Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

http://www.monicasattictreasures.com.au … ttern.html

I've been trying to find a website for this artist, but no such luck!   Does anyone know whether Marilyn Jensen has any PDF formats of her patterns, specifically the howling coyote?  I've emailed Edinburgh imports to see if they stock it in pdf - just waiting on a reply.  It's not that I don't want to pay - happy to do so!  Just don't like the wait  I'm actually trying to find a wolf pattern, but failing that, husky or coyote would do. DD has an obsession with wolves and huskies, so thought it would be a nice surprise..

http://www.sewchicpatterns.com/free.html

Pioneer bonnet at the bottom any use?

I couldn't believe this when my mum told me about it, I don't watch the tv so pretty much live in a bubble lol.  I googled it and lo' there it was, CCTV footage of this horrible woman appearing to stroke a kitty and then look around to check no one was looking and place it in a bin..
"It's just a cat" "It was only a joke"  "blown out of proportion" one excuse after another in my opinion.   Would she still find it funny if someone grabbed her and placed her in a sealed container for 15 hours?  Would she think it was just a joke then?  Sure a cat isn't a human, but it doesn't make them any less important. 
Whenever I see a cat on my walks I always stop for a little attention.  Even the cats in windows we see get a smile and a stroke on the glass (yes we're crazy animal lovers).  I can't possibly imagine what was going through this woman's mind.  I've been scratched by feisty cats before, I even have a scar on my chest after one I was holding became scared of a barking dog, I've been bitten twice by dogs and yet still would never cause any hurt.
In a way I do see what she means by blown out of proportion - it's like it's the most important story in the world right now, which it's not.  But in this day and age, it's disgraceful and shocking, which is why it's getting the attention that it is.

Hopefully she will receive some form of punishment as well as psychological help, but it's unlikely    I think I read somewhere that the police couldn't press charges, but hopefully the RSPCA can do something.

Alison, such a lovely generous thing to do.  I wish you well in raising as much as possible!
Could you not contact Tiffany or someone speaking on her behalf and ask for advice?  I'm sure they are probably experienced in raising money and may be able to advise the best way to go about doing it?
Why can't things just be simple and straight forward heh!

I too am after a copy of this book, but they are going for silly prices - which I can't afford to pay.  I'm waiting patiently for Nancy to release it on CD!  :dance:

Trawling through all the cute animal pics of the day to show my daughter, we're sat cooing like crazy.
Bf says this is a hoopoe - lovely bird regardless!

take off an ear, you don't need two ears!

I love these fellas!  Though I'm pretty sure my head phones wouldn't sit straight if I didn't have two ears
Excellent recreation, well done!  I love all those puppet movies, I'm a big 80's movie fan anyway, but this, dark crystal, legend...   

In fact you've prompted me to play my soundtrack :dance:

Nicky, it was my first too, but not as a seller - I mainly went for a nosey around as I'd never been before     Like Julia says don't get too disheartened your bears are gorgeous and having seen them in person now they're even lovelier in real life!
Pandora is beautiful, my boyfriend was rather taken with your little bears and loved the eyes!
It was rather a hot day so probably people chose to do other things, though saying that.. my bf asked his work colleague if he'd heard about the bear fair (and he lives very close) and he said no! 

Hello!
I read here, and keep looking around even though I haven't really posted much since my first lot of bears.
But after reading the opening post by Katy I just had to check where the fair was being held, and it was right on my doorstep!  Well, about an hours drive, but going through the new forest is lovely.
My first bear fair and I must say all the entries were absolutely gorgeous!  My boyfriend was stunned at the amount of work that goes into bear making and how small some of the bears were.
Well done to all those who entered, unfortunately we couldn't stay to the end as we had a bbq to get to and needed to detour for some new forest ice cream while we were nearby so I also have no idea who won, but good luck!

Louise if you think your place is a mess, you really should see mine, I say should, but you won't because I refuse to take piccies  :redface:

Your lil furry supervisor looks so sweet and sleepy!

I currently have major workspace envy going on hehehe You all have such lovely rooms!

Well, I'd be excited too!
I'm so envious, but UK here so can't really make any of Helens workshops.
Good luck with the bear, and hope you enjoy the workshop! 

How do we know it's just not one of the many realistic looking creations we see on this site hmmm?!  :crackup: 

Well I've only been making bears for a few months    So I'm no where near as experienced with time and influences as all of you.  I've not designed my own, but lack of E-patterns (or my lack of being able to find any) is slowly making me want to design some.

