Teddy Forest Returns!

It has nearly been a year since my last visit to Teddy Forest I have been very busy with working, a bit of gardening,  a lot of ATC making, and playing in the forest. However, now bears and I are back to share the fun with you!

The Monthly West Coast Creature Feature will return shortly, but the Weekly Bear has been put on hold.

I hosted a Bear Swap - Beautiful Bears of the World on www.atcsforall.com and am currently working on an Animals of the Alphabet project (currently on G).

Swap Gallery for the Bear Swap:

ATCs by smallgirl, blueeyedlady76, deer blossom, Marryth, crisbear, GwennieJo, ferretgirl,  Jewels,  Tandy, donnacr, Sarnie, Elena, and spineofafish.
Cards were from Canada, USA, England, and Indonesia

Weekly Bear-Polar Bear Pair

Finally a new Weekly Bear! This ATC is a collage made from mostly recycled materials: paper from a card, bear pictures cut from my stationary, and the "True North" words from my old agenda. If you'd like to trade, it is available in my gallery on www.atcsforall.com

Polar Bear Facts:

• Their reliance on Arctic sea ice makes them "marine mammals." This designation is usually used for animals like seals, porpoises, and whales.
• 60% of all polar bears live in Canada
• They are genetically close to grizzly bears, and due to climate change, interbreeding may become a reality. At least two "pizzlies" have been documented in Canada
• They are threatened by climate change, due to the shrinking of sea ice

Help polar bears by conserving energy, taking your bike, and spending lots of time outdoors, rather than online reading this blog! :)

Another Weekly Bear...and some bees.

Ay!

"Oh Bother! Bees!" by smallgirl

I realize that my Teddy Forest posts are getting a little sporadic, and this trend may get worse as I am teaching this summer. However, here is another Weekly Bear, created for the My Sweet Honey Bees swap on www.atcsforall.com.

The rest of the cards in the set are bee themed.

Queen Bee by smallgirl

Fraser Valley Honey by smallgirl

Tricoloured bumblebee by smallgirl

Have a berutiful 

Weekly Bear #10- "Remembear" that a baby bear is a baby bear!

It's Spring and on the West Coast that means that baby black bears and grizzly bears are emerging with their parents. They are soooo fluffy, and soooo cute, and soooo totally still BEARS!

Grizzly bear cub by smallgirl
Black bear cub by smallgirl

Cute as they are, bears are wild animals and should not be fed, pet, touched, or interacted with in any way by people. Each year, many black bears are destroyed here on the West Coast because of negative interactions with humans. We can all live together safely if we follow a few basic precautions like: if you live in bear country, store your trash and pet food properly, clean up and pick fruit from fruit trees quickly, leash your pets when hiking, and travel in areas known to have bears in groups and with caution.

Check out this amazing video for more information about why bears are deserving of our respect:
http://vimeo.com/65780506

More Weekly Bears!!

So, I am really behind in the Weekly Bears. They are not so weekly anymore, more like "weeklyish." All the bears in Teddy Forest are disappointed in me, as they were all clamouring to have their portraits drawn. However, to make up for it, here are four bears for a swap on www.atcsforall.com.
The theme is Whimsical Critters at the Beach.

Whimsical Bears at the Beach by smallgirl

Have a beary nice day!

Weekly Bear #8- Green Thumb Teddy Bear

Green Thumb Teddy Bear by smallgirl

Don't you just love this little bear ATC? He's probably my favourite weekly bear (so much so that this is actually version #2, I've kept version #1 for my collection). To trade, look for smallgirl at www.atcsforall.com

It's so gorgeous right now...sunny for the past few days with temperatures in the mid-teens, all kinds of flowers blooming, and robins everywhere!

Wee folk, St. Patrick's Day, and Weekly Bear #7

Minty and a Wade leprachaun by smallgirl

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Teddy Forest! Minty, one of the Teddy Forest wee bears, went on a little St. Patrick's Day stroll in the garden today. She was lovingly made by the Timeless Doll Gallery, local West Coast makers of fine porcelain miniature dolls and bears. Sadly, they are no longer in business.

Weekly Bear #7-St. Patty's Bear

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Weekly Bear #6-Dreaming of Spring

Weekly Bear #6-Dreaming of Spring

This polar bear wonders what spring is like in other lands. Done in watercolour pencil and gel pen with collage.

crocus by smallgirl

It's been gorgeous here on the West Coast (amid rain and wind storms) and the spring flowers are starting to bloom.

first daffodil by smallgirl

snowdrops by smallgirl

Wishing you sunshine and flowers!!

Weekly Bear #5- Postal Panda

Since this month celebrates the Lunar New Year festival, I thought I would continue with another panda.

Postal Panda by smallgirl

I made this panda ATC by recycling the insides of security envelopes, as well as a red envelope that contained a Year of the Snake mini-calendar. To trade with me, got to www.atcsforall.com and look for smallgirl.

I've also linked Postal Panda on Collage Obsession, where this week's theme is "Asian inspired" and Fun With ATCs, where the bi-weekly theme is "Something Red"

Happy Saturday!

Weekly Bear #4- Love Rules Without Rules Polar Bears

Happy Valentine's Day from Teddy Forest! For this week's Weekly Bear ATC, I offer two loving polar bears. As usual, if you would like to trade with me, please go to www.atcsforall.com and look for smallgirl.

Love Rules Without Rules ATC by smallgirl

I made this collage ATC using My Mind's Eye scrapbook paper, punched vellum and paper, and a picture of polar bears cut from Canadian Wildlife Federation stationary.

Happy Valentine's Day!! LOVE LOVE LOVE smallgirl and Teddy Forest

Weekly Bear #3- Gung Hay Fat Choy Panda

Gung Hay Fat Choy from Teddy Forest! It's Chinese New Year on Sunday, so my Weekly Bear is a Panda. If I get my act together, I hope to do some more Chinese New Year posting, but for now, please enjoy...THE GUNG HAY FAT CHOY PANDA!

Weekly Bear #3 by smallgirl

To trade, go to www.atcsforall.com and look for smallgirl

Weekly Bear #2- Midnight Sun Polar Bear

Midnight Sun Polar Bear ATC by smallgirl

This torn-paper "Midnight Sun Polar Bear" is my second ATC in the Weekly Bear ATC series. The design was inspired by the painting style of British-Canadian artist, Ted Harrison. Weekly Bear #1, Sebastian, is still available. Find both via www.atcsforall.com

Announcing...the Weekly Bear project at Teddy Forest

Here in Teddy Forest, I have decided to make one ATC with a bear on it each week and upload it to this blog. Hopefully, this will help me commit to blogging more regularly about bears (my favourite animal!), spread the word about how awesome bears are (real and teddy), and help me practice new artistic techniques.

If you would like to trade your ATCs for any of my Weekly Bears, please contact me through www.atcsforall.com, username "smallgirl".

Here is "Sebastian, the Hitchhiker" my first Weekly Bear ATC!


Sebastian, the hitchhiker by smallgirl
Weekly Bear #1

 Wish me luck with this :)