A return to "Normal" - with news of more re-listings

Hello once again, everyone.  Isobel here.

My apologies for omitting last week's post, but even though the computer came with me, it wan't convenient for me to post another bulletin last Sunday.  When one is in someone else's home, one cannot really carry on as one would under one's own regimen - and that was the case while I was away in Buckinghamshire, staying with Philippa in High Wycombe.  I did carry on with the re-listing processes, though, and several more Cuddlies have had their Etsy.com lives extended by a further 4 months, accompanied by more new photographs (some of themselves - taken from earlier versions of each relevant Toy or Novelty item, some with pictures of similar Toys dressed with, or made from, different fabrics). 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/554371145/polar-bear-slipper - 1 pair in stock

Our Polar Bear Baby Slippers have been re-photographed - with a Christmassy touch - and include shots of how they are made (in particular, showing, the soles of each slipper made with the leatherette fabric all COLDHAMCUDDLIES Novelty Slippers have).  You find these additional shots by clicking on the link above, and then on the 12 different photographs underneath the main photograph.

It's amazing to realise, but our Puffin Friends have come up for their first re-listing opportunity 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/554134569/puffin-stuffed-toy - 2 are in stock

(four months after they first appeared in the Shop following the arrival of PuffinR as a Patient in the Stuffed Toy Animal Restoration Clinic). 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/539024767/animal-toys-mended-toy-bear-special-care

There are vacancies in the Clinic should anyone have an Animal Toy needing restoration - and we welcome them from anywhere in the world.  You might think shipping costs could be a barrier - but in fact, PuffinR proved they are not.  He arrived in an unstuffed condition:  so travelled as a small packet from Rhode Island, New York, U.S.A.  So, in a "light bulb moment" I realised this could happen to any toy from anywhere in the world - no matter it's original size.  Unless the toys are bigger than Cy Bear (and most of them are not, as you can see from this photograph), even the shipping home charge is within the most expensive quoted in our Etsy.com Shop (COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com).  So, if you've spent the summer months clearing out attics and come across an old childhood friend, please do consider giving them a new life, to become a New Friend to a younger member of your own, or extended Families.  Cy Bear and I would love to meet them, and provide them with a new opportunity to thrill and comfort a new generation - and such a gift would be VERY SPECIAL to the Little Person (or slightly Bigger Little Person, perhaps!).

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/539024767/animal-toys-mended-toy-bear-special-care

The re-listing process has also involved me having to check every single listing - because as a result of the recent Etsy Shop Manager changed format(s), new items have had to be added to each listing, and I had thought I'd complied with them when they were originally introduced.  Alas, once the new format was officially rolled out, one of the two additional items allowed "disappeared" from every listing to which they had been added!!!  So, with 107 individual listings in the shop, the re-tagging process has been more prolonged than originally envisaged, and there's still quite a few more items to be checked, and corrected.  

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/556937741/brenda-bunny-brown-plush-rabbit - Brenda is in stock as well

Still, it's keeping me out of mischief - while I prepare for this year's MacMillan Cancer Coffee Morning here at Old Chapel Close, Kirkby in Ashfield - where my flat is now located.  The event takes place on Tuesday, 26th September - from 1000 to 1400 hours BST:  and I will be taking a table from which I  hope several Cuddlies will be purchased for this year's Christmas and other Family Presents.  Sometimes wonder if going away is a good idea - although I did have fun staying with Philippa and enjoyed my break enormously!

