Duffyantiques

DAISY IS A "TOBY INDUSTRY CHOICE 2012" WINNER!

2012-01-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

What a fabulous day today has turned out to be - I found out that my Daisy Thistlewaite has won an TOBY Industry Choice 2012 award! I know how much competition there is from wonderful bear makers all over the world, so this means a lot to me. She's a special bear and I know where ever she ends up, she will be
even more appreciated. If you want to more more about Daisy, email me here :o)

TEDDY BEAR'S TEA PARTY SHOW

2012-01-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

Well, we are half way through January and spring will soon be here, and the teddy bears will be celebrating the warm weather. The Teddies Worldwide "Teddy Bear's Tea Party" show will be March 23rd - March 25th. There will be 100 worldwide teddy artists, making very special bears for this show! Mark your calendar, so you don't forget and we hope to see you there :o)

A SPECIAL GROUP OF BEARS

2012-01-07T15:44:00.000-08:00

This is my latest group of bears - I hope you enjoy them! If you are curious to know why they are special, just email me at: miniatures97@hotmail.com :o)

Daisy Thistlewaite is 3 inches tall and made from German Shulte mohair. She is fully disc-jointed and is stuffed with excelsior and stainless steel shot. Daisy has amber German glass eyes and distressed ultra suede paw pads (tiny holes). She has amber glass eyes, a sparse waxed nose and is gently aged and shaded with permanent fabric paint, for a vintage look. Her sailor dress has a drop waist, with tiny pleats at the bottom and a sailor collar. It is adored with a silk ribbon tie and it is removable, although tweezers are needed to do up the tiny button.

Clarence the Clown is 4 1/2 inches tall and is made from hand dyed German mohair. He has black German glass eyes, distressed wool felt paw pads (tiny holes) and a sparse waxed nose. Clarence is gently aged and distressed and shaded with permanent fabric paint, for a vintage look. He is stuffed with excelsior and steel shot and wears a wool felt collar and hat, that have also been aged, and are decorated with tiny old bells.

Samuel the Sailor is 6 1/2 inches tall and is made from hand dyed,distressed German mohair. It has a beige backing with a pale grey/blue top. I like the way this mohair turn out - it really suits Samuel. Samuel has been aged and distressed - he is missing tiny patches of mohair. He is firmly stuffed with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. He is fully disc-jointed, with black German glass eyes, distressed wool felt paw pads (tiny holes) and a sparse waxed nose. Samuel is wearing a hand made sailor collar that is removable. It has also been aged and distressed.

These bears are really great friends, and wanted to be seen all together, so here they are :o)

A CHRISTMAS WALK

2011-12-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist posting a few new pictures of our grandson, Corson, who just turned 8 years old last week. His mum is is always ready with her new camera these days, so I get to sit back and relax and enjoy the new pictures. I can't believe how grown up he's getting. Seemed like yesterday, we had a chubby little toddler. Enjoy :o)

PENDANTS IN MY ETSY SHOP

2011-12-13T15:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't had much time to post lately - I hope to get back to regular updates after Christmas. I can't believe that Christmas is less than two weeks away! I've just listed 4 pendants in my Etsy shop. I hope have time to take a peek. These little pendants would make great stocking stuffers :o) Thanks so much for dropping by!

TEDDIES WORLDWIDE CHRISTMAS TREASURES SHOW IS NOW OPEN!

2011-11-18T16:43:00.000-08:00

Well, it's finally arrived - the Teddies Worldwide Christmas Treasures Show! It runs until Sunday at 4:00 p.m. EST. Seventy five world wide bear artists have made special creations for the show, as well as some bear related gift items, so stop by and take a peek. Just click here! Here's a sampling of the bears I have for sale, as well as a few of the gift items - I hope you enjoy the show!

Thackery the Bunny

                                                                     Rosie Posie

                                                              Rabbit Mailman Shadow Box
                                                                       and Matching Case

"Best Friends"
Soldered Pendant

"Loyal & Wise"
Soldered Pendant

                                                            "A Teddy's Love is Forever"
                                                                   Soldered Pendant

TEDDIES WORLDWIDE SHOW

2011-11-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

The preview for the The Christmas Treasures online show preview has begun! See 75 themed bears, made especially for this event by 75 international artists1 It's just a sampling of what they'll have available during the show! Catch the Christmas Spirit and vote for your favourite bears here!

Here is my show preview piece. Miss Martha Entwistle - I hope you like her. Thanks for dropping by :o)

FINALLY, A NEW BEAR!

2011-10-16T13:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a long time but I finally have a new bear for sale, "Maddie, the good witch". I've been working hard on show pieces for the Teddies Worldwide Show, November 18th-20th, but I couldn't let my favourite time of year pass by without at least one teddy to celebrate :o)

Maddie is just shy of 7 inches tall and centre seam bear. She is made of hand dyed black, German Shulte mohair. Maddie is fully disc-jointed, has amber German glass eyes, a sparse waxed nose and distressed ultra suede felt paw pads (tiny holes allow the excelsior to show through). She is firmly stuffed with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. Maddie's mohair has been gently aged and distressed and she is missing mohair in some tiny spots.

Maddie wears a removable pinafore of hand dyed pale orange fabric, stamped with tiny pumpkins in indelible ink. Her witches hat is made from molded black felt, trimmed with a crepe paper ruffle of Hallowe'en colours, and tied with ribbon. She carries a paper cone made from Hallowe'en paper, with a chenille handle. It contains a tiny vintage orange bottle brush tree, a wooden sign, decorated with a reproduction Hallowe'en postcard and a soldered, two sided glass ornament decorated with Hallowe'en papers. The cone is decorated with a flashing pumpkin. Thanks for dropping by and please don't hesitate to email me, if you have any questions.
SOLD

TRYING TO GET BACK ON TRACK!

2011-08-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting much this summer - it's been a busy one! Hard to stay indoors when the sun is shining and the birds and bees are buzzing about :o) We try and spend as much time with our grandson as possible, since he will be 8 years old in December and we realize that soon, it will be more important to him to spend his time with friends than with us. That's the reality of growing up :o( Wish we could keep him small for a little longer.

So, we've been attending soccer games and hockey games and taking our grandson to goalie school and fishing and Marineland and basically enjoying our summer. We have noticed this past week, just how much shorter the days are getting and that fall is definitely on the way. Next month is our 40th anniversary and we will be spending it in our favourite place, Lancaster, PA. After we come back, I am hoping to get back into a decent schedule. I'm posting a few pictures of our summer - our grandson has sure had a lovely one! Hope you enjoy these and thanks for stopping by.

TEDDIES WORLDWIDE CHRISTMAS TREASURES ONLINE BEAR SHOW!

2011-08-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

Well, even with all the heat we've had, it's time to start thinking about Christmas :o) There will be lots of shopping to do, so a good place to start will be the Teddies Worldwide Christmas Treasures Online Bear Show, November 18-20. 2011. Mark it on your calendar, so you don't forget and we hope to see you there :o)

LITTLE MISS BLUE

2011-07-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

I finally have a new bear for sale and her name is "Little Miss Blue". She is 6 1/3 inches tall and is a centre seam bear. She is made of hand dyed pale blue, German Shulte mohair. Little Miss Blue is fully disc-jointed, has matte German glass eyes, a sparse waxed nose and distressed wool felt paw pads. She is firmly stuffed with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. Her mohair has been aged and she is missing mohair in some spots. Little Miss Blue's face, ears and paws have been shaded with permanent fabric paints, for a vintage appeal.

Little Miss Blue wears a removable pinafore, made from an antique hanky. I have inserted two panels of lace in the bodice and the dress is edged with tatting. Please remember this fabric is vintage and it has a few very tiny wear marks spots. The bodice is decorated with a vintage organza rose and the pinafore closes with a vintage mother of pearl button..

Shipping to the U.S. is by UPS to the continental USA. The cost is $15.00. Overseas shipping will be by post at a cost of !5.00.
SOLD

THE JUGGLER - LATEST CLOWN BEAR

2011-06-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

There is something VERY appealing about clown bears. The are just the sweetest bears. I have always loved Steiff bears. "The Juggler" is my version of the old Steiff clown bears, I hope you like him. I have decided to list him here for a few days before I either move him to Ebay or my Etsy shop.

"The Juggler" is 6 1/2 inches tall, without his hat and just under 8 inches, with his hat on. He is made from hand dyed, semi distressed, German Shulte mohair. He is fully disc-jointed, has matte German glass eyes, a sparse waxed nose and distressed wool felt paw pads. He is firmly stuffed with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. His mohair has been aged and he is missing mohair in some spots. The Juggler's" face, ears and paws have been shaded with permanent fabric paints.

"The Juggler's" hat and collar are removable. They are made from distressed wool felt, and the collar is edged with vintage silk ribbon. His juggling wire is made from sturdy copper wire and Fimo balls.

I will only be able to ship to the U.S. as I can sendhis UPS to the continental USA. The cost is $15.00. There is a possibility of back to work legislation for our postal workers this week. If someone overseas is interested, I would be willing to hold him with a deposit.
SOLD

TINY RABBIT - MISS ARABELLA

2011-06-04T13:30:00.000-07:00

I've been playing and adapting, again lol! I thought I was done with bunnies, at least for this year, but it's interesting how soon I can be tempted once I think of trying something a bit different :o)

Miss Arabella is a fraction under 4 inches tall - she is all white, except for some light shading around here eyes, paws, tail and ear tips. She is fully jointed with wire in her arms to hold her basket a little more tightly. Miss Arabella is firmly stuffed with excelsior and a little stainless steel shot. Her amber German glass eyes are framed with white cording, to help them stand out. She has nylon whiskers and a simple pale yellow organza ribbon around her neck, decorated with a vintage mini bell. Miss Arabella stands nicely with her little shoes, hand made from wood and yellow organza. She carries a tiny basket filled with hand made Fimo carrots. Miss Arabella is $250.00 and shipping of $15.00 UPS in North America. At the moment. Canada is in the middle of a postal strike, so unfortunately I will be unable to ship overseas on this bunny. If you have any questions or are interested in adopting Miss Arabella, please feel free to email me. Thanks for peeking!
SOLD

NEW OFFERINGS ON EBAY

2011-05-28T15:49:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've had things for sale, but I've been playing. I'm quite pleased with this pair and I hope you will enjoy them as well. :o) I am listing them on Ebay, for a change and you can view them by clicking the link in their descriptions. Canada post is possibly going on strike on Monday, so I'm hoping to find them homes in North America, where I can ship by UPS for $15.00 for most places. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me.

1. POSEY is 5 1/2 inches tall and made from cream vintage mohair with a bit of a tint to it. I think it's from the age. She is stuffed with excelsior and steel shot and is fully disc-jointed. Her eyes are German amber glass eyes and her paw pads are wood felt. He is shaded on the ears, eyes, nose and paws and has been gently aged and distressed on both her mohair and her paw pads. She has a simple pink ribbon around her neck.
SOLD

2. BUTCH, the boxer put is a new design. He stands 7 1/4 inches tall and 7 1/2 inches long. He is jointed at the head, only. he is stuffed with excelsior and steel shot and is made from hand dyed
German shulte mohair and velveteen on his muzzle. He has German amber glass eyes and a hand made leather collar and he has shading on his ears, feet and tail. Butch is mounted on green wooden wheels and is the perfect size for a 5 inch bear, as you can see in the photos.
SOLD

JUST 'MAYBE' THIS BEAR WILL COME LIVE WITH ME!

2011-05-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

Ginger Brame over at Piece Parade is having a giveaway for Maybe, the sweetest little Bee bear, I've ever seen. If you want to sign up for a chance to win this delightful little fellow, just click the link and hop on over to see for yourself! Good luck, but I know he really wants to come and live with me ;O)

SUMMER TIME???

2011-05-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

The weather is finally getting warmer, but not too hot - hope it stays this way :o) When we lived in a small town up north, we were surrounded by nature and took full advantage of it. We had a canoe and used to paddle regularly to the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, which was basically wilderness - quiet and serene, other than the odd black bear who would invite himself to lunch lol. For the last 17 years, we've lived on the outskirts of a big city, first Ottawa and now Toronto. We don't seem to commune with nature as much as we should.

Our grandson, Corson, has discovered fishing - he loves it. So for the first time in man years, hubby got his fishing licence, so he could share some outdoor time with him, as apparently we have both trout and Atlantic salmon around here. Yesterday, we decided to try out some of the local spots. I took a chair, along with a bear to sew and I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. It was so pretty and peaceful - the creek was crystal clear and fast flowing, the butterflies were flitting about and I was re-introduced to something I had long forgotten about - Mr. Black Fly!! They are so small and silent - you almost miss them, until you have a HUGE welt on your arm that is incredibly itchy. Years ago, I had a bite near my eye that caused my eye to swell shut! Soooo, I just made sure I moved my chair from the shade to the sun, and all was well - they like the cool shade :o)

We saw quite a few trout and some very large ones, but they didn't feel like biting - I think it was too hot in the afternoon - a neighbour went out in the early evening, and caught two large ones. I didn't mind not catching anything - it was just nice to enjoy the countryside. I spend so much time indoors and online, that I am going to try to make an effort to get outside more, especially since this lovely area is only five minutes from our house :o) I took some pictures - hope you enjoy them!

Piece and quiet :o)

Different types of trout and salmon in our area

The old fishing rod

Hubby trying to find the perfect spot to fish!

My little piece of paradise :o)

View from my chair

You can see the trout - big ones!

Babbling brook

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2011-05-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day, to all the mothers out in blogland. My mum is no longer with us, and although I think about her every day, I find myself thinking about her a lot on this day and just how much is miss her. One of my friends on Facebook posted this today and it really rang true, so I'm including it in my post:

"At 3 years, "Mommy, I love you". At 10 years, "Mom, whatever". At 16 years, "My mom is so annoying". At 18 years, "I want to leave this house". At 25 years, "Mom, you were right". At 30 years, "I want to go to Mom's house". At 50 years, "I don't want to lose my Mom". At 70 years, "I would give up EVERYTHING for my Mom to be here with me"

So, Happy Mother's Day, mum, where ever you are - I love you!

TINY BUNNIES

2011-05-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

Well, this is the last of my bunnies for this year. I get the urge to make them in the spring, but the rest of the year, I seem to concentrate on bears, although I might have a few surprises up my sleeve :o). I keep struggling with hand problems, which has slowed me down lately. I hope when the weather finally changes to warm, summer weather, some of my issues will disappear.

Priscilla bunny is a new style - I usually make boy bunnies. She is a diminutive 3 1/4 inches tall and is on her way to her new home. She is made from hand painted mohair and is wearing a tiny smocked dress.

The final bunny is another mini Peter Rabbit. He is also 3 1/4 inches tall and is made to fit inside a collector tin of the customer's choice. He wears a removable, handmade coat and wooden/leather shoes. He's waiting to hear if he has a new home. Thanks for peeking and hope you enjoyed them :o)

HAPPY EASTER!

2011-04-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

Well, Easter is here and I hope the Easter bunny was good to all of you! We have a litte fellow here that's pretty excited. I spent a day last week, getting out all my Easter decorations and I have a lot more than I realized. I do love bunnies, so I have lots of those :o) I've in the process of making our yearly batch of Easter eggs - they are so pretty when they are decorated. Here are a few pictures of our decorations. I hope everyone has a lovely Easter weekend.

PENDANTS AND ORNAMENTS IN MY ETSY SHOP

2011-04-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

I've finally listed some items in my Etsy shop - pendants and ornaments. I hope you have time to take a peek :o) Thanks for dropping by!

MALACHY, AN EASTER BEAR

2011-04-16T14:16:00.000-07:00

I've been missing in action for the last few weeks, trying to get organized after a holiday to Florida. I'm listing "Malachy, An Easter Bear", the first bear in a while. He's a little late, since Easter is next weekend, but he really wanted to get in on the celebration. I hope you like him.

Malachy is 6 1/2 inches tall and made from hand dyed, curly black German mohair. Malachy is fully disc-jointed, stuffed with excelsior and stainless steel shot and has amber German glass eyes, a sparse waxed nose and distressed ultra-suede paw pads. He has been both aged and distressed and is missing small bits of mohair. Malachy wears a removable, hand made antique style bear collar. It has also been aged for vintage appeal.

The tiny bunny figurine, made from one of my antique molds. It is made from apoxy sculpt and is 2 3/4" tall. Apoxy sculpt is a very durable medium. The bunny is hand painted with acrylic paints and is signed on the bottom. The bunny figurine fits inside a wooden collector box ( 31/4" x 2 1/3"). The top of the box is covered with an etched sheet, decorated with a bunny and 4 hearts - it has been antiqued to look very old and is attached to the box top with solder.

The glass ornament contains a reproducion of a beautiful German postcard illustration of two bunnies with a lamb. The image has been re-sized to 1.5 x 2.5 inches, meticulously decorated with glitter and silver foil swirls and sealed between a piece of beveled glass and heavy acid free art paper, using lead free solder. The ornament has been strung with organza ribbon and is signed on the back. It has also been aged to look like an antique ornament. Postage is $15.00.
SOLD

CHECK THIS OUT!!

