Thursday 27 October 2011

A mixed week - good, bad and sometimes sad!

I've had an eventful week with a mixture of occasions and emotions.
It started off well, with a  trip down to The New Forest in Hampshire.  We stayed in a small hotel in a beautiful position right on the cliff top overlooking the sea and the Isle of Wight. 

The Teddy bear fair was about half an hour away at a place called Minstead.  We set up our table between two Charlie Bear retailers (both had shops).  At least the old bears stood out well between these very popular mass produced bears.  I always felt that I could not compete with them when I just sold my own made Pud Bears, but this was not an issue with the vintage bears.  It went very well, lots of interest and indecision from the customers, some of them picking up many different bears before making a final choice.

Saggy Bear was very popular, but is still
available at www.weebly.com/pollysvintagebears
and www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKay11



Bailey, waving goodbye as he has a new home

I ended up selling 6 bears/dogs which I was very pleased with. 

I also sold on Etsy over the weekend so I have been able to buy the new laptop that I have had my eye on - a bright red Dell Inspiron.  It only came yesterday so I am waiting for my brother to come and set it up and put the programmes that I use for photo editing on for me. Hopefully they will work on Windows 7.  My old laptop has been a very good one.  We have had it for about 8 years and I will be sorry to see it go. 

The sad part of this week was the funeral of my Auntie Joyce.  She was a lovely, fun loving lady, a young 88 year old.  We travelled down to Essex yesterday with my Brother and Sister.  It was strange thinking that we would not travel that way again as she was the last close member to that side of our family.  Our cousin Jennifer, her only daughter died suddenly a few years ago. 

On the way down there was a huge bang as a large stone hit the windscreen of our car.  It made a mark about the size of a large Strawberry with 'spiders leg' cracks coming from it.  Alan got showered with small splinters of glass.  As we drove along 3 of the cracks got longer and longer.  We were not happy with the service from the AA insurance as they said they could not put a new windscreen in until Saturday!  That meant we had to drive the 150 miles home with Alan trying to see around the cracks as they were right in his line of vision.  A few phone calls later with Alan  telling them they were useless and they are now coming Friday morning.  Our neighbour said they came yesterday afternoon and were looking for a crack in my car that was stood under the carport.  We told them where we were and even gave them the postcode of the wake venue so they could come there. 
Needless to say, we will be changing our car insurance providers next year!
..........but lost out to Charlie Klonk, who found a new home


Chocolate Chad was picked up a few times............



Doll not for sale
I have a completely different fair to go to next week - a local craft fair with my sister.  The old bears will stay at home and I will take the Pud Bears, knitted bears, blankets  etc.

Blankets and knitted bears available at www.folksy.com/shops/PudBearsandFriends and www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKay11

 My sister dresses dolls and generally knits various things.  We enjoy spending the time together, and it is a relaxing day, just sitting and chatting with my sister and the customers. 
I am still finding walking difficult due to the arthritis and have to resort to a stick if I walk any distance, so I like going to the fairs as it is something I can do at my own pace.  It is surprising how many stall holders at the craft fairs have various disabilities.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Polly
    What a great time you had at the fair and to sell a few too - real bonus. Sorry to be hear about your aunty - sad fact that as we get older it becomes the time when we have more funerals to attend. My condolences. Bad of the AA to let you down so. It is not until we purchase insurances etc and suddenly need to use them that we find out how good or bad they are. Hopefully you will be able to see more clearly next week. Hope your craft fair goes well too.

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