Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Oh Judi, I'll admit I laughed out loud at your spider/scissor incident today because that's EXACTLY something I would do!!! Along with some screeching and serious running, far and fast. THEN I'd realize I was bleeding all over the place! I hope you heal quick!!!

Hayley, my hooded rat, Molly, was the sweetest little thing. I had one boyfriend she didn't like and would try to bite - he was one who couldn't understand why anyone in their right mind would have a rat for a pet. Molly had her own bowl of cheerios she'd eat on the table with me at breakfast and she'd go anywhere with me. She loved to preen my hair as she sat on my shoulder watching TV at night. She also liked to play hide and seek amongst the couch pillows too.

As for these spider stories.... there ought to be a warning at the beginning of this thread for all with aracnaphobia to read at own risk. I , for one, am going to bed now and will have nightmares for sure!

Daphne

Oh, Kirsten, what a life saver!!! I can't believe you did your avatar with PSP!! So, right on my own computer is the ability to do such amazing things??? I just might take you up on the offer.... will email you!! Gotta find some 'time' and 'patience' first!! :lol::lol:
Thank you, thank you!
Hugs, Daphne

Oh, Kirsten, of course you're advanced enough!! I just checked out the class list at Edinburgh and the one you are taking is the one I'd take. In fact, if I were to fly clear across the continnent I'd just take all her courses and make quite a time of it. (My hands are aching at the thought!!) Let's see..... I'd have to sell how many bears for the plane fare? How many more for the hotel? And how many MORE for the class fees? And there are how many weeks till mid July? I guess I'll have to hope for next year! :(:(:(

Kim, it sounds like you had a blast at Jennifer's class. I can't wait to see pictures of your bear and hear what you named him!!!!

Hugs,
Daphne

Yea, PURPLE!!!!!!!!  (29 more days till my birthday and I had better get that purple KitchenAid Mixer!!!! But we won't go there. Nothing to do with bears!)

Has anyone ever used flavored coffees to dye mohair? Would they SMELL like the flavor? Yummmm!!! (I've never tried dyeing so forgive me if it's a stupid question!!!)

Daphne the Daffy!

Have you ever been able to get the facial features of a dark colored bear to show in a photo well? I haven't... of course I don't have a fancy light tent like many of you!:P But that's one of the reasons I stay away from dark colored bears.

However, I have to say that one of my best selling bears (and my most favorite!) is made of dark brown/black tip alpaca/mohair blend. He doesn't come out well in photos but when someone sees him in the fur they fall in love with the feel and those little black eyes hiding in that cute little furry face. I'd say there is always an exception to everything but as a rule, I lean toward medium to lighter colored bears. A fun color now and then is always interesting! (I'm making a blue guy right now.)

Daphne

Hey, Kirsten, nice to see you here, took you long enough! ;)
Of course, us cool people hang out at all the hip bear boards!:D
Your avatar is fantastic!!! I'm green!!

I guess it's time for me to start learning how to make my own snifty avatars! Laura Lynn made the one I had been using with my scrap bear and black background and I LOVE it!! (Thank you, Laura!!) I only changed it 'cause I get bored really quick!:rolleyes: I just can't figure out how to use the JASC Paint Shop Pro 8 software I have. I watch the tutorial but it goes too fast for my eyes to relay the info to my brain and actually retain it!! Has anyone used this software? Buying any other is out of the question so I have to figure this one out!!! I've been avoiding it long enough. ***SIGH***

Hugs,
Daphne

If you can do ORANGE....... :lol::lol::lol:

(I really do like your orange bear, don't get me wrong!)

Danni - go for the PURPLE! That's my favorite color and I've made many a purple bear! Your style of bears would look great in purple (I'm picturing your orange bear being a yummy shade of purple instead with a grey or black nose... how great!!) I'll be waiting... hint hint! :)

I love the natural colors for bears but I get so bored. I don't like pink because I have a hard time making girly bears so then I have a very unhappy boy bear in PINK! Or a girl bear that is just to butchy looking to be in pink. It just doesn't work for me! I love blues and purples and just ordered some green alpaca... can't wait for that one!!

Variety is the spice of life!

OK, now I'm off to check out Dilyu's website! I'm so excited about this adventure! She better have a picture of herself on there! It's fun to have a pic to put with the posts here! :)

Hug to y'all!
Daphne

Another VOTE for animal lovers here!

I've never been without a pet in my life....
Growing up: a pomeranian, a cocker spaniel, a cairn terrier, angel fish (dad and I raised them) and the occassional frog, turtle or baby bird I'd 'adopt'. Oh yes, and Gypsy the stray cat who adopted me!

