Sarah's Bruins

Cookie now available on eBay

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 12:06:00 +0000

All his details can be found on his auction listing by

clicking on the link above

Going Quackers, Beary Breaks and Hentastic Additions

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 16:14:00 +0000

Well only 6 months since my last post then............!

Firstly 'Hi' to my nephew Richard, who thought I had dropped off the planet and taken my blog with me.

So......we are now owned by three Runner ducks, seen above and below. We've had them since they were 10 weeks old. Left is Tiggy (chocolate magpie) then Daisy (white) and then Beatrix (fawn). They are certainly entertaining and rather hyper. Rather more hyper than I had expected, but to be fair to them they are still only 6 months old and yet to lay. They are usually running around the garden, bolt upright (as is the Runner duck stance) and rootling through the grass. They rootled through one of our hens feathers the other day while she was dust bathing. She was quite befuddled as to what was occurring!

I'm made the hard decision to take a long break from bearmaking. Although I would get great feedback and lovely comments (Facebook and such) sales just were not happening anymore. As much as I would love to churn out bear after bear, I obviously need to sell them. I may come back to it in the future, with perhaps a brand new look! I still have bears available on my website at www.sarahsbruins.co.uk. If you would like to take a peek. The silver lining is that I've returned to my first love of drawing! (see cockerel above). It was strange to be picking up a pencil and applying it to that bright white empty page. I've been picking up fabric and scissors for 12 years before now! It's lovely to be drawing again and my confidence has had a boost by a local picture framers saying he would take some of my work to sell in his shop! Just need to find the time to knuckle down a bit more!

Above are our new hen additions! Top is Delilah, below her is Florence and then there's Bibi. They are only 18 weeks old and still 'springy' and 'bouncy' and inquisitive about everything! Our other 7 hens are still putting them in their place, but this will calm down in time.

We had a sad loss of two hens a little while back. Lettuce (cream coloured hen) developed Egg Yolk Peritonitis, of which there is really no cure, so she was put to sleep. We were heartbroken to lose suddenly our little Chick, who one of our hens hatched from an egg. The only one to hatch from 12 eggs. She was 2 years old and full of life until she suddenly became ill one evening and by the morning we had lost her. It's a tough time when we lose our furry and feathered family members.

Well, to end on a brighter note.......in my next post, will tell you about Miriam Margoyles coming to the Museum! She arranged to come and see the original manuscript of Great Expectations, which was given to the Museum many years ago by a friend of Charles Dickens. I sadly missed meeting her. I was there when she arrived, but then had to shoot off to the dentist! Such is my luck.........

Anyway... 'speak soon'.

Sarah xxx

New to needle felting!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:23:00 +0000

There's nothing as exhilarating as trying something new!

This little man has been sat in a bag, alone, unjointed and dejected. His muzzle didn't turn out as planned and in a fit of pique I gave up on him. After seeing wonderfully skilled Teddy Bear Artists who create needle felted muzzles, I thought I would resurrect him and give needle felting a go.

I must say I am rather enjoying stabbing away - much to my Robert's amusement! Those needles are lethal though and I've already gained superficial 'stabs', although nothing deep, I can well imagine how a proper jab would feel!

Like a fool, I ordered two colours with specific bears in mind, forgetting they would need noses (needle felted), so that was corrected yesterday by ordering some browns and greys and trying to not get carried away with the plethora of colours on offer.

I've yet to decide if 'Winter' on my website will have a makeover. After all, once started there is no going back!

I will post my progress here with my needle felting foray.

Well, 'that all folks'! For now anyway.

Hugs, Sarah x

Winter still in search of a home

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:26:00 +0000

Winter sadly didn't find a home on ebay.

He is now back on my website reduced from £120.00 to £100.00.

If you would like to give Winter a home before Spring arrives, drop me an email at sarah@sarahsbruins.co.uk

Sunshine here today! Doesn't it make a difference!

Hugs, Sarah x

Winter now on ebay.com

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:41:00 +0000

Winter is now on ebay.com HERE

I really do hope he finds a home. He is far more white and twinkly in reality! He has FREE postage and packaging too and is much lower priced than he was originally on my website.

