TYRONE - Cheryl Snyder may have looked like she was living a childhood fantasy nestled on her couch last week, snuggling multiple teddy bears.

In reality, she was showcasing her craftsmanship.Snyder, 62, has been hand sewing bears for more than 30 years, all the time using materials that have sentimental value to her customers."I like to make people happy," Snyder said. "I like to give them the chance to make memories for their family."Snyder specializes in creations sewn from keepsakes like wedding gowns, military uniforms, cherished blankets and, mostly, old fur coats.Bears made by Snyder can now be found as far away as Asia, Europe and South America, she said, but her love for sewing began long before she crafted her first teddy."I started sewing when I was probably 5 or 6. My grandmothers both sewed," Snyder said. "I just started sewing when they did."It started with clothes for her Barbies, but Snyder said she eventually learned to sew many items including clothing for her relatives.Roxan O'Dellick, Snyder's sister, said those skills were often sought in their Blair County home."Especially by our mother. Our mother wasn't handy like that," O'Dellick said.Snyder remembered admiring antique bears, some that can sell for thousands of dollars."I always liked them, but I couldn't afford one," she said.Instead, Snyder developed her own pattern that she uses to create firm, poseable bears."It's sort of an antique style, but it has a little bit of a twist of the modern," she said.Snyder displayed parts of an unfinished bear, pointing out the pieces intended to make it whole.In addition to numerous fabric pieces - the head alone requires seven - the bears have handblown glass eyes, and heavy cardboard and hardware are used in their joints, Snyder said.And her work has allowed her to become an expert at identifying fur coats whether they're mink, seal, beaver or even fake fur - all items she's worked with."I didn't know seals had fur until I started this," Snyder said with a laugh.Bears were not the only animals Snyder displayed. She showed off a handmade rabbit and said she's made other animals like cats and snakes."People want very odd things sometimes," she said.Her first commissioned bear was made for a family member. Snyder said an aunt approached her about transforming a fur stole."She didn't wear it anymore, but she didn't want to give it away," Snyder said. "So she said, 'Can you make me a bear out of my stole?' That was the first."Since then, she's received commissions from teddy enthusiasts across the United States, as well as overseas. Snyder estimated she crafts 350 bears per year, each taking about eight hours.At that rate, factoring in the cost of supplies, Snyder said she makes about $1.50 per hour for the bears, which can sell for as little as $40."It doesn't go down much from there because it's hard to make the smaller ones," Snyder said, explaining work on small bears is tedious.Snyder said she sometimes uses fur she owns to make bears, and that will increase their sale price.