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OK I just ordered this book a week ago an I got it in the mail today, I sure wish I had found this book a long time ago, I buy my books at a store called "Half Price Books" I have bought every bear/teddybear/teddy bear making book they have had, and I have poured over them a hundred times. Some I found very helpful, some not so great and even if the book was not so great I always seemed to learn something new or helpful. But I had went on amazon and saw Nancy Tillbergs book and realizing I did not have it, I ordered it and was excited to get it because I love Nancy's work. Well I got it today and it is one of the very best bear making books I have ever seen. If you are a new bear maker go out and buy this book!!!!!!! It has so much helpful information that it is a real must have. And for those that are old timers if you don't have this book, get it too, it will teach you some new great tips!
Nancy Thank you for sharing so much wonderful information!!!!!!!
Bear Hugs
Jodi
Aleta
That picture is so pretty it could be on a greeting card, what a beautiful cat. Ann that dog looks so sweet
I really have never heard of that happening, but Oh My Gosh that picture is priceless!!!!!!
I love it!!! 
Hi Rita, everybody already wrote what I would have suggested, I was going to say the exact thing Diane said, find the bear you love and stick with it, tweak it, use different materials, I thought Benny was SO CUTE, he really did jump out at me. The main thing I see as any problems, is what the others said , your pictures, when I built my own light box the pictures are sooooo much better, here in Indiana you can not go outside much to take pictures and the light box is great, I didn't buy one, I made mine using a big paper towel box, 3 - 9 dollars walmart undersink lights and some really nice fabric for backdrops, A black faux suede is my favorite. I have a ton of them so I can change the look a lot. It does not look pretty but it is the best thing I have for my bears.
Hope this helps
Bear Hugs
Jodi
Alma,
I hope you are feeling well very soon , our thoughts and prayers are with you!!!!
Bear Hugs
Jodi
Lynette, I feel for you, my dad had the surgery about a year ago and I went with him and after they were done I went in and he was crying blood, I am terrible with blood, I almost fainted, he said though it didn't hurt, but he tried to do too much, too soon, he really started hurting, so take care of yourself and even if you are feeling pretty good, take it slow. I hope you are well soon.
Bear hugs
Jodi
Man that is really rotten, good job on helping to clean up ebay. It's so nice it ended well :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
There really does need to be ebay cops we can report these crimes to, I am not saying some tech that gets all kind of complaints, but real cops that can issue tickets 
and a stern warning , outside ebay legal action, something to stop these guys.
One time I typed my name in google, and it popped up with a listing on ebay that I hadn't done and when I went to it , it was a bear I had made when I first started out, it was a horrible picture of a very early not so well made bear I had done, OMG it looked dreadful 
, I cringed when I saw it , in my opinion that should be illegal too. 
Yea for holidays to eat doughnuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:
We bought some Paczki's with bavarian filling, they are sooooooo good.
there were ten in the box I ate one and am letting my husband eat the rest, it's my new diet plan, I am going to stop trying to get smaller, I am just going to help him get larger. 
Hugs and happy doughnut day!
Hi all,
I wanted to Thank everyone for responding to this thread, I appreciate everyone's input and opinions, it was nice to see that I was not wrong for HATING shill bidding, it completely hurts our business in so many ways and as my friend said, people who shill bid, are some of the same that copy other people's work for greed or malice, to try to get ahead and to take shortcuts that it has taken years to learn. I am not talking about the brand new bearmaker who is just starting out , of course you will copy others work, I did, let's face it, all Teddy bears started with that first Teddy (which I know is an on going debate with who made it first, I tend to think Steiff did, but like politics I won't open that can of worms )
I must say I also learned in this thread to not turn priority boxes inside out, because it's illegal , which "I would never do":whistle:
And if I buy a new mattress I am going to make sure there isn't an old one lurking inside
And last but not least, that when you are housebound with a hyper 11 year old boy and an even more hyper chihuahua you can count on TT for some wonderful interaction with some really great teddy bear makers.
Big Bear Hugs
Jodi
I don't need any, but what a really nice thing to do!
