Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

i am always amazed by the talent and sheer creativity i find out there!  amazing rat! and okay the live one is cute too!  but no fur?  :):)  deb

just wanted to say you can buy the rings in several sizes in the stationary stores that just unclip..they fold together kinda.we use them to hold our prints up at work..they are like the ones in the binders w/o that nasty SNAP they do! are they shower curtain rings? i forget..but they are cheap and they should know what you want when you describe them!  deb   i love intercal and edinburgh both for different things!

Judy i am soo sorry for your loss and can sympathize with the loss and the expense..we had our beloved malamute put down because he had cancer two  years ago..and then our setter died last year..we didnt have kids to explain too..thank heavens..we took it badly enough ourselves! i agree with the rainbow bridge  link and many people make a memeorial on line that they can visit..they have virtual pet cemetarys that some people find comforting..you can visist whenever!..i have mine attatched to my website..because my site was named for him..everyone grieves in their own time..let them decide when to bring a new friend home..you cannot replace the lost pet//only love a new one!!  Huge Hugs deb

i greatly appreciatte your taking the time to answer me!  thanks! it is hard to describe something that it would be easier to show!!  i use a filling right now that doesnt "slide"
when i stuff..but he darts in the arms i never would have thought of!! i like to try other peoples patterns every now ans then because i learn something new about bear construction ! another major artist ( sorry brain dead at the moment) had a book of patterns out that i love,,i thoought the first time i sewed one of her paws that i wasnt pinning it right until i realized that her paws are larger outside and smaller inside as you just said! i have tried glass beads in the feet but never beads in the "hands" hmmmm..  hope everytbody had?HAS a happy new year!! i turned 50 yesterday..didnt hardly hurt!!  hugs deb

i guess i didnt say that very well..it wasnt really to do with the scraps..i just ran the whole sentence together!  i do very little needle sculpting..i try really hard to get a firm solid head stuffed..and then still seems like portions of it can cave if i pull too hard when im setting the eyes for instance..that dimple you get near the ears..not often..just every once in awhile..soooo i've always wondered how you balance that with pulling the eyes in towards each other like that,,andi can ususally "see" things in 3 d..but the paws bug me..i can see yours are long but the way they turn or cup towards each other at the end..are  they wired inside? cut that way? i did one small bear and didnt have enough to do her gusset in the same fur..so i used white..turned out way cute!!  deb

Hayley you described me exactly in your first post! i too retreat more from people when i feel ugly or over weight..and yet i NEVER see other people that way!  how is it it women do that to themselves?i know some truly beautiful women who are heavier ..older..etc..beautiful in my eyes and to their loved ones and friends..but not in the commercial sense..and i've narrowed it down to their own sense of self and spiritual and emotional well being..they are happy with who they are! im working on that..why dont men care what peope think of all this stuff? i love that old special K comercial about men talking about their hips and do i look fat in this ? it sounds  ridiculous when they say what we women say!! :}:}:}  deb

great bears ..great thread!  i just went thru also and cut up what scraps i had left into any bear pattern pieces that i could use them for! paula would you mind explaining to me about the paws and heads? if you stuff a bear as hard as most  artists i know..how do you get that close together look  in the eyes?  if its too soft when you pull  it together,,the head would just collapse woudnt it? and i i have a down turned paw pad on my first design..but anytime i try and give it that extra .."turn" inward i get all balled up!! is that a joint?  happy new year to everyone!!  deb

P.S.    sorry that last line should have said.."we did add some prices to the site..not all.. but some of the artists  have""

i swear my brain and fingers get stupid late in the day!..i look up after i hit send and see complete gibberish go by!!   :sheepish :):):

deb

Marie i just saw this post as i havent been online much recently  ( holiday rush!!)  first congratulations!!  and you're right about the other artists being fun and generous! your picture was wonderful..nice looking display!  Rocking Horse Gallery wow!  good for you!  way  to go!

Sandy nice avatar!!

i've often wondered about signing or not signing..usually do if they ask..i have been using a permanent marker,,,sounds like i may switch to the archival tho!!

happy holidays everybody! we did add some prices to the sitemmnot all th e artists have but several of them did!

