Mwmyn's Makes: Brave new world!

I'm going to turn my newsletter into a blog, in the hope of reaching more people! Presumably, if my current subscribers can receive emails, they should be able to click on a link to my blog, so I hope no one has a problem with this - I can also include more information!

A week on Saturday is the Alton Bear festival, which I am really looking forward to. It's many years since I exhibited at a Bear Fair, this is my first since I returned to making bears after a long spell of injury & bad health, so it's quite a landmark from my point of view!

When I had to stop making bears, in 2005, I had reached quite a respectable standard (modest, aren't i?!) The pinnacle, for me was this open mouthed bear, which is much larger than I can manage now, but maybe, if I persevere, I can eventually make a small version!

When I first returned to bear making, I had much to re-learn, so the idea of doing a bear fair was far too daunting. Were my new bears good enough? Craft fair selling is one thing, mostly they're not packed with Bear afficionados! However, we recently visited a bear fair, and I was astonished by the low standard, compared to the exhibitors I had known in the early 2000s, quite depressing, really. I know there are many fine bear artists selling on line, so I obviously went to the wrong one!

This experience gave me the courage to book a fairly light hearted bear event, so off we go to Alton next weekend! I hope the Hampshire folk will like my little creatures, I'm quietly confident, but not over ambitious! Hope we might see some familiar faces, but it's along way from my usual stamping grounds!