Saturday, December 30, 2006

My girl- and Santa of course


Hello all

well its been a long while since I blogged but between Colins' health and Dads health and wow yup I was a bit under the weather as well this blog became a lost soul all on its own- I have been doing some of my pictures and putting them in frames- like I have had the frames for years- yup years but there ya go Bears a slacko at times ggggg but I have finished most now and as I came across this photo I thought you might like a look see of the little girl who stole my heart from the moment her Mum and Dad told me they were pregnant.
The outfit she is wearing is one I made - fully smocked top with loads of silk embroidery over the smocking and long pants with a ruffle around the hemline. It was for her trip to see the Store Santa- he is the one who passes on little girls requests for her Xmas day loot! My Caitlin loved her smocked outfits her Nana makes for her and has told me enough in the old books she and I pored over before her Mummy decided that she wouldnt allow Cailtin to visit her Daddy,Nana Grandad, Uncle Kieron and Great Grandparents. I am still making the ones that Caitlin decided she wanted but also some of the new ones that have been published in the magazine called "Smocking and Embroidery published by Country Bumpkin . Thats such a wonderful magazineand it comes out quarterly!

ooh and do you see Bears finally worked out wot she had been doing wrong all this time when I kept saying I couldnt get piccies to load up- well I couldnt and I noticed that theres been a lot of my piccies being saved in TIF format and I notice Blogger wont support TIF format- I dont care cos I can easily change the formats now I know what I was doing wrong yippee!!
well its almost New Years Eve here in Australia
So to one and all Happy New Years and I hope that it will be a better year for all of my dear dear friends!
love n hugs Bear xoxoxoxoxoxo

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Normas beawdiful Bear heart

this wonderful heart was sent to me by Norma on Chain Of Hearts!
Norma has tatted the bear herself isnt it absolutely bewdiful??- Thank you so very much Norma and for your wonderful letter and the extras you added in with this heart!
I pray we meet next year its not easy for you I realise what with your ill husband but if we dont meet I will always have this treasured heart by me to remind me of your generosity . Thank you friend
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxox

Friday, September 01, 2006

I am improving- I think!!

Hewoo all

I guess I have been MIA for a while- this bug really had me by the throat and I was feeling miserable and I just couldnt get myself up and moving- anyway whether its been the past 2 days of beautiful delightful sunshine and warm weather or its (the bug) finally run its course I am feeling better- touch wood- yup the bear is superstitious and how!!

Anyway here we are the first day of September and its the first day of Spring- the season of reawakening dowunder!! and I feel the same- reawakening- well I am a bear after all and I do as all bears do - I hibernate in winter and big time!! So I have poked my nose out the door and saw the sun was up and beaming down and so I figger I would come out and play.

I have been working on the Tutorial- not on the pooter but at least I have made a start of the writing it all down. This is going to be an exercise in can the bear make something simple sound simple and be simple for one and all to follow and make their roses the way I make mine!!- ((well those that want to do them this way anyhow!!)) In the process of looking at what I do and dont do I have discovered that yup I do do a couple of things slightly differently when I do the spider web rose-(( hate THAT name- why call something this pretty something awful with THAT name- yup spiders and bear are not a good thing- oh well I will just have to grin and do it wont I??)) I hope to begin work on the pooter on Sunday- we are still housesitting- Dad will be back from his mini holiday spent visiting friends and old mates in Nowra NSW- he is one of the very first Air Craft Handlers in the Royal Australian Navy- and was sent to England to learn how to be a Air Craft handler from the Royal Navy - they (the Aussies) then returned to Australia and were posted to Australias' first Air Craft Carrier. Thats something to be very proud of and I am very proud of my dear old Dad believe me!! Back then - if not nopw also - it was a very dangerous job and how they survived the accidents that happened on the Carrier is beyond me but they did.

Dad and one of his mates (who was also sent to England ) started with an idea to celebrate this fact and as a result Dad has made a Shield celebrating all of the chaps who were on this course, they have their names listed on the shield and it also includes the English sailors who transferred to the RAN and came back with them! A friend of my Colins did all of the gold leafing of the names and also the pictures of the Air Craft Carrier and the 2 planes the Australian Navy flew way back then! The shield was presented to the Naval Museum at Nowra today by Dad and his friend Ambrose in front of many of their shipmates (who were on the same course) and some of the Naval Dignities etc. They then were to have a luncheon and after all of the Official duties were over the old fellows were adjourning to the Nowra RSL- for some many hours of remembering the old times. I hope they all are having a great time ..... I wish I was a fly on the wall no doubt many stories have "GROWN" over the years but..............

Anyway on Sunday-- Dad and Ambrose will be home- sometime mid afternoon I am expecting them back and with them home Col and I will be back home to our own little home. and my Pooter and the Tutorial!! I promise!!!

I do really!! Kathleen do U hear me??- I promise!!!

love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxoxo

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Wots Bear up ta??

Well I have been laid up low with this silly "bug" Virus", cold" wotever one likes to call it!!

But I have been doing the previous heart in between and seeing in my own eye what I do that creates the different style of "Bears Spider-Web Rose". I think I have worked it out and its really such a small thing, well really its a couple of small things- BUT all will be revealed in the Tutorial- so no secrets will be given out here-(although a certain special friend has been told hasnt ya Mom Maureen??) I have been taking scans as I made the rose and I wondered how to approach it- would I begin at the beginning and bore to tears those who know how to make a spider-web rose or just where I do "my thingie" or......?? I have decided that I will begin at the beginning and hope that those of you who are reading this will "bear" with me as there may be some very new stitchers who havent read up on how to do a spider-web rose anywhere. There are many fantastic sites out there on how to make a spider web rose- so please do look for others and how they make the same rose. Lets face it- as with many things there is no right or wrong way to making them I have just over time evolved a couple of steps and they have made the difference in the appearance of my spider web roses.

I hope you will all enjoy reading and trying out making of Bears version of the spider web rose- and I hope you will all let me see how you go at making the rose yourself- I think that this will be the best part for me- seeing how everyone else makes the rose- I dont think anyone really does anyything EXACTLY the same- so we may find we have some more roses that will evolve in an altogethr different way- and wouldnt that be fabulous??

