Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Oh that does sound like fun, Sue Ann! Nothing like gabbing with a bunch of girls!
Edie

Sure wish I could be there too Chrissie - both for the bear show and for Disney World. Yes, Brenda it was in November the year I was there - they must have changed it but I don't know when.
Edie

Oh, I love Disney Land and Disney World too - been to DL twice and DW once - when the teddy bear convention was on - sure would love to go back!
Edie

That is a sweet nickname, Louise! - you must be almost as old as me - I've been married 36 years (I think!)
Edie

Oh I just love watching lightning! I used to get the kids up to watch storms with me - we all thought it was kind of like watching fireworks!
Hate wind though - at least wind like we get here! Shakes the whole house and the windows all move in and out - the mirror in the bathroom too and it'd on an inside wall - no wait, maybe that's the reflection of the windows moving, don't see how the mirror could move - maybe I need another glass of wine - I swear I haven't had time to drink mine but it seems to be all gone!
Edie

Oh, Chrissie, I just can't imagine having to prepare for hurricanes every year - sure hope you do get off easy this year. We have really bad winds where I live and I just hate it but at least we don't get the damage of a hurricane so maybe I better quit complaining - although we did have an 8 foot strip of edging torn off the roof one year - and never did find it - must have blown all the way to the next town!
Edie

Speaking of an hour going by fast can you believe this has been over an hour already - well maybe 15 min less for Louise since her clock seems to be 15 min behind mine!
Edie

If we got a chat room someone would have to tell me how they work - I've never done that!
Edie

I can't even get time to sip my wine with trying to keep up here - I think it's all evaporating on me!
What kind of Merlot do you like, Louise? Have you tried Peller Estates - it is really great for a lower priced one. I'm drinking my husband's home made Merlot - I think Merlot is my favourite.
Edie

I just got a new digital camera - it's a Canon A430 and was only $135US - the same one is $229 at London Drugs here in Canada. It is great as you can take really close up photos with it. It's a 4 megapixel and 4 times optical zoom I think
My old camera is also a Canon and I really like it but it is only a 2 megapixel and cost more than twice as much 4 years ago - they have sure come down in price!
Edie
P.S. I keep getting SO far behind everytime I post something - maybe I am a slow typer LOL

Well, now I don't feel so bad Renae if I'm not the only one who's ever done this! It was only 2 eggs and there wouldn't have been any mess if I hadn't lifted the pot lid! Well, actually maybe there would have now that I think about it as I quickly slammed it back on after the first egg exploded and then while I was cleaning that up the second one exploded and blew the pot lid off! It was actually kind of neat if I hadn't been the one who did it and had to clean it up. Plus I feel bad about the counter top as hubby is going to have sand that all down. Glad I didn't do as good a job as your Mom!
Edie

Actually Jamie, it's not that hard if you are as absent minded as I am - and I hadn't even had a glass of wine at that point! Went off to do something else - just for a minute, until the eggs came to the boil and then I would turn them off and let them sit. Only thing is I forgot to go back until I smelled something burning and couldn't figure out at first what it was! Did you know that eggs that boil dry and sit on high heat actually turns the shells brown and then they explode! Took me quite a while to clean up all that mess - to say nothing of the burned pot size spot on my butcher block countertop where I dropped the burning hot pot! I needed this glass of wine after all that - and my husband didn't kill me so all is good!
Edie

Thanks Louise - I have done a whole series of those Bear Collector bears - but that was before I got into doing just minis. That one was the last one of her edition and I kept putting off doing it until a collector was interested in one of my larger bears and spurred me on to finish it - she's the one who bought it.
Edie

I have dial up too Louise - no choice where we are!
Edie

I was making bears - inbetween vacuuming and burning a pot of hard boiled eggs!
Edie

Really, Louise - how can that be as it is 8:15 here at Lundbreck Falls - and I don't think I am that slow a typer LOL!
Edie

Hi Aleta and Brenda,
Is there an easier way to do this than hitting the refresh button to see new posts? I am such a dummy when it comes to computers that I never thought much about how this was going to work!
Anyway, I'm here - glass of wine in hand!
Bear hugs, Edie

Sounds like a lot of fun! Since my husband will be glued to the TV with his favourite hockey team playing in the Stanley Cup, I should be able to make it, glass of wine in hand! Sounds like a good chance to get to "know" some more people on here.
Bear hugs, Edie

Wow, that is a co-incidence, Helena! But as I said there seem to be a lot of them out there so that is why I find it so puzzling that they are not in any books and no one seems to know anything about them.
I have sent an email to Bourton Bears to see if they can help but no word back yet.
Bev, I did consult John Paul Port, back when I only had one of these and he didn't seem to know who might have made it. Also consulted a specialist in Britain but she couldn't help me much either.
Thanks everyone!
Bear hugs, Edie

I agree with you Diane,
All her bears are really creepy (I did check to see what else she had listed!) but the idea that this is supposed to represent a bear with his face cut off to show his skull - and all that "blood" shading around the fur of the skull to boot! - YUCK! it just turns my stomach!!!! I don't know how someone could make this let alone other people want to buy it!!! Positively disturbing!
Bear hugs, Edie
P.S. Now I need to go look at some cute cuddly teds to get this image out of my mind - I hope it doesn't give me nightmares!!!

Thanks, Helena. I have one that looks almost exactly the same as this guy in my collection only mine is slightly bigger so even though they don't have the orange pads I believe they may be by the same maker - but mine doesn't have a tail so maybe not??? I think most people just guess that they are "German" or "British", etc. maybe depending on where they got them. I do find it strange there seems to be so many of them and they do not appear in any of the bear books - at least that I've seen, and I do have a lot!
Bear hugs, Edie
P.S. I'm determined not to buy any more unless they have a tag or label *grin* - but there is one on ebay right now that is just so cute too!!!

I have been collecting these bears for several years and now have about a dozen of them (they quite intrique me!) but haven't been able to identify the maker or country. I have them in sizes from 10" to 22". I am sure they are all made by the same company because of certain characteristics that run through them. They all have inset muzzles and a upside down U shape piece in the nose and mouth area of the muzzle. Most of them have distinctive orange paw and foot pads although I have some that are identical that have the same short pile mohair on the pads as the snout instead of the orange. They seem to be very well made bears and likely made over a lengthy period of time as some are straw stuffed, some excelsior, and some foam rubber. The earlier ones are mohair but I have a couple of later ones that are wool and synthetic. Several of them have strings hanging from their chests that suggest they once had tags hanging there but so far I haven't found one with a tag or label.
Most of them have come from Britain or Western Canada so that would lead me to believe they are British made and in fact one that I got from Britain the lady said she was sure it was a British bear. I believe they were made starting in the 50's but have not been able to find info in ANY of my bear books. My only hope now is that someone will recognize them or possiby have one that still has its original tags or labels. If anyone can shed any light on this I would greatly appreciate it!
Hugs, Edie

I hear you Bobbie! I too have my days when I think "what am I doing with all this stuff!!!" Oh well, when I am gone it will be my daughter's problem (or my husband's!) and they both know the value of it all, so I might as well just relax and enjoy it for now! I keep saying that I am not going to move it all again though so if we don't stay here forever I guess it will all be on the auction block one day.
Bear hugs, Edie

Yes, Brenda I do still collect Punkinhead - love him!!!! They are on the bottom far left shelf of the cabinet in the second photo - just kind of dark, so hard to see! I have 3 of the Merrythought mohair bears and all kinds of other stuff as well. I just got into collecting Kewpies in the last year or so and love them! Must have close to a dozen now.
Did you really make that little chick with cart - I would have thought it was an antique!

Lisa, the large blonde doll is a Simon Halbig - 44" tall. The one standing is an AM390 and she is 31" tall. Hey, I don't have a Handwerk - hint, hint, right back! LOL!
Nothing like a room like this to cheer you up if you are feeling down! (Not sure it's cheaper than a therapist though, LOL!) I've been collecting for over 25 years and actually had more dolls than this at one point but sold some of them when we moved.
I love your decoupage trunks! It is great to see some of your doll collection too. Dolls used to be my passion but bears have kind of taken over the last few years - not that I don't still like the dolls though!
Bear hugs, Edie