(I'm also repeating last year's experiment of Crab Apple Butter - by popular request! That's got to be prepared sometime this week, in between all the other things that are scheduled already. Before leaving for my holiday, the Gardener kindly picked both Crab Apples, as well as Damsons, from trees that can be found directly under my kitchen window.  They've been in a freezer since that happened, and I'm hoping to find them in a good condition tomorrow (Monday).  It was pouring with rain when the harvesting took place:  so am not anticipating that I'll need to add too much liquid for the "magic" to commence!  I'm going to also produce Damson Butter this year.  More anon!!) 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/544171542/gentleman-jim-fox-stuffed-plush-toy-fox

Gentleman Jim has reverted to his original name - as Cy Bear told you was going to happen to many of our Toys in his last post to you.  We still have one version of him in stock - so hope that there is someone out there looking for a colourful, unusual, dressed Toy to give away at Christmas time this year.

Our most recent listing is Jemima Brown Bunny - and currently, she's just listed - as the last version of her departed earlier this year.  

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/544172264/jemima-bunny-plush-dressed-rabbit

As Cy Bear told you though,  I can make another Dressed Rabbit like her within 8-10 days from receipt of order, through cutting out and creating, to being ready to ship.  However,  BE WARNED        there is only sufficient fabric of her unusual, patterned aquamarine dress fabric for ONE MORE Jemima!  So, she's really now a Limited Edition Toy!

Cy Bear and I hope to be back with you again next week, hopefully nearer the end of this year's re-tagging exercised.  Until then, have a good week everyone - and hope the weather is being more benign for those of you in the U.S.A.  who have survived the recent Hurricanes and other storms that have wreaked havoc with you.

Good Bye for now.  Isobel

New Procedures in our Shops - as well as some "New Looks".

Good morning Everyone - on Monday morning, rather than Sunday afternoon! 

Not sure exactly what is happening, but at least, we're finally on the same page!  For some reason- and it may be because I got excited by being back on line again last week, and started checking out my Google Activity - and accidentally hit a button that I shouldn't!  But when I tried to start up, as usual yesterday afternoon, this page wouldn't open.  However, just before shutting down for the evening, I tried again - and low and behold:  after a bit of time, this page did open (but WAY TOO LATE for anything cogent from me!).  So, here I am - better late than never,but ready to hand over to Cy Bear.

 

Hello there, Folks!  

As the title of this post implies, Isobel is still busy re-doing things in the Shop, so not much "exciting" has happened this week.  There have been several new pics of some Toys (like the one of my Tiger Friends, below)  - which were due for re-listing anyway, and which have now been give the "New Look" mentioned.  They've also been given new tags, which we're hoping will attract some attention as the Holidays Season approaches - and I'm here to also explain some things that will be happening as regards the Shop (https://www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) in the future, too.  We can't understand why these fellows haven't found new homes yet - because although they've got very long legs (which take up quite a lot of space in the Cuddlies Toy Storage area, admittedly), they are very CUDDLY, and easy to handle too!

Largely because of the storage situation in our current accommodation, and because Isobel wants to make some NEW CUDDLIES soon, we're going to be using our listings to show what we have to offer, obviously:  but not now necessarily having lots of versions of them all at the same time - as has been the case previously  (although in the case of our Long Legged Tigers, we obviously had to - given their different "suits"!)  

We're going to be much more a MADE TO ORDER business - or CUSTOM ORDER one, if you like.  Any new Toys shown in the Shop, will be OAAK (One of a Kind) - and once those still in stock go, Isobel won't replace them, UNTIL a new order is placed (although their pictures will still be posted in the Shop on Etsy.com).   One just has to be pragmatic and practical.

Betty Bunny - pictured last week in the Autumn sunshine - without her "sister" made simultaneously

NB:  Customers shouldn't feel they won't get their orders dispatched on time - because although we always service them on a "first come, first served" basis, all of them will still be made within the time frame shown in the order form - because the production time always allows for any "Work in Progress" that Isobel may be doing when that order is received.  She usually allows up to 3-4 weeks from receipt of order - and no Toy, to date, has taken more than 8-10 days from cutting out to completion in the 7 years COLDHAMCUDDLIES has been operating. (Yes - September 2010 is the month when Isobel first began listing us Cuddlies!).  They are ALWAYS posted earlier than the scheduled date!   Unless unforeseen circumstances occur, we don't see any changes happening in that modus operandi - fingers (paws, in my case!), crossed.  Also, as Isobel likes to keep in touch with each Customer as the project progresses, any problems that might occur would be discussed as they occur!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/540333002/panda-bear

