Slipper Production continuing - in full spate!

Good afternoon Everyone!

Another week has gone by, and it's time once again for me, Cy Bear, to update you on what's been happening in the Coldham Cuddlies World.

As the title for this post indicates, the Baby Slippers we told you about last week are well under way. with the White Polar Bear Slippers now completed.

The Polar Bears were joined on Friday evening by the first of the pair of  Panda Bear Slippers ordered at the same time by SnraCF - and Isobel sent her the photo above to update her on the order's progress.  The second slipper is well under way, and we're hoping to get that completed by the end of  Sunday evening.

The basic slipper is complete, and production of the second head is under way.  It needs the black eye patches and plastic eyes to be attached, the black plush ears as well,  and then the pink ribbon sewn on and the elastic threaded through.

All being well, we're hoping that both the Italy-bound Slippers will be en route early next week, well in time for Christmas - which is when SnraCF plans on giving them to her Granddaughters E and A.

Then, it's checking the measurements we've received for the Isobel's great-nephews to see how many new pairs of slippers need to be produced - once we've checked our existing stocks to see if, perchance, we may have some already made that could fit the bill.  At the same time, we'll be checking to see if the intended recipients want to have them with animal heads on

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/162884385/owl-novelty-slippers-brown-fleck-faux?ref=shop_home_active_6

or for them to be just conservatively plain and simple!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/158936304/unisex-novelty-slippers-badger-stripe?ref=shop_home_active_1

Then, it will be all systems go to see that they're off in time to reach the Williams Lake area of British Columbia, Canada in time for Christmas.

To make sure that we don't run out of the insoles - which form the base of the feet for the bigger slippers (for ladies and gentlemen) - while in nearby Sutton in Ashfield, our next door town yesterday, Isobel stocked up with a new supply of these vital slipper parts. They're made with "memory-foam" and have the different foot sizes printed on one side of each foot template.  Please see below:

We get ten pairs at a time, so that we've always got some in stock - and this is the second time that a stock up has been required since we began making slippers in 2012 (and the first since we arrived in Nottinghamshire). 

Isobel cuts out the pattern size required, and then starts the construction process.  Because we're not sure if the sizes given here are for American or European foot sizes, Isobel is going to cut the Boys' slippers to the measurements (from heel to toe) given us by their Mother, MrsAS- Isobel's niece.  That's the way, we went with SnraCF's grand daughters' slippers, and they should allow room for growth, because as all prudent grandmothers do, she allowed for such eventualities when she provided the vital statistics for the slippers shown above.  (All our Slippers, so far, have fitted their intended owners to date I hasten to add!!)

(As you may recall, being a Beaver Lamb Bear, I always include a lady's - or come to that, a gentleman's - title before their initials when referring to them in a blog post here.  I've also never met MrsAS, so it's another reason for a well brought up Bear to do so here!)

In between times, during the week, Isobel was taken by daughter Clare, together with GrandsonE, to the Our Lady's Shrine at Walsingham - where Peter's ashes are interred.  It's almost four years since that happened, and the family have tried to get there at least once a year to pay their respects. Normally it rains, and the Shrine (pronounced a Basilica by Pope Francis last December we discovered when they got there - because of it's importance in the life and history of British Catholics) is located very close to the East Anglian coast of North Norfolk. (That's the round bit on the right side of a map of Great Britain - for those who might not know where Norfolk is in the UK). It's thus always windy there, and Wednesday morning was no different.  However everything was accomplished in comfortably cool conditions, and the travellers returned home safely, with the driver (Clare) having done a 222 mile round trip in 7.5 hours, with a short break for a picnic lunch in between.

I'll end this post for this week, with a photo of the Chapel of  Reconciliation (a major focal point of the Basilica) with surrounding trees in all their full autumnal glory.  (In the 1970's, Peter was on the Committee charged with the building of this central feature of  the National Shrine - which is why the authorities at Walsingham were agreeable for his remains to rest there)

You can just see the back of  Clare and GrandsonE - on the right of the photo.

Do have a very good week, everyone.  See you all next week - with the latest from the Slipper Department, and whatever occurs in the days to come.

Your Friend, Cy Bear.

New Novelty Slipper Production now in full swing

Hello once again, Everyone.

 Cy Bear reporting in - and hopefully being able to do things better now that Isobel got the computer seen to on Monday.  It only took the Techy Guy 50mins from start to finish:  goodness knows how long it would have taken Isobel to try and sort it (as was suggested by the system, I believe!) and definitely worth the monthly fee we've signed up to for 12 months hence!!

The business regarding the hiccup on the Etsy Custom Order system was eventually sorted - but not before both sides of the transaction almost gave up on the order system totally.  Actually, we've got one on the official Etsy Order system (which is well under way - you can see where it is at the moment.)

This is the first of a pair of  Polar Bear Novelty Slippers - destined for SnraCF's youngest GrandaughterA, who is now about 12 weeks old.  The picture was taken last night and sent to Italy, just to make sure that it is what SnraCF was looking for. (IT IS!!  So, full steam ahead......!)

The second pair of  Novelty Slippers (this time featuring Panda Bears) are ready to be cut out, once the Polar Bears are complete. (They were eventually ordered between SnraCF and Isobel, via their mutual PayPal accounts!  It does mean that the second pair won't show as an official Etsy Order, but who really cares - when the funds are well and truly in Isobel's bank account!).   Once both items are finished, they will be converted into normal Coldham Cuddlies Novelty Slipper listings, and be added to that Section in our Shop (www.ColdhamCuddlies.etsy.com).  That will take our listings total further forward and nearer the 110 mark, which will be exciting.  

With the success of the Polar Bear slippers, Isobel has had an idea as to how she can use some small Brown Rabbit Heads that she was left with earlier in the year - after someone contacted us, got Isobel to make them, and then disappeared before the custom order was completed.  This time, though, it was not such a problem as it has been in the past!!  (We actually blogged about them here https://coldhamcuddliescalling.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/rabbit-head-shoe-ornaments-new-product.html )  Isobel was never entirely sure that the Rabbit Heads would work as Shoe Ornaments, but we are pretty certain there won't be a problem as Baby Slippers.  So, watch this space - I'm pretty sure they will end up in that role, rather than that for which they were originally produced.

Meanwhile, we've finally  been able to "find" the missing pictures showing how our Gentlemen's Badger Stripe slippers, recently shipped to MrMW in San Franciso, were put together.  (You can see the difference in fabric usage between Slippers for a 12 week old youngster, and needing a slipper to fit a size 9-10 for our gentleman customer!)  You may recall that I told we'd shipped them on Friday afternoon a week ago - so they are probably still en route, as we may have missed a California-bound 'plane from the nearest airport (we're not that far from Birmingham, Manchester and/or Nottingham International Airports) but Isobel has found that packages bound for overseas destinations need to be in our local post office by mid-morning on a Friday, if they're going to make it before the week-end.  I'll let you know when they do arrive safely.

Meanwhile, here are the rest of those photographs I was telling you about:

This photo shows one, almost completed, Badger Stripe Slipper - but giving our customer the choice of a grey or brown satin ribbon trim.  (He went with the Brown, which is what we thought would be the case!)

The grey ribbon will come in handy though because Isobel is making Christmas slippers for her Great Nephews who live in British Columbia, Canada, and they may well need to have special slippers made for them.  Their foot measurements were received during the week, and Isobel anticipates having to make at least a couple more pairs - although, hopefully, some will be met from our existing supplies. Some of the great nephews are healthy teenagers, with feet measurements to match!!!  In all, there are 4 Great Nephews who need foot warmers for this winter- ranging in age between 5-21!  (Isobel is of a generation that one does not become fully adult until you ARE 21!!).

Another view of the slipper and ribbons.

San Francisco-bound Slippers, completed.

The Slippers for MrMW before they were packed for the Journey.

So, that's all for this week, Friends.  Hope to be back with you again next week - with the latest from the Slipper Department of our Coldham Cuddlies Shop!!  Have a good one!

Your Friend, Cy Bear.

A return to Rufford Abbey - this time in Autumn surroundings.

