Taradale Teddies

Don't forget that I have re-named by label - http://www.taradaleteddies.com/

@ Onabee - FINALLY!!!

Taradale Teddies (well, needle felted bunnies to be exact) have FINALLY hopped on down to Onabee! More details on my new blog - taradaleteddies.blogspot.com!!!

On The Move

The bears & I are on the move... again... but this is the last time I promise!!!

We all agree that we are now to be known as "Taradale Teddies" and so farewell to this blog and hello to our brand new blog. Please come on over and keep following us there!

bearHugs, Bec & the Bears

Return to Bearmaking

The poor bears - particularly the UFOs - have taken a back seat long enough. I miss them and they miss me, so I am going to make some time to bearmake every day. I have a few little mohair guys I want to finish, and a couple of new patterns I want to try. And then I want to, hopefully - FINALLY - put some little guys up for adoption!

Ears used to be a headache for me, but I've sorted that. Now my headache is footpads. I just can't get the hang of them! Paw pads, when I use them, no problem. Foot pads? A mess. I just can't seem to get them to be the right size and to sew in nicely. Bear in mind (excuse the pun!) I hand sew all of my bears.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for sewing in the perfect footpad? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

Photo Fun Day 13 - Reminds Me Of Childhood

This is my gorgeous munchkin, Leah, helping her Oma in the garden. It reminds me so much of when I was that age helping my dad out in the garden - I absolutely loved that time with my dad!

Photo Fun Day 12 - Sun Flare

As taken by my gorgeous daughter - the water tank in the grandparent's yard...

Photo Fun Day 10 - Animal

I simply adore cats, so when I was in Malacca, Malaysia a couple of years back I found myself in cat heaven! There were cats everywhere!!! I made friends with this beautiful little moggy...

Photo Fun Day 9 - Fresh Fruit

OK, I'm going to cheat again... This website has thousands of absolutely fantastic photos, and is where I got these gorgeous images...

Photo Fun Day 8 - Sunset

I'm cheating a little here... This is a fabulous photo that I cannot take credit for - it was taken by my fantastically talented dad, Damian Kelly. You can check out some of his work here.

Photo Fun Day 7 - High Angle

One of the examples of the beautiful old architecture in Malacca (Malaysia)...

Photo Fun Day 6 - Books

 

Photo Fun Day 5 - Breakfast Today

Milo flakes - super yummy!!!

Photo Fun Day 4 - Clouds

The cloud formations around Dove Lake (Cradle Mountain, Tasmania) are absolutely stunning - especially in winter!

Photo Fun Day 3 - Hands

Hold on tight with those little hands, Leah! Unless you want to go down the slide of course...

Photo Fun - Day 2 - Favourite Shoes

Just can't go past my trusty boots for this one!

Voting has begun!

Pop on over to Teddies Worldwide's Bears On Parade online show - people choice voting has begun! There is a collection of wonderful bears - you don't want to miss this online show!

Photo Fun - Day 1: Self Portrait

If I was a teddy bear I would look something like this...

Unfortunately, I look something like this...

Bearmaking and a New Challenge

My bearmaking has taken a back seat in my life at the moment as I'm flat out with kids, work & study. However, I still love to read what everyone is up to in your blogs! Whilst reading Ginger's blog, bearbits, I came across her latest post (well, der!) and she is undertaking a fun challenge in July that I'm going to join in on! It is based on a challenge Ginger came across on another blog, A Feathered Nest. Well, you can read all about it here at bearbits.

The challenge Ginger is proposing is:

Come on - join in the fun! Pop over to bearbits and let Ginger know!



A space for Bears

The bears want this blog to be theirs, so I have anew blog that is for my ramblings and work and family stuff - leaving this blog for my adventures in the bear world.

Come and visit me over at 365 Days of Beckie!!!

Orphans

Due to space restrictions, I will be putting some bears from my own collection up for adoption. I'll put their photos and details up here - so keep an eye on this space!

I finally know what I want to do when I grow up!!!

