Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Jennie - she is just gorgeous, though I have to admit I have a weakness for white bears  Your customer must be thrilled....and I agree with the blue choice too     I think it accentuates the winsomeness of her features.

Hi Ellen

Hang tags are such a pain for minis!!  I  find them so frustrating, especially at shows.  My bears average at about 2 inches and I have a small square tag - that opens along the bottom edge. It's probably about an inch square when folded. When I go to shows I use a super long thread and attach the tag around the top of the leg, so that the tag can stand on the table behind the bear.  They still get a little tangled but the long thread means that the bear is not toppling over from the weight of the tag every time someone picks it up and puts it back on the table.

Again when I'm packing it into the box I use a longer thread and lay the tag in the bottom of the box with the bear on top.  I know I take the tags off my bears and store them in a folder so they don't get crushed and I'm sure that many collectors do a similar thing.

Hi Melanie Jayne

There are a few search engines dedicated to blogs (eg http://www.technorati.com/).  At work I use www.ask.com a lot - as I'm looking more for subject related rss feeds.

Once you're on the ask.com home page click on the blogs icon above the search bar and then enter your search terms - when you get to the results page you can sort either by "posts" or "feeds" - by using the tabs at the top of the page.  As most of us  craft bloggers aren't so specific about our blogs and search terms, "Posts" is probably the best option.  You will get some of those annoying aggregated ebay results, but you get those in most search engines.

Google also has a blog search function - just look along the top left of the google page - where images, maps, news etc are listed - click on the "more" and select blogs and search away.

The problem with most search engines within your blog host (eg blogger or wordpress) is that they will only link to pages from their own domain - and so you're only going to pick up those people using the same service as yourself.

I personally find most of my crafty stuff by sheer serindipity.  I'll start off on one blog and just by clicking links off their blogroll, and then the next persons and the next persons, I can discover all sorts of fun stuff.  Just remember to add each one to your rss reader or favourites as you go or you'll forever be hunting for it again!   

I also pick up lots of stuff from del.icio.us

I've noticed this on a few blogs lately...like many North American things it gets just a tad confused between NZ and Aussie...apparantly I'm from Brisbane, Australia.  I wish, it's probably just a tad warmer there than here 

so beautiful and cuddly looking!

It's so pretty Sue Ann.  I really miss snow - back where I grew up, we'd get a dusting like yours every few years.  Where I live now, it's wind and horizontal rain - give me snow any day!  Your pooch is so cute!

oooh where's that green with envy icon.  I've loved her bears since I first was introduced to artist bears back in 97.  I love their solid roundyness.  I once got to pick one up in a shop in australia - boy are they heavy!  thanks for sharing your pic ellen.

so pretty...I scrolled down and had a new favourite with each picture     I do rather like your vintage long pile one - she has a particularly pensive face which is very appealing

I'm with you Maria!  I am timing myself....and getting more and more depressed with each stitch!!  Results won't be in for a while as I only get to sew in the evenings.  I've only sewn the body and legs and one arm (no feet yet) and I'm already at 2 hours!!     and the bear is only 2 inches tall 

totally cute...all three but I love Ellie

hee hee...I am just the same!  Every time I go to a show that karen alderson is at I am drawn to her table.  I adore my frou frou bears but I totally never could make one.  I do make a ballerina bear for every show I go to (it's just a thing I have to do) but they are always grumpy, never frou frou and girly!

I actually started a "from off the shelf" feature on my blog last year with good intentions of sharing a bear from my collection on a regular basis, and again, as I unpacked my bears yesterday, thought I really should do it again.   I would love to see what other artists collect and why they buy the bears they do.  I find it fascinating!!  This was my one and only post.  As you can see Jack is totally different to the bears I make big(ish) and traditional.

http://honeythorpe.wordpress.com/2007/0 … the-shelf/

Hey Amanda

I just unpacked my collection of minis yesterday, after they've been packed away for the flood.  And I was pondering each one and thinking about why I bought it.   They look quite odd all together - a jumble of contemporary and traditional, animals and bears.  At the moment they're all together on a little wooden chest of drawers.  I need to find a better way to display them as the massed jumble doesn't allow each one to 'shine'.

