Winner on Wednesday

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!

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

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.