Reaching The End of the Current Stripeless Tiger Rush

Good afternoon Everyone - Cy Bear back again, after an unintentional week off.
After another self-inflicted glitch in the photography area of ColdhamCuddlies life last week, Isobel finally managed to work out a way of shifting photos taken on her camera, on to the laptop,and into files with which she can work.  An essential requirement for listing new Toys etc. as well as illustrating this blog.  Without that ability, last week's post would have been a bit dull, so we decided to leave well alone and hopefully return to normal business this week.  
(We are starting to think we're going to have to replace the computer - it's been being considered for some time.  If (or when) it does happen, Isobel will leave someone technically competent to do the necessary switch of the material from this machine over to the new one - and hopefully, get her properly set up, with just one version of every programme, operating system, media platform - or what ever.  Currently she seems to operate on multiple ones - and I'm sure that could make her life a whole lot easier!!  As well as being easier for me to live with too!)
I've also persuaded Isobel to keep the Clinic photograph at the bottom of this page (it's been quite a while since we used it) - because removing it every time we post a new story does cause problems for her when she comes to edit anything we write.  (Finally, I got fed up listening to her moaning about how long it can take - when all she had to do was allow it to remain where it was!).  Besides, I've enjoyed being reacquainted with the Bears who were Patients in the Toy Restoration Clinic - before we moved up from Wiltshire 6 years ago!!  That seems a lifetime ago, although Isobel does still keep up with some of the friends (many of them Customers - both for the Shop and Clinic).  

                Two New Stripeless Tiger Kits-heading for Mt Shasta at the beginning of this week.
Indeed this week, we received a request for "that huge plastic bag" we had when we lived in Wiltshire  - so that the Banner for the Heytesbury Branch of the Royal British Legion can be safely stored.  Alas, the Branch is now non-operational, and the Banner is being "laid up" in Heytesbury Parish Church (where it's predecessor was stored a few months before Isobel and I moved to Kirkby in Ashfield, in 2014.)  That is housed in another large plastic bag (again from our sources).  We then had ready access to them when we used to get our regular six-monthly supply of fabric off-cuts from The Fine Quality Feather Company, in Frome, Somerset.  
The plastic bag is now on its way to Heytesbury - and we're delighted to have been able to assist (it was under threat of eviction as it did take up valuable space - which is always a problem hereabouts.)  That does mean the biggest plastic bags we have access to now are the 3 kilo ones in which the stuffing required for making new ColdhamCuddliesToys is supplied - from Fred Aldous Ltd, in Manchester/Leeds.  We got two bags a few weeks ago, and are already well into the first one - thanks to the requirements for our two latest Stripeless Tiger Toys, both headed (together with their Mother/Sister or whomever) for Mt. Shasta, California).  These are at the request of  MrsML from San Diego, California - who ordered the last three Tigers Who Lost Their Stripes for herself and her friends, as well as the newly introduced Orange Tiger Toy (shown below), whom she sent to her newly-arrived Great Niece living in Brooklyn.
The two new Stripeless Tiger Kits (pictured above), who will shortly be listed as such in the Shop, look like this.  They are going to become Forever Friends with two grandsons of MrsML's best friend, MrsMJ - and will be travelling to Mt Shasta tomorrow, once Isobel has prepared the necessary travel documents to enable this journey to take place.  Differentiating between them was initially a slight problem, and originally Isobel had suggested different colour collars to each of them.  However, during manufacture, one of them ended up with a head that was slightly off-centre, and rather than take it off and re-position it, Isobel decided to leave it as it was (it's eyes were also placed in a different spot on his face) and that's ended up with two quite different-looking Tiger Toys.  These toys are going to be accompanied by a matching Tiger Who Lost His/Her Stripes, because MrsML wanted to give one like one of the two she now has, to MrsMJ.

The Stripeless Tiger Arm Puppet also going to Mt. Shasta this week

Meanwhile, we've received some lovely reviews for the previous Tigers (Orange and Stripeless) Isobel has been making over the past few weeks - the beneficiaries of whom are also friends/relations of Mrs ML: she's fast-becoming not only one of our best customers - EVER:  but also a good "pen-pal" for Isobel as well.
Here are  the nice things she said about these two

09 Nov, 2020

5 out of 5 stars

    

We are so happy with our order of a orange striped Tiger stuffed toy and a Matching puppet! They are so special Nd unique. These were given as a gift to my new great niece and her parents (my nephew and niece). They loved them and will be cherished. The workmanship on these special items was outstanding. Thank you Isobel.

Then yesterday,  we received this review in connection with the Tiger Who Lost Its Stripes which went to Sunnyside, New York last week.  That arrived safely, and MrsML wrote this about it yesterday.

Marsha on 14 Nov, 2020

5 out of 5 stars    

I LOVE all of the items I have ordered from Isobel, the maker and owner of this shop. This is the 2nd order of a Tiger with no stripe puppet I ordered from Isobel! Plus I ordered an orange striped Tiger puppet and matching stuffed toy for a new born and her parents. Everything is so well made. The quality and material are first rate and items are so cute! Everyone loved their special gifts. As an added bonus, Isobel gave me updates on my orders. I highly recommend this seller! The quality is so much better than anything I have ever ordered before! I definitely will be ordering more ....!!!!