2011-03-14T00:29:00.000-07:00

I just found out about a wonderful blog give away by Wings and Paws Whimsies.

It is the most gorgeous Easter decoration - you should hop on over to her blog and sign up for it. Isn't it just the sweetest decoration!

THE BLOOMING BEAR SHOW IS NOW OPEN!

2011-03-12T06:19:00.000-08:00

The Blooming Bear Show is now open! These are the bears and bunny I have available and they are anxious to find a new forever home. I also have some collage teddy pendants that might catch your eye! Please drop by and see the wide range of talent from 75 worldwide artists!

MALE BONDING

2011-03-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

I've had the pleasure of going to our grandson's hockey tournaments and it's been tons of fun. Corson has just turned 7 and is one of the youngest players, although he's also one of the taller players. It's been an experience, since our son didn't play hockey, and the most fun has been watching the boys together - they are like a group of mini men, trying to outdo each other - who can make their face the reddest, who can eat the fastest, or make the loudest noise or burb the loudest lol! I think those male genes are firmly planted! It is also lovely to see them so supportive of each other, even when one of them makes a mistake on the ice. It's fun to watch them improve with every game and have fun doing it. Who thought I'd ever be a "hockey Nanny" :o)

EASTER GOODIES!

2011-02-16T19:11:00.000-08:00

I've been working like crazy twoards the online Blooming Bear Show on March 12th and 13th, but I've had requests for some bunnies, so I decided to put this fellow on my blog, along with another item. I hope you enjoy them :o) Shipping for this item is $15.00 for UPS to North America and Small Air Packet for International shipping.

1. EASTER BUNNY SET: This sweet little sitting bunny is 4 inches tall and is made from double dense beige and cream German Shulte mohair, which has been hand painted with may layers of permanent fabric paint, for a realistic look. He is stuffed with excelsior and stainless steel shot and has a jointed head only. The bunny has German amber glass eyes, ultra suede paw pads, molded wool felt ears, an embroidered face and nylon whiskers. He wears a pale yellow organza ribbon around his neck, decorated with vintage flowers.

Sweet bunny comes with his pale, a little feather chick and a hand made basswood sign, decorated with reproduction vintage easter graphics. The sign is decorated with glitter and is 4 inches x 3 inches. I did not make the chick.
SOLD

MINIATURE PETER RABBIT

2011-02-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

This little fellow is a commission piece and he has taken me forever. Even though he turned out spendidly, and I love his little face, I've decided not to do commission pieces anymore. It takes me twice as long, when I am working towards someone else's approval, even though it may be something I've done before. Soooo, even though I hate to disappoint customers, there will be no more stress for me - I will make only what I fancy :o)

Peter is just 3 inches tall and made from antique mohair. He is hand painted with many layers of permanent fabric paints and is fully jointed, with german glass eyes. He is stuffed with excelsior and has ultra-suede ears and foot pads. Peter has a removable hand made jacket (with hand made buttons and carrots) and tiny shoes made from wood and leather. Peter fits inside his little collectible embossed tin. I hope you enjoy him :o)

LADY MISTLETOE

2011-01-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

I'm pleased to introduce Lady Mistletoe - she is a custom order and although don't do orders very often, this little bunny was too cute to say "no". She will be off to her new home, soon, but I really wanted to show her off. I hope you enjoy her :o)

TWELVE RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME

2011-01-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

I have really enjoyed reading everyone's Twelve Random Facts About Me on The Hive, so I decided to see if I could come up with 12 things lol. It wasn't as hard as I thought, so here they are.

Twelve Random Things About Me:

1. I am the youngest of 4 children and the only native born Canadian - all the rest were born in Britain.

2. I have always done some kind of art, even as a child - my parents were both artistic and encouraging.

3. I have an overfocusing type of Attention Deficit - I can work on the same thing for hours and hours and have to force myself to stop for breaks.

4. My parents were 1st cousins, perfectly legal in Britain and Canada, but I do get funny looks when I tell people. The upside was a double dose of artistic genes, the downside was a double dose of Attention Deficit - you have to laugh LOL!

5. I met hubby when we were 11 & 12 years old and started dating when we were 14 & 15 years old. We have been together for 44 years and married for 39 years. He is the best find of my life. :o)

6. We have two children, a son and a daughter and one 7 year old grandson, whom we adore. He is a real character and makes us laugh every day. :o)

7. I worked as a secretary for 5 years, for the English/History depts at Queen's University, in the early 70's and now I find my spelling atrocious lol! My brain has been on holidays all these years lol.

8. I used to make paper mache dolls, molded felt dolls and miniature cernit dolls. One of my molded felt dolls won a nation wide contest for Canadian Living magazine and I won a Janome sewing machine, which I still use today.

9. I painted scenes on blown eggs and sold them at large craft shows for 20 years, along with other Christmas ornaments. I loooove Christmas ornaments Artists were required to attend the show, but I brought a friend with me and paid her to sell my things because I can't handle crowds. Another artist friend had a mattress at the back of her booth, behind a curtain, and I spent my time there reading while my friend did all the selling. :o)

10. I used to do children's portraits with coloured pencil, on commission.

I also taught myself to solder so I could make photo jewelry and ornaments, using family photos and copies of vintage postcards. I love old photos and geneology, and it's a lovely way to display family members and document who they are on the back of the ornaments. I've been trying to trace what happened to my grandfather for years, with no luck. Any one out there have a relative named Robert Arrol Cochrane? LOL!

11. I became a miniature bear artist because I loved miniatures bears, but couldn't afford them. I made one to go with a little Cernit doll I created and I was absolutely hooked. I literally chucked the dolls and moved onto bears and have been making them for 15 years.

12. I have arthritis in my hands that is getting worse and I may have to discontinue bear making unless I can find a way to work around it. I am thinking of trying fingerless gloves - has anyone else tried them?

So now that you've read mine, what are YOUR 12 random facts? Come on, give them up :o)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-12-31T14:28:00.001-08:00

I would like to wish all of you a wonderful "HAPPY NEW YEAR"! I hope 2011 is a good year for everyone. :o)

OUR CHRISTMAS

2010-12-28T14:58:00.000-08:00

Well we had a wonderful Christmas, with all our gifts, goodies and too much food, as usual. We are slowly gearing up for New Years, which is usually pretty quiet at our house. These are a few photos of our family, as we celebrated the season - I hope you enjoy them. :o)

Our grandson, Corson, singing in the school pageant

His first official grown-up tie - he loved it - hard to believe how big he's getting!

A few of our Christmas decorations.

Sprinkling reindeer food on Christmas eve.

Boxing day hockey on the nearby creek :o)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2010-12-24T22:33:00.000-08:00

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season!

TEDDIES WORLDWIDE SPRING SHOW

2010-12-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to be a part of the second online bear show for http://www.teddiesworldwide.com/ The spring BLOOMING BEAR SHOW will be held online March 12th and 13th and is produced by Daphne Blau of Backroad Bears. There will be 75 worldwide bear artists showcasing an array of their bears and there is also a gift section, for special little bear related items under $50.00. Please, mark the dates on your calendar, because if the last show was any indication, this will be a tremendous show :o) You may sign up for more information and updates by clicking on the link. Hope to see you there :o)

MISTER JANGLES ON EBAY WITH NO RESERVE!

2010-12-12T07:48:00.000-08:00

I have just listed Mister Jangles on Ebay tonight, for three days, with no reserve. You can view his auction by clicking Ebay Listings He can be hung on the wall as a Christmas decoration or displayed regularly. Mister Jangles is 5 inches tall and comes with his own felt snowman mitten, a tiny vintage bottle brush tree, a chenille candy cane and a removable flannelette nightcap. Thanks for peeking!

SMILEY LE PEW PIN KEEP

2010-12-07T17:25:00.000-08:00

I pleased to say that Smiley Le Pew is going to a new home for Christmas and he will be staying in Canada :o)

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

2010-12-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

Every year since we moved here in 2006, our grandson has wanted to help me decorate the Christmas tree, even when he was only three. When he was almost four, I officially gave him the job as "helper", and was amazed at how good he was with the ornaments and he just loved to put them on the tree. This year, he is almost 7 and he is a very busy boy with hockey and school, so I wasn't sure if he had time or if he even wanted to help, but he said emphatically that it was "traditon" now, so he was definitely going to be part of trimming the tree. So we spent Saturday afternoon, getting about half of the ornaments placed just where he wanted them and even though we didn't get it finished, Corson was proud to have his mark on our special tree, this year. He is the best helper anyone could ever have!

