Yummi-Bears

2012-01-10T23:52:00.000-08:00

one of my projects around Christmas time was doing a little custom kitty! It was so much fun. First I did a sketch, then emailed it to make sure I was on the right track. Finally, I created a pattern, because this was the first animal I've done in this size, not quite a micro, but way smaller than my usual.

She was Soo much fun to create, and a real big challenge, too. I felt like I was all thumbs working in this size. She is the perfect size for my little cottage, though, so I'm gonna have to make myself a little kitty maybe...

This bear I just listed on Etsy. He is a little Grizzlee bear. With a little longer snout than some of my bears. I hand knit his little scarf from a beautiful yarn found at an estate sale, and vintage pom poms on the ends. Very cozy for the winter!

Time to Party

2011-06-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

I added a few more things to my etsy shop, including this little ON SALE bear. Also, here's a pic of my shabby mantle as it looks now:

Old mirror from an estate sale, chippy candleholders from eBay, candle lantern from Michaels a couple of years ago, and yellow living room paint was about 9 different paints from estate sales, garage sales, leftovers, etc.. My sweetheart and I just stuck them all together in a huge bucket and remixed them to come up with what I think is THE perfect shade of yellow.

And finally, I thought it was high time to post a picure of myself. although this is from hiking last summer, and I am in disguise thanks to some bearded man moss (that's what we call it around here).

Toodles!

Sarah

A teeny weeny Cat

2011-05-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a little teeny weeny black cat I just put on Etsy. This is one little cat that actually likes baths. Her friends think it's a little odd that she will just take a bath wherever whenever. She doesn't care what they think, when a girl wants a bath, she takes it.

A preemie comes home!

2011-05-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

My dear few readers, I have not been in Blogland lately because......
I have been at the hospital for nearly two weeks. I had an emergency C section, and the end result was a beautiful, wonderful preemie named Emma.
We have been living in a tiny cozy cavelike room in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. We finally got to come home, and I am so happy to be back home with my garden and my house and my computer, but I am the most thankful for my new little one!!!!

New Bear Pattern

2011-05-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

This is one of the bear patterns I have been working on. This little guy has a longer snout than my other bear patterns. I wanted him to look more like an old teddy bear than my previous bear patterns. I actually can't figure out if this one is a boy or a girl. So, my dear few readers, what do you think, boy or girl?

Inspirational Sunday and the last pink bears

2011-05-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while...

I have been busy being pregnant I guess, but after a scare in the hospital, I am now on bedrest, and have lots of time to post some of the tons of pics I have taken. I have also been busy with new bear patterns and little bears you might soon see on Etsy or maybe even eBay. The pink bears are the very last of a recycled vintage stuffed animal from the 50s that had seen better days. I went crazy and just used it all up, so these four are the end of that fur. One of the bears was sent to her new home in Canada, to an online friend of mine.

For Inspirational Sunday,
First is an aqua panda from my vintage toy collection. I don't know his exact age, but he is still in good condition and so cute with his little googly eyes. He makes me want to try my hand at making a little Ellie.

This picture is of some of the loot I got from one of my last visits to the flea market. Little bags full of vintage goodies is one of my favorite ways of getting inspired. I often buy neat little trinkets even if I have not thought up a use for them yet. I can never say no to vintage laces and trims in candy colors. The embroidered little girl face was just too precius to pass up. I believe it is a doll or child's pillowcase. It is amazing to me that someone put so much love and time into the making of it.

Inspirational Sunday

2010-12-12T23:00:00.001-08:00

I only have 40 minutes before the day is technically over, and I have been wanting to do this for a while. I know that the title "Inspirational Sunday" is just a smidgen dorky, but Oh Well. I am going to emulate many many other bloggers who post pictures of things that inspire them, and I'm going to try (operative word, here) to post pics I find or take of things that inspire me, both in my art and in my life. So here goes...
First, I just love the cutout and artwork on this Christmas CD from Starbucks (from a few years back). I have no idea if the music is good, but with that sleeve, it has to be.

Also, in a holiday spirit is a vintage tiny doll dress found at a secondhand shop. I love vintage and tiny things, also red and polka dots, so this little dress takes the cake!

black cats and weddings

2010-12-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

My llttle sister got married today! In honor of her wedding is this pic of a black kitty I made wearing a tiny vintage wedding dress. BEST WISHES TO YOU LITTLE SIS!

