BESTeam Feature Blog for February - a little late!

The Boosting Etsy Shops Team's goal is to offer support
and promotion of one another's Etsy shops primarily through our
personal Blogs, and also through our Twitter Accounts and Facebook Fanpages.
Commitment to this common goal is what makes our team the BEST! 

  

Better late than never, Team mates, but I've really been trying hard to master the art of linking your blogs to what I post about - at Debbi's behest - but no matter how I try to fathom her explanation(s), the links to YouTube that she gave me - dumb fool that I am, I'm still not there.  Don't want to let any more time lapse, before I have another try to feature some of you, will attempt to do what I think I've been told to do - and who knows, it might just work!  Here goes, anyway.  If it doesn't, well I'll just have to get my computer doctor to give me a lesson in blogging/linking, and whatever else is required to successfully participate on this team.  I've been bitten by the bug!!

Looking through the shops this afternoon, I decided on a Far Eastern theme (viewed, as it were, from where I'm located in the UK).  First of all, there was the photo of some lovely Japanese pottery that attracted my attention -  from Redemption Art, a shop full of exciting vintage and re-cycled curiosities collected by Connie Haskill, based in Hawaii. 

Pair of Botsudan Vases from Japan

Connie can be contacted at her shop - www.etsy.com/chop/redemptionart:  she's also on Twitter  - http:://twitter.com#!islandbuzzy and on Facebook as well.

Still remaining in Japan, there is this lovely, soothing picture of a statue of the Budda,seen through the branches of a cherry tree, I think,  to be found in The Vintage Daisy, the shop owned and operated by Jeanette Griebel - a relatively new member of the BESTeam.  One of Jeanette's lifetime achievements - apart from the collection of beautiful items in her shop - is her successful battle with childhood Leukemia.  The picture is a very evocative, peaceful one and I could well see this on a bedroom wall in any future home of mine.

 

You can see what else Jeannette has to offer at her Etsy shop, www.etsy.com/shop/VintageDaisyStudio.  I was unable to find any other links, but I've had no difficulty accessing her at this link, so all you computer literate folks should be well away.

Next, just moving somewhat southwards in the Pacific Ocean, I alighted in the shop operated by Lesley Boretto from Sydney, Australia, who is another recent recruit to the BESTeam.  Presently living through an English winter - dominated as it can be by gloomy grey skies (occasionally broken by the occasional glimpse of blue sky (note in the singular, not plural!) and sun, this acrylic painting of an Australian beach cheered me up no end.  Do hope my readers are similarly stimulated.

Lesley's contact details are www.Etsy.com/shop/BorettoArt, and her paintings can be seen on her website www.borettoart.com.

Now, hope this effort works - it's taken me just about double the time it normally takes me to post about my Cuddlies.  I've loved the visits - so hope you are satisfied with my purile efforts here!  All the best to you all!   Good night and God Bless!  Isobel


As part of my BESTeam commitment, throughout the coming months (provided they accept me as a full time member) I hope to  be posting short features of each of the fabulous shops and talented craftspersons representing the team.  What is BESTeam?  It's The Boosting Etsy Shops Team and our goal is to give support to each other and to help promote each others' Etsy shops through blogging, Facebook and other social networks.  If you are an Etsy shopowner and are interested in learning more about BESTeam, please visit the team page on Etsy or have a look at the BESTeam blog.

Following the February departures

Following on from Isobel's post yesterday, I'm (this is Cy Bear, of course!)  going to tell you about my other Friends from www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com who are off to their new Forever Home this month, and updating you on another one who left us in January.

Isobel told you all about my friend Hairy Bear losing his head - such an embarassing episode for both of us Bears, but one that has ended well.  I can confirm that Hairy is now on his way Sequals, Italy - Isobel posted him from Warminster this morning - and that he will probably be there before all the rest of the Italian Mob, as we've just discovered that Mr.RFE is still in the UK, with the Jaguar as well!