The really surprising part was his interest in a small primitive tree that I bought on holiday in Pennsylvania. It's about 18 inches tall and he loved it the minute he saw it and proclaimed it "his" to decorate. We don't have a lot of tiny decorations, but I gathered all that I had and I watched him delicately place each one in the perfect spot. It looks absolutely lovely. I now know that when we go back in the spring, I will be buying at least one more of these special little trees. He should have one to decorate for his house.

He also liked a new decoration I bought this year, which is a sign that says "We believe in Santa Claus". It's metal and I was going to put it on the front door, but when I was putting him to bed, he whispered in my ear, "we have to put the sign next to the tree, so Santa doesn't miss it!" He isn't leaving anything to chance, *grin*.

When I was going through our old pictures this morning, I thought he might like to see how he's changed over the years. It is so lovely to have a child in the family again - it makes Christmas really special. So Corson, these are just for you - we adore you, munchkin!

Christmas 2004 - He loved to climb the tree lol!

Christmas 2005 - Changing so fast

Christmas 2006 - Full of personality!

Christmas 2007 - Designated my official helper!

Christmas 2008 - A big boy now.

Christmas 2009 - A shy smile!

Christmas 2010 - Admiring his work!

PADDY THE BUNNY CLOWN

2010-12-02T15:49:00.000-08:00

I just had to show this one off -Paddy the Bunny Clown! He was a special commission, and I fnd those hard, working to someone elses desires, but I'm really pleased with him. He's off to Britain to make someones Chrismas very merry :o)

SWEET BUNNY PIN KEEP on Ebay

2010-11-24T11:37:00.000-08:00

I have just listed the Sweet Bunny Pin Keep on Ebay. He is a new design and it was fun to make him!

He's both adorable and useful.

Bunny is make from double dense beige and cream mohair, which has been hand painted with many layers of permanted fabric paints, for a realistic look. He has a jointed head, and is stuffed with excelsior and weighted with stainless steel shot. Sweet bunny has German amber gass eyes, molded wool felt ears, nylon whiskers and an embroidered face. He sits on a red, wool felt Christmas ball/pincushion, very firmly stuffed with polyester and decorated with embroidered silver snowflakes and hand made wood felt mistletoe leaves and Fimo berries. The ball is firmly glued to a tiny vintage, silver plated goblet. Bunny is secured with thread to the Christmas ball and can easily removed, still leaving a lovely pin cushion, and I will leave that decision to his new owner. Please remember, the goblet is vintage so it has minor flaws. The entire pin keep stands 9 1/4 inches tall. The bunny is 4 /12 inches tall by himself. You can view his Ebay auction by clicking Ebay Listings

I will be listing another pin keep in the next week. You can preview Smiley Le Pew at the bottom of the photos. Thanks for peeking :o)

Smiley Le Pew Pin Keep

ETSY SHOP UPDATE

2010-11-09T15:30:00.000-08:00

I've just listed a few Christmas ornaments and decorations in my Etsy shop. I'd love it if you could stop by for a peek :o) http://www.etsy.com/shop/duffyantiques

LOOK WHAT CAME TODAY!!

2010-10-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to win a giveaway on Facebook, from one of my friends, Theresa Meloon. Since we live in Canada and Theresa lives in the U.S., I thought it would take at least a week to arrive, but it came today. Now, I didn't know what I had won - it was to be a surprise. Imagine my delight to open the box and find all of these goodies.

First, there was a lovely quilted piece, with gorgeous Halloween graphics and black cats - our favourites. It's in the centre of our harvest table and it looks just wonderful. Then there was a sweet Hallowe'en banner that I will put on the wall, and there was also a pumpkin, clip-on ornament and a goody bag of candies!

So, an ordinary day was made very special by these lovely treats - THANK YOU, THERESA!

ESMERALDA THE WITCH, FOR SALE ON EBAY

2010-10-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

Esmeralda the Witch is my entry into the Autumn Challenge at Creating the Hive. She is officially for sale on Ebay - you can view her auction by clicking Ebay Listings Esmeralda is 6 1/2 inches tall and made from vintage cream mohair, that is naturally distressed. She is stuffed firmly with excelsior and weighted with stainless steel shot. Her face, ears and paws are shaded with permanent fabric paint and she has amber german glass eyes and a waxed nose. Esmeralda has vintage wool felt paw pads. She is wearing a collar and witches hat, made from hand dyed, black and orange wool felt. The collar is decorated with tiny vintage bells.

Esmeralda comes with her old fashioned halloween candy container and a brooche, made with reproduction Hallowe'en ephemera. The image is soldered behind beveled glass, with a decorative design.
SOLD

HIVE CREATIVE CHALLENGE - ESMERALDA THE WITCH

2010-10-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have just finished my piece for the Creative Hive Challenge. This was a fun project - I am really enjoying my time at the Hive. Esmeralda is a 6 1/2" white mohair bear, dressed in a wool felt hat and collar, and she has her own vintage style hallowe'en pail for Trick or Treating. I hope you enjoy her as much as I enjoyed making her. She will be for sale in a day or so. Thanks for peeking!

NEW BEAR, "TICKETY BOO"

2010-10-18T18:08:00.000-07:00

I just love black teddies but they are ridiculously hard to photograph. I'm finally satisfied with these pictures, so he is officially up for sale! "Tickety Boo" is 5 1/4 inches tall and made from hand dyed German Shulte mohair, which has been aged and distressed. He is fully jointed with German amber glass eyes, a sparse waxed nose and distressed ultra suede paw pads. "Tickety Boo" is firmly stuffed with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot.

"Tickety Boo" wears a hand dyed, wool felt hat and collar. Both the collar and the hat are removable. He comes with a Hallowe'en ornament that says "Boo" and the tiny pumpkins and Hallowe'en confetti is also included. "Tickety Boo" is both designed and made entirely by me, with the exception of the ornament and confetti. He will come with a signed hang-tag and is a collectible and not meant for children.
SOLD

AGATHA THE WITCH

2010-10-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

I have finally finished a Hallowe'en teddy - Agatha the Witch. I normally make a lot of Hallowe'en bears, but somehow time has sped by this year. I hope you like Agatha - she's a sweet little witch, not a nasty one :o)

Agatha is 5 inches tall and made from beige mini German mohair. She is fully disc-jointed and traditionally stuffed with excelsior and weighted with stainless steel shot. Agatha has german glass eyes, a sparse waxed nose and shading on her face, ears and paw pads (with permanent fabric paints). Her mohair has been distressed to give her vintage appeal. Agatha also has distressed ultra suede paw pads with tiny holes, which allows the excelsior to show through.

Agatha wears a sweet little dress made from an antique hanky. It has been gently aged, making it look vintage. She has a silver star on a silver thread, around her neck. Agatha's witch costume is made from dyed wood felt. It consists of a witch's hat and cape, a broom. and a pumpkin sign. The witch costume is removable so she can be displayed just in her dress for the rest of the year. Her dress is also removable.

Agatha also somes with a double sided Hallowe'en ornament, with vintage reproduction ephemera ( a little boy on one side and a black cat on the other. The images have been decorated with foil and glitter and are encased between two soldered pieces of glass and hung with a black organza ribbon.

Agatha and her accessories are both designed and made entirely by me, Brenda Power. This set with come with a signed hang tag and is a collectible, and not meant for children. Postage for Agatha is $12.50 postal shipping and $15.00 UPS to most places in North America. Please email me for a quote for international shipping and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. :o)
SOLD

LONGWOOD GARDENS, PENNSYLVANIA

2010-10-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to post these last week, but things got in the way. I find once summer is over, time speeds up so fast that Christmas is here before we know it. So, here are my favourite pics of Longwood Garden, PA. It was built by Pierre Dupont and is still overseen by the family. The grounds are spectacular and it is certainly worth taking a day to visit. They change the garden by season - I'd love to see it at Christmastime. So, grap a cuppa and get ready for a stroll through the gardens. Hope you enjoy it. o)

View as you enter the gardens

I loved the tree lined walkways.
The architechture was fabulous.

Another tree lined passageway.

The main Conservatory

More lovely architecture.
A lovely old turret.
This was all marble!!
A section of the special children's garden.

Another great walk.

The pumpkin patch with ghost gourds.

An Admiral butterfly just waiting to have his picture taken.
Very different apple trees.
Lots of hidden fruit.
A beautiful pergola covering another walk.

A walkway inside the main Conservatory.

We had to take a picture of this beautiful flower.

The largest lilypads I have ever seen.

A gorgeous orchid from the Orchid room in the Conservatory.

Another lovely orchid with some ivy.
One of the Conservatory walls.
Incredible lily lined walk, inside the Conservatory.

Beautiful plants everywhere we looked.

The opposite Conservatory wall.

A view of the grounds and fountains from atop the Conservatory.

