Love Bears All Things

Hello!

2010-08-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've posted and a lot in my world has changed. Been going through a lot of serious family issues and I'm afraid my heart has not been into sewing for awhile now. I will however find my 'happy place' again and once my life gets back into some sort of routine I will get caught up. Sometimes life just throws you a curveball and it takes awhile to recover from it! God has really been holding my hand lately and I'll come through the storm no matter how scary it looks from inside it!
April dawn

Ketchup

2010-06-18T22:56:00.000-07:00

Long time no blog! I've been MIA for a couple of months now! No real excuse except that I've been a busy girl! Even my bear making has taken a back seat to everything else going on in my life.

I've now completed another 5K and my first 10K races! Yes, ME.........and the fat girl who can't run!! Better than that, I've lost ALL of my pregnancy weight PLUS a few pounds! Even Laura completed in record time. I'm officially addicted to running and love, love, love it! I'm already planning my first marathon next spring, which will be the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial Run. Very exciting huh?

Other than running, I've been busy sewing baby bedding for my sisters baby which is due in October. I'm so very excited and because she has chosen not to learn the sex of the baby before it's birth, I am also very curious to see if I'm getting a new nephew or a niece!

It's been busy time at the shop. We are busy remodeling the back part of the shop. I'll have to share pics of our improvements! I'm really eager for fall to arrive because I love decorating the shop for Autumn and then before we know it, it will be time to transform the store into a Christmas wonderland! I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but it is retail and we do start early! Can't wait!

I will be finishing up a couple of bears in the next week or two so keep an eye out for new orphan teds!

Gabriella

2010-03-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

Here's another one ya'll. (Can you hear my southern accent? I am from Texas after all *wink*) Another bunny! You probably thought I was kiddin' when I said it was 'wabbit season' huh? I've been having so much fun making rabbits that I've pushed all of my other projects to the side. I have a little bag full of bear parts including a sweet little face that keeps staring at me as if to ask me "Is it my turn yet?" Poor little soul! Your turn is coming soon. I promise!
For now, here's Gabriella, or just Gabby for short! She's ready for Easter and has been playing in our egg basket already! Gabby is going to live in warm, sunny, Florida! I've already decided that I want to go with her to live in Florida too, but have not yet convinced her new owner to adopt me as well. Sigh! Perhaps she will at least send me a postcard? =)

Bernadette Bunny

2010-03-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

I'm at it again! Please meet Bernadette Bunny, my latest bunny wabbit! Bernadette is 3” tall and made from a soft lavender velvet. She is fully jointed and stuffed with a combination of poly and steel to give her a nice weighted feeling when you hold her in the palm of your hand. Bernadette’s eyes are genuine onyx and she has silk floss embroidered facial features. Her long ears are wired so you can bend and pose them different ways to suit your taste. She has silk ribbon flowers embroidered on her head and chest in pretty spring colors. Her paw pads are ultra suede and she has sculpted toesies! Thank you for stopping by to meet her!

Fat Girls Can Run too!!!

2010-03-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

Yay! Thanks to Nike's Run for Haiti Challenge, I was able to run 83 kilometers and raise 83 dollars for Haiti relief fund last month! I've run over 55 miles so far this year too! Not bad for some one who had never even run a mile before, huh? I'm ready for a 5K now. I just have to decide which one to try and do first. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. I worry because all of my training so far has been on a somewhat springy treadmill and from what I've read, it's a lot different when running on a hard road. Still, I think I can do it if I set my mind to it.

I've been having a 'LOST' marathon this week! Catching up on last season so I can start tuning into the final season. I know I've missed a few episodes but I've never watched them on tv ever. I watch them after the fact either online or on DVD. I have limited tolerance for commercials, plus I get really frustrated when I miss a week and then can't figure out what's going on. This particularly holds true for 'LOST' as any fan can tell you! As happy as I am to finally know I'm going to learn all of the answers to my questions about what the HELL is up with this island they are stuck on, I'm also very sad to think of it ending. It's funny how we get so attached to characters on a show. I feel like some of my friends are going to be moving way soon! LOL

On a more exciting note......ALICE IN WONDERLAND COMES OUT TOMORROW!!!! Another chance to gaze upon the ever glorious Johnny Depp! (Deep Sigh) YES, I ALREADY HAVE TICKETS!! Hubs and I are headed out to watch it Saturday night, which coincidentally will be the first time we've had a real 'date' since Natalie was born 5 years ago. Pathetic huh? We should have dates more often, but I just feel horrible asking my mom or sister to watch the kids, but Hubs doesn't trust any one else to watch them, so we just stay home or take kids with us. I am so ready to have a kid'less night. Whoohooo!! Dinner, a movie, and Johnny Depp........could my world get any better?!?! ........Maybe if ice cream were involved!

Well, better get back to my sewing. Have a bunch of bunnies to make! Have a fantastic weekend every one!
bear hugs
April Dawn

Bella Baloo!

2010-03-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

I held off as long as I could but now it's officially 'wabbit season' at my house! Bunnies are my second favorite thing after teddy bears and I absolutely love making them every spring. This is the first one for this year.

Her name is Bella Baloo, named after a big fat white rabbit who showed up on my front porch one day! We already had one pet lop eared bunny named Alfey who lived in the house and was litter box trained. I suppose some one had adopted Bella as a pet and later decided they didn't want her any more so they dumped her at my doorstep. Perhaps she just wandered up by herself, although I don't see how she could have possible gotten up the steep stairs. Regardless, she was a very sweet and lovable rabbit and I took her in as my pet until she died.

