whoa! etsy treasury catch up

big hugs to the curators who featured my bear patterns in these etsy treasuries!! i feel the love!

**** i will try to have a new bear to show you this earth day/ easter weekend - have a great one :) guess what? i couldn't help myself and now there are 2 (maybe 3) bears in progress- whoo hoo!! will let you know when they're ready... i'm aiming for tues-wed. xoxo

meat free monday - 8 days a week

should i dust off my guitar and give it a try? i think i have somewhat of a knack for jingles ♪

on the wings of the wind

yesterday morning an incredible flock of 33 geese passed over our home. i'm glad to have been looking out the window just at the right time. geese are a common sight in this area yet i am always awe struck by the beauty of their flight. whether it be a single bird or 100.

another flock of a different feather passed by yesterday afternoon. this flock numbered 31 birds. Rob had mentioned he saw what he presumed to be the biggest *flock of seagulls (*no pun on the band intended) the day before. as luck would have it, yesterday he was in the yard and i noticed his gaze fixed upon the sky...

...observing poetry in motion.

"But you were never made, as I, on the wings of the winds to fly! The eagle said."~ 1911, Will Carleton, poet.

i cannot readily identify these aerial friends from my rudimentary knowledge of bird breeds, but seagulls they are not. cranes maybe? they emitted the most gentle and soft pigeon/dove-like cooing, a beautiful and melancholy sound... if you know what birds they are, please do leave a comment and let me know. i was enchanted by them.

bon voyage my friends! how i would love to fly away with you.

*thank you Chicago for being the first US city to dim tall building lights to save birds' lives during migration season. to learn more visit Lights Out at Audubon.org and Lights Out Chicago.

giving thanks to all creatures and grandma's mushroom gravy

'tis the time of year when kitchens are aglow, the hearth fires warm cold hands and the cup of glögg lifts weary spirits...
when i was a teen, my grandmother would make a special vegetarian mushroom gravy pot just for me. everyone else around the table would end up liking it more than the meat gravy! mushroom gravy is on the menu tomorrow, as it has been for years. i'm making our traditional veggie feast from scratch, using mostly organic ingredients. the main dish is from a fantastic book that i refer to so often that it's falling apart. i highly recommend it:

the feast will be:

• Nutloaf (from Vegetarian Nights by Bonnie Mandoe)
  
• some Tofurkey deli slices, warmed
  
• whole cranberry sauce
• mashed potatoes
• roasted yams
• collard or mustard greens
• corn bread
  
• mushroom gravy
• apple pie

it's pretty simple and healthy! this year it's just the two of us, so they'll be plenty of leftovers. i try to steer away from tofu fake meat, as it's so processed. the fat Tofurkey ball doesn't appeal to me either... don't like the texture. the ultra thin Tofurkey deli slices are great and you can just peel off how many slices you want. there's plenty of protein in nut loaf anyhow. i'd best return to the kitchen where many bowls and pots await...

wishing you all a warm and wonderful thanks+giving. xoxo

etsy treasury ~ charmed

hey! remember my art prints? i've totally neglected my 2-d art, and my fancy archival ink printer. but i do have some prints ready to go, like my old favorite *the silver squirrel* which is featured in etsy treasury "charmed" -curated by a very talented lady, dawn of laTouchables.

tomorrow is the 10th which = PFATT marketplace november update! check back tomorrow to see what cutie pie will be showcased.

signing off... and heading outside to enjoy this california-esque weather chicago is having! the gods have smiled on us :)

fortune cookie message

brought this one home from dinner the other night. especially for those of us who work solo, like i do, it's a nice reminder to enjoy one's own company. play a little music, get outside for a few minutes, make some tea. hope your september is off to a nice start... wow, september already??

etsy treasury ~ ode to summer

our blu bobo epattern is featured in "ode to summer" etsy treasury curated by dawn of LaTouchables (fab handmade handbags, do check them out). thanks dawn! can you believe we're already sailing into fall? doesn't feel like it yet with these scorching temps. i think we're all ready for a break in the weather... can chicago have a few days below 90 before it snows please?! lol. despite the heat, enjoy these remaining lazy easy days of summer...

bullfighting banned in catalonia spain, yay!