Pierre Dupont's house.
Inside Pierre Dupont's personal Conservatory!

One of three treehouses in the gardens, all from reclaimed lumber - the floor in this one was from a demolished factory in down town Toronto! :o)

LANCASTER, A MAGICAL PLACE

2010-09-23T17:28:00.001-07:00

Have you ever found a place that just feels like you belong there - well for my husband, Neil, and I, that place is Lancaster, Pennsylvania! There is something about the area that has captured our hearts and even though we have been going there twice a year for over 20 years, it still captivates us.

I've tried to figure out whether it's the incredible scenery or the fabulous artist community and I think it's a little of both. Huge Amish farms dot the landscape, everywhere you look, and passing horses and buggies while driving the back roads makes you feel like you have stepped back in time - it's such peaceful place. There are crafts available at almost every turn - the Amish people are very creative. The stores and co-ops are full of beautiful quilts, furniture and paintings and after a while it's almost overwhelming. Each time we visit, I find it harder and harder to come home.

We also stumbled on Longwood Gardens this time and spent a day there - it was built by Pierre DuPont and it is the most magnificent place. We went crazy with our camera so there are way too many pictures to include here LOL! I will do a separate post in a few days. After a glorious time, we reluctantly headed home through the mountains and we could see a hint of fall -it was a pretty drive. Hope you have time to stroll though the pictures and if you ever get a chance to visit, you won't be sorry!

Typical landscape picture

Horse and buggies share the roads

Gorgeous quilts

Quilt store in Intercourse, PA

No tractors - just mules!

One of my most favourite stores!

They make all their own candles

Christmas display in the Candle Barn

Waiting to go to work!

Local family selling quilts

The Museum Store has a gorgeous array of folk art

One of the local covered bridges

Creekside Inn

Mules doing their work

Typical scooters for sale

Buggy from behind

Amish boys on their way to school

Sight and Sound Millennium Theatre is a large draw for tourists

Local Amish shop selling beautiful bird houses

Honey bee hive in a shop - it was vented to the outside for the bees to come and go. Interesting to see the hive but made me a little nervous

Local Amish man chatting with tourists

One of the Amish furniture shops

Eldreth Pottery - reproduction saltware pottery. We have an extensive set of it :o)

Eldreth Pottery window

One last glorious sunset

Coming home through the mountains

A hint of fall colour

ONLINE BEAR SHOW!!!!

2010-09-08T09:17:00.001-07:00

Have you heard? On November 20th and 21st, there will be an online bear show, sponsored by Back Road Bears. Daphne has taken a brilliant idea and made it a reality! There will be artists from around the world, participating and offering bears and other gifts, just in time for Christmas. Sooooooo, mark your calendars and get ready - it's going to be a blast! I'll post more information as the date gets closer or you can go to www.teddiesworldwide.com and join the mailing list to receive event news and admission discounts. :o)

TWO NEW BEARS

2010-08-23T12:55:00.001-07:00

I find it difficult to be productive in the summer as there is so much to do - outside work etc. I finally have two clown bears ready for adoption. I'm also working on some Christmas decorations and hope to have some of them listed in a day or so. If feels good to be back in the swing of things. These bears are collectibles and not made for children. They are designed and made entirely by me and come with a signed hang-tag. Shipping is $12.50 for Expedited mail or $15.00 for UPS within the U.S. and Canda. International customers, please email me for a shipping quote. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me and thanks for peeking!

1."Peggity the Clown" is a 5 inch teddy that is made from German mini mohair, and is fully disc-jointed. She is a new pattern, with slimmer body and legs and rounder head. She is firmly stuffed with excelsior, like the old bears, and is gently weighted with steel shot. Peggity has dark brown ultra suede paw pads that have tiny holes, to allow bits of excelsior to show through, and a tiny waxed nose. Her face, ears and paws have been shaded with permanent fabric paints, for a vintage look. Peggity wears a green paisly print ruffle and a green wool felt hat. Both the ruffle and the hat have been aged and distressed. The ruffle ties in the back with green silk ribbon. Both the hat and ruffle are removable.

PRICE: $175.00

2. "Thackery the Clown" is 6 inches tall and made from turquoise, hand dyed German Shulte Mohair. He is fashioned after the old Steiff clown bears. His mohair has been aged and distressed, with some small bald patches. Thackery is fully disc jointed and has a waxed nose. He is firmly stuffed with excelsior and granulate and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. Thackery has ultra suede paw pads that have tiny holes, to allow bits of excelsior to show through. His face, ears and paws have been shaded with permanent fabric paints, for a vintage look. Thackery wears a ruffle of multicoloured fabric - not sure what it it but it has a lovely silky sheen to it. It fastenes at the back with black silk ribbon. Thackery's black hat is made from molded felt and is decorated with pompoms and has been dyed and aged. Both the hat and collar are removable.

SOLD

A HAPPY BOY!

2010-08-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Wow, two posts in one afternoon - a miracle lol! Unfortunately, I have a miserable cold and blogging is just about all I feel up to doing.

Our grandson, Corson is 6 1/2 and over the past year, he has been introduced to some very male activities, ski-dooing, ATVing and sea-dooing. He just looooooves speed, and honestly, what fella doesn't. LOL! A family friend was selling an almost new, chld size ATV at a very reasonable price - too good to pass up, so hubby and I purchased it and after finally finding him a proper ATV helmet, we surprised him last night.

It's pretty hard to put something over on Corson, he figures things out quickly. When he spotted the box with the helmet in last night, he was over the moon. It's a very cool helmet, with a visor for the sun and a vent for air, when it's hot. Corson knew where there is a helmet, there is an ATV and it was wonderful seeing his face when he opened the garage door! He's actually driven this one a few times before, so he was familiar with it, and after adjusting the helmet and setting the speed on the ATV, so he couldn't go tooo fast, he was off. Unfortunately, it's getting dark here, earlier and earlier, so he didn't have a lot of time to ride, but I have a feeling he will want to spend a lot of time here, before school goes back. As we were watching him zoom around the park, hubby and I were thinking, in another ten years it will be a real car!! That's something to give us a few nightmares :o)

No mistaking that grin - Corson knows there has to be an ATV somewhere LOL

Papa adjusts the new helmet.

The helmet looks great!

Where there a helmet, there must be an ATV :o)

YES!!!!!

Very first vehicle key - scary thought LOL!

On goes the helmet, again!

Corson is ready to roll - I can see that grin even under the helmet

Enough with the pictures!

Okay, I'm off!

What do you mean, it's getting too dark?

Just a few more trips around the park!

OFF TO HIS NEW HOME!

2010-08-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

I just finished this wee fellow, Zander, for a lovely lady in Scotland. I was pleased with him, but it's always an anxious time, waiting for "approval" :o). He's one of my bigger bears - almost 6 1/2 inches, without his hat. I'm happy to say Zander will be off to his new home in Edinburgh, on Monday! Boy, I wish I got to see as much of Europe as my bears are seeing LOL!

CHECK OUT THIS GIVEAWAY!

2010-08-08T23:30:00.000-07:00

Isn't this the sweetest little mouse? Susan at Crowsnest Pass Primitive Folk Art is giving away this cute little blue mouse on August 14th. Click HERE to go check out her blog - it's called Moose Droppings!

SURVIVING OUR HOLIDAYS!

2010-08-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

Boy, holidays are tiring! LOL! So much to do, so little time :o) Our daughter is also on holidays this week, so we included lots of fun things with our grandson, Corson. One of his favourite places is Marineland, in Niagara Falls, and we hadn't been in two years, so it was time for a visit. Thank goodness, it wasn't humid and in fact, the day was really lovely - sunny and not toooo hot. We had lots of activities to fit in, like feeding the deer, the bears, the fish and on and on LOL. We had a fabulous private session with Hugo and the Belugas and then there are the rides, and all the games and the shows to see. All in all it was a busy day and we all came home tired but happy!

Hey Mister - are you IGNORING US!!!!!

Corson just loves the animals!

Hey mom - YIKES!

Feeding Orion, the Beluga, with Papa and Hugo!

Hello, Baby Beluga!

Sarah petting Orion, the Beluga.

Papa, petting Orion

YUM!! That ice cream was great!

Feeding the HUGE fish!

This big boy loves his treats!!

I love my new shirt!

Sarah and Corson

Even found a neighbour to watch the show with us.

Dolphins jumping.

Pirate Ship ride.

Hugs are the best!

Winding down after a long day!