This particular Bella Baloo is only 3.25 inches tall however! She is made from a lovely white velvet and has ultrasuede paw pads. She is stuffed with poly and stainless steel shot for a nice weighted feeling when she is in your hand. She has embroidered facial features and her eyes are genuine onyx. Her ears are wired so you can bend them different ways to change her look. She wears a big ol' bow made of silk ribbon and around her neck she has two jingle bells to you can hear her coming! Her adoption fee is $145 plus $6.00 insured shipping within the continental US. International shipping varies accordingly. Email if you are interested in giving this sweet girl a home!

New Year, New Attitude

2010-01-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

It's been a looooong time since I've posted! What can I say...I'm in retail and from October through December it gets crazy at the shop. Leaves little time for any thing else. I haven't even had time for my beloved bears! My sewing case sits on my desk begging for my attention or at least 5 minutes of decluttering. I'll be back to sewing before long, I promise! After all, before we know it, it will be my favorite time of year.....Easter bunny time! <> As much as I love making tiny teddies, I love making little 'wabbits' even more!

I've been running! And I don't just mean that as in staying busy, but I've actually donned my sneakers, jumped on the treadmill and logged miles 3-4 times a week! For some people that isn't a big deal, but for me......someone who has never liked to run, in fact quite despised running for any reason.....it's a huge deal! It's weird how it happened. Hubby bought me new Nike kicks for Christmas. Pretty ones! Pink, black, and white.........like a zebra with a rose in her hair as my 4 yr. old pointed out. I was quite happy to find them, as I have wide feet and usually end up with ugly 'man' shoes to accomodate them. Finally found some purty ones that actually fit my big ol' feet! Anyway, they have the little pocket in the sole for this Nike+ thing that monitors how far you've gone, how many calories you've burned, and how long you walk/run. Then it registers it on your Nike+ account which helps you keep track of goals, and then it uploads it to your facebook. It makes me want to run more often, faster, and for longer periods of time. Anything that makes me want to exercise more is a good thing!

I turn another year older tomorrow. 38 years old. That big Four-Oh is sneaking up on me. I remember being in my early 20's and thinking 40 was SO DAMN OLD! Now here I am, closing in on it with a fury, and I don't 'feel' old. I'm scared of the day when I do feel old! For now I'll put on my sneakers and try to outrun old age as long as I can!

My first award!

2009-11-14T20:49:00.000-08:00

My sweet friend from Linda from Bears in the Bush passed along the 'Over the Top' blog award! Thanks Linda! I'll keep the trend going and pass it along to some wonderful bloggers!
The Rules:
1: Use only one word answers
2: Pass along to 6 of your favorite bloggers
3: Tell them you have given them the award
4: Have Fun!

1. Where is your cell phone? On the charger
2. Your hair? Intentionally messy
3.Your mother? Nosy
4. Your father? Wishy Washy
5. Your favorite food? Ice Cream
6. Your dream last night? Can’t recall
7. Your favorite drink? Coca Cola
8. Your dream/goal? Retirement in a cabin by the lake
9. What room are you in? bedroom
10. Your hobby? Sewing, Graphic design
11. Your fear? Losing someone in my family
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Still here, only richer *grin*
13. Where were you last night? Went to dinner with Hubs
14. Something that you aren’t? Crabby
15. Muffins? Blueberry
16. Wish list item? My own craft room
17. Where did you grow up? All over the place (Air Force Brat)
18. Last thing you did? Went grocery shopping
19. What are you wearing? Bath robe
20. Your TV? On as usual, I rarely watch it but like the noise.
21. Your pets? Mickey and Sam, my dogs and Archie and Nacho, my parrots
22. Friends? The best
23. Your life? Busy, Chaotic, Tiring, but fun
24. Your mood? Bewildered, haha
25. Missing someone? Yes, but my aim is improving
26. Vehicle? Gas sucking SUV
27. Something you’re not wearing? My glasses
28. Your favorite store? Mine!
29. Your favorite color? Red baby, red
30. When was the last time you laughed? 10 minutes ago
31. Last time you cried? A few days ago
32. Your best friend? Chris
33. One place that I go to over and over? Walmart, sigh
34. One person who emails me regularly? My grandpa
35. Favorite place to eat? Red Lobster and Taco Bell
I will be picking out 6 blogs to award this to and posting them soon!

Ashleigh, a miniature kitty cat

2009-10-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest and greatest.......well the greatest thing I've made in the past couple of weeks anyway! This is Ashleigh and she is a tiny 3.5 inches tall and made from a super soft fur in white and a light smokey gray. She is fully jointed and stuffed with poly and steel for a little added weight. Ashleigh has ultrasuede paw pads with embroidered claws and onyx bead eyes. Her face has been needle and scissor sculpted to give her a sweet expression and I've also lightly shaded her face as well. She has tiny black whiskers that have been coated in shellac to help them stand out and she has silk ribbon bows and headband around her tiny head. She is available for adoption for $155 plus shipping. Email me if you'd like her to come live with you!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2009-10-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

We had a slumber party at our house last night! Complete with dress up make overs, games, movies, and plenty of popcorn. Here is a pic of silly girls posing for the camera. I would love to have even half of their energy! They had a lot of fun trying on hats, jewelry, and makeup, and Bailey fixed everyone's hair too. Plus we finished earning a girl scout badge at the same time!

