Twinkle

Meet Alexander – the first Honeythorpe bear for 2009 (yes, I know it’s May already!).

Alexander was created from my favourite vintage velvet.  A warm caramel colour, this velvet has a matte finish and is sooo soft to the touch, helping give Alexander his baby bear appearance.

Alexander measures a tad under two inches tall when standing.  He has rounded limbs and a chubby tummy.   His nose and claws are stitched from dark brown cotton.  Alexander wears no adornment as I think  he is perfectly sweet without it.

Alexander is available from the website .

Wibble ~ a Honeythorpe elf

Although I’m fond of almost all the bears I make, there’s some that “speak” to me more than others and Wibble is one of those guys.  I was thrilled with the way he turned out and was surprised when he didn’t find a home either at the Auckland show or the online show.  Actually, at the Auckland show, he was picked up more times than any other bear I had on display so other people must like him too

For some reason he didn’t photograph particularly well.  Granted, I was hurriedly taking photographs in the middle of the most stormy winter weather you could imagine, so conditions were not ideal.  I think it’s more that the subtleness of the frosted sassy long pile is hard to capture.  It tends to look much harsher in photographs.  The trimming around his muzzle also doesn’t show well – I spent ages doing that!

I haven’t yet put Wibble on the website – I kind of made a deal with myself that the bears I had for the online show would only be available there, and not for sale through my site (not really sure why!!)….and I’m so very tempted to keep Wibble for myself.  So for the moment he’s staying with me.  I actually have his sibling “Dibble” half made so perhaps when they are both finished they will make their way onto the site.  Heaven knows it needs updating!

Upcoming shows

I have two bear shows on my schedule this year.  The first is the Rose City Porcelain Doll and Bear show on the 21/22 June in Palmerston North and the second the  Midwinter Doll Teddy & Craft Festival 12th/13th July in Auckland.

As I have just four little bears ready for my sales table so far, I had better get my skates on.  As usual, I am brimming with ideas and wondering how I’ll get them all done.  Work sure does get in the way of my bear time!!

Yikes, I forgot!!  Three shows on the horizon – the third is the online show for the newly organized Teddy Bears and Critters Australasia in September.  More details on that and the site soon!

Mollie Rose & Marco

Mollie Rose and Marco are now avaialable for adoption.  Yikes, I’ve tried for two days to get decent photos of this pair, but to no avail.   Mollie Rose is created from intercal mohair in a spiky crew pile.  I like this mohair a lot – just as well really, as I have a few different shades of it!  The pink is such a pretty shade.  Actually, probably the nicest pink mohair I’ve seen.  All too often, I find the pink mohairs to be quite ‘cold’ in coloring. It’s been nice to work in mohair again.  Much as I love sassy’s and vintage long pile, I do so like the varied textures of mohair. 

Both Mollie Rose and Barley were such a joy to put together.  Everything went so smoothly with both of them which is quite funny really as both had been sitting unfinished for quite some time.  I guess it’s a good lesson for me to learn, as I’m not so good at completing projects where I’m trying a new idea.  There’s quite a few ‘half-done’ bears in my work basket – I think I may have to complete a few more of them.  I have an order piece which I must do next. 

I have a special affection for wee Marco.  When I cut him out, I was iintending to create a dainty wee girly bear for Lisa’s Easter Softie Parade.  I intended to make a tiny bonnet in spring yellows and creams but bears have their own ideas of what they want to be.  As I stuffed and sculpted Marco, this sturdy wee man emerged.  I like the way he peeps out from behind his little fringe.  He wears a star shaped bead made of paua shell - though it shows up more green in the photos, the variagations of colour tone nicely with Marco’s fur.  I’m going to try to get better photos of him tonight – the ones I currently have are not doing him justice at all.  i think my laptop shows pictures lighter than they really are – I noticed just how bad they are when I got to work this morning.