Bear Hugs
Jodi
I one time bought 5 yards of the prettiest plush I had ever seen and was so excited to get it, well the seller was so sweet and got it sent to me lightening fast, I opened it and man the smell of cigarettes just about knocked me over, I was so sad, there was no way I could use it, I ended up drying it with fabreeze and sewing it into a big pillow for my outside dog. The most expensive pet bed ever. But I had not asked that question and Chrissi you are 100% right, those are wonderful questions to ask ,I wish I had .
I think charging a SMALL fee for , bubble wrap,packing peanuts, tape and gas to post office is OK, because there is an actual cost involved, (as sellers we already get charged a fee from paypal if we are paid that way), but I agree, if it is all those wonderful bells and whistles it shouldn't be , but I know when I bought the bear from Aleta I wasn't charged extra, it was great advertisement, I told everyone I knew, about how wonderful the bear was and how creatively it was packed. I do think the artist should list the handling charge in the auction, and for the most part I think they do. I don't think a seller should make a ton off of shipping, but I really don't see that as a problem in the bear area. But I was charged once 4.50 for something that came in an envelope with a 39 cent stamp, it was an old stamp. Now I never bid until I look at shipping.
That is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a really great bear to share.
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Bear Hugs
Jodi
When I first started on eBay which was in 1999 , man I feel old, 
I listed my first bear straight from a pre made pattern, I put that in the description and it sold for a whopping 24 dollars, I thought I had made a fortune, I then used the pattern as a guide to give me an idea on how a bear is made, because it didn't seem like something I made, so the very next bear was completely a pattern I designed, it made 41 dollars.
Well that was it, I was so excited I started sewing like a mad woman. But making a great bear was not enough, I started seeing how others had photographed their work, Janice Woodard of Boohbear was an artist that made the most beautiful bears and she advertised them so well, they popped off of the auction page.
I realized that I need to not only make a great bear I needed to develope my own selling style, I spent about 4 months watching all the artists listings, so to carve out my own niche, I made my very first Storytime Mouse , it went for 100 dollars, it was in mohair, I made about 3 that way and then I saw Deb Canham did these wonderful mohair mice, well I didn't want to try to "re-invent the wheel" so I came up with making my mice in plush wool felt, the first few were pretty rough but they got better with each new one, when I listed a mom and baby set, they made 300 dollars. I fell off of my chair I was so excited. :dance: I have been doing them that way since.
Now do I think it's wrong if someone else does mice , no, I love seeing new mice peek in, in fact I have bid on some really cute ones, because I collect little mice of all kinds. What is wrong and is completely wrong, is when the person copies my creative work as a whole, I respect the work of my fellow artists, I admire them and the effort and time they put in, to get where they are, now if I teach someone to do something like mine, I would have no problem with them using it, but when I list a mouse or bear on ebay I am not putting it out there to have others copy it, be inspired by it YES, but this is my business and it takes money out of my pocket, money that I spend on my kids, college is not cheap. I know that when someone see's an auction of mine that does well and they come out with one like mine, if the person does it a couple times no biggie because almost always they end up finding their own style. It is wonderful to think that I inspired someone. I had one now famous artist write to me when she first started out for some tips and help getting started, I did and I do it all the time, I love to help new artists make it, if I can save someone from making a mistake that I made, GREAT!.
I understand that we all basically make the same things, but there are a billion ideas out there and as you can tell from 99.9% of the members here on TT you can make a bear, but you can put your own style to it and make it your own without stealing anothers creative ideas. Here on TT there was a mouse challenge and not one mouse looked like the other and they were all adorable. My feeling is though, that is someone is willing to copy anothers creative work for profit, what else are they willing to do? As my friend, that is a doll artist said, she see's it all the time.
So to all the new bearmakers out there, it is not wrong to be inspired by someone and it is even OK to copy someone if it is just for yourself and you are doing it to practice trying to get better, but if you are like me, you will not be happy until that bear that is in your head roaming around, comes out. You will find your own creative style and it will just feel so right.
