Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I have to admit... I worked at a florist for a while and learned how to tie bows while there. I LOVE doing it, thus make fabric bows for lots of my bears. I've given bow tying demos at all of my bear making workshops. If you can tie your sneaker without the bow being crooked you'll be able to do this..... I'm sure Winney will do a great photo demo so if your sneaker laces ARE crooked fear not.... you bear bows won't be!! This'll be fun!!:D

OK, I missed the bow discussion elsewhere.... boy it's hard to keep up!!!

Is this a trick in tying? Oh, I guess I'll just have to wait....... :(

"God, grant me the patience......"   <<<SIGH>>> 

Teri - Thanks! That's me!!

OK Ladies..... do Danni's bears look like Danni or am I nuts??? (Perhaps you shouldn't answer that!)

Danni - It's not the SIZE of your eyes, it's the the placement. Oh, never mind!!! Danni - your bears look NOTHING like you!! :lol::P

Count my vote FOR toes and double joint!!

I make double-jointed four legged-bears and that's been the one special thing about them that is fun to show off to folks at shows... great way to strike up a conversation! But it really makes for adorable poses!!!

The first thing I saw was the toes.... ('were' the toes?) They are fabulous! I'm envious of all of you who do sculpted toes... I just can't do it! I need an in person lesson! Anyone??

The extra time is well worth the price you will charge for them and especially the overall look!!!!

Hugs, Daphne

Sue Ann,
Your sweet, endearing, thoughtful sentiments and wisdom are a very special ingredient on this board! You should put together a book of Sue Ann quotes and hubby's poetry. Together you'd create a must have gift of wonderful and uplifiting reading for everyone!
Keep being you!!!
Love & Hugs,
Daphne

Oh Danni, you have the most contagious smile! :D
And there is a HUGE resemblance between you and your bears..... the eyes, the high forehead and I bet when you do get a serious look your expression matches your bears'!! And the ears.... not the size but the placement. You and your bears are just beautiful!

Shari, Welcome! Sumner is wonderful!! We hope you'll share more photos of your creations with us.

WARNING: This Board Is Highly Addictive!
You've arrived in the Land of the Hopelessly Crazy.... you name it, we're crazy about it.... Bears, Chocolate, Each Other... Glad you could join us!

Hugs,
Daphne

Judi - that's part of the perfectionist in us artist.... I finally had to accept the fact that it would take me almost twice as long to post replies here if I worried about correcting typos!!

However, if you click "POST REPLY" at the bottom of the page rather than typing in the box at the bottom of the thread you then have the chance to preview before you post. It's just one more step I never seem to bother with.....

We'll understand and love you.... typos and all!!!

Hugs, Daphne

PS... ON TOPIC - I too have seen some wonderful bears posted - the amount of talent here is just mind boggling!!! Amazing!!!

I agree, Sue Ann, we have yet to see a photo of this wonderful chick!!! Com'on Danni.... pweeeeeze?

Hi Everyone,

I just had to tell you all that one of us (a very modest one of us I might add) has an article about her and her adorable bears on the internet at Bears & Buds' webzine. It's our own Danni Whatford and her Delartful Bears!! It's a wonderful piece about Danni with lots of bear pictures!

You really ought to have a peek at it..... http://www.bearsandbuds.com/webzine/Australia-Danni.asp

With less than a year of bear making under her belt she's really on her way!! Great article, Danni! Way to go, girl!!!!

Congratulations and Great Big Bear Hugs!!!

Daphne

Hi Wanda,
Glad you could stop in for a moment. I miss seeing Tyler's adorable face! OK, I miss hearing from you too!:lol:

Ladies, I live 45 minutes from ANYTHING...,my hubby is gone 13 hours a day and my dog has separation anxiety so I can't leave him alone and in the heat of summer he can't sit in the car while I do errands so..... I'm home alone A LOT!

Only, because of all of you, I'm not alone. I know I spend way too much time on the computer and not enough time on bears but because I can go all day without talking to anyone, coming here helps keep me sane! AND I get lots of laughs which are good for the soul as well as the health.

And, speaking of the soul, as one of our dear members here is going through some rough times it's been encouraging to see the amount of prayers and support come forth. I'm so lucky to be a part of a group of such wonderful, spiritual ladies!

