Introducing our Easter Ducklings as well as News of Old Friends.

Hello Everyone:

Cy Bear being allowed to chat with you again!  Once Isobel gets going, there's no stopping her, and I never know if - or WHEN, for that matter - I'll get the chance to chat with you all again!!!

Our post last week concentrated on the Baby Chickens made during the previous week:  one of them, the one in the middle of this photograph, was bought by a family friend when the Chicks, and our new Ducklings, were being shown to friends and fellow Mass attenders at St.Barnabas Cathedral in Nottingham, during the coffee session this morning.

I'm very pleased to tell you that we now have three Yellow Fleece Ducklings, made with the same fabrics used for the Chickens last week, and they were listed in the Shop (www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com) last evening.  Here they are, together with a link to them if any of our Followers feel similarly inclined!  You can see, although the same pattern was used for all of them, none of them look exactly alike!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/508463030/baby-duckling-toys-yellow-duck-toys-baby?ref=shop_home_active_1

Isobel opened up the computer just now and found that an order has already been placed for one of them - by Mrs HB, best friend of her daughter Clare, who is one of the best customers we have.  (This will be her fourth order since we opened the Shop in 2010).  Thus, as they are "in stock", one of the Ducklings shown here - MrsHB has been asked to let us know if she has a preference - will be winging (pun intended!) its way to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada just as soon as the money transaction has been completed  (I gather that means just as soon as the funds reach the Shop's Bank Account.  So I guess the departing Duckling will be posted on Wednesday afternoon, when Isobel does part of her weekly shop and can post the parcel while she is in Kirkby in Ashfield Town Centre.)

I'm told, too, that one of the Ducklings was "booked" by a family friend during the Coffee Session in the Cathedral Hall today, but wasn't actually purchased.  (Neither Isobel nor the potential Buyer had sufficient change for the transaction!).  That will take place next Sunday, other things being equal - or that is the current plan!  Looks like Isobel is going to have to cut out some more of each Poultry species, in case there is a sudden rush for them before Easter - both on line, or in real life!

There is good news too of my young Friend, PuffinDR - made as a dry run model for PuffinR who returned home to Rhode Island, NY at the end of February.  PuffinDR has found himself a Forever Home too! 

During the Heart Attack session Isobel told you about in last week's post, we received an order for PuffinDR from a former team member (on another Etsy Team, of which Isobel no longer is a part) with whom she has kept in touch via Facebook.  MrsLLS has recently become a Grandmother for the first time, to a little Boy - and she and her daughter picked PuffinDR to become BabyM's Best Friend.  So, as PuffinDR was in stock, once the payment had been completed (see above for that procedure!), a package was assembled.  After the usual Farewell Ceremony that I supervise had taken place, off PuffinDR went - headed for Marysville, Washington State, U.S.A

The photograph below was actually taken before PuffinR (originally our Patient in the Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic - https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/79124185/stuffed-toy-animal-restoration-clinic?ref=shop_home_active_1 ) was dispatched.  But Isobel felt that it was nice that it should be used now - celebrating the fact that the two COLDHAMCUDDLIES Puffin Toys will shortly be effectively "straddling" the United States of America!  Now we've got to see if we can fill some of the spaces in between on that huge Continent - with more Puffins from our Bird Colony, as well as any other COLDHAMCUDDLIES Toy lucky enough to find a Forever Home too!  But that's going to mean Isobel sewing up  a storm - not only with the Poultry Toys, but also some replacement Puffins pretty darn fast too!

Puffin DR is on the left of the picture

Incidentally, we received a 5 Star Review for the work done on PuffinR this week: DadR kindly said in it

james rhodes on 30 Mar, 2017

5 out of 5 stars

Puffin made it back sooner than anticipated, fully restored and wholly loved by his forever friend.

The plan for today's post was originally intended to be a story as to how the Ducklings came to be made.  However, like all good plans, they can be changed if necessary - so I'm  now going to START the Duckling Production saga, and finish it off next week.

A couple of posts ago, Isobel told you that the pattern for the Ducklings, as with the Chickens, were provided by MrsSF - fellow member of a Facebook Group on which Isobel is very active these days (as well as the Teams on Etsy).   This is all part of the necessary online sales activity to try to attract Buyers for the Cuddlies from all over the world.  MrsSF provided the patterns free of charge - for which naturally we were very grateful.  Last evening, after the Ducklings were listed, Etsy Shop links for both the Chickens and Ducklings were sent to MrsSF (together with good wishes for her New Home - she was due to move in on Saturday, 1st April!) inviting her to choose which Chicken and Duckling she would like for her children in return.  (Another reason why Isobel is going to have to do some rapid sewing this week too, methinks!)

