Further Bits and Pieces

Hello again everyone!  As promised in my last post, this is Cy Bear signing on once more, this time to tell you something about the new members of the Coldham Cuddlies family.

First I'd like to introduce you to my new Bear friend, Silvery Brown Furry Bear.  We'll have to think of another title for him, but for the moment that is how he is listed on our shop site at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.

Etsy Listing #95205668

 He's the first toy that Isobel has made with the new furry fabric sourced from our polyester fibre/plush fabric supplier in Frome, Somerset - the Fine Quality Feather Company.  We've got lots more of it, so there will be some more Bears like him, but the fabric is also great to use for the body of Badgers as and when they join us in the shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.

A full frontal of Silvery Brown Bear

On the Badger theme, we've got the patterns enlarged by 400% (as described in an earlier post)  but Isobel thinks they are just a little too big for what she wants to do with them.  She thinks initially Badgers will make great Hand/Glove Puppets, and thus the head we've now got is going to overwhelm the hand/body part of the toy.  She's got some other things to do before experimenting by decreasing the enlarged patterns - if you follow my "Irish" as the saying goes, I'm told - but be reassured, Badgers are definitely part of the future plans for the Cuddlies Family.

Meanwhile, Isobel has completed, delivered and received payment for Barry, the Beaver - who has been listed at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com as Etsy Listing #95363559.  He was delivered to MrsM from near-by Warminster last week-end and we now look forward to hearing how Astrid from Denmark likes him.  Given her obsession with the animal, Isobel is hoping she'll really love him.  Here's his picture for the blog record:

Etsy Listing #95363559

Then, earlier this week, Isobel listed the Hedgehog Family in the shop - having replaced the original Baby, which went to his Forever Home during the recent Spring Sales Day here in Heytesbury, with two more.  She also did another Mother Hedgehog because one of our neighbours here had fallen in love with her.  It was Mother's Day here in the UK last week-end, and MrsES - the neighbour in question - was given both Mom and Baby as a present from her daughter!  So, instead of two babies, as originally planned, we are now back to a full Hedgehog family who do seem to be attracting quite a lot of attention on the Etsy Activity site.  Isobel finds they are quite easy to make - and actually did the two babies and Mom in two long sessions.  (For your information a "long session" means she was able to sew all afternoon and evening:  a "normal" session usually means it's evenings only.  The longer events take place at week-ends, while the others are week-day one).

Here are their pictures, and the Listing numbers in the shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com for those of you who want to have a look at them.

Etsy Listing #95652141

Etsy Listing #95653310

Etsy Listing #95653745

Daddy Hedgehog (they all have their own names in the shop) is probably going to also have a counterpart soon - looking like Mom and Baby in a prone position.  This is because MrsES does not approve of Hedgehogs that stand up and has asked to have one done especially for her.  In so doing, Isobel is going to offer that option to anyone else who might have a similar feeling about Hedgehogs who are upright - but not till she has made Cy Bear II for Mrs. IM in France (the Forever Friend of Mons. Reynard and Mme.Lapin - who are on their way to Normandy), completed Rusty Bear's treatment.  That began at the week-end and should soon be completed by this week-end.   (A step-by-step report will follow in due course, we promise!) and also the commission for 10 more Baby Koalas from Mr.RFE in Sequals, Italy!

A further point:  regular followers of our blog here at www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com may recognise the Hedgehog furry fabric.  It has appeared in our shop before as the five different versions of Hairy Bear, as well as Hairy Bear with a Brown  Felt Muzzle.  As supplies of this fabric are becoming scarcer, with little prospect of renewed supplies, Isobel has decided to stop producing Hairy Bears - they were produced as a limited edition in any case - altogether so that she can make more Hedgehogs.  They don't use up so much fabric!

