I'm still here...

Well, it has been some time since I've posted here. I am still carving, and I am still carving Whittlebears. It seems that is all I am consistent at carving. I dabble here and there--sometimes a Little Guy, started a caricature, maybe a pin, ornaments for a swap. But I usually have a bear I started or I see a piece of scrap wood, and I see a bear in it. I pick it up, trace the pattern that fits, and start carving. It usually takes me a total of 3 hours or so to carve a bear. I rarely finish one in a single sitting. In fact it usually goes in stages. First, I carve up to the pattern line I traced. Then I start carving in the front. Then I carve the back. Then I carve in the features of the face--the mouth, the nose and then the ears. Then It sits on the bench until I get too many bears or I get in the mood to paint the eyes and the heart. The painting doesn't take all that much to do. It's just I'd rather do a bunch and only have to clean the brush once after the black, and once after the red.

Since the beginning of the Pandemic, I've had a new focus with carving the bears. My wife sews, and she began sewing masks for friends. Her sister's best friend is a nurse up in Massachusetts. So, Michelle sent a bunch of masks up to her. I have a shoe box where I keep my bears after I finish them.

I leave them ready to become pins, ornaments, magnets--whatever is needed. I asked Michelle to send some bears up with the masks. So, 50 or so Whittlebear pins went to the nurses and staff.

Cindy wrote back saying they love them and asked if we could send more. I had another 20 or so left and I carved up another 15 or so. 35 more bears went up to some hard working nurses and hospital staff. Cindy thanked us and said that everyone appreciated the thoughts and cheering up the bears brought them.

So, I've been carving more bears as I get time. I enjoy carving them. They give me peace, and a time and place where I can step out of the world and focus just on carving a bear. I'm sure I will amass a collection of bears and they will go to homes one by one. In fact there are 6 bears sitting on my desk right now waiting for paint. And another 2 in various stages of carving.

So, I hope everyone is well and bearing up these days. I know I am--with a little help from my friends.