Is it Saturday?...

Already?  Again?  How does time go by so quickly.  Some days I have to check the computer just to figure out what day it is....

Eddy seems to have taken her under his wing...or.. his huge ear at the very least.  What an old softie he turned out to be. 

What about Sage for her name? .... 

Sage and Eddy sitting 'neath a tree.... kay I ess ess...sumthin' sumthin' gee..... 

...................... and...

these....

or.... at least one of them, cuz the other may be just a tad too large...but, it was pretty so I bought it anyway.  So, maybe just one of them... will be part of a little project Maggi and I are doing today.

But, ....first...... a second coffee.  I feel dopey this morning...how can we create when I'm dopey? .... and Mr. BV has flown off to visit his Dad so nobody is here to spoil me by making a pot.  I resort to instant when he is not around.  Yeh..I know ...sacrilegious....   oh, well.  

new gal in the neighbourhood....

Here's the little girl.   Soft sage/mint green .... with milk chocolate toesies....

Mostly I do browns and natural whites when it comes to needle felting ....so this is a bit of a departure.   Every so often I do a pastel.  This is a New Zealand Romney wool  ...hand dyed, but not by me.

As you can see...not beary big...

hello little lady .....

Hi.... what's your name?

How can you not know it? ...

Never mind.... we'll find out later....  everybuddy eyes front for the group photo......

Bear making is such fun!

Where it all began...

Thanks for all the good wishes on our anniversary... the blog's and my own.... it's been a fun week.  I went back to the beginning and read forward several posts.  It was interesting to see what was happening during the week. I was dealing with my bad ankle.. having aggressive physio...which in retrospect was sooo wrong, because I subsequently learned I had several fractures in the foot.  Physio stopped abruptly and everybody looked ridiculous in my eyes. This year I've been whining about my wrist/hand since December .... hmmm.... don't think I'll bother with physio just yet. hahahha.... 


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One of the other gals did this for her anniversary date and I'm a great copycat. I missed the actual date...but, it is still the week of.... and, oh, hey! look.... I had bigger font then. I guess it might be easier to read after all.  It was the fault of the gang at the Teddy Talk site as I recall.  Somebody decided we should all start blogs.  Several of us did (and let me tell you, it was a lot of bumbling around for me to get it all organized!!  I'm no tekky) Some of those gals and a guy or two are still here in bloggyville. Most fell by the wayside by the end of the first week.... many other bear makers have definitely joined in now...   there are lots of great bear making sites to visit.

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.

I will eventually offer plenty of 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.

Spring ....

        .... how I love thee ...  

...  thy rays of sun all warm and toasty ..... 

... thy grass so green ... 

..... but mostly..... 

... I love the flowers ...

        ... colours of every hue..

...  how I love the colours

...  the pastels, the vibrants ..

...    especially the green so new ....

...   How I love the snow on the .... ...huh??   

...  what?? .... 

... what am I saying?  

This is just all wrong!!!

I knew it. Global warming is over. We are
re-entering an ice age.

So be it.

Can't dampen my spirits. This week is anniversary 
week. My blog is now 3 years old. And...Mr. BV
and I are celebrating our anniversary too ... please
have a huge, luscious, chocolate dipped strawberry
and and and, .. a sip of wine at the very least.

Would you like a mousie?

Not the furry kind that leaves little pellets all around the pantry.... but, a cute little guy with wheels.  Check out The Raggy Rat ...a fellow critter maker.  She is having a give away for one ... a little Wheelie Mouse.

Way back when, I remember I was going to make some mice... not stitched like this one....but, a needle felted gray one, ...with pink feet.  I wonder what the heck happened to him?  Hopefully he won't be spotted by a mouse-a-phobe... somewhere, some day...   or, hahah... oh, bad me... maybe that could be fun after all.  As long as 'whoever' doesn't go straight through a wall on the way out.  We had a cousin who almost injured herself and knocked over a big chair on her way out of the house when we kids showed her our hamster.  You should have seen the stunned looks on our little faces....  we couldn't figure it out.  How could anybody be afraid of our hamster?  We didn't know much in those days.......

I'm still working on my little green gal... and taking a photo of her is proving to be a challenge.  No matter which light I try...she does not show up green.  All shades of blue ..or too pale to tell what colour she is.... crazy.... oh, well... she is only in bits right now anyway...so... not a biggy... check back in a day or two... and in the meantime hop on over to the Raggy Rat and see what she makes....

photo a week....

The theme this week is ... "what's on my bedside table"....

