Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Awww...I think Little Miss is adorable. She looks so soft & cuddly.

You could name her Missy.

So sorry to hear about your trouble with the game and ebay.

I haven't got the exact email before, but one similar. I got an email from someone asking how much shipping was...uh, hello, plainly stated in the listing...so I was wary. Then I realized it was for an item I was NOT selling. So I did what Laura did and hovered over the link. Sure enough, it was NOT an ebay link. I get spoof on a regular basis so I am pretty aware of what is legit and what is not.

Hee hee...okay, five minutes later and I just got Judi's joke! 

Daphne made some excellent points on the subject!

I have always been interested in arts and crafts of all kinds. I love creating things with my own hands. Now while this has been true of me since I was a kid, I have never been a collector of any of the types of things I love to create. For me, I love to create the piece and get the most joy when someone else loves and appreciates it. Okay, so where am I going with this? I've been making bears for a little over a year and I love it. But I don't own a single bear. I'm not a bear collector. I have not been compelled to buy a bear...until I joined this group. I've only been here since November, but I feel like I'm getting "know" you all and that makes such a big difference. I've been tempted by a lot of bears from TT members and I'm sure if my pocketbook would allow it, I'd have myself a nice-sized collection by now.

So, Daphne's words on having a personal connection with the artist definitely ring true! At least they do for me. And I must say, I am going to take her advice about being more personal in my ebay listings. I had never thought of it like that before, but you can be sure that I will from now on!

Thanks for all the helpful input! I really appreciate all of the useful information and tips you've given. I hope to learn a lot when I visit the shows myself.

Thanks for the detailed pic, Shelli. Your table looks great having used a designer approach. Far from "empty" or "dull". And I am also not surpised that you sold out. Your bears are right there in the top of my favorites (and probably everyone else's too).

I remember, from a previous thread, Jenny's show table. That was also a really great display.

Best of luck, Kathy. I hope it goes well for you.

I too am blind without glasses or contacts. I have had accidents like running into things if I don't have my glasses on. Not so long ago I was going into the kitchen and missed the doorway just a little.  That didn't feel too good. And on a rare occasion I've misplaced my glasses...talk about panic. I really should find out if I'm a candidate for lasik. If my eyes could be fixed, I would have to call it a miracle.

Sorry to hear you're under the weather, Brenda. Here's a Polish remedy that my fiancee likes. I can't remeber if it's just for a cold or if it will help a cough. He is STILL in bed, so I'll ask when he wakes up. Anyway, a cup of hot milk with garlic, butter and honey. The garlic needs to be minced then squished real good to get the juices flowing. It sounds disgusting, but I have to say I was surprised the first time I tried it.

(Off the subject)

P.S. Jenny...I was devastated to see on your website that your ballerina bear had been reserved. 

I will try to visit the Schaumburg show, but I'll have to make a trip out of that one. St. Louis is only a 50-minute drive so I'll definitely check that one out. My fiancee's parents live in Chicago so if we can make it a family trip we can stay at their place instead of a hotel. That's a good thing, cause I'm sure I'll need the extra money to spend at the show! 

Okay, in another thread I admitted to being a little clueless about what's going on in the bear world. I've never been to a show and honestly didn't know they existed until I joined this group.

So, I'm hoping that you all can enlighten me on this subject a little more.

What does it take to be an exhibitor in a show? How much does it cost? How many bears do you need to take? Do you have to be invited? If not, how do you invite yourself? Any other relevant information that I may not have asked for?

There is an ABC show in St. Louis in March. I plan to attend as a visitor but it would be great to be sitting behind a table next year! Anyone else planning to attend this show?

Right now Ebay is my only venue for selling. I've had a pretty good experience so far. I've been selling on Ebay for a little over a year and only had 2 non-selling bears. If a bear doesn't sell, I don't like to relist cheaper. I like to wait a few weeks or so hoping their will be a different audience. I set my prices to what I would be okay with taking. A lot of the times, I don't get bids until last minute. Is that because I don't start as low as some others? Who knows...maybe I shall try a lower starting bid but set a reserve and see what happens. I think lower starting bids encourage more bids. Personally, if I want to bid on something that has a reserve, I wouldn't wait until the last minute. There's not enough time to make sure you meet that reserve if you really want it. And once I bid on it, if it didn't meet the reserve, I'd bid again. I think that hidden number in the reserve price feeds on your curiousity a lot too.

I think Jenny is right about covering all possibilities. I have to say I am a little clueless about the bear-world. Well, until I joined this group anyway! In all honesty, I've never seen a shop that sells artist bears. Maybe it's because there aren't any near me. I've tried to do some searching for shops within my range, but not a lot of luck. And I didn't know anything about shows before I came here.  :redface:  Well, now I know! And ABC has a show in St. Louis which is only about a 50 minute drive for me. So, I'm going to visit the show this year to get a little more informed amd set my sites on exhibiting the next time. And I am currently working on my website. Trying my best to get all those bases covered.

Very cute pics, girls! My poor pets didn't get any turkey over the holidays. I made Christmas Eve dinner at home, but we don't eat meat on Christmas Eve. I made fish so that's what they got for Christmas dinner. Along with mushroom soup, perogi...and all of the other side dishes! We did have turkey at my mom's on Christmas day, but I didn't bring home a doggie bag. 

