About Me

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Western North Carolina, United States
I am a 62 year old wife and mother of two grown sons, happily living with my darling husband, two dogs and a cat in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. I have moved a lot in my life and, in the process, had more than a few professional incarnations. I have been a midwife with a home-birth practice, waitress, classroom teacher, computer programmer, secretary, bookkeeper, and even a car sales person. I have always loved sewing and managed to use my skills in that area to put a little money in my pocket since I was seven and started making doll clothes for friends in the neighborhood. A little over eleven years ago, a friend drug me to my first bear show to get my mind off a health crisis in the life of my younger son, Seth. I made Mickey with his lady bug, took him to a show and the rest, as they say, is history. Now I am hooked on bears and happily designing and making the furry critters as fast as my little fingers can stitch them up.

My Shelfari Bookshelf

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog

13 June 2009

Tag I'm it and so are you!

Tag - you're it, Butterfly Crafts Online, has tagged me in her blog. Now, I get to post in my blog that I have been tagged by Butterfly Crafts Online. After that I am supposed to list seven random facts about myself and tag seven other people with links to their blogs. So here goes with the random facts:

  1. I am a midwife who used to have a home birth practice.
  2. I speak five languages.
  3. I used to date the grandson of the last Sultan of Turkey.
  4. I lived in the medieval town of Horrues in Belgium for fifteen years.
  5. I am not afraid of spiders, no matter how big and hairy or of snakes.
  6. I was in Jerusalem just before the "Six Day War"
  7. I learned to drive at 22 when my father stopped our Volkwagen bus on an uphill grade at a red light in rush hour traffic; shifted into neutral; set the parking brake; got out of the car and walked off leaving me with my sister to figure out how to get the car home.
I chose the following seven blog links totally at random using a google search for handmade crafters. Please take a moment to visit the blogs of each of these very talented artists. Here they are:
  1. http://jewelrybydesiree.blogspot.com
  2. http://leochelleisabella.blogspot.com
  3. http://zoesbagboutique.blogspot.com
  4. http://janallsopp.blogspot.com
  5. http://studio618.blogspot.com
  6. http://nunofakind.blogspot.com
  7. http://macrifotografia.blogspot.com
Shelley, the NCTeddyBearLady
Posted by Shelley, the NCTeddyBearLady at 5:55 PM

02 June 2009

Paying it Forward With Blog Awards


I am lucky enough that I can share this award with 15 of my blogger friends. To my blogger friends, here are a few rules that need to be followed to accept this award that I am going to present to you. Thank you, each and every one of you for taking the time to write such interesting blogs.
Shelley, the NCTeddyBearLady
  1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. In this case, it would an award from Tamra at With Our Hands.
  2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
  3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award. Unfortunately, I can't give it back to the person that gave it to me, but I do get to give it to 15 great bloggers!
Here are the recipients of the award from me, the NCTeddyBearLady.
  1. Teri of the Beaded Branch
  2. Laura of La-De-Da Creations
  3. Marissa of Liberty Doll
  4. Bettina of Glass Dragon Bears
  5. Joy of Catinalife
  6. Larry of Chelsea Lynn Designs
  7. Aunt Franni of Sunny Days
  8. Lori of Risky Beads
  9. Mari of Whimsy by Mari
  10. Juliet of Juliet K Bears
  11. Star of Colt Pixy
  12. Jenn of Ninja Jenn
  13. April of Creative Things
  14. AJ of 3ZArt Land
  15. Linda of ArtFire Artisans

Posted by Shelley, the NCTeddyBearLady at 6:31 AM

01 June 2009

HandMadeNews

As I have mentioned before, I am a columnist for HandMadeNews. My first article was on the subject of using Home Shows/Classes to promote both your business and your skills in beading and jewelry making. I have just finished the second of three installments on the subject of dealing with customers. The first was about face-to-face dealings at craft shows, the second is about written communication with customers and the third and final installment will feature a discussion of what to do when a customer is angry with you or the reverse, when you are not happy with something a customer has done. Please take the time to read the most recent. If you have time, please read them all, vote a thumbs up or down as you see fit and finally, if you have time for it, leave me a comment.

Promote Your Business with Home Shows/Classes
Minding Your Manners to Business Success, Part I
Minding Your Manners to Better Business, Part II, Written Communication

Thank you all for taking the time to do this for me.
Shelley, the NCTeddyBearLady

2 comments:

Tamra said...

Hi Shelley - I wanted to share with you a blog award you won, from me! You can read about it on my blog at http://withourhandsartfire.blogspot.com/.

Monday, 01 June, 2009
Karrie said...

great advice Shelley! Very well written and some wonderful points. I look forward to more!!

Tuesday, 02 June, 2009

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Posted by Shelley, the NCTeddyBearLady at 3:47 PM
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