Maxine The Mohair Elephant

I hope everyone is enjoying the spring weather and sunshine. It feels so nice!  Maxine will be on her way to spend Easter in Charleston. 

Angelica The Mohair Easter Bunny Rabbit

Angelica is made from mohair and  has a clay face I made for her. She wears layers of vintage fabric, tulle and ribbons. 

Melissa and Samantha

I finished the two bears Melissa and Samantha for an order.  Now to finish up some Easter bunnies!

Samantha the Mohair Bear

Jefferson And Alfalfa

It has been a mild winter in Ohio with some snow and warmer temperatures. I am ready for spring and I hear the birds singing every morning now. I saw a Robin one morning last week so spring is not far away. I finished the orders for Jefferson the giraffe and his brown puppy Alfalfa and they will be delivered this week.  I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

My Sweetest Friend

My sweetest friend Fran sent me this beautiful doll, Miss Peep. What a wonderful friend! She has the biggest heart! So kind and loving and truly sent from God. Thank you for Miss Peep and everything you do for me. Love you Fran!

Mildred The Easter Bear

Snowy Winter Morning

Pink Mohair Mouse Rosabelle Sitting On Her Vintage Tea Pot

Lookin' Out My Front Door!

Marlana the Easter Bunny Rabbit

EBay link
Marlana looks like a Shabby Victorian Rabbit made from wool.  She is my second entry for The Guild Of Master Bearcrafters challenge "On the scrap Heap" and is not to be made of mohair or fur of any kind.  Lots of snow here in Ohio and it is beautiful!  I will be starting on my orders the beginning of the week and hope to get another bear or bunny started too.  Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Reflections of the past are always so sweet when thinking of our family and the love we share.  If we had a wonderful childhood we can look back and pull the memories to reflect upon when needed.  Valentine's Day recalls the thoughts of love and thinking of the special people in our hearts.  It can be our first love, special friends or family, our babies or how we feel loved.  Remembering a certain smell, sound, taste always rekindles sweet memories to surface fresh in our minds.  There to feel the wonderment any time we feel the need.  I have had a few wonderful men in my life.  My husband is one of those men and he was sent to heal my heart and mend my belief in love.  This time of year takes me back to my childhood and my grandfather John Jacob Hanselman and all the wonderful times I had with him.  He was born in 1887 and lived to be 92.  He was always an inspiration to me through my life.  He sent me Valentines and special Christmas cards and would save his money to buy me a special doll or a ring from the jewelry store.  I still have that ring he bought me when I was 8 and a few valentines.  Very humble he was and always loving and kind to me growing  up.  He didn't have much and he taught me so many things growing up like how to mix concrete if you were pouring a sidewalk or if you were laying bricks.  There is a difference.  He always had a woodworking project he was working on.  I do have to admit his measuring skills were not measure twice and cut once.  Some of his tables were a little lop sided but still wonderful to me.  Now they would be great primitive pieces! I took all the scraps of wood and made them into a bird, skunk or some animal I just called "animal" but didn't know exactly what it was.  He held me when I was ill and his kind old hands always seemed to sooth me.  I always held his hand in church sitting with him and when I sat at his footstool waiting to hear a little story or watch him smoke his pipe.  He would lite a match and always let me blow it out.  The smell of a match takes me back to those days of him sitting in his chair by the window blowing smoke rings for me and I would smile and ask for just one more.  They would always float above his head and then disappear.  It had to be magic!  I loved him like no one else.  He didn't have earthly blessings and he always gave what he had and loved me like no one else.  He was never harsh and the only time I ever remember him saying anything to me was while in the car with my uncle driving us to the store in his Ford and I was looking back sitting in the middle between them.  He said, "Shorty, look where you are going...not where you have been."  That is a good thought to remember and I have remembered that in my life.  He never expected anything and never wanted to make you into what he wanted you to be.  He just simply loved.  My own family I hope reflects his kindnesses and honesty.  My three boys are wonderful men.  Each one has integrity and loving ways.  Love to remember when they were young and reading the Bible every morning to them.  They were home with me and filling the house with joys beyond compare.  They were a handfull at times but so full of love and excitement.  The house was always full of little boys, mine and usually a few others.  Our house was that house where everyone was welcome.  I baked every day and usually had a plate of fresh baked cookies and little boys love to eat cookies.  Remembering my sweet little faces smiling up saying "I love you mom" as they hugged me still fills me with that special feeling only a mother can feel.  They are all grown up but they look down now as they hug me and say, "I love you mom."  Love makes a difference in our lives and fills our heart with joy.  Remember the love and special joys in your life and always be thankful to God for blessing your life with love.

Mohair Easter Bunny Lillith

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300654739557?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649The bear and rabbit are finished for the Guild of Master Bearcrafters Challenge.  Bunny was fun to make from Boucle Wool.  She is on eBay.  We are in the middle of winter here in Ohio but at least it is not snowing every day.  Gloomy and dull most days but we all have to make our own sunshine.  I hope to spend some time with family this week and enjoy a few hours relaxing. For today I am working on another bunny and then back to orders.  Have a great day! 

Yankee Doodle

Just have to share this great old elephant I bought at The Boston Road Collection yesterday.  I made the Yankee Doodle doll with a clay face and shoes and he looks great sitting on top of the old guy.  I bought the Shriners Circus cap a long time ago and was just waiting to find the right place to put it.  So sweet they all look!  Thank you Brenda for always having the best things in your shop!

Krystal The Mohair Boston Terrier Puppy

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300656857188

I finished the orders and creations I have been working on. This is Buck Wheat, Snoopy and Murphy.  They will be traveling to The Boston Road Collection this week. 

This is my baby Bailey.

Working on orders this week.  Wonderful mohair to work with and I am happy to be sewing.  I have so many new things in my head this week and hope I can finish the orders before I can't help myself from getting the things out of my head and into another creation.  We have a new challenge for The Guild Of Master Bearcrafters and it will be exciting to get my ideas into the materials I plan to use. 

Caroline ~ Mohair Bear

I finished Caroline the Mohair Bear Make-a-do just in time to receive the mohair I have been waiting for to start my orders.