New Avenue Crew

Meet the Crew's Studio Manager: Sebring Austin Slater

2012-01-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday, everyone! Today, I would like to introduce you to New Avenue Crew's sweet, ultra-cuddly, no-nonsense studio manager: Sebring Austin Slater. I love this guy!

(This introduction is long overdue; I've been keeping Sebring to myself for far too long. You'll see what I mean by "far too long" when I tell you his story.)

It all started with an idea for a big bear, a new pattern design, and some luscious wavy batik mohair. In the picture below, you can see the batik mohair in the bottom right corner. (As always, if you want a closer view, click on the photo.)

Did I forget to tell you when I started work on Sebring? Sorry about that. It was in 2002. Ten years ago. And I didn't finish him completely until late 2010...if I'm remembering right. That's a long time for a bear to wait to be finished! Sebring is definitely a patient fellow.

I had an idea for a bigger bear pattern and set to work on it. I designed the head, ears, and body, and then I laid out the gorgeous batik mohair and traced and cut out the pieces. It was a flurry of activity: I sewed, stuffed, trimmed, embroidered, and otherwise finished Sebring and then came to a halt. No arms. No legs. Just Sebring's head attached to an envelope of a body. I loved him right away, but I was stumped because I found that I had made his body too large. Uh-oh!

During this time, I took a few years' hibernation from bear making. When I started making bears again, I still didn't know quite what to do for poor Sebring. He watched as more bears were completed and adopted. But finally--finally!--in about 2009 or 2010, I decided I had to remove his head from his body (while he was under anesthesia, of course) and make his body smaller. This was no small feat, but once it was done, I felt so much better, and he looked so much better. Of course, there was still the issue of him having no arms and legs because I had never designed them.

So I set to work again and made his arms and legs. I'm certain he was relieved! I attached them to his body with joints (discs, bolts, and locknuts), and then commenced stuffing him. I was delighted to see him sitting up for the first time.

About this time, I was creating bears for an online show and thought I would offer Sebring for adoption during the show. Here he is with sweet Cinnamon.

I even had his photos and description as part of my show site--but before I went to bed the night before the show, I found that I just couldn't sell Sebring! So I removed him from the show site and went to bed, thrilled that he would be staying with me as my studio manager. (Sebring is only the third bear I have kept in my 15 years of creating New Avenue Crew. You can see J. Cub, a bear I made in 1997, on the mantel in the photo below.)

Now, Sebring usually watches over the smaller bears as they're being created and keeps them out of the honey jar. I have used his pattern again; Sprout, the green springtime bear, was the result. Here is a group picture. It is not often that so many Crew members are together at one time, so this is a rare photo.

I hope you've enjoyed meeting Sebring!

Mohair, Luscious Mohair...

2012-01-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! Happy 2012! I can hardly believe we have reached the year 2012 already. I remember when I was in second grade and we changed from 1975 to 1976; it was so difficult to get used to writing 1976 on my papers. Am I the only one, or do you have memories like that?

It has been all quiet on the bear-making front here in the studio. The Crew members and I have been taking a long winter's nap (which has been much longer than winter). I am hopeful that I'll be able to jump back into the fur and fluff soon. I think that Sebring is eager to oversee the making of more Crew members. Oh! I need to introduce you to Sebring. Soon. I'll do that soon.

Speaking of fur and fluff, there's a new group on Facebook for art, craft, and bear-making supplies. It's active with a lot of great materials on offer. Go on and take a peek and join up if you like!

Because of the group, I pawed through my stash of fur yesterday to see if there was anything I wanted to sell. Mohair and alpaca are such beautiful fabrics. I really enjoyed stroking the different pieces of fur and dreaming of the bears that might come to life someday. As a result, I had bear ideas cavorting through my head all night! Now, if I could just find the time to make them! Did I find anything to sell? Yes, a couple of beautiful, soft synthetic pieces and a piece of alpaca, as well as some mini fabrics. But the rest? I couldn't bear to part with it! I kept all the mohair pictured below--and then some. Ah, mohair. I do love it. Do you?

Springtime with Kalinka and Malinka

2011-04-23T18:46:00.003-06:00

I have been wanting to share the story of sweet springtime sisters Kalinka and Malinka with you. I was inspired to create them by the lively Russian folk song Kalinka,* which is about a garden in bloom. Sometimes I'm inspired by things and people right here in my home. Our daughters are from Ukraine, and their first language is Russian, so the Ukrainian/Russian culture is a good source of inspiration for me.

Kalinka (Калинка in Russian, pronounced ka-LEEN-ka) means little snowball tree blossom. I created Kalinka from beautiful soft ivory kid mohair. She is lovely to hold! Kalinka's sister is named Malinka (Малинка in Russian, pronounced ma-LEEN-ka), which means little raspberry blossom. Raspberry blossoms made me envision a bear in pink, so I created Malinka from pink wavy distressed mohair. She is a sweetie.

Kalinka and Malinka are available for adoption on the Available Bears page.

*Here is the song Kalinka sung by Nikolai Baskov. I hope you enjoy it!

I'm Tickled Pink: An Interview

2011-04-12T22:40:00.002-06:00

I'm not one who likes to toot my own horn, but I do love to share my bears and my life with you. I'm tickled pink today because Chrissie of I Love Teddies interviewed me and has put the resulting article on her site! Thank you, Chrissie!

This is such a thrill for me; it's the second article about me and the Crew that's been published in the nearly 15 years I've been creating my bears. I am humbled that someone was interested in learning a bit more about me and my little guys.

I hope you'll drop in to visit I Love Teddies and read the interview. Enjoy!

Then and Now

2011-04-11T20:38:00.006-06:00

See the photo above? Garth found it today and scanned it into his computer. I just love it! It was taken 11 years ago this month (April 2000). It hardly seems possible that so much time has passed! Let me tell you a little about the picture. (You can click on it to see it larger.)

The blond bear in the foreground is Trudi. Early in 2000, I created a pattern I called Bear 2000. The first bear from that pattern is named Trua, and she looks very similar to Trudi. The bears from that pattern had the look I had been wanting to create since I started New Avenue Crew in 1996! The pile of black fur and the tiny pile of golden fur next to me on the ottoman became Gunnison (pictured down near the bottom of the right-hand sidebar), also a Bear 2000 bear.

Behind me (yes, that really is me!) is Garth's setup for painting. We were newly married, and this was our first apartment. We had the living room set up for painting and bear making--it was our very first studio. I really enjoyed our time creating together! And to my left, out the window, was a balcony, and beyond was the Santa Ana River (we lived in Southern California). We were able to watch so many different varieties of birds visiting the riverbed, such as cormorants and falcons and pelicans. Beautiful!

And above is a picture of me in our home in Colorado. I'm pictured with Sprout; he is such a sweet, cuddly bear. I finished him in early March of this year, and he was adopted during the Blooming Bear Show. He is not a Bear 2000 bear, but I suppose you could call his pattern Bear 2010!

A Little Birdie Told Me...

2011-03-26T10:28:00.007-06:00

...that it's somebunny's birthday tomorrow! Happy, happy birthday to my sweet, talented, rabbit-loving friend Michelle (Shell) May of the Raspberry Rabbits! Much love and many blessings to you on your birthday and always, Shell! (Why not hop on over and visit her little corner of the blogosphere? Her creations are darling, and so are her rabbits, Sugie and Sir Harrington.)

You're also invited to hop on over to birthday party central to see everyone's birthday wishes for Shell.

This is just a little sketch I was inspired to do last year.
Two of my friends love bunnies, and one of them also loves dragonflies.

Only 6 Hours Left in the Blooming Bear Show!

2011-03-13T12:47:00.006-06:00

It has been a lovely show so far. There are so many beautiful bears! Two of my Crew members are still available for adoption:

Kalinka

Malinka

These sweet sisters are both 13.5 inches (34.3 cm) tall. They are both so wonderful to hug and carry around. My sister came over yesterday and bonded with them in real life, especially with Kalinka.

To see more about Kalinka and Malinka, pop on over to the Blooming Bear Show at http://www.teddiesworldwide.com/ and look for Debora Hoffmann, New Avenue Crew. See you there!

It's Showtime!