Bear Hugs
Jodi
P.S. someone had asked me if it was OK to use a certain way an artist made something, I said yes it was, but ask the artist if it is OK first, then if she says yes, credit her with it, I have seen artists do it before and I respect them so much, but it isn't long before they have morphed that, into their own style that is completely different from the original artist. That is what is really wonderful. :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:
Aerianna, If you look on the net , go to google and type in bags for retail stores , I used to own a toy shop and you can order big bulk supplies from those type companies at a lot lower cost, one company is www.papermart.com since you have your own business thru ebay i am sure you would be able to buy wholesale.
Hugs
Jodi
I must say Aleta , when I received a bear that I bought from you a long time ago, it was wonderful, how you had it packed, you had the thank you card folded so neat with a black checked ribbon on it, I loved it!!!!!!! Michelle Lamb and I were just talking about you, we were saying we would love to win the lottery and open a bear museum, and we would want you to design a little scene, like a wonderful tea party, it would be beautiful.
You guys are good, I must say packing the item to be shipped is like torture for me, I need to do a better job, I just make sure it doesn't get damaged, no bells or whistles, I need to be more creative, you guys all have such great ideas, it inspires me to do something different.
Krista don't feel bad at all for listing right now. You go girl!!!!!!! Just with me not buying , that should break ebay
Krista, I just went and did some "market research " :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
Bella is just lovely!!!!!!!! every bit worth the 500.00 !!!!!!!!
Bear hugs
Jodi
Krista I think what you did is perfect, that way you have given everyone a chance and completely made it fair. If this person was saying "hey can I buy it outside of ebay?' I would then be leery. I will keep my fingers crossed it goes thru, that would be a great sale. Don't you hate listing in 2 areas under features, I know it's alot of exposure but man the 40 hurts coming out of my pocket.
What a perfect easter picture!!!!
I love it. 
I love using the packing peanuts and I know so many of them just get thrown out, I wish there was a packing peanut recycling center, where you could buy them for really cheap. Does everyone charge a handling fee, for supplies used in shipping? I am torn between doing it and not, What's your feeling on it?
Jodi, The Pin cushion, is wonderful!!!!!!!!! , I LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!
I have a love /hate relationship with ebay , this piece should have a bid, that is a great price, I keep thinking I have the collector figured out then they change and I realize I am completely clueless. I will have your back anytime!
I love your work and I am so honored to be in the Jodi club with you!
Bear Hugs
Jodi I have to tell you the funniest story I went to my local Hobby Lobby and there is a lady there that I have gotten to know pretty well, she knows I make bears and sells them on ebay, well I am standing while she is cutting my fabric and she gets the biggest smile on her face and says, "Oh I saw your bear on ebay , it is soooooo cute , I told my daughter that you were a customer here and she was so impressed I waited on you." Feeling pretty full of myself I go "Oh which one did you see, the Valentine Storytime Bear or one of my Storytime Baby Bears?" she answered "No it was a beautiful purple one" "Hmmmmmmmm" I say, "I didn't make a purple one". She then goes, "isn't your last name Falk?" I then explained that this bear was not mine and I agreed it is an adorable bear, because I knew if it was made by you , sight unseen it was a cutie!
You know it's funny I was talking to a friend who is also an artist in dolls and we were talking about shillers and she said that she noticed that the ones in the doll area, not only shill, they copy text from auctions, listing and selling formats and creative ideas , sometimes they just outright copy someones work, I told her I felt it was laziness and lack of real creative ability and talent, look at all the really great artists on ebay, they are original and have been that way for years, their work and style are their own, they don't take short cuts, they are respectful of their fellow artist, those are the real professionals. And it's almost gotten funny, when you see someone copy someone else, they think it is hurting the artist who they are copying, but it only makes themselves look bad. I think what my friend says is true, "if a person is willing to copy another artist, they are willing to do anything."
When I am talking to a new artist that is starting out on ebay and they ask for tips, the first tip I give is, learn what other artists are doing and do something completely new and exciting, that will get you to the top quicker then anything. I am a firm believer if you have talent, you work really hard and come up with something new, you will do pretty well in the bear business.
