All Gone !!!

Once again, I am so very lucky to have an empty table at the end of the show! I have new collectors, bears and a bunny picked by old friends, and two bears selected by wonderful award winning artists - a supreme compliment to be sure!!

The show was just fabulous! The fun began with a couple of days of classes. After the first day, some of the participants showed off their handiwork!

A class taught by fabulous award winner - Michelle Lamb!

This one by Sharon Barron - you might recognize her wonderful style!

Sue Van Naten lead a group of eager jewelry makers!

And another class by the oh so talented Judi Paul!

The gallery mixed dolls and bears on Thursday evening! There was so much "wonderfulness" it was almost
more than the eye could take in!! Here are some of my special favorites!

A winner!!! Wanda Carson's adorable Time Traveler
Voted by the artists as one of the best!!!

I have more!!! I'll be back in the next post with more to see! I hope you can plan to go and be part of the fun next year! Terry and Susan Quinlan do a fantastic job of making a show that is fun for all! Good Food, Good Friends, and wonderful Art!!! Thanks so much Susan and Terry!!!

Panda Tea House

My gallery piece for the Philly show is done! I'm thrilled with my Panda Tea House and hope you like it!
I've been working on it for months both in the clay studio and here as the pandas were created. Inside the Tea House are a couple of tables which are illuminated with flickering light. The tiny teapot in front is made from polymer clay and is a small model of the Tea House. The pandas are under 3 inches tall.

If you are not going to the bear show in Philadelphia and are interested in purchasing it if it doesn't sell at the show, please email me at the address listed to the left! Show goers have the first chance at buying the gallery pieces.

I also have my piece for the Bear artists making doll gallery! Unfortunately, it started raining this morning as I was photographing these delightful pandas so I don't have a good photo of my elf "doll" which is called Stargazer!

I hope you will be able to come to the show and see all the wonderful bear and doll artistry! I'll try to take lots of photos at the show and post them here!

New Show coming up!!

I'm thrilled that I remembered the deadline for application and that I've been accepted for this Teddies Worldwide show in June. They are always so much fun and truly Worldwide!! You will want to visit and see the work of artists from everywhere!!

Here's a link to the fun: www.teddiesworldwide.com

I'll let you know when the previews will be up for you to see!

Let's make this flower pin cushion!

I've made a few of these so you might see different colors in the photos as we go along!

First, you'll need your favorite flower crochet pattern. I bought the one I used on Etsy here. I used a bigger hook than the pattern called for to have a bigger center and flower.

If you haven't done so, go to Etsy and search for crochet flower patterns and you'll find a ton of them that are just magnificent!

You'll be making two of the flowers - and making them in contrasting yarn seems to look good! Then we'll make two centers for the pin cushiony part!

 As you see, we've changed colors! This cushion is for a Pinki chibi wabbit, and uses the pinks and other pastels to show off her lovely color!

So. Here's what you do! Start with a magic loop (find directions on YouTube if you need them, and make 6 Single crochets into the loop. Tighten it up and increase each round by 6 single crochets until you get the circle to the size you need to be the flower center.

When it's big enough, single crochet all around in the back loop of each single crochet. Make three (or more if you want the cushion deeper) rounds of single crochet. Mark your progress with a stitch marker so you can keep track of the rounds. 

Close up the back of the cushion by decreasing the stitches. Single crochet two stitches together around until the entrance to the cushion is pretty small.

Here's the place to add stuffing if you feel you need it to make your wabbit comfy! Run a bit of the yarn all around and pull so that the circle is closed.

Then, make another round piece to go on the back just like the first one before you started the single crochet in the back loops. This one will be flat and will go on the back.

 Put the puffy one on the front and the flat circle on the back. Use a tapestry needle and sew through all layers with a running stitch around the outside of the circles

If you have questions, please leave a comment! I have lots more photos, but want this to fit all in one posting.
I plan to design a flower pattern which I'll post here for you to use for free. That will be after the Philly show in May, so I hope you'll check back!! Enjoy!!

Yet another color way with centers made from the some yarn as one of the flowers - called Pink Sands.
P. S. I've made a Chibi Panda for the Philly Bear Show and he's told me he wants a cushion too! Hmmm....
what colors for a panda????

The Wonderful Work of Elanor Andrews!!

Before I ever met the lovely Elanor Andrews in person (and it has been my good fortune to do so on a couple of occasions) I fell in love with her wonderful bears and especially her mousies! I must tell you that I am the proud mom of adorable "Cupcake" pictured above. He has just come across the pond (Elanor lives in the UK) to be with me here in Virginia. Cupcake is not only as sweet as the magnificent little cupcake pincushion (Elanor made that too and selected the pin from a neat Etsy shop)  upon which he sits, but he's oh so tiny too! I believe he's just under three inches tall.
I hope you will visit Elanor's Blog and let her know just how cute this little charmer is!!
Please click here: www.shantockbears.com
I will be thinking of dear Elanor each day as I see this little wonder!! Oh AND she sent a card with cupcake and frosting recipes!! YUM!!! It is such a delight to have a friend like Elanor!!

Yay, Kim!

Kim's Beaker sends his support:  "Yay, Mama!"

I'm thrilled to say that my daughter, Kim, this morning successfully defended her masters thesis. She will soon graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with a Masters' Degree in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases!

I have lots more to post and I've promised directions to that sunflower pin cushion. I will get to that soon!!

Well done, Kim!

Chibis in Etsy and Birthday Boys!

Samwise

Mr. Frodo

Birthday Boys!

I'm baking cakes for tonight's celebration! Jasons' kitties Sam and Frodo are two years old today!! There will be tuna and chicken for all the kitties and cake if they want some!

I've listed the wee Chibi bunnies in my Etsy shop so I hope you will drop by and see them!

www.etsy.com/shop/donnaandthebears

Both Chibi and Pinki have been adopted! Thanks Debbie and Carol !


Happy Spring and Happy Birthday Sam and Frodo!
I wonder if they would wear party hats? hmmmmm......

Yep, there is a Pinki Chibi!

Isn't she just the sweetest?? Just as soon as I get all the photos in order she and wee Chibi tan bunny will be in my Etsy shop. Be sure to check back for a link or sign up for notification if you are interested.

And here's her flower pin cushion sit upon. I'll offer the flowers separately. I'll do my best to have them in the shop tomorrow! Hope you like them!!

The wee things are the cutest!

Hoppy Spring!

wee Chibi wabbit

Chibi - according to Wikipedia is a Japanese word for diminutive person, or a style of anime caricature. Our fascination with Japan and things Japanese began years ago when we lived in Okinawa. The chibi found in the anime cartoons have been a special favorite of mine with characteristic small arms and legs, small body, and large head. Here's the first of my little Chibi rabbits and I expect there will be bears and other friends to follow. I haven't measured this dear chap yet, but I suspect he sits no more than two inches tall  - not counting his ears.

I've made him a sunflower pincushion to sit upon! If you'd like to see how I did this, check back soon and I'll show you!

And now for a peak at what I've been doing in the clay studio. This is a Panda Tea House I've made using the coil technique fashioning a teapot that looks like a pumpkin and then making it into a little house for tiny pandas. I hope to have it fired and ready to go for the upcoming show in Philadelphia. Fingers crossed it doesn't explode in the kiln!

And a view from the back. One always needs windows to look out of when enjoying tea. I'm sure the pandas will appreciate them.

and another view from the back. Wee Chibi Wabbit has a bushy white tail! Hope you like the look of these wee friends! I hope to have a couple in my Etsy shop next week. Check back for more news!