That is all for me to tell you for the time being.  Isobel will be back soon with the news on Rusty and other information.  Meanwhile, enjoy the Spring weather that seems to be occurring and take good care of yourselves.  Cy Bear

Bits & Pieces - another Cuddlies' update or two

Hello Everyone - Cy Bear taking over for a couple of posts, both of which are to do with our toys themselves.  Some are new to us in our shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com and some are updates regarding our former friends, now nicknamed the Travelling Cuddlies.

In one of her last posts, Isobel mentioned that we’d been sent some lovely photographs of Gold Plush Bear Glove Puppet from his Forever Friend, JS a.k.a as Mesatron from Liberty Township, Ohio.  He has not started on his travels around the USA yet, but Gold Plush Bear and JS are obviously getting to know each other well.

Welcoming

Shocked

Contemplating

Frustrated!

Interested.

 It’s great to see the different expressions that can come from just three fingers operating a glove puppet, isn’t it?

Ed Ted and his new Bear Friends

Then,  we have some pictures of the Italian Mob - they’ve not reached Sequals, Italy, yet but are likely to be getting very soon.  Meanwhile, these pictures were taken by our friend, MrRE when he and they were staying in Essex, before Mr.RE had to leave them safely in the boot of the Jaguar, until he could  drive them from England to Italy.  He’s been very busy lately, but hopes to return to the UK and drive them all back to his home in Sequals soon.

Those that can are saying "Hi!"

We have some lovely pictures of my friend Panda Bear - now at home in Neosho, Missouri.  However, Isobel has yet to figure out how to transfer them from the Convo section on the www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com site to this blog site!  When she has, we'll include them!

Next post, in a few days’ time, will be about my five new friends in the ColdhamCuddlies shop, which Isobel has just listed in the last few days.

Meanwhile, that’s it for tonight.  Goodnight - sleep tight everyone!  Cy Bear.

BESTeam Feature Blog - First for March

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! 

Anyone connected with Etsy cannot help but notice that jewellery designers form a large part of the handmade world! That fact is amply reflected within the much smaller, but wonderful world of the BESTeam on Etsy. So, having been a privileged member of the team since January this year, believe it to be high time on my part for an acknowledgement of these creative designers’ shops.

This feature has common themes of silver - mostly of the sterling variety, semi-precious and gemstones, and the colours pink and mauve: so, here goes.

The first shop today - a fairly recent recruit to the Team - is owned by Julian Oribe, who fully admits that its down to AdrianaLauraMendez’s designs, which feature crochet silver and semi-precious stones in their necklaces, bracelets, earrings and pendants. Now as one who used to crochet with more traditional materials of wool and cottons, but gave up because of all the counting involved, I’m awed at this display of original craftsmanship. The Brazilian Amethyst pendant is a great representative of the Latin/American/French background of the artistic designer and is the mauve feature of this blog.

Brazillian Amethyst Pendant in a crocheted sterling silver surround

Visit their shop at www.etsy.com/shop/AdrianaLauraMendez to see more beautiful, wearable jewellery.


Next comes a worthy representative of another Continent - Africa - in the form of Delia Benn, and the products she displays in her shop DeeDeeDzyn. She, too, is a fairly recent recruit to the BESTeam and her jewellery is rooted in her African origins. Using gold lame thread, and pink stones, her Lariat in Shades of Pink, also uses crochet as the linking medium - but what a different outcome is achieved!

Lariat in shades of Pink

Why not visit www.etsy.com/shop/DeeDeeDzyn” and wallow in the lovely items on offer?

Then my final choice for this particular post is made by Cindy “with love” to quote from her Etsy profile. She too uses sterling silver as a material of choice, as well as pearls, semi-precious stones and Swarovski crystals in her lovely jewellery design.

Add caption

Cindy can be contacted at her shop - www.etsy.com.shop/ckSilver or at the following:
www.facebook.com/cksilver; www.twitter.com/cksilver; or go to her blog at www.cksilver1.blogspot.com to read all about her designs.

Though I'm not into buying jewellery for myself these days - I'm lucky enough to have sufficient for my current social requirements! - I've two daughters whom I could easily see enjoying visits to these featured shops and not leaving empty-handed either!

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.