Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thanks Paula. Then theres taking photos, loading in server, making ebay template (maybe), updating webpage, updating us TT folk, blog, email lists.....eek!    I bet you were surprised with things like pinning and trimming, they take time.

It really does help though to see it laid out for a standard bear. I'll do one next week from the miniature side. It makes a good point to start off from and I think a few of us might see things a little clearer. Cheers for this.

Had exactly the same problem myself with the bear from last sunday. The winner has not had feedback since then so there could be something up. I've just sent a polite email to see if everything is OK, hopefully they are and will let me know.

I once had this with a Dolls house. She won then an hour or two later won another one. Then ignored me, but had the other one. She was just covering her options, if she did'nt get the later listed house, she had mine. Then she had the cheek to give me a 'story' of little Henry bidding by mistake. I just politely explained he had also bid and won another house later. She was stressing as my unpaid mean she was being chucked off ebay as she had done it before. Cheeky, but there you go. Thats a bad case but sometimes there must be genuine people with proper reasons for not paying....sometimes.

Good question Paula. I've not done shows for years but had this problem, it opened my eyes a little. Just to say I've been on both sides as I used to have a bear shop.

I was at one of the big London shows, first time, and a well known shop owner and maker asked at the start of the show if I would sell my bears. To cut a long story short.    I gently explained it was my first big show and if he wanted to come back at the end....I was very generous with my discounts (as I had a shop and knew what the mark up had to be) so I felt I couldn't have been fairer. I got the most rude response, not in itself but very sarcastic and was made to feel as if I was an idiot for turning HIM down. I don't care how well known the person was, who wants to deal with that. I did really well, and went home with a smile on my face. Of course he never came back as I had dared to say no. Not a lot left anyway! 

I don't think it fair that a shop expects to have your best work at a discount price. I as a shop seller, would always ask early on but say I would come back later. Its so hard to be fair but all said and done if you do have any bears left Paula, they are hardly going to be duds or bad ones. The shop would still have fantastic bears. If they are snotty and won't come back later, well its all one sided on their part.

If the shop is good and has a good reputation they will understand, and if they do understand you know they will be good to work with. Hope this helps.

Hee, hee  as opposed to 'researching' on here. I dare'nt add that on it would make each bear take a week to make!

Years ago when I had a bear shop I was able to make 1 a day easily, no distractions. The thing was the customers did'nt like it unless they thought it took me days! Now I have'nt a clue as I work a couple of hours here and there. It would be good to time it though.

How weird. I have the doll on the left, well my version of it. I bought it as a kit when Amy was born twelve years ago. I'll get them from the loft so you can see. They look great together. :hug:

We used to have them with jam when I was young. We don't have them now as we don't like them enough. So just a sandwich when I get in from work later.

Goodness help you Clare If you are on the same wavelength as me!!!!!          

You will be OK without fraycheck. I never use it on my ulpholstery fabric bears. If you are using a sewing machine you will be OK too. If not as Gladys says, keep those stiches small. Good luck.

This got me thinking. (Thats twice in one month!  :P)  Although I don't really collect bears I have a few swap ones and see bears that I like. The thing is I really like vintage style ones, any size, but I don't make that kind of bear. I wondered if what you collect/like are similar or opposite to what you make.

Hi Gail. My hubby got one of these about half an hour ago. UK. Its a worldwide problem. Stay safe. :hug:

Hiya Kathleen. Lots of us on here use freewebs. Check my site out. Very, very simple to do that you would not need to ring them, promise! Plus if you do get stuck there would be someone on here to help you. As the name says, they are free!

http://members.freewebs.com/

Very nice Judi. I think it suits the direction your bears have gone into. You look so American its hard to think you're a Derbyshire girl. Its the next county to us and has some lovely places.

Forgot to say, I'm not sure what an American is supposed to look like, but you do! 

I've just looked at your website. Just lovely. My daughter loves them too. Great imagination. :hug:

I doubt it Bobbie, if mine are on there! :crackup: I probably think its to do with keywords like miniature appearing in the title. I too remember a link to find the top sellers/watchers/hits or something of the sort.

Ahhh thanks Laura. My husband uses something similar called Quidco for normal things like car insurance. We ended up having £600 ($1200) pounds off them last year. The house insurance ended up being free and they gave us a few pounds as well!

Worth knowing about these sites bear wise and home.

Hi Kay. Never seen of it or heard of it before. Probably ebay but if not? If anyone knows.

Going alright with bears thanks, on a roll.

Hey well done Julie. You should post him in the Outside your comfort zone challenge, because he was! Love the feet. :clap:

WOW. Loved the photos. I had to look twice, this is so lifelike. Well done. We also had a bit of an off year 07 renovating a house and my mother-in-laws death. You do realise what you have missed here. Welcome back.

Hi all. Is this Little shop of bears just some sort of ebay thing? Amy was googling pandy potter and then I saw this. Never seen it before.

http://littleshopofbears.com/

What an evil so and so Bren came across. I've been fairly lucky but hubby has come across the nutters, oddballs and plain dishonest ebayers. He used to have it on the calender to leave negative at the last possible time so they would'nt negative back as the time had ran out. All said and done its good for advertising. But I'm also looking to maybe go into other areas this year off the back of it so to speak. Good points raised.

When they are born it doesn't matter but short term we are only human to have a preference. I wanted a girl, and got one. Hubby wanted a boy and guess what....yes she is the biggest 'Dad' fan out. They are very close.

On the point of trying again...no not me....my auntie had boys and always wanted a girl, then on her seventh go (her words, not mine) she got her girl. She was and still is mad about babies. Lynn is 18 now and the boys have all turned out good lads. My uncle died young but all the family kept auntie going. People can sometimes pass comments about large families now, but all the ones I know are close. I was always to lazy to have more than one.

You can't keep a good topic down. I have just finished a miniature open mouth. I'm mostly pleased but I know next time where to improve. I was also a little dissapointed the photos don't show the mouth up as much as real life. But hey ho I managed it. This is Ginger and he is 3 1/4" tall.

Just fantastic!

After Blue monday the whole nation can move on. I've never known such a yucky January, for no reason. Talk about coming back with a stunner, love the hat, it all looks so right. Fantastic!