Summer Friends!

All too often, a special order will be shipped before he or she - or they - have a chance for a debut. This little pair looks so cute in their pinks and greens, I wanted them to have their "day in the sun."
They are off to Illinois on Monday (thanks, Jane!)where I know they will enjoy cooler temperatures than we've had here.

Summer!!

After a delightful visit, Miss Kim heads back to Pennsylvania this morning. We've had tons of fun visiting and shopping. I'm getting back to bear sewing with renewed vigor!

This morning, Rose and I went searching for my first Morning Glory blossom and there it was! I planted seeds a while ago in several locations around our yard and this was the first of the blossoms - meant, I'm sure, to usher Summer in! It looks like there's a little light shining from within the blossom. It's an heirloom variety called "Grandpa Ott."
This is another instance in which "the best camera is the one that's with you" as I took this with my Iphone.
Happy Summer Everyone!!!!

Lauralee on Etsy!

I've just listed little Lauralee (named for my sister who lives in California) in my Etsy shop. Here are her photos. I hope you will visit my Etsy shop to find out all about her! www.etsy.com/shop/donnaandthebears
Lauralee has been adopted!!

Who's This?

Here's a little peek at a pretty little purple butterfly bear who will be appearing in my Etsy shop tomorrow. I hope you'll visit! I plan to do the listing sometime before 10 a.m. My Etsy shop address is: www.etsy.com/shop.donnaandthebears

What a Trip!

Not only did we get Miss Kim moved to her new apartment, but we had a grand time in the process! After all the furniture and boxes were delivered, we took a walking tour of the University of Pittsburgh and parts of Carnegie Mellon as well since they are next to each other.

The most spectacular building on the Pitt campus is called the Cathedral of Learning. Inside on the first floor, there are tables and chairs for students to use to study. Classrooms and offices are on the upper floors. Who wouldn't have lofty thoughts and ideas in this atmosphere!

There's a beautiful fountain on the outside of the building and beautiful flowers and hanging baskets abound.

More trip photos soon as well as a sneak peak of a purple butterfly bear. 
P. S. As this was an impromptu trip, I didn't take my trusty Nikon. These photos were made with my Iphone.....which points out the wisdom in the title of one of my favorite recent books "The Best Camera is the One That's With You."

The Trip so far

Kim and I are having a grand time and will be ready when the movers show up tomorrow morning to carry all we've boxed up and her furniture to her new apartment.

My trip up was just lovely. The weather was picture perfect! My drive takes me through the Shennandoah Valley - well, that's by my choice the Garmen I borrowed from Jason (I call her Gretchen) would have me go another way, but she kindy recalculates when I go on little side jaunts. On this particular day, I decided to stretch my legs in the Sky Meadows State Park which appears in these photos. There was tons of traffic on the main roads as folks were traveling for the Memorial Day Holiday.

Dear Russell - my bear that Kim claimed shortly after his birth several years ago, surveys all our packing efforts and gets ready for the move to his new home tomorrow!

Heading to "The Burgh"

Tomorrow I'm driving up to help Miss Kim move to her new apartment which is closer to Pitt where she'll be starting grad school in August. I'm taking my camera and laptop along so will post the fun along the way! Happy Memorial Day to All!!

Cleo's Fountain

Always a fan of dripping water, Cleo approves of my completed fountain. The glaze selection produced some realistic
"mushrooms" and the reservoir appears treelike. The water progresses the way it should for the most part and Cleo has dubbed it a good first effort.
Coming soon - next butterfly bear will be purple!

Miss Rose and the fountain in it's final stages!

I think I forgot to mention another very important engineering feature. There must be a hole large enough for the Fountaineer to get his or her hand inside to place the pump and tubing to make it work. Luckily I didn't forget to do that and if I were to swivel the log around, you'd see it. On the left is the fountain after the first firing (bisque) and on the right is how it looked just before the final firing. I have applied glaze to the "mushrooms" in a color called oatmeal with the edges touched in pippin green. Oatmeal has little flecks in it giving much dimension to the piece. I stained the "log" with red iron oxide so that it will have a log-like appearance with no shine. The final episode will contain the results!

Now, in order to give equal treatment all around the furry people in my house, here's sweet Rose. She loves to play along the fence under the honeysuckle vine and smells sooo sweet when she comes back inside.