Updates on recent posts

Hello there - blogging has taken a back seat recently because I've been busy linking!  Have mentioned in earlier posts that I had not got a clue about how to do it.  Now,  thanks to help given by a fellow Etsian - CuffandCollar (www.Etsy.com/shop/CuffandCollar) - I've finally got the hang of "Liking" etc and have been taking a lot of action along the lines he recommended.  He gave me about a dozen sites on which to log for starters, and I've since gone to several others I've found along the line.  Have left messages on their Facebook pages in particular.  Thanks a million CuffandCollar:  am looking forward to seeing the effect that more folks are being plagued by me is going to have!

Not only have I been doing that, but I've also been reading more of other folks' blogs:  particularly those from Scoutie Girl, who posts to me daily.  As a result I commented/followed (again on Facebook) with nOelle.com who specialises in helping dilly folks like me to communicate about their businesses.  Was terribly fortunate here, because the day after we made initial contact, she very kindly featured ColdhamCuddlies shop and this blog on her own blog - giving me some very constructive hints as to how I can improve this blog.  The subject of her blog (www.nOelle.com) that caught my eye was the need for self-empowerment for us newbies on the internet:  and boy has she given me a boost - am still terrified of what will happen when I get going, but so far with the linking, my confidence is gaining ground!  Whatever happens, I'm deeply grateful to Noelle for the help to date - and her invitation to return if I need to consult!  Have a feeling, I'll be doing so before too long!

Now to the updates promised in today's title:  Miss Prim Fox was listed in the shop at www.Etsy.com/coldhamcuddlies yesterday:  her listing is #75340524, and while I was at it, I renewed all the Foxes/Coyotes section at the same time.  Visiting the shop a little while ago, Miss Prim has already been favourited by one person!  Not bad going for a new girl, is it?

Talking about the Coyotes:  there's been some news in the local newspaper, The Warminster Journal, this week about the Wylie Coyotes and a picture appeared in the edition of Charlie Coyote celebrating the fact that the After School Club had scooped a  Healthy Eating prize after winning the Improving Healthy Eating in Children, Young People and Adults competition.  The award ceremony took place at Salisbury City Hall last month and the competition is being run by Wiltshire Health and Wellbeing Partnership.  The Club provides a home-cooked evening meal every evening for the children who attend, as well as a safe area in which to wait for parents to return home after work.  Will include a scanned item (like the other item included in the blog last month) once I've got permission from Kate Brayne the Coyotes Manager.  It is an even better picture of Charlie Coyote, who is very much in the foreground in this one!

Then a couple of days ago, I received a message from Mrs. B-P from Saudi Arabia.  Apparently the Hairy Bear she ordered to be posted to Portsmouth arrived safely, is adored by his new one-year old friend, who cuddles him, says "aw........" and cannot get enough of him!  So glad - it's nice to have such a satisfied customer - and I've been assured that the Saudi Arabian contact will be continued later in the year and there may even be a picture of Hairy Bear and chum to prove the new friendship as well!

Right - I've babbled enough tonight.  Am going to print off Noelle's comments and recommended improvements and will begin to apply them to both the shop and the blog.  Just hope that I'd don't lose some of the Archive in the process, but then Noelle's introductory article to our association was all about self-empowerment, wasn't it?  Taking a deep breath.......results, good hopefully, soon!

Oh, and finally - a friend was visiting the other day and took some photos of Cy Bear, Miss Prim and I.  Some now appear as profile illustrations at the shop (www.Etsy.com/coldhamcuddlies) and on my Facebook page, as well as on Google.  Makes a change from the originals! It also explains the lack of action on the blog too, hopefully.

Bye for now.  Isobel

The Making of Mrs. Fox - Final chapter

Hello there folks!  Cy Bear being allowed to chip in once more.  Isobel felt that as she had written two posts about Mrs. Fox's production, it might be appropriate for me to write the final post about the process so that I could then officially welcome her to ColdhamCuddlies family in our shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com. by telling you her name.

