Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Final days of voting- all votes need to be made by 31st August 2014.

Please visit the page and choose your favorite.
My bear Nanertak, Group 1, Bear no 3, would be happy if he received your vote.

http://cyberdendesigns.com/URSA2014-Fin … gazine.htm

Ah Jane, what a proud event for parents.

Long time no visit, how time flies when you are busy !!!!!!!!!!!!
Once again its Olympic Games time. Most of you are aware that for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, my colleague in taiwan, YZ, and myself organized an online challenge with teddy bears to coincide with the games. It wasw great fun, with entry fees being donated to the Asian Moon Bear Rescue.
For the 2012 London Olympic Games we are repeating the excercise. I have invited as many artists as I can think of, however I am sure I have not reached all. Once again the entry fee will be donated to the Asian Moon Bear Rescue.
If anyone is interested would the please contact me
lck@mweb.co.za

many thanks Lynette

COMPETITION RULES

1.    Your entry (teddy bear) can be any size.
2.    Your entry can be made from any type of material.
3.    Your entry must represent your country either as a competitor i.e. a teddy bear swimming (any other type of sport) or as a supporter. Each entry must state why this particular “Teddy bear† was created to represent their country.
4.    A full frontal photograph sent in JPEG format under size 500 pixels x 500 pixels must be sent to this email address to service@twtba.org.tw
5.    Your name and country must be included with the photograph emailed.
6.    Permission to use your photographs either in the Taiwan teddy bear magazine / “Bear Focus† or future TBOC challenges. Please confirm that you give permission.
7.    IMPORTANT: Each country participating in this competition could have several teddy bear artists representing their country.
8.    ENTRY FEE/DONATION: Euro 10.00 All funds raised will be shared with the Asian Moon Bear Rescue Fund in China. Payment to lynette@dalden.com

SCHEDULE

15 th July 2012    All entries must have reached TWTBA by this date.
25 th July 2012    All entries will be added to TWTBA website.…
27 th July 2012-3rd August 2012    PUBLIC voting starts via the TWTBA website …
4-6th August 2012    All votes are counted and 10 highest scoring votes are sent to the judges for final decision. Pictures are sent to the judges.
7th-9th August 2012    Judges make their decisions.
12th August 2012    WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED via email and on the website

bears , bears and more bears still feature in my life, selling from my shop,  travelling abroad.  My first artist bear I purchased while in the UK from Amanda Hughes, heard she is no longer making.

Lynette

Knitting patterns online in USA
  http://www.bettylampen.com/store/store.php
Buttercup Miniatures
http://www.buttercupminiatures.co.uk/
Betty does the knitting patterns and Buttercup has knitting needles, some patterns and wool.

Check embroidery shops for fine thread, all suitable for mini knitting. If you still have problems I can supply wool and knitting needles.

Enjoy knitting
Lynette

Take care if you need to climb a ladder to get to the top of a cupboard. I did just this a few weeks ago to rearrange the top of the kitchen cupboard in my shop. From the very top of the ladder, the cupboard, myself and ladder came tumbling down.

Glass was all over the floor, which cut my hand, leg and hip. Blood was everywhere as were the teddy bear eyes which were all hung on a pegboard on the back side of the cupboard.I was knocked out and taken to the emergency hospital where they stitched me up and checked to see if my brain was still working.

Teddy bear eyes are back on the pegboard ( why is it that when things are in a mess- those are the things customers want to purchase) wounds have healed, brain scans show I do have a brain, and  tthe scars are now a reminder to be more carefull.

Why was I on the ladder in the first place, well most men, cannot understand why we woman want to re arrange things, move them around so refuse to help, as they know we will move then  back into the same place at the end.

Just be carefull, people can be left with nasty injuries, and can kill themselves. I was extremely fortunate, so please do take care.

Lynette

Thought I woulod share this and post some pictures later when I get to my camera. I know this topic has come up before . Having played around with some of the Sassy fabrics which I sell, has been my only experience with dyes.

Yesterday I tackled various kinds of white mohair- and very pleased with the result. I had no idea where to start, mixed some Kool Aid which Stephanie from Sassy Bears( my personal shopper in USA for things not available in South Africa) I added hot water, I added salt, I mixed, and even used a small cream frother to disolve the powder. I did the same with RIT powder dye. Did no accurate measurements and did not read instructions- somethimes they confuse me more. I wanted rainbow colored fabric as the end result.

Dressed as a bag lady, old pants, old jersey, socks, fluffy feet, I already knew where most of the dye was going so prepared for it  wearing old clothes.  I placed the fabric over a wooden arch and out came the paint brush. With all my pots of various mixtures, I painted the fabric, rolled the fabric, squeezed the fabric, threw left over dyes onto the fabric, so basically did just what I wanted to do.

With all the various types of mohair now colored, I dumped it into the washing machine and let it run through the rinse and spin cycle. Then it was dumped into the tumble dryer.

Yes at the end I did look like a painted up bag lady,however I am pleased with the outcome. If you want to play with mohair, and like me have no idea what you are doing, try it and be adventurous, like me the result might surprise you.

Drying in the tumble dryer fluffs the mohair and one piece I am going to use for a bear, the other is going into my shop for sale. Just watch for all the fluff that comes off and be sure to clean the filter of the tumble dryer frequently.

Lynette

Not read thru all the mail, trust that everything is working out.

