Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I must admit Fran that the different email thing crossed my mind...shoulda thought out loud!
I always confirm with customers which email address they need to pay into when requesting money.

Janet,
Your house looks just like the ones in the movies!

'scuse my ignorance...but what does CO stand for? Us Aussies get a bit lost with the abbreviations.
Must jump on Worldwind again soon and see where you all are~

I swear your bears are real Kim! He really has 'it'. Beautiful!

Sweet Shantall...what a pain (literally!!) this eye thing is for you. I do hope that the next procedure will be the end of it all. We're all thinking' of you! :hug:

The light tent I bought is this one....it's 24"X24"x24".
I make bears up to 14 inches and was a bit concerned that it would be a tight fit. I was worrying needlessly....I could fit an army of bears in this tent and still have room to swing a cat. Okay, well not an army....

Anyway, I think this size would be fine for bears up to about 18 inches, but if you sometimes add props or like to photograph more than one bear at a time, then go for a size bigger. I *think* the next size up is 30" or something like that.

I did a quickie experiment outside yesterday. Just plonked the tent down on the grass in the back yard and placed a dark brown bear in it...just the white tent, no background. The sky was overcast. I gotta tell ya, I was having a nightmare photographing this bear, but the pics from the light tent show true colour and I can see all of this bear with no shadows. Every other time I have tried to photograph it, I have ended up with a blue colour cast and the pics have been really washed out. I am looking forward to setting the tent up with lights....I just know it's going to make a huge difference to my photos having this light tent.
AND the best this is...I succeeded in folding it back into it's little pouch...which once again, is the size of a small dinner plate...perfect!

What a frightening experience for you all Chrissie! I have never experienced a hurricane or seen a tornado personally, but your description sure helps my imagination...scary!
I can't imagine how it must be to be many floors up in a highrise and have your windows blown out.....ugh!
Glad you're back and safe and sound. :clap:

Heather, you took the bait! You just KNOW Dilu wanted someone to ask that question! :D
Okay...now we'll all be in suspense. :rolleyes:

Anne...that wedding pair are just exquisite, you have done a beautiful job there!

I wanted to post this under 'Resources' but it appears that only help advisors can post under that topic?? So one of you can move it to the appropriate place.
I found this site which has patterns for sale for all kinds of cute knitted bear clothes...from minis up to large bears. The patterns are a very reasonable price too. They also have wool suitable for knitting mini clothes and kits whcih have everything you need but the needles.
www.cuddylugs.com.

Lol! Dilu...my hubby is the same!!! I think HE has a crush on Judi too! When I mention her name, he says, "Oh, is that the foxy blonde!" :lol:
He's lucky I love him so much!
I don't dare show him the one of Judi with their cow!

Will do Danni...at the moment, I am having an argument with it. I doesn't want to 'collapse' like it's meant to.! I know you are meant to grab the corners and twist, but I don't want to force it in case I break it. I've got it folded flat, so if that's the best I can do I'll be happy with that, but would be happier still if I could get it back in it;s carry bag.

I love all these pics...must take one of our 'cottage'.

Dilu...your house is THE most unusual I have ever seen and I think it architecturally brilliant! It's the kind of house that would be seen in a magazine. It is really magical and I can see why you love it so much!

Judi, I loved seeing the ones of your farm....I kinda feel like we are 'kindred' as dairy farming folk. Although we aren't milking at the moment, we still have the farm and another fellow is sharefarming on it. It is three hundred acres and he milks about 160 cows. When we were farming it, we milked around 200.
Your farm set up is just so different from ours. What are all the silos in the picture? We have one silo that stores the grain which the cows eat while they are being milked...it's pumped along a pipe and as each lot of cows come into the shed, their 'ration' drops into the feed bin in their spot. We have a herringbone shed, 20 a side. Our farm is small compared to many of the dairy farms in our area. We live in a very lush dairy area and many farmers are milking between 300 and 600 cowes. They use huge rotary dairies. At the moment, we have just finished sileage and starting on hay. The weather has changed all of a sudden and the grass is going to seed. Very warm days..around 28 to 32 degress celcious....which I THINK is around the mid 90's in farenheit.

Wanda,
I actually meant a double neck joint, not a cotter pin wobble joint. A double neck joint is done using and extra joint between the shoulders and head. The neck joints are encased in an extra wedgelike piece of mohair and allow your head to move in ways otherwise unachievable. Many of Judi's bears have these neck joints which is why they can look up so well.
There's lots of info on this board on how to do one..just do a search.

Having said that, you are a very experienced artsist and chances are you already know what I'm talking about, but perhaps know it by a different name.

I have just done my first double neck joint and am very impressed...will be doing more.

