It’s still scorching hot out there with no end in sight, which means I am trapped indoors most of the day, watching the world go by from my air conditioned safe space.

Since science has proven that there’s only so much cleaning one can do before they begin to go mad (I’m sure there’s a peer reviewed study out there somewhere!), I’ve been keeping myself busy finishing up my latest bear while wishing winter would hurry up and return so we can break out the dog sled and harness up the team for a nice, long, ice-cold run.

Ahhh. 🙂

Things may be unbearably hot out outside but they are coming along nice and cool in the bear making department and I’m really pleased with how this one is turning out.

I managed to get the cotter pin joints in today and just need to do the final stuffing and fluffing before I stitch closed the open seams on the arms, legs and back that allow me to put it all together.

It’s my biggest Steiff bear so far and I’ll be making clothes for him for the first time so that’s pretty exciting. I’m not working from a pattern for those, I’m just going to wing it.

I was wishing I had some old buttons to use the other day and nearly forgot that I inherited some when I bought my antique Singer.

There were quite a few goodies in the drawers of that old sewing table, like an old Band-aid tin, some safety pins, thread, lace edging, buttons and these Happy Home rust proof needles which I found I actually prefer to use over the newer ones.

They look to be from the 40’s or 50’s and the quality is amazing. I just love them! I also love these old red buttons that also look to be from that time period.

I may end up using them on his clothes, or I may just keep them in my collection of vintage and antique sewing things. They probably aren’t worth much to anyone else but to me they are pretty priceless.

Kind of like my bears. They make me happy and are a great way to kill time waiting for the snow to return.