Help Fund a Mobile Art Studio!

I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of Jo and Dylan from the Cart Before the Horse.  I just LOVE their whimsical creations.  Well, they are now in a bit of a bind--it's incredibly difficult saving money when you're living on two artists' salaries.  You see, they have this lovely dream of living in a little RV and doing their art wherever the wind takes them.  They have the RV now and have done a LOT of work cleaning it out, but now they need to finish refurbishing it. 

Many of you know how I love our little Airstream and traveling in it--it's our home away from home.  But what you may not know is that we have totally gutted it because it needed MAJOR repairs.  So I know firsthand that even tiny, little trailers and RVs take really, really BIG money to refurbish. 

 

To thank people for donating to their dream, Jo and Dylan have made some lovely "thank you" gifts--they are in the photo above and are only available to people who fund their RV project.  Aren't they CUTE!!  They are doing this through Kickstart, but the thing is, there is a deadline and it's only 15 days away!  They are over half way there, however, if the full amount of the project isn't pledged through Kickstart by the deadline, they don't get ANY of the money they need.

I'm one of those people who believe that whatever you send out into the world, you also receive.  I have so many blessings in my life and I really want Jo and Dylan to see their dream realized.  So, I can tell you first hand that making a pledge to them through Kickstart is really, really easy.  The difficult part is picking out what "thank you" gift you would like.  Don't tell me that I didn't warn you!!

Click HERE and you'll be zoomed through cyberspace to the Cart Before the Horse Kickstart project.

By the way, Jo and Dylan don't even know that I'm blogging about this.  This post comes completely from me--I just want to help them out.

Hugs,
Cheryl

Time for Self-Care

"You can't pour water from an empty pitcher."

 

Now I can't tell you how many times I've said this to friends and acquaintances--women who are taking care of everyone and everything without a care for their own needs and well-being.   And I know it's very true.  No one can give and give and give to others without replenishing their own wellspring.  However, I seem to have forgotten to apply this saying to myself lately.   We, as women, have been well trained to be kind, caring, and loving.  And yet, I know that as well as I apply these traits to my interactions with others, I've been horribly neglectful in applying all of these lovely and loving traits to myself. 

 

It's been 6 weeks since I started another fibromyalgia flare-up and, of course, it was triggered because I "gave" too much of myself without paying attention to the signals my body was giving me to slow down and stop working.  I am doing better, but I'm in that awkward stage where I feel better enough to be out of bed and off the couch, but not well enough to get much of any "meaningful" work accomplished.  So deadlines are looming and I have SO many things to do.  However, instead of being compassionate to myself, that "inner critic" has been saying the most rude and nasty things to me--things I would never DREAM of saying or thinking about anybody else.  Perhaps this may sound familiar.

 

But I have a PLAN.  My plan is to start setting aside, maybe even scheduling it on my calendar, an hour a day for self-care during which I'll exercise (mostly tai chi), meditate and/or journal, and perhaps read.  Thinking about it, I should do it first thing after breakfast--otherwise  my self-care hour may fall through the cracks as always--the first victim of my habit of caring for others and putting their priorities ahead of me and my own priorities.

 



 

I'll keep you posted!

 

Heaps of Hugs,

Cheryl

Sadie Has a New Home!!

Drumroll, please!  I've emailed our three "Sweet Sadie Giveaway" winners and congratulations go out to:  Danielle, who wins Sweet Sadie, and Stephanie and Jamie, who each win a felt doll pattern of their choice. 

 

Sadie's quite tickled pink!  She's excited because she's going to live in France--although she does admit she's a bit nervous about the long journey to get to her new mom.  I've reassured her that I will do everything humanly possible to make sure that she is safe and comfortable.  Hopefully that will help her with her pre-flight jitters.

 

Take good care of yourselves!

Heaps of Hugs,

Cheryl

Feasting Mice!

What a surprise!!  Claire went to feed Bingley (our little dog), grabbed the food scoop from inside the the dog food bag, and jumped back with a little cry.  "There's a mouse in Bingley's food!  I don't know whether it's dead or not!"  As you can imagine, she was a bit creeped out--she was so startled that I don't think she cared to find out the mouse's living status, but just dropped the scoop right back in the bag.  It was clear that it was my job to take care of the issue!

 

 

I must admit that I was relieved to see the little guy moving around down there at the bottom of the bag.  I took out the scoop, trying very hard not to scare the little critter, but then I was the one to be surprised because there were TWO of them scurrying around in Bingley's bag of food!  I have to admit that they were awfully cute!  It must have been quite a feast for the two of them surrounded by all of that yummy dog food.  In the end, though, I think they were quite relieved to escape.  They both took off like a shot when I gently tipped the bag for them to get out in the fresh air OUTSIDE of our house.

 

 

Too bad they couldn't have devised a plan like these clever little mice of Beatrix Potter's!  I was rather endeared to those sweet little guys.  Perhaps it's time for me to think about making a little mohair mouse!

Heaps of Hugs,
Cheryl

New Patterns AND a Giveaway...Finally!

I'm SOOOO excited!!  I've made my sweet felt dolls into patterns (they're available on Etsy now!) and I'm giving away one of the dolls to CELEBRATE.  New Patterns!  Spring!  Easter!  Wonderful!

 

If you follow my blog you may remember Betsy and Maisie, but now that they have "proper" photos I'll refresh your memory and show them to you again.

Betsy

Maisie

 

But Sadie is the newest 10" felt doll and she's looking forward to going to a new home!  Here's a few photos so that you can get to know her.

 

Sadie is a 10-inch doll made from 100% wool felt and has a sweet embroidered face and embroidered accents in her hair.  Her eyebrows and nose don't show up very well on the computer because of her light hair, but, honest, they are there and look adorable!  Don't forget about those rosy cheeks, too!