2011-03-12T06:01:00.001-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, the biggest online bear show has started! Click here or on the banner above to visit the website. Be sure to look for Sprout (below) and my name, Debora Hoffmann, New Avenue Crew. There are three spring-themed Crew members available for adoption. Enjoy the show!

It's Almost Showtime!

2011-03-11T07:00:00.002-07:00

The Blooming Bear Show starts tomorrow, Saturday, March 12. I am excited to show you the three sweet bears I've been working so hard on! To see my Crew members and the bears by 74 other talented artists from 12 countries, click on the website link. Today, you'll see the preview photos. Tomorrow, the photos or names will be live links to each artist's creations. Look for Sprout (below) and my name, Debora Hoffmann, New Avenue Crew!

Sneak Preview for the Blooming Bear Show

2011-03-01T07:00:00.026-07:00

I am so excited to introduce you to cuddly Sprout, a bear with lovely light green and ivory mohair! He is one of the three spring-themed Crew members who I will be offering for adoption during the online Teddies Worldwide Blooming Bear Show coming up March 12 and 13. (To see the other artists' sneak peeks of their bears, visit the show website. How fun to see creations by 75 international artists in one place.)

I've been working hard on creating my bears these last few months, and I can't wait to share them with you during the show. Less than two weeks to go now! I hope you'll visit the Blooming Bear Show--did I mention it's all online?--and maybe you'll even find a cuddly friend or two!

Show Preview on Tuesday

2011-02-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

I've been working diligently on my bears for the upcoming online Blooming Bear Show...and it's been hard to not share them with you! (We're to keep our bears under wraps until the show opens on March 12.) But on Tuesday, March 1, I'll be able to show you a preview of one of my bears. Can't wait! And the other artists in the show will also have a preview photo of their creations to share on the show website.

I'm off to finish sewing on an ear. Ta-ta for now!

I've Fallen Off the Face of the Earth!

2011-02-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

I've been quiet here on the blog lately, but I haven't really fallen off the face of the earth. I am just working hard on my bears for the upcoming online Teddies Worldwide Blooming Bear Show happening March 12 and 13. Did I mention that it's online? Yes, you can visit in your pajamas, if you like! I would love for you all to visit me here in the New Avenue Crew studio, but since we live in such diverse places around the world, visiting online is the next best thing.

Speaking of visiting online...from all around the world...I love seeing where you all come from. There's a fancy free gadget that will do just that for your own site: Google Analytics. I live here in Colorado, and it's a thrill to see visitors coming from as far away as Brazil, India, and Russia, as well as from here in the States and in Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, Israel, Singapore--what fun!

So what am I making? I am not able to show them to you yet, but I can tell you a few things about them. I'm creating three bears with a spring theme for the show. It has been nice to think of spring and its warmer weather, new growth, and lovely pastel colors during these cold winter months. Spring is definitely something to look forward to! Today I'm working on stuffing, and then I hope to start trimming one of the bear's faces so I can start to see him emerge from all that fur. It is always fun (and a little nerve-racking) to work on a bear's face. With a trim here and a stitch there, a face and a personality slowly come to "life."

Here are two of the bears I made for the November online Teddies Worldwide show: Goldenstern and Cinnamon. This is when I had finished cutting them out of the mohair fabric and assembled their parts to get a glimpse of what they would look like when they were all complete. It's fun to watch bears go from flat to fluffy.

New Avenue Crew Is Published

2011-01-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

I'm excited that Small Town Living has included an article about me and New Avenue Crew in its online publication! What an honor. And if my memory serves me correctly, this is the first time I've been "published" (I wrote the article myself). I hope you'll read the article and let me know what you think!

Photos of Crew members have appeared in a few teddy bear magazines before, which was such a thrill for me. If you take a peek at the right-hand sidebar, you'll see a small section called Where You May Have Seen New Avenue Crew that lists those appearances as well as the shows I've done, both in-person and online. I would love to meet you all in person, but for now, the World Wide Web will have to do.

Motivation

2011-01-11T19:47:00.000-07:00

I must confess that I'm lacking somewhat in the motivation department of late. Maybe it's the colder winter weather. Maybe it's the days that get light so late and dark so early. Maybe it's just me.

Yesterday, I received a nice package from a friend of mine, and inside were all manner of trims and trinkets. Many of them can be adornments for my bears! I know I'll have such fun mixing and matching. Thank you so much, Anna!

So I'm still not completely motivated, but I think I'll turn off this computer and start trimming seams on the bear I finished sewing recently. I'm eager to see what she'll look like. She'll be one of my Crew members for the online Blooming Bear show coming up in March. Can't wait! (OK, I guess there's a little motivation there, after all.)

Good-Bye, 2010...Hello, 2011!

2010-12-31T11:51:00.002-07:00

Brrr... It's a cold one out there this last day of 2010! We had our first winter snowstorm yesterday and overnight, and though it's sunny out, it's only 7 degrees (and feels like -8). They even have the freeway closed because it's so icy. My husband and I are very glad we don't need to go anywhere. We and the kids are snug here at home. I've had my morning tea, and soon I'm preparing to go sew some bear parts!

Speaking of bears, I wanted to let you know that New Avenue Crew has been accepted into the next online Teddies Worldwide bear show coming up in March! Be sure to add it to your new calendar.

Though it's winter and Christmas has just passed, I have two springtime bears in the works and a third ready to be started. Pastel colors, new spring growth, and warm breezes are on my mind.

As 2010 ends and 2011 begins, I would like to say thank you to you all for being friends of the Crew. I have enjoyed getting to know many of you over the past year! I hope to present lots of new Crew members to you next year--I have many new ideas written down, drawn out, and dancing in my head. And most of all, I pray God blesses you throughout the coming year and that you thank Him as the giver of all good things.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow (James 1:17).

Teddy Bear Tidbit Tuesday: The Passage of Time

2010-12-07T09:23:00.001-07:00

Today on this teddy bear tidbit Tuesday, I thought I would share a little time with you, dear reader. Did you know that I started New Avenue Crew way back in August of 1996? That's 14 years ago! How would you like to see my first Crew member? Introducing Madeleine:

Madeleine is made from white and brown variegated plush that I bought from the fabric store. She is the first bear I made from the first pattern I designed, and she stands about 9 inches tall. (A little bit of trivia for you: Maddie was originally going to be a rabbit, but I couldn't resist making a teddy bear. I started my first rabbit pattern this year and hope to complete it early next year!)

Madeleine still lives here in the Crew studio, and she helps me see how far my bears have come in design and finish work. I much prefer to use mohair with its woven cotton backing; Maddie's synthetic fur has a knit backing that tends to stretch when stuffed.

And now take a look at Cinnamon, one of my newest Crew members. Cinnamon is made from my newest pattern in mohair with wool felt paw pads. I don't really see a family resemblance to Maddie, but that's OK. Each Crew member has his or her own special place in my heart.

Speaking of the passage of time, I thought you might enjoy seeing an antique bear in my collection. No, I didn't make him; he was made by the Chiltern company in England in the 1940s or '50s. As you can see, he was well loved (and I love him now). Oh, the stories he would tell if he could!

Mullins

2010-11-26T16:07:00.006-07:00

I am pleased to introduce Mullins to you!

Mullins was inspired by the smells and tastes of Christmas, but he is a bear who can keep you company all year round. He is named for the mulling spices used in spiced cider or wassail, many of which are also used in gingerbread. His name is also a nod to Linda and Wally Mullins, who did so much to promote our furry friend, the teddy bear, through teddy bear shows and books.

Mullins wears a solid brass "petal" sleigh bell. I love the tone it makes.

Here's a little more about this sweet Crew member:

Approximately 10.5 inches (29 cm) tall

Brown wavy distressed Schulte mohair

Muzzle of cider-colored wavy distressed Schulte mohair

Ultrasuede paw pads with pulled fingers and toes

Embroidered nose, mouth, and claws

Stuffed with polyester stuffing and plastic pellets

Bent legs; designed to sit

Here, Mullins is pictured with brother Goldenstern and sister Cinnamon. I love this photo of the three of them. I hope you have enjoyed meeting Mullins!

A Little More Cinnamon

2010-11-26T15:40:00.004-07:00

Thank you all for coming out to see the online Teddies Worldwide holiday bear show last weekend. Did you enjoy the show? I very much enjoyed visiting all the lovely bears, and I've even met some new friends as a result.

