New Start

Hi to all my new visitors to my blog and to all of you that have been so loyal to me!

I know you all keep checking for  new posts and it has been a long time since my last post.

I have had such a wonderful 2013.
Even with the downturn in artist bear sales I have had my best year!

I have worked hard on new bear designs as well as marketing on the internet, and it has paid off!

In late October I attended the Woodend Show, just north of Melbourne Australia. It was fantastic

Since then, I have been busy working on an exciting new product that I will be releasing in 2013.
I am so sorry you will have to wait for photos.

Anyway I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and hope 2013 will be a great year for both of us

Back at Last

I'm sorry I have been away for ages, however you will pleased to know that I have been very busy designing and creating new bears for the Auckland Doll Show which is coming up soon.  I will be taking photos shortly to share with you.

Let me know if you are attending, I would love to catch up and have a chat.

a catch up

hi all
this is just a quick post to say that I haven't forgotten you!
at present I am in hospital with my son Campbell who has had bad asthma. should be out of hospital today.
hopefully everything will get back to normal soon.
keep checking back!
hugs Tracey

teddy bear show news

Hi all
Sorry for not posting lately
Well I have been busy attending 3 teddybear shows over the last month. Palmerston North Doll and Teddy Bear show NZ, the critters online show and the Christchurch Doll and Teddy bear fair NZ.
Photos are on there way, as I have just realized that my photos I have been putting on my blog have been too large in file size.
By the end of the week I will have some lovely photos for you to enjoy
Hugs
Tracey

Photos coming soon!!!! I have been watching too much of the olympics lol will put some up on monday
Hugs
To all

meet Mary Mouse

Hi all

Meet Mary, Ella and Rose

They are featuring in an online show this weekend

visit them at www.teddiesworldwide.com

hugs

Tracey

Mary Mouse

Ella Elephant

Rose Bear

Critter Show Photo

Well the Critters show is underway and here is the photo I promised.  Let me know what you think.

Online Critters Show

Tomorrow the online show starts, I can't wait to see what people think of the critters.  I will post la photo of the critters as soon as the show starts. 

Critters online show preview photo

Hi all! meet little Megan Mouse

She is my preview for the online critters show coming up in 2 weeks

Visit her at www.teddiesworldwide.com

off to my next show

Hi all...Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have been busy completing the critters for the next online show I am participating in.
I have taken a photo of the cutest little mouse. It will be my preview photo!
you will be able to see the photo at www.teddiesworldwide.com from this friday

Also, This weekend I am off to the Palmerston North doll and bear show.
I will try and load photos up after the show
hugs
Tracey

What a day

Today we spent the day with Lisa Dopking. a fantastic bear artist from Brisbane. She took Susan,Laraine and myself to a quilters group where we met Nikki Tervo. A wonderful lady who designs ceramic buttons and beautiful Stitcheries. We all showed the ladies our bears. The bears were greatly received!!!!!The ladies just swamped me and the bears!!!!!
We took some lovely photos. After the quilt group we went to a couple of patchwork shops. We are now at Lisa Dopking having dinner and at the same time, we are are making a lovely sewing caddy. Here are some photos
Enjoy!

More photos coming

At the show

Hi all.
This is me at the show over the weekend. I do not like having photos taken of me. I look awful. I forgot my shampoo and had to use the motels stuff. hair a mess. omg I look big and fat!!!!!lol
When I get home I am definitely starting my exercise program!!!!!

The show was mainly a doll show, However I did manage to sell a few bears. Our stand was in a very dark part of the venue so It was a little bit hard to photograph the bears

Anyway here is a photo of me at the start of the show
I am spending the day today with Lisa Dopking and two other artists.
Fly home tomorrow
hugs to all

off to the show

Hi all
Sorry for the late post however I have been very busy bear making over the last 2 weeks!!

I am flying to Brisbane Australia today. I am trading at the Winter Wonderland Doll and Bear Show.
I am sooooooo excited about my new bears. Noeline has done me proud once again with her knitting. The bears look lovely.
Here is a photo of my bears I am taking to the show

There are bears,elephants and even mice. Yes 31 bears and critters
Wish me luck

will post next week to say how I got on

Hugs
Tracey

What is on my table

Hi all. It has been very exciting doing this blog! Thank you to all of you for your lovely comments.

Below is my current project.

Keep checking back to see the completed bear. I am soooooo excited as it is going extremely well.

Hamilton doll and teddybear Show

Hi all! Sorry for the late post.

Well the show was a lot quieter than previous years. Sales were down, however I met some wonderful people, and gained some new collectors. My friend Susan Leigh, from Bearleigh Bears, was over from Sydney as well as some of my wonderful collectors. 

Here is a photo of my table. 

I managed to get the following bear finished and it was the first to sell at the show!