So please pop back in a couple of days time and I will hopefully have the Tutorial up and running pictures and all- Thank you one and all for asking me to do this- and I hope the wait will be worth it

much love n hugs Bear xoxoxoxoxxoxo

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Another heart finished

This is another wee heart for a lady on Chain Of Hearts list, I did something different with the beading of this one- if you enlarge the picture you will see on the right hand side the fabric is sparkly well I thought to balance out the sparkles I might use up some of my sequins and a small pink bead I rather like the effect, but I would love to have some opinions as to whether you like it also- I havent ever added sequins to any of my blocks or hearts so this is an entirely different tack for me- and I dont even know why or how I thought of using them it just seemed to be the right thing to do! The gold charms are my lovely butterflies- I went to Spotlight yesterday to get some more and they were all out of these BUT I found another type and I think they are even prettier- and I also found a baggie of gold bumble bees- ooh cant wait to use them on a block- maybeeven have both butterflies and bees on the same one- its what was happening in the back garden today- both butterflies and bees flitting around the fruit trees blossoms I spent ages watching nature taking place - its the first year I have seen so many butterflies out in our garden- Spring is COMING!!!
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Heart for Colleen T


Hewoo all
well I have been fairly quiet of late as I have had a silly old cold and it was more a nuisance but having headaches, sore throat, and ears is no fun at the best of times is it??- But when they eased up I sat down and took things quietly and did some stitching- this is the heart I made for Colleen - thats if she wants to swap hearts with me still- Colleen asked to be surprised her only stipulations were not to make it like the orange heart and for it to have spider roses andthat left the field wide open to me- Hope you like it Colleen

While I made this heart I carefully watched what I was doing in the making of the hearts in preparation for the Tutorial on how I make my spider web roses (for the Chain of Heart ladies). Several ladies asked me to show how I made them- Its really strange as I nortmally just select the ribbons and go to town almost in a sleep state is how I have been making the previous spider web roses. Anyway I think I have worked out a couple of things that I do that others dont do and I recognised something that I do that makes the Hannah Silk Spider Web roses different. Anyway no bear secrets yet- I am almost ready to begin making the Tutorial up. It going to be different I still dont measure anything up and I hope those who make them up can live with that the rest is easy as!! Will let you know on list when I have done the tutorial gang.

But for now I am going to upload this and then read the rest of my emails and head off to bed nighty night all

love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxoxxo

Sunday, August 13, 2006

re Bear doing a tutorial on "her" spider roses

My dear friends on chain of hearts list have asked me to do a Tutorial on my spider roses, and I said yes - but over the weekend- well here it is late in the afternoon of Sunday and I am no where with it- I have a noighty head cold and am in the grip of it at present - anyway please come back in a couple of days and I hope to have gotten over the worst of the head cold and done the tutorial- promise dear friends
love n hugs bear xoxooxoxoxoxoxxo

Thursday, August 10, 2006

New Heart for a special lady


Hewoo all
well this heart is from series 2 and its a surprise heart - the lady doesnt know its coming and I hope I will get it too her before she realises it is for her-I am not saying anymore cos she may realise and that would give the surprise away wont it??
love n hugs bear xoxoxooxo

Monday, August 07, 2006

Heart for Rosemary Series 2


Hewoo all
well its been a long week this past week- wot with Colins dreadful rash around his neck - that was leaking fluid and had the look of a very bad burn with blisters etc- the Renal Docs sent him straight downstairs to see the Dermatology Registrar. Col was ordered drugs and oitments - we started the oitment that night and when we got up next morning we couldnt believe it- the rash had dried completely - so onto the drugs and now a week later its as if he never had this awful rash- Poor Kathy (a friend of ours) came to our home to do some stitching with me and wasnt able to get to the kitchen without Col showing her his neck- so she can verify how bad it was. Now he has a red patch of skin but no blisters so the drug he was put onto is being brought down in small doses and hopefuly it( the blisters and leaking fluids and the pain) wont return. The consenus of opinion is that it could have been a drug reaction- the renal Docs have changed Colins anti rejection drugs(Cols a kidney Transplant patient- having been given his kidney 19 yrs ago)- unfortuatley the first drug for anti rejection of the transplant has been doing damage to the "new" kidney so this is why he had these drug changes- the new drug is doing great things and is a success re no more damage to his kidney and also bringing all his bloodwork into the normal range again - so we will be battling on and hope when this drug he was given for the rash wont need to be given for much longer! ie no more rash!

Anyway onto nicer things this heart is for Rosemary D our lovely List Mommy on COH- Rosemary loves poirple as I do and this has been a fun heart to make- I actually started another heart for someone else BUT I dont like the colour ribbon I have used for some of the roses and so I am going to dye some ribbon and see if I like that (dyed ribbon) better then wot I have used for now.Anyway as I said Rosemary likes poirple and I had such fun making this one- not that I dont like making any of the others but being a colour that I also love made it easer to do!! I hope you like it Rosemary I really do It might be into the mail tomorrow BUT definatell by Wednesday it will be-- depends on when I go down to the shops (a mere 5 mins away )- how bad is the bear- I hate going to the "big" shops- cos I spend way too much moola when I am down there!!

So thats about it for today its been a win win day - Cols all better for now and Rosemarys' heart is all finished and the bear feels alot more settled in wots going on in our lives - with the emphasis on Colin and his troubles

so love n hugs to all
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoox Bear xooxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoo
Ps
Rosemary- the fabric at the bottom of your heart is a self lined fancy fabric that has scanned really dark colour- almost black on my pooter but its a deep purple self lined fabric! xoxox

Monday, July 31, 2006

Series 2 heart - For Julia C


well darling Julia here tis your heart- I hope you like it- its all butterflies and roses
love ya and big hugs Bear xoxoxoxoxxo

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Jo's heart completed

later that night - I sat down with this heart of Jos after looking at it all night it lacked something and that something was beads - well to my mind it was, anyway a couple of hours of watching a movie and beading is a pleasant way to spend a cold night.
I hope you like your heart Jo - will be on its way later this week with some luck-
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxxo

Monday, July 24, 2006

Series 2 Hearts



Well the month of July is slipping away fast again- where do the days go to - and I need more hours in the day or maybe its that I need to be more aware of the time and sit down and do more embroidery etc then I spend waffling away with Colin or wandering around the yard. I have 2 more hearts almost completed- well the first one for Karen South is finished and should be on its way to her before the end of the week - all going well that is.

