Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I think I am going to buy coffee cup and go from there. 

Speaking of cats chewing...
Zippy my little black beast likes to eat thread. Come to think of it so does Teddy. Then they swallow it whole. YUCK!

I space the darts about an inch apart.
I fold the body piece in half and make one in the middle, then add one in front and one in back. They can also be shallower than a single dart.

I don't know that it can be summed up in 10 words or less.

But Daphne's explaination is as good as any.

You could download it from ebay and try it, but don't if you have something that works.

There was a flush of fraud with them in our area for a long time. The local banks would not accept them for deposit nor would they cash them.

html for dummies is a great book...
I have a copy somewhere... Let's see...

I was looking for a WYSIWYG editor.
That is why I like turbo lister, you can switch between HTML, Design layout (WYSIWYG), and a Preview window.
I found a fairly inexpensive editor called coffe cup it's only $49 and it looks like it does a ton of stuff.

WYSIWYG= What You See Is What You Get

http://www.w3schools.com/  This is another great online resource for HTML, JAVA Script, CSS, tables and so on.

Really, I was hoping that someone would have an easy answer. he he  (snickering)

I like a lot of the Beach Boys music.
I am also into Folk Music. I just recently aquired a CD that has native South American music on it. It has tons of pan pipes, I love 'em because they sound so mellow.
Josh is on my list.
Ceclia Bartoli is another good one too. She was on Letterman several years ago. I would like to see her and Josh in concert. Alas time does not permit.

You its sad but I studied voice for about ten years, and now I don't have an outlet for it. There is no local group I can sing with. And I have advanced behond the abilities of the local vocal coaches. When I was in college I finally got a wonderful vocal coach. I loved to go to my voice lessons. He got more out of me in one semester, than anyone else had in two. He was a very good fit for me. Then after a year he took a job taching down in Texas somewhere or maybe it was Missiouri, I don't remember. I was crushed. I couldn't go to any of the other vocal studios on campus, I was spoiled. Mom asked me if I wanted to go where he was teaching, but it meant moving further from home, the school didn't offer my degree program, and it was also bigger $$$!
Oh well.

I know who most of these bands/groups are and I was born in 1976. We listened to quite a variety of music growing up. Most of the time traveling to antique shows with mom. She chose the radio station.
I happen to like the Mamas and the Papas.
I tend to like the "older" music as it has a beat, rythm, a sense of time, tells a story, and most importantly you can UNDERSTAND IT!

Does that make me old?

I decided that today I would get rid of the pile of fleece hats that I made several years ago. Though I should be working on bears... those hats are just sitting there taking up space.
I took my pictures against a plain white background.
I loaded them on the computer. Made the mask in Corel PhotoPaint reversed it and erased the background.
I turned off the mask. Saved the pictures as .gifs. Loaded to my website.
Created my listings. Very carefully going over the details...

:lol:

I get all done and forgot to add that they are hand made...
Mom pointed this out and I fixed it but what a pain.

:P

Turbolister can be a big pain in the rear, but it does make somethings easier. It doesn't play well with the auction templates that mom has bought.
Does anyone out here have any other listing service or something else that they use?

Julia -
I am so sorry to hear that. It is always tough to lose a pet. Somehow they just work their way into our lives and we can't seem to live without them.
  :hug:

I forgot in all of the excitment to tell you all that I use a no heat laminate. You can get it in the office supplies at Wal*Mart and I think it is $4.00 a roll, might be a bit more. I don't remember, mom usually buys it.

Shelli -
You could put the serger on your Christmas Wish List and maybe the Hubby and kids will buy it for you.
If you plan on doing any costuming at all it will be helpful.
Besides the ones I have bought always come with an instructional Video. They are really easy to use.
I have blown two up, just from using them.
That reminds me...
I need to go finish up my homework and then I can get pictures out there of my fleece hats and get the silly things out the door. 

Congrats!  :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

"Where's the beef... I mean... Where's the photos?"

Shelli -
Do you have a serger? or do you know what one is?
I would layer the tulle together and then use the knife on the serger you cut the excess away while binding it all together nicely. Plus you can change the rate at which the feed dogs move in order to gather the tulle. I did this when sewing fleece hats a few years back. That way I never ended up with thick bulky seams. They were all nice and smooth.

