Happy New Year to all of you.  May 2013 bring an abundance of Love, Health & Prosperity your way.  Whether you go out to party or stay snug in your home, I hope you stay safe.  God Bless!

Teddy Bears I made for a show in Clarion, Iowa  2 1/2 years ago.  I love the way they look all hanging out together.

This is my kitchen cupboard.....my favorite thing to decorate with antique, vintage and reproduction items.  I had a plumber come to my house yesterday and he said, "It sure is Christmas-y in here!"  I said thank you.....it's a work in progress.  Not sure if he was trying to tell me I have too much.  It really does make to happy to look at it as I imagine Christmases of the past.  Does anybody else like Christmas decorating as much as I do?  About the middle of January, I will put it away, but putting it "away" means taking it to my basement and displaying it in my family room and office/studio.

These are a few of my favorite things.............also known as a box of happiness.  I hope you are enjoying the season.

Branches collected from the greenbelt, spray painted white, add lights and place in vintage chippy white metal bucket. Place in old wooden wagon, add one chippy white metal pig......and have a Happy Junkin' Christmas!

 

 

 

 

I will be 'decking the halls' this weekend after a much needed deep cleaning. I love seeing the tiny white lights tossed in with greenery all over the house. I must remember to take photos and post after I get everything set up.   If you are like me, it's always a work in progress with items added or moved daily. 

I hope you are all taking some time to sit a spell and enjoy your lights with a cup of eggnog and luscious sugar cookie.

 

 

 

 

It's getting colder outside. Put on that fur cap and get the wreath put up outside. Do you have your decorating done? I am having some work done on my house which won't be done until Friday. Hopefully, I can get everything cleaned up and indoor decorations up this weekend. Outdoor decorations are already up. Happy Holidays. 

  

I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving and that you survived Black Friday, if you chose to go out and brave the crowds.  I was exhausted after a long day of cooking, cleaning, organizing, schlepping and cleaning up.......my cozy couch was calling my name. 

 

I love the holidays and Christmas is so special to me.  I love the music, the deocrations, the family time.....it evokes such warm and wonderful feelings of days past.  Even with the chaos of shopping, people seem to be nicer, happier and more generous.  I truly do wish we could keep that spirit year round.

 

Enjoy the holidays!

 

 

I'm heading to my daughters house today to make three different kinds of soup for our traditional family soup supper the night before Thanksgiving.  It all started years ago as a way to get together when my sister from Ohio came in AND we thought we would be eating light by having soup.  Well, all of the sisters (4) plus my Mom brought a pot of soup.  We would also have bread and crackers.  Then we added side salads and desserts.  Of course, you had to try a bit of everybody's soup and there were the traditional favorites.  I think you know where I am going with this.......we actually ate more than we had ever intended.  But the tradition lives on.  My son-in-law was saddened at the thought of no soup supper this year, as my out of town Sister decided not to make the trip.  He obviously had his heart set on the Reuben soup.....   I then volunteered to take the soup supper on the road and dive to their home 40 miles away and include all of Michael's family in our soup supper tradition.  We will have homemade beef noodle soup, reuben soup, tortellini an chicken wild rice soup with sides and desserts, along with homemade rolls. 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best Thanksgiving with family or friends or both.  Even if you will be by youself, in your heart you will be with those you love.  Thank you for following my blog and leaving comments.  I love your comments and would really enjoy hearing from all of you. 

Happy Thanksgiving week.  Here is a song by the Carpenters....a brother/sister singing duo from the 70's/80's.  This song is beautiful and is a great expression for being thankful and so appropriate for this time.  I am thankful for all of you.....the readers who regularly or not so regularly check into my blog. 

Tell me what you think......are you inclined to leave up your Halloween pumpkin decorations through November? I'm just not ready to put them away yet.....

Here are two wonderful antique Hecla teddy bears I have had for several years.  They are both over 100 years old.  The lady selling them had them priced separately. I didn't know what their history was, but I couldn't allow them to be split up....and the price was right....so they came home with me. I always display them together and  they reside under a glass cloche to protect them from further damage. They have had lots of loving over the years and there is very little mohair left on their bodies, but I love the childlike sweetness and charm they exude. They look just perfect here.....tiny jack o'lantern buckets in hand, asking if it is time to go trick or treating. 

Even little witches need their teddy bear.  Bwaaaaaahaaahaaaahaaaahaaaa......

 

 

I picked up this lovely vintage orange painted box last weekend on a road trip to Kansas City to visit friends at the Teddy Bear Jubilee and hit up some antique shops with my friend, Peggy Fleming.  We traveled together for years to attend teddy bear shows and do antiquing.  We always make a wrong turn or temporarilly get lost.  Even now with all of the sophisticated navigation systems, we still have at least one driving mishap during our trips (no accidents though)..  We get so wrapped up in our conversations we don't pay attention to the navigator's instructions.  Oh well......we just laugh and make adjustments. A while back, Peggy's husband told her that we reminded him of Lucy & Ethel, so we now refer to these trips as Lucy & Ethel trips.  Whoever is driving is Lucy. 

