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YEA!!!!! Oh, how neat to share something so special with your daughter! I can't wait to teach mine... I hope she takes an interest in it!
Kim Basta
Oh...me too Daphne! I mean, I loved getting dressed up fpr church and stuff too, but 99% of the time I was knee deep in a mud puddle lookin' for tadpoles! 
I just die when I see "dolls" marketed toward young children that look like this....
http://www.teddy-talk.com/upload3/Bratz.jpg
I might just have to see about getting a Mimzy myself! Oh.... and the Emma as well!
Kim Basta
Oh that is the neatest website! I still think that the fact that I KNOW the woman behind the bunny is just the coolest thing EVER!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I know that Daphne had updated regarding Tonner's award for their Emma & Mimzy duo!!!! YEA!
I just wanted to pop in and say how TRULY refreshing it is to see a little girl doll that looks like..... ready for this.... A LITTLE GIRL!!!!!!! :dance: :dance: No make up, or come hither glances, no mini skirts and high healed boots.... she's A LITTLE GIRL in jeans & sneakers and a sweatshirt!
So, in addition to my big huge hug to Daphne.... :hug:
I just wanted to express my delight with the Tonner Co. as well. 
Kim Basta
Oooo.... that sounds pretty! What is the backing like? Does it have any stretch? I use upholstery velvet all the time for my minis, and I used a high quality garmet velvet a couple of times before. If it has any stretch to it, you might want to consider applying a layer of muslin to the back, just to cut down or eliminate the stretch. Other than that, i think fraying is really only the other "issue" to consider... give it a cut, pull at the cut edge and see how the fabric behaves. If there is a great deal of fraying, you might wnat to use a product like FrayCheck, or a dilute solution of PVA glue & water around the cut edges of of your pattern. Anyone else feel free to jump in... those were just the two things that sprang to mind....
Can't wait to see!!!! 
Kim Basta
Oh Bobbie..... you are so awesome for this kind of stuff!!!!!! I'd say that I do about "two squares forward, one square back when I'm using the grid backed material.
I also use a single strand of Gutterman's polyester thread. I DO use the teenie weenie needles though! Freakishly small hands here though! I think they are size 12 quilting sharps. I do tend to like a nice thin needle for the same reason as stated above... the holes you end up making are a whole lot smaller.
But tension, yes, tension is really what makes the biggest difference to me in my sewing. I think that's just kind of something that you learn a bit more about. There does seem to be sort of a "magic tension." I have this little flick of the thread that I do with my pinky. I wish I could film it... it's kind of funny!
Kim Basta
Oh Gail... just wanted to say how absolutely wonderful I think that is! Good for you love! :hug: :hug:
Kim Basta
Wrong.... wrong... wrong..... 
I'm always the first to cheer when ANYBODY'S bear fetches a good price on eBay, because I think it's a fabulous thing for all teddy artists! When I HAVE seen bears fetch an artificially inflated price as a result of obvious shilling, it juts breaks my heart. 
What an awful thing to do to the people who are willing to part with their hard earned money for your bears. There are some truly wonderful collectors out there in "eBay land." Shill bidding amounts to fraud, nothing less, and I think most people who DO it probably eventually get what's coming to them.... At least I hope so!
It kind of reminds me of that saying... "Don't poop where you eat!" I think it's generally said with a more vulgar word though! It's so true though. I just don't understand how people can justify doing that to people in their minds.
I was really worried that we'd see a huge increase in shilling when eBay changed to their new "Bidder1 policy." Really, I think (at least I HOPE) that it isn't occurring that much. I think most bear artists are good and decent people, just as I belive that most collectors are. I would certainly HATE for a few bad apples to ruin the proverbial barrel. I'd hate to see collector confidence drop as a result of the actions of a few despicable people.
eBay is claiming that they have better shill bidding detection methods in place now. I certainly hope that is true.
Kim Basta
I love homemade mac & cheese! The "good" kind with nice sharp cheddar in a little crust on top with a few buttered bread crumbs!
I also LOVE Cream of Wheat cereal with butter and brown sugar!
Melissa.... the rice pudding sounds wonderful! I make rice pudding with raisins sometimes for my kids.
Kim Basta
Sarah.... I am head over heels happy for you hon!!!!!! I can't wait to see it when it gets here!!!!!!!
:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
And Judi and Jodi, of course!!!!!!! :hug: :dance: Sounds like they could have a run on back issues with so many wonderful Teddy Talkers in this issue!
Kim Basta
Natasha..... you are SO well on your way! the very first patterns I made all by myself barely even looked like bears!!!!! I'm loving those rectangular ears too.... very neat!
Kim Basta
I'm reading Little Red Riding Hood, Uncloaked: Sex, Morality and the Evolution of a Fairy Tale by Catherine Orenstein.
Non Fiction obviously.... but so thought provoking!
The last fiction book I read was Skylight Confessions, by Alice Hoffman..... really gritty, painful and sometimes disturbing subject matter.... but I just loved this book! My life is fairly non-gritty.... oh I have my stress/problems like everyone else.... but sometimes it's nice to really be transported OUT of my "non-gritty" world!
Kim Basta
Beautiful designs Shelli!!!!! Of course I bet the design process is a bit easier when you've got such gorgeous bears (and fabulous photos!) to work with! 
