Around the House

I hope your Christmas was full of everything wonderful! 

Around our house, every day is exciting with lots of Kitty adventures, new bears being born and hugs and cuddles galore!

Above, wee Katrina helps me compute next to boxes waiting to be filled with Christmas goodies!

The front door has its holiday finery on!

The window ledge behind my kitchen

sink is filled with wonderful miniature animals.

A new little polar bear is completed to be part of a holiday decoration exchange with my good friends.

Rocky enjoys life in the light of the tree.

Christmas gifts are relished! My beautiful bunny hand knit by Kim is a joy!

Ichabod poses for me to try out my new iPhone camera!

Dear friends Susan and Bill send flowers for my birthday!

And there are plenty of cat naps to enjoy after all the fun!

Happy New Year from my home to yours!

Happy Christmas!

Just looking through files and found this Christmas photo made several years ago when I was making big-er bears. Now they are all smaller than wee Dibley who is sitting high on the Christmas box. I think creativity takes us in different directions when we let it. Can't wait to see what happens next!! I have a couple of photos of what are Christmas gifts this year that I'll put up after they are received - so I won't spoil surprises ..... just in case someone is watching!!

The Happiest of Holidays to all!! with much Love - thanks for visiting!!

Beautiful knitting!

Kim has just finished this beautiful shawl. I think her photograph is wonderful! She used branches of a recently bare sweet gum tree to hold her work. Vanessa, soon to be recipient of this lovely wrap, will be thrilled, I'll bet! 

Teddy Bear Toss

This time of year, hockey teams sometime have what's called a "Teddy Toss" where fans attending the game toss teddy bears onto the ice. The toys are then collected and given to children in the community for Christmas. Well, the Florida Everblades did that tradition one better! They wore teddy bear Jerseys and socks which were auctioned off after the game to raise money for charity.

Here's a link to this wonderful story: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/florida-everblades-wear-special-teddy-bear-jerseys-as-thousands-of-stuffed-animals-fly--photo-144310456.html

Show Coming Up!

I've been accepted to participate in this "All Bear" show. March will be here before we know it!!

Christmas Joy

It's the magical time of the year - I happened upon this beautiful scene - Rocky by the light of the Christmas tree.

Wishing you special moments of joy!

Cyber Shot Camera Play with a New Panda Bunny!

Just finished up an order for little Panda Bunny - Lilly! My Nikon is still ailing and so I used my Cyber Shot together with my iPhone to make a few photo to send to the prospective new Mom.

A gift from Jason last year, the Sony Cyber shot is amazing!! It's used with the iPhone and a specific App for the purpose. You can send the photo immediately after it's taken via the phone. The app has some basic editing features so I was able to crop out most of my wrinkly old fingers!!

The clarity and detail is amazing!! If the collector who ordered this little "Lilly" decides against adoption at this time, I shall put her in my Etsy shop. She's a sweetie! 

This little lady will be going to live with her new Mom in Illinois and her new given name is "Popsy" - isn't that cute!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you a wonderful day! The Griffins will be enjoying Thanksgiving at my son Jason's brand new home. Don't worry, there will be plenty of turkey for all the kitties - including our newest little Miss Kitty Kat above. Please feel free to copy this photo of this Little Beauty and send it to all your friends!

I am so so so Thankful for so much! Especially you dear Visitor! When I see my page views climbing in number, I am so very HAPPY!!

Also wishing you wonderful Kat Naps at the end of the festivities!!

Look who just wrote to me!

Just got this great photo from Carolyn who took her Dibley to work today. He's dressed for the weather in an adorable hat his mom knitted for him. Isn't it great!

Need a kitty?

Travis is holding our latest little rescue! Isn't she adorable?? She's Ichabod's sister - both are about 10 weeks old now. Their mother is the one feral kitty that has eluded us. Consequently, she brings some kittens around from time to time. Of the four in the last littler, we have managed to get Ichabod and this little lady who needs a name. Any suggestions?? If you live in Southern Virginia or Northern North Carolina and could give this sweetie a good home, send me an email!! All of these kitties are blessed with the "sweet gene" and make wonderful companions.

Let's Make That Candy Cane Vodka!

Before we get started........ look who's hiding under my dinning room table! Tiny Ichabod has become part of the family! 

So this is really simple! The first time I saw those tiny candy canes in the grocery store, I knew it was time to make a batch of Candy Cane Vodka! All you need is a fifth of your favorite vodka and a box of those small candy canes! First pour out a cup full of the vodka, take the candy canes out of their wrappers, and put them in the bottle! You'll need the space in the bottle so enjoy that plain vodka while you work!

Just add as many pieces of candy as you like! Even one candy cane will do if that's what you have! We've chosen the small ones as they are easy to break and fit nicely into the bottle. After about 2 hours, the candy canes will have dissolved and you are ready to enjoy!

