Month of Letters

 I'm doing a bit of a challenge this month.

In this age of hi-tech with email texts and the like nobody takes the time to sit down and write a letter.

So this month I'm attempting to write a letter every day to someone.

I have got myself some nice notepaper and cartridges for my fountain pen .

I used to love writing and receiving letters and in my teens I had penpals all over the world.

It was great when the postman came and there was a letter for me.I never opened it straight away .I used to wait till I had time to sit down and savour the words.

When you send emails they dissapear into the ether to be read once and deleted .But with a letter you can read and re-read them .

If you'd like to slow down and maybe write someone a letter you can find out about the challengs HERE

If you'd like to receive a letter from me email me your address at info(at)laalbear(dot)co(dot)uk

and i'll write to you .

It's been a long , long time .

Well this is a novelty ,me posting a blog .

I'm sorry folks for not blogging for aaaages but life seems to have got in the way somewhere along the line .

It's been very busy here at Chez Bears . The Etsy shop is going great guns . We usually have January off but this year it was noses to the grindstone just after New Year . 

Not that I'm complaining I wouldn't have it any other way .

We had a lovely Christmas with the familly. The Somerset branch came up for a few days just before Christmas and the rest came on Boxing day .

We have quite a houseful these days with all our children and Grand Bears. 

Speaking of which . I have a little announcment to make .

There's another Grandbear on the way

Our daughter and her boyfriend are expecting a little boy in March.

Papa and I are thrilled to bits as it makes our family complete .All our children now have children of there own :0)

Well this new one will bring the total of Grandbears up to 7 . Idealy I would like 10 to equal my Mum but 7 's a good number lol.

I love having a big family . 

We are all going away in the Summer to Whitby. DS2 has managed to find three cottages to accomadate us all . The biggest has dining room for 20 so it will be like The Waltons . I'm really looking forward to it .

I hae revamped my old Blogshop blog to become a showcase for all things dyeing and knitting.It is now called LaalBearKnits I propose to use it to promote the business and use this one as a more personal journal type one keeping you up to date withe the family etc.

Hopefully I will be blogging once a week here and intermittantly on the other. 

TTFN :0)

Movember

This is just a quick post . I promise I'll do a full update soon.

You're probably wondering about the title today .

Movember is to raise awareness for Prostate and Testicular cancers.

Men have to grow a moustaches during the month of November and be sponcored for doing so .

This year Papa and DS3 have joined forces to raise money for this good cause .

They will start off clean shaven today and won't shave there taches for a month.

You can read all about Movember on their Website HERE

If you wish to donate to Papa And DS3 they are The Cads & Bounders .

Just click on donate and type in The Cads & Bounders.

This cause is now very dear to my heart as my only brother has just been diagnosed with this horrible disease.As you all know how I was when I lost my darling Bobby  nearly 3 years ago you'll know how I feel 

Also Papa lost his Dad 14 yrs ago to it.

Please help my boys raise loads of money for this worthy cause.

Thank you in advance :0)

The Wedding.

There's been a wedding in the Bear Family :0)

The youngest of our Cubs got married on Sunday.

In the words of Pa Larkin it was"Perrfick"

We had a dodgy moment at lunchtime when it heaved it down but as the wedding wasn't until 4-00pm it had time to fair up again, which it did .It stayed fine for the rest of the day .Thank you Dad.

The Somerset branch of the family came up for the weekend,which was good as we hadn't seen the boys for over a year.My how they'd grown.

Gathering of Bears

 The Somerset Branch of the Family.

 The Rishton Branch of the Family

And our only daughter with her Partner

All the She Bears 

The Groom and his Best Man

Waiting for the Bride

Nervous Groom

 Taking their vows.I just love this pic So much love :0)

 Scene stealer Baby bear

Signing the register

 The newly weds.They left the ceremony to Morecambe and Wise singinbg Bring me Sunshine.What a classic song and it says it all.

 Cheers

 With the parents

Don't they make a handsome couple

 Baby Bear with her Uncle

and her Auntie

 Papa with his new daughter in law

The Groom entertaning the wedding guests.He's a profesional singer and he said he's sung at everyone else's wedding so why not his own.

It was a lovely day and was so relaxed.

I hope you have enjoyed sharing it with me :0)

Patchwork and Friends

Greetings Readers.

I have been busy again :0)

This time the patchwork bug has bitten again and I blame Gemma from out Knitting Group.

She has been making some stunning quilts and it inspired me to take up patchwok again after a 15yr+ break.

I'd always bought my fabric in fat quarters or by the yard but now you can buy Jelly Rolls that make life a lot easier

They come in all sorts of colours and it was hard choosing which ones to buy.So i bought lots.

This is my first quilt using Jelly Rolls.

It was made with someone very special in mind.

As you know I have often blogged about my friend Artis-Anne and Tony and how we go down to Wales to stay with them. I met Annie about three years ago through Ravelry and we hit it off straight away.We both have a love of all things woolly be it knitting , spinning or weaving and both have a wicked sense of humour. When I was ill 2yrs ago she rang nearly every day to see how I was and we have forged a very close bond .Recently she to has been ill ,having to have major surgery. She has recovered quite well from this but still can't get out and about on her own and sometimes has down days.Unfortunately we live 130 miles from one another so popping round to give her a hug isn't an option .So I made her this quilt as a hug from me .Now when she has a down day she can wrap the quilt round her and know that it's got lots of love in it :0)

We ahve just had a few days down in Wales and I took the quilt for her.It is now known as 'Annie's Hug '

And here's the lady her modelling her Hug .BTW she was feeling fine I just made her have her pic took under the quilt Lol

My next blog will be super duper one as our youngest DS is getting married on Sunday so there will be lots of pics to share with you .:0)