Speaking of Girl Scouting, we have camp coming up in a few weeks! I'm so excited! I have so much to do to get ready. We're doing a CSI type theme, complete with forensic type clues scattered around the camp that the girls will have to locate and collect so they can solve the mystery at the end of the day! I'm so happy that my girls are involved with girl scouting. I only got to go to girl scout camp once when I was young but I remember how much fun I had and the things I learned there. It make me glad to know my kids will have that same opportunity. I am SO looking forward to the night hike and of course the smores!

We went to the corn maze last week and that was fun as usual. The actual maze was muddy and gross though. I preferred hanging out around the campfire and visiting with the other leaders instead of tramping through the mud. The girls on the other hand.........well, I spent a good 45 minutes at the sink to clean mud off of shoes when we got home. You're only young once though, right?

It seems I've been non stop busy lately. Now that the magazine shoot is over, bears have been put on the back burner and I've been busy sewing up holiday goodies for the shop! We're all decked out for fall now and pulling all of the Christmas merchandise out of it's boxes and getting trees fluffed up and ready to decorate. It's hard to believe the holiday season is upon us! It always seems that once Halloween arrives, the rest of the year seems to fly by. I can not believe how fast the year has seemed to fly by so far. When you're young everyone always tells you that time seems to go by faster as you age. Of course, when you're young, you don't believe it because a year seems so very very long when you're a child. As an adult however, I have come to understand what they meant! It seems to go by faster each year. It makes me wonder how fast time will fly by when I'm even older. I feel like I'm losing time each year.

Speaking of the shop, recently some students from Oklahoma Baptist University came and painted the building for us! All we had to do was buy the paint. They did several buildings in the downtown area. I love the way it made the front of the store look! It's a warm toasty brown that almost looks like an old gold and it matches the color of the sign I painted perfectly! It gave the shop a nice little facelift. Those OBU students ROCK!

I just finished watching 'Kingdom Hospital' on dvd. Strange movie. Did I expect anything less? No. Stephen King has always had a fascinating ability to stretch the mind in weird ways. I liked it, but not something I'd want to watch again. I'm sure the book is better, but who has time to read? I watched the first season of 'Carnivale', which again....strange, yet intriguing enough that I sat and watched every episode. I wonder if there will be a second season, because the first seemed to do nothing but bring up a dozen questions and curiosities in my head. All unsolved at the end of season one. At the same time, it didnt seem like the story line was strong enough to warrant another season. Maybe it's just too slow for me, but then again.......if there is a second season, I'll definately watch it. Time to find a new series to watch. I could rent all of the Seinfeld's and watch them all again just so I can play 'spot the Superman'! Hmmm...Nah!!

Bailey started her cake decorating class. She is really enjoying it and brought home her first decorated cake last week. It was a simple first cake but she did really good at piping on the icing....buttercream that she made from scratch...and her teacher said her pre iced cakes were the best looking in the class! I'm going to have to let her teach me! Next week she makes a bunny cake. I'm so happy that she is enjoying herself, and I have to admit that it's going to really spoil me having a new cake to eat each week! I'm going to have to work out twice as hard just to keep up! Once this class is over, there's another one for learning to decorate with fondant. We could be looking at the next 'Cake Boss' or 'Ace of Cakes'! LOL Maybe we're at least looking at the official cake baker for our family. I'm certainly no Betty Crocker myself. My motto is: I don't Bake, I BURN! Sigh! We can't all be as good as Bailey! *wink* You go girl!

Libby and Radar

2009-09-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

Hiya everyone! It's been a couple of weeks since I last blogged. I've been dealing with personal issues and been feeling a bit down and didn't want that to come out in my blog so I chose to stay away. However, I have been doing a bit of sewing so thought I would at least take a few minutes to show off some of my new sweeties!

First off is 'Radar', a bear who's gone completely batty for Halloween! (pun intended!!) He is decked out in his holiday costume and comes with his own trick or treat bucket full of clay candies. He is 2.75" tall and made from velvets in black and tan with ultrasuede wings that are wired so you can bend them a bit if you'd like. His adoption fee is $165 plus shipping.

Then we have 'Libby', who is 3.5" and made from a penny colored copper velvet. She is wearing a black and red cherry print dress with matching red trim and red button, plus I've topped it all off with a big ol' red silk bow on top of her head. She is available for adoption for $150 plus shipping.

Both bears are fully jointed and stuffed with poly and stainless steel. Both have onyx bead eyes and ultrasuede paw pads and embroidered claws. If you'd like to adopt one of these sweeties, just drop me an email and let me know!

big ol' hugs,

April Dawn

Couch Potato

2009-08-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

That's the perfect way to describe me the past few days. Actually it's more like 'office chair potato' but that doesn't have the same familiar ring to it. I've been sewing like a mad woman, but even more, I've been sewing while watching the entire first four seasons of 'Nip Tuck' on DVD. Argh.......I'm addicted to this filthy show, LOL. I love the drama, I love watching the surgeries, and most of all, I am loving the scandalous story lines! I should have known better to pick it up at the video store. I do this every time. Whether it's old episodes of 'LOST' or 'Desperate Housewives' or 'Sex in the City', I find a show I like and camp out in front of the tv for days, watching years worth of episodes in a few days. It's been great for my sewing, as I've been producing bears in record time! However, anything around my house that can't be done in front of a tv, has been neglected I'm afraid. I knew I was in trouble when I named my latest bear after the sexy plastic surgeon in the Nip Tuck show. I've never been one to watch these types of shows each week. I get far too frustrated with the cliff hangers and having to wait an entire week (or two) to see what happens next. Nope, I wait until the whole season is through and watch it all at once. Sigh...... I'm caught up on the series now and have to wait for the next season to come out, and in the meantime pick a new series to watch..........the Sopranos.....The office.....any recommendations? LOL By the way........here is sweet little Christian, who is very much the angel, unlike the character he was named after! He is available for adoption for $175 plus shipping. Email me if you'd like him to come live with you! I also completed two other bears this weekend. Ross & Raleigh can be found on my bearpile page if you'd like to visit them!

