Coming soon ... a brand new teddy design!

Over the Holidays I took a brief break from working on my Custom Orders to design a new teddy ... working on a new design was the gift that I gave myself for Christmas. I was inspired to design a new teddy pattern when I found some popcorn boxes while shopping in my local Target store. I didn't buy them at first but I kept imaging a rather round white mink teddy with little stubby arms and legs ... a little Pooh-Bear like ... and a little like a popped kernel of corn. While each Popcorn Teddy is similar it would still be unique, just like popcorn. So, of course, I HAD to take the time to design this imaginary teddy and I couldn't make just one ... so I will be offering three separate Popcorn Teddies. Each one similar but unique and each will come its own Popcorn Box.

I hope to be offering them next week. So if you are on my General Mailing List I will be sending out Adoption Invitations. The teddies will be listed here on my blog and each one will have a Buy Now Pay Pal button. (I will also list them on Artist Bears International website but you can not purchase them there).

Since this is a brand new design there will be no pre-sales because I want everyone who wants a teddy to have the same chance at adopting one.

If you are not already on my General Mailing List please send me an email and I will add your name to my list (there is a link to my email on the right side of this page).

Coming Soon

"Popcorn Teddies"

Update on Izzy's puppies

This is in response to those who have inquired about my sister's dog, Izzy, and her litter of 8 wonderful puppies. 

As you can see, under the care of two loving mothers (my sister and Izzy) the puppies are growing and thriving. They actually live in my sister's bedroom so they growing up well-adjusted surrounded by only love and constant care (never a cage). All of the puppies already been adopted and will be going to their new homes next month ... where they will (hopefully) continue be loved and cared for as they grow into to amazing Australian Cattle Dogs ... some who will become Show Dogs, like their mother and her first puppy, Tuffy, who is quickly becoming a Champion.

I have lots more photos to share ... please Click Here to see them.

Update : (Dec. 30, 2014) 

If you go to the link above you will see the "final" update for the puppies along with some recent photos (at 8 weeks old) ... they are on their way to their new homes this week.

Custom-made Twin Bunnies

Custom-made Heirloom Mink Twin Bunnies

I am retiring my "Sweet Little Bunny" pattern. These are the last two bunnies that I will be making using this pattern for a long while ... if not forever. I will be designing a new bunny pattern sometime in 2015.

To see more photos of these twin bunnies ... please Click Here.

Striped Pajamas Teddy

Custom-made Teddy Bear

created from an unusual mink coat

To see more photos of this teddy in "striped pajamas"

please CLICK HERE

"Waiting for Santa"

Christmas Pajama Teddy Bear

I am usually struggling to complete a Christmas-themed creation to offer to my collectors just before (or just after) Christmas ... well, to my surprise I am offering a Christmas teddy early this year!!!

 Of course, there is a reason for this, it is because I was sent an unusual mink to make a custom teddy (see my earlier blog post for photos). Well, I designed a pajama teddy but I did not want to cut into my customer's heirloom mink until she completely understood what I was planning on making for her. So I used my own minks to make this Pajama Teddy with a Christmas theme. I am so very happy with the results! And I have given this teddy lots of Christmas props because props are fun.

This teddy is available for adoption and all of the props are included.

To go to this teddy's ADOPTION PAGE ... please click here

On the Adoption page you will find lots and lots of photos and details ....

and until this teddy is adopted there will be a "Buy Now" Pay Pal button

Work In Progress ...

This is my next Custom Order ... and it will be a challenge!

I was sent two beautiful family minks, a lovely vintage mink stole, and a more unusual and very artistic mink coat with wonderful geometric designs on the back.

What will I make?

Just wait and see ... I have ideas!

Nov. 24, 2014 Update

I designed a custom teddy bear pattern just for this mink ... so this order will take a lot longer than my usual custom orders. I designed a "pajama teddy" where I will use the patterned jacket for the body (which will give the impression that it is wearing clothes) and I will use the smaller mink stole for the head, neck, paws and feet.  But in order to make sure that the pattern is in correct proportions I decided to make the first teddy using this new pattern from my own minks ... the result was a wonderful Christmas Teddy that I called "Waiting for Santa".  This teddy was adopted with lightening speed as soon as I made it available. 

As requested, I will be making these custom teddies larger than my usual teddies. My usual teddies are around 10 inches tall. I am increasing the pattern by 25% which should make the custom teddies between 12 and 13 inches. 

I increased my "Christmas Teddy" pattern by 25%.
You can see the size difference in the head patterns.

There is a reason that I prefer to keep my teddies in the 10 inch range ... it is to give me mink hairs that are long enough on the face to scissor-sculpt ... to give my teddies the sweet puffy cheeks that my collectors have come to love. But these are custom teddies and it has been requested that they should be bigger teddies. 

Taking the mink garments apart can be very time consuming depending on how they were constructed:

This is the mink stole ...

This is the mink stole ... once it has been taken apart you can see how small it really is.
This is one side of the stole.
The hairs on the mink stole are already short, so this teddy will not have very puffy cheeks.

This is the back-side of the stole.
I am happy that this is a full pelt as opposed to a lot of little pieces of mink sewn together.
I prefer the full pelts because they tend to be stronger.
I find that if a pelt is going to shred it is usually where they have been sewn together,
which is why I always line my teddies with cotton fabric ... to give then extra inner strength.

I've taken apart the unusually patterned mink coat 

This is the back side.
There dark fabric strips in between the  thin leather pelts.

Obvious striped pattern

Besides the thin pelts strips and the fabric between them, you can see that the pelts are also small strips sewn together.

This post is getting rather lengthy so as I add to this WIP description I will direct you to another page on my blog ...

Click here to see more of my WIP journey

Custom Teddies for Kathy

Please CLICK HERE to see more photos and details of these teddies