Marion Thank You for the hugs!   deb

very interesting thread! no real secrets anymore at 49! boyh sides of my family tree are covered in bottles!  some career alcoholics! the rest on moms side are borderline paronoid or schizo ( sp?) .fun family!  you gotta love them anyway! i am very shy at first meeting but love to have people visist! stop in when in VT! the picture of my dad is use as a logo is the essence of my family to me..i see a beautiful little boy who couldnt understand why his alcoholic parents couldnt  keep him and care for him..her sisters kept having to go get him to keep him safe,,so they finally "adopted " him..and he never felt trulyy loved all his life or worthy even tho he was surrounded by people who adored him,,  there is documented evidence/ studies that creative/artitic people are like 75 percent more likely to be related to or have some kind of depression etc..mathematical and scientific people have like a 10 percent or less chance!  intersting! and my other secret is i really worry about people liking me and what they percieve of me!  soooo pleeease somebody answer this or MY paranoi will kick me :):):) deb

i guess i was thinking of whipstitching (?) over the leather and around the eye..but gluing sounds easier! hmmm may get up the guts to try this one day! thanks!! deb

so okay then you glue or sew the cord around the eye? you guys are soo patient! deb:):):)

Sandi you made me laugh also! in 25 yrs of working in manuf. i NEVER glued myself to anything..the first time i took someones advice and  glued my disks to their hardware was my downfall! i didnt take into acct when i was holding it waiting for the glue to dry that it would follow the threads of the screw down to my hand!  hubby wasnt home and i couldnt unstick my fingers!! no polish remover in the house at all!!:):):)  deb

did anyone but Toadbriar go to the show?  she was only person form the list that stopped an introduced herself..just wondered if anyone else was there and what they thought of the show? what do you think of the combination shows as far as sales? compared to bear shows? just wondering...:):):):) deb  ps im getting kinda lonesome out here!!

deb having worked in manufacturing for 25 yrs..i find you left out one part of SOP..that after drumming it into you it is thrown out on every possible occassion! :):):):):)!  we have " one piece flow "" now!  meaning we never build beyond one complete piece..only we are always short on parts..so,,we build like crazy at the end of the month..and when we get that one piece we're missing the work really flows!!   Then there was the "just in Time " theory,,  i like bears sooo much better!!   lol:lol:  deb

Daphne..sharing was the one other thing i meant to bring up..glad there is a discussion here!  i dont like the sound of making a distinction between new/up and coming artists,,
3 of us shared a table at the show we just did.. and while that was ideal for us,,i'd say id be content with at least letting two people share..who ever they are..and juried wouldnt bother me either..the fees and travel are soo expensive,,not to mention rooms..we would do more shows if we could split the expenses,,as it is anyone who sells enough travels and the rest of us stay close to home and do fewer shows..catch 22!! you need the exposure but who has this kind of money?  anyone else feel this way?
id really like to show more,,but this is not a cheap "craft" or art..to begin with! the materials can break you!    its great that people like you are trying to keep these shows alive!  Kennebunk is a lovely little show and i misssed it this year! :(:(  deb

i just placed an order with them a week and a half ago and it arrived in a timely fashion! no problems at all!   deb

i wasnt offended either!! great input!   deb

great discsussion! I too have pictures on the site that are not priced..NOT because they are a big secret..my personal site has prices..but when i updated this time i did not link to the sites that actually carry these artists curently..it was meant to be a showcase for the Vt artists as a group..many are listed on their own or elswehere ( tho that may change in future) hope that does not discourage people from contacting any of our artists  for prices! like you ..they are all great gals and id hate to think i was harming them in some way instead of helping!! horrors! and actually many of them are busy and hard to keep up with..they sell wholesale also and attend any number of shows!!! if this is an issue to collectors i may have to pull down some of the pages?!  Vicky speaking of being in love.. your bears are stunning and i want prices :}:}:}:} deb

my house is on the market because tho we adore the place.. my husband would like to retire someday! and the yard and house are too much for us to have any social  life!  its a two story,,and i rarely even turn on the upstairs lights! sooo.we thought we were going to buy a house in jericho,,which sold before ours..so we will be moving on to plan b!! my sister (much younger) is moving to stowe for the winter..they are all ski bunnies my sisters! its easy in Vt to miss stuff! whole lot here for a little state tho!!  nice to "meet you!"  deb

thanks ladies! i read thru most of Nancy Tillbergs info last night,,then had to go..i too have had many fake emails,,i also ignore them...tho i have had trouble also with a domain name co asking me for payment or yearly fee,,when i pay thru earthlink..they got me the first time!  should  i START with the bid im willing to accept? as in starting bid is x $$?? or use the reserve bid method?  thanks deb

congratulations shelli and all who were in the magazine! i just got my copy and cant wait until i get a minute to do more than skim the article on all those  beautiful eyes!!!
mellissa thats a gorgeous angel in your avatar!! deb

i think i want to try selling a bear on ebay..but im nervous! whats the most practical simplest way to sell there? reserve or no? any featrures i need? international or no? i tried reading thru their stuff..ban somebody make it simpler for me?/

nervous in VT!!!  deb

thats awful!  thanks again for the help everybody!! deb