I'm happy to say that sweet Cinnamon found a new mom during the show! She should be arriving at her new home anytime now.

I was inspired to create Cinnamon by my memories of the sight, smell, and taste of the delicious cinnamon apples my Grammie made each Christmas. I made Cinnamon from a new pattern I created this summer. I found that I really liked her size (13.5 inches / 34 cm); she's nice to hug and carry around. And her wavy, distressed mohair (from Teddybearmohair.com) was fun to work with. I love the beautiful red color! I adorned Cinnamon with a solid brass "petal" sleigh bell that makes a lovely tone.

I love to create classically styled bears with long muzzles, long arms, and a slight hump at the shoulders. I've already started working on my next bear from this pattern.

We will miss Cinnamon here in the New Avenue Crew studio. But knowing she'll be loved in her new home makes me happy. I will just have to make more bears!

It's Showtime!

2010-11-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's finally time for the online Teddies Worldwide holiday bear show and sale! Visit the website to find the participating artists and their special bear creations. My very own sweet Cinnamon will be there with bells on!

Tomorrow Is the Time!

2010-11-19T19:30:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. eastern time, the online Teddies Worldwide holiday show and sale will start! Are you ready?

Sneak Preview for the Online Teddies Wordwide Show and Sale

2010-11-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to introduce sweet Cinnamon to you! She is one of the bears I will be offering for adoption during the online Teddies Worldwide holiday show and sale. (To see the other artists' sneak peeks of their bears, visit the website.)

I've been working hard on my bears and can't wait to unveil them bright and early Saturday morning. I hope you'll drop in to the show--maybe you'll find a cuddly new friend or two!

Teddy Bear Tidbit Tuesday: Show Scramble

2010-11-09T13:14:00.002-07:00

Today on this teddy bear tidbit Tuesday, I want to give you a taste of my final 11 days before the online Teddies Worldwide show and sale opens on Saturday, November 20.

As the title of this post suggests, I am scrambling to get everything ready for the show. Many things have happened these past few weeks that have derailed my bear making, but I am determined to finish the three bears I've been creating especially for this show.

Let's back up a bit.

I signed up for the show back in September and right away started brainstorming about the bears I wanted to make. Because the show has a holiday theme, I decided I needed to get in the Christmas mood. I didn't even have to bring the holiday music CDs up from the basement; my head offered up a ready supply of Christmas carols for inspiration. I started jotting down many ideas for special bears and then thought about them for a couple of days.

The next step was to paw through my stash of fur for the perfect colors from which to create my little Crew members. Memories from Christmases past and the sights and sounds and smells of that special season filled my head and helped me select just the right mohair pieces.

Out came my patterns and scissors, and I was off and tracing, cutting, trimming, pinning, sewing, combing, turning, and stuffing. I worked on all three simultaneously, which is not usually how I make bears. Most of the time, I create one bear from start to finish before moving on to the next one. It has been kind of fun to make them at the same time and see them progress together.

My favorite part of making bears came next: finishing the head. I partially stuffed all three bears' heads and then chose one to move forward with. I stuffed the chosen head all the way and then trimmed the muzzle area, paying particular attention to the area where I would be embroidering the nose with pearl cotton floss.

After the nose was complete, I sewed the mouth on and then put two black-headed pins in position for the eyes. The next step was sewing the neck joint into the head. And then it was time to put the real glass eyes in. Sinking the eyes on a bear is my favorite part of working on the head because that's when the bear's personality starts to emerge.

(Above is a photo of Juniper when I had just completed his head. I am holding on to the cotter pin neck joint that goes into the body to fasten the head to the body.)

Once the eyes were in place and tied off, I then sewed the bottoms of the ears closed and pinned them in place on the head. As I do when I position the eyes, I view the head in a mirror to check the ear placement before sewing them on.

I also enjoy shading the bear's face to give it some depth. A little here, a little there, and bear #1's head was finished. And you know what? I love this bear.

Moving on, I completed bear #2's head (another cutie!) and then stuffed both bears' paws and feet and added claws. I am now ready to move on to bear #3. And you are up to date on my progress!

There will be some new sew-in labels coming in the mail this week. I am very excited about them; my New Avenue Crew logo has been printed on Ultrasuede labels. When they arrive, I will sew one into the back seam on each of the three bears' bodies and will be able to joint their heads and limbs to their bodies, stuff them, and sew the openings closed. But can I complete all three bears in time for the show? I sure hope so! I am determined to have three sweet Christmas-inspired bears to present to you.

Remember to visit the online Teddies Worldwide show and sale website on Saturday, November 20. Look for the link to Debora Hoffmann and New Avenue Crew, because this blog is NOT where the bear show is being held. If you would like a reminder e-mail from me, you can sign up for my mailing list in the sidebar at right. I hope you'll drop in to visit me and my bears during the show, and I hope you'll like my new Crew members!

Oh, and one more teddy bear tidbit: I updated my blog header last night. What do you think?

Fun Fur Facts Friday: Pieces and Parts

2010-10-22T21:10:00.008-06:00

In these final four weeks leading up to the big online Teddies Worldwide show and sale on November 20 and 21, I am trying to grab every spare minute I can to work on my three show bears. I am pleased with how they are coming together so far! All three are sewn, and I've been stuffing their heads and paws. So what I'm seeing now looks a lot like this:

But all three have their legs and feet sewn and turned; this photo shows what the legs and feet look like before that step. This is actually a photo of Logan when I was making him. And below, Logan is pictured with Ben (both bears have been lovingly adopted).

Where was I? Oh, yes. Pieces and parts.

Because I'm surrounded with the pieces and parts of my show bears, I thought you might like to see a teddy bear in progress. My typical bear has 19 pattern pieces that need to be sewn together. The top photo shows teddy Logan in various stages of completion. The head is stuffed, most of the pieces are sewn and turned, and the legs and feet are still awaiting attention.

What else is pictured in the photo? There are two stuffing sticks, which help with pushing the stuffing into the far reaches of the arms, legs, body, and head. There are two "ropes" of stuffing. I pull my stuffing into ropes before putting it into a bear's furry mohair "envelope" pieces. I find this helps the stuffing go into the parts more smoothly. And then there is a plastic zip-top bag for keeping all the pieces and parts together so they don't get lost. I also keep the joint disks and hardware in the bag with the bear parts, so that when the time comes, I can put all the pieces together into a sweet little bear.

Here are Ben and Logan all put together, before they were completely stuffed and finished. I kind of like their saggy look.

And so, I am enjoying having all these pieces and parts around, but I'll be quite happy when there are three little bears looking back at me, all ready for hugging and eager to appear at the show.

The Bears Bounce with the Raspberry Rabbits

2010-10-04T14:29:00.002-06:00

Today, I am so touched and honored that New Avenue Crew and I are featured on Michelle May's beautiful blog, the Raspberry Rabbits. Michelle has so graciously put me and the Crew in the spotlight for the day! I hope you will hop on over to see her lovely needlework creations and her sweet rabbit assistants and take a peek at her blog post about the Crew.

Thank you so much, Shell! xoxo

Showtime!

2010-10-02T21:40:00.004-06:00

Have you ever been to a teddy bear show? It is such fun to wander the aisles looking at the sweet faces on every table, chatting with artists and bear lovers alike, holding and hugging fantastic furry creations, and falling in love with the little--or big--bear across the room.

The last show I participated in as an artist was in 2002, eight years ago. I miss bear shows! So I'm happy to announce that I will be participating in a brand-new show coming up this November, Teddies Worldwide, produced by Daphne Blau of Back Road Events. (She creates bears, too, under the Back Road Bears label. Talent!)

And the best part? It's ONLINE. Yes, that means you can visit in your pajamas, if you prefer!

There will be 75 teddy bear artists from around the world participating in this show. This is the biggest online show to date!

I will be making three new Crew members especially for the show. The fur has been flying here in the New Avenue Crew studio! One bear is almost completely sewn, and the others are slated for sewing soon. I can't wait to work on their faces and see them come to "life"!

Please be sure to visit Teddies Worldwide for more information about the show. You can sign up for a reminder e-mail there, too. (If you like, you can sign up for my mailing list in the box in the sidebar at right, and I'll send you a reminder e-mail about the show, as well as news about New Avenue Crew and notification when I have new bears available for adoption.)

