Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Marion,
I think I have been away longer than you, but I have been enjoying peeking in again, trying to not spend more time here than I should.  you are  an absolutely stunning couple.  You both looked so happy and radiant.  Congratulations to you, and many blessings for a long and wonderful life together.     

Thanks for the helpful info Jodi,
I can attest that these are all common nutrition recommendations in alternative health circles for several years.  The microwave/dioxin issue, which before being proved, was strongly suspected.  There is one recommendation that I would not subscribe to, though.  Soy products, unless they are fermented, as in soy sauce or miso, cause the body to become over estrogenized, which is harmful. Also, unfermented soy is difficult for our bodies to process because it contains high amounts of Phytates, which inhibit the action of digestive enzymes.  Better soy choices would be, in place of tofu, tempe is a delicious flavorful cultured soybean product, used as a meat substitute.  In place of soy milk, almond, rice or oat milk are possible substitutions that are readily available from many grocers and most all natural food stores.

Salud! 

Sorry you have been the brunt of someone's ranting, Lynette.  I know that can really hurt.  As Shelli mentioned, this kind of thing seems to happen on the internet a lot in recent years.  It seems to be some kind of dark game to squash and tromp some innocent person with the greatest degree of nastiness possible.  And it's public, of course.  I think this "game" is mostly to give the perpetrator of nastiness a feeling of being some (sick) kind of celebrity in their own eyes.  I agree with Jodi's advice to pray for the person and let it go, and Dorothy's footnote says it all; the faith, hope and patience of love, in the end analysis, never fail.  Keep on keepin' on, girl! 

Thank you, Friends, for your sympathies, hugs and caring advice.  Well, I just checked with the airlines (American) and found that they will pay a maximum of $3,000.00 now.  That is a relief!  As for the patterns, I am coming to terms with the fact that they are probably gone.  None of the ones in the bag were needed for outstanding orders, so I'm ready to simply move on from here.  I'll redirect my grief to creative energy for new designs.

Daphne, I wish I had known how close I 1was to your neighborhood whern in August my hubby and I spent over a week in Berlin, NH visiting friends.  We could have had tea together!  We went up there following Teddy Expo in WADC.  I'll be doing the show again next year, so maybe we can meet up then.

Hugs to all, 

Thanks Debbie, Shelli,

Your suggestions, Shelli, crossed my mind, but seemed like so much work.  Really, it's the only reasonable approach; I just hope I can remember which patterns they were.  I took some pics at Teddy Bear Jubilee in Kansas City, but alas, my camera was/is in the missing bag.

Congrats to you and other Teddy Talkers on your Golden Teddy Award nominations.  Probably some of you also have TOBY nominations too, but I haven't studied those yet.  Interesting to note that so many nominees are TT participants.  Obviously Teddy Talk is the home of the greats!

Blessings and
Bear Hugs,

Hi everyone, it's Laure Weltsch. 

My continuing apologies for not posting here more often; can't seem to coordinate it with so much life going on.    I hope you will have some advice that will help me make a report of the bag's contents to the airlines.  I've pieced together a general list as I remember it, of what was in the bag, and what it cost.  It has not taken much figuring to approach the $1000.00 mark!  Here's the dilemma, though.  In the bag were half a dozen or more original patterns.  I'm not at all sure how to figure a price on them.  They are completely irreplaceable.  How would you price them, realistically?  I mean, if I can't get the bag back, which I'm desperately hoping for, at least I want to select a price for the patterns that the airlines will be willing to pay.   Eager for your thoughts on the matter.

Laure

Surprise!!!   

Hello everyone.  Some of you don't know me because I've been AWOL for oh, so long.  I would like to share what Steve Schutt taught me about inserting eyes. It is similar to how Donna explained.  Steve says it's very close to the way Steiff does it, but he likes his way better:

Use artificial sinew.  Steve likes to use the thickest kind he can find, for reasons of strength, and does not split the strand. 
1.) For each eye, cut a strand of sinew 4 times the thickness of the bear's head, plus some extra. 
2.) Thread the strand through the wire loop of the eye and double it so the eye hangs at the folded half of the strand. 
3.) Thread the 2 cut ends of the strand into a long, strong needle.  Steve believes in always using the largest tool that will do the job, because it is easier on the hands. 
4.) Insert the threaded needle into the head from the front, and out the back, along the line of sight that you wish your bear to exhibit, for example, straight through if you want the bear to look straight ahead, lower if you want it to look up, etc.  Do not tighten the sinew yet, but insert both eyes and check that the line of sight is equal for both eyes.  Remove needle from doubled strand. 
5.) Now, at the exit point, separate the double strand of one eye and open it wide to help increase the working hole in the head-back.  Pull the eye back out about a half inch or so, and let it hang loose.
6.) Thread one strand onto long needle and insert needle into same exact back-head hole, slanting needle about a half inch above hole and then back to level, so as to take a small "bite" of the stuffing, which will keep the 2 sinew strands from tangling with each other.  Exit needle at head-front a few fabric threads above and to the right of the eye entrance hole.  remove needle from sinew strand.  Repeat procedure with second second strand, taking a small "bite" of stuffing below the back hole and exiting at head-front a few fabric threads above and to the left of the eye entrance hole.  You now have two sinew tails extending just to the left and right and slightly above where your eye will be indented. 
7.) Tie sinew ends in a double loop, then pull on tails to indent eye, drawing loops up at lower edge, underneath eye, with tails still extending out from under eye.  At this point you can tighten or loosen eye, but the sinew will hold in place while you are ensuring that both eyes are even.
8.) Repeat for second eye.  When both eyes are indented equally, tie each double tail in a double loop at upper edge of eye and pull to secure.  To finish off, tie once again in a square knot at bottom edge of eye.  Bury tails by inserting needle under eye and bringing out at top of head; tug on strand, and cut sinew close to fabric.
9.) Use point of needle to move fabric threads back over  the hole in the head-back, and move a bit of stuffing under the surface with your needle tip, to camouflage the hole.