As usual because I've directly copied these reviews from our Etsy Shop site,  we've once again ended up having to finish this post using their typesetting.  Rather than undo the latter additions to this post, we do hope you won't mind putting up with this change of look!  At least you've got two week's worth of posts to read this time around!

Next in line from the ColdhamCuddlies Shop will be models of two Furry Rabbit friends (one brown and one grey) made into the shape of our  Yellow Rabbit Slippers - the very first Novelty Slipper offering when they were originally introduced.

Then taking Isobel up to the beginning of December,  we received an order for a Bishop Bear (taking the number of adopted  Clerical Bears to 40, when it leaves for a Pittsburgh, Pa destination.)  That will be accompanied by a Black Cat Arm Puppet headed for the same place, at the same time!

NB:  The Shop will be closed for 2020 delivery orders on 1st December.  It will remain open for NEW YEAR delivery orders from 29th December, 2020- although Isobel will likely still be doing daily administrative jobs in the interim.

Right - that's it for the time being folks.  Blogging may not now commence until the New Year - unless,of course something momentous occurs in the interim.

So here's wishing everyone a really great Christmas - or as good as you can manage under the present Covid19 regimen, wherever you are in the world).  Also here's hope for a Happy New Year to you All, as well.

Your friend.

CY BEAR.

Some More Tiger Tales - from different American Destinations.

Hello there Everyone!  Cy Bear back again - with latest updates on the Tiger Front.

The Orange Tigers - Puppet and Toy - posted about two weeks ago, reached Brooklyn, New York safely - within the stated deadline:  that doesn't always happen these days, I fear .  From the photograph you'll see that the Toy Tiger was being inspected with interest when that picture was taken:

As the Tiger Toy travelled in the same package as did our Orange Tiger Arm Puppet, we assume that too was approved of, and that the family are now all settling in well and getting to know each other.  Isobel and I are very grateful for the speedy response to the request for this news and wish everyone a really happy life together going forward

While the Tigers travelled quickly to Brooklyn, once dispatched from our local Post Office, Isobel quickly finished off the Tiger Who Lost His Stripes Arm Puppet that our new San Diego-based friend, MrsML had ordered be sent to her best friend's 7 year old grand daughter, MsC living in another part of New York.  That package departed last Wednesday afternoon, and having just checked with Royal Mail Tracking Service Isobel finds that it has left the UK on its way to America, but so far the United States Postal Service hasn't yet received it officially.  Some journeys, even to the same postal City can take longer than others - and in the case of as big a City as New York, may even take longer still (depending on which airline handles the package, and which airport the package lands).  Anyway, we know it's still travelling - and looked like this before being wrapped up and packed into its Royal Mail plastic Air Mail envelope.

It was just before this Tiger Arm Puppet was wrapped up that Isobel noticed that it didn't have the usual black yarn embroidery around his orange nose.  So, before the final wrapping took place (but after this photo was taken) that the missing facial feature was added.  When this Arm Puppet arrives in Sunnyside, New York (isn't that a nice sounding address?) she will therefore look complete, rather than how the photograph shows her.

While still on the subject of our 2020 Saga about our Tiger Arm Puppets, Isobel finally received a refund for one Arm Puppet who got lost in transit during his journey to Medina, Ohio in May this year.  This Tiger was dispatched from our local Post Office together with another one headed for Raleigh, North Carolina.  We had assumed both reached their destinations as usual, but at the end of July, the customer wanting her Tiger Puppet to go to Medina wrote to us (just in time, fortunately) to ask what had happened to it.  She had wanted her grand daughter to receive it for her birthday, but it hadn't arrived.  Isobel learned about this about five days before the deadline for her to make a successful claim against Royal Mail for non-delivery of goods.  When we heard from MrsSG (the Ohio buyer) Isobel naturally refunded her in full - and set about claiming for the lack of service (which is why we ALWAYS send all Coldham Cuddlies via Royal Mail International Tracked/Signed For service)!  What with Covid19 and the usual checks that take place on such occasions, we finally got our payment - IN FULL - at the end of this week.  Next job for Isobel is to pay that cheque into the Cuddlies' Bank account in Sutton in Ashfield (which will happen either Monday or Tuesday of this week).

So, that is all for this week My Friends.  England is going into "full" Covid19 lock down as of Thursday next week, which is almost as severe as it was earlier this year.  Whatever happens, Isobel will still be able to visit TeamACE up the road, and do her shopping. She is currently busy with three Tigers, two of them Toys, and one further Arm Puppet - all destined for Mt Shasta, California.  The Toys are are being made like the New York Orange Tiger Toy, but made in another Plush fabric - I'll show you those, when they're completed - as Isobel goes along.   Also things are moving on the UK Department of International Trade Export assistance front that I told you about earlier this year, so she will be kept busy, whatever else happens.

I'll be back again, next week - meanwhile you all keep safe, my Friends:  wherever you happen to be.

Your Friend,

Cy Bear.