Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Jeannette,

Meant to say on my last post.

Love Frank - I also have a cat called Frankie.

My Frankie is a blue point exotic look alike with beautiful blue eyes - hence the name after Ol Blue Eyes.  Also have a female red tabby who is called Thomasina

Hi

My featherweight is IDENTICAL to yours Becky - do you enjoy using it.  I love my machine, it is like a child's one(!), but I have yet to use it.

I have three machines - my Bernina 801, an Elna (that I HATE - it plays up so much it reduced me to tears on a course I went on - I only bought it to take on courses as it is a very small machine) and my Singer Featherweight.

I LOVE all your work spaces - compared to ME you are ALL clean and tidy workers!!!!

Bubble-Up Bears (sorry I don't know your name) it is good to hear that you are getting on so well with your Featherweight, I must have the courage to use mine soon - besides just LOOK at it.

Karon

Hi all,

Does anyone fancy doing a Bear Swap.

I would be happy to do the organising part of it but would really appreciate any input regarding the theme.

I suggest a deadline of April 29th to get the names in and mid June for despatch of our bears.

If anyone is interested please you can email on teddylady123@hotmail.co.uk or PM me

I really enjoyed doing last years.

Karon

My first experiences of making bears was around 1985 - I was making soft toys as "pin money" and my ex husband used to take them to work and get orders.

One of the patterns was a "Mini Craft" jointed bear.  That was it I was hooked.  Shortly after a bought a peice of mohair and looked and stroked it for about two days until I cut it up and made my first mohair bear.

I took my to Joan Bland of Asquiths and she liked it but asked me to do longer arms and so began my first steps towards designing.

I have used other crafts and incorporated them into my bears but nothing has really taken over and apart from a few years when I was recovering from "teddy burn out" they have remained my first love.

I had three bears as a child and my smallest one still resides with me - how I wish I hadn't consigned the other two to the Charity Shop!

Karon

So sweet.

They have the most gorgeous faces - especially baby.

Karon

Dawn

I just wanted to say I really like the new style of Teddy Bear Times - it has a more "grown up" feel about it not to mention the fact you seem to have ironed out all those APPALLING spelling errors it seemed to suffer from.

It feels more like a proper enthusiasts magazine now.

Karon

Well done Susan.

I just wanted to share with you a little story about when I took on my one and only commission.

It was around 1998 and I was approached by a Teddy Bear outlet - who shall remain nameless but was well known but is now out of business.

At the time I was also making porcelain dolls and had done fairly well in a competition for dollmaking.

They asked me to do a limited edition of 10 sets of Goldilocks  and three bears - I thought it was too good to turn down - was I WRONG!!

Anyway I went to visited them armed with some sample bears and dolls.  Papa bear was to have glasses, mama bear had an embroidere anglaise pinny, baby bear a blue ribbon, all to have leather paws.  Goldilocks was to have all manner of frippery.

I was then made to sign a CONTRACT on the deal!!  By this time panic was setting in and I should have followed my feelings - but I didnt!!!

Unfortunately I Was also going through the throws of a divorce (and still living with my husband in the matrimonial home!) and was going deeper and deeper into a well of depression.

In the end to complete the contract  I had to get a friend in to help me with the dolls, pay for a piece worker and enlisted the help of I well known teddy artist pioneer as well, who very generously gave up his time for free to help me - but warned me NEVER to commit myself like this again.

He also told me this person had contacted him as well.

Your commission sounds great though as you are being given free reign.  What is your time limit?  I must confess I did suffer "teddy burn out" afterwards.

Karon

You could be right Edie I do laugh outright sometimes!!

If so I spotted something that could be of interest.

Here in the UK we have a chain of shops called "Claire's" that sell accessories mainly for the young and teenage generation.

Well they had had some absolutely lovely "angel wings" in white feathers for little ones to dress up in.  I would guess they are for toddlers age group.  They really are beautiful and would look great on a large angel bear. 

They also have some great "fascinators" which would be absolutely super on "old girl bears" as hats.

These are cheaper than I have seen elsewhere.

Karon

I aren't they gorgeous - I just LOVE rabbits.

Are they your bunnies?

Besides my beautiful black rex, I also have a chocolate coloured mini lop. So sweet.

I used to breed and show mini lops - but there are some HORRIBLE people in the show world.  I used to end up with everyones cast-offs and then try and r-home them!!

Karon-

Peter,

I like your answer!  I think they restored TT because it IS addictive - the library charge £1.00 per half an hour.  I hate to think how much I give them over a month!!!

Karon

Hi Wendy

No I didn't know there was some reference to the gay community in the word "Teddy" - I am obviously more innocent than I have thought!!!  It does explain the reason to me though, so thanks for informing me.