The blog was left last time with Isobel having to transfer the final photographs of Mrs. Fox to the computer so they could be used to illustrate this post.  Here is a picture of her with hat and bag.  If someone wanted to give her away as a special present, the name of the recipient could be embroidered on the bag (which currently has a bobble decoration made with blue double knitting wool, knotted in the middle and sewn on).  Similarly, if anyone wanted to use her as a Mascot, then the initials and/or a logo could be added (provided the latter is not too complicated).  Artwork is not Isobel's strong point - although she enjoys being creative once she has a needle and thread in her hand.  

Finished:  complete with bag, bonnet and facial features

Her bag and hat are made with a light blue fleece material and the underside of the bonnet has been lined with pale blue voile.  We've got some more pictures of her from different angles, so everyone can get a good idea of how she looks. They'll be appearing in our shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) when she's listed - probably tomorrow - but in the meantime here is one that we were able to transfer to the blog this evening.  Isobel seems to having a problem doing it, so rather than carry on wasting more time, she's decided not to include any more in  this post - and maybe, when she posts tomorrow (or whenever), she'll be able to show Mrs. Fox and me together!

Showing tail and rear of bonnet

She's a lot more comfortable sitting down than standing:  we've only got her looking like this because she is propped against the wall, and her tail is balanced on the printer!  She's a bit like me in that respect, as I'm not too good standing, either - but then my arms and legs move around, whereas hers do not.

Finally, looking at her fully finished, Isobel decided that Mrs. Fox looked pretty, but prim - rather like an old-fashioned school mistress!  So, as the Cuddlies all have names so that they can be listed in our shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com, she has been named Miss Prim Fox!  Hope you'll enjoy her as much as we do.                                                                                             

Cheers for now:  Cy Bear

The Making of Mrs. Fox - Part 2

Hello once again.

I really got carried away last night when sending my news about the production of Mrs. Fox and sent multiple editions to the Facebook link.  Apologies to any Friends who visited my page earlier today, as it must have been a bit of a surprise to see 4 posts saying exactly the same thing!  Giving the information was important, but not that much!  I have since corrected the mistake, and hope that when today's post is ready for circulation the same thing won't happen!                                                                                                                                 

So, to today's post:  having made the body and dressed it suitably, the next step is to make the head.  I do this by sewing the ears with their lining first and then putting the head pattern pieces together.  Once that's done, I put the eyes in and then stuff the head.  Getting the eyes level and in the right spot is very important - because it can affect how the completed toy looks!   It's also important to do it BEFORE one stuffs the toy, because it's impossible to achieve if one doesn't.  Many is the time that I've stuffed the head, got it exactly as I've wanted it, and then realised that there are no eyes!  Frustration is not in it - because one can never get the same result twice:  or, at least, I cannot!

Mrs. Fox's head, minus facial features

I'm told that, having settled down with their friends at the BOSS Federation, Freda and Freddy Fox (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/#62236267 and #62236009 respectively) office visitors and my daughter do find that they are somewhat "boss-eyed" (pun not intended) when facing them, with one eye being slightly above the other;  when viewed sideways, the problem  is not as apparent!  Since making them in November 2010 and having the problem pointed out, I now make sure that I thread-mark eye positions before inserting them and,  so far, have not repeated the error. 

Once the stuffing is complete, and the neck space sewn by gathering together and then oversewing the resultant seam, the time comes to attach the ears.  Placement of these too can affect the final look of the toy, and in this case, with the addition of a contrasting bonnet, one has to consider where to put the holes in the hat so that the ears can pop through at the end!  I buttonhole-stitch the slits I make in the bonnet, thus preserving the integrity of the fabric.  

I don't always include a bonnet when making my lady Foxes. Since starting my Etsy shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) I have chosen to put bonnets on those that are to be customised.  In which case, the name of the intended recipient is embroidered on to the shopping bag that Mrs Fox carries on her arm..  If it is to be used as a Mascot, then the initials/logo of the company/school/etc can be embroidered there too.  If Mrs. Fox is to become a companion toy, then she is less formally attired - no hat, no bag, no special labelling! 

