Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I found that running sclupting threads first can help too.

But on the few bunnies that I make with claws I just put tenison on the floss.

I have calluses (or is that calli?) all over my hands. My pinkie fingers each have 2 to 3.
The tops of my fingers on the right hand get calluses from using the forceps to stuff.
And my left hand just gets crankie. 

Lisa,
Your grandma was quite the looker...
O love what you did with your tag.
What a nice idea.

Mom used this picture for the convention piece for April '05 in Schaumburg.

Millie,
I have black walnuts in my yard would you like them.
You would be more than welcome to come and collect them.
If you are interested I will give you directions to the house.
Jared :whistle:

Shelli,
What a pretty new avatar.

Well I thought Yule was too good not to show him off.
Next week is the show.
Jared

I automatically add people to my mailing list...
But... I always include the line...
If you would like to be removed from this mailing list just reply to this e-mail with REMOVE in the subject field.
You must always offer them an out.

If people reply asking to be removed I take care of it immediately. I might send them an e-mail telling them that I have removed them, but most of the time I don't as they don't care to hear from me any longer.
I don't make a big deal out of it and many of my customers are interested in seeing my new items.

Well let's see I think I can help some as this is the type of bears & bunnys that mom & I do.

1. Pick out the mohair.
2. Dye it various colours by using rit dyes (I know that rit dye is not a true dye, but it achieves the effects that we want.)
    a. Dye it the first colour
    b. Use Rit dye remover to pull out some of the colour, not all
    c. Re-dye with a second colour or with a coffee/vanilla/cinnamon mix.
3. Bake in oven at low temp.
4. Finish drying in dryer, a dryer sheet is never a bad idea.
5. Wash & dry a load of towels, before you put anything else in the dryer. I would hate for you to stain your hubby's work clothes or put coffee stains on your kid's school clothes.
6. Study old bear and see where the wear is and replicate that.
Most any dyeing technique that you see done with regular fabric can be replicated with mohair. Just Do It!  :dance:

Pretty easy stuff if you ask me.

I was wondering that myself...

Well I sold a home dec rooster to a gal that wanted as a baby gift. I thought it was a bit strange, but she paid me. I just made sure that she understood that it wasn't a toy.

Deb,
What did you not think of?

She may have wanted the bear as a collectible item for the baby.

Just remember that you don't have the expense of traveling to a show, nor do you lose them time going to the show. While your bear is posted on eBay you can be working on your next bear.
Remember to keep customers e-mail addresses in a file and when you list a new bear send them a message telling them that you have listed a new creation.
Some day when I get time I will put together a whole eBay for Teddy Artists lecture.

Eileen,
Making sense and politicians don't go together.

When MaeLynn is a little older I might try this...

This is too rich!

When mom and I are both at the booth...
She usually greets everyone and I just stand there and smile like an idot. (you can see an example of this in the gallery pic I posted).
Then she asks them about how they are, where they are from, or if they have a bear that she likes she asks to see him. We then ooo and ahh over the bear. (This must be sincere! If you don't like the bear don't ask to see him.) Usually people are proud to show off their new bears.
If I am by myself I stand at the end of the table so that people know that it is my booth/stand. I smile and greet them.
If I am fixing my something on my table I turn and greet them an excuse myself out of their way so that they can see all of my bears.
I always make a point to greet my long term collectors. I will be honset here... I remember faces better than I remember name. But a simple smile and a cheerful greeting go along way.
Don't sell your bears. Let your bears sell themselves.

Good Luck!

Well let's see...
This year I got Zoe from the Toy Shoppe for my birthday from mom. But she got here well after my b-day. I am still waiting for Isabella.

I think since I have a few extra bucks I might buy mom a Z22 or a mini-refigerator for the sewing room, maybe both.
We like to keep cold pop and ice cream treats on hand. he he.

Christmas was never a big deal at our house.
My sister and I rarely asked for anything for Christmas.
I would look for my presents before hand but only on the years that I asked for something.
We usually open everything on Christmas Eve.

When I was in 1st grade, we had to make a Christmas wish list and I had the hardest time with it. I didn't want anything so I looked at the wish list of one of the girls in my class. I didn't know what to ask for. So I copied one of the things from her list, a play-dough fun factory. Really there wasn't anything I wanted. I think I listed crayons and colouring books. I was never a-hard-to-please-child, and I still am to this day. Maybe that comes from going to auctions and making playthings out of what I could find. Who knows?

Now as we have gotten older it is even harder to shop for everyone.
Gift cards are great! We usually get dad a gift card to Wal*Mart that way while he is on the road he can buy what he wants.
Mom usually gets upgrades to her computer or other "helpful" technology. Like a new telephone or answering machine.
Once in a while we might buy her an Emerald ring for Mother's Day.

What a great deal...
Maybe your bear could be knighted by the Queen, then what would that make you? A lady-in-waiting?

Yeah I was thinking of sending the picture to him to see if he could identify it.
But I think that you are right Sue Ann.

Well someday when I am rich I am going to travel to Europe and the UK.

Opps...
Yeah I really like my new organizer. It is working out great for me.
People at work ask to see what it is that I do and now I can pull up the pictures on the screen and not have to lug around a photo album.

Pipa, you just need to figure out how many bears you need to make to buy a new tower.
ASDA sells those don't they?
I've never been to one.

Pipa dearie,
This is a family photo.

Everyone,
I don't have a date on this photo. I was going to ask my grandmother or there are some cousins that are doing the family's history that I need to ask.
I don't have a clue as to the maker.
Maybe I should submitt the photo to the magazines and see if anyone knows who made the bear.
The photo is from mom's side and most of the family is German, so prehaps the bear is German or an early American bear, after all the family settled in Wisconsin.
Who knows?

Judi,
You have to show a picture of the towel.
Mom just uses a paper towel that she tosses.

Well you should be able to get a sound card for your PC there too.

Penny, I have used it and sometimes you can leave the black strings and other times it is just better to pluck them out. Most of the time it is better to pluck them out.

Yeah...
Well little MaeLynn looks very much like her.
Maybe someday I'll try to re-create that bear.

I'm sure if you go to your local ASDA/Wal*Mart you can find the CD in the music department. And while your there buy yourself some speakers... 

Just look for Wired Al.

Jane will  you be recording it then?

I need to go to bed it is like 3:00 am here and I have a ton of school work to do tomorrow.

Night