Isobel likes to start any Toys off by sewing the "peripherals" - be they beaks, feet, wings or arms and legs.  So in the Ducklings' case, she began with the beaks and feet - shown here, cut out and ready for action!  The Beaks have been sewn together, but the feet (three pairs) have yet to have that attention.

Sewing the body of the Duckling did not prove to be a problem.  Nor did the feet, this time around.

Here are the relevant pieces waiting to be sewn together for the first Duckling.  However, even at this stage, the Beak did seem somewhat large and out of proportion to the rest of the Duckling Toy's body and wings!

Isobel tacked the first beak into place, and alas our suspicions were confirmed.  You can see how very "top heavy" - if that is the description - the beak does look.  So, she took the beak out of the Duckling's face and parted the two layers.  She then only fitted the lower beak, having cut off the narrow end of the pattern piece and folded the sides together.  This is the resulting Duckling "look" with which Isobel was much happier.  The Toy's eyes are constructed by tying a knot at the end of a piece of Black Double Knit Yarn, and then sewing it into shape and place with matching black cotton thread.

The feet were just being sewn in place when the photograph above was taken, but I think you will agree that the protruding beak looks very much more comfortable with only the lower part of the original pattern being used.  (Isobel has kept the upper layers - just in case she decides to make use of them at a later date.  NOTHING goes to waste in this Shop!).  

Think this week's bulletin has now gone on long enough, so I'll close it - and we'll bring you the full Duckling Listing details - and any updates on the fortunes of both our Chickens and Baby Ducks  -next week. Until then, wishing you a really good week - and hoping all the children breaking up for their Easter Breaks/Vacations  have a great time too.

Your Friend,

Cy Bear.

Cuddlies' Poultry Production - Update

Hello again Everyone - as usual this week has rushed by:

Cy Bear is still off-duty, as it's better that I take over when any explanations of how COLDHAM CUDDLIES Toys are produced (or Patients are treated), than leaving it to Cyril Bear (in case you'd forgotten that is is REAL name!  He was named that by Peter when I made him shortly after opening up our Shop - www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com, because he reminded him of a really good friend of the family!).

Well, as promised in last week's post in which our Baby Chicken Toy was introduced, developments during the week are shown here.

Our Baby Chicken Toy has just been completed - yes, as an Easter Toy - but also as one that can be purchased (and played with) all year round.  In other words, it is an ANY TIME TOY!

The Fleece Baby Chickens' dimensions are

Height:  2.5 inches (  6.4 cms) - from "floor" to tip of tail

Length:  6.5 inches (10.6 cms) - around middle, under the wings.

Weight:  Very light, they barely register on the weigh scale!

The three Chickens are shown "standing" on their Orange Felt legs which are sewn to the base of their bodies.  Each Chicken illustrated has a different beak - being the first to be produced for our Shop, they are still somewhat "experimental"!  Buyers are welcome to let me know (via Notes to Sellers in the Etsy Check Out Form, at time of ordering,  convo here,  or by email at coldhamcuddlies@tiscali.co.uk) as to which one they would like, or which they consider should be the "norm" for the future.  Two models have felt beaks, the third Stuffed Baby Chicken has an embroidered Orange Beak.  Their eyes have been created with a knot at the end of a piece of Black DK Knitting Yarn and tied firmly through the stuffing of each Chicken Toy, before the final closing seam is done.  The stuffing is polyester meeting all international safety standards, and all three Baby Fleece Chickens have been made in totally animal and smoke free surroundings - as are all COLDHAMCUDDLIES Toys.  Each Baby Chicken Toy is "topped off" with a Red Felt Crop, sewn firmly into the head seams of each Chicken Toy.

NB:  The Eggs in the pictures - wrapped in paper and/or acting as "nests" are purely for pictorial purposes.  They are not included in the purchase price.

The Stuffed Baby Chickens can be purchased singly or as a job lot - but, where multiple orders are made, the base price of £5.00 each (6.25 USD)  will be REDUCED by .50 GBP each (.65 USD) until 4 extra chickens are ordered over the initial single chicken (making up to 5 in total = £20.50 per 5 pack:  25.59 USD per pack of 5).

These are not the first fleece Bird Toys we have introduced to our Flock of Birds in our Shop: our first was this Puffin Toy, who joined us at the end of February, 2017, after being used as the "dry run" model for a Patient in our Stuffed Animal Toy Restoration Clinic - https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/79124185/stuffed-toy-animal-restoration-clinic?ref=shop_home_active_1

Just to remind you what Our Puffin looks like!