Then comes the important bit of putting head and body together, not my favourite bit of the operation, because it's fiddly and my arthritic fingers can (and often do) object to all the digit movement that this can entail.  In Mrs. Fox's case, this time was reasonably easy.  The head is attached to the body using a ladder stictch, which hides the stitches nicely.  Once firmly on. I attach the collar.  In Mrs. Fox's case, it is a plain white felt collar:  some of my other mother toys have decorated collars, or collars that compliment the material from which their dresses are constructed.  This time, as the material is somewhat "busy" and colourful, I did not feel any further decoration is warranted.

Now, as I've yet to transfer the pictures of the final step in Mrs. Fox's preparation from my camera to the computer, I'll end this post and complete the job description tomorrow.  Hoping that the distribution process is more smooth tonight, I'll close.    Isobel

I

The Making of Mrs. Fox - Part 1

Having spent the last few weeks making Bears (two Hairy Bears and Cy Bear himself) decided that I needed to have a change in toy-making procedures.  Since November, when the replacement Foxes for Freda and Freddy Boss Fox ( www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/etsy listing #62236207 and #62236009 respectively) found their way to Western Canada and a new home with my little great neice, I've been meaning to get round to it, but something always intervened.

Making foxes has always been a favourite pastime for me - the first  one made was for my elder daughter, when we were living in Edmonton, Alberta and it was also the first toy I'd made for about 15 years.    She called her Fanny and if memory serves, her dress was made using a small blue gingham printed cotton material.  It was in the late 1970's/early 1980's that this happened, and I don't think this version survives.  On the other hand, I made one a year or two later for my younger daughter, and that one is still going strong! 

So, last week-end, I dug around in my material cupboard - keep forgetting what I've been given., so it was a lot of fun - until I had to put everything back again!  Must  not complain, because I  have really been so lucky with the generous folks hereabouts (even though I suspect I am doing them a favour sometimes - as it's giving them more space in their cupboards).  Having selected some colourful material and cut out the patterns for a Mrs. Fox, I found that the selected remnant was big enough to give me three outfits.  So once the current Mrs. Fox is completed, I may two a couple more - or then, I may do another Mrs. Rabbit ....  In't it wonderful to have the luxury of being able to choose?  Though I'd just as soon welcome some more commissions as well.

Anyway, back to my current story.  Once the pattern pieces are all cut out, then the sewing begins.  One begins with the body, for which I use plain material  - calico, sheeting or something similar for preference.  At this stage, I often resort to my sewing machine to do the seams - takes less time and the seams hold as well as those that are hand made.  I attach the sleeves from the dress to the paws, stuff them and attach them at the appropriate places to the body.  I do two lines of stitches where the legs join the body - the top one with a curve, which allows the toy to sit  Then the body is stuffed.  The pattern for all my lady toys  allows the toy to sit, rather than stand.  Standing is an occupation reserved for the Mr. Foxes.

Then the felt shoes (pale blue fleece type material - again a donation) are sewn up, stuffed and attached to the legs.  Then come the pantaloons, decorated with a pale blue zig-zag braid I had in stock from another commission and the waist is gathered up and the whole thing sewn to the body, both at the waist and ankles.

Showing shoes and pantaloons

Then I make the dress skirt and top.  This is the time that I fix any additional decoration on.  In this case, I sewed on red zig-zig braid to the lower skirt, just above the hem and at the waist - picking out the red parts in the material design.  The dress top is attached to the arms with ladder stitch (resulting in "invisible" stitches) and the dress is completed by being gathered at the neck and stitched to the body.  It is also stitched to the body at the waist, with the top over the gathered skirt.  (This is when the braid is attached to the waistline).

