Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

What about worst presents? I get them from my inlaws every year!

Just the laugh i need on a friday afternoon at work. thanks!

One of the best gifts i received is from a Kris Kringle i participated in this christmas just gone. It was organised through a forum i'm a member of. My KK gave me a notebook full of inspirational quotes, which i am using as an art notebook, a beautiful tin bookmark, pencil case full of pens, pencils etc, some body shop products and a christmas card with teddy bears on it. I'd had a really bad day when the package arrived, and had tears in my eyes as i opened it all, as this person had chosen gifts that are so me, as if she knew me! i still haven't found out who she is.

Congratulations! What an honour that is

Thanks for the nice welcome.
Is it easier if i stick the intial of my surname after my name? cause there are so many of us?
The bears i make tend to be slightly older style, and i love using sparse mohair, but when i can afford it i lash out on the thick, wavy stuff. I hope one day my bears are of equally high standard as the others i see here.
I collect a variety of bears, have a lot of Hermanns, some steiffs, and most but not all of the Russ Limited Editions that come out once a year. Then there is an assortment of artist bears that i've bought too

I live in Irymple, which is just near Mildura in Victoria (a small town next to mildura)
Shall go visit the new member section now

What a great link
We saw the pandas on our honeymoon in america last year. so cute

Hi!
My name is Kim. I realised i haven't been on here for ages, in fact, last time was May 05!
So i thought i'd jump in and introduce myself to you all.
I live in Australia, where i live is nice and hot today! About 35oC, which i love. The hotter the better for me
Kim

I've donated scraps to a friend's daughters school. They are always on the lookout for any type of scraps, so i thought why not?:cool:

I was tossing up between Charles or Andy, for names, but i think i'll wait till he is finished:lol:

I'll try to take some photos asap, then i'll post them. I am totally flat out this week, and i also have a packed weekend. Maybe i can rest next week:rolleyes:

Hi everyone,
Wow, what a weekend!!! I learnt so much, Jennifer is the best teacher. And the best thing? I finally have my very own bear pattern, so i can actually sell the damn things instead of giving them away:lol:
I'd tried many a time to design my own patterns, but i always gave up because i kept hitting a hard spot. Now, i know what i was doing wrong, and i know how to fix the problem! Yipppeeeeee:cool:
And she showed me how to do noses the easy way, because i hate them:rolleyes:
I got the head almost complete - realised after attaching them that the eyes i used were not perfectly matched, so i have to get another pair and use them.
Then, i can sew up his body & join and stuff him. Then my ted is completed. he's a 36cm male adult, but i haven't found a name yet for him:rolleyes:

Hmmm, ok, perhaps on my next ted i shall! I'm going to try my hand at designing this weekend at the Jennifer Laing workshop. I don't expect that ted to be perfect, so perhaps i'll find it easier to shade on him/her!

I've always been too scared to do shading. Would love to give it a go...

Thanks all! I am literally counting down the hours, and its only Tuesday today!!:lol:
I am actually flying to Melbourne on thursday to spend a day with my brother & his girlfriend, we are shopping on the Friday. Actually, not my brother, he'd get bored:rolleyes:

I found out about the weekend via the Bearmakersaustraliaandbeyond yahoo group, which i am a member of! I've met most of the ladies who'll be there, well, three of them anyway!:lol: Although i think the class numbers are small. I do know that Jennifer will be doing another course in Australia in October, and someone mentioned something about later in the year in the USA. I could try to find out for you

I cheat!!!
At the local doll & bear show, there is a woman who always has a stand. She knits outfits for dolls & babies, but sometimes you can find the right size things for your bears. I have the beautiful olive green dressing gown, with a pink border. Now have to make a teddy up for it:lol::lol:

This weekend I am travelling to Melbourne, to stay with a lovely lady i met over the net (and once in person) to take part in a design weekend with Jennifer Laing. I am so excited, as i have attempted to design my own bears but have not been happy with them (due mostly because i am hard on myself!).
It is for two full days, and i just cannot wait:lol:
I've been counting down for this weekend since the end of last year!:rolleyes:

It depends!!
I'm not a full time bear maker, after a couple of years still only a novice. But when i get into a ted, its hard to stop.
I often have a couple on the go, in various stages, which allows me to vary what i am doing. That way i don't get bored:rolleyes:

I enjoy the stuffing:)
Possibly sounds weird, but i enjoy the process of seeing ted becoming more real, so to speak:rolleyes:

Love everyones avatars:)
They are great. Will have to take a piccy so i can add my own:rolleyes: