sreetzbears

~New year~new ideas

2012-01-18T09:52:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone~I can't believe its been almost a month since my last post!I usually take the month of January off just for a slight break from bear crafting to organize my patterns and supplies,make a list of mohair,artist pens,material for bows and accessories and any other supplies that may be needed to order.Its also the best month to take off because here in Wisconsin weather can become an issue and getting packages off to the post office can be a nightmare.I have to say I was so supprised by the weather for this month~warmer~no snow~very odd for the first part of the month,then of course reality hit with snow, wind and now very chilly days with a good excuse for hot chocolate*~*This is also the time when I think of new ideas for my bears and friends,and I have some wonderful plans for new styles of kitties and bears,something so unique I haven't really seen it offered before so I'm very excited about it!This new special line of bears and friends will be called scentimental memories(or whimsies not sure just yet!)and what I want to do with this series is that if you can immagine the candy cane kitty and panda I created actually smelling like the scent of their theme~sweet peppermint candy ~or the snowman kitties and pandas smelling like fresh snow for their theme this is what I'm going for!My brain has been almost exploding with ideas and I have ALOT of them that I plan to create~yummy smells of the circus like cotton candy and caramel corn for the circus themes,pretty soft floral scents for the spring line~pumpkin&vanilla for fall~gingerbread&vanilla for the holidays and the list goes on.Not only will these little guys smell heavenly to match their theme they will also feature little custom made hats to match!I can't give all the details of the technique I will use to scent them as this is my unique idea and unfortunately there is always the risk of being copied before I could even complete these little fellows and get them listed.I should have this style available in early spring*~*as for now I still have to finish some old style bears I had in the making during my last update and also have plans for new patterns and maybe offer mohair and supplies in my shops but I'll keep you updated in my next post.So as you can see I have alot of work ahead but I always love it and am happy to do so!Have a wonderful week~~~Sharie

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

2011-12-25T10:50:00.002-06:00

*~~~*Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all*~~~*

Pink Candy Kitty Cat and Chuckles Polka Dot Clown now on Ebay Auction

2011-12-11T09:17:00.008-06:00

The holiday update was so much fun and I enjoyed all of the wonderful comments on my new little creations!Most were adopted but I still have four in need of a new home by the holidays so I decided to put Candy kitty,my large 9 inch kitty and Chuckles the shabby polka dot clown on ebay for a 3 day auction.Candy and Chuckles were the special orders I had created and were not able to be adopted for reasons unknown.Tiny candycane kitty and snowman panda bear are still available in my etsy shop and are also looking for a new home.xxxxxSharie

Winter update now in progress

2011-12-09T19:07:00.009-06:00

The big winter update is now in progress!It took a bit longer than planned due to computer glitches and posting about 60 photos but I'm happy to say all kitty cats and panda bears are all available for adoption.The big realistic kitty in the blue winter coat and bonnet along with the mini kitty and panda snowman(last 3 pics) are listed on ebay for a five day auction.All the rest of the gang is in my etsy shop listed with the pastel clown and the big pink kitty(older post below)which were special orders that the bearmom couldn't commit to.I hope you will enjoy them all!~~~~Sharie

Sneak peek~big Holiday update just hours away

2011-12-09T10:44:00.003-06:00

I will be having my BIG holiday update today~in just a few hours*~*There will be eleven new creations available for adoption with seven being sweet kitty cats,all with a winter or holiday theme!I posted a preview pic of my tiny 3.5 inch candy cane kitty (and another four in my banner above) and will be back shortly with all the new bears and kitties photos for the update~xxxxxSharie

~Sharing Pics~Custom orders completed~

2011-11-17T19:49:00.009-06:00

I'm so happy to announce I finished my three custom orders and thought I'd take a moment to share some pics of them with you.
The pink kitty on the left is much larger than my regular size measuring in at about 9 inches tall.The realistic kitty in the middle measures a tad under 13inches tall and is a very close match to Cassy kitty(her pic a few posts below)even though they are not an exact match.I could never make two exactly alike so thats what makes them special.The last teddy on the right was crafted after one of my sweet blush bears and looks nothing like the original as her mohair is denser and didn't curl as much as the original.The outfit was a special request and I just love the colors her new mommy chose as I don't know if I would have ever picked yellow as a theme.I hope you enjoyed having a peek at the special requests and I hope their new mommy will be pleased with them.If you would like to see even more pics please visit my other blog here http://sreetzweekinbearsandfriends.blogspot.com/

~update on Misty after surgery and custom orders~

2011-11-10T17:37:00.006-06:00

As promised I wanted to pop in for an update on Misty.Her surgery went smoothly and she took it like a trooper!I do feel sorry for her as the vet found she had a yeast infection in her ears and the medicine I have to apply makes her head greasy(from her trying to wash it out)not to mention she is not thrilled went I have to apply it lol.She was very drowsey yesterday went she got home but just as I thought she still tried jumping onto things so she had to stay put in the bedroom for the night to keep her from tearing any stitches.She still insists on getting on my lap when I'm on the computer so I let her,but very carefully.I have to say this has been such a busy week I have fallen a bit behind on my custom orders.Not only did I have Misty's surgery apt. this week I have also had problems with Time Warner.....again,the phone and internet were on the blink.I had to have a service tech come on Monday only to not find any problems,then on Tuesday same thing with cable going crazy so yet another appointment today.To make the story short the tech canceled the apt today because he found it was an area problem and not any modems or outside cable lines at out home eek!The good news everything is working allright for now,so thats a good thing.I thought I would also share the other two orders I'm working on.One is a pink kitty from 2008 and I had a heck of a time even finding her pattern lol.I'm also finding the kitty in progress looks quite a bit different,more like a whimsical fantasy kitty but she is cute and I think her new mommy will be happy with her.Then there is my sweet blush bear,the original shown above
with the custom request of being in a pale yellow clown suit with matching hat and collar with pastel polka dots of pink,mint green and pastel blue.Again,the bear and the outfit are turning out beautifully but the bear looks very different from the original.I know one thing for sure~this will be my last custom order because it really stresses me out to get them just right and done on time!So thats about it for now and I will post the special orders when they are completed*~*xxxSharie

~A wonderful shop on etsy for kitty lovers everywhere~

2011-11-07T20:23:00.003-06:00

I just had to share this wonderful etsy shop with all of my blogging friends(and kitty lovers in general!)I had the pleasure of meeting Judy Johnson through a recent pattern purchase and she is just a sweetheart~she kindly offered to post my kitty pattern and link on her blog so I had to return the favor by sharing her awe inspiring kitty creations~like the one above(LOVE*~*)so if you have a moment be sure to have a peek at her bloghttp://www.baycolonydesigns.net/ and etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/BayColonyDesigns to see her amazing creations.Speaking of kitties,I am taking my Misty girl in Wednesday to have her spayed.I will be worried about her until I know she makes it through her surgery safely and is back home with me!I'll keep you posted on her results.I am also busy working on a custom order for a realistic kitty like my Cassy kitty(photo above) I created in 2010 along with a big pink kitty and a sweet blush clown teddy.I will share photos of all three once they are completed.I will also be sewing up some new creations for this months etsy update so I have a lot of work to do lol!~xxxxxSharie

Little fall panda bear now on ebay

2011-11-06T18:02:00.004-06:00

This is Cody,a sweet little fall panda bear measuring in at just 5 inches tall.I have tinted his mohair with pretty fall colors of red,orange,yellow and brown.He is now available on ebay for a seven day auction if you would like to visit him.Thanks so much*~*xxxxSharie

~New designs in progress~Little kitty&bear pincushions~

2011-11-03T16:00:00.008-05:00

I have been drooling over the wonderful pincushions I came across while browsing etsy and I decided I just had to try to make one,but in my own style and here it is~ my prototype kitty cat pincushion in progress~(as you can see she has no eyes or nose yet!)and I'm pretty happy with the way she is coming along.The finished pincushions will have another bottom piece attatched

~like the top~and will be made from beautiful colored wool felt that is also available on etsy.I plan on kitty,bears,elly and other friends dressed as clowns,for the holidays and other fun themes.You will also notice the tiny kitty in my hand above~I finally found a way to make a 3and 1/2 size which I am totally delighted with!I think this little size would be wonderful for Blythe doll friends.I'll be sure to post more pics in progress*~*xxxxSharie

New bears and kitty cats now in my etsy shop update

2011-10-26T20:48:00.007-05:00

I finally added the finishing touches and got the gang listed for their etsy shop update.I am a bit behind schedual due to dark gloomy weather today with no sunshine.I hope you get the chance to visit the bears and kitties as there are alot of fun pics in their listings.~~~~Sharie

Preview for tommorows(Wed)etsy shop update

2011-10-25T17:28:00.004-05:00

Here are the special pieces I have been working on that I mentioned in my older post.
I was hoping to have the gang finished and listed in my shop today,but had to put it on hold until tommorow due to some computer glitches.Shown in the pics are Tiger and Boris the Halloween/fall clowns,little Autumn panda bear on the left,lonely little black bear(I haven't named him yet*~*)and sweet little Misty ragdoll kitten.(I decided to name her after my kitty Misty)she and the little panda are a wee 5 inches tall.

I will post more pics when they are available in my shop.xxxx~~~~Sharie

My new kitten ~Misty ~

2011-10-19T23:01:00.004-05:00

I've been promising to share some pics of my newest kitty~Misty girl~and here she is!The photos make her seem to be huge,but she is still small,petite and cuddly.
She has the sweetest personality and claims me as her mommy because I rescued her from being dropped off and living under my porch.
She follows me where ever I go and this little one is so smart she even fetches a ball!She gets along well with all of my other kitties~thank goodness~and is a pleasure to have around.Little miss will be heading to the vet next week to be spayed and I'm hoping everything turns out well for her.I have also been working on some special pieces for the fall/Halloween season and I'm just thrilled at the way they are coming along.Its a comical pair~Boris and Tiger~a whimsical pair of clowns,Boris the orange and brown panda and Tiger the orange and brown tabby cat clown.They are the older designs with the larger heads and tinted to a wonderful shade of orange somewhat like the color of a dreamscicle.They have black pom poms running down the tummy and wear vintage themed hang tags around their neck adorned with a chocolate colored satin bow.The best part is they really do look like antique toys!Also in progress in a petite little 5 inch white kitty that may be tinted like my Misty kitty above or a ragdoll~not sure just yet!Also in the making is an autumn tinted lil 5 inch panda bear and a lonely little black bear bear.I'm hoping to get them all finished soon and be back with all the new pics of them.~~~Sharie

~Little Jacob teddy pattern now available~

2011-10-12T23:53:00.006-05:00

I finally found some time to get little Jacobs E-Pattern completed and listed.He is a wee little fellow measuring a tad under 5 inches tall.Now all the minis are completed and listed in my Big Cartel pattern shop. http://sreetzbears.bigcartel.com/ I want to thank everyone who has purchased my patterns~I hope you enjoy creating them and I would LOVE to see some finished pics of them when they're completed!xxxxxSharie

Patterns now available in my new pattern shop!

