After 50 years making Toys, describing how they are made and sold on www.Etsy.com/shop/COLDHAMCUDDLIES; plus histories of toys owned, met with or restored: plus odds and ends, as they occur.
Monday, 18 April 2011
ColdhamCuddliescalling: Further look at the new Baby Rabbits - as promised...
ColdhamCuddliescalling: Further look at the new Baby Rabbits - as promised...: "Hello there - Cy Bear back again! Isobel is really getting going with the Rejuvenation of Little RedTed - and she'll be telling ..."
Further look at the new Baby Rabbits - as promised!
Hello there - Cy Bear back again!
Isobel is really getting going with the Rejuvenation of Little RedTed - and she'll be telling you all about it next time she gets in front of her computer. She's been taking pictures as she's gone along - she'll include them in her post - so she can remind herself how she did the job. However, she's been thinking! (Always a dangerous sign, her family members might say at this point!) If Little RedTed's owner is happy with the result, Isobel is thinking of going into a new sideline - setting up a ColdhamCuddlies' Soft Toy Hospital! Seemingly everyone she talks to has (or knows someone who has) an old bear (or other cuddly toy) that has loved to bits (many times, quite literally) that could well be made to look young again. She's thinking about it anyway....
Meanwhile, whilst working on Little RedTed she's been trying to find time to do the other pictures of the Baby Bunnies in their individual colour groups - so they can ben listed on our Etsy site (http://www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/). Unfortunately, either the sunlight has not be in the right spot, or when it was, the batteries in her camera were too low! However, she's hoping that everything will be in place tomorrow, so that she can complete the job and concentrate on finishing Little RedTed and then cut out and starting sewing Big Red Ted!
In the interim, I did promise to include more pictures of me with the pesky little rabbits - and here they are! Until next time......
Isobel is really getting going with the Rejuvenation of Little RedTed - and she'll be telling you all about it next time she gets in front of her computer. She's been taking pictures as she's gone along - she'll include them in her post - so she can remind herself how she did the job. However, she's been thinking! (Always a dangerous sign, her family members might say at this point!) If Little RedTed's owner is happy with the result, Isobel is thinking of going into a new sideline - setting up a ColdhamCuddlies' Soft Toy Hospital! Seemingly everyone she talks to has (or knows someone who has) an old bear (or other cuddly toy) that has loved to bits (many times, quite literally) that could well be made to look young again. She's thinking about it anyway....
Meanwhile, whilst working on Little RedTed she's been trying to find time to do the other pictures of the Baby Bunnies in their individual colour groups - so they can ben listed on our Etsy site (http://www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/). Unfortunately, either the sunlight has not be in the right spot, or when it was, the batteries in her camera were too low! However, she's hoping that everything will be in place tomorrow, so that she can complete the job and concentrate on finishing Little RedTed and then cut out and starting sewing Big Red Ted!
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Unexpected contact - needing information
As a relative newbie to Etsy, I was amazed to get an e-mail a few weeks ago, from a lady living in California. Now I don't know many people who live there and the enquiry related to the foxes in my shop (http://www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/.). (I was very encouraged that I could be reached in this way!) ValerieW is her name and the message read "...I was just looking on the Internet for information on some old toy foxes that I have. I found your web page with Ferdinand and Freda and Freddy Fox (illustrated below) .
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| Fred and Freda Boss Fox were made as Mascots |
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| Ferdinand, a Hunting Gentleman Fox |
Valerie went on to say that she also has a fourth fox - "named Flossy." She wanted to know a bit more about their background.
Having replied, I got another message saying that she reckons her foxes were sent to her "in Texas, from my auntie living in Manchester, probably around 1953. They have travelled with me to Oklahoma, South Carolina, back to Texas, to Turkey, back to England and then to California...." Now apart from being well travelled, they are also long-lasting!
One of the tags I use in all my toys' listings is just that - "long-lasting". The longest lasting Fox that I have been responsible for is now over 35 and still going strong! Think on.....as "they" say" and the Cuddlies look forward to welcoming you for a visit sometime soon!
Friday, 15 April 2011
Introduction of new members of the ColdhamCuddlies family
Hello again, folks! It's Cy being allowed to have a word and hopefully Isobel and I will be able to start blogging again (alternate posts) in a more regular way.
Finally the 10 new baby rabbits are finished and almost ready for listing in the Etsy shop. Just need to take some more pictures of them in their colourful groups, rather than en masse as the picture below shows.