It's Serena's turn with themes...and she wondered aloud if perhaps it would be a stack of books and magazines.... perhaps remotes for a tv....

Not in my space.... I don't read very much anyway..and have never found it comfortable to sit and read in a bed.  So it's a "negateevo" on that score.... ....

And.... I've never had tv in my bedrooms, ever.... ... so..no tv in this bedroom either.... not even a phone or a clock visible.  There is one under the bed, but the light on the face is too bright...so it is under there where I can't and don't want to see it.  

Since I have such difficulty sleeping ...I like to keep my bedroom just for sleeping...  well... sleeping and uhm.. er ... well.... mostly sleeping... ..

My bedside tables are almost spartan, but ... there is a reason on this side.... I wanted to tie it all in with the pictures hanging above..so kept things to a bare minimum..  .. besides, what do I really need on there?

I just know you are squinting to see what's in that water globe.... what?  you're not nearly as nosey as I? ...hmppfff.....

yes you are... aren't you?  Awwww... look... a Mommy and a baby hippo... and the little tune is "Tenderly".  And...it makes me cry every darn time I turn the little key and try to listen to it.  It used to be my Mom's.

She was just as eccentric as can be.  It's a bit cheesy..( although the colours are perfect)  but, little things like this used to amuse her ...as they do me, so I guess I know where it comes from. I am quickly becoming my mother...and don't give a rat's bum, as she used to say.  She was polite...I say rat's ass.  She would often find them (not the rat's asses... the little things) at her favourite second hand and thrift stores.... or garage and estate sales.  She learned early on how to be frugal in order to get by on absolutely nothing and loved a good browse for an hour at them ... or at garage sales within walking distance.  She was obviously well ahead of her time now that I see how popular it's become...... some blogs are totally devoted to just that.

We made the news..

Our city is big... a million now... and pretty spread out ..so.... lots of us live in our own little microcosms... and the weather can be totally different only a few miles away.  Imagine our surprise..yet again...when we were watching what we were sure was the local news on the night of the high winds...and saw wild blowing snow...accidents all over the place and big drifts... we just looked at each other.  Huh?  We have green grass, no snow to speak of...and couldn't figure it out til we actually saw our city skyline in the background just as I was asking where the heck are they talking about? ... but, finally they did say it was us.

One of the guys Mr. BV works with couldn't get out of his property to get to work next day.  He spent almost all of it digging out his long driveway... and getting his little machine stuck...then digging that out.... what fun!  Well, of course... not....

The airport was closed for hours with the wind gusting to 90 kph...but, all in all...we didn't even know we were in a wintery war zone...  happily baking and doing a little green bear head.  Today...it's a brilliant blue sky day and +10 C.  Crazy eh?

I don't usually do many coloured bears although I have done a few...and decided to do a little green gal to send along with Otis for Sheaffer's Birthday Party and Silent Auction... and...I better hurry up.  It's only a few weeks away!

Here was his special day last year ... I can't get there because I live waaaay too far away...but, I like to send a few little things to support his worthwhile cause.  A home for abused and neglected donkeys.  The Primrose Donkey Sanctuary.

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And.... here's the link to what I was baking ... it's on my other blog....

Orange Pumpkin Loaf

not much snow...

....but....lots of wind!

so... no photos of my poor daffs bending under the weight..although I bet they got whacked flat with the wind.  It's rotten out there...so I didn't bother to go out and climb up to peer over the top of the patio wall.  They are on the other side.  Maybe later...the sun is trying to poke through....but, the wind is still about 60 kph.  It's been wild all night and half a day now... some slushy snow...and frozen water in spots.  Wear a helmet if you go out Yvonne!  (She fell two days ago and whacked her head) ... ouch.  Knowing what I know about concussions.... and my poor sister's plight after her fall all those years ago ... I worry about us all.  It's dangerous out there people!

So, hanging out inside is the order of the day.  And...for some reason I managed to get a decent night's sleep, so I'm getting a few things done.  Got up at 6:30... unheard of for me.  I'm more the 8 to 9 o'clock person... cuz I don't get to sleep before 2 a.m. most nights...even if I go to bed at 10:00 ...which is more frustrating than I can tell you.  Well, more frustrating than I can tell without some very colourful language!

I've been working on this little guy...

I've had his eyes in and out several times.... just couldn't get them looking quite the way I wanted...

Close...but, not quite.....

Finally.... today.... 3rd time lucky....

Otis  ..... 

Otis and Frikkles ....

a storm is coming...

... a phrase in a romance novel?... of course.  A line from a new movie...yup ....  that too...

