Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

All wonderful creations worthy of winning, sadly only one can be  number one !!! I had intended to enter this year (rather glad I didn't after seeing this great work), however, just couldn't make the time. Congratulations to all who entered winners or not.
Susan

Thank you all for your kind comments.....It took me ages and at times I questioned why I had agreed to make it,however, was thrilled with the result.
The man who ordered the bear sent an image to a mate in Holland , also in Military service and he in turn created this water colour. I think it is a very good effort....although i hardly never use eyes with pupils.
It is lovely to see how bears reach out to people all over the world.
Kind regards,
Susan

Hi everyone,
I haven't visited T.T much this year but thought some of you may like to see my latest bear which i created as an order . She is a bear for a lady officer who is retiring from the Navy so the uniform had to be as exact as possible.
Hope you enjoy!
Susan

I really like alpaca for realistic bears but you can also get a very good synthetic (woven back) that does a wonderful job. I never would have said that years ago but how they have improved !
Many including Intercal, stock both furs. If you can't find one, email me and I will look up the exact code.
Susan

I agree.....lovely little bear.
Susan :clap:

Another try at placing a photo of the bears.....I am so hopeless with computers !!

Thank you to all who offered help when I asked for advise in reducing photos on our new computer.I now...at long last..have two new bears on my website. The first is called "The Mayor of Bearville". He is a real departure of style for me and just makes me laugh to look at his face. The other is "Red Devil" with long wired tail and black horns. I have been hooked by the beading bug  ( I have a couple of necklaces on my website) so made a necklace in red, crystal and black beads for my devil bear. They really capture the light and especially at night look stunning. Most of all both were fun to create.
Thank you again for helping me .
Susan

Thank you everyone for your replies. We will have another attempt at resizing the photos this weekend  and let you know how we go. I really appreciate all this advise.
Susan

Hi All,
I am hoping someone is able to assist me.
We have replaced our very old slow computer with a HP Pavilion and are running Windows Vista. However,in order to add new bear photos to my website we have to reduce the size of the photos. While we could do this easily on the old computer we can't find how to now do this. Actually my husband does this for me an as I have even less knowledge the he with regard to the computer I am of no help. I have finished three bears and need to update my website. Can you please offer advise.
Many thanks,
Susan

Sorry Kelly. I thought this would be a new post and not on your topic.I am hopeless with computers!

Thanks everyone. I dont know of Teddy Bear Club International. I think I will ask the newsagent to just get in one or two copies for me to buy and see what they are like. The trouble is they are always so expensive and I think the money could go towards mohair....maybe not. I already have too much!   But sometimes they are half the cost of a good book!
Susan

Hi Natasha. As usual I came to this subject late so can only add what others have advised. I really loved your pink panda...others I couldn't see very well...probably my old computer.
Someone has already advised to stitch carefully with small stitches with some tension on the thread. This will stop stitches showing ,as it would if the tension was loose on a sewing machine. Also it is important to cut very carefully. If the bear has been cut out perfectly you really can't go wrong...you can always unpick a wrong stitch !
I would also be happy to send you a piece of mohair. What size is your pink panda?
Keep up your good work and remember we all spend some time in a rut ( Even after 12 years of making bears). Some of my best work has resulted as I have crawled back out...yet again.
Susan

It is great to see that the Aussies are supporting Australian Bear Creations but is it as popular o/seas?
I have also . only just yesterday , subscribed to my second bear magazine.but thought that maybe in a few months may look at another.  It is usually a less expensive way to buy, however, you need to know a little about the magazine first.
Sarahjane do you find Teddy Scene good value? I would love to be able to just pick up the odd o/seas magazine as I once did but it is no longer there....all beading etc.

Over the last 12 months the number and variety of bear magazines on offer at my newsagent, has greatly reduced. When once i could go in and buy a bear magazine from Canada,USA, England or Australia, I am now lucky to even find our own Australian Bear Creations. In their place are many new publications on Beading , Scrapbooking etc. Sadly I think this reflects yet another downturn in Bears.
I have, however, taken a subscription out for Teddy Bear and Friends and love receiving it in the mail. Today I also subscribed to Australian Bear creations so no longer will i have to search for it or bring it home only to find I already have it.  ( No more complaints about only wanting one magazine but receiving two )I must add that it was an excellent deal...and while I 'd been trying to reduce the magazines I buy , both offer real value as subscriptions.
I do however, miss the impulse buy, that  o/seas publication which is usually so expensive in Australia.
What magazines do you buy and which offers you good value?
Susan

No rain in Northern Victoria. Glad someone is getting it but even a down pour is sadly not the end of a drought .We need rain then follow up rain. The earth is so dry a down pour usually runs off the top. Dairy farmers here are letting cattle roam so they can try to find a little grass. It should be the peak of the season but no feed  equals no milk. Many have left their farms to go and fight the fires.
I am happy that rain is falling somewhere..maybe thats a start!
Susan

I was given this very easy recipe and it makes a wonderful moist cake.

