Hares'n'hay

Pandora - 10" mink panda with ultrasuede insert muzzle

Click here to see bears presently up for adoption

Click here to see bears presently available on ebay

A little info about the artist

Hi! My name is Wendy Shelby and I have been making fur bears for twenty years and am now numbering over 2000 ( that's a lot of bears and the amazing thing is, I still love it!) I work from my home and my business name is Hares 'n' Hay. That may seem like an inappropriate name for a bear business but I began sewing rabbits and displayed them on bales of hay in an antique hay wagon.....thus the name. Gradually, I switched to making only bears but never got around to changing my name ( probably never will)       Making bears keeps me young at heart and adds that bit of whimsey I feel we all need to cope with the stresses of everyday living. My husband, Joe , is very supportive and my favorite teddy bear (he even has the right shape but we'll keep that between you, me and the bears). He makes all the discs for the moveable heads, arms and legs and puts up with fur in our butter and everywhere else in the house. It is truly a family operated business.       All my fur bears are made from recycled fur coats in very good condition and are fully lined for strength. I am particularly fussy about my faces; all my muzzles are either shaved or have ultrasuede insets so its features are clearly visible. I handstitch my noses with perle cotton and my larger bears have oblong shank buttons for eyes as I find this shape adds personality. Each teddy bear is individual although I do use the same patterns many times (there are about fifteen patterns I am currently using). I number, sign and date (year only) each teddy bear and take its picture upon completion. Yes, you do get attached to them but whatever would you do with 2000 bears?       I do make bears for people from their fur coats. This is actually about half of my business. If you have a coat that would look better as a teddy bear, please email me for instructions. Samples of some of my patterns for you to see are available on next page. Wendy Shelby 811 St. George Blvd. Moncton, N.B. Canada E1E 4E7

email - harenhay@nbnet.nb.ca