There were a couple more, but I'll save them for another day. Time to end this post - wishing you well for the upcoming week-end. Cheers. Cy Bear
Finally the 10 new baby rabbits are finished and almost ready for listing in the Etsy shop. Just need to take some more pictures of them in their colourful groups, rather than en masse as the picture below shows.
There are ten of them altogether, and believe me, they are a handful when they get together! We had a photo session in the garden here at the Hospital of St. John and although the sun wasn't shining as brightly as when the other pictures of me were taken, think this gives an impression of the happy handful.
Isobel says that they are little smaller than her other Baby Rabbits - because she left out a pattern piece! Careless, or what? However, she's happy with the way they've turned, will probably be offering them at a slightly lower price, and hopefully they'll soon find new homes. Because they are littler than usual, Isobel's silly fingers took longer to cope with the seams etc - hence the length of time spent making them!
Isobel says that they are little smaller than her other Baby Rabbits - because she left out a pattern piece! Careless, or what? However, she's happy with the way they've turned, will probably be offering them at a slightly lower price, and hopefully they'll soon find new homes. Because they are littler than usual, Isobel's silly fingers took longer to cope with the seams etc - hence the length of time spent making them!
Some other pictures were taken elsewhere in the garden too, and another one is posted below:
There were a couple more, but I'll save them for another day. Time to end this post - wishing you well for the upcoming week-end. Cheers. Cy Bear
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Trying to get organised
Not easy, because there seem to be so many strings to the Etsy world and I don't seem to be getting the real hang of it all - just bits of it!
However, having started to make some sales (ever so slowly) am now concentrating on replenishing the shop and at the same time working out how I'm going to renovate Little Red Ted in a way that will not upset his long time owner. Think I've worked it out: once I've finished all the Baby Rabbits that Cy talked about in the last post (have two and a bit to go!) I'll get going and hopefully be able to do that project, as well as the Big Red Ted in time for April 27, which is when I expect the client to be attending a monthly meeting of the Ladies Section of the Royal British Legion, here at the Hospital of St. John. By default, I am a member, and the meeting last month was where I was introduced to the Red Ted concept in the first place!
The Baby Rabbits have taken me longer to do that usual - being so small, it really does work my fingers and thus is harder work than when doing projects like Cy and his Teddy Bear chums. Haven't helped myself because I inadvertently missed a pattern piece out - which is resulting in the little fellas being smaller than usual. When ready for the big world, they will be sold at a slightly lower price than the normal baby rabbits. They will still have their ribbons etc. but are just littler!
Am also wondering what the effect of being interviewed by Mama Melinda for the http://www.InsideEtsy.blogspot.com/ on April 13 will be. Probably not much, but on the other hand.....one never knows. Have also followed her link to an outfit called Handmadeology, which is a site linked to Etsy and operated by a fellow Etsian. His name is Tim Adams, and he seems to know what he's talking about not only about business on Etsy, but also in "the real world". He runs an internet course which I'm also following, and think it will certainly be helpful in getting me to understand what I'm doing (or meant to be doing!) selling on the net. See what I mean about "getting organised"?
Must stop now so that I can do some sewing: am spending far too much time on the computer these days, but it is necessary (or so I keep telling myself).
However, having started to make some sales (ever so slowly) am now concentrating on replenishing the shop and at the same time working out how I'm going to renovate Little Red Ted in a way that will not upset his long time owner. Think I've worked it out: once I've finished all the Baby Rabbits that Cy talked about in the last post (have two and a bit to go!) I'll get going and hopefully be able to do that project, as well as the Big Red Ted in time for April 27, which is when I expect the client to be attending a monthly meeting of the Ladies Section of the Royal British Legion, here at the Hospital of St. John. By default, I am a member, and the meeting last month was where I was introduced to the Red Ted concept in the first place!
The Baby Rabbits have taken me longer to do that usual - being so small, it really does work my fingers and thus is harder work than when doing projects like Cy and his Teddy Bear chums. Haven't helped myself because I inadvertently missed a pattern piece out - which is resulting in the little fellas being smaller than usual. When ready for the big world, they will be sold at a slightly lower price than the normal baby rabbits. They will still have their ribbons etc. but are just littler!
Am also wondering what the effect of being interviewed by Mama Melinda for the http://www.InsideEtsy.blogspot.com/ on April 13 will be. Probably not much, but on the other hand.....one never knows. Have also followed her link to an outfit called Handmadeology, which is a site linked to Etsy and operated by a fellow Etsian. His name is Tim Adams, and he seems to know what he's talking about not only about business on Etsy, but also in "the real world". He runs an internet course which I'm also following, and think it will certainly be helpful in getting me to understand what I'm doing (or meant to be doing!) selling on the net. See what I mean about "getting organised"?