Dahpne...my dogs do the same thing. Our boy, Marco, has thieved sandwiches and hamburgers off the counter several times. He's so sly too. He waits until I go to the fridge to put something back. By the time I turn around and come back, he's already devoured it and left the scene of the crime!!

Okay, Sue Ann, count me in too. My fiancee and I have already been talking about eating healthier. That should be pretty easy because we really prefer the tastes of healthy things opposed to junk food. I love pretty much all veggies and fruits. The problem is I get a little lazy about the cooking so we end up eating frozen dinners more than we'd like.  So I think if I can start planning better, I will be more successful. So resolution #1 will be to plan and make healthier meals.

And I need to lose about 10 lbs. too. I was so nice and thin before I got pregnant. I was a vegetarian for 5 years prior to my pregnancy. Then about 3-4 months into my pregnancy I started craving meats. I took this as a sign from my body that my baby needed something more than what I was giving her. So I started eating meat again and I went crazy!! I gained 55 lbs. during my pregnancy!! So, she is almost 3 now and I still haven't lost it all. Those extra pounds are hanging around my waist and I look like I'm still carrying a wee baby in there! So, resolution #2 will be to exercise and get that waist back!!

I'm in no rush to take down my tree. I'm sure it'll be up for a couple weeks. I don't mind it taking up the space and I just love having it lit. My family never had a rule of thumb to go by as far as taking it down. My fiancee, however, likes to stay with his traditions as much as possible. I can't remember for sure, but I think his family left it up all through January.

Wow, Kelly, what a beautiful card! Your mother is very talented! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

Thank you for the warm wishes, Helena. I hope that your holiday will be wonderful as well.

And it's great to hear things are finally settling down and you're getting relaxed!

Congratulations, Irene! Your bears and dolls are wonderful! I'm so glad you were so successful and had such a good time!

The site looks great, and the bears and dogs are wonderful! Well done!! 

Thank you so much, Julia! I think you are right, the world could use a lot more "bear people".   
I hope you have a wonderful holiday!  :hug:

Thanks for the all the kind words. I don't wish revenge or bad things for this guy, only that he would take responsibility.

That's a good idea Kathy. There were so many cars in front of me at the stop light that I'm sure the cameras there didn't pick up anything. But I thought maybe the businesses on the side of the street might have something. It's worth asking. I think I'll try the newspaper, too.

And as far as the shopping goes, oh well. I was almost finished anyway, just trying to get those last few. Those last few were for the hard-to-buy-for people anyway, so they might just get cash!   

I am so stinkin' mad right now!! Hope you guys don't mind if I vent a little.

I went shopping yesterday, along with my mom and daughter, to finish up for Christmas. We were in the car at a red light when some jerk plowed into the back of my car. So my mom immediately calls for police, but she is so rattled that she can't talk to them. I take the phone from her and do the talking when the guy who hit me knocks at my window. I roll it down and he tells me to turn off the road somewhere. There was no shoulder to pull the car onto and the road we were on was very heavy with traffic. So I ask the police on the phone if it's okay to move the car. Sure, they say, and I stay on the phone until I can tell them where I'll be parking. Well, I start moving and turn at the traffic light. Then I turned into a parking lot and that little punk kept going!! 

I didn't get a good description of the car or the plate number because I was talking on the phone and trying to find a place to park. My mom did try to look but couldn't see the plates. I imagine the little creep either didn't have insurance or had something in the car he didn't want the cops seeing.

So, while my car doesn't visibly appear too bad, it's making all kinds of weird noises from the rear end now. My fiancee said it will probably cost a few thousand to fix it. We only have liability insurance on it, so there goes getting it fixed! I don't have the cash to have it fixed. And I'm not sure what will happen as far as any medical bills. My neck and shoulders are pretty sore right now. I don't have health insurance either since I don't work out of the home. It's so expensive. Thankfully, my mom and daughter do! I'm really worried about my mom. We got rear-ended on Christmas Eve two years ago and she had a lot of trouble. She had to go through physical therapy for quite a while to get back on track.

And to top it off, I've got a nasty cold and I can barely talk right now. That really stinks because I feel like screaming!! And I didn't get my shopping done!!

Fran, that's awesome! What a great friend you have!!

Good luck with the kitty, Kim. I'm sure one of your ideas would work! I know my fiancee couldn't resist if our daughter asked. And when I was a kid I used to bring home any wandering cat I came across on my way home from school! 

I've been wanting another kitty too and I've actually had him agree, but...

Of course, there has to be a but...

Unfortunately the one cat I have likes being an only cat. She's getting kinda old now and I don't really want to stress her by getting a kitten. She already has to deal with the two dogs we've gotten in the past 2 years.

What a cute picture! I have a cat too and of course she loves boxes! She likes to chew on plastic grocery bags. She has some weirder "likes" too, but I should probably keep those in the family!

Dilu- that is so funny!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Marion. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.  :hug:

Well, of course she loved him! He's so cute, how could she not? So will there be more mohair bears in your future?