Puffin R - Part 2: Progress Report on His Restoration Therapy.

Good afternoon Everybody:

Cy Bear starting off this week's bulletin - because ever since I chatted with you last week,  it has become obvious that some of the statements made in introducing PuffinR were a little wide of the mark.  Not intentional you understand,  but discovered during the course of Isobel's attention during last week.

First of all, I did say that PuffinR's feet could be re-used:  when they were taken apart, it was found that the stuffing that was still attached was really all that was holding the limbs together.  Isobel decided that he would end up with two new feet, because the fabric initially used for his feet was too damaged to work with new stuffing.  (You can see some of that stuffing in the right foot, still attached to the original body).

Having taken PuffinR apart, Isobel got to work on the template, which has served her well.  She had hoped to be able to get PuffinR completed and on his way to Rhode Island by the end of this week: however "life" intervened with other distractions during the week.   Plus there were some hiccups in Isobel's working with the New Toy,  and it looks as though PuffinR's journey will now begin towards the end of next week,  That is still well before the beginning of March - which contains an important date: NR's, PuffinR's Forever Friend, Birthday.


Progress has been made, however - and I'm now going to hand over to Isobel, who can explain things better - as she's been doing the work!


Hello there Folks!


I'm glad to report that PuffinR is gradually returning to life - but will look different.  However much I try, because of different fabrics involved - the fleece he was originally made with, and the fleeces available here in the UK - do look and feel different.  He's going to still be very cuddly and friendly for NR, but to begin with he will be different, inevitably.


Here's how he's looking:

The new look feet are in place, and PuffinR's Base is almost sewn in - a gap has been left at one of the corners where his Front and Back meet the Base - so that the stuffing can be put in at the appropriate time.  (When it comes to the stuffing, it may still go in at the top (or neck area):  in which case, the gap at the Base will be closed up - obviously!)

The gap doesn't show in the photograph above (showing the Toy inside out), because it's nearer the tail than the front.  That tail is in place as can be seen below:

His two Wings are pinned in place, and will be sewn in properly when the Head is completed.  That's been a bit tricky, because I'd kind of forgotten the order in which I had dis-assembled PuffinR.  However, that difficulty has now been overcome, and the Head should be sewn together and stuffed by the end of play, tonight (Sunday).


Currently, the Beak is ready to be attached to the Head - but I've not yet decided if that will be when the head has been attached to the body, or whether it will be sewn in place before that important seam is created.  Meanwhile, here is a photograph of the Front of the Head with the darts yet to be sewn in. This is also how the finished beak currently looks:

It doesn't look right yet, because the back of the head has yet to be sewn together, but at least you can see what the new beak looks like - unstuffed.


As PuffinR arrived without any eyes, I have selected a couple of options I have in stock  - shown below.   I'm going to show DadR and NR, so they can choose which one is most like the ones they recall PuffinR originally had.  Currently they're shown with the white cheek as a background.  The finished eye will have a black felt background in the middle of the white fleece pieces shown above, and the eye will be in the middle of that addition.  (I can just decipher the shape the felt should be from one of the original cheeks, and propose to trace it and then cut it out in cardboard for a template - to join the rest of the template pieces.)


The eyes are currently not fixed - but one can see the difference between them.

 If DadR and the NR's extended family and friends read this post (we did get a comment from one of them on Cy Bear's bulletin last week), I'm hoping I'll get a comment quickly as to which one they'd like me to fit.  Otherwise, I'll email the pics to DadR  and hopefully get an answer back early in the week, so that PuffinR can be completed.


Those of you who read last week's blog will recall that I had said his original pieces would be a tacked on the inside of each piece before it was stuffed.  While working on PuffinR this week, I decided to actually make a "dry run" - which is what is pictured here.  It gives me an idea as to the best way to go in creating the New Look PuffinR.  (That will then become the new addition to our Toy Shop - www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com).


The second version, still to be cut out, will have those original pieces tacked in place, as Cy Bear described.  It will result, not only in PuffinR being the same size as this model, but he could actually take a little less stuffing.


(Which reminds me:  when I send the photograph of the eyes, I'll need to ascertain if PuffinR in his original state was a "firm" stuffed toy, or a "lightly stuffed toy").  Some of these "mass-produced" toys, as I suspect PuffinR to have been, can be very wobbly indeed, and if NR is to "take" to the new version, I want to make sure that I don't add to the newness of his cherished Forever Friend by making him too firm.  The polyester fibre I use meets all international safety standards, and does eventually "relax",  with time and cuddles, but I really do want to ease the introductory process as much as feasible)


Next week, Cy Bear and I will bring you all up to date - with, hopefully, a Farewell Picture of the two new Friends before PuffinR is sent on his way back HOME to Warwick, Rhode Island, New York, U.S.A.


