21st December 2012,

It is very nice to know  that the end of the world didn't materialise today ! I have just popped on to wish each and every one of my fantastic customers, friends and followers a very happy Christmas with a photo of  this lovely Santa and his sack which I picked up for 30 pence. I didn't have many bears to put in the sack this year but I shall make sure I have lots for next year.

I have had a great year with the bears and dogs and lots of exciting things in the pipeline. It has been another special year for me getting to know my lovely collectors who give me such encouragement and ideas. I have also been amazed at the wonderful unexpected gifts I have received from as far away as Canada. Yesterday I received the most beautiful bouquet   and  last month I had a painting of one of my bears from the talented Helen Jones which I shall treasure
Here is a little dog I finished last night. he is supposed to be a black labrador but he might be a cross breed!!!

 I shall be doing the Hugglets Bear Fair in London  February so if anyone wants free tickets please let me know as soon as possible. I would love to see you there

With much love for a happy and healthy Christmas
Jean and the Little Scruffs

4th December 2012
Well looking at the last time I blogged  I wouldn't rely on coming here to find out about Little Scruffs! Just go straight to my website above  which I update most days.

The trouble is I have never been any good at letter writing , coupled with the fact that I am lucky enough to have been extremely busy with the bears....  and dogs of course... oh and don't forget the girafes, and I forgot about the cats!!!  Here are a few  above but there are 14 pages of them in my Galleries if you want to see any others.
No news  on the book at the moment.The agent has been away and hasn't seen it yet so it won't be out for Christmas unfortunately.
My very good friends Rob & Wendy bought me, amongst other things, a wonderful old bear last week and I thought I would try replicating him. Here they both are below

I will finish now, thank you for reading my blog.

17th July 2012
Well since my last blog I am pleased to report that my website is now sorted. A big "Thank you" to David Smith who sorted in minutes what  my hosting company and me couldn't between us in 9 days!

I just got the website up and running when Mike and I came down with a horrible virus (I was far worse than he was of course!!!) All okay now so lets get these bears and dogs born ! 
I seem to be making more dogs than ever at the moment and I was pleased to be asked to make a dachshund. I do groan a bit inwardly when asked to make specific styles of bears and dogs as they do take such a lot more planning and work   but it does push me on and adds variety.

Lucky is a vintage looking dog that I finished today.

I am taking a break for a couple of weeks at the beginning of August. I am saying that now so that I am not tempted to just keep going !!! Really I have to finish all my orders and I know it will clear my head and stop me stressing about them if I get them out of the way.

Bye for now

Jean and the Little Scruffs

I am having so much trouble with my website at the moment. I have spent nearly a week trying to sort it out and still not sure what it is. I cannot upload any images to it at the moment so I am hoping that I can upload new bears ( and dogs) here to my blog. If so and you see anything you like  please email  me  on littlescruffs@yahoo.co.uk for further details.

Mario

Winston-red mohair

Clarence black mohair

Harrington WW1 soldier bear style

Frankie. cute little  baby bear

We have just come back from a month in France. We got a few things sorted and now have a new loo  and a woodburner fitted. We were also worried that we didn't have space to put our 4 guests up later in  the year  but voila- I managed to find an old caravan for £80!!
Everywhere seems to be having the strangest weather. Coming back on the boat I have never seen so many people being sea sick!
Unfortunately I have wasted so much time this week that I had better get on and make some more bears! I seem to be able to update my website with words, just no photos so I will let you know when I am adding them to the blog if I still don't get it sorted soon.
Take care and bye for now
Hugs
Jean and Little Scruffs
http://www.miniaturemohairbears.co.uk 

13th May 2012
When  I get round to doing my blog it always seems to be on a Sunday. Even though Sundays shouldn't be any different to me as I work every day, somehow they are.
 I haven't actually blogged for over 2 months which I find hard to believe so I had better try and find something interesting to talk about!!! Now what has been going on - let me think?
Actually not that much. I have had a pretty quiet month on the website as I have been getting up to date with orders and making a few more unusual bears so that Norman, the Photographer has got lots of choice for the book. In fact I have just made a 15 inch bear which seems enormous after the 3" one I made last week!

Here is the little one with his parents

We have put our property up for sale again - horror of horrors we have to try and keep it tidy! Working from home  makes it almost impossible- I CANNOT be restricted- I like to be surrounded by all my fur and tools so  after every viewing  I  am trying to find  lost bits and bobs!
The girls are great. Have just returned my grandkitten to Anna who has been away the weekend. Amy is just coming to the end of her teaching year in Sicily and has managed to find herself another teaching job which will see her through another year with minimum hours and lots of beach time!!!!

I will sign off for now, thanks for looking
Hugs
Jean,
Little Scruffs
http://www.miniaturemohairbears.co.uk 

5th March 2012

5^th March 2012

Well it has been a week since Hugglets and life has not been dull!! The Fair was a fantastic day and I met some great people, some who I had been corresponding with online for years and some who I met for the first time last Sunday. Like the 92 year old lady who was telling me that when she was 4 years old she went to visit her “boyfriend” with her Mother. After they had left her Mother asked her what she had got under her coat and she had to confess that she had stolen the little boy’s teddy bear!

A couple of years ago I made a surprise bear from a mum to her daughter. The daughter had lost her beloved bear and her mum sent me photos for me to copy him. The mum and the daughter (with the bear of course!) made a special trip to meet me last week all the way from Spain! It was a very special moment.

I am not going to mention names as I have such a bad memory I am sure I would miss someone special out but I did have 3 ladies come up to me and say hi Jean I’m Nicky which got me right confused!

And finally I was very excited to meet at last, the lovely David and Norman, (did I say I wasn’t going to mention any names??) 2  well established authors who are in the middle of writing a book on bears and the Little Scruffs have  hopefully got themselves major parts!  I will keep you informed.

We stayed overnight in London and then travelled down to France the next day, arriving at our cottage at 10.30pm. Mike had been on his own the visit before and the water had been cut off so we were pleased to discover when we turned on that we had water for a much needed cuppa. If only we had known! Half hour later after unpacking the car  etc we opened the door to the bathroom and laundry area to find it completely flooded. After turning the water off again we retired to bed- a very damp bed where I was convinced that Mike had put wet sheets on! So day 2 started with me with a stinking cold and Mike fixing one leak after the other- oh and maybe even worse finding that my hair straighteners wouldn’t work!!!

I have been making some of my orders while I have been here and whenever I do repeat bears my mind starts wondering and trying to think up  new styles. I bought a vintage dog from a car boot when I was here before and thought I would have a go at doing one similar to him which had the body and legs all one piece and a jointed head. Well here is a photo of the first prototype - he needs lots of adjustments including longer arms   but I thought I would show you what I spent the last 24 hours doing. I think his better half will be on hold for a while.

Well bye for now and speak soon

Hugs

Jean

Little Scruffs

http://www.miniaturemohairbears.co.uk

25th February 2012

Well it's Hugglet's Eve and all is well. We are all packed up and ready to go and if we have forgotten anything it's tough as there is no more room in the car!
I have got Mike making chocolates for the show tomorrow- I hope we have plenty of visitors or I will have to eat them myself! I have quite  a few people coming who I have only had contact with online so I am really looking forward to meeting them.

I am very close to the bear making supplies so I shall have lots of temptation and even though I don't need any more fabric I know I won't be able to resist. And I certainly won't be looking at the old bears- far too tempting!
We are going straight onto France for a few weeks where I will still be making bears and keeping the website updated. Luckily it has coincided with our friends selling their house but not being able to move into their new property so they will be staying in our place which we are pleased about.

If you would like to be  notified when a new bear goes on my site please email me and I will put you on the mailing list. I do not give your email out to anyone else.

We have been having nice Spring like weather here in the UK recently and the light nights are coming. My husband can't wait to get into the garden in France and plant all the trees that we have packed in the car! 

When we get back we will have even more of a houseful as Amy is coming home for Easter and bringing a nice handsome Italian with here that she has met while working in Sicily! I can't learn French let alone trying Italian!  Anyway Ciao for now 

Hugs and take care 

Jean and the Little Scruffs

http://www.miniaturemohairbears.co.uk 

19th January 2012

I think it has been about 2 months since I last blogged- can't believe how time goes by so quickly!! In fact, does anyone have time to get bored nowadays, everyone seems to be rushing round so much.
Christmas and the New Year went by in a flash. Amy came home from Sicily for 2 weeks and it was so nice having her around. Anna (and Steve) came  too so it was very special.
The  bears sitting on the books above are Rita and Peter, 2 of the bears  going with me to the Hugglets Fair on the 26th February in Kensington in London.  I will be adding more preview photos during the next few weeks. I have  changed places and am now in Hall 1 table 55. I have a couple of spare free tickets if anyone would like them.
 I have been really enjoying creating new designs during the last few months and intend to keep creating more.

Take care all and speak to you soon

Hugs from Jean and the Little Scruffs
http://www.miniaturemohairbears.co.uk