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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Dilu, you are an absolute gem. I can just imagine you playing the piano with all the gollywoggels dancing and singing on top of the piano.
Do they have any particular favourites?
That image has really made me smile 
:D:D
Penny
In fact, i can just imagine a kind of Siegfeld Follies type of scenario - loads of mirrors, tap dancing gollywoggels - synchronised dance sequences and you Dilu, all done up in a long silk evening gown with feathers in your hair pounding the ivories, playing something like 'Rhapsody in Blue'
NOW I FEEL REALLY HAPPY! :lol::D:lol::D
Blimey Wonks!
You were a CONCERT PIANIST?
Well i'll go to the bottom of our stairs! You are a talent to be reckoned with are'nt you?
Why did'nt you mention this before? How absolutely wonderful Dilu
Penny
Hiya Wonks!
I am a lover of all things beary brown but the one colour that i simply adore to use for bears is PINK!
There are so many beautiful shades of pink you can find or dye yourself, a particular favourite pink shade of mine is an 'old ladies petticoat pink' you'll know what i mean if you think of the little old ladies who have their petticoats for soooo long that the pink fades to a wonderful beige/pink shade. It makes really sooper-dooper old looking bears, which i have a fondness for. I usually buy a quite fresh pink mohair and then overdye it with weak tea - lovely ;)
I also love the more adventurous pinks - i made a fab ballerina bear out of an almost Barbie pink mohair last year for a little girl who lives in France. It was a lot of fun producing such a pretty bright bear - especially as i got to make all the ballet accessories too.
Yes Wonks, it's pink for me and the beary browns. Although i've got my eyes on a lovely faded pale lilac at the moment - see you've set me off thinking of using other colours now Dilu!
Beeeeg Hugs
Penny 
ME TOO!
I'll show you mine if you show me yours Sue Ann
C'mon it can't possibly be that bad!
Penny 
Lovely first bears Paula - if mine had looked like that i would have been as pleased as punch! Even the eyes are level, mine were looking both up and down at the same time - which is pretty clever but did'nt really do much for the bears appearance!
Penny;)
OKEY-DOKEY SHELLI
It was a typo - or maybe it was a Freudian slip!
It must be really interesting being married to a fiend, i'm married to a fitness fanatic but i think that they're basically the same thing
Penny 
Hi Shelli
I've been wondering what graphics programme to buy - now i know!
BUT, it sounds as if i shall be nearing 90 before i can actually use it to any effect. Why are all these programmes sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo difficult to use - bet they were designed by men.
I recently bought 'Photo Artmaster' which, as the blurb on the front of the packaging reads, "turn your photos into fine art" hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah - i have managed to load it - open it and close it down. I have'nt even managed to make my photos look like a kids finger painting yet let alone anything even remotely resembling fine art. Even the manual is for brainiacs, it does'nt mean diddly squat to me. Might as well be written in ancient aramaic for all the good it is going to do me!
This is from a woman who JUST manages to run a website - i still don't have a clue how to work off-line and upload to the site AND i can't even put a background on it either - so Shelli as far as i'm concerned - you are a goddess of the computer and i shall worship at your doubtless spotlessly clean feet!
Penny 
URGHHHHHH! Slugs AND drains Jane
what a pain
we get too much
of the stuff called rain
Bet you did'nt know i was a poet eh?
Hugs
Penny:P
P.S. Having said that we get too much rain just look at the colour of the sky outside my window today - it's luverly!
P.P.S. My piccy won't load! ARGHHHH!
P.P.P.S Fixed it!
Hiya Sue Ann.
Yes our drains over here hoot like owls, it's probably the amount of rain we get - how strange that yours gurgle, i like the sound of that!
Joshua is lovely is'nt he, although i would have to admit to being biased. The piccy was taken about a month ago now and he has developed a unique little character now, fortunately it's a very happy one!
Penny
P.S. Only kidding about our drains hooting Sue Ann - they just gurgle like yours! I don't have a clue where the silly saying came from but i'd love to hear drains hooting would'nt you?
My grandson Joshua who i went to visit this weekend - i'm exhausted!