They are undoubtedly the smallest to date, however.  They each take about 2-3 hours in total to make (usually over two evenings, which is when I tend to do my toy-making.)  The shipping time quoted in our listing for this toy type is set to allow for any projects in hand when your order is received.  Orders are dealt with strictly in order of their arrival.

These Yellow Baby Chickens are now  listed in the Bird Plush Toy section of our Shop - click here to see our Owls and Penguin as well.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/COLDHAMCUDDLIES?ref=hdr_shop_menu&section_id=18803266

Listing on Etsy can take some time, and it's been pretty time-consuming lately with lots of changes being introduced to the content of  EVERY toy listing in our Shop (now totalling 107!).  While engaged in this undertaking, I've changed some of the previous content, and added some extra information - which hopefully will result in many more Cuddlies finding Forever Homes in 2017. 

Another view of our Three Chicks with their Different "Beaks"

The first paragraph is inviting potential buyers to visit the link below - which allows them to see what previous Customers have said about their experience(s) visiting the Shop. 

"Meanwhile, you might be interested in seeing what other folk have to say about the COLDHAMCUDDLIES Toys that have become members of their household - click here to see the reviews received to date.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/COLDHAMCUDDLIES?ref=hdr_shop_menu&section_id=18803266#reviews

Then this final paragraph occurred to me while I was involved in PuffinR's treatment recently.   The FamilyR were brilliant at responding to hints in this blog!!  However, I don't always use this route to communicate while a transaction is under way!!

Recently, while working on orders received, I've really needed to get in touch with my customers while the production process was in progress. This can be because I need to check their actual requirements (individual measurements, for example), or give them a choice of  Toys - when I have more than ONE in stock. Those who leave an email do respond- because their ever-present smart phones tell them when a NEW message comes in!!!  There are therefore few delays in their Toy, Slipper or Golf Club Cover order leaving our Shop on time.  There have been times though when I've had to send the finished item, based on what I THINK the Buyer wants - not always a satisfactory outcome.  Which is why I "cooked up" this request which has been added to EVERY Listing in the Shop.    It will be interesting to see if this helps when answers are invaluable - and I'm hoping no potential Customer will be put off!

"NB: On line purchasing while undoubtedly convenient, can be somewhat impersonal. At COLDHAMCUDDLIES, we do want to ensure Buyers' total satisfaction with the eventual outcome of our contacts. There can be times when I need to get in touch after your order has been confirmed - particularly when a "made to measure" situation is involved. So, please leave a link by which we can ALWAYS communicate at reasonable times. Thank you!"

Right Folks:  that's it for this week.  Have cut out 3 Ducklings, and am well underway with the sewing of one of them.  Aim to have all three done by next week-end.  

Will now end because I'm deeply involved in another of the Monthly Heart Attack sessions on the Etsy FriendsRUs Team (#EtsyFRU) - which usually begin in Israel where one of the Team Leaders   https://www.etsy.com/uk/people/Viyoli starts off the Thread, to be closely followed by another Leader - who lives in Bucharest - https://www.etsy.com/uk/people/cristinatoys ).  Both then "hold the fort" until the Captain  ( https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MoreFriendsAndCo and other Team Leaders join in (they all live in the USA!) - and team members drop in (and out) during the next 12 hours, with the Thread closing at 0900 EST in the USA on Monday.   I join in usually around 1400 hours BST (our clocks went forward at 0200 hours today - so we're all lacking an hours sleep in the UK!).  But this is a truly international team game, in real time, and it does result in plenty of sales for many members.  Today, our esteemed Leader, actually woke up to 4 sales - and one of them she'd only posted a few minutes after joining in!!  (Anyone interested in seeing how it works, and the international locations of the participants can click on this link - and see how it's going!  https://www.etsy.com/uk/teams/24793/etsy-friendsrus/discuss/18293583/page/9?post_id=373978603&prior_page=8    All hearts very welcome - for whomever, wherever!)

Until next week then!   Isobel

Planned new projects - and first steps in achieving them

Greetings to Everyone - on this typically Spring Day in the UK!

Cy Bear is being given a break this week, since today's subject is more in my field of operating the COLDHAMCUDDLIES Shop (www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com) then his.

Thanks to some invaluable help from a Facebook Group Friend, SamanthaF, who has kindly provided some patterns, I've embarked on some Easter type toys.  Since that Festival is rapidly approaching - and I've been busy trying to re-organise the Shop itself all week - the time has arrived for me to really get down to the business of actually MAKING the toys, otherwise Easter will have come - and gone - before they become realities.