Mrs Fox, Stage 1, with sewing aids

I'll finish the description of how Mrs. Foxes are made with the next post.  Meanwhile, I'll close for tonight.  Isobel

Updating folks on what's happening (or not!)

Cy Bear having done the last two blogs is having a rest!  He performed one of his official duties yesterday when he monitored me packing Brown Hairy Bear - ordered by YvonneB-P from Saudi Arabia for her baby nephew, R who lives in Portsmouth, England, UK.  Having wrapped Hairy Bear in two sheets of chemical free tissue paper, he then had a layer of bubble wrap put around him.  Next, he was slipped into a polyester Royal Mail envelope complete with "FRAGILE" labels prominently displayed.  Hopefully he should arrive at his destination in the next day or two. We took a picture of Cy "waving" Hairy Bear off on his journey, but we won't be publishing it, because the address is too prominent - and we've got to protect such confidential details -  however small the intended recipient may be.

Meanwhile, I've been working on a new Mrs. Fox.  She has her dress on, I'm stuffing her tail and will be completling head, ears and bonnet in the next day or so.  I shall take pictures to show her progress for another post.

She is the replacement for Freda Boss Fox, who is a sample of a Mascot Toy and doesn't now exist in the shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.  As explained in her description in the Shop, she is now a fulltime employee of the Boss Federation - as a fund-raiser for their benevolent fund.  She and Freddy Boss Fox (Etsy Listing #62236267 and #62236009 respectively) were "recruited" by  my elder daughter, who is General Manager of the Boss Federation (British Office Supplies and Services Federation in full) and is also Secretary of their Benevolent Fund.  Both Foxes attend major industry events and occupy prominent positions on the BOSS stall.  The idea is that if any orders are generated from folks who visit the Boss Stall, then the 10% I usually give to charity is sent to the Fund.  They have received one donation already - and as the Industry Events season is about to start, I'm hopeful that there will be more orders coming from that direction.

The colour scheme for their clothing reflect the Boss Federation corporate ones.  They seem to have attracted a lot of favour with fellow Etsians, as they are often "favourited" by them on the Etsy activity site. Hope that the new ones will be as popular when they appear in the shop.  Had to order more Chesnut Plush fur fabric before I could cut the new Mr. Fox out.  That arrived yesterday, so have no excuse now for delaying their completion (except for the fact that I don't have 48 hours in the day in which to do so!).

Today was the monthly meeting of the Women's Section of the Royal British Legion who meet in the Resident's Hall here at the Hospital of St. John - we had an interesting talk, illustrated by a video, from a gentleman who spent 44 years working fulltime at the Royal Mews in London, followed by a further 11 years as a part-time employee.  His most recent involvement was to ensure that the coach carrying the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge from Westminster Abbey after their recent wedding stopped exactly opposite the red carpet at both the Abbey and Buckingham Palace.  That move necessitated some "fancy footwork" by fast car between the two venues to ensure he was in the right spot in time to help their Royal Highnesses out of the carriage, and clear the other carriages out of the way in time for Her Majesty to alight upon her arrival after the ceremony.  Apparently, some of the bridal attendants, having thoroughly enjoyed the trip back in their carriages, were somewhat reluctant to alight and had to be gently "encouraged"!  Simply fascinating talk, and much enjoyed by all of us (25 plus) who attended.

The point of telling you about this is to say that I was able to donate a further £11.00 to the British Legion funds, making a total of  nearly £20.00 since the beginning of the year, when orders to www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com began to drift in. I'll end by including a picture of both Freda and Freddy, because once their replacements are made, I'll be withdrawing them from the shop.  If anyone needs a mascot for their promotional activities, then any of the Cuddlies would be willing to fulfill that need - just contact us and we'll be happy to try and meet your requirements.

Freda and Freddy Boss Fox

That's it for tonight.  Until the next time.  Isobel

More about the Coyotes

   

Hello again - Isobel has allowed me to continue to tell you some more about our Coyotes.

