Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Oh ladies, I am so proud of you!  How wonderful that your 'published'  I can hardly wait till my issue gets here....

(We only have 300 families in our post office and I really do believe our postmistress reads the good stuff before putting it in the box.  I am sure I am the only one who gets TB&F here)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!~!

dilu:P

This is really scarry-but Judi just might have it right- the gollymaker looks like her gollies

AARGH!!!

But there is similarity in the eyes.....:D:D

Oh well

Dillylu

In the course of changing the entire look of my wonky very nonprofessional website something weird happened.  I couldn't see the new site but the thechnowizards at my hosting company could.

Well the whole purpose, in my mind, of the site was so that I could post pictures here.

To make matters worse, while being talked through uninstalling Norton and a few other programs my computer became quite ill.

My baby was sick.... my link to the real world- ( teds and gols) was unable to function for me....I had no access-

I was all alone......:(

It was wretched, horrible, beyond endurance....no sane conversation, no reality testing, no grounding...

On top of which I had all these new naked gollikins dancing around, yelling at me to hurry up!   "We want clothes!  We want names!"

Hurry Up!

Hurryup?  I was doing everything I could.....

It turned out to be as simple as deleting all my 'temporary internet files'.

Of course, Kevin, my new best friend at the hosting company, didn't come up with this, my honey did. 

Help me to understand, I am paying Kevins company big bucks, (well all right, not so big, just ten dollars a month) to know these things.  And it is my honey, who loathes computers, because he remembers the ones he had to work with 30 years ago- huge things with punch cards and equipment that took up a whole room, who says, " By gosh By golly do you think if we uninstalled Norton and deleted everything temporary, it might work?"

Everything temporary?  Turns out we have an odd file on our computer that holds "temporary internet files"  Who Knew?

By gosh, by golly?  Is he becoming more loving of the wollikins?

At any rate, I wanted to tell each and every one of you, I dearly missed your wonkiness, and your laughter and your wisdom....and I suspect it will take the next week to catch up.

Dilu:P

not the good vodka you silly  Pennikins

I use the cheapest vodka for the vanillla-  the good stuff, well, we do drink the good stuff

As we get older our olfactory nerves kind of give up the ghost.  So the little old ladies that pour on Obsession to the point of nausea and vomiting dont realize it, because they cant smell it in themselves....

Every year for Christmas my honey gives me one of those itty bitty bottles of Channel 5 perfume.  yep, the real stuff.  But here's the reason why:
              The good stuff lasts all day, you dont have to keep applying it like so many ladies do.  and it only takes 2 dabs, behind each ear....that's all I will use, because even thou I can barely smell it, I know those around me can.....My old nose isn't what it used to be and I don't want to be like those ladies that make people nauseaous.:):)

smellikins wonkerslu

Oh my goodness, each and everyoone of you beautiful ladies are simply wonderful...now that I see your faces I feel like we really are friends...I would do the same but my site is having problems....but I will get to the bottom of it!

And Judi is right- our bears do end up resembling us in some way-

Marion I would never believe you to be shy by looking at your picture.  You truly are simply beautiful.

Penny Penny Penny....when was the last time you looked at a 'ducks arse'?  I live in a very rural area and see ducks as a matter of course and honey, they have really cute 'arses'.....all fluffy and feathery and they wiggel when they walk, and giggle when they talk....er....quack.

Paula I love your bears in the natural setting, they are so wonderful and I especially like their extra big feet...too tooo cute.  I do that with my minis sometimes so that the poor little guys can stand up...

Shelli you are so right-what a great idea Judi had....

Thank you all for sharing.how about the lurkers comeone don't be shy, you know we are just plain gonna love you!

Dillywonkers

Wow....you guys are done and I'm still trying to figure out the sex!

Dily

Oh Shelli, thank you thank you thank you......

We're human!

"God bless us every one"

Dilu

Interesting.....I'd like to say, as the resident Psych nurse, that it is an indication of the various pathologies....but that would be simply dumb....

I sew everything first, then stuff the hands and feet, then joint the little guy, then finish stuffing arms and legs and stitch  'em closed. Then he gets his head  stuffed and joint it, then clip off all 5 bolts that are too long then stuff the tummy and then figure out uf he's a boy or a girl.

