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Now that's what I call....playing with your food!! 
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Hi Tami, 
I have a 20 lb. capacity Pelouse that is computer compatible. Ding-a-ling me doesn't know how to hook it up to the computer though so I just use it as a scale and input the information into the USPS website. It's absolutely accurate. Highly recommended!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Thank you for the heads-up! I'm thinking about jumping back into eBay just so I can buy some time between listings to work on other projects at the same time. I'll have ten bears done this week so putting them on eBay a week at a time would give me several weeks to work on the nursery and baby shower arrangements. All the changes on eBay though......sheesh....they might be pulling my listings left and right!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Hi Dee!
Yup, Where Women Create is a fabulous magazine. Did you know there's a book that was the catalyst for the magazine? It's the same title.
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Brenda dear, you make me smile. I see so much of myself in you. I now see a part of me in Us Bears too! Lists....I live by lists or nothing would get done.
Unlike you Brenda, I am unable to read manuals. Oh...my...gosh. You should have seen me yesterday trying to read the instructions on how to put the crib together. I might as well have been trying to read Chinese! It's like those awful story problems in math class. Oh, how I struggled with those! Thank heavens for pictures in the instruction booklet and the help of my son and son-in-law. They understand my difficulty with staying on task and are so very patient with me.
Anyway, I'm glad you're getting it sorted out. You'll be zipping around that Mac in no time!!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Hi Joan,
I know nothing about the plush bear market. I have, however, seen oodles and oodles of little kids carrying Build-A-Bear boxes out of the mall the few times I've been there. Obviously a market is there.
I like your idea of making kits available to the locals. It's a great way to introduce people to the art of the bear. I don't know that it would work for garnering the tourists though....you'd have to supply scissors and thread in your kits as well. Or, at the very least, carry a small supply of those as well.
I remember going on holiday to the coast and the weather turned absolutely miserable. We scoured the town looking for some sort of creative shop so I could buy something to work on. It was just too cold and awful to walk along or enjoy the beach. I would have been delighted to find a shop with some sort of kit to work on. Any kind of kit would have been enjoyable.
My suggestion would be to really look at what market you are trying to attract. Kids or adults? Take it from an expert on scattering energies.....pick a focus and try to stay within bounds.
Best of luck and bushels of good wishes, :hug:
Aleta
I couldn't possibly pick just one bear. I fancy so many! 
As far as creating one? Hmmmmm. I think I'd like to make a traditional excelsior stuffed bear. I've just started expirementing with excelsior in the nose and paws and I'm really liking it! So, I think a full on, completely traditional (including cotter pins and voice box), excelsior stuffed bear would be my dream creation for the year.
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Oh my, that certainly IS the best Christmas present ever!! He's beautiful and so is your darling little granddaughter. Lucky, lucky you!! Congratulations!!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Happy New Year, Jane! I, for one, am looking forward to putting this past year in the dust! Only the best of wishes and health to everyone in the New Year!!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Loved reading your perspective, Paula!!
Hmmmm. My bear related perspective....as it pertains to my work. Well, I know I've become too fragmented in styles and sizes this year. Though my collector friends seemed to accept these new bears, I've found I really miss my traditional style. I designed mainly for price point this past year with the economy in mind. I'll be bringing back a few larger, more traditional bears in the next few weeks to test the waters. Perhaps I'm just over-processing. 
Ya think?! 
ha!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
I am hoping to......
take better care of myself. This will require learning to relaaaxxx.
spend more time outside tending my gardens. We may have another wedding in our back garden in 2009!
re-make my entire studio so it functions better and is safe for a wee precious babe.
reign in the bear designs and find a focus. I've become far too fragmented in my bear design.
find the joy in cooking. If other people can do it.....surely I can too.
laugh and be silly more! Parts of this past year were a real downer. It's time to reboot my inner Pollyana with the pigtails and the rose colored glasses!! Yay!!!
Warmest New Year Bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
P.S. I'm also hoping to change my avatar! That one has been there....like...forEVER! :crackup:
Yay! Yay! Yay! It's almost all melted!!! Wahooooo!!! We're back to green, green grass!! The snow is now where it belongs.....in the mountains for the skiers and snowboarders. It's all good. Weeeellll, except for those pesky swelling rivers. Drats. A fly in the ointment, so to speak. Eventually, all will be right once again.