Good Bye for now - hope everyone has a terrific week, and that Spring will be here soon!  The weather has been particularly nasty this week, although warmer times are said to be on their way.


Isobel.

PuffinR, our Newest Patent in the Clinic, prepares for his treatment.

Hello Everyone:  

Cy Bear here to tell you about PuffinR, (as he has been registered) normally a resident of Warwick, Rhode Island, New York, U.S.A - but now registered as our latest Patient in the COLDHAMCUDDLIES Stuffed Toy Animal Restoration Clinic (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/79124185/stuffed-toy-animal-restoration?ref=shop_home_active_1)

Puffin R upon arrival after a 6 day journey from the USA

So that we could prepare PuffinR's perch in the Clinic, Isobel asked for  some background information about this unfortunate bird.  He has been the Forever Friend, since his first birthday, of NR, who is now 4 years old, (with an upcoming March birthday).  PuffinR is a Boy Bird, although for a short period - after NR's sister arrived in 2015 - he was a girl.  He's a popular member of the family, and is described by DadR as "always being a silly bird"!  PuffinR is also sad that "the dog was mean to him - but "everyone has learned the lesson that it is necessary to keep stuffies off the floor when dogs are around"!

So that he didn't feel hungry as he set out on this "Puffin adventure of a lifetime", NR suggested that he travel with a lollipop - which you can see in the arrival picture.  Upon arrival, Isobel suggested to DadR that PuffinR must have slept all the way through the journey, since the lollipop had been untouched.  We then reassured PuffinR's Family that he was in safe hands by sending this photo of him and me (and the lollipop!)

Sitting on a chair in our Living Room.

You can see that the lollipop is still untouched.  Between you and me, I don't really think that lollipop's are Bear food, so I suspect that the item will be returning to the USA once PuffinR's treatment is completed.  I think that will go down well with NR - who when told about the intact candy (the American for a sweet - the word used over on this side of the Atlantic Ocean) said to his Dad that "Puffin must be saving it for him"!  

For the information of our Followers, here is the "low-down" on poor PuffinR's current state of health (or not, as the case may be):

He's really not got a functioning beak:  that  will have to be totally rebuilt.
His two feet have been ripped away from his body, but remain intact.  Isobel will try to fix  them to the new body, because they are usable.
His entire front (chest) will have to be replaced, because there are holes around each side, as well as those visible in the photo above.
He no longer has any eyes.  Two more will be needed.
The stuffing you see attached to his feet, is all that is now left - after the Dog's attentions, and PuffinR having had a bath prior to his travel across the Atlantic Ocean.

His right wing (which you can sort of see in this photo) is pretty intact, and will be used to provide the template for both wings when the new PuffinR is created.
His left wing (sticking out at the back of this photo)  must have been used by the dog to both pull the Toy apart, as well as shake it, as it has been stretched completely out of place, as you can see from the picture below.  It's almost the length of the whole existing body.  Both will need replacement.

The first step for Isobel is to take PuffinR apart and find how he's made!  She can then create a cardboard template so that she can cut out the replacement pieces to put PuffinR back together again.

As I said earlier, PuffinR has already had a bath (DadR confirmed that this had taken place, because the thought of a travelling Puffin toy in a package smelling strongly of Dog "was not a palatable one"!).  So, once PuffinR is in pieces, and the replacement pattern created, we plan to tack the original pieces to their matching sections using the new material,  before sewing the body together.  He will then be re-stuffed.  Once the final PuffinR has been created, the tacking will be removed (as the original toy pieces will be held in place by the stuffing).


Previous experience when we've been restoring our Patients is that PuffinR may well end up slightly bigger than he is at the moment.  Isobel was surprised at how small he is actually - we'd got the idea from the original photos that he was a much bigger toy than he is.  He's about the same size as one of our Baby Koalas - see below

Mind you, this Koala is fully stuffed:  I'll measure them when PuffinR is restored

Having said that,  DadR says that "though Puffin was never a large bird, the size of his personality fills the room".

While awaiting PuffinR's arrival, Isobel did some research with the two main on-line fabric suppliers we use and asked for swatches so that matching could take place as quickly as possible.  Some have have arrived, but on inspection, not all are as good a match as we are seeking.  (One does have  to allow for differences in fabric manufacture and dyes used - so an absolute match is not going to be possible.  Also colours pictured on the internet also can be misleading).

Since PuffinR arrived though, we've established that he is made with fleece, so on Saturday morning, Isobel decided to take PuffinR with her on a reconnaisance trip to a haberdashery outlet in Mansfield, the nearest big Town to us here in Kirkby in Ashfield, and has successfully matched all the colours, in the usual fleece fabrics available to us, that we need to achieve PuffinR's "New Look."  On the basis of "getting it when you see it", quarter metre pieces of all the colours have been purchased - to be put into use early next week.  We now wait for Isobel to undertake PuffinR's recovery operation, by creating the new template to put him together.


The exception will be the feet, which could have been replaced with felt, if need be - but as I mentioned earlier, PuffinR's existing feet will actually be usable, and will become the only pieces to be visible of the original Toy. However, we are delighted that none of the original PuffinR will be discarded, but will form the basis of each piece of the restored body.

What Isobel will be using later this week in PuffinR's re-creation

(Quarter metre is the smallest length we could purchase for this exercise, so there's going to be fabric left over.  Afterwards, we hope we'll be able to make some versions of  our own PuffinR's as we think they'll make great additions to our Plush Bird Toy collection. This will be done using the template Isobel hopes to create to restore PuffinR.  Excitingly, the lemon fleece we found is a better colour-match for PuffinR's beak - and, additionally, currently unavailable from our two internet sources.   The leftover material can be used to make some suitable Easter Chicks and Duck Toys, something Isobel had been considering as additional Coldham Cuddlies for 2017).

PuffinR's family will be sent a copy of each post from this blog while he is being treated.  DadR's last comment this week to Isobel indicates that much of their  "extended family is quite entertained by this entire endeavor. I think they'll be excited about the blog as well, so I hope to bring you some new readers.  (We both look forward to welcoming them to our existing Band of Followers!)

Cy Bear, by all means, should share in Puffin's largesse. It's not often a patient arrives with a present."  (Isobel had said that she'd "try to keep my paws off the lollipop while Puffin is being treated"  - I'm feeling a bit offended by that!  As if I would!)

So, I'll end this report from our Toy Restoration Clinic - with the wish that you all have a great week.  In the interim, I shall ponder DadR's remark about "Puffin's largesse".......

Your Friend, Cy Bear

The Latest Cuddlies Updates after a busy Week

Hello there Everyone - Cy Bear back again.

It's been a busy old week for us in the ColdhamCuddlies Shop (www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com) and as official Mascot for the enterprise, it's been decided that I'm the one to do this post this week.


It's shorter than usual - Isobel is headed for the Helper's Party being thrown for all those who assist the Clergy at St. Barnabas Cathedral, Nottingham, and as one of the regular Readers, she's been included in the mass invitation.  Clare, Alan and GrandsonE are also included, and it's the sort of occasion that goes on as long as it goes on.......until the last man/woman decides it's time to go home and resume "normal" life.  So, this is being drafted on Saturday, and will be posted when Isobel returns to our Flat "on the day".

Early in the week, we checked our Etsy Accounts page to find that payment for the Black Plush Baby Rabbit ordered at the beginning of last week-end by MrAP from Neumacher, Aberdeen, Scotland was en route to the Shop's bank account in the UK.  So having established which one of these four Baby Bunnies was the one destined to make the journey - 

Isobel packed up the selected Toy, wrapped it up and carried out her usual administrative tasks associated with sending a Coldham Cuddly to meet his Forever Friend.  

This time, MrAP chose an all Black Baby Rabbit (the one between the white-chested Baby Rabbit and the one with an orange ribbon around his neck) - which can be difficult to differentiate when we are placed close together for the purposes of a Farewell ceremonial photograph.  (You can just see him appearing over my right shoulder).

We also established that the said Forever Friend is a Baby (many of our Baby Toys do actually find themselves as gifts to adults, you know!), the usual Farewell Ceremony took place before the wrapped  Baby Rabbit disappeared into the polythene postal envelope in which our departing friends make their journeys - globally quite often, but this time as far as Scotland, UK.

