Tuesday 23 October 2007

Bye Bye Dust Bunnies !!



Phew ! Now I've finished my 5 pieces for the Bear Artists Online Winter Warmer show I can take a breath , and survey the dusty wreckage of my house ! I'm afraid I've neglected it somewhat due to the intense focus on my work - well there was a deadline after all. Now I have the rest of the half term holiday to hoover ,squirt, sweep and generally flick the dusters about (boring ....yawn...) Ah yes , I was about to make a micro rabbit , as someone had asked after them ... and oh yes , I have a couple of dancing bears pencilled in for November .... well , it's nearly November .Isn't it ?

I'm showing one of the Winter Warmers here ; a 3" angel bear : "Cherub" , made from vintage Malden Mills upholstery velvet . She has her own starry cushion - which is also an ornament to hang on the tree ! I have to say I'm particularly pleased with her 1" high angel micro-doll , which is made out of ultrasuede , with appliqued ribbon and tiny star sequins . It took me half a day to make ! I got some of those long suffering looks from the husband ; as if to say "how can anyone spend half a day on that? Wait , I'll hold it at arm's length so I can see what it actually is.."

I shall definitely be making more micro-dolls . Where's some paper, and card ... and my ultrasuede stack ? What dust ? I can't see it anymore ...

T.T.F.N Ruth x


Tuesday 9 October 2007

Curiouser and curiouser...(or fantasies of a bear maker !)

Well , I was going to write this a few days ago but I put it off as I've been wrestling with one of those stupid inner-ear infections that affects your balance . For the last week I've felt as though I just got pushed off a particularly whizzy roundabout , and I've been lurching about feeling like I might stumble off the edge of the world (or at least down the stairs ! ) if I'm not careful . It's really affecting my progress with the bears for the BAO Winter Warmer show , as I can't focus my eyes for too long ... well double-drat it ! Maybe a trip to the you-can-only-get-an-appointment-today-by-standing-in-the-
queue-at-8.am- Doctor's is unavoidable :0(

Less of the health-rant digression .... I was particularly busy at the computer last Thursday afternoon - yes , I should have been sewing , when the phone rang . At first I had the call pegged as one of those charity calls from a personable young lady , who gabbles all her spiel while your brain glazes over , but then I suddenly realised I was hearing the word "bear" , and "they must be purple bears" as they wanted to put them "in the rooms" and they had seen a little purple bear on my website. Well what on earth was it all about then ? I tuned my brain in better ; she was calling about someone they had staying in the hotel , but couldn't divulge many details ......HUH ???
The next thing she asked was whether they could have a discount for "bulk ordering" and mentioned that all the bears would need to be identical ... oh , and there was a time constraint - hmmm,suddenly we were dealing with a whole different kettle of fish ; "bulk" doesn't sound like 1 or 2 bears then ! I had to explain that as my little bruins are hand sewn , and hand produced there was unfortunately no way I could fill bulk orders , and that even a couple of bears take their time . By necessity it is an unhurried occupation (not to mention an evolution of sorts !)Whilst I am fairly good at achieving similar features it is also not really possible to guarantee each bear as an identical 2 and a bit inches to each other !
The nice young lady was regretful , but she could see that it was just not going to be possible .
Later on , feeling intrigued , I embarked on a little detective work to glean the caller's number (using 1471) then used an internet programme to check the area code .
It even gave a locale map : centre of London - the very heart of the Big Smoke ; covering London Eye , Houses of Parliament , St James' Park - and the O2 arena (used to be The Millenium Dome) Husband narrows eyes ; " there's a load of big hotels around there..."
So now we spin (ooh not that word !) off in to fantasy . Who could this mystery person be ? Obviously likes purple .... are they , dare I breathe it , famous ? This is a tiny bear with a diddy purple hat , set at a rakish angle . I've just been reading one of the blogs in my listing to the right . The artist went to see a performer at the O2 arena ...... NO ....it couldn't be
him surely ? I think I've just gone off the edge of the world .....

I'll come back when I'm feeling more sensible !!