The descriptions are back to front to the way the heart photos were actually loaded on to my blog- sorry but this is being written by someone from the land downunder - so they are in fact right for me ---arent they???

The purple heart is for Karen South and as she likes Purple and it was this fact that made it a little easier then the heart for Jo -to my way of thinking is as --- if I like it then hopefully so will Karen--- oh I do hope you like it Karen - the more I look at it at present the more I think its all in one tone of purple and may be viewed as a little bit boring mmmmn I hope its not Karen, but if you find thats so -- maybe you would like to send it back and I will add some dark pieces to it The centre is actually a Stamped block of a rose and its not really easily seen on here but it has been stamped using permanent ink so there will be no way that it will not wash well. I hope you like your heart Karen - please do let me know - maybe I will hold it for a couple of days until you have had a chance to look at it and see what you think of it

The other heart is for Jo Newsham- and this really stretched my limits way out there- Jo asked for rich earthy colours and this from a bear who loves purple purple and purple. Anyway I patched her heart and started to fill in her 'pider roses but the next morning I hated the colour ribbon I had used- so I went hunting for a trim I liked and eventually found the deep red and green flower trim and with that chosen I Knew what ribbon to use and it was a perfect match anyway I only have to add some beads and its finished as well - I hope you like the dragonflys and I found another wee gold bear to add to your heart- I must find a new supplier for these charms as Spotlight are no longer keeping the gold /brass small charms in their stores well so my local store tells me.

I hope you both like your hearts Jo and Karen ..........

love n hugs bear xoxoxoxxo

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Hearts for Sandie and Tayla series 2 is begun!!



Hewoo all
well I have been doing something even if I have not been doing very much on my blog, these hearts are for my dear friend Sandie and her wee daughter Tayla - Sandie had to have her sweet little old baby dog put down last week - she was very very old and had been struggling with congested heart failure so Crystal is now living under the big gum tree at home and is probably chasing my little Oscar around in cat and doggie heaven - but Sandie I hope she isnt cos Oscar was not frightened of rugrats and would be just as likely be chasing poor little Crystal around, and he loves to hide and pounce on unsuspecting feet passing by his hiding spot and he also had a habit of nipping those feet if they were belonging to a doggie.

Anyway there is one more small thing that I will be adding to Sandies heart before I post it off to her and maybe she will show it on her blog when she receives it and I hope she loves it - I thought it appropriate and Taylas is in purples - oh that little one has such good taste lets face it anyone who loves purple is of a regal mind and has very good taste!!
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxoxo

Monday, July 17, 2006

Julias' heart - for Series 2 heart swaps


Oh me oh my I am so far behind and my dear darling series 2 ladies are really firing on all 8 cylinders- this beautiful heart came all the way across the great Nullabor Plains from West Australia to live in my South Australian home- Its so different to Julias first series Heart for me, BUT I love them both- I cannot wait to be able to work with these - BUT wot am I gunna make - der bears in a real quandry - never ever made a really quilt - or for that matter a wall hanging ggg- I think I am going to make a CQ type quilt with my precious hearts - and Julia - thank you so very very much this is a gorjas heart and I adore it- I also received from Julia a very special scissor fob made with cloisomme beads and a beautiful butterfly - I have been searching the house for my best Geiger embroidery scissors- darned if I can find them- see how badly I need a scissor fob Julia ggggggg- I have the fob on another pair of embroidery scissors at present and when I finally find my Geigers well I will swap the fob onto them!!
Thank you so very very much darling friend- I do so lubs your hearts!! and fobs!!
love n hugs ya bear xoxoxoxoxxoxo

Thursday, July 13, 2006

July 18th 2006

well my dear friends-

I have been down caring for my Dad after an operation on his knee - just a bit of reworking on the replacement kneecap, Hes back home and My Colin and I stayed with him for a week and came home this week we are still going down his place everyday to do bitsa and pieces for him but his recovery is brilliant _I am constantly amazed at my Dads recovery rate- being a diabetic on insulin he really heals fast and as he does all his exercises as ordered he has already got his knee back to 90 degrees - brilliant Dad brilliant!!

But( gg oh noighty bear - english teachers the world over are cringing cos bears beginning a sentence with BUT ggggg) anyway -- but while down at Dads place I didnt have my pooter to play with and so day after day we (Col and I) would come up here and I would grab more of my stash and Colin would grab the mail- U can see where our priorities lay by that statement - anyway I eventually had everything I needed and I sat down and sewed up 14 hearts- my series 2 lot- and I actually found that I had them done in no time flat once I was organised enough ! So I will be taking some scans and putting them up as they are finished - this lot are surprises for most - as that is wot they (the recipients of series2 hearts) wanted - so I will put the scan of a finished heart up once they are finished and sent on their way to there new homes!!
well thats it for today I have nearly finished 2 of my series 2 hearts- one is for my Sandie and the other for her darling daughter Tayla. I love the embellishing so much more then the sewing up a heart ready to be embellished I guess I am not alone there though!!
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxo

Thursday, June 15, 2006

orphan hearts

thanks to Rosemary - the heart within the heart - pinks and poirples etc has been claimed as being our Rosemary's heart ggg goodey Ican add a name to the block back now. Rosemary thinks the pink one could have come the hands of Judy Raney - does anyone have her addy please so I can email her and ask if it is or not??
thanks all
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo!!

