5th Blogiversary ...

Here was my first post... probably none of you were around then.... and nobody actually commented for several posts of course...why would they?  they didn't know I was out here...or would that be 'in' here?... As a matter of fact, I actually asked them to step out into the light because I knew from the visitor thingy that people were around...they were just sneaking in and out and not saying anything. And, you know me... darn nosy.  I wanted to know who you were... and I wanted to hear somebody "say" something... lol.... two people actually said 

"hi" and I was a happy camper.  The rest is, as they say, history.....

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May 3 2007

So.... I bumbled around for a bit and now.... the glass is shiny. Look! you can see all the little guys on one of the shelves! The Bearister Bookcase is officially open for business. Okay...well, not really business, but you get it...peek in and check out my bears and dolls ....oh, and a ton of other stuff I might have on display from time to time.

Eventually there will be info, tips, techniques and tricks that I discover during my travels through other sites and from members of groups to which I belong.

Don't think I'll bother too much with the finer points today....it will suffice that I have a nice quiet template, (although I will jazz it up a bit some day too, and add lots of pics )... a heading and description...as a matter of fact, I think it's time for a nap.  That was just about enough for this Bumblebearie on top of almost 2 hours of physio for my ankle.

Better get some cheese on the lasagna first though.... ...oh, yeah... once we get going you will see that I also like to cook and bake... Hey!! I could have called it the Bearister Bakeshop ........where the dolls and bears could all sit around the kitchen table, dipping cookies in their tea while I stand at the stove baking more. Uhm...no...changed my mind.

I'll pour.... 

Shoo....

.. just one more, 'kay? 

Yeh..... see there?  I just knew it would get out of hand....... now they've OD'd on cookies ..... sigh.........

anyway... happy blogiversary to me...la la..la....

'Niff the cork Mom.... 

WOYWW

Hi WOYWW snoopers.... c'mon in!

The Viking has done with guarding and keeping things secret....and no, sorry.... still can't show you what the heck was under his care.  But, now, all of a sudden he wants attention.  Seems he has tidied and cleared away most of my desk actually.  Good thing, because I needed some help.  Soon it'll be totally packed away in preparation for our renovation.

He is barking commands at me in some language I don't understand.... but, finally I figured out it is something about his scratty friend here who's lost an eye... needs surgery.... ... or somehow they think I should just re-insert the thing......

Well actually, it is my fault.  I never did actually stitch the eyes in when I was completing the poor little guy...a very bad habit of mine.  Almost every single bear, doll or rabbit, in this case... needs some little thing fixing, finishing or fastening.... I get them to the photographing stage and then.....that's it.  They just sit there and somehow I forget they still need finishing.

Sigh.... I'm a dirty, rotten, procrastinator.....it's in my nature....

But, not today.... Olaf is insisting...

As a matter of fact...he is really getting up in my face about it all.... sheeesh....

That's it....I'm off to get my upholstery thread and permanently stitch in some eyes.... not only for poor Scratty Eddy...but, at least two other characters... and, maybe I'll just finish up some stuffing openings on a few other guys while I'm at it .......yeh...that's it.  It'll make me feel good.
Now where did they put the darn eye? ...

oh.... alright...I see it....

How would you like to see what dozens of other crafters are up to?  Check out the list over at Julie's blog.... surf around and have a peek at other desks and worktables.... some fun stuff to see...

No sock gremlins here...

but, there is something happening with rubber gloves that is disturbing....very disturbing..

Notice anything unusual about all of these gloves?

Yes.  They are all left hand gloves.  I've got 4 of them now.

What on earth keeps happening to the right hand gloves?  where do they go?

Okay then....I guess I'll just have to use a lefty on my right hand..... because my nails are totally wrecked and it must be the dishwater that's creating the problem...well, I'll say it's that and try a glove for awhile ....

Looks and feels totally silly.... almost like putting a shirt back to front or something...but it works ... 'til I get another new pair.  Wonder how long the righty will stick around?

WOYWW

...... still under wraps ....... off limits.... no can do....

Sorry.

Olaf is just as adamant as ever ..... actually standing on top of it all to make sure nobody sees much yet.....

....even the coffee table looks about the same...

just seems to be paper.  Everywhere.

Maybe some of the other WOYWW participants will have more to show...more to tell.... check over at Julie's place ...there are many to see.

Mine still must remain secret... for some time yet.....due to ..., erm....uh...... ahem......  can't exactly say why...... certain circumstances, ..... and, ah... um ... well, ...     eventually ... Olaf and I will spill the beans..... but, not today.

