Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

lol truer words were never spoken  :crackup:

Ah is your coworker taking them then? It's great if it's someone ya know, who can give updates!
If you do still need to place them, don't overlook putting a poster up at the vet - if not a client, then
maybe a tech needs some kitties. Lots of people want tiny kittens, but those who know where it's at
love grown up kitties best 

I hope for her own sake the littl'un grows out of her allergies - she sounds like a one who loves
animals.

I love your farm in the country idea. One that really really appeals to me is, to be a foster home
for animals, but affiliated with women's shelters. It's strange to think of it, but a battered woman sometimes
stays in abusive situations because no shelter or service that might help would take her in with PETS!
& to leave them behind would be unthinkable - nasty people can be vengeful. So I'd like to provide space
to care for the critters of ladies like that until they get on their feet & into an independent living situation.
It's a nice way to help people despite that I am usually better with animals than people, lol

If you must rehome them, & you love them,
please do not offer them for free to strangers.
This article outlines why: http://www.animalaidsw.org/free.html

Have you tried these solutions for minimizing allergens?
http://cats.about.com/cs/allergiesandca … tocats.htm

Jodi explained it just right I think!

I dunno what a bear is gonna look like when I start. I think something like
"I'd like a more tall, long body this time, with a grown-up looking head,
instead of all the short pudgy baby shaped ones I've been doing." & then I choose the
mohair that looks good for the size I have in mind, & then I design the pattern
pieces with my idea in mind, & see how it works. I build from previous pattern
designs as Jodi describes, or I make up entirely new ones depending on how I
feel. I look in books to see what pattern shapes give which effect - a big round
forehead, a blocky nose versus a pointy snout, & so on.
As I make it I get to know 'who' this bear is.  It is the most fun & rewarding & satisfying
way to work, for me.

Right now I have been doing 2 projects that I needed them to turn out looking
very specific, so I've been doing practice patterns sewn up in muslin, etc. & it
is dead boring. But some people work like that all the time, so whatever works
for you is the best way!

Have you got pictures of your bears to share? Pictures are fun 

do you color easter eggs in belgium? the egg dyes work.
what colorants would you use for making different colors of frosting
on cookies & cakes?

can I still offer sympathy if I am distracted by envying Kohls employee discount? 

Please feel better soon - maybe this is what you need to actually get you to slow down &
relax for a few days, though.

my sis in law & her fiance are both school teachers & apparently their immune systems get
a heck of a workout too!

Now go take a nap    :dance: (pretend this is a wagging finger smiley!)

I think whatever works on mohair (the actual hair) will work the same on 100% wool felt.

I've had good luck with food coloring in water, with vinegar added. you can make it as strong
or as weak as you like, by varying the number of drops of coloring & how long you leave the
fiber in the dye.

After all it's only food coloring + citric acid that works in the koolaid, right?

thank you so much everyone!!

I must admit it was a lot harder starting out knowing exactly how I wanted
it to look....most of the time I just let guys turn into whatever they want to be!
I made muslin 'practice heads' for this one though...& practice legs, & body...!
Very much not my usual routine.

thanks again!!!

I was really hoping this was a hoax or mistake.

His love & enthusiasm was so big, it was impossible to not get excited
about stuff right along with him. He had so many more years to teach &
work, & he had already done so much for animals. I'm heartbroken about this.

I feel so bad for his family. I can't imagine what they must be feeling.

He was really one of the good guys.

I made a birthday gift for a dear friend...
she breeds, shows, & rescues chihuahuas & one little girl
is her 'heart dog'...so I had to give making a replica a try, if
I could...here is the result!

her head & tummy are needlefelted because I needed to
tweak the shapes a little...now I'd fancy needlefelting the
whole dog really!

I don't have a photo of the squeezy-eyes smile she makes
when she looks up at her mama. But I tried to capture it.

her fur color is tea dyed

my hangtag has printed on it Toadbriar & my name, & a message on the back
that the bear is an art piece not a toy for children under 14. Inside the folding tag
I write the bear's name & the date & that it is one of a kind. The info about materials
& stuffing etc is what I put on the certificate (I use a lot of materials & it takes more
room!)

"I noticed a significant improvement in my art when I  ____________ ."

--when I follow the idea that keeps me awake at night planning & replanning, even if I think it might not appeal to anyone but me
--when I am having fun instead of feeling obligated
--when I am balanced in other aspects of my life - seeing friends, getting chores done, etc
--when I am enjoying the journey of artmaking, instead of being impatient for the destination
--when I have pals at TT (who UNDERSTAND) to swap ideas & inspiration with!

oh I missed Heather's post but I'd love to play again!

Kim Parkhurst - Toadbriar - small & medium

Um.
I think the word you guys are looking for is

Gourdgeous

ok quit throwin stuff at me... :crackup:

Bonnie they are extraordinary. I had no idea humble gourds could be elevated to
such an art form! I'd only seen them turned into Martin Houses. These are great!!

wow - I can't imagine a 2 piece head big bear!
feel free to share photos of that, too!

there really ARE so many ways of doing things.
it's a perfect example of why I do love bears as an art form.

oh dear, I didn't even consider the smell...

although I suppose that's relevant to the ashes idea too!

ewwww ashtray scented bear 

hey, how about charcoal, like artist's drawing charcoal.

Dilu you nut...
you can't make bears that cute & then pull out
the "I'm not a bear artist" thing 

you can be a

Gollyologist

& a

Bearographer

both!

I have heard of people using shoe polish but I don't know how
dark it gets or if it remains smudgy or what.

roflmao!  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:

hah wonderful! thanks so much, you guys - I will totally include the full monty in gift
bears, then! I know mom-in-law is such a stickler that I sign any sort of thing I might
draw, so I suppose it is the same thing 

dunno why but the name 'Jubilee' popped into my head when I saw him.
He DOES look Jubilant!

untidy, fortunately, is rather my style, so it ought to work out well!  :crackup:

when you give a bear you've made to a friend or relative, do you
do the hangtags & certificate of authenticity & all that?

if you receive a bear from an artist pal, do you want your friend to
include that stuff?

What if you make a bear for your mom or your sister in law?

I don't know if the recipient would think it was neato that I made
tags & all, or if they'd roll their eyes & think I was a pretentious dork   

I mean I am a pretentious dork, but for so many OTHER reasons!   

it never occurred to me that a 2 piece head would work out! wow!
sue ann & julia I am hugely impressed 

Did you guys do darts on the crown of the head for roundness?

will I ever get past feeling like darts are a KEWL SECRET WEAPON?? rofl

oooo I love before & afters! thanks for sharing this!
the opulent fabrics for his pincushion ball are just delicious!