This box has a great patina and I couldn't believe somebody had not already snapped it up to hold Halloween decorations ~~ given the lovely pumpkin color.  It is just the right size to hold Halloween geegaws.  Looks great with my miniature vintage teddy bears and white pumpkins. 

I hope you are all enjoying the cooler weather, beautiful fall foliage colors, and pulling on a cozy sweater for some added warmth.  I certainly am.  Another bonus ~~ firing up the oven to bake some cinnamony apple crisp.

Remember to take some time every day to relax and ease your stress.  Read a book, take a hot bath, put your feet up and watch a favorite TV show.....or play with your dolls and teddy bears.  Here's hoping your day is a lovely one.

Glinda.....the Sassy Steiff Witch

Leaves are turning gold and the air is washed with rain....Jack Frost covers Iowa with icy cellophane...... Glinda & friends do a dress rehearsal for All Hallows' Eve.

Glinda.....the Sassy Steiff Witch....

Glinda wants to be a modern Witchy Poo.....what do you think of the glam new hat?

Thank you to all for your interest in Pippa. I eenjoyed your likes, comments and lovely personal notes. Most importantly, thank you to all of you who bid with your heart. High bid for Pippa was $495.76 and every penny will go to the International Rett Syndrome Foundation.

Pippa is on her way to her new home, along with some fun Halloween surprises. I think Teddy Bear people are pretty incredible.

Here is a photo of Pippa showing her relative size as she poses in front of a flow blue plate.  The auction is going well and she is currently at $495.00.  It's incredible!  People are so generous for such a great cause.  Thank you!

Pippa will be listed on ebay tonight at 8:00 p.m. Central Time (Sunday, September 9)

Pippa will be on ebay at 8:00 p.m. Central Time this evening. Please have a look and if you are interested, bid generously. All proceeds will go to the International Rett Syndrome Foundation. This is to help out with fundraising efforts by Terri & Dave Larson and their daughters Bailey & Emma. Terri is a friend and fellow teddy bear artist. Please check out their Facebook Page, 'Friends of Emma', to learn more about Emma and Rett Syndrome. Thank you in advance for your interest.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/128206697227589/

Pippa will be listed on ebay tomorrow evening (September 9). Proceeds to benefit the International Rett Syndrome Foundation

Ebay auction with proceeds to benefit the International Rett Syndrome Foundation.  I will be listing Pippa tomorrow evening (Sunday) on ebay.  Pippa is 9”, off white mohair, glass eyes and excelsior stuffed.  She has been slightly distressed and wears a vintage doll dress and silk handkerchief head wrap.

I will post a link to ebay after she is listed.  I hope you will have  a look and bid generously.  Thank you

 

Pippa without her vintage clothing
 

 

 I am finishing up a 9" off white bear. I will be listing Pippa on ebay this Sunday and all proceeds will be donated to the Nebraska Strollathon For Rett Syndrome to help a friend and fellow teddy bear artist, Terri Larson, whose daughter, Emma, has Rett Syndrome. 

I don't often create teddy bears smaller than 12".  I will try to get photos posted here and on Facebook later today ~~ I hope you will have a look.

You can check out the Facebook Page of the Nebraska Strollathon For Rett Syndrome here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nebraska-Strollathon-For-Rett-Syndrome/255607694510928#!/pages/Nebraska-Strollathon-For-Rett-Syndrome/255607694510928

You can also watch this short film to learn more about Rett Syndrome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8fKswURt6Q&feature=youtu.be

I'm longing to work on a small bear.  Small for me would be 9 or 10 inches.  My arm aches from stuffing excelsion into large bears.  Hopefully, I will have a little guy to post here soon. 

Mitchell and Sweet Binnie are headed to Collins Gifts

Lovely Antique Steiff

I would love to find this beautiful antique Steiff bear under my Christmas tree.  I so love his worn red velvet paw pads. 

Gideon

Gideon August, 2012

Gideon is a 16" black bear stuffed with excelsior.  He has antique boot button eyes, wool felt paw pads and a perle cotton nose.  His body is stuffed so he has that wonderful slouchy look of antique bears.  He wears a brass bell collar on English leather made exclusively for aDORRable bears.  I hope you like him.  He will be heading to California very soon. 

Where is my summer going..........

