Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Just found her!  She is exquisite Fran!!!  I love pink too!!! 

Hi Judi,

I know this must be very upsetting for you but I think if you ask Ebay for their criteria for listing a charity auction, you will find it's pretty straightforward.  Perhaps you could relist once you've gone through their procedure?

My sister and I have run a couple of charity auctions (listing well over thirty bears each time for our 'Dare to Care' auction) and we found that once we'd notified Ebay.co.uk of our intention to hold the auction, they were really helpful.  We needed to provide contact details for our charity and the charity's registration number - oh and we had to provide confirmation from the charity that they supported our fund raising on their behalf.  It just took a handful of emails and everything went really smoothly. 

I hope that helps put your mind at rest.  I don't know how Ebay.com works, but I would imagine things aren't too dissimilar.

Fran, I always work my pricing out as follows:

Materials (list absolutely everything, even the hangtag!) plus labour (I usually work that out at between 10/12 hours per bear) plus percentage for profit (which is a joke, because this actually has to cover all administrative/promotional etc etc costs too!) I tend to work with about a 30% 'profit' margin, but keep this bit of the equation flexible, so that I price the bears appropriately for their size etc in the current market.

I work all my costings out on a spreadsheet.  In fact, I have spreadsheets coming out my ears!  Spreadsheets to price the bears, spreadsheets to record income and expenditure for the tax man, spreadsheets to forecast my cash flow ... I always keep a packet of paracetamol handy too!!  (I wonder if that's tax deductible???) 

My rule of thumb these days, is that if the fabric doesn't fit in my trunk, it doesn't get bought!  The trunk is pretty roomy (see pic) and is always full!   

My trunk was painted for me by a friend - she worked from a photograph of some of my Chiltern teddy bears.  Oh and in case you're curious, the two guys sat on the trunk are two of my favourite personal bears.  The big 'un is a Frank Webster (Charnwood Bears here in the UK) special and the smaller chap is a lovely Jane Humme bear (Netherlands). 

Good luck with the show Jane - your stock looks lovely!! 

She's so pretty and I love the pic!!

Thank you Catherine and thank you Jenny! 

Like you Jenny, I'm still wondering how on earth I'm going to fill a table at the show!! 

  What can I say???? 

I love clowns and this one is such fun! 

Thank you everyone!!! 

I'm a joint trimmer too! 

I must be mean!  I never allow anyone to dither.  If they want the bear they have to make up their minds then and there, or go without if he's gone when they come back to the stand!  Fortunately, I've very rarely been asked to hold a bear for anyone at a show. 

Don't worry Eileen, it's actually a stone step he's sitting on! 

Lovely to see your work - the bears have lots of character!

You're welcome to a cuddle with him Vicky! 

Thank you all for your support.  Now all I need to do is find some time to make him some friends!

Fabulous colour!  He looks very impressive!

Judi, your work is in a class of its own.  This piece is outstanding ... he's not just very, very clever, he's absolutely gorgeous too!

Thank you so much ladies! 

Melissa, you spotted right, he is a centre seam teddy - I haven't made one of those in AGES, actually it must be years now I come to think about it!!

The mohair is of course, Shulte's 'zotty' style.  It has a 1" pile and is beautifully dense - a real pleasure to work with.

Thanks for taking a peek everyone! 

To answer Shelli's questions:

1.  Clarence House was where our Queen Mother lived.  This link should give you more details: http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page2262.asp  (I hope it works!)

2.  If I'm making a straightforward bear, I take between 10/12 hours.  A more complicated bear will take an hour or two more ... the laughing bears take the longest.

3.  Clarence took half a metre of mohair to make (purchased this fabric in the UK).  Generally speaking I have to order 2/3 yards for a 20/21" bear, if I'm buying in from the US.  Although my bears might not sound ever so tall, they are pretty chunky!  I like them to have nice drumstick thighs and be a real armful to hug!

Hi Deb,

Thank you - I'm so glad you like him!  I'm hoping to have about nine large bears to take with me ... fingers crossed!

For the first time in quite a few years, I will be exhibiting at the 'British Bear Fair' on the 11th December 2005.  Just in time for Christmas!  I'm looking forward to it and have been scratching my head trying to think of a suitable theme.  I've come up with a plan!  I shall make lovely traditional bears for this show.  They will be quintessentially English and I'm going to call the collection 'The Best of British'!  Cheeky eh?  ;)

This centre-seam chap is the first.  He's called 'Clarence' (I think I shall call each of the bears after royal dwellings!) and he is 20" tall.  I've made him from stunning frost tipped German mohair and he has olive glass eyes, with black pupils.  As you can see, he has traditional proportions.

Daphne, what a lovely page!  I've really enjoyed seeing everyone together.  What a unique record of us all - you've joined us all across the world ... thank you!

Try: www.bagnboxman.co.uk

You might find something there!

It's definitely not an easy job to make a good profit each year.  I am solely responsible for paying my own mortgage, household bills, etc etc and as such, have to make the bears pay.   I don't think I'd manage if I wasn't also accepting rent from my two children to top me up.  That said, the bulk of responsibility has to be met by the bears and yes, that does sometimes take the joy out of the job.

I plan my cash flow forecasts very carefully and use spreadsheets to run my accounts, so that I know down to the last penny, how much I need to earn each month to stay afloat.  This isn't a job for the faint hearted that's for sure.  Don't let anyone tell you it's an easy way to make money ... it truly isn't!

Mind you, when I think about the alternative of going back into paid employment, I shudder.  I love being my own boss!

I do.  It's hard though.  Fortunately, I also have two large rent paying offspring ...