In Chaos!

Hi all,

I know I've gone a bit quiet of late, but there's a good reason.

Not only did I loose my Baby back in february, But I also had put an offer on a house.

As I result, I have just bought my own home! exciting stuff! of course it means the bear making is all on hold just now as there is just so much to sort out and do! Due to buying a repossession, it has been both fast and very hard work. The house itself is in good condition with not much work required to live in it but the water people and the electric people are refusing to connect us on the basis that we may be the previous occupants. So we have to supply a legal letter, stating that we are not these people before we can turn anything on. As a result, I have a house, I can't live in right now.

We have pretty much nothing so we are relying on family to buy us major appliances and furnature. Again, until we are straight, everything is up in the air. The end is in sight, but man is it exhausting...I just want to hide under my duvet and ignore it a while. I would, if I had a bed....lol.

Sad News

 

Stitch

October 2006- February 2010

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that my special little man was put to sleep yesterday.

After a long fight, since being diagnosed with an untreatable condition in May 2009, He contiued to loose weight, despite being on a large amount of pain killers.

He was loving, happy and bouncy right up until I said goodbye to him last night, he wasn't suffering and I felt it only fair to him that he deserved to die with dignity, not waste away.

Once of my first Chinchillas, He joins his 'brother' Leroy up on the Rainbow bridge, where I have no doubt he is causing mischief and stuffing his face - now it no longer hurts to eat.

One of the sweetest Chins I have ever known, he loved cuddles and kisses and would make friends with anybody. A big beefy boy, who suprised everyone he met with the size of him.

His friend Lucky will miss his taunting and someone to 'chat' too.

Miss You Always Little Man

Everyone who met you fell in love, will miss our kisses and cuddles.

Bentley - All Done!

Here he is - Now doesn't he look better?

Much for fitting for a bear of his style.

This was my first attempt at Airbrushing, using the COPIC system - I didn't have too much choice of colours, as I only have a brown and a black, so brown 'Walnut' it was.

I may have slightly overdone it on  his face, but all in all, for my first try I think he turned out quite nicely. I don't think I have the heart to sandpaper him.

It's been fun! TTFN,

Julia xxx

Aging Bentley - Stage 1

Here is Bentley in his 'completed' form -

Please excuse the poor light, I finished him late yesterday afternoon and all the light had gone.

As you can see, we have a very new looking old bear.

Here are the results of the first stage of his distressing -

He's starting to look better!

To achieve this, I used some tweezers to pluck out bald patches along the seams. I also thought carefully about what might have happened to Bentley; in what ways he may have been cuddled and kissed.

He has bald patches on the end of his nose, and the middle of his forehead from being kissed.

I like to cuddle bears over my shoulder, so he has been aged to reflect this, bald under his arms, tops of his legs, middle of tummy and the tips of his toes. The fur has been thinned out across his back to reflect how he may have been held.

I'm happy with how it's gone so far. He needs to be dirtied up now as he's far too clean.

Aging a Bear

Hi all,

For Chiristmas my Mum bought me a bear kit from Dempsey Designs "Bentley Bear". He's an old time Barbara Ann bear.

It's been really interesting making a more traditional style bear - although I have decided that 'humps' are definitley not for me, even if it does make him more 'old man' like and is typical of the style. I found the plastic joints easy to use - But I like my joints as tight as I can get them (to this end I am considering moving on to nut and bolt joints rather than cotter pins.

All in all, he has been a great experiment for me to try a VERY traditional bear - and I know that designing such things is not what I like.

Any how, I have decided that Bentley Bear looks far too clean and far too new for such an old style bear; to this end I am going to distress the poor guy. I like traditional bears that look a bit battered so I think that is what poor Bentley is going to experience.

I've read up on techniques a little; so all that remains is to sew on his ears and start aging him! I have aged up prop weapons before quite succesfully but those techniques will not work here. I will try and take some photos as I go - Maybe you can all see Bentley Bear changed into an 'Old' bear.

All excited.......!!!

First bear of 2010!

Hi everyone, I hope 2010 is treating you well.

The weather in the Uk is appaling just now, I have never know either so much snow, or it to last so long! The temperature here hasn't gone much above freezing in a week; the roads are almost solid ice. They were better but it snowed again last night; coating everything in the white fluffy stuff.

It's nice to walk in, play in and feel a bit different.

It's bad to drive in and try to get to work. ick. At least the staff car parks are sheltered at work so no scraping before I can go home!

My first bear of 2010 is now ready for her new home.She likes looking at all the pretty snow....

"Is it Snowing yet?"

"It's so Pretty!"

"Hello! Are you cold?"

"I'm just relaxing - How about you?"

This pretty bear is a rather Girly commission with a sweet face and a double jointed neck. I'm sure her new mum will give her a lovely home.

Now I have a compulsion to maybe design a little anime bear. Hmmmmm......

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all; wishing you a prosperous 2010! xxx