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Hello teddy bear friends: I don't know about the rest of you but I have three very sneaky Siamese cats who have figured out how to break into my craft closet and have their way with my fur.....I know they work in pairs to open the door. Most everyday I come home from work, I know they had loads of fun because I see pieces of fur, jewlrey and such all over the house. This has been going on for quit some time. And the older they get the sneakier they become....They now call each other when they found something they should not get into. It took me several months to figure out the type of "meows" they use to call the others into the room to "play". So when I am home and I hear that "type of meow" and I see the other running into the other room, I am bolting out of my chair too, fighting the blanket and pushing away the stool...It is like in the movie "Chariots Of Fire" in that slow motion scene, the race into my craft room (kitties always winning) to rescue my stuff before they become toys for my belove (yet naughty) kitties...... So, do any of you have that problem too?
Michelle
Love all the pictures....At least the doggies had fun for a while, romping in the mud....now they have to face the music....ban to their beds to ponder their mishaps....
This reminds me of a story about my aunt and her friend Phyllis. Phyllis was a perfectionistic, well dressed, not a hair out of place sort of woman. In other words, really snooty. When my aunt went to a lucheon at a friends house, Phyllis was there all her decked out in all her fine glory. Well the hostess had a dog and somewhere in the middle of this event everybody heard "slosh, slosh, slosh....lap, lap, lap" in the bathroom. Well the hostess went in to the bathroom and yell at the dog to get out of the toilet. Clapping her hands at the same time as she is chastising the dog. Well.....the dog came barreling out of the bathroom, wet and dripping with toilet water and spotted Phyllis....He decided she looked like loads of fun and leaped up on her lap and started licking her...Phyllis was appalled and shock....my aunt could barely contain herself....this emaculate friend in designer clothes getting toilet- watered soak from a dog who was just being himself....
Michelle
I lived in Florida for 29 years you did not get all the seasons. Living in Florida went like this:
Winter: Hot
Spring: very hot and beginning to get muggy
Summer: Scroching Hot and miserably muggy
Fall: Scorching Hot and you are getting use to muggy before is cools down to just plain old hot again. And it starts all over again....
So I now live in Minnesota and I love, love, love all the seasons...I even like the winter snow....Spring, I can grow flowers (ones that the heat in Florida would wilt in 10 minutes). Fall I get the beautiful colors. Summer, can be hot but not muggy AND.... I don't have to live through hurricanes anymore!
Michelle
Very cute! first try huh with needle felting?...That is marvelous...by the way, how are your fingers? The first time I tried needle felting I had...shall we say...several encounters with the needle and my fingers...I should have stock in "band aides".
Michelle
Shocking!!! Poor little beings...forced to do things that are not natural. How can anybody think this is fun to watch? Sick, sick, sick....
Michelle
Well knock me over with a feather...It is beautiful.
Annnik: You lucky duck....you know the artist....well for goodness sake have her join teddy talk. She made a bear, I think that makes her one of us...
Michelle
Deb: you are a hoot!! It sounds like you have a lot of fun with your buys. As do I....Who cares what others think...Enjoy the fun things in life....animal vases and all....Right?
Aleta: I don't think you are crazy. I agree with you, buy, buy buy...you never know if you will ever come across your precious things again...One can't have too many victorian dresses I believe....
Now Renae: one can't have too many hats either....or purses ... or shoes...yes definitely shoes....
Michelle
Deb: I love a good bargin like the next person...Craziest purchase?...I can think of several....but the one my family still talks about is a three foot tall porcelain cat with hand painted strawberries on her. She has great big green eyes and has a smile on her face. It was signed "made in Italy". Well, a signed "Made In Italy" sounded important to me (I was young) so I bought her. I placed her smack dab in the middle of the house where I could she her from all parts of the house. Everybody who saw her either had no comment (casual friends) to outright "oh-my-God- what-were-you-thinking" (family). So to this day, I am the only one who really (I mean really) loves that cat. Twenty years later, She is now in my bedroom, elevated on a shelf where I can enjoy her all the time...
Michelle
Hello Paula: I have yet to try my hand at doll making, but on a whim, I bought a couple of books that intrigued me on this subject. The two books are:
1) Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Pints, pastels, fibers, beading, collage and sculpting techniques by Patti Medaris
Culea
2)Creative Cloth Doll Making: New approaches for using fibers, beads, dyes and other exciting techniques by Patti Medaris Culea
I love the picture and ideas but I am not a doll expert. Perhaps some of our teddy bear friends know if they are good or not....anybody know?
Michelle
Yes, yes....a bear pin...I would love to make one....Great idea Jodi...
Michelle
Sabine: You are a life saver!! That link is just what I need....Thank you for the tips on where to begin. In the next week or so, I will be making a trip to Joannes fabric store and will get the basics to give my hand a try at crocheting a bear....
Michelle
Duli and Gijzette: Thank you for the advice. I may just get myself to Joannes Fabric and see what supplies are out there....I think too, I will have to buy a beginners crochet book since it has been many years and I don't understand the abbreviations and lingo for instructions...Any book come to mind that would be helpful?
Michelle
o.k.... My interest has been peeked...I have always admired those cute crocheted miniatures and wondered if it is hard to do... So I'm asking, it it hard? How long does it take to make one? I crocheted many years ago but that was an afghan. So what, my dear teddy bear friends, would you recommend to get my feet wet with minis?
Michelle
How cute is that? I love the picture!!! I just love these types of threads, looking at all the cute things our anmimal friends can do.....
Michelle
Dahpne and Millie: you lucky dogs (or should I say bears?)!!!! What terrific views....My sewing room view is my front yard but I have to keep the shade down because of the sun.....Now my back yard if fabulous with a forest and a creek and I often sew in my "all season room" (midwest term I think. Some call it a Florida room --if you live in Florida) where I can see the wildlife. Now, if I can figure out how to post pictures I can get them in here... for now I can honestly say, Daphne, the cows are the best of the best....
Michelle
My whole family are garage sale hounds. Just so you know, some sales some start on Thursday... Now a hint for all who are serious about this. You need to start out very early...say 7:00 am...to get the good stuff. Antique dealers are out there sometimes earlier. But, garage salers are an interesting breed...for estate sales that advertise yummy stuff, one can find cars parked out all night just to be the first in....how do I know you may ask? Well My aunt Patty is a dealer and when I visit, I often find myself keeping her company....alllllll nightttttt longgggg. By the time the sale starts I'm tired, hungry and have to pee....
Michelle
Gladys: What cutie pies they are!!! Oh, I just love mini's...Yes, the wire and sequins are cheap and wonderful. I use this method to joint the head to the body. I use string joints for the arms and legs though. But I suppose the sequins would do for arms and legs too....
And...sequins come in all sizes so you can use them for any size mini too.
I heard that some people use a hole punch with plastic lids from butter tubs. They take the rounds and poke a hole
in the center with an awl. Use the wire and bead as usual with the you plastic discs...I have not tried it but read it in one of the teddy bear books.
Michelle
Well I know this post is older, but I was reading through some of the suggestions about mini cotter pins and washers. For real itty bitty bears I use sequins and wire. Cut a piece of wire, put a bead through it and fold wire in half. thread this through the sequin (I use about three stacked) like a normal jointing process. on the other side, use more sequins and curl like you would normally.
Just my two cents...
Michelle
Oh Magda: She is so sweet. Love the jeweled belly button! The holidays are just around the corner...You have a head start...
Michelle
