Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I am most interested to learn if you have hedgehogs in Russia
We have them snuffling around our house...fascinating creatures and you have made an excellent likeness. It looks like if you picked him up that he would automatcally curl into a ball because he looks so real....Well Done
Hugs
Helen

I am so glad that we have seen your Christmas ornament , Pat. It is so innovative. You are to be congratulated
And this year I am sure that Tammy will have your ornament on the tree for all to see.
Happy Christmas
Hugs
Helen

I keep looking but I am sure that I cannot see the amazing wooden bear of Pat's.
The tree is looking fabulous
I do congatulate you all for such a wide variety of designs
Happy Christmas to you all
Hugs
Helen

:clap:  :clap:  :clap:
BRAVO! Congratulations Tammy, the tree is looking good.
It is the weekend here so I get a chance to whizz over your TT happenings for the past week.
I see that you needed to know about the reindeer
I am a teacher of Food and Fabric Technology and it is during the sewing classes and a school bear club that we were discussing a Christmas bear ornament that had a New Zealand flavour.
Naturally the colours had to be black and silver of our country
and so after much discussion I drafted and created him.
The students were very supportive and eager to see my daily developments.
It was so great that Melissa organised it so early this year for us all and it gave more time to create as school teaching is so full on as any teachers would know
Much of my out of school time has to be buying produce etc for my food classes so I do have to be very organised otherwise my dear husband never sees me. In fact he has taken to coming to school at lunch time and helping the students with their bears. He is so good at jointing and stuffing that 2 pairs of hands can help so many more children in our given time and of course living with 240 bears he has caught the bg and makes bears too. Usually of late we work in tandem and I do the fiddley bits and he does the rest. Good teamwork and we then see more of each other.
Today is a very hot 36C day and we are hoping for rain.
I live in a very isolated area of New Zealand. We are the first city in the world to see the sun each day. We had a huge influx of people for the Millennium for this reason.
There are islands before New Zealnd that see the sun first but we are officially the first city each day, and we do get lots of sun!!!!!!
I am so looking forward to the tree being completed and my good fortune was receiving my ornament today from Susan in Portugal. The students are going to be so thrilled on Monday and she will be so well admired.
Look tomorrow to see my ever so welcome angel called Lace.
Wishing you all a blessed Christmas with friends and family
Hugs
Helen
(aka Sandra)

:dance:  :dance:  :dance:
Oh yes I am dancing around because I have just received my ornament in the post and it is all the way from Portugal. It really thrilled me that it had come from the Northern hemisphere.
Now this wee bear is needle felted and I love needle felted bears. My students in the bear club at school find needle felting so therapeutic in spite of the occasional finger stab!!!!!
She is a beautifully crafted angel bear with lovely fluffy wings and I have just found on her card that her name is LACE. I do not have an angel in my Christmas collection so she is unique as well as special.
Thank you so very much Susan. I will post a photo tomorrow as it is now so late
Hugs and Christmas blessings
Helen  (aka Sandra)

My ornament is finished with a big New Zealand 'flavour'
It has so far away to go so I will have it in the post tomorrow.
It certainly is adding to the pure joy and excitement of Christmas.
I will be eagerly watching the post for a parcel from my secret partner
I do love this time of year
Blessings to you all
Sandra

Evie, this has been such a fun thread seeing all your lovely photos and all the cards and how how post can tie us altogether so easily
So sad to hear that you have been poorly, but glad you are better so that you can go to school and enjoy your cards with your friends.
It is such a great idea
Stay well, Evie
Hugs
Helen

Thank you so much Melissa for getting the planning so early
I am soooo looking forward to all the ornaments on the tree this year

I have sent you an email
Hugs
Sandra

The Gingerbread man came roaring past New Zealand Evie      and so there is a post card winging its way but remember it will take quite a long time as it is so far away.........I wonder how the teacher and children in your class are loving all the cards. You will have to teel us how many the class received altogether.
Love your photographs
Hugs
Sandra

By the good Christmas fairy's magic the courier has just delivered  my ornament  3 minutes ago.
Thank you so much Melissa.
Blitzen's is so pleased to be out of his pretty box and join with all the other bears on a Kiwi Christmas bear tree
I know he will be very happy living in my Hug and I am just so delighted to have one of your bears. WOOHOO!His fur is so lovely to touch
and I do love the detail on his paws and his bridle
The students at school in my bear club will love him to bits
Again thank you for fitting me in for this year and spending the time to organize it all.
Now I have treasures for 3 years.
It really is such a lovely way to unite the bear fraternity all over the world
I do hope that you all can have a special Christmas time with your family and friends
Special bear hugs to you
Sandra

PS the photo is on its way to Tammy  if it does not work on TT

Oh Ann-Marie, I am really so glad that you are ok
Oh yes it is so scary
20th December last year we had a 6.8 quake and countless tremors for days afterwards
Without electricity for days
Our city is still under re-construction and it took us 3 months to right most things in our home
My work room was just waist level with my gear. The doors flew open and everything just slid out onto de floor.
No-one else could put things away because unless they went back to the same place I would never find them again
I am really so pleased that it was a scare and that you did not sustain damage
I hope you have a survival kit prepared in your pantry
Merry Christmas and may it not happen again to you and your family
Hugs
Sandra

Hi Raewyn
New Zealand Teds magazine can be ordered only through our two editors in Wellington and is only part of our NZ bear world, not on the magazine bookshore's shelf.
Pam Hurley 24 harewood Grove
Silverstream
Upper Hutt 5019
hurlys@xtra.co.nz
I feel as if I know Tami after her "intoduction to her wonderful bears"
Well done
Hugs
Helen aka Sandra

Woohoo!
         
I am delighted to tell you all that my ornament has arrived safely by courier today, like just 3 minutes ago .
As always things always take so long to get to me. many a time I'm sure the boxes sit on the customs shelving.
However worth the wait....thank you so much Shelli
His sculptured mouth is just gorgeous.
You are so fortunate to be able to get such ornate bells to use. Secondly I am honoured to own one of your ATC's. I worry about the cost of the postage but thank you so much even if you can only eat dry bread for a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shelli could you please be a sweetie and send the photo to Tammy as my camera is still under all the chaos from our earthquake. There are still so many things I have not found. It has been a very harrowing time indeed. I have keep up our wee tree and we have 4 nights until the twelfthnight when it is all packed away for another year. I do think that this swap just adds so much PIZZAZ to the Christmas season as it unites us from all over the world and is full of surprises.......I would never have guessed that my swap partner was Shelli...of whom I have admired her skills for so long
Hugs
Sandra
WOW the thought of three trees next year...something to really to look forward to.............
A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL. May we have peace in our world and inspiration of artistic endeavours in all you attempt....Good luck and blessings

Because of TT, I was introduced to the amazing work of Diane Lundgren......the golli lady.
I have been fortunate to win the Bid 4 Bears auction for her gollidolly...Anna Pavlovnia,a truely exquisite ballerina.As a child my passion for gollis grew with the knowledge from my Mum. My first 'friend' was a golli called Nica.
She has just arrived by post and I have excitedly unwrapped her and admired her every detail. What a clever artist Diane is! She looks fabulous by the picture but when you have her in your hand and view every detail, it is just  an emotional joy. I shall look after her very carefully and she will hold centre stage in my Hug collection from artists all over the world. Thank you to all you Teddy Talkers for what you have shared with me over a very long time.....you are all just sooooo talented and share so willingly.
Hugs
Helen :dance:  :dance:  :dance: