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Wonderful--lucky recipient!
This is really inspiring!
My sister rescues Border Collies and raises funds for the Missouri/Kansas organization. I'm going to follow your example.
What a wonderful idea, and a wonderful present--lucky Mary!
There's still nothing quite so special and making beasties for children.
Yummy--I love raccoons!
I've never tried this kind of fabric, but the stitching might be less visible if the seams are pressed or tacked open.
Hi Janet,
I've had the same problem. It really helps to run your thread over some beeswax or other thread conditioner. You'll find that this improves the "grip" of your stitches.
Stabbing means inserting your needle straight down, at a 90 degree angle to the fabric, rather than inserting it on a slant, as most of us usually do. This makes a neater stitch and helps to keep the two pieces of fabric aligned--especially important when you're working on a small critter! Rather than rearrange my working hand, I bend the fabric a bit, which gives me the same 90 degree angle with less bother.
E F F I C I E N T
Thank you, Claudia!
Hi Peter,
I've just received a most wonderful "orphan" I bought from a seller on BearPile.
It's Mikki Klug's beautiful felted Highland Cow--so breathtaking that even my (Scottish born) husband is impressed!
Where is Mikki, by the way?
There's a difference between low prices paid to artists (sad and unfair) and low prices paid to resellers (depends on their degree of desperation). The upside is that these resellers might be thinning their collections in order to buy more new artist bears.
Many buyers of "orphans," like myself, could never afford such treasures at their original prices.
I don't think all artists would like it if resellers flaunted their names too freely--after all, the creation might not be in its original studio-fresh condition.
Hi Tami,
I've used Firefox for years with no problems at all.
It's true that Explorer keeps trying to interfere . . . sneaky Microsoft.
Hi Lena,
I love the name 'lostbears'--it's really perfect for your vintage style!
:crackup: Storm knew what she was doing!
My Bear was also a rescue--my sister ran a Border Collie Rescue & Rehab service on her farm in Missouri. When her husband was transferred to Texas, she had to rehome the dogs, and offered Bear to me.
My brother-in-law called him Bear after Bear Bryant, the football coach. Now he's just Bear the bear!
It's not only their watchful attention that keeps us working, it's the VET BILLS too :doh:
PEOPLE ON PILLARS USUALLY LAUGH AT REDNECKS.
Great thread!!
Here's my boss--his name is Bear, and he watches everything I do with those sheep-scaring Border Collie eyes!
What a precious little bundle, Jenny! 
What a lovely pair--I'm blown away by the antique style on such a tiny bear!
Still, it's a great idea, Lynette! :dance:
I doubt that total neatness counts as much as showing potential collectors how much complicated labor and expensive STUFF are involved in making bears.
And people unfamiliar with artist bears or soft sculpture can be clueless.
For example, one of my writing students was admiring my "Sludge"--lots of flattering exclamations of "Wow" and "Incredible" and "What high quality work!" :redface: (modest blush).
It felt like the praise of a real connoisseur.
Then he spoiled it all by asking, "But how do you get the fur on?"
Laurie--What a wonderful story! :crackup:
I know exactly what hot spots are, since my Border Collie Bear gets them every year.
But so long as the customers keep coming, who cares what the experts think?
Thanks, Becky and Joanne--I hope they get to spend years together.
The photo doesn't show her whiskers, alas--I had to crop her from a pic my daughter's boyfried took of my pile of bears&c.
Photograph my workroom? Not a chance-- :doh: I can barely walk in here!
Hang in there, Christina--it takes magazines forever to get to Canada!
They're probably considered low priority mail--goes to show they don't know us Bear People!
Edward is one gorgeous dude--reminds me of George Clooney!
I've never had formal art training--school of trial and error here--but as a former university professor I can advise you on how to get the most out of your courses.
By all means, talk to your teacher about what you want to learn and do. Even community courses are taught by talented people who really respond strongly to a student's interest, and might go way beyond the curriculum to help you.
At the same time, you'll be exposed to new ideas and techniques that might at first seem irrelevant to your goals . . . but you really never know what's going to spark the creative fire.
Unlike many of your fellow students you've got a goal, and you know what you want out of the course--this is very inspiring to a teacher, because most of the time it's difficult to know if you're reaching anyone!
WHEN I LAUGH, LOOK SHARP!