"God Bless Us Everyone!" Tiny Tim

Hugs,
Daphne

Oh Boy, Judi.... good one! I have two that I really wish I had kept. "Chip" was (well, he still is) a 10" chubby guy out of the alpaca/mohair blend, brown with black tips. His little nose came out perfect and that sweet expression. He was difficult for me to photo as I didn't have all the technology I do now so I don't even have any good photos of him. I took him to my first show with intent of him being a sample to take orders from. Well, a woman wanted to buy him so badly right on the spot and she was buying two others as well. How could I say no to such a big sale at my very first show??? There is nothing good to be said for greed! Anyway... I've made two more since but contrary to what folks think, you can NEVER make another one. Just like us humans.... every bear is an original to some extent.

The second bear I wish I had kept I sold at Christmas time last year.... losts of need for money at that time of year so I put him on eBay along with his brother. Both sold to different people. A few days after shipping them I got an email asking where one of them was... the one I wish now that I had kept. He was the first out of a new pattern I designed and there was just something about him. Anyway, he never did arrive - or so the lady claims. Yes, she got her money back after the PO reimbursed me (thank goodness for insurance) but I still wonder where that poor guy is. I thought of him on christmas day all alone in that box, perhaps tossed upside down, under a table or in a corner where he was overlooked. Then again he may have been toasty warm at his new mommy's house who also needed money for the holidays so claimed he never arrived. (She was a very nasty and distrustful woman, accusing me of never having sent him!)

A funny side story (I'll try to make it short!) My HUBBY tends to fall in love with my bears more often than I do. One bear I warned him from the start HAD to go to a show and be sold. Well, regardless of this knowledge he swore it was his favorite one yet (that's what he said about the others before it!) and that he wanted to keep it. I brought it to the show and sold it!!! Someone I had never met before walked right to him and bought him. When I got home that night there was the bear, sitting on my hubby's side of the bed! He's sent a co-worker in to buy the bear! I still laugh when I see that bear perched on hubby's bureau gazing at me smugly!

But I'll never loose the best bear of all... my hubby-bear!;)

Hugs,
Daphne

That's fantastic Louise!!! :lol::lol::lol:
I had my Wheaten Terrier auction end yesterday (which finally made it above my reserve and then some in the last 5 minutes... it was nerve racking there at the end!) and have had 6 requests for special orders of them in less than 24 hours. WHEW! I might have to stop making bears! Yea, right, like that'll happen. It's definitely a good ego booster though! eBay is certainly a great way to get noticed!

Shelli,
Can I come over? I'll bring my allergy meds (cats) and spend the day... I won't be in the way... just experiencing an organized working environment and checking out your photo studio. Oh, and peeking inside that hamper next to your work desk... my guess is stuffing. Or do you have one of those wonderful hampers full of mohair scraps like Sue Ann?

You all are giving me inspiration to CLEAN and reorganize. Nothing flows in my room and I'm tired of tripping over EVERYTHING! It's bad enough I have the puppy at my feet all the time. I have one of those office chairs on wheels and have to forever move an ear or paw or nose before I can move it! I made him his own special blanket to lay on NEXT TO my desk. He drags it UNDER, then lays down.:rolleyes: Today he dragged it upstairs and layed on it in front of the bathroom door while I showered. He's like a baby with it's blankie!

ANYWAY............
It's so much fun to visit eachother's sewing areas. Isn't technology amazing!!!???

Hugs, Daphne

OH yes, that scrap hamper..... how WONDERFUL... if I were a mouse I could live in there forever... as long as Sue Ann brought me cheese dipped in chocolate!:lol:

Hayley - That's just beyond words!! She needs help...

Sue Ann, your room looks wonderful. It evokes creativity and thoughts of all things cuddly! I can see why your cats find it so comfy.... I'd never leave! :o) Thank you for sharing pictures!

Kirsten,
I do make bear sized quilts. I just don't want to have to work with that ugly thing any more... or look at it! The colors.... ack!!! It's very fru-fru-y and not my bear's style at all... they've told me so!!! It was made in a class I was taking and part of the process was to try working 'outside' our comfort zone, to experiment with new patterns and colors. Well, although a well intended idea, I've learned that's not the way to go for me when it comes to quilts. Bears... yes... they are done in a few days and sold. Quilts.... it's weeks, months (ok, sometimes years) before it's done... ya gotta really love those colors!!!

It was a truly great idea Kirsten!!! Thank you for your thoughtfulness! Would have put that quilt to good use!

