Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thanks again to all of you who responded and thanks for the compliments on the bears on my website.  And to Bobbie R. you asked how to pronounce my name.  My real name is Jeanette but I go by Jai (pronounced Jay but supposedly the feminine spelling???)  I like to tell people that since my wonderful hubby helps me so much (usually doing the housework while I'm bearmaking--but he also helps me joint my bears) I wanted to include him in on my bussiness name which is Bare Bears by Jai.  Well, with my name being Jeanette and his name being Ian, I say the Jai stands for (J)eanette (A)nd (I)an.  I'm pretty new to Teddy Talk but enjoy reading and learning from the other posts.  I'm trying to get brave enough to enter some shows or contests.  I did have a bear in the Real Fur article in Teddy Bear & Friends several years ago.  I'm proud of my work but maybe still a little shy of entering any big shows.  Maybe someday.  Right now I am overwhelmed with all the orders I have in real fur to get done before Christmas.

Thanks, Nancy.  I know you are an expert on this subject so I am going to call it goat fur.  I did a "search" on the internet on goat fur and it does look like the fur in the coat.  Thank you again.  You and all the others have been most helpful and I sincerely appreciate it.  Jai

Thanks to all of you for your responses to my question on the type of fur.  Whatever it is, it should make a really good looking bear or maybe even a cute puppy of some breed.  And, yes, I have Nancy T's book on "Bears with a Past" and have read it extensively, over & over.    I have also taken her on-line computer classes.  She is great!!!  In addition, I went from Nebraska (where I live) to Florida several years ago to take a one-on-one real fur class with a wonderful bear artist, Pat Fairbanks.  I am totally addicted to this hobby which has actually turned into a full-time business for me from my home.  I am booked through the end of this year with orders.  I love working with both mohair and real fur, even though I am not always sure of the type of fur such as this one.  And, yes, mouton is rough to work with.  I have a mouton bear on my website and I also just finished another one last month.  If you care to, check out my real fur bears at www.jeanettesummers.com  Love to share (or show off) my bears!!  Comments/critiquing are always welcome.  Thanks again everyone!!! Jai

I'm trying to post the photos I just took but have been having trouble.  I apologize if they appear more than once or not at all!!!  This is kind of new to me but I won't give up.  Thanks for your offers to help and I will try again to upload the photos.  Jai

Tammy,  Wow, what a prompt response.  Thank you and yes, I will immediately take a photo of the fur coat inside and outside.  It is great to have other teddy bear artists willing to share their knowledge.  Jai

I was given a very nice real fur coat but I do not know what kind of fur it is.  The color is a golden yellow and it is wavy.  It actually looks very much like wavy mohair.  It feels somewhat course also.  I know it is real fur as the underside is leather and sewn in different sizes of pelts.  Can anyone recognize this kind of fur and enlighten me.  It would make a beautiful bear!!!  Thanks! Bare Bears by Jai

I am wanting to make hand sculpted noses for my real fur bears and have heard a little about Jiffy Mold to make my own mold.  Then, I went to a sewing meeting where a lady made dolls and used "paper clay" and said it would work great for my noses.  Have any of you made your own nose mold and if so, what do you suggest using?  Would love to learn this technique as I think it would look more realistic than embroidering the nose!!  Thanks!!  Jai

Thanks to all of you who were kind enough to respond to my question about making a bear stand up.  I will try the different techniques.  You were all very helpful and I sincerely appreciate it.  Jai

I am making a mink 28" bear and want it to stand up by itself without using any props.  I have stuffed it with polyfill and also used bb's for weight in the legs and in the fanny but it still does not want to stand.  Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!  Thanks.  Jai