This is just a test

Finished up these guys the other day. Now they are on their way to new homes.
Hoppy Hare and Bear Hugs,
Jared

January

This month has been busy so far. Trying to finish up orders from last year and create new designs. Slowly things are coming into place.

Right now the iceman cometh, freezing rain is falling and my car is covered in ice. That means I will be getting up earlier in the morning to de-ice my car. Who knows what the roads will be like? Maybe it will be a day spent at home if the roads are bad.

The cats are comfortable, curled up in their spots. The calico sprawled on mom's bed and the other asleep on the scratching pad.

Hoppy Hare & Bear Hugs,

Jared

Now I can blog from my phone. Which is neat since I don't have a data plan. I would like to upgrade to a Blackberry but that isn't in the cards right now.

Happy Belated New Year!

This year has started out busy. I did manage to take a few days away from the hares & bears between Christmas and New Year. However, time was spent shopping and picking up last minute items. New Year's Day was spent visiting Grandma and family. Then this week we drove in on Grandma's birthday to get her license renewed for another year. She is 95 and still drives!

I have been trying to develop new designs for 2010. This is my 20^th year of making hares & bears. Does that even seem possible? It was just yesterday that I learned to use the sewing machine. Time does fly. I remember some of the early shows that I attended. In my mind, they were a flurry of activity. Mohair being flung overhead, as people dashed to artists' tables to see new creations. I remember spending time at the bottom of the mohair pile searching for the right fabric and finding several pieces for others. I was just 13 at the time. How things have changed amazes me.

Best wishes for a Joyful and Blessed New Year.

Hoppy Hare & Bear Hugs,

Jared

Bad Blogger, Bad Blogger!

At the last show I attended for 2009, I was informed that I was a bad blogger. This is something that I won't disagree with but I have been busy throughout the summer and fall with little time for writing. For those of you who don't know and who doesn't I have just about told everyone I know, this past June I completed by Bachelors degree in International Business. So, I am job hunting. I would like something which will make use of my college education.

The two shows I attended this fall were the new Chicagoland Teddy Bear Show hosted by Daphne Blau and the Hunt Valley Christmas Show hosted by Mark McKay and Alex Wilson. Both shows were successful ventures. The Chicagoland show was held at the Embassy Suites in Schaumburg. What an easy facility to find, to load/unload, and no long hallway. The show was packed with collectors, eager to get in, most stayed all day. It was wonderful seeing old friends, artists and collectors, but even more fun was seeing new collectors. Many had not been to a teddy bear show before. Few even knew that teddy bears like ours existed. So it was fun to teach people about artist teddy bears. I am looking forward to next year's show. For information on the 2010 show click here.

Now, we come to Hunt Valley. Mom had decided to stay home to get a jump on our holiday orders. So my brother-in-law, Tim, came with me. This was the first time I had ever flown on Southwest and the first time flying out of Midway; it was Tim's first flight, as well. I was pleased with the service from Southwest and will fly with them again. Hunt Valley was successful as well. Collectors were lined up and bustin' at the seams to get in. I had to change my clothes before the show opened was almost trampled on my way back in (it was a good thing). I saw old familiar faces, new collectors returning from last year, and new collectors. Most of the artists had dressed up in holiday costumes. Meg Jackson and her Husband were dressed as toy soldiers, Donna Neilson was a Christmas tree with lights and tree skirt, I think Shane and Steven were penguins, and there were a couple of sugar plum fairies flitting about. I enjoyed the show and look forward to next year. For information on the 2010 show click here.

Now ladies and gentlemen, here comes the fun part. We had boarded our plane at BWI (Baltimore airport) excited at the possibility of leaving a bit ahead of schedule. I just knew it was too good to be true. The pilot announced over the speaker that the ground crew had noticed a big dent, AKA bird strike, in the tail of the plane. They say dent, I wonder if it was a through and through? And what caused it? A sparrow or a hummingbird? I just wonder. Just gimme a hammer and I'll fix it. (Ha ha) So, we deplaned and moved over to the next gate and waited. It was announced that the plane had arrived. Everyone got in line with ID in hand to board. The operations manager, all smiles and sunshine, announced that this plane had mechanical issues therefore, we would be unable to use this plane. I was a bit tired and just wanted to get home, but why make a big deal out of it. At least safety was their top concern. I don't want to be on a plane that could fall out of the sky, when it could have been prevented. We then cross the hall to the next gate, did I mention that we had to walk around the moving sidewalk, and wait for 30 minutes for the plane to arrive. So 1 hour, 2 gates, and 2 planes later, our plane arrives and we board heading back to Midway. It was all the bird's fault, if it just had called into the tower, as it was suppose to none of this would have happened. A co-worker of mine would say, "Stupid bird."

Hoppy Hare & Bear Hugs,

Jared