Love the way she got a whole lot of the Tami/Dolls and Dreams "feel" in there!!!!! Marvelous!
Kim Basta
Gorgeous stuff isn't it!!!! I bought a paperback bbok a couple of years ago.... "Beginners Guide to Silk Ribbon Embroidery" by Ann Cox. It's a total how to do it kind of thing for folks who have never done it before. It shows how to embroider like 20 different kinds of flat out gorgeous flowers using silk ribbon..... I've always just been dying to try it... but like my husband says... "I need another needle art obsession like I need another hole in my head!" :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
If you wanna PM me your address, I'd be happy to send it off to you! Since I'm not using it, it's just taking up space on the already over crowed shelves!
Let me know.
Kim Basta
Sonya... all your time in the bear biz, and you are still afraid to just take a little peek to see what kind of "parts" your bears have !!!! :crackup: I'm sorry... poor taste! One of my husband's friends asked me that at dinner last week.... "How do you decide if they are boys or girls?" Well.... you just lift up their little tails and take a peek!" :doh: :crackup:
I totally see that this beautiful bear could go either way! Sometimes I am in doubt with mine as well. If there is just the slightest bit of boyishness... I always go with boy. I LOVE sweet little boy bears!
Kim Basta
Oh My Gosh... YES... have you SEEN pictures of her! She looks like a super model .... just sweeter! And her daughter is just as gorgeous. SO unfair... these blond beauties!
She is great at her job... definitely. Every so often i order something that happens to be momentarily out of stock, and as disappointing as that could be, she calls and ALWAYS helps me figure out something that I'll love just as much... usually, I end up liking it MORE than what I had originally ordered! Unbelievable!
Kim Basta
Oh Good Jennifer! I've been using these pens since I started making bears... not terribly long ago... but they do still look nice and fresh almost four years later... even when displayed in my sunlit and really harshly lit studio.
Kim Basta
I like just a few dots or smudges of color with a Pigma Micron marker. They are made by Sakura Color Products Corp of Japan. They are permanent, waterproof, and light fast. They do only come in a handfull of colors... there is a nice brown, a black and a lovely dark sepia shade. Oh... and they come lots of VERY fine widths... down to a 005... which is almost TOO small to use! Hardly ever get to say that... TOO small! :crackup:
Kim Basta
Hi Jennifer! I know what you mean about the embroidery floss tending to be "hairy!" The most minute "fuzzies" on a mini can seem extaordinarily large in proportion. They bug me too! You can use a tiny paintbrush and a touch of acrylic gloss medium to smooth out those fuzzies and give your tiny nose a bit of a glow as well. Acrylic mediums come in a matte finish and a satin type finish as well.... I've also used a by Luminex that is a "fabric medium" menat to be mixed with acrylic paints to make them a consistency that is more suitable for use on fabrics.
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
....and I was so nervous to post my nominations because I don't want people to think I am getting the lion's share (no pun really). I know that everyone who enters works so very hard for this.... but I was too excited and just had to share the news with all of you here on TT ...
You know Judi.... you are such a genuinely good and kind hearted person... I KNOW you feel this way... you are so humble and so gracious... your work is spectacular and just so truly unique and special..... you totally deserve it! That's the greatest thing about TT... you have to be a bear maker, i think to really understand what a total honor it is to win these awards. As supportive as family and friends can be... I doubt anyone gets it as much as another bear artist!
You go get 'em Judi!
:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Kim Basta
That pup is just adorable Krista!
And.... I know that I have a view that is pretty much contrary to just about everyone else's... but I just have to say it.... Comissions can be really FUN... under some circumstances. When you are working with someone whom you really click with, or someone who is really familiar with your work already, and has realistic expectations, etc..... I have a lady whom I "work" with on a regular basis... once avery six months or so, and we kind of start with a story, or a personality, or a basic color scheme and she just lets me take it from there. It's outrageously FUN! Seriously!
I completely understand that it could be agonizing when someone has an absolute image in their mind of what the creation will look like, and is then disappointed when what you come up with doesn't exactly match their mental image.... I think that's probably downright impossible!!!! Really! 
I think in situations like that, people are probably just setting themselves (and the artist) up for disappointment and frustration.
Glad that you are feeling better about the whole thing though Krista! :hug: Your doggies are really wonderful... that little guy is certainly no exception!
Kim Basta
All totally gorgeous Judi! Congratulations hon! Here I was thinking.... How's she gonna top last years round of awards?! And you DID it! You are just amazing Judi dear!
Kim Basta
Daphne... You know I'm in!!!!!
Add me to the list! :hug:
You know, one thing that I make a point of doing... which is not necessarily fabulous for my OWN business (from a "businessy" point of view!) is to recommend OTHER artists to people who contact me abouut my bears. Often they are newer collectors who might not necessarily be in a position to bid on one of my creations, or want to be able to buy direct from a website... and I just say, "Have you seen this artist's work..... I think it's really special?" ETC..... Or, if they are looking for something that really isn't a specialty of mine.... real fur or antique-styled, things like that. I've "hooked up " a few collectors and artists that way! It's a small thing, really, but it does help, I think.
Kim Basta
What a fantastic story Aleta! I'm so happy it ended on an EXTREMELY positive note! I couldn't be happier for you!
Kim Basta
