Handmade Bears

While recouping from pacemaker and other health issues I made these 11 plus more June through July this year. (2018) 

Most of these bears have gone to family near and far. These bears are 5 inches tall if they could stand up. To make those tiny stitches on my bears I have to use magnifying glasses because I can't see the stitches without them. 

The graduate bear (below) was made for one of our granddaughters that graduated from her two year college this year.

The last bear (below) was made for my mother, I made her bear a dress and a red bow with white curls in her hair. (October 17, 2018 my mothers will celebrate her 93 birthday.)

It takes me 6-8 hours to cut-out and hand stitch the bears and longer if I make hand stitched clothing.

I've made a bunch of bears in the last 2 months. They consist of blue, red, purple, burgundy, grey, beige, teal, cream, medium brown and dark brown. 

Update: It's now August 10, I finished my last bear (No. 25) to give to my husband he wanted a blue bear and then I shipped out two bears one to Arkansas and and one to Wyoming. They were just like the first bear below. 

Butterfly Tag

SHARING: This is a tag I made some time ago.

Instructions: 

1)    I used my Vagabond with Movers & Shapers bookplate die to cut a tag. 

Designers Note: I use 14 pt. heavy-duty file folders with my tag die; the smooth finish works well for many of my crafting needs.  

2)    Place tag on craft sheet; apply Dusty Concord inks to foam applicator; in a circle motion cover the right side of tag working down and across bottom of tag. And then add Brushed Corduroy on clean foam applicator in center and then apply Tumbled Glass to the left of tag. Next, apply Broken China over the Tumbled Glass. And then, add Fired Brick over the Dusty Concord. Blending as needed to get the colors desired.  

3)    While still wet sprinkle a little water over the tag. 

Designers Note: This is done by taking the tag to the sink. Add a very small amount of water in the palm of your hand and sprinkle the tag with a few drops.

4)    Quickly heat set to dry.

5)    Stamp script with Sepia ink over the inked background.

6)    Stamp butterflies with black ink. Heat set to dry.

7)    Stamp an addition butterfly on white card stock using sepia ink. 

8)    Cut out butterfly.

9)    Add multi-medium matte as an adhesive to center of butterfly, adhere butterfly to tag.

10)    Add Distress Stickles over butterfly. Heat set to dry.

Flower:

1)    To begin: crumble one sheet of Kraft glassine papers three times. 

2)    Cut three flowers in one pass using Tim Holtz Alterations “Tattered Florals” die with you’re choice of a die cutting machine. I used my Vagabond die cutting tool.  

3)    Layer the three flower die cuts; punch a tiny hole in center. Add brad to hold the flower together.

4)    Add rhinestone to center.

5)    Crunch the flower to resemble a real flower.

6)    Use multi-medium matte to adhere flower to tag.

7)    Place brass stencil on tag, use paint brush to paint the number 5 with black dabber paint. Remove stencil and clean with water. Allow to dry. 

8)    Add fibers to finish this tag.