Little Acorns
- About the Bearsmith
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Little Acorns - About the Bearsmith |
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A snapshot of the bearsmith (in the "olden days") with Walnut and Catkin (the first "LITTLE ACORNS")
About the Bearsmith
Well, ... let me see ... where do I begin ?
Once upon a time ... no, no... stop with the imagination ... let's just start with the facts :
Name : Jane Montgomery (nee Orphan).
Background Info :
Born in January 1964, in South Wales, UK.
I still live in South Wales, proud to be Welsh. I'm also quite passionate about my small (but expanding) home town that has several lovely parks, coastland on one side and rolling hills on the other and a stately home all it's own ! Wow, we finally achieved city status ! (2002).
Work : After a number of false starts, I now work as an Occupational Therapist with a local community mental health team and live with 2 wonderful, elderly cats and a houseful of beary friends.
Hobbies and Interests : My hobbies and interests include collecting and making bruins (of course !) and meeting up with the other membears of the Bear Makers of South Wales (Teddy Bear Club), making and collecting jewellery (particularly beaded work, Ruskin brooches, Victorian pieces, Whitby jet, etc), polymer clay crafting +++, working with fabric and threads, pyrography, gardening, craftwork in general, cinema (I go at least once a week !), and, formerly, dancing with Gwerinwyr Gwent (a wonderful Welsh Folkdance team - now I just love to watch dancing !).
I also have to say that one of my favourite things to do, is just spending time with my Mum. She as always been my inspiration. I have had a little problem called Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which affected my hands and meant that sometimes I was in a little too much pain to be able to sew, or to garden, or to write. I do, however, refuse to become a "grumpy" bear. Follow this link to find out about a few more of my favourite things !
The Hug : I've been collecting bears for some years and naturally have my favourite artists, such as Ruth Dickinson (Wellwood Bears), Sue Aucoin (Thread Bears), Doris Minuth (Domi-Bears), Lenie Versteeg (Lea Bears), Richard Van Aalst (I now have a lovely Richland bear in my hug), Susanne Winterberg (WinterBÄRger), Rita Diesling (Ridibears). My hug (please turn the volume down a wee bit) now numbers over 200 teds, ranging from well-loved, knitted bruins discovered in charity shops, to gorgeous artists' designs from around the globe. (See the Links page for some of my other favourites). I have to thank John and Kristin Gibbon, the proprietors of Bears of Rosehill, my local bearshop (now no longer trading from the shop), for their help in the early years of acquiring some beautiful bears and for the fun of travelling with them on their Teddy Tours UK coach expeditions, great fun ! Thanks both !
On Becoming a Bearsmith : I started creating my own bears in November 2001 after spending what seemed like FOREVER deciding upon designs and materials. After a little trial with some felt and a bought pattern (the original little Acorn was born !), I started using my own designs and Kunin felts (far cheaper than mohair, but lovely to use) and along came Walnut ! (He now lives with my Mum). I then expanded into the world of smaller teds with some gorgeous mini-bear cashmere plush materials and Mortimer, 4 and a half inches of serious bearness, was born. I was hooked ! Of course, mohair was the natural progression and out popped little Arthur. Look out bear world here I come !
The original little Acorn Mortimer
Email Jane at : orphan64@hotmail.com