A dry run of one of the patterns has been completed - meet the COLDHAMCUDDLIES Chicken Toy. 

Measuring 2.5 inches (6.4 cms) from floor to tip of tail, this little chap is definitely going to be the smallest Cuddly in the Shop.  He/she is also 6.5 inches (10.6 cms) around his middle - from front to back, under the wings.  I'm using some of the fleeces purchased to make our recent addition Puffin Toy's beak, together with Orange and Red Felts for the crop and feet.  My pattern-maker kindly provided me with the template for a beak, but when I did this first, dry-run version, the finished product looked more like a duck's beak. So I decided to embroider the pointed facial area - which currently does look more like a nose than a beak, I have to admit.  I shall experiment further before the finished Chickens are listed and offered in the Shop.

 (Please forgive the rather unprofessional photos - but they've been taken merely to illustrate the creation process in this post  - rather than the final offering!  The patterns, in particular, are somewhat patchy - but I don't want to give away EVERYTHING!  Our friend the Chicken is also somewhat out of focus - but what else can one expect from snapshots, as opposed to posed photographs?):

Currently, there have been three Chickens cut out.  One is destined to be sent to SamanthaF - so that her children can play with it - together with the finished products of the other two patterns she was kind enough to send me at the same time.  

(I caught her at a rather difficult time:  she's in the process of moving house, and we all know how time-consuming that can be, so I was terrifically grateful that she was prepared to sit down and create this pattern, as well as the two others that accompanied the Chicken template.  She also sent me a batch of several colourful cotton/poplin fabrics - saying she'd rather I had them (if I could use them - and I CAN!) than have to chuck them due to the upcoming move.  There was no charge from Samantha - but we did agree, that if I was satisfied with the outcome, I'd send her a sample of all three completed Poultry Toys in return for her generosity.  Now I need her "snail mail" address once she's settled in!)  

The patterns from which I shall be working can be seen here.

The one for the Chicken:

There is one for a Duckling:

Finally, there is one for a Ducky Doll - something I hadn't thought about, but which could well be a "winner"!!

Now as you all know, I'm not normally a Dolly Type!  But this little chap looks like he/she could overcome my aversion to Dolls, as it looks a pretty straight-forward type to have a go at making. (Normally Dolls can come with all sorts of arms, legs and neck attachments that are far too complicated for me to contemplate - given my lack of patience with such details!)  This Ducky Doll is not so "afflicted"!!.

All the patterns were accompanied with suggested instructions as to how to put them together, too.  I've read them with interest, been guided by them, but confess that so far, I've not followed them to the letter!  I've tried, but suppose that I've got my own way of putting toy pieces together after all this time, and they don't necessarily conform to the suggested modus operandi!  However, I'm extremely grateful to SamanthaF for the time she gave me in this exercise.

Here are the fabrics that are involved in this series of Toys:

I'm still working out how to present the toys eventually.  While shopping in Kirkby Town Centre earlier in the week, I did find these baskets and thought they'd be handy "nests".  Having completed the Chicken though, I think you'll agree that the Toy  is likely to be "drowned" if put into either of these, even if I fill up the baskets with shredded paper, which was my original plan.   (I got two others at the same time, in different colours - as they were being sold two at a time in four different shades),    

They are going back tomorrow, and I'll see if  another shape can be found in which to place the Toys when they are completed:  maybe an egg shape, if one is available.   Hopefully, by next week, there will be something more final to show you!

Until then, I'll close this bulletin from windy Nottinghamshire.  Have a great week Everyone!

Isobel

A Dressed Grey Wolf finds a Forever Home in New York State, U.S.A.

Hello again, everyone - where did last week go then?

Cy Bear back, as promised to tell you about the latest COLDHAMCUDDLIES Toy to leave the UK for a new Forever Home.

This time, it was one of our Grey Plush Dressed Wolves who had been purchased by someone we suspect to have been a parent, or other adult relative, of one CT,  whose address was in Mamaroneck, NY, U.S.A.  Isobel was unable to really know whether or not CT was the person actually ordering the Wolf in a Tartan Jacket.    Because the "user name" of the sender of the email was very different to whom the package was being sent on the paperwork.  So, this scenario is our best guess at the true situation!

This is the Wolf Toy in question, after Isobel had done some remedial work on him, before he left for his new abode.  His original boots did not look right when we bought him out of the Den he'd been staying in since he was made.  He was not standing as well as he should have been - given that his tail is what normally enables the Wolves, Foxes and Coyotes in our collection to stand erect (see below).  So, the decision was made to replace the boots entirely.

Photo taken just after he was made - and we hoped the tassels would settle down!.

Here's a photograph of the Grey Wolf as he was before being listed - and you can see that the boots did not look "right" even then.  Not only did his feet look cramped, but the tassels would not lie down and altogether he looked untidy - and not to the usual high standard we like our Cuddlies to appear.  It's is often when Isobel hasn't seen a Toy for sometime that things like this "look" become really obvious, so the easiest, and best thing in this case was to replace the boots.  

Fortunately, we had some of the original leather still in our stash and it was a matter of a couple of evening's sewing to have the new ones made and fitted in place.  When a Cuddly sells, and there is only one of them in the Etsy Listing, the Etsy Order system is such that it is noted as "Sold Out", and any listings disappear from sight. 

As this  Grey Plush Wolf was only ever a OaaK (One of a Kind) Toy, and we don't have much of the fabrics used to make him in stock, Isobel decided to delete him from our Shop Listings - but subsequent digging through our fabric store indicated that there is enough for just one more version - with enough leather to make another pair of boots too.  So, after this blog, Isobel will be listing him again - to take the total of COLDHAMCUDDLIES Toys in our Shop at present to a 107 total - and Grey Wolf will become a brand new Cuddly to add to our collection of  Coyotes, Foxes and Wolves.  (If he becomes an order, Isobel will be able to make the final version well within the 3-4 week deadline that goes with the order:  that is set to take account of whatever "work in progress" Isobel may be engaged in when an order is received).

He's going to look like this:

You can see from this photograph what the new boots look like - and they are ever so much firmer (and can allow a Wolf to stand upright better too!).  Isobel also decided that her "obsession" with tasselled turnovers for our leather boots is over, and decided to keep the turnover pretty well together, with just the seam showing - as a sort of decoration. There is a still slightly jagged edge to the turnover which is provided by the leather having been cut with a pair of pinking shears (whatever they are - a Bear like me has not got a clue!).   Sewing leather in such small quantities is quite tricky for someone with fingers that are getting stiffer as the time goes by!  So this is how our leather boots will be from now on.

I think Grey Wolf is now standing pretty straight as this photograph of his rear view shows - given that he's standing on the surface of Isobel's duvet and only slightly leaning on the pillow with his nose to keep him steady!

Here's a side view of the new Mr Grey Wolf showing off his new boots.  It was taken while he stood on the heater in our living room, the night just before he was packed for his journey the next morning. (So the lighting is not as good as it might be!)  Before that happened, though - here's the usual Farewell Picture:

Isobel, having discovered how we can keep a track of our parcels once they've left us (she did know the basics, before doing it to tell you about Puffin's trip back home last week) decided to do the same check for our Grey Wolf Toy - and what we discovered a few minutes ago, is shown at the bottom of this post.

Seemingly, our latest Travelling Toy has not been as lucky in following the same flying schedule as did Puffin,  (or travellers to Rhode Island may take a different route than those headed to Mamaroneck) because from the information we've picked up, it would appear that Grey Wolf only reached New York Customs at 0600 hours on Friday, 9th March - and has been stuck there in the system ever since.  Hopefully, as tomorrow is Monday,  his journey will commence once more, and he will be able to get to Mamaroneck on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.  

Before I close, here's a final side view of our Grey Wolf Toy, showing off his rather magnificent busy Plush Tail, behind his Left Paw!

As we don't want to spoil the look of the blog, with different typography in the text, I'll end this week's post here.  See you all next week.

Your friend,  Cy Bear.

Grey Wolf's Travel Itinerary - to date:

Date	Time	Status	Track point
09/03/17	06:01	ARRIVED IN COUNTRYKENNEDY NEW YORK	KENNEDY NEW YORK
07/03/17	AM	ON ITS WAY TOKENNEDY NEW YORK	UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
07/03/17	01:27	ARRIVED (MDN) AT	HEATHROW WORLDWIDE DC
06/03/17	19:57	ON ITS WAY TOHEATHROW WORLDWIDE DC	NOTTINGHAM MAIL CENTRE
06/03/17	19:39	ITEM COLLECTED	NOTTINGHAM MAIL CENTRE
06/03/17	10:15	SENT AT POST OFFICE	1-3 Lowmoor Road NG17 7BE

The Patient/Adventurer is Back Home.

Hello Everyone!

