Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Its hard to see things like this sometimes and still have a strong faith, but I see it as God made the universe and everything and is still in charge.  How will this suffering serve?  Honestly I don't know.  But I am the finite peering into the infinite of God... how could an ant understand the ocean or a goldfish the northern lights in the artic sky?   God loves us enough to give us free will and with in that freedom is room to do some terrible things as well as good.

Look what people put Christ through... gee sometimes I wonder if someone so pure and innocent can be put through that what do I deserve? 

Its deep stuff.  Its hard sometimes to have faith, but when I look at all the details of the world, the beauty of a tree, or a little snowflake... God's a detial guy and has a plan.  Sometimes I'd like to be more in the know, but its arrogance to try and understand the ultimate big picture from my tiny finite perspective.

when you are on your knees its a good time to pray.

Articicle    :pray:

I do worry sometimes but I also have faith in the Lord.  I spend time in prayer.  I try to release it to God after I have done my part.  God made everything, hes wize enough to be in charge and know whats going on. 

I admit sometimes I really struggle, but I trust in God... pray. 

articicle

I'm new but want to throw down the gauntlet... I'm giving folks tons of time because we all may have other things that need doing that are frankly more priority, and I frankly don't want to see previously made stuff posted (things made before dec 20th 2006)

Rules: 

*Animal must have lots of charactor

*Must not be made before today (dec 20 2006)

* must have lots of "expression, charactor, unique style"

* must be "out of the ordinary" fictional... 
EXAMPLES-dragon, eh think baby dragon... 
bear maybe baby bear crying....
maybe try mixing two animals together like hampster and an elf...

out side the box is key!!!!

REWARD PRIZE TO WINNER!!!!:

I'll let my girlfriend pick the winner out of the pictures submitted on this thread, and I will make the Picture image into a digital ATC (artist Trading Card) with some animal fiction on the reverse, and send a signed one to the winner.

DEADLINE: April fools day (april 1st 2007)

-Articicle

I'm unleashing my kitty, my kittys cuteness makes doggies drool in envy

nite all... I'm off too.

Oh, by the way I live in New hampshire in the united states... its just about midnight here tuesday night going into wed morning.

thanks for the party... I tried to sign out before but got a computer glitch.

a late night party surrounded by wonderful women, gee this is going to do wonders for my geeky image. 

Articicle

it don't mean a thing if it aint got that swing... rap is not something I care for usually either, and frankly I like M+Ms more than emeneieme hows ever you spell it.  the whole bling-bling shnizzle fizzle thing seems kind of silly to me. to me a hard core wrapper is an elf.

gee I should go soon too.  here it's near midnight and I have to work in the morn.

gee you know I hadn't even given much thought to the new year coming.  I need to set some resolution I will break the first day of the new year. Like most everyone else I should loose weight, get a better job, quit smoking... I'm not really sure if I am more lazy or content by just saying its just not super priority.  Yes extra weight is bad and smoking my captian black pipe tobaccoo will kill me, but isn't pursuit of a bit of the finer things in life worth something.  I do want that extra donut thank you.  I like donuts very much.

-Articicle

firstly ***NO***  I haven't been snooping... well, at least not a lot.  actually I got my gifts early.

second, "man of constant sorrow" is just incredible.    now that I know Alison Krauss and Union Station did it thanks to you I will have to look them up and see if I like their other stuff. 

for music, I sort of drift in the obscure... I like classical but not piano, swing, the B-52's, mettalica, and of course the soggy bottom boys. I like the hard heavy rock of metallica but what I am most impressed with about them is that they explore... like they did a song and actually put in classical orcastra in it.  The B-52's I appreciate becuase their music is light and fun, and their sound isn't like anyone else.

What music are people into?

my girlfriend gave me the movie o' brother where are thou.  It has george clooney and some really cool gospel songs.  Moreover its sort of a modern spin on homer's illiad and oddisy.  She also got me a wind chime, it's frankly a little hidious... but I love her and appreciate the thought.

sort of a gift for myself I was hoping to get a viechle, my church I think was going to help a bit.  I have been without a car for a couple of years due to tough situations... sadly, unless God sees fit for a miracle I don't think it will happen for a while, as unexpected wrenches keep getting thrown in the works.   

-Articicle

anyone want to see my pattington?  he is a flocked christmas ornimement I bought at the mall and pulled the string off.  I had him in my jacket pocket for a bit but currently his a bit MIA.

