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