get her wounded leg back to it's former strength and fitness (or as near as possible).

Meanwhile, sewing on the Coldham Cuddlies front has proceeded steadily, and the Colourful Otter Golf Club Saver, mentioned in my last post and completed shortly after we posted it, was dispatched - well within the required time - to MrRR in Cambridge, NewYork State, U.S.A.  It evidently caught a flight fairly quickly, and was received safely the following week-end (actually taking the promised 5 Working Days to reach its destination).

This is how he was made -

The finished metal handle cover

Isobel decided on a gold fish this time, rather than our original grey fish for Otter to "nibble".

Isobel then began work on the Otter head and body - and he began to take shape like this:

The back and front pieces of the head have been padded with faux fur leftovers, but Lucky still needs whiskers

Checking that Lucky's Head and Shoulders fit over the Golf Club

Fitting the two Golf Club Saver pieces together on the Club, with whiskers in place!

 and looked when he was finished.

An "official" review has yet to be posted on the Etsy Shop site (these are not allowed for a few days/weeks after their expected arrival date by the Etsy system). 

(This can - and often does - mean they never appear at all!  It also explains the different numbers shown on the Shop site between the number of Sales recorded by the system, and the number of reviews actually posted there).

However, when MrRR emailed to confirm safe arrival of his delayed Otter Golf Club Saver, he also mentioned that he was treating it as his lucky token - for when he returned to his golfing activities after surgery.  The item was also described as being "perfect"!   So, you could say, Coldham Cuddlies has another satisfied customer! (We've decided to name the listing as Lucky, the Colourful Otter Golf Club Saver).

Lucky Otter Golf Club Cover - without the Club inside him

Interestingly, just after Lucky Otter was posted, we received another order for a Golf Club Cover with an Otter Head - using the original (more muted)  pattern for their request.  As the new listing only appeared AFTER this new order arrived, Isobel got in touch with MrLA from Columbus, Ohio - giving him the opportunity to change his mind.  As he'd signed into the Shop as a "Guest", as opposed to joining Etsy as a full Buyer, he may not have received the offer - as it used an unusual email address.  Isobel also often finds communicating via email in this way is not as effective in communicating with our customers, as via the Etsy Convo system.  So, without further instructions,  Isobel proceeded to make the new Otter Golf Club Cover in the original, dark brown colours - together with a grey fish, as opposed to a gold fish.  That's almost completed, and should be en route to Ohio early next week.  We'll post a photograph of Otter Golf Club No.3 (or No.2 - depending on how you want to calculate it, because the two Otter versions are being listed separately in the Shop) before he leaves to join his new Golf Club Bag club companions in Columbus,U.S.A.

The two pieces waiting for the third item to complete Lucky Otter Golf Club Saver

That's it for this week, folks.  Have a really good one - or as good as the weather in your parts allows. After a week of incredibly hot weather here in the UK, we're now seemingly returning to a "traditional" English summer.  That used to be described as "two fine days, and then a thunderstorm":  nowadays, though, we're finding the the two fine days result in very high temperatures:  and the thunderstorms are frighteningly noisy accompanied by torrential rain.  Definitely not the "usual" English rain of old - which Peter used to describe as "the gentle pitter, patter":  that's well into the past.

Your friend.  Cy Bear.