Then, excitingly, on Thursday afternoon, we received an enquiry regarding possible restorative therapy for a damaged Puffin Toy, the much-treasured companion for a young boy called NR, living with his family in Rhode Island, New York, USA.  DadR had contacted one of the members of an Etsy Team for which Isobel is a Leader, and as the lady herself could not assist him,  she introduced DadR to Isobel.  Alas, the Puffin had been involved in a "discussion" with a family friend's Dog, and  had come off worst in the encounter.  Puffin and NR  have been very close companions, since NR's first birthday,  and DadR was desperate to see if  our Stuffed Animal Toy Restoration Clinic 

(https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/79124185/stuffed-toy-animal-restoration?ref=shop_home_active_1) could accept Puffin as a Patient.


Some photographs were sent showing the extent of Puffin's injuries, one of which is shown below:

DadR provided three pics, but these are the ones indicating the worst damage.

The excited canine had torn poor Puffin and had a great time extracting the stuffing!  By the look of the injuries, it seems a not insurmountable task, so Isobel  said she'd like to have a go at meeting the challenge of restoring Puffin to his former look.


DadR  gave us the following information when we last heard from him on Friday evening:

"We plan on taking Puffin to the post office in the morning, pack him with some travel treats, and say good-bye while he undertakes the trans-Atlantic journey from Rhode Island to Kirby in Ashfield. It will be a Puffin adventure worth telling for a generation."

We'll be able to give DadR a better idea of what will be involved  when Puffin reaches us, but the main problem is likely to be finding the right matching fabric with which to undertake the necessary repairs. Permission has been granted for us to provide a blow-by-blow account of the treatment here in the blog as it proceeds, so we've got at least a couple of posts for you to look forward to in the not too distant future.  As usual, day to day care of our prospective Patient will be left to me.

See you all again soon:

Your friend,  

Cy Bear.

In the steps of the Pilgrim Fathers....

Hello Everyone!


Cy Bear is taking a back seat this week, because he was on guard at home in Nottinghamshire when this visit to Plymouth, Devon took place in early Autumn last year.  When deciding to give you a change from Toy News, this week, I had not intended to choose this piece for exactly this week-end: however, with America in the news as rarely before, it does seem to be an appropriate heading for this week's blog!

Last September, elder daughter, Philippa and I were spending a few days exploring this bit of the UK - me for the first time: Philippa  on this day, catching up with her best friend from University days, and renewing her acquaintance with  her honorary nephew and nieces.  Having found our way from where we'd been spending our holiday to Devon, we were taken to the ferry point which would deliver us to the centre of Plymouth, which was our intended destination.

This is the view of The Dockyard - from Plymouth Hooe, near the spot where Sir Francis Drake is reputed to have played bowls as he waited for the arrival of the Spanish Armada way back circa 1588.  The Fort buildings stand guard still and face the mouth of the River Plym, as it enters the English Channel.

Once we'd left the car, we made our way down to the boat station - and I have to confess to being a little leery of the impending journey across the water.  The trip was only due to take a matter of minutes,but I've never been that good on TOP of water. even though I'd managed well enough the day before during our visit to Dartmouth - but that trip had involved literally crossing a narrow strip of water: this looked a whole lot more open - and the boat we were heading for did not look that sturdy!!

The boat goes over pretty well every quarter of an hour or so, so we all piled in and set off - with me resolutely look anywhere but the immediate horizon - although as you can see from the photo below, the sea was as calm as millpond.  

Having reached dry land quickly and safely, we then had a thoroughly pleasant hour walking through the cobbled streets of Plymouth - with many of the buildings really not matching parts of the age of the road, due to the Town Centre having been all but obliterated during the WW11 Blitz of the City. 

We were headed for the tall tower at the end of the street - the Headquarters of  Plymouth Gin.  As we had youngsters with us, and really weren't in the mood to top our spirit supplies that day,  I just took a picture of the factory - closer up

and then we headed off down the side streets - which are well worth browsing through.  Then we found ourselves getting nearer the dockside once more.

While we waited for the ferry to return and pick us up for the return journey, we were followed by the miniature train which chuffs it's way around the City - and was in this case headed in the direction of the Fort.

Just before we got on the boat, I managed to take this picture of the steps from where the Pilgrim Fathers are said to have finally embarked on their journey to the New World.  Thought our American Followers would be interested in seeing them - and they lend credence to the title of this post.  The sun wasn't really in the best place to show the steps to their best advantage, but I think you can get the drift!

