Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi Picobaby,

You'll probably find help in the topic "Shading on Wool Felt" as we discussed a lot of various shading/airbrushing techniques using various paints, etc. (it wasn't just about wool felt!) and the pros and cons of each. There's a lot of reading there but you'll get a lot from it I'm sure! Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!

Yes, heat setting may work, using paints might too.... I've learned so much about airbrushing and shading with markers, pencils, etc.! But I have yet to actually try airbrushing! I'm new to dry brushing (I usually use markers - and heat set - or pencils) but I find the acrylic paints dry fast and don't smudge. The oils give a great finish but are slower to dry if you are impatinet (that's me!!)

Good luck and thanks for joining us!

Daphne

Dawn, that's a great idea.

Having something to distract the kids is also a good idea, BUT..... I've been the next booth in line after a child has opened the candy wrapper, is sucking or chewing on something (either way the fingers are in the mouth) and then they are pointing at or wanting to touch my bears. So, I'm afraid I'm not for the candy thing. In fact I don't think kids should be allowed to have food while walking through a teddy bear or doll or artisan shows. I'm more for teaching children how to have manners before they ever leave the house.

OK, that all came across as being very crotchety sounding. No, I don't have kids but I was a live-in nanny for 6 years so 'been there, done that'. They can have manners. And you can bring something for the kids to do or give them games to play. "Find something at this booth with a star on it." Games using eyes only are great and work for a little while. I've often engaged children in my booth with such challenges, gets you talking with them while mom shops and keeps them out of trouble. Sound like babysitting? Yes but I might have made a sale or two because of my hospitality - who knows!!

OK, that was more than 2 cents worth. I'm done before I get into trouble here!

Daphne

Laure,

I print my tags on business cards. (I was buying the perforated sheets at my office supply place - then finally had the printers do them up - cheaper!!)  They get folded in half so my logo is on the front, open to full spread will ALL the info about the bear and it's ingredients, my signature, date & "Not safe for...." info. Back has my address, phone & website. Once written on I laminate it. I got a small laminator that takes up to 4x6 sheets on eBay cheap and get the laminating sheets for business card size at any office supply store (also available on eBay - isn't everything?!). As soon as it comes out of the laminator I fold it while it's still warm (fold won't take once it's cooled) then use a tiny hole punch and thread it with perle cotton (there are always scraps of that on my table!) and put it around the bears neck or attach it to the bow or whatever. My hang tags have survived lots of hugs, getting crunched in crates when traveling to shows, etc. I have a sewn in tush tag too in case the bear and hang tag get separated.

When the craftsmen's league I belong to here in NH saw my hangtags they asked my permission to use this technique in their galleries and wrote an article on hang tags in one of their newsletters. No permission needed here - it's not an original idea!

Daphne

Just the kind of logic businesses who offer free shipping how you'll use!!!!!    Sounds like you did very well!
I'll have to go check out their site.

Of course I'd need to get up some courage to apply paint to mohair. I still haven't opened my tubes of paint and used a brush yet! I won't be ready to start this class on the 15th but I'll be ready the next time she does it!

Thanks for sharing, Dilu! :)

Daphne

So, Dilu, where did you order your airbrush from? (If you are willing to share such info!) Sounds like you got a real deal!

Eileen (and everyone that needs a visual on Co2 tanks) It looks very similar to the tanks used for helium - only we'd probably use a smaller one than you see at the circus or local balloon shop!!!

Judi - that tiger is beautiful. I'm thinking I might be able to do this without spraying my studio walls!! Gonna try all these paints first........ but I can use the acrylics with aribrusing or oils? Tubes ok? Oh, why don't I just go visit Nancy's site and see what I learn then wait for your next online workshop! When are you going to write a book on airbrushing furry critters?

Dilu -
I used woolite on a dark blue mohair - it came out great!

On the allergy topic - I sold my most beloved bear to a bear class student of mine a couple of years ago. She took another one of my classes recently and brought the bear for a visit. Of course the first thing I did was give it a great big hug from it's 'real' mamma! The next thing I know my face & neck break out in an itchy rash followed shortly by itchy swollen eyes. I knew she had dogs but didn't know she had cats which I am very allergic to. I learned that the bear sits on the guest bed where the cats sleep! I must have been pretty scarry to look at up there teaching these gals how to make a soft cuddle bear when I looked like something out of a horror flick!  :lol:

OK, got 2 tubes (browns) of that water friendly oil paint, one of a black acrylic (their selection wasn't good on greys), paint brushes (2 or 3 - can't remember) and a couple of watercolor pens. WHEW! Obviously I couldn't decide and the woman who's help I enlisted at this little art shop looked at me like I was from saturn when I told her what I was going to do with these paints.  Big help she was!!! :rolleyes:

Dilu, yes, the aircompressor is the big expense in airbrushing. I have a b'day in June, had wanted a purple KitchenAid mixer, or an iPod but now I'm thinking the aircompressor is the most practical - can't gain weight with one, I have a walkman and stereo that work just fine and I might just sell a few of my airbrushed critters! (Then again, I can rationalize ANYTHING!!:lol::lol:)

I'm off to see what horrible things I can do to a bear with paint!!!!!