Also departing from Heytesbury this morning was Panda Bear.  He is supposed to get to Neosho, Missouri to meet Mr. JY and his wife, Mrs.VY, in five working days from the date of leaving Warminster Post Office.  Now that can happen:  but often doesn't.  It all depends on how well Royal Mail (in the UK) and US Mail on the other side of the Atlantic happen to be working at the time of any journey.  Isobel has had stuff mailed from the West Coast reach us just over a week-end:  on the other hand, some of my Friends going the other way have taken weeks to get to their Forever Homes, although Golden Bear Plush Glove Puppet got to Liberty Township, Ohio in just 5 days!

Here is the message Isobel recently received from Mr. JS, Golden Bear's new Best Friend confirming his safe arrival:

"Hello Isobel.

Wanted to let you know Golden Bear arrived safely at the end of the week, so both postal services exceeded expectations. I had not had a chance to message you until now. He is even cuter in person than online. I have misplaced my camera at the moment, but when I find it I'll send you a photo. We'll be going on a trip around Easter that i can send you some photos from as well. My travel friend is a puppeteer and he thinks it's awesome that Golden Bear is a one of a kind. Many thanks, and well wishes "

Mr. JS had earlier told Isobel that he spent a lot of time travelling round the States, and it was his intention to take Golden Bear with him - Isobel asked if pictures of him in the various locations could be sent, so that we can all share in his exciting trips!  We will post them here if and when any arrive!

Just to remind you of whom we have been writing!

Since his departure, when indeed, it looked as though he would be a "one and only", Isobel's younger daughter, Clare, has luckily run to earth a supply of the Golden Plush fabric for which we had been searching for a long time.  As even that supply looked as though it was running out, she purchased three metres (1 metre apparently is 39" in Imperial measurements - whatever that may mean!), so there may well be more Golden Bear Glove Puppets on offer later on, once everything else Isobel has planned gets done!

Now for some final farewell pictures for the February departures from www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) - now due to take place on Monday, February 13.  These are of  Auntie Brenda Brown Rabbit, together with two Brown Baby Rabbits and two Grey Baby Rabbits.  Here are some pictures of the impending travellers,  with me beside them - in our usual official farewell ceremonies:

Auntie Brenda and me - on our own!

The whole bunch and me - only two each of the babies are due to go, though

Mrs.SP the Rabbits' new Forever Friend selected the two Brown and two Grey Rabbits from the Beauty Parade and let Isobel know her choice.  But, due to the time difference between the UK and the USA, all the packing materials (which involves Isobel getting up and down steps to get the tissue paper and bubble wrap down from their hiding places in the flat) had been put away by the time the decision was relayed to us.  As we only get to a Post Office capable of handling international parcels twice a week, and Mrs.SP's order is an early Easter one, delaying the departure by a couple of days was not a problem.

Right that's all from me this time around.  Isobel is now quivering with anticipation as she has been told that two more pattern books, containing several animal patterns she's been looking for, and many that she has not, are on the way.  One arrived yesterday, and Isobel is "over the moon" with the contents.  She has decided on at least three or maybe four new additions to the Cuddlies Family - once the patients waiting for their treatments in the Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185) have been attended to.  I am given to understand that Madame Lapin's therapy is due to begin this very evening!  Doubtless, we'll be keeping you posted on how it is done and the eventual result!

Until then, this is  Cy Bear signing off!  Good bye!

A Confession first: then February Farewells

Hello again - after a bit of a blip in posting here.  What with Peter not being well (now on the mend, thank goodness) and two new orders in addition to the Italian Mob's departures last week, I ended up in a bit of a tizzy at the week-end, wondering exactly how I was going to meet various deadlines - as well as keep up with all the bits and pieces I am now committed to on Etsy forums, etc.  Am catching up, I'm pleased to say, so reasonably regular service will now once again commence.

However, those of you kind enough to regularly follow us here at www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com may just have noticed an omission to the roll-call of travellers Sequals, Italy-bound in our last post on February 2.  The missing "person" was Hairy Bear with Light Brown Muzzle.  The reason was that during the farewell photo shoot under the auspices of our friend (and major client, now) RFE,  Hairy's head came off!  Major disaster seemed to loom, but all's well that ends well.

