Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Back Road Bears are exactly that...... Bears made on the Back Roads of New Hampshire! OK, not ON the road as I do live in a house a couple hundred feet back from the road but you know what I mean! :)

My husband actually came up with the name long before I met him as a name for a photography business he wanted to start up (never did!). It was "Back Road Designs". Although living in another place then, he still resided in the back roads of New Hampshire.

I spent weeks trying to come up with an original name for my business but nothing else fit quite like his basic idea. So, I begged on hand and knee for his permission to use that name. Like he'd say no!? HA!

I, too, have registered my business name so no one else can use it.

One thing though - when I say the name of my business to people I have to be careful to announciate otherwise folks think I've said "Backwards Bears"! :lol::lol: Sometimes that would be a more suitable name!! :rolleyes:

Daphne

Hmmm - you might just have a bunch of sweltering Americans on your door step soon, Danni!! :lol::lol:

(And Canadians!)

Oh, Kim, what a gorgeous photo of you two. When were you married?

Those dimples would have been all it took for me to say yes!!!! :D:D

Hugs, Daphne

Thanks, Danni - I could go for really cold. It was 92 degrees ferinheit(sp?) here today! Gonna ask a dumb question - do you get snow? (Yes, I really need to learn a thing or two about what goes on in the rest of the world!) How cold is cold?

Warm bear hugs,
Daphne

Oh Sue Ann those bears are all gorgeous!

Johanna et al at Intercal - Please, please, please (on hands and knees) offer that 2" mohair!!!  A perfect length!

I'll put my order in now!! :)

Colors: if that golden tan is as light in real life as in Sue Ann's picture it's great! Love the light colors.
Also warm browns, rust, cream, white, black. I'd love to see it in say tan with a dark back.

Then there is the wild side of me that shouts PURPLE! BLUE!

Mmmmm....I'm drooling too!

Marble - a neat and interesting look (mohair that is - bear is adorable!) Not sure I'd go for RED!:/ Maybe more natural colors?

The mohair/viscose blend - personally I'd pass on that. Eileen is right - mohair OR synthetic but not a combo.

I'm going to be designing bears with 2" mohair in my sleep tonight. Y'all better make my dreams come true!!;)

Daphne

Dilu -

I was asking if you'd seen fine point ones because I have not and wondered if they existed. After a visit to sharpie.com I'm saddened to report they only come in the size tip we have. :(

But one can hope.......

Hi Donna!!!!
Glad to have you here!

Thanks for pushing her Shelli!!

Daphne

I too have seen a market for the little bears - perhaps the hubbies won't be bothered or think their wives spent as much if they bring home little bears??? There IS something very sweet about the little ones! I tend to be drawn toward bears over 18" - they aren't as common and some I've seen are just fantastic. If I'm going to spend a big lump of money I like to go all out and have something to show for it.

Having said all of that.... I sell mostly 10-18 bears and find they all do well but when I have a big (18-24") bear it's always the first to go at a show.

Does this help???? I'm thinking not!:lol:
Daphne

Oh Hayley - we'll miss you. Perhaps you should be challening the rest of us to do the same.... we could agree to meet here once during the course of the week so we don't suffer too badly - say on Wednesday. Otherwise we're to sew, sew sew!!!!

What is the weather there right now in Australia? I think you all are backwards, err... opposite from us in weather. So, it's summer here in the US - is it cold and wintery there??? Can you tell I need to travel more (or try to remember what I learned in geography all those years ago!)

Hugs and best wishes for a productive week!
Daphne

Oooo I have a couple of those silver metalic Sharpies after another bear artist telling me about them They are so helpful on dark fabric. Have you seen fine point ones, Dilu???? I'd KILL for a few of those!!! (Or kiss the person who find some!)

Glad you mentioned them! Now, everyone run to your nearest office supply store and get some - you'll be glad you did!!:D

I'm glad you're enjoying the pictures and thanks for the compliments on my back yard. What you see in the photo is about all there is of grass. There are 2 1/2 more acres of woods back there that we are slowly thinning out. It's a lot of work!

This is the second day in a row, and same time, that the bear has come to visit. The day before he took the thistle feeder AND the huge branch (1/2 a tree almost) it was hanging from off to the woods! Thistle feeder remains were found, it was almost empty to start with so can't imagine he got much of a snack from it! He found nothing tasty yesterday although he sniffed the hummingbird feeder. Wonder if he'll be back at 5:00pm again today? I'll be ready with camera!!

Our dog has caught a quick glimpse of it. I was holding him at the time and felt his heart start to race and the growling - wow!!! Of course his tail was wagging the whole time because he thinks EVERY living creature was put on this earth to play with him. I can just imagine what he'd do had he been outside with it!

We have deer, moose, coyotes, bunnies, skunks, fishercats, a resident redtail hawk and owls to name a few. We are definately in the woods here!!!

Rita - we live in central New Hampshire (Northeastern corner of the US) in the mountains. The area is starting to get built up and the animals are having to forage for food in settled areas now. I think it will become a problem in the next few years. Our little neighborhood is surrounded by preserved lands so there will be no building near us - the animals are safe!

Dilu - those yellow flowers are my pansies - they are in sad shape as it's too hot for them this time of year but I keep nursing them along hoping they'll survive until fall when they'll thrive again!

