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

22nd November 2011

What's been going on in the month since I last blogged? probably the reason I haven't blogged before is that apart from working flat out on the bears I haven't had a chance to do anything else!I hate keeping people waiting and I don't like having a long order book  so I forfeited a month in France for getting up to date. It wasn't really a hardship though as I do love it and I am very grateful that I have such brilliant collectors and work coming in.Even more heart warming for me is that so many people tell me that the bears seem to have healing qualities for them
Meanwhile my daughters have a much more exciting life!! Amy , who recently graduated, has a job with the British Council working in Sicily. I don't think I could go off completely on my own to a new country but she is amazing. She has settled in very well and everyone has been very kind to her. She has had some hairy moments but is thoroughly enjoying herself. The town she is living in still has donkeys collecting the rubbish! I am looking forward to visiting her shortly.
Anna is on the move again this weekend to a new home. Luckily she doesn't live so far away so we can still see her easily.
Try not to race around too much with all the Christmas festivities coming up ladies- I say ladies as I am sure 99% of men don't even realise Christmas cards have to be written, presents bought before Christmas Eve etc etc!!!
Hugs

17th October 2011

I have just heard that the book is being printed at the moment. If you have no idea what I am talking about this is it.

Juggling Tales by  popular childrens author Dot Taig is a book of  seven short stories including one about Little Scruffs aimed at 8 to 12 year olds(But I enjoyed it!) It is being published towards the end of this month and Dot would like to know orders this week  if possible. The price will be £6 and would make a very nice gift. Please email me on littlescruffs@yahoo.co.uk if you are interested. Here is the front cover - spot the Scruffs!!!
and here is a bit more information

“Have a wonderful adventure,”

Stargazer said to the Little Scruffs.

We hope you do, too, as you turn the pages of this book and read all about the Scruffs, a magic pumpkin, a Tree Spirit, an invisibility hat and many other strange and wonderful things...

not forgetting the bag of wind!

Ghillie Dhu's Lost Amber
The magic pumpkin
The city under the sea
The little scruffs
Toytime
Is anyone there?
The Lost Christmas present.

I love thinking up new style bears and  I have been making quite a few new dogs recently. I have just  finished my first FatHead dog - a very vicious looking little one but his bark his worse than his bite! See Dawg on my bear page at http://www.miniaturemohairbears.co.uk

Bye for now

Jean

21st September 2011

Oh gosh I am getting longer in between my very interesting and entertaining (NOT!) blogs!! This also is going to be a very short one just to let you know I am here, in the background, beavering away everyday bear making! I say bear making but recently I have been making more dog like bears than ever. I must show you these 2 incredibly sweet photos of Tabitha, a tri coloured fox terrier and the little Tabitha I made of her. The real Tabitha is 14 years old and a very much loved family member so I was pleased that her owner was happy with my mini version.
The new Teddy bears of Witney catologue came out this week and I am pleased to say that the little grey dog has almost sold out and I have been asked to make a similar edition in brown.
This time next week my daughter Amy will be on her way to Sicily for a year in her first proper paid job since finishing Uni this year. So far she still has no where to stay so if anyone knows anyone living in Castelbuono, Sicily PLEASE contact me so that I can stop worrying!! I have just made her a mini Soldier Bear to take with her.
Don't forget to take a look at http://www.visionfinearts.co.uk/ where the artist Helen Jones  has packs of Little Scruffs notelets for sale. If you want paintings or drawings of your dog/bear/bike/house, the list goes on- see what she creates.
Well that's all for now, hopefully next time I will have more information about the book of short stories coming out for Christmas  by Dot Taig which includes a story on the Little Scruffs

12th August 2011

12th August 2011

I am more than half way through my “holiday” in France now. I don’t know why I call it a holiday as I have to do horrible household chores here that I usually get away with in England since my husband retired. Here in France we have loads of renovating to do and a field of a garden that if I didn’t keep cracking the whip Mike would be out in all day!!!

