Happy New Year of the Rabbit!

I don't think I've ever experienced such a turbulent year as the last, my family and I moved house in August, 6 hours away from my birth town, it was an adventure we were all ready for and excited about, but moving is stressful even more so when you have to allow for chronic health problems, and there is also that problem of selling our old house! Soon after, my younger sister, and little buddy forever, nearly died in two medical emergencies, it was a devastating time for us all.... Hoping that the calendar new year would bring in a positive change, we then unexpectently lost our dear Grandad, he fought for nearly a month in the hospital on a respirator. The doctors finally told us last week there was no more hope, so with a heavy heart I write this post....also with a hopeful heart, the year of the rabbit promises to be less of a roller coaster ride than the last year of the tiger, I hope the little rabbit follows through on her promises and I will take her lead and re-begin my goals for what seems like the umpteenth time, I won't give up although sometimes I feel like it.

So, I begin again, sitting in my studio, feeling the first waves of inspiration fill me as I look at my knick knacks and craft supplies......two bears waiting to be photographed on my work table that I started in December last year, I have been snatching opportunities to work on my beloved soft sculpture over the last months and these two littlies have been pleading for their photos to be taken so they can get on with their lives and find a family, I can't help feeling guilty each time I glimpse them sitting amongst a mess of cottons and patterns on my table, waiting, waiting patiently for me to find the time to see to them.

We love our new home and town, and feel so grateful to have made our escape to the country, especially each time we open the windows and feel the country sea breeze blowing through the house, knowing that back home in the city they are experiencing heat waves.....ahh bliss!! Life will get easier again, we are all set to enjoy our new life, but life has thrown us a few awful curve balls, I guess feeling loss so deeply only means that you love and are loved, and that is the most important thing in life I believe :)

So, Happy New Year on the 3rd of February, I am embracing this celebration as my own, may the year of the Rabbit bring you health, happiness and success in all you do! XX

Unicorn.....

As you know, I love fantasy and mythical beings, I love imagining that they are or were really alive, wouldn't that be fantastic! At this time of the year, magic is really stirring in the air, and so I thought there was no better time to introduce another mythical being into my Bearykins collection, the Unicorn! I thoroughly enjoyed making her, from her gorgeous pink fur, to her flowing mohair mane...

Flossy is available to adopt on Bearpile, I hope you'll take a peek at here and maybe find a place for her in your home over the holidays, thanks for looking!

Bears looking for homes for Christmas!

Thanks for visiting the show over the weekend :) I have now updated my bear pile page with the remaining critters from the latest Christmas and Halloween shows! http://www.bearpile.com/artist.cgi?id=1314
I've also listed many of my old style bears on my website in a Clearout Sale,www.jellybellybears.com Many bears were from my personal keepers collection, thinning the herd is a must after moving house, I realise I have to be a little tougher in this business hehe Especially if I want to keep more ;)

Happy Halloween!!!

Please stop by my "door" and visit my bears and me in the 2nd annual Online Halloween Artist Studio Trick or Treat!! Starting October 1st and running the entire Halloween season, to benefit Bat conservation

www.halloweenstudiotour.com

http://www.batcon.org

And a fairy to bring magic to my new studio....

I just haaaad to make a fairy bear to "christen" my new work space with fairy dust, magic, sparkle, and glitter, glitter glitter!! You know how that stuff goes eeeeverywhere when you use it hehe, nothing like getting some sparkly glitter into the carpets and corners to really get the magic flowing! And so here is little Elspeth, she is 4 inches tall, made with dusty lilac tipped mohair, hand made posable wings, Swarovski's from top to toe (literally hehe) She is available to adopt through Bear Pile, please click here... http://www.bearpile.com/artist.cgi?id=1314 Creating her really helped me get settled in my new studio. Thanks for taking a peek at my blog and for all your lovely comments, they really mean a lot to me, big bloggy hugs!!

Exciting news!!

On top of all the excitement of moving house, after a week of being internet-less, I turned on to find out that my little bear Pip, had been placed on the front cover of Teddy Bear Review!! I am so thrilled beyond words, many thanks to all the lovely people at TBR who thought my little bear worthy, thank you so much!!!

Escape to the Country!

We finally did it!! After a year of umming and ahhing we found a perfect place to settle in the South East of Australia, Mount Gambier. I truly didn't think we would ever actually move, and it has been a mammoth job, but the heat of summer in Adelaide was getting too extreme for all of us to cope with any longer. We wanted a healthier and easier life, and Mt Gambier offers it all, scenery, milder weather and no water restrictions mean beautiful green gardens, my green thumbs can't wait to get planting :) The city has also has all the conveniences of modern life (all the fast food joints are here lol), mixed with many quaint country stores makes shopping (and eating out) delightful! A few minutes out of the city centre and you're back amongst rolling hills and pine trees....beautiful! I'm so glad we made the decision!!

So, now we are here, I'm unpacking all of my work boxes, and hopefully I'll have some new little Jellybelly Bears ready to be adopted soon! I can't wait to get back into my work! But moving house comes along with lots of work before the fun can start ;) I hope to decorate my sewing room as prettily as my old one, but of course it will be different and that will take some getting used to. But I promise, as soon as it is ready, I'll show you around :)

Thanks for taking the time to stop by, have a great weekend!

The Blue Lake, in the dead of winter so I can't wait to take shots when it's really Blue!
Lovely to see so much greenery!

Our coastline

Gonzales navigated the way to our new home!