|
Amy Chan: Posted on 06 January 2020 12:32
Happy New Year 2020
Wow, 2020, time certainly does fly. I started my bear making journey in 2012, eight years ago, and it's been an amazing learning curve. I have built my little business on my own, around my growing children. I have now decided to expand the bears and share my knowledge and teach you all how to make your own bears and quilts. Depending on demand, I will hold day workshops at my home (for now) with up to three/four students. Materials and lunch/refreshments will all be included, all you need to bring along are the clothes your would like to use. |
|
|
Amy Chan: Posted on 17 July 2016 13:32
Introducing new Keepsake Toy Paintings!
I love painting these, they bring me so much pleasure. They were actually something I used to paint when I was younger. I have always had a real love of soft toys and I had lots of favourites.
These paintings are such a lovely way to save the memories of childhood, with something so sentimental.
They are wonderful for Christening, birthday and new mum presents. They will arrive in an A3 frame all ready to hang the wall. They cost £46 including postage to the UK. |
|
|
Amy Chan: Posted on 02 April 2015 13:10
Making a Wedding Dress Keepsake Bear - Part One
Wedding dress keepsake bears are a lovely way to use your wedding dress and have something to remind you of your special day. I really love making them as they are always very different, according to the dress I am using.
Some are very plain so you need to use the best bits of the dress.
Some are heavily beaded, which means the bear can take twice as long to make due to the beading having to be un picked and hand sewn back on.
Some dresses are very lacy, which means they gave to be backed and lined so it reinforces the fabric. |
|
|
Bowman Bears- Amy Chan: Posted on 24 February 2015 13:00
I was asked to make three Remembrance Bears recently using two waistcoats.
The bears were to be wearing mini waistcoats. There wasn't going to be enough fabric from the waistcoats to make the bears out of it so I decided to make fluffy traditional bears. A bit out of my comfort zone.
Anyway, I decided to use a brown fleecy fabric for the bear body, and the waistcoat fabric for the paw pads and feet.
A different nose was needed for these bears, so I attempted to sew the traditional noses instead of the way I normally do them. |
|
|
Amy Chan: Posted on 11 February 2015 17:05
'Each bear has a story'.
This was a quote from a customer recently who was absolutely right. Each bear does have a story, especially Remembrance Bears. Made from sentimental clothing, they can help through the grief of loosing a loved one.
Of course its lovely to make bears using baby clothes and even Wedding dress bears, but somehow, Remembrance bears are that little bit more special, and I love making them.
I recently made a bear for a lovely lady. Her Nanny had just passed away and she asked me to make two special Remembrance bears for her using Nanny's clothes. |
|
|
Amy Chan: Posted on 27 January 2015 15:22
Keepsake Christmas stockings AFTER Christmas?? What is going on over at Bowman Bears!?
Well, actually, what better time to make one when you have the Christmas clothes to hand and you know your beautiful baby won't wear them again next year.
It's been lovely making them, and such a nice way too use up the Christmas Clothes, that so often get worn only once or twice.
They are only £14.00 plus p&p. Pop over to my website www.bowmanbears.com to order.
A lovely Keepsake to treasure forever. |
|
|
Amy Chan: Posted on 20 August 2013 09:04
Thank you to everyone who entered my first official Giveaway. Sorry about the problems with posting to my blog and actually entering. I will probably run it from another giveaway site next time!
I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You to everyone who has supported Bowman Bears since I started in Jan 2012. I love what I do and I'm so glad that I can do it. Without people who support Bowman Bears I wouldn't be able to do it, so Thank you.
So I will now announce the winner...... |
|
|
Amy Chan: Posted on 20 August 2013 08:49
Wedding Keepsake Bears
Have you ever wondered what to do with your lovely wedding dress after the wedding? I did. I loved mine and was very sad that it was up in the loft, not being seen. Wedding dresses are probably the most expensive dress we women will ever own and It's difficult knowing you will probably never wear it again after the wedding. I thought about turning my own dress into a Keepsake Wedding Bear, and Im so glad I did.
The first cut was hard, but after that it was fine. My dress had lots of sparkles and beads and wanted to incorporate them into my bear, so I had to use sections from all over the dress. |
|
|
Posted on 14 July 2013 12:52
Hi all, well I have completed my first bear attached to her base and I am really pleased with it. I have had good feedback, and some people have said that a square base would work better, I agree, so I can do either, square or oval. Square would sit better on a shelf as someone stated, which is very true.
Here she is.
She is sitting on a plywood base, painted pale pink with wooden letters painted cream.
I can pretty much paint them any colour, but for now I have bought pink, blue and cream as most of the bears I make are a mixture of these colours. |
|
|
Amy Chan: Posted on 03 July 2013 14:49
 As most of you will know, I have always made and sold my bears as Keepsake Bears so they are display items. However, they do have an appeal to children. (Naturally) Now, the tricky thing was how to be able to sell and make my keepsake bears legally? They couldn't be CE marked due to the material that was being used. And I was advised that the only truly safe way of testing one of my bears was to have it tested at a testing house. Which wasn't possible in this circumstance.
So, today I am very excited as I have had the ok from Kingston Borough council Trading Standards that the way I have place my bears on stands is sufficient to be classed as a display item. |
|
