How are these tiny little animals feeling so soft and coarse and fuzzy all over? When I first started writing about Animals and Bears there were three basic things I knew.

First, that here at CDHM there is veritable mountain of talent where one could find inspiration and ideas. The artisans are some of the most talented people I have known, and generously share their time and knowledge.

Second, that there are so many styles and sizes and characteristics in handmade artisan animals that I really could pick any topic and fit my subject into it quite comfortably.

And third, that I am painfully aware of my limitations when it comes to creating anything that even resembles an animal or a cute little bear, but darn it, there's so much I want to know!

How do artisans create such lively and interesting creatures? I needed to reach an understanding of the creative processes, and I wanted to be able to speak in a fairly intelligent fashion when describing miniature animals.