Cy Bear back again and this week able to finalise the Adventures of Puffin, who as the title of this week's bulletin says, got back home early last week.  The news was conveyed in a message from DadR, together with a photo - which I'll show you shortly.  But, since you've not seen  the new-look Puffin,  here are some of the last pictures Isobel took before Puffin was wrapped up and sent off to Rhode Island, NY - as I showed you last week.

This photograph clearly shows the nearly completed Puffin Patient - before the stuffing was put in. you can see the "indentations" where the original Puffin pieces are located on the inside of the body. Both head and body are ready for the stuffing process to commence, and the two pieces to be sewn together.

Here are the completed two Puffin Toys, with PuffinDR (Dry Run) on the right - his wings stick out more than do Puffin's!

Here's a side view of  Puffin on his own.  When compared with PuffinDR, the latter's beak is a bit out of proportion with the rest of him, and Isobel is seriously considering a "delicate" operation to make it a little less visible, and so help him to stand upright better.  Currently he does tend to have a decided stoop, as may be seen from the earlier picture of the two Toy Birds.  (But that is why Isobel does try to do two versions when dealing with Patients that require a total restoration).

To complete the series of photos of the restored Puffin Toy, here's a view of his splendid tail!

Before pasting it here, I apologise in advance for any change in typography for the rest of this post as a result of quoting directly from DadR's email to Isobel.  Between us, Isobel and I haven't yet mastered the technique of transferring the printed word between different internet sites - but we do like to convey the words as written!!

News of Puffin's safe arrival was received, as I said earlier, by way of an email from DadR - in which he said: - 

"I thought you would enjoy the attached picture. Nathan was thrilled to be with Puffin again last night. He's flown around the house, been reintroduced to all of his stuffy friends, and shown off his big muscles. We were told by Nathan that Puffin has grown up a bit, which is unusual for a stuffed animal, but that is what makes him special."

Here's the picture of the Reunited Forever Friends - shown here with the permission of  MomR and DadR;

Actually, it highlights why Isobel was a little concerned as to exactly how NR might greet his restored Forever Friend.  Restoration does leave a permanent impact on any toy, and re-using bits of the original does indeed enlarge the final offering.  NR's ability to notice the enlargement of his friend shows just how astute the Young Man is! 

 (In the past, even though our clients realise their beloved Old Friends will look different from  the way they did before treatment, many do express some surprise at just HOW different a restored Toy can be - even though that is the whole POINT of the exercise!  Usually, most clients are adults, who've entered the restoration process ACTUALLY seeking to have their Old Friend restored to as near as possible it looked when they were first acquainted!)

Finally, it would appear that we may not yet have heard the last of Puffin - because DadR ended his letter to us with these words.

"We are delighted to have had you put in such hard work on this project. Suffice to say, you've helped us bring a family back together.

One of our friends is working on a kid's book telling of Puffin's adventure. I'll be sure to share a draft when it is ready. I suspect you'll have a starring role."

Naturally, we'll keep you posted - as and when!

The two lollipops being held by NR were my present to him - to hopefully make up for his being separated from Puffin, and also to enable him to taste what English lollipop sweets taste like - as a thank you for the one NR sent us.  (That's being kept for Isobel's young grandson to taste, when he's old enough to know how to handle a round object on a stick safely! Thinking about it, I still don't think lollipops are REALLY  Beaver Lamb Bear food!)

Puffin before he was wrapped up - as described last week- in our traditional Farewell Ceremony

Next week, we'll be able to tell you about the latest Coldham Cuddly to find a new home - again in the United States.  He's just been made ready for a journey to Mamaroneck, NY, and is due to fly off tomorrow morning. 

Last picture of the three of us together before Puffin left to go home to the U.S.A.

So, until then, here's hoping you'll all have a great week - whatever you will be doing, and wherever you will be doing it.

Your Friend.

Cy Bear.

PS:  I think Isobel has finally mastered the art of transferring text from one site to another!! Until the next time that is!

Latest News about Puffin - having departed the UK, and homeward bound.

Hello Everyone!  

Cy Bear once again - a little disappointed not to be able to share the news with you that Puffin has finally reached home in Warwick, Rhode Island - but that,  I am given to understand - is one of  "THE THINGS" about doing business internationally.  Once one has posted an item, one is then in the hands of "THE SYSTEM" - or, as in this case, SYSTEMS.  Not only international postal services, but also the route through each country's Customs Services. 

