Our past influences each present day, I was reminded of this in my world when looking through some pictures of my pattern line I had in the 90's when country bears and dolls were huge. Each bear had a story and a friend, I designed them for Crafts, Teddycrafts and Butterick and it was my main design focus for several years. I found pictures on the weekend for several of my favorites. In the recent report of our CHA Designer Section Trend Team of which I am a member, teddy bears are on the rise in popularity again. Plushies and softies, quirky and whimsical have been embraced by the younger sewers and designers, I am embracing the quirky attempting to go past my two eyes need to be the same size or even if a cuddly creature needs two eyes! I will have to really stretch before I can envision a third eye on one of my characters but you have to move on with the times. Creativity without traditional boundaries is a whole exciting adventure and endless inspired territory beckons. So I give you a view of my past and Benjamin was inspired by my childhood memories of the little yellow rail car box which contained a favorite cookie treat, Animal Crackers!

And in the present I am working on all kinds of projects for three different seasons, needle felting, sewing but they are all for future publications and cannot be revealed!

Follow the JOY! Keep creating! Debra, CEO!