The penny has finally dropped as to why you don't see many white bears.....they are a devil to photograph! Black bears too, which is a shame as both are such wonderful colours for bears. I really must get to grips with photographing the bears. Once my workroom is finished (at some point!) I would like to have an area that is always ready and set up to go for taking photos of new bears as they are created. Many a teddy bear artist has to contend with getting the lighting right or waiting for a bright day outside! Setting up of lights and backdrops, adjusting camera settings, posing the bears........cats walking into the frame. It's all very time consuming!

Anyway, I digress. Hope you will pop along and visit Winter's auction. He's on ebay until the 4th March.

Thanks for stopping by and I really do love your comments!

Hugs, Sarah x

I'm loving etsy!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:34:00 +0000

For some time now I've wanted to put the bears and animals on etsy. I've always loved the look of it and thought it to be such a great vehicle for us artists to showcase our work.

Well, I rolled up my sleeves and forged ahead and almost all the bears and animals are on there! Winter and Forest are yet to go on there, as I want to take better photos. Their photos have never done them justice. I spent many hours on Forest's collar with the beading and machine stitching and it just doesn't show up well enough. Cookie the mini bear is on there, BUT, he may appear on ebay. I'm still thinking about that one!

The photos on etsy are lovely and big! I must remember that when I get around to re-doing my website. I seem to give my website a makeover once a year these days!

Anyway, have a lovely weekend everyone. I hope the sun shines again like it did today!

Hugs, Sarah x

First Ellie 'Elliott' available!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:51:00 +0000

At long last I can show you Elliott! The very first elephant from me!

It took a lot of fiddling around to try and get good photos of him and to be honest, I'm not overly pleased with these either, but I thought I would let him make a sneak preview, before he appears on my website.

I'm really pleased with how he turned out.

His brief details are:

12 inches tall (to the top of the pom poms on his hat, which is removeable)
Schulte German viscose (greyer than it appears in the photo)
Handpainted eyes in a warm brown
Seriously cute blue elephant fabric for his hat and ruff (removeable), all the way from Thailand!

£120.00 + p&p.

If you would like him to softly pad his way to your home before he appears on my website, get in touch at sarah@sarahsbruins.co.uk

Hope you like him!

Hugs, Sarah x

Second time lucky

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:59:00 +0000

Hopefully these lovely bears will find a home second time around.

They are on ebay until the 26th Jan and are available to all countries.

They seem to have more 'watchers' this time around, so fingers crossed for them!

All there details are on their individual ebay listings HERE.

If anyone knows who made the lovely little needlefelted bear at the bottom of the photo I would love to know. He came to me with no details and I would like to credit the artist. Thank you!

Reluctant sale

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:09:00 +0000

I have three lovely bears from my own collection available on ebay HERE

It's a reluctant sale and I would love them to go to a home where they can be displayed and loved.

The first two bears are Lediteds by the talented Leny van der Eijk. I just love the first bears paper hat and his dungarees! The girl bear wears a fabulous dress. I am not sure if this is a vintage doll dress, but to my eye it looks to be. Unfortunately these two bears come with no hang tags.

The third bear is a A.S. Baeren bear 'Lewis', a sweetheart in baby blue alpaca from talented artist Anika Stalzenberger. Lewis comes with his hang tag as shown in the photo. I would like to point out that in the photo Lewis is perched on a fire grate, which is non working and painted!

I've started all these lovelies at the low price of £40.00.

I shall be having a rummage through my mohair and may possibly be putting some on ebay, if I can bear to part with it!

I will keep you updated!

Hugs, Sarah x

Seasons Greetings

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:31:00 +0000

A little late in the day but...........Seasons Greetings from me!

I've been a bit absent from blogger as I tend to get a bit absorbed by Christmas. I've never been very good at juggling things and tend to be able to focus only on one thing at a time!

I thought the delightful victorian picture of the birds above was rather apt, as we have blue tits and long tailed tits in our garden. Along with territorial blackbirds, a lone robin, ring necked doves and waddling wood pigeons.

I shall be giving a lot of thought to my bear making and soft sculpture in the new year and giving my website another make over and developing some new designs. The elephant I've been making is completed and sits patiently on my desk waiting for his collar! I'm rather pleased with the way he has turned out.

Well, enjoy your festive breaks everyone and the biggest of thanks to those of you that have given a home to my bears or rabbits and thanks also to those of you who pop by and read my rabblings.

