Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

:hug:  Please, have your therapist show you how to do the hand stretches to stretch out the tendons in your hand (which get all kinds of cramped up from sewing) wrist and down your forearm.  They'll help you so much.  And please, do keep up the good work     I'm sure making a teddy of any size makes your heart sing    :hug:

Thank goodness he's managed to escape from wherever he was stuck.  He is probably going through the buildings now meowing and trying to locate his old family.      Cats can be a bit different, though.  Sometimes they chose their territory over their families and adapt to the new family rather than trying to find their old one. 

Here's hoping he can adapt to a new life  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Yep, got retired from dog grooming because I shoved on a wrist brace and then an elbow brace...and then went to the chiro because at that point my whole right arm was entirely useless.  I spent two months with weekly adjustments to my spine to free up the tensioning in my elbow and wrist.  Streches and physio are a MUST, and I still stop for hand stretches at least 4 times each hour.  It can indeed be overcome, but you'll have to be gentler to your body in the future.  To this day I still cannot pick up a pair of dog clippers without excruciating pain    but I can manage the bear making if I go slowly    :hug:

   That's evil to move and leave your cat trapped like that with no way to reunite!  I've got everything crossed it can be rescued so soon.  The poor thing    :hug:

:crackup:  :crackup:   So busy holding up the wall you know 

Ah.....sorry, I grew up raised as a country girl and when any animal was killed everything was used except the squeak.      Frankly I have no problems at all with the hats being continued as traditional bear pelts.  Believe me, there are more than enough black bears available for this...and in some parks, where they have been taunted and teased on by tourists, there is no choice but to kill them. 

The only people I feel a tad sorry for is the guardsmen left balancing that much weight on their heads, but they signed up for the duty.

Shoot me down in flames, but as far as I'm concerned, PETA is a bloody terrorist group with excessively slick marketing.  Those who adore animals, note:  They don't want clean cages, they want empty cages.  This particular orginization will not rest until animals have been removed from the face of the planet.  Don't be duped by their fuzzy outlooks.

Awwwwhhhh, he's so little!!     Enjoy him to the fullest  :hug:

Keep your openings LARGE!!!      You will not realize the diffence in turning real fur vs mohair til you do it, plus it'll be lined with muslin.

I have the opposite reaction ~ I'm allergic to mohair and synthetic fabrics ...so I totally understand!  If you can possibly use latex or thin rubber gloves, do so!!!  If not, work in very short spurts, only a couple of hours, then wait a couple of days in between.  Its completely miserable during the work, but the end results are soooo worth it     I would definitely wear some form of a mask if your lungs are touchy and take sinus tablets. 

I wash incessantly while working with mohair or synthetics, but my skin breaks out no matter what  I try or use?  I guess its really up to the individual. Bestof luck and let us see pics when they are done  :photo:

Way cool!!! What little boy wouldn't want to play in there?!?  You're doing a fantastic job!!!  :clap:

Awwwhhhhh, they're all so gorgeous!!!     I especially love the mum, she looks like a complete sweetheart 

It does my heart good to see she's blended so beautifully with your family.     Thank you for taking her in!!! 

The scary part, with house foreclosures, and so many financial troubles in the US...I fear more and more of this animal abandonment may happen.      People not having a choice, but only hoping some kind soul may come along instead.      Frankly I think its totally wrong to leave a pup like that ~ anything could happen!  Only so glad you and your family came along instead 

:hug:   Its really not all that sensitive.  I would far, far prefer these beautiful older coats be reworked into gorgeous teds than abandoned to a landfill. 

Oh, I've shipped real fur bears to the UK, but offhand I don't know any UK peeps that are creating the teds from real fur.  I'm positive there'll be someone come along to help you though.  Take a look into some of the UK members on here. They may use mohair for a first medium but also be able to work in real fur 

   Brace yourself Judi.... goldfish can happily live 50 years.  YES 50 years, and koi can make it to 75 years or older.  Its something about being coldwater that seems to give them the longer lifespans.

The salesperson actually told you correct... Most feeders are just that, they are bred solely to feed other fish (which I feel is not in the best interests of either fish).  Genetically they are indeed behind the 8 ball, but more importantly, when they arrive from the distributors, they are shipped in very large quantities. 

When you catch a fish from a lake or a pond and you're getting them off the hook, they feel 'slimy'.  This slime coat is actually the fish's first defense and immune system against things like fungal and bacterial infections.  When they are shipped in large lots, they are stressed (and genetically not the soundest to begin with).  So they get their slime coat rubbed off.  This is when the infections become rampant....a bit like kids their first week back in school.  Soon the fungal and bacterial infections rage and if you're not on top of it (and even if you are, they sometimes don't make it despite tlc), they'll succumb. 

IF you can get them past the first few weeks and get them in an environment that suits them and lowers the stress, you'll have what you've shown....some gorgeous finnage and colouring comes out.  And just wait ~ they are little clown in the making  :bday:   Each one tends to have a very strong personality and they are such fun to watch. 

:crackup:  Can  you tell I used to own a fish store?   

As for your dear boy....I've everything tightly crossed that Shamu makes it back home to you     I hate the 'not knowing'  :hug:  :hug:

I only have a very very few links, but I'd imagine for someone with a far bigger business this might be something to do once every 3 months.  Afterall, I know how disappointing it is for me to encounter these dead ends when I'm on a roll.

I LOVE going to the zoo!!!  Thanks for the virtual tour Tami  :photo:     Loved all the pics, but that last one just melted my heart!!     I sooooo want a baby kitty in the house!!! 

I didn't read the thread regarding puffy cheeks, but will simply say: Practice, Practice, Practice!!!     Each fur and synthetics and mohair will all act differently when scissored.  If you have scraps that you can practice on, so much the better.  The more you practice with each different type of fur, the more confident you become.   

:hug: Judi, you don't need us telling you its okay to take a break from contests if you need to.  Really ~ its okay!!!  :hug:   Sometimes it helps to take a year off, to recharge and get excited again, or not.  Its totally up to you to decide if you need to take that break or not.  :hug:

Awwhhhh     

HURRRAHHHH!!!!  What a worthy boy to be helping!!! 

:crackup:  Okay, I lost it with that one...his expression just makes me burst out laughing  :crackup:

:crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup: 

Oh man, those expressions throughout say it all!!  :crackup:

Awwwhhhh ~ tooo cute!!! 

:clap:   CONGRATULATIONS Tami!!!!!  He's lovely 

:clap:  :clap:   CONGRATULATIONS TERRIE!!!!!   :clap:  :clap:   Very well earned!! 

What a glorious boy!!!  That would be non neutered male, eyep    Do they come any other way?     

He sure has landed on his paws at your place     And I love the name "Bart".  One of the sweetest dogs I've ever groomed and known was named Black Bart ~ abandoned by his owner too.