Orphan Hearts



Hewoo all who pass this way - I am trying to work out who did the above hearts for me- it was from the early days of Chain of Hearts - the one with the bear I am fairly sure my dear Mary Curlewis dun did it for me- but can you tell me for sure - the other 2 I cant remember who and I have no names on the back to help me- so please please if you made one of the above hearts please please tell me
love n hugs bear xooxoxoxoxoxxo

Saturday, June 10, 2006

The Last in My "First" series (for 2006) of hearts


Hello all,
well the first series of hearts has come to an end, I held off posting this one as Sandie was coming down and was to pick it up when she visited me. I made this heart using all Hannah ribbons, and using Edmar Lola thread in a matching red for the few seams that were left following the roses placement, I really wanted the roses to stand out and be the centre of attention rather then the seams being the centre of attention - so the seam treatment is very simple and unadorned and made to blend in with the fabric. I hope that Sandie likes her heart - as this is from my heart to hers and was a heart I really enjoyed making as it flowed from beginning to end.
love n hugs bear xo

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Heart for Dee Shaw

Hello all this wee heart is for Dee Shaw- I hope it comes up to your liking Dee - Twas another to cause me heart ache but eventually these ribbons worked - and so thats what I made it in - they are strange colours to go with each other but they did work didnt they??
It will be on its way with the other hearts eg Pat, Hideo, SusieW and also Sue Huff on Tuesday of this coming week.
Of the original hearts I have only to make my dear Sandies' what a pleasure this one will be its not going to play up on me or anything like that - it had better not Sandie or it will wind up stuck on the ceiling of the lounge room for you to pick it up I mean it ggggggggggg
loves ya
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxox

Jullias Hex Box pattern my version







Jullia
well here they are the sides and top - its is way outta of my comfort zone- there is some purple in there and pink and theres a lot of that deep red I was talking of- I have used mostly Colour Streams threads- in the thicker thread ?? I can think of the name but I think its called Exotic but its so soft and silky to work with and there are such brilliant colours - the ribbon I used on the top of the Box embroidery is actually Bears dying playaround - I even have some of this riotous coloured ribbon left cant think what dye I used but hey ity is such a close colour match to the Colour Stream thread that I like that I was rapt with the result and then thought heck what can I use this on and so here it is......... I am so totally not sure I like what I have done and thats not lokking for copmpliments I really mean that - the one side with the topiary is driving me crazy- and I can see me either pulling it all off or taking bits and pieces of- its way to top heavy!! aand not "me" at all so its not going to remain there is it gggggg
Anyway I hope you are not to put off by my version of your pattern thank you for giving us this terrific pattern and I really really love yours!!
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxo

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Heart for Susie W


Hewoo all
well I been a stitching up a storm with this wee heart for Sue - thank you dear lady your 2 hearts are very very pretty and very welcome to my collection of hearts!! I will be making you a poirple heart in my next series of hearts - this one was supposed to be poirple BUT ............... I tried 2 types of poirple- both a blue based and a pink based poirples and nope it just didnt "fit" so they both came out and the third lot I tried were a different shade of pinks to this lot - based on the piece of material - but oh it looked so drab and so out they all came- its a wonder that the material put up with all of this doing and unpulling ggggg and so I tried this lot and of them all this sort of gelled - its way out of my comfort zone and I am not sure if thats the problem or not but I am still not sure BUT I do lilke this lot best of the colourways I did have in at one time or another. So your second heart will definately be into my comfort zone and will please us both as it will be our favourite poirples ggggggg I hope you like this one though Sue!!
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxxo

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Heart for Hideko


Well here it is the end of another weekend- didnt go anywhere and felt off colour all day today anyway I managed to complete my heart for Hideko tonight. It is the blue angel heart and I used normal silk ribbon in blue and I also mixed ribbons to make some of the spider hearts - I used white silk ribbon and also a dark navy coloured Organza ribbon - I used them as I would one ribbon and I love the way they came out on these mixed spider roses they -- are on the right side middle navy piece of material

Anyway I hope Hideko likes her special heart from my heart to hers

Bear xoxoxox

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Talking of Bags




Hi there

I was talking bags with the ladies on the dolly list - Sherry has two gojas bags on ebay for auction and I told her of my little offerings- not in her standard but .....anyway I have scanned them and thought I would put them on the blog for those friends on digests who dont get the attachments on Yahoo mail lists

The Red Amulet Bag is made from ribbon - on the back is the red rose of the ribbon - shame it only shows on the back - as it really is beautiful- the beading is red plastic beads - yup and also brass hearts in two sizes - just goes to show that plastic arent to be banished to the end of the earth - these are good looking- well thats my thoughts on the subject anyway LOL

The Blue Bag- is one of Pat Winters designs- it was sent to me as a kit for a burfday present by a dear friend Terri A (who does the most amazing glass blown ornament. The ornaments that Terrie makes are so amazing!!! Anyway the beads on this one came with the kit and are glass and other beads (no plasttic in this lot though) and the threads were also in the kit- I had the best time making it I really did - Have since made another one up and I sent it as a present to another lass

The third and final bag - is from my noggin- I was fiddling about one night and had this piece of velvet and wondering what I was going to make with it and then as I sat there fiddling the idea came to me and the top of the bag has my dyed motifs- these are all dark dyed pieces that I really wasnt all that keen on but they fell into place and this is the result of a evenings fiddling around. This bag does double duty as I usually keep my brooches pinned onto this bag . Yes I have used it but its just not big enough for all my stuff !!

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

COH for Susan H


Hello again-
I thought I would put Susan Huff's pink butterly heart on the blog, along with my other hearts. I am so happy with this one - Would you believe there are 3 different pink or pink/white ribbons used in this and there is a few rose buds that would appear not to have any Edmar brazillian thread around it- but I used a thread that had dark ends (both ends) and the middle is a pale green - so in this picture you see the thread at the start of the thread and the end of the thread around the rosesis a dark green and the middle of the thread is pale green - you can see it on the block when you hold the block in your hands ---so Susan I really hope you like this one - I have put a whole heap of wonderful butterflies on and around your roses and rose buds
love n hugs Bear xoxoxoxox

Monday, May 22, 2006

COH for Pat W


Hello all - busy day today - well not really but I have finished Pat W's heart - I hope she likes it - theres a tiny dragonfly in the heart can U find it ggggg
anyway I am ready for my beddy byes catch ya later
lubs n hugs bear xoxoxoxox

Smocked outfits










last year I promised a friend that I would make her a smocked dress. Being me I went overboard - as usual - and made a smocked Christening gown, matching petticote, bonnet and boots. I also found another pair of booties that I had finished embroidering but not made up and a knit fabric cap that I always thought of putting some embroidery on and so these were finished and and put into the parcel and sent on their way to my friend overseas - well it was sent just over a year after I began them.

