Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi Nina!
I have also been a long time away from TT...
Welcome back and glad to got yourself into making a new critter. Your elephant looks stunning. 

Dear all,
Been ages since last time I visited Teddy Talk. Sorry about it. I was making a break and spent a few years without making any bear.
I am in need of 40 mm safety joints and all the suppliers websites I visited only had 35 and 45, but not 40 mm plastic safety joints.

Can someone help me find  where to buy them online? Or if you have some you do not need anymore... Please tell me.

Before bringing my iMac G5 to the shop to have its hard drive changed I bought a 2To external hard drive to be able to save all my datas.

So far I do not use time machine. I save my datas every few months on an external hard drive and so far, this is enough.

I will try to learn more about that time machine stuff. I know I have got it. It might come uselful when I use more my computer.

I do not feel like I need more RAM on my iMac : it runs perfectly and I will already have to pay a lot for the hard drive change : more than 250 €. That added to the external hard drive... Plus planned expenses for other stuff not related to computer... Already too much for that month!!!

My iMac is already a Ferrari to my view point. Why boosting it to a plane? 

Anyway, looking forward to have it back home.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Just a little note to say nothing I tried worked to solve my problem...

So I just gave up and will wait patiently for my G5 iMac to be back home! I expect it to be ready by the begenning of next week. Fingers crossed I will have no problem reinstalling all my favorite apps on it. When it will arrive, it will come as "new" with Snow Leopard installed on the brand new hard drive, hehehehehehe! I asked for a bigger hard drive : 1 To instead of 500 Mo and will be charge 25 extra euros. So quite a good deal. I will not bother changing my Os X... Snow Leopard is fine. No need for Lion.

I miss my iMac's big screen (even though it was the smallest screen available when I bought it, but around 21" is big enough, more would have not fit on my desk).

Anyway, this was supposed  to be a short note and here I am telling you all my life!  :crackup:

Thanks again for your input.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Thanks for your input, Karen.
I cannot install Snow Lepard on it as I have no version of Snow Leopard for PPC and see no point in buying it for a computer I only use once in a while. I have an intel G5 iMac but it is currently back in the shop where I bought it as its hard drive failed. So I use my iBook as a replacement computer. My iBook is also useful for the photography workshops I go to every ever saturday. Not the best for it as I have only photoshop elements 2 to work with my photos. I bought Adobe CS5 for my G5 but it works only on intel mac. I cannot afford to change my laptop and hate the idea to have to change a computers that works fine.

Back to my initial problem, I already did what you suggested and it changed nothing.

What do you mean when you ask "How's the memory load"?

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Hi everybody!

I am getting nuts tonight because of an all new trouble happening to me.
I am using an iBook G4 with osX tiger.

Up to this afternoon, all ok.

Now impossible to connect to my google account or facebook without having my browser quitting suddenly. It does that with every browser I tested : safari, firefox, opera, camino, icab. for all these browsers, I used the lattest version possible.

Opera told me that it was not compatible anymore with Google +.

The problem is, I cannot update to more recent browsers as they are not compatible with my system!

I did not do anything special to have this happen. All was still fine this morning...

Does any of you have similar troubles?

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Miou Miou is an adorable cat. She has a very touching face.
Plus I love those photos you took of her, very romantic.

I hope she will have a good journey to her new home and that she will be happy in her new familly.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

This bunbun has got that little something that melts my heart...

Well done, this is a beautiful rabbit.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Hehehehe, Francesca, I told you!!!! I am very happy for you and if you enjoy making them, it is great.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

I use a old Singer sewing machine: Singer 15B made in 1956 and really love it. Of course, it just do the basic stitch, but with an added element, I can do zig-zig stitches too. This is all I need for teddy bear making. I also have another Singer machine, not as old, a 931C, but it does not accept to sew leather.

I found my sewing machines at flea markets.

I cannot advice you about modern machines, sorry. My mother in law uses a Bernina and loves it.