Yes - I finally know what I really want to do with my life!!! It's only taken me thirty-something years to come to a decision... but let's not rush these things! I definitely, 100% positively want to focus my IT skills towards becoming a computer forensic specialist. Just like Abby in NCIS - only realistic LOL! It is such a weight lifted off my shoulders, feeling of freedom finally knowing what I really, really want to do with my life!

Of course, I still love my bears and will keep making them on the side, but in t his life I do need to do something that actually pays the bills...

I've started studying again - under the tuition of my dad and my hubby. My dad lectures Internet Security to Masters level students at one of the top universities here in Melbourne, so I have access to the courses he lectures, and of course one-on-one tutoring :) Hubby is big in IT here, and working as a System Architect knows a fair bit about security. Pretty lucky for me :)

I'm absolutely LOVING studying again - especially since I am actually studying what I actually want to do  rather than something that will just get me a job. Albeit, having studied computer science in the past and worked for 20+ years in the industry kinda helps me focus on forensic IT!

And it is a great escape from a few woes of family life at the  moment - a few worrying problems are afoot, but I'm trying not to get stressed over them and just get on with things. Diving into study helps a lot, as does personal training - which I have started this month and am also loving!!!

Feeding the brain & losing the fat - a good path to be on!!!

xx Bec

Awww... Aren't they cute!

It's supposed to be Wordless Wednesday, BUT...

I just need to rant! So I am abandoning Wordless Wednesday this week to think out loud via my blog. I was running around all day to medical appointments for various family members and now it feels like my head is on the verge of exploding - "thrashing" as we say in the computer industry... Know how I feel? Information overload... Too much for me to process all in one day... What to deal with first, my level of involvement in various situations, where to start... *sigh*

To add to all of that, I have decided to move my focus with work from general IT consulting to becoming a Security Specialist (or whatever you want to call it...) - after much swinging between systems security and project management along the way. So, back to the books for me!

Reflecting on everything, I guess lots of drama and change is heaps better than nothing going on at all!

Melbourne - Castlemaine - Melbourne - Castlemaine - Melbourne

What a weekend! We finally found ourselves with a weekend with no birthday party commitments for either munchkin nor any commitments for the grown ups (well - what commitments do I ever have that don't involve the kid's social lives??!!) So, we decided to spend the weekend at my parent's new place in Castlemaine (about 1hr30mins NW of Melbourne - they moved there almost 2 months ago) which we have been wanting to do ever since they moved, but with one birthday or another we simply hadn't found the time.

Welcome doggie...

So I packed the car Friday afternoon, picked the kids up from school, picked hubby up from work and we all headed up to Castlemaine. We arrived in perfect time for a scrumptious lamb roast cooked perfectly by my dad (thanks dad!) A relaxing Friday night and a lazy Saturday were enjoyed by all - Saturday afternoon particuarly enjoyed by myself & hubby as we got to leave the munchkins with the grandparents and go wine tasting at a few of the 30-odd wineries in the local area - yummy! I definitely, absolutely, positively, 100% without hesitation reccomend BRESS - simply gorgeous wine - their shiraz range is spectacular! Fabulous food too, apparently, but the kitchen was closed when we got there. The Red Capsicum Relish we picked up, however, was extremely yummy with the bangers & mash we had for dinner!!!

Cate & Del @ the MS Walk

Sunday I had promised Cate (of Keep Cate Busy) to do the MS Walk/Fun Run (well, the 5km walk anyway!) back in Melbourne... Hmmmm... I'll just grab the train. Checked the timetable - I'd have to get the 6.15am. Nope, not going to catch the train. I'll drive. So I did. Left 8am and got to the walk, met up with Cate & other blogging buddies and did the 5km walk in plenty of time. (Del of Superrelish is walking with a backpack because she is in training to walk the Kokoda Trail for the 2nd time - just in case you were wondering...)



Crowd waiting to start the MS Walk

I enjoyed lunch with the girls and then wondered how hubby & the munchkins were going to get home with all our stuff and, more importantly, all the wine we bought on Saturday arvo! Yep - you guessed it - I hopped in the car and drove back up to Castlemaine. Nuts, I know!!! But I did get to see one of my uncles and cousins which was a nice surprise! Had a nice relaxing remainder of Sunday, packed everyone up and after dinner we headed back home to Melbourne (with hubby driving this time! I'm not totally nuts!)