Having suffered no ill effects on the way in to the Town Centre, I was not quite so hesitant about the return journey.  Even managed to take this photo of the water back to our starting point - which showed that we were going slightly against the tide, and therefore creating a bit of a swell behind us.

However, no ill effects were felt and we returned to our friend's home for light refreshment before returning back to Paignton, where we were staying with my Cousin.  Once again, we were fortunate in the weather.

The technical issues I've been having with my Facebook accounts might be beginning to get solved,   Not quite sure, but links seem to once again be becoming established in the right way.  Hopefully this will result in all the work I've been doing on that media site actually having the right effect in increasing views and visits to our Shop.  I'm deeply grateful that the Facebook Help site seems to have understood my plaintive calls for help - fingers crossed!!  Now let's hope I don't create mayhem once again as the future unfolds!

The final Golf Club Handle Cover (replacing the one send just after Christmas to our customer in Runcorn) is finished - and now resides in our newly established stash of Handle Covers. From the lack of contact from our Cheshire-based customer, it would seem that the Yogi Bear Golf Club Cover did fit one of her Friend's clubs.  A very satisfactory outcome if that is the case.


Next in the construction stakes is a replacement pair of  Polar Bear Slippers, which forms one of our two new listings I'm planning on publishing later today.  I've not sufficient photographs of these Baby Slippers on their own, but some with both Panda Bear Kids Slippers that the Polar Bears travelled with to Italy (in October last year) are being used as a starter.  Now that Christmas is well and truly over, I feel it is appropriate for both to be published, and once the replacement Polar Bear models are completed, I'll replace the photographs in the listing.

Hopefully, the new Polar Bear Slippers will be almost done by this time next week, and then I can get on with some more Small Animal replacements.  New arrangements for displaying a selection of our small animal toys - Monkeys, Bears, Rabbits, and Piglets, as well as a selection of our Nursery Mobiles - in the new premises of our friends "The Artful Buttoner" have been made.  Several Cuddlies found new homes over the last year through that outlet, and we are hopeful that this year's selection will be equally successful.


With that, I'll end this week's bulletin - hope everyone has a great one Next Week!


Your Friend, Isobel.

Golf Club Covers - with New Handles on Offer!

Cy Bear calling in once again to wish Everyone a Good Day!

Last week, I told you that Isobel was deep in the production of new Golf Club Handle Covers and I'm pleased to tell you that now not only do we have a set of new Handle Covers for our Yellow Plush Bear Head Covers  - which currently look like this:

But they now could have handle covers looking like any one of these three new offerings.

Not only has Isobel made these three new versions, but she's done the same for our current Tiger Head Club Covers too.  The patterns could be changed if folks wanted to suggest a new order - but the basic, double rib knitting stitch would still remain the same.  It provides a thoroughly elastic handle cover, capable of being stretched over the Golf Club Head and then returned to the long handled straight shape without losing it's elongated look.

In my post last week, I mentioned that Isobel was working on some new handles for our current Orange Tiger Print Golf Club Covers - and these three have been the outcome of her labours.

The current version looks like this - and we currently have two of them in stock in our Shop at www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com.

We have learned that the Yogi Bear type Cover - which formed the basis of our last week's bulletin -did arrive safely, but MsMS emailed Isobel to say she was not sure that it would cover her Friend's Club that she had in mind when ordering it before Christmas.  She had been looking for a Cover for a Driver - which is what Isobel has always thought our Golf Club was also called.  Naturally, we've offered MsMS a total refund for both the Cover and the initial Shipping charge, but she came back to say that she would like to see if our Yogi Bear Cover might fit another of her Friend's Clubs. We've not heard anything more, so are naturally hoping that another Club in the Friend's Golf Club Bag can benefit from our Cover's sheltering capabilities:  but are more than prepared to find our Yogi Bear-type Cover back in the fold here in Nottinghamshire sometime next week.  I'll update you naturally, as and when.

However, Isobel now needs to find someone locally who can give us some  access to their Golf Clubs which she can use to measure our pattern templates.  The Golf Club we were kindly given several years ago was one from a set of clubs that were no longer in use by its then owner - who had replaced his golf clubs with a set of "whizzy" new ones.  We believe that the most modern Drivers have complicated innards - not previously part of the old-fashioned wooden ones, of which our model is one - so it may well be that they are  now a bit bigger and our patterns need to reflect the changed size.  So - that's one of the new challenges ahead for us in the coming weeks.  