Save those ribbon scraps!

2009-08-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

How cute is this belt? And....it's all made with ribbon scraps! You know those tiny pieces you have left over from hair bows, craft projects, and sometimes even gift packages. Well, Ashley over at Lil Blue Boo has created this fantastic belt! She has a complete tutorial over at her blog so be sure to stop in and print this one off for future use and start saving all of those teenie tiny pieces of ribbon that we usually throw away!

Gimme Cake

2009-08-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I'm a reality tv nut. I don't know what it is that captures my interest, but I'll pick a reality show before watching anything else on tv. Perhaps it's because of the predictable and often repeated story lines that occur on most tv shows. With reality, you never know what will happen. If art imitates life, then seems to be that it would be best to watch life to start with instead of an imitation! Anyway, my newest favorite shows are the cake shows! 'Ace of Cakes', 'Cake Boss', 'Amazing Wedding Cakes'.......I love them all!

I found a great new cake blog today! The ladies at 'A piece of cake' do amazing work. Aren't these the cutest? I love the bright colors! My eldest daughter, Bailey wants to be a pastry chef and attend culinary school after she graduates and she loves watching the cake shows too. Just looking at these cakes inspires me and makes me want to try to learn how to make them. Only, honestly I have no spare time to take up a new hobby. But......Bailey does! I think I will have to order her some supplies and let her learn how to make them. I even found instructional videos on youtube! You gotta love the internet! Now I'm hungry.....

Boo frickety Hoo

2009-08-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

My teen daughter is pouting because I took her cell phone away for the evening. It's drama city around here now. I'm being 'mean' because I thought she needed to take a break from her favorite gadget and let her fingers cool down. This is the girl who sent over 14,000 text messages in one month. FOURTEEN THOUSAND!! Can you imagine?!?!?! We purchased the phone for her for Christmas, after her asking for one for the past two years. I kept putting her off until finally we decided she might need one. Why? After all, I somehow survived teen'hood without needing a cell phone. In fact, sometimes I wish that I didnt have one now. After all, every once in awhile, it's nice to be out of contact for a little bit. Like when I'm shopping alone and the hubby is calling to hurry me home because he is having to watch the kids for a change. It's times like those that I wish I didn't have a cell phone. Bailey on the hand, seems to think that I am torturing her by taking hers away for a few hours. I can't remember who it was that said 'If your kids think you're mean, then you're doing a good job', but I have to say I feel a bit smug about the whole situation. Isn't it good to be Queen?

I found a wonderful website yesterday called 'You can Make This' and spent a couple of hours browsing through all of the wonderful ideas and patterns for all types of projects. I totally want to make this cute little apron skirt for Natalie or Jensen. Actually there are dozens of items I'd like to make. It even made me want to learn how to crochet so I could make cute little owl hats. They have newsletters you can sign up for and recieve a bunch of free patterns too. The only problem is trying to decide which patterns to buy first! Fun stuff!

Bailey is fixing to turn 16 in a couple of weeks. I'm terrified! Driving, Dating, her first part time job............. all events that will be happening very soon. I think that the dating is the part that scares me the most though. She's been dating a kid named Trevor for a few months now. For Bailey, a few months is a long time. I think the longest she's ever had a boyfriend before is about two or three weeks. I like that! I didnt' worry about it then. But now it's a different story. Trevor comes over and they sit on the sofa snuggled up like lovesick puppies and it makes me want to hurl. But then, my mother walks into the room the other day and caught them kissing. And we're not talking a peck on the cheek. Poor girl had her first 'real' kiss interrupted by her grandmother, LOL. Now I'm really worried!! I remember my first kiss, and how every boyfriend after that point was different. I know it's all part of her growing up, but I remember what teenage boys were like, and the thought of them going after my daughter makes me feel helpless! Seriously! How to people deal with this? I shudder at the thought! And to think I have two more daughters coming up behind her. I'm in big trouble, aren't I?

I finished another bear this afternoon and will be starting in on a couple of special orders now, so this will be the last new orphan for a couple of weeks. His name is Owen! He is 3.25 inches and made from an old gold velvet. You can find more pics of him here.
Owen has been adopted and is going to Georgia to live!

My Fat Yorkie

2009-08-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy sewing lately that I really haven't sat down and posted anything, other than new bear listings. I've finally gotten back into my sewing groove and have been very productive lately! I'm exhausted though.

I was sitting here at the computer, and glanced over and noticed how fat my yorkie is! His name is Mickey and at the moment he is lazily lounging in my leather office chair, while I sit on a hard wooden chair. You can tell who is the boss here, right? I received Mickey as a Christmas present last December. He was a cute little petite puppy and we all fell in love with him instantly. Natalie took a particular liking to him, although she insisted that he always had to have a bow in his hair. She would argue with me and insist that Mickey was 'her dog' and not mine. I finally gave up and agreed with her because it does no good to argue with a 4 yr. old. Anyway, yorkies are only supposed to get up to 8 lbs. Supposedly.....

