Well another year is almost over!!! 
And I have been trying to decide which way to go with my bears. I love the traditional, so I will continue to do those. I also love the primitive type, probably comes from my love of American folk art, which I try to emulate in my other art, of decorative painting.
I also have a leaning towards the realistic type of bear, so maybe try a couple more of those. I think I will have to start designing my own patterns with regards to that type of bear, as they seem to be bigger bears & I can't say I've ever come across those kind of patterns to buy. 
Below are the three types of bears that I'm thinking will be my 2014 "collection". Mosely, a little prim bear, Rigsby, traditional & Bruno, realistic. Mind you things could change!!!!

The three bears that I had entered in the NTBAA did not win anything. Never mind they were at least show cased to the world & next year I will try to improve my photography skills to make the best of the bears.
Should be getting the results for the TBAAF photographic competition tomorrow. Not holding out much hope there either. The bears in the competition are fantastic, so up against a lot of stiff competition. I shall use these competitions, this year, as experience & if I can become a better photographer, I may stand a little more of a chance!!! But as I said before it still show cases your bears around the world.
One more competition to go, The French Teddy Awards. Again a photographic competition &, oh so, beautiful bears. The results for that is the 20th December, I think, & what a lovely Christmas present that will be for the winners.
If I don't get on here again, can I wish you all a very merry Christmas & a happy New Year.
Just going to post some pics of the last four bears made in 2013. Will apologise beforehand as they are a little dark, but as I've said I will improve on my photography skills for 2014.

 Moorcroft 12" bear made from a reinvented velvet type jacket. The pattern very much reminds me of the William Moorcroft ceramic design, hence this bear's name

 Pixie is another 12" bear made from the reinvented jacket & synthetic fur. I used two of the buttons from the jacket to sew to the front of the bear.

Pippa is a 9" bear made from a very soft plush, claret & black fur.

Lastly Pansy a 7" bear made from the jacket .

Getting ready, today, for 14 whole days at the Oxmarket Centre of Arts exhibition.
Have done this for a number of years now, but always with my painted stuff, & in the last couple of years , a few bears.
This year I am taking the plunge in just taking my bears. I don't have enough painted stuff as I still have a couple more craft fairs before Christmas, so this will be the first time I have exhibited the bears on their own. Fingers crossed. 
Mean while posting a some of pics of my latest bears.

 Clancy 6.5" sparse mohair bear, extra large tummy filled with plastic pellets. English glass eyes, suede like pads & paws.

 Joey 10" mohair bear, body polyfil & plastic pellet filled. English glass eyes & suede pads & paws.

Elijah, 12" old style bear with long hockey stick arms. He is wood wool filled with suede like pads & paws. He has genuine boot button eyes. He wears a lovely handmade cap to finish his look.

I have entered 3 photographic competitions recently, the NTBAA, the TBAAF, & the French Teddy Awards. Now I'm not the world's greatest photographer but it is the bear that is being judged! Hopefully I have shown them off to their best advantage.
Below are, Marilyn the pink ellie Teddy Bear Friend category. Bruno, Best Undressed category. And lastly Joni, Best Dressed category. These three are entered in the NTBAA photographic awards.

 

This is Rosa, entered in the Traditional English Rose category in the TBAAF

and below is Clem, entered in the Primitive Blessings category

The last competition is The French Teddy awards. In this one I have Rigsby in the Best Undressed

& Icicle in the Realistic Bear category

Jaffa is a 16" bear made from a long, gingery colour, ultra soft Tissavel plush fur. His pads, paws & inner ears are made from upholstery fabric. His body is filled with tumplum pellets, steel shot & heavy fibre poly fill, thus making him quite a heavy bear. He is 5 way cotterpin jointed & has English glass eyes, & has a little "handmade with love" heart sewn into his ear.

Felix is Finlay's big brother, made from the same soft Tissavel plush fur. Felix is 5 way cotter pin jointed with wool felt pads, paws & inner ears. His body is filled with heavy fill poly fibre, to make him just a little heavier. He has genuine boot button eyes & a little "handmade with love" heart sewn into his ear.

Finlay is a 7" bear made from a lovely soft Tissavel plush fur. He is 5 way cotter pin jointed with Cath Kidston fabric pads, paws & inner ears. He has some tumplum pellets in his tummy to give him a little added weight. Finlay has genuine boot button eyes & has a little "handmade with love" heart sewn into his ear.

This bear was made from two, of one of my collectors, daughter's coats. The body & head are made from a suede like fabric & the footpads are made from the embroidered pockets of the same coat. The arms, legs & ears are made from a lovely ultra soft, furry jacket. I thoroughly enjoyed designing this bear & was really pleased with the outcome.

Summer is a little 5.5" bear made from Shulte sparse mohair. She is 5 way cotter pin jointed with ultra suede footpads. He ears & paws have been scissor sculpted & pastel shaded, as has her eyes & nose area. She wears hippy orientated accessories.

