Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I made an 'unfortunate' bear not too long ago.  Blessed thing would not sit up properly - my own fault as I hadn't designed the new legs well.  I ummed and ahhed about what to do as I couldn't get any more fabric for new legs.  In the end I listed the bear on Ebay with a very honest description and couldn't believe my luck when the bear sold for more than the usual retail of one with a well behaved bottom.  The buyer was delighted with her purchase and left me positive feedback, so it just goes to show, honesty can be the best policy!! :D;)

Nothing sacred on here eh?  

See, how fast you are missed?  Goodness lady, you must be someone special indeed! :cool:

Shelli, take care and make time for smiling when you are able.

It's a while since I last suggested exchanging website links and I know we've had a heap of new members since then, so if anyone missed the last call and would like to exchange links with the All Bear website www.allbear.co.uk please leave your website address and banner below.(Don't worry if you don't have a banner, text links are fine!)

I'll be happy to add you to my site on my next sweep through here! :cool:

Let's keep our websites interesting for collectors by sharing links, it's a great way to keep the teddy bear market place vibrant!

Thank you Eileen and Louise!  It's great to get your feedback.

Eileen what a great job that must have been!  I'm in awe!

Such a pretty bear!  Judi, your bears are unique!

What a great start to your designing!  He's lovely and I love the colour!

What a lovely bear!  Well done you!  Good luck with your charity.

Everyone out there must be very tense Sue Ann.  I've just been watching the lunchtime news about the US hurricane here - they are showing long, long queues of traffic and cars running out of petrol, Brits flying home, etc etc etc.  One guy has been arrested for taking a swim in the sea ... looking at the wild sea I can't imagine what made him think that was a good idea!

Anyway, I hope you are safely secured and that the worst passes you by.

Take care and let us know how things go.

Hi Catherine,

Sorry, only just got back to this thread as I've been busy with my preparations for a show in two weeks' time!

I found my beeswax (a lovely big lump of it!) on a UK website for candle makers.  It's sold in a large block and I just cut bits off to work with and keep the rest in polythene - I think it will last me forever!

So far, I've only used it on black noses so it's hard to say whether it affects the thread colour or not - I will be using it on brown soon I hope!

What a lovely feather in your cap (s'cuse the pun!) Sue Ann!

This is lovely!  What a lot of work must have gone into it!

Definitely my kinda bear!  Love the rooster - made me grin!

What great pics!  Keep 'em coming, this is fun! :D;):cool:

Thanks for popping in everyone!   I'm so glad you like him.  :D:cool::)

This particular mohair is German Schulte (which means tres expensive!) and I purchased it from a UK supplier.  It has a wonderful silky sheen.

Da bigger da better girl!

Tiddly smiddly is for those far more virtuous than I.  I get really cranky and snarly whenever I go below 15" ... not a good look for this sweet natured fluffy headed bear maker. :(

*Dons halo*

Okay you lot, 'fess up, who else has pics of themselves with their childhood bear?

This is my Chiltern (still with me!) when I was a wee thing of seventeen months ... aw bless!

What a lovely picture and what sweet bears!

Hi Catherine,

I've just done a couple of waxed noses.  I've pondered about doing them for a while and recently decided to take the plunge.  I don't know if this is the best way, but it worked okay for me!

I used natural beeswax (which smells lovely when warmed!)
I have a huge lump of it that I purchased and so I cut a small piece off to work with.
I used my hairdryer to warm the piece of beeswax just enough so that it was soft enough to gently rub onto the nose ... I tried to keep my direction running with the nose thread. Watch the heat from the hairdryer on your fingers though - it gets pretty hot!
When I'd coated the nose, I let the hairdryer soften it a little more, so that it could be smoothed with my finger to make sure I had no lumps and bumps.
Then I used plain white paper to buff.
Then I repeated the process a couple more times until I achieved the effect I wanted.
I wasn't comfortable with leaving the nose wax unprotected, so I sealed the final buffed nose with a coat of satin finish varnish from my local DIY store.

I think to achieve the look you want, it would work well if you left the nose unsealed.  Or maybe someone knows of a better sealing agent?

Glad you like him!

You guys don't miss anything do you?  That mohair certainly is not at the lower end of the cost range, but you know how it is, sometimes you just gotta run with what you want to do, rather than what you should do!  Fortunately, in this case I was able to purchase this piece from the UK. :rolleyes:

As for the muzzle trimming, it's all just done by hand with a pair of good quality embroidery scissors.  I don't have any secret methods, it's just done by eye and with patience.  It's my favourite job to do I think. 

Shelli, by the way, I'm so pleased you like the outdoor shots!  I don't get such good results inside with lighting etc (I'm definitely a 'point and shoot' gal!) and although I know mags like TB&Friends prefer plain backgrounds, I still prefer to do my own thing!   The pics get featured regularly in UK mags, so I guess they work for me!   (Actually, thanks also to TB&F for putting two of my bears in the last issue! That was a thrill!)

Rochester is famous for its Charles Dickens connection and as I am exhibiting at the Rochester Bear Fair on October 9th, I have Dickens in mind for my show bears!  The first bear, a 22" big guy 'PICKWICK', is now complete and so I thought I'd share him with you.

Thank you so much for popping in Carolyn.

I've had many offers to attend shows in different countries over the years, but sadly have never been able to justify the expense. 

A few years ago and for a couple of years in a row, I was invited to send about ten bears to the States to participate in the Kelly Dean show.  I've also participated in the Teddies of Mt Holly show in New Jersey in this way.  It was expensive to ship the bears (especially as I make BIG bears!) but once they'd been shipped, the promoters undertook to sell whatever they didn't find homes for on the day of the show.  It was a generous offer and I was delighted to accept.

Shows are definitely enhanced by overseas exhibitors and I think it would be great if show promoters could be a little 'versatile' in their approach to incorporating overseas work in their shows, although I can understand that 'special treatment' might upset the regular exhibitors!  It's a tricky one!

Good luck with the auction Gail!  Lovely bear!

I never measure anything.  I always use my eyes to judge - must make that opticians appointment ... !!

What a lovely thing to say Julia.  You have made me smile.  Thank you!