It's not morning sickness

2010-11-29T17:36:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm finally starting to feel better after a solid 3 months of morning sickness. Only it hasn't been morning sickness, it's been all day and all night sickness. I know there are some women out there who are sick their whole pregnancy, and I truly cannot imagine it. I felt like I had a really bad flu constantly. I am soo thankful I am finally starting to feel better. So now maybe I can get back to all the things I was working on before....

I have several bears ready to go, they just need some cute pictures taken of them, then to Etsy they will go.
I had a pink kick awhile back, and the result was the 2 cuties shown with one of my three and a half inch pandas. They are both a smidgen under 3 inches tall. The other pink bear (most definitely a boy) will be going on Etsy tonight or tomorrow.

The change of the Seasons

2010-09-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

It might not officially be fall yet, but in my little corner of the world, it sure feels like it is. I love the fall and have started getting my October issues of saved magazines out for inspiration and ideas for decorating. My favorite mag for inspiration was Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, which is sadly not published anymore. One of the places I like to seasonally decorate is my mantel. This was my spring mantel.....

Here is my summer mantle, which is about to come down for my fall/Halloween mantle.

Here is one of my bigger bears in his little popcorn cone....hanging from one of my Friday Finds (the little red box of drawers).

And as I say farewell to the summer, I also send a fond farewell to 3 bears that have been adopted and sent off over the Ocean to their new home...

Past Projects and woodland themes

2010-09-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of a tree stump house I made way too many years back, I have been thinking alot lately about Woodland Themes, it seems like I do every Fall. Growing up, I always loved stories that had big, deep dark woods in them—The Three Bears, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, even Sleeping Beauty. I visited the Redwoods in California when I was thirteen, and I wanted to stay and live in the house built in a live tree (one of the tourist things) soo badly.

The tree stump was made in quarter scale (1:48th) for my micro mini bears which are around an inch tall. I had so much fun with this project, and I even made some of the furniture.

Been gone awhile

2010-08-26T09:04:00.001-07:00

Sooo,
I've been gone awhile, and without the Internet for a couple of months. I am back, and my life seems back to normal now, but I still feel a bit unsettled and like things could change in a split second. I was on a grand adventure, but I am very glad to be back home—with my garden and my front porch where I like to sit and sew bears. I am trying to get ready for a bear show (my first ever!), and to finish different bear requests (thanks to all my dear bear customers who have waited patiently). Here are a few pics of finished bears......
Both are made of different materials than I usually use. The pink one is an antique or vintage velvet. It is an absolutely beautiful fabric, but an absolute BEAR to sew, I probably will never make a bear from it again. The other bear is made from a wispy viscose fur that I absolutely love. It is old stock from Edinburgh Imports that I have had for a long time, and had hoarded because it was discontinued. I also have a Pooh-ish yellow and light pink of this fabric, that I need to cut into.
Both bears are ADOPTED.

Panda Bear

2010-05-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

For some reason lately, I have been fixated with little clothes that fit my bears. I have been trying out different patterns, and came up with this cute little jacket. It fits most of my little bears, which are usually in the three inch range. I have been collecting tiny vintage doll clothes, but it's hard to find really tiny pieces. I haven't decided whether I'm going to put this little panda on Etsy, or eBay. I haven't done eBay in a long time now, and I feel like if you don't list regularly, you won't get enough interest to sell them well. I have gotten myself a little stockpile of bears, now, because I was planning on doing a show sometime this year. There are 2 fairly local ones this fall.

Vintage Trifles and a long overdue post

2010-05-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

This is a long overdue post and a little shoutout to Martha of Vintage Trifles. I purchased a little crown from her at Christmastime for one of my larger bears. (The lavender bear in the shoe).This spring, I happened upon her during an errand run, and found out about her Four Friends Sale, which I had to attend. It was so very beautifully set up, and I came home with a little bag full of goodies! She had graciously saved me some more crowns, of which one of my tiny bears is now wearing.

Here are a few pics of my goodies including French dictionary pages & pink glass glitter. Martha is such a wonderful artist. If you ever get a chance to visit one of her events, don't pass it up!