Hugs, Daphne

Di - how DARE you! Just kidding. At least you put that bear out of it's misery. I have one that I haven't finished for quite some time. I don't like how he was looking and saw no sense in finishing him so he sits with an empty belly as I don't have the heart to kill him.  (So I'm starving him instead???!!!) How long does it have to be unfinished before it becomes a UFO in the bear world?

I also have a bear whose head fell off!:o At a show no less... thankfully it was in my hands when it happened! That was in the beginning of my bear career! I've been soooo careful ever since. However, he still hasn't gotten his head reattached... it's sitting in his lap! No, I don't have a dark side!!! Really!!

Now, Dilu... if we were to talk quilts... I have 4 that are soooo close to finished (have been for about a year!)... and one that I'll never finish as I hate it... perhaps I could make a dog blanket out of it? Or tie it up in knots and he can play tug with it! Hmmmm.....

Daphne

Laura Lynn - I think you need to post a 'NOW' picture!!!

Dilu - You'll need to post 'AFTER' honeyhubby gets those shelves in pictures!

Yes, Sue Ann, you are next.

I have to say that my sewing room, err "STUUUUDIO" is fairly organized. That's because I tend to bring what I'm working on to another part of the house and make a mess there..... Keeps my room, clean! Except last night at 10pm I went rummaging through my anally-organized-according-to-pile-then-color-then-size-on-shelves mohair closet (have a quilt fabric closet too but it's not QUITE as organized!) and managed to pull every single piece of mohair out into a heap on the floor. My dog came into my room this morning and started growling at it!!!!! Not sure if it was the pile he was growling at or me for making a mess! :lol:

Oh the trials and tribulations of being CREATIVE!!!:lol::lol:

Daphne

So THAT'S why my heads aren't very wobbly!!!! I'd never heard of using a smaller disk inside the body. That just makes waaaaaay too much sense!!! DUH!:rolleyes: I figured it was because I was tightening the cotter pins to tight. (I do think that was PART of my problem!)

Thanks for bringing this up, Winney! (And what's up with Edinburgh... it's been a couple of days now!:( Glad we've got Teddy Talk or I'd be having major withdrawals.... I'd probably get a lot more done on bears though!!)

Hugs, Daphne

I have a table top Ott light as one of my 'task' lights and do love it.... but it doesn't illuminate the WHOLE room! I should mention that I also do one on one workshops in my sewing room so, regardless of time of day, find it helpful to have the whole room lit up. (I want it all, I know!!:rolleyes:)

OK, I need to have some good lighting in my sewing room (a large bedroom, faces north, three windows but no really good light!). Right now I have tasks lamps with goose necks on my two work tables and am using the 'natural light' kind of bulbs in them. Also have two floor lamps in opposite corners. I have to have ALL of the lights in my room on in order to really see. And I do NOT have any eye problems!!!!!

I've thought about track lighting or recessed lights (will either create a lot of shadows?) but thought I'd ask you all in the event you've found lighting that really works for you.

Thank you!
Daphne in the Dark.... literally!!

Meg,
I have a wonderful friend who lives in Salisbury, NC and is an incredible mini bear artist. You might contact her re. a bear club. Her name is Andrea Brewer and her website is www.brewersbruins.com Perhaps she'll know of one!?

And welcome!!! :)

Hugs, Daphne

So, Louise, are you up yet after your wine and chocolate party???
How are the Potty Bears? (OK, just kidding but I have to say, as I was sewing last night that I thought of what it would be like to be sewing in the Beesley Bath!! That's it: Beesley Bath Bears... but then they'd all have to be naked and carrying a rubber ducky.) This should be a post on the 'Workstation' topic. Sorry girls. But I've just read a lot about wine and chocolate from our dear Louise and finally had to say something! :D

My hubby has found a similar satelite program and he's printed out pics of our house, the ones we each grew up in, our cabin in Maine, etc..... it's very cool. But they aren't LIVE photos... they're archives. I hadn't thought of going to visit all of you! Great idea, Hayley.... come visit the White Mountains of NH..... (they aren't white at the moment but that's what they call 'em.)

Bear Hugs from my little corner of the globe!

Oh yes, with a little WART on her nose and a pointy hat and a little toad friend..... (I'M not making it tho' - been there, done that... those little legs.... argh!!!)