Lynette

I try whatever I can find- normally testing on a small piece of fabric before on the bear. I try and use Prisma felt tipped Pens, although I have to import them as we do not have an agent for them in South Africa. I purchased the Prisma colored pencils from Sassy bears and they seem to work nicely. Then I have also used colored chalks.
Copic Pens can leave a sticky residue, although if used with the "air pressure system" this gives a better result.

The important thing is to blend the colors and create a natural look.

Have fun
Lynette

Thanks all.
I enjoyed working on a bigger bear for a change. Right now I must finish a jersey for my grand daughter who I am seeing the week-end of the 31st May. Can never sit with idle hands

Lynette

I am fortunate to have a photographer as my neighbour at the shop, so asked Ronel to take some pictures of my new creation. It is a pattern based on a 1928 Bing Bear. Vince traced out the pattern pieces- and cut the gusset out not following any particular grain of the fabric, to save on material so I was a bit concern about that. I used a new Hembold fabric, matted with a 12mm pile.
He helped me joint and stuff the bear and is extremely proud of his work.
Here are some pictures.

What a little charmer

What is Mecki Mohair ?
Lynette

Touching something and it is making what I am typing disappear and it is not the delete key!!!!!!!!!!
With our participants being teddy bears we can bend the rules so anyone can enter, even if their own country does not have a team taking part in the official football event.

Thanks Lynette

Similar to the 2008 Olympic Games, I am setting up the 2010 FIFA World Cup challenge for teddy bears. The website is still under construction however as time is marching on I need to get the info out.

Once again I am going to be donating a percentage of the proceeds to the Asian moon bear fund and ask as many to participate to help with raising  funds. Could you also help in getting this out.

1st Place- The winner will win a Free Online course via EZBear University of their choice.

Many thanks
Lynette

RULES
1. Entries must represent their country they are representing in the FIFA Soccer/Football world cup. __–Football/soccer theme.
__Entry can either be a player or a spectator. Entry can be any size, dressed or undressed. Entry can __be a scene or one bear.
2. Self designed and commercial patterns may be used in all Classes, but acknowledgement of
__source and accreditation to designer must be provided.
3. No identifiable branding is to be used.
4. Bears entered into previous competitions will be disqualified. New entrants only
5. The judges' decision is final.
6. Photographs must be sent to lck@mweb.co.za
__Size: 600x600
__Resolution 72dpi.

DEADLINE
All entries to be received by the 5th June 2010
Online judging 8th June-22nd June 2010
Winners announced 28th June 2010.
1st Place receives an online teddy bear course via EZBear University of their choice.
Entry Fee : US$15.00 per entry
Payment : PayPal lynette@dalden.com
Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, Diners Card
Percentage of these proceeds to be donated to the Asian Moon Bear Rescue.

Thanks for all the comments. I have another one that I am trying to get cut out , somehow with Easter a rabbit decided to pop up.

Lynette

What was great about this course was that I learnt how to use armature wire, create sculptured paw pads and mould the nose.
I also made mistakes, because I did not READ ALL MY NOTES.
Having done the needle felting course via EZBear with Judi Paul, I was able to put all my knowledge together and hence me "going mad" with some needle felting.
I knew that someday all my exoctic yarn I had collected would become handy.

Lynette

Julia, It is a new class that Nancy has just done.
http://www.kranbearys.com/Ebearz/index.htm

Yorkie

Finished product

Thanks, need to find out exactly the city the event is in then can see how close I am to shows, Shculte and one or two other places of interest.

Lynette

Give it some time and he will soon settle into his own routine. When my husband moved into the house , every five minutes it was tea, coffee, what are you doing, lunch

Lynette

Hubby is in Germany towards the end of July participating in the International Iron Man event- I can go with if I want and wondering if any bear shows are on during this period. I have provisionally booked for Japan- but then he went and won so things have changed a bit)

It is about 6-8 years ago that I was last in Europe for an International Show and might be a good chance for me to catch up with artists that side of the world and of course meet friends not seen during this period.

Lynette

I have found that I am an  expert at unpicking, fixing, so many years of bear making have found that their are no short cuts. Take your time, tack, and I hand stitch all my bears .

I make use of plastic template sheets to trace patterns onto. This way I can keep the pieces forever and if working with a tricky mohair can lay the template on the right side of the mohair and get an impression of what it will look like.

When working with mini bears, make sure that you use a good fray/stop check as nothing worse when stuffing a mini bear and the fabric frays out. Test on a small piece of fabric as some stabilizers when dry can be as hard as a rock , making especialy the nose area difficult to stitch.

Needle felting is a good "fixer" especially when the gusset/head seam line take their own direction.Felt a new face. Drop some paint or wax on the muzzle- save it by needle felting over it.Drop hot wax on the pawpad, needle felt pads.

Of course my pattern pieces are kept together either in a plastic box or ziplock bag, however the ears cannot be controlled, either they join the socks and wander off, or one of the dogs decide it is a good thing to chew on.

And lastly enjoy what you are doing and learn from your mistakes.

Lynette

If I was not choosen by my dogs and had the choice, I would have a houseful of Yorkie terriers. However as this is not going to happen soon, I am busy creating one with a course via the EZB University. I am having so much fun creating my dog, just got the last chapter downloaded and will be finishing him/her off soon. Learnt new ideas once again, proving one is never too old to learn.

A big tums up for Nancy for offering various courses online- I have enjoyed the several I have done   

Lynette