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.
Back to some kind of normality at last and a final deadline to clear; this year's order for Teddy Bears of Witney. Sadly, due to the silly amount of work I had on, I was unable to do as many editions as I did last year and only just managed to get these two sets ready in time for the 2011 catalogue. Rather stupidly I didn't order in a large batch of pink wool when I made the first Camellia and when I re-ordered from the same stockist the dye batch had changed. Only slightly, but enough to make me grind my perfectionist teeth with frustration. See how the righthand merino is slightly bluer than the lefthand one? 
Thankfully I spotted what looked to be a better match on the Tigerlily Makes blog and after a few emails, a sample was winging it's way to me in the post. It was, happily, almost identical to the original pink and I was able to order enough to finish the two remaining models - thank you Lisa for such super service and good luck with your new online felt making boutique. 
And a finished trio of 'Sweet Violets'. Despite the simplicity of the design, these actually take far longer to perfect than my other creatures. 
Naturally, this being me, I was somewhat late in making the remaining models and spent seven days needle felting like fury. But in the end, we were all ready for delivery. 
Boxed up and raring to go. 
It is always such a pleasure to visit the shop and see what new bearish treasures are in stock. My little girls are going to be in distinguished company. 
And they have their own slot in the beautiful catalogue. As far as I know, they have not sold out yet - but this is the only shop I am able to supply and at present I am so busy catching up with back orders that they are all that is available at present, so if you do want one of my creations now, then they are the people to contact. 
I quite forgot to tell them - and you, lovely readers - my other snippet of news, that a couple of months ago I was accepted into the British Toymakers Guild after submitting an application which was judged acceptable by the committee. Which is nice. 
Another week of getting my head down and getting on with things - this seems like a long time ago now, but it was only last Sunday that I was taxie'd off to Witney at an unholy hour, to set up stall at the Teddy Bears of Witney 25th birthday party. The team had been setting up the previous day and there were bears and bear-o-memorabilia stacked high.
My little stall was tucked away in a corner, where I could have my back to the wall. I had a couple of hours to sort myself out. The last three of my animals which were brought by the shop last year were waiting to go on display. Nice to see them again.
I set to work and soon had it feeling more like home.
I rigged up an old notice board with a few sketches, and various gubbins pinned to it, including a rare photo of me when I was four, with some of my old toys.
Me looking rather scruffy in my hand me downs and hair cut by dad. I still have a few of these old timers and they came with me to have a special day out. 
My precious teddy, Pooh (falling apart now and moth eaten) and little Rupert bear, a bit battle worn and missing an eye. Maisie, who looks a fright but has always been beautiful to me. They sat in the corner, looking after me as they always have done.
My new card rack - I've never seen all my cards together like this and was so pleased at how well they looked. I didn't have any felt animals for sale but I do have a few 'keepers' to show. I'd also spent a whole day archiving about 150 photo prints which I was still assembling when the doors opened and 400 invited guests streamed into the hall intent on bear buying and bear cuddling.
Also out for display, my Moleskine sketchbook, free cards, some merino samples and my felting gear.
The red Japanese bondage rope I found on eBay was just the thing, and I pegged photos to it with rather gaudy plastic pegs which were all I could find at the last minute. It looked a bit like a village fete stall, but it would do. After that the day went by in a blur - several people came over specially to say hello as they had either bought my animals from the last catalogue, or my cards from the shop. It was a bit odd to be greeted by people who already knew of me, but I had never met - I spend 90% of my life in my studio, yet the popularity of the Teddy Bear catalogue has brought me and my work into homes around the world.
They enjoyed looking through my sketchbook and photos, they bought cards and were kind about my artworks. When I started demonstrating I drew quite a crowd of onlookers. I started work on one of the limited editions which will be in the 2010 catalogue. People were intrigued; needle felting is still a little known craft in the UK and I hope I encouraged a few more to try their hand at it.
For several hours I talked and explained until I was losing my voice and was supplied with cups of tea all afternoon. I met some wonderful, lovely people, including a lady who, after admiring my work, asked me if I'd thought of joining the British Toymakers Guild. I replied that I had, but hadn't got round to it and was a bit worried about the selection process. (You have to send in examples of work to be admitted). I almost choked when she reassured me, saying that she was the Chairman of the Guild and was certain I'd get in. So that's next on my list of *to-do's*. As well as learning to drive, so that I can get to the shows!
