BearFlair

Alaine has found her passion to create something to hold.

Growing up, Alaine Ferreira lived in Durban, on the Kwa Zulu Natal Coast of South Africa and eventually settling in Perth, Western Australia.

“I remember the first bear I made. I nagged my mother for supplies as I had found a pattern of an unjointed polar bear in a magazine. She bought some cheap dirty pink upholstery velvet and used her machine to stitch the bear.

The bear had plastic eyes and a plastic safety nose. The end product looked like a pig than a bear.
I loved it so much, but I was busy with studies and other projects and this was the last bear I would make in a long time.”

Alaine has dabbled in painting tablecloths and cushions for a local art shop which help pay for her art supplies.

“I made my own Marionette, he was a quirky creature made out of paper mache, fabric, wire, feathers and other bits and pieces”.
She enjoys arts and crafts, including painting and sculpture. “I love sculpture, especially soft sculpture and being able to make an object that could move its arms, legs and head.

After school, Alaine studied Graphic Design. “I enjoyed this class, but I still had this hole in my heart I could not fill. I wanted to create soft sculpture, something I could hold.”

After Alaine was married, they moved to a small town named Brits near Hartenbeespoort in the Northern Province of South Africa.

This is where she started to delve into bear making.
“I had my own stall in the vibrant Hartenbeespoort Art Community, located in the tourist heartland.

Then after only a year there they we moved to a small town named Mooi Nooi, a small mining town.

“I continued to create using what materials I could find, mostly it was from the local fabric shop.”

Lemore

Contess Emeral Moon

Blossom

Buttercups

Bearcula

Lillian

Alaine gave birth to a baby and this did not stop her. She took him on shopping trips to the local fabric shop that had synthetic furs.

“Mooi Nooi was only our home for a short time before moving to our new house in Rustenburg, In the North West province, Soth Africa.”

One day the family was on a sightseeing trip to Hartenbeespoort Dam and that’s when Alaine discovered a shop carried the ‘Australian Bear Creations’ magazine.
“I was so delighted. I bought all the editions they had!”

She spent hours reading about teddy bear artists, bear making techniques and what fabrics were best to use.
“The shop also sold the South African Bear making magazine. Without saying, these were added to my magazine collection.”

Flipping through the magazines she found an advertisement for small shop carrying bear making supplies in Johannesburg.

“This was not too far for us to travel in pursuit of mohair.”
The HoneyTree was a quaint shop owned and operated by an elderly couple. The front room of their home was the shop!

They had a small selection of mohair along with bear joints and stuffing items.

“I was so excited and blew my budget! I came home with a selection of mohair and other bits and pieces.” she exclaimed.

After our second baby came along, the little free time this busy mother had was used to design and make bears.

“I started looking to the Australian bear suppliers as the choice in South Africa was so limited.”

Lou Bear Mohair opened a mohair factory and Alaine immediately ordered fabric from them.

“This was an exciting time. I even considered opening a small shop to sell bear making supplies.”

Then came a difficult decision:
“We immigrated to Perth Western Australia in 2007.

We had packed our whole lives up into four suitcases and boarded a plane. Farewells where difficult,
but I saw this as an adventure and
I was over the moon as I had done my homework and Australia had fantastic bear supply shops.

I know it sounds silly, but one must always look on the bright side, and bear making was a ray of sunshine in my life.”

They stayed in a city hotel room where she could logged onto the internet. ‘BearyCheap’ bear making supplies had a fantastic sale at that time.

“I ordered a box full of mohair along with other bits and pieces.”

About a week later the parcel arrived at the hotel.

“I no longer felt trapped in the small room. I now had bear supplies!”

Alaine started working on the new bears right away.
“We stayed at the hotel for about a month then moved into a rental property where I continued making bears and designing patterns.”

Finishing many bears, Alaine supplying BearyCheap and Gerry’s Teddy and Craft Design Shop with her own patterns.

Getting settled in Perth and in two years had moved into their own home.

“I now supplied Nana’s Teddies and Toys with my bears and sold bears on ebay and etsy. My designs included Australian animals, dogs and cats.

I entered the Australian Bear Creations competition, and my bear won an award.”

This busy gal then started working part time as an education assistant and continued her studies to achieve a Cert IIV for an education assistant.

She started working full time in the education support unit at a high school.
“Holidays were set aside for making and creating bears.”

Then a few years later in 2016, Alaine changed her career and became a full time and shift work and a front-line emergency service officer.

Mint Crisp

Pistachio

Rosalina

Tia

Alaine trades under the name ‘BearFlair’ and still finds time to make about 20 bears a year and designs 3 or 4 patterns too.

This left little time for creativity, but that never stops a creative mind.
“I still design and make bears every opportunity I get.”

Alaine participated in eBears Online Show and joined BearPile to sell her creations.

“I always wanted to attend a live show, but with the shifts I work, I have no time to prepare for and attend.”

All her bears are made even with two boys running throughout the house.

“My youngest sometimes helps me by taking photos of the finished pieces.”

“In 2018 I saw a photo of a hobby horse made out of fabric; I fell in love!”

Alaine started designing hobby horses. She makes 20 hobby horses a year and sell them on Etsy and Ebay!
“Between the hobby horses and the bears, I am sometimes snowed under in orders!”

Her bears range from the traditional look to quirky bears.
“I love making long neck quirky bears and then expanding them into werewolves, vampires and zombies. I love making dogs and kittens.”

“My hobby horses appeal to teenage girls who can not afford a horse, but hobby horses are just as much fun.”

Young girls can join their local hobby horse club and take part in competitions with like-minded hobby horse people.

In Alaine's spare time she enjoys other hobbies which include, Koi keeping and breeding, taking care of and raising 30 Love Birds, and watching two Pomeranians that love playing outside.
Outdoor activities including fishing with the family.

Mostly self taught, Alaine has learned to do scissor and needle sculpting, pulled toes and using fimo clay to make claws etc.

Shading and air brushing, trimmed muzzles, open mouth designs with teeth!

These techniques come in handy when designing fantasy bears like werewolves.

Loving to create and sew, Aline makes all the dress, outfits and many of the props for her bears.

She has been featured in:
The Australian Bear Creations magazine and her patterns published in many editions.
Teddy Bear Times & Friends Magazine.

She was an artist for Nana's Teddies and Toys.

In Gerry’s Teddy and Craft design and Bear Making Supply Shop.
Was featured in BearyCheap bear making supply shop which is now closed.

“The venue I love best to sell my bears, patterns and horses are online.

She is on Etsy, BearPile profile, eBay, eBear Online Show and in Bright Star Online shows, reaching a collectors market worldwide.

Witch Bear

Witch Bear 2

Alaine Ferreira

BearFlair

Zombeary

Wolf Bear

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