I've always been creative, when I was young I used to 'borrow' my mums nets and curtains and chop and sew them 
When I got older I used to draw - not very good at the painting side mind.  And I've always knitted from as far back as I can remember so much so I can't even remember who taught me!  Just before my daughter was born, I was taught how to follow a knitting pattern and how to crochet.  Then I put the needles away for about 6 years.  Took them back out and started up again, but got bored fast.  I then tried my hand at using a graphics tablet my bf bought me for valentines day but it kept making my pc crash because of driver issues (which I was too lazy to resolve) so never finished my "splodge man" plus, I couldn't watch shows and movies on my pc if I was using it to draw.  Then I took up jewellery making, then back to knitting.  I made lots of little toys for my daughter and thought, "I really want to make a jointed teddy".  I searched high and low for the perfect pattern, but they all seemed to be ones you had to sew.  Eventually I found an ok knitting pattern and played about with it, and added plastic safety joints, I called the bear silver - she's still tucked up in a bag downstairs because she is going to be a gift for my daughter on her birthday (1st march so not long now  :cake: ) - IF i can bear to part with it  :redface: 
After making that bear I just felt that was what I wanted to do.  Make bears.  Make jointed bears.  And when I realised you didn't need a sewing machine to make them - well   
My first bear was based on a Monica Spicer pattern.  It looked nothing like the free pattern she offered, but I really enjoyed making it, even if it was in some horrid cheap fur.  The second bear I made was from one of the free patterns on here but it turned out nothing like the original, and I also had a go at the "Goldie" pattern that again you wouldn't even recognise as the same pattern     Still, I loved every moment of making them.
It has been incredibly hard not to show my daughter any of the bears I made.  Well, I lie, I gave her a kitty and a tiny white bear, otherwise she would end up with nothing but bears on her bear-thday  :crackup: Not that she would mind, she loves bears, any shape/size/deformities/etc  Her fave bear will never be replaced though, he'll be 7 on her birthday.  He was a cheap lil chap, who used to be incredibly fluffy, now he's all matted and going bald (much to daughters disgust) she's terrified he'll fall apart so I'm also under orders that the stinky lil thing can't have a bath!

So I guess really, my daughter influenced me to make bears, but all of your wonderful creations are what keep influencing me and encouraging me to continue.  I've just bought some lovely fur and at the same time from somewhere else I bought an invisible marker the darn thing still hasn't arrived and I'm getting bear making withdrawals!!

hehe that's kinda funny  :crackup:

Any ideas what you could use it for?

I'm contemplating throwing all my cd's out and pc games just so I can use the tiny cabinet they are stored in 
Looking at all these photos makes me wish I had a more practical bf who could pop up a few shelves for me (I wouldn't dare do it myself) but alas, I had to fall for a geek  :hug:

ooh shame, just that little archway where your hand would go to pull it open under the cotton looks like it would be another like, very shallow drawer .. nevermind, it's still a lovely piece of furniture!

That cabinet is soooo beautiful!  Such lovely colours and patterns, and all that lovely storage area inside!  Is that a small sliding drawer underneath the cotton?

Jeanette, I too was only looking at the library with people's work spaces just the other day also, weighed down with the green eyed monster on my shoulder  :crackup:

You two ladies are by far way too organised!  And lucky!  Which one of you wants to adopt me    I am house trained and promise not to use all your furs 

I'm sat in the corner of my bedroom at the top of an old two bed town house.  I'm in the attic area so to speak - I don't even have a bedroom door!!  Which I always hated but now miss the luxury of privacy and peace.
No photos from me as my room is far too messy!  So I'll just describe it. I have about hmm, a 6ftx12ft work space which holds my computer desk, pc on the floor, a cabinet with my printer and scanner/laminator (handy for templates!) and an ironing board which has been up for two weeks and has seen no real ironing  It's being used as a work top.  As for storage I have one of those stacking towers with three smallish plastic drawers which I just reclaimed from all my wool and knitting.  As well as a plastic box with my fauxfur and mohair in (all of 5 pieces!) and another plastic box which holds my current project - and gets covered so daughter can't see.
On the plus side, my 6x12ft work space is right next to my bed - the room is the length of the house, and no idea what that is.  But I have to keep all my "mess" at this side  :rolleyes:
Hoping to eventually move to somewhere with more space or rooms, or wait impatiently for my daughter to leave and go to university/her own place .. she's only 8 

Btw, I meant to say, I love the little furry helper!  At least that sort won't place orders "Mummy can we do this one now?!" "Mummy can I use some of this fur... " "Mummmmmy... "  I'm tempted to use scraps as ear plugs!  :crackup: