Thursday 9 February 2012

A Confession first: then February Farewells

Hello again - after a bit of a blip in posting here.  What with Peter not being well (now on the mend, thank goodness) and two new orders in addition to the Italian Mob's departures last week, I ended up in a bit of a tizzy at the week-end, wondering exactly how I was going to meet various deadlines - as well as keep up with all the bits and pieces I am now committed to on Etsy forums, etc.  Am catching up, I'm pleased to say, so reasonably regular service will now once again commence.

However, those of you kind enough to regularly follow us here at www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com may just have noticed an omission to the roll-call of travellers Sequals, Italy-bound in our last post on February 2.  The missing "person" was Hairy Bear with Light Brown Muzzle.  The reason was that during the farewell photo shoot under the auspices of our friend (and major client, now) RFEHairy's head came off!  Major disaster seemed to loom, but all's well that ends well.

Upon admittance to the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic  (Etsy Listing #791234185) immediately RFE and the other members of the Italian Mob had departed, the problem was solved.  When making him, I had omitted to sew the gap through which Hairy's neck disc fitted, sufficiently tight.  This resulted in the disc managing to work itself lose each time Hairy had been handled.  Since he was one of my first Hairy Bear attempts - and so far, the only one with a light brown Felt Muzzle, complete with matching Paw Pads - he had been handled quite a lot since his inception.  Thank goodness RFE thought it was funny - and so, instead of travelling to Italy via Jaguar like his other friends, this Hairy Bear is going to leave us tomorrow (February 10) travelling like most other ColdhamCuddlies have done - via the not so comfortable auspices of Royal Mail and its international counterparts.  As with everyone else who has left www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com, he will be wrapped carefully in a layer of chemical free tissue paper, then have some bubble-wrap placed around him and then be slipped into a polythene mail bag for dispatch from Warminster Post Office tomorrow. That way the Heavens can open, it can rain, snow or otherwise precipitate, and he will still arrive dry at his new home in Sequals, where he can hopefully be re-united with his ColdhamCuddlies pals.  Don't know whether he will get there first or last:  we've not heard from RFE  since his departure:  he, himself, could be anywhere - he's that sort of guy!

Panda Bear getting ready to go to Neosho, Missouri

Hairy Bear will be accompanied to the Post Office by one of the remaining Panda Bears, who is destined for Neosho, Missouri and his Forever Home with Mrs.VYMrs.VY and I  have been corresponding via the Etsy Convo site for some months now, discussing first Hairy Bear with Light Brown Muzzle (so glad his head did not fall off had he gone there), then possibly Light Brown Furry Bear, but has finally settled on Panda Bear.  Checking the record of our contacts, I see that our first contact was when she actually favourited the Panda Bear now living somewhere in Saudi Arabia.  That first contact was way back in Spring of 2011.  It's nice when long-term contacts end up with a transaction, although that's not the most important consideration for me in maintaining my conversations.  I've made some really lovely friends via this means of communication - and fully intend to carry on doing so:  so.....you have all been warned!

Before he leaves us, Cy Bear insisted on the usual farewell photograph - here it is, sitting in one of the comfortable chairs in the Residents' Hall here at The Hospital of St. John.

Getting ready to be wrapped up
Looking at him, he looks quite happy - despite having to be de-stuffed so that a bigger, better plastic joint system could be used and the offending gap sewn up really tightly.  There should be little further problem facing Hairy Bear now - it's just an awkward happening, but fortunately easily put right.

Now to happier events:  as Peter and I agree, RFE can come anytime and visit (he's a lucky omen!) - because no sooner had he departed, and I went on line to check on my ETSY Activities, but I found that Mrs.SP from Medford, Massachusetts had ordered 4 Baby Bunnies (2 Grey and 2 Brown - in self-colour and white fronted versions for each colour), but also Auntie Brenda Brown Rabbit as well!

 Now, embarassingly, many of the Baby Bunny collection had found Forever Homes during the pre-Christmas period (particularly during the Christmas Fayre in Heytesbury Church - reported in posts on December 16th, 2011 and 11th January, 2012).  As I had omitted to deactivate them in the Shop, they were apparently available for sale - so, guess what I've been doing (instead of blogging!):  making baby bunnies to meet Mrs.SP's requirements!  Anyway, eight more are now available for her to choose from, the pictures coming up have been sent to her via the Etsy Convo system and I await her selection.  Thought you might like to see them as well!