JASPER THE BUNNY

2010-07-26T17:36:00.000-07:00

I decided to have some fun and veer in a different direction for some fun. This is the result - Jasper the Bunny. Jasper is 6 inches tall and is made from a blonde curly mohair with a chocolate backing. He is fully disc-jointed and firmly stuffed with excelsior and stainless steel shot. Jasper's face ears and paws are shaded with permanent fabric paints, for a an antique appeal. He has amber German glass eyes ultra suede paws pads and felt inner ears, and he has been lightly distressed on the paws, ears and eyes, so show off his lovely dark colour.

Jasper wears a dark red molded, wool felt hat decorated with vintage bells. He also wears a ruffle of red paisley and a matching wool felt clown collar, decorated with vintage bells. Both the hat and collar are removable. This bunny is designed and made entirely by me and will come with a signed hang-tag. I have not aged his hat and collar, but I can do this, if it is preferred. Please don't hesitate to email me with any questions. Thanks for peeking :o)
SOLD

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME!

2010-07-21T10:48:00.001-07:00

TO AGE OR NOT TO AGE!

2010-07-15T14:44:00.001-07:00

Lately, I have begun to age my bears a little more, to make them look a little love-worn. It means removing some of the mohair and making some holes in the paws etc. and lots of other little touches. It's extra work but it seems to make such a difference. I know that not all customers like that look, so it's a challenge to decide which look is best. Here are some pictures of my latest bear aged and not aged. I am happy that this one has found a home :o) Thanks for peeking in -I'd love to hear which one you like the best!

TWINKLE TOES THE CLOWN

2010-07-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

"Twinkle Toes" is my first elephant in a long time. He is 6 inches tall without his hat and 7 1/4 inches tall with his hat. He is a new design and is made from short semi-distressed gray German mohair that has been hand dyed and extensively aged (that means bald spots!). "Twinkle Toes" is stuffed with excelsior and granulate and he has some shading, with permanent heat-set paints, for old fashioned appeal. He has German amber glass eyes with a felt backing, aged ultra suede paw pads (with tiny holes) and cotton lined ears. "Tiddly Wink" wears a molded felt clown hat, trimmed with cotton and a and matching ruffle, which have all been aged.

"Twinkle Toes" is an original design, made completely by me and is a collectible and not meant for children. He will come with a signed hang-tag. Shipping within North America is $12.50 Expedited mail or $15.00 for UPS. Please contact me for international shipping. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. Thanks for peeking :o)
SOLD

HERMIONE, AN OLD GIRL

2010-06-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

I am really having fun, learning how to age fabric realistically. There is such a fine line between aging and overdoing it - it's a delicate balance. I am very pleased to introduce "Hermione, an old girl".

Hermione is 5 1/4 inches tall and made from beige, over dyed and semi-distressed German mohair. She is an old style, centre seam bear with a hump in her back and long arms. I have gently thinned and aged her mohair and she has a few tiny bald spots. Hermione has amber German glass eyes, a sparse waxed nose and distressed ultra suede paw pads. She has been shaded on her face, ears and paws for a vintage look. Hermione is firmly stuffed with excelsior and weighted with stainless steel shot.

Hermione wears a lovey cream coloured pinafore , made from a vintage hanky. The pinafore is edged with a beautiful tatted edge. The dress has been gently aged and there are some wear spots. Hermione wears a tiny gold heart around her neck and a miniature preserved rose. Hermione is designed and created by me and she is a collectable, not meant for children. She will come with a signed hang-tag. If you are interested in Hermione or have any questions, please feel free to email
SOLD

TWO NEW CLOWNS!

2010-06-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

I am really enjoying newest adventure with my teddies - bigger clown bears. I like the size 5 and 6 inches. They still fit nicely in your hand but they have a lovely feel - they are still fairly small, but certainly larger than my miniatures bears. I love to get feedback, so all comments are welcome :o) Enjoy!

1. "Zinger the Clown" is 5 inches tall and is made from hand dyed rust and light beige, sparse German mohair. He has amber German glass eyes, wool felt paw pads and a waxed nose. He is shaded with permanent fabric paints on the face, ears and paws, for a vintage look. Zinger is filled with excelsior and stainless steel shot and is stuffed firmly. He is loosely jointed, which allows him to pose nicely. His mohair has been distressed and his paw pads have tiny holes to allow the excelsior to show through. Zinger wears a teal coloured, wool felt hat and a matching silk ruffle around his neck. Both the hat and ruffle have been extensively aged for an antique appearance.

SOLD
Sign in

2. This is Miss Petunia and she is another 6 inch clown bear, and she has been firmly stuffed with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. She has made from cream and pale pink mohair, with German amber glass eyes and a waxed nose. Miss Petunia has very gentle shading on her face, eyes, ears and paws. She has been slightly aged, and has tiny holes in her wool felt paw pads, for her excelsior to show through. Her collar is made from a vintage swiss dot organza and her hat is molded felt. Miss Petunia wears a pale olive green, wool felt hat and a matching ruffle around his neck, made from organza. The hat has been decorated with tiny old bells. Both the hat and the collar have been extensively aged for an antique appearance.
SOLD

SWEET BUNNY!

2010-06-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Last week, a neighbour across the street found a nest of baby bunnies in her yard. Unfortunately the mother had been killed and we didn't know about the babies. Only four survived, and are now being fostered by a caregiver. We don't know if they will survive, as I know they are very, very delicate :o( I really needed to make a little bunny, to honour these poor wee babies. I'm delighted to introduce Posey.

Posey is 4 1/2 inches tall, to the tip of her ears. She is made from a double dense mohair, by Shulte. I love this mohair - it is so luxurious, but I only have a small portion left. Posey has a jointed neck joint, German amber glass eyes and embroidered nose and claws. She is stuffed very firmly with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. Posey has been painted with many layers of permanent fabric paints, to give her a realistic look. Posey is an original, designed and made by me, Brenda Power. She will come with a signed hang-tag and is a collectible, not suitable for children. If you are interested in Posey or have any questions, please feel free to email me.
SOLD

WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT!

2010-06-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was an exciting day for our 6 year old grandson, Corson. He was awarded a trophy and certificate for reading 1000 books, during his grade 1 year. They were told at the beginning of the year that this was the teachers goal. She expected the kids to work hard and was a strict teacher, but they kids really learned a lot this year and are very well prepared for the second year.

Corson is VERY competitive and he really wanted that trophy LOL! A few others kids in the class already had their trophies, and one little gal has read 2000 books so Corson was getting anxious - time was running out as there is only a couple of weeks left in the school year. Once he knew he was close, you couldn't keep him away from reading. He was determined to get his trophy and just loved surprising his Nanny and Papa. We are very proud of him - CONGRATULATIONS. CORSON!!

ROSEPETAL THE CLOWN

2010-06-10T13:58:00.001-07:00

I am having so much fun making clowns! This is Rosepetal and she is another 6 inch clown bear, with excelsior and steel shot stuffing. She has made from cream and pale pink mohair, with german glass eyes and a waxed nose. She is a centre seam bear and has shading on her face, eyes, ears and paw pads. Rosepetal has been slightly aged, and has tiny holes in her wool felt paw pads, so her excelsior to show through. Her collar is made from a vintage swiss dot organza and her hat is molded felt.

Rosepetal is already on her way to her new home in Peterborough, Ontario, with a lovely lady - she picked her up this afternoon. Since most of my bears go to the U.S. or Europe, it's lovely to have one so close by. Well, it's almost supper time and I have to decide what's on the menu - thanks for peeking!

NEW BEARS AT LAST!

2010-06-04T18:39:00.001-07:00

I've been working hard to finish these two bears. I haven't made a 6 inch bear in such a long time and it felt very foreign. It was fun, and the aging takes forever but I'm thrilled with the result. The pieces are designed and made by me and will come with a signed hang tag. If you are interested in either set, or have any questions please email me . So, if you have a minute, grap a cuppa and take a peek. After a day of so, I will be moving them to Bearpile or Etsy, which you can access from my blog.

1. "Wiggins the Clown" is 6 inches tall and made from hand dyed German Shulte Mohair. He is fashioned after the old Steiff clown bears. His mohair has been aged and distressed, with some small bald patches. Wiggins is fully disc jointed and has a waxed nose. He is firmly stuffed with excelsior and granulate and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. Wiggins has ultra suede paw pads that have tiny holes, to allow bits of excelsior to show through. His face, ears and paws have been shaded with permanent fabric paints, for a vintage look. Wiggins wears a hand made wool felt clown hat and collar. These have been dyed and aged and the collar is decorated with tiny vintage bells and ties with a silk ribbon. Both the hat and collar are removable.

