Happy Sweetheart Panda

Special Request: Happy Sweetheart Panda

This was created by Special Request for a collector: a panda with an open mouth, a heart blaze, a black leather bowtie, and a beaded heart on  a paw pad.

Because of space limitations I had to put the heart on the panda's tummy but it created a very unique panda.

More photos : Happy Sweetheart Photo Album

Introducing ... "Panda Mouse"

Panda Mouse

I am absolutely thrilled to finally introduce my newest original creation to all of my collectors ... my "Panda Mouse".

I wanted to create something very special to celebrate having made 3,500 bears and other animals since I became a full time Teddy Bear Artist 24 years ago. So I combined my two favorite patterns, my panda and my mouse, into one fantasy creature ... a Panda Mouse.

At this point in time I have brought 6 Panda mice "to life" with vintage mink and leather and even  without announcing it's creation all (but one) have already found homes with my most dedicated collectors. To see which one is still available please go to my Adoption Website.

Happy Panda Family

Here are photos of the Special Request "Happy Panda Family" that I created for Patricia, for her Wedding Anniversary.

To see more photos of these pandas :

http://photobucket.com/HappyPandas

(there are lots and lots of photos of this panda family in my album)

I spent my first 10 or 15 years as a Teddy Bear Artist doing Teddy Bear Shows which gave me the wonderful opportunity to get to know most of my collectors personally. Now that my business is strictly online I am enjoying a global  audience. Now my communication to most of my collectors in by email, which I enjoy, but I do miss talking to my collectors in person. 

While Pat did not come half way across the world (from Singapore) just to pick up her "Happy Panda Family" we did have a few hours of getting to know each other better while she was here in SoCal.  I delivered her pandas to her personally. She and her charming husband were staying at the beautiful Montage Hotel which is right on the beach in Laguna Beach. I've passed that hotel many times as I've driven down the coast so it was fun to finally walk inside this 5-star hotel.

 Yes, Pat was very pleased with with her Happy Pandas! And I have to say that Pat is so much fun to spent time with ... as you can see she had me smiling and laughing our entire visit. This lady has charisma!!!

A big Thank You to our two wonderful husbands for being Teddy Bear Husbands. My handsome  hubby is the one with the hat. Pat's husband was beyond charming and was a wealth of information on just about every subject ... we had a wonderful conversation on kitchen design and he knew some great recipes that I couldn't wait to go home and try.

I was hard to say farewell but it was such a wonderful treat for me to meet Patricia and Jonathan.

 This is just one of the amazing views from the hotel.

I'm a native SoCal Girl (Southern Californian) and I love where I live !

Special Request Order ... on my worktable

I'm very busy working on a Special Request Order. This is a Happy Anniversary Panda couple. Not only are the pandas smiling but it also includes flower garlands for the female panda and a black bow tie for the male panda. I will also be sculpting fortune cookies that will have special fortunes. This couple will soon become a family with 3 more pandas to represent their adult children... this will be a very happy family when compete.

This panda family will be living in Singapore but I will have the great pleasure of delivering these pandas in person since my collector will be visiting SoCal the beginning of next month. What a treat for me!!!

I have just agreed to be a part of the "Who is Who in Bear Making" online teddy bear show in December .... please mark your calendar ....

Our newest family member, Tenley

I rarely post anything personal but this is a follow-up post for those of you who so kindly sent condolences after reading my July 2  post about having to say goodbye to our beloved dog Mika.

We have welcomed into our home another rescue. My daughter has named her Tenley. She is a "Chiwinnie" (a Chihuahua-Dachshund mix). She was only about 4 months old when we adopted her. Tenley fits into our home perfectly. She adores my daughter.  She is very smart and learns fast. She leaves Tawnie, our 17 year old blind and almost deaf miniature poodle, alone ... most of the time. And she has taught Watson, our 4 year old Manchester Terrier, how to play!!! No, he didn't know how to play with other dogs because we rescued him as a puppy and brought him into a house with two senior dogs. Now Tenley and Watson run and play all day and into the night. Here is a photo of them resting between their rough-housing.

Ayita and Dichali (Mouse Couple)

Thanks to Gabriele Joy of "Gjoyful Bears" for sending and sharing photos of your two adopted mink mice, Ayita and Dichali, who look like a very happy couple!

The brown mouse is Dichali and was adopted a few months ago. The white mouse is Ayita and a surprise companion for Dichali  and a birthday gift for Gabriele. I am pretty sure that Dichali is pleased  ... I know for sure that Gabriele is happy. Thanks, Gabriele, for the great photos which just prove that my little mice are happiest when they are in a mouse family!

Artist Profile

After 24 years as a full-time Teddy Bear Artist I was thrilled to finally have Teddy Bear Times "discover" my mink creations and honor me by including my Artist Profile in their 200th birthday issue (Aug/Sept 2012). The article on my work is on pages 6 and 7 and titled "An artist's new take on old furs" ... I like it!!!

I will also include this article on my Artist Biography page ....