Harry and Sidney The Cavaliers and their Christmas

My two Cavaliers, Harry and Sidney haven't really bothered with Christmas before so I thought I was being thrifty in not buying presents for them.  They can be very greedy with treats, so not a good idea, and they only seem to play with the same old toys all the time - Big Ted and Squeaky Pig. 
Sidney has had Big Ted since he was a puppy.  He was about the size of it's leg and used to play fetch with it, dragging it back to us.  Sidney is now 6 and Big Ted still has all his stuffing, arms and legs, ears and both eyes. 
Harry was 10 months old when we had him, and came with a couple of toys (Sidney had a basket full by that age!).  We had just bought Sidney the little squeaky pig as he had lost his squeaky Hippo.  Harry loved it and stole it from Sidney, making it his own.  That was 4 years ago and Squeaky Pig has been played with daily and still squeaks.  My boys know how to look after their toys! :)

Sidney with Big Ted and Harry with his Squeaky Pig

Big Ted gets given a Runner Bean that Sidney found in the garden

I put the Christmas tree up and started putting presents around the base and Sidney was really excited.  He sat guarding the presents after that, occasionally nudging one.  Oh dear, it was Christmas Eve and I had no time to get presents for the dogs by then. 
I felt such a bad Mummy.                                                         
I hastily wrapped up a couple of their chew treats so there was something for them to unwrap Christmas morning.  I needn't have bothered really as they were just as excited to see my Grandsons unwrapping their presents.  Santa came to my house :)

Sidney, tail a blur, looking quite bewildered by everything (note Big Ted not far away)

Harry watched the proceedings from my knee, on his 'new blanket'.  I call it my cuddly new red dressing gown, but every time I sat down he was there, snuggling into it.

"I luurve Mam's new dressing gown"

He also liked to cuddle up to my youngest Grandson, Lucas.  Here they are, both having a quiet time with Grandad Alan.

Lucas loves dogs and they love him - he squishes down
 and makes a great cushion :)

Well that is my dogs' Christmas.  I too had a nice time, my daughter and Grandsons stayed over and it was lovely to have children about on Christmas morning.  It just isn't Christmas without the kids and wall to wall wrapping paper.
I managed to cook the dinner with the aid of extra tablets for my arthritis.  I may have been a bit spaced out and high on the Codene, but at least I managed to stand and prepare everything.
We had my brother, sister and bil over for tea and a great time was had by all.  I can honestly say that it was the best Christmas Day I have spent for many years.
I ached a bit by bedtime but it had been worth it. :)

BIG SALE over at my Etsy shop

I have just finished adjusting the prices for my BIG SALE in www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKay11

Some items are HALF PRICE and others are 25% OFF.

Kimmi Koala SOLD

Here are examples of the 50% OFF items

Pierre SOLD

Rusty BOTH SOLD

Cuddles SOLD

Eddie SOLD

Bethany Bunny

Angel

Many other bears and dogs are 25% OFF

There are 55 items to choose from in my shop www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKay11 so go and have a browse through the BIG SALE

Top ten for the week

Here is this week's top ten most viewed items from my Etsy shop

At joint number 10 - these
2 tree topper fairies

9 - Martha, a gorgeous old bear SOLD

8 - Snowy a Real Soft Toys large white cat SOLD

Still at 7 - Kaybee an American Knickerbocker bear

6 - Sherbert Lemon, a pretty Chad Valley bear

5 - Trix, a Chad Valley (Beagle orTerrier) dog

4 - Ted Bear, one of my own  Pud Bears

3 - Taggle, a Berg cat - NOW SOLD

2 - Leo, a small Berg Lion - NOW SOLD

.....and at number 1 - Brendon, one of my own Pud Bears

All of the above bears are available from my etsy shop  (International & UK customers)www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKay11
or from my website (mainly for customers in the UK) www.pollysvintagebears.weebly.com
The Pud Bears can also be found at www.folksy.com/shops/PudBearsandFriends

Only 10 days to Christmas now, so if you are in the UK get you order in  now to guarantee delivery in time for the big day.
Unfortunately the last posting days have passed for USA, Russia, Japan etc.
I always post items quickly to my customers, within a couple of days of the order.

Trix the Beagle (I think)

This is about Trix, a Chad Valley dog that I aquired a few weeks ago.

He came to me very grubby, with holes in his paws and only one ear.
I could see there was a beautiful dog inside waiting to be discovered.

This is Trix having his first dry bath

He looks a bit dusty as he was covered with oats (the method I use to clean old bears and dogs).
He also has what I would call a 'hang dog expression' due to lack of stuffing in his neck.
I cleaned him up, brushed and combed him and got his coat to a reasonable condition.  It would never look as good as new, because originally I think he was mainly white.  The oats work well, but not that well!
His paws were given a few stitches which tidied them up nicely and I restitched his little stubby tail as it was coming off.

I then set about sorting his ears out.  As you can see he only had one, so I had to make another somehow.
There was no way I could find matching material, so the only way was to use his one ear to make two.
Luckily it was double sided and not lined with a different material.  I split the ear and made new inner ears out of ultrasuede.
I was pleased with the result when I restitched them to his head.