Yummi Shop

2010-02-02T20:56:00.000-08:00

My daughter is growing so fast! She is not quite 2 yet but can already wear 3t! People don't mistake her for a boy as often as they used to.
I found this little sweet shop in a thrift store, and thought it was soo cute, and it matched my Yummi-bears theme. I think it was probably made in the sixties or seventies. Some of the treats in the window have come unglued, and I don't know how I would go about fixing that. I am going to paint new signs for the missing ones.
I am really curious to know if there are any other themed shops like this. It is just the front of the store, and it hangs on the wall. If anybody out there in blogland has seen anything like this, drop me a note or a pic....

new on ebay and etsy

2010-01-25T11:57:00.000-08:00

I put an elf bear on ebay, I started him at .99 cents, just to do something different. Then I listed a little pig I made, and listed that on eBay at .99 cents, too! The elf bear is ending today, the piggie has 6 days left. I also put a valentine panda on Etsy (sold already) Thank you Anne-Sophie!
Elf Bear ending today and
Pig ending in 6 days

NEW BEARS & Bunni too!

2009-11-05T22:35:00.000-08:00

I have a bunch of new bears made, and now I just have to photograph them all...
Here are the first 2. One is a little pink furball, the other is a one inch tall baby bunni. The baby bunni is the first micro mini I have made in quite a while. The bear is the third I have made from a recycled 50s stuffed toy poodle. I love this vintage faux fur. I think the end result makes all the work of taking apart a stuffed animal totally worth it.

2009-11-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

Continuing on with past projects: Here is a little micro bee bear that I made, and sold on ebay. This was a while ago, a couple of years, I think. The marker detailing on his head was done with a fabric pen, and is not quite black enough in my opinion. Since then, I have learned a few more tricks of the trade. Now I use Copic Markers, they are the Best!

More photos of past projects

2009-11-02T22:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Belated Halloween! I was so excited about Halloween this year, it was going to be the first year I took my 20 month old daughter trick or treating. I had gotten her the cutest little snuggly warm lion costume from a second hand shop. Oh the best-laid plans of mice and men ( is that how the quote actually goes?). So my daughter and I both came down with the flu the day before the big day. And were stuck miserably at home while everyone else celebrated.
....Abrupt change of subject...
Here are some more pics of past work. Hopefully tomorrow I will post some present stuff.
The first pic is a little bat bear I did either last year or the year before that. Sold on eBay. Boy, I loved that little bat. I must say it was one of my favorites. The other 2 pics are of a little micro anime cat in his little mouse car that I made, and a pic showing how tiny he is.

Going through stuff

2009-10-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

It has been a very long time since I have done anything with this blog. But I have been going through a lot of pics of past bears I have done. I am going to start posting them for fun. First up is a little Halloween Panda I made several years ago. I can't remember exactly how tall he was, I think around 2 1/2" tall. I sold him on eBay. By the way, If anyone who has ever purchased a bear from me happens across this blog, I would love to hear from you!

The chick magnet

2009-03-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

I have been such a naughty girl with this blog, but I swear I'm going to change my ways...
It's soo much more fun to just read all my favorite blogs....
So anyways, here's an update:
I have tons of finished bears and partially finished bears. It's like a bear explosion all over my desk and work space. The finished bears are either bears I just can't bear to let go of quite yet (this group seems to be growing) or bears that need the perfect little accessories before I can sell them. I just can't seem to bear to sell a bare bear anymore. The problem is, it seems to take more time to think up then make the perfect little accessories than it does to make the bear. My other problem is, and my dear husband makes fun of me for this, is that I seem to have to take at least a hundred pictures for each and every bear, then I have to go through and edit them and decide which to use. Oh well, everyone has character flaws.
So I finally got this bear finished and photographed. I've had this idea for quite a while:
He's the Chick Magnet (husband came up with name)
This little bear sure loves to party with the chicks, but please don't hold it against him!
Anyways, I haven't decided whether to eBay him or list him on Etsy.
I have not listed a bear on eBay for quite a while now, but I keep thinking I need to start doing it again.

What have I been doing?

2008-10-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

Soo, what have I been up to lately? Umm, hmm....I have been:

Being a mom ( Takes up 98.5% of my time)

Here's a pic of my daughter Riley at 6 months....

Here's a pic of a piece I finished, but need to take better pics of... She's a little fairy/butterfly bear that can come off of her little oval picture frame.

responding to comments

2008-01-31T09:05:00.001-08:00

Ok, I feel kind of stupid, but I can't figure out how to respond to the nice comments that people have left. It doesn't look like you can comment back specifically to the person who first commented. Is leaving another comment after it the only way to respond back? Maybe someone can tell me?

So much for Resolutions!