But... today.... it's really and truly just our weather.  The day began dark and dreary... I thought it was much earlier than it was when I got up.  Turned on all the lights.... then went outside to take some pics of the lichen on this Mayday.  I only really noticed it from the window because the tree was so dark and wet from the rain that has been falling all night.  Not complaining about it either...we NEED moisture.  We've had so little snow...and no rain.

This one is absolutely for you Serena.  Knowing your love of trees and bark.

Our day began about +4C...but, has dropped to only 1C... and there is now a wind coming directly from the north.  A weather or storm warning... can't remember which now... is out for the area.  It was raining earlier...but, the drops are becoming big, fat and sleety.  Splat ... as they hit the pavement.  No accumulation yet..., but, I'm keeping an eye out for snow beginning to crown the heads of my daffodils.  Yes!!  they bloomed when I wasn't looking!

Can you believe I was complaining and commenting just a day ago (on somebody's blog) about us not having anything except some sweet little violets...

...and then, two days ago, I checked to my left for cars as I drove out of the yard.. and lo and behold! there they were.  Lovely, creamy yellow ... nodding in the slight breeze... what the??   It was May 17th last year.  Some wonderful weeks of unseasonably warm weather must have had an effect on them for sure.  They've never been this early.  I wasn't expecting to see colour for weeks yet.  Weird.

Mine are not the usual shade of bright yellow... more soft creams and peachy yellow...I have no clue what they really are.  Maybe they are not really daffodils?

I'm at the ready...with my camera.... looking out the window.... waiting for snow.....

photo a week....

Textures ....today's theme.  I love things with texture... I like to touch everything to feel it.  If you go shopping with me...you'll probably be embarrassed.  I touch it all.  It takes a long time to go through the shops.

I love the smooth, the nubby, the crinkly... the velvety...the ... well, MY list is endless...

Even our walls have texture.  Suede paint.... have you seen it?  It is done in two coats.  One coat with a roller ... and then... when dry.. a second coat with a big brush ... doing big X's...   It ends up looking like it has two different colours..but, it is just the optical illusion created by paint going in different directions.  It looks like you could run a hand over it and smooth it one way and then the other.  Of course, you can't... and it is hard, with a very slightly rough texture close up......but, it's one of the things I don't run my hands over...I just admire it with my eyes. 

Silk..... mmmmm .......love slubby silk.......

Velvety tapestry..... glorious smooth wood....a bumpy row of little smmoooth tacks.....  how I love running my fingers over it all..... just gotta touch it...

And.... this....well, this is the best texture of all...

Cleo..... Vikki's sweetie..... no cats live at my house, so I get my fill of smooooth soft fur at her house.  Three indoor cats and two that live in the shop... all with lovely soft fur to touch.  And...then....two horses .... purrrrfect.....

The hookers must have hats!

So, we made hats. For the hookers.

That's what I did while I was visiting my sister a week ago.  What fun!  Well, it was for me...she was just happy to have an extra pair of hands willing to wield a red hot glue gun.  Only one small burn on my thumb too.  I'm pretty good with a glue gun (if I do say so myself...and I do!)

She has somehow "become" the costume mistress for a production of Les Miserables.  She had no idea what she was in for when she raised her hand to offer assistance.  She just wanted to help with some of the costumes...to be involved... but.... when the woman who originally was going to head up the enterprise decided she couldn't do it after all... well, you know how it goes.  Somebody else had to step up...and all of a sudden..it was she.  The costumes for the project needed to be researched, pictures found, designs made, some costumes and pieces rented, extra hands enlisted, fabrics and pieces purchased, "almost" costumes refitted and refurbished to match the period, fittings and alterations, ..... all the while keeping volumes of endless notes and references... along with trying to keep things and people organized.  I would have torn out my last three hairs by a month into the proceedings... and it's been ongoing since November.... but, she is still plodding forward and dragging all her help along by the bootstraps... she is amazing.  This is a gal who 8 years ago was brain injured due to a major concussion suffered in a simple fall on an icy parking lot.  For almost a year she could hardly get off her couch due to vertigo and extreme nausea.... who could not walk to the end of her driveway, who could not return to her job ... who couldn't drive for a few years... who couldn't even look at fabrics and patterns for years because it made her nauseous.. who, through sheer stubbornness and determination has brought herself back from a necessary and physician drug induced, almost comatose state, in order to "cope", as the brain injury society puts it.  She's bloody amazing to me!  How she copes is beyond me too.... because she still has ongoing problems... but it ain't stopping her!

okay, that put a lump in my throat when I think of how much she has had to do, and mostly on her own, fighting with doctors all the way, just to get back what she has now ... Anyway... back to our hats ..

