Just for Derrick

I wasn't sure which one you meant Derrick so here's both...hopefully they will both work!

Lights, Camera, Action.

Work continues apace at the Studio as we trot on taking hundreds of photographs for the upcoming online shop. I suppose one of the drawbacks of Her Ladyship making unique items is that everything must be photographed separately although I am rather enjoying setting up the scenery for the backdrops...would you like a taster?

The Bears had a great deal of fun with the little sewing machine although Herbeart had a very close shave with the scissors. I told him not to run about but he wouldn’t listen, he’s almost as bad as Bramling.

The prop for these lovely silver bracelets is a piece of petrified tree that is more than 300 million years old...that's even older than my Great Grandfather!

New Year New Projects.

I say it has been very quiet at the Studio.
I don't mean customer wise, I mean Her Ladyship has been typing away on the laptop for days now sorting out the text for the new online shop (I would say "coming soon" but there is still much to be done).
There is an exciting big box sitting in the corner waiting to be opened once all the writing is finished...I believe it contains a small but perfectly formed lighting kit for us to photograph all the stock for the shop.
It's going to be quite a marathon session believe me as there are an awful lot of things to be photographed especially as most of the things she makes are one off pieces.

The Bears behave themselves quite well when being photographed, I'm not sure I can say the same about Bramling...perhaps we can send him somewhere for a few days.

I'm quite looking forward to it though...I like to keep busy.

Golly it has been a busy month since I last wrote, the trade fair is over and Her Ladyship has been tweaking and cutting and sewing and stuffing as a new batch of bears comes to life.

They are rather jolly, if a bit fiddly to make as they are only a few centimeters high.

I think this one is rather fetching in its blue and lilac flowers.

I thought I might gather together all the scraps and make myself a waistcoat, although it may take some time as the scraps are also rather small. Perhaps I shall have enough by the autumn then I can spend the winter sewing them together.

We are waiting for a shipment of wool to arrive soon and Her Ladyship is going to make some felty things...there is even word of an embellishing machine to help...I do hope she lets me have a shot of it as it sounds most intriguing.

Perhaps I could use it to decorate my waistcoat.

What a Motley Bunch...

Her Ladyship was playing today...she has now caught His Lordships cold and wasn't feeling up to doing any serious work so we spent the day finishing off the Needle Felting she has been experimenting with over the winter...they are a rather motley bunch.

They have been made using different techniques and with wool from different sheep to see which worked best, do you know you wouldn't believe how many different flavours of sheep there are out there and there was me thinking they were all white!

Aah...mint sauce.

The stuff of life.

Goodness me, we are having a fun time in the studio today.

All those little arms and legs and assorted bear bits are getting stuffed.

We've done all the arms and heads and now we are onto the legs.

They all have their cardboard soles in place and once we have finished stuffing the toes I get to put a teaspoon of steel shot into each one.I have to be ever so careful not to spill any as it goes shooting off across the studio floor in all directions and takes hours to pick up...as Bramling will testify as he once knocked over the whole tub and spent three days chasing little silver balls all over the studio(Goblins are such clumsy creatures, he can't help it really but I must confess I found it all very amusing, the sight of him,bottom in air trying to crawl under the shelves swearing at the "little silver boggers").

Ah well, Kettle on soon I think, time for a little tea and perhaps a raspberry oatcake...

Taxidermy in progress

I say...the studio does look a little strange today.The worktop is strewn with tiny arms,legs,and headless bodies!
Thankfully all is well...Her Ladyship has not become some mass murderer but is deep in the middle of a bear creating frenzy.
I think I shall go and tidy up the storeroom when she starts stuffing them though, it makes my eyes water just thinking about it!