Our most recent Panda Bear was re-photographed too - and may actually be facing a real new look himself.  These pictures make him look rather too prim, we feel - so Isobel may be booking him into the Stuffed Animal Toy Restoration Clinic (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/539024767/animal-toys-mended-toy-bear-special-care?ref=shop_home_active_1) for something of a face-lift. However, as she's away for a few days - visiting daughter Philippa in Buckinghamshire - later this week, that procedure will have to wait until later in the month!  (He doesn't know about what is in store, by the way!).

Finally, because there has been quite a lot of re-tagging etc. being undertaken, here are a few more pictures - with the latest re-listings, all looking forward to the upcoming Holidays season, and hoping that by the end of the next quarter (when they will be eligible for the next re-listing session), some, if not all of them, will have found their Forever Homes.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/540332704/fox-kids-slippers - 2 prs in Stock!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/541835226/hairy-bear-brown-y-teddy - in stock too!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/540333158/snowy-owl-slippers-white-owl-slippers?

So, I think this post is now quite long enough - what with all the new photographs!  I know the computer is scheduled to travel with Isobel when she goes to High Wycombe later this week, so I guess any new post will be done by her, as I shall be In Post - On Guard - In the Flat!!!  Hopefully, we'll be back again chatting to each other soon - as the trip is not for that long!  

See you all when I am next allowed here!  Have a great time - and really looking forward to being with you all again very soon.

Your Friend, Cy Bear.

Temporary Closure of Blogging Activities - and the aftermath: some Cuddlies being named!

Hello Everyone:

Sincere apologies from both Cy Bear and myself for the recent break in weekly updates from the COLDHAMCUDDLIES World:  as ever, they were caused by "technical difficulties" which this time resulted in the computer being sent for serious "replacement therapy" - namely a totally new hard disk.   (I'm never sure which way one is supposed to spell this particular technological gadget, so I'll also call it a hard disc - to cover all bases!).

Now, I'm gradually feeling my way back into "normal working conditions", and occasionally encountering hiccups along the way - because despite "all" data being backed up (according to my helpful technical gurus), some items seem to have slipped away - although. just today - trying to get back here -  I discovered a whole heap of photographs of former COLDHAMCUDDLIES family members on the "Google Photos" site that I hadn't realised I still had!!  I tend now to keep all the current - and more recent - photo opportunities filed on the computer pictures programme, which I presume is a Windows10 offering, rather than a Google one.  I really do get confused.  Think I'll just have to find somewhere (or, even, someone!) where I can just sit down and watch how I get every one, and everything connected with the Cuddlies and I, to just talk to EACH OTHER, than carry on as they once did (and some still do!! Facebook page activity is suddenly very "talkative" - in that when I post anything on one page, it tends to get duplicated:  although that doesn't happen every time. However it's easier to delete one item, and operate with nothing being seen by my Friends - or maybe, if I delete the second copy, then it will mean only SOME  Friends being updated, and not others!  See what I mean - I really am "dangerous" when let loose on line!!)

Now, those whines out of the way, thought you might like to see the opening paragraphs of the last post started before the breakdown occurred.  You will thus see that I did intend to notify you all of the impending gap in news from our part of the internet world.  The shock of finally having to succumb to the computer's woes, evidently drove me to abandon this, without actually posting it.  However, it will be a convenient bridge between THEN and now!   So:

"A short note from both Cy Bear and Myself just to give you news of a short break in communications caused by problems with the computer.