Don't miss this fabulous show featuring holiday bears by 75 international artists!

I thought you would get a kick out of this picture of me and my Crew members at the Nevada City teddy bear convention in April 2001. Enjoy!

Fun Fur Facts Friday: Bears in Literature

2010-09-24T20:29:00.005-06:00

Growing up, I was a voracious reader. I remember stacks of books coming home from the library with us, and that's not including the books wedged tightly into every inch of the bookcase in the living room. I know that my parents fostered a love of the written word and illustrations in me very early on because they read to me. They may have tired or grown a bit raspy in voice, but that doesn't stick out in my memory. Their loving gift of reading to me does.

And now, I still love to read, but I also do it as a profession. I am a proofreader for an advertising agency, once again exposed each day to words and images. I love my job, but that's not why I'm writing this blog post for you today, dear reader. Today I would like to take you back to your childhood, when you heard the classics, the fairy tales, the Mother Goose rhymes. And I know there are images in your head that might be different from mine.

Bears have their place in literature and legend. I would like to explore that subject some more in the coming season, but today, I'd like to share an illustration that so masterfully brings to life one of the most-loved classic fairy tales, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, attributed to the Brothers Grimm.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Scott Gustafson

As I look at the details in this painting (click for a larger view) by Scott Gustafson, one of my favorite painters, the story comes flooding back. I can almost picture myself there as it unfolds, as Goldilocks uses the belongings of all three bears and then retires for a nap. Imagine her shocked surprise in the next instant to see these three bears scrutinizing her!

There are many different versions of the story written for children, with likely just as many different illustrations of the key scenes of the story. What scene sticks out the most in your mind?

Peekaboo!

2010-09-22T09:11:00.001-06:00

I couldn't resist giving you a sneak peek of a little white bear I'm working on. He is only a head at the moment; I haven't even designed his body, arms, and legs yet. But his personality is already apparent. He looks a little mischievous, perhaps impish, don't you think?

Ah. Can you see his little grin? He has been making me grin, too.

As I work on my bears' heads, I place them in antique teacups on my desk. That way, I can look at them critically to see what else needs to be done. Seeing their faces also helps motivate me to finish them.

Next step for this little guy is to shade his face, and then I'll get out my pencil and paper to design the rest of him. I'm so glad he's patient.

A World Awash with Color

2010-09-20T08:56:00.004-06:00

I've been finding lately that I've been enjoying color immensely. It's not that it wasn't there before, lurking in a shadow, warming up a cloud, beaming and refracting into a prismatic rainbow. No, I suppose it has always been around me, delighting my eyes, but recently I've been more aware of it.

I often cook a stew that is sort of this American's version of Ukrainian borscht.* (We adopted our daughters from Ukraine in 2009, and I loved the borscht in that beautiful, hospitable country!) As I cut the vegetables, the carrots and beets in particular tickle my eyes. Such wonderful color God has created in the simplest of things! So many vegetables and fruits are brightly colored, perhaps to alert us to those with the most nutritional punch.

In our home, we've added splashes of color here and there while leaving a lot of white to reflect the bright, sunny days we have so often here in Colorado. The sun peeking into the dining room and kitchen warms the curtains you see above--a dramatic backdrop for our culinary creations.

Of course, all this color awareness prompts me to use color in my teddy bear creations. My latest bear, Pumphrey the clown, has a beautiful combination of purple and gold. He is looking for a new adoptive home (see his post below), but is content for now to clown around the studio.

As I paw through my mohair fabrics to find the piece I will use for my next bear, I so enjoy seeing the colors and how they work with each other or even clash a bit. How can I use the flaming orange tipped piece? How can I use the red, the pink, the blue?

In my idea sessions for the bears I'll be making for the upcoming ONLINE Teddies Worldwide Holiday Bear Show, to which you are ALL invited, I've been dreaming in reds and golds and greens and twinkly ivory whites, and Christmas carols have been playing in my head. My bears are cut out, and the next task is to get my sewing machine humming. There's not much time until the show, happening November 20 and 21 (mark your calendars, and join the Crew's mailing list [use the box in the right-hand sidebar] to receive an e-mail reminder), so the fur has been flying here in the New Avenue Crew studio. But I can't reveal all the colors just yet!

*My borscht recipe is a simple one, and you can customize it to your tastes. Chop a bunch of the vegetables you like best (include some beets--they are required for borscht!). I use onion, celery, beets, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini and yellow squash, tomatoes, and green beans.

Saute onion and celery in a large pot in some coconut oil (a good fat) or butter over low to medium heat. When they are translucent or browned, whichever you prefer, add ground beef and brown. Then add homemade chicken or beef broth and your vegetables. I fill the pot with broth to just below the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for approximately 25 minutes (more or less depending on how done you like your vegetables).

Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with minced garlic and a dollop of sour cream (also very Ukrainian). When the soup has cooled a bit, you could also add some extra virgin olive oil for its rich taste and good nutrition. It's another good fat. Season to taste with sea salt. You could include some herbs while the soup is simmering, like dill (very Ukrainian) or thyme. Perhaps you would like to add freshly ground black pepper, too. Serve with some crusty bread, if you like. Enjoy!

Winner on Wednesday

2010-09-15T15:11:00.004-06:00

This morning, I had a new comment on my blog. Even though it was from Michelle Palmer, I didn't really think much of it. Lo and behold, I read the comment and discovered that I was the winner of her latest blog giveaway for a lovely journal with a bird and quotation illustrated by Michelle herself!

(This image copyright Michelle Palmer )

So beautiful! I love illustrations, and Michelle is so talented. I've been over the moon all day!

When I was 5 years old, my mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. She wrote the answer in my "school days diary," and I remember what I said to this day: an artist and a mommy. My first love (artwise, anyway) was drawing. I even earned a bachelor's degree in fine art, though my emphasis was in graphic design. And I had always loved stuffed animals, so when I discovered bear making, I was smitten. Lately, I've been picking up pencil and paper much more often to sketch teddy bears and their friends. Someday, I just might share them with you!

Please go visit Michelle's blog and her Etsy store to see her fabulous work. And let me (and her!) know what you think.

Thank you so much, Michelle!

Pumphrey the Clown

2010-09-09T14:16:00.008-06:00

Happy Teddy Bear Day to everyone! A friend of mine told me it was Teddy Bear Day today, and I thought it was so fitting to introduce you to the newest Crew member today. Please meet Pumphrey the clown, who I've affectionately been calling my "grand experiment":

Why is he a grand experiment? A few posts ago, I shared that I had the crazy notion one day to design a two-piece head pattern instead of the typical three-part head with gusset piece. I also decided I wanted this bear to have a ski-slope profile, so I put pencil to paper and came up with a pattern with darts top and bottom. After I cut the pieces out of mohair and stitched them up and stuffed them, I worked on the face. The head sat in an antique teacup on my desk during the process so I could look at him, and he at me. He looked so funny when he only had pin heads for eyes! When I finished Pumphrey's head and liked it, I designed his body and limbs.

I wanted him to be very different, so here also I didn't do my typical traditional-style bear. Pumphrey has shorter limbs and a longer body, perfect for a clown! He also has a little tail!

Pumphrey is named after my great-great-great uncle (there might be another great in there somewhere), whose middle name was Pumphrey. He and his wife, Imelda, were affectionately known as Aunt Meldie and Uncle Pun. Looking at their portrait and the twinkle in Uncle Pun's eye, I can just imagine how their nicknames fit.

Pumphrey the clown bear is 13 inches (33 centimeters) tall and made from curly matted tan Helmbold mohair and a lovely purple Schulte mohair. He has gold wool felt paw pads and black glass eyes, his nose and mouth are embroidered with pearl cotton, and I've given him light shading on his face. Pumphrey has his very own clown hat with a vintage flower button from the button box of one of my grandmothers or great aunts. He is stuffed with polyester stuffing and plastic pellets and has a wobble head joint for those quirky clown poses.

If you would like Pumphrey to come live with you and keep you entertained, visit the AVAILABLE BEARS page on this site.

I have very much enjoyed creating Pumphrey and having him around the studio. I have been posting updates about him on my Facebook page as I've been making him, and I know I've kept many of you in suspense waiting to see him. I'm glad I'm finally able to share him with you!

I hope you've enjoyed meeting Pumphrey the clown!