Hello again Everyone - this week, I intend to let Cy Bear take over.

That's because Isobel has got herself into a fix on the computer (YET AGAIN!) and am hoping her friendly Techy Guys from Hewlett Packard will be able to sort her out early next week.  Some things still operate:  but not all!  So, here's an update about what has been possible!!

After a busy week in which a successful MacMillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning was held - and resulted in a total of £500.00 ($620.75 USD) being sent to the Charity.  The actual event raised a little over £280.00 (with the help of our regular Tuesday Coffee Morning attendees, and their friends).  The rest was made up with a contribution from the Old Chapel Close Busy Bees Club amounting to £200.00 and the total being rounded up to the final amount with a personal donation from one of our residents. 

(The Busy Bees meet regularly on a Monday afternoon and consist of a regular group of ladies who "knit and natter".  They create knitted toys, baby clothing, and tea cosies, which get sold on a Womens' Institute stall at nearby Southwell Market each week.  Once the WI have taken their share (ten per cent of any item sold), the monies are returned to the Busy Bees, who then decide once a year on which local charity they would like to support.  Isobel is one of the weekly regulars - but uses the time to do some Cuddlies preparation, as she rarely knits these days.  The Monday Regulars are quite happy with this arrangement!)

Isobel celebrated her birthday on Saturday, spending it with Clare, Alan and Grandson E - involving a stomp around Rufford Abbey Country Park - about which we posted earlier this year - (on 24/04/2016-Rufford Abbey, Part One and 02/05/2016-Rufford Abbey, Part Two).  It was a beautiful, autumnal day, plenty of feathered friends came to meet the Party, and a good time was had by all.

Ever hopeful avian friends

A very regal Swan - keeping an eye on family (out of sight) and friends

A gaggle of  Brent Geese - gathering in anticipation!

Whereas the previous stroll around the Country Park had taken place in the Spring, this time the trees were in full leaf (getting ready to drop in some cases), and the visit concentrated on the lake area, finishing off with a delightful picnic lunch in the Rose Garden.  Here are some more photos of the occasion:

Queen Mother's Walk in full leaf - at the beginning of our visit.

A tantalising first glimpse of the lake, with autumn colours appearing

A view of the lake - with the furthest point in sight

Playing with a new found friend

A last glimpse of the lake at the end of the trail

The clock tower of Rufford Abbey, seen from the Rose Garden as lunch was being unpacked

The rest of the week involved Isobel finishing off the order for a pair Size 10 Mens' Fux Fur Novelty Slippers, which were dispatched on Friday afternoon, and will hopefully be in situ in San Francisco by the end of next week. 

We've also received two custom orders for some Children's Novelty Slippers - from  a returning customer, SraCF, living in Italy.  Isobel has got to clarify something with the Etsy Custom Order system - which doesn't seem to be recording the request as 2 separate orders, largely because we think the client based her Custom Request on the same original Slipper listing.  Isobel may be wrong - but it's another of these things that need sorting........ if only to see that the correct charges are applied!!!. 

So, you could say that this week has been somewhat frustrating on the Coldham Cuddlies front - but overall has been a good one for Isobel.

Hope to be back functioning with All Systems Go next week - I'll close for this week.

Your friend, Cy Bear.

Return to normal service - hopefully!

Greetings Everyone!

Back at base once more, after a splendid holiday in Devon, and stop overs with daughter Philippa in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire on either side of a five day visit to one of my cousins.  Lovely time, helped by the fact that the English weather actually co-operated all the way through, with rain only starting as I got off the train on the return journey at Kirkby in Ashfield Station, in time to catch my 'bus for the final stage home.

While there was Wi-Fi linkage where we stayed in Devon, it's not really the done thing to spend one's usual time dealing with the daily Etsy business for www.Coldham Cuddlies.co.uk. when in one's family members' home (or anyone else's when it comes to it!)  so I just checked in each day, and then began to catch up when I returned to High Wycombe at the end of our week away. (Last Sunday, when I might have been able to do something, frankly, I didn't feel like it - so, hopefully, we've not lost too many of our regular Followers as a result of this dereliction of duty!!!).