It won't affect the Club Handle Covers, whose dimensions will remain the same  - we've still got one more Handle Cover to knit - the replacement for the one last heard of in the Runcorn area of Great Britain, unless it is already on its way back to us here in Nottinghamshire.   Isobel's hands are a little tired after all that knitting in the past two weeks or so - something she hasn't done as much of in the last three or four years.  

Meanwhile, here's a photograph of me with the remaining Brown Patterned Golf Club Handles, awaiting the replacement Handle in the next few days:

The next week or two is going to have Isobel busy in the Shop rearranging the items, giving them some new tags (labels) and titles and hopefully giving the Shop a bit of a new look for 2017.  We've got a few new items to list as well - so if there isn't a Cuddlies  blog in the next week or so, please don't think we've gone away.  We may resort to a non-Cuddly post or two - so keep watching this space.  We've got photos taken while Isobel was away last September in Devon yet to show you - and this might be the perfect opportunity to do so.

Also, Isobel has signed up for a "bootcamp" she found on Facebook last week - not sure what she's going to learn from it - but she seems to finding lots of notes to scribble on a  "Bootcamp Blueprint" that she printed off during last week - so that's been keeping her busy as well.

See you all around soon.

Your Friend, Cy Bear.

Welcome to 2017 - With some New Look Golf Club Covers

Hello Everyone - and a Happy New Year to One and All.  Cy Bear being allowed to offer this post- our first for the New Year.

Last week, New Year's Day, fell on a Sunday, Isobel was invited out to attend the 10th Birthday Party of  her daughter's Godson, and got back later than she intended.  Somehow, what with Christmas Day also being on a Sunday, our normal weekly blog routine got out of kilter.  Also, Isobel has been busy finishing our last order for 2016 - which arrived shortly before the cut off date for any orders to be delivered to UK destinations before Christmas.  The problem was compounded by the fact that MsMS wanted us to send her our Yogi Bear Golf Club Cover, which had already found a new home.  However, she was willing to allow Isobel to make a new version - and for it to be sent to her after the Holiday, so that's what happened between the end of the Christmas festivities and this last Saturday (January 7th).

We've been considering changing the look of our Golf Club Covers - to give them a more "artistic" look.  They're being given a patterned boost, hoping in the process to attract more of the worldwide golfing community to consider offering our Covers a slot in their golf club bags.  So, this is what the new Yogi Bear Golf Club Covers can look like - featuring the one that was dispatched to Runcorn, Cheshire, England, UK on Saturday 7th January - as well as offering others a choice in future.

Our New Yogi Bear Type Head on our resident Golf Club

The current choice of Yogi Bear type Golf Club Handle Covers

Isobel sent a photo of the three choices to our Customer, MsMS,  and asked her to choose which one she would like us to send.  As it's for a friend of hers, and she didn't have a particular favourite, she left the choice to us.  So, we chose this one  .....

Frontal view of  our new Golf Club Cover

and the Rear View

.....  and hope that she approves!  Isobel will then knit the replacement, and place it in a specific storage space - for future use.   The parcel was dispatched on via Royal Mail Special Delivery - meaning it should be at it's destination by mid-day (at the latest) on Monday morning, 9th January.

It's been an interesting exercise, actually. We've now got a much better idea about the length of time it takes us to make one of these items.  Once she had run to earth the template for the Yogi Bear Head, it appears to take Isobel a couple of evenings to sew one - from cutting out to completion. And the handle covers take approximately the same time too. (That's if there's no television on in the background!! Listening to talking is too distracting to keep a pattern going - without effort: however, if there is soothing music, usually of the classical variety on the radio, knitting these patterned handles goes fast!)  The Tiger Head template was in its envelope in the Pattern Library, but for reasons best known to our Resident Poltergeist, the correct-sized Bear Head was nowhere to be found. So, a rapid replacement exercise was instituted and carried out! (The so-called Resident Poltergeist gets blamed for everything that goes astray in our home!!!  It's quite amazing how often that seems to happen, by the way!)

We already have some knitted handle covers, with different knitted patterns, in stock.

Our Panda Bear Golf Club Covers

as well as our Tiger Head Covers:

Isobel is currently knitting up some black and yellow knitted handle covers, which she intends to offer for our Yellow Bear Head Golf Club Covers - which currently only come with  the plain black handle cover.

We'll let you see them when they're all finished.  (Currently two out of the three are done: with the third almost completed).  


