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Awwww....How sweet is that! 
That is too cute for words! 
That is such a cute mouse!
thank you Conni. It looks very much like the product Rin described. it was kind of you to find this on eBay.
thank you Rin for the information. I'll google "curtain weights" and see what I can find.
I too learn so much from others. The library is wonderful on this site. It is a weath of information. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you do it. It has all kinds of tips and techniques shared over the years.
I agree with Becky. Needle sculp indents to create eye sockets.
Getting ears on the head evenly can be tricky. first, if your bear head gets misshaped, you might need to ensure you stuff the head more with stuffing. Just pack it in there. As for the ears. Pin both ears on first and check to see if they are even from all angels of the bear. The best angle is to turn the head around, nose turning away from your body, and you look down, at the top of the head. It gives you a nice view of what need adjusting. One ear may be pinned higher or lower and you can go back and forth adjusting. Once you like the position, tac down like you read in you books. that's how I do it. Hope that helps.
nice tip. What is the brand name of the small weights? where can you buy them? I always struggle to find a small weight for my mini's.
Welcome back Millie. Sometimes life takes us in different directions and it is nice to see your journey brought you back to bears. I will be eager to see your hiatus has taken your creativity to a new level.
you can use Prisma markers as well as Copic markers. it is inportant to heat set it so it does not fade. use Your hair dryer and wave it back and forth for a minute or two to set the color.
I sometimes trim a 1/4" seam allowance. I use a mustash trimmer to shave the seam before I sew. Hand cutting took too long for my taste. I hand vacuum each piece of fur to get rid of the loose fuzzies with a hand held Dirt Devil vacuum. Hint: hold on tightly or you will find you will be digging your fur piece out of the bag.
I agree with Jane. Use 100% Polyester thread. also line each bear piece with good quality muslin. Please hand baste the muslin to each pattern piece. glue can is bad for the hide and will compromise the integrity of the leather. You don't want seams to start popping years later because the glue eroded the leather. If the bear is big enough, you can use your sewing mashing. Just make sure you use a leather needle for both machine or hand sewing.
I had that same problem. The cotter pins became twisted and cork-screw-like resulting in loose joints. So many years ago, I switched back to the nuts and bolts. Now, my hand strength is not the best, so I purchased a small hand held power drill and bought the attachment the fits the bolt (or is it the nut). So I avoid all that twisting motion and I can adjust with the reverse option on the drill if I get it too tight.
Prisma pens are good for shading along with Copic markers. As for eyelid cording, you can go to your local craft store and find cording for jewelry making. They come in various sizes. As for glue, regular Elmers glue works for me.
I don't know the answer to your question but I think your bears look wonderful as they are. Beautiful faces.
Wow, that is phenomenal. what a lovely gesture Joanne to do this for the bears.
When I want a softer, huggable bear, I use the softer pollyfill. I think, based on what you described, you may need to go back to your normal stuffing and save the other for craft projects. If you have pets, make a doggie or cat bed with this stuffing you don't like. Just a thought.
I never heard of kittie litter used inside a bear. I would think that the fine dust would be coming through the seams and fibers. Not a good thing. I can imagine plopping the bear down and a cloud of dust billowing around the said bear. 
that sounds right to me too. You will have beautiful eyes following those steps.
Well I think part of the solution is to move the placement of the arm lower on the body. I also wonder if the neck disc is too large. Meaning it may need to be smaller. This provides less shoulder.
I use ground glass. I also use Copper coated bebe's. I did read that somebody washed small pebbles from their yard and used them as weights.
I love your work. That is such a cute rabbit! 
I double the length of the foot and use a thin wire to create the shape of the paw pad. I found using wire help keep the shape when tracing the pattern. Once traced, I put in a seam allowance.
I agree with the suggestions of the others. I too use wax thread and presculpt the sockets. I would like to suggest one more thing. When stuffing the head, do not stuff as hard around the eye area. that way you have some give to dent in the eyes.
I love Ted Menen and Jennifer Lang books. If you like whimsy, you can study the fun patterns of Neysa Phillippi and create your own designs. You can find her books on Amazon.com