Some time ago, on this forum, people discussed a lot about Singer Featherweight machines and said how extra super fantastic they are. These are also old machines.

Your choice will really depend on what you are after : what kind of fabrics you will sew with it, how many different stitches you will want to be able to do, if you also want to use it for machine embroidery...

Good luck!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Hi!

That is a very clever idea! Such a nice way to showcase that lovely mini bear! Now, get reday to be asked to make more because lots of people will want one after they see that one!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

This new panda is fantastic, Melissa! I love your work!  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

A shame the photos do not show the 3D effects. It sounds like a very interesting hobby indeed. you will learn a lot from it. Maybe it will give you new ideas to include into your teddy bear making... Enjoy, and please, think about showing us photos of what you have done!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Welcome back!  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

That is a very good start!

Well done and happy bear making!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Oh Dear! Lisa, what a super find!!!!! You are so so lucky to have found him and adopted him. He looks like brand new. Plus he is so beautiful!
I cannot help you about his past life, though.

Enjoy you time with Good Will, and please, give him a huge hug from me!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Thanks for you input, dear friends. I will try not to forget to let you know how it worked for me. So far, the bear is not even cut. Waiting to have a moment to start it. I have the materials piled up on my desk and waiting!!!!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Hi dear friends!

Has anyone either used silk thread instead of the usual cotton perle thread or twisted thread to embroider teddy bear noses. Does it work as nicely?

Thanks,
Beary hugs,
Sophie.

:clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Great news!  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Please, ask Sarah to thank us by sharing some photos of her stay in that hotel with her fiancée/husband...
I am very happy I could help them.

I wish the too of them a wonderful time.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Does not look like she is to be trusted.

Did she give you something to prove the pictures are hers? I mean serious proof, other than just her words? If not, just ignore her. By trying to have you answer, she might expect to manage to get more informations of your identity and might use them against you just to annoy you more.

If I were you, I would set my mailbox in order as it would block all her emails. that way, end of troubles!!!!

Good luck and take it easy!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Hi Clare!

Nice to read you again! Welcome baaaaaack!  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Thanks for the visit, Jane!
Much appreciated.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

I loooooove him!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Jessie, I would say, try to take photos of your bears outside as often as possible.

What I often do is sit my bear against my house wall and take a few photos. Or you can bring a chair outside and install your bear in that chair.

Better have it displayed against a quite uniform "landscape" so as the viewer of the photo will only focus on the bear. A plain wall is a good idea. I think it is better in a cloudy whether so you will not be bothered by the sun.

I guess you could also be able to take photos in a conservatory if you have got one. Any place very well lighted, but daylight is the best.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

I have been on TT for a few years now and I noticed things changing when people started to create blogs : so that was even before FB.

Before blogs, people usend to share here everything. Then, a few started to say on TT that then opened a blog so others did the same and eventually all these people began to post things on their blog instead of posting them on TT.

Then, FB came to the open, with more and more from TT joining FB and posting less on TT. I first decided that never ever I would join FB. But I eventually joined FB as it was the only way I could see photos from a very dear friend. I thought it might be fun to add as many teddy bear makers as possible into my friend list and I had no idea there were so many. My other friends and family memebers got lost into that huge bunch of teddy bear maker friends and I am getting lost there myself too. I see no point in sharing much  on FB as so many of my "friends" are strangers for me. So it is nothing like TT. Not better, for sure. Google+ sounds better as we can have different circles of friends, but no idea where it will get me.

Anyway, I ended up posting less on TT, that is a fact. I have to admitt I make much less teddy bears as I am focusing on trying to build me a professional career, as I am still unemployed and very concerned about it.

Blogs are fun, but since my parents have started spying on me reading my blog, complaining oabout what I postedf, so it brought a cold and I did not feel free of my writings anymore... So I prefer TT!!! Then do not spy on me there!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.