Just shake it up a few time during that dissolving period. Pop it into the refrigerator and it'll be ready to offer guests whenever they stop by! Don't put it into the freezer as the sugar content might cause it to freeze - unlike plain vodka whose alcohol content will keep it liquid.

I'll add that the bigger candy canes work just fine and I've heard you can do this with Skittles and Jolly Rancher hard candy too!

As I look out onto the deck, I see my winter pansies along side my summer geranium. Hard to believe it's Candy Cane Vodka time!! But the cold weather is coming!

Enjoy!!

Let's Make Candy Cane Vodka!

Here's Beau with last year's candy cane!! Just found the first ones in the grocery store so it's time to make Candy Cane Vodka! Check back tomorrow for the recipe!! (It's really simple....an Yummy!!

All Gone!!

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A wonderful weekend with wonderful friends and a terrific show!!

Thanks to all those who adopted my bears and friends at the Hunt Valley Teddy Bear show yesterday.

Unfortunately, I have no photos to show as my camera failed to function and I have only a tiny space left on my iphone.

I'll be borrowing a camera to get some shots of this incredible autumn season.

Thanks again for all the hugs and smiles I enjoyed on the trip!

Making a List! Checking it twice!

Tiny Santa, with an artistic Pixler touch,

is packing the sleigh for a pre-Christmas 

trip to the Hunt Valley Teddy Bear show!

Hope to see you there!

Ready for the party!

One more day until we leave for the Hunt Valley Show! I'm hoping to get more photos done this evening and will publish before the trip. Do check back for show photos the first of next week! This sweet little polar bear is made of that soft soft viscose fabric and will be wearing just a hat and scarf so all the softness of the fur will show!

Must go pack!!

Happy Voting Day!

Here in the U. S., we had the opportunity to go to the polls and vote! No matter what the outcome is, let's hope the country wins!

This little bunny is a request from a very special lady. If she gives the O. K., he'll be waiting for her on my table at the Hunt Valley show on Sunday!

This little guy is 4 inches tall, has wired arms, and stands nicely by himself. His outfit is part of his body - in that wonderful extra extra long fur from Berta at www.threadteds.com . Aren't the colors wonderful?? I was fortunate to take these photos in front of my house where the impatiens are still looking good - no freeze yet here in southern Virginia.

So little bunny waves goodbye and hopes you will be there to see him at the show!!

Happy Halloween!

Best wishes for lots of treats today!

We are enjoying our little Halloween

kitty named Ichabod - a little rescue pictured here with Kim. He will be going to join Jason and his kitties in his new home. Have fun today!!

Panda at Sunset

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It was getting dark this evening, but I wanted you to have a little peek at this new little panda made with my new viscose fabric.

Can you just feel how soft this little guy is?? Just love love love the new fabric!! He's just a tad over 4 inches tall.

He doesn't have a name yet.  I hope you'll be at the Hunt Valley show to see him!

New Little Girl and Wonderful Fabric!

Hello! Do you know anyone who likes little girl bears with a pinky rose dress? If you do, would you please tell them I'll be at the Hunt Valley Teddy Bear show on November 9th!
Thank you!

......... Just look at this delightful viscose fabric I just received from Italy!!! Thanks Anna!

I have a little brown and white panda under construction and will post a photo soon. Should have enough time before the show for a few bears made from some of this luscious fabric. I'm enjoying working with viscose and was delighted to find this long curly kind. Couldn't wait to start a bear! Won't it make great bunnies too???!!!

New Little Sweetie!

Just finished this wee tiny reindeer - well almost. Can't decide if he'll get antlers or if he's just a young reindeer in training!

Fairy King Kitty

I've been looking for this photo that I created a few years ago for a Photoshop class. I couldn't remember what I had called the photo file, so it was hard to locate in my thousands of photos I have made over the years.
 I used baby Frodo as my subject. He's actually the kitty in the foreground as well as the Fairy King sitting on the dogwood blossom. You might recognize his wings from one of my butterfly bears. The crown was worn by a Mardi Gras Bunny and the flower bloomed outside the Peninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News.

Just thought you might like to see the photo!

More Fall Fiber Festival Fun!

Surely, the softest fibers at the festival came from this guy or others just like him. The alpaca provides the best for knitters and bear makers alike! There was was even some yarn which combined the alpaca fur with the hair of the angora hare - who's photo is below.

Those bringing participants for the sheep dog trials travel in style!

These doggies are watching the activities while waiting their turn! Their traveling vehicle is decked out with all the comforts of home!

These dogs are just magnificent to watch! They are so focused and enthusiastic about their job!

And another look at some of the animals who provide the fibers for knitting, crocheting, spinning, and needle felting as well as weaving, kumihimo, and embroidery.

Thanks so much guys!

We had a wonderful day in this glorious place!