Monday 24 March 2008

A Lovely Break






A Lovely Break

Just got back from a lovely break in Wales which I needed to recharge my waning batteries. My daughter Charlotte had a few days holiday to take before the end of March so we decided to meet up and take a break together and we stayed at Bodelwyddann Castle Hotel just outside Llanduddno. The weather was cold but sunny and dry and the castle had acres of land which was lovely to wander around, would be even better in the summer months. Being an historical castle there was a super museum to look around with most of the original rooms still furnished and paintings on the walls and the upstairs there was a play room set out with Victorian puzzles which visitors were encouraged to have a go at, we spent a good hour or so in there.

I took some bears to sew up but didn't get any done at all as there was so much to do in the castle during the day. There was regular dance classes, painting classes, archery, shuffleboard, beetle drives, quizzes, air rifle shooting, indoor bowls to name but a few. Also there was a leisure center with swimming pool, sauna, gym etc. You could also have beauty treatments in this building.

The evenings started with dinner, followed by early evening dancing, quiz and bingo...... followed by an amazing musical theater show by the entertainments team. After this there was dancing to the resident band music until the early hours. For those who wanted a quieter time there was another place to go where you could sit and have a drink and listen to the resident lounge entertainer who played the keyboard and sang.

Now back to work on the bears as I have a show at the end of the week and Charlotte has gone back to her job in Suffolk where she is an entertainer at the sister hotel to the one we stayed at.

Pauline

Thursday 6 March 2008

A new design for spring



A New Design for Spring

The promise of oncoming spring in the air and a few green shoots popping up in the garden prompted me to dig out a piece of green mini bear fabric I have had stashed away for a few months. I designed a new baby elephant pattern a few weeks ago for a challenge on Teddy Talk and felt this was the ideal time to bring him/her to life. The outcome was Apple Blossom, she is just 4 inches high and I am really pleased with how she turned out. To my mind she was definitely a girl and told me she wanted to be dressed. I created the little dress specially for her, crocheted in very fine cotton yarn and finished it off with pink to match Apple Blossom’s inner ears and feet. I feel she may have some brothers or sisters soon but I have a few bears to finish for a forthcoming show at the end of the month.