Beauty Parade of the Brown Baby Bunnies

 Similar display of the Grey Baby Bunnies
They each have their labels under those displayed (I had a real problem trying to get the numbers to show up on the photo), so that when Mrs. SP has made her selection, I can wrap them up immediately - complete with their numbers on.  The labels will peel off easily once they arrive in Medford - but I can be assured that the right bunnies arrive as selected!

This post has gone on long enough - so, the rest of the farewell pictures will form the text for the next bulletin from the home of www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.  Good bye for the time being everyone!  Isobel

Thursday 2 February 2012

Reporting the departure of the Italian Mob

Isobel has just given me the green light to tell you about a very unexpected, but very happy,  mass departure from www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com of two of my Bear friends (Light Brown Furry Bear - Etsy Listing #69778197 and my special friend  - because he was made to look slightly like me, after Isobel had made me! - Brown Plush & Felt Bear - Etsy Listing #69777037), as well as all the Baby Koalas we had in stock and my good friend Ed Ted and new friend Big Koala!  They have all been packed away together - so none of them will be lonely - in a black bin bag and placed carefully in the boot of a Jaguar car that is going to be transported to a place in Italy named Sequals.

We've now got a lot more space in the various cupboards that Isobel stashes the toys awaiting their Forever Homes, but it means we have got some gaps that need filling before the Spring Craft Fair coming up in the Heytesbury Primary School, in March.  Still, as Easter is coming (so I am told - as a Bear that really doesn't mean much to me) and Rabbits and Hares are apparently highlighted at this time of the year, Isobel will have to concentrate on them rather than us Bears for a while, I expect.

Isobel and Peter's long-term friend, Mr.RE was the prime-mover in this massive movement out of our Shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) -  as I've only just met him, and being a very polite Bear, I decided to address him more formally.  Before he left to go back to Italy with the Cuddlies Mob, he took some pictures of Isobel and I (for publicity purposes, I overheard) and he took one of me, by myself.  Wonder what do you think of it?

This was taken within the new Mini-Photo Studio, trying out different backgrounds
Mr. RE also took several of Isobel and I together, which we are going to use as profile pictures for the various sites on which the Cuddlies operate or are mentioned (don't know them myself, but you - our Followers which now number 120 as of today!) will know what I mean.  Then, finally, we had a tremendous photography session in which I took part in the traditional farewell  pictures before our Cuddlies leave for their Forever Homes.

Here are some of them, including some in which Mr.RE decided not to feature me - because there simply wasn't room on the chair for all of us, and he wanted some of his new Cuddlies friends, whose Forever Homes are going to be where children of his family and friends live in Italy and elsewhere.  Not sure where the "elsewhere" bits might be, but I don't think they're going to be in England, anyway.

Light Brown Furry Bear and me - taken in a chair in the Residents' Hall
By the time these farewell pictures were taken, Isobel had taken over the camera - while Mr.RE moved us and the chair around so that shadows could not cut across us.  It was a very bright sunny day, and the Resident's Hall has windows on both sides of the room, as well as at one end, so there was an awful  of light causing lots of possible shadows.  We got moved around a lot before Mr. RE was satisfied, and we still got some shadows - but the overall effect was one we could all live with!


Here is Big Koala - or Mr. K, as Mr.RE has decided to call him. (I don't know whether that is his original name, or one that was decided on recently).    I'm sorry to see him go, as he has been a ColdhamCuddly for rather a short time.  Still, I can look forward to another Big Koala soon, because it was always understood that when Mr RE came to take his really long-time friend Ed Ted back with him, Big Koala would go too.  They'd lived in the same home for a long time - and shared space in the same attic for quite a bit of that time as well.  Followers of this blog will recall that his renovation/re-creation was posted about late in 2011, and Isobel had wondered if the original Big Koala had real Australian origins.  Mr.RE confirmed that his late father had brought him home for him when he was a little boy.  Mr.RE's father was an airline pilot and Australia was one of his usual destinations.

The Koala Family line-up, with me being allowed to participate

Ed Ted and Me - it was bit of a squash for both of us in the chair
Ed Ted, as many of our Followers may remember, was one of the first Patients in the ColdhamCuddlies  Soft Toy Clinic  - EtsyListing #79124185 - and had to wait a few months for Mr.RE to find the time to come and collect him after his treatment had been completed.  He and I had become quite good friends - and he used to accompany Isobel and I to various Craft Fairs to illustrate how Bears and other toys can be rejuvenated.  He was the lead feature in the ColdhamCuddlies Shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com/Soft Toy Clinic - Etsy Listing #79124185) and since his departure has been replaced by a recently renovated Bear - Tommy Teddy - as the lead thumbnail photograph.