However, as Puffin was dispatched by Royal Mail's Tracked and Signed For Large Packet service last Monday morning, Isobel has just checked where he's at and can report that he "cleared US Customs at 5.22 February 23, 2017."  according to the  USPS (US Postal Service) Tracking page, and was last heard of "inbound out of Customs".  That probably means he didn't get going towards Rhode Island until sometime Friday, 24th February.  With the week-end looming, that should, with luck, mean he will be arriving home on Monday or Tuesday of the upcoming week - depending on when the local Postie gets around to NR's home in Warwick, RI.  (Let's hope there will be someone at home to sign for the package!)

This is me sitting beside the package which Isobel was just going to put into her shopping bag to take to our local post office last Monday.  I'm waving to NR and his Family, as well as saying "Good Bye" to Puffin.

So, while I could show you what Puffin now looks like, as I explained last week, I think it's only right that NR and his Family see him first, so you'll just have to wait to see the final New Look until next week.  However, Isobel did take some photos of the Traveller before he left us, so - because we don't like to NOT post a bulletin every Sunday - here is what happened to Puffin before he left us last Monday morning.

Once all the usual paperwork involved in sending a COLDHAM CUDDLIES Toy or Patient to their destination had been completed, an envelope was prepared - with the destination address on both sides. (That's in the hope that it speeds up any journey - people don't have to turn a package around to find the address, if it's on BOTH sides!)   Any international postal item being sent to the United States and anywhere other than the European Union, has to have a Customs Declaration Form completed.  (You can see it at the bottom of the package in the photograph above.  Basically, it says what's in the package - in this case a "restored soft toy";  then there's the weight of the package, value of the package and finally at the bottom of the form, Isobel's signature.)

Then Puffin was wrapped up in chemical free tissue paper - looking like this:

You may be able to see a Red "Fragile" label under the "Mail Bag" at the top left hand corner of the package. I know, Puffin is a soft toy, and not normally classed as a "breakable" object.  However,  Isobel always puts such a label on any parcel leaving us - because of how she has seen the postal authorities handle the goods that pass through their offices!  They THROW stuff into big post bags, and she doesn't like the idea of any COLDHAMCUDDLIES Toy or Patient being hurt!!!

After the tissue paper, Puffin got wrapped in bubble wrap - just to make sure that he had an extra covering to shield him for the journey across the Atlantic Ocean. 

The fully wrapped Puffin was then popped into the envelope, his travel documents (otherwise known as a "Delivery Note/Invoice") were put in as well, and the envelope sealed.  Puffin then travelled by 'bus to the Post Office, and his "ticket" purchased.  Upon her return, Isobel notified MrJR that Puffin was on his way home.  At least, we've now learned he got to America BEFORE something called "Storm Doris" reached the UK on Thursday - because the USPS Tracking information tells us that the parcel arrived in ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)   at 4.14 am on 21st February!

So that's all we can tell you for now.   Hopefully next time we're together (next Sunday), we can show you Puffin as he now looks, together with a photo or two of Puffin (Dry Run) and him before the wrapping process took place.

Until then - have a great week:  hope you're not all blown to bits, as we are getting a lot of high winds, and are being promised a lot of heavy rain, thunder, and even snow, for the first few days of the coming week.

Bye for now - 

Your Friend, Cy Bear.

PuffinR's Treatment - Part 3: He can go home on Monday

Greetings Everyone!

Cy Bear back again, now that Isobel has completed her duties in the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Animal Restoration Clinic (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/79124185/stuffed-toy-animal-restoration?ref=shop_home_active_1).  She can't be attending to patients AND type here simultaneously!

Good News folks - PuffinR is now ready to depart the UK. after a slight delay in departure.  We had hoped to send him homewards on Friday, but Isobel was away from the flat that morning, with a trip into Nottingham, which lasted longer than she'd expected - so everything got put back a bit.  Puffin R was almost completed that evening, but because she was tiring, and didn't want to make a mistake in the final stages, she emailed DadR to tell him that Puffin would be en route first thing Monday instead.  (The initial order actually set a dispatch date of 24th February, so we're still well within the deadline, but we had wanted to get the Bird back to Forever Friend, NR, as fast as possible - but not so fast that things went wrong at the last minute!)  

Photographs have been taken of PuffinR's treatment, and some of them will be shared here - with the final stages shown next week - because, obviously we want PuffinR's Family to see him in his new guise, before showing him off to all of you - our Great Followers.

This is what we've now termed PuffinR-Dry Run version.  He looked quite perky when this photograph was taken at the end of last week, but since then, because Isobel was experimenting with the amount of stuffing that might be required to achieve a "soft" feel, we think he actually hasn't had enough to keep him going for any length of time.  When compared with the final version of PuffinR (who will revert to his more familiar name when he is packed and ready to go - so will be called Puffin when we talk about him next week) it's now obvious he needs to get some more stuffing in him.  This will happen before the PuffinDR gets listed as our newest addition to the Shop (www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com).

Now, I'll hand over to Isobel, who can give you a better commentary on how things have progressed over this last week.

Hi Everyone - good to be able to report on a successful outcome for our latest Patient. 

Proceedings began, obviously,  with cutting out a brand new set of pieces using the template I'd created last week for the Dry Run version of PuffinR.  Here is the Body Front, his two eyes and the new beak - seen from the wrong side.

You can see that his feet have been attached to the front of the body, and the shadowy fabric you can see is actually PuffinR's original front since it was taken to pieces at the beginning of this exercise. Here it is lightly tacked and in such a way that when the stuffing was added at the end of the sewing, the tacking could be removed without disturbing the new piece of fabric.  (To try and ensure that all PuffinR's bits and pieces - feet, wings, tail and neck - hold together longer, I've not only tacked them in, but sewn each seam with blanket stitch ending up with a REALLY firm seam.)

Here are the same pieces, shown on the right side of each pattern piece, but before I'd done the blanket stitch edge to each foot!

I then tacked the original pieces (or as much as I felt would survive the exercise - which meant trimming the old seams really) and tacked each original Puffin piece to its equivalent new pattern piece.  So, the body front (top left) has the base sewn on it, the head is almost together, with eyes attached to the forehead and back of the head.  The bottom two pieces are the back of the lower body.  All have their equivalent "original Puffin" pieces tacked on (wrong side to wrong side) using a contrasting coloured thread - to make removing the tacking easier when required.  (Doing it that way means there is less stuffing required, because the original fabric's pile is doing part of that job).

The body front and head have been turned right side out in this photo, and wait for the original tacking to be removed.  The lower two back pieces are still shown on their wrong sides. and wait for the centre back seam to be sewn together.

Then all PuffinR's peripheral pieces needed to be sewn and fitted to the body in the appropriate places.  Here's the tail and two wings, and the beak, while the head needed sewing together at the front neck, and the body had it's final side sewn together.  

When making PuffinDR, Isobel wondred whether she should stuff the body and head separately and then sew the two pieces together at the neck area.  In the end, it was easier for her to first sew the back of the neck - from wing to wing along the neck seam (finished off with the blanket stitch used for the other peripheral pieces).  There was then a convenient gap in the front through which she could push the stuffing and shape the body and head separately.   Then she was able to close the neck (in the region of the throat) and sew the remaining gap using ladder stitch, which is what she uses most of the time when making all us Cuddlies.  (This smaller seam does not have the blanket stitch finish - it's not possible to achieve it once the entire body is fully stuffed - the ladder stitch is a pretty tight finish in any case).

You can see the wings and tail in situ here, and under the tail I've stitched back a label - which had a series of numbers on it.  Don't suppose that NR will notice this detail, but in fact when he arrived PuffinR had 2 labels under his tail.  One of them probably had the original maker's name on it, but that had disappeared and I didn't see the point of replacing a label with nothing printed on it. 

 (PuffinDR has a label sewn under HIS tail now - which is the ColdhamCuddlies label which goes on all the Cuddlies made for our Shop. He has been listed today -

 ( https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/513131377/puffin-stuffed-toy-stuffed-puffin-toy?ref=shop_home_active_1)

 - leading the list of entries to the February FriendsRUs Team Heart Attack session, which is currently under way as this blog is prepared for publication on Sunday afternoon.   I drafted it on Saturday evening, so that I could participate in the monthly Heart Attack and do the blog post - almost simultaneously!) 

We have taken some more pictures of the final stages of  PuffinR's treatment process  - as well as photos of Puffin fully completed.  But, as we've shared our posts with NR (and FamilyR) as the therapy progressed, I'll wait until next week (or even until I've received confirmation of Puffin's safe arrival in Warwick, Rhode Island) before posting the final bulletin regarding the latest Patient in our Clinic.

This has been a really fun exercise - and Cy Bear and I will miss this Little Bird when he leaves us. Farewell pics will,  of course,  also be taken - and be shown here in the next bulletin.  Now, it's off to give PuffinDR some more stuffing and shape, take said photographs, and then get down to some much needed administration for the Shop - which had to be set aside (happily, I hasten to add!) when PuffinR arrived 3 weeks ago.

Until next week then, 

Your Friends - Cy Bear and Isobel