I've just been awarded the Libester Blog Award!

Liebster Blog Award

I am honored and have been awarded the "Liebster Blog Award" by
ANGIE OUELLETTE-TOWER author of two blogs

God's Growing Garden (which is the one I follow) and Gourdonville

The Rules:

1. Share 11 random facts about yourself

2. Answer the 11 questions asked by the person that tagged you.

3. Tag 11 people

4. Ask them 11 questions

11 Random facts about Myself

1.  I was born (a long time ago) in Pakistan, when it was still British India.

2.  Orphaned at 10 months, I was reared and loved as a full family member by an Aunt and    Uncle, who happened to be tea planters in South India.

3.  I am half-English and half Scottish, so thoroughly British.

4.  I have lived and worked in Alberta, Canada (1975-1987) and South Africa (1968)

5.  Recently widowed (after nearly 43 years being married).

6.  I have two wonderful daughters and a marvellous son-in-law, so am still a very lucky person

7.  I also have one canine and three feline grand daughters - who all give me cause for great laughter by their actions

8.  I loathe spiders, snakes and most creepy crawlies.

9. Enjoy meeting new people - both in real time or virtually.

10. Like " playing" on the internet, but don't always know what I'm letting myself in for

11.  Blogging is a fairly new interest, but do enjoy sharing my craft stories with those who kindly follow me

  The 11 Questions that Angie posed:

1.  What is your favorite Jane Austen book?  Pride & Prejudice

2.  Pick just one:  chocolate, hard candy or licorice?  Chocolate

3.  What is your pet peeve?  People who moan, without cause

4.  Can you speak a different language (other than English)?  (If so -which one?) French, but not fluently

5.  Do you have a garden & if so what kind (veggies, fruit or flowers)? Veggies.

6.  What is your favorite artist? (visual artist)? Don't really have one

7.  What kind of perfume/cologne do you wear? Eau de Cologne mostly

8.  What is your favorite "Great Lake"? (If you are not from North America then just pick your favorite lake) Once could draw all of them on a map, but not now.  My favourite British one has to be Lake Windermere (used to live close by until 4 years ago).

9.  Who/what motivates you? My family, without a doubt

10. Skiing:  down hill, cross-country, water or none?  None

11.  Without looking this up on google - what is the quadratic formula?? - quick!!! Have not got a clue - does that make me an ignoramus?

The blogs I tagged:

1.  A  View from the Furry Side

2.  Absolutely Kismet

3.  All Things Tangled

4.  Beader Bubbe's shop

5.  Created By Laurie

6.  Custom Teddys

7.  DeeDeeDezyn

8.  Island Buzzy

9.  Living Vibrations

10. Riorita - Handmade Jewellry Designs

11. Sher's Creative Space.

Many were fellow members of the BESTeam Bloggers - and I miss our regular contacts.  The rest have given me immense pleasure in reading their posts.  Long may our contacts continue.

My questions to those I have tagged:

1.  Your favourite colour?
2.  Your first memory of that colour?
3.  What's your summer been like - weatherwise?
4.  Your favourite holiday?
5.  Your first mistake?
6.  Has it been repeated?  (Bet it hasn't!)
7.  Cat, dog or other? - choose one
8.  Their latest trick?
9.   Looking forward to ....?
10. Looking back at.....?
11. What next - if you're a crafter:  or if not?

The Rejuvenation of Fred Bear - Part One

In our post dated July 30, 2012, Cy Bear introduced one of the new Patients who had recently arrived for treatment in the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185).  His name is Fred Bear - and just to remind folks as to what he looked like on arrival, here he is as his treatment began.

Stuffing from Fred's left arm

 When  first introduced to him I was told that PatC, his long-time Forever Friend, did not really want him to be changed too much.  However, she did feel his paw and leg pads did not look right in blue, his face required some attention, and although his ear was about to fall off, if it could re-attached at a somewhat similar angle, she'd like that.  She'd got used to his lop-eared appearance.  As Fred is nearly 100 years old, I felt that those instructions were more than reasonable, particularly as given his age, his condition was pretty good.  Besides, the customer always prevails, do they not?

Accordingly, I got to work with the Quic Unpic and began to remove his stuffing.

This is what I found when I unpicked the left arm pad area.  The stuffing he arrived with was a mixture of Kapok and sawdust, which made me suspect he had been given some treatment in an earlier attempt to smarten him up.  Somehow, he has had problems with his limbs extremities - which did indeed need attention:  whereas his body, head and limbs were perfectly acceptable.  The Kapok had been packed ever so tightly, which, with the sawdust combined to make him feel very hard, rather than cuddly and firm.  

When I arrived at his legs, my suspicions that his current rejuvenation therapy is not his first was reinforced.  In this picture, you can see at least 3 or 4 previous treatments have been undertaken, plus a clear view of the wood chippings/sawdust used to stuff his legs. 

Here is another shot showing the three previous paw pads which also includes a cardboard lining which is still in remarkably good condition - but likely to have been involved in his last treatment, since it was immediately under the blue felt pad.

His head was almost totally filled with sawdust, with only his nose had some Kapok within the cavity, and when I came to his body, his original growler had completely collapsed.  Both the growler and stuffing have now been removed, and I now await instructions as to which fabric PatC would like his new paw pads to be made with.  

In a telephone conversation this afternoon, I've been advised that PatC's elder sister - who is equally anxious that Fred should not be changed too much - is expected for a visit at the week-end, and a sisterly consultation will take place as to what colour fabric will be utilised to make his new paws.  After I had prepared Fred for his rejuvenation, I found three suitable fabrics for repairing his paw pads and sent swatches for PatC to select.  I've been told to expect their decision sometime this Sunday. 

In the meantime, I've taken the Black Gorilla Golf Club Head Cover to pieces and think I can figure out how to make some of my own versions using Toy Heads already at my disposal.  I've prepared  Bear,  Fox, and Rabbit Heads by enlarging those used for the dressed Cuddlies and my Teddy Bears. Templates have been prepared for all three, and I've made a template for the inner lining of the proposed Club Head Covers.   Have also measured the dimensions required for the knitted handle cover as well.  Now it's a question of having a go and making one.  Wish me luck!

 I think it would be nice to have some to offer when I take some of the smaller Cuddlies to my first Craft Sale of the 2012 Autumn (Fall to you folks over the Atlantic) Season which is coming up on August 18.  Folks who attend this event are the sort who either play golf themselves, or know someone in their family who does.  This event is a weekly Produce/Cake Sale held each Saturday during the summer in our Village Church - the funds raised going towards the Church's upkeep.  The residents of the Hospital of St. John have been appointed to run the event on August 18, and I've been invited to take a table - as I did in 2011 - to offer something different from the usual produce sold each week.  

Will keep you posted as and when I have anything more to add - about Fred Bear, the Golf Club Head Covers and/or the Produce Sale on August 18.  Meanwhile, good night and God Bless!  Isobel