You simply cannot know how delighted I am to have my freedom back. Funny thing is, I'll be home all day......still working on bears!!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Hi Laura,
Yesiree bobaroo.....flooding! Out of the frying pan, into the fire! Oiy!!
I do hope you get your roof fixed lickety split. Three shopping center roofs have caved in already. I can't even imagine. I was feeling poor, poor pitiful us getting stuck in our driveway last night after finally getting out to do some Christmas shopping. After getting stuck, one of the chains ripped loose and wrapped around the axel of the truck. Is this a nightmare or what?!!
The good news is....at least for us.....it looks like we'll finally have our Christmas celebration tomorrow!! Yay!! Oh, and we got mail delivery for the first time today too! Mark this a happy day.
Warmest New Years bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Laurie,
Don't be so quick to want to move! It's not as lovely as you might think. 
It's actually very, very bad here.
Laura,
Have you been out and about yet? It's miserable! The ruts in the roads are horrific. People are getting stuck and wrecked. The water has nowhere to go now that it's starting to rain so it's just standing in the streets because the drains are iced over. None, and I mean NONE of the side streets have been plowed. None of the parking lots have been plowed. It's one gigantic Bronco Billy ride wherever you're trying to get. It's sooooo dangerous! I am absolutely appalled by the actions of the city Portland (and surrounding areas including my own Happy Valley)....or lack there of. They are refusing to plow anymore streets.....telling the people they have to do it themselves or wait for it to melt because they don't have the money in the budget. It's a really baaaad situation.
I really, really detest snow....now more than ever. It's pretty.....in the mountains and in places that are equipped to handle it. What an absolute nightmare for so many, many people. The cost of this snow is unfathomable. Mental, physical, economical and personal property costs. It's unbelievable. Truly.
Stay safe! Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Lovely, lovely story! Thank you for sharing it and for the smile that went along with it!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
BTW: Your illustrations are fantastic!
I know there are delays in the mail because of all the snow storms. We haven't had mail delivery going on four or five days now. Silly snow!
All the ornaments are really super duper fabulous. You've all outdone yourselves!! Delightful work and lucky, lucky recipients!!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Hi Laura!
SW Washington? As in the Vancouver area? If so, I'm just a jump across the river!! Yep, we're all in the same snow drift!! I've been stuck for 11 days now. My daughter and son live in North Portland and Gresham respectively. I'm in Happy Valley.....way up in the East Hills. We can't get together for Christmas either.....even though we're only 20 minutes apart!! Like you, we are delaying the gift and dinner part and will celebrate on New Year's Day instead.
Hi Karen!
You know, whenever I've tried to explain about snow around here no one understands. You have to see it to believe it. We're just not equipped for snow here. Too much snow and not enough plows to remove it. They only plow the freeways and main arterials. The rest is just a "wait for it to melt" type of deal. When you have 2-3 feet of snow it can be a looooong time before you see pavement or the mall.....or the mailman for that matter! We haven't had mail delivery for three days and probably won't see it today either. (sigh) Oh well. We wait patiently.
Stay warm and safe and have a very Merry Christmas!!
Merry Merry bear hugs! :dance: :hug:
Aleta
You know what, Dee? It really IS okay not to send cards. This year has been a tough one for many, including me, for so many different reasons. I only mananged to send cards to my five TT'ers. Normally I would send a handmade card to everyone I ever got a card from! Sometimes we just can't do it all....physically or mentally.
I, for one, am looking forward to the new year and putting this year in the dust!
Merry, merry bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
What a sweet picture!! I still can't believe how quickly they grow. Seems like you were just posting about his birth!! He's quite the handsome little one, isn't he?!!
Warmest bear hug and Christmas blessings, :hug:
Aleta
Congratulations to you and your family, Jenny!! What a supreme delight and enormous blessing!!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
First off.....Lisa, your creations are NOT weird!! They're fabulous and imaginative. I'm so pleased to see that someone with your creativity and talent is featured in such a top shelf magazine. Bravo to you!!! I'm absolutely delighted for you and will definitely be picking up a copy......as soon as I can get off this snow covered mountain/very large hill.
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
I'm so jealous of all the lovely ornaments received in the swap this year. Next year I'll be able to join in again. I think I'll start my ornament in February just to be sure!!
Great work everyone!!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Sweetest Jane,
You throw the most marvelous parties!! It's the highlight of my TT year!!! You're such a gracious host too. Thank you so very much for a lovely time.
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