YES!!! champagne all around!

sea spider in silly etsy treasury

Just got word my "sea spider" necklace is featured in Etsy treasury "That's Just Silly" by AdeleBeeAnn. Thanks girl! Fun, kooky stuff for your Saturday sillies...check it out :)

Stamps to the Rescue

Seeing the poster for these wonderful campaign stamps made my wait in line at the post office almost bearable ;) Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet stamps, from US Postal Service with Ellen DeGeneres -release date April 30th. I'll be definitely getting these stamps. Way to go Ellen!

Spirit Bear Necklace in Etsy Blog!

This is wild! Back-to-back Etsy features. I feel the love!
I noticed tonight that Fiddlestix Spirit Bear necklace had a surge of views and hearts, and was delighted to discover (via Craft Cult) that my necklace was featured in Etsy's blog, the Storque! Topic was "Results of blog reader survey" (a very insightful read BTW) and the last result posted was "the most popular spirit animal". Is that crazy or what?! I'm so flattered to be included in that article... Thanks Etsy admin!

Even though Fiddlestix has won many admirers, he IS currently available :)
Have a super weekend!

Pablita in Pink Etsy Treasury

Anyone remember Paburo? He was perhaps the first of my round-headed bears back in 2003 and I just couldn't stop making them. Pablita ePattern is one of those round headed sweeties, so you can make your own! This morning I was so pleased to hear that Pablita is featured in Etsy Treasury "In the Pink" curated by Jillatay - Clay & Magic by Jill Taylor. Do check it out before the Treasury expires this Saturday.

And did I mention all my bear ePatterns are now just $10? Hooray! Let spring sewing commence!

P.S. I have a new bear pattern up my sleeve (oh, for a few months now) and will have it launched this month. That's a promise!

Season's Greetings from Bootsyland

Look what arrived in today's mail! A heartfelt card from Bootsy (formerly Frankie the foster cat) with a little help from his wonderful parents Allison + Jason:

It had me in tears of joy... and even Rob too. (sniffle)

A happy ending to begin a happy New Year!

Current + Belated Thank Yous

There's been a few nice shout-outs that have happened this summer, and I'm seriously way behind with the thank-yous! So before I tarry any longer, here's the most recent: cindylouwho2 put together a light hearted Etsy Treasury featuring items "Found using search term BALD". Gotta love that. And guess who popped up? KLAY MAN #1! This Treasury expires Monday Aug 3 (that's tomorrow) so be sure to visit it and check out Cindy's fabulous jewelry shop. P.S. I'm also thinking the KLAY MAN's will make adorable wee ghosties for Halloween!

Next up: (you will get a kick out of this) Fellow cat-lover, ginger ale-sipper, and artist named Cathy Peng awarded me the "One Lovely Blog Award", way back in June. Read about it on her blog. Cathy has cute cat-themed items (but of course!) in her Etsy shop. TY Miss Peng!

And last but not least, Emma of Little Brown Rabbit (love that name) tagged me in June. Here's the link to her blog post about it. I'm so flattered to be tagged, but just don't have the time or energy right now to do the long Q+A. You'd be surprised how long these 'regular' blog posts take me to write :) But I can say for trivia sake, I too had pet rabbits back when I was a youngin'.

Bald, Bunnies and Cat lovers. Who would guess? :O)

Happy Fourth, or Fifth (if it's raining)

Potato salad. check.
Soy pups. check.
Veggie burgers. check.
Cole slaw. check.
Corn cobs. check.
Liquid libations. check.
Sunshine? blank

Looks like the little BBQ soiree we planned at our house with friends is rained out :(
We were optimistic most of the day, but the skies have spoken.
Tomorrow calls for abundant sunshine, so Tomorrow it is!
And that gives me time to make a berry pie :)

Have a fun-filled weekend~whether it be indoors or outdoors.
xoxo

and the Winner is....

Congrats to "a painter"!
You are the lucky winner of my Buddha Bear Giveaway!

BIG BIG Hugs to everyone who participated, and for the lovely comments... it was you after all, that made the giveaway fun!

Since there was such a nice turn out for the giveaway, I will do another one this summer :)

Stay tuned... I have some new exciting things up my sleeve *teddy bear related* for my Etsy shop update this week! It's hard to keep it a secret :)

xoxo

Father Sun, Mother Moon

Early dawn. Late sunset. Long day. Short night.
Happy Papa's day on this Summer Solstice!
xoxo

P.S. Don't forget, my eBay auctions for 2 sweet bears are ending tonight! My seller id: pengpengbears

It's GIVEAWAY Time!!