The dress was a Country Bumpkin pattern and then I decided I disliked the pintucking and lace insertion and so pulled the yoke off and made a new yoke to fit the smocked insert and then I decided that some little flowers would be a good idea so there U go little flowers all over the front and the back of the yoke - then I decided that I had some really nice lace and I had metres and metres and metres of it and so I put that around the skirt and placed silk ribbon embroidery in between the laces.

I am sorry the piccies I have are not brilliant BUT I took them just before I went down the street to post the parcel - and I was on a time limit - Colin wanted to get down the street and back home to watch his favourite afternoon entertainment- I guess I took them at the last minute cos who knows I might have been tempted to change something else and really it did have to be posted sooner or later!!
love n hugs Bear xoxo

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Poirple Fairy for Mary (paper doll RR)


Hello again -
I have finally posted Camilles Flower Lady paper Doll RR - I dont mind the doll now but I am so upset with the journal entry - I have so little experience with Journaling and have never been into scrapbooking and oh it surely does show- sorry Camille I really am- just look at your doll and forget the journal entry!

I have completed Mary's poirple fairy - its strange to me how one doll can be so hard to birth and yet another comes straight away - I had completed the pencil colouring before we left for the trip to and last night I made the rest of her clothing - she has a shrug type top which is held in place by her favourite poirple butterfly and a poirple organza skirt - made in the shape of individual leaves her fairy wings are also made of poirple organza and has some decoration on them and to complete her outfit she is wearing a porple bow in her hair. So now shes all set to go play amongst the flowers at Mary's home

I hope Mary likes her, I do I really do - heck bear wots wrong wiv you - u like something U has made heavens above wots going on in your head??
ggggggggggg

Monday, May 15, 2006

flower woman


Hope everyones' Mothers Day was everything you wanted it to be!! Also hope that you were all spoilt rotten by husbands and children and that everyone got yummy chocolates and fabulous presents- I was very spoilt - A very pretty lace and crinkle fabric shirt and a cardigan -and guess what just what I needed as well.
I am in a Paper doll Round Robin with some of the ladies on my doll group and I have been struggling with my first doll - and she refused to come to me- and I have had to force myself and her to sit down and be born- finally the lady has been born and shes a fairly big woman - glad I wasnt actually physically giving birth to her - but I have finally finally finished her and am going to make her journal page tonight - I scanned her and will post her picture with this blog- I have called her the Flower lady - as she has petals and Pansies for her clothing and she also has a rose for her hat, she is all in similar pinks - not really my colours but the lady demanded to have these so who am I to argue with her!!
When I have finished her journal page she will be on her way across the big pond again travelling to Sherry G. who wont have the problems I had, I am very sure.Camille I hope you like her - I really struggled with her and I am not at all sure I even like her- she has been cursed and cussed and thats certainly not how I should treat a lady is it?? gggg Though to me this is one doll who did not behave as a lady at all during her creation!! ah well the deed is done now!!

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Trims purchased in Cowra and one purchased fro Spotlight Munno Para SA

I thought I had better correct a misunderstanding thats going on re the bag below and people thinking this is my work, How I wish it was!!! It is a picture of the bag I am making -- from the softcover mag "Embroidered Bags &Purses which is a collection of 16 truely inspiring embroidered bags etc - there are full Instructions and patterns for each Bag or purse and Its yet another publication by Country Bumpkin and if you are into pretty bags and purses - this is THE perfect mag for you! Its well laid out and the patterns and the instructions are so clear to read and undestand .

This bag has 2 rows of smocking - actually its backsmocking (one row at the top and one row at the bottom)on the central pink piece of material, the bag is called Midnight Fantasy and the designer is the very wonderful and inspiring Julie Graue (who unfortunately is now living in Qld) -
I was fortunate to take a smocking class with Julie in one of the many classes at a "Beating Around the Bushes" -which is a Country Bumpkin production -runs for week and there are different classes run by Australian and some guest oversea teachers There is also a full day set aside one full day for Market Day - I had a great time even if I couldnt move well for a week or two after it ggggg, and I spent far too much money at Market day - but it was such a fabulous occasion and there were sini lectures throughout the day and workshops as well buy the kit and do the workshop type deal, and there were booths with interstate people I had never seen except in magazines etc- and I let the moths out of the purse well and truely - well I had saved up .ggggg. They are supposed to be Biannual events but this years has been cancelled for some reason and theres no word on when the next one will take place -= boo hoo!!
Anyway I hope this clears up the situation of who made this wonderful bag- I truely would love to say this bag is mine but I believe Julie might come down from QLD and bop me one if I did!! Hi Julie!!
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxoxxo
Top - pink trim from Cowra - second trim from Spotlight
3rd and 4th piccies are Cowra Trim

Top Picture - Pink Trim from Cowra and the 2nd trim picture down is the trim from Spotlight - see how much thicker the bead dangles are compared to the other three trims (the pink,(top piccie) black metallic and bottom gold with coloured dagger beads (3rd and 4th piccies down from the top! anyway they are the trims I purchased in Cowra!!)

I have been asked about the Trims I bought while in Cowra NSW - these trims were all the same price - $A 6.99,which to me was a great price trim the second picc down from the top is the trim I purchased at Spotlight Munno Para - (this one was $A 24.49)

My very own Spotlight- It takes me 5 mins to get to it!!(and thats cause the lights are always red when we get to them ggg) whereas the Salisbury Spotlight took about 20 mins depending on lights and traffic etc- this Salisbury Spotlight was closed down when Munno Para opened - oh its heaven having them so close- but of course Colin doesnt think so ggggg

The only difference I can see is that the Cowra beads are not strung with as many drops compared to the Spotlight Trims- they are made by a different company - the Cowra trims are sold under the name "Creative Trims" and the Spotlight trim is sold under 'Beaded Trimz". There is a signifcant weight differnce between the 2 different brands- ie more drops on the Spotlight brand but the length of all of them is 1 metre. For the handbag I am going to make I only need 35 cms (13 and 3/4' inches). But I will find heapsa more projects to use all this lovely bling ggggggg

I have included a picture of the handbag I am making and the purple beads from Spotlight are the ones which I will use on the handbag! The handbag pattern is taken from "Embroidered Bags & Purses" - published by Country Bumpkin.Its the first one in this book I will be making- there are a couple of bags whose pattern I will use BUT will do the bags differently! This bag I am doing very much the same as the picture, the only difference is the purple and green trim on the bag -( the one shown on the bag is something like $46 a metre - too rich for me!!)