I have had so much on my plate lately.  My daughter, son-in-law and one year old grandson moved in with us in May as they transition from their home in Olathe, KS to the home they will close on in two weeks here in Iowa.  I had another daughter get very ill in June and drove to KC to spend a week with her as she recuperated.  Returned to Des Moines and three days later took off for a nearly two week trip to South Carolina.....this included driving time.  I so much prefer to drive to see the beautiful parts of our country I have not seen before.  It was a wonderful trip and relaxing time at the beach with our entire family for one week.  Then back home to pepare for grandson's first birthday party and a trip back to Kansas City with my daughrer and grandson for his one year checkup. Arrived back home earlier this evening.  I adore my family and nothing is better than spending time with them, but I feel as though I am getting nothing else done.  I have teddy bear orders to get done and plan to start to get myself back on track tomorrow.

I hope you are all having a most enjoyable summer.  I was relentlessly hot & humid here for nearly two weeks.  It has finally cooled off and we now have temps in the mid 80's.  We desperately need rain.  It feels like much of the country is experiencing the same thing. 

I hope to have a new photo to post in the next day or two of a black teddy bear I am creating.  It is a special order.  I do love black bears and I am anxious to get about creating again. I desperately want to create something totally new.  At least my basement studio is cool and comfortable during the summer months.

In the meantime, I am posting a photo of my three beautiful daughters by the pool of the house we rented in Pawleys Island, SC.

Stay cool~~~~

I love Vintage Patriotic and I love teddy bears and I love to decorate with both. Here are some of my displays. I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable holiday.

I love Vintage Patriotic and I love  teddy bears and I love to decorate with both.  Here are some of my displays.  I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable holiday.

YANKEE DOODLE TEDDY BEARS!

Enjoy Independence Day, appreciate your freedom, stay cool and be safe!

Wishing you all a beautiful Memorial Day weekend. 

Head shot of Weston.

Head shot of Royce who is available at Collins Gifts.  I love his soft and curly gold mohair.

Here is a full body shot of Penelope showing the beautiful dress she is wearing.  It is a vintage silk baby dress, it fit Penelope perfectly and I wish I could find about 50 more.

Penelope, Royce & Weston are heading to Collins Gifts in New Hampshire today.

Penelope is heading to Collins Gifts in New Hampshire.

Royce is heading to Collins Gifts in New Hampshire.

Weston is heading to Collins Gifts in New Hampshire.

Bartholomew

Here is Bartholomew. He is a vintage looking 10" bear with a dirtied snout, ears, paws and feet. He has claws sewn on his paws and feet and he is stuffed with excelsior ~~ but not too tightly so he can slouch like the old bears. He wears a vintage sweater with a silver teddy bear stickpin. Tomorrow he is heading to Toronto. Bon Voyage, Bartholomew............

Not enough antique floorboards..............

The trip out of town was fun and we loved meeting Tim and hearing the history of the building he is refurbishing for a machine shop.  It was a church built in the 30's...although it did not look anything at all like a church.  The building had street access from the basement, so he put a huge door on it and removed the beautiful pine floor, sub floor and beams, so he could make it large enough to drive tractors into.  It has also been a bar and a laundromat.  I am so fascinated by old buildings, their architecture, and history.  Tim was so very nice and helped us move all of our lumber and also let us pick through his building to find other gems which had been abandoned in the building.  We found some awesome items. 

Today, I wanted to be certain we had the 500 square feet necessary for the room in the bank building where it will be laid.  Ooops, due to faulty math calculations, we have roughly half of what we need.  I may have to head back tomorrow to pick out more boards before he grants access to others.  We had so many boards of varying lengths and we put them in similar piles and then took an average length.....then tried to transfer all measurements to inches to make the multiplication easier.  Something got lost in the translation.  And Tim was so nice.......we wanted to be certain he knew we were being honest, so we showed him all of our numbers.  He said, "I don't need to check your numbers.....I trust you."  Oh how I love small town Iowa and the caliber of person Iowa produces. 

It was dirty work, as usual, and we were working with boards with nails in them and lifting and sorting and hauling, but we had a great time.  Then it was a rush trip back to Des Moines so I would be available to have my grandsons spend the night.  Fun weekend, but I must admit I am tired.  I love physical labor.....the kind that actually wears me out. 

Stayed up a bit too late last night trying to work on some bears.  This morning the boys were up bright and early.  They just left, so it may be time for a nap.

Have a lovely day, everybody!

Linda

Emery now has a nose...........

Should be in bed...........

but instead, I am up working on this sweetie.  I have been having trouble getting to sleep lately and I can't stand just lying in bed waiting for the sandman.  My sister is coming tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. to pick me up to drive to Denison, Iowa to pick up some antique flooring for the bank building we have been working on.  When I know I MUST get to sleep, it only makes the matter worse. 

I have so many orders to work on, but occasionally I need to work on something I can play with and not have to worry about it looking a certain way.  I want Emery to be slouchy and mildly distressed.  We'll see how she turns out. 

Almost midnight, I had better at least try lights out.  The question is....do I try to pick up just a little bit?   Nahhhhhhhhhhh     Good night sweet Emery..........