2011-10-08T21:29:00.012-05:00

I'm so happy to announce I have finally completed some of my patterns along with my color wash guide in my brand new pattern shop on Big Cartel~I hope you can visit soon~ http://sreetzbears.bigcartel.com/

Etsy shop update with bears and friends soon to be patterns!

2011-10-06T21:43:00.005-05:00

I feel so bad that I haven't posted in such a long time but I have been crazy busy trying to get these patterns completed.The good news is I have the bears and friends photos ready for the pattern page and all I have to do is scan the actual patterns and I'm done!All the bears and friends shown above will be the new pattern line.The finished gang is now in my etsy shop.I'll be popping in soon to post when the patterns are ready.I also have alot to share about our vacation and how I was bitten once again by the doll collecting bug*~*I also have some sweet photos to
share of my kitten Misty.See you soon~~~~Sharie

Elly Kitty and Panda now on eBay

2011-09-19T20:14:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone~~I decided to list remove my new little creations from my etsy shop and list them on ebay.Etsy has so many changes to their search function it has become a nightmare.You can visit the gang by clicking on the ebay link on the right*~*xxxxxSharie****Little Elly and kitty have been adopted~thank you~****

New Bears Kitty and Elly in my etsy shop

2011-09-16T20:18:00.006-05:00

I'm happy to announce I did an unplanned etsy update today!I didn't finish the patterns as I hoped for but they will be ready by the first week of October.Hubby is now on vacation starting tonight so it will put me behind a bit,but he deserves a break!These little bears and friends were nearly completed so I decided to finish them and list them in my shop.I have PollyAnna the blue eyed elly (she is one that will be available as a pattern)Frisky the yellow tabby kitty(will also be available in pattern form),Molly a mohair art doll teddy wearing a faux blue dress and two super prim little cotton batting teddies.I hope you can visit their listings to view more pics of them all.I will also be back soon to share photos of my new kitten Misty,shes such a sweetheart and finally sat still enough to let me get some wonderful photos of her!Also,thank you for your sweet comments on my last post.I appreciate it very much and would love to comment back but I am still having problems with doing so. ~~~~Sharie

Been away~~~working on pattern designs!

2011-09-01T17:07:00.004-05:00

I noticed its been over a month since my last blog post(oh my!)so I thoughtI should pop in with an update.I am still working on all of my new pattern line~8 total and it has been quite an undertaking to say the least!I never realized how much work was involved in making a pattern but I do now lol.The good news is they are all almost finished and will be listed within 2 weeks.One of the patterns that will be available is Gia(top bear)a primitive cotton batting bear that will include a tinting guide in the instructions to shade her to any color of your liking.The second pic of bears are not going to be actual patterns but the color wash guide will explain how to tint a teddy with color and handy tips on shading and antiquing for and old vintage look.I will be offering mini bear,kitty,elly and bunny patterns along with a 7 inch bear&kitty,6 inch cotton batting Gia bear and her cotton batting elly friend all as pdf patterns.Now for the little sweetie in the last pic,Misty a poor abandoned kitty that was dropped of and found her way to me*~*She is the most sweetest kitten I have ever had and she thanks me every day for saving her and giving her a loving home.She sits with me every day at the computer and expects to be shown her favorite youtube video of humming birds flying around lol~Yes,she is already spoiled
and she knows it!So thats about it for now and I hope to update soon with photos of the actual bears and friends for the patterns.~~~~Sharie

Felt and mohair bears now on ebay

2011-07-28T00:56:00.007-05:00

Its been such a long time since I listed a new creation on ebay,I decided to put the last 4 remaining bears that were in my etsy on ebay.For fun I listed Jester panda and a super low starting bid so everyone would have a chance to bid.You can find my ebay link
on the right if you would care to peek at their auctions.
*~*xxxxxSharie***~~update***~~little blue Robin Bear and tan mohair teddy(2 top bears above)have now been adopted!~Thank you~ Jester panda and Tippy bear are still available~Also,I want to thank you all for your wonderful compliments here on my blog but as always its almost imposible to reply to a comment.I have tried clearing cookies~logging in~logging out~it is just soooo frustrating~~~~ I am just going to wait to comment after blogger fixes this nightmare once and for all!(sorry for the rant but its been building up...hehe)Thanks againxxxxSharie

Vintage style mohair bears in my etsy shop

2011-07-24T21:58:00.006-05:00

I found some time to finish some of the teddies I had in progress ~ not quite ready for my last shop update~but finally finished and listed in my etsy shop.All are vintage style and created from mohair.I will be popping in again next week for a little update about a stray tonkinese kitten I found last week*~*xxxxxxSharie

New bears and kitty cats in my etsy shop

2011-07-17T19:38:00.008-05:00

It took alot of work but I finally managed to get my bears and kitties finished and listed in my etsy shop~~~yippy!The teddies on parade was just wonderful and I know whoever visited the show would agree!It was very very busy on the first day which set my schedual a little behind but it was worth it!Well I hope you enjoy meeting the gang~~~you can have a peek at their listings in my etsy shop~~~HugsxxxxSharie

~The show has started!~

2011-07-15T15:12:00.010-05:00

The teddies on parade online show has started~~here are some of my bears made just for the show!To visit the show and see all the wonderful bears from 75 artists,just click the banner on the right side of my blog.I hope you enjoy the show!

Finally able to share my teddies on parade preview bear!

2011-07-01T16:02:00.000-05:00

It seems like forever but it is finally time for the teddy bears on parade online show preview!This is what I came up with for a parade theme(I had stated in my last post it was a complicating piece!)a vintage style circus parade teddy clown with his little friends sitting atop their very own wagon.Everything shown has been entirely handmade from the circus wagon(a cardboard candlebox)painted with vintage style tags,hardboard disks(used for jointing bears)for the wagon wheels,the little preforming elly from a vintage style tag glued to a pedestal and a tiny handsculpted girraffe for teddy to hold for the parade.The little balloons are made from rubber grapes that I colored with artists markers to look like real balloons.The teddy is a mini measuring a tad over 5 inches and is fully jointed.His outfit and hat are also hand made.This piece took almost a month to complete but I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out!I hope to have 10 bears available for adoption at the Bears on Parade online show running between July l5-17 all under the mini bear category.The online preview is now open for the public with a new twist~~~~voting for your favorite bears both in mini and regular size categories so be sure to pop over there and peek at the WONDERFULvariety of bears and don't forget to vote for your favorites~~~Just click on the bears on parade logo on the right to visit the preview!~~~Sharie

~~Busy Busy!~Working on bears for teddybears worldwide show&etsy update~~~

2011-06-22T16:10:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone,I thought I should take a quick break on bear making to pop in with a quick update.I have been working almost non-stop trying to get my preview bear completed and photographed for the teddy bears on parade online show (deadline tommorow!)and my monthly etsy update so things have been quite hectic!Of course I had to choose a somewhat elaborate bear for the show page theme(do it every time lol)and I can't wait to share it with everyone soon.I have been working on the show piece alone for over 2 weeks and I just love the way it turned out. All of the artists participating in the show must keep their bear a secret until July1 st for the preview.I plan to have 10 available for the show and am currently working on 9 for my etsy shop update which I hope to list next week.I wont be able to have my patterns ready that I hoped to finish but look for them by the end of July~early August.I also have good news, my back is feeling much better and I can now function normally,thank goodness because I have alot of bears and friends to complete!So thats about it for now but I will be back next week with pictures of my new creations for my etsy shop.*~*Sharie

Busy weekendYearly Rummage Sale and Pulled out Back!

2011-06-07T23:32:00.000-05:00

I feel so bad that I haven't posted in such awhile,but some things came up and I didn't have a chance to update my blog.Every June my sister and I have a yearly garage sale,mostly for fun but also a way to get rid of that unwanted"stuff" that accumulates.I had to start sorting early last Thursday then transport everything to my sister's to start setting up.As anyone who has ever had a garage or rummage sale knows ~~~it's ALOT of work!~~~Lifting,bending,dragging ect.Friday the first day of our sale went smoothly and we had a good time visiting during the event but Saturday wouldn't run so smoothly, at least for me.I don't know if I am prone to bad luck sometimes but the simple little task of bending down to place some doll clothes on a lower table caused me to pull out my back.The pain was so intense I had to sit most of the morning,not being able to stand straight and barely able to walk.I have a bad back but have been lucky not to have had this type of episode for about a year(Thank goodness!!!!)I am still on the mend making a slight bit of progress but still having pain and stiffness.Before the sale I was finally trying to make some patterns for my etsy shop and got some bears/kitty and an elephant sewn that would be used for the pattern pic but that will now be on hold for about a week.Funny thing about it is I now have about 15 bears and frieneds in progress needing to be completed soon!I will be back to show all the new pics when I get some of the creations&patterns completed.~~~~Sharie

New Bears in Progress&Teddy Goodies shopping spree!

2011-05-25T15:48:00.017-05:00

Hi everyone,its nice to be back to give an update of my new works in progress.I haven't posted in over 2 weeks because I was stuck in limbo with making new bears(more on that later!).Before we get to that I am happy to share the new teds in progress,I am very pleased with the way they are turning out.I am striving for an old antique look and think I'm getting close.The large bear with the white muslin body is my LARGE 15 inch folk art ted which will be transformed into an old looking circus bear.He is shown looking very white&bright but once completed he will look ancient lol.Second group(2 on left)are antique style mohair bears,fully jointed.Golden bear is 6.5"and little white bear is 5 inches tall.The folk art teddy bear is quite large measuring 15 inches tall.My favorite ted in the making is the red felt bear that I have been obssessing over to give a true traditional antique style.He is also 5 way jointed with a broader shoulder style and streamlined body design.He is 8 inches tall.Next comes pics of all the goodies I got for the new bear designs!My brain has been on overdrive thinking of new ways to decorate my bears with vintage themes.I found beautiful tags with adorable children,old style circus tags ,tiny bells and keys(you can see how tiny in my hand!)bottle caps and downloads to make my own tags and pendants for the bears.Most of my items were found on etsy which has wonderful and unique items.I know they will look fantastic for an old looking theme and cant wait to start decorating my teds.Now the reason for the delay is I needed to order tiny glass eyes and tee pins(joints) for my med bears.I had to find an easier pin to turn because the thick steel cotter pins were getting impossible for me to turn.Long story short~~the pins were on back order held up in customs so that meant my glass eyes would also be almost 2 weeks late ugh...good news is everything arrived and the new tee-pins turn like butter.I can't even express how much I LOVE these joints.So thats about it for now but I will be posting new pics once the bears are completed and wearing their new goodies!~~~~sharie

~Little bears and friends heading to Philadelphia for the show~

2011-05-13T12:19:00.003-05:00

My little creations will be with Felicia at the Bear Scout booth at the Philadelphia Doll and Teddy bear Convention.I'm sure it will be a fun and wonderful show!I couldn't attend but at least my little bears and kitties will be hehe.I also posted another pic of Sabrina kitty who is on ebay auction ending Sunday evening.Have a wonderful weekend!~~~~sharie

Sabrina Whimsical Siamese Kitty now on Ebay

2011-05-08T21:25:00.006-05:00

~~~I am so happy to announce little Sabrina kitty is finally completed and now on ebay auction.Her auction is for 7 days and ends next Sunday evening.I just love the way she turned out and as you might notice I changed her eyes to a larger size and a deeper blue color to
bring out her siamese look.I hope you can visit her auction as I have lots of sweet pics of her listed!Also completed are the new wee felt antique style teds,now listed in my etsy shop.~~~HugsxxxxSharie

New Antique Style Siamese Kitty nearly Completed~

2011-05-06T19:59:00.008-05:00

Hi everyone!~~~~I have been keeping this kitty a secret work in progress and am happy to announce she is nearly completed!The real kitty in the photo beneath her was my inspiration for this siamese kitty.She gives me a giggle everytime I look at her.don't we wish we could dress our kitties up like this lol.I was hoping to have her listed on ebay auction this evening but I just couldn't make it happen.It took almost all day to get her near completetion plus I was finishing the antique style bears in the pics on the bottom.Not too mention my fingers are all shades of colors from the dyes lol!I also had problems with the lighting being too bright for kitties photos,her coloring is a bit washed out.You can look for her auction on Sunday evening along with my etsy shop update with the mini antique style bears.Be back soon with the finished kitty/photos~~~~~Sharie

Brand new antique style bear designs coming soon

2011-04-29T21:31:00.007-05:00

I have been busy again working on new designs once again!I am focusing on traditional antique style bears ranging in wee sizes of 5.5"and 6" along with 7&8 inch larger sizes.The little old style bears shown with dolly are made from felt(left)and mohair(right).They feature my signature one piece body style with the look of being jointed(not an easy task lol!)I just love the way they turned out and will be focusing on this main style from now on,along with some of my older prim jointed styles.Also in progress is 2 terrier style dogs,one like Toto from the wizard of oz,and the other a shaggy wire haired variety.there is also a pink shabby kitty and panda bear.I will be back with more pics once they are completed.~~~~HugsxxxxSharie~~~~(please note I had to erase my first post because blogger went haywire!so sorry about that)

~Happy Easter~

2011-04-24T10:45:00.003-05:00

~~~Wishing everyone a wonderful Easter!~~~

~More pics of new bears~

2011-04-22T11:40:00.006-05:00

Here are more pics of my newest teddies that I couldn't get to load up when they were available.I had never had that problem with blogger before and I hope I don't agian lol!Anyway here are some of the gang that are still available.First pic is Chester,a pretty cinnamon/chestnut colored mini bear,now in my etsy shop along with Rags 2nd photo a tattered prim teddy who looks ancient! The next three pics are the teddies available on ebay auction.Little blue bear is 4.5 in tall and the two art doll bears,boy/girl are 6 in tall.I hope you can find time to have a peek at them!~~~~~hugsxxxx!

Bears*Kitty Cats &Bunny completednow on ebay and in my etsy shop~~

2011-04-20T15:53:00.008-05:00

I am so happy to announce I have a new(BIG)spring update featuring mini bears*kitty cats and a cute little bun now available on ebay auctions and in my etsy shop.I had some problems with blogger not letting me add pics here so I will try to add more later.I have 10 new creations listed for adoption-2 kitty cats and 1 mini bear on ebay and 7 other designs on etsy including the darling little blue bunny.I hope you can find the time to have a peek at them all.~~~HugsxxxSharie

Been Busy!Consumed with new designs~~

2011-04-07T15:58:00.011-05:00

It's been sooo long since my last post,but as you can see I have been totally consumed with brand new designs!Once the ~design bug~hits,I find weeks can fly by without notice.As a former dollmaker I always loved the antique style cloth dolls and have tried many times to incorporate this style into my bear designs.I think I finally have the look I have strived for in this new design.I broke it down into two styles one being an art doll teddy design with the muslin body shaped into dress styles for the girls and pants styles for the boys with the body being painted/antiqued to resemble clothing.the second was a bit more tricky painting and staining directly onto mohair fur.All of these styles are small bears&friends measuring 6" 5.5" 5" and the smallest(in my hand)4.5" The first batch I attempted was a little larger measuring 8-10 inches tall,a bit too big for the size I wanted.As you can tell by the gang in the pic below I have also been working on other styles of bears also in progress lol.I really love the new look of this design and hope you like them also.~~~~Hugs!~~~Sharie **I forgot to mention these are still a work in progress,not available for adoption until they are completed.I will update again with new pics once they are completely finishes :>)**

~~One teddy left for adoption in the blooming bear show!

2011-03-13T13:48:00.004-05:00

~~~Posie has now been adopted~~~Thank you!~~~ Yesterdays show went pretty well with most of my bears and friends finding new homes.I did encounter some major glitches with the paypal buttons and uneven pages & but all in all it was still a very fun day!I still have one teddy available and that is little Posie the spring clown bear that I created especially for this show and she is looking for a new home.You can visit Posie by going to the showpage on http://backroadbears.com/bbonlineshow.htm Thank you!

Blooming Bear Show Today!Meet the gang***

2011-03-12T10:09:00.009-06:00

Well the day has finally arrived~~~~but with a few glitches!I had several people contact me to tell me my paypal buttons were not working....ack!!!I never used paypal buttons on a blog and now I know why lol!I did edit my show page with price & shipping info and if anyone would care to adopt a bear or friend they can contact me via email and I will send an invoice.Now to meet the bears,bunnies and kitty in the show!Taffy is the sweet whimsical kitty in her pretty spring dress snuggled up with Waffles the whimsical bunny rabbit in their basket box(first pic)Then we have Hopper,a mini tad over 5.5 inch sweet faced gray/white bunny rabbit,then Martha an old prim style teddy in her old worn tatty red dolly dress.and last but not least,Posie,the preview spring clown teddy that you met earlier.Well I hope you enjoyed meeting the blooming bears gang and do visit the show if you get the chance as the bears and friends from all of the artists are darling!I haven't even got to visit everyone's show pages but I will be soon lol!~~~~hugsxxxSharie

Blooming Bear Show Tommorow!So excited!

2011-03-11T13:25:00.003-06:00

I can't believe tommorow is almost here for the blooming bear show!I'm soooo excited and will be counting down the hours to be able to have a peek at all the teddies and friends that will be available by all the artists!If you haven't had a chance to see the preview you can visit the link on the right side of my blog to see all the wonderful previews.I have also added my preview bear posie here,which is now completed and looking forword to the show tommorow.Once the show begins I will post all the bears and friends I have available in the show here on my blog,five in all so you can have a peek at them all.Be back tommorow!~~~~~sharie

More bad luck~~Will it ever end?!UpdateYes!

2011-03-09T20:13:00.003-06:00

I have a wonderful update~~~~as of yesterday my kitty went to the bathroom on his own so I was able to cancel his vet apt. and get busy on my bears for the show!He also went today so I am just so relieved he wont have to go through anymore painful procedures.Also,my nephew will be going home shortly to be with his family before chemo so that was also nice to know.I also want to thank all the well wishes I recieved from your kind comments.I tried to reply to them all but blogger has been a bit buggy and wouldn't allow me to.~~~hugs!~~~Sharie~~~I haven't had a chance to post much lately because I have been so busy trying to get everything finished for the Blooming bear show.I am a bit behind because I am having bouts of bad luck again.Two weeks ago I found out that my niece's husband was diagnosed with stomache cancer and had to undergo surgery to remove his stomache completely.It was also discovered the cancer had spread to his liver and lymph nodes and will need chemo shortley.Then last week my kitty became sick with an impacted bowel.After three trips to the vet he had to be sedated and have the hardened feces removed.I was so happy and thought the problem was solved and I could get busy once again on the show bears......not!Today he started acting just like he did before his surgery so I am almost sure there is more hardened feces that will need to be removed.His appointment is for tommorow and of course that is the deadline to have all of our show bears listed!My stress level from 1-10 is at an 11!I know we all experience some bad luck but this is getting out of control.I'm going to have to go into overdrive to get these bears finished,photos taken, and kitty back to the vet all in one day!Maybe after this I will have some good luck~~~~I hope lol!Wish me luck~~~~~Sharie

My preview bear for the blooming bear show

2011-03-01T10:59:00.009-06:00

I am so happy the time has come to share my preview teddy for the blooming bear online show.This is Posie,a spring clown teddy all dressed up with roses and pastel colors to celebrate springs arrival.He needs a few finishing touches before the show that I need to get done soon!I will also have some bunnies and even a sweet spring kitty for the show.Please be sure to visit the preview of all the wonderful creations offered by the talented artists participating in the show!Just follow the link on the right side of my blog to have a peek!~~~~~~~~

Sharing some before and after pics

2011-02-16T18:46:00.005-06:00

Hi everyone,I thought I would post the before and after pics of the bears from yesterdays etsy shop update(all the bears have now been adopted and will be off to their new homes tommorow).I wanted to post them last night but things just got so hectic with trying to take pics for the blooming bear preview and getting the bears listed in my shop I just didn't have a chance.So here are the photos showing the before and finished bears.Sometimes I get a bit too involved and don't know when to stop when I am creating a new design.I often find that I need to add extras like the sculpted nose and extra tinting and highlighting to add some realism to the bear which can turn a two day bear into a week or more to complete lol.I also found that working with these tiny bears,the cotter pin joints can be a bit tricky......I needed my reading glasses to be able to see the pins to turn them correctly.Of course I shouldn't complain because I find the larger cotter pins very difficult to turn smoothly and at least the little ones are soft and pliable.Well I hope you enjoy the pics!~~~~~Sharie

New bears now in my etsy shop

2011-02-15T18:05:00.009-06:00

Wow it has been a busy day~~~~I am totally wiped out but I did manage to get my preview pic off for the blooming bear show(after taking over an hour to decide what pic to send lol!)and I got the new bears ready and in my etsy shop.The new gang consists of a mama bear and her baby,mama Gretta measuring just 6 inches tall and her little one Byron measuring just 5 inches tall.I tried to give them some realistic features and each is dressed in vintage dolly clothes.Next is a sweet panda girl,Lacey also just 5 inches high also wearing a vintage dolly dress.Then there is Nemo,a blue/black one piece panda measuring 5 inches tall.I also wanted to share some pics of the kitty in progress and as you can see she is coming along quite nicely.Some of the teds for this etsy update were pictured below as works in progress.You can probley guess by looking at their before pics.Well thats it for now....off to have some dinner and list the last panda soon.~~~~hugsxxxxSharie

Happy Valentines Day!New bears tommorow~~

2011-02-14T19:09:00.002-06:00

Just popping in to wish everyone a happy Valentines day!No candy for me this year as I am watching what I eat carefully to drop some unwanted pounds and get my cholesterol down to a healthy level.As you can see I didn't complete my deadline today for my etsy shop update which is a bit dissapointing,but I did try like mad to finish but it just didn't happen.I had shopping to do today and have been fighting a nasty head cold that has been hanging on strong.I do have the bears ready for their photos so I will do the photo shoot tommorow along with the preview ted for the blooming bears show~~~~oh the stress lol!So I am off for now to take my cold meds and will have the bears ready tommorow 100% possitively for sure!HugsxxxxxSharie

Slight DelayShop update moved to monday~~

2011-02-13T14:57:00.003-06:00

I was hoping to have my etsy shop update today,but the bears have so many finishing touches to be added they will not be ready until tommorow.It's always funny how little things like adding ears and stitching openings closed sounds quite simple,but a little set back can happen in a blink of an eye to become behind schedual.I will be busy the rest of the day getting the gang ready for tommorow and will be posting their pics as soon as they are completed.~~~~~sharie

*Busy as a beedeadlines and new etsy shop update coming soon!**

2011-02-11T22:10:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone,I have had a busy week working on the new bears so didn't have much time to post any new pics of their progress.Also what set me into high gear is that I remebered that my preview photo for the teddybears online blooming bear show is due by Tuesday......good heavens I had been working so hard on all the other bears I almost forgot about getting the main bear done so I have been on overdrive trying to get teddy ready for picture day.I can't say much about the bear for the show because we all have to keep it a secret until the preview day.I can tell you I am proud of him so far and I think you will love his look.Another thing I have been working on is to get some of the new designs finished and listed in my etsy shop by Sunday(fingers crossed!)I will have at least 3 in the shop and maybe if time allows the tiny kitty that was in progress pictured below.Kitty has had quite a transformation since you last seen her and I think you will be supprised at her finished appearance.So thats it for now but I will hopefully post on sunday with pics of the bears in my etsy shop update~~~~~Sharie

Pics of new antique style bear designs in progress

2011-02-04T16:41:00.009-06:00

Hi everyone!I finally found time to take some pics of my new teddy designs in progress.They are all antique style and will be fully jointed.I have added lots of photos to try to show their size and their sweet antique look.To give an idea of sizes,the white teddy mearsures just 5.5"tall and the tiny kitty is a tad under 4.5".The blonde bear is 6.5 as is the fluffy beige tan ted.I am really pleased with this design so far and plan to make many more in this style.I will be working hard through the weekend in hopes of having a pair listed on ebay and some in my etsy shop next week.I hope you like this new design as much as I do!Hugs~~~~sharie

Kenosha blizzard was horrible!

2011-02-03T17:09:00.008-06:00

In my last post I was talking about the blizzard warning issued for or area but I would have never guessed how big it would be!Wow,it was a monster storm that shut Kenosha down for two days.It also hit other southern parts of Wisconsin hard and as many of you might have seen on tv,Chicago was like a nightmare.To make this event even more stressful I was home alone during the entire blizzard!My husband works for a towing company so he had his first call early(then working straight for over 30 hours!).....of all things a snow plow and my son ventured into town earlier in the day and could not make it back home so it was up to me to hold down the fort.I can't even describe the force of snow driven by winds of nearly 60 miles per hour.....it just takes your breath away trying to breathe air in instead of snow.The roads here were completely impassable an the national guard came in to help rescue the stranded people stalled on the roadways.Now being alone was bad enough but around 1:10 am my cable went out meaning no tv,phone or computer and I am still a bit old fashioned and do not have a cell phone.I just kept telling myself nothing bad will happen here but if it does I'll just run outside and yell as loud as possible for help if needed.Isn't it something how your brain plays games with you during stressfull times picturing every bad thing that could possibly happen?I was up alomost all night and starting the shoveling around 4:00 am and all through the day to keep entrances open.I had a small radio and a weather ban radio to try to get an idea of what was happening with the storm.My son finally made it back home the day after the storm late in the afternoon and my husband around 6:00 pm.I was so glad to have company again and a tv that kicked back in around 5:00pm.I have posted some pics from around the Kenosha area and put on a youtube link for videos on my sidebar(if it works!)

A blizzard and new bears in the making

2011-02-01T15:38:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone,I hope you are all doing well during this awefull winter weather so many of us are experiencing.The good news I wanted to share with you is that I have 9 new bears in the making.....all brand new designs that I am totally thrilled with,but the bad news is we are having a blizzard here in southern Wisconsin so I don't dare list anything in my etsy shop because I think I'll be stuck inside for awhile.I started on my new bear designs before my brother became seriously ill.I was on a bear designing high(so to speak lol)but put everything on hold after the bad news.What makes me so pleased with these designs are that the bears are mainly minis,4.5" 5.5" and 6.5" and fully five way jointed and look like perfect little antique bears!I have been trying for ages to get this style of bear to my liking and believe I finally achieved the look I was after.Maybe tommorow I can post some pics of them.I might even try to finish a couple and list them on ebay this week.I also wanted to thank those who were so kind to comment such kind words after losing my brother.I appreciate it so very much,your all so kind!I also discovered my brother knew his condition was very bad and he did not want us all to worry about him and insist he go through any more treatments.I can certainly understand his decision and can feel more at ease that he had one last good year before he left us.So thats it for now and the weather is really getting bad but I will be back to share some pics of the new designs as soon as I can!~~~~~~sharie

Very sad news

2011-01-24T12:30:00.002-06:00

This is a very difficult post,but I wanted you all to know why I haven't been back with any updates of the bears that were in progress.My brother passed away Saturday evening.My family is planning his services for sometime this week.What makes this so difficult is that we all knew my brother was diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago,and with chemo treatment was told the cancer was in remission.He always went for a re-check to make sure everything was under control,so when he had to be rushed to the hospital and was given a series of tests,we were told he was consumed with tumors and stage 4 cancer throughout his body.Now how on earth can a healthcare proffesional let something like this happen!It is just devasting,not only the grief of losing him but knowing something could have been done sooner to prolong his life.Thank you so much for listening,all of my readers are wonderful and I just wanted you all to know.I will be working on my bears,it helps me with cope with all of the stress.I will be back soon,Sharie.

Sharing some pics of my earlier bears

2011-01-11T18:06:00.004-06:00

Hi everyone,I hope you are all staying warm with the crazy winter weather that the whole US is having this year.It's so hard to believe it is snowing down south and in other parts that are not custom to having snow.Anyway,I wanted to share some of my early mohair teddies with you.Before I used mohair for my bears fur,I used felt so getting used to the styles and lengths of the mohair was tricky.I still have to have a giggle at Rags,the first teddy in the pic above.I really wonder what in the world I was thinking when I put his eyes in place..lol...they are a tad crooked as you can see.Then below him in the second pic is Baxter which made his debut a year later and looked so much better than poor little Rags.The reason for the odd nametag is the bearmom who was selling them on ebay mixed up their tags.As for my busy schedual that I had mentioned in my last post.......I am behind again.So many things seem to happen in life(as they do for everyone)I am finding it difficult to get back on track.After the holidays I realized I was very low on my mohair and the right size glass eyes,so these had to be ordered.Then I recently had a physical and found my cholesterol to be sky high(too many holiday goodies!)along with many more tests from thyroid to heart palputations.Then my washer nearly caught on fire,the belt burning with a house full of smoke(the smell was putrid like burning tires)so I remembered that crazy commercial with the girls and their washer going crazy who call the dad and he says"did you try to unplug it?"so I did asap lol.The good new is the health tests are done with only a follow up apt. next Tuesday,my new washer was delivered yesterday...yay.....my mohair and glass eyes have been delivered and starting tommorow I finally have time to start working on my bears again.I really miss it and will be so happy to get back in the groove again.I will post some pics as soon as I have some works available.~~~~Sharie

~Happy New Year!~A busy schedual for 2011!

2010-12-31T17:32:00.004-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful christmas and a very happy holiday!I also want to wish everyone a safe and happy new year!Also a big thank you to those who sent me such lovey e-cards and well wishes~~~~it was so nice of you!I'm sorry that I haven't been in to post much lately,but it has been hectic on my end since thanksgiving.2011 will be off to a busy start for me,time to catch up on all of my back orders that I couldn't get completed,a few bears to be finished by mid January to send to Felicia for her upcoming show(yikes thats soon!)and plan on what creations I will be making for the teddies worldwide blooming bear show in March.I can't wait to attend this online show as I missed out on the first one,not having any pieces ready at that time :(.I was also hoping to finally get a chance to work on my pattern line but I will have to be put that idea on the back burner again until I can find time to concentrate on making patterns only.I'll be sure to post as soon as I get some new creations started and have a fun and safe evening!~~~~HugsxxxxxxSharie

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T16:13:00.003-06:00

~~~~Wishing you all a very merry Christmas!~~~~

New teddies completednow in my etsy shop*

2010-12-12T20:18:00.008-06:00

I am so happy to announce the new teddy bears are now completed and listed in my etsy shop.I just love the way they turned out,so old and sweet dressed in their vintage dolly dresses.They are all in my etsy shop if you would like to see more pics of them.Hugsxxxx ~~~~sharie******All of the teddies have been adopted~~~~thank you so much!I still have 2 mini vintage mohair bears in my shop that I reduced their price in hopes of finding them a new home*******

Snow storm and new bears coming soon!

2010-12-11T20:51:00.002-06:00

It's been a wet and dreary day here in Wisconsin with uncertain weather predictions since last night.It has been raining cats and dogs with a cold front nearing that will switch the rain over to heavey snow and maybe near blizzard conditions.....then ice cold winds with wind chills of -30 below......I hate winter lol!In the meantime I have been working on my bears for my last etsy shop update for 2010.There will be four bears,all 8 inches tall and made from mohair wearing vintage style dolly dresses.I hope to have them completed and listed in my shop tommorow,Sunday.I will post their pics once they are listed.Be back soon!~~~~~Sharie

update&more pics of little vintage bears on etsy

2010-12-04T10:33:00.006-06:00

After a long day of picture taking and listing all the new teddies in my etsy shop yesterday,I didn't get a chance to post seperate pictures of the minis(needed to rest desperately lol)so I thought I would post some individual pics of the remaining bears in my etsy shop.First to last is Trevor,a very sweet gray bear,then Monty,a blue toned arctic bear,next is Hershey(in my hand)a sweet dk. brown bear,then we have Woodsy a sweet chestnut toned grizzly,and last pic is Rocky another dk. brown bear.The rest of the gang has been adopted but these little guys are still available in my etsy shop.Thanks for visiting !~~~~Sharie

mini bears completednow in my etsy shop update***

2010-12-03T21:34:00.005-06:00

I am so happy to announce the gang is finished and now listed in my etsy shop.All of these wee one are 5.5 inches tall and created from vintage mohair and vintage wool.Each represent real styles of bears from the grizzly,kodiak,brown,and polar bear.The whimsical blue styles meant to be chilly arctic bears.Each bear wears a wool scarf around their neck to keep them warm during the winter months.I hope you like them and will find time to visit them in my etsy shop.~~~~~Sharie

sneak peekbasket of bears in the making!

2010-12-02T15:46:00.008-06:00

I thought I would take a quick break from working on the bears to share some pics of their progress.All of these wee one are 5.5 inches tall and created from vintage mohair and vintage wool.Each will represent real styles of bears from the grizzly,kodiak,brown,and polar bear.The whimsical blue styles popped up from my imagination and are meant to be chilly arctic bears.I will be adding their finishing touches and hope to have them listed in my etsy shop tommorow,Friday the 3rd.I also wanted to share a pic of my special order circus dog and his little buddy pugsbie.The original request was for a pug,poodle,or spanial style dog but I thought I would throw in a special supprise of the little pug who sits in his very own circus ball pouch!I hope their new mommy will like them.I will be back with the finished pics of the gang once they are completed.~~~~~Sharie

Things looking brighter after the start of a bad week

2010-11-17T22:25:00.003-06:00

I had the start of a very bad week that actually started on Sunday.My husband had come down with that nasty bug that has been going around and wasn't feeling very well at all.With him feeling poorly,I decided to tackle the job of cleaning out our back porch and putting all of the summer statues and baskets away for the winter by myself.I was also aware that my kitty(now my oldest)wasn't feeling too well either.He had been diagnosed with having mini strokes by our vet with no real treatment for his condition.When I was finished with my outdoor tasks and came in for the day,I was in total shock to see how bad my poor kitty was.I really thought he was not going to live through the evening and didn't think I could even bear this so soon after just losing our oldest kitty a couple of months ago.While my husband rested,me and my sons took turns staying by kitties side and comforting him the best we could.As if it was a miracle,he actually started getting more responsive and was incredibley getting better!I was so relieved but exhausted from this I dozed off immediately after I went to bed for the evening.Early the next morning I awoke to my husband standing by the end of our bed telling me he could barely breathe and needed to see the doctor.He was diagnosed with doulble pnemonia and admited into the hospital Monday morning.With everything happening so suddenly I still had to find time to get all the bears from my last etsy update packaged and shipped,get back to the hospital by my husband then back home to do housework and start supper~~~~wow it was exhausting!The good thing~~~my husband was released from the hospital today feeling much better and my kitty(Bobby)has made a full recovery,both a true blessing that I am grateful for!And even more good news,I decided to try to make some mini bears from this wonderful stash of vintage mohair and vintage wool/mohair blend pieces(5 different colors in all) so earlier today I traced and sewed a 5.5 bear up from this wonderful fabric and actually got him finished in one day!Now that is a record for me and the little bear turned out adorable and I was so pleased with him!I plan on making these little guys for my next etsy update in Dec. and will share some pics once they are in progress.~~~~~Sharie

Clownskittyelephantcompletednow in my etsy shop~~~

2010-11-13T19:51:00.011-06:00

I'm so happy to announce all of the new clowns,kitty and of course the panda elephant are now completed and listed in my new etsy shop update.I love how Willy the elly turned out and I'm pretty happy with him as my first try in making one.Little thomas kitty has also had a big transformation since his unfished stage with the dollies below(in an older post)Also done are the winter clowns Wolfey and Foxey and dear sweet little Grace in her vintage dolly dress(I am a bit smitten with her and it will be hard to let her go lol)The clowns including the elly and Grace are a larger size,just a tad under 11 inches and Jax (yellow clown)is 8" and little Thomas kitty is 7 inches tall and 5 way disk jointed.Well thank you for stopping in to meet the gang and I hope you like them.~~~~HugsxxxxSharie~~~~~quick update....all of the gang except Wolfey(last teddy pictured)has now been adopted.....thank you so much~~~sharie

New teddy clowns and an elephant in the making

2010-11-09T20:04:00.002-06:00

I have been busy working on vintage stlye clowns and my very first elephant clown for my next etsy shop update coming soon.Of course my first elephant couldn't be the usual style,so I created him to be a panda style elephant!I can't wait to show pics of him when he's completed along with the other teddy clowns and the white kitty(pics below in an older post)that I have had in progress for quite some time.I'll be posting again soon with pics of all the new creations once they are completed!~~~~~sharie

**Happy Halloween*I'm back after a brief break

2010-10-31T13:18:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone,I hope your having a wonderful Halloween!It used to be my favorite time of the year when my sons were young,we always had such fun.Now they are grown so of course there is no more trick~or~treating but still good old scarey movies to watch on tv.It is so nice to finally be back online and in the blogging world.I had to take a brief break after my big 12 bear/kitty and special orders in my last big etsy shop update.If anyone had read Kelly's blog(a stuffed life) post about not taking special orders,you really should have because this was great advice on learning to say no.....nicely to custom orders.It just gets overwhelming to keep up with these types of orders and if anything comes up,like it did for me you find yourselve so stressed out not getting the bears finished and listed on time.Not only did I take a little break but the thing that came up to push me behind schedual was what started as getting a new bedroom set.It was exciting at first,but with the work that was going to be done.....painting the walls and removing our OLD carpet we discovered water damage to the floor which needed to be repaired asap.Cutting into the floor we accidently cut the cable line,so that also had to be repaired....ughhhh what next.My youngest son helped put new wood pieces into the damaged areas and helped with the painting,but when it was time to install the new tile flooring he was called back to work,so I layed it myself!I have to say I had never done this before but had seen it done many times so I gave it my best shot and it turned out perfect.....yippee!I am just glad everything is put back together and the new bedroom set is just beautiful so it was worth the grief.I chose a black sleigh bed and just love it as I had always wanted one so bad.As for my special orders that were not completed I think I will sadly have to cancel some of them.It won't be easy but it's only fair to be honest and not keep everyone waiting.From now on I will do like Kelly and nicely say~*no*~to custom requests.Well it was nice to post again and will be back soon with some new creations to share.Have a great Halloween!~~~~Sharie

Antique styleCocoa grizzly bear clownnow in my etsy shop

2010-10-03T14:03:00.004-05:00

This is cocoa,a little antique style grizzly bear clown that I just completed and listed in my etsy shop.He wasn't quite ready to be listed in my last update so I thought I would finish him up and list him today.The last update went very well and all the new creations will be off to their new home soon.The little pink cottage style kitty is still available and I have lowered her price in hopes of finding her a home.~~~~Sharie

Another late night etsy shop update

2010-10-02T00:15:00.003-05:00

It has been a looong day but I am happy to announce I finished my 4 special orders this morning and they will be off to their new homes soon and I also worked desperately to finish my new creations for my etsy shop update 8 in all for a total of 12 in one day to list....whew!...I think that is a new record for me.I am a bit behind schedual as these were meant to be my September update,but I'm happy I got them finished.I have alot of new cottage style kitties which is my newest design along with some fall panda bears and a sweet whimsical doggy clown.I hope you like them!~~~Sharie

Saying goodbye to a member of our family

2010-09-28T18:45:00.002-05:00

We had a very sad weekend as our oldest kitty Teeds passed away.He has been a member of our family for 20 years and will be sadly missed.We adopted him into our family when my son was 8 and I was 28 and it seems like he has been with us forever as my son will be turning 28,the same age as I was when we got him.Above is a photo of Teeds when he was younger and in his prime.It broke my heart to see him go but he didn't suffer,and I thanked god for that.He was a sweet and gentle soul and we will miss him dearly.

~Sharing pics of kitties in progress with basaak blythe dolls~

2010-09-17T20:17:00.012-05:00

My Bassak Blythe(clone)dolls arrived yesterday and I just love them!I did a wee bit of customizing on them and thought it would be fun to have them pose with my new kitty designs in the making.As you can see they have all became very good friends in no time at all.The 2 painted cloth kitties,blue and pink will become polka dottys with little clown hats and skirts,the kitty clown is the hint I gave in the last post,a shabby chic cottage style clown.All the roses and leaves have been hand painted onto the fur.The white kitty that the girls love cuddling in the hutch with is the white little 7 inch kitty that I wrote about in my last post.The new kitties need a bit of work before they are completed but will look much better with their finishing touches.I have to say that these sweet little dolls are quite addicting and I almost couldn't stop taking photos of them lol!Well I hope you enjoyed meeting the new dollies and designs and I will post as soon as they and the special orders are completed.~~~~~Sharie

~New works in progressBlythe bug

2010-09-13T22:45:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone!Time has once again flew by since my last post and I am sorry about that.I have been consumed working on new designs while trying to complete special orders,8 due this month!I am also currently working on a new smaller 7in kitty design which will be fully jointed and sweetly dainty.I also have some new supprise kitty designs to share with you once they are completed(hint...shabby chic).Also during my time away I have finally been bitten by the Blythe doll addiction!I knew it would happen eventually by seeing these sweet dolls on Etsy and on flickr,so I did some research and found them too be quite expensive so I opted for the clone to customize,the Basaak doll.Well I couldn't stop at one,so I ordered two(as shown in their auction pics)a brunette and a redhead.It will take a couple of weeks for them to arrive and I feel like I am adopting children,I can't wait to see them in person!I also have a little vent I need to share about someone who is getting very close to my style of designs.I guess that I felt a bit hurt by this as this person is someone I have great respect for.I wont mention names but I have this person on my blog list here and when I visited that blog I have to say I was shocked,but will leave it at that....for now.I know that my work and style has been around long enough for people to look at my designs and automaticly associate that this is indeed my style.So that being said,I will be busy working to finish my new designs and special orders and share their photos once they are completed.~~~~~Sharie

New bears kitty cats and dogs in my etsy shop

2010-08-22T01:24:00.013-05:00

I am so happy to announce I finally completed my works in progress and have them listed in my etsy shop.I had a major delay due to car problems then on top of that tripping on my porch chair leg Wednesday and breaking my pinkie toe!Then to add to me being behind my husband started his vacation last night(Friday) leaving me even less time to get my shop updated~~~~ so I did a midnight update and finally listed all the bears,kitties and even dogs that I had been working so hard to finish.I hope you find time to visit them in my etsy shop.All are available except the mini pink tabby that was a special order.Have a wonderful weekend!~~~~sharie****Quick update****I was so happy and a bit supprised early this morning when I checked my etsy shop and found all the bears&friends were all adopted overnight except little Peppie the panda clown!Thanks to all that adopted their new little friends!~~~~Hugs....Sharie

Slight delay for new bears on etsy

2010-08-12T22:08:00.006-05:00

I was hoping to have my etsy shop update soon,but ran into some problems one being my van that is on the blink for the second time in two weeks!It must be the heat because it has been sooo hot here in wisconsin to the point of being unbearable.I had to have my son drive me to the post office today so I could get Cassy kitty sent to her new kitty mom,then a trip to walmart for some groceries.I just hate to be a burden so I am hoping my van will be fixed once and for all by Saturday!Speaking of Cassy kitty,I was so happy to learn she was heading to one of my nicest collectors which is always a wonderful way to end an auction.I do still have my works in progress and wanted to share a little tidbit in the group photo above.One of the little blank forms became the special order pink kitty,and the larger pure white blank form became the gray special order kitty.This is how they look before they are completed,poor things lol.Little kitty and mini teddy are also still in progress along with the two pandas from a previous post and another shot of the sweet prim little blue bear still waiting for his nose and mouth to be finished.I will be back with the finished bears&kitties once they are completed.~~~Hugs.....sharie

Sharing pics of special orders kitty cats

2010-08-08T16:36:00.010-05:00

Hi everyone,hope you are enjoying your weekend!I managed to get my special kitty orders finished and thought I would share photos of them here on my blog.The grey kitty is 7 in tall,made of mohair with pretty blue glass eyes and a matching bow.He will be traveling to his new home in the UK.The mini pink mohair kitty is for the wonderful Viv who has waited so long for her completion!*SHE IS RESERVED IN MY ETSY SHOP*She measures 5 inches tall and is also created from mohair with blue glass eyes.this is the first mini that I actually got to look the larger 7 inch version in which I am so delighted with the way she turned out.I also wanted to share a quick pic of my baby prim blue mohair bear which also in progress.He has a bit of work to be done,but I really like this new design.I have also included another pic of Cassy undressed,still on ebay auction until Tuesday evening.Thank you for taking a peek at the gang!~~~~HugsxxxSharie

Cassy kitty now completed!

2010-08-03T22:41:00.007-05:00

I am so happy to announce Cassy kitty is completed and now listed on ebay auction.I ran into many difficulties trying to get her listed earlier today but better late than never!I have lots of pics of cassy on her auction page if you would like to visit her.Just follow the ebay link on the right.Thank you for all the nice compliments I have recieved on Cassy,I appreciate it very much!~~~~Sharie~~~QUICK UPDATE*****There will be a slight delay for the special order kittys and my etsy shop update!Custom kittys should be ready by Sunday,and etsy update Monday*****~~~thank you!~~~~sharie

Pics of new bears&kitties in progress

2010-08-02T19:41:00.009-05:00

Hi everyone!Here are the pics of the bears and kitty cats I have in the making.It is going to be a busy week trying to get the gang finished for their debuts on ebay and in my etsy shop(this week!).The first pic is the kitty in the vintage baby gown and bonnet(from a previous post below)as shown with her new tabby stripes and painted paw pads.She still requires several coats of gloss applied to her pawpads before she is completed.I am trying to get her ready for her ebay auction starting tommorow,Tues.The next pic are my new minis,each measuring 5 inches tall.The kitty has a new facial design with added felt to her muzzle.The little blanks(unfinished)also 5 inches will become a bear and a special order pink kitty for Viv(yes,finally lol).The 2 larger white blanks will become a special order grey kitty and a sweet blushed bear.Next is also a new design that I had mentioned in my last post,the 9 and1/2 petite primitive bear.I am really happy with his design and will definitely be making more! I have chosen a light blue color for him and will be aging him for a vintage look.His poor little ears are pinned to his head and need to be sewn on as does his nose before he is completed.Well I think I covered them all and like I said,I will be busy from sun up til sundown getting these guys completed!I hope you like them and I will post their completed photos once they are finished.~~~~Sharie

Bears on ebay and etsy update

2010-07-19T11:36:00.007-05:00

I thought I would pop in with a quick update on the teddy listings.Tippy,the rusty colored prim teddy and Pandie,the vintage style panda bear have now been adopted.Blume,Poppy and Jasmine(1st 3 pics above)are available in my etsy shop still looking for a home!I am working on a new bear design that is almost completed.He is a 9.5" vintage style ted,but in a dainty size which can be held in the palm of my hand.He is completely jointed and I just love the way he is turning out!I also have the kitty and pandas near completetion and plans on some new wee clowns,both bears&kitties coming soon.I will update once I have some pics in progress!~~~~Sharie

Brand new designebay& etsy shop update!

2010-07-17T15:30:00.008-05:00

Hi everyone,I haven't had much time to post lately due to a number of delays from bad storms with no power,flooding and constant problems with time warner cable(no tv,phone or internet!)but I am happy to announce I have a new etsy shop update(my biggest yet with 9 bears!)featuring my newest design the "sweet blushed bears"series.Darling little mohair bears softly highlighted with color for a sweet blushed look.They wear tatty bows with a vintage style hang tag featuring pretty summer flowers.They also have a tiny sprig of flowers tucked into the bow.I just love how they turned out!I also have a grey/black panda bear named Rascal,a sweet prim rusty ted named Tippy and a dull prim panda bear named Pandie.They are available on ebay and in my etsy shop if you would like to see more pics of them.~~~~Hugs.....Sharie***quick update~~~two of the larger blushed teddies,one little blue blushed teddy,Tippy rusty prim ted and the little tatty pink/black panda are still available.The rest of the gang has been adopted~~~~Thank you!

*New etsy shop update

2010-06-29T12:08:00.006-05:00

I have just done a new etsy shop update with new bears and friends(All have now been adopted except Ella,the larger bear pictured above.Thank you!)You may remember the bigger yellow teddy in post below,now she has been transformed into an antique style teddy with a so sweet expression.I hope you get the chance to visit their listings and thank you for visiting!HugsxxxxSharie

Lots of new bears&kitties in the making!

2010-06-25T21:31:00.010-05:00

Hi everyone!It's so nice to be back and share some new pics of my works in progress(and there are alot this time lol!).June has been a very busy month for me so it has been almost impossible to find time to do any updates.The first of this month was me and my sisters and yearly rummage sale along with some more health issues for me involving a shoulder impingement needing a dose of cortizone being injected into my shoulder and also discovering I have a heel spur in my foot near the ankle bone.Along with this was the prescription for naproxin 2x a day that makes me feel sooooo tired!But I did find time to work on many new creations that will be available soon.The bigger yellow/cream teddy measures 16"tall,baby kitten wears an adorable baby gown and bonnet and measures about 11 and1/2" tall,little old style polar bear is 6"tall,grey tabby kitty is 7"tall,little panda is 5.5"tall,antique style blonde teddy is 11 and 1/2"tall and my two brand new primitive panda designs are 8 and 1/2"and the larger panda measures 11and1/2"tall.The yellow teddy,grey tabby kitty,old antique style bear,polar bear and the mini panda will be making their debut in my etsy shop by next week.The rest of the gang will be available in July on ebay and my etsy shop.Thank you for taking the time to visit and I hope you enjoyed meeting the gang.HugsxxxxSharie

~My new blog award~

2010-06-06T19:41:00.004-05:00

I am delighted to announce I have been given a blog award by two wonderful bear artist bloggers, http://karucel.blogspot.com/ and http://bramblewoodbears.blogspot.com/ This is an award to inspire from the inspired. Thank you both soooo much and I'm glad and humbled that my bears and friends could inspire you!Please find the time to visit these awesome teddy blogs as their works are incredible.Now for my choice of blogs that inspire me,(1)I would pick Kelly from Yesterday's Glitter.Not only does she create wonderful teddy bears with works in progress, she also shares in her daily life of events and writes tell it like it is views of her opinions which I love!This is what inspires me about her,the courage to speak her mind even though some of her readers disagree with her views from time to time.I peek in on her blog with every new post too see whats new!You can also visit her newly re-designed website that turned out so beautiful while visiting her blog(2)Gotta share this by Vivianne.This is the wonderful blog by Vivianne of the precious hug me again bears.She inspires me so much by just looking at photos of her adorable tiny little bears,bunnies and ellies.She also gives me inspiration to finally get busy on getting my own patterns created.Her wonderful patterns and handyed mohair are available in her etsy shop which you can visit directly from her blog.(3)Prims by Kim and other needful things.I love seeing all the new pics of her adorable prim bears,bunnies,elephants,giraffes and other fun animals.The photos of her works are just so charming and whimsical not too mention the beautiful colors of mohair she creates them with.Another thing I love about Kim's blog is she loves to change her blog backgrounds as much as I do hehe~~~I thought I was the only one to do this until I visited her blog on a regular basis.(4)Handcrafted Teddy Bears by Michelle.If you love primitive and old whimsical style teddy bears you will just love visiting her blog.The photos of her bears are just like magazine qualitly.....and cute as pie!Michelle also shares some of her daily events and photos of restored teddy bears which she does along with her bearmaking.(5)Is Jenny loves Benny.Her blog is so pleasing to the eye with beautiful pastel colors that blend in with her beautifil bears and bunnies.She is willing to share ideas on bearmaking and creates the most cutest little patterns that also inspire me to get on the ball and start my own pattern line.You can find her darling little patterns on links to her etsy shop and website from her blog.*****Be sure to visit of these wonderful blogs by visiting their links on the right side of my blog***** Thank you again for thinking of me for this award and I appreciate it very much!I will also be updating with a new post of why I haven't had the chance to post lately.Hugs~~~~Sharie.

New big antique style bear now completed!

2010-05-18T21:18:00.006-05:00

I am happy to announce the big teddy that I have been so busy trying to complete is finally finished and is now on ebay!~~~~YIPEE!I am so sorry I didn't get to pop in and update you on the progress of this big fellow but honestly,I just got so involved of getting him just right,I never got the chance!I have also been working on a new kitty that is also a bit involved so she won't be ready for her auction until next week.Also be on the lookout for some smaller bears that will be making their debut also.So,with that said I would love you to meet Casey.He is my biggest teddy yet measuring in at 21 inches tall.I thought he would end up a bit larger but I am very pleased with him as he is.Casey has a handsculpted nose along with sculpted pawpads that were a bit time consumming being built up in two layers with the final layer being the paws& toes that were given several layers of paint then highlighted for a realistic appearance.I made him to look like an antique style kodiac bear with realistic features.If you would like too see LOTS of pictures of Casey along with a more in depth description you can visit his auction by clicking on my ebay auctions on the right side of my blog.Thank you for having a peek at Casey and I will be sure to post updates of my other works in progress soon.Hugs~~~~Sharie

Custom Kitty now at his new homeSome changes on my blog

2010-05-04T17:57:00.002-05:00

I am happy to announounce my special order kitty is now residing in his new home!I posted a new pic of him because unfortunatly I had to delete the last post(with some pics of him and the actual clown kitty)due to spammers putting comments with links to porn sites on the comment section of the post.I could not remove it no matter how hard I tried so I opted to delete it permately.The new change to my blog will be moderated comments, meaning I will read them before allowing them to be posted.So for all of the wonderful people who wrote such nice comments,please feel free to comment and I will be sure to allow your kind words!On a better note,I am working on some new styles of bears that I can't wait to share photos of with you all.These are larger bears,larger than any I have actually made before.I will admit(blushing slightly)one poor bear head has been in my hutch for two years and it is definitiely time for him to be completed....poor fellow!He will be pretty large and should measure in at about 26 to 28 inches tall when he is completed.The other fellow is a tad smallet and I would guess he will measure about 22 to 24 inches tall.I will be back to share some pics in progress as soon as I can!~~~~sharie

New kitty cats,bears and bunny completed!

2010-04-18T19:36:00.009-05:00

I am happy to announce the gang is completed and all are now available on ebay auctions!Whew....what a day it has been getting their pictures all taken then getting them listed individually on auction(an all day event!)but I am glad they are finished.I have decided to open my ebay store and list all of the bears and friends in auction vs buy it now due to my sister having surgery this week,I will be checking on her on a daily basis.I also thought the auction format might be a nice change from the usual direct purchase.Okay,lets meet the gang!We have Butterscotch a yellow tabby who was the white before kitty~~~Rosalee,the pink tabby kitty I didn't have the chance to post updates pics of~~~~Rex,a super sweet bunny rabbit who was also white before his completion,Lolly&Paully my new super little 4.5 minis pictured together in the box and last but not least Rascal another mini panda measuring 5 inches tall in a beautiful aqua blue color.He reminded me of a raccon so thats why I decided to name him Rascal.So there we are,the whole crew and I hope you enjoy them!You can view all their auctions by clicking on my ebay link on the right.Biggest beary hugs!~~~Sharie****Update~~~The auctions have ended and all the bears and friends will be off to their new homes soon!~~~Sharie

~A bit behind,but new works almost completed!~

2010-04-16T19:22:00.004-05:00

I was hoping to have the new gang completed and listed this week,but some things came up that put me behind schedual once again.The good news is that the new bears&friends are almost completed!They have been through quite a transformation and I can't wait to share the before and after photos.(I have posted another before pic above)I will also be posting the photos of a pink tabby kitty who didn't get her picture taken with the gang.I have been thinking of offering my new works on ebay instead of my usual etsy shop update to give everyone a chance to bid if they would care to.I haven't listed on ebay since December due to that crazy paypal hold I was placed on.I have to admit that made me a bit afraid of using ebay.Another problem with using ebay is the new fees that force users to open a store(or pay outragous fees!)and then get lost in the thousands of listings due to all items from ebay stores being in the core listings.It is very easy to be buried quickly!So,I will decide and be back soon with the finished gang and where they will be available for adoption.Hugs!~~~~~Sharie