SOLD

2. "Jonah and the Whale" is a 3 inch teddy that sits in a wooden Orca rocker. I made this rocker a little while ago, and decided he need a teddy to go with it. Jonah is made from German Shulte mohair, and is fully disc-jointed. Jonah is firmly stuffed with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. He has wool felt paw pads that have tiny holes, to allow bits of excelsior to show through. His face, ears and paws have been shaded with permanent fabric paints, for a vintage look. Jonah wears a wool felt sailor collar and a paper sailor hat. The hat is removable.

The Orca whale rocker is 3 7/8" long x 2 1/8" high x 2 1/2" wide. It has It has a normal head on one side and an open mouth on the opposite side. He is hand made from basswood and is painted with acrylic paints and finished with a coat of wax sealer.

SOLD

A SWEET COLOURED BEAR!

2010-05-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

I often admire coloured teddy bears, made by my artist friends. My problem was making one LOL! I just couldn't do it. Everytime I thought about a new bear, I ALWAYS chose traditional colours. That is until my friend, Deborah Burnham, gifted me with the most gorgeous sea foam green mohair. It was so pretty, I had to use it and I'm so glad I did. I'm pleased to introduce Sophie, who is on her way to live in the U.S. I just had to show her off!

MAKING TIME!!

2010-05-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

Boy I get frustrated with myself. I got Photoshop elements 7 for Christmas over a year ago - I had really wanted it but like a lot of things, you have to make time for it. It's been installed on my computer for ages and every time I went to use it, I ended up going back to my old Photoshop elements 3, because it was simpler and I already knew how to use it.

I am a hoarder of all things, especially magazines and books. Every month, I buy new Stampington magazines - they are sooooo full of eye candy and every month I would promise myself I would get around to playing with Photoshop elements 7 and learn to do some of the altered art I adore. I now realize that if I don't MAKE time to learn how to use it, it will be obsolete soon LOL! So, I made a promise to myself to take some of the time I spend online each day (WAY TOO MUCH!) and systematically play with elements 7, until I have mastered it. Wish me luck :o)

These are just a few things I played with today - VERY simple exercises, but hey, it's a start LOL! Enjoy!

Our grandson, Corson

Removing some of the colour

Burgundy trillliums

Removing some of the colour

Adding a blur filter

Our grandson chasing bubbles

Removing some of the colour

My parents on their honeymoon

Adding a vingette

FAST FUN ON MOTHER'S DAY!

2010-05-09T16:50:00.000-07:00

What makes a little boys heart go "pitter patter" - wheels that move and move fast LOL! Today, after delivering a lovely Mother's day treat, our grandson, Corson, got to do what he loves most of all - drive the ATV at full speed.

There is a park just around the corner from our house, with a large grassy area, just perfect for a small ATV. He's driven a few times already, but this is the first time we got the chance to watch.

Wow, it made my heart pitter patter, too, but not for the same reason - Corson was zipping all over the field, in and around obstacles so fast, we could barely see him. Almost gave us a heart attack LOL! He's very adept at manipulating the ATV around the trees and playground equipment and the park was empty because of the cold weather, so it was perfect. It would have been nicer, though, if his speed was a tad sloooooower :o) But boys will be boys, and when we saw John riding the ATV on two wheels, we now know what to expect in the future "sigh".

Ready to go!

I understand, go slow!

I'll be a perfect angel!

Here we go!

Nice and easy!

See, I'm doing everything right!

Hmmm, I wonder if they will notice if I go a little faster?

Here comes the tricky part - the obstacles!

If the picture is blurry, will they know how fast I'm going? :o)

Gotta make sure I don't hit anything!

Aw what the heck, a boy has to enjoy himself LOL!

Next, I'm gonna learn how to do that!!!

OLD DOOLAN

2010-05-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am definitely on a roll :o) I was wondering how to finish off this bear and I liked him so much, I decided minimal accessories were needed, so I just made him an old fashioned leather collar, decorated with vintage bells. He looks brilliant with it.

Doolan is 4 inches and is made from a longer Shulte mohair than I usually use. It's a traditional rich brown in colour. He has distressed wool felt paw pads, excelsior and stainless steele shot stuffing, amber glass eyes and a waxed nose. Doolan's paws, face and ears have been shaded with permanent fabric paints and this gives him a wonderful vintage look. Please email me for more details if you are interested in Doolan. Thanks for peeking!

WEE PADRAIG AND HIS SHOE

2010-05-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, two blog posts it two days - must be a record for me :o) I worked on a few small bears, while we were on holiday and I am finishing them up this week. This is the first one "Padraig and his Shoe". Padraig is 3 1/2 inches tall and made from hand-dyed, beige Shulte mohair. The mohair has been aged and distressed, leaving small bald spots. Padraig has leather paw pads, that have been distressed, leaving tiny bits of exelsior showing through the holes. He is firmly stuffed with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. His face, ears and paws have been shaded with permanent fabric paints.

Padraig sits in a brown, antique child's button up shoe. It is the perfect size to hold Padraig and show him off. If you are interested in Padraig or have any questions, please feel free to email me. Thanks for peeking!

ALMOST MISSED THEM!

2010-05-03T13:57:00.000-07:00

Wow, spring has sprung, so they say LOL! Every year, I look forward to seeing the trilliums and wakerobins come into bloom - they usually appear by the May 24th weekend. This year the weather has been wacky - hardly any snow, it got warm VERY early and then cold again. We were on holidays in Pennsylvania last week and hubby had knee surgery when we returned, so it's been hectic here. The other evening, we were out for a drive and Neil noticed some trilliums in bloom - I couldn't believe it as it was barely the end of April. So when I came home, I checked our yard and there they were, in full bloom. If we hadn't seen the ones on our drive, I would have totally missed the ones in our yard. So I snapped some quick pictures, before they're gone :o) Hope you enjoy them.

I have also been trying to finish a few bears for an update. I finally have the basic bears done, now I just have to decide what I want to do with them. One of them is my first coloured bear - the softest sea green! Here's a quick peek - any suggestions gratefully accepted. :o)

BEAUTIFUL GIVEAWAY

2010-04-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

Nancy Malay is having a giveaway on her blog - it's a wonderful Springtime cone. It's the prettiest pink colour, with an antique button on the front, vintage lace, tinsel, a feather and a woderful old image of a little girl in a birds nest. Check out her blog and sign up for the draw at www.nancymalay.blogspot.com

SWANS AND WHALES AND ELEPHANTS, OH MY!

2010-04-10T17:44:00.000-07:00

I have a few toys to liston my blog, tonight. As I have tendonitis in my elbow, sewing has been difficult, so I decided to go in another direction. I have made these toys to accompany my bears for sale. . I have managed to complete 3 wooden reproduction antique rockers, that go well with miniature dolls or bears, in the 3-3/12 inch range.

First, there is my favourite, the Swan Rocker. This one is old fashioned and elegant and measures 3 1/4" long x 2 3/4" high x 2 1/2" wide. She is painted with vintage white acrylic paints, with a black beak and has german glass eyes.

Second is the whale - he has a normal head on one side and an open mouth on the opposite side. He measures 3 7/8" long x 2 1/8 " high x 2 1/2" wide. He is painted with black and white acrylic paints, with the markings of an Orca

Last is the circus elephant, with a cute smile. He measures 4 1/2" long x 2 3/4" high x 2 1/2" wide. He also is painted with acrylic paints in grey, red, teal and green.

All of these toys are aged and distressed and then finished with a coat of wax. I love antiques and these were made to emulate the toys of yesteryear. They are all designed and made entirely by me, from basswood. They are signed underneath the seat and will come with a signed hang-tag. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me and have a great weekend.

MEANT TO BE!

2010-04-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

I've collected children's books for many years. I am a huge fan of illustration, and one of my favourite illustrators is Beatrix Potter. Her rabbits and other animals seem to have a life of their own.

I recently acquired a beautiful German paper mache egg, with a picture of Mrs. Rabbit and the the Flopsy bunnies and I knew it was meant to have a bunny to go inside. It was a long process, as I have been dealing with tendonitis in my elbow, which limits my sewing, but I was finally able to finish her today. I'm so thrilled with the outcome - she turned out just perfectly. Flopsy is 5 inches tall and made from German Shulte mohair, which has been meticulously hand painted with dozens of layers of fabric paints, to bring her to life. She has starburst eyes, excelsior and steel shot stuffing and is fully disc jointed, with nylon whiskers.

She will eventually go up for sale, but for right now, I just want to look at her for a few days. I hope you enjoy her and wishing everyone a joyous Easter weekend, with family and friends.

MATHILDA AND HER EASTER FRIENDS

2010-03-26T16:55:00.000-07:00

I must say, I really enjoy making Easter sets. I love this holiday time of year, even more than Christmas. Everything is in a stage of renewal - the sun is shining, the greenery is starting to peek through and the hope of spring is everywhere. I hope you enjoy these new toys and thanks for stopping by!

