21.

Snowflake

Artist's comments: Snowflake is a bit of a funny fellow trying

his luck at ice sKating as any Snow Dragon would, but he seems

to be having some problems with balance!! I believe that might

have something to do with the slightly pudgyness of his tummy!

I tried something a wee bit different with his wings and crest -

instead of using wool I've given him polymer clay Faerie wings

and crest.  Then, I added a little bit of glamour by topping them

off with fine crystal glitter for a wonderful mystical shimmer.

Snowflakes ar spotted all over his body arms and legs (hence,

his name!).  He is constructed from a basic shape cloth body,

which is then firmly stuffed, smothered in wool with features

needle felted into the wool.  Thread jointed arms and legs help

him pose.  He sits beautifuly with his tail draped over the edge

of display area. His removable skates are made of polymer

clay.  Snowflake is the biggest needle felted creation I've

made, measuring 14" from the top of his crest to tip of tail.

Sharon's Mystical Bears
Sharon Hawkes

22.

Timothy

3" tall Timothy is a quiet little baby bear with large

pleading, bright blue German glass eyes. Designed

as a sitting bear but can stand if properly aided. 

Hand shaded, 5-way jointed, highly detailed and

shaded paw pads, weighted tummy renders him

heavy for his diminuitive size.

23.

Snapdragon

You know have entered that "snapdragon" part of your life

when part of you snaps and the other part is draggin!  Well,

poor 4" tall Snapdragon is definitely in that phase! Firmly

needle felted of wool, wire armatured for full posing, particularly

helpful for holding that yummy Margarita.  He wears running

shoes to remind himself of how he used to stay in shape, plus

he thinks it makes him look "cool"! 

Lin Chamberlain

24.

Rilough

Artist's comments: Depending on how you look at the world,

he is a Faunish bear or a bearish Faun.  He stands 8" tall

and is a happy mix of crochet and needle felting. From his

tiny furry tail to his little black horns, he is a creature

straight from imagination! His crochet half is acrylic and

has been brushed and trimmed for a soft fur effect.  His top

half is needle felted from 100% wool and has also been

brushed and trimmed for a fur affect.  Carefully shaded and

his cloven hooves and horns, polished for a deep black shine.

Very poseable with stainless steel joints in his hind quarters

and arms and head are wired for a seamless look.

25.

Janel

2-1/4" tall, needle felted from artist hand dyed Corriedale wool,

nicely curled hair gives her a very feminine air.  She loves to lay

on her fiber rug and play with her little needle felted, bird friend,

Cricri!

Chantal Bears
Chantal Emilia Giroux

26.

Drake

Artist's comments: Drake, like all my other needle felted creations,

is completely designed and hand made by me - with each work of

art becoming an original, one-of-a-kind design.  Drake is #3 in my

Fantasy Felts series and is a miniscule, 3.5 inches across! Needle

felted from local carded wool, which was cut, cleaned, combed, and

colored in Idaho.  He peers through imported, hand blown glass eyes,  

entire body hand sculpted and shaded to add life to his character,

horns made from polymer clay, handmade wings.

Sketchbook Bears
Ryan Barnett

27.

Strawberry Swirl. 

Artist's comments: When I told a dear friend of mine (rabbit

breeder and judge), that I was making a raccoon, she immediately

altered her personality and Mr. Hyde appeared.   In a rather

intimidating voice, she asked, "Why do you want to WASTE

your time  on a raccoon?"  I told her I think raccoons are

cute!  Well, after that I heard rather gory details about how

ONE raccoon got into their rabbitry and ATE her daughter's

best Himmi (color) Netherland Dwarf (breed-small)  buck. 

This was a telephone conversation.  When I saw her next

and showed her Swirl, she said it was okay as long as she

was eating an ice cream cone and not a rabbit!. Braced to run

fast to get away, I said, "She needed dessert".  We remain

friends anyway!!! N othing that pleases this youngster more

than sitting back with a good old strawberry swirl ice cream

cone.  9" tall, Strawberry Swirl is needle felted with Navajo

Churro wool base.  Body color is silver shades of Border

Leicester blended with hint of brown.  Black mask is Merino

wool and white teeth and tummy are Rambouillet/Finn cross

sheep.  Needle felted eyes have touch of Angelina for a little

sparkle.  Claws are also Merino. 