WOYWW

I'd like to show you WO(mY)WW.   Really, I would.  But I can't.

Apparently it's off limits.

hahhaha  ......  now what dwarf put that there?

Oh,.......I see......

Olaf.   Always been trouble, that guy.

 Never fuss with him.  He means business.  He has a bit of a temper to go along with that fiery red hair..

And....a sharp pointy spear.

What's under there? ....... sheeeeeesh..... even I'd like to know and it's my desk!!

However, there are many others not being held ransom by tiny Vikings.... and they will gladly show you their desks for WOYWW..... ( What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday )     ....head over to Julie's to see the ever growing list ......and hey... maybe you want to play along? ...

These cost a lot more than a penny ...

The reason I don't bother buying these is ....

"they" soon become "this"....

... even if they do have a very strange crunch under that lovely dark chocolate.

Chocolate covered Espresso Beans.  Weird hey?  I would much rather eat chocolate covered raisins..which they look like to me.... but, I had to buy some... or maybe I should just use the raisins for my bars.

I want to perfect some granola or energy type bars for taking along on a golf outing.  Something with substance ..that tastes good...and now..after thinking on it.. maybe something with a bit of zing for energy.  Why not some funky beans?  Sure enough.... looked on the recipe pages and there they were.... recipes including chocolate covered beans.  Really. That's my next kitchen experiment.
Okay...this blog is in high danger of becoming my second food blog... and the first is languishing....
:: as described in the Free Dictionary

:  to exist or continue in miserable or disheartening conditions


Must get something added to that blog...........soooon.......... but not today...... real life beckons....

one a penny, two a penny...

..... okay...  weird.  We always said it that way... and our Mom is English.  It's just that when I was saying it out loud, to no one in particular except myself, I decided to look it up....on Google of course, and in the rhyme, it is actually one ha'penny, two ha' penny.... which is a half penny.  Seems they are cheaper in the rhyme than they are in the song.. which was the next entry on Google.. at "One a penny'  Who knew?  I wonder if they even use half pennies any more... in Canada we are even giving up the penny.

Anyway.... you probably guessed right away that I was talking about Hot Cross Buns.  I made some  yesterday. And, yes, I know they are usually baked on Good Friday.  But, on that day I had company...and I was still not feeling up to par all of the Easter weekend... so I let it slide til now.












But, I had found a recipe that claimed to be great... tasting like Easter buns of old, and I really wanted to try those buns.  It's been a long time since I gave up on store made buns...ick.... they are terrible.  Funny texture... strange flavour... who knows what they put in them.... they get rock hard before they get mouldy.... forget it... I ain't eating those things anymore.

I wanted buns.  So...because I felt more like my old self...I baked yesterday.

May I just say??    

YUM!!

The recipe is in metric measurements...and I was busy trying to convert as I was doing it.... but, want to measure the ingredients a second time...then, will put it on my food blog.  I think it would work just as well for a raisin loaf..... yep...must try that next time.  Why should we only eat yummy stuff once a year? .... must be able to just do crossless buns or bread with the same dough....

late bloomer ....

My "Christmas Cactus".  This plant is pretty funny.  Every year it blooms before Christmas....  in November actually.  Flowers, of course, are then long gone by Christmas.

What now?.... a single guy appeared several days ago.  As I walked past it I was thinking ..wonder why that little nub just didn't fall off when the others did.  And, why haven't I noticed it earlier?  I almost flicked it off and tossed it into the pot as I usually do with the little bits that never become flowers.

On closer inspection... a live one!

And today??

Wow.

I crawled right under the coffee table and took one from the underside .... because to me...that looks more like it should be topside.  Best angle to me... what a beauty!

Maybe the snowflakes coaxed it along.....

typical spring day ...

Well, okay if not totally typical.... it happens.... especially here in the foothills...... and we haven't had any snow all winter to speak of ...so what made us think it was over already?

Some golf courses were set to open today....aha.... that's the reason then.....sure fooled them.  Those "flakes" were so big you could hear them plop when they hit the ground.  Very wet.
And, it's been up as high as +20C some days already...so it won't stay.  The ground is warm inside now... well, a bit anyway.

Oh, well.....it's a good day for staying home and doing some baking .... Apple Streusel Crumb Cakes..... tiny cakes...in muffin cases.  A new recipe from a fellow food blogger ....

I do feel more like digging out the Christmas tree and decorating it for the weekend........ really I do.  It could be fun.  And, it would have the neighbours talking.

