Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I love this!  It is so nice to start them young on crafting. The love and skills will last a lifetime.  The girls did a wonderful job.

Thanks Becky for the info, I went through Bears and Buds.

I have used Ken's services on two occasions and have been very happy.  It is worth the $20.00.  Please post back if you do find out who he is, he is a really nice little bear. What a great find.

One of my all time favorite pictures.  This is just as adorable as can be.

Gorgeous bear, I love the style of him.

I don't really know if people understand that they are asking such a large donation.  It may not seem like much maybe, after all the materials don't cost much, but the finished bears can cost a whole bunch.  The bears help pay my bills.  I can't afford to donate a whole paycheck very often. 
I never see United Way or any of the big charities asking anyone to donate a paycheck.

I often just don't respond if I am not interested.  If it is someone I know asking, I just politely decline.  I have donated a bear only once, and I will do it once again this year, these are charities that I choose because they are important to me.

I think that the people whose job it is to look for donations ask many people to donate, I doubt half the time they even know who has not responded.

It is just the same when I get requests for cash donations.  When they call asking, I never feel guilty for saying no.  I give to the charities that are important to me.

I think this probably happens to many of us.  I do not stop, I keep working till I work it out.  I have only ever tossed one bear, I finally gave up.  But I think I don't ever loose many because I just won't stop till they work themselves out.  Sometimes they are not how I envision, but how They want to be, and that seems ok.

I love this cake!

Thank you all for the comments, they are so appreciated.

This is really adorable.

If you go to the library and look at the nose topics there is some discussion there. 
Also Paula Carter has some pictures on her blog of nose waxing, here is the link. http://www.allbear.co.uk/Html/mainframe1.htm

I have not done the SanDiego show, but I went in January just for the fun of it.  It was a large, very nice show, and seemed to be well attended. 

Phoenix has a show now, this was the second year.  I did not participate this past year, but I did the first year and did well.  This past year there were not many artists, but there was a very good turnout from collectors, and I understand that the artists there did well.  That show is not till March though.

One more thing concerning shipping your stock.  The last show I did I flew SouthWest.  I packed the largest suitcase I had, it contained my clothes, my set up, and a couple of bears.  The rest of the bears I packed into a carry on bag.  They were snug, but safe with me.  Cost me nothing to get them there.

Yes, I may try that Jenny.  I like the idea of adding heat too.  I wonder if they can be heated a adjusted with a heat gun once in the bear.  The problem I have is not that I need to file them down to make them the same, it is that once I add them into the bears foot they need to be refiled to sit properly, so heat may work with that.

Yes, that is a Dremel and they do work.  I am just afraid to take one to a finished paw.  One wrong move and it is done for.  I tried using one on a claw and it was good.  But the claw is too small to file without it being anchored somewhere, like in a paw-pad.  I might just have to suck it up and try.  I do like the stuff.

Thank you Francesca, Peter, and Betty.

Thank you for the comments.  I really appreciate them all.

It is not soft at all, you can not bend it, it is hard, very hard. No it does not have a fluffy surface.  It is great stuff, I just wish I knew how to file it.

A realistic style black bear cub, and her little well loved friend. 

For those of you who follow the Wildlife Research Institute, and Lily the Black Bear on Facebook, it breaks my heart today to see that their permit for research has been revoked.  Because of the access they have to the bears, they supply me with wonderful inspiration in the form of cub pictures.  All the black bear pictures I work from are from them.  It is a sad day.

Miami is about 12" long if she could stand, she is made of Tissavel.  I find myself using faux fur more and more, it is beautiful and so dense. She is on ebay till Sunday.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OOAK-Artist-Bea … 0682872511

I hope it is ok that I am going to give a different type of review on this.  It will not work for me when using it to make claws.  It does not sand well.  One of the most important steps for me with the claws is the final manicure.  I sand them so they are all facing the right way, and even them all up.  This product does not sand well, I have tried with emery boards, which is what I usually use, I have tried with my metal files, and I have had some success with a dremel.  I am afraid though to put a dremel near a finished bear foot though.

On the plus side, it is the strongest stuff I have worked with.  The color is wonderful, and is perfect for claws. 

I am not done playing and trying with it.  But I think I will stick with epoxy.

Has anyone played around with sanding?  If so please give me some tips.

I have never had a bear ripped open, and I have posted many times outside the US.  I do enclose what I call travel papers, and in that envelope is a list of what the bear is made of and stuffed with. I would think that they probably have x-ray machines just like at airports now.

I have posted to Singapore many times.  There has never been an issue with items getting through customs. They have all gotten there safely.
ps:  I use metal bbs in their belly.

Edmondnutmeg, your bears are beautiful, and yes it is important to use social media. It will help collectors find your work.

I keep just a personal page on FB, I do not do Twitter.   I have it set up like Becky described above.  I keep it open for subscriptions, that way anyone can follow without them having to friend me.  I keep all the bear related stuff public so anyone can see it. 

I do get lots of friend requests.  I pretty much say yes to everyone.  I decide what I want to see from all my friends in the settings feed.  I like looking at pictures, so if I don't know someone I will see only their pictures and block everything else.  If I don't like their pictures I block them too, but still remain their friend.  No one knows how you have your settings but you.  I do this with everyone as soon as I accept their friend request. 

I use FB mostly just for my creative stuff.  But once in a while I will post something private.  I have everyone of my friends on a speical list.  The lists are anything you want them to be, you create them.  I can post only to a special list. 

FB is important I think.  The collectors are there, so are the bear makers, and many of them are also collectors.  There is so much creativity there, and it is very inspiring.  Since I have my page is mostly set up to only show pictures, it is just a feast for my eyes every time I visit.

Oh I love him with his long ears.  What a great bear.

I do too, what a wonderful display they are all making.