So, this week's post is really a bit of a catching up one - to bring you up to date on matters here at base.

The travelling version of  Winston Wombat!

However, we did hear that the package, with Winston Wombat on board, arrived in time, and that the recipient was "very pleased" with his gift!  The Slipper order that we spoke about in our last post has been started, and the first slipper is at the final stage - where the ribbon trim needs to be added.  MrMJW, the customer, was kind enough to give me a little more lee-way in dispatch time, because of course when I got back it was to find myself head over heels in preparations for the upcoming MacMillan Cancer Coffee Morning we are holding on Tuesday - 4th October - for which I had prepared the Crab Apple Butter (posted about in our last but one bulletin a week or two ago - visit here to see more - http://coldhamcuddliescalling.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/sampling-local-foraging-opportunities.html).

These are now ready for display- and sale - at the Coffee Morning

There are eleven jars in all - and I'm planning on taking them over to the Residents' Lounge, where the event is taking place, tomorrow afternoon.  I'll be rushing around setting up the Coldham Cuddlies sales table on the actual day!!

One thing all this "extra-curricular" activity has done though - is to encourage me to return to the baking stakes.  Since Peter died, four years ago, followed by the move from Wiltshire to Nottinghamshire, I've really not felt motivated to do much baking - but this year, I got the urge!  So, earlier this afternoon I had a go - largely as an experiment, in case my oven didn't play ball.  Much to my surprise, it did co-operate, and this is the resulting offering!

While studying my pantry shelves prior to this foray into the baking stakes, I discovered I still have two jars of Strawberry Jam (made in July 2007!) using berries grown by myself in our West Lancashire garden , so one of them is going to be opened to form the sandwich middle of this Victoria Sponge.  I'll be making a second one, as celebration of my return to the baking stakes!  (The jam looks darker than most Strawberry Jam - because Peter couldn't eat anything baked with White Sugar, so all my baking - which included breads, etc - all used Brown Demerara Sugar.  I still use it - from habit - and really think the flavour is improved as a result!)

In between all this week's activities on all fronts, I've also had time to list two new Cuddlies - which have been mentioned in the past few weeks, if memory serves.  Either Cy Bear or I will tell you more in coming weeks (in between posts showing the places I visited in Devon - which lived up to all expectations!) - but to whet your appetites, here are pictures of the two new members of the COLDHAMCUDDLIES Family -

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/468211694/fantasy-bear-toy-cotton-poplin-bears?ref=shop_home_active_1

The missing ear belonging to the Fantasy Bear on the left is now firmly attached I hasten to add - it was listed in this way as a way to illustrate Cuddlies en route as it were!!

Also listed this week, was the associated Fantasy Bear Baby Mobile - seen here.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/481643347/fantasy-bear-mobile-bear-toy-mobile?ref=shop_home_active_2

Now, after a frustrating afternoon trying to find all these pictures - all as a result of some new manoeuvres I'm required to do on my computer, which seem to have emerged since I left for Devon (don't know what wrong button I landed on this time around!!) - I'll end this week's update.

Look forward, together with Cy Bear, to being with you all next week.  Meanwhile, have a great one!

Your Friend,  Isobel

Progress report - on Several Fronts.

Hello there Everyone:

Cy Bear back again, having "dictated" this post to Isobel - so she can type it from "up the road", where she has been house- and pet-sitting since Thursday of last week.  She's been in and out during morning hours each day since, because of the need to finish the crab-apple processing and other community related matters, and she's due to be doing the same until Wednesday morning next week.

For explanation of this "progress" - see below

First of all, despite the heading here,  there's not been that much progress on the Baby Foxes/BabyMobile project, because of the distraction of the Paralympics from Rio de Janeiro this week (and that is likely to be the case for the next week because the Games will be on-going until the week-end).  Isobel will be busy next week-end, because it's Clare's birthday on Saturday, Philippa is coming up on the Friday evening, and we'll be busy playing with GrandsonE on Saturday.  Then we're both leaving Nottinghamshire on Sunday for a few days holiday in Devon. (So, once again, we repeat - NO BLOG POST next week - but do come back to check:  Isobel has been known to change her mind - or something else may  have occurred.  The computer is going with her!)

Secondly, the Crab Apple Butter production line was successfully concluded on Friday afternoon, with the apples shown in this picture in last week's blog post being converted into the finished item. 

Picked crab apples waiting to be processed

It's been cool enough in the flat to keep the apples from rotting too much, and in the end, our friendly gardeners actually provided Isobel with 3.5 kilos (something like 6-7 lbs - Isobel doesn't have her usual metric converter to hand at Clare's home).  The final result is 11 similar sized, but different shaped jars, and two small jars - plus a little left over so that Isobel could take some around to near neighbours - for taste-testing!!  We've had the impression that some of our friends here at Old Chapel Close  were a little wary of a Fruit Butter!!  We felt that some independent tasting reports might render the future sale of the items more likely!!!

Then on Wednesday morning, just before she left to do some shopping for the week, we had an order - for our Badger Stripe Slippers.  

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/158936304/unisex-novelty-slippers-badger-stripe?ref=shop_home_active_1

They have been commissioned by one MrMW from San Francisco and as they are made to measure, (as are all of our Novelty Slippers - whether for Gentlemen, Ladies or Children). the actual construction of this gentleman's slippers will commence once Isobel gets back from Devon after September 26.  (This is OK with our customer).  The one's pictured in our listing are a size smaller than MrMW's actual requirement.  He merely requests they look as near as possible like the example given.  As ever, we'll do our best to do so!

Then, in the afternoon of the same day, we found another order (the first time we've had two in one day) - and both for one of our higher-priced items, too!.  This time, it was from a lady who wondered if it would be possible for us to send her one of our Winston Wombat 3-Way Bed Pillows. 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/99230084/winston-wombat-3-way-bed-pillow-pajama?ref=shop_home_active_1

There was a potential snag though because she needed to have one of them by Saturday (yesterday) for her son's birthday.  After an exchange of messages on the Etsy convo system, we discovered she was in London, so it would be possible for us to do it - but we would be taking a risk in following it up.   Royal Mail does a next-day service which guarantees delivery by 1300 hours the day after an item is posted (the cost of which would be covered by the postal charge).  MsNW then wanted to know if we could get Winston Wombat to her on the Friday, as she had arranged to be away on the Saturday for her son's celebrations.  We managed to do so - even though we actually hadn't received the funds in Isobel's local bank account - although Etsy had done so, because that's the way the purchasing system works.  (One disadvantage of  BST (British Summer Time) being 4 hours ahead of  EST - Eastern Standard Time - which is the time zone Etsy operates within!)

Remember, Isobel is supposed to be residing up the road - and the two Winstons and all our packaging materials are firmly ensconced here at home!  The speed of the operation meant that we were unable to offer the usual "Cuddlies Catwalk" session - giving the customer the chance to choose exactly which of the Cuddlies she would like - so we decided to send the one on the right of this picture.

Before he was wrapped up, we took some pics - and this is Winston Wombat Right before he was prepared for the journey:

The photograph at the beginning of this post, is one of our traditional Farewell Photos with me, as Mascot to the Coldham Cuddlies Shop.  Then Isobel took the photograph beneath - just to show how long a Winston Wombat is - compared with me sitting in my usual spot on the bed.  My right arm is between the back of Winston's head with his tail behind my "wrist". (He looks a little crooked, because of the angle of the pillow on which we are both resting!)

Once he was fully wrapped, he was put in a polythene postal envelope and Isobel got on the next  'bus into Kirkby town centre, and he was dispatched at just before 1100 on Thursday morning.  Because the paperwork for this transaction is all here at home with me (and Isobel is not!) we cannot check whether it did arrive so we'll have to wait until Monday when we hope to hear from MsNW to see if Winston did meet the important deadline, and whether his intended Forever Friend and he are happy with each other. Am afraid, you'll all have to wait to hear in the next installment!.

Until then - hope you all have a great week or two.  The weather here is lovely at the moment, with late summer sunshine to the fore.  Long may it continue!  See you all when I next see you!

Your friend, 

Cy Bear.