Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thanks Girls .I will give that a go Andrea if the postage is not too high.Your bears have lovely smooth wee feet.I have been using sand in my tichies but after finishing a slightly bigger one and using shot I want the same feel in my wee ones.I am off to see how much it is .Thanks a bunch.
Diane xx
p.s fancy the fine glass too but not sue if I could find it here.

Its a type of crushed mineral used by fmn and ridibears.I have used sand,glass,shot you name it over the years but for smaller bears sand is not heavy enough and shot is bumpy in the feet.Glass and sand is great for bigger bears and shot for medium but its hard to get the right wright for a mini.Nobody seems to know what it is.I may have to e-mail and artist already suing it.
Thanks Diane xx

I would love to try the mineral granulate to stuff a bear but cant find it anywhere??/An help would be much appreciated.thanks Diane xx

I love your bear Cheryl.I would like more but they can be hard to find.
Thanks for the kind words about my stick bears and good luck making one Eliza.

Thanks girls.They both went to japan.I had hoped to keep her but the money is nice too!!!

I sell lots of stick bears and love them.The limbs are pretty shapeless and stick like and they were mass produced cheaply.I love them and have one from 1910 which inspired the ones I make.
Here are some pics of sam in her original outfit with some scone versions.

I was sad not to be able to go natter to all the other people selling that I knew but was on my tod a lot of the time.I had two really nice guys next to me that helped out and I got to the toilet and to run and buy supplies.
I sold most of my bears and got masses of orders this year.I brought home a couple but its time for a website update so I am releived as I totally forgot its feb and there are only 28 days!!1WWhat a numpty,I have promised an update and the end of this month.I will be sewing like a loon again for the next two days.
It was great to see all of you and I had a long natter with Paula ,who is by the way really stunning up close!!!just like her bears.I got a look at them breifly while jogging round.
I dont know about the rest of you but I snet a lot to Japan???I only went this year to see if I could get more scones staying in the uk but as usual most are off to warmer climes.The big stick bears were very popular and I wish I could have made more to take.
Thank you everyone that came to see me it really was a very friendly happy day and I met loads of lovely people.Paula is right it did feel a bit like the old fairs did.
Diane xxx

Thanks everyone!!!Most of them found new homes and I took lots of orders so it was a good day.
Hugs Diane xx

Makes you wonder why anyone uses real fur when you can make a bear as beautiful as this in faux fur!!!He is so beautiful.I must get a cuddle on sunday.
Diane xx

I think you might need to check my pockets before we set off Louise!!!They are all so pretty!!!
Hugs Diane xxx

Thanks Girls. You are all so kind.I have no idea what to expect.I have sold a few to people asking for previews and wish I could replace them before Sunday.I need to go faster!!!!

I have a few packed away now and a few with no bodiesAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH

I think you have to make what you like best.If you like contempory go down that road and if you like traditional styles take that route.I dont think adding fancy techniques makes for a better bear it has to be in the design.You obviously have the skill required you just need to hone in to your own style.I dont  think added extras will make the difference you want as they are really just embelishments.Take your favourite bear so far work out what you like and what you dont like and take it from there.It doesnt matter if everyone says oh they are lovely its yourself you have to please.A good design stands alone without anything added.Shelli posted a pic of one of her early bears which was plain and had no eyelids etc but it was still outstanding design wise.You would also be bored if you thought your bears were as good as you could ever make so take heart.We all feel just the same.

Hi Denise,
Lovely bear !!!I saw it on ebay.I love your bears dink wee feet.Things that are for sale go in the for sale area normally.This part is for the not for sale stuff.
Hugs Diane xx

I have had buyers ask me this before and I have obliged if the amount suited me and I knew they were for real.Its not unfair if there are no bids as lots of auctions have bin on.I can have well over fifty watchers on an auction.I think the bulk of them are other artists just being nosey.You could put a bin on and someone could beat her to it so its still fair???If they sound genuine and they have good feedback I would do it as lots of people hate the stress of bidding.

Anne is a 12 inch stick bear just finished for Hugglets.She has matted creamy yellow thick fur and amber eyes,wish her luck.

Eight weeks after making my first bear I started doing it full time yikes.I scare myself when I think of it especially being a single parent.I have to work really long hours but now make a decent living .I cant imagine how nice it would be to make them for fun or extra money ,must be great.I am still on my own and now trying to earn extra as my daughter is off to uni this year.I have lots of late nights ahead.I wouldnt swap it for a normal job now though.I have had no holidays in ten years but I do get to walk on the beach every day with my dogs and be there if ever my daughter needs me so its all worth it.