"The Italian Mob"

Ed Ted and Mr. K cannot really be classed as The Italian Mob, because they are being returned to their original Forever Home - never mind that, that has changed from somewhere in a place called Essex, England, UK to a place called Sequals, Italy!

There's going to be another post coming up in a day or two - featuring our two new Glove Puppets, listed earlier this week as Melissa and Melinda Mad March Hare Plush Glove Puppets - as well as news of another impending set of departures (featuring 4 Baby Rabbits and Auntie Brenda Brown Rabbit - who heading for their Forever Homes (not sure if they are likely to be together, or spread around the family of a Mrs. SP from Medford, Ma, USA! 

Oh - and another development:  the labels Isobel and Mr.RE had been working on towards the end of last year are almost ready for use!  Samples were received on Tuesday morning, while Mr.RE was with us - which was convenient!  It was a real coincidence, because we only knew Mr.RE was coming to see us a couple of days before he arrived, and the labels had been being prepared several days prior to that.  After some slight changes were discussed, Isobel today gave the go-ahead for the order to be completed.  They should be with us in a week to ten days, I think.

Whatever else can be said, the Coldham Cuddlies, Isobel and I seem to be on a bit of a roll at the moment!  Long may it continue, as long as Isobel can keep up with the necessary replacements!  Bye for now.  Cy Bear

Wednesday 1 February 2012

A new look - and several more departures to report

My word, what a few days it has been - and Cy Bear and I are just coming up for air.  On Friday, we got a telephone call from Ed Ted's Best Friend to tell us he was definitely coming to see us on Monday (previously, it had been a case of he would "try to") and we were to tell Ed Ted that he was going home with him!  He also enquired as to whether Big Koala (Etsy Listing #07982660) was prepared to travel back to Italy with him - indeed he was!

The meeting between the two former patients from the Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185) and their Best Friend, RE was a sight to behold, and extremely gratifying to witness.  Everywhere RE went in our flat, Ed Ted went with him, and when Big Koala was re-introduced, apparently RE, without thinking, did to him what he had always done as a young lad - turned him round and round, from head to toe, like a top.  (That was several decades ago, you must realise!)  RE really liked his new appearance and the tactile nature of his new plush fur.  Success all round, then!  (But another replacement task ahead for me!)


The visit lasted a little longer than initially intended, with an overnight stay and a second lunch (it had been 12 years since we had all been together, and there was a lot of catching up to do).  Even with Peter under the weather still - it's now 4 weeks today since the bug attacked and we're going to have to do something drastic to get him better - we all enjoyed ourselves.  However, it meant I had more time to put RE to work on behalf of the ColdhamCuddlies - helping me work out the lighting positions for the new mini Photographic Studio. (We found one of the two free-standing lights were defective, so it's on its' way back to the distributors for replacement).  However, I now have an idea of how to make the best use of the studio for  future photo sessions - when the gardens are not available (as they are not today)  Winter has finally arrived. and although there has been bright sunlight, the minus temperatures on offer do not encourage outside photographic sessions!

Even though the Photographic Studio was not really put into use very much, RE - who has been a professional photographer in the past - did give me some pointers and also took some more photographs of Cy Bear and myself, so that we can vary the profile pictures here at www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com, our shop (yet to be accomplished) and on the main Google site enabling our access to this blog.  These have been posted this evening, and hopefully will attract a few extra visitors to each site eventually!  We thought that folks might be getting somewhat tired of the same pictures ad infinitum.
Taken in the Resident's Hall, here in Heytesbury  and shows my arthritic fingers - alas!
It also meant that RE had a show and tell session being introduced to ALL the Cuddlies Family and, guess what?  Light Brown Furry Bear (Etsy Listing #69778158) and Brown Plush & Felt Furry Bear (Etsy Listing #69777037) are also on their way to Italy, as are the four remaining Baby Koalas!  The ColdhamCuddlies shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) is now seriously depleted and I've got an even bigger task of replacement ahead of me if I'm to have enough toys to show off at a Craft Fair we've just been invited to attend at the Heytesbury Primary School on Saturday, March 10th.   Cy Bear was kept busy having his usual farewell photographs taken with most of them.  He also took part in other shots too,  as well as one by himself (as shown here).

