21.12.12

this is a posting, a day after the 21st of this month.
it supposed nothing happens afterwards, when most people believed it's the doomsday.
as usual, there are things piled up already, so we still need to work, and we all wish to have a break for some gathering and relax.
i believe when there is a start, there must be a time come to the end, all we can do is be responsible of a duty, stay positive and satisfy what we have.
and yes, it's the date of my old buddy's birthday, the date of submission on Toby's Award, party and performance....
once more, is bear Rafa comes to live in the current issue of Teddy Bear & Friends, he's the same size as the real one, i am pleased to see this.

a new year is coming, many of us have plans for our future, have a dream of living in a warm and caring future. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

For your eyes only (Part I)

These 2 links provide information on bear eyes, from the original process to the final touches.
how: http://www.joelbears.blogspot.hk/
and what to: http://teddies-sa.blogspot.hk/

walking in the autumn times

is the first day of November, we do nothing for the Halloween yesterday, how about you?
My family and i have a walk to the nearest country park a week ago at the Chung Yeung Festival.
On that day, the weather was sunny and warm. We are very pleased to see the top part of the waterfall.
the stream water is so clear and pure. Then we spent time in the middle of the stream, the water is so cool, some adult bring their tea leaves and use the stream water, boiling hot tea there and some kids even do fishing there.
Here are some findings on the way through. I just bring one of my furry friend, Florentia with me.
Can't believe she's so energetic, see, even climbing up the rock.

If you recognize her face, she's my last experiment on wool felting experiment. Actually is a merino wool and alpaca rooting on her muzzle. I add a semi transparent acrylicon her embroidered nose to have a contrast against the natural material. I made her a tiny leather bag, she can collect some dry leaves for future use.
Not sure you like this... She belongs to my collection of Potpourri.
I like the density of orange and mustard color mixed with brownsss. Hope to show you more in the later days.
P.S. Florentia picked up some nice flower, Gordonia, which is blooming all over the mountain.

panda bits

Hi, i am very excited with a tiny recent making on the muzzle of a panda face.
It was based on my last visit of the Natural History Museum in UK. Initially, we were just looking fun with kids for it's popularity of exhibition on facts and skulls of dinosaurs. To my surprise, there are many aspects of specimen on endanger speices of animals. An excellent presentation in educational means and can't express much in words, worth to visit again...
Among those models and specimen, i chose this panda to post. Based on the caption they mentioned about this making, there were some fading on colors of them. That's what i love, i have a strong preference on earth tone, neutrals and fading colors. Apart from the usual way to conceive a definition of panda, this specimen shows a slender and sleek form. The fur falls next to the skin ... sorry don't know a better word to explain in English. I really want to capture this feature on my making!

Yes, i am still experimenting, a start with felting. I do try felting and rooting mohair before from the study from Forums. I go into further study from Joanne Livingston, she has a very detailed documentation on many aspects of making. This time, i try to put this into what i want under my intention.
They all start from an alpaca or alpaca/mohair based face. Felting wool on the base, and then rooting strands from either mohair or alpaca scrap.

The rooting of alpaca strands over the muzzle is really a time consuming act. I thought to pinch the top and the tail of the strand. Comes up with many possibilities. Once you try, you will enjoy it. Especially when i touch the muzzle after repetition on the rooting. It seems they are much softer than the fur on the face.
I did try rooting filaments over bear's eyes for creating eyelids, but this time, the result is out of my imagination. I haven't got the whole done, starting some heads for different colour of alpaca.

I will have more to do on panda, as based on the last show, one of the visitor sharing her interest on the 16 panda cubs, i still remember the happiness on the booming of baby panda news in China many years ago. It's not easy to give birth to a panda especially when i heard the news in US zoo reporting the loss of newborn panda last week. They are rare and precious.

Finally i attach a postcard image, is my friend's drawing of panda.
(if you wish to have one, please leave me a message)
please ask before download or want to keep this image.
thank you for your cooperation.

tutu train

Time flies, i am back now. I have precious memories this time.
First of all, the Bernard bear found a new home in London, thank you Dawn. S.
In the meantime, thanks for the support at the WSPA UK.

Another bonus is the value of knowledge from a visitor on that day, below is my main piece display on that day with a toy train bought near British Museum.
I chose this train model merely for the co-ordination with the male bear, called Benedette's outfit.
Actually, i didn't know much about the history of the code on the train. There are some abbreviation on both side of the train, coated with gold paint.
" S D J R " do you have any hints over them?
With the clear explanation of this visitor. I try to write them in short :
S- Somerset, D - Dorset, J- Joint and R- of course, Railway.
He explain how the geographical and historical reason on how it comes together and who makes this happens too.In the meantime, he recommends me to read more drawings for an artist called,
David Shepherds, i think it helps me to know more in a visual sense...
I can't imagine i was talking to a train driver at that time. Your valuable input means to me. It seems i have to extend my making with this props.