Take a look at this big boy! That's a big office chair and he's nearly as long as it is wide. 8 lbs......I don't think so. He's got to be 10 at least! He's registered! Darn breeder told me he'd be around 6 lbs full grown. Hmph! I don't think so!

Perhaps it's my fault. I do feed him a lot of 'people food'. I know I shouldn't but he cocks his little head to the side and his little ears stand perk up and I starting forking over the food. He's particularly fond of 'Cheese Nips' and starts barking anytime he hears me open up the box and rattle the plastic liner inside. Spoiled brat. Now we both need to diet! Darn dog wasn't supposed to get that big though! Of course, it doesn't matter now because he's my baby and I love him. Just teaches me a lesson......ALWAYS see a puppies parents before you adopt one! BOTH PARENTS!

Speaking of diets, I've slacked off on mine. I'm still exercising at least three times a week though and things are starting to tone up a bit. Bailey and I are having a contest to see who could lose the most weight and inches in two weeks. Loser buys the winner a pedicure. I talked to her the other night about it and she hasnt' been exercising at all. Looks like I'm getting my toes done! I won't get too excited yet though. We still have a week left.

School starts in two weeks. Natalie is so excited! I bought her a backpack last week and she's been wearing it around the house every day. Each morning she hops out of bed and comes to my room to ask me if it's a 'school day'. She's so funny. I wonder how long her enthusiasm for school will last, haha.

I turned in all of my photos for the Teddy Bear Times profile. It's supposed to come out in September. I'm ultra excited about that! I hope they send me a copy because I don't think I'll be able to find it here in the US. Perhaps one of my UK friends can hook me up with a copy though! It's the first time I'll be a featured artist in a magazine. I've had bears in several magazines and even landed a cover of Teddy Bear Review, but never been profiled as a showcased artist, so as you can imagine, I'm thrilled!

Well, off to bed. I have to start another bear tomorrow! Nite nite!

Isabella

2009-08-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

I have a customer named Margareta who breeds Ragdoll cats. They are amazing! I've always considered myself a 'dog person', not that I have ever disliked cats, in fact, I love them. I just prefer dogs.....actually I just prefer 'not' having a litter box! However, every time I browse through Margareta's website, I find myself wanting one of these cats again! For those of you who aren't familiar with ragdoll cats, you must take a peek at them online. They are really big, and tend to go completely limp when picked up, thus the name 'ragdoll'. Their personalities are more like that of a dog, than that of your normal cat. But most of all......they are beautiful! I just finished a miniature cat that I was inspired to make after looking at Margareta's website. I didnt' have a long enough pile of fur to get the look of a ragdoll, but I ended up with a sweet kitty nonetheless! Please meet 'Isabella'!

Isabella is a beautiful miniature cat with big blue eyes! She is 3.75" tall and made from a soft white velvet. She is stuffed with poly with a little added steel to give her a nice weighted feeling when you hold her in your hand. She is jointed and has ultrasuede paw pads with sculpted toes. Isabella has been shaded and highlighted in a light chocolate brown and her face has been extensively needle sculpted to give her that precious expression. Isabella has wonderful glass eyes and a dainty hand embroidered nose. This pampered kitty also wears a pink collar with genuine Swarovki crystals.

Isabella's adoption fee is $175 plus shipping. Email me if you'd like to invite her to come live with you!

Isabella has been sold

Murphy

2009-08-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

I have a brand new sweetie for adoption! This is Murphy and he is 3.5 inches tall. He's made from a luxurious vintage velvet in an antique gold shade. He is fully jointed and stuffed with poly and steel. He has genuine onyx eyes and a waxed nose. His paw pads are ultrasuede and he has sculpted toes with embroidered claws. He wears a silk ribbon bow around his neck.

Thank you for the emails! Murphy has been sold and is going to the UK to live!

April Dawn

Oreo

2009-07-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

I just finished up a sweet panda. He's made from velvets in chocolate and cream which is why I named him Oreo! He is 3.25 inches tall and fully jointed. He has sculpted toes and can stand on his own. His eyes are onyx and he is stuffed with polyfil and steel for a nice weighty feeling when he sits in the palm of your hand. He wears a bell collar made from suede with silver jingle bells. OREO Has been sold and is going to Austrailia to live!

When it rains.......

2009-07-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

What a week! In the past 7 days, I've spent far too much time in a hospital! First my twin neice and nephew were born, which was fantastic. But then, my father in law had a massive heart attack and went into ICU. A couple of days later, my grandfather in Texas went into the hospital with pneumonia. Then Saturday, my grandfather here goes into the hospital with chest pains and ended up having stents put into his heart this evening. All in one week! Life can be so crazy!

Meanwhile this happens on a week when I've had an invitation to be a featured artist in a major bear magazine! (YAY!!!!!) So I've been busy trying to finish up a few bears that I had in the works, as well as work on pieces for the shop and somehow keep my crazy household and four kids in line. I'm pooped!