He then had a bit of new stuffing to lift his head and I discovered a squeaker that needed mending.  I got it to work fine until I put it back.  Once inside him it needed a sharp tap to make it work.  His stuffing isn't as firm as before, so the squeaker moves a bit if it is just pushed gently.

He needed a ribbon or collar and I remembered a little red one that I had in my ribbon box.  I had got it from a craft fair a few weeks earlier thinking that it would be ideal for a toy dog someday.
That day had come and Trix now wears his 'bling' collar with pride.  Isn't he a handsome boy?

It can't be seen on  these photos, but his
collar has faux diamonds on it

Special offer on Bunny ornaments

I have relisted the bunny and mice vintage ornaments with a fantastic offer - Buy one set and get the second set half price.  That means two sets are now only $14.25 (approx £9) + postage.

They are available in my Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKay11
and on my website www.weebly.com/pollysvintagebears

Bedtime Mice

Grandpa and Grandma Bunny

Mouse School

Mr and Mrs Bunny

Three Rabbits shopping

Only a few days left for International posting

9th December is the last recommended day (to get there for Christmas) for posting airmail parcels to USA or Russia.  It is 5th December for my Australian and Japanese customers.  If any of you are thinking of ordering one of my bears please do not leave it too late.
For the UK I could use one of the later, signed for services that would be available until the week before Christmas.

I have had a lot of viewings on Etsy www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKay11 and my website  www.pollysvintagebears.weebly.com (this now includes a page of my handmade Pud Bears). So if you have been looking and trying to decide which bear you want, please jump in there quickly before someone else does.
Here is a 'Top Ten' selection of the bears/dogs/cats that have been seeing a lot of interest recently

At number 10, Blue knitted bear from Pud Bears

9 - Sailor Bill, avintage Chiltern bear

8 - Henry, a vintage Chiltern Boxer pup SOLD

7 - KayBee, a vintage Knickerbocker bear from USA

6 - Kat, a Hermann cat complete with box and tags

5 - Cassie, a vintage Chiltern dog SOLD

4 - Tiny, a vintage Hermann or Steiff kitten SOLD

3 - Hairy Harry, a new 7" Pud Bear

2 - Jimbo, a vintage floppy little bear - Now sold

....and at number 1 - Ted Bear, a new 4.5" Pud Bear

I keep thinking that I must get some Sock Monkeys made up.  I have some really pretty socks to use, one pair are over the knee ones so will make a very lanky monkey.
I have two family orders to make so will have to get the sewing machine out very soon.  Here are a selection of the socks (the over the knee ones are the rainbow coloured at the bottom of the photo).

...and here is an idea of how they might look made up

**This one is sold

The price will be £9.50 for a standard size monkey (the larger over the knee one will be £14.50).

If any of these items are of interest to you I can be contacted via the form on the introduction page of my website www.pollysvintagebears.weebly.com

More little mohair bears to tempt you

Cherry 7" SOLD

Tyler 6"

These are the two little bears made from mohair that I received this week. 
Cherry is such a pretty shade of red and has a nice sheen to her fur.  I love the little magnetic butterfly that I found at a craft fair, it can be attached to any part of her mohair.

Tyler is so cute, I found it difficult to show his appeal in a photo.  Some bears are like that and you have to delete loads of photos before you can get a few that you are satisfied with.  Other times every single photo is good and you struggle to pick from the group.

I am now working on a 6" off white bear using a pretty wavy mohair that has a lovely silky feel to it.  She has the same style of head as Tyler, with the short stubby nose.

Now sold

The bears, as always,  are available from my website - www.pollysvintagebears.weebly.com

(The little mohair Pud Bears have their own page seperate from the vintage bears)

or www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKay11

Four new Mini Bears and one Old Timer

I have been quite productive in the last week.  I have finished Sailor Bill's jacket (1940's Chiltern) and have 4 new Pud Bears made.  They are all available from www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKay11 and my web site www.pollysvintagebears.weebly.com

Sailor Bill a vintage Chiltern bear

Priscilla - 5" mini bear

Hairy Harry - 7" bear

Ted Bear - 4.5" mini bear

Bluebell - 4.5" mini bear

I am pleased with how the little bears have turned out.  There was a panic when I had lost a leg from Ted Bear, and didn't think I had any more of the mohair.  I found a small piece yesterday though and was able to finish him.  I have no idea where the original leg went.  It will probably turn up with the odd socks!!

Talking of socks, I need to make a few Sock Monkeys up, I have some lovely bright coloured striped socks to use.  One pair are over the knee socks so that will be a very long and lanky Sock Monkey.

I am still busy making mini bears (7" and under).  I am hoping to sell a few leading up to Christmas.

I will show them on my blog as I get them made, so keep popping back to see what is available.

They range from about £15 to £20 for up to 7", with the 8" to 10" between £20 and £30.

If you are from the UK and want to order direct with me, go to my web site,  I have put in a new page featuring the Pud Bears that are available.www.pollysvintagebears.weebly.com