Pay It Forward

Finally, I can tell you!!

Well, I can tell you about something.  One thing. Because it was delivered.

Olaf was helping me guard the completion, wrapping and sending of this little gal.

She went to live in England.... with Dilly St. George ..her brother Bob The Bear, Esq....and, all the other bears ... there are lots...window-sill bears and cupboard bears and all sorts ... you must go see some day.... .. and of course, their Mom... who makes lovely cards.

Two years ago, she and Dilly... who is a green Dragon, offered to play my Pay It Forward game.  I can't believe it took me that long to get around to making and sending.  I do have excuses ...honest I do.... including surgeries and injuries to arms, hands and elbows...which did interfere....but, really!.... I feel bad.  And...I'm so happy to note that all 4 of my ladies that offered to play actually still visit my blog regularly and still are blog buddies.  Thank you ladies!  I love you all!

I was giggling away thinking how much fun it would be to see the looks on their faces when something arrived and they were not expecting any mail or hadn't ordered anything ...and then...huh?  Who the heck is this from?  ... and, what is it? ...... oh, drat...how I wish I had a transporter or blast pack or ..something...  just so I could be there on the porch when they get their mail !

On to the reason behind a pink bear.  Dilly loves pink.  Anything pink  She reeeellly loves pink.  So, I decided to try to mimic a little pink bear I had made for myself years ago.  I still have her.

She is made from tufts plucked from a chunk of rayon fabric... this fabric.  It is total silliness.

Back when I began making little wool tufts into bears ... I wondered if anything other than wool could be needle felted ...and so I plucked out some tufts with tweezers...

mixed and fluffed them between my fingers

 ...and .... started stabbing.  Yes,  It could be felted!  Now I was doing crazy things.... even tried what is known as "throwster's waste" ... I hadn't heard the term til then...but, it is the bits of thread hanging off the edges of fraying fabric..ahhaha...I'm a total nut job.  Yes...I am and I know it.  It's okay.

I made this little guy with that stuff...

Back to this bear.... ..soon I had a head almost the shape I was looking for ...then embroidered a nose... and stuck in some cute little test eyes....  awwww......
I'm a sap.  How I love a cute little face.  I didn't want to name her ..just kept referring to her as little pink girl... and telling her I knew her Mom would name her .... as soon as she got there...

Then I had to give her a little bit of something pretty for her 'hair' didn't I ? .... some ribbons and a few stamens did the trick... (she is still just pinned together here...see the pin sticking out of her arm) .... I knew Dilly would be thrilled with pink ribbons.

All done.   Now, where the heck is a photo of her little white toesies..so I can show you ....hmmmm....

Aha...there it is .... big feet....little white toesies...done from plucked tufts of white rayon.

this is the fabric I used to make my poodles.... remember those?  naaaw...the new viewers won't.... here is one of those....

What fun it's been to hear how Dilly loves her little girl bear .. and she's named her Lavender Lily Lilac.... LA-LI-LA for short...hahhah..... oh, boy.... I always have the most fun knowing people enjoy these little creatures.....

I need to get busy and make some more....

Be careful what you wish for!

Darn, darn, darn...or... well...maybe it is yipeeeee after all !!

Some of you regulars will remember the day we all thought up ways for Pauline to either repair, or use to advantage, a small tear in one of her bears. Check under label "bear repair". I remarked that I did not have a poodle or bichon in my collection and that perhaps I may even have to intentionally poke a hole in one so that I could keep one. Erm..... well...... this pink poodle will NOT be sold at the Bear Show.

I didn't even notice til after I had jointed head to body that there is some pulling apart of fabric at the seam under her nose. Must have stuffed her a bit too firmly. Oh, well...like I say... it is either a "darnit" or a good thing. I am actually happy to be able to keep one for "show and tell".... although it could have been one not needed for an upcoming show couldn't it? It is difficult to explain any of the bears and dogs to folks if you have nothing to show except a picture. I like to see the real thing myself...and I am sure others do as well. So, today..... make up a new head and try again.

For the second year in a row, a silly robin made her nest in the Virginia Creeper that is all over our neighbour's wall. Well, I am guessing it must be the same bird anyway..... and yesterday...the whole vine fell off the wall...same as it did last year ... at or about this same time. It gets too dry..our neighbours have never heard or watering or plant care......and then the sheer weight of it when much of it dries out just brings it down....nest and all. They all fall out of the nest. Aha! "When the bough breaks" !! Finally, I remembered the nursery rhyme it reminded me of....Rock a bye Baby! .... couldn't think of it for luv nor money earlier... it took going out into the blistering sun and picking weeds for an hour. And, all of a sudden...it came to me!

Now, I am out there all day it seems; guarding baby robins ...in case a cat or something shows up that could harm them. These are the second batch of the summer...and they are pretty big babies........ very big and plump in fact...and loud too when they are cheeeeeeeping for Mom. ..... but can't really fly much yet. They jump up off the ground and flutter a few feet if I walk too close to them by mistake as I did last night trying to nip off a few old peony blooms and tidy in the garden a bit while sort of watching out for the babies. I never know which bush they are hiding in when I go out there in the morning. It is soooo hot right now too and they must need water. Finally...this morning..... I see that a very patient Mom has managed to coax them around to the big shady spruce tree in our front yard and they are right next to the birdie bath which I always keep nice and full in this heat. I hope they can hop up there soon....it is not high so they probably can...just have not seen one in it...yet. But..I am keeping a beady eye on them and listening through my open windows for any ruckus if something dangerous shows up. Two years ago they would not have stood a chance with the killer cat that lived across the street. We do have city bylaws against cats roaming... but he was never kept home. This was a huge cat that even suckered in people out for walks...he would go to them..roll on his back..they would bend to pet him and he would launch himself at them! I can't even tell you how many people I saw jump straight in the air with a cat attached to their arm....... can't understand why nobody complained except me. Well, he finally got his comeuppance. We found his remains in a yard down the block when the snow melted that spring and since then... there have been no more horrible murders of baby bunnies and robins in MY yard! I am not sure the neighbours believe that Oliver was killed by a coyote.... seeing as I had made threats out loud....