Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

You go girl!! (not literally - just figuratively!)  :clap: 
Thanks for a job well done Shelli.  Hope to see many more Potbelly bears in the near future.

FANTASTIC  - GREAT IDEA!

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I get it perodically in my right wrist, and I just rest it and use a brace.  Sorry to be a "naysayer" regarding surgery, but I would consider that the very last resort.  Before he retired my father was a general surgeon, but he was one of the ones that would try everything before "cutting", and I guess he has passed that philosophy on to me.  Try all the other things first, rest, anti-inflamatories, a brace, and excercise.
Good luck!

Yes, unfortunately, I think all of us who have sold on Ebay have had things like that happen.  I am almost sure I know who you are talking about.  It can be very depressing, and unfortunately not a lot we can do about it, except just what you did by contacting Ebay.
For this very reason, I have been giving a long hard look at Ebay, and I'm really considering not listing there any more.  I may just make a selection of bears, and every few weeks do a new "show" on my web site, and also go back to selling to shops.  I'll have to make the decision in the next couple of weeks. Do I, don't I, do I,  don't I - I feel like I am pulling off daisy petals. :crackup:

Wow, thanks for all the photos - it was almost (but not quite) as good as being there!  What a lot of wonderful bears!!

I don't usually wear any perfume - but on the odd occasion I will wear Nica Ricci's "L'air du Temps" (think that is how it is spelt).  There is another one very similar by Hartnel that is called something like Heart to Heart, or something similar - both are very light and feminine.

I can't stand it when I am near someone that has put on so much perfume it could choke a horse!  Male or female.  Gag!

Brenda, don't worry - I am probably much more untidy than you - in fact I would bet on it.  There is absolutely no way that I am going to post a picture of my work space.  I seem to "spread" out around the house.  I have a huge studio room downstairs, I hand sew in front of the TV upstairs in the living room, you can't see the dining room table top for "stuff", and the spare bedroom is cluttered too.  I really need to take a lesson from some of you ladies and get organized.  I have been going through all my excess mohair lately, and posting it on ebay.  Hopefully I will manage to sort through all my bits and pieces and auction off all the things that I no longer use, instead of just storing it in plastic bins.  Organization is not my forte.

Really cute face - can't wait to see the rest of him.

A while ago some of you posted about a certain customer who was always asking for photos, samples etc., and never seemed to follow through with a purchase.  I can't seem to find the post, and was wondering if those of you who have been contacted by this customer would PM me with this persons name.  I suspect I may be her next "victim",  however I don't want to post anything for the world to see in case I am wrong.
Thanks

Thanks for the fantastic photos Jared - it was really great to see everyone's wonderful creations through your camera lens.

We always wore rubber gloves and masks when working with lye and raw soap.  My daughter has allergies, and she found that the chemicals and the scented oils (essential and synthetic) ended up making her allergies much worse.  It has been about 5 years now since she stopped making the soap, and the allergies are still bad.  So this is something to be aware of.  In retrospect we both think that the "soap room" should have been properly ventillated - not just a window open, but a proper industrial type fan and a fresh air intake as well.  Hope I'm not putting a damper on your enthusiasm - it really was a lot of fun, and very satisfying to make our own soap.

This is something that I have been thinking about lately - not quitting, but when to quit.  There was a group of about 5 or 6 bear makers here in my local area, and we used to get together a couple of times a year for lunch and a natter about bears.  Over the last 4 or so years, they have gradually stopped, one by one, until I am the only one left making bears.  It was really nice to have them to talk to, as this is a very lonely profession, and I miss the interaction.  Also, with my husband now retired, I am finding it harder and harder to concentrate on making bears.  It is not that he is in the way at all, as he is usually outside doing something around the acreage,  it is just that he is "here".  For example, when he worked and I wanted a cup of tea, I would make it and go right back to work - now he wants to sit and chat while we both have a "break".  This throws my concentration right out the window!  However I am not complaining about having him around - it really is great.  I am just finding my enthusiasm for bear making is waning.  I guess to answer the question, I would really like to make bears until my Canada Pension comes in at 60 (a mere 2+ years away), and then re-evaluate things at that time.