Once on my own in apartments I so desperately wanted a dog but had to settle on: cockatiels, lovebirds, lop eared bunnies, netherland dwarf bunnies, a hooded rat (she was soooo sweet and went everywhere with me!) and a kitten I was highly allergic to and finally had to give away.

Then I met my husband. He'd NEVER had a pet in his life! I just can't imagine that! How awful. (Sorry if I offend anyone but you are talking to someone who loves all things furry or feathered!) So, after lots of whining he finally gave in and we got two parakeets. Not the greatest things to have for first pets but we were in an apartment and he's highly allergic to bunnies and both of us to cats. Then we bought a house and a Wheaten Terrier to go with it. Another bad choice for a first dog! Wheatens are so high energy and independent! But Tucker is so cute and such a love that he's won my hubby's heart over anyway! He's 11 months old this week! (Side note: We're in search of another Wheaten - if any one knows of a Wheaten breeder let me know... they are few and far between as it's not a common breed.)

I do NOT like insects, however, of any kind! (Sorry, Marion!) I've been known to: a)fall of my bike because a bee was flying with me; b)fall down the stairs because I saw a spider on the wall; c)wake up in the night from a NIGHTMARE about bugs and be STANDING on the bed screaming (my hubby didn't appreciate that!!).

It's gotta be fuzzy and cuddly or forget it!

Judi, you win the prize for most eclectic assortment of animals!!! :)

Shelli, I think Laure had a good idea - Malcolm in soft sculpture!

Marion, "éclair au chocolat" - YUM!! I don't know any (appropriate) French but I can figure THAT one out! :)

Hugs,
Daphne

We liked your mug but this little guy is cute too! ;)
Very nice job, Shelli!

PS - My avatar for example...... I was aiming for a girl....... but what does he/she look like more? Maybe the shading/coloring techniques make a difference?

The woman who taught me how to make bears, Diana Lind of Wee Treasures, had me use a very girly bear pattern. Well, my bear was most definitely a boy! I've tried so many times to make a girl bear, most of the time failing. I made a purple bear who was meant to be a girl but, you guessed it, was all boy. :rolleyes:

What can we do to have more of a chance of having a girl bear? Only make her on a full moon? Sew standing up? OK, I'm sorry..... :lol:

I've tried going for more petite features - nose especially, maybe smaller ears - and sometimes this works. Anyone have any other suggestions? (Sorry, Shelli, perhaps I'm steering this into another direction!)

Hugs,
Daphne

I do believed Danni means Chuffed in a positive way. Perhaps it means happily surprised or pleasantly shocked or in disbelief! Perhaps it's like saying she was 'floored'? Oh Danni, please come by and clear this up for us Americans not familiar with Aussie slang!!!:/

We're waiting!!

Well, by now Dilu is in the midst of her online airbrushing course (can't wait to take that one!!). So I want to know how it's going... Dily??

I've tried those water mixable oils and love em!!! (Thanks Shelli!!!!!) My new Aritar is Sienna - named after the color oils I used! OK, not very original!! Does she look too much like a raccoon?? That's what I'm afraid of. My hubby does NOT like the look. Then again, I don't like the wheels he put on his Mustang so we're even! :lol:

Hugs,
Daphne

Louise, what a great first bear. Remember, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder! Deep down, every mama is proud of her little creations!!!!

Danni, who is your new avitar? He's wonderful!!!

OK - Here's Maple, my first attempt at designing a bear (this is the second revision - he's in a cheap synthetic from Jo Ann Fabrics.)

Hugs, Daphne

Ellen,
Yes, Rita just mentioned that in the "designing" topic here. I wondered how anyone'd know to look there too. I've restored a few old bears and wished I'd had that extra piece.

Laura,
What a great idea with the light dye. But dyeing all those little pieces, laying them all out to dry. SIGH! I'm getting too lazy for all that work these days! :/

Hugs,
Daphne

Daphne was a Greek godess who was turned into a Laurel tree by a god because she wouldn't marry him! (Or it goes something like that anyway!!) I was never into Greek mythology but I wanted to know who I was named after! (Actually my parents were going through Webster's Dictionary when they found 'Daphne'.) I don't know as anyone should be allowed to name another being a Greek name!!! It's a curse! (The kids in school called me Daffy Duck!) I feel bad for Lysi... unless she LIKES her name.... then I feel even worse for her! :D

Daphne, not the Duck

Rita,
What a very clever idea, slipping a piece of extra mohair in the back of the bear!
I can think of a few antique bears I've repaired, wishing I had an extra piece.... wonder if anyone else was as clever? I never thought to look!