Note: You can click on the photos to see a larger version and more detail.

Ben, My "Oldie" Bear

2010-09-04T15:16:00.002-06:00

I'm happy to finally be able to introduce you to my "oldie" bear, Ben. This little Crew member is very special because he is the only one who actually lives on New Avenue. He arrived at my parents' home earlier this week, and my mom loves him.

It seems only fitting that Ben is living with my mom, because she is the one who found the short, soft, dense vintage upholstery mohair he is made from. She is also the one who introduced me to antique teddy bears and subsequently artist-made bears in the first place; we used to go to doll shows to look at the antique dolls she loved so much, and the teddy bears started appearing at those shows. I was smitten.

Mom has been asking me to make her a bear for years. Lest you think I'm a bad daughter, I want you to know that she had Oolong, the teatime kitty (pictured four posts below and in the sidebar), for a few years before giving him to my sister. And then I was in bear-making hibernation for a while, so there was no Crew member on New Avenue.

I started working on Ben many years ago, and he sat, partially completed, for quite a while. I always wanted him to appear to be older and well loved, so I took a deep breath and set to work "aging" him. You can see my brief post about the process called On Looking Old and Loved.

In the photos above, you can see Ben's worn areas, the "moth" holes in his wool felt paw pads, and the two little mending patches I sewed onto his arm and wrist. I made him a little shirt, too, my very first clothing design. (Did you know that I don't know how to sew clothes?) The shirt is adorned with antique buttons from one of my grandmas or great aunts.

I also took the plunge and aged his nose. I really like it!

Because he was completed on the fourth of July and has an Americana type of shirt, I decided to call him Ben after Benjamin Franklin. I thought he needed a sweet, simple name.

Before they each traveled to their new homes, I took a photo of Logan and Ben together. They are the two friends in the Quiet Conversations post below. I am glad they are both loved in their new homes.

Quiet Conversations

2010-09-04T14:36:00.002-06:00

I've been wanting to share this post from my old WordPress blog with you, and now is the perfect time. Please enjoy this post about quiet conversations.
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For the past few weeks, I have had my bears in progress sitting on my bed. Two of them always seem to end up in what looks like a conspiratorial pose, or one in which they are having a long chat or are looking lovingly into each others’ eyes…I always smile when I see them. I thought I would share a snapshot of them with you, even though they are not finished–a sneak peek at my sweet little chums in progress–and tell you what I think they might be discussing.

“Goodness, when do you think she will finally finish us?”

“I don’t know, but it’s been years in my case.”

“Mine, too!”

“Did you know that she is a proofreader during the day, and she’s a wife and mother, and she works on us in between everything else?”

“Oh! What’s a proofreader?”

“She makes sure that the written word sounds good, looks good…that kind of thing.”

“But why has it taken her so many years to make us?”

“She and her husband adopted their two teenage daughters last year. That took a long time.”

“I’m sure it did!”

“But you know, I’m really very glad she has come out of her bear-making hibernation so we can be loved and adopted one day, too!”

“Me, too!”

“By the way, though it has taken a few years for her to make you, she is going to ‘age’ you some more. Your fur is what they call ‘vintage’ upholstery mohair, and she has already given you some worn spots on your ear, forehead, and muzzle. Her mom collected antique dolls for many years, and so she became a fan of antique teddy bears. She has made one other ‘aged’ bear; he looked well loved. And that’s what she wants for you.”

“Oh! It must be a good thing to be loved.”

“I think it must be.”

Pattern Play

2010-08-19T15:24:00.003-06:00

Since I emerged this spring from my self-imposed hibernation* from bear making, I have discovered that I love creating new patterns. It is so satisfying to start with a piece of paper and an idea, then take a flat piece of fabric and turn it into a three-dimensional little "soul" that looks at you so lovingly.

When I dug out my bear-making materials earlier this year, I found four bears waiting to be finished, three of whom had faces that looked up at me so trustingly. So sorry I made you wait, little ones! The biggest one, my very patient big brown batik bear, needed a smaller body and some limbs, so I set to work. A sketch here, a test body out of paper towels there, and I had what I thought would be a good size to go with his head. Same thing with the limbs, though I didn't make paper towel tests for them. (It all sounds so easy and breezy, but there's a lot of drawing, erasing, testing for fit, and so on in pattern making.) The batik bear is now jointed and mostly stuffed. I think I haven't completely finished him yet because I love him and would like to keep him around a little while longer.

Because I like the batik bear so much, I decided I needed to make a smaller size version of his pattern. Once that was finished, I cut the pieces out of beautiful wavy distressed pink mohair. Now I need to trim the fur from the seams and sew her up!

And then I got a wild hare of an idea and decided to design something completely out of the norm for me. Two somethings, in fact.

The first is a first for me: a rabbit. Can you believe that in 14 years of bear making I haven't made a rabbit before? I've designed and made three cats and even a pig, but not a rabbit. So I gathered photos of rabbits--so cute--and designed the rabbit's head. But I haven't gone farther than that with the pattern design. If you look closely at the two photos of my desk in the post that shows where I create, you can see it. It's only a sewn furry "envelope" in the pictures, but now it's stuffed and has test eyes in position. Nothing else. So funny but endearing at the same time.

And the second is what I'm calling my grand experiment. Why is he my grand experiment? Because he is such a departure from my usual designs. He has...drumroll, please...a two-piece head. Yes, you read that right. There's no middle gusset piece. He also has a different body and limb style than my usual bears. Right now, he is waiting for me to tighten his limb joints, just lounging here on my desk looking cute. I can't show him to you just yet, but when he's finished, he will appear here on the New Avenue Crew blog. I like him. I hope you will, too.

*By the way, I plan to stay OUT of hibernation. I am enjoying playing with the fur and fluff far too much to give it up, and I plan to create my Crew members for a long time to come. I've found that I really do have a need to create, whether it's sketching, writing, or making a teddy bear "come to life" with my hands. I believe that's the way God wired me!

Inspiring Finds: Cute and Creative

2010-08-07T12:56:00.000-06:00

Back in May, I posted about some inspiring finds in Prims magazine. Susan Pilotto of Crowsnest Pass Primitive Folk Art is one creative lady! I so enjoy her little creations, and I know you will, too. She is having a blog giveaway for this darling little mouse on a spool. Pop on over to visit and enter!

It Runs in the Family

2010-08-04T22:02:00.007-06:00

Recently, my sister took some photos of Oolong, her New Avenue Crew teatime kitty, who I created in 2002. They came out cute!

Oolong playing on a family heirloom quilt

What I really liked was that she set the cat on some antique family quilts in her photo session. She mentioned that the quilts were likely made by our great-grandma Carrie Engle. So the stitching passion runs in the family. On both sides, even. My mom was always sewing something when I was young...sure wish she had taught me to sew clothes! But you know, I wasn't much interested in sewing. And now, here I am, creating my Crew members. I have always loved stuffed animals, particularly teddy bears, and now I get to bring them to "life" by sewing. How about you?

Oolong showing off the stitched kitten on another family quilt

Borealis

2010-07-24T21:28:00.001-06:00

I'm happy to introduce you to the newest Crew member: Borealis.

Though he is white, he is not a polar bear--he is a kermode bear. (See the post below this one for some photos of kermode bears.)

Kermode bears are not albinos; they are a rare white phase of the North American black bear. They are striking!

Borealis is named after the aurora borealis or northern lights that are sometimes visible in the night sky in the kermode bear's home range of western Canada and Alaska.

His multicolored nose reflects the beautiful colors of the aurora borealis.

Borealis stands 8.5 inches (21.59 centimeters) tall, is made from an ivory-toned alpaca, and has black glass eyes. He sports pulled fingers and toes and needle-sculpted pads of Ultrasuede.

He is five-way jointed, has a hand-embroidered nose, and is stuffed with polyester fiber and glass beads for a nice weight. I have carefully added some light shading to enhance his features. Borealis comes with his fish pendant, which is accented with two small stones.

Borealis is available for adoption directly from me for $135 plus shipping. Send me an e-mail if you would like Borealis to come live with you.

Update: Borealis has found a new home! He has been adopted and will be going to live with a very sweet girl in Minnesota.

I hope you have enjoyed meeting Borealis. I've enjoyed creating him and having him around the studio; he looks cute nestled with the bigger bears. He will likely be my last small bear for a while--small bears make my eyes work extra hard!