As you know, we've been engaged in a lot of relisting, re-tagging and re-photographing, and something went wrong in the proceedings.  Google Chrome (my browser of choice) is not playing ball with our Shop (www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com).  I'm taking the computer into the technical help desk at the nearest Shop from where I purchased it tomorrow (Monday 14th August) for it to have thorough clean.  I'm just not capable of doing it without getting into even more trouble.

Before I go though, here are some of the newest re-listings showing up in the Shop - which is currently "on vacation" until things get clarified.

Nicholas Rabbit - https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/535582698

From now on, we're in "real time"!!
 
This is just one of the listings that took place during the week beginning 7th August, 2017- although even while the computer and I were parted, I was able to keep re-listing Cuddlies who needed it - because I was able to access the Shop (www.COLDHAMCUDDLIES.etsy.com) via a machine located in the Kirkby in Ashfield Library. While I wasn't totally without internet connection, the time available was a lot less than when I am at home - because it's allocated on a one hour basis, with just one update being available!

You will notice that this Rabbit Toy now has a published name - and it's a deliberate, "new" move on my part. (Some Rabbits and Foxes have had names all along, and this is one of them:

Jeremy Rabbit - https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/550619779

September was the month in 2010 when COLDHAMCUDDLIES actually began listing it's wares and offering items for sale (we actually registered in January of that year, spending the intervening period building stock), so with our 7th Anniversary rapidly approaching, I decided to name some more, if not all, Cuddlies (current and future), in the hope that by "individualising" them, they will attract more attention.  I've tried different ways to do the listing, including naming each Toy, but over the years, that particular idea seems to have fallen by the wayside.  Something tells me that the time has come for me to do the "name game" once more, so I've decided the Dressed Rabbits and Foxes, Wolves and Coyotes in the Shop will again have their own names - as and when they come up for listing (when I remember to include the new labels, that is!!).  Some have been re-named:  as I go along - retagging etc.  

Those that slip through the net, will eventually get their own "monikers" (a bit of London Cockney rhyming slang, I believe, and a "saying" that Peter often used in conversation, with friends and me, when he was alive.  Please don't ask what it "rhymes" with - as I do not know!)     Needless to say, potential Forever Friends of these Toys are more than likely - and indeed, ENCOURAGED - to name their acquisitions whatever they want to!!  (I suspect that the effort of deciding what to call Cuddlies as they appeared on the scene is one of the main reasons I stopped doing it!!).

To return to the listing that took place in the week before we temporarily lost touch with each other:

Uncle Brendan Brown Bunny- https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/538718396

Since 2010, there have been several versions of Uncle Brendan - who have found Forever Homes as far apart as California, France and the UK.  This photograph is of the last model and he needs replacing - and is one of several Cuddlies, listed in the Shop, who are also in that same "replacement category".  However, anyone wanting to buy him, or the other similarly placed Cuddlies, need to know that generally it takes me 6-9 days (from cutting out to completion), so well within the 3-4 week dispatch date deadline quoted on any Etsy Order form associated with our Toys.  The dichotomy in timings is there just to ensure that any Work in Progress is covered when an order arrives.  All Orders are dealt with on a "first come, first served" basis.  So far, there's not been an occasion when a Buyer has been disappointed with a late arrival at their front doors - wherever in the world they may be located - although I do recall one occasion when a Cuddly's arrival was delayed (alas again as the result of a computer mishap!".  Customer details were on the computer - and not in my "hard copy" file! Fortunately the lady concerned was most understanding.)

Finally, for this week at any rate, here's a Dressed COLDHAMCUDDLIES Fox toy, who was re-listed more or less at the same time as these three rabbits - and she, too, has had a name since she was first conceived - Miss Prim Fox:

Miss Prim Fox - https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/535583154

Please God, this will be the last time that the computer and I are separated for any length of time: believe me, I now do know what the term "withdrawal symptoms" actually feels like - and means!

See you all soon.  Cy Bear sends his best wishes - and looks forward to chatting with you all soon.

Your Friend.

Isobel