Linda Martin

Martin's Magical Menagerie

28.

Panda

Artist's comments: This Panda bear has bright black onyx

eyes which he uses to spot delicious bamboo vegetation

(bamboo stalk made of Cernit with heavy silk fabric "leaves").

He measures 3.75 "/9.5 cm long by 2.25 "/6 cm tall, and

is very solidly needle felted of dark, dark brown and creamy

white Romney fiber.  Panda's twenty tiny toenails are also

of Cernit, which a baked polymer clay used quite often by

dollmakers.  The nails' sculpting and individual insertions

are the final step after five full days spent ever-so-carefully

shaping Panda, and take an entire day to complete!

Creative Design Studio
Bobbie Kasnick Ripperger

29.

Pacis
Artist's comments: Pacis and the chick were inspired by the

great relationships different species of animals sometimes

develop:  Llamas and kitties to dogs who adopt orphan calves. 

Pacis is about 7" long laying down, wire armatured for gentle

posing.  Softly felted from natural wools with longer Roving

wool topcoat.  Special attention given to body posture,

interaction and facial expressions.  Black onyx eyes, hand

shaded pastel and watercolor detail.  Penguin chick is felted

separately and permanently attached to Pacis.

Cripple Creek Creative
Mikki Klug

30.

Keiko

Artist's comments: Keiko was inspired by photos I saw

on the web of these majestic animals.  The one photo,

whose essence I strove to capture in this collectible

rendition, had such a sad face, which I reflected in his

big green eyes.  He is 10" long and 3-1/4" hieght

to his tallest part.  Keiko has been constructed with

a cloth body that was stuffed, then lavished in black

Merino and his white markings in off-white mohair.

31.

Cotton Puff

50's style vintage bunny is 3" tall without counting her ears!

Completely needle felted of soft pale pink Merino wool, glass

and felt eyes. She arrives inside a vintage baby bootie with

antique millinery flowers on it.

Linda Haydu

32.

Minar

Artist's comments: A dancing lion! You heard it first here!

Yes, Minar loves to dance...as you can see by his pictures.

He is a loosely based anime because his head is bigger

than his body.  2" tall including his mane which is a warm

wisted cotton, hand made glass eyes. His body and spirit

consist of 100% hand needle felted wool.

Cocoa-Nuts
Shannon Lueskow

33.

Soilshey Shee

Artist's comments: Soilshey Shee is Gaelic for Faerie Light

and she was designed especially to celebrate all faerie magic!

Wherever faeries, pixies, and elves Faeries, abound, that is

where Soilshey Shee is to be found! Prancing and dancing,

she flutters about, carefree and happy as the birds in the trees!

She is only 3" high sitting with a wing span of nearly 7" wide.

Completely needle felt sculpted from lovely white New Zealand

Merino with embroidered blue nose and mouth.  Her wings are 

handmade from iridescent cellophane.

Sharon's Mystical Bears
Sharon Hawkes

34.

Arid: The Dryer Fairy

Artist's comments: This little fellow is made COMPLETELY

from dryer lint.  He is only 6" tall BUT, he can steal socks

twice his size. His wings are, as you might expect, made

from starched dryer sheets, sprayed with delicate glitter paint

for fabric and then embellished with a silver paint pen. Legend

has it that these little bear fairies live in dryers all over the world,

collecting stray socks and whatever else they can get their grubby

little paws on.  Arid does look genuinely sorry though perched

precariously on top of a miniature box of Tide detergent.

Twin Cubs

35.

Don The King

Artist's comments: Please excuse his hair.  He was supposed

to be King of the Lions, instead he became known as Don King. 

Standing just 3.5" tall, Don is needle felted using dark and

light brown felt and wool.  Base coat is made from polyfill.

Don has seed bead eyes, perle cotton whiskers, wire armature

so he will gladly pose for you.

Margaret Jackson

36.

Saucy Sue Poodle
Artist's comments: inspired by my VERY feminine cat who preens

and "sweet talks" her way through life....doing it her way.  Saucy

is almost 6" standing, s oftly felted from a variety of natural fibers,

wire armatured for gentle posing.  Special attention is given to her

body posture and facial expression with h and shaded pastel and

watercolor detail.  Hand applied "poodle cut" roving wool, which

is cut and styled. Purple satin hair ribbon completes her look.