My first stall - a bit of a jumble sale, completely exhausting and so many nice people. All in all a day to remember.
In the fiendish way that these things happen, my deadlines all seem to have conspired to meet at more or less the same time. To finish the most urgent (handed in by 1st week of April) I had to eat into time I needed for the next one (second week of April) before I could even think about the third one (beginning of June). So, 40 design artworks painted up, scanned and posted off, and a quick studio tidy up before straight on to the next job.
This is what half a year's work on a design job looks like- excluding the artworks. A big pile of A3 sheets consisting of brainstorming, first amendments, second amendments and (God help me) third amendments. And in a few cases, fourth amendments. And then 40 of the blighters to draw up and colour. I have re-discovered three things;1) Most people have no idea that illustration can be a full time job as much as any *normal* job and at times it is more than that. Sometimes you have to sacrifice the nice things in life like little walks, pottering in the garden, blogging, reading - and days off are out of the question. But I have given up explaining this, as no-one seems to believe it.2) Similarly they don't understand that often one really does have to be creative *on demand* instead of waiting for the inspiration fairy to visit. This is what sorts out the men from the boys. As it were. 3) You can't please all of the people all of the time. This is a fact.
Added into this mixture was the dull dawning that last year I promised to take part in the 25th birthday celebrations of the lovely shop 'Teddy Bears of Witney', - and it is soon! They asked me if I would do an all day needle felting demonstration with a stall. Friends, I have never rigged up a stall in my life. I shoved it to the back of my mind until the other week when I finally put my mind to it. So I sacrificed some work time to source - a card display unit, mini-clothes pegs, photo corner mounts and oddest of all, red Japanese bondage rope. Which is apparently exactly what it says it is.
Who knew? It is rather lovely and just what I need to peg photos of my animals on. Finally, gorgeous Moo mini-cards to hand out to potential customers.
I've been meaning to give them a whirl and I am so very pleased with them. The sturdy little box is just right for stashing buttons and beads in, when it is empty.
I'm rather looking forward to Sunday - the shop is kindly paying for a taxi each way, so I travel in style and there will be 250+ handpicked teddy bear enthusiasts there to entertain. I only wish I had some spare needle felt stock to offer, but I will have artworks and cards on sale; some funds for more Moo cards would be nice. 
(The New Best News is that I have deadline extensions, which is relief beyond my wildest dreams).
Seems to be one of those times of year when things are tidied up, finished off and others started. The cottage has been autumn cleaned and yet more space cleared. I am anxiously waiting for news of a job that has been in the pipeline for months, and have begun work on a design brief. Today I popped to town to deliver the rest of my toys to Teddy Bears of Witney. I don't know why it is that every time I visit these lovely people I am in some state of scatterbrained-ness or (as with this morning) completely exhausted. I was actually babbling when I was ushered to a chair. Lovely coffee in a little mug and a buttery teddy bear biscuit were brought to me, which helped. 
What I hadn't realised was that I was to be given the honour of drawing the names out of the hat, to decide who would get my creations; some of them had multiple applications, and there are only three of each design, so they like to keep things fair by holding a ballot. In a top hat. They know how to do things properly here. 
My name announcements were accompanied by delighted gasps, as the staff know so many of their customers and were happy that they had got what they wanted. Afterwards I happily pottered about looking at new displays and taking snaps. I love these skinny bears, 'Lucy Havahart' and 'Duke Havahart', created by Deb Beardsley, a Wisconsin bear maker. 
I saw this chap and dropped to my knees to admire him; I adore spotty old horses on wheels. It's the kind of shop where they totally understand if you start crawling about the props. Or maybe they are just extra indulgent with me.
Bears, bears everywhere.
Although there are many many unique artist bears, they are also a major supplier of Steiff collectibles.
Oh look - down there on the bottom shelf; it's one of my favourite new models - Dulcie. She has been specially commissioned as a reproduction from an original old bear owned by one of the staff.
And round a corner, in a big, mirrored display cabinet, are some familiar faces. Not teddy bears at all, but looking quite at ease with their furry brothers and sisters. 
Soon they will be on their journeys to the corners of the world, to start their new jobs. And I am going to take a day off to rest and try to get myself back together, starting with a long, hot bath.
