Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

There are so many good points in this post. And looking forward to others. I am neither a selling artist nor a collector. And I cannot recollect  the quote I would love to use here. It goes along the lines of, if you have 1 (insert currency) you should spend half on food and half on flowers..... Pretty much, look after the practical things, but do things that are good for your soul. Teddy bears are. Perhaps sales are down, but I don't believe that the market will stop or trickle out entirely. From personal experience, when times have been very tough, that is when I tried the hardest to have things around me to make me happy. I was almost ready to start selling last year, but held off because of the economy. And decided to use the time to improve on techniques. It is really sad that artists have to leave to find things to make money. I am in the fortunate position that I can do this as a hobby. But I really hope we don't loose too many talented people, it would be such a shame.

Hi Louisa.

I use a hemostat and on orange stick.(like you use for doing your nails) BUT, check your pattern. I have found that if the "wrist" is too small it is a struggle, you know the but where you put the paw pad in.

I will resend once my head wakes up,

You sound just like me, I never do anything normally. My hubby didn't believe me at first. But if I something happens to me it is usually the weirdest scenario. One that most Doctors haven't had to deal with etc. Like getting a sandworm in my eyelid. And stuff like that.  I feel for you with the hand. I fell a few weeks ago and must have done something to my ribs, but my arm and hand are really not that hot neither. Quality of xrays (and medical treatment) here is bad so pointless doing anything, except trying to rest it all. Frustrating to say the least.

They are all lovely, and as I said before I am crazy about spike. Just love him. The expression on his face and his "tooths". They are all stunning. Cant wait to see more. :hug:  :hug:  :clap:  :clap:

ok, now that we all admit we love our teddies. Can I ask something? Does anyone else get the impression that your bear has a different expression at different times?????

Thomas you have really got me thinking. I got my first bear when I was a baby. But he was a big and very hard bear, so not cuddly. I had a rabbit and a golly that I loved literally to death. I remember being comforted by the fact that my bear watched over me though. Which then I guess makes sense that I love having my mini bears around even though I cant cuddle them. They just are there. I do have one my hubby bought me last year that I can cuddle. But I do talk to and rearrange my bears daily.

It has taken me a while to admit to myself that even in adulthood a teddy hug just works.  :hug:

Tried to send mail using the addy under you avatar. Didn't  give me place to add pics. Lifted the one from your website. Let me know if that is ok

Hi Sandra

Sending you a mail

thought I was the only one :crackup:  :crackup:

Gosh Shane :redface:  nice to be lumped in with a mind like yours   :dance:   I have huge respect for fishing line. Had to make an outfit for a designers graduation once, she bought ciffon and wanted the hem to make zig zags. Fed line into the hem and ironed it. It worked well. Used it on wings too, ok then i also used nail varnish on wings :crackup:  :crackup:

how about the beading filament? Similar to fishing line. Can get black. you can get it to curl and bend using your finger nail

Wow, now got my brain going. Pity I have so many other things on the go. But please post some of the things you make. Would love to see. My Mom is a keen quilter and I have started again. Have a wall hanging in the process (long process) but wants to turn mixed media. SO I think the next project will have to be. This one I want to be able to wash cause it is going in the kitchen.

Sue Ann, that looks very interesting. I have made paper before and that was fun. But paper fabric? Found this site http://arleebarr.squarespace.com/design … paper.html  Looks good. I want to play. I don't know if we are even talking about the same end product here. But I used to make a mush in a blender, and use that as a base. Then add layers of interesting things. I had a few frames with screen fabric on them so you could make them to different sizes.  And Wrinkles make things interesting don't you thing????? :dance:  :dance:

Wow Tami, that looks like a stunning day. I really am jealous. What a wonderful work space and what stunning bears. How special to have a day with like minded people....  :dance:  :dance: You and your Doogie are both very pretty.

She really is beautiful. Very lucky too, own cake, and were those new pressies she had???

:crackup :crackup: :  :crackup:.

old xray plates work well. You can soak them in bleach to get the "picture" off. Kim that made me laugh. Could be worse, could sit down to his Wheaties with a teddy cut out of the box :crackup:  :crackup:

Wow do I feel for you. I arrived here with about 3 sets of clothes (I packed bear stuff instead). The clothes here are really cheap. Mostly factory seconds etc but good. The problem I have had is trying to find things that fit and are not too frilly. And I had no idea what "normal" people my age are wearing. Thanks girls for the sites, gives me an idea. I have really been working hard lately to get out of the jeans and tshirt mode and dress a bit better and accessories more. I finally have the time to do it and I am enjoying it tremendously.

It wouldn't be funny if it weren't so true... Julie Andrews turned 69 and to commemorate her
69th birthday on October 1, actress/vocalist Julie Andrews made a special appearance at
Manhattan 's Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP.
One of the musical numbers she performed was
"My Favourite Things" from the legendary movie "The Sound Of Music."

Here are the actual lyrics she used:

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favourite things.
Cadillac's and cataracts, and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favourite things..
When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favourite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.
Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favourite things.
Back pains, confused brains, and no need for sinnin',
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',
And we won't mention our short, shrunken frames,
When we remember our favourite things.
When the joints ache, When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,
And then I don't feel so bad.

Ms. Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd that lasted over four minutes and repeated encores.

Catherine your prints are beautiful and do show the best of every season. I like the beginning of each season. Then I get bored and want the next one..... Right now I would be happy for any change in season. Had one and a half years of it being the same every day, except that some days it rains harder than others. You also get bored with wearing the same thing over and over. Would kill to wear a tracksuit and fluffy top, Pair of socks and slippers. And climb into a bed with a duvet and electric blanket.......hmmmmm roll on October when I can escape for a bit

You are so luck to have such special times. I so miss things like Women's institute and quilting groups. It is always such fun. And so nice to introduce a new craft to people.  :clap:  :clap:

I thought I would share my day with you (just the last bit of it) just to give you a laugh....

If you ever need to wash all your pots at once and rinse off all your groceries... here is how....

Firstly, I am in just a bit of pain. Fell on Sunday and hurt my knee (not to badly) and my chest and arm (quite badly). So been taking things quite easy. In the meantime trying to learn french online and do research on setting up internet business. so between all that and the pain pills my head is a busy place.

Put the cutlery in the kitchen sink to soak while I had a shower (you can see where this is going) got out of the shower and could hear water running downstairs.... The entire kitchen. The cupboards, under the fridge, where we have a resident Geko, who is now very unhappy. The builders put in a ledge so rain water cant get in, but I cant get the water out. I want my wet/dry vacuum cleaner that is in storage and someone to laugh with.

Also in this transient kind of life you cont have the stack of old towels one would normally collect.... I want to go back to bed now....

There you go Shane, otherwise I will have to send him a dreadful one from here :crackup:  :crackup:

Thank you Sophie. That is beautiful. Now when I went on my cave "walk" a while ago, that is what I expected, lights and handrails. Not clambering around in bat poo... anyhow. It was an experience I will never forget. It is incredible to see all the formations.

Since we live in a weird time warp here, can get things like that. I have seen all sorts of things made into rucksacs. Will take some pics when I go shopping again... they cheap as chips here and may tide you over till Shane has his done. Having said that, there probably wont be any now......