Apologies for Absence - Computer Malfunction the Cause

Greetings once again, Folks.

Cy Bear back again, after a couple of weeks of enforced silence.

 After the trip to Buckinghamshire, the computer on which Isobel communicates with the outside world - both on behalf of us Cuddlies and herself - began to stick (or rather the space bar - whatever that is - did).  Apparently that impaired her ability to type as fast as she is wont, so a trip to the nearest Supplier's shop was organised.

 It also coincided with the fact that the machine hadn't had its regular annual Health Check since it arrived with us almost 3 years ago, and with the warranty on it being due to run out in March 2016, Isobel decided that if that fault, and one with the microphone (which hasn't worked for ages) were non-repairable, she'd be more than happy to consider a completely new machine (having had a lot of trouble with the current implement since its arrival).  Following a visit (enabled by daughter Clare giving Isobel and the machine a lift to and from the shop premises), the computer duly spent 8 days being checked over and repaired and was duly returned with a full functioning Bill of Good Health.

Isobel,  while delighted to be re-united with the machine, (she'd had time-limited access to the internet via the local library computers in the interim, but was inhibited from doing EVERYTHING  she normally does each day for us Cuddlies) she does admit to being a teeny bit disappointed that the delinquent machine does seem to be behaving itself - AT THE MOMENT!  She has yet to test the microphone - and there's still 2 months left on the warranty if it doesn't!!!

Now when I left this blog on 3rd January, I'd been telling you about the new Yellow Dressed Rabbit girls Isobel was working on:  it's great to be able to tell you that today's bulletin is going to carry on the story - and may well take a couple of posts to do so.

The Yellow Rabbit story is now complete with the chosen Rabbit dispatched yesterday to St. Helens in Lancashire, UK.  The Rabbit shown on the right of the picture below is the one that is en route:

That's not where Yellow Rabbit (YR) will actually live - which is in Warrington, Cheshire.  The destination address is presumed to be where her Daddy works and where a signature can be obtained when the parcel arrives - allegedly on Monday this week.

This what these two Lady Rabbits look like from the rear:

This time around, (because there was some discussion when the project was under discussion at the beginning of our conversation with MrsPB), Isobel has made the apron so that it can be easily detached should YR's Forever Friend find the carrot in the apron pocket impedes full "cuddle access". The carrot itself is only sewn in lightly, so that could be removed if it is decided to leave the apron in situ.

So, how did the process proceed:   to get from the pictures at the end of our last post on 3rd January - to the finished items shown here?

Well, first of all, the bodies of both Rabbit Toys were stuffed:

All Coldham Cuddlies Lady Dressed Toys (be they Rabbits, Foxes, Coyotes or what have you) are made to sit down.  However, if the fabric used for their dresses is strong enough, and there's a convenient cushion, wall or background against which they can be propped, they can be made to stand - for photography purposes, anyway.

The next stage in production is to attach the shoes - from the photographs of MrsPB's two Rabbit Toys,  (also included in our earlier post) it appears that who ever made them, used the shoe pattern to make plush feet to match the head, paws and legs for those two Toys.  This is what the 2016 Coldham YR versions now look like.

Following the provision of  shoes, the next stage was to make the pantaloons for both Toys.  This time around, Isobel used some pale blue shiny poplin fabric she had in stock, and added white lace trimming to the bottom of each leg on both Toys.  The pants were then gathered and fitted around the "ankles" of each Rabbit, using pale blue embroidery yarn, with all six strands, to achieve the gathered finish.

Then the next stage is to start making the individual dresses........

I'm going to leave you all in suspense for another week - just in case, the negotiations regarding the Tiggywinkles blog project take longer to complete than we hope (or indeed, if permission to use our pictures is refused).  That outcome is not really expected - because Isobel intends to write about Tiggywinkles in exactly the same way as she does here (and helps me to do as well, of course).  But. these matters can never be taken for granted, and we have to be prepared for that outcome.

We've yet to get in touch with our contact at Tiggywinkles about being able to describe what it's like at that establishment - and to use the pictures in our camera to do so.  There didn't seem to be much point  - without a functioning computer for one thing:  also, each time we'd attempted to telephone our contact there, she was not in the office.  So, that is one of the first things we're hoping to get done this coming week.

Meanwhile, I can tell you that Isobel has amassed another £10-15.00 GBP for both Tiggywinkles and West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue since we sent our initial £25.00 each in November.  Not that we have sold THAT many Hedgehog Toys since then, although we've found new homes for several in that time.  But, we've been generously supported by those who have purchased any COLDHAMCUDDLIES Toys over the Christmas period as well.

In the Shop's shipping policies, Isobel tells would-be Buyers that she does over-estimate the possible shipping costs.  She'd much prefer to send a refund if the payment exceeds the actual cost - and it's a modus operandi that has proved acceptable to ALL our customers.   Now, the news of our effort to try to save the UK Hedgehog population is spreading - via the Etsy Teams Isobel works with as well. Since the Hedgehog Project began therefore, Isobel has suggested that our customers, together with Friends and Followers  - ALL of whom have given written support for her attempts to date - that instead of the refunds being sent back, they consider allowing Isobel to add the surplus shipping charges to the ColdhamCuddlies Hedgehog fund raising scheme.   (Naturally, if they'd prefer not to do so, the refunds will be returned - as in the past).

