Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hello,
I was just going through some of my photos on this ol' computer and came across some pictures that I took at a little pond here in Odessa TX, we call it the "Buffalo Wallo". I guess in the pioneer days the buffalo would travel for miles to this spot for a drink of water. Anyways.... The city has turned it into a little park. On September 11 of each year they place 3000 flags all around the pond in remembrance of each person who lost their lives that day. Last year I was there I took some pictures on a beautiful Saturday morning. I believe that when they take the flags down, they are then sold and profits go to a charity.
This file is a slide show. All you have to do is open it and either click to run or save. There are a few pictures it take a minute or so to load.

http://bearpawsbyroxanne.net/buffalo_wallo.exe

We will miss her.... With Gods grace our strength remains..... As we say goodbye.....
Heaven is sweeter with her there 

Oh goodness.... I am so sorry...  :hug:   :hug:

:crackup: 

Funny Video for this lovely Monday Morning!!

  :hug:

Oh! Bless his sweet heart    What a beautiful baby. I am happy for you that they are home now.
God Bless.

Ya baby!

I too have been working on my website. I hope that you all do not mind if I add all your links to my site too?
I will have mine available this afternoon.

Shantell, You little stinker! You got me good  By the looks of things you will be quite busy riding........bikes 

wow, This is a subject that is like a double edge sword. I for one would love to be able to be a part of shows. Because as you mentioned, holding a bear in your hands and falling in love with it to where you just have to take it home with you. Is so different than seeing pictures of it and trying to absorb it's personality through a monitor screen....

But at my perspective right now I have to depend on trying to take the best picture possible so that the collector falls for it and has to wait to receive it in the mail. I have been cursed to have to live in an area of this state that does not ever have any type of shows to speak of, oh other than the typical craft shows at the fairgrounds etc.....Which really is not the sellers market for a mohair bear. I am basically a day away from any show. Which then requires overnight expenses and all that goes along with a trip. So this is my only way, for now, to get my bears out to the public.....
On my last auction I received a letter from a gal that really "burst my bubble". This is what she wrote:

Hi
I have noticed that this is the 2nd time you have offered this item. Is there a reason the reserve is so high???This is not an artist that has been showcased in any teddy bear magazine and is not known nationally or internationally.

For some reason, it just hit me wrong and hurt my heart.   The bear is a 20 inch open mouth bear and had only been bid up to $100.00! Even the beginners should ask at least $10.00 an inch, right? First I have been in a magazine and have sold bears internationally! I responded telling her this and that I have not been able to list of late because of my mother passing and some issues of the loss of my mama to deal with. And that if she would look at my 100% positive feedback you can see that my buyers are very pleased with my quality of work. She responded with:

This bear is quite beautiful. I have not seen any of your other bears. Perhaps I will see one as a resale.

Resale...."The act of selling again". Which happens all the time. So which brings up another way to purchase our work. Is this a good thing? Or bad? Mainly resales happen on the internet, right? Unless you sell bears to shops that then sell them.
Ouch!! My brain is hurting  :doh:   To much thought for this pea-brain! And it all came out before lunch 
So, some day soon I plan to try to attend some shows. But in the mean time, we have to jump on offers like Mindy with TBAF is offering us. And keep on "bearin it"!

Well, I have decided to use this design for my website.
I have gone back and corrected spelling...Xfingers crossedX <teehee> and added alot of pictures of past bears to the picture gallery. I hope ya'll like it.  :pray:   

Oh! ok...   thanks Deb.... :wacko:
I was originally from Colorado! Brighton, it's about 20 miles north of Denver. It changes sooooo much everytime I go back to visit. The population has just exploded!

Oh absolutely have to have music on!  :dance: Listening to James Blunt as I type.

Spent all day on this today, should have been finishing my panda. This is so addictive  :P
And so fun!!

That is the question...
I know that there are many that offer a layaway plan with their ebay auction. The auctions that I have observed tend to achieve a higher price for them. Again, some of them are very popular artists that can afford to offer the layaway but would probably get the higher prices anyway.
Anyhow..... You have probably already guessed what my dilemma is. I am kicking around the idea of offering layaway with my auctions. I have been a bit scarce from auctions lately and had wondered if it might increase some bidding and the effort to get my name "out there". If you catch my drift.....
I live in west Texas where it is almost impossible to find any shows in my area. So my only source of selling is on the internet. My town is fairly good size of around 100,000 population. But if I was to tell anyone about a artist made mohair bear, they reply is generally, "Oh, I ser' <yes...ser'> that teddy making store over yonder <in Dallas> at the Mall...! So locally is almost impossible 
So, to layaway or not to layaway. What is the consensus? hummmm?
Thanks 

Dear Susan,

Your Rose is absolutely beautiful!
Please show us more of your paintings as you paint them. I'd love to see them 

Heres one tutorial, I will be back later with a couple more...
http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorials/P … Graphics/1

I will get back on this afternoon and list a few free tutorial links that I have found.
Alrighty!
:hug: Thanks again ya'll for your thoughtful and appreciated comments!  :hug:

Thanks Quy!
You are such a fart smeller....    OPPS! I mean a smart feller!!     :crackup: 
Seriously... It looks great 

Oh, Thanks for the notice Mindy!
I had better get to "bearin it!"

Oh, What a glorious picture that instantly put a big grin on this mug     

Melissa, Cards.... What a great idea 

Renae, I have the photoshop 6.0 too. I is a copy from a friend, so what I do with it is basically just by trial and error. There are many free photoshop tutorials online which has helped me a bunch with learning how to work with it.

Eileen, "custom made tote bags" yes.... I can see it too   

Thanks for having a peek at my pic ya'll.     

Thanks gals!
I do love the sepia tones too.
I'm like the guy "Goldmember" off of Austin Powers... "I Luf GOLD"....  :dance:

Those 2 kids are great!
There is just something that is so humorous about 2 Chinese boys lip-syncing a German song!

  :crackup:   :crackup:

Oh, Thank you JeannieB! 

I have been playing with my Photoshop today and created this pic. The bears are of circus bears that I had made. I had a blast!   :dance: