learning...

I removed the scrapbooking slide and added one with bears....

Check out my Slide Show!

slide..

I discovered "slide" on another blog and since I can't figure out how to put it on my personal blog... I put it up on my Glass Dragon one! I used my digital scrapbook pages. Maybe next time I'll use some of my older bear pictures!

Dax

I am working on new patterns... and this little guy is my latest. He's a sparse matted mohair... and rather skinny. Mine are usually dense mohair and chubby! But, I really like how he came out. I put him up on BearPile this morning ... so we'll see what happens.

My half-dozen needle felted Easter eggs sold on etsy.com and were mailed to Washington State!
Then yesterday, the large egg was highlighted on a "treasury". Fantastic!

LiliBear... my March 2008 Bear of the Month

When I bought this fabric from Dale of Bear Street at the St. Louis Bright Star show, all I could think of was my grand daughter's red tangly hair. Not that hers is really this color... but the connection was there. So I had to make a new pattern and named her after Lili!
My husband liked the idea of a Bear of the Month... so there's a new page on my website. LiliBear will be my first... the March 2008 Bear of the Month.

I also sent her picture to Scalliwag's Scribbles Bear of the Month blog ... link is on the side bar.

new bear look

This is Floyd ( no, Laurel not named after your Floyd. I just liked the name!) He has a different look from my usual bears. I used a very nice soft tipped mohair. I'll be putting him up on Bearpile shortly.

Bear a month

Scallywags Scribbles wrote decrying the declines in the bear world and suggested that bear people make a bear a month . She will post them on her new blog... "Bear a Month". I decided that I would take the challenge.... not that I don't normally make one, but one just for this . I have linked it so any reader can check it out.

new needle felting technique

I was reading a craft magazine at the library the other day . It mentioned needle felting but not the usual "take a hunk of roving and felt it until it reaches the size and shape you want" but rather applying wool roving to a Styrofoam shape and using the felting needle to attach it. I immediately rejected the idea... but later decided maybe it was worth a try. This egg is the result of that. There's a Styrofoam egg inside but the flower and vines are applied in the "regular" way! It certainly is lighter and uses a lot less wool. I have been experimenting with making more traditional Easter eggs - stripes, polka dots, a felted ribbon bow and so on. Its been fun.

"While Mr. MacGregor was off chasing Peter, his cousin Bennie Bunny decided to help himself to the wheel barrow filled with veggies!
Bennie ( 6 inches tall) was made from dense distressed mohair with micro suede paw pads, black German glass eyes and a two color Perle cotton nose. Bennie is stuffed with premium polyester fiberfill and glass beads for weight. He has cotter pin joints and an alpaca tail.
Mr. MacGregor's metal wheelbarrow is a vintage one and it currently holds carrots, broccoli, cabbage and a ripe tomato ( all made from polymer resin)!".....isn't it amusing what stories we can concoct for our bears and friends?
I found this neat vintage metal wheel barrow and knew it just had to have a bunny with it... but everyone does "Peter Rabbit" So this little bunny became Peter's cousin. Bennie Bunny will be going with me to the Bright Star St. Louis Show this Sunday.

Speaking of St. Louis... I have most of my hand outs ready . I will be "talking" about needle felting during the pre-show collector period. I also have a partially made mouse that I will work on. I have about 10 minutes to fill...

I'm also working on a LARGE bear made from a vintage mohair lap rug with the wildest pattern! He will be done before the show! And I have a couple of others in the works..... Hopefully I will see some readers at the show!

I'm published!!!

The makeover article was published today in "Bears and Buds". If you'd like to read it and see the pictures... here's the link! I put up the before and after... to tempt people to go and look! I'm really pleased with the final result!