All those words make it look more difficult than it really is.

Bear Hugs,
Laure Weltsch/Fool's Gold Bears

Congrats, Shelli,  You deserve all the accolades, and more!  I haven't seen the mag yet either, being a N. Cal girl, but one of my collectors called me today saying that the picture in my ad has the wrong name on it.  Uncle Wiggily, the name in the ad, is the rabbit that won an award in Binghamton, NY, having undergone a solid 36 hour marathon to finish (bad idea...my ankles swelled up twice their normal size for days); the bear pictured is Iliana, 9 in. bear.

Hugs,

Hi Everyone,

Just as Dilu said, I'm busy, busy, but want to say 'Hi'.  I'm going to summon all my restraint, and not read any posts besides this one; however, I'm going to pass a question on to you from an enquiry I received.  Someone wrote, asking me if I knew about a bear supply store that is purported to exist in Portland.  If any of you has heard of such a place, I would appreciate a direct email from you, as I'm still "bearing down" here and don't have time to read much.

Thanks, and teddy bear Hugs all around,

Hi Everyone.  Thanks for the compliments on the little bear.  I can't remember if he was sewn with silk.  I think it was just thin Gutterman thread.  I doubt that I would have the fortitude to make another that small, as that one was done quite a few years back.

Unfortunately I have not been able to view any of the pics on the board from our meeting either.  Too bad.  Maybe it will work better later.

Fabulous bear and props, shelli.  Very eye-catching.  I have to come up with something pronto for my gallery piece.  It will be about 'Uncle Wiggily's story book'.

Eileen, I have atrophied cleaning synapses in my brain too.  It's  not so bad...practically painless except when expecting company. :P:lol:

Lovely friends, I will be off the computer for the most part for some time, as I have been invited/ accepted into this year's TBAI event.  I will sorely need all the bear-making time I can muster.

The No.Cal, So.Ore teddy extravaganza was a major hit.  We had a terrific time and plan to meet quarterly if that works out.  If I get it together, I'll see if my camera worked and will post some pics.

Wow! what a wealth of information.  Getting ready to go north to the big teddy bear bash.  More later.

Danni, You're pretty, just as we expected.  Thanks for yeilding to the pressure.  It's so nice to have a face to go with the (famous) name.

You Ladies who make fur bears,

I'm curious how to check for fur quality that is suitable for bear making.  Can you give us some guidelines on what to look for, avoid, etc?

Big Congratulations on the Bears& Buds writeup!   Very charming bears you make.  I especially like the one with orangey fur and a dark face; it looks rather Aboriginal.   Thanks for mentioning your online artist friends, too.   Hope this attention gets you lots of fame and business.

Hello, Margaret,

Sorry, I don't have the answer for you.  Have you tried a search engine search, like Google?  That's a cute pink bear in  your avatar.  Don't be a stranger here, OK?  Hope you get your answer.

Ooh!  Aussie Mud cake.  Sounds downright sensual.  Got the recipe? :D:cool:

Hello Lurkers!   I problyotta turn into one of you...save time.

Eileen, The clip is so great!!  A real uplifter.  I sent it to all my loved ones.

MMMMMM!!!! Jane, you made me hungry for chocolate, so I fished out the chocolate bar I was holding onto for a grab-bag gift for the N.Cal, S.Ore Teddy Meet on Friday!....All Gone!!!! :o:lol:

Okay!! Gullible Laure here, saying 'ya got me again, Penny!' Have fun mucking about!

Can't talk, have scads to do ( soon as I finish reading all the posts) :P

But wanted to say ditto to all....This is a wonderful place to spend time with wonderful people. Bye!

Penny, Dear,  Sorry to know you're feeling blue.  Hope it's over soon.  :)

Big Fluffy Hugs,

Good stories, girls, tho not all happy.   I don't have any real regrets about selling any of my creations.  It may sound corny, but I feel like I carry them in my heart.  I have pictures of most of them, and the ones that slipped by without a photo while I was in a hurry, I mostly don't remember, except "Kindle", a floppy jointed 25 inch bear with long, kinky-curly mohair fur.  She wore a long, floppy, stocking cap.  She went to a local family counselor who uses Kindle and several other bears she has gotten from me as friends for counselees to cuddle while they are in her office.  I think if I missed her badly enough, I could probably pay her a visit....'course it might cost me $75.oo an hour.