OK Willydonkers is doing everything wonkbackwards :lol::lol:

And on a more serious note, although its hard cuz I am serious about my little chocolate  chocolate friend that Judi suggested, maybe the reason we love this avocation so much is because there is no right or wrong way-there is no perfect bear, and there is no such thing as a bad bear, there is no law or rule or musta, shoulda, coulda in the bear world.  Maybe the freedom from all of the rules society, and we, put
on ourselves is part of the allure.  Maybe the freedom to create and share and know, no matter how silly or wonky or how wonderful the little guy is he represents acceptance, that childlike feeling of freeness and fun.

I remember this feeling.  Kindergarten-finger painting.....Am I on to something?

Dilu

You guys know that toilette water is stronger than colonge right?  So Eau de toilette?  or is that Eau de Toilet....yikes!

Chocolate bear  yep I see one in my future- but Im thinking I will put a zipper in his back and have a compartment inside, about the size of a little music box, and NEVER EVER EVER tell my honey- and my chocolate bear could hide my chocolate stash!

Yipeeeeee  I think I am on to something.  And maybe my chocolate stash will make him smell like chocolate.....

Thank you Judi....ohhhhh I can hardly wait!

Dilywonkers is going to dream up her chocolate buddy tonight!

Bye......

Sue Ann

in colonial times our fore mothers wore vanilla as a perfume colonge....When ever I am using it in the kitchen I dab it on too.

I make my own vanilla extract....I take a quart of vodka, and every week I go do the grocery shopping I pick up another bottle of vanilla beans and slice them open and drop them in....The bottles are great for storing eyes too.....when you have as many vanilla beans as you can afford in it let it sit for about 6 months, 

It is much stronger and more potent (  I read that as better tasting)
I think it is better than Mexican Vanilla, which is at the top of the
vanilla heap, and better than anything you could buy from on line, like from King Arthur Flour or whatever...

You vanilla LOVING guys  could try it!

Three Cheers for Daphne!!!!!  Wonderful, logical, practical idea!!!  Yipeeeee.
I'm 53 and have been sewing sinceI was, what, maybe 7.  Never occured to me, but the min. you said it it clicked in my brain...what's left, and with a slightly tighter tension I do believe there would be no show through...Can't wait to try it!

Thanks Daphne-you win the chocolate for best idea of the week!

Wonky dilylu

Yay...Shelli's back

now we can really play

Judi....have you got a laptop?

Dilu

Wow Judi!

I've seen it happen with pet owners.....

Marion, you are beautiful, while your bears are simply cute..However I think the eye placement is similar and while you have a cute chin that is strong, and gives you a strong woman look, your bears have a prominent chin-not as cute as yours, but still there, prominent,

Very interesting.

Rita,
    you have the look of someone a person would want to spill their sorrows and woes to0, and your bear, too cute, looks sympathetic and understanding and says; 'there there dear, have a cuppa and we'll talk!"

Judi, this is interesting...The very first thing I notice about you is your eyes, beautiful, striking and intense- guess what girl....your bears have your eyes. 

So there must be a subconscious thing going on when we make our bears...Well, if God made us in His image, it would stand to reason we would do this, even without consciously thinking about it. 

Wow.  Who would have guessed?  Not me.  My friend who got me addicted to this avocation, said a couple of days ago, while she was looking at the site on my computer, that she wished the avatars included pictures of the artist...because she maintains the same thing, that we end up looking like our bears.

Perhaps this happens when we finally decide on our style and have become real artists?  I recognize that I am not a real artist, yet, so I wonder if my bears will begin to look like me as I develop....hmmmm

I know one thing....I DON'T WANT TO LOOK LIKE MY GOLLIES!!!!:lol::lol:

Dilu

Fabulous Mah dear...how kind of you. (*air kiss)  :D:D

Actually, my mom was such an avid gardener that she did smell like dirt in the spring.  I'll bet she'd like this-memories and all that.

