Feature Article in Teddy Bear Times Magazine

I am simply over the moon! 

I've been featured in the 

Feb/March issue of 

Teddy Bear Times magazine. 

I invite you to read the article here on my website:  

http://www.cobblestonecreations.net/images/publications/tbt2014.htm

Is one of your mice or bears pictured in the article?

Cobblestone Creations Around the Globe!

My website has undergone a face lift recently, streamlining 

it a bit and adding new content.   Not only does this make 

it a more pleasant experience for visitors, it 

also feeds that techie side of my brain. 

One of the exciting things for me has been to add a map 

 (via BatchGeo) to show the locations of where my 

little friends are now living.  

There have been a total of 168 different collectors to date.  

168!  

Who knew?!!  

The program is quite easy to use.  If you have an excel file with the locations, all you have to do is copy/paste on their site and the map is drawn for you.  I have also included the number of items at each location and there are different colors of pins to reflect that data.

If you have a Cobblestone Creation, can you find the pin for your zip/postal code?  Some of you will find yours easier than others due to the number of my little friends that you have adopted.  And if any of you penguins are interested, you can be the first on your continent to have Cobblestone Creation of your very own! 

Thank-you all so much for giving my creations loving homes. 

No pet goats for me

I had a suspicion confirmed this week.  Yes, I am indeed, without a doubt, allergic to mohair.

Those of you who are bear artists know exactly how momentous that discovery was.  You see, the standard material used in the artist bear world is mohair.

Although I first suspected this months ago when I started making my bears for the Cobblestone Court line, I wasn't entirely sure that the condition of my hands was due to the mohair or something else.   The scientist in me (yes, it is still in there) couldn't rule out if it were perhaps due to dry weather or something I'd touched in the garden, or a new cleaning solutions, etc, etc.  But after having not sewn with mohair for a month or so until this past week, I am sure.

Sigh . . . now what do I use?  Luckily there is a plethora of faux furs available now.  I spent a good portion of this weekend browsing the internet in search of "the good stuff."   And I'm happy to say the UPS man will be busy making deliveries to my house very soon!

In the meantime, I found a few faux pieces in my stash that I had forgotten about.   One is the fur I used on the dormouse I shared here.   It is much more dense than the mohair I've been using and while I just adore the way it feels and behaves, it may take me a while to adjust the patterns for the next Gentry.   I am confident these new bears will be just what I envision as this type of material really does appeal more to my own aesthetics.

I also came across a piece of upholstery velvet that has now been sewn into a new mouse ~ a traveling salesman is coming to Cobblestone Circle!  Stay tuned. 

So much news to share!

It's been busy busy busy for me lately and I'm afraid I've neglected my blog for a while.  Over the next few days I promise to get you all caught up on what I've been doing, but for today I wanted to let you know I am very pleased to have joined an extremely talented group of bear artists. 

Who is Who is Bearmaking

If you want to feast you eyes on some fabulous creations,

take a peek at what this group has to offer. 

Who is Who in Bearmaking Artists

~ and ~

We are having an online Holiday Show!

So mark your calendars now to do some

holiday shopping right on your computer

(in your jammies if you want to)

on

November 5th & 6th.

I've got some really cute things for this show.

I also wanted to mention that you can now follow my blog by email. 

Yep, you can get all my new blog posts,

with all the pictures and links,

delivered right to your inbox. 

No more checking for updates! 

You can find the sign-up on the upper right hand side of this page.

More tomorrow . . . .

Seeding the Cloud . . . .

. . . . the label cloud that is. You know, that area at the top of the blog that contains all the labels I've used. They're clickable ~ so you can easily find the posts that interest you. And it seemed like a good way to spell out exactly what Cobblestone Creations is all about. Ok ~ here we go:


Cobblestone Circle Mice ~ these 2-3 inch tall mice, along with their clothing and accessories, are fashioned lovingly by my hand with great attention to detail resulting in a one of a kind heirloom quality piece. Through their stories we further our insight into the everyday magic of daily lives in the peaceful hamlet of Cobblestone Circle. You can find a map of the village on my website and yes, as with any author, there are parts of me in each of them.

Potbelly and Holiday Mice ~ Again 2-3 inches tall, these mice are either sporting festive holiday attire, embracing a cherished seasonal token or munching their favorite snack. Some are dressed and others are simply wee potbellied dumplings.

Cobblestone Tails ~More mice! But these are from the pages of nursery rhymes, fables & fairy tales. These beloved characters will awaken those childhood memories of enchanted far off lands where wishes were granted, spells were cast, simple lessons were learned & happy endings were bountiful.

Sweet Pea's Tea Party Darlin's ~ A tribute to the simplest of childhood joys ~ savoring an intimate moment and imaginary meal with your favorite doll. As varied as the myriad of friends in every little girl’s room, the Tea Party Darlin’s are dressed in their best, ready for an afternoon of cuddles, crumpets and secrets. A more rare occurrence than my other items because each one is to be so totally unique ~ and we all know that takes a great deal of time.

Cobblestone Couture ~ I'll admit it ~ I started sewing for collectible dolls because those mice are so darn tiny!!! Currently my own collection consists of

Kish dolls: Riley, Zsu Zse, Bitty Brynne and Kishlet

Tonner Dolls: Ellowyne Wilde, Tyler Wentworth, Tiny Betsy McCall and Ann Estelle

Heidi Ott Dolls: Dollhouse Lady and Gentleman

Vogue Dolls: Ginny ~ both modern and retro

Dollhouse Minis~ Occasionally I create miniatures for dollhouses including some teeny tiny cross stitch pieces.

Commissions ~ I welcome custom orders when I can. I am always amazed by what customers ask for and enjoy working closely with them to make sure their custom made Cobblestone Creation is precisely what they want.