Must stop now so that I can do some sewing: am spending far too much time on the computer these days, but it is necessary (or so I keep telling myself).
Thursday, 7 April 2011
"Missing Bear" finally located
Hello there: it's Cy Bear back again.
Sorry for the delay in getting back, but Isobel has been so busy complying with my suggestion that her Etsy shop (http://www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/) should be replenished after the recent departures for Edmonton, Alberta and Nottinghamshire, UK that she's not been able to put our thoughts down in a new post.
The Baby Rabbits are shortly going to be boosted by the addition of 10 more models: two Black and White ones - they are still in bits: four Grey ones (two with White fronts) - this time, their fur is a darker Grey and they are sewn together, but need stuffing and the addition of their tails and ears; and four new Brown ones, two with White fronts. Two of the Brown ones are stuffed, and one still needs ears, tail and facial features and ribbon added. Isobel has also been deciding the best way to restore Red Ted to an acceptable state - poor chap really was in a state and in danger of letting down the Teddy Bear team!
Another problem that was exercising Isobel was the "Missing" Bear (this is him in this picture!) that had successfully completed his journey to Massachusetts. Although she had seen a picture of him in his very smart new sweater, she was unable to find the illustration when she came to put it in this blog. She and Etsy have been working on the "disappearance", and this afternoon, she was delighted to find the message from Light Brown Bear's new owner and his picture on her Feedback bit of her Etsy Shop.
An update on the Edmonton crowd that left England a week ago today. We got a message back yesterday that they, too, have arrived safely, and there was a picture of them too!
Got to go now - after doing this post twice (really, Isobel has got to get to grips with this blogging business! Bye! Cy Bear
Sorry for the delay in getting back, but Isobel has been so busy complying with my suggestion that her Etsy shop (http://www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/) should be replenished after the recent departures for Edmonton, Alberta and Nottinghamshire, UK that she's not been able to put our thoughts down in a new post.
The Baby Rabbits are shortly going to be boosted by the addition of 10 more models: two Black and White ones - they are still in bits: four Grey ones (two with White fronts) - this time, their fur is a darker Grey and they are sewn together, but need stuffing and the addition of their tails and ears; and four new Brown ones, two with White fronts. Two of the Brown ones are stuffed, and one still needs ears, tail and facial features and ribbon added. Isobel has also been deciding the best way to restore Red Ted to an acceptable state - poor chap really was in a state and in danger of letting down the Teddy Bear team!
An update on the Edmonton crowd that left England a week ago today. We got a message back yesterday that they, too, have arrived safely, and there was a picture of them too!
Got to go now - after doing this post twice (really, Isobel has got to get to grips with this blogging business! Bye! Cy Bear
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Just a brief call
The material for RedTed and RedTed11 arrived today - and it was only ordered yesterday afternoon! Royal Mail can do it.....when they want to.
However, had planned on a few days' grace before its arrival as I listened to Cy's comments regarding the need to replenish the Etsy stock! So despite the new material having arrived so fast, am now deep into replacing the Baby Rabbits, initially. The Grey ones are being made with and without white fronts (two of each) using a deeper grey plush fur, the two Black Baby Rabbits are going to both have white chests, and am making four Brown Baby Rabbits, two with white fronts and two without. Have already got one Brown one waiting to be stuffed, so all being well - the baby rabbits stocks should be up and running by mid-week. I can then start the RedTeds project and then Hairy Bear (have actually renewed him on the Etsy site - just in case someone else wants one. If so, the Baby rabbits will have to be pushed down the list!
Getting late now - so will end and Cy can have his say next time around.
However, had planned on a few days' grace before its arrival as I listened to Cy's comments regarding the need to replenish the Etsy stock! So despite the new material having arrived so fast, am now deep into replacing the Baby Rabbits, initially. The Grey ones are being made with and without white fronts (two of each) using a deeper grey plush fur, the two Black Baby Rabbits are going to both have white chests, and am making four Brown Baby Rabbits, two with white fronts and two without. Have already got one Brown one waiting to be stuffed, so all being well - the baby rabbits stocks should be up and running by mid-week. I can then start the RedTeds project and then Hairy Bear (have actually renewed him on the Etsy site - just in case someone else wants one. If so, the Baby rabbits will have to be pushed down the list!
Getting late now - so will end and Cy can have his say next time around.
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