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All Bear

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

All Bear

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.

All Bear

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???)  bear_tongue

All Bear

Toybox1.jpgMy 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!  bear_grin 

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).  bear_original

All Bear

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

All Bear

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

All Bear

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!!  bear_cry

All Bear
Shelli wrote:
All Bear wrote:

I'm a joint trimmer too!  bear_grin

Hey, that sounds kinda funny, in an illegal-substances kind of way...  bear_rolleyes bear_tongue bear_grin bear_laugh bear_whistle :teddybear:

bear_wacko bear_wacko  bear_grin bear_grin bear_innocent bear_innocent bear_wub bear_cry bear_wacko bear_whistle bear_whistle What can I say????  bear_innocent

All Bear

I love clowns and this one is such fun!  bear_thumb

All Bear

Thank you everyone!!!  bear_wub

All Bear

I must be mean!  bear_angry 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.  bear_whistle

All Bear
Eileen wrote:

The mohair is of course, Shulte's 'zotty' style

bear_laugh You answered my question before I got to ask it, Paula! On a gorgeous bear that large, this fur works wonders. Wowza, girl.  :hug:

But is that earth he's sitting on? Right on his  bear_smile bottom?

Eileen

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

All Bear

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

All Bear

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!

All Bear

Fabulous colour!  He looks very impressive!

All Bear

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!

All Bear

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.

All Bear
Shelli wrote:

Gorgeous, Paula.  I love this guy a lot. 

Two questions:

1.)  What royal dwelling is called, "Clarence?"  Ignorant Amer-i-can here.
2.)  How long does it take you to make each bear?

Okay, three questions...

3.)  How much mohair do you use on each one of your bigguns?  I'm guessing at least 1/3 yard, in our Yankee measurements... ?

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!

All Bear

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!

All Bear

ClarenceTT.jpgClarenceheadbears.jpgFor 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.

All Bear

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!

All Bear

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!

All Bear

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

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