Blee Bears
When did you start making? – I started making bears in 2006 for little presents for my daughter. I really enjoyed making them so started to sell them on EBay. They sold really well and I started to receive commissions and so I set up a little business.
What inspired / inspires you? – I get a lot of inspiration from tv, film and music. Love to recreate popular characters. I also do a lot of memory type bears and so replicate from photos etc …
What was your first make? – My first bear was a complete disaster 😂 one foot bigger than the other, eyes a bit skew-whiff. I still have it, It is quite special to me.
If you sell at shows what do you like about that? – I like to see people reactions to my bears when they pick them up. It is nice to get a collection together for people to see in the flesh rather than online.
Where do you do your work? – I sit on my sofa once I finish my full time job, and sew pretty much all night until I go to sleep.
How long does it take you to make something? – My bears take around 5-6 hours depending on the theme.
Any funny stories? – Not funny but I once sold a bear to Mr Poppy (Nativity film) for his mum and what a lovely chap he was too.
What research do you need to do? – I try to keep up with current tv/film trends and if I have a request for a character I will watch the film to make sure I get all the detail.
What other craftspeople do you admire? – I admire anything miniature and everyone who crafts. I find it fascinating what people can come up with.
