Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

What a sweety!

Gasp!!!! Unbelievable!!!! She is amazing!!! Fabulous work!!!

Oh my! I don't think you will have a problem finding a home for him at all! He is stunning! Those sad eyes are utterly adorable! What a sweet pea! 

Congrats Judi! That is fantastic!

Hi there,
I transfer my patterns right on the mohair/plush too. Its quicker for me and I usually get cleaner cuts. I usually buy large sheets of cardstock and then laminate them. I love the plastic better because it lasts longer but I always have a hard time finding it. Also, I second Daphne on the sharpie/ fray check thing. I JUST learned that lesson the other day and it was NOT pretty!  :crackup:

How sweet! I want to kiss her! I love puppies!

One last thing I thought of...just so I dont only sound/look like the silly girl here to cause trouble...What if those bear makers/artists (whatever you call yourself  :crackup: ) with websites maybe can list all the local and/or international shows coming up on their site!?! TT is the only place that I can find out about shows since my local book store doesnt even carry any bear magazines and most of the local bear shows in my area dont seem to have enough advertising. If I dont know someone involved then I usually miss them. Anyway, back to the point, while people are searching online for a new teddy love maybe some people would be willing to add a show calendar or something. Could be listed as "Meet me" or "Meet my friends" and have the info listed for the show. I dont know, just something that came to mind and I wanted to be able to add something instead of steer this thread further into the ground. Sorry Luann! That was never my intention.

Tammy & Sue- Thank you for making me feel like less of an outcast. I jumped on a limb there expressing how I felt and I bit my nails, paced back and forth around my computer, and stressed on whether it was the right thing. Knowing other people had the same or similar feelings helps me to feel better about voicing my opinion. Thank you!  :hug:

Luann- It wasnt actually your post which bothered me. I understood what you meant and felt that you were just trying to get the word out on the possible extinction of Bear Shows. I agree with you that there could be more done to keep the shows alive but just wanted to say that IF ( although I hope not) the shows do disappear that the entire bear making/collecting world would not cease to exist. Shows used to be the a great way that people could actually sell their bears/dolls/etc with or without opening a store. Times are changing and with the invention of computers and the internet we have been given a whole new world to use or not use (neither is better). Simply put, I just dont want this thread to end up being a "us vs them" thread. I dont want people putting down other people's venues of choice and we should all embrace each other and learn from each other. I hope to one day do my bearing professionally and become a name in the bear community. I am a nobody now but if there is anything that I can do to help push the bear community into the public eye then let me know. I want to help, I want the bear art/collecting to last forever, I want to be a part of it for as long as possible, and I dont want to see any part of it (shows included) to fall to the wayside/ or follow the dodos!  Again, I never meant to be rude so if I did sound that way please pardon me!  :hug:  Sadly, tone is lost on the internet and sometimes things sound horrible when written out although they never had the intention to hurt. Hugs to all my fellow bear makers/artists/collectors!

Daphne- We posted at the same time. Again, I hate the internet at times because tone is completely lost. Your post "sounded" angry and defensive to me and I never meant to put you in that position. Just felt that I should be allowed to voice my opinion like anyone else. My mother does crafting and solely does shows. I always tell her that I *think* (think being the key word) the internet is easier, faster, etc etc but she doesnt want to change. I dont think she is a different "breed", just prefers a different way. Like I said, I dont want to make this an us vs them discussion so really I think we are all the same breed. We all love teddies...thats it! We just sell differently, no biggie. I just felt like a few things in one of your prior posts were hurtful and obviously I wasnt the only person. So instead of rushing back to get angry and defensive, maybe take our words in stride and just understand how someone else may see your posts. Hugs girl! Oh, I forgot to mention one thing as I go back to fully read your post. I LOVE shows. I love to attend them, be part of them, etc...so my entering and reading this thread was NOT to start a fight. My intention was to figure out how to HELP but instead as I read the posts I felt as though artists that solely used the internet as their bear selling "vehicle" of choice were being made to feel as less. I am not a drama queen, I assure you, and I never meant to start trouble. I dont have time for anger and hate and if I thought that this thread would lead me to hurt feelins then I never would have read it.

Jeff- B&M is Brick and Mortar. HTH!

I have been reading this thread too. Just wanted to say that although people may be writing blogs, posting on TT, answering emails, maintaining a website, they are probably MAKING bears too. I do feel that shows are a great way to get pumped and excited. There really ISNT anything like the rush from direct sales and meeting other teddy lovers like ourselves BUT I dont think that those that choose to use a different "vehicle" are any less. Sometimes for some people, the internet is the only way to do what we love. Personally, I love both sides but I just wanted to say that putting people down for using the internet to their full advantage instead of taking the oppurtunity to do a show isnt the best way to get more people involved. I hope that this post doesnt sound rude because it certainly wasnt meant to be. I know for myself, with a toddler and a newborn on the way, the only way to do my bearing is on the internet. Shows are just not on my agenda right now and I dont think that myself or anyone in the same situation should be made to feel as less because we cannot attend a show. Just my honest opinion.

I knew you guys would get it! Teehee! 