Okay, I'm trying to stay on top of the Treasuries, since they are time sensitive! Just received a sweet *convo (that's Etsy speak for "conversation") this morning from 5gardenias that my Mini Candy Castle is featured in her curated Treasury aptly titled "the Gnomes Home". What a lovely surprise to start the weekend! BTW, I've been eyeing this item in her shop for a while, it just makes me giggle :)

"The Gnomes Home" Treasury expires June 14th (which means the link will disappear) so be sure to pop by quick and browse the cute Gnome-y items featured!

And now for the anticipated GIVEAWAY!! Yes, I said GIVEAWAY! I need your participation to make it FUN!

One grand prize will be awarded:
An original Peng Peng Buddha Bear! a value of $235!
The Prize is the Buddha Bear pictured RIGHT only (cushion not included).

Here's the deal: You may enter up to THREE times!
1st entry: leave a comment here on my blog of your favorite item in my Etsy shop.
2nd entry: mention this Giveaway on Twitter or Facebook with a link back to my blog, and be sure to tell me you did in the comments.
3rd entry: follow my blog (on the right column).

One lucky winner will be selected from random number generator. Winner will be announced here June 30th! *The Giveaway is open to everyone worldwide, however to keep costs down if winner is from outside of USA they agree to pay for shipping.

Have FuN and pass it along!

Enjoy the weekend :) xoxo

Greetings from Playland

I'm always tickled to see collectors pics and the fun, inventive ways they display their Peng Peng's and other bears. These pics were sent in by Tracy and she's graciously allowed me to share them with you. Above: Buddha Bear with his mushroom house. (that house!)

Here is Mr. Yams "at work" in his circa 1914 toy grocery store (made by the Cass Toy Company).
Glad to see he's earning his keep, lol! It seems fitting that Mr. Yams would be a grocer, sorting yams and such? I think he needs a bow tie now. Meanwhile Ting Ting is doing nothing but riding around on a vintage mohair ducky (and how nicely Ting Ting fits in with the old bears :)

Adorable HUG or what? :) Thanks so much for sharing Tracy!

In Etsy news: (I intended to get this posted sooner, but was so busy with my Little Wunders update) My miniature Gnome was featured in another lovely Treasury this month, curated by LaTouchables Bags and Things. Thanks again Dawn, you're too good to me! Miniature Gnome is still hoping for a forever home, and is available right here.

It's a rainy, cool day here...who would guess I'd need long sleeves in June? Hope it is warmer where you are! Toodles for now. xoxo

A Few of My Favorite Things

The amazing work of veteran artist Gloria Becker.

Recently I was honored with 2 blog awards! I graciously accept them :) One Lovely Blog Award comes from Granny's Postcards (BTW, her daughter is the talented Vivianne). I'm now supposed to pass the award to 15 other blogs that I've newly discovered, however 15 is a bit much for me! So I will pass it to one special lady/ newbie blogger Gloria Becker. She is incredibly prolific, like 15 artists rolled into one! Gloria may be relatively new to the Internet scene, but she's been making exquisite collectibles since I was in diapers. Her oeuvre includes incredible Santas, life size taxidermy dressed animals, and outlandishly dressed sock monkeys! Needless to say, we had more than a few things in common :) Pamela Huntington just posted photos of her amazing visit to Gloria's house here.

Visit Gloria blog "Miss Irene Tripper" named after her pooch.
Gloria's new Etsy shop and her web site (designed by little ol' me).

Kreativ Blogger award came from LaTouchables Bags and Things. Dawn of LaTouchables makes unique handbags in Rhine Valley, Germany.

I really love this one, and this one, to name a few! Accepting this award I'm supposed to declare seven things I love (on top of my family, friends and supporters). So here it goes:

1. the animal kingdom
2. nature
3. star gazing/ astronomy
4. wabi sabi
5. working with my hands (obvious, but true)
6. exercise
7. my juicer machine

Fairly simple things I guess! But it's the simple things that make me happy :)
Hope you enjoyed my Friday favorites, I'd love to hear yours! xoxo