I had a good giggle today though! My father, who lives in Texas was visiting my grandfather in the hospital. My grandfather has Alzheimer's and you never know what state of mind you will find him in when you visit. Often he recognizes family members with no problem, and other times he either mistakes you for someone else he knows, or doesn't recognize you at all. It's a sad thing to have happen to a loved one, but I think it's harder on those of us who don't get recognized than it is on the person with the dementia. Well, when Dad was visiting my grandpa, he went in and started conversing casually with him, asking how he felt and such. When he realized that my grandfather was staring at him strangely, he assumed that grandpa was not recognizing him, so he asked him, "Do you know who I am?" My grandfather cocked his head and replied, "No, but you look an awful lot like my son." My dad thought that perhaps grandpa had recognized him after all and was simply joking with him. Until my grandfather added, "Only my son is a hell of a lot better looking than you!" I would have LOVED to been there to see the look on Dad's face!!

I found another Hidden Expedition game at Walmart. This one is Hidden Expedition Amazon. I am totally addicted to these seek and find games. I get wrapped up for hours. It's a good thing I have sewing to do, or I'd be stuck in front of the computer playing it all day long! If you've never tried them, oh my gosh, you are missing out! If you ever liked those hidden picture books or the ummm.......I forget the name. Oh yeah, 'where's Waldo' !! Anyway if you liked those, then you'll love these games. I think I have half a dozen different ones now. They are always in the cheap software section at Walmart. I think they are usually $9.95, or less! I even bought the Nintendo DS versions and have been known to confiscate my daughters DS on car trips so I can play!

I guess some people eat too much jerk chicken!

2009-07-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

Kids always say the funniest things and often I find myself tickled by something one of my raggedy kids comes up with. Years ago I visited Jamaica and while there I was introduced to the islands famous 'jerk chicken' which can be found at restaurants and road side diners throughout Jamaica. When we left, I brought home jerk seasoning with me and have since picked it up from time to time in the grocery store. This evening I was cooking dinner and my middle daughter, Jensen came in and asked what I was cooking. I told her I was making 'jerk chicken' to which she replied, 'Don't give any to Bailey (older sister) because she's a big enough jerk already! I couldn't help but giggle, much to Bailey's chagrin! Silly girl! She's growing so fast. She's the daughter who looks the most like me and now it seems she is acting more like me too!

It's been so hot! We're supposed to get a break in the temps this weekend but I'm not holding my breath. The only relief is staying indoors or staying in the water. The kids get a little stir crazy staying indoors, so we've spent a lot of time in the water this year. This is the inflatable water slide we purchased earlier this year. I have to say it's been a great investment! We have a pool as well but the kids have really enjoyed playing on this more! It has a small wading pool at the end of the slides which has been perfect for Tucker and the slides are large enough that even my husband and I can slide down them. Here's Tucker and Natalie playing it in last weekend. Tucker is turning into quite the water baby!

Nothing sweeter than a baby...

2009-07-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

.....except twin babies! I'm officially an aunt! My brother and sister in law had their twins babies yesterday afternoon. They are so tiny and sweet! Ah, it almost makes me want another. Until the four I already have start hollering and I am snapped back into reality. I just love babies. I think if I had realized what a blessing it was to have several kids, I would have spaced them closer together and had more. I watch those shows on discovery and lifetime where they have huge families with 6,8, and 10 kids and sometimes wish I had more. Of course, the one show where they have like 18 kids or something like that............I can't say I envy them. I can't even fathom how I'd manage with that many children. I used to teach preschool and even then I only had to handle 13 of them at a time!
Anyway, this is Jace and Rylee! Jace is my newphew and he is on the left side of the photo and was 5lbs and 1 oz. And Miss Rylee is on the right and she was 5.6 lbs. They are so tiny they look like dolls instead of real babies. Even with all of my experience, I have to say I was a bit nervous holding them at first because of their size. It all comes back to you though! Like riding a bike. They are so sweet and I have to say that even though I dread growing older, I am totally looking forward to being a grandmother one day! Love and snuggle them and then send them home. That would be awesome!

New Bear and New Annie!

2009-07-13T18:50:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh it's hot outside!! I mean ....UGH! Miserably hot out there. Even inside the house, I've been pretty much camped out in front of the fan all day. I've gotten a lot of sewing done, but I have to say that my house is a mess because it's too hot to do housework! LOL Think my hubby will buy that excuse? That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I have a little girl bear needing a new home. This is Chloe and she's 3.5 inches tall. She is made from a vintage upholstery velvet in a creamy off white color. She has ultrasuede paw pads with needle sculpted toesies.

Chloe wears a romper in chocolate brown with pink daisies and pink rick rack trim. She also has a matching silk ribbon bow in pink on top of her head.

Chloe has been adopted and is going to live in Finland.

I've also been working on a bunch of new dolls for the shop the past few weeks. This is my favorite though. I found a red and white polka dot fabric at Hancock's last week and as soon as I saw it I thought of Minnie Mouse! Then the idea for this Annie was born. I'm such a big fan of 'the mouse' that I'm super excited with how she turned out! I haven't even decided yet if I want to sell her or keep her for myself and make others to sell. She is about 15 inches with her ears on. She wears a babydoll dress with a collar and bloomers underneath. She has her mouse ears on and I've stitched her name on the brim. She also comes with her own little Mickey doll that I made for her. My youngest daughter has already requested a blonde haired, brown eyed version for Christmas, so guess I'm not the only Mickey fan around here!

Have a wonderful week everyone! Hugs and Stuff....April Dawn

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2009-07-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I've been missing in action but it's been a busy week! Betsy and Brooklyn Bears have been adopted and are now living in a wonderful customers in Michigan. Thank you to all who inquired about them. Hopefully I'll be posting another bear within the next week!