Thanks for a laugh Shelli

Dilu

Add some vinegar to your koolade mix.....depending on much you do- I add about a quarter cup to do the furr for  one bear.  then after it is the color you want rinse really well in cold water.  The vinegar is your acid fixative.  ( I know it's too easy)  I love doing the koolade because I can get those whimsical colors that are hard to find. Also, perhaps this is sacralige, but I throw mine in the dryer on delicate.....it's already shrunk from the dying process.....

Millie I love the blue in your bear.....I haven't tried the blue koolade, but I have some, so it will be fun to try.  Also I throw my felt in too....I like the way it comes out as well.

Dilu

Kirsten,
I'm not our Miss Winney, but:

Just about any sewing store, fabric store, and maybe Walmart will have it....I believe it called monofilament.  Ive seen it clear, and I also have it in a kind of smoky color.  Also Clotildes on the internet....but she isn't cheap-Clotildes has a gazillion notions and tools that are great for all sorts of sewing applications, but what she doesn't have are bargains! :D

Also if you tell the clerk you want invisible thread-she will know what you want.

I am liking Winney's idea for the ears...

Dilu

Oh Rita.

Excellant-sucess is a failure turned inside out....love it
thank you for sharing it with all of us
 

Dilu:)

Hayley...

Are you planning to wash this bear?  If not why are you worried about fading?

I use Cushings, Bellweather carries it and I think Intercal does too.  I have not had problems with it.

I also use koolade- but there isn't a gray koolade, and if there were, well, who would drink it?  UGH!  :lol:

Cushings seems to work really well- it is an acid fast ( course for the koolade I add white viniger....so its acid fast too.

Alpaca is a natural fiber, like mohair- so why not.

Also I don't have anyone sitting in the western window being beaten down by the sun. 

In fact, except for the black mohair I use for golly hair, I think white is al I buy anymore.  Just because doing my own dying is one more step that makes the little guys mine.

I have never used Cushings black, so maybe it would work fine.  I don't know.

Now think of all the fun you are going to have trying new dyes and experimenting.  Neat huh?

I, for one of dozens, can hardly wait for you to make this little guy....wanta see wanta see....

go for it (just don't forget to share!):P

Dilu

Hi Winney-( what am  going to call you when at last we meet.....in my mind you are Winney)

I have a dickens of a time sewing with the monofilament thread-  I have to admidt that I am never happy with it, because it seems like I don't get the tensions right...or it curls up on me.

NOW  your idea of doing the ears....hmmmmm thats done by hand, I think it is a good idea and worth giving a try.  Thanks! :)

Judi and Marie

Ok gals let's go swimming, uh, but first CHOCOLAT!!!  Yipeee! :D

Dilu

Danni

In quilting we used a lighter type grey....but I would use white in a panda application, which is the reverse of the previous answers.  The reason I do that on my quilts, and sometimes bears is because I can take a paint pen and go down the seam if any white shows in the black areas, but I can't take a paint pen and paint out the black thread showing in the white areas.

On my gollys, sometimes a dot of red will show through in the hair, (where I anchor the red thread for the mouths.) I just paint that out too with the black paint pin. 

I always felt in quilting, clothing and now in bears that if the dark thread shows through on a white or pale color it kind of makes the white or pale color look dirty or grungy....and while the person looking at the bear may not recognize why it seems a little dirty, they will perceive it...

Take some scraps and try it both ways- see what you can live with.

And it would bother me....that's why I came up with the paint pen option of coloring lighter threads on the darker fabric.

The other thing I do is  tighten the tension down and then sew some scraps together.  I will pull the scraps apart about where I think it would be if it were tightly stuffed, like around muzzles etc, and see just how much does show.....So don't forget to use the tools of your machine....and don't be afraid to tighten or loosen your tensions to suit yourself.
You could try it both ways and see how it works for you and report back.

Marie,

I match the thread to the foot pad for light bears, like white, yellow etc, and I match the mohair on the darker bears.  Especially if the fur is longer and apt to curl around the foot pad.  But again, if I am sewing by machine I tighten the tension- If I am sewing by hand I still have a tighter tension, ( an extra little tug)

Oh well---my 2 cents---I always seem to be swimming up-stream  :/

Dilu

Oh Oh Sue Ann.....

Beezley is too cute for words...and I have never been a big fan of anime-but Laure's golly started changing my mind.....now beezley has pushed me off the edge.  I will have to try too.

I continue to be so impressed with everyone here.  It inspires me to try harder, and work harder. and learn more.  And gosh, it's so darn fun to boot!

I have a friend, the one who got me started on this road a year ago.  She came over the other day, so I pulled up the web site and showed her how to scroll through the topics....( she has never used a computer before)

Well.......she started looking at the names and when she got to your avatar  she got so intense, Who is this, what is her last name?  She demanded to know

So I told her and she got sooooooo incredibly excited!!!
" She is so famous....she is one of the  most famous  I can't beieve you just write her...."  Etc etc.  And she couldn't believe you share insight.  I told her everyone does....that's the whole purpose.

When she calmed down she started saying that she was going to have to get a lap top of her own.

I explained to her, that I, not knowing any better, that I write to everyone, and that you, being who you are, write back.  That everyone here, being the neat kind of gals and guys they are, share back and forth all the time.  She just couldn't get over it.!

I guess, in a way, its good I don't know everyone, and who is famous and who is not, or I would be totally inhibited.....and we all know I am certainly not inhibited.  No sense changing now!

At any rate she was so happy to see everyone's work and kept recognizing names, I guess from magazines and shows.  (She used to go all the time)

Any way- even though you are modest and probably don't ever think of yourself the way she does, I thought you might like to know that there are beary people out there who get so jazzed at seeing your name.

I just think of you as Sue Ann- someone who is pretty darn cool!    and very generous with her insight and knowledge.  Thanks!  :D

Dilylu

I love that Werner is coming, and anyone else who wants to....it would be soo cool  to have a really big group meeting....get Marie and Marion, Penny and Jane and all the gals in Australia......hmmmmm add to the mix all the US gals and meet somewhere in the middle.....oh well.....

OK I dream big. :D

I do look forward to meeting you guys though, it will be really nice....I think its great that your folks live in Grants Pass. Laure, cuz it means you have to come through here...;)

RE: driving.  Boy do I understand.  I teethed on the freeways of LA.....but at 53 years old I obviously got my original liscence a long long timer ago.  Since 2000 I just haven't been safe to drive long distances.  I have these bizaar blood sugar drops that go from 90 to 40 in the space of one to two min.  and we are not able to predict when they will happen.....needless to say I stay off the roads, I couldn't handle it if I were responsible for someone's injury or death, knowing that I can't predict this sugar thing......ugh! :(

So I know what you mean about your honey being accomodating....My honey tries to help me out whenever he can.  Thank Goodness!

See you soon....Dilu

Winney, Laure, I only have 1.....plus me.....and I already have my grab bag surprise!!!!!!!

I love it....it's perfect! :D:D:D

Done and done!  Noon sounds great and I will make reservations and send you guys the instructions and name....and I can bring 2 grabbies...

I am so very much looking forward to meeting you guys....And Werner, will be joining us too?

My honeybunny is heading for the hills....literally.....he will probably go on a really long hike....the idea of a crazy group like us talking bears and gollies sends shivers up his back!  :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Take care you guys.....I'm going to mark the calandar....
Di:P

Hi ya Jane-thanks for posting a great piece of whimsy to make us all smile.

I hope the e-mail finally went through today.....I haven't gotten any return mail saying that it didn't......

Enjoy the newsletter...I think she sends them out about every other months.

I made 7 new gollies, under 4"  so small......so cute.  After they get dressed i'll post some pictures....
But I just can't have my little naked wollykins running around....what if the pastor stopped by?

Wonksdily 

Hello Sockerplinga

I believe you are our first Swede.....which is fine by me....maiden name Jacobson, married name Lundgren, I do believe in ethnic diversity, but somehow I ended up in another Swedish heritage family....:D

I would really love to know what kinds of styles you folks have there in the bear range.  I get doll catalogs and the dolls by the Swedish artists are quite different, unique and beautiful.

Perhaps if you have time you could post a picture or two?

Anyway so glad you are here, and I hope you share a lot with us

Dilu