Digger from Down Under

Guess what? I'm playing hostess for an entire month to a teeny little fella all the way from Australia. His name is Digger. The chronicles of this globe trotting teddy will be the feature story in an Australian teddy bear magazine. He is to spend a month living with a teddy bear artist, have the highlights of his visit recorded, and then be forwarded on to another (willing) bear artist. When Art Rogers asked if I would like to take care of Digger, well.. how could I say no? So Digger made the hop from Missouri to the Windy City.

It's okay little fella.. you're in Chicago now. Better keep your coat on a bit longer.. it's chilly for springtime.

Digger travels safely inside his Aussie cardboard tube (within a shipping box of course). That's about all I can say for now, the rest will be documented in the forthcoming article. It will be a hoot to see all the places tiny Digger has been!

xoxo

Spring Showers Bring Good Things

It's raining cats n' dogs here in Chicago! Our rain barrel is overflowing, just dieing to use it to water some plants (that is, when we get a'planting, which will be soon!). We've got 2 compost bins in the yard, one I made from a large plastic garbage can (with animal-proof snap down lid) by drilling air holes in it. That one I started about 1 1/2 yrs ago and we used most of the compost for last fall's plantings. Our new compost bin is the Earth Machine.

Chicago has a great program for residents that offers deeply discounted rain barrels and Earth Machines every year. Finally last year we found out the when/ where and got in line! And I'm proud to say it was a LOOONG line. I don't care if it looks like a Dalek parked in our yard, I'm a Dr. Who fan anyways (the Tom Baker years).


On a daily basis I feed our yard "Dalek" cuttings/trimmings of produce, egg shells, coffee grinds, brown paper, leaves (saved from last fall), even dryer lint is compostible. I can't stand the thought of waste, especially when it can be turned into the "black gold": fertilizer.



The spring shower today has brought yet another Etsy Treasury! Curated by the lovely chyrls (she's been SO good to me!): Spring Showers-of birds and greens by mother nature. My mini Gnome Buddha Bear AODHAN is featured, he's the last little bugger looking for a home.. and hopes to bring you sunshine and rainbows and spring miracles :) Take a peek!

Have a lovely Monday! xo

Bronte Owlie has Landed in a Treasury!

It's Treasury madness! I'm so flattered that another creation of mine has been featured in Etsy Treasury this month. Little BRONTE Owlie was chosen by the sweet Miss Chyrls (thanks hon!) for Etsy Loves... a Taste of Country Inside and Out. It features a fresh assortment of avian & country cool finds, so take a peek!

Glendan & his wee sidekick Oonagh have been adopted!

Today I'll be getting the final Owls and Gnome Buddha Bears posted in my shop, so that leaves plenty of time for hunting chocolate eggs :O)
Update: only 1 Gnome is left! Be sure to visit the Owlies, they make good friends too :)

Have a fabulous weekend!

A Rainbow of New Owlies and Gnomes!

*C*O*L*O*R*I*F*F*I*C*!

These little children of the rainbow will be posted in my Etsy shop starting today and continuing over the weekend!
If you'd like to reserve a colorful mini Owlie or Gnome Buddha Bear just e-mail me :)
(Gnome #3 is available, others are SOLD)

:: click pics for larger images ::

Happy Passover and Easter!

xoxoxo

Best Friends Treasury

Such a nice thing happened today. Just the sorta thing I needed to boost my spirits as I've been struck with a bad case of stomach virus, which has kept me bedridden all day.
chyrls put together a lovely Etsy treasury about Best Friends, and my print of the same title is featured! chyrls, what a sweetheart, and her shop is super cute (I love her miniature cards).

This is about all the typing I can do, will check in later when I'm feeling 100%.

Thank god Rob stayed home from work to monitor me. A best friend indeed ;o)

New / Recent Web Sites to Peruse!

Recently I've had the honor to design new web sites for 2 amazing fellow teddy bear artists: Deb Beardsley and Art Rogers. Highly original work and always fresh.

Not only was Deb Beardsley a big inspiration to me, she was also one of my earliest encouraging supporters of my bear making. Deb also gave me my first 'official' web design job a few years ago when I initially overhauled her web site. And I just completed it's second incarnation/ relaunch of her brand spankin' new site last week! Check it out here.

Art Rogers: Anyone who knows about artist bears, knows about this guy. His work is unmistakable. When Art and his manager George approached me to design a web site for CVB, I was all like "I'm not worthy!" It was so fun designing it for them. Art is incredibly prolific and has a massive catalog of creatures, it boggles the mind. You must check it out here.

There are many other talented-peeps web sites I've had the pleasure to design, I have the links listed in the right sidebar --->

Well, that's a peek at some of the things I do "behind the scenes"! Happy web hopping!