Thanks for all the great painting/shading suggestions!

Daphne

Dilu,
Thank you for sending us all such warm fuzzies!
We are a unique group of artists.... I agree with your sentiments.
Bear Hugs,
Daphne

I wash my mohair in a bit of Woolite. This softens the moahir beautifully and is a smell that brings back childhood memories. I've gotten some kid mohair that hasn't been quite as fluffy soft as it should be - one gentle wash in woolite with about 5 minutes in the dryer, then air dried the rest of the way and it was soft and fluffy!

Daphne

OK, I was all set to go buy oil paints tomorrow after reading a post by Ms. Shelli on some other thread. But then I got to reading all of this thread and I am SOOOOOO confussed! Thanks a lot! :/:P:):D

I'll tell you one thing NOT to use under any circumstances for shading.... a black Sharpie! Never! Never! Never! On mohair it'll look deep purple and has a weird feel to it once dry. Never do this!!! (Yes, I speak from a moment of  stupid desparation!!)

I've got the prisma pencils, even got the soft lead ones. They are great on wool felt, ultrasuede too but on mohair I get really frustrated, it really only 'sticks' to the backing. In my experience anyway.

I'm now going to go to bed and dream about airbrushing "Pi**a**" on my dog with OIL paints while wearing multi colored boxers!! HA!!! :lol:

OH - more on oil paints: While checking out the website of the art store I plan to go to I saw this: "Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Paints – Genuine oil paints that may be thinned with water and cleaned up with soap and water." Just thought this might be a tid bit some of you may be interested in.

Hugs,
Daphne

Interesting thought, Dilu... Laure's site does bring thoughts of decadent chocolate.

I hadn't associated my website background color to my love for chocolate but there could be a link there too!!! My text color choices could be connected to my love for flavored coffees with lots of cream! Hmmm..... (scratches head)..... getting craving here..... :D

I can totally understand Laure being anxious to get her hands on her website. The more websites I visit the more I'm ready to give mine a face lift.... but I just did that this winter and once I start on THAT again it'll be months before I get another bear made! I'm learning more and more about graphics and photo editing (thanks in part to all of you :)) so perhaps it won't take me QUITE as long next time! HA!

Wanda, I hope you always keep Tyler here for me to gaze at... sometimes I visit him on your site for a bigger shot! :D I'm in love...

Microsoft Front Page - a program from h**l but fairly easy for the dummy. You have to love and hate such a program. I took a course in it at the high school continuing ed department in town after working with the program about a year and getting frustrated with it over and over. The instructor started out by saying how awful the program is and all the quirks it has. (So it wasn't me!!!) The latest version has eliminated many of those quirks and addded some helpful features. It's what I did my website with. It's limiting - or at least that's what I blame the fact that I can't make it look the way I want it to. I think it's actually me and my lack of knowledge on how to do graphics.

Chocolate and potato chips (gotta have something to balance out the sugar!) followed by lots of coffee or tea! Just be sure to share with the bears! (They'll make your life worse if you don't!)

Daphne

If you have the opportunity to find out about any US classes she's doing I'd love to know about them. But I'm sure you'll be having so much fun if I were you I'd forget about anything else!!! :D:D

Thanks!
Daphne

Shelli, as I started reading this thread I thought - "Oh yeah, someone posted something about paints and what and how to use them. I"ll never find that post though." So - REPEAT AWAY my dear!!! Thanks! Your description makes it sound not so scary if you can add color in baby steps.

Daphne

OK, I'm jealous too! I teach bear making workshops and have a lot of fun doing it but I'd like to be a student one of these times and who better to have for a teacher?????

Is there a way to get a listing of Jennifer Laing's class schedule? I did a quick internet search but found nothing helpful.

Yes, stories and pictures are a must when you get back!!!

Daphne

OK, I'm not going to belly ache a whole lot here but about the hand thing....
I couldn't sew for 3 months this past winter beause of crippling tendon problems. I've had 3 cortisone shots - one for carpal tunnel and one in hand for chronic trigger fingers and one in shoulder for more tendon problems.
Then I was tested for arthritis and various other diseases that could be blamed for these tendon issues. Nothing. Because I'm diabetic I'm told I'm prone to tendonitis (doctors love to to blame diatetes for everything!). I've found that taking something like Motrin or Advil when I'm going to work on bears really helps keep my hands from getting toooooooo achy. If I don't take it before, I take it when I'm done. I also try to stop and stretch my cramped up fingers regularly along with neck and shoulder stretches. All of this makes a difference.

So, regardless of whether you have known joint problems or it's just from making bears remember to stop and stretch! It's so easy to get so engrossed in that bear nose or setting eyes and forget to focus on our own bodies.

