MINIATURE TEDDY BEARS MADE BY KATHY CORLEY

Living with teddy bears

December 19, 2020

We used to collect teddy bears, Doug especially (I was usually in the background, wringing my hands and worrying about his spending habits). When we lived in Los Gatos (CA), we would visit Bears in the Wood, a wonder filled store owned by Howard and Janee McKinney and devoted entirely to teddy bears. These two wee ones (3” and 2” tall, when seated), which we purchased in the mid-1980s, were made by Kathy Corley. They are so tiny and the workmanship is amazing. As someone who sews, I really appreciate the skill that went into making these bears.

We first met Howard and Janee when we were on our honeymoon in June 1980. When we got home from the honeymoon, we turned around and went back, bought a house and lived in Los Gatos for ten years. Howard and Janee were the definition of “fun-loving” and their friendship meant a lot. I think we all moved away around the same time. They have lived in the Florida Keys for the last thirty years, as owners of a fabulous fishing and safari travel business called Fishabout.

Our friendship became a Christmas cards once a year kind of thing, although Facebook has enabled us to be in touch more often and to enjoy the goings on in each others lives. The other day we had a very fun phone call - the kind where you talk and talk and catch up and no matter how long it’s been since the last time you’ve communicated, you just pick up as though you’ve never been separated.

Fungus :: Family :: Flickr

October 18, 2018

We had quite a wet summer here in Connecticut. My yard became a fungus factory … a mushroom manufacturer … a mold maker. Do you like my awesome attempts at alliteration? Ha! Take that, Miss Ross … my seventh grade English teacher who questioned whether I had independently authored my poetry assignment … this, because I had rhymed troll with droll.

This is my daughter, age 30, on the left, and me when I was age 30 (or maybe 31 or 32). Isn’t it wonderful/bizarre how much we look alike? (Both photos by Doug Crites-Moore.)

It’s finally cold here. I always have a bit of a contest with myself, to see how long I can hold out before turning on the heat - usually it’s a struggle toward the end of September and I often don’t make it all the way to October 1. This year, it’s been warm and muggy for the first two weeks of the month and I just got around to turning on the heat on October 16. I’m sure it is related to climate change. Those poor people in Florida ... what do you do when suddenly everything is gone? There’s no electricity, the streets are a mess of rubble, the market shelves are picked clean, and you don’t even have a shelter to huddle in because it’s been destroyed as well. There is horrible, horrible suffering going on all over the world. Sorry, not my intention to drag you down a despairing spiral of woe. But before I drop the topic altogether, I’d like to recommend a book: Eaarth, by Bill McKibbon.

Years ago, I would post collections of interesting photos I found on Flickr. I called it Flickr Friday. Recently, I was doing some house cleaning in my computer files and I came across the collections. They are as appealing as ever, so I think I will publish them all over again. This time around, I’m calling it Flickr Findings … because I don’t want to pay attention to what day I publish them. And when I’ve run out of old collections, I’ll create new ones.

1. Fortitude, 2. Verso il basso, 3. Anselm Kiefer, Zim Zum, 1990, 4. Graham Knott, Full of Beans, 5. Tout angora et couleurs, 6. Laurence, Damier, 7. desedamas, logcabin vs scrappers, 8. What is happening around the corner?, 9. Vision, 10. Luna's eyes, 11. Marian Bijlenga, japan 2, 12. Sonia

Sewist’s soul food

August 19, 2017

Gobs of embroidery floss purchased at an online auction ... and I got a great price!

Finally finishing this little taupe nine-patch. I thought I might make it a sewing roll-up, or even a book of some sort, but no - I just want it to be a nine-patch with no particular purpose but to please the eye.

"There’s a loaf of moldy bread on the kitchen counter - please don’t throw it away. I want to see if I can get some prints from it." Yes, that is a typical sentence at our house.

Bill and Adeline ... two of my favorite people.

Vintage glass floats (most of which were gifts) in an awesome vase (which was a gift).

studio clean-up progress report 8-13-2017

Studio clean-up: slowly, slowly reclaiming my space.

So sorry ... Were You Trying To Read?

Basic training

June 29, 2017

Sorting through linens. This one makes my heart swoon, it’s just so sweet. I should photograph more of the tea towels and napkins and so on - they're just so good to share. I love looking at these remnants of a time gone by. :-)

I’ve had this wire basket for a few years. I keep it on the counter and use it to hold things like lemons and garlic, generally not at the same time. :-) :-)

I’ve been trying to convince a certain man in my life that it’s really a nice thing to push your chair back in when you leave the table. I call this Basic Training. :-) :-) :-)

Such a secret place

March 3, 2017

Something precious arrived recently: a textile woven by Susan Johnson of Avalanche Looms. Spilled Milk, Half-empty or Half-full is the title of this small textile. It is one of a series Susan calls crying towels. She says they are "about our human experience of sorrow. Our human tears flow for many reasons, from slicing onions, or small frustrations, or physical or psychic pain. Some tears are for hard things, that can't be changed. These towels are suitable for all occasions of crying, made with sympathy and compassion for our shared human condition."

It took my breath away when I opened the small parcel that arrived in my mailbox. It is lovely beyond words. Adeline, Bill and I spent a good amount of time admiring it and discussing the many ways in which it might be displayed. It was quite pleasing to see both of them have such genuine appreciation for this beautiful handwork.

I’ve admired Susan’s work for years and now I've finally managed to acquire a piece. And am I now feeling satisfied? No. I want more!

I’ve been experimenting with the No-Knead Bread recipe. I finally have a nice shape figured out but the flavor is lacking. It’s not bad, but it also is not awesome. Fresh baked bread has to be awesome.