Upon admittance to the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic  (Etsy Listing #791234185) immediately RFE and the other members of the Italian Mob had departed, the problem was solved.  When making him, I had omitted to sew the gap through which Hairy's neck disc fitted, sufficiently tight.  This resulted in the disc managing to work itself lose each time Hairy had been handled.  Since he was one of my first Hairy Bear attempts - and so far, the only one with a light brown Felt Muzzle, complete with matching Paw Pads - he had been handled quite a lot since his inception.  Thank goodness RFE thought it was funny - and so, instead of travelling to Italy via Jaguar like his other friends, this Hairy Bear is going to leave us tomorrow (February 10) travelling like most other ColdhamCuddlies have done - via the not so comfortable auspices of Royal Mail and its international counterparts.  As with everyone else who has left www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com, he will be wrapped carefully in a layer of chemical free tissue paper, then have some bubble-wrap placed around him and then be slipped into a polythene mail bag for dispatch from Warminster Post Office tomorrow. That way the Heavens can open, it can rain, snow or otherwise precipitate, and he will still arrive dry at his new home in Sequals, where he can hopefully be re-united with his ColdhamCuddlies pals.  Don't know whether he will get there first or last:  we've not heard from RFE  since his departure:  he, himself, could be anywhere - he's that sort of guy!

Panda Bear getting ready to go to Neosho, Missouri

Hairy Bear will be accompanied to the Post Office by one of the remaining Panda Bears, who is destined for Neosho, Missouri and his Forever Home with Mrs.VY.  Mrs.VY and I  have been corresponding via the Etsy Convo site for some months now, discussing first Hairy Bear with Light Brown Muzzle (so glad his head did not fall off had he gone there), then possibly Light Brown Furry Bear, but has finally settled on Panda Bear.  Checking the record of our contacts, I see that our first contact was when she actually favourited the Panda Bear now living somewhere in Saudi Arabia.  That first contact was way back in Spring of 2011.  It's nice when long-term contacts end up with a transaction, although that's not the most important consideration for me in maintaining my conversations.  I've made some really lovely friends via this means of communication - and fully intend to carry on doing so:  so.....you have all been warned!

Before he leaves us, Cy Bear insisted on the usual farewell photograph - here it is, sitting in one of the comfortable chairs in the Residents' Hall here at The Hospital of St. John.

Getting ready to be wrapped up

Looking at him, he looks quite happy - despite having to be de-stuffed so that a bigger, better plastic joint system could be used and the offending gap sewn up really tightly.  There should be little further problem facing Hairy Bear now - it's just an awkward happening, but fortunately easily put right.

Now to happier events:  as Peter and I agree, RFE can come anytime and visit (he's a lucky omen!) - because no sooner had he departed, and I went on line to check on my ETSY Activities, but I found that Mrs.SP from Medford, Massachusetts had ordered 4 Baby Bunnies (2 Grey and 2 Brown - in self-colour and white fronted versions for each colour), but also Auntie Brenda Brown Rabbit as well!

 Now, embarassingly, many of the Baby Bunny collection had found Forever Homes during the pre-Christmas period (particularly during the Christmas Fayre in Heytesbury Church - reported in posts on December 16th, 2011 and 11th January, 2012).  As I had omitted to deactivate them in the Shop, they were apparently available for sale - so, guess what I've been doing (instead of blogging!):  making baby bunnies to meet Mrs.SP's requirements!  Anyway, eight more are now available for her to choose from, the pictures coming up have been sent to her via the Etsy Convo system and I await her selection.  Thought you might like to see them as well!

Beauty Parade of the Brown Baby Bunnies

 Similar display of the Grey Baby Bunnies

They each have their labels under those displayed (I had a real problem trying to get the numbers to show up on the photo), so that when Mrs. SP has made her selection, I can wrap them up immediately - complete with their numbers on.  The labels will peel off easily once they arrive in Medford - but I can be assured that the right bunnies arrive as selected!

This post has gone on long enough - so, the rest of the farewell pictures will form the text for the next bulletin from the home of www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.  Good bye for the time being everyone!  Isobel

Reporting the departure of the Italian Mob

Isobel has just given me the green light to tell you about a very unexpected, but very happy,  mass departure from www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com of two of my Bear friends (Light Brown Furry Bear - Etsy Listing #69778197 and my special friend  - because he was made to look slightly like me, after Isobel had made me! - Brown Plush & Felt Bear - Etsy Listing #69777037), as well as all the Baby Koalas we had in stock and my good friend Ed Ted and new friend Big Koala!  They have all been packed away together - so none of them will be lonely - in a black bin bag and placed carefully in the boot of a Jaguar car that is going to be transported to a place in Italy named Sequals.