Hearty holiday hugs,

Sarah x

Fudge listed on ebay!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:51:00 +0000

The lovely Fudge is now on ebay and hoping for a home for Christmas.

Here is his listing link

I hope you can pop by and visit him. He has a sweet wistful expression and I love his vintage look I've given him. He's starting much lower than his original website price. So if you've always toyed with the idea of giving him a home, maybe now could be the right time ;)

I'm busy here in my corner of the world! I've just finished another article for a collector's teddy bear magazine. This time New Zealand Teds magazine! It was a pleasure to do and I look forward to receiving my copy!

Busy in the garden getting everything ready for winter. I've been giving the chickens house a lick of fence paint, so its nice and tidy and extra protected from the apparently harse winter we are going to get here in the UK. The chickens will be getting some fatty treats to keep them warm and cosy!

I'm still working on my very first elephant! Where does the time go?

Anyway, I hope all of you that read this are well and happy.

Bye for now!

Hugs, Sarah xxx

Honey now on ebay!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:19:00 +0000

Honey is now sold. Thank you Susan!

The lovely Honey is now on ebay! He's such a sweet little bear with big character.

I'm starting him at £50, so lower than his original website price.

Some of his brief details are;

6 inches seated, 8 inches tall
fabulous dense faux fur
lovely green eyes

For more details visit his listing HERE

Hope you have all had a lovely weekend!

Hugs, Sarah x

Winter's ebay listing ends today!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:47:00 +0000

Winter's ebay listing ends today, Sunday 23rd October, 6pm BST. To visit his listing click HERE

I've started him at £80.00 and his usual price is £120.00, which he will revert back to if he goes unsold. He's a very pretty bear and far more twinkly than his photos show!

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

Hugs, Sarah x

Winter on ebay!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:46:00 +0000

I've popped Winter on ebay HERE

He's starting at £80.00 much lower than his website price. Hope you can visit him!

I'm still busy working away. Spent this morning planting fruit trees! Well my Robert was digging the holes and I was tying them to their stakes and protecting them from the chickens! We have a Braeburn apple a Conference pear a Victoria plum and a Morello cherry. I don't hold out much hope for the cherries, as I think one of our resident squirrels will be quite partial to them, but you never know, he might have a savoury palate, rather than a sweet one.

The weathers getting very chilly here in the UK, more the weather it should be this time of year. I did find the baking heat in October slightly disconcerting!

Anyway, keep warm and happy!

Hugs, Sarah x
www.sarahsbruins.co.uk

Acorn on ebay!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:32:00 +0000

I'm a little late in posting this! BUT, better late than never.

Acorn pictured above is now on ebay, until next Sunday the 9th. His listing is HERE.

Many thanks if you decide to pop along and visit his listing. He's a bear full of character! Such a pretty mohair too.

I have my thinking cap on for the TOBYS. A rather prestigious worldwide teddy bear and soft sculpture competition. You see the need for the thinking cap? I've an idea for an entry and it's not a bear OR a rabbit. Come to think of it, I may need a lightbulb for that lightbulb moment, along with the thinking cap.

Here in the UK we have been having a heatwave. Yes, in October. Tempretures are now swiftly dropping and we are due for snow.

'Constant change is here to stay' - Anonymous

Acorn has sold. Thank you!

Hugs, Sarah x

In print!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 13:01:00 +0000

It's been a long while since I have appeared in the Teddy Bear Times magazine. So you can imagine my delight when Faye of Teddy Bear Times asked me if I would like to write a piece in hand colouring eyes! She had seen a piece I had written for an online magazine.

I was eagerly awaiting the magazine coming out and a little nervous at the same time! I flicked quickly through the pages in our local stationers and there it was. I rather liked the way it happened to co-ordinate with the front cover! It was almost like I had developed a sixth sense when I sent in that photo of one of the eyes I had completed!

I must admit, it is strange to see your bears looking back at you from a magazine, when you are used to seeing them looking back at you through a computer screen or sat there in front of you in person!

Anyway, a big 'thank you' to Faye!

Peter Plum featured in the bottom left of the photos and Ashley, featured bottom far right, are still available from my website HERE .

I hope my blog post finds you all well and happy.

Hugs, Sarah x

Lovely time had at Hugglets 'Teddies 2011'

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:46:00 +0000

We had a lovely day at Teddies 2011 on Sunday.

