When Mice Are Nice

by Pam North

	 In Caddington, England,  Elanor Andrews admits with a smile to having mice in her house. No worries, however; it's not the common problem of unwanted pests. In her case people are eagerly awaiting to adopt them, and they pay well for the privilege. Artful bits of fabric and whimsy, her mice are part of the magical menagerie that emerge from many hours of intense and dedicated labor. There's no question that this woman is nimble with a thimble.
	Her animal repertoire doesn't stop with mice. There are also badgers and foxes and bears - oh, my! Whatever the species, the effect is the same as she crafts fluff and stuff to make her adorable fuzz buddies – winsome creatures that radiate sweetness and sass. Capturing the heart instantly is what her creations do best. No one can resist the bright gaze of their shiny, black eyes, nor the sweet faces with their droll, endearing expressions.
	Elanor's enterprise is Shantock Bears, which officially began in January of 2002. The name was inspired from the house her grandparents built in rural Flaunden, Hertfordshire, England, and the fond memories of shared family times there. She works hard to make the name a proud one.
	She imaginatively combines a variety of high-quality materials to breathe artistic life into her miniature animals, preferring to make them in the 2-inch to 6-inch range. Under her expert hands, lush materials turn into charming forms of animals, and embroidery brings life to the appealing small faces that she has so ingeniously crafted. She elaborates in more detail, “ I use X pile (3 mm-6 mm), and XX long-pile (8 mm) upholstery velvet, which I purchase from Threadteds in Holland. Paw pads are usually Ultrasuede, and I use hand-blown English or German glass eyes. For stuffing, in addition to polyester, I use glass beads, and steel shot to give weight to the bear, so that it seems heavy and well-fed. My mum fashions all the knitted outfits.” She says that her favorite creations are her mice, and admits that her love of baking cakes influences her in making bears that look like pastel, rainbow-colored confections.
	Elanor has been working at her craft for many years. From early childhood through her teen years, she followed her artistic urgings with any materials she could find at hand. Her parents, creative themselves, encouraged her. Her favorite program as a youngster was Blue Peter on the BBC, which inspired many children to make creative messes with sticky-back plastic, pipe cleaners and glue. After completing school, she went to design college for two years, then worked in a Social Services day center for adults with learning disabilities. She had the opportunity there to run art groups and classes in sewing, painting, and pottery-making, all contributing in their own aspects to the overall artistic expertise she was gathering.
	Then, in January, 2002, came the catalyst, when she spotted a bear-making kit in a magazine; it was the first step in her journey to designing her own award-winning bears, mice, and other memorable creatures of the animal kingdom. Now her business has expanded to global-scale exhibiting and selling her creations. She admits to being a workaholic, yet somehow finds time from critter-creation to be with her own family: Lex, who is very supportive of her work (“he puts up with my fluff all over the house,” she says), and their 5-month-old son, Logan. In her home she has a spare-room studio of her own in which to work her often long days. “I’ll admit that I do work hard, but I play even harder. I love my life, my family and my friends. I'm a cup-half-full kind of person, a little bit girlie, extremely messy and I love to sleep. I could not wish for a better talent in life than to make bears and mice, and to make people smile.” She admits to feeling somewhat reluctant sometimes to part with something she has made, but says it gives her an urge to make another, even better, one to replace it, explaining, “I'm a fidget. I can't sit still, and I always have to be doing something. I'm always striving for perfection, and anything I make has to be the best.”
	Elanor's artistry has been recognized by a number of awards. From 2005 to the present, she has received many accolades for excellence in bear-making, including a 2014 TOBY Industry Choice award for her	“Cupcake”, and in 2010 she was named a Golden Teddy Nominee for “Bon Bon”. 
	When asked about her future projects, her reply was that that she intends to expand on her range of animals to include raccoons and hedgehogs, and she envisions having a bear-making workshop at a future show in 2015.
	Elanor's bears and mice are available at Hamley's (London), and smaller shops such as The Bear Garden (Surrey), and  One More Bear  (Stack-on -Trent), She also will be selling her work at the Hugglets World of Teddy Bear Festival  at Kensington  Town Hall in London on September 14, 2014. She accepts orders and markets her animals on-line as well.
	Anything that encourages people to smile and tugs at their hearts makes the world a better place, and Elanor Andrews is doing just that – one bear and mouse at a time.

Shantock Bears
Email:shantockbears@outlook.com
Website: http://www.shantockbears.com
Telephone: 01582 415833

Awards:
2005  British  Bear Artist Award - 1st Place -  “Off to Market”
2005  Teddy Bear Scene – Readers Choice Awards  - “Dove”
2007  British Bear Artist Award – Third Place  - “Oh Bother”
2008-2009  ABC Winner, and Bear Artist Event Exhibitors Challenge - “Winter Pickings”
2009  Sydney People's Choice Award -   “Cheese Deliveries”
2010  Golden Teddy Nominee - “Bon-Bon”
2010  Sydney People's Choice  - “Christmouse Kisses”  Award-winning
2010  Bristle Excellence Awards – 2nd Place - “Hold On Tight Bartie”
2010  British Bear Artist Award – 3rd Place - “Van Gogh” 
2010  ABC Australian bear creations Nominee-  “Van Gogh”
2011 Teddy Bear Artist Event- Exhibitor's Challenge Winner -  cat 4
2011 Bristle Excellence Awards – 2nd Place – “Willy Wonka Bartie” 
2012  Excellence in Bear Artistry – Judges Choice  “Ditsy”
2012  Excellence in Bear Artistry- Judges Choice - “Mr. Pickwick”  mohair company
2014  TOBY -  Industry Choice -  “Cupcake”
Featured in several magazines Teddy Bear Times, Teddy Bear Review Teddy Bears and friends Teddy Annual, and Australian Bear Creations.