 

 

She wears a smashing 100% wool felt dress with embroidered accents, panties, and matching shoes.

 

 

She sits up well (although she's a pretty spunky girl and may need to do a yoga stretch or two before she decides to settle down and do so!) and has thread-jointed arms so that she can wave "hi!"  I know I'm a bit biased, but I think she's pretty cute!  I hope you like her, too!

 

I suppose since you've now seen Sadie, you might like to know a bit about the easy patterns I've made. In addition to the pattern pieces themselves, there are 7 full pages of detailed directions and pictures to help you along the way. Also, in case you need to know how to make one of the many stitches I used to make the dolls (or if you just want a refresher), I've included directions about those, too.  If you're interested in seeing them check out my Etsy shop by clicking HERE.

 

So here's the gist, on April 1st (no, this is not an April Fool's joke!) I'm going to draw 3 names.  The first name will get Sadie and the other two names will get a free felt doll pattern of their choice. 

 

Here's how to enter:

 

---  You will be entered into my "Sweet Sadie Spring Giveaway" if you comment on this post and leave your name and your email address.  This is very important--I have to know how to contact you if you win.  Poor little Sadie will be very upset otherwise and we have to keep the dolls happy.  In other words, if I don't have your email address, you won't be entered in the drawing. 

 

--  All of your information will be private and will not be published or given away to any list or person.  In other words, I will not be publishing any of the comments received for this giveaway so that your information stays private.  Nor will you be added to my mailing list.

--  If you have a blog and post about my giveaway with a link to my blog, you will receive 5 extra entries.  Just be sure to let me know once you have posted it.  Feel free to use my "Sweet Sadie Giveaway" button.

--  If you are a follower of this blog (or become one), you will also receive 5 extra entres.  Again, let me know!

--  I will accept comments until 8 pm Eastern Daylight Time (New York time), March 31st (Easter!!) and will conduct the drawing on Monday, April 1st.  Every person will be assigned a number (or set of numbers as the case may be!) based on the order which I received their comment.  Then I will use a random number generator to pick the three winners.  I'll post the winners' first names on April 1st.

Good luck to all of you!!

Heaps of Hugs,
Cheryl

We're Off to See the Wizard...

The "Wizard of Oz" ballet went beautifully yesterday!  All of the dancers did a WONDERFUL job.  And as icing on the cake, Matt got a great photo of Claire (as Glinda the Good Witch on the right) and her sweet friend, Brookie (as Dorothy on the left).  I made the photo extra big so you could see their lovely expressions.

Now I think everyone involved will be resting and recuperating today.

I hope all of you have a restful day today, too!!
Heaps of Hugs,
Cheryl

Here they are!

Finlay--13 1/2"

Aileana--16"

Barclay--17"

Heather--14+"

Roseclere--12"

 

I hope you like them--I was pretty pleased with how they turned out.  Three of them found homes at the big Hugglets show in London, but Roseclere and Barclay are still available at Silly Bears.

 

Heaps of Hugs,

Cheryl

Bears and Fuzz

The 2013 Hugglets Winter Bearfest is just two short days away so I thought I had better show you a quick peek of the bears I sent to Silly Bears just for the occasion.  I'll show you some more proper photos next week.

Well, I guess it's back to the fur for me.  Right now I feel like I'm DROWNING in a sea of fur, but it has nothing to do with bears THIS time.  Instead, I'm frantically sewing fur to the cuffs of soldier costumes for the upcoming "Wizard of Oz" ballet.  I'm quite excited to see it next Saturday--at least once my eyes clear of the fuzz.  Claire will be dancing the role of Glinda the Good Witch.  It seems she has been a bit type-cast lately--I guess witches are becoming her "thing."

Heaps of Hugs,
Cheryl

A Must-see Giveaway!!

RUN!  Do not walk.  Do not pass go.  Just get yourself over to Ginger's giveaway at Bearbits to enter for this sweetheart of a bear.  But do it NOW because it ends in just two short days.

Tinsley seems worth the effort to enter, don't you think?  In my opinion, it just doesn't get any cuter than this!

Heaps of Hugs,
Cheryl

Doll Talk

Did you know that dolls talk as much as teddy bears do?  It's true!  Well, at least that's what I found out last night.  Nellie was quite adamant that Nellie is NOT her name.  She told me in no uncertain terms that her name is BETSY.  Well, perhaps that's a bit of an exagerration--I guess it wasn't quite in "uncertain terms."  However, just when I was going to introduce her to the new doll I finished last night, she deftly sidestepped me and introduced herself as Betsy.  Well, I guess that's me told! 

 

Anyways, Betsy and Maisie have become fast friends.

 

They also wanted you all to know that the fuzzy blob isn't quite so blob-like anymore.

 

I kind of think he looks a bit like the abominable snowman without any ears, but the two of them won't hear of it and are quite quick to defend him by pointing out that that is no one's fault but my own.  I guess that's me told, again.

 

 

Maisie quite likes her outfit, as does Betsy.  However, Betsy's not in the least bit jealous because she knows that such an outfit wouldn't quite suit her.  Whereas Maisie is a bit of a free-spirit so it fits her just right. 

 

Maisie made sure I took a photo of her from above so that you could see her nifty little scalloped panties.  As I said, she's quite smitten with her outfit.

 

Well, I guess it's time for me to start working on the fuzzy abominable blob.  I have one more pattern for a little blonde doll waiting, and oh, so wanting to be made, but she'll have to wait until later.  Perhaps even tomorrow.

 

Heaps of Hugs,

Cheryl