From this on friday:

To this. Meet the lovely Madison! Wearing my favourite dress

Hugs to all

Off to the Hamilton Show

Hi all! I am at the airport with my friend Laraine heading to the Hamilton Doll and Bear show, which is on this weekend!

Boo hoo didn't get my bears finished in time however maybe I will tonight!
Here is a photo I took quickly of the bears I am taking, sorry it is not a good photo but will give you an idea.

Mothers day

Happy mothers day to everyone! My day started out with a breakfast with my mum and my 2 sisters.it was lovely. However on arriving back home at 11.30am, I had to rush my youngest son Campbell to hospital. He had a bad asthma attack. This is where I am at present, in hospital. The children's ward! Thank goodness it is not busy. He is getting better, however he has to have his ventolin (puffer) every half hour, as well he is on oxygen. So think of me tonight being woken every half hour! Will post tomorrow with an update. Hugs

Bears for show

I have just finished lunch after being at Oliver and Campbells soccer games all morning! The sun is shining, which is good as I have heaps of washing on the line.

Unfortunately Dave has cancelled his trip to the beach house with the boys. Yes, that was my mothers day present to have peace and quiet , no one at home except the cat and the dog,while I sew and finish my bears for next weeks show in Hamilton. Now it is not happening.  Boo hoo! I had planned to stay up late sewing while watching girly dvds.

Below is what I am finishing, there are 2 elephants, 3 'no hair' mohair bears, small white bear and 2 polar bears on my sewing table all in bits....wish me luck!

Fireplace drama

Hi all. Well I haven't been able to any sewing yet!!!  hamilton show is looming! I have had major drama with the installation of our new wood burner. Now all I have is an ugly hole where the gas heater was. It is winter her in Lower Hutt!!!so quite chilly in the house.

Hello

Hi All
Welcome to all my new followers. Hope you enjoy your visit to my blog.
.
It is Thursday morning here in Lower Hutt. Weather is awful...cold and chilly and raining It is around 10.15am when I post this new post. I haven't been able to change the date and time. I did go into the settings and found where to do it however it did not seem possible! will put it in the hard basket and try later.

I am home today ...busy sewing (hopefully) for an upcoming teddybear show in Hamilton. Will post a what's on my table post later today., to give you a little sneak preview of what might be available at the show.

I am still reading through my new mag, which has heaps of information in it.

Anyway here is a before and after photo of my little dog Miley before and after going to the groomer yesterday..enjoy!

Before

After

By the way the Little bow didn't last long

Hugs

Tracey

what's on my table

Hi all. Today I picked up this magazine from my local bookshop. It contains heaps of great information about blogging as well as selling on the internet.
I am going to make myself a coffee and sit down and have a read of it.
will keep you posted if I learn anything new. Enjoy your day hugs Tracey

thanks to all of you reading my blog

At present for some strange reason it says it it 12.00am instead of pm. Not sure how you change this!

Maybe it will be in this mag lol

Studio tidy up

In December we moved to a smaller house. Good-bye to my studio and classroom. Yes 2 rooms! and now only 1 small room!

All  my craft stuff boxed up and stored in the garage. At least the garage is large! However I am not looking forward to sorting it out. Years of craft making stuff, before the bear design took over!

I now have a very small room to perform my creativity.

I do have lots of lovely ideas about decorating this little room, however that will have to wait a while.

However that is all on hold at the moment as my lovely partner Dave has a few other jobs to do around house that are a bit more important. 

This is what I did today to make my little room bit easier to work in.

Before I get stuck into my bear making, I need to sort out my studio!

Here in the first 2 photos are the before photos before I cleared out the whole room

Before

The room all cleared out

My lovely partner Dave is going to modernize this room in a couple of months so this is just a easy fix look of my studio

My temporary fix up

As you can see there are still boxes to sort out. There are still quite a few boxes to sort in our garage lol

In the next couple of months I will show you the changes to the room!

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated lol!

Hugs Tracey

Look who I Met

Noeline (left) and Jan (right)

Hi All, I was very lucky to have the opportunity while in Dunedin to stay with New Zealands' most famous doll artist Jan McLean. A lovely lady with a lot of knowledge to share. She has inspired me and I cannot wait to get stuck into my bear making tomorrow.
Here she is pictured with her friend Noeline Te Raki-Hill. We had a lovely afternoon tea with Noeline yesterday

Heading Home

Hi all. Had a lovely time will post about my trip with pics tomorrow
hugs
Tracey

Hi all this is Campbell and I arriving in Dunedin yesterday for my daughter Elissia's 21st birthday. Elissia made this sign for us

Here is Campbell in front of Baldwin Street...the steepest street in the world however the photo doesn't do it justice as it is taken on the wrong angle. it was 4 degrees when this photo was taken

Here is Elissia and I at her birthday lunch

Here are both my sons Campbell and Joshua at the birthday lunch

what is on my table

To all my lovely friends, here is what I am sewing at present. My lovely polar bear design!

I am off for the next 5 days to visit my daughter and son in Dunedin. They are both at university and tomorrow is my daughters 21st birthday.  Campbell my 9 year old and I are flying down to see them....so exciting. There will not be much sewing going on over the next 5 days. I have a show in 3 weeks so the pressure will on  when I return on Saturday.

I will try and post some more photos while I am away

hugs

Little Bear Company New Release

 I have been working on my new release bears for some time and it's time I introduced them to you. They are available for adoption.  Postage and handling on all bears is a flat rate of $USD10.00 Please contact me if you have any questions.  bearsbytracey@gmail.com

China

China is 3 1/2 inches high. He is created from lovely hand dyed short blue short pile sparse mohair. He is firmly stuffed with polyfil and is cotter pin and thread-jointed. He has black glass eyes and a black perle cotton stitched nosed that I have waxed. Also I have shaded around his eyes, on his ears, paws and feet. He wears a blue silk ribbon bow.  

$USD 95

Sugar

Sugar is 3 1/2 inches high. She is created from a lovely hand dyed strawberry short pile  mohair. She is firmly stuffed with polyfil and is cotter pin and thread-jointed. She has black glass eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nosed that I have waxed. Also I have shaded around her eyes, ears, paws and feet. Sugar wears a white silk ribbon bow.  

 $USD 95

Herbal

Herb is 3 1/2 inches high. He is created from a lovely hand dyed sage green short pile mohair. He is firmly stuffed with polyfil and is cotter pin and thread-jointed. He has black glass eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nosed that I have waxed. Also I have shaded around his eyes, ears, paws and feet. He a multi colored cotton hand knitted hat. 

$USD100

Chamomile

Chamomile is 3 3/4 inches high.She is created from short brown sparse mohair that I call "no-hair" mohair. She is firmly stuffed with polyfil and is cotter pin and thread-jointed. She has black glass eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nosed that I have waxed. Also I have shaded around her eyes, on her ears, paws and feet. Chamomile is wearing a hand knitted skirt with vintage lace.      

$USD100

 Teacake

Teacake is 3 1/2 inches high. She is created from lovely hand dyed deep bordeaux short pile mohair. She is firmly stuffed with polyfil and is cotter pin and thread-jointed. She has black glass eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nosed that I have waxed. Also I have shaded around her eyes, ears, paws and feet. She wear a matching silk ribbon bow. 

$USD95

Lacey
Lacey is 3 inches high.She is created from short brown sparse mohair that I call "no-hair" mohair. She is firmly stuffed with polyfil and has thread-jointed arms She has black embroider eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nose. She is wearing a hand knitted skirt with vintage lace.

Adopted

Teapot

Teapot is 3 inches high. He is created from short brown sparse mohair that I call "no-hair" mohair. He is firmly stuffed with polyfil and has thread-jointed arms. He has black embroider eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nose. He is wearing a hand twisted cotton scarf. 

Adopted

Iced Biscuits

These 6 iced biscuits are handmade from felt with glass beads attached.    The biscuits measure 1 1/2 inches in diameter. 

Sold



 Lipton

Lipton is 3 1/2 inches high. He is created from short brown sparse mohair that I call "no-hair" mohair. He is firmly stuffed with polyfil and is cotter pin and thread-jointed. He has black glass eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nosed that I have waxed. Also I have shaded around his eyes, on his ears, paws and feet. He sits in a fabric handmade teacup and saucer.   

ADOPTED

Choysa

Choysa is 3 1/2 inches high. He is created from short golden tan mohair. He is firmly stuffed with polyfil and is cotter pin and thread-jointed. He has black glass eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nosed that I have waxed. Also I have shaded around his eyes,ears, paws and feet. He wears a olive green silk ribbon bow with a key charm attached. 

ADOPTED



Earl Grey

Earl Grey is 3 1/2 inches high. He is created from a lovely hand dyed deep grey short brown mohair. He is firmly stuffed with polyfil and is cotter pin and thread-jointed. He has black glass eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nosed that I have waxed. Also I have shaded around his eyes, ears, paws and feet. He wears a lovely silver paw pad necklace.

ADOPTED

Peppermint

Peppermint is 3 1/2 inches high. He is created from a lovely hand dyed peppermint short pile mohair. He is firmly stuffed with polyfil and is cotter pin and thread-jointed. He has black glass eyes an a black perle cotton stitched nosed that I have waxed. Also I have shaded around his eyes, ears, paws and feet. He wears a hand knitted cotton hat.  

ADOPTED