Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I know I have lots to swap...narrow satin  picot ribbon, laces, real fur pieces, lots of buttons,size 18 large glass eyes...I have a new extra book of Jennifer Laings....I have access to tiny pine cones  here( I oven bake them first to get rid of any insects ) or  ask me for other items ...I have tons of extra  stuff I dont need.

I need ...lol...anything I dont have like ....jingle .bells...eye glasses....collars.. bear clothes, sweaters ...narrow silk ribbon  for emb ...small pieces of mohair for about 6" bears... Winney

I could not afford to buy another thing....but found a great use for one of those plastic zippered blanket/ quilt/ bedspreads container  things a blanket comes in when you buy one ...it's so big...love that thing. I folded and put all my white and lighter mohair in it,,,,zippped it closed...yeah. I can see whats in it !...oh yes. and the moths can't get in either....
Hmmm, wonder if I can go to the store and beg for free any kicking around the back shipping room ? Winney

lol.....NOW  i REMEMBER...THAT'S HOW i USE TO MAKE RAGGETY ANNE DOLL HAIR ! ....Winney

Yeah...Dilu's back !!!! Boy...did we ever miss you ! :hug:

  Welcome home...yes there has a lot been going on here, as usual ,   a lot of fun stuff .

So glad the surgery is done and I know you will be a lot better off from it...brand new, :dance:  however ..... don't get on any horses..LOL... Wonderful hubby...will take good care of you. 

((((((((HUGSSSSSSSSSSSSSS  FOR YOU DILU )))))))). :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug: ...............Winney

What an original idea....love it . Winney

Oh my.....my problem too. In Fact what I have been up to for a few weeks is a big  organize and clean out!

I too love to create on the dinette table so I have clear small stack boxs to work from for tools...then 2 big ones with the bear projects in. Then there my sewing  room and two huge wardrobes. 2 more big closets and 2 dressers stuffed full of fabrics...and many many books and magazines...and the bookcase in the living room...  more......stuff!''
Did Imention the shed outside...Agh!

OK , I decided ....to clean out. First old papers...bagged crafts for sales..things I have 2 of...I have tons of lace yardage...some cheap stuff. I am putting each piece in a baggie...then sort to trade or off somewhere...

I have lots of clothing fabric I tagged  to sell....all this off stuff is going into a big box which remains closed until one day. IN the mean while... I am making room... so I am moving the book collection so I can better use it.

I plan to put up a high wall shelf about 20" from the ceiling to set my finished bears for sale on covered up with plastic.All my long stemmed flowers sit in a huge basket covered too...look nice.I have to see my stuff...

Then theres the dolls stuff..hmmm, I may gather that up to give to my 4 granddaughters?...the Barbie suff.
It sure is hard to part with stuff but I need to focus on bears and not too many other crafts ... gads I am not getting any younger....I have been collecting all my life and its been fun but....time to dowsize so I have room to create!..Winney

I love them both...see how they catch on to you?...Whimsical stuff...gets my heart strings...Winney

Bronwen...How do we do it???? ........Make more bears.....actually go dream about your ideas first...your fabulous ideas...that are yours and your alone...ideas take some time to ferment...like good wine....lay on the grass,look up at the clouds ...dont you see things in those clouds?

I love laces, fabrics, colors, childrens illustrations...they give me ideas I cant stop them from popping out at me...I must go grab a paper and sketch , take notes ...then it all starts going faster and faster so fast I fill up darn near the whole page with little notes...sketches...wow...thats how you can do it....and it is ALL YOURS !!!

It can be done in many different ways....these are only a few...Say...maybe we should have a place in the index on   "How to  tap into and expand your creativity"???.........Winney

Great discussion....I have not taken the plunge yet either....I a, making a list of all the sites where I can sell my bears....we newbies appreciate this help !....Winney

My 2 cents...when you place the disc inside the limb....make sure (on the average bear )that there is no more than a 1/4" empty  space  between the  top of the wood disc to the top arm stitched seam...

