Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thank you so much!!!

Thank you!!!

I think it is epoxy really...the brand i use is Apoxie Sculpt. You can get very small pots to try before you invest the substantial money in a big pot!

One thing that I do...Joanne might do this too.. and it might help you..is that I start the felting off on my felting mat
( I have a Clover one like a big green brush but that's not necessary, you can use foam)..I make the rough size and shape that I want...the puppy that I just made ( on the showcase here)  has a needle felted nose and I made it pretty much on the mat first then felted it onto the nose area...then it became really firm and its really solidly attached.
I do this for feet and faces too...I just like to get it going on the mat first....i find I can be more specific about the shapes. I found this technique on You Tube so its not a secret...I think its a well used technique and suited me better.

Glad you like him!!!

Thanks so much!!!!

My newest project is to make some standing puppies...this is Bertie...the second one I have made...I love his look and am planning more!

Utterly stunning....

Adorable...and so creative...

Apoxie  sculpt cuts out the baking...and you can use sandpaper to shape it ...it sticks well too...but I always sew it on with the big stitch...works great and the nose is rock solid.

Have you tried using that  blue tape that hairdressers use to hold hair down with to hold the pile back while you sew?

Not at all keen on glass noses...but that's only my opinion. I would mould a nose around a small eye ..try that...

Just like Francy did...

You can also make a nose from Apoxie  Sculpt and let it set for a bit then poke a thickish needle through ti make two holes  then take a needle threaded with waxed thread..sew the nose the the snout using a big stitch like you do with eyes. Then use a bit more apoxie sculpt to cover the holes. Put a bit of PVA just to position the nose...it's held on by the stitch...apoxie sculpt sticks to the fabric.
I like apoxie sculpt better than fimo because you can mould it in place while still malleable and it sets really hard...you can the sand it, polish it....
You get it from taxidermy supplies places.

utterly adorable and expertly constructed....wow!

Absolutely adorable.

He's wonderful!!!

Maybe I can give it a try.... it might be worth a go!! But I don't worry about my bears finding their way back to the market. The bear market is a fickle one. Tastes change and there will always be a market for second hand bears. Its sad and in a perfect world they'd all find a forever home but thats not how it works. I don't get emotional over reselling too much these days. The first time it happens it hurts.... But I hope that because I try to keep varying my portfolio of work rather than just making the same pattern over and over in different fabrics I hope I can keep going!!! Thats the theory anyway
Fingers crossed!!!!   

How sweet is he!

Well that seems fair...but I think I read that they were going to insist selllers offer returns on all items . I do offer a full returns policy on all my bears...I think that by law in this country you have to on goods sold by distance selling but that rule doesn't apply to auctions.
I have had great auction sales in the past and would quite like to try again , it's just that it can be quite risky. I have been scammed twice on eBay, once by someone who ran the bid up to some ridiculously high price, which I was very suspicious of given they were a 'zero feedback' bidder, then didn't pay and it was a false address.....that was just someone either with an axe to grind or just making mischief...I am sure things like that go on all over the palce but ebay seems to attract them like wasps to jam. I remember someone telling me how a bidder ran up the bid on their item , didn't pay, then subsequently offered a lesser amount to buy the item...all just to put off all the other bidders then go in with what they really wanted to pay.The trouble is that eBay don't deal harshly enough with such people...I think that buyers who act like this should have consequences like sellers do.

Very creative......nice design. Well done!!

Pretty, pretty!!! So sweet!!!

Lovely neat work!!!!

Yes I get scared to look sometimes...I have seen lots of mine up for sale....eeek. They do sell but it's difficult and I like you am striving to be different as the cute bear market is saturated. So I am still making bears but interspersing them with bunnies, the occasional puppy and a kitten or two....I am also trying to break out of the cutesy bear genre without letting my collectors down...
That's hard because I still like making the cute bears but I do often yearn for something more.
eBay is like a monster now that is out of control....too much in favour of the buyer and not enough incentive to sell. I read somewhere that seller have to offer full refunds up to 3 months..I could be wrong...but that's fine on some things..but on a teddy...all it means is that you can be taken to the cleaners. I don't see many nice bears on ebay now...but I guess that means that the nice ones stand out.

Very pretty

I haven't used eBay in ages. I had someone scam me last year and it put me right off but I wonder is it worth another try. There seem to be more and more rules and regulations that affect sellers and not buyers....so I do buy regularly  but am dithering about selling at the moment.
Anyone want to share their feelings and or experiences with eBay at the moment.
I would be really interested.

The trouble is that here in the UK there are very few proper craft shows. They tend to be poorly attended and usually not very high end. It might be different in other countries but here unless you pay enormous stall fees it will be pretty dismal....there aren't many juried bear shows here,  let alone craft shows so its hard.  If it isn't juried it won't be high end. So the custom then is not  usually looking for great quality...but just a bargain.
They also frown upon sharing a stand. I remember I was going to share one once years ago and they wanted double money....