Everything is cut out for this black and Pink fabric smocked bag - just needs me to pull my fingers out (but not saying where from ggg) and get a wriggle one with it - in other words - get off this pooter and into the sewing room- (better known as the dump room or the original name is the bar room )- its got a huge bar in there and when half my supplies and machines in there and its not tidy - the Bar dominates the room- but its a beautiful bar and so I need to get too and tidy that room ggggg. Anyway here is the picccie of the handbag enjoy (the picture is actually above this blog )- I WILL post my version when I get too and do it okay??- at least another week . Maybe two - I gotta do some hearts and more I gotta do my Paper dolls RR. then I can play and make the bag - I am looking forward to making it too! xoxoxox

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Cowra Trip

Last Tuesday {a week ago } Dad received word that My Aunty Joan had passed away - Aunty Joan was suffering from Ovarian cancer and when diagnosed the cancer was very advanced so no treatment was given except for pain relief. So Colin and I and Dad left for Cowra on Thursday morning at 4.30am - the trip was uneventful - we stopped every 2 or 3 hrs for a loo break or to have a cuppa and a walk around etc and we made it to the motel in Cowra at 4.30 pm - not bad huh?? Believe me when I say that after 12 hrs in the car we were all dog tired and achy.
On Friday moning we attended Aunty Joans graveside funeral which under the circumstances was beautifully done. My cousin Cecile (another only child) was broken hearted as is to be expected as she and her Mum had been very close over the years
Leaving the cementary we went up the road a wee bit and had a look at the Japanes and Australian soldiers who died as a result of the Japanese Internees breaking out of the Cowra prison camp.
From Memory there were about 254 Japanese killed that day or days later from wounds received during the breakout. It is a peaceful cemetary the graves give name and how old the person was and the date they died. the cemetary is well set out and had been created with the help of the Japanese government and the Australian government. From there we headed over to Ceciles home where the wake was held - it was a casual affair and mainly all of the Ferguson family there catching up. My Cousin Trisha ( is the third only child - I am the 2nd only child)I hadnt seen since she was a child at my wedding- Trisha is now 35 yrs older and has her own husband and 2 delightful children - Emily who told me she is 9 and a half - the half is oh so important at that age isnt it??- Then we grow older and drop it quickly ggg Anyway there was Emily - an absolutely gorgeous little girl and Luke who would be about 6 yrs old I am guessing here because Luke was a little shy and wouldnt chat with me much. The other cousins who attended were 2 of Aunty Dots kids(she had 5 kids --4 boys and 1 girl - girls are in short supply in the Ferguson family) Dad had been telling me that he thought Trisha was taller then me- I was getting a little miffed at THAT thought - BUT she is not considering Trisha was wearing a small heel on her shoes and I was still taller then her - I think I still have the dubious honor of being the tallest Ferguson daughter. Anyway back to Jeff and Alan - Jeff - I hadnt seen since the same day as Trisha and Alan who we have seen periodically over the years. Also there was my Uncle Arthur and his wife Aunty Mary. Aunty Dot and Aunty Mary are both looking very frail these days and unfortunately both are quite unwell, one of Ceciles 3 children - Jason was there with his family and that was about it, If any of the Carpenter families came - it was during the time we were at the Japanese cemetary- Although there were many people at Aunty Joans funeral service I was surprised that there were so few who came to the wake. I guess Aunty Dot was not feeling too well as she lost and buried her second husband Jim the week before Aunty Joan died, he also died of cancer.
On Saturday morning we took Dad for a walk around Cowra shopping Centre. Boy Cowra is so hilly and the streets follow the hilly way up and down we went - but we walked for about an hour - went to Ceciles for lunch with her and her husband Harry. Stayed a couple of hours and then headed off to have a look around the Japanese Gardens.
The gardens was first proposed by the Cowra Tourism in 1971 and the first stage was opened in November 1986, as I said earlier the garden was funded by the Japanese and Australian Governments and was designed by Ken Nakajima and he designed the garden to represent the entire landscape of Japan it is a 5 acre garden and is the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, and was made in 3 stages there are beautiful trees and shrubs and lakes and in the lakes can be seen huge Koi fish (and small so they are mating very well in their lake) When we leaned over one of the viewing platforms the giant Koi were right under where we were leaning-- opening up their mouths- they must be fed there - there were so many and they had magnificent patterns on them.
When you enter the garden you first have to pass through the gift shop and then pay for the admittence - this goes toward the upkeep of the gardens - there are 3 full time gardeners and a apprentice, and they certainly keep the garden in beautiful condition, on the other side of this shop was a "Tea House" where you could have a cuppa and /or meal etc. Once through this shop we turned left and went into see the cultural building and on display were beautiful paintings By Japanese artists - in one room the paintings were all in black and white and various shades of grey - you would think them boring but once you stood back and took in the entire painting they were magnificent- one painting had very very pale pink flowers on it - this was a painting of cherry blossoms on trees - I was enthralled by them - in corners they had several dolls - two were magnificent Japanese women in Kimonas with fans in their hands. theres was also one of the samurai, and in the middle of the room were several glass cases - one held childrens toys including Temari balls(eat your heart out Maureen Bond they were as nice as yours though!!) In another were eating utensils and plates etc, another held some of the Samurai swords and knives,and still anbother showed examples of pottery. From there you