Moonshine is a 9" bear made from a blonde, long Shulte mohair. He is 5 way cotter pin jointed with ultra suede pads. His body is poly & steel shot filled. His accessories are hippy orientated.

Mosely is a 9" bear made from gold viscose which I have aged with coffee & pastel colouring. He has ultra suede pads & is 5 way cotter pin jointed. His body is poly & steel shot filled to give him a nice weighty feel. He wears a pair of aged dungarees & a rusty bell with tag around his neck.

Edward is a 12" bear made from a shulte ratinee mohair. He has wool felt pads & English glass eyes. He won me 3rd place in the traditional teddy bear class 20 to 30cms, at the National Teddy Bear Artists Awards on Sunday 19th May 2013.

Fred is a 5" bear made from sparse mohair. He is 5 way cotter pin jointed with ultra suede pads & English glass eyes.

Bamboo is a 3 1/2" panda, made from sparse mohair. He is 4 way thread jointed with felt pads & glass bead eyes.

Sylvester is a 7" bear made from a multi coloured shulte mohair. He is 5 way cotter pin jointed with faux cashmere pads. He wears a hand charm saying "handmade" around his neck

Arnie is a new bear added to the Lane's End Bears collection. He is 10" standing, except, because of his rather large tummy he find sitting more comfortable. He is made from olive green ratinee mohair. He has wool felt pads & inner ears. He wears a little tag on his wrist saying "hugs".

Arfur is a 14" bear made from sparse, shulte mohair. He has been lightly stuffed with polyfil, plastic pellets & remnants of fabric to give him a really loved feel. He has gold vintage velvet pads, is 5 way cotter pin jointed & has genuine boot button eyes. He has a few bald patches & "repairs". I still have to coffee stain him as I think he still look's a little too new.

Tim is a 12" bear made from faux fur. He is 5 way cotter pin jointed with ultra suede pads & inner ears. He wears a hand knitted jumper.

Oliver is 15" bear made from faux fur. He is 5 way cotter pin jointed with felt pads & inner ears. He wears a pair of hand knitted overalls.

Isaac is a 19" bear (my biggest to date) made from shulte mohair. He has ultra suede pads & English glass eyes. He has a vintage brass key & aged name tag around his neck. He is 5 way cotter pin jointed. Isaac is a weighted bear, so there is a lot to hold.

Here are Dusty & Saskia. They are both 9" bears made from different patterns. Dusty is made from a light blue, navy tipped shulte mohair & Saskia is made from the same plush fur that Icicle is made from. They are both 5 way cotter pin jointed. Dusty's pads & inner ears are made from linen fabric & Saskia's are made from handmade Alpaca felt.

In an earlier post I showed you Icicle, here is another photo of him. I'm trying (in vain) to capture him at his best angle!!!

Marley is a 7" bear made from a dusty pink faux fur. (The photo has come out a little on the dark side) She is 5 way cotter pin jointed with felt pads & inner ears. The charm around her neck reads "made with love".

Baggins & Baxter are 12"bears. Baggins on the left is made from string mohair, with wool felt pads. Baxter is made from natural laid mohair & wool felt pads. They are both 5 way cotter pin jointed. They can be viewed on Bear Pile or my facebook page.

I am well excited, a friend's sister has given me, yes given, a whole load of mohair. Can't wait to get started on some bears. Looking through patterns now to make, hopefully, some truly wonderful bears.

Icicle is a polar bear made from a lovely soft plush fur. He stands about 10" & is 18" long. He is 5 way cotter pin jointed with handmade alpaca felt pads. His face has been scissor sculpted & his nose area is hand shaded. He is incredibly tactile, I'm sure he took me so long to make because I just kept stroking him.Icicle is available for adoption, just e mail me for further details. He has been designed as an adult collectable, he is not a toy & is not suitable for children under 14 years old.

Corp is a 15" bear made from khaki fleece fabric. He is 5 way cotterpin jointed with brown safety eyes & felted pads & inner ears. He wears, with pride, a handmade felt poppy. Corp will be accompanying me to various craft shows up to & including the weekend of the 15th & 16th June 2013. At each of these shows I will be selling raffle tickets for him & all proceeds will go to Help for Heros

 This is Rosina, a 15" bear made from white faux fur. She has cotton fabric pads & inner ears. She is 5 way cotterpin jointed with black safety eyes. Rosina wears a vintage lace collar with a vintage brooch, a long necklace, a little hat & glasses. Rosina has been adopted.

 Clementine is another 15" bear made from faux Mongolian lamb fur. She has vintage velvet pads & paws, & black safety eyes. She is 5 way cotter pin jointed. Clementine wears a hat, a ribbon round her neck & a vintage cotton collar fastened with a little art deco brooch. Clementine is available for adoption.

Thought it was about time I started my blog again. Back in August 2012 I said I would try to blog more often!!!. That didn't last. So now I am making a promise to myself that I will try to write a blog at least once a week.