Daphne

THANK YOU, SUE ANN!! :D:D

Danni -
You can use them in your bear alone or with stuffing.
I put a bit of stuffing in the bottom of the body of my bear then fill about half full of plastic pellets then more stuffing up to the neck joint. You could use all pellets for a very squishy feel and slumpy (that's not a negative - just can't think of a better word) look.
Experiment!!!!
I can't wait to get some Jelly Pellets!
Daphne

"Ain't nothin' like the reeeeeaaal thing."

While working on an 8" PINK teddy bear this afternoon, this guy came wandering through my back yard to show me what a REAL bear looks like!!!

This is a big black bear..... and either he thinks my petunias are tasty or he's being bashful about showing us his privates!!!

Perhaps he thinks I'm missing a part when I make teddy bears!!!

This guy is new to the neighborhood - or to our back yard anyway!! I hope he finds his way back home - it's kind of neat to see a bear that close up but then again it's not.

My hubby gets the photography credit. He was SO excited. His first up close bear sighting!!! (I saw two cubs last year - same place - didn't see mama but I'm sure she was around! They were cute and boy do I wish I'd had my camera!!)

Now, who sings that song I started off with????? Female, 50' or 60's era I think.

Bear Hugs, (I'll stick with the pink furry kind today, thank you!!)
Daphne

Eileen - WOW!! What a word!!! I love it!

Dilu - 3" Mohair is what I used on the wheaten terrier I made. It was a beast to work with as the dog wasn't THAT big. Tucking, pinning and turning were a CHORE but the end result - Megasuperexpialadosius! :lol::lol: What super golly hair it would make! You wouldn't need a whole lot would you? I think you can get 1/8 yard cuts from Edinburgh.

(Why oh WHY are you all so shy about saying the E word here????:/ Either Shelli or Aue Ann told us in the very begining it's OK!!! The point of this board is to help eachother in what ever way we can, offer advice and suggestions, tip, sources, etc. Intercal has a wonderful selection of mohair, etc. but they don't have everything so there will certainly be other sources for bear making supplies that we're going to share with eachother. I'd like to think that in the bear world even the suppliers can co-exist just as us bear makers do. And we're such a wonderful, loving, helpful bunch of nuts!!!:))

OK, I've said my peas......

((((((Hugs)))))))
Daphne

I didn't find the backing to have TOO much softness or give to it at all but then, I used cold water, air dryed most of the way and only used cool air in the dryer for a few minutes. All the hots (water & air) may soften the backing even more as might fabric softener.

Daphne

Eileen,

Edinburgh Imports.
Here's the item link: http://www.edinburghimports.com/shoppin … 38=0200006

Daphne

The owner of Edinburgh Imports suggested I use a touch of woolite in cold water on the delicate setting of my washer (or by hand) to cleanse, deodorize and soften the mohair. It worked fabulously!!! The mohair becomes nice and fluffy soft.... the backing softens a bit and it makes a mess if you don't overcase the edges!! I did not find that it shrunk at all. I let it air dry most of the way, then put it through the cool cycle in my dryer for about 10 minutes. A quick brusing after that and my mohair was transformed!!

Hope this helps!

Daphne

One more PS:

Luann charges actual Priority shipping costs within the US..... very reasonable!!!

My bear mentor gave me some steel shot as she literally has gallons of them that I think she got from a hunting supply shop..... they are so rusty though - I have to be sure to make a muslin pouch for them first. They are tiny and it doesn't take much to really weight the bears!!! A new source would be wonderful!! Thanks, Sue Ann!

Daphne

PS. I've just gone searching for stainless steel shot online with shocking results. It seems this is used for tumbling in jewelry making as well in the medical field. And it costs like $40 for a couple of OUNCES online!!  Lulu's prices are GREAT - haven't gotten shipping $$ from her yet but I'm sure it'll be less than than sources I found on line!!

Anyway, if it's not stainless it WILL rust, trust me!! Just a tip.

Rita (and anyone else)..........
Please feel free to add me to your links page. I so greatly appreciate it!:D
I'll happily add you to mine!:)

Because it's easy to miss a post here please just send me a quick email to let me know you've added my link so I'm sure to get yours onto my website too!!!

FYI - Although I appreciate all the work that goes into making banners (It took me hours to figure out how to do mine!!!) I am only doing text links on my site. It's quicker and easier for me as I'm still learning to the website stuff. :/

Thanks, Daphne

Judi - I tried to order Jelly Pellets almost 2 months ago and they were on back order and supposed to ship to me when they got more in... haven't gotten any yet................... glad you like them. Thanks for mentioning them as I'm going to go send an email right now to find out the status.....
Daphne

Paula -

Here's mine. Feel free to use the banner or a text link!

I'll get you added to my site over the weekend!

Thanks,
Daphne

Danni -

Oh, go buy some!!!!!!

I've never plucked before so this was fun to try.... it goes faster than I thought and almost as good as needle felting when you are mad! PULL! TUG! YANK!

Anyway, here is the finished result - not a sign at all of mohair or holes - it pulls beautifully and easily! This was a piece of MC12-5029 (3/4")

Daphne

It really won't change the clarity of the picture??? Anything I try to do to make my pictures load faster seems to make them blurry too. I'll have to try compressing!

Thanks, Rita!