Mr Jingles invited me to the Christmas open day at Teddy Bears of Witney last Sunday - but sadly, with my usual transport problems (not having any) and Andy working all day, I couldn't get to town. Which is a shame, as I would have liked to have met some of the regulars who were at the 25th anniversary party earlier this year, where I did my first needle felting demonstration. Also a shame as the pencil sketch of Mr Jingles is courtesy of me.
I very rarely do any *proper* sketching from life - even though it was just from a photo. Not because I don't enjoy it, but because I have filled out sheets and sheets and even more sheets of sketches for work this year and there is only so much sketching one can do. To fit him in the left hand corner of the card I flipped the original image from the catalogue photo -
And moved his position slightly with a bit of artistic license. I am very fond of certain types of teddy bears, but strangely I have no desire to make them.
Today my lovely Christmas card from the shop arrived, featuring of course, the real Mr Jingles.
And this afternoon my wood order arrived - I have changed supplier for the first time in eight years and for about the same price we got more - and cut to smaller size too. With Andy at work and with the logs blocking access for our neighbours cars (and we wouldn't want that, or World War Three would break out) - there was only one thing to do...
...stack the blessed things. I can confirm that piling up what must have been about half a ton of wood to more than six feet high is excellent physiotherapy. Even better, this should see us through to the New Year if we are careful.
14 comments:
looks like an impressive amount of work with an arm and a half.
You have made the Tower of Power! Well done.
Mr. Jingles is lovely... sorry that you didn't get to visit with him at his shindig. Perhaps another time.
You would get on well with Malcolm - he does like a neatly stacked log pile! He was in the garage for a while this afternoon splitting kindling - every so oftern he came into the studio to warm up!! Your drawing of Mr Jingles is lovely!!
The wood looks so much nicer like that. It does! I love your teddy bear drawing, I think I might prefer it to the photo actually. (shhh!)xx
Congratulations on making such an artistic pile of logs! Alan loves his wood shed and the stacking of the new wood for next year. I used to get involved ...but know better now! It looks like an installation!
Well done with that impressive woodpile, a thing of beauty promising winter warmth. You deserved something warm and restorative after all that work.
What a shame that circumstances kept you from Mr. Jingles party. The little invitation bear is a darling.
Well you got your workout for the day!
That is the coolest invitation ever! I love Mr. Jingles (both the sketch and real thing). Teddy Bears of Whitney really seems to be my ideal shop. It's too bad about all that water between us!
Aww....I wish you could have gone to the teddy bear party. What fun it could have been. Maybe next year... ask them if they have a car to come and fetch you. I bet they'd come.
Hey! you do need some help with wood....maybe I could barter for lessons ..hahahha... and... and...and... I could even chop a bit of kindling too.... I'm good with an axe. Or...used to be....
When we were kids... dear ol' Dad used to order a dump truck load of wood (lorry to you I guess) ...and that was our chore for the week. All four of us tiny kids had to learn to pile wood. Ours was not the rounds though..it was random cuts from slivery old planks picked up from a planer mill... and had to be stacked just so ...and solid as a rock for the old sargeant major ... you know.. put a few at right angles to the others at each end of the rows to hole the ends up and no sagging..keep the rows even..blah, blah. ..etc... and it better not fall over when he pushed on the stack either... or it did and we had to pile it all again. He was a mean old bugger... but, somehow we survived...and in retrospect...we learned a lot..
PG, I am very impressed with that stacking of the wood, and hope that your healing arm will be better for the stacking. (Dare not ask if you checked with your doctor before commencing that feat.
Still, better than tempting a world war!
Now, let me drift to teddybears, a topic I love. One of the big London auction houses used to (might still) have an auction around this time of year involving teddy bears and other treasured toys. Somewhere around this apartment I still have a catalogue from one of those shows. Very dear, every one of those bears.
I'm sure that that Jingles chap would be delighted to see you at his HQ whenever it might be more easy for you to have that journey.
Great to see you not only stacking wood, but also taking photos and posting posts. xo
Hey Gretel, nice pile of wood there. That will keep you warm and cosy through Winter.
Shame you couldn't make it to the open day, but your sketch of Mr.Jingles is so sweet.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting on my blog.
All I can say about the cricket is 2 down BUT 3 to go....
enjoy your win.
We might get our act together yet!!
Mr. Jingles has real character.
So sorry you didn't get to town to enjoy the pre-Christmas Open Day.
After stacking that wood you surely got your stretching done...now you need to take a break for sure.
Take good care of yourself.
Hugs,
Gosh, you are clever. And energetic. And how nice to see a photo of you.
You did a great work with the wood logs! It's difficult here to find fire wood, peat is more common but I prefer wood - the smell and the sound :) We found a guy who delivers logs in weather-proof bumper bags, so we don't have to stack the logs.
Pity you couldn't go to the Teddy Bear open day... maybe next time!
Greetings from chilly Dublin :) Cristina
What a shame you weren't able to be at the Open House but how nice to see you featured in a craft magazine.
I get my winter's wood all in one load of 4 cords which willo see me through nicely to spring. Once the stove is lit for the winter, it almost never is allowed to go out until heating season is over.
Take care, and hope you continue to heal well.
Janet in Nova Scotia, Canada
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