New bunny,kitty cats and mini bears in progress

2010-04-09T16:40:00.008-05:00

Hi everyone!I'm finally popping in to share some of my latest works in progress.I have been so busy working on new designs it seems the time has flown by once again!Here is the gang in the making,a sweet white bunny and kitty,a new painted body kitty design featuring sweet little wee-kins painted on the front and my newest minis measuring in at my smallest yet 4.5inches tall!They both fit in the palm of my hand as you can see in the photo.There are more bears in progress that I didn't have the chance to take photos of,but I am very happy at the way they are all turning out and will be sure to post again once they are completed!:)~~~Sharie

~~~New etsy shop update with fun folk art dolls & kitties

2010-03-18T12:50:00.009-05:00

I have some fun folk art pieces now in my etsy shop,very different than my usual bears and friends!I have always wanted to offer some of my artwork on etsy so I finally took the plunge and listed some pieces last night.Some of the new designs include a pink art doll kitty who was inspired by my collage"a day at the circus",and to make this kitty match the theme,her face is hand painted muslin.I also have a new design called the polka Dotty series which is fun animals that have a painted cloth body with lots of polka dots to make them fun pieces.I also managed to finish the two folk art dolls that I took pics of months agao in progress.There is also a kitty angel collage holding her Annie doll and I am delighted to annouce my Big top Tommy kitty painting sold!(pic above) I have to admit I was leary to list in the art category,as it is not my norm,but I was sooo happy someone liked my painting enough to purchase it for their home.I am also working on some white mohair bunnies and bears and will be back to share some of their pics soon!~~~~Sharie

Kitty Cat and Doggy Clowns Now Completed!

2010-03-15T19:36:00.006-05:00

I am happy to announce the kitty cat and doggy clown are now completed along with the little 7 inch clowns and bears that I didn't have the chance to take pics of in their progress.I am reall happy with the way they turned out!All are available in my etsy shop if you would like to see more pics of them.There is Molly,the big clown kitty in pink,Mutzy,the blue themed doggy clown,Daisy,a sweet 7 inch kitty clown in pink,Jax,another 7 inch kitty clown in blue,Sasha,a 7 inch vintage pink style teddy and Quinten,a 7 inch teal blue/brown vintage style teddy.Hope you like them!~~~~Sharie***update....all of the clown kitties and doggy have been adopted...little pink Sasha and teal blue Jax are still available***thank you!~~~

~More updates on works in progress~

2010-03-11T22:00:00.003-06:00

My goodness the time flew by so quickly since my last post!I'm happy to say the clown kitty and doggy are nearly completed(pics in my last post below)and some new kitties and bears that I didn't get the chance to take pics of are also nearly completed!Also expect to see some new mini 5.5 bunny rabbits,bear&kitties making their debut within the next couple of weeks.They will be simular to the pic I posted here,which was from last year.I have also been planning on how to list my bears&friends along with some fun folk art pieces on a monthly basis.Believe me it wasn't easy ,but I think I have finally found a way to make it work!I would like to offer my teddy bears and friends in my etsy shop the first half of the month(two weeks)then for the last half of the month offer my folk art pieces which would include my prim bear,kitty,bunny and panda desings on cloth or painted bodies,sweet little hand painted cloth folk art dolls,this would include bunnies and kitties in dresses and maybe some original paintings and prints.I will also list at least once a month on ebay and try to list some creations in my webstore now and then.Of course I still want to be able to offer my patterns and supplies in the future,but that will still take some time since I am only one person lol!I guess I always have too many projects going on at once and can never find time to get everything done that I would like to.I will be back soon with the pictures of the newly finished gang~~~~Sharie

Pics of kitty&doggy clowns in progress

2010-02-24T16:08:00.006-06:00

***I thought I would pop in and post some pictures of my kitty cat and doggy clown to show how their progress is coming along**I still have a bit of work to get them completed,but I am very happy with the way they are turning out!Both measure about 14 inches tall and have a faux fur body that has been stained to look like an old clown body.Their heads are made from felt and are a two piece design(no gusset)with stuffing added carefully to acheive a three dimensional effect(like sculpting from the inside out).This was one of my very first designs I made with my bears back in 1996!As you can see by the dog,he is a bit on the primitive side,but still cute with his old vintage look!I also added a pic of another new design I made about 3 weeks ago of a new style bear that I am also delighted with.Thank you for stopping in to see my newest creations and I hope you like them!I will post another update when they are fully completed in their hats and pom poms~~~~Sharie

Thinking of spring**new clown teddy*kitty&dog designs in the making

2010-02-21T15:57:00.003-06:00

It's been awhile since my last post so I thought I would do a quick update of what new works are in the making.It has been a long winter and I am definitely looking forward to spring,so with this is mind I want to create some new style clowns in wonderful old dull pastel colors,and with a whole new body design for a super old vintage look.I've posted some older pics to give you an idea of what I have in mind.I did love the look of my slimprim clowns with the cloth bodies,but wasn't too pleased with their over-prim skinny bodies with long lanky arms.I was also happy with the felt slimkins(entirely made from felt)but I thought their body coloring could have been a bit brighter soooo.....I am working on a brand new design that mixes the two styles into one!I will have the mohair style heads on the felt style bodies,and the felt heads on mohair,faux fur and handtinted felt bodies.I am pretty happy with how the new gang is turning out,and I will also be offering cute prim puppy dogs with this new line!I had made some little felt dog and cat heads I used to make for craft shows(in 1996!)packed away in my closet and almost long forgotten until I was clearing out some of my sewing &supply stash and found them~~~thats when the light bulb went off in my brain for this new idea lol,but of course that is usually how we come accross a great idea.I also have other bears and kitties in the making and will be sure to post some new pics of their progress soon,and hope you will like them as much as I do!~~~~Sharie

~Happy Valentines Day!~

2010-02-14T13:31:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentines day everyone!I hope you will have a wonderful day.~~~I will Be back with more updates soon~~~~Sharie

New Bears and Kitty Cats now Completed

2010-02-03T22:10:00.009-06:00

I am happy to announce the bears and kitty cats that were in progress are now completed and available in my etsy shop.I was hoping to have the grand opening for my new webstore but didn't have the chance to upgrade to premium.I would have only been able to list one photo for each teddy or friend and that wouldn't do...lol!You also may notice that the felt kitty is wearing a different dress than her original in progress pic.This is because I found a pesky tiny brown spot on her dress so I decided against using it for her.I hope you enjoy meeting them all and again,they can be found in my etsy shop.~~~~Sharie***Abby kitty above in blue dress, Gabby bear in white dress and pink tabby kitty Bonnie have been adopted.Charlie panda is still available.Thank you!***

Sharing some pics of bears&kitties in progress

2010-01-21T16:27:00.009-06:00

Hi everyone,I thought I would share a few pics of my bears and kitty cats in progress.They are all coming along quite nicely and should be ready for their listings very soon.(except for the fuzzy little wee ones in the basket pictured above,they are still waiting their turn!)In the top pic is a sweet panda bear nestling with his pink blue eyed kitty friend,both 7 inches tall and created from mohair.Next is the felt kitty complete with her new sculpted and painted paw pads cuddling with her very good friend,an 11 inch antique style mohair bear which is one of my newest designs.Next we have a group of primitive bears......and a little pug all gathered together for their group photo.The little prim bear on the left is a wee 6 inches tall as you can see by me holding my hand next to him.The larger bear in the middle is also a brand new design and he measures 9 inches tall.The little pug is a dainty 7 inches tall and all are created from felt.I hope you like meeting the gang and I will post them when they are ready to be listed.Hugs~~~~Sharie

***Doing the ~Happy Dance~Paypal 21 day hold was a mistake!*

2010-01-20T17:09:00.013-06:00

I have a quick update to the paypal hold issue that was a concerne for myself and many others who accounts were also placed on hold.Turns out it was a mistake!I recieved the email today from paypal stating they accidently sent out thousands of emails to sellers that were not supposed to be notified at all~~~what a sigh of relief!I feel like doing the "happy dance" as a burden had been lifted from my shoulders.I just hope they don't accidently do it again anytime soon!I also wanted to update you on some other options I might consider besides my new Ecrater store to offer my creations.(now that I'm off the paypal hold!)I have been looking into bigcartel and wikilime,both beautiful webstores complete with shopping carts that take paypal checkout.I have will be adding links to both so you can see how nice they are.(I would love to know which one you like!)I had first thought to stay with Ecrater because of the option of googlecheckout,thus hoping to avoid paypal for a time.As I said in my previous post,I am looking for the easiest way to offer my bears without having to sign up to become a member or log in before adopting a new teddy or friend.They are almost exactly the same but big cartel only offers 5 listing at no charge and 9.99 per month for 25 listings where as wikilime is completely free for 25 listings.**The teddies in both stores are only a test so I could get the feel of the stores set up**.I thought I would post these new options incase other bear artists or crafters may be interested in a nice shopping cart to incorporate to their websites or selling venues.~~~~For some reason I cannot get the links to work here in my post so I will add them on the top RIGHT of my blog if you would care to have a peek at them.Hugs~~~~Sharie

January updates on new bears and old favorites in the making

2010-01-14T20:00:00.007-06:00

I'ts hard to believe that we are approaching the middle of the month already.....where in the world does the time go?!It has been a long road of recovery for me but I am soooo happy to say I am feeling better and am now on my LAST week of antibiotic.One more doctor visit in two weeks and that should be it,what a relief!In the meantime I have been getting my Ecrater store spruced up for the grand opening of new bears and kitties.I have so many in progress from before the holidays,12 in all that I could not complete and will be listing them as they become available.I also look forword to offering some of my old designs,(and there are many as I discovered from sorting through all of my patterns today lol!)some felt styles and some mohair but especially the old antique and primitive styles that I love so much.I really miss creating them!One of my most favorite bears I created was Dexter,created from felt in the very first(top) pic above.I just loved his sweet expression and would like to created him again,but in a smaller size as he was 15in tall.Next pic(middle) is a ted that I created from vintage handyed mohair.He had that wonderful steiff appearance that made him look old and loved.Then the last pic(bottom)is a sweet old looking bear,made from felt with that well loved appearance.I also want to get started on my new pattern line very soon to be able to have ready by spring.I hope to get on the ball now and have some new creations available next week.xxxxxSharie

Paypal holds may be affecting your account soon!

2010-01-10T13:35:00.011-06:00

I thought I should take the time to post about this very important issue that is now beginning to affect many sellers with paypal accounts.This is impacting more than ebay sellers as many who sell on etsy are also being placed on 21 day holds.There also have been talks that it will even affect small business owners who sell on their websites.I am not writing this to cause a scare,just for everyone to be prepared and have a back-up plan if necessary.I myself am on the hold,getting my notice on Christmas eve.Sure enough when I logged into my paypal act in big bold letters I was told future payments WOULD be on hold.I have set up my new ecrater store that supports google checkout and this is where I will be offering a majority of my bears and friends very soon.It is a very nice website in which you recieve your very own store free of any charges.The only setback is the shipping matrix and if it doesn't drive you insane before you finally figure it out its great...lol!Anyway I am going to post several links to discussions on the paypal holds from auctionbytes,ebay and etsy some very lengthy but full of information.I do hope you will find the chance to read up on all of them.You will find all the links above.I would love to hear if you too have been affected by this underhanded policy and what your plans might be if you would care to share.~~~Sharie.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T12:52:00.004-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and wish everyone a very happy new year!Also a very big thank you for the get well posts,it was so nice of you to take the time to write and I appreciate it very much.It is taking longer than I expected,but I am getting better day by day.I have been taking a high dose of antibiotics daily,(3,600 mgs)and it makes me a bit drained out.The pnuemonia has cleared but I am still dealing with the staph infection that caused three abcesses on my leg, one being severe with cellulitus.I also have issues to work out for my teddy business due to paypals latest 21 day hold period that will apply to more than ebay transactions.If you are a seller with a paypal account for your website,etsy,ebay or other venue you may want to check your paypal account to see if you will also be placed on a hold to recieve your funds.I am trying to avoid too much stress at this time but I must say paypal and ebay are really making me loathe them more each day.Of course ebay owns paypal so they assume they can run all businesses as they do on ebay.As for the new bears and kitties they should be listed within a couple of weeks.I will update when they are completed.Have a wonderful New Year!~~~~Sharie

Home from the hospital and on the mend

2009-12-18T16:11:00.003-06:00

You may have noticed I haven't been posting or offering any new bears for quite some time.The reason is I became very ill and had to be hospitalized for a week.I had no access to my computer during that time and most likely couldn't have posted if I could.I had been so busy working on my bears for special orders and ebay plus weatherizing for the winter months,I wasn't taking care of myself even though I felt rundown and a bit under the weather.Being so busy I thought it was just stress and a small little cut that would heal and if I needed to see the doctor I would just go after the holidays.....bad idea....what I ended up with was pnumonia and a severe abscess on my leg that led to being put in the hospital for a week.It was a week of hell being on the IV along with the numerous blood tests to endure I can't even express how happy I am to be home!I still have to take things slowley to recouperate and will be on medication for a straight 15 days to make sure I get completely well again.I will try to have some of the new bears and kitty's I had almost completed before I became ill listed sometime after Christmas.I will be sure to post their pictures when they are completed.Hugs~~~~Sharie

New bears and kitty cats in the making

2009-11-30T20:24:00.005-06:00

I am once again busy as a bee trying to finish

up new teddy bears and kitties for my next listings.I have an antique style bear in an old fashioned dress,two dainty seven inch mohair kitties and remember the poor little cream felt kitty that has been waiting to be completed?Well she is almost done and will also be making her debut by the end of this week,or early next week!(the before photo is pictured here with her head on a brown test body)I plan to have her dressed in this pretty blue vintage doll dress.Also,I have had many requests for the little kitties&bears so I also have five of each in progress,for a total of 10(whew...I'll be busy!)to have them completed before the holidays.I will keep you posted on their progress.~~~Hugs.....Sharie

New Teddy Design&Mini Bears now Completed

2009-11-20T18:09:00.009-06:00

***~~~All the Teddies have now been adopted and are traveling to their new homes :)~~~***

I am so happy to introduce you to my new teddy design,Cody a super sweet faced panda bear cub with realistic features.Cody measures 11 inches tall and is made from mohair with handtinted accents.He is fully jointed for a variety of posing possibilities.I've given him a handsculpted nose complete with sculpted little pawpads and feet with tiny toes!I just love the way he turned out,his personality makes him seem so real.Also finished are three dainty little mohair bears measuring 6&7inches tall.Happy the cream bear,Blue a 6" teddy and Crystal,a 7"white teddy with shimmering bow and a little snowflake on her tummy.All will be available on ebay shortly.Hope you like them!~~~~Sharie***Quick update***All teddies are now on ebay and available for adoption~~~ Little Crystal and Happy have been adopted~~~Unfortunately,I had to end Cody's auction due to many mistakes in his first listing to be able to revise them correctly.He should be reappearing shortly~~~Sorry for the confussion!.....sharie

New works in progress and auction update

2009-10-30T21:00:00.003-05:00

Once again my ebay auctions have ended with all going to new homes except little Doris bunny who is residing in my ebay store.In hopes of finding her a new home I have lowered her price to $68.I have been very busy this week working on brand new designs along with some of my old favorites and will have them available early next week.I have also been hard at work on the little cream kitty and am happy to announce she has her new fully jointed body and will be getting her coloring and highlighting soon.Also in the making is a sweet baby faced bear and an antique style teddy with an old wobbly feel. I will post some pics of their progress very soon!~~~~Sharie ***Doris bunny has now been adopted and will be traveling to her new home shortly:)***

UpdateNew Bears&Kitty now available on Ebay

2009-10-23T13:13:00.004-05:00

I have found the problem causing the glitches on my computer(IE 8 security update clashing w firewall)So now that I have that problem under control,I decided to list my newest bears&friends on ebay!They are now all listed so if you would like to visit their listings,please follow the Ebay link on the right!~~~~~Thank you....Sharie....Hi again,I had a couple of updates I wanted to share and rather than write a new post,I thought I would just add to this one.I will be focusing on my old style of bears that feature the fully jointed body designs.This will include some of my older styles and some brand new designs of bears and teddy friends.One of the latest head designs is featured on Harvey,the harvest panda(featured above with the white head and homespun body)I just love his sweet innocent look and can't wait to make more of his style with a jointed body.I also plan to finish the poor cream felt kitty pictured below in an older post.She is also a little sweety I plan on creating more of.Also in the making is my pattern line that will feature one piece designs and the jointed variety.I hope to have at least a couple of patterns ready before winter.Well that's it for now but I will post any new updates on new bears-n-friends and patterns as soon as they are available.~~~~Sharie

New Creations Completed and now in my ETSY Shop

2009-10-20T22:24:00.002-05:00

I am so happy to announce my new kitties,bears,pandas and bunny are now completely finished and available in my etsy shop.I encountered more puter problems today so I was not able to list any of the gang on ebay.You can find the link to my esty shop on the right of my blog if you would like more info and photos of the bears n friends.~~~Hugs....Sharie

Sneak PeekNew Creations Nearly Completed*

2009-10-19T18:13:00.004-05:00

After quite a week of being extremely under the weather,along with some computer problems to make me think I might be jinxed,I am happy to announce all seven works in progress are almost completed,just needing a few small finishing touches.The gang should be finished by tommorow and I will be updating both my etsy shop and ebay store.If I find I am having computer problems again(can't stay connected to the internet)I may list all seven in my Etsy shop.Hope you like them!~~~~Sharie

sreetzbears

~New year~new ideas

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays**

*Pink Candy Kitty Cat and Chuckles Polka Dot Clown now on Ebay Auction*

*Winter update now in progress*

*Sneak peek*~*big Holiday update just hours away*

~Sharing Pics~Custom orders completed~

~update on Misty after surgery and custom orders~

~A wonderful shop on etsy for kitty lovers everywhere~

**Little fall panda bear now on ebay**

~New designs in progress~Little kitty&bear pincushions~

New bears and kitty cats now in my etsy shop update

Preview for tommorows(Wed)etsy shop update

My new kitten ~Misty ~

~Little Jacob teddy pattern now available~

Patterns now available in my new pattern shop!

Etsy shop update with bears and friends soon to be patterns!

Elly Kitty and Panda now on eBay

New Bears Kitty and Elly in my etsy shop

Been away~~~working on pattern designs!

Felt and mohair bears now on ebay

~~Vintage style mohair bears in my etsy shop~~

~~New bears and kitty cats in my etsy shop~~

~~~The show has started!~~~

~~Finally able to share my teddies on parade preview bear!~~

~~~~Busy Busy!~~~Working on bears for teddybears worldwide show&etsy update~~~

**Busy weekend**Yearly Rummage Sale and Pulled out Back!

**New Bears in Progress&Teddy Goodies shopping spree!**

*~*Little bears and friends heading to Philadelphia for the show*~*

*~~Sabrina Whimsical Siamese Kitty now on Ebay~~*

~~New Antique Style Siamese Kitty nearly Completed~~~

***Brand new antique style bear designs coming soon***

~Happy Easter~

~~~More pics of new bears~~~

~~Bears*Kitty Cats &Bunny completed~~now on ebay and in my etsy shop~~

~~Been Busy!~~Consumed with new designs~~

~~One teddy left for adoption in the blooming bear show!

***Blooming Bear Show Today!***Meet the gang***

Blooming Bear Show Tommorow!So excited!

More bad luck~~Will it ever end?!*Update*Yes!

*My preview bear for the blooming bear show*