2008-01-31T08:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, so my resolution to post every day did not pan out, Oh Well. I have been supremely busy and I am extremely pregnant now. Those are my excuses.... I have been busily making stuff for a craft show I am planning on doing after the baby is born. I know I probably won't get anything done right after she's born, so I have been frantically working. Of course, when you are extremely pregnant, frantically working means maybe getting one or two things done before you are too tired to move anymore. I have only let myself take 2 naps my whole pregnancy, mainly because I am scared to death I will sleep all day, and then not be able to sleep at night. Lately I have been rethinking naps. They sound soo wonderful to me by about one in the afternoon.

Anyways,
here's a pic of one of the things I have been working on. Trying to make a bear large enough that is is easy to sew on the sewing machine. This is my largest bear yet, he is 7 & 1/2 inches tall. I made him out of a piece of thick old cotton-backed upholstery fabric I had stashed. I don't think it's mohair, but I was pleased with how it turned out. I will probably age him a little more....

eBay Listings!

2008-01-24T07:39:00.000-08:00

Today, I will do a little shameless advertising. I have a valentine bunny ending today on eBay, and another one ending in 6 days. Check them out...Bun ending today and Bun ending in 6 days

Etsy Store, non-thrifting, and making gifts

2007-12-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to add stuff little by little to my Etsy store. It's such a great tool, and I don't feel that I am taking full advantage of it, yet. I put 2 bears (well one is a mouse) on it, one of them being a Christmas one I recently posted about that I didn't think I had time to relist on eBay. The other is an Anime style mouse.

Etsy Mouse

I haven't been thrifting in quite a while, and have been so tempted to go to the Goodwill Outlet where you can buy stuff by the pound, but I am not letting myself since my house is filled with stuff (mostly baby things) that doesn't have anywhere to go till the baby's nursery is remodeled. I have always had a penchant for collecting vintage toys whcih I will now be using to decorate the nursery. Sadly, we have an old house with lath and plaster and, I am sure, lead paint, which all has to be torn out of the baby's room before it can get redone and DECORATED! I am not allowed to do any of the demolition, since I am not supposed to be around the lead paint, so I have to impatiently wait for it to get done by others....I did promise myself that I would go thrifting when my living room is clear of all the plastic storage tubs, though.

I didn't go so far as to take the HANDMADE PLEDGE that so many people have, but I did pledge to myself that I would make at least half the Christmas gifts this year. I am making super cute aprons from vintage patterns for all the girls/women on one side of my family. Sadly, I have found it very easy to shop for the patterns, fabric and trims for the aprons, but not as easy to actually get started on them....And I am running out of time. I am also doing a custom bunny rabbit for someone in trade for a video ipod nano for my husband's gift, so I can count that as part of my handmade Christmas. Next year I hope to go Handmade (or at least thrifted) all the way.

Christmas Bear on eBay

2007-11-30T09:57:00.000-08:00

I got a little bit of a late start this year on Christmas bears. I have 2 that are done, one of which is already up on eBay. Hopefully, I will get the other one listed today. You can see the one I have up already: Toddy the Christmas Bear

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

2007-11-24T11:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to all those in Blogland! I took a break from the computer, and it was wonderful. Now I'm in a panic about making some Christmas Bears. If I don't get any done soon, I won't be able to sell, pack and ship for Christmas, and that would be a wasted opportunity. So I'll have to get off of here and actually go do some work. I did make this little Indian kitty cat and Pilgrim mouse for Lisa of QD Patooties' Softie Thanksgiving Day Parade. As is normal for me, I got it done very last minute and had to take pics late at night in my laundry room. I will try to post some better pics here later as you can't see the mouse very well, and he is soo cute. I designed his pattern just for this Parade, and luckily it was great on my first patternmaking try. For size reference, the cat is 3.5 inches tall ( 9cm ).

Reusing and Recycling

2007-11-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

So, I have always been a recycler. When I was younger it was mostly because my family was poor enough to have to shop at Goodwill before it was cool. Also, whenever my family went on trips to the outdoors—hiking etc., my dad would always take big black plastic bags to pick up other people's litter.

In bear making I use a lot of recycled materials and vintage fabrics that would probably end up in a landfill somewhere if they didn't get used. But I have decided to make a concentrated effort to reuse even more. Lately, I have been taking apart vintage stuffed animals (ones that are missing an ear or something, so I am not ripping apart a perfectly good stuffed animal) and reusing them. The partially done pink bear in the picture is an example. It was an old 50s pink poodle originally. It is very slow work invoving lots of seam ripping, trying not to breathe old stuffing and make to much of a mess, and then gently cleaning the usable fabric pieces. The downside of this is that you don't get very much fabric, maybe enough for two mini bears for all the work you put in. The upside is that you can get some super cool results. I love how this bear is turning out.