I've been up to my ears in sewing not only bears, but also working on stuff for the store as well. With the holiday season right around the corner, I've got a lot I have to finish and a short time to get it ready! I spent the morning drawing up new patterns and can't wait to try them out and see what I come up with! I'll be sure to share pics of finished products with everyone!

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try and learn how to knit. My grandmother used to knit beautifully and I regret not having her teach me while she was alive. But after watching several youtube videos, and throwing my knitting needles across the room a few times, I'm proud to say that I am knitting! I have about 1/3 of a very lovely scarf finished! Very simple basic knitting, but it's a start! Now I have to learn the purl stitch and how to make something other than a scarf, LOL.

Speaking of youtube, I found this delightful video that I just had to share because I'm a parrot lover and this really made me smile! Hope it makes you smile too! Make sure to watch the ending where he does a little bit of head banging! =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Hy5HW1y6Y

Just in time for Independance Day

2009-06-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

I just finished two patriotic bears in time for the 4th of July holiday. I've named the larger one 'Betsy' and the smaller one is named Brooklyn. Betsy is 3.5 inches tall and Brooklyn is just under 3". Both are made from a smokey tan fabric and are fully jointed.

Both bears are stuffed with a mix of polyfil and steel. They are dressed in red,white, and blue with matching silk ribbon hair bows. Each has ultrasuede paw pads and genuine onyx eyes. Betsy wears a USA ribbon/button and Brooklyn carries a small flag on a bent wire that is not attached so you can choose to leave it off. The adoption fee for Betsy is $165 and Brooklyn's adoption fee is $95 but you can adopt both girls for $235. Layaway is available as well as international shipping. Email me for more info!

Popeye's Joke for today

2009-06-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

I call my grandpa 'Popeye'. I'm not sure when or how he earned that nickname, but as long as I can remember, that's what we've called him. He's always had a sense of humor and sends jokes on a regular basis. Here's my favorite from today's emails!

Pinocchio,Snow White, and Superman are out for a stroll in town one day.As they walked, they came across a sign: "Beauty contest for the most beautiful woman in the world.""I am entering," said Snow White.After half an hour she comes out and they ask her, "Well, how'd ya do?"
" First Place !" said Snow White.They continue walking and they see a sign: "Contest for the strongest man in the world.""I'm entering," says Superman.After half an hour, he returns and they ask him, "How did you make out?"
" First Place ," answers Superman. "Did you ever have a doubt?"They continue walking when they see a sign: "Contest! Who is the greatest liar in the world?""I'm entering," says Pinocchio.
After half an hour he returns with tears in his eyes.
"What happened?" they asked."Who the hell is this Nancy Pelosi?" sobbed Pinocchio.

Jon and Kate plus 8

2009-06-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm totally bummed after watching Jon and Kate plus 8 tonight. I've been a fan for years and have watched those kids since the show first started. I feel like I've watched them grow up in a way (well, not that they're grown up yet, but you know what I mean). Like most of the world, I've been sick of hearing about all of the tabloid gossip surrounding their marriage, but hoped that they would get past it and come out stronger in the end. Now they've filed for divorce. Sigh. Makes me sad. I feel for them, because I know first hand how hard and nasty divorce can be. But I feel for those children the most. Jon says he has to do what's best for him so he can be happy. Reminds me of something I heard in a wedding toast once....."Marriage is not about making yourself happy, but about making your spouse happy." I think maybe they have both gotten too busy to try and make the other one happy. Gosh, with 8 kids, who has time for romance right? I have four and it's HARD squeezing in time with just hubby and me.
I think Jon cheated on Kate, no matter what he says. Yes, Kate was bossy, but there's never an excuse to cheat. I also think Kate kept the order in the house and I don't think Jon stepped up to the plate enough. Yeah........I'm a fan of Kate in case you can't tell. I liked Jon before this whole stepping out with another woman came into play. Maybe I just know first hand that you have to have a lot of structure to keep a big family going smoothly. Kate seemed on the verge of crying on the show when talking about the divorce and her future and how she didnt want to be alone. I feel for her. Jon doesnt even seem sad. He says he is sad and excited. Excited?!?! What a thing to say.
I'm wondering what it will mean for the show. Apparently they will share visitation with the kids 'and' the house. So I wonder how Kate is going to like it when Jon comes for his visitation and she has to leave for the weekend. Even more so.........how will she feel when he comes and brings his other woman with him to stay in the house for the weekend. Ugh..........makes me feel sick at my stomach and it's not even me in the situation. Guess that's because I've watched them for so long. Just last season, they had a second wedding and renewed their vows for crying out loud! I think Jon is having a midlife crisis at the ripe old age of 32, LOL.
Okay, I guess I've ranted enough for one night! Back to the bears!! Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Dirty Birdie

2009-06-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember a movie called 'Paulie' about a talking parrot. And by talking, I mean real conversations, not just just a parrot who would mimic. During part of the movie, he had quite a case of dirty mouth err......dirty beak!

Nacho is one of our parrots. He's relatively new to our family. We adopted him from my brother-in-law James. James is a nice guy, but like most of the Anderson men, has a foul mouth, which is a pet peeve of mine. I know among some guys, cussing seems to be almost a rite of manhood. A show of muscle if you will. Which I suppose is fine when you're hanging out with your buddies. Not so much around women and children, but that's just my opinion. But most of all.............not around a parrot whose favorite thing is to mimic your every phrase!