We arrived with plenty of time to set up the table and after a lot of fretting about how it looked, I decided it was just fine and set off the bears well. The bears and rabbits got some lovely comments and had some photos taken of them, including a photographer taking photos for the Hugglets Festival web page! There wasn't time for me to hide under the table, so I had to grin and 'bear' it!

As it was our first time doing a Hugglets show there's always the feeling of going into the unknown territory, but my fears went unfounded as everything was wonderfully organized and I thoroughly enjoyed the yummy complimentory ginger biscuits and a voucher for a tea or coffee!

Click to make bigger!

Carwyn found a loved home with a mother and daughter from Wales and it was lovely to chat in person to other artists I've conversed with online.

I had a rummage through the mohair remnant on sale and picked up some steel shot (using all my upper body strength). It's heavy stuff and saves on postage buying some from bear fairs ;)

We brought bears and rabbits home, but it's nice to have some 'new faces' on the website. It's now all updated, with as usual the Paypal buttons for ease of purchase.

I sure they would love for you to pop along and say 'Hi' to them here!

Hugs, Sarah x

Hugglets Teddies 2011 preview!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:12:00 +0000

Ashley

Carwyn

Spud

Peter Plum

Cookie - Mini bear

Here are five of twelve bears and rabbits that will be coming to Teddies 2011 this coming Sunday 11th September! I will also be bringing another bear that I am still at this moment working on and any bears and rabbits that are still looking for homes on my website.

I've had some very late nights (or is that early mornings ?!) getting prepared for the show. Anyway, here's the new boys.

We would love to see you there!

For more details about the event CLICK HERE.

Hugs, Sarah x

Hugglets 'Teddies 2011' on track

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:28:00 +0000

I'm busy sewing away in preparation for the fair on Sunday September 11th. Hopefully I should have nine bears and three rabbits available!

Below is 'Peter Plum' who will be one of the bears available.

I will also have some of my more traditional bears available, but Peter Plum is one of the quirky characters I also like to create.

We will be Hall 4, stand number 146. Not too far from the snack bar!

For more details Click here

Hope you can make it. We would love to see you there!

Hugs, Sarah x

For Mum x

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 10:03:00 +0000

This should have been played as we left the church after Mum's funeral. Due to technical problems it couldn't be played, so I'm playing it here for her.

Mum loved Eva Cassidy, so I hope she would of liked my choice.

Sarah x

Almost forgotten

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:02:00 +0000

I'm still busy sewing in the afternoon for Hugglets 'Teddies 2011' in London in September. One bunny done and a bear almost finished. While digging through my materials and equipment, I came across this little chap (above). He was eyeless,earless and mouthless and his limbs were not attached to his body, though he had been carefully stored in a tupperware box!

He is now on his way to being finished, bless him. How could I have forgotten him!

More news soon, be it 'beary' or otherwise.

Hugs, Sarah x

Raindrops on Roses

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 31 May 2011 13:45:00 +0000

Thought I would share this photo of one of the roses in our garden, after some much needed rainfall.

You can click on the photo to make it bigger.

Hope you all are having a lovely week.

Hugs, Sarah x

At the weekend......

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 24 May 2011 13:39:00 +0000

I was doing a bit of this

managed to squeeze in using this

and today I'm using these!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Hugs, Sarah x

New look website now live!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 07 May 2011 11:51:00 +0000

After being away for what seems like an eternity, I am now delighted to say I've finished my new look website!

Another new change to my site is that you can now purchase by using the Paypal buttons below each bears page. There's also some lower prices to some of the bears!

Goodness knows how many times I've changed it. I'd still like to tweak it here and there, but that can wait for another day as I've bears to sew for 'Teddies 2011' in Kensington Town Hall in September.

I've re-done my blog, to give it a nod towards my website, but also it's own individual look.

Anyway, hope you like the new looks. Any glitches, please let me know ;)

www.sarahsbruins.co.uk

Hugs, Sarah x

Cupboard Renovation Photos!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:16:00 +0000

These photos relate to my previous post! I decided not to upload them until my sister had seen our new cloakroom over the weekend. Just in case she popped by my blog!

All done. The bedroom is next. A little breather first and a chance to get back to working on my website re-do! No rest for the wicked..........

Hugs, Sarah x