Fun Fur Facts Friday

2010-07-09T09:45:00.000-06:00

In our last fun fur facts Friday, we took a look at polar bears, which I just love. Today, let's take a look at...

photo from www.alaska-in-pictures.com

...no, it's not another polar bear. This, dear reader, is what's known as a kermode bear or spirit bear.

This rare white bear is actually a subspecies of the black bear. It is not an albino. Perhaps it is the result of a recessive gene.

photo from www.ursafreedomproject.ning.com

Kermode bears are found only on the west coast of Canada and up into Alaska. Scientists estimate there are 1,200 black and white kermode bears in the coast area that stretches from around the northern tip of Vancouver Island northwards to the Alaska panhandle. On Gribbell Island, up to 30 percent of the bears can be white, while on the larger Princess Royal Island, about 10 percent have the white coat.

Kermode bears are so beautiful. I hope you've enjoyed learning a little bit about this elusive white bear.

photo from www.nickgarbutt.com

Source: http://www.bcspiritbear.com/

Logan

2010-07-07T11:00:00.002-06:00

I’m so happy to introduce you to a special bear named Logan. Here is his story.

For many years, I had set bear making aside. In 2006, I took a bear to sew at a craft Saturday at church. Elaine, a dear friend, approached me about making a bear for her 5-year-old granddaughter, Logan, who was struggling with aplastic anemia. I enjoyed working on a bear again and completed Geneva (my grandmother’s middle name) in time for Elaine to give her to Logan for her 6th birthday.

Sadly, sweet little Logan lost her battle with her illness in March of 2007. She is now with Jesus and experiencing a life we can only imagine. Geneva was the last bear I completed until this year.

In memory of Logan, I decided to name the first bear I completed after her. And so, Logan the bear was born earlier this year.

Logan the bear wears a photo pendant and a key tied over his heart with blue silk ribbon. The pendant holds a photo of Geneva, Logan’s bear. The key says LIFE to celebrate Logan’s life on earth and in heaven.

And Logan the bear comes with a small wooden frame that holds a copy of a drawing of a bear done by Logan herself.

Logan the bear stands 10.5 inches (26.67 centimeters) tall, is made from a lovely peach-toned Schulte kid mohair with a hint of a blush, and has matching Ultrasuede paw pads. He is five-way jointed, has a hand-embroidered nose in pearl cotton, sports black glass eyes, and is stuffed with polyester fiber and plastic pellets for a good weight. I have carefully added some light shading to enhance his features.

Logan is available for adoption for $185 plus shipping. If you would like Logan to come live with you, send me an e-mail.

Update: Teddy Logan has found a new home! He is being adopted and will be going to live in Virginia.

I hope you have enjoyed meeting Logan the bear. I’ve enjoyed creating him and having him around the studio.

For more of young Logan’s story, be sure to visit her Caring Bridge website: Logan's Race.

Fun Fur Facts Friday

2010-06-25T09:45:00.002-06:00

Today is Friday, so I thought I would share a fun fur fact or two with you.

I love to watch polar bears and their antics at the zoo, playing in the water and with their huge rubber balls. It would be fascinating to see them in the wild, but I have a hard time being in such cold weather. Polar bears are so strikingly beautiful because they have such lovely white fur. Or do they?

Polar bear fur has long guard hairs that protect the dense insulating undercoat. These guard hairs are hollow and transparent, not white. The undercoat hairs are not hollow, but they are also colorless. The white appearance of the fur is from the air spaces in each hair scattering light of all colors, much like what happens with ice and snow. Our eyes see white when something reflects back to us all colors of the visible wavelengths of light instead of absorbing some of the wavelengths.

Ah, the fascinating polar bear. Did you know that a polar bear's skin is black?

Yes, it's true. You can see from the feet of the bear at right that their skin is black. Underneath, there is a layer of fat, or blubber, that can be 4.5 inches (11.5 centimeters) thick. This and their dense fur prevent polar bears from losing heat. In fact, adult males can quickly overheat when they run.

I think I will go spend some more time on the Polar Bears International site. I just love polar bears! I am making a little ivory/white bear right now (he's pictured in the Bears in the Works photo in the right sidebar), and though he's not technically a polar bear, I enjoy working with the lovely soft white alpaca fur.

[Sources: Library of Congress, Everyday Mysteries and Polar Bears International, Bear Essentials, Polar Style]

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T23:11:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post to say Happy Father's Day to three great gentlemen: my dad, my husband, and my father-in-law. I love you all!

This is Garth's second Father's Day (he celebrated the first one in Ukraine last year when we were adopting the girls), and I have to tell you that he is a wonderful father. He is patient and kind and seeks to do the right thing, even if the girls are being disrespectful.

So, no photos right at the moment (I need to head off to bed!), but lots of love to Roger, Garth, and Richard!

It's a Blog Party: Where Bloggers Create II

2010-06-19T00:32:00.003-06:00

The time has come for a blog party...a very big blog party! Welcome to Where Bloggers Create II, hosted by Karen Valentine of My Desert Cottage. (Note: There is now a blog that archives all the party participants' blog posts so you can visit them whenever you like: Where Bloggers Create.)

I am so glad you dropped in for a visit. Come on in, and I'll show you where I create! But first, let me tell you just what it is that I create.

I design and hand make original soft sculpture teddy bears and other works in my home studio. Though they are not meant for children because of the small parts, I hope the members of New Avenue Crew remind you of the joyful parts of your childhood and help you remain a kid at heart. (Pictured above is Herr Grünhosen, one of my favorites, who was adopted by a lovely lady.)

And now, on to our tour!

Out here in the Wild, Wild West of Colorado, there are wide open spaces for wide open thinking. I enjoy this bright, sunny room and its mostly empty floor space for thinking about new designs, occasional sewing, stuffing bears, oh, and...

...spreading out.

Here you can see many of my pieces of mohair and alpaca, which is the "fur" I use for my bears. These fabrics feel so lush and soft.

Sometimes ideas come just from seeing and feeling a piece of mohair and its texture, color, and finish. (Mohair fabric is made from the hair of the angora goat. The goat is shorn, and the hair is cleaned and carded much like wool would be. Then it is spun and woven into a cotton backing before being treated to a dye bath and texturing techniques.)

I have had this particular piece of mohair for many years. Holding it makes me think I would like to make a sweet, traditional-styled bear from it.

And then there are the bold colors. This orangy one makes me think: clown bear.

Most of the time, my mohair stash is kept neatly folded in boxes. But it is fun to spread out on occasion!

Come on in to the family room and my favorite chair.

Here, I can draw out my ideas and sketch and doodle away. Drawing is a lifelong pastime for me. You'll often see me here accompanied by a cup of tea and a bear or two. I've even been known to stuff bears here, and you can occasionally find me sitting on the floor surrounded by bags of stuffing, plastic pellets, and excelsior (wood wool), bear and stuffing tools at hand.

Let's climb the stairs now. I understand if you're a little winded at the top; we live at approximately 6,700 feet above sea level!

This is the loft, where many ideas become reality. I work on my sketches here, draw out pattern pieces, cut the pieces from fur, and write my blog. (I also work here full-time as a proofreader for a fabulous advertising firm, Garrigan Lyman.) Of course, my desk isn't always so neat and tidy.

It usually looks a little more like this when I'm in the middle of an idea session. You should see it when the fur's flying!

The loft is also a favorite place to get down on the floor with fabrics and stuffing materials and to be inspired by the old playthings that belonged first to my uncle (the big bear) and my mother before I played with them as a child. I remember taking Uncle Bill's bear out to the sandbox with me. Such a patient bear! Yes, the Steiff truck is new--from the '80s?--as is the little brown bear, but they belong together. And the coat? I believe my mom made it when she was a girl. My dollies wore it when I was young.

Let's wander down the hall to what's officially known around our house as "the studio." I share this space with my sweet husband, who likes to paint landscape paintings when he has the chance. (You can see one of his paintings above my favorite chair, above.)

Here, armed with my trusty Pfaff Hobby sewing machine, I sew my bears' parts. (A bit of trivia for you: a basic traditionally styled teddy bear typically has 21 pieces that need to be sewn together.) After a few frustrating years of using hand-me-down sewing machines that liked to create huge thread balls on the back of my mohair, my wonderful husband bought me this Pfaff shortly after we were married. Bless his heart!