With special appreciation for those who come to my stand. I really wish to take a peek at each stand, the whole hearted efforts behind the stage and say hello to everyone. 

Ah, now i am day dreaming to go either East Somerset or West Somerset.

a 100 before Hugglets

It's my 100 blog post! I would like to give you my big bear hug for the followers, new and old ones.
Thank you for taking a peek at my page and leaving me comments and hear my bits of sharing.
Instead of the audience from our place, UK, US and Russia are my major source of audience.
Yes, i can't believe that Russian takes the most regular and high traffic source on my blog page.
Others include Europe, Australian and other Asian countries. 

Cпасибо! Is this the right word to say thank you in Russian language. Please correct me if it's not.
I like Russian design very much besides bear making industry, i adore "your" graphic design and theories behind. Maybe i will document some of my readings on their books in the later post.
But please forgive me for my poor English if i try to quote or  my reinterpretation would be quite boring :/


Apart from this, i receive great encouragement during my poor days from a Chinese lady.  Though she's not living in our city or even we haven't meet before. But i' m sure, i will visit her one day. 謝謝您
These 2 bears are gone, they lived in different Asian countries, i missed them, i have those pictures of them.
Here i print them out, reduce their size and becomes my bookmark.
When i come across one of the questionnaire, asking about the culture reference or influence from the place where i lived, my jaws dropped. To be honest, European art & design, culture and  their way of living captures all my attention. It's just a sparkling idea for me to put with the Chinese ink painting.

Handcraft objects VS machine made and mass produced, which one do you prefer?

By this coming Sunday 9th Sept, the Teddies 2012 showing in Kensington Town Hall. Hope you can come.

motivation

A month! I have been missing here for a long time, so where am i?
Still on earth, busy with my children, i think Mother nature supposed to be bearly busy when their children having a long holidays. Both my boys enjoy their water sports activities much especially things that they cannot do in usual school daysss!

I am pleased the weather was pretty good with lots of sunshine. Feeling lively. Hope both of them appreciate this precious chance to embrace the sea. I love the reservoir, lake, sea and ocean, the sense of silence which can bring one to escape from the wall of the city. I do take some pic (when you still see the clear sky ) to share with you. They are great places here in Hong Kong you can enjoy your windsurfing, canoeing and sailing. Our nature did change a lot, many places and scarce resources were pull down, disappearing and ignored.

In the meantime, we do enjoy a concert a day before, which is a popular band, TAT Ming Pair, at my teens generation, yes, many many years ago :P Instead of the hot issue at our place on questioning the education,  i am attracted not merely by the image of the lead singer, is his thought, the identity, the value and what we are facing towards anarchy, norms and rules while we are doing creating and making.

the close-up of dragon boat for Tuen Ng festival each year

teddy bears for WSPA UK

There are many bears donated from bear artist, manufacturer and shops. The aim for this event is to help  fund the Sanctuary for Rescued Bears in Romania. For more information on the adoption, please visit their website and go to the official link to know more about the bear sanctuaries.
Wish you can take time to read through. This event starts now until the 20th July. I wish we can support this.
Bernard, the sailor bear is available there. Scroll down to the bottom of this page with the WSPA banner..

a new member in the family

Hi, i just add a new member to the small family of my working tools ... it's a nail clipper!
Those hand tools helps me making the bear's head. I used to choose scissors for trimming.
While on the other hand i also need help of using hemostat or tweezer for removing the fur's root for the bear's muzzle.
By the end of the day, i was much satisfied with the nail clipper, it comes up with clean finish.
Have a happy bear making time!

O summer bear

The weather is really hot here, around 30degree celsius most of the time. Uh... i am going to melt in summer.
Here i want to share you my fav treats which is very accessible for everyone, the strawberry flavor ice-cream.
See the photo, i think of this global  ff shop, i only support their ice-cream... then nothing else.
Do you think the strawberry juice color a bit lighter than before?