Karon

Last Thursday I went to my local library to go on TT - a sign came up on the computer to say "Unable to view.  There may be material which would be unsuitable for public viewing" or words to that effect!!!!

I marched over the help desk and informed them that I had been accessing this Forum for FOUR YEARS - I also said that there was nothing sordid and "unsuitable" on it.

Anyway, obviously it now back back on - but how STUPID.

Karon.

PS The mind boggles over the what would be "unsuitable" on a Forum like this.

Personally I think it is really cheeky to ask for a reduction on handcrafted pieces.  Most of the time we work at a loss anyway when you take the materials and time factor into account.

I have bartered on old bears but this is because generally speaking the sellers have bought them at bargain prices to start with - a lot of dealers by at auction and many bears go for "bargain prices" in multiple lots.

It really depends on how much you need to sell the bear - if she really wants it she wouldn't hold out just for a few pounds.

Karon

Well I have got her and she is well .... an Angel.  She is the sweetest tempered doe, loves to be stroked and likes nothing more than to be curled up with my ginger cat on the sofa (with an old duvet on in case of "accidents")

I love her already

Karon

Kynthia,

Would you like to do a swap with me anyway regardless - we could still use a hearts and flowers theme.  No pressure for time

Karon

Would anyone like to do a swap with me for the challenge

Karon

Sue

What you said in your reply is exactly what I mean.  Your bears are old style teddies but they have a distintive look - in the pattern stage I beat they are no different to other traditional bears, its what you actually DO to make them look different.

By the way I love your bears

Karon

I just wanted to tell everyone that I am getting a new bunny to replace the gap left by my dear orange rex, Jaffa.

This little one is called Angel, she is two years old and is "free to a good home".  Her original Mum is starting college and hasn't got time now for breeding and showing rabbits.

She is a black standard Rex ("but a bit on the small side") and is very sweet but a "bit shy" until she gets to know you. 

I must admit I really feel for the name - how sweet.  And I am going to have a look at her tonight.

Thank you all for the comiserations over the loss of Jaffa

Karon

This is an interesting thread.

There are only so many ways a bear arms, legs head etc can be changed.

A couple of years ago I bought a pattern by a well known artist.  Once I made him up he looked decidedly plain so needled sculptured the pads, shaded the face, varnished the nose added a belly button.

I saw the artist at Kensington and showed them the bear - they very politely said he was very good - I said "but don't you recognise him, he's your pattern" and they genuinely didn't.  I had done nothing to alter the pattern but all the extra work had made him very distintive.

I don't sell my bears (unless a friend or colleuge wants one) and probably make about 10 a year at most - design my own bears but I also buy other artists patterns - sometimes to reproduce that particular "look" however I would dream of trying to sell someone elses design bear.

Getting back  to the subject of design though - take a "traditional" 1900s style bear, its all been done before.  Long arms, big feet, long snout and humped back as Lenora said its a wonder Steiff are not sueing us all!!

Unless something is a blatent obvious copy then perhaps  we should learn to chillout.

Karon

Is there anyone who would like to swap with me

Karon

I would like to join too.

I have a suggestion, why don't you put of GENERAL and make it an early spring swap.

Karon

Hi all,

I just had to tell you I have just bought the most sweetest little pink mohair Teddy Bear from The Helens Hospice shop in my local town.

She is pale pink with dusky rose ribbon.

I often glance in the window - but this time there was a pile of bears in a moses basket in the window - and I suddenly froze in tracks as this sweet little face peeped out of a pile of synthetic bears!  I did my best to act "cool" as I eased her out and paid the princely price of £2.50!!!

This little creation was made by "Bon Bears" in Wiltshire, has anybody heard of them?

Karon

Hi,

I have collected my ornament today.

Thankyou, thankyou Jane of Mo Bear Designs I just LOVE Snowflake, she is totally adorable - she has exceeded all my hopes!

I will make her a larger companion so she can be on display all year long.

I am absolutely thrilled with her.

Could you possibly post her picture for me!

THANK YOU AGAIN

Bear Hugs

Karon

Hi,

My ornament has arrived - I have received one of those cards that says I was "out" (which I wasn't) and that the package was too large to go through my letter box.

I am going to see if it has gone back to the main post office later - it says to wait 24 hours, but often they get back within a few hours.  Anyway at least I know its safe.

Many thanks to whoever sent it/her or him, I sure I will LOVE it.

As I don't dress my place for Christmas I will make myself a "special" bear for Christmas who will hold the ornament -so it will be on display all year long.

I will write again when I receive it - I am really excited about getting it!

Karon