Plans are also afoot to make some Orange and Black patterned handles for our Tigers - for as long as our supply of this orange fabric lasts, that is.  Since these were originally offered in our Shop (www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com), we've been able to source some more "realistic" Tiger print fabric - as shown in one of our Tiger Arm Puppets - and Isobel plans on creating some Tiger Head Golf Club Covers with this fabric as well.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/237064583/puppet-tiger-activity toy-light-brown?

 Let's hope the weather encourages lots of Golfers out onto their respective courses, WORLDWIDE - because of course COLDHAMCUDDLIES does offer worldwide shipping! - and they feel the need to save their clubs from wear and tear in their golf club bags as they play their respective games!


Lots of other plans are afoot - and we'll be telling you about them as the weeks go by.  Meanwhile, have a great week Everyone.  It's good to be back here again - and look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Your Friend, Cy Bear

COLDHAMCUDDLIES say Good Bye to 2016 - Welcome to 2017

Greetings Everyone - with this last post about the  COLDHAMCUDDLIES from me for 2016.

Overall, it's been a good one for the Shop, and we're all looking forward to 2017 to see what happens next.

We've heard that the Blue and White Fleece Baby Rabbit, and his travel companion, one of our Grey and White Plush Baby Rabbits, arrived safe and well in time for their Christmas meeting with their Forever Friends.  MrsSS sent us this series of pictures just before things closed down for the Christmas holiday (and before the meetings took place):

Then over last week-end, we received an enquiry from MsSS - whose twin sister has recently become Mum to a little boy - and she was hoping that we would be able to send her a pair of Pink Fleece Piglets in time for Christmas.  As she lives in the UK, and we did have the Pink Fleece Piglet Twins shown here in stock, we were able to pack them up and posted them on Wednesday morning, while I was doing part of my weekly shop in Kirkby in Ashfield.  Cy Bear did our usual Farewell Ceremony prior to their being packed up.  

Yesterday - Boxing Day - I was absolutely delighted to get photos from MsSS showing the Pink Piglet Twins with their Forever Friend.

The message from MsSS read as follows:

      "Thanks Isobel. They are lovely! I'm sure he'll have them for life. Merry Christmas xx"

(I never get over how fast things can happen these days - thanks to modern technology, and on-line Shopping!  The order was received Sunday, payment confirmed on Monday, the funds reached my UK bank account on Tuesday, but too late for me to send the package that day - but Royal Mail Special Delivery ensured it could reach its destination on Thursday mid-day, after I'd done the posting on Wednesday!!  Simply great - when everything works well!!)

Our prospective Buyer enquiring about the Brown Bear Golf Club Cover (which Cy Bear spoke about last week) was in no hurry to have it for Christmas, as she was only interested in a Yogi Bear type Club Cover - and was prepared to wait for it to be made between Christmas and the New Year.  There's still one more special party to attend, later today, after which I'll cut out two of these Club Covers and send one of them off to Runcorn, Cheshire sometime next week - making it the first Order for 2017!  (It so happens, I've actually got two knitted handles waiting for their respective heads - whomever they may be - in stock).

As ever, technology is defeating me and the font has mysteriously morphed into another one.  So, I'll end this post by wishing you all the very best for 2017.  May you all receive everything you are wishing for yourselves and your families - and Cy Bear and I look forward to meeting you regularly next year.  As ever, thanks so much for being here for us!

Your Friends  Cy Bear                                      and                        Isobel

                                                  

Bits of This .... and bits of that!! A Lot has happened this week.

Greetings Everyone- once again:  from your Friend, Cy Bear.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, where the dickens did this week go?  It seems no time at all since I was posting last week's bulletin, and here we are again, catching up with what has happened this week.

First of all, as promised at the end of last week's post, on Wednesday, Isobel packed up and dispatched the Orange and Brown Tiger Golf Club Cover to MsAR, who lives in Cary, North Carolina - when she replied to our question about which of the three Golf Club Covers she actually wanted:

That was after Isobel had sent off the Two Baby Rabbits to MrsSS - again as I told you last week.