The day we brought Nacho home, hubby was trying to get him into his case for the car trip across town and Nacho quickly informed Chris that he was an a**hole! I have to admit, there are days when I secretly find this amusing, but would never admit it in front of hubby. Being a bird who likes to play with toys and eat peanuts, yet only has two feet to do this and stand on a perch at the same time, Nacho drops things all the time. No big deal.........unless everytime he drops something he says 'oh sh*t!!' I tell him 'no no Nacho!' and he laughs at me! He hasn't learned to stop saying it, but he's really good at saying 'no no Nacho!'

Here is our potty mouthed feathered friend.

I've been teaching him to say 'uh-oh' by saying it myself, everytime I see him drop something. But so far we're still hearing a lot of dirty words from this feathered friend. Too bad I can't wash his beak out with soap!

Lindee Bunny

2009-06-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

I've been busy making 'wabbits' again! A few were custom orders but here's an extra one I made for Ebay. This is 'Lindee' and she's 3.5" tall. She comes with her own tiny bunny friend. Now I'm debating on whether I want to try and squeeze in a couple of July 4th Americana bears or go straight to fall teddies. The holidays always provide me with a lot of inspiration and they're right around the corner!

Lindee has been adopted but I am always happy to make something similar if requested. I thought she turned out wonderfully and bunnies are always a fun creation.

Lindee's gone to live with Miss Carla in Oregon!

This week's movies!

2009-06-17T21:29:00.001-07:00

Okay, rented a couple of movies this week! The first was 'The curious case of Benjamin Button'. I liked this one. It's a bit sad at the end and of course, highly unrealistic seeing someone born old and grow younger and younger, but it was a good premise and interesting seeing Brad Pitt in this sort of role. The second movie I watched was 'Taken' which I loved! I've always been a sucker for a thriller and this one had me sitting on edge as I held my breath waiting to see if the father would recover his daughter before any real harm came to her. A little violent for my taste, but still a good one. I'd recommend this one to any adult. A good one! And the third movie, which I have to say was a disappointment. 'Revolution Road' wasn't at all what I expected. I was excited to see Dicaprio and Winslett in another movie together, after all, their chemistry in Titanic was enjoyable to watch. I figured it would be drama, romance, and maybe a few sweet laughs. Not at all. Unhappy couple, cheating on each other, and a self induced abortion in the end. Horrible! Wished I'd saved my money and really glad I didn't pay money to see it in theatre.
Gets a big two thumbs down from me.

Back into the Swing of Things

2009-06-17T20:58:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks I've really made and effort to get back into some of my better habits! Exercising, and bear making.

I've been on a sort of bear 'hiatus' for awhile now. I don't think it was intentional really. I just had a spell where my creativity was flowing in a different direction. I've been busy working on primitives, and busy learning about various things from graphic creation and editing techniques to learning how to make bath fizzies! The economy has taken a toll on the shop in the past 9 months. I know it's taken a toll on everything, but as a small business owner, it feels like we're getting hit hardest. So, in order to keep costs down, we've been trying to make as much as possible in house. This has meant a lot of the planning and creativity that normally goes into my bear making, has been spent thinking of ways to help keep our business afloat during this hard time.

About the time I started to wonder if I'd ever get back to sewing teddies, I sat and browsed ebay for a few minutes to see what the bear market was doing. All it took was a few minutes of browsing and I started getting excited as my mind became flooded with several bear ideas and I couldn't seem to get them jotted onto paper fast enough. So, I have to say 'I'm Back!!' and working on four bears this week! I still don't have as much time as I'd like to work on them, but I promise to be diligent in putting out new creations on a more regular basis.

As far as my personal life, it's been a good week. The kids seem to be enjoying summer vacation and I'm trying to keep it interesting for them. We went to the water park a few days ago and even with three applications of sunblock, both Tucker and I managed to get a sunburn. It was that 'No-Ad' sunblock, the cheap stuff you pick up at Walmart. We went a couple of weeks ago on a similar day and I used the spray on Coppertone and we came home burnless. Goes to show you that sunscreen is not something to skimp on! The name brand stuff is worth the extra money when it saves you from a painful burn! Poor baby Tucker didn't get it as bad as I did, but it still broke my heart seeing red spotches under his eyes.

As far as exercise goes, I really wanted to get to the point where I 'wanted' to exercise again. Before I got pregnant with Tucker, I had finally developed the habit of exercising nearly every day and go to the point where I felt like my day was incomplete if I didnt have some sort of workout each day. I decided to set a goal for the next month. I've been dieting and exercising for two months now. I've probably averaged about three workouts a week and I diet some days and then don't on other days. So, although I'm happy to say I've lost 10 lbs, I haven't been going all out to get back into pre-pregnancy shape. I decided to see how much of a difference I would see if I worked out every day for one month. So, today I finished day 5 of working out and it feels good. I've added some weights to my workouts to help build some muscle. It's kinda exciting to see that I'm actually looking forward to working out each day, instead of dreading it. Even Bailey has decided to join me, which is great because I want to set a good example for my children, and of all four of them, Bailey is the least fond of exercising so far. I think building some muscle will be great for her if she chooses to continue playing high school tennis too! Anyway, if anyone else decides you'd like to challenge yourself to do this too, let me know and we can encourage each other!

New Blog!

2009-06-17T20:51:00.000-07:00

Well, after creating a blog for a few volunteer organizations, I decided it was high time to make one for myself so I could share the latest news with everyone and showcase my newest creations as well! I'm so excited and hope others will enjoy these little glimpses into my life!