My sister has imagination!

Even if I don't have much of it.  I'm not sure if it was always that way or if things got even better in the humour and story making up department after the accident.   She was always more the gentle one for sure.... loved all animals always ...to the point of being dangerous to herself if she decided she had to touch one ..(one of anything) ....and used to love to draw animals...especially horses ... all her childhood....

Several years ago ... I'm not even sure exactly how many...perhaps 10 now... she fell, on some ice, while getting out of her car in the parking lot of the school where she worked at the time.  She awoke with a major concussion.  Bad enough to cause some brain damage.  There were many months to years of agony that ensued while she pretty much rescued and rehabilitated herself from the days and weeks of being almost catatonic on her couch.   The drugs they had her on in the beginning made her reckless and totally forget about consequences..and I worried for her.  Every. Single. Day.  

I am many hours drive from where she lives.  Accidents did happen... injuries did happen...and years went by... with no help and a lot of frustration.  But... she worked at getting back her lost self.. the brain injury association originally told her she had lost about 50% of herself.  She cried.  She was shocked.  She became totally depressed. I was shocked.  When she could read words on paper again without vomiting... ..she studied up on all of it. She had post-it notes on every available surface to remind her how to live..how to perform daily functions.. to manage to make it through her days.  When she could drive again... more than a year after it all happened.. and even then, without peripheral vision, ... she drove herself to all the hospital and doctor appointments.  We flew, together, to a special evaluation in a nearby big city that should have resulted in some compensation for job loss...she had been head secretary at a big school and could no longer manage that although she tried to go back a few times.  A very trying farce as it turned out...she got nothing...and had to fight in court for another few years for something...  and, on it went...several horrible years....in which she petted, groomed, looked after and in general just hung out with her horses ... crying into their warm bodies and keeping them company, and they became her best and only friends... when all others totally disappeared, save one....

A few years ago...she took herself off all the drugs the doctors had her on.  Against their advice.  Got fed up and just quit cold turkey.  Decided she wanted her old life and self back.  Wanted more than she had.  More energy.  More clarity.  More her.  As much of her as she could get back.  Man... has she worked at it.  And..if you didn't know she has residual brain damage... you would probably never guess.  Of course, there are a few things ..but if you didn't know.....   She seems to have an even better sense of humour ...and is very funny....and her stories and imagination ...  amazing.  

I still think she should be doing some motivational speaking for the brain injury society...or maybe just for the brain injured.  They could use an inspirational thing or two in their lives... and she would feel like she didn't lose nearly as much as she did.  Lost her job,  any benefits, her so-called friends, years of her life ....the list goes on and on, believe me ...... but, she discovered a lot in the process as well and she could pass on that knowledge .. and she sure knows she can hold her own in most situations now.  She's my hero. 

Anyway.... if I can't think of a name for any of my creations...I just show Vikki a photo and she comes up with not only a story,...but a great name too.... 

I showed her my goose in an email ....and she came back with what was happening with her and the little guys right away... here is an excerpt from her letter.

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 I love the picture where they are all asking her where she has come from and where she got the great bling. It’s like she could have just had a very iffy landing and they came over to see. And she’s saying something like “Whew, made it…that was a close one in all that wind.” “Oh, this stuff...I come from a far off land where we all get “bling” before we make our maiden flight.” “It’s a birthright.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WOYWW

She's finished!!  My copycat goosie...... with tips and advice and even the wool !! from my friend Gretel... a world class felter, artist and now... published author of a children's book... Mrs. Mouse's Cupcakes... for which she felted all the characters and even the cupcakes for the photos in the book!
If you live in the UK... ... you could even get in on one of her in person felting workshops!!  And, I'll be green with envy!

If you want to see progression photos from the balls of wool stage to this..... ... just backtrack a few posts... cover your eyes at the bloody one.... hehehe........ ...it happens..... occasionally, if not often ...
Gretel's goose in the background photo ...mine in front.  Think I will name her Gracie.
She is seven inches tall at the top most part of her neck/head area.  How tall is yours Gretel? .

My little guys were impressed by her sheer height..oh, and also her feet.......

Tuffy was hoping she didn't decide to get up and go anywhere........

From Ruggles' perspective .... view of the situation.... and little Buttercup just looks on in awe of the long, lean model on the runway....