RE and Cy were trying out different backgrounds in the Photo Studio here
There were several more photographs taken yesterday, which will form the next post - because they will describe the departure of all the Cuddlies that I've told you about earlier in this entry.  Think we'll have to describe this lot as the Coldham Cuddlies' Italian Mob - to differentiate from our already established French Connections.  To include the pictures here would make this a very long post, so I'll end now - and leave the desciption of the farewells to the Italy-bound travellers to Cy next time.

Good-bye for the time being.  Isobel

Thursday 26 January 2012

Beauty Parade of Bears, its results + updates

Did not intend to post this evening, but so much is happening, that if I don't, I'll forget!  So....here goes!


The Beauty Parade of Bears, referred to in this post title,  took place yesterday afternoon following a request from one of my fellow residents at The Hospital of St. John who asked to be shown my current Bear Collection.  She has a grandson living in Australia who is dying to have a furry friend - preferably a dog or cat - but whose parents feel he's not yet old enough to look after one.  Granny has  been deputed to find a substitute, and just before Christmas (during one of the Tea Parties organised for us residents) we chatted and agreed to meet in the New Year to discuss matters further.  Yesterday was the culmination of that chat!
Four Bears awaiting inspection and selection

Prior to Mrs. JS's arrival, I arranged the four current members of the Cuddlies Bear Clan on our bed, and laid a selection of the plush fur fabrics in front of them - in case she decided to choose a completely new specimen instead. (With the light on them,  and at that angle, the new fur fabrics - on the centre and right front of the photograph do show their colours a bit better than in my last post!)  The inspection duly took place, and after wavering between Hairy Bear with a Felt Muzzle and Hairy Bear 4, the latter was selected, paid for and removed from the line-up!  (William White Bear was deemed an unsuitable colour  for a six-year old boy and Light Brown Furry Bear was "too like a Koala"!  Hairy Bear 4 will therefore be accompanying Mrs. JS to Sydney, Australia when she leaves on February 29, and we've been promised a picture of the meeting between grandson, O and his Hairy Bear at an appropriate moment.

Speaking of arrivals, I received telephone call this afternoon from MrsPW (who recently purchased Ferdinand Fox for her Victoria, British Columbia-based daughter's birthday).  Ferdy is now happily ensconced in Canada, having had a very speedy journey.  He left Warminster one Saturday morning and arrived in Victoria the following Tuesday!  Now that is very fast travel - Mrs. PW must have timed her postal arrangements to coincide exactly with the airmail 'plane departing from London Heathrow!  Another happy ending to report, I am pleased to say.

Another view of Ferdy in the Spring sunshine
Updates on the Toy pattern search are due - the Beaver pattern I was urgently seeking was downloaded on Monday afternoon - a testament to the speed of the internet!  After all, it was only Saturday evening last week that the possibility of my making a Beaver was even mooted.  I have now printed it off - and have all the instructions as to how to proceed as well.

Incidentally, I have picked up a very helpful tip from this venture - how to cut plush fabric without creating a shower of loose fur in the process!  Am sure everyone else who works with the fabric knew it already, but by following the instructions for Barry Beaver (as he will be called for the purposes of his eventual appearance in the www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com Shop) for the two replacement Brown Rabbit Glove Puppets  last night, I have managed it without having any spare fur on the bedroom floor or flying about in the air either!  One lives and learns - every day!  Barry can be created as either a Glove Puppet or a Stuffed Toy using the same pattern - truly a good fit for proposed new members of the ColdhamCuddlies Family

Am pleased to say that my younger daughter, Clare - the really crafty member in the Morrell family (she can crochet, knit, stitch, dress-make, weave - just for starters!) - together with her husband, Alan, have kindly been searching on my behalf.  They have come up with a vintage toy pattern for a Raccoon.  Thanks to their efforts, it is apparently on its way - but has yet to reach me.

Clare has also found several vintage toy pattern books (circa 1960's - the very era when I first began this toy-making lark!) which she intends to present to me for this year's Mother's Day present!  (We celebrate this festival earlier here in the UK - during Lent, rather than in May as you do in the USA and Canada).  Apparently there are a huge number of animals available - but whether they include the Hedgehog, Badger and Guinea Pig I am still looking for remains to be seen.  Roll on Mother's Day! 

