Hello From The Hug!

(June 2007)

G’day all! Brrrrr! Weather is getting even cooler and I think I’m ready to go into hibernation for the winter, but at least this bout of cooler weather here in Toowoomba has come with a little bit of rain - Yay! For those who live outside Queensland (we feel very sorry for you as its God’s own country!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) you may not be aware that we’ve been on VERY strict water restrictions for over 12 months now. We’re not even allowed to bucket water to the gardens, unless it’s grey water, so even a small shower of rain is cause for celebration!! Hopefully, it’s wet wherever you are too!

Well, the big excitement for this newsletter is the fact that we now have downloadable bear patterns!! My wonderful, clever, hard-working, technological wizard (enough praise?!?!) husband has once more worked his computer magic so that you can have bear patterns whizzing through cyber-space to your computer at all times of the day or night, while the postie is still snoring! At this stage, most of the bear patterns are available in downloadable format, but we hope to add all other patterns in the not-too-distant future, so keep an eye on the web site!

The only bear pattern that isn’t downloadable at present is the newest pattern in the Tag Along Teddies range, “Elegant Ella”. This genteel lady bear is designed as a doorstop, so visitors to your home will not only be greeted with an open door, but a ‘beary’ cute smile and hello. I’m like a parent who doesn’t like to admit having a favourite ‘child’, but I have to confess to being very pleased with how Ella made up. It’s always an interesting process to take a new pattern from mental picture to actual finished project and always a bit of a surprise. I hope you like her as much as I do!

Well, there’s just a couple of days left until I head to my hometown for the bear and doll show mentioned in the last newsletter and I think I’m almost prepared! I have to confess that I’m a little nervous about the show, as it’s the first one I’ve had a stall at, but also excited, as only the nicest people love bears and dolls so I’m bound to meet some wonderful people!! Another HUGE thank you to my two dancing buddies Lynda and Debbie for all their help. We’ve watched hours of DVD’s, drunk litres and litres of tea and coffee, suffered through paper cuts and missing pattern sheets, but it’s been fun – in a flustered, hurried kind of way! I think that’s one of the aspects of craft that draws many of us – the friendships that form and the satisfaction of spending hours chatting and laughing, but also having something tangible at the end of the experience that will remind us of those happy hours for years to come.

Well, I think that’s it from the Tag Along Teddies Hug this month, although, I may send out an extra update after the bear and doll show to let you know how it all goes! As always, I’d love to hear from all of you teddy bear lovers out there, so please feel free to email anytime with comments or questions, or better still, photos of projects you’ve completed from our Tag Along Teddies range! Don’t forget, everyone who signs up to receive the newsletter during June will go into the draw to win the Tag Along Teddies pattern of their choice, so tell all your friends – maybe if they win, they’ll make you a bear for your birthday! Til next “Hello From The Hug”,

CHEERS!
KRIS

TIP

• Have you got a favourite dress or top that doesn’t fit anymore, or is damaged, but you really hate to part with it? Why not use the fabric to make an outfit for a special doll or bear. Not only will you be ‘recycling’, you will keep the special memories attached to the piece of clothing without the guilt of clogging up your wardrobe with unworn clothes. Of course, if you throw some clothes out of your wardrobe, you really will have to go shopping to replace them! Tee! Hee! Hee!
• Do you have friends who are more experienced at a particular craft than you are? We all tend to have a ‘favourite’ craft that we excel at. Why not get a group of friends together and agree to meet at the same time each week, fortnight or month and take turns teaching each other. Choose a project for your whole group to tackle, with each person taking a turn at being the tutor. You may find that not only do you acquire new craft skills and make a project you may not have been confident enough to tackle on your own; you may actually FINISH more projects if all of you are working on the same thing – peer pressure can be a positive thing!