June-July 2011

For me, this summer has been the season of summer hats: for Ascot, for weddings, and for the Rose Garden Tea with the Queen... I have learnt a lot from Adrienne at her millinery shop, first helping her, and then moving on to making my own designs. I think I have made real progress - to the extent that I have even held several workshops myself! I hope you like the hats and headpieces pictured here.

27 June

My Teddy Hospital has had its first patient. Though he never had a name (answering to Teddy), he has always been very loved. By the age of about fifty, however, he was very much the worse for wear. What is more, he nearly lost his head! The operation was a complete success, and you can see the patient recovering in the company of a new friend, whom you may recognize as Frederick. To me, the operation was also very instructive: it was quite fascinating to see how and from what teddies were made decades ago.

17 June

12 June

My Teddies underwent a stern test by weather as we travelled to the Annual Farm Open Day at Foxbury Farm in Oxfordshire. It was just a drizzle when we left, but by the time we arrived to set up our stall in a large marquee in the farm field, it was pouring down. The torrential downpour lasted all day, so visitor numbers were understandably way below expectations. We made friends with other exhibitors and a few visitors, but it was definitely not a day for a casual Teddy collector to venture out. So all the bears returned home with us, a bit damp but quite pleased with themselves.

11 May

Alas, I have not done much for the summer collection at Reworked for Oxfam. All my items, however, have already been bought. I really enjoyed making them, particularly the inside of the hat.

1 May

We took my Teddies to Godstone Market in Surrey. Godstone is a wonderful village with many beautiful old buildings, and the market was held in one of them, White Hart Barn, just off the high street. The people of Godstone are very nice and friendly, but alas, on this hot and sunny spring day most of them must have been admiring the views in their gardens and round the village pond, and not many turned up for the market.

Thus we did not have much to do behind the stall, and all my family spent most of the time glued to their smartphones. What they do with them, I cannot begin to imagine. The Teddies were rather bored, but they were polite enough not to complain too loudly. None were adopted, so we all returned home together again.

9 April

The Spring Craft and Teddy Bear Fair at The Arc in Caterham, Surrey, was a great success. Anthony, Bartholomew, Lucy, Zachary, and three small felted bears were adopted (you can still see them all on these photos taken early in the day). We were a bit sad to say good-bye to them, but I know they are all going to very good homes. Many thanks to the event organizers, UK Craft Fairs, to everyone at The Arc, to my husband and daughter for helping me on the day, and to Cecilia Correia from Portugal for the photo on the left.

4 April 2011