Hugs,
Daphne

Dilu - once a quilter, always a quilter!

I've made patchwork mohair 'quilts' for my bears out of the scraps. A tedious job but if it's bear sized it's not tooooo time consuming and backed with wool felt it's the perfect compliment to a mohair bear! Although the pieces can't be toooo tiny and you can't press the seams to reduce bulk inside the quilt, but bears don't care about those things!

Bear Hugs and Warm Snuggles on this cold, wet, raw day in NH - spring, my paw! 45 degrees is NOT spring!
Daphne

I donate my little scraps to my local elementary school. The art teacher uses them. To be honest I have no idea what she does for projects. I know they've discussed the topic of goats, alpacas, sheep etc. and may use them for a related art project. She's mentioned multi textural collages. I ought to ask her if I can come by sometime and SEE what the kids do. We met at the quilt shop I used to work at where she learned about my bears and asked for the scraps. We still meet there once or twice a year to exchange the scraps so I never get to the school.

I've also been asked for my scraps by a woman who makes folk dolls. They are very whimsy and she uses the longer pile mohair for hair.

So, I have a big "School" bag of scraps and a little "Doll Hair" bag.

One of my bear making students lined her mocassins with scraps on a cold winter's day during class last year. She said they kept her feet so toasty warm but the cat kept snitching the pieces. So Danni, I think you've got a great idea too!

Hugs,
Daphne

PS. I've known folks to use their little scraps as part of the stuffing inside their bear bellies. I have no idea if this is a good practice or not for those of us who sell them.

I started altering patterns on my third bear. Like you, Dilu, I didn't like this or that about the pattern but wasn't ready to make my own from scratch yet. My 7th bear was an original Daphne pattern. No one will ever see that one! (But I'll find a picture of the first revision - much better!) Now I love making my own and even tweek those from time to time. I've been asked a few times to make a bear from someone else's pattern but even then I have to change SOMETHING to the way I like it.

I do the same with quilting. In fact I've never used a pattern for a quilt - the blocks yes, but the overall quilt was always my own design.

I just have to be different, I guess!

Hugs,
Daphne

The love of 'stuffies' runs deep in my family. My first stuffie was my mom's white cat that she'd had when she was a child (it's now over 60 years old, very grungy but in one piece, with eyes, plastic red tongue and a little fur!!). It and my very first teddy (ugly chum but his wind up mechanism still works - that lullaby brings back memories) keeps kitty company in a chair in our guest room.

I had oodles of stuffed animals growing up (someone gave me a barbie, I chopped it's hair off and it laid naked under my bed for ages! I did NOT like dolls!!) all were favorites with special names (Cocoa the dog, ChiChi the monkey, Fleegle the frog).  They covered my bed and were a great source of entertainment as an only child.

My FAVORITE stuffie of all time is 'Morgan' a floppy Boyd's Bear my mom gave me when I went through my divorce about 10 years ago. He's a great hugger, absorbs tears well and always makes me feel better when ever I'm blue. He sits on my bed with my new hubby's favorite bear, a white polar by Gund named Schlepp.

Great topic, Dilu! :rolleyes:I think I did more than answer your question - woman of few words, I am not!

Hi Everyone,
What do you use for props in your display at shows?
Do you use anything as a back drop/wall to add height and separate yourself from the person next to you?
Any tips or secrets you can share that have made your displays unique, helped to sell your creations?

I'll go first - (I'm so bored with my dispaly.) I use wooden apple crates. I know, ho-hum. I've seen loads of people use them. They do make things easy. I use mini quilts (which I also sell) to soften things up. I've made garland out of sticks and pine cones to drape here and there ('Back Road Bears' gotta look like they are in the woods.) I always make sure the bears are displayed in such a way that makes it easy for someone to pick one up.

I'd like to start using something to add height and act as that wall between me and the next booth. I do a lot of artisan shows so it's not all bears. Many have high set ups that tower over the bears. I'm also tired of those 8' tables. I do have a 5' tall wood folding shelf unit I use sometimes. Sick of that too! I'd like to create the feeling of having just walked into another world full of furry creatures that bring warmth, comfort and smiles to the child in all of us. Any suggestions?

Thanks so much!
Bear Hugs,
Daphne

I was just looking at those rivets/eyelets, er... what did you call them Dale?... at my local craft shop, AC Moore. You don't have one of those on the west coast, do ya Laure? Michael's has them too as does JoAnn fabrics and places selling scrapbooking supplies. I know folks who use them on their cloth or paper hang tags too.

Melanie, your panda is very cute!

Bear Hugs
Daphne