We've now got a lot more space in the various cupboards that Isobel stashes the toys awaiting their Forever Homes, but it means we have got some gaps that need filling before the Spring Craft Fair coming up in the Heytesbury Primary School, in March.  Still, as Easter is coming (so I am told - as a Bear that really doesn't mean much to me) and Rabbits and Hares are apparently highlighted at this time of the year, Isobel will have to concentrate on them rather than us Bears for a while, I expect.

Isobel and Peter's long-term friend, Mr.RE was the prime-mover in this massive movement out of our Shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) -  as I've only just met him, and being a very polite Bear, I decided to address him more formally.  Before he left to go back to Italy with the Cuddlies Mob, he took some pictures of Isobel and I (for publicity purposes, I overheard) and he took one of me, by myself.  Wonder what do you think of it?

This was taken within the new Mini-Photo Studio, trying out different backgrounds

Mr. RE also took several of Isobel and I together, which we are going to use as profile pictures for the various sites on which the Cuddlies operate or are mentioned (don't know them myself, but you - our Followers which now number 120 as of today!) will know what I mean.  Then, finally, we had a tremendous photography session in which I took part in the traditional farewell  pictures before our Cuddlies leave for their Forever Homes.

Here are some of them, including some in which Mr.RE decided not to feature me - because there simply wasn't room on the chair for all of us, and he wanted some of his new Cuddlies friends, whose Forever Homes are going to be where children of his family and friends live in Italy and elsewhere.  Not sure where the "elsewhere" bits might be, but I don't think they're going to be in England, anyway.

Light Brown Furry Bear and me - taken in a chair in the Residents' Hall

By the time these farewell pictures were taken, Isobel had taken over the camera - while Mr.RE moved us and the chair around so that shadows could not cut across us.  It was a very bright sunny day, and the Resident's Hall has windows on both sides of the room, as well as at one end, so there was an awful  of light causing lots of possible shadows.  We got moved around a lot before Mr. RE was satisfied, and we still got some shadows - but the overall effect was one we could all live with!

Here is Big Koala - or Mr. K, as Mr.RE has decided to call him. (I don't know whether that is his original name, or one that was decided on recently).    I'm sorry to see him go, as he has been a ColdhamCuddly for rather a short time.  Still, I can look forward to another Big Koala soon, because it was always understood that when Mr RE came to take his really long-time friend Ed Ted back with him, Big Koala would go too.  They'd lived in the same home for a long time - and shared space in the same attic for quite a bit of that time as well.  Followers of this blog will recall that his renovation/re-creation was posted about late in 2011, and Isobel had wondered if the original Big Koala had real Australian origins.  Mr.RE confirmed that his late father had brought him home for him when he was a little boy.  Mr.RE's father was an airline pilot and Australia was one of his usual destinations.

The Koala Family line-up, with me being allowed to participate

Ed Ted and Me - it was bit of a squash for both of us in the chair

Ed Ted, as many of our Followers may remember, was one of the first Patients in the ColdhamCuddlies  Soft Toy Clinic  - EtsyListing #79124185 - and had to wait a few months for Mr.RE to find the time to come and collect him after his treatment had been completed.  He and I had become quite good friends - and he used to accompany Isobel and I to various Craft Fairs to illustrate how Bears and other toys can be rejuvenated.  He was the lead feature in the ColdhamCuddlies Shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/Soft Toy Clinic - Etsy Listing #79124185) and since his departure has been replaced by a recently renovated Bear - Tommy Teddy - as the lead thumbnail photograph.

"The Italian Mob"

Ed Ted and Mr. K cannot really be classed as The Italian Mob, because they are being returned to their original Forever Home - never mind that, that has changed from somewhere in a place called Essex, England, UK to a place called Sequals, Italy!

There's going to be another post coming up in a day or two - featuring our two new Glove Puppets, listed earlier this week as Melissa and Melinda Mad March Hare Plush Glove Puppets - as well as news of another impending set of departures (featuring 4 Baby Rabbits and Auntie Brenda Brown Rabbit - who heading for their Forever Homes (not sure if they are likely to be together, or spread around the family of a Mrs. SP from Medford, Ma, USA! 