I have a couple of bears that could be roughly construed as being similar to mine - that contemporary but not 'out there' look, but most are quite different.  I love traditional sad looking minis but they seem to be the most expensive kind there are, so I only own 2!!

Patsy...

Is this your book.  Probably not, as I know there are many anthologies with similar covers

I think you are all winners for having the courage to enter in the first place     
I am in awe of you all.  I never ever would want the job of picking winners in a bear competition.

Hey Cheryl

My recently moved from Edmonton to New Zealand workmate is feeling pretty good about her shift of hemispheres right now!
Wellington isn't super warm - prob in the mid 20 degrees celsius - but that's sufficiently warm for us.  Warm enough for me to be looking out the window at the sunny blue skies and begrudge the fact that I'm stuck at work for another few hours.

For me personally, I have to absolutely disagree that miniatures take less time than bigger bears.  I know we all read about those people that whip up in a mini in two hours, but I have to confess that the perception that my work is so much easier and faster to create than a big bear really irritates me.

I have made bears in all sizes ranging from 1" to 32".  And the first 5 years of my bearmaking was spent hand sewing 12-16" creations which took me about 8-10 hours to create.  Over the years, my creations have shrunk to be between 1" and 4" and the majority of them still take me at least 8-10 hours to create and even more if they're dressed!!  Now, I'm just comparing the time frames for myself.  I know that some big bear artists spend upwards of 20 hours on a creation.

Admittedly, I like my work to be as perfect as I can make it.  My stitches are less than 1mm long so it takes me a long time to sew up a bear and stuffing takes me forever as the potential for lumps and bumps is magnified when the limb you are working on is an inch long.  Restuffing is my least favourite pastime, so I take care to get it smooth the first time - even if that means adding miniscule amounts at a time.

And know I coud save time by taking bigger stitches and leaving out some details such as arm paw pads and a guesset in the head - but then I wouldn't be making bears that are true to myself and churning a mini out every day and making a bigger profit is not what it's about for me. 

I could actually make more money as it were from selling my 4-6' mohair bears.  They take me less time and the cost of the mohair I use is generally less than that of my precious vintage malden mills fabric.  They are also a lot less demanding on my body physically.  Holding tiny half inch head pieces while you sew them becomes incredibly painful after a time. For me, there's a huge difference in creating the two sizes and I know that it's not something other people can so easily understand but that's ok. 

Granted, the materials cost is somewhat cheaper, and Stef from Sassys has provided a much needed source of fabric for us.  A couple of years ago I couldn't afford to make minis as the cost of obtaining vintage long pile was prohibitive and I still have a panic attack when I cut into my very expensive and rare oyster vintage malden mills longpile fabric!   And yes, some mini artists make amazing amounts for their creations and even I shudder when I see some of the prices that some creations fetch but I do that with large bears too    Although I haven't looked at ebay lately, over the last couple of years there has been a big downturn in the prices paid for minis.  The high high prices are still obtained by some, but the solid middleground prices are just not there anymore. 

I stopped selling there because by the time I'd paid all the fees, I was getting less than $10 a bear over and above the cost of my fabric and listing fees.

In my expierience as a collecter, both here and at Australian shows, I would say that there are very few mini artists who get big prices for their work.  At the Aussie shows I've attended, I can only think of three who charged over $150AU for their work - and those bears had amazing intricate handmade metal and leather props.

I adore bears of all shapes and sizes and have to say that I am in awe of artists who can create truly large bears with amazing characterful personalities.  Getting back to your original question Amanda, I'd say that collectors are as varied as bear artists. Some collectors adore tinier bears and some just don't get it.  Some love to collect great big bears (I just wish I had a big house so I could!)

Some big bears are enirely huggable and cuddly - some big bears have details that make them not remotely cuddly and are intended to displayed like a piece of art.  I have a tiny collection of mini bears, and and a few larger bears.  I actually pick up my minis way more often than I do my larger bears.  Your koala is actually an example of a mini that is supremely tactile.  Who wouldn't want to rub his fuzzy little ears!    But that reflects me and my collecting tastes.

I'm sure every artist who's ever been to a show has experienced that feeling when people walk past your table without looking at it - yes it's annoying but it's part of life.  I know that I get really down about my bears  and their quality and envious of people who make fabulous bears that make more money.   And as much as I hate the homogenous trend driven style of ebay selling, every now and then I contemplate adapting my style to fit those trends.  But, I just can't do it.  As has been said time and time again on TT, you have to be true to yourself.

Don't overthink it and create what you want.  It may take a while but the collectors will come back and appreciate you.  I absolutely adore my koala and while I know your questions weren't about syle per se, I love the style of your bears so much.

Actually, on reflection, my bear collection is sums  up It has bears from artists who at various times have been the 'hottest' artist on ebay and bears from virtually unknown artists and the styles are a mix of contemporary and traditional, plain and froufrou and includes ducks bunnies bears koalas and the cutest little bluebird you ever saw.  I just realised that not one conforms to the trend of what's 'in' on ebay at the moment.  Whilst my collection at the moment is limited by the size of my house (and income!)  Although I 'collect' minis I don't buy a mini bear at the show because it's a mini bear but because the bear speaks to me in some way.  That's why some bigger bears have snuck their way into my collection.

Ok sorry for the rant...

ok, so we need a green with envy emoticon!

you must be feeling like the cat that's got the cream.  sadly, the malden fabric was never used here in nz so unless there's a divine miracle, it'll never happen to me  .  looking forward to seeing your new creations.  You've plenty of fabric to experiment with for the outside the box challenge! 

yikes...I'm still getting my head around Christmas     

Thanks for a new challenge Lisa - I love your creative ideas and am so impressed by the effort you put into promoting the bear/softie world.

so now I have to get my Easter thinking cap on!

oh my...I had my plans all set for '08.  Travel to the UK/US in June and go to Samantha's show and focus on my internet sales for the rest of the year - I feel I really neglected my online customers in '07 and I really need to update and get on top of my blogging/website.  So...perfect plan.

Then came the flood, and my bear making supplies are still in storage and are likely to be until Feb  :doh:  and worst of all, my laptop all of a sudden gave up the gost, as in well and truly irretrievably dead.  Yikes...I can't afford to buy a new one and now have no access to my email.  I can use my computer at work for tt but email is blocked as is uploading photos to my site.  I am still in hissy fit tanty throwing mode over it all...so I don't know what 2008 will look like but it's going to be mighty boring and I'll be broke!

Hmm it's a toss up between the flood this year - which caused me to have a flood of these      and means that the really cool handmade journals, cardkeepers and calendars I'd planned for gifts are not even started and won't happen OR the year I was 16 and got gastroenteritis 2 days before Christmas and I sat at the table with my marmite on toast while everyone had Christmas dinner including my favourite "we only eat it at Christmas " snowy pudding.

I really don't remember any truly disastrous gifts....not yet anyway!

Oooh Amy, I am so relieved it finally arrived!  I worry when every single one of my packages goes out      And so pleased that you like it.  I was trying to get the bear to be under an inch but darn it - he was just over!!

Strawberry Shortcake! In 1981-1983, Strawberry Shortcake was the only thing I wanted for Christmas.  My cousin who was the same age as me had them all.  I think I never got them because all the present buyers thought I was on the cusp of being too old for dolls

I remember my mum making this strawberry shortcake cushion and I thought it was going to be my Christmas present but that went to my cousin as well....I still remember watching her open it and feeling royally cheated!

A few years ago I was in a bear store and they were selling someone's doll collection.  Every doll I'd ever wanted from the 70s and 80s was there and yes there was a Strawberry Shortcake mint in box for $10.  I was just looking at it yesterday and thinking I should get rid of it but somehow I can't!!  :redface: 

Oh and I always wanted a pogo stick!

Did Tami say that 45 people were doing this swap??  that means that 1/3 of the ornaments are on the tree!  I love that each ornament is so different from the next.  Can't wait to see more

I received my ornament yesterday - a lovely bright spot in my soggy week.  She was made by Lynne Thomson  and travelled to me all the way from South Africa.  Thanks so much Lynne!  The mohair Lynne used is so soft lovely.   My ornament has been in the post 10 days now....I hope it reaches its destination soon...I'm getting a little anxious!

Methinks some of the inspiration for the tellytubbies may have come from a francois langur monkey!!  But the monkey is so cute and endearing unlike the dreaded tellytubby.