Not sure what the reference to fabric minis starting at 150 wth a bin 250 is about??/I take a day off from mohair now and again and make a mni starting at 120 with a bin of 200 which is similar to what you mentioned,I have also used the same pattern with different colours and bows???not sure what you see wrong with that either.I often use the same pattern for six months.I make new patterns every month but I doubt many people only ever use one once.
I tend to start at the least I would take and often add a BIN as I have many buyers who use this option as they dont enjoy the whole bidding thing.I dont sell through any shops so I dont have to think about the conflict of prices.I tend to make my website prices similar to my average ebay prices.
I am unsure of the mention of telling buyers who else is bidding if requested.A lot of my customers like the private bidding as they dont have to worry about bidding against a friend or customer.I really do think people are sensible enough to spot the ones shill bidding.Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay I suppose,I still find it hard to believe people can hurt the buyers who after all give them their living.I hope its only a tiny minority that do it???

This is a dodgy subject isn't it.I think we all have been amazed at what some things fetch,often things not to our tatse???I am still a wee bit confused about shill bidding as what if the shill bidders wins???Almost my entire income comes from ebay and I do get the same people over and over again including many close friends.I had to go private as at the end of almost every auction for almost six months I got an e-mail from a prospective buyer who was not comfortable bidding against one of the other bidders.I would not let that stop me as I think thats what an aution is all about but I could see their predicament.I could not make similar bears forever more getting less for the ones on auction and in a way being unfair to those that had bid so I had to go private.I dont think it has affected sales and I hope it doesnt make me look dodgy but it had to be done for fairness sake. I dont know if I care what anyone thinks looking at my auctions as its my livlihood andfeeding the family is way more important than what ebay watchers think.Many others maybe have situations like this ,maybe some of the folks who sell for masses so we have to think hard before we suspect.I have wondered many times at some of the things sold on ebay but in the end someone must have liked it a heck of a lot to outbid the shillers.Sad for them that they have been conned but on the other hand they must have thought it was worth it.I genuinely adore my buyers as they have made it possible for me to be at home with my daughter as she grew up which is very hard when you are the only breadwinner.I could never do anything to con them and imagine most ebay sellers feel the same way.For me to sit here and make wee souls and every one of them be sold and appreciated is a great thing and something I reall appreciate.Oh dear I have gone all sappy which is so unlike me!!!Big hugs to all wee scone buyers out there ,love you!!!miss you already ha ha.( I am not selling much on ebay as I am getting ready for the madness that is hugglets!!!and I so miss the buzz of ebay)

Just looked into it and it is actually taken from emus.Silly me hoped it might be a dinky local name.Definatley not for veggies,will stick to my yoga running and weights.Thanks anyway.
Hugs Diane xx

I would just spoil her a bit with here favourite foods as it may just be she is getting past her sell by date.They are such lovely animals and very like having dogs.Mine all came to their names.If people could just get past all the nonsense about rats they would see what great pets they are especially elderly people who cant walk a dog.They are the next best thing for sure and so affectionate.I do hope she recovers.They are so easy to love.
Diane xx

I have never heard of emu oil???Doesnt sound veggie though unless it comes from their droppings ,gross!!!
I cant take the cod liver oil either being a veggie.

Hi TRACY,
I have had lots of rats (love them!!!) and have seen this before.Is the rat old???I am sure I had one get like this after a stroke.If I remember correctly he recoered but not for long.He took another one and died sadly.Our vets here are used to cows and horses as well as dogs but were great with my rats.I would check out websites as pet rats are so popular and there will be club websites.I would just keep the wee soul warm and quiete for a few days.
We had six at one time and my daughter used to wear them round the house.I miss them but have too many dogs and cats now.My jack russell lived happily with rats for years but now I have four dogs I would have to watch too much.My rats were free range and did their business in a plastic conatiner,they are so clean.
Best of luck with yours.
Diane xxx

Oh its sore isn't it??/I am also allergic to most pain killers and all ani inflammatories.I dont set foot out of bed till I have done several yoga moves,I walk two hours  a day with my dogs and have half an hour on my elliptical trainer and half an hour of weights every night.If I miss even one day I know I will suffer all night.I have to get up really early to fit it all in with 12 hours work but its so worth it.I still get some pain but nothing like I used to.I am 48 so I am not young but not old either.I just hope I can keep it up till I am old(not sure when that is)
Any movement seems to help most people.I hope you get some relief soon as it wears you out.
Diane xxx

I am not deleting this post and I for one am not offended by what anyone says about it.Are we not all grown ups here and do we have to only talk about fluffy subjects.I am not going to apologise for caring and feeling obliged to share.
The whole point was not about being a veggie .I accept not everyone cares to the same degree.I was pointing out a British company was using money earned here to open a business abroad and break our laws and go against what the British allow not anything to do with the chinese or any other countries culture.I am that naive.I am not alone in spreading the word and have many e-mails about it.Many petitions are on the go and Tescos have been coming up with somepretty lame excuses so far.
I find it so amusing that any kind of debate gets so many knickers in a twist.I promise to stick to pink jumpers and candy in the future.