Mathilda is 4 inches tall and is made from hand-dyed beige German Shulte mohair. The mohair has been gently aged and distressed, leaving a few tiny bare patches. Mathilda has amber German glass eyes, a gently waxed nose, ultrasuede paw pads and has been shaded on the face, ears and paws with permanent heat-set paints. This shading gives Mathilda a lovely vintage look. She is stuffed with traditional excelsior and stainless steel shot for weight and simply decorated with a vintage silk ribbon around her neck, with an old bell.

Mathilda comes with a sweet baby chick. They are the best of friends and Mathilds loves to hop on and go for a ride. The chick 1s 3 ¾ inches tall, has glass eyes and is very realistic - it even cheeps, when the button on the bottom is pushed. I did not make the chick.
Mathilda also comes with a hand-made white beeswax bunny. The beeswax bunny is 2 3/4 inches tall and is made from an antique mold in my collection. The bunny has hand painted eyes and is decorated with a silk ribbon.

Also included in this set, is an Easter ornament - 1 1/2 inches x 2 1/2 inches. The ornament is a vintage reproduction Easter postcard of a bunny head and pussywillows. It is decorated with glass glitter, set between beveled glass and heavy art paper, and sealed with solder with a decorative edge. This set is designed and made by me, and will come with a signed hang-tag. It is an adult collectible and not meant for children.
SOLD

ETSY UPDATE

2010-03-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

I finally have some new items for my Etsy shop - a few Easter ornaments and pendants, as well as some new apoxy sculpt, bird pendants. I have enjoyed playing with a new medium and am just beginning to discover how versatile it is. If you would like to check out my shop, just click on the Etsy badge on my blog, or this link: http://www.duffyantiques.etsy.com

Easter is creeping up quickly and I am so disappointed that I haven't been able to do much sewing, due to tendonitis in my right arm. I am desperately trying to finish one last rabbit and will post it here, if I get it finished soon. Thanks for peeking in!

GLOW BUGS!

2010-03-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

The other day, our grandson came in with a new candy his mum had bought for him. He was quite excited about his "glowbugs"! They really were very cute - they came with a pair of tweezers with lights on either side of the end. When Corson picked a glow bug out of the package with the tweezers, they lit up and transferred the light to the glow bugs, making them glow. At first, Corson wasn't sure he wanted to eat one. LOL, but he soon got over it and before the long the glow bugs were all gone. Cute though and I wonder how long it took someone to think that up :o)

SWEETEST GIVEAWAY

2010-03-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this giveaway on a friends blog and was entranced. What a darling illustration, done on fabric. If you are interested in entering the giveaway for this charming piece, just hop over to Michelle's blog and sign up. While you are there, you can see all the other wonderful things she makes: www.michellepalmerart.blogspot.com

SOME DAYS ARE JUST LUCKY!

2010-03-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

I love the work I do, making miniature bears and bunnies. Over the last couple of years, I was very fortunate to buy a few of the cutest. embossed Peter Rabbit tins that were perfect to hold my miniature Peter Rabbits. I only had one left and it was sad, because Peter Rabbit is one of my favourite fictional characters and I just love making him.

Last week, we had company and went exploring St Jacob's farmers market, a lovely place in the middle of a nearby Mennonite and Amish community. I had found my original tins there, and I had sent an email to the stall owner saying I was interested in purchasing some, if she possibly had any more. When we left the next morning, I hadn't received a response and I was very disappointed. I also knew her supplier was no longer carrying tins, so she couldn't order any for me. I held my breath as we walked into her stall and well, I couldn't believe it. This wonderful lady knew I made miniature Peter's to go with them, so on a hunch, she brought the remaining tins she had - an entire box of them, in three different styles. I was in heaven and bought them all! I didn't care if I found anything else that day because I felt as if I had struck gold. Some days are just luckier than others :o)!!

JOZEF, A BLACK TEDDY

2010-02-23T11:55:00.000-08:00

I haven't listed a new bear on Ebay in a while, but this wee soul is Jozef and he is 3 1/2 inches tall and made from hand dyed Shulte mohair. He has amber glass eyes, a waxed nose, ultra suede paw pads and is quite distressed. I fashioned Jozef after the old Schuco bears and he is a new pattern. He has shorter arms, longer and thinner body and a skinnier nose. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

SOLD

I LOVE MACBOOKS!

2010-02-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

Last Christmas hubby surprised me with a new Imac computer - I'm still not convinced it's the best computer for me - I love my Dell, BUT they do come with the Macbook program already installed in the picture program and I've made two already and I just love them. It's such an easy way to keep memories alive and I love having our pictures in book form. Our grandson can take them to school for show and tell and they are a nice conversation piece and no more expensive than buying a photo album and paying for pictures to fill it :o)

My latest book was a late Valentine's gift for my husband, Neil, who had the honor of carrying the 2010 Olympic torch. I gathered all of our pictures and made the book for him, so he would always have that memory in concrete form. I think it will also help our young grandson remember it as well, as he grows up. There are lots of book programs for PCs as well, so if you don't like seeing your family photos gather dust in a drawer, you might consider a book for all you special memories! I'm sure you will love it, too!

NEW TINY BEARS

2010-02-16T10:39:00.000-08:00

I'm finally finished two new tiny bears. The black one is 3 1/2 inches, fashioned after the old Schuco bears and the gold one is 3 inches, a more traditonal style. The black one has had his fur and paw pads distressed, so he looks like a little old bear. They are both fully jointed with amber glass eyes and stuffed with excelsior and stainless steel shot for a vintage feel. Haven't had time to name them or even take many pics, but I wanted to post them on my blog. Hope you enjoy them!

SOMETHING SPECIAL!

2010-02-03T18:33:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while, we have to do something special for ourselves. When I saw this lovely mixed media, candy container for sale on my friend, Aleta's blog, www.thesillybear.blogspot.com
I knew I had to have it! I collect candy containers and find them fascinating, and this sweet girl will be a gorgeous decoration for Valentines Day. Besides, if I spend my money on the candy container, then I won't be tempted to buy candy - think of the calories I'll save :o)! Aleta also makes the most gorgeous, artist teddy bears. If you have a minute, drop by her blog and say hello!

FINISHED AT LAST!

2010-01-31T20:22:00.000-08:00

This little Peter Rabbit was requested last fall and I put him off, because of Christmas. I don't usually make things to order - I find it a bit stiffling. I just enjoy puttering along, making whatever I choose. Anyway, it's been a productive day and Peter is all done and I fell wonderful!
Now I can go back to playing :o) Hope you enjoy him!

THIS DARNED RABBIT!

2010-01-23T22:42:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a piece of art take on a life of it's own. I don't make many rabbits because I think they are sort of magical, and if I made them all the time it would spoil it for me. I started this rabbit over two weeks ago, and even though he was a lot more work than a bear, he should have been finished after a week, at the latest. I had an image of what he would look like when I started him - well, he looks nothing like it at all now - I kept making clothes for him and they just didn't work, so I'd start again. I tried to make him a girl rabbit - NOT! I tried a cute little hat - NOPE! He thought he was classier than the outfits I made and he wanted to be knighted, so "Sir" it is. Here he is at last, dressed the way he wanted to be, I guess and with a name to match, LOL!

Sir Pembleton Rabbit, is 6 inches tall, to the tips of his ears, and he is made of German Mohair that has been meticulously painted with heat-set fabric paints. He is fully disc-jointed, has amber German glass eyes, molded felt ears and is stuffed with excelsior and gently weighted with stainless steel shot. His legs are wired to help him stand on his own. Sir Pembleton wears a blue full length coat, trimmed with red silk and tiny brass buttons His tiny shoes are made from wood and leather. All his clothes are removable. Sir Pembleton carries a leather bag (which opens) and has a bunny cane, made from apoxy sculpt. The cane has been covered with silver leaf, which was then distressed. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

MR. FUNNY FACE!

2010-01-16T21:22:00.000-08:00

Our grandson, Corson, just got his first camera and he is incredibly fascinated with taking pictures. He also adores having his picture taken. He told me today that I haven't been taking enough pictures of him and he would pose for me, if I liked. Now how can I turn down that offer LOL! So, we had a blast - he picked out all the poses, going from one to another like a pro. He really should be a model :o) So, here are a few of the pictures we took today - hope you like them!

ROSIE POSIE'S BLOG GIVEAWAY

2010-01-08T12:12:00.001-08:00

Louisa at Rosie Posie is having a giveaway for the cutest little bear. If you have a minute, check out her blog - it's full of sweet illustrations as well. Here's a link: http://rosieposie.typepad.com/mousetales/