Thrifting, Goodwill and $20

2007-11-08T13:55:00.001-08:00

So garage sale season is definitely over here in Oregon, so I have had to revert to thrift stores. I seem to spend more money in thrift stores than at garage sales or even rummage sales. I made a money limit for myself. I am only allowed to spend $20 on stuff that is not actually needed, things like fabric, sewing notions, fun stuff etc.. I also can spend that money only if I actually have made that much recently, for example selling a bear, selling vintage stuff on ebay etc.. This system actually works great to alleviate the guilt of buying too much fabric or bear fabric. If I sell a bear, then I used up some supplies and thus need more ;0)

So my last thrifting trip: Goodwill, Total Spent 50-something dollars. But, I didn't go over my limit. Mostly I spent money on maternity clothes, which I needed, so don't count. Here are a few of the goodies I got:

This item hangs on the wall, and I think had a glass holder for a candle originally. I will probably try to find something that will work.That way, I can hang it in my bathroom for a candle. I was thrilled to find this and it was only $2.99.

These vintage ornaments are the most perfect shade of red ever! I love them, and they were $2.99. I probably won't resell them because I wouldn't make much, plus I want to keep em for my tree.

Last, but not least is this little dollhouse stove kit. I don't know exactly what I will do with it, but it was too cute to resist. This one was only $1.99

First Machine sewn bear!

2007-11-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

Ok, the little guy is not actually done (his body cavity is still open and I might redo his arms as I don't like them), but I am soo excited because this is my first finished machine sewn bear. I have actually worked backwards from a lot of bear makers. I started out making micro mini bears, ones that were an inch tall from head to toe. Then I started making bears that were a little larger because I liked the idea of being able to use dollhouse size props with them. So all I have ever done is handstitch my bears, with super teeny tiny stitches (my great grandma taught me to handsew and embroider when I was a girl), but as the bears get bigger, it has taken longer and longer to sew them. Then I put so much time into them that I have a harder time letting them go. So I decided that I was going to start machine sewing larger bears. Of course the materials and techniques for sewing larger bears are quite a bit different from miniature bears. I also found that using larger versions of my mini bear patterns just didn't turn out that great. I actually threw a few heads out before I came up with a pattern that worked. And TA-DA! here is the result. He doesn't have a name yet, and I haven't figured out what his props will be, in fact this bear might even be a girl, not a boy. I just haven't figured it out yet. But he's done and the big plus is that he can even stand on his own-yay! So now I have to decide if I want to just stuff his body with fiberfill or weigh him with some steel shot. ANY IDEAS?

Halloween, Christmas and ......Valentine's Day?

2007-09-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

So, I got an invitation from Teddy Bear Review Magazine to do a Valentine's themed bear. I have never sent them anything before. I have been in Teddy Bear & Friends magazine a couple of times, but not Review. I am having a hard time thinking of Valentine themes, since my brain is soo excited about Halloween and Christmas (my two very favorite holidays). I created a Halloween cat, lucky is her name. She was going to be for eBay, but I just can't part with her. This has actually been happening more often lately. I just can't seem to part with my bears.
Anyways, have way too many ideas for Halloween and Christmas, but I will just have to lay them aside while I plan out my valentine......
So far I am thinking....a little nurse for the broken heart, Queen of Hearts... Umm that's it so far. I'd probably better just get started on the bear and then go from there.

Trying to get work done...

2007-09-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

I guess I am not so great at this blogging, yet... I have been trying my best to get alot of work done, in my house, on my bears, and on misc art projects. I have a craft room that I am scared to go into. I know I have all sorts of bits and bobs to use and get ideas from that I can't actually access. I am expecting, so while I was super sick for three months I had an excuse. Now I don't. I do feel very happy with myself every time I get some little thing done, a new bear on eBay, getting more work done on my website (which is still under construction), or putting something new in my shop on etsy. I did put a bear on etsy, the first. It is a little pink and brown vintage panda.

My 1st blog!

2007-05-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog ever! I feel like I should have a cake with candles.
This blog is mainly going to be about bear making, but I will be throwing in some other stuff every once in a while, like crafty things and vintage finds.