Incidentally, I have also been challenging my fellow bloggers with artistic tendencies, particularly those with the ability to create the custom made patterns I need.  You never know someone may emerge from this source as well.

Meanwhile, I'm pleased to announce that Madame Lapin has returned, safe and sound, from  her St. Albans 360 degree imaging adventure and is settling in once more to await her rejuvenation treatment.  She travelled in enormous comfort, well wrapped in tissue paper, enormous bubble-wrap - which must have protected her from all the inevitable bumps involved in postal travel and I've suggested that I hope her return trip - for the "AFTER" pictures - should take place in 2-3 weeks time.

Having said that - I'd now better get on with editing this post and settling into sewing up the two new Rabbit Glove Puppets.  So....Cheerio for the time being.  Isobel

Tuesday 24 January 2012

New Additions to the Cuddlies - as promised

Hello there Everyone!

Cy Bear and I have been mentioning recently the fact that I've been busy replacing the Glove Puppets who have found themselves Forever Homes over the recent Christmas period.  I've now listed four new puppets in our shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com and here they are.  There are pictures taken at different stages of their development to be seen at their individual listing sites at www.Etsy.com/shop/coldhamcuddlies.

Etsy Listing #91353160 - Green Plush Glove Puppet with Golden Bear Head
He's a one-off, because I only had enough of this particular golden plush fabric left in stock to make two Golden Bear Glove Puppets.  So as I'd found some vintage Green Velvet fabric in my donated stock collection, I used that to use up the golden plush fur for a second puppet.  Here is the other Golden Bear Puppet, this time with  a yellow braid decoration around the glove edges - giving a more feminine look, perhaps?  Both have been listed at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com this evening as OOAK toys.

Etsy Listing #91354899 - Green Velvet Glove Puppet with Golden Bear Head

This evening was a good one for the sewing session and listing, because I was  also able to finish off the replacement Panda Bear Glove Puppets as well.  They, too, have been listed and here is a picture of them.

Etsy Listing #91356474 - Black & White Panda Bear Glove Puppets
These guys were taken in my new Mini Photo Studio - which has not really been set up properly yet, but it worked for me at this time.  I've finally found the instructions sheet for setting the Studio up and will be using it in future - especially for the smaller toys.  The Teddy Bears and Dressed Toys will just fit, I think:  obviously the bigger items, such as Tommy Teddy and Rusty Bear are just a tad too big to fit in!

What is keeping the Puppets upright, if there is no hand inside to do the job? - I think I can hear some folks ask!  Well in this case, I took two glass jars (which currently hold dried herbs!) and placed them inside each Puppet as their turn arrived for the picture session.  Works quite well, I think - and I will be repeating it with the others in future.  Saves me having to twist myself in contortions to do it on my own - or try to get fellow residents to provide their hands for the purpose.  It can be difficult to get enough of them all together at the same time!  They're an active and busy bunch of ladies and gentlemen that I find myself living with here in Heytesbury!

The Mini Photo Studio is a nifty little thing, though - isn't it?  I used the red background provided in the pack for the Pandas - the others stood out quite well without the studio background.  There are also black, dark blue and white sheets, with velcro edges which have their partner velcro fitments somewhere in the package - plus the special spotlights. (Have not used the lights here, because I've been able to get sufficient lighting from the existing bulb in the room.  When I get round to re-photographing ALL the ColdhamCuddlies, then I'll put the whole thing up properly - at the moment, in the flat, there simply is not the room for everything in its proper place!  We have a lovely, large, light Resident's Hall, which is available to us for just such eventualities, and I think that's where future photographic events will take place!

Finally, while I'm in the mode for providing listing information, I don't think I have provided the Etsy Listing for Big Koala.  I posted about him before listing him, and don't remember if I provided that vital item!  So, in case I did not, here it is:

Etsy Listing #90782660 - Big Koala Close-up
Now for replacing the Brown Bear Glove Puppet and the Rabbit Puppet - which I hope to do before starting to rejuvenate the French Connection patients in the Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185).  PaulN of Outsphere UK & Ireland emailed me today to say that Madame Lapin is on her way back from St. Albans - so I'd better get a move on!

Goodnight to you all - and God Bless!  Isobel

Sunday 22 January 2012

Looking for Patterns for new animals + other matters

Cy Bear looking in - with some interesting items for all of our followers!

The link below is from the company that Isobel is dealing with in getting the 360 degree pictures of Madame Lapin (mentioned in our recent post dated January 13 - when we told you that she was on her way.  This picture is already on the Outsphere website, but under their logo.  Isobel has told PaulN that she'll send the ColdhamCuddlies logo, as he requests, when the whole treatment is complete!  Exciting isn't it?

http://oms.outsphere.com/admin/popup.php?m=5a173ff8-41d2-11e1-acf1-003005ed931c&product=Madame_Lapin_before

Now to the title of this post in particular.  When Isobel was in Warminster, going to St. George's Catholic Church this week-end - as she got to the door, a lady who was handing out the service sheets asked if she was "the lady who made soft toys"!  Could this be a direct result of the recent Warminster Journal article she quoted in another of our recent posts ("Pre-Christmas publicity":  11/01/2012)?  Needless to say, she responded in the affirmative.

The lady, MrsM asked if we could make a Beaver - for her young grand-daughter, who has been "into Beavers" since she was three years' old.  We're not sure how old she is now, but Mrs. M and her husband are due to visit Denmark, where the young lady resides, in April.  Now Beavers have not featured large in our Cuddlies Family to date, but it looks as though they just might in future.  When Isobel got back home, after she'd had supper with Peter, she sent out an APD (All Points Broadcast) to everyone she thought might be able to give us a lead to a Beaver pattern. 

We've been very lucky - thanks to Isobel and Peter's neice, AnaliseS - who lives in British Columbia, Canada and whom we supplied The Lacey  Foxes, and a Koala and Baby Rabbit to date.  She gave Isobel a link - and behold, we now have access not only to a Beaver pattern, but one that can be used as a stuffed toy or a glove puppet!  Isn't that exciting?  While on the site, she also purchased a pattern for a baby Penguin!

This is specially good news, as on Friday morning, Isobel went round to Fine Quality Feather Company in Frome to purchase some more polyester fibre.  She'd run out and was unable to finish the two new Golden Bear Plush Puppets she's made (replacing our original one, who is on his way to Liberty Township, Ohio, USA by the way - my farewell picture with him is below).

Getting ready for the journey to the USA
While she was at the factory in Frome, Isobel also picked up the off cut plush fur fabrics they'd put aside for her and here are pictures of what she's come back with!


The actual colour of this fur is darker than it shows in this picture.  Isobel thinks this will become the replacement brown fur for Brown Bears - because she doesn't think there will be any more Hairy Bear fabric after she has done two more Bears.  Then the other new plush looks like this:

 We're not sure what we will make with this, but badgers are a possibility
Isobel is also thinking of Chipmunks and Racoons, as she seems to remember they have stripes in their fur, too.  So, they were added to the list of patterns needed in the APB I've already mentioned, as well as Badgers and Hedgehogs.  If any of our Followers know where we might find patterns for these other four contenders for places in the Cuddlies Family, we'd be very grateful to be told.  Alternatively, if you know of any old toys, in yours or some else's attics or basements Isobel would be equally interested.  If you wouldn't mind, she would take it to pieces (rejuvenate them - if necessary) and make templates from them and return the toys to the senders.  Costs of getting them us would of course be met by www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.

Then, finally, for this post anyway, Isobel and Peter were speaking to their France-based sister-in-law, IvyM mid-week.  She is the Forever Friend of Madame Lapin and Mons. Reynard and was interested to hear about developments on that front obviously;   but just guess what?  When she was visiting us just before Christmas, she was very complimentary about MEIsobel happened to mention that she still had enough Beaver Lamb Fur to make another version of me, and IvyM has asked Isobel to make it for her, with all costs of the production met by her!  So.....add that to Isobel's list of To Do's!  Mind you, I'm not so sure about another real Beaver Lamb Fur Bear:  but, if it's going to be living in France, then our paths are not likely to cross that often.  I do rather enjoy the status of being a Unique Bear.

By the way, two replacement Golden Bear Plush Glove Puppets will be listed on the Shop site (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) very soon and will form the content of the next post here shortly.  The replacement Panda Bear Puppets are well on the way to completion.  Then, Isobel will probably be undertaking the treatment for the French Rabbit and Fox toys.  They have been patients in the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185) since November last year.  They have been very patient (pun not intended!).   It's all go in this household!

With that comment, I'll end this post!  Good night for now!  Cy Bear.

Monday 16 January 2012

Rejuvenation of Big Koala

This looks like being a joint production between Cy Bear and myself - since he mentioned my involvement in the various stages of rejuvenating Big Koala (as opposed to the Little Koalas (Etsy Listing #55190188) already in the ColdhamCuddlies shop at www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.  This turned out to be a much more involved job than I had originally anticipated.