To date not one of our customers has refused - which is why, when Isobel gets around to adding up the funds, there could well be even more than £10-15.00 GBP winging its way to each Hedgehog Hospital.  I'll let you know next week!

Early in the New Year, our original Brown Daddy Hedgehog was offered a new home by Mrs LH of Marshall, North Carolina, U.S.A.  Before he left, the usual Farewell photographing ceremony took place -

Yesterday, we learned that he had arrived safely - and that he is currently sitting in MrsLH's work room, supervising her production efforts.  She is considering allowing her young grandson to play with him when they next get together!  (MrsLH is a fellow member on one of  Isobel's Etsy Teams - and her work can be seen by clicking here https://www.etsy.com/shop/LindasQuiltedGarden).

The news of our effort to try to save the UK Hedgehog population is spreading - via the Etsy Teams Isobel works with as well.

Until then - have a great week Everybody.  Your Friend, Cy Bear.

Happy New Year = New Beginnings and New Cuddlies

Hello Everyone!

Cy Bear back once again, and delighted to be with you all. Sitting on Isobel's bed while she gallivants about the country gets a bit boring,   However 2016 is looking like being an a exciting time to be involved with the Coldham Cuddlies - and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you all.

First off,  we're in the process of making a completely new version of our Lady Rabbit Dressed Toy.  Just before Christmas, we received an enquiry from MrsPB asking if we could make a Rabbit like Jemima Rabbit, shown below

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112432364/stuffed-jemima-brown-bunny-toy-plush

She actually wanted a finished Toy to resemble an existing Family Rabbit Toy and sent us this picture.

Now you can all see that this Boy Dressed Rabbit closely resembles the pattern for our own Gentleman Rabbits, so Isobel responded that she'd be happy to do so.  As the Rabbit she was enquiring about was due to be a Christmas Present for her daughter, Isobel sent links to three of our existing dressed girl rabbits, including Jemima, who was MrsPB's ultimate choice because the short time period left between our original contact and  approaching Christmas postal deadlines were almost non-existent. Getting a brand new Toy, which didn't have a yellow plush head and paws was not a viable Christmas option - given that Isobel normally seeks between 3-4 weeks from receipt of order to the date of it being dispatched.

We were not optimistic that we would keep the order as a result, but were delighted to hear back from MrsPB she had decided to go with a new Lady yellow plush version, and with the convo came this picture of her version, called Mummy Rabbit.

Now that just confirmed to Isobel that indeed the same basic pattern for both MrsPB's rabbits and ours had been used - with the maker's changes incorporated. 

So when Christmas was over, and Philippa had delivered Isobel back home at the beginning of last week, preparations started which hopefully will result in not one, but two new versions of the Yellow Lady Rabbits coming to fruition.  Isobel had some blue gingham in stock (which matched the Boy Rabbit's shirt and Mummy Rabbit's dress) and suggested MrsPB might also like to consider a version using a rather pretty blue floral fabric\(as children don't normally like to look exactly like their parents, do they?), which we had used for one of our recent Dressed Lady Wolves - shown below

https://www.etsy.com/listing/242203175/stuffed-wolf-toy-called-betty-cuddly?

The final decision has yet to be made, of course, but starting last Wednesday, Isobel has cut out two sets of Lady Rabbits, together with most of their respective clothing items.  We've still got to cut out and sew the pantaloons and aprons for the Rabbit toys, but so far this is what they are likely to look like.

The Floral Fabric version

The Gingham check version.

This afternoon, when preparing to do this post, while she was fiddling around in order to transfer these pictures from the Etsy convo site (which is different from the Etsy Shop listing site), she noticed that the MrsPB's rabbit's legs have the same plush pattern as head and front paws, whereas, of course, Isobel has cut out and made shoes to match the dress at the moment. 

 She's already sent copies of the progress to date to MrsPB, so when we've finished this post today, she will naturally be contacting her to see if she want paws or shoes on the final version of 2016 Yellow Plush Rabbit.  Whichever one doesn't get sent to Lancashire, England, UK will be joining the rest of the Coldham Cuddlies Rabbit population - and probably will be listed as our 2016 Easter Bunny!

I know:  we've only just finished with Christmas, but like all the other outlets, we cannot be left behind.  Easter is early this year, so Isobel tells me, so the quicker we get on and get some more Rabbits - in stock, as well as for replacements at "The Artful Buttoner" - the better.

We've not forgotten our Hedgehogs - but we've still got to get official clearance to be able to use the photographs Isobel took when visiting StTiggywinkles Hospital while she was staying with Philippa.  We've decided to wait until this week - when everyone gets back to normal working schedules - before we send a draft of post about the visit, as it is unlikely that anyone who could give us that permission would be back at work before January 4th.  (So it's a good thing we've had the new Rabbits to post about, because we'd have struggled to produce a bulletin this week otherwise!)

So, with that, I'll leave you for this week.  Hope you're all well and ready for a New Year - doing whatever you do, where ever you live and work.   See you all soon. 

Your Friend - Cy Bear.

PS:  The differing positions for pictures here also illustrates the differences between the two Etsy sites!  Isobel still has difficulty with some technical issues when posting on this blog.  Hope it doesn't irritate you - as much as it irritates her!