As Isobel prepares the draft of this week's offering, she's waiting to hear whether or not another Golf Club Cover has found a Forever Home.  Someone living just across The Pennines from Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire - in Runcorn, Cheshire to be exact - wants to have a Yogi Bear Cover, as illustrated here

Regrettably for MsMS,  our Yogi has also found a home recently, and Isobel had not delisted him - so we could illustrate the range of Covers we can supply!  We're waiting to hear if any the Golf Club Covers that we still have in stock (see below) would be of interest to her

If the answer is a positive one, we'll be able to get the item dispatched on Tuesday morning - meaning it will be in Runcorn by 1300 GMT on Wednesday, in time for Christmas.  Isobel has offered to make another Yogi Bear Golf Club Cover if not, but it would not be possible for that to happen until after Christmas, with a delivery date in the first week of January 1917.  See what I mean about things happening here this week?

With the two packets going off last week, and the recent orders received and sent off as well, Isobel decided we needed to get more bubble wrap.  Given the treatment often meted out by the postal authorities when Cuddlies are travelling, she likes to feel that they are well wrapped and snug before they leave us here in Nottinghamshire.  So, she dug out the last order from our suppliers (the task was undertaken just before she hit the hay on Tuesday evening) and ordered what she thought was an exact replica of our previous box of bubble wrap.  Unfortunately, she had chose the wrong catalogue number (she was wrong by just one digit, she tells me!)

Anyway, you can imagine her astonishment when the front door bell rang to announce the arrival of the bubble wrap delivery on Friday afternoon (it had travelled from Surrey, England, UK in the interim) to be faced with this sized object

I'm standing as high as I can, by the way!

Not only would the dimensions of this roll of bubble wrap be difficult to store, but even our biggest Cuddly would be drowned in a piece of this - although doubtless Isobel might have been able to cut a piece of it to size, had she kept it.  However, it certainly wouldn't fit in the space where our bubble wrap normally does - on top of the tissue paper on top of the bedroom cupboard:

Our flat is best described as "snug", and our bedroom even more so!  Had we kept this roll of wrap, the only place available would have been here.

Now that is where Isobel stores all her washing paraphenalia - as shown by the clothes maiden on the right of the picture and the corner of a laundry basket in bottom right! - and the suitcase, on which it is shown perching dangerously, doubles as storage space for bed clothes (e.g. duvet cover)  amongst other things!!  So it was obvious, that we had to make arrangements for its speedy return to our suppliers in Farnborough, Surrey - Engelbert Strauss Ltd.

This was accomplished, with the help of a lift from one of our friendly fellow residents,  to the Kirkby Post Office, only for Isobel to find that the return label provided to us by Engelbert Strauss Ltd was allegedly not useable by this particular Post Office, so that we could claim the free postage offered by our supplier.  So, Isobel decided to pay for the roll to be sent anyway (you'll understand why, I'm sure - from this photo of me beside the roll while it was on the suitcase). 

I'm perched on the end of the case, with the return label safely inside the plastic envelope in which the suppliers' documentation (including the allegedly wrong label) had been when it arrived.

When she returned home, not unnaturally, Englebert Strauss were informed about the dilemma, We've been dealing with the firm for the best part of 15-17 years now, and nothing like this has happened previously.  The Customer Services Department staff member was somewhat flabbergasted that she had had to pay, when the label works everywhere else it has been offered!! The young gentleman dealing with Isobel on the 'phone has promised to do his best to see if some, if not all, the monies expended on returning the label can be refunded - their current systems apparently don't do so.  Meanwhile, the Post Office has apparently been paid twice for the same transaction!!  (Isobel has suggested that as there is a refund due for the exchange of this roll to the previously purchased size -which is a lot smaller, and definitely fits into the space on top of our cupboard! - the postage be added to the refund.  Like all big firms, there is a system to be followed..... so we'll have to hope that it can be arranged).  The receipt from the Post Office is on its way to Farnborough, and we look forward to seeing what happens next.   We're going to probably have to wait until after Christmas because the receipt is having to travel through the annual festive season rush, with all the potential for getting lost and/or delayed in the post!

Isobel often tells me that some transactions can be jinxed from start to finish.  I can't help feeling that this bubble wrap incident might be one of them.  Results of the transaction are awaiting with bated breath!  We've been pleasantly surprised at how well the Cuddlies have done in our last year of trading. It's resulted in a healthy profit, rather than just a meagre one - or loss, when Isobel also did our accounts this week - but even so, £12.98 ($16.21 USD) is quite a bite out of anyone's spending money all in one go!! We'll let you know what transpires, never you fear!

Now, its time I stopped waffling on.  So, I'll leave you by wishing everyone a "Very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year", and look forward to being with you again, sometime after Christmas, which of course is next Sunday (when we would normally be posting the next bulletin).

Your Friend, Cy Bear