Oh - and another development:  the labels Isobel and Mr.RE had been working on towards the end of last year are almost ready for use!  Samples were received on Tuesday morning, while Mr.RE was with us - which was convenient!  It was a real coincidence, because we only knew Mr.RE was coming to see us a couple of days before he arrived, and the labels had been being prepared several days prior to that.  After some slight changes were discussed, Isobel today gave the go-ahead for the order to be completed.  They should be with us in a week to ten days, I think.

Whatever else can be said, the Coldham Cuddlies, Isobel and I seem to be on a bit of a roll at the moment!  Long may it continue, as long as Isobel can keep up with the necessary replacements!  Bye for now.  Cy Bear

A new look - and several more departures to report

My word, what a few days it has been - and Cy Bear and I are just coming up for air.  On Friday, we got a telephone call from Ed Ted's Best Friend to tell us he was definitely coming to see us on Monday (previously, it had been a case of he would "try to") and we were to tell Ed Ted that he was going home with him!  He also enquired as to whether Big Koala (Etsy Listing #07982660) was prepared to travel back to Italy with him - indeed he was!

The meeting between the two former patients from the Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185) and their Best Friend, RE was a sight to behold, and extremely gratifying to witness.  Everywhere RE went in our flat, Ed Ted went with him, and when Big Koala was re-introduced, apparently RE, without thinking, did to him what he had always done as a young lad - turned him round and round, from head to toe, like a top.  (That was several decades ago, you must realise!)  RE really liked his new appearance and the tactile nature of his new plush fur.  Success all round, then!  (But another replacement task ahead for me!)


The visit lasted a little longer than initially intended, with an overnight stay and a second lunch (it had been 12 years since we had all been together, and there was a lot of catching up to do).  Even with Peter under the weather still - it's now 4 weeks today since the bug attacked and we're going to have to do something drastic to get him better - we all enjoyed ourselves.  However, it meant I had more time to put RE to work on behalf of the ColdhamCuddlies - helping me work out the lighting positions for the new mini Photographic Studio. (We found one of the two free-standing lights were defective, so it's on its' way back to the distributors for replacement).  However, I now have an idea of how to make the best use of the studio for  future photo sessions - when the gardens are not available (as they are not today)  Winter has finally arrived. and although there has been bright sunlight, the minus temperatures on offer do not encourage outside photographic sessions!

Even though the Photographic Studio was not really put into use very much, RE - who has been a professional photographer in the past - did give me some pointers and also took some more photographs of Cy Bear and myself, so that we can vary the profile pictures here at www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com, our shop (yet to be accomplished) and on the main Google site enabling our access to this blog.  These have been posted this evening, and hopefully will attract a few extra visitors to each site eventually!  We thought that folks might be getting somewhat tired of the same pictures ad infinitum.

Taken in the Resident's Hall, here in Heytesbury  and shows my arthritic fingers - alas!

It also meant that RE had a show and tell session being introduced to ALL the Cuddlies Family and, guess what?  Light Brown Furry Bear (Etsy Listing #69778158) and Brown Plush & Felt Furry Bear (Etsy Listing #69777037) are also on their way to Italy, as are the four remaining Baby Koalas!  The ColdhamCuddlies shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) is now seriously depleted and I've got an even bigger task of replacement ahead of me if I'm to have enough toys to show off at a Craft Fair we've just been invited to attend at the Heytesbury Primary School on Saturday, March 10th.   Cy Bear was kept busy having his usual farewell photographs taken with most of them.  He also took part in other shots too,  as well as one by himself (as shown here).

RE and Cy were trying out different backgrounds in the Photo Studio here

There were several more photographs taken yesterday, which will form the next post - because they will describe the departure of all the Cuddlies that I've told you about earlier in this entry.  Think we'll have to describe this lot as the Coldham Cuddlies' Italian Mob - to differentiate from our already established French Connections.  To include the pictures here would make this a very long post, so I'll end now - and leave the desciption of the farewells to the Italy-bound travellers to Cy next time.

Good-bye for the time being.  Isobel