Teddy bears need a lot of hand sewing, too: embroidering the nose, attaching the ears, closing the body and limbs after stuffing, and more. You can find me in any of these spots around the house doing handwork if there's enough light. And sometimes, I'll sew outside in the sunshine.

Back in the loft with sweet Logan the bear is where we'll part--for now. Very soon, I'll share Logan's special story with you here on the blog. And, I'm excited to say, I'll also be offering a few of my bears for adoption very soon. Three of them have made appearances in this blog post. They just couldn't pass up such a fun party.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to New Avenue Crew's studio. We sure enjoyed having you! Please feel free to make yourself comfortable and stay for a while. (Here is the link to the full New Avenue Crew blog. We hope you'll become a follower and come back to visit often!) And be sure to visit the archived party blog so you can see more places where bloggers create. Thank you, Karen, for putting together such a fun event!

Party Preparations

2010-06-17T10:34:00.000-06:00

I've enjoyed arranging and rearranging things for my photos for the Where Bloggers Create II party. And I admit to a little cleaning for your benefit; one must clean when one will be having guests! The work table still appears a little fuzzy and fluffy, but I know you'll forgive that because it's all a part of making bears.

I hope you'll drop in here on Saturday to visit the New Avenue Crew studio. The bears and I are eager to show you around. And be sure to visit the blog link above for the other party participants. This will be such fun! I hear there will be an archive blog after the event, so you won't miss the festivities if you're away this weekend.

See you Saturday!

Inspiring Finds

2010-06-10T20:17:00.030-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about inspiration lately as I've been drawing out new ideas and working on new designs. What inspires me to create? I am inspired quite often simply by the beauty of the world God has created. I see some of the rugged Rocky Mountains out my window--a real treat. A friend is adopting two kittens soon and sent me pictures; little furries are always inspiring. I love to see "the real thing" and take that as inspiration in my own designs. Recently, I've been looking at pictures of a particular animal so I can design my own...to be revealed all in good time. Only when it's just right will it be a Crew member!

Color and texture, fabric and thread, posture and shape, design and detail are also inspiring for me of late. I am eager to jump into new areas with color and fabric and texture and shape and detail this year. There are two artists who have been inspiring me lately that I would like to introduce to you. You may already know them; I have been familiar with their work for years, but only recently have I gotten to know them online. These two sweet ladies have been very encouraging to me.

Earlier in the spring of this year, I stumbled upon Lori Ann Corelis's blog, the Spotted Hare. Lori Ann is a treasure trove of inspiration! What she does with wool felt and mohair and thread is fantastic. Her use of color and pattern and texture is helping me think in new directions. Hop on over to her blog to see her darling creations, her fabrics and trims, her outings, her finds, and even the rabbits in her kitchen garden.

Another new find is Donna Griffin's blog, Donna and the Bears. Donna is not afraid to use bold color in her creations, and she is making bears on a small scale these days. Her 4-inch butterfly bear Allistar is the cover boy on the latest issue of Teddy Bear Review, and it contains a feature article about Donna, to boot. Though I won't be making smaller bears (my eyes and hands just don't cooperate in such an endeavor), I would like to incorporate some more color in my work.

Both of these ladies are so lovely, and it's been a pleasure meeting them. Thank you for the inspiration and for your encouragement, Lori Ann and Donna!

Speaking of inspiration, there are so many creative bloggers out there. Whether they make bears or rabbits or dolls, collect antiques, decorate their homes, take photos, or write stories, their creativity is inspiring. I've found that I enjoy seeing their blogs, particulary when they share where they create, and I know that others do, too. There's a party coming up that celebrates where bloggers create:

I have taken the plunge and signed up to be part of the festivities on June 19, 2010. (Click the image above to go to the host blog and find out more.) So now I need to get out the camera and have a little fun. Hope you'll drop in on the party on the 19th to see where I and more than 399 others create.

On Seeing Clearly

2010-05-31T20:18:00.007-06:00

My eyes and I get along just fine most of the time. I can proofread all day on the computer, fix dinner, go for a walk, read a story in a magazine, and so on without much trouble. But come time to do something that's truly close up, something I really like to do, like drawing or making teddy bears, and my eyes and I don't get along so well.

I first noticed that I had a big problem in 2001 when I was making Ha Lee (the Christmas panda pictured in the sidebar). My eyes had a lot of trouble staying focused on the close-up work I was doing on her. I had to look up a lot and got quite frustrated because I was working against a deadline for sending a picture of her to Teddy Bear and Friends magazine for their Christmas bears feature. (Happily, I was able to finish Ha Lee, and she was chosen to travel to the TB&F offices for a photo session. That was the first time one of my bears appeared in a full-color teddy bear magazine--what a thrill!)

A few times since then, I have put my bear making on hold because of my eyes and other life events, such as adopting our girls from Ukraine. But a few months ago, I was bitten by the bear bug--hard, suddenly, and out of the blue--and found I had to make my bears again. I missed being creative! I missed all the fur and fluff! I missed the sweet little faces looking up at me! And I missed the friends I had made, both artists and collectors, in real life and on the internet.

Now that I am a few years older, my eye problems haven't disappeared, but a few weeks ago, I got new glasses. (There I am, at left, in my new glasses. Like them? And with me is my little bear friend, the first bear I've completed in nearly four years. I'm out of hibernation now!) To my delight, my new glasses have helped a lot in my close-up work. And another great tool I've discovered is the sun: when I can sit in a sunny window or outside and sew a seam closed or shade a bear's face or perform some other close-up work, I find I can see it ever so much better in the sunlight than under all the indoor light I can shine on the subject.

This weekend, I have been creative, worked on my bears, played in the fur and fluff, enjoyed the little faces looking up at me, and made some new friends. These new friends are teddy bear artists who live right here in Colorado. Thank you to Michelle Lamb of One and Only Bears and Stephanie Sarsfield of Sassy Bears and Fabrics for putting on an event called a BearBee (reminds me of a quilting bee).

It was such a treat to meet teddy bear artists Michelle Lamb, Tami Lahey, Beth Hutchison, Kelly Dauterman, and Stephanie Sarsfield. (There was another lady there for a short time whose name I didn't catch--shame on me!*) I didn't get a picture until the very end, so not everyone is pictured, but here we are: Beth, Debora, Michelle, Stephanie.

We had a great time talking, eating, shopping, working on our bears, and sharing our creations with each other. Because there are no bear shows in this area, and the last one I exhibited at was in 2002, I haven't seen another artist's work in person in about eight years. I was delighted to hold these special bears, some so tiny, some so large, some very teddy, some very realistic complete with claws, and some award nominees/winners.

Thank you, Stephanie and Michelle, for the BearBee.

Thank you, dear eye doctor, for helping me see more clearly.

And a huge thank you to those who have sacrificed so our country remains free. God bless America this Memorial Day and every day.

*Update: Her name is Kim Klintz! Thank you, Kim, for leaving a comment so I know your name. It was lovely meeting you--I want to see your bears next time!

Teddy Bear Tidbit Tuesday

2010-05-18T09:48:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Teddy Bear Tidbit Tuesday, wherein I share with you a tidbit from teddy bear lore. On New Avenue Crew's previous blog, I shared a teddy bear tidbit about the origins of our beloved teddy bears. Today, because many of you may be new to the bear world, I would like to share with you just what a handcrafted or "artist" teddy bear is.

I am not sure if there is a true definition of artist bear floating around out there somewhere, but this is how I define it: a teddy bear that is designed and handmade by one person, from preliminary sketch to pattern to final primping. There are bears out there that are manufactured by a company, and certainly someone is the designer, and most assuredly, someone works on that bear by hand at some stage, but the process is not the same, the uniqueness and intimacy of having one creator are not present.

Bravely appearing on the Crew's blog at right is J. Cub, one of my early bears (made in 1997), named by my sister. He still lives with me because I couldn't bear to part with him. After I made him, I started changing his pattern with each bear I made, and I subsequently abandoned that pattern for new designs. But he has a special place in my heart. A second J. Cub (who bore only a family resemblance to the first one) was adopted and went to live in Japan. That was a thrill for me!