 

The color and texture are always deep in my mind, will recall this economical choice to brighten up my dull days ;)
And yes, i would like to put this fantasy into action. Very pleased that Joanne from http://desertmountainbear.blogspot.hk/ did lots of wonderful experiment on dying projects, share her experience and give me some samples to try. I worked on my alpaca. Unlike the tea dye alpaca ( longer time in the pot, takes the color both the pile and the backing) on my previous experiment, this time the pile of alpaca takes color easily but not the backing.
I have the intention to remain some parts not dyeing to see the gradation of the original color.
Below are the photos collage on the making, there are some feature which fits into my desired treats. Hope you like him, Yoyo.

running a long race

Can you guess who win the race?
The handsome bear in a felt racing car or the bunny??
Hehe, they both win and melt in my heart.
Thanks for the generosity from the blog giveaway of Shultz characters.
The top picture is a postcard with a bear design sitting in a felted racing car, a special design from Paula & Simon Strethill. 
Below is what i win in the Easter blog give away by Paula. I am so excited and still bouncing around like a kid.
This is a broach made of alpaca, as you know this is my favourtie material over the years of making bears.
At the back, i can feel the backing is different, seems have a special treatment coherence with the design of felt car above, this broach is not flat, have raised effect, like a relief work. There are some nice trimming over this tiny broach.
I am so pleased to have this chance having this precious gift, avant garde design with traditional qualities.
If you are interested with their design, click on the bunny picture on the right hand side which go straight to her blog or visit their web site here: www.paulastrethill-smith.com
P.S. the broach is sitting on the book of  my beloved illustrator's, Emily Gravett, " The Rabbit Problem"
and yes, i noticed to win this bunny since April, guess it's almost a month age to me :)

fun with daily object by Mother Baby Earth

http://motherbabyearth.com/blog/?paged=2

Lyuba means to me

After the exhibition, i wish to make something about how i feel for this little ellie, here is a handcraft pincushion i did for an event hoisted in Melbourne.

It has been a long time, i first meet Elmer the patchwork elephant, a children's illustrated book i fall in love with, i read over again and start the development stage.

 

It is a pincushion challenge, last year i made Pears, for donation and raising funds to support the Woodbury autism education and research.
This year, my entry is an Elephant, donation and raising funds to support the WSPA Australia.
See more information here: http://teddybearfairs.com.au/prestashop/cms.php?id_cms=11
 

traces of Lyuba

There is such a precious chance that we can have an understanding of mammoth during the Ice Age period.

It is an exhibition of a baby elephant , called Lyuba who was found in 2007 and believed this woolly mammoth lived during the Pleistocene begin, about 2.6 million years ago. What stand in front of us is a well preserved body, it stands 80 cm height and 50 kg, only toenails, tail and one ear are missing. We followed the readings and findings of scientist, " Lyuba appears very healthy. Her organs and skin are in perfect condition.So scientists were able to identify milk from her mother in her stomach, and fecal matter in her intestine, from teeth, tusk and tissue samples to find out her age and believed that she was just 32 days old when she died.
It seems a sad story of poor little Lyuba drowning and suffocation near the river bank. But what as the quotes in the exhibition, her destiny, to stumble into the 21st century and the path of a Nenet's family and then become the evidence for us to understand the lost world of giant prehistoric animals and our changing planet.

There is a fun work sheet for children of this exhibition, what would you choose for this question,

Why are humans like elephants?
A. Humans are nothing like elephants
B. They both evolved in Siberia
C. They are both highly intelligent, live in families and have feelings

P.S. Lyuba, which means "love" in Russian.

Here are some photos taken last month, wish to share some with you,  they are not in good quality.


it was nite time after nine, but still attracts many people to stop by,

If you need more information of this exhibition, visit this link: http://ifc.com.hk/lyuba/

100% handmade

Just can't wait to share this with you, who love millinery design and bits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=psK2UCttYAQ

My post will be coming soon, can't wait to make some decoration for my little bear.

Bauhinia, the representation of the place we lived

Today is the first day of April, i wish you enjoy the beauty of sunshine and wild wind breeze. Personally i don't like the foggy weather here, but do enjoy the delight of walking in the woods with the blossom of flowers and other living organism. They all show the energetic power to survive in the nature. Life starts and ends.
Here are some of my recent photo taking on the shortest distance escape from the CBD. They are the most common flower in our city. I am still rely on using auto focus for capture those moment, looking forward to upgrade my skill in manual function. I have got the G11 power shot for a year, but have to catch up with friends for hiking and improve my photographic skills.
Bauhinia is the featured white bauhinia in the center of the flag of Hong Kong. It had been transformed. If you want to know more, have a look at this link, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Hong_Kong

Do you know which one is my favorite?

Enjoy your days of exploring the beauty in our surroundings, give yourself a break from the sewing table :)

after preview is a review

Thanks for those who visit my page of the online show.
I really love this theme as i love treats and dessert very much. Among the afternoon tea treats, scones, are my favourite. If you are going to have a party, go to this link now, you are free to download worldwide recipe for tea.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Looking back to the development on this making, i was unsure to make a final judgement on what reference should i draw and start on, as i love little girl learn to serve friends for tea party or tea party of any generation, the last but not least is our Chinese Tea culture. But for a matter of globalization, there are some common value or experience when we are having tea. So i wish to bring the kinds of tea to start on.

There are 2 kinds of tea i start with, one is Lavender and the other is Jasmine. One of my colleague artist said she have the idea to name her bear as Lavender too, so the other 2 small bears are the shades derived from purple, they are Aoi, is Japanese means blue and the other bear is Murasaki, means purple. Hehe, just to avoid the appearance of common name when people try to adopt bears.
I like using sassy fabric, because it's more economical for me to do so and to explore.
My experience is they are quick to cut and stuff but take longer time to run a stitch line.
What color you start to sew, i usually choose the backing color of it, but this time, the smoked sassy fabric 'tells' me that you have to choose a darker shade on it.
When i start the synthetic fabric on Murasaki, gosh the hair is flat and not smooth to pass the needle. it needs double patience to cut and sew.
This is a good experience to learn the qualities of each kind of fabric, the other way is on how to put the kind of fabric into the pattern. As most of you know, the pile length will completely change the look of a bear, it's better to open up our eyes and hands to discover though i am utterly a conservative person.
Another horrible experience on making the biggest bear in this show is Jasmine. Initially i try to merge the neck to the head, i mean in drafting the pattern. It doesn't work on, so the first bear head is a failure in this mission, and i under calculate this, so not enough yellow alpaca for me to use, a week is passed for this mistake! Then i changed another design with fabric matching,
In front of me, there was also a very long pile and a bit different hand feel alpaca. I wish they are harmony with each other, then i traced back my experience last time on my dyeing project last year. I washed the yellow alpaca with hot soapy water, it shrinks a bit and the alpaca becomes a bit curly. I like this result, yellow and curled.
There was a lot scissors sculpting on the head when you have to set the eyes and nose, which have to look balanced. i only leave the gusset part a bit curly to have a coherence on the fur of the bodice as welhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifl.
The brown alpaca is super furry with 22mm pile length which makes her looks Big especially over her arms.
The choice of using different length of fur on a design is new to me, have to take risk in pattern and joint adjustment
from time to time. So i would mark down this for further project, at least order double the quantity for the trail and error.
Very pleased that she is adopted.



There are two show pieces awaiting for a new home, if you are interested, please go to my page of my latest design.

Tea please

Hi, the Tea Party show is up now. Welcome to have a visit.
Here are the treats that i made especially for this show, my tea time is simple, usually a cup of milk or tea and then goes with biscuit, do you like tea finger? I fall in love with their pattern, so i try to add this amusement into my leather work.



For the making of tea, i find that the interesting shape of some tea buds, for example the Jasmine tea and rose tea.
Here are 3 initial idea of Lavender, Aoi and Murasaki. These 3 bears comes up with my personal experience of the flower i saw in Furano, ( Japan ). I fall in love with their color.



And some experiment on their leather paws:
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I hope you can stop by and see them come in fur.
http://backroadbears.com/TW/pc/show.php?TWid=143#axzz1povct5vi

before the tea party

where have you been? i was busy for farewell friend, wedding dinner and kid's exam, and all the time is fully occupied. The schedule is booked without making bears for a week, though my mind are always there :P
I finally finished the show pieces, touch the minimum requirement, yes, five bears, not something experimental, but did try a new angle on mini bear fabric, i start on sewing small as i think once you are getting older, your eyes sight may not be better than those days...
and yes, it takes a lot of patience on every stitch, and my hands are far too ' strong ' which bent those needles on first two bear. one more thing to share, i add leather on those mini bears, based on some suggestion, i am happy with the sewing without wearing thimble this time, see the attached photo. it's crucial that you got to have a good start on knowing on your tools before sewing. This pack is from UK and nylon thread are best combo.



finally, i share some nice treats from my last gathering with friends and kids: " the chocolate party" we share a 5 kg Nutella chocolate jam, what a sweet memory.

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quick reminder for the upcoming online show, you are welcome to join this tea party on this Saturday and Sunday, for your time zone, pls check the link.
http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Teddy+Bear\%s+Tea+Party+Online+Show&iso=20120323T16&p1=68&sort=1