A taste of things to come ...

After days and days of dark rainy days we had SUNSHINE yesterday! So out I went into my garden to see what was happening and there popping their heads through the fallen oak leaves were my little crocusses! So I straight away started to clear the leaves and there were bluebells, scillas and even the daffodils starting to appear!



It has been such a mild winter this year that I think all the plants think it is already spring! I love it when the plants start to come back to life, my hydrangea has started to bud too.



For the rest I am busy packaging up some of my bears carefully for their journeys to their new homes. Leo has also been adopted and will be living in sunny Spain. Have a great day, Catherine x

off to their new family ..

It's been a busy time finishing some commissions. I'd love you to meet Jack, this white bear was a special order for a lovely lady in America, he'll be heading off to his new home with his friend Nicolas that had to get in on the photoshoot! It's always lovely when my Bumpkin Bears go together to the same new family! My next project is a special order for a panda that I am working on... watch this space! Catherine x

5 things about me ..

I was tagged back in December by Linda and Kim so finally I've got round to adding this list of 5 things that people in cyberspace probably don't know about me -

1. I love donkeys, I used to visit a donkey every day (that I named Dinkey) that was in a field down the country lane where my Granny lived.

2. I love vintage children's books, especially the illustrations.

3. I'm afraid of heights, but had no fear at all going hot air ballooning a few years ago. But I was terrified climbing up Ayers Rock in Australia when I was backpacking round Australia afer graduating from uni!

4. I adore the old fashioned English roses from David Austin.



5. I used to have my own horse called Skelm, which means "Little Rascal" in Afrikaans, funny that this wonderful chap came into my life because I have a love of South Africa, as my Mum grew up there as a child.




so there you go, a few things about me!

Extreme Makeover -Teddy Edition!

When I was visiting a friend in England she showed me this poor little Ted that her new Puppy, Willow, had found and thought would make a great toy!! Little Ted was destined for the bin being filthy and torn to pieces. Well of course I couldn't let that happen and my friend knew that I would be able to help so the rescue mission began! I brought him back with me to Belgium, gave him a nice long hand wash and he came out a different colour without all that mud all over him! I then set about bite hole by bite hole repairing him, restuffing him him with nice fresh filling and finally giving him a new nose and putting a smile back on his face! With a grand new bow he feels like his old self and is ready to face the world again, this time on a shelf where Puppy can't reach him!

Happy New Year!

well I'm a bit late, but I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year! It's been all go here, back in my studio working on a commission bear and a panda. Leo, my bear that was nominated back in December in the British Bear Artist Awards has now returned to my arms. He is now available for adoption and is so excited to find a special new home all of his own.(UPDATE - LEO IS NOW ADOPTED)

Go to- www.bumpkinbears.com - to see all his photos and my other bears.

I'm in a bit of a rush today, but I'll be back during the week to show you a little teddy restoration story! Catherine x