Here is how a needle felt begins....  a bag of wool... and there are many types along with a huge array of colours (or you can dye your own ... I've even used Kool-Aid to do that) .... from various breeds of sheep....
Here is the wool Gretel sent me back when I began my project.  She declared that the stuff I was using was never going to work.  hahah....thanks Gretel... for taking pity on me.  I love it.  It's like having a second sister...

You also need some barbed needles to stab, gather and shape the wool into various parts before assembly.  A pen holder like this one is a good idea instead of trying to hold the tiny ends of a needle...just too hard on hands and wrist.  This particular one will hold up to 3 needles... you can also use only two for the smaller pieces or even go down to just one for tiny things or for the finishing ...

This 'copycat' mentality is what got me started on needle felting in the first place several years ago.  Could I make a little bear as cute as Norm was making? the first ones I'd seen .. .. and that I just had to buy on e-bay?... because after the first two I bought  .. the third one got into a bidding war and I paid waaay too much for him.  When he arrived in the mail, I carried him around for a day just looking at him... totally in awe... he was so cute and so tiny ... well, ...that was it.  I was hooked before I even found some wool and needles and tried to make one for myself.  Hahaha... and the first was pretty funny ... looked more like a monkey than a bear..but I finally got him to look sort of okay and was pretty thrilled that I had made my very own little guy.  However, I have to say.....I still want to own at least one of Gretel's creations... yep...I do.

For the WOYWW we are supposed to keep our posting short...but, eh..... just wanted to also tell you about my doll making start.  Almost the same thing.  For months I had wondered if perhaps I could make a doll.  One just like "youknowwho"....  and.....  had to give it a try.  Turned out I could.  I did.  She worked out beyond my wildest dreams for a first....and from an online course actually.  How I loved the little personal challenge of the attempt.   I don't think I have much imagination of my own really ...but, I love to try making some of the things I see others doing.

Here's my first doll .... Echlin... from a Sherry Goshen pattern.  Wow... back in '07 already  .... hmmm...time sure flies....

The painting of the faces was the most intriguing part to me.  I'd never tried anything like it in my life.  But, there were about 18 pages of pics and instructions... you just follow along and all of a sudden...a face appears... absolutely amazing to me!  We also made the little chair.  It was supposed to be made by cutting and cleaning a big dirty old gourd.... I just couldn't bring myself to use one.  Instead I just made a paper clay shape over a shallow bowl and went from there. ... lined it with silk and made some flowers from paperclay as well... and voila.  My first doll!  Pretty darn thrilling to me.

If you want to check out blogs of others participating in WOYWW....go to Julia's blog and see our list of bloggers...wow...it gets longer each week....

Frilly dilly...

I got the feet attached...and then did the frilly dilly little thingmebob on one of her upper legs....sheesh.... what a tricky spot to needle felt.  Had to spread her poor little legs a bit to get in there .. poor baby...

Maybe my mentor did her goosie somewhat differently ... maybe she put the frill on the upper leg and then attached the leg? ...I know not.  I am just playing copycat here ... and trying to figure it out for myself without asking too many questions.  That's part of the game, see? .......... I want to know if I can accomplish anything near the original by doing that ... although... as soon as Gretel sees this...she will then let me know if I did it all bass ackward...! Which is a distinct possibility........

Then... took some time out to bake some scones...because strawberries were on sale ...and I had to have some.  Soooo sweet they are too.

And... found a great recipe for Hot Cross Buns....yes, I know ...I'm several days late now.  I was busy.  But...I'm still going to give them a go one day this week to test and taste.

Oh,....and speaking of late.... my doll and bear making buddy, Maggi, came to play on Friday .... and brought me a car.  Well, brought a car for one of the little guys cuz I'm way to big to fit in this little roadster ....

Perfect fit for Scooter...

Time for tea!!

Especially when this happens.   It was a total through and through ....in one spot and straight out the other.  I was sort of going sideways with one good stick .... and all I can say is thank goodness I didn't get any on Ms. Goosie!

If it happens... you have to lick the wool ...hahaha...yeh...your saliva works wonders.  But... hhaakkkk!!  it feels like a cat trying to get rid of a hairball for a minute or two after that .... ptoooey .....

You just have to walk away ...and wait it out til the bleeding stops .. especially with white wool.  And...hopefully you don't leak any of the red stuff before you snatch away the poor aching finger.  It hurts to stab a finger or thumb... almost feels bruised as well as stuck ... it hurts.  Please be careful if you try some felting.

Think it's time to stop for tea and a cookie now.....oh, I forgot to bake any.  Just for that ...maybe I'll bake something next then.....

But, before I did that ...I finished up both wings....and began to add a bit of wool for the leg tops...oh, and... stuck some wire into the feet...

WOYWW

Today I'm "winging it" ...

Hi everybody doing the WOYWW blog hopping.  My desk today is, once again, the kitchen table ..and the dining room table and the...well yehh...as usual at my place ... I've got stuff everywhere as you can see.  But.....who cares?  I'm having some fun.  And, who really cares except me anyway?  Mr. BV seems to enjoy seeing the little creations and appears genuinely interested in what my wools and fluffs are becoming. ...he knows more about dolls and bears than is prudent for a guy to admit most times ..but, it's all good.   He usually has to clear a space for his supper if a bear and bear fur is spread all over the table and he just does it with a grin...  ... this is not quite as messy....hahahha...it's his lucky week.

If you want to check the progress... check out the previous postings.... if you just want to see today's happenings... that's fine too.

Got one wing on the go .... and dug out some wire for my lovely big feet after Gretel mentioned it will be helpful in maintaining some balance with the height of Ms. Goosie.  She's long and lean, like a runway model.
She will be a bit top heavy though, even if she doesn't have a big head... it's just her height don'tcha know? ...  more ungainly than heavy really.  Oh, and that beezer .... I forgot, she does have a pretty big beak doesn't she? ........

If you want to see what other WOYWW participants are up to...hop on over to Julia's blog and check out the dozens...well, it's actually up to over 150 already today....  ...

... and after clearing spaces for grub.....we had a lovely, healthy soup I simmered all day.... with some home made toast.  Trying to make sure I am eating right to speed along the healing process .... I don't think it's working really, but I love making soup and definitely enjoy the eating part... ...

And, hey!! lookie there.... Blogger put back the little golden pencil edit tool.... thanks blogger!  It was difficult as all get out to find my way back to change a letter or two after publishing and re-reading my post and discovering my boo boos... .....

Feet first ...

I don't know what happened... I just picked up the coloured wool instead of white I guess.  Funny how it goes.  Yesterday, I do remember thinking I was going to make arms next ..er ...wings, ... then, all of a sudden...feet were in my hands.

Looking at them next to the photo.... perhaps I might make them a bit larger...but, I will determine if they look a good size next to my own goosie.

Happily...that sharp edge happened quite easily.  Much easier than I thought it could.  So.... I'm happy with them thus far... maybe add some wisps and make them a tad larger...but, other than that, some final tidying up .... figure out how to attach them .... with a bit more white upper leg it looks like from my photo...hard to see behind the wing there.... make a green scalloped bit to represent some frilly knickers... and then...on to the arms.... er ...wings.......

... and while goosie and I were playing in the kitchen.... my wordesk is my table most days...I did manage to bake some bread as well....

mmmmm...nothing better than home baked bread.   Haven't been doing any for weeks with the stupid ribs ... hurts to knead, even with just my left hand, and really, one hand is not enough to do a decent job of it. .... besides... my head just hasn't been in the game.  I'd probably forget yeast or something equally silly.  Today I feel almost human again though ... ....wheeeeee.... if this keeps up.....I'll be DANGEROUS!!!   Oh, please!!

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Giveaway !!! Not on this blog...yet....but, sometime in the near future..... when I hit a round number of comments or something....

Mary Ann, a fellow maker of cute things..... is offering a chance to win one of her sweet little mousies!  Hop over to her blog for your opportunity.   I know...it lessens my own chances...and I reeeeelly want one of those little mousies...but, sometimes good karma does happen.  I guess.  Well, not often, but, ...sometimes it must......

Sunny Monday..

Didn't have too much opportunity to work on little goosie over the weekend.... and just got kind of tired of stabbing away on her beak and not getting it quite perfect.  It has to be pretty darn perfect to even come close to a Gretel goose... so, for a change of pace, I made her a little collar instead, and stitched on some pearls that she sent me.  Hard to tell in the photo...but, they are different colours... pastel greens, one almost pinkish and some white... I liked that they had big enough holes to accept a needle.

Now... she is definitely a she....

The eye is just a test eye at the moment (they are various sized beads on pins and I love them ..use them all the time with the bears)  to give me an idea of placement ... and later in the day...I did get around to more stabbing on her beak....and got it a better shape and looking more how I want it....

She's coming right along.  Guess I'll move on to wings next....  and then ...those big feet.  They will definitely be a challenge.  Can you see the absolute sharp edge on them?  Not easy on wool.

Stay tuned.....