I could'nt possibly tell you all the outcome of the story but a certain little bird knows!
Wonky Dilu, hooting like a drain = laughing like a loon!
Penny
Hi Shelli.
When i said that the teachers were 'dumber than a bag of hammers' i was referring to their general mental abilities outside of the classroom rather than in it. I did'nt get the opportunity to see what went on in the classes but around the school the teachers were DUMB. They may have been fab with the kids - but the silly things they used to do never ceased to amaze me Shelli. One day an ambulance had to called because one of the games masters had collapsed on the rugby field with a suspested heart attack. It turned out that he was...............................................................
Sorry girls better not tell you the rest of the story in case it gets me in trouble but you would all be hooting likes drains at the outcome!!!!!
Penny
Hi Ladeeeez
Yes i agree. Where would i be if my other half did'nt support me? Probably back working in a job where i did'nt get any artistic satisfaction ( i was a housekeeper at a very posh public school - i adored the kids but the teachers were dumber than a bag of hammers and drove me nuts).
A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE GREAT HUSBANDS,WIVES AND LOVERS OUT THERE WHO SUPPORT US ALL ;););)
Penny
Hiya Wonky!
I know exactly what you're saying Dilu - Oh the joys of the menopause. I'm taking the pills now so sleep a lot better and my other half would need a brass band playing next to his head to wake him up, but i did spend half the night sewing, designing eating choclate etc before the pills.
I hand sew and cut all my quilts because it's just how i like to do it, you should see the fun i have when the quilt gets full size and i'm trying to baste the wadding and the backing to it. I've only made one full size quilt so far - but i've made lots of smaller throws and loads of mini quilts for bears. Bear quilts are so nice to make as i can carry them around with me and sew a little bit at a time.
The large baby bear idea sounds lovely Dilu, you'll have to post a photo of it when you get around to making it
Penny
Hello Again Girls!
So i'm not the only one who thinks about bears when dropping off to sleep - Good, as i was wondering if i was a bit odd!!!
Dilu, i love quilting and have almost finished a cot quilt for my first grandchild called Joshua (the baby is called Joshua not the quilt LOL).
I have gradually been building up a stash of fabrics in beautiful autumn colours for a special quilt for my own bed, i thought that autumn was a good theme beacause i'm heading towards the autumn of my life and i'm just like a bear - when autumn comes around i start looking for a place to hibernate!
Coming from the UK i can only imagine what you Americans think of my use of British slang language, i may have to add a dictionary to my posts.
WONKY - a slang word for being a little off kilter - not straight
Hugs Girls
Penny;)
Hiya Jane
I began making bears when i had to give up work due to ill health. I have some lovely old bears that were mine as a child and some even older ones that belonged to my uncle (i'm not quite old enough for my bears to be called antique).
I decided that as i could'nt afford to buy all the bootiful bears that i'd seen on websites and in shops that i'd have a go making one for myself - if it turned out really wonky it would'nt matter!!!
My first bear was soooo funny - bless him, but he was sort of OK so i persevered and made another one which turned out really well, i was a bit shocked when someone wanted to buy him but was pleased that my bear was nice enough for someone to like him so much that they would part with their hard earned cash! He went to live in Athens, Greece and apparently went to the Olympic games too!
I can't stop making bears now - sometimes i'm just dropping off to sleep and a beary idea will pop into my head and i can't wait to get up the next day and start designing the new bear
I think i'm well and truly hooked now
Penny
I had a teddy bear for my 5th birthday and i loved him to bits - i still have him today! He has a little chime box inside him which still works. I think it was the lovely sound he made that really attracted me to him plus he was very soft and cuddly.
I called him Tinka-Tonk as that was the sound he made - i occasionally get him out of the cabinet and give him a shake, it still makes me smile!
Penny
Hi Dawn
I've found a good way to soften airbrushed mohair is to pop it in the tumble drier on a cool setting with one of those fabric softener sheets. It gets rid of any chemical smell from the ink too. I would'nt leave the mohair in the dryer for a long time just in case it overheats and all your hard work will go to waste!
Good luck
Penny :O)