That reminds me I have a ton of hats that I need to get posted on eBay... Before Christmas.

I say go fur it!

I usually, start with an idea in my head. I recently put a small notebook on my night stand so that I could write things down during the night. Plus I can do rough drafts of designs. When designing a new bear it is helpful to take one of your own patterns that you know "works" and just make modifications to that. Many times I am pressed for time so that is all I do. But I have made some "interesting" bears over the years.
With totally new designs I start with a muslin bear and then see where I need to make corrections. Then when I am done with them I rip them apart and reuse the bits.
The flexi ruler is a big help with gussettes and foot pads.
But after sewing for most of my life I am able to "see" where I need to put darts. It comes with practice. I say try the extreme shapes and then you can see how to modify them to get them to fit your bear.
My designs are always changing.

Here are some simple design rules that can help.

1. If you take the head side pattern piece and stack on top of it self 2.5~3 time this will give you a body that is in the "normal" size range for the head size.
2. Arms & legs should be close in overall length, but the arms can be longer.
3. If you are making a 2 piece body, add darts at the bottom to give fullness. Remember you can add more than one dart, I use three small darts.
4. If you are using a 4 piece body remember that the side seam on the body front and the body back are the same length.
5. If you are wanting to make a "Big Head" bear no rules really apply, so just toss them all out the window.

6. JUST HAVE FUN! How's that saying go... "Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things"

KBonsall,
Are you using the USPS? or UPS?
I have found that I can ship via USPS overseas cheaper than UPS or Fedex.
If you check out the online shipping center for USPS, you usually can buy most of the services online and at a slight discount.
This link will help you just click for international postage.
http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepost … atepostage

I hope this helps.

I just did a guess-timate and found that you can send a 1 LB package via Airmail takes 4-6 days, bor $16.50, plus insurance.

Nah... you should just post the picture

Shelli -
You really did a great job with Dilu's avatar.
I would like to do more of those types of things... But who has the time.
I think that 1 day should equal 48 hours instead of 24. That way I could get everything done... well maybe...
If only I didn't need to work that pesky day job. Anyone care to go in for me in the morning????

WAY TO GO HELEN!!!!!!

  :dance: :cake: :bday: :hug: :dance: :cake: :bday: :hug: :dance: :cake: :bday: :hug:

Well... after 15 years you too can do this...
I have a simple program that is available for the low low price of $1500 US.
Then I have the advanced program that is $3000 US
but you must take them in order... LOL

Ears can be really "ear-a-tating"!  (OOO WHOOO I made another funny!)
There are times when I have had to redo them 10 times before they were right.

Patsy,
Don't Worry about it... Dilu, I think, has some of us confused completely...

"Snickering" That is too rich... I think we need to add that as a new word to Webster's

Snickering - v. sinck-er-ing 1. to laugh at one's friends 2. a course of consuming one's nightly medication and a mini-snickers candy bar

   :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

As for the whole teddy head thing... I think it depends on your computer...
It shows up on mum's PC once in a while. It doesn't bother me, as I have all of my bookmarks listed alphabetically.
One can achieve this when one has their favorites list on screen and right clicking. Then select the sort by name.
I also move my favorites into folders by type. I also place certain bookmarks or favorites at the top of my list.
To do this one must Left click and hold and then move the selected link to where one wants it, then release.

Louise,
Just keep laughing no one has any idea...

I have to send my cats out of the room.
Zippy likes to play with MaeLynn and sometimes he gets a bit rough. Teddy on the other hand beats feet out of the room if she makes a be line for him.

Dilu
Jared is snickering.....

I just wrinkle my noe and say abracadara! and they magically appear. It's really that simple. Don't make it harder than you have too.

I start my noses at the top and come out the botton. I carefully lay each thread next to each other until the nose is complete. I find that I have better luck using #3 floss. My mother likes #5. I also sew a big "U" or "V" shape starting and then use that as a guide, then I don't have to mess with pens. Shaving the nose area before sewing helps.
I always recommend stuffing the nose firmly with excelsior, AKA wood wool, this helps to keep the muzzle straight.
It just takes practice.