Happy Halloween

I took a photo of the snow that we had on Tuesday, it is at rather a strange angle as I was hanging out the lounge window to get the best shot of the buildings across the road, the weather has been rather cold and icy since the snow but I am enjoying it.
Managed to find another pumpkin to carve for tonight, I am very happy, and it didn't take me as long to do the second time - felt a bit more confident about the whole thing.. Will have to take some more photos from outside tonight.
I have a new little boy bear on ebay. His name is 'BLUE' and I just love this side profile picture of him. If you have a minute please go and have a look.

Snow

No pictures today. I am so excited and it is so stupid but it snowed here tonight. It actually got pretty bad and we had a snow storm, there where huge big snow flakes and and it was from about 8:00 to 11:30pm. Unfortunately it is now raining and being so dark I couldn't take any photos but I am hoping the snow will still be on the roof's of the buildings tomorrow morning. Do I sound like a typical South African getting so excited about snow?

I am very grateful for the central heating because it is rather icy outside, watched two cyclists trying to get home and they where really battling, luckily Austin took the tube home after his Army meeting tonight so he didn't have to deal with that.

The week so far has been pretty quite, just working on bears. I had to consign my pumpkin to the dustbin as he was getting mouldy, all this wet weather hasn't helped. Poor pumpkin, I miss him. And now I can't get another one from the supermarket. I am hoping they will get more in before Friday because I really want to have a proper Halloween party and you just have to have a carved pumpkin.

The other thing that I have to get used to is the clocks turned back an hour on Sunday so it is light early in the morning and it is getting dark at 5:00 in the afternoon. I keep on having to tell myself that just because it is dark doesn't mean that it is night time and time to think about making dinner and going to bed.

The UK Teddy Bear Guide 2009 came in the post a couple of days ago and it is so strange to see our advert with a UK address, we have been advertising in the book for at least 12 years and it suddenly brings it home to me that we have made some huge changes this year.

Off to bed now and hopefully I will have some nice pictures to share tomorrow.

Now that my parents have managed to sell their house it is full steam ahead with the relocation plans. Of course we would decide to put the house on the market at the worst time, but at last things are happening.
I wanted to go home for Christmas and also now it is the perfect time to help them pack and move but I had a terrible time trying to find a flight home. The travel agent said I should have booked a ticket in May to get a cheap flight to South Africa, but hell in May I was still there and not thinking about flying home! So after much searching and many terrifying prices upwards of £1500 we managed to find a flight for £892. I will be away for a month, that is what makes the price cheaper ha ha but I will be there to help them through all the upheaval.

The cats can only leave the country on the 8th February so Wendy had to find somewhere to stay for a month as they have to be out of the house at the beginning of January - already difficulties arise! So for a month they will be staying in Pringle Bay about 1 1/2 hours outside of Cape Town and then it is off to France. We have managed to find a lovely house to rent in Brittany for 7 months while the cats and dog get their passports. We just can't put our furry children in quarantine for 6 months so this is the best solution.

In the meantime life goes on around all the drama and I am finally living in a country that celebrates my almost favourite holiday HALLOWEEN (can't decide between Halloween and Christmas)
I brought a pumpkin to carve and given my accidents with knives Austin followed the instructions on the label to the letter and made sure I had adult supervision. I am so pleased with the results and every night he sits in the window with a candle burning inside, don't know if anyone can see him as we are on the second floor but I am very happy.


The fresh pumpkin, I really don't like pumpkin so the smell took some getting used to.

I want to take some pictures from outside at night so I can get the proper effect with the light coming through .

I had an order for a tiny 2" Alfonzo lookalike and I think he came out well. It really isn't easy dressing such tiny bears, most of the fabrics just fall apart when you try and stitch them.
This is my new bear on eBay. One last one before it gets to late to post them off. I had a lot of fun knitting the jersey for her, it has pumpkins on the sleeves and it didn't take as long as I thought it would.
I am doing another teddy bear fair here in London, Wendy and I had a table at this show in 1996 but have just never managed to be here at the right time to do it again, so we thought we would give it a try again now.
The London International Antique and Artist Dolls, Toys, Miniatures and Teddy Bear Fair is on the 16th November at the Kensington Town Hall and I think it will be fun to do. So I am now busy making bears for the show and orders, I am always grateful that we are busy and have loyal collectors who still buy our bears even when the economy is getting bad.

It seems as if I have been hibernating for the past month, I can't believe so much time has gone by. A very familiar refrain from me.
Wendy and I had a bit of time together to go out shopping and such, but not much as I had to go to work and she had to stitch bears for orders. Nothing like saying, I went to London for 3 weeks and all I got to see was the inside of the flat because I was so busy working, but that is what happens in the life of a teddy bear artist.
Finally sat down and sorted the photos out. So first up we have the Hugglets bear fair, a whole month ago but it is still nice to see the pictures.





Wendy had to go home on the 29th and I miss her already. We have been very spoilt over the years, we worked together in our studio, drove each other mad sometimes, but we had someone to talk to. Teddy bear making is a lonely business and it was nice to sit stitching and talk about setting the world to rights and boy do I miss the times when I could just say to her, I just can't seem to get this bear to look right, do you have any suggestions.
Thank goodness for the Internet, almost instant communication. Some very funny pics have been sent back and forth, with captions of 'do you think my ears look okay here' Then of course I think I am BT's favourite new customer, luckily the telephone bills haven't been too bad and there is only an hours time difference.

The weather has been giving me an idea of what I have to get used to in winter. We have suddenly gone from summer to winter with nothing in between. I am learning the joys of central heating and how to be prepared for days of rain. Cape Town was good practice for this climate as it has winter rainfall and rains for days. The rain here is so gentle and the wind is almost non-existent so have quickly acclimatised.
This beautiful rainbow came out after 4 days of rain, of course we have to have the eternal TV aerial in the way.
Two of the bears almost finished for an order and waiting by the window, wondering when it is going to stop raining so their photo can be taken.
This is my little balcony garden. Wendy helped me to re pot everything and it is looking so lovely. A squirrel has taken to visiting a couple of times. Wendy saw him when she was here but I only finally saw him yesterday when he leapt off the roof onto the railing and looked at me through the window. He must be a real urban warrior as there is not a tree to be had in this entire road. We are not far from Hampstead Heath but it is still an awfully long way for such a tiny creature to travel. The little bugger has tried to dig a hole in the one pot, I don't know whether he is trying to bury something or trying to dig up the roots.
Austin, Yoon-Mi and I went to the Hadrian exhibition at the British Museum on Saturday and had a really nice time. The museum building is magnificent and I had to take a couple of pictures. You can't take any pictures inside the actual exhibit but it was so incredible seeing all the old statues and artifacts. It took us almost 3 hours to see everything, I was very taken with a carved marble column, it was so intricately done and covered with leaves and animals, just perfect for a garden.


Austin and Yoon-Mi waiting in front of the museum.