When Big Koala arrived as an in-patient at the ColdhamCuddlies Soft Toy Clinic (Etsy Listing #79124185) in mid-summer 2011, he was a very heavy toy indeed and really could not be described as either cuddly or soft.  He was very heavy and hard and as his Best Friend, RE told us, had sat on a bed for all the time he could remember - never having been played with at all.  He really did not encourage cuddling or playing.  He just SAT - as this picture of him shows:

In the garden, with his friend Ed Ted
When I began to assess him, it became obvious that he was not going to be able to get the same treatment that Ed Ted had received for example.  Although looking in a lot better shape than Ed Ted had on his arrival, once I began to unpick the stitching, I found that his skin was actually real hide, very tough (through being over 40 years old) and quite unsuitable for recovering with a new fabric coat.  So, while still being careful to keep all the pieces in the same order, I resolved to create a new template, and once that had been achieved to discard the skin all together.

Koala's back pieces ready for a template to be drawn

The rest of Big Koala's bits and pieces, with his base on the right

I then separated the skin from the stuffing - which was absolutely rock solid, felt somewhat sticky to the touch and had a very faint whiff of eucalyptus or some such odour.  This caused me to conclude that the stuffing could well have been eucalyptus bark.  I had to use my hand-held "Dust Buster" vacuum to clear it from the hide and collected some of it in a plastic bag - shown below - prior to discarding everything to do with the original Koala toy.

Koala's original stuffing
Once this process had been completed, the cardboard templates of New Big Koala were put in my usual envelope filing system to await his reconstruction.  The Christmas Bazaar, Christmas itself and other family events intervened, so it was only last week that I was able to get down to cutting out the new member of the ColdhamCuddlies family, and start the sewing process.

Cy Bear taking over from here - at Isobel's insistence!  She found the reconstruction process a lot easier than taking Big Koala apart had been.  The sequence of putting the parts together is also completely different, apparently, to the way she does the rest of us Bears, but in the end a lot easier.  There are a lot fewer seams involved and, of course, no joints to be taken into consideration.  His eyes went in much easier than Isobel has found to be the case when making some of the other Cuddlies, so she is very pleased with the new pattern she now has to offer friends, family and visitors to our Etsy shop at www,coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com.

She made the head first - and to begin with wasn't too sure that she had got the seams in the right order.


As it looks here, his muzzle is far too long and pointed, and she was somewhat concerned that the leather nose would not show up properly.  When she came to put the head on the body (shown below), she realised her mistake - she had not sewn up enough of the neck area, apparently! - quickly corrected it and the result was much more satisfactory.

Body, without stuffing, but with claws in place
Big Koala's claws are made from some of the dark brown leather off-cuts Isobel has been able to source from the Dents' Glove Factory in Warminster, Wiltshire, and taken from one of the only original claws on Big Koala in his previous guise.

Isobel then had to stuff both pieces of the new Koala frame.  His eyes were put in before she began stuffing the head and ears - the other Bears' ears do not need that treatment, but Big Koala's do.  Then the two bits were sewn together, leaving an opening at the top of Koala's back through which the stuffing has to be  pushed.

Please ignore the electric tooth brush, and broadband connection hub in the background, if you can!
This picture shows Big Koala with his two pieces in place, but minus any stuffing.  Once that had been done, Isobel closed the gap, and hey "voila" (as the French would say), there was the new, modern Big Koala ready to be introduced to the world, once Isobel had embroidered in his mouth.


When measured up against Hairy Bear 4 and me, he is just about the same size in height  - 36cms  from his base to the middle of his forehead over his nose (14-1/4 inches).  He is actually fatter than any of us Bears, but doesn't have the separate arms and legs like us.  However, his girth is 58 cms, if he is measured between his arms and legs (22-3/4 inches) and Isobel says he took as much, if not a little more, polyester fibre to complete.

Showing the different shape that Big Koala is
So, when she's done this blog tonight, Isobel  is going to list him in the Etsy Shop (www.coldhamcuddlies.etsy.com) at the same price as she charges for all of us Bears (except me, of course). As the Official Mascot to ColdhamCuddlies, I'm not for sale!).

As a final picture - here is one of  the ColdhamCuddlies' Koalas all together. 


Good night to you all - Cy Bear and Isobel.