There are so many teddy bear artists at work today all over the world. Some of their blogs are listed at the bottom of the sidebar at right--go on and have a visit. I have been so amazed by the artistry that has been on display lately. A great place to visit in addition to bear artists' blogs is Teddy Talk and its Teddy Bears and Other Friends section. Please let me know if you visit the blogs and Teddy Talk and what you find. I love to hear from you, dear reader!

I have many other tidbits about artist bears I would like to share with you, such as what they are made from, what the bear making process entails, and so on, but those tidbits will be the subjects of further installments of Teddy Bear Tidbit Tuesday. If you have any questions about artist bears, ask away; there's no need to be shy. We're friendly here in the Crew's den, especially J. Cub; he fancies himself something of an expert. It might be due to his "advanced" age and status in the studio.

Inspiring Finds

2010-05-14T08:33:00.004-06:00

Lately, I have been inspired in my bear making and other artsy pursuits by so many things I've found here and there. One of my inspirations is the work of other artists, whether they make teddy bears or dolls or other fiber arts, or even paintings. I am also inspired by things that are antique, vintage, or just plain old. My mom always had old things on display in her house; she inherited a lot of it from her Aunt Lily. I remember hearing, "That was Aunt Lily's" or "Remember when we went to Aunt Lily's house to go through her things after she passed away?" And though I was very young, I do vaguely remember us (Mom, Grandma, and I) going through Aunt Lily's things at her big old house...though I probably played more than I helped!

The premier issue of the magazine Prims is one place where I've found a treasure trove of inspiration. The layout of the pages, the little details in the photographs, the artists' inspiration and imagination, their techniques and supplies--it all comes to life in this volume, which is more like a keepsake than a magazine. It is printed on high-quality paper that feels thick in my hands, and it is priced higher to indicate the quality and encourage the reader to keep it.

Though I am not "into" dolls, the dolls in this magazine are inspiring in their details. A few of the artists use antique fabrics to adorn their work, though they say they have a very hard time cutting such materials. I understand that: it was hard for me to cut into my first piece of mohair because it was such expensive fabric. And now that I've jumped back into bear making, I have noticed that the prices for my favorite mohairs are about $100 more per yard!

Two artists featured in Prims really appeal to me, and I am finding that I'm having more ideas for unconventional (for me) and "aged" pieces: Karen Brady Hammontree of Brady Bears and Susan Pilotto of Crowsnest Pass Primitive Folk Art. (Both are listed in my sidebar of bear artists and other creative sorts.) Be sure to visit their blogs to see their creations.

With the little "aged" bear I'm making, I know I need to be brave as I age him. Honestly, it is not easy to rough up a sweet little thing who looks up at you so innocently. I tell myself that the bears don't feel anything while I'm making them, though! I'm the sort who had trouble as a child putting anything with a face up into the attic for storage. Are any of you like me? And one day, I understood my angst a bit better, when Mom and I were going through a trunk in my Great-Aunt Milly's attic: I discovered an antique electric eye teddy bear! Of course, I though about his feelings being in the trunk so many years...and now, I wonder how he'll feel when Mom plucks him from my childhood bedroom and sends him to me in the mail. There must be a story in there somewhere waiting to be written.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T12:15:00.000-06:00

Happy Mother's Day to my very beautiful mom! You shaped me during my formative years on New Avenue and loved me always, whether I was lovable or not. You shared your love of sewing, antique dolls and other antiques, crafts, music, and laughter. Thank you for everything--I love you!

And Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! Today is my very first Mother's Day as a mother. Though being a mom is not quite what I thought it would be, I thank the Lord for His blessings and His patience with me.

Blessings and bear hugs to you today!

It's Moving Day! Welcome to Our New Blog Home!

2010-05-08T09:11:00.004-06:00

The big day has finally arrived. The "old" blog has been packed up and moved here to the Crew's new home on Blogger, which I've been decorating to make it more homey. I'm sure I will be making adjustments every now and then; a home is never truly finished, is it? Hang a picture here, move the couch there...

You may have noticed that there are navigation elements under the top photo; they will take you to other pages of the blog, just like a regular website. I know I will add more of them! You may have also noticed that there are some fun gadgets in the sidebar, such as a place where you can follow the Crew's blog with a simple click of the Follow button, a Facebook badge that lets you "like" my new page on Facebook, Twitter for reading my tweets, the Guild of Master Bearcrafters, and more.

Gosh, this has been fun! Maybe someday I will be able to decorate my studio. Right now, my studio is all over the house, wherever I happen to be. Sometimes I'm sitting on the floor; sometimes I'm at one of the computer tables, cutting, trimming, trying to keep fur away from the electronics; and sometimes I might be at the dining room table. But I'm glad to have these spaces to work in.

And you, dear reader, have had a hand in making our new blog home more homey. I just want to take this opportunity to say thank you for peeking in on us here and for writing such lovely comments. You have been so encouraging to me, and, as my sweet grandma used to say, I thank you! I thank you! I thank you!

And now, without further ado, I am taking the rest of the day to work hard on my patient little bears. Proofreader by day, bear maker by weekend, illustrator in between, exhausted by night. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sprucing Up the Place

2010-05-04T14:23:00.000-06:00

Would that painting and wallpapering one's home were so easy! Some of you may have noticed that I have been trying out different blog backgrounds recently as I've been decorating the Crew's new blog home...you may have even popped in while I was in the middle of the process. I am happy to report that I found some lovely free blog themes out there! Should you be curious and wish to give your own blog a face-lift, I am happy to share the three sites whose backgrounds I enjoyed trying out on my blog:

(You don't have a blog yet? Simply visit Blogger.com and follow the prompts.)

And now to the job of packing up my old blog in anticipation of moving day. Can't wait to hang pictures!

On Looking Old and Loved

2010-05-02T22:32:00.001-06:00

Aging doesn't come naturally to me. I am hesitant. I am far from brave. A dash of color here, a trim there, some sandpaper...

Dear readers, please don't be alarmed. I am talking about aging the little bear who's pictured in the post below (on the left) and having a quiet conversation on my other blog. When I'm facing a little bear with scissors, some form of stain, and fine-grain sandpaper, it sometimes seems that I should apologize to the little soul before I begin, during the process, and even afterward. And, not being the brave sort, I hesitate to go too far, because, gulp, the fur doesn't grow back!

Last night before bed, my daughter entered the room where I was working on aging the little bear. She said, "Oh, he's cute!" and asked to hold him. When she saw him up close, she exclaimed, "He looks old!" I just smiled and told her that's what I was aiming for. I only hope I can get the "loved" part in there, too.

In the Beginning...

2010-05-01T09:04:00.001-06:00

...I made a blog for New Avenue Crew on WordPress. Well, let me back up a bit.

In 1996, I designed my first teddy bear pattern and made a bear from synthetic plush from the fabric store. I then moved to using mostly mohair because it was so much easier to work with and gave such a beautiful finished look. Many bears emerged from the studio on New Avenue and found adoptive parents. (In 1999, I got married and moved away from New Avenue, but the love and legacy of my happy childhood is passed along through each of my Crew members. To find out a little more about me and New Avenue Crew, click the About the Crew tab above.)

A few years into my bear making, I set up a website on Geocities, and then at Newavenuecrew.com, my very own domain and home on the web. I really enjoyed meeting collectors and bear artists and sharing my creations and Fun Fur Facts with others. A few years in, because money was tight, I naively took down the site, losing my URL in the process. (I still regret that decision, and I don’t have the nearly $3,000 it would take to buy back my domain.) And then, Geocities ceased operation in late 2009. I know that many people figured I had disappeared, never to appear again!

Enter blogging. I started a WordPress blog in November 2006 and didn't do much with it at first. But then, as the bear bug bit me again, I started writing and sharing photos and bits of my life. I really enjoy writing and creating and making friends, and blogging is a great forum for doing so. But I've found that WordPress is not so easy to use and is not very customizable...

All this is to say that I'm planning to move my blog from WordPress here to Blogger soon. There are things to be worked out here, like a blog theme/design and such, but I'm excited about the possibilities. I hope you'll join me here and consider following my musings from the New Avenue Crew studio (there's a place to become a follower in the sidebar at right). And when there's a bear or other creation available for adoption, you'll find out about it here on the blog--or join my mailing list to be one of the very first to know!

In fact, here's a sneak peek at two little bears in the works. Visit my other blog to hear their quiet conversation.