.or once when stuffed  the top of the arm will buldge out.......on small bears I leave a 1/8" space... Yalllll know what I mean ? ON sone bears I like to use a smaller diameter disc..because I want more arm movement...but I still leave the 1/4" space at the top seam.....I noticed if I use a too big a disc the bear seems really stable but kinda stiff and ridged looking....I guess it depends on what kind of bear  and the look you are going for. Did you ever realize how many ways there are to making a bear ? GOsh ! ...Winney

Sweet girl....now that is perfect.... she looks great in her necklace. it shows up nicely. Thank you for showing Callie....It will be fun to try all the different ways...I like the idea of the seperate neck piece too...I am thinking you can make any length neck for an animal by adding more wood discs inside ...for stability..

I also saw where if you add a larger disc in the body than in the neck tha tit will be more stable for support....wonder if thats how Phillipi does it? She make reallllll long necked bears....THanks everyone., you are all such abig help....good tip to add flat fabric circles under the neck sections to keep things flat.......Winney

I enjoy this discussion...I am like Sue...65 and trying to make bear monies and do hav ehealth problems.I just need to get my schedule and things organized then DO IT !!!!!.........Winney

Do a search ....for claws....I know there was  a lot of discussion about this.very good ones...Judi and othesr contributed with lots of great instructions !..........Winney

Dilu...Here I think of you every day...wishing the gas would not be so high....I wanted to come over and see you dear...please have HUbs drop us a line here and tell us how you are???? Hope everything is going really well ....we all miss you terribly...   send you all our beary hugs (((( Bear Hugs ))))) but not a dogpile of em...yet...Winney

He is soooo cute...maybe EEEp needs a red cape so he can fly safely....with a big E on it...Winney

OHHHHH... sounds pretty, Imust  try it... Gaby , where is Wien ?..Winney

I believe she says to use a handfull of the brown skins..dosnt say to how much water to use...Why don't you drop her a line and ask..I too have been wondering about the specifics..I always need ssspecifics because I am a nit picker LOL....I'd like to try dying with onion skins...I have a huge bag I have saved up over the months....Hey...I wonder what color the red onion skins will give off???? DUH,,,Duh ya thunk RED?....he, he..who knows...maybe it will be purpleish....do ask Nancy?....Winney ( Also howmuch is a handfull??? are they loose skins  or crushed skins??Winney

I must give it a go...see what happens... this will be fun..thanks all...Winney

What pretty colors !....Winney

I want to make a necklace for this bear so adding to the neck will help the necklace show up better and lay right ...
All good suggestions...I think I will add to both body top and head bottom...Winney

Here is a funny new problem...how would you go about making a bear that has a skinny neck? I have seen some bear like this; Nysa Phillipi 's...and others

Would you build  the neck shape in with the body top ?

Or would you build it into the head bottom ?

Or do both ?

Or would you make  a seperate neck piece  like the wedge used for Polar and other realistic bears ? ...Winney

Dilu...Thanks for those lnks ..that's exactly what we need to sort out what the different dyes do....Winney

SHelli...I just dyed some bears using Rit...

If you  want a more muted color then add 2 TBL salt to the dye bath...

If you want a LIGHTER color like Judis frog then don't dye that piece of fabric as long... then rinsethe fabric un til no color comes out and then layed the pieces flat on top the washer on an old towel ...they came out great !Winney

Cute Melene !!!! What a sweet thing Judi !....I am just faling in love with th3e Antime bears....Winney

LOL ...Start with the head...LOL... I just had to say that.. he, he.

Well the head is big and the arms,legs and body are porportionally what appears to be too small. If you can find a picture of a " Poor Kitty" japanese doll that would give us an idea just what the relation of size is for Anime.

The head also appears not to have much definiton at the bridge...head looks like a ball mostly....eyes are definatly slid down off the face ...NO hard fast rules here...just go for it !  Hmmmm, now where is that Orange in the frig ?Winney