  Since we last posted, Isobel has recovered the article telling everyone about Charlie Coyote's arrival at the Wylye Coyotes After School Club in nearby Codford.  She also remembered that The Warminster Journal have agreed to our publishing the article in any blogging we did, provided we mentioned them - which we now have!  So, here is the article - just to prove I wasn't talking through my fur!  The picture clearly shows that Charlie in his purple coat, but I don't think you can see the logo that Isobel embroidered on it. (Sorry the picture is not clearer, but it's the best our scanner could do with the picture in The Warminster Journal itself).

While we are on the subject of Coyotes, we also have another version of Chuck, which has been named Light Brown Chuck Coyote (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/#67039032).  Really think Isobel will have to re-name  him, because I do't think that's terribly original.  The reason he's that colour is that immediately after Charlie left us in January, we needed  a replacement for him in the Cuddlies family.  Isobel was in such a hurry that she pulled out the wrong package of plush fur, and without checking (she has a tendency to go at things in a hurry sometimes) and the final result was a very much lighter coloured version of a Coyote.  However, she liked the finished toy, she decided to name the new chap that, and began another one in the RIGHT colour this time, who is the one pictured in the ColdhamCuddlies shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/#61408931.

This is the Light Brown version of Chuck Coyote.

 We'll have to see what Isobel and I can come up with in the re-naming stakes.  In the meantime, bye for now.           Your friend, Cy Bear. 

 

Talking about the Coyotes

Hello everyone:  Cy Bear back again (wondered when Isobel would let me get my nose in again!)

This is a picture of Charlie Coyote's replacement Chuck Coyote

So, taking up where Isobel left off yesterday - more about my friend Chuck Coyote (Etsy Listing: #61408931/www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com).  He's the American version of Charlie Coyote, who is now the Mascot for the Wylye Coyotes After School Club in a village called Codford, which is about two miles away from where we all live at The Hospital of St. John in Heytesbury, Wiltshire. England, UK - in case you didn't already know!

Apparently, Chuck is an "experiment" like me!  Charlie changed his name when he left the Family, which happened before I appeared on the scene.  But I am told that he started life as  a dressed Bear!  What on earth did Isobel think she was doing, I wonder?  Fancy having dressed bears!  Apparently, that chap's head did not work, so Isobel made a Foxy head, with a different colour plush fur and liked the final result.  So that  is how the Coyote collection began. 

The original Bear which was deemed "unacceptable"

Shortly after he was completed, Isobel saw an article in the local weekly newspaper, The Warminster Journal, about the After School Club and telephoned to see if they would like to have a Mascot.  They asked to meet him, and he changed his name (from Chuck  - Isobel did not realise that there were Coyotes of any kind in the United Kingdom - to Charlie, which is the English equivalent nickname) before he was introduced.  He was invited to become a fulltime member, and Isobel was about to leave, when one of the young members enquired why Charlie did not have a purple top like the Adult Helpers at the Club!  Isobel quickly offered to make him a coat, so honour was thus satisfied!  We do have a picture of Isobel handing Charlie over to the club, complete with his purple jacket which appeared in The Warminster Journal a few weeks later.  However, there are still some issues around permission being obtained from their parents for them to be included in a blog like this, so, instead, we'll include a picture of the Wylye Coyote's After School Club logo, which Isobel copied and embroidered on his coat - so that Charlie really would look like an Adult Helper!

The Coyotes Logo

I am also told that the Coyote Toys are made in a slightly different way from the other dressed toys in the Coldham Cuddlies collection.  Instead of their trousers being made to look like plus-fours or jodhpurs, their trousers are straight and they are made to look slightly less formal than their cousins the Foxes.  They also do not have separate bodies like the other dressed toys.  Their shirts and trousers are all made in one piece, whereas the other dressed toys are more complicated to make, having more pattern pieces to put together.

 

Chuck Coyote's rear view

   That's it for this post folks.  Good to be back talking to you again.  Bye for now - Cy Bear.