To all my blog readers, my fellow artists, Chantal Bears Collectors, and my friends, I wish you a peaceful and a very happy New Year.
I want to end my 2011 blog with a collection of events that touched me a lot this year.
I have been very lucky to meet a teddy bear artist Elena Nikitina ; in August we decided to do a bears exchange.
When the parcel arrived in Russia, she sent me a lovely picture ;
I did the same thing when a parcel arrived in Canada :
Later, I received a surprise message from Jan Nethercut; Verena, my teddy bear girl arrived in US and all the bears had a party together.
Jan allowed me to publish the picture on my blog.
That's what she wrote :
"Verena is a precious little girl-cub and was welcomed in my Hug by a party given by the bears. Attached is a picture of Hitty taking charge of Verena, Crackers (by me), Janet (by Yvonne) with Lily (Mary R.) standing in back with balloons. Of course, I didn't get pictures of all the fun. You know how bears are, they don't stay still very long. It was a great party and I think she enjoyed it all."
Thanks Jan for the lovely moment in my teddy bear life.
This year, Julie received an TBAAF award, a third place in miniatures category ;
And here is Julie
For my teddy bears, I decided to increase the size of my teddy bears ; I added knitted accessories to my miniatures bears ; a challenge I wanted to achieve and I did it.
I wrote a pattern for a knitted teddy bear.
The last challenge has been a 6 inches knitted teddy bear ; Aurelie was the last teddy bear of the year.
For 2012, I still have new challenges and new projects in my head.
Thanks to you all ; I'm spoiled to have such great people around me and I am who I am because of you !!!
Now I must share with you some reactions from my family following me and the creation part of my life in the last 9 years :
When I complete a teddy bear, the first critic is Alain, my husband : "This one, for sure, he will find a new home !!!"
My daughters now :
Laura : she talks to the new bear : "Hi ..., you are so nice, such beautiful eyes.... you are such a cutie !!!"
Johannie in Belgium : "Mom, how can you do it? so detailed ? All teddies you make are more and more alive !!!!"
My sister Danielle, in Balgium : Chan, every time you sent me a picture of your teddies, they become more beautiful"
And now, I have new "fans", my grandchildren : Lola (5) who always ask me to show her my new creation (on Skype).
Darren (6) who is so proud to tell people that his grandma can design teddy bears !!!
As you see, my life is filled of love and teddy bears lovers !!!