Looking at my schedule for this coming week I am so glad I had a wonderful relaxing weekend with my family and a great time with good friends! Thank you all!

Back to the bears :-)

Finally - some time for the bears! I have 4 little guys (or girls - it's a bit early to tell!) sewn up ready to be stuffed & then comes the fun - faces and accessories!!! Then there are 4 more bears traced and ready to be cut-out... and lots more fabric to be made into wonderful little mini bears!!

My family of needle felted bunnines are FINALLY off  to Onabee on Wednesday, so tags & certificates need to be printed and filled out... and hopefully a few kits put together by then too (yeah, yeah - I know it's been on the cards for ages, but they'll be hitting the shelves Wednesday!!)

But for now it has been a long day, so I'm off to bed... Good night!!!

Cute critters to crochet!

I have a lot of crochet patterns... a LOT! But with mohair bears and needle felting, how do I fit in crochet as well??? I dunno, but I'll do my best!!! Here are some cuties I want to crochet...

Now... which cutie to start with???

This week I'm grateful for... coffee!

Coffee!!! Caffeine!!! I couldn't have survived the past two weeks without it - so here's a toast to coffee...

Pop on over to Maxabella Loves to see what others are grateful for this week...



Little felted bears & bunnies

It's FURiday again, and I've swapped the mohair for merino - catching up on a little needle felting. Quite a few people are asking for complete bunnies and kits for DIY needle felted bunnies at my local crafty store, Onabee, so I have a bunch of bunnies ready to go and a few kits to make up and deliver.

The next kit I'll be making is for a bear, but I'm still designing the exact bear... Here are a collection, in various states of completion, that I've played with along the way...

Back to the needle felting! After the bear design is finalised, I need to do a kit for a kitten!

Wordless Wednesday

A special little bear

I was given a little 2" (5cm) tall crocheted bear when I was 3 years old by one of my dad's students (he taught high school). I have carried this little guy around with me ever since - over 30 years (although I'm not saying exactly how many years over 30!!!) He is my most special bear. I have never really given it much thought before, but I have never actually given him a name! Poor little guy is over 30 years old and has never, and still doesn't, have a name...

Any suggestions for a name for my special little friend???

Drum roll please....

And now, after sickness and trouble posting with Blogger... the winner of the first ever Julius King Giveaway is....

Congratulations Wayne!!! I've sent you an email, so please get back to me so I can send you your fur! Can't wait to see what you create!!!!

Of bugs and silly things

My poor neglected blog. I have wanted to blog but I've been sick. VERY sick. But did I stop and let myself rest and recouperate? No... Soldier on with Codral, soldier on... Until you try to kill yourself walking 8km in the Mother's Day Classic! I made it (without paramedic assisstance, to my suprise) but boy did sitting down at the end feel SOOOOO good and eating that apple in the show bag taste SOOOO good!!! When I saw my Dr the next day he looked at me, after I had gone through my tale of woe, and simple said: "You're stupid!" But at least instead of saying "I should have got a medal for that" I actually DID get a medal for it!

In Memory of Doogie (& Oskar)...

Doogie was my cat - and he was a fabulous cat. OK, so he might have hated my husband (he still has the scars to proove it!) and he might have misunderstood that biting me was not on but biting everyone else was fair game... But he was my cat and I loved him. He was the best cat I've ever had! But he died 2 years ago this week. So did his mate, Oskar - my other cat who, when my husband and I moved in together, immediately adopted my husband and ignored me completely... They had good lives and good long innings of 16 years each - not bad for pure bred British Shorthairs! Here they are together as kittens:

Oskar (L) and Doogie (R)

This is my favourite photo of the boys together, with Oskar obviously stealing the attention!!! However, this is my favourite photo of Doogie:

I was wandering around the web and came across a few gorgeous images that reminded me of Doogie. Apologies if I'm breaching copyright anywhere...

And here's one that's the spitting image of Oskar:

RIP Boys - Love You Always!