Wanda - it' NOT age!!! :(

Daphne

Laura,
I'm with you and Shelli too. The bears are my full time job and I don't seem to get more than one and a half done a week. But I get SOOOOOO distracted! Yes, it's the computer that sucks up all my time... it's the computer's fault, not MINE! :lol: Then my mother calls to chat (there goes an hour cause no matter how busy I tell her I am she just chatters on, God bless her.) Then the dog wants to go for a walk or to the doggie park (40 minutes away - but he wants to play with his buds, I can see it in his eyes!) So then I might as well pick up some groceries while I'm out and see what a couple of my favorite shops have in for new stuff. Then as soon as I sit down to finally work my hubby gets home from work and it's time to make dinner! So, at 9pm I am sewing away, making up for lost time. What's wrong with this picture??????

Do we have any time management experts here????
Any advice you can give to increase productivity? (I can't kill my computer cause then you wouldn't be able to give me advice! And I wouldn't learn new techniques for bear making or be able to keep up on the bear world. That is my 'profession' after all!)

Daphne

Judi,
I agree there is a difference in the backings of English vs. German. I also think there is a difference in the shine and softness or lack of from one to another. This could just be how one processes vs. the other.
Other than that, I think it's just where the mills are. Schulte is the German mill, Helmbold the English.
Daphne

Us "Medically Challenged" folks (either personally or prefessionally) need nurturing too... hence the bears! That's my theory anyway.

I have a friend in England, also a bear artist, who is an insulin dependant diabetic. She's a sweetheart and is very challenged with her diabetes. She's not so lucky to be healthy like we are. Neither was my ex-husband. He'd also been diabetic since childhood but never took cake of himself, nor was encouraged to by his parents. He's now nearing 40 and the doctor's say he'll be in a wheelchair by 55 and blind. He also has intestinal neuropathy along with the neuropathy in his legs. He's a mess! Perhaps rather than defining what a diabetic looks like we should define what a diabetic who doesn't take care of themselves looks like. That's easier!

Although my folks will never see this I just have to say that, had it not been for my parent's love and care and intense (ok, over-bearing at times) focus on my health, I wouldn't be as healthy as I am today. They got me on the right path in the early stages of my disease and that's made all the difference. Once you develop a complication from diabetes it is usually irreversible. I, knock on wood, have no complications, yet! After all these years!  So those of you with kids, even though they may get so fed up with the concern and fussing you shower them with now, they'll be thankful someday!

Judi - personal question - do you take shots or are you on the pump? I tried the pump and didn't like it. I'm on 4 shots a day. It's funny, when I tell people that they think I must have 'diabetes really bad'! HA! I have excellent control when I take more shots.

Thank you guys, for being willing to share and listen to eachother's personal lives and challenges. AND Stories!!!!:lol:

Warm Fuzzy Hugs,
Daphne

PS. Shelli, how's your son doing with the cast? What color did he get?

Danni,

When I started making bears my first took me about 45 hours. YIKES!!!!!!!!! He was 18 inches.
That was 5 years ago. Now it takes me about 10 hours for the same size   "BUT"   That all depends on the details on the bear. Shading, soft scultping, making accessories, etc. take more time. It can easily take 15-20 hours. And that doesn't include the time it takes to design the pattern. The more details, the more time.  I hand baste head & paw pads. Then machine sew everything.

You will likely find it takes less and less time as you make more and more. There are parts of the process that will become easier and faster as time goes on. The time and love and care you put into a bear shows in the end. You are not slow! You are careful, creative and learning new things with each bear you make I'm sure! Your bears have their own personality and are adorable.

Enjoy the process and have fun, speed will come!

Daphne

Me too! So I guess that makes me a Ditzie Diabetic!!! :lol:

Dilu, you are very sweet!
I had never thought about there really being a physical difference in Type I & Type II! When I was first diagnosed Type I was aka juvenille diabetes (hereditary or virally induced) and Type II was adult onset diabetes. Simply because older adults could have health problems causing slowing of insulin production. Now it's got less to do with age and more to do with weight. It's sad, really. You are right that people like Judi and I are apt to be healthier as we are at higher risk for complications otherwise. Thanks for the insight.

You guys give me warm fuzzies!
Thanks for being here!

Hugs, Daphne

OK, The thing I like most about teddy making is................ (that WAS the topic, wasn't it??:lol::lol:)

The friends I've made in fellow bear artists! Seriously! I live in the middle of no where, my hubby works LOOOONG hours, we don't have children and I'm home all day sewing (and computering). Message boards like this and phone chats with the few women in my bear club help so much in so many ways!!!

Judi, I just wanted you to know that I've been diabetic since the age of 11 and don't "LOOK" diabetic either. What the heck does one look like anyway??? 24 years as a diabetic and I still can't figure that one out! Sounds like you are in great health and have a good attitude about it. Doesn't that make all the difference??

When you have a moment to make a Back Road Bears Banner give me a shout!!! :o) I'm envious of everyone's!!:(

Hugs to all you warm, fuzzy (maybe not literally!!) people!

Daphne