The production is a bit different in several ways... there will not be huge props and staging... it is more of a concert style ..but, the costumes will be focal and have to be "of the period" as they are calling them. ...However, the decision was to take some artistic licence with the hooker costumes...and use some modern day fabrics... add some colour and pizzazz to the hooker scene.  There will be about a dozen hookers... and we were making some fancy hats for them ... considering that they may have "found" items and some bits and pieces from trash tossed by the wealthy.  Perhaps they added them to some hat they had come across......etc....  so, we used any hat form that we found... and began our fun....

Think of them onstage now..with some great lighting..... and wild and wonderful costumes...  bloomers under some skirts, ... their little chemise tops under bodices and bustier type tops.... they weren't as risque as modern gals... even with a bit of glamour they covered up some things!  I wish some of the modern girls would cover up something...anything!  I sound like a prude..but, honestly...have you seen what is walking around a schoolyard these days? even the grade schools? ... looks like hooker central.....

and this.....
the original hat was our Dad's from the centennial celebration of our small town where we lived back in the 60's.  He had it made for the barbershop quartet he sang with...

This hat has seen many a high time..as part of many different costumes over the years.

This day..it has become a top hat.  Vikki used felt over buckram to make the high stovepipe, ....then more felt to cover the brim in two separate pieces (kind of like a pita bread pocket).. then handstitched them where they slightly overlap at the centre of the brim...and put the stovepipe over it...and added a felt oval to the top.. all by handstitching once again... a piece of grosgrain ribbon..... and... well, like I said..this thing has taken on a life of it's own.  She has tried to rent top hats..and there are virtually none to be had in the area... so decided to make some of her own.

Voila....one top hat.....

dainty follows funny ...

Well, sometimes it does.... and today is that day.

While at my sister's place...we shopped the thrift stores in the small town near where she lives ... who can believe there are several?  It's just a tiny town.

And.... in the midst of all the trash and treasures... I found this beauty.  Only $5.00.  Well, had to have it didn't I?   How I love a dainty, prettily coloured teacup.  I only have 3... so when this one beckoned...

It is in pristine condition too..

photo a week....

Odd, strange or funny....that's this week's theme.  Welllll .... that could be me!  hahahha...but, nope, not a pic of me today...

I call this my Russian.  He just looks like some pics of Russians I have seen...as a matter of fact, he looks kind of like a Russian I knew.  A bit scary, but very nice really.... a blind date once upon a time in my other life.

This guy I bought 30+ years ago... not the date, the mug! I used it for coffee quite regularly.  Then, for some reason... I began using another little mug I had and this one got relegated to "display" status.  Now...I only use it occasionally.... but, always with a smile when I look at this face......

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We're back and trying to get back into the swing of things.  Funny how only a week away can totally  mess with your head.  Using another kitchen for a week makes it seem odd to be back in my own.  Passwords elude me.... phone calls must be made... laundry to do, tax stuff to pick up and organize... whew.... need a nap already.

Mr. BV's Dad is organized too... he's moved into the rehab area of the hospital..and has now begun therapy on three different fronts and although he has no speech yet... is now able to print his name and address ..which he couldn't do a few days ago.  He just doodled with the pencil the first time they tried it.  This time he can actually make letters... huge progress from my perspective...

He is walking ... albeit a bit weaker on the right side... but, hey... he is moving!  It's a good sign.

wow... Thursday already....

Thanks everybody for your concern regarding Mr. BV's Dad..... he seems to be doing as well as can be expected.  Can actually get back and forth to the washroom although his balance is off, of course.  He will be assessed by his assigned physiotherapist this morning and is beginning treatment already.  They've done MRI and dye to check the blood flow in the neck... more info and decisions later today.  Much as we sometimes complain about our system...once a person is in the hospital... they are fast tracked into the various programs and treatments and off they go.

He will be staying in the rehab center of the hospital as soon as they find a spot for him in there...for the present he has a bed .... in a room with a few others guys...and is resting comfortably. I'm not actually there with Mr. BV and the family.....  my info is second hand.  I don't have any contact with his parents.. one of those "family" things that happened years ago..... so I'm staying with my sister in another town entirely.

I am "helping" where I can ... with some sewing and playing with fabrics making hats...today..."hooker's hats" .... for a production of Les Mis.  Vikki's son and DIL are opera singers and music teachers...it is their spring production ... a huge undertaking and my poor sister felt obliged to "put up her hand"  when it came to helping with costumes.  Well over 100 of them!!.....  Because, the main person who was supposed to organize it... has never been seen...and my sis became the one to research, organize and sew costumes... to try to find some assistants... and the whole thing has taken on a life of its own of course.  Costumes and fabrics now fill all of her closets and her husband's...and are hanging all over the house.  Today some will go for trying on... and while she is gone...I will continue with a few hats... yikes.!!  Good thing I can wield a glue gun!  Although, I did get a slight burn yesterday... I touched the glue too soon.....ooooweeee  !! I'm not much of a seamstress, but, I did make a couple of ascots or cravats... that was fun.  Oh...I hear muttering and iron slamming...guess I better get in the "sewing room"... and help if I can....... .

Oh....and.... talk about too much on her plate... poor Vikki.  Yesterday...I was having some weird thing happening with my eyes...it has happened before and is kind of scary... I was seeing bright jagged semi circular lines.... even with my eyes closed.  No, it was not the bright garish clothes of the hookers..   So, then she had to drop everything and take me to the eye doctor.  We have eye problems in the family...so have to be vigilant...and this is similar to signs of retinal tearing.  Her doctor got me in right away and checked everything ...and decided it was an ocular migraine.  No headache though... and apparently, it is not even really the eye...but, in the brain processing area. It subsided after about an hour...and sems fine now.   Hopefully today I can be helpful and not a hindrance.... I can feed the horses... do some tidying and make snacks.... oh, and make hats...what fun. 

Maybe I can find her camera and take some pics... mine isn't compatible with her USB port...and mine is at home.....

photo a week

Okay....this not what I had in mind when I decided on the word "reflections" ....  but, life got in the way.  I am not working from my own computer ...and .. can't get at my photos from here.  So.... I stole one of my sister's pics for today...

However, some day...I am definitely going to post the pics I had in mind for today.  Remember back when we had "shadows" for our theme word...it seemed I was finding so many great reflection shots instead...so that was my inspiration for the theme word.  And..now... darn it ... can't get at 'em.

Oh, well... that's the way it goes.  I can still get to your blogs and admire your shots and posts....

Mr. BV's Dad had a stroke early yesterday and we had to jump ship and make waves to his hospital.... so far so good...he seems alright even though he is voiceless at the moment.   Not a lot of info yet as to the prognosis or the treatment  .... they are still running tests...

He seems to be able to move all his limbs.. can actually walk to the washroom by himself...but, is on a bed beside the nursing station because they have no room at the "Inn" so to speak.  No beds in the stupid hospital.  We'll see what transpires today.  Everybody envies us our health system...but, .... it's the same as anywhere else.  If it was Russia...at least we could bribe ourselves into a bed... that would probably be pretty acceptable ....

Incommunicado...

... for the past few days......
A much more interesting word than "offline" don'tcha think?  I would like to blame it alllll on Mother Nature...but, in reality, it's our own fault because we didn't turn things off soon enough.

Thursday began so beautifully, but by noon the wind was picking up considerably.... and by late afternoon it was gusting 60 to 80 kph... the trees were really flapping around and the robins were hunkered down in the patio.

The clouds rolled in and by 5:30 it began to snow.... luckily the soup I was making for supper was pretty much done and just simmering....because soon there would be no heat.  Three minutes after it began snowing it looked like this.   We turned on lights... they began to flicker and dim....

 I should have been down here already turning the computer off.  But, was I clever?  No...I didn't bother.  I sliced some bread and made toast to go with our soup.  Then... blam...off went everything.  15 minutes later... it came back on... then... poof....off again...for a few hours.  Soup and toast by candlelight....how romantic... no truly, it was.

Somebody was struggling to read something by candlelight.  How did people manage it in the "olden" days?

I do love me some candlelight though....

It was a bit tricky to find the toilet with just this little tiny flame....

Friday dawned clear, blue and sunny.  Oh, yeh... there was snow too.   It's still there in the shaded areas.  The south and west parts of the yard are bare once again.

BUT.... the computer wouldn't connect after having blown itself out of the water. .. instead of being turned off properly.
So Friday was strange with no connection to the outside world..... hahahha.... oh, well, all the more time for a good hard workout!

And...it was only this morning that we got it sorted out.  Mr. BV is stubborn and always wants to know what and why....so he puzzled at it 'til he got it..... yaaaay.  He was muttering about little old grannies knowing more than he does ... huh?  I don't think so!  They call the Geek Squad the minute things go awry.  Which, I would do too if I didn't have "somebody" doing it all for me.....