Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I can understand why you would not enter a category that is unfamiliar.   Maybe you can practice a bit on some smaller ones and enter next year.  I am not familiar with your work, do you have a web site?   I would like to see your bears.  I got my husband to look up the ursa contest and I saw a holiday category or something like that.  Maybe you could put a Santa hat on one of your big bears and enter it that way.   Thanks,  Hazel

I just got an email from an artist asking me to vote for his bear for the People award for the TOBY.  I went to that website and it is in the doll magazine instead of the bear magazine.  To me, this just does not make any sense if they want people to vote on the contestants if they put them in a doll magazine.  I remember reading last year how many seemed to be critical of contests with website voting.  Not to mention contest names but isn't the TOBY now doing the same thing?   I was always anxiously waiting for the Teddy Bear Friends magazine to vote for the contestants but somehow I don't think it means as much as it did.  Just my opinion.  Hazel

But think of it this way, Hazel: you would actually SAVE $$ by attending a 1-day show, because you won't have a motel bill and meals on the road for a second day.
From that standpoint, one day shows are Always better deals for Collectors than for Exhibitors! I encourage you to attend! I'm not exhibiting there (a Bright Star show?) but if collectors stop attending then the # of artists who sign up drops and the shows get smaller & smaller until they disappear.

Hello Bobbie,

I just looked at the card my friend sent me and that show is on a Sunday, June 8, and my son has already told me they are going to some event  in Indianapolis on that Saturday and I would be welcome to ride with them but they can't stay overnight so I can't make it to this one.  Maybe next time.  I just mentioned about a weekend show because some of the bear artists travel so far and with gas so darned high, and having to stay over anyway that more buyers could make it.   I can't ever remember going to a bear show that I didn't buy at least one bear but won't be able to do it this time.

Good luck to you -

Hello Dapne,

I had thought about going to the Indiamapolis, Indiana show but it is only one day long and I have to make arrangements for someone to take me and it never seems to be on the day I can get a ride.   I am having my husband type this so I will have to read it before he hits the button.  Laugh!   I wish he was still driving as we always had fun on the trips, he even liked going in to the shows as long as there was a place for some coffee and good eats.  I wish they were open on a Saturday and Sunday and that would give me more chances to get there.   But I do understand that the bear artists cannot be away from home so long.  Some travel so far it would seem to me after all that travel they would like to be open for the whole weekend. 

The more my husband types the more I really want to go to that show as it is less than 3 hours away from me.  Oh my, now I really want to go and I will have to see what day they are holding that show, oh my.  Laugh!   I sure don't want the teddy bear artists to quit but I can understand if they have to, we all have to make a living.  If I understood the computer better I might try some of the internet business places selling bears and if all the shows are going away, I may have to take lessons.  Hazel

Hello there everyone,

I am too so sad as I used to love to go over to the Schaumburg, Illinois show.  We drove over there for their last show.  A couple months ago we drove over to the St. Louis, Missouri show and I got to buy a nice Art Rogers animal but it seemed like there were not very many booths this time.  The show was like a ghost town, there just were not any people there and the people that were showing their beautiful work all seemed so down in the dumps. I don't think they advertise those shows too well, I got a card from a friend that told me about that St. Louis show.  I never buy bears from the internet even though my husband uses it all the time.  I just don't like to buy things when I can't touch them first, maybe I am wrong, I guess I am just old fashioned.  I will probably just stay old fashioned because I doubt if I ever buy a bear on his stupid computer.  I have to get him to point me to this place on the Teddy Talk, so I can speak my piece.  Since I am living in Auburn, Indiana now not far from our son I was going to go to the Indianapolis, Indiana show but think I will just stay home, it is too sad to watch all those hopeful bear artists and I hope things will pick up but like all the good times, I think the party is over.  Mindy, I still take your magazine but now I hear they even have a magazine on the internet that is trying to put you good folks out of business.  Bye for now,

Hazel

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that someone might know where I'm going wrong here.  My old computer was working at a snail's pace and was completely outdated in terms of speed and capacity, so I purchased a new system and it arrived yesterday.  Suffice it to say, my son and I set it up in about half an hour and I then spent the next four hours trying to install my AOL broadband.  This morning I'm back on the old computer and almost tearing my hair out in frustration!

Hi Paula,

I just got a new computer (my husband's toy) that they told me was top line.  I've had AOL service for a long time with many problems but the new Vista on the new computer just won't work with AOL service.  Since AOL has done nothing but given me headaches for years I just got rid of it and went to my cable company for service.  My goodness, it seems to be 10 times as fast, I love it.  Maybe you can find someone else to give you internet besides AOL.

Love your bears,

Hazel

Hi Karen,

Can you list the auction number?  I would like to see both of them.  I bought one of your kittys from someone else as well.

Thanks so much,

Hazel

I love the caricatures - and he certainly is one!   And - he has that "pick me up" quality.

Hi Gail,

I am new to bear collecting on the internet (I still don't like computers) and I read in one of the magazines at the store where I buy most of my bears, about the Bid 4 Bears auction.  I went there to see what was for sale but didn't see too many of the artists that I see regularly on Ebay.  Does it depend on certain times to go look for available bears by artists that I recognize?   Thank you if you can let me know, Hazel Seuser in IN.