Thanks everyone - no I won't be making glass eyes.  Just beads - glass eyes don't have holes in them, and I'm only making beads that have a hole right through.  I don't think it would be worth the time and learning curve to figure out how to make the glass eyes.

Matilda - Yes some "lampworkers" make little animals, but I think the woven glass baskets is another type of glass work.  I have purchased a few glass fishes and horses from some of the lampworkers on ebay, and they are just incredible.  It will be quite a while before I tackle anything like that.

Bronwen, if you get the opportunity to take a class, I would definately recommend it.  However, be warned that it is addictive, and also quite expensive, what with the torch, oxygen, (all the hoses and regulators required for these), the glass, the various tools, ventilation system - it just goes on and on ....  and it can be very frustrating learning how to make a simple "round" bead. It sure is fun though!

Go for it Shelli - I figure if I allow myself a certain amount of time, and make sure that I keep up with my teddy "obligations" (not that it seems like work at all - I love making teddies), then I can hopefully satisfy both creative urges.  However, I must admit, that some days I wish I had never gone to that craft fair last November and seen all the lovely beads.  I wish each day had about 40 hours in it - and I had the energy to survive those days!

Thanks for your compliments everyone - I am trying to organize my days so that I get to "torch" at least once a week, and then on weekends.  Teddy making the rest of the time.

Yes, I am very lucky that my husband is so relaxed and so supportive - however it took me THREE tries to find the right husband!! :crackup:

No, SueAnn, I am not a whole lot younger than you!  I know I'm one of the "seniors" here!  I just don't do any housework, and meals are a hit and miss affair in this house.  Fortunately, my husband always says "lets have a sandwich" for supper - got to love that man!

My daughter and I made soap for a few years, and it was wonderful.  We made it from scratch, with lye, palm oil, olive oil and cocoanut oil.  Then added various essential oils, and sometimes colour.  She took it over herself, and was making some beautiful creations - all kinds of scents and colours, with shapes and patterns inside the bars.  However, with the expense of the supplies, and the small amount you can charge for one bar of soap, she found that it was just not making any money at all - and had to give it up.  It was too bad, because it was a wonderful product, and my skin now gets all dry and scratchy from the commercial soaps.
There are some great books out there on soapmaking - check your local library or book store.  I wouldn't recommend going the "melt and pour" method.  That is just taking a commercially made base and melting it and adding scents etc.  Good luck.

Well, one of the things I have been doing lately is "Lampworking", or glass beadmaking - where you melt glass with a torch onto a welding rod and make beads (short version).  I am finding it hard to find the time for both the glass and the bears - there are just not enough hours in one day!  However, I am not at the stage in the lampworking where I can begin to sell, so if I don't make bears, then I don't get any income - besides, I don't want to quit making bears!
Anyway, here aare a few of my lampworking attempts.

He is a gorgeous bear Paula - congratulations!  Well deserved!

Congratulations Krista, he is a wonderful little kitty cat!!  A well deserved award - or two!

Yes, it has happened to me a few times too.  I think you just have to "let it go" as the saying goes.

GREAT!  That's my philosophy to a T.  I am always looking for justification to avoid house cleaning - I also have a cleaning lady come in every two weeks, so that at least we can stop tripping over the dust bunnies.  Hmmm, I wonder if they would be good for stuffing bears with! :crackup:

I like jointed - especially for a teddy style bear.  I used to get a kick out of watching people change the position of my bears at a show - I would put their arms down and back a bit, and a lot of customers would come along and put the arms sticking straight out or slightly up, like they were reaching for a "cuddle".  Interesting how everyone has a different "posing" preference.

Can you send us a pic - pretty please.
I wonder if they are out in Canada yet?