I have now given up on trying to find a reasonably priced courier to send the bears out with. They all seem to be twice the price of sending them by Royal Mail. Luckily I have some very lovely, patient customers and so far have 16 bears all waiting to go to new homes on my return.

I have become slightly obsessed with making my take on the old Soldier Bears from World War One at the moment but am aware that these funny little bears are not everyone’s cup of tea so force myself into only making every other one an alternative style.

I am thrilled to have a 2 page article in an online magazine this month written about the Little Scruffs. Here is the link and I think I am on pages 28 and 29

http://issuu.com/annelouisemagazine/docs/annelouisemagazineaugust2011

My daughter Anna and her boyfriend are coming to stay next week which we are really looking forward to. They want to camp in the garden but as we have a railway line at the bottom of it I am not sure if they will last the week there!!

We don’t have a phone line in the house so no Broadband for us. I have to walk 2 miles each day to an internet café to check my emails and update my website. If it wasn’t for that and the cost of postage I would be more inclined to stay here longer, especially after hearing about all the terrible riots in England this week.

Well I will love and leave you now and hope everyone has a lovely Summer.

Take Care

Hugs

Jean
Little Scruffs
http://www.miniaturemohairbears.co.uk/

20th May since I last blogged!!!!

Today is the 11th July 2011- nearly 2 months since I last blogged!!! Where did that time go? The bears have been taking all my time up and I realise that my Blog, Facebook, Twitter and all the other social sites I am on have taken a back seat. That said, I feel very lucky that I have such a wonderful job and that the bears are  being adopted by so many people.
I am off to France again on 27th July for a month and this time  will be definitely using a courier service for sold bears. If anyone reading this has any suggestions as to the best service to use while over there I would be very grateful.

Today's bear is Martha, above, a girl bear for a change. Yesterday I went to a car boot and bought some old wooden blocks and carts, they were just the thing for the 2 bears I had just finished 
Finally, if I haven't bored you already, I must tell you how proud we are of our daughter Amy who has just finished Uni with a 1st Degree Honours in Italian and Spanish with a Distinction.  Now who else can I tell!!!!
That's all from me for now
Hugs,
Jean
Little Scruffs
http://www.miniaturemohairbears.co.uk/

20th May 2011

Phew what a busy few weeks it's been! I have got one day to get everything packed to take to France for a month and I am hoping I don't forget any vital bearmaking stuff- clothes you can buy if necessary, bear equipment not so easy to come by! I have also got to leave our flat spotless  as our friends are staying while we are away. I wish Mike was as enthusiastic about housework as he is DIY!!
This is Bong

This little chap caused quite a headache for me last night. Within a few minutes of him going on the website I had 4 emails from people wanting to adopt him! It was a nice headache to have though :0)

I have been doing quite a few smaller bears recently,  around about 3". I am taking a couple of huge bears(well they are to me!) to make on holiday, not sure if I will get round to doing them but they have been on my wanting to do list for ages. They are not my patterns and I shall be making them just for myself, which is why I probably wont get round to it.

My daughter, Amy had her last ever lesson at Uni today after 4 years there. I think she felt quite sad. She has lots of exams over the next few weeks and then she will be living in London for 3 months while working (unfortunately unpaid) for a company that deals in film subtitles - the job she would love to do most, especially as they have offices in Rome and Barcelona.

Anna, my other daughter , while still working in a school is also doing a Masters in Education , hoping this will help her with future jobs as teaching is so competitive at the moment.

I have been on a bit of a keep fit binge recently. Sitting on your backside sewing all day is not good for the figure and although I have always walked twice a day it hasn't helped as I do love my food. So I am now swimming twice a week, 40 lengths each time, and by cutting out rubbish food have managed to lose 1 stone 6 lbs this year. Trouble is I am not so good in France so we will see how I go.

Remember if you want to reserve a bear while I am away please drop me an email.

Hugs

Jean