walked down another small corrider - on boh sides there were small displays and as you were coming down the corrider you could see a large glass case with the most magnificent kimona and in others along side of this kimona were obi' and undergarments and hair combs etc and also the "thongs the women wore with the kimona (help Hideko - what are these thongs shoes called). The guys literally dragged me away - U know how crazies always carry a pair of scissors to cut up fabric they like - well ladies it would have been a sacrilidge to do this to these beautiful clothes- I stood and admired and cried they were so beautiful, anyway dragged away - into another room - again small version of a Samuri and his armour all to scale - fantastic and then I saw the dolls -the first pair are called Hino dolls and they are displayed on March 3 for the Hina Matsuri Festival - or as Hideko says Girls festival, the next window held more Ladies wearing their kimona and the next held 150 pair of little boy and girl dolls- they were all different and all were of a boy and girl each pair different to the next, these are called Ichimatsu some had bisque faces and hands but the majority were made of some sort of wood?? and all beautifully presented and in the final window were 2 different Hibuki Dolls ( the Kibuki is a form of theatre ) and on the walls were more dolls
I was so happy and then we left there -= but I really would have stayed there and not moved taking in more and more- but the guys- always the guys -- dragged me away again!!
We then went out t0 walk around the garden - in the garden there were 2 lakes and waterfalls etc- and there were several buildings- the first looked like a type of very elaborate Gazebo but it was a Bonzai house and then the next was a pergola with its climbing plants- wisteria - the trunks were huge very thick - we then saw another building which I think is used for teaching there were chairs etc and pottery implements and it was fairly empty, further on was a home - with it set up as if a family lived in it- included cupboard in the bedroom and tatami (sic) mats for sleeping on the floor - and it also had a bath - very small and very deep - But the oddity was that there was a toilet and also shower. There were doonas kept in the cupboard although I didnt see the hard board to put under the head - that I have seen in movies. At the very beginning of the walk and at the very end(same place) was a peace bell which could be rung.- there were 2 very large rock outcrops which could be climbed to have a look out from - we didnt climb them - we couldnt see us climbing up and then down with our walking sticks and bum knees and hips and all the rest of the ailments. then it was back through the gift shop and out - oh I didnt say that outside one of the rooms in the cultural centre was a pebble garden and its rocks- beautifully raked and patterns made with the rake- what is this Hideko - I think the white pebbles signify a body of water and the rocks represent land masses - is that right??
I felt more at peace walking around the garden then I have in many years - it was over all too soon and I would loved to have gone back into the cultural centre to gaze longingly again at the beautiful and magnificent displays inside it.
The next day was Sunday and we began the long trip home- this time though we stopped at a motel on the edge of the NSW and Victorian borders - over the bridge was Victoria, we stayed in NSW that night and then we came home on the Monday- we came home through the back way and passed through Harndorf- its one of our tourism centres here in South Aust - a little way out of Hahndorf we stopped at one of the shops (out front of their homes- this one was selling apples and apple products - and the most amazingly good tasting Rhubarb and Apple Crumble- oh man alive it was so good ggg we also got some lovely fresh apples and some apple Muffins - yummy!!!
So that was it - I really loved going through the Japanese Gardens and I would go again in an instant if I could.
On Friday afternoon Colin and I went for a walk down to post Toni E's hearts at the Cowra Post Office, and on the way back - I spotted a patchwork shop - I can smell them out, Poor Colin just groaned when I said - Ill be back in a moment ggggg. He didnt even drag me out either - he let me have a wonderful look around - I bought a fat quarter of flannel fabric and as I went further into the shop past all the scrummy fabrics I spotted some beads and other beading supplies and then I saw THEM - bags of 1 metre beading fringe - I paid $24.99 at Spotlight Munno Par last month and would you believe it - the dearest of these was ---- wait for it---- fellow South Aussies we are being ripped off---- the dearest beaded fringe (for handbags etc) was $6.99, the cheapest $4.99 - As I was grabbing this one and that one I asked with a small voice(cant ya just ssee it big Bear asking in a small voice anytime gggg) are these the right price - and oh Lordy the lady says yes - dreadful isnt it??- Dreadful isnt it??- She was apologising so profusely that I couldnt leave her like that and told her about my Spotlight beaded fringe and its price- I thought she was going to faint on the spot - so eventually I picked 3 different bags - I really couldnt survive without these three bags I can tell ya so there I was holding my little bag of goodies and telling Colin what a great buy I had just made and this lady is still apologising because she thought them so dear ggggggg I couldnt get out quick enough in case the lady changed her mind and charged me more ggggg Colin took the precious bag and carried it home for me- heck I wanna carry it Colin - and he so gently says thats okay darl I will carry it for you. - I got them home in one piece too - oh how purty they are!!!!!
Well thats it - what a trip too quick and packed too much in - my legs are screaming as is my knees and my hips and oh you all get the piccie dont you- I have yet to go through the piccies I took in Cowra but I hope to have some piccies to put up on my blog in the next couple of days but am ever so tired now and so am going to say goodnight from me and its goodnioght from him, catch ya on the flip side (showing my age again!!)
I referenced some information on the Japnese garden from their little brochure - called Cowra Japanese Garden Australia - oh noighty bear not giving my references or bibliography - all better now I dun it!!

Katiejean's heart

This heart has Hannah Silk ribbons used for the Spider roses and the buds I used a darker Hannah silk for the colonial knots in the centre- but you couldnt even see them so I added burgundy beads The thread used for embroidering the stamens and any rose leaves etc is Edmar Brazilllian threads. The other "pink" roses I added gold Mill House beads too and added some clear crystal beads around the other roses.
I hope you like this Katiejean - from my heart to yours with love
Bear xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Bears Embroidery Den

COH For Katiejean
I have been away for a few days and will fill you in on the trip in a while but for now I wondered if anyone would like to have a look at the heart I kinda worked on while we were away, its for katiejean and I made it with pink roses that were given to me ages ago - actually when I first joined CQ groups around these I used hannah silk ribbon and made rose buds and beaded around the edges on the other side I used the same hannah silk but in a larger size for the spider Roses (how come a bear who is terrified of spiders and wont have webs or the spiders on anything she does or anything anyone does for me) BUT I adore these little roses - they can be so different from any other spider roses I have made for others by the changing of the ribbon - and I really really love Hannah silk and the effects it gives to these little roses - I hope that Katiejean likes this - the usual applies - U no like Katiejean - I will make another heart for you............... with love from my heart to yours .............................
loves n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Monday, May 01, 2006

Toni E's Black Heart

This is the first heart I made for Toni E - we are swapping 2 hearts. Toni has given me Her purple Sane dragon - he is so gorjas and Toni is making me another dragon heart and this one will be red, yummy!!
Anyway Toni is a big lover of orange and has swapped hearts with another lady on COH these hearts are orange background with a black kangaroo on them and when I saw them I thought of doing my hearts in a different way and so this is how I saw the hearts I would make for her and they have come up all right well I think so anyway - I hope Toni likes them too ggggg
Anyway the black heart is made in a CQ fashion of different black materials and the spider roses are orange I also added some bought flowers they are orange but kinda of look red but hey I know they are orange ggg and then I used some little daisey flowers that I had dyed a long while ago - in a kinda of bronzie orange colour I also used some Edmar threads making little colonial knots for buds and the green thread around them for accent stems and leaves I used the same beads in both hearts the black metal look were used as the centre of the dyed daisy where as I used them as an accent stem on the wild heart
On both hearts I used hearts and butterflies - on the black heart the butterfly is gold as are the tiny hearts and on the wild heart I used a antinque heart and coloured butterflies. I hope you like them both Toni - its been great working my embroidery on these hearts for you.and so from my heart to yours these will be on there way to you later on today!!

Hearts for Toni E


May 1st 2006
Well I have finished both of Toni E's hearts tonight.
Toni Has seen the first heart - called black heart with orange roses, and the second one has been called the wild one beacause of the fabrics I used to make it. I was thinking of the Indian "Bollyhood" movies - where the story is always upbeat and there are always heapsa of singing and definately no kissing and the womens costumes of wonderfully coloured Sari's. I really love these movies - theres never ever any suggestion of sex , and the movies generally are happy and have apart from the singing lots of dancing and the swirl of the wild coloured Sari takes me to another place and another time. So the colours in this heart were fashioned after some of the colours used on the Sari in manyof this movies.
So there is an orange, followed by a bright cerise pinkfollowed by what I now know to be a piece of Hoffman material, in oranges, bright blue, yellow,cerise pink and lime green, this piece is followed by a lemonary orange and the last piece of fabric is a metallic red based orange. the first and last pieces of material are made up of 2 pieces of fabric - one on top of the other to give depth to the colours on top.
I then used Black organdy and silk ribbons to make spider roses and buds, a bluey green silk ribbon is used for the leaves, there are mtallic beads on the seams adbright pink and blue and black threads cover the other seams I have used orange beads in the middle of the spider roses and I also used an Edmar thread in green for the stitching around the rose buds- in the middle of the heart on the Hoffman fabric I have stitched a gold heart - to signify from my heart to yours and sa usual I have added butterflies. I hope you like this one too Toni !!!!

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Not much is happening

April 30th - its now Sunday at 1.17am my time

Not much is going on in my life at the moment - it was a normal Saturday - Colin went to golf this morning and I watched a couple of movies - Aviator - wasnt bad- It made me sad though that Howard Hughes was so obviously suffering a Mental Illness and instead of getting him help they seem more worried about keeping the world from knowing - it reminded of O.C.D. poor man all that money but he was still a very sick man and his minders although doing what they thought was the best for him and his businesses and all his money didnt really help the man.- All that money and I wouldnt have swapped a moment of my life for his.

Then I decided to do some tidying up of my books and magazines and then it was time to go to Mass with Dad - he was very breathless tonight and has admitted its time for him to go onto Oxygen - Dad suffers from Emphysema (among other things) He used to smoke 60 cigarettes a day - Unreal!! On my worst day I have never ever gone over 30 ciggies a day and that was mostly if we went out and I would be smoking more then.

Its raining here and its heavy rain again - we really need this rain so it is good to hear it falling onto my roof. I have been doing some more embroidery on Tonis hearts - I have finished the black one and most comments are favourable, and I am now stitching on her Wild Block - I am doing spider roses but in Black this time- her black heart has orange roses on it and this wild block is a combination of oranges and pinks and a "hoffman piece of material that picks up the colours I have used - It should be finished tomorrow and I can show it on my flickr account and here as well. I am ready to go to my bed- oh its going to be lovely in bed and listening to the rain falling on the roof

well its good night from me and its good night from him

Nighty night Caitlin Skye - I wonder petal if you will ever read your Nans blog - unfortunately probably not - she doesnt know her Nana as bear - oh dear - Lord take care of Caitlin, her little half brother and her Mum - and take care of the rest of my tribeplease and all of my friends online qand in real life thank you.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

April 25th April 2006

Well this is the 25th or April - its the day we celebrate the lives and deaths of all of our men and women who died in the wars Australians have been in. The day is called Anzaac day and was formed to remember the young Australians and New Zealanders Army's who died at Anzaac Cove Turkey during attacks during the 1st World war. There are no survivors left of that particular action- the last digger died earlier this year

to me it is a poignant day - I lost my fiance to the Vietnam War - he was only 20 years old and had been there for a short time when he was killed - he went to Vietnam as a Vietamese interpretor and served in the Australian armed Forces He was a "regular " soldier during this war the australian government had sanctioned conscription and many of these conmscripts went to Vietnam as well and many were injured and killed BUT all the Australians in Vietnam served with great honour. Rest peacefully Vic.


Lest we forget.

Friday, April 21, 2006

My first hearts

the green heart is not completed yet - in fact I am working on it tonight and will publish when its completed the heart underneath the green heart is known by me as angel in her garden and this one is also not completed - hated the butterflies and also the fan so they were taken off tonight and I am also working on it.

The heart under the second heart is known as angel in her rose garden and this one is actually finished and lastly the mainly burgundy heart is also finished.

I am waiting on SherryDawn deciding which heart she would likethe last heart is known as the angels and roses is finished as well.Julia has also told me which one of two she would like. I am finally in the swing of making them and am going to be doing some more piecing over the weekend to begin making a few more hearts to swap with ladies who have decided they would like a heart swap with me!!

I also have got to sit down and do 2 paper dolls this weekend- I finally have worked out what I want to do with these paper dolls- I have Camilles and Marys sitting here waiting on me making them - I probably send them together to Sherry - and as Sherry has classes this weekend and also next week, this should work out well as the parcel should get to her in time for her return home from teaching- Boy I am so glad my paper Doll block has gone- now to actually make them- I will post them to my blog when they are ready to go off on their next journey - this one back over the big pond to America phew!!!