  1 kg of mixed dried fruit.. 600ml of coffee drink ( I make up the strong coffee , measure about 2/3 then top it up with milk and pour it on the fruit) While I wait for it  to cool I have a cup myself.
Then add 2 cups of S.R. flour.
Thats it...no oil/fat eggs !
I cook it about 1hour in a lined tin.
you can ad nuts and make the mixture of fruit to suit yourself.
Believe me it works and i have made lost of other fruit cakes
I do add some spices.
Susan.
Have a healthy Christmas

The population where I live is 36,000. Our home is only 2km form the centre of town.I never thought bush fire could reach us. Monday night while out watering my garden ( we are allowed 2hour ever second day), I noticed huge  amounts of smoke coming form the nearby river and natural bush area. It became so bad I called my husband out. Emergency vehicles had their sirens all going then a spotter and water plane began continuous low flights over our homes then into this thick black smoke. It took all night for the fire to be fully under control. It jumped the river and there were many homes under immediate threat.
It was in fact less than 1/3 of a km away from our house. Burning embers can travel 1km.
No property damage but as the main fire was started (deliberately) on a river island which is full of native animals and birds we know not all escaped.
I usually run on a track along the river. Whenever I felt sad a run along here would make me feel very lucky.Huge gum trees are now still smoldering..the track is closed as many may still fall. I wonder about all the Kookaburras and other birds and animals.
Pray for rain to end this drought and regenerate our bush so we all can return.Please.
Susan

I have used the fine wire from  'wired ribbon". You all possibly have left over wire ribbon. I just pull it out. It is fine but will bend to any shape and the copper shade is usually a good contrast.

Susan

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts.
We actually get good coverage here as to the welfare of the animals. There is always a huge loss but many people are concerned and offer help . Many are returned to the bush but it is a matter of feed and water for them then.
We are told to expect the fires to go on for months.

My dear neighbor was 69 and broke her leg 6 weeks ago. I spoke to her in emergency and she was bright..eyes sparkling, from then she seemed to go downhill and then imprive several times until I think she may have decided it was all too hard. She lived alone.

I don't call in to Teddy Talk as often as I would like , however, thought that you may not have heard that the State of Victoria in which I live is suffering many huge bush fires which are now joining up and appear to be unstoppable.
While we are in no actual danger we woke Friday morning to thick smoke. It in fact looked like Winter fog except the temperature rose to 36C and then increased to 43C by Sunday.( that is well over 100F). The fires have been caused by lightening strikes. Added to this we are experiencing our worst drought . So many of those living in the immediate area of the fires are preparing to defend their homes by hosing down walls, filling guttering and containers, with the little tank water they have left. If they are lucky enough to survive the fires then to buy a tank load of water will be a huge cost(it is the cost of transporting the water...our actual water costs are not expensive).  Falling ash is likely to contaminate our dwindled water dams and render them useless.
So this is Christmas...added to this I lost a dear friend and neighbor on Friday...thank God for bears.
Speaking og which ..on a brighter note . I sold my charity bear T.G and sent a cheque of $725 AUD on Thursday to the diabetes charity set up in my late nephews  name.
I will try to add a photo taken by my husband Sunday morning . You will note cars in the street shrouded by smoke.
Now off to the Gym to flush away some stress.!!
Kind regards,
Susan   .I am having trouble adding the photo so may have to try later !

Hi Mindy,
I've emailed my photo but faxed the entry form. As the head shot was not up to quality I have sent two full size shots which have been used in ads so I hope that you may be able to crop these . I haven't heard back from you but no doubt you are VERY busy.
It wil be a wonderful edition so must check that my subscription won't run out prior to the publication date! I love getting them in the mail they always come on just the day you need a lift!
Regards, Susan

I would go for a woven back synthetic...as much as I prefer both Alpaca and mohair.It would be very soft plus it would wash more easily.
Then when they are older you can make a very special bear using a more expensive fur.
enjoy making your bear,
Susan

It only feels like Christmas to me when I smell freshly cut hay and th weather is over 30C (about 90F).
We have just had a cool change and after days of 30 -34 C it only got to 16C yesterday...I hated it ! It was freezing. Fortunatly it will be back up to 30C for this weekend.
I never put up decorations until after my Dad's birthday on Dec. 1. Even though he hasn't been with us for 5 years I still always think lets wait until after Dad's special day.  Then I alway say this year only a few but so often I keep adding to them until all the bears are out and in Christmas settings, bud lights are twinkling and lots of baking is stored away.
For those who hate wrapping gifts there are such pretty gift bags, or one year I used brown paper carry bags (the ones I use at bear shows). I stuck stars onto them and tied the string handles together with raffia and a small Christmas pick or silk gum leaves for a more rustic effect. It looked great and was so easy. What is more everyone took their bags home...no mess of paper.
Susan

I find a run helps me and leaves me on a high for ages afterwards. The difficult part is when you feel really low it is hard to motivate yourself. I think any exercise which really raises your heart rate should work.
I wish you a speady recovery.
Susan

Has anyone come upon this problem...
I have just received a phone call from a person within Australia. She had logged onto my website any was trying to order a bear,however, the order wouldn't go through.
The bear was listed in 2000 and had long since been removed. I took her details...went into my website..and everything was ok. Phoned my web people and they also said they could not find a problem and believed the problem was with her computer which they said was caching, that is remembering an old website of mine.
i phoned her back and after a lovely chat I am making her a similar bear to be sent to South Africa.
However, how scary is that ? She said she thought it was strange that all my "Show" details were for 2000.....6 years ago.!!!
Has this happened to you ? and doesn't it reinforce how careful you have to be in what you place on your website or any computer !!
Susan