So I am getting ready to put a nose on my newest bear and I was using my block of beeswax to wax my perle cotton. I usually do all my crafting in my craft room or while my husband is asleep so he hasnt seen much of it for himself (just the aftermath). Tonight I am in the living room and he sees me pulling the thread through my block of beeswax. With a puzzled look on his face he says "What in the world are you doing?" Without thinking, I respond with..."Waxing my nose hair, honey."  :crackup:  :crackup:

Aleta- They also take 3.5% of whatever you sell on Etsy on top of your .20 to list. Not much but just wanted you to be aware of it. I am like Shelli and have this insatiable need to love everything Etsy. The sellers are so fantastic and you can pretty much find anything that you could ever want. I have seen things that were listed for a steal all the way up to things I could never afford in this lifetime.  :crackup: It really does get the creative juices flowing and its easy to fall in love with all the handmade beauty that is listed. I have not sold on Etsy yet although I just set up my store but I do shop quite a bit. I dont know that this would work for bears but if you choose to sell other things too then a friend of mine gave me this bit of advice...She said to list something daily. There is a list somewhere on the site that shows all the items listed that day and if you list something daily then your name is always on the top. People will see it more and check your site and hopefully add you as a fave. I check my favorite stores daily to see whats new before I "window-shop" for other things! Hope some of that rant made some sense!  :redface:

Well, I just used my name (Alexis) because I am boring!  I have FINALLY chosen a business name though that I am happy with. I chose it because my mind never stops even at night and usually I get up at 2 am to finish an eye, turn a limb, or do some other creating. lol!

Christine- UBER cute! 

Wow! Brenda! Those are beautiful! Very nice! I like the last one too though! I think its beautiful!  Nothing wrong with a little "character" on her face!

Brenda- Awesome! Hope your friend has fun!

Christine- I do lots of crafts since I can always incorporate them into my bears someway anyway. I agree with you though that this thread had gotten very long. I am really excited to see all these posts! 

:crackup: That is too much! Thanks for the laugh!

Dilu- If you need more help please feel free to ask! Those instructions were quickly written and there are tons of tutorials online that may help too! Just let me know, I have links for all that!  Oh and thank you for the compliment. I am 21 weeks pregnant with my second boy and I dont feel pretty very often!  :redface:  :hug:

Thanks Shelli! I appreciate that! "Cutie Patootie" is what my hubby calls me!    Yeah I have looked at everyone pics and the avatars but I am nervous to post a pic of my bears. Silly really as I have already sold some and have been making them for quite some time but I feel miniscule around all of these spectacular bear artists! 

Brenda-  :crackup: I didnt start this thread, did I???  Ooops! Hehe!

Christine and Dilu- Ok, so it looks like Marble dyeing when you are done. You take shaving cream and mix it with a bit of mixed dye. Take a bunch of regular shaving cream and mix it with water and spread it over a clean surface. It should be frothy and thick like marshmellow cream. Take your premixed dye/shaving cream and squirt it in whatever patterns you like over the shaving cream "desk" you've created. Take a toothpick, a stick, a pen, whatever you want really and drag the dye around until you have a look that pleases you. I was taught this technique by a fantastic woman I was lucky enough to chat with and have loved doing it. Here is my first attempt on a shirt that I did for a friend's daughter. I have done some since but I havent taken pics since the bamboo fabric is cut and ready to be made into diapers! 

I love doing it and you can dye paper the same way from what I have learned so I will use my template and dye some paper while I am dyeing my fabric.

OH and here is me...Then you all wont be afraid of chatting with some random faceless person!  :crackup:

This is all so interesting. I have some cute cardstock and since I am doing some shaving cream dyeing later I may add the paper in to dye it too! Woohoo! Thanks!

I agree with Gail! I wouldnt use it to make bears but it would be nice to use to make doll/bear clothing. I use my serger to make cloth diapers for my son. It makes it SO easy because it cuts and finishes the fabric for you at the same time. Good luck!

Ahahaha, I am back! Yesterday was my anniversary and I had a chance to meet with my doctor for ultrasound pics of the bean. It is a BOY! Woohoo! So now my son will have a baby brother! I am stoked over it! 

Christine-  :clap: WOW! That ATC is STUNNING! Absolutely fantastic! Wow wow wow! I adore it!

Dilu- Fantastic! I have never taken a class for my art stuff before so I am super excited to try this one. Not to mention that its FREE! That doesnt hurt one bit!  :crackup: Thanks for the link!  :hug:

Christine- You are fantastic! Thanks for the reply. I know what you mean about daunting. I guess I am like you in that I experiment in many crafts too. If you name it I have probably tried it. I adore learning and love to create. (Especially bears and jewelry  ) I havent see your art cards since I literally started looking into all this last night and today but I will make sure to search when I get through here. Its good to know that I am not the only newbie to ATC's and ACEO's though and hopefully I can create something fabulous and we can trade!  :hug:

Tina- Glad you have been following this thread. I usually just ask on the board instead of pming or emailing people privately because sometimes there are others out there that need the same info. I dont know about you but past posts and the archives are my best friends! Teehee! By the way, your art cards are LOVELY! Great job!

Shelli and Brenda- You two are a trip! Thanks for the laugh!

Brenda- I just checked over her artcards and they are fantastic! I am still so confused as I checked out the mediums at ATC.com ( I believe) and it seems that you dont have to draw to make them. Some are completely paint, fabric, dyed, and then I saw Judi's which was wood burnt. So does it matter what kind of medium you use to make them?

I am really excited because I want to make some but want to have them actually be worth something so people will want to trade with me.  :crackup:

My other question is how do you reproduce those that are not done digitally? For example, if one is made of fabric or woodburned or something that takes an excessive amount of time, then is only one made? Sorry for the interrogation. I am just very interested. I wish I could keep my nose out of new things but life is too short. I just want to try everything I can get my hands on.