Daphne,
I think that must be the ONLY positive thing about having a mastectomy these days. Apparently they take the fat from your hip/thighs and/or stomach and pump it into the breast area to reconstruct natural looking breasts instead of the more obvious implants. I've been wondering if they need donors for those not 'lucky' enough to have fat reserves to use.

BTW...your photo is amongst the nicest in the user pics..you're a real honey and I don't see any sign of a double chin on yours!

Kimbee...my 12 year old daughter has HUNDREDS of freckles on her face and she hates them so much. I think they're cute, but her 'friends' don't help matters when they tell her she should start wearing foundation.

Heather...she is absolutely GORGEOUS!!! Is she your own design too?? This look is a real winner!

Wow Fran...you are doing great! Your designs with their beautiful dresses will be in high demand before long...I can see it now! Her eyes are very gentle too...just lovely! :clap:

How do you attach yours Judi?? Great noses...and bears! they look so real!!

I got sick of looking for the PVC pipe to make my own...it seems no-one here in Aussie land has it. So I just bought a light tent off ebay too. It just arrived this morning and I am thrilled with it (haven't taken any pics in it yet so stay tuned). I am in the same boat as you Dilu in that I really have no spare room at all, so I bought one of those fold up ones that's kinda like a spring loaded frame. It folds down into a package the size of a dinner plate..perfect! :clap:

I just added me....but to my dismay, I am between the foxy Judi and delish Kimbee...   tooo unfair!!!
My pic was taken 10 mins ago by my daughter Anna who is 12. I am holding my faithful companion Holly who is an Australian Silky Terrier. I thought about photoshopping the double chin out...but we must face facts musn't we......

Wanda,
It sounds like a lot of mucking around just to get the head to tilt. Why not opt for a double neck joint instead..then you can move the head any which way you like..including a tilt.
Judi...you are such a help with your explanations and photos...hugs to you! :hug:

Awww, you girls are too nice! All I did was wack a border on and add Matilda's name...10 mins tops. The great background was already part of Matilda's pic, and a very nice one at that. :love:
Denise, I would be happy to make one for you too, just send me some pics.
hayley@justusbears.com

I was sent these pics by a friend. At first I though they couldn't be real, but after googling for a bit I find that they are! The first babies are newborns, and weigh less than a quarter of a pound...500grams. They are the size of a small block of butter!
The second pics, the cubs are about three weeks old and about 28cm long. I thought the pics were amazing to say the least!

Last edited by Just Us Bears (Today 04:36:01 PM)

I'm glad you were finally able to upload it Matilda!:lol: Had me stumped why you couldn't!
You are most welcome.

Judi,
I haven't touched the bear in a week. I'm very frustrated but I have to get these satin ballet dresses made for my daughters end of year concert. I have only made two so far as I have had other demands on my time this week that I hadn't reckoned upon. I feel like I'm drowning in satin at the moment and it's such horrible stuff to sew..really slippery. :wacko:

I have so many bear things I want and need to do, and my magazine deadline was just bought forward by a month...which means most of my prep and sewing will have to be done during the 4 weeks of Christmas school holidays. Nothing like a bit of extra noise and stress to help the designing process! :rolleyes:
I really miss chatting to you guys too, but I've had to be strong 'cos it's too easy to lose two hours in here!

Judi,
What a rough day you had...I do hope today is easier for you.
Chris and I Dairy Farmed for 15 years and understand perfectly how you felt about Artifact. Many of our cows were special too and had personal names to match their unique personalities. I understand how upset your husband is, unfortunately it's just part of farming and we don't have to like it. I'm glad you buried her, sounds like she was worthy of that. Putting cows down is never an easy task, and I certainly understand why your husband chose to call in help with this special cow. Chin- up...we all hurt for you.
Ebay sucks big time, and the more I hear, the more I feel I never want to list on ebay again. But it's one of those situations isn't it, especially for you with such an ebay following, that you need them. Christine Welsh started The Teddy Patch due to the increasing frustration and anger that people were feeling towards ebay, but unfortunately she doesn't get the same traffic and so it is struggling a bit. It's such a shame that ebay holds the number one spot in internet auctions.And they will continue to grow in power due to the cheek of taking percentages from charity auctions and the like too. Ebay together with Paypal are the most lucrative and wealthy companies on the internet...wouldn't you think they could just donate ALL the money from Mission Fish auctions to charity, without taking their own cut. It's just pure greed, evil greed! :mad:
Life's a bitch sometimes.

Judi,
I have been away from TT for almost a week....a rough one at that..and I can't possibly catch up on 10 PAGES of chat....but I HAD to make a comment on that tiger. Trouble is...it's all been said....so I'll just say that I am awestruck by this guy and I think your talent knows no bounds. :lol:
I can see all the work and effort there and think you should be so proud. I do hope you'll enter him in the TOBY's or something.
Luv ya,