DO YOU CARRY BEARS with you?  The minis would work well.  I was even thinking of setting up a mini making bag that I could tug around and sew when I get free time while I am out

did you see the wonderful wood burned ATC somone made in the card section.... whoa

-articicle

You likely are not reading this, but prayers for your baby.

Gee it seems like everyone around here is being hammered by something like sick children or loosing loved ones, or ills.   

as for me I got all my art from my mom.  She was so cool.  She even painted our trash cans with loony toons when I was a kid. 

Did you folks hear that hanna of the famous cartoonist hanna barbara just passed away.  He was like 95.  Tom and jerry will live on to honor him though.

my mother, father, and half sister all past away a few years back one right after another.  believe it or not my mom passed on thanksgiving night, my half sister the the christmas day before that ... so the holiday time is really odd for me.

I have a few treasured keepsakes, my mom used to crochet too.  I have two blankets she made.  I wish you well dealing with it.  I still struggle a lot with missing my mom.  Elvis loved his mother.  I was close to her as we were both artists too.  I really look forward to seeing her in heaven when I get to leave here.  I got to be with her right up to her last breath, and it was good to see her go in a way because cancer had reduced her to 70 pounds. 

still what can I say, I'm just not the same without her.  I miss her.  To post something like a hand carved crochet hook, you show how dear your mom was to you too. 

to our moms... we love and miss you.... :pray:

aleta- the bear that is in you icon... can you tell me the detials of the tag on his vest... I can only really make out the number 3.

I'm a big fan of the older classic teddy look, as well as bears with creative charisma... like big feet or nice expressions.  Although the newer anime bears really are not my thing.

-articicle

I'm such a newbie I still have bubble wrap on me.  I've only made one bear so far, but I think it will become a new hobbie for sure, maybe a new income?  My "real" work is in delivering medical records and some artwork on the side... lately mostly window murals.  Lots of Christmas stuff right now.

-articicle

I've given up decorating my house right now for Christmas, at this point I'd settle for just cleaning it up.

I've been busy trying to redign my churches webpages.  I had took care of them long ago then someone else took over and now I got the ball back a couple years later.  My web skills are rusty, moreover there is is many bells and whistles out there that I am floored. 

Why can I just be a classical artist and draw pretty pictures, rather than be dragged into all this tech???!!!!

WHOA, Did I miss the party?

-articicle

Thanks for the help... my avitar now pops.... yeeeeeaaaay!!!

Articicle

I have been making ATCs for years and believe it or not have never runned into the name Aceo.

with my artists friends I think it would send shivers up any of their backs to see an ATC sold, or sell one.  They are ment to be traded with other artists or given away sort of as super business cards... they do work well as a mini portfollio and are another use as that. 

moreover in the realms of ATC some artists think they are ment only as one on one ice breakers and shouldn't be mailed or interneted.

my own viewpoints, I have mailed but have never sold an atc.  I just think the issue is in proper title, sort of like the free gift you get when you spend oodles of money for something... free? 

my spin as an artist would be don't call them atcs if they are sold. 

-Articicle

I'm using old graphic software, I can make animated gifs but can someone point me in the direction of the hover your pointer over and it changes codes (free software?)

I've notice lots of the newer stuff on yahoo has gotten really wild too, the advertizements flying out of the box... I've even seen a web page that snows over the whole thing.

can the advanced point me in a direction?  I've got ideas for some teddy comics that would work cool, but alas I am the vagabond artist who just updated his photo editing software to 2000 version (on sale at the library flee market)

Is this all tricks of what is html2 ?  I've just got out of windows 98 plus into XP so I guess I'm eeeeer, old school?  My stuff can make something like this  :pray:  or this  :clap: but it would rock to hover over the  :pray:  and get :clap:

oh, while I get greedy what of sounds in the smilies... is this doable for the lower tech premodern vagabond artist ducttape guru?

currently I can record sounds with my start- all programs- accesseries- entertainment- sound recorder... is there an easy way to tack them into the animated gifs?

thanks- Articicle

I was wondering if anyone can explain the look of the shapes in patterns...

I mean I understand by looking at a baseball or basketball how to make a sphere cut out.

I understand a cyllander is a retangle sewn down the long ends.

how do you pull off a nice round pear shape for a bear with a nice "bear belly"?  is the trick with sort of a body gausett?  should I think of a pyramid with one flat back side and two froont sides?

what about a bear with jowels or cheeks  what shape works for those?  :pray:

I guess as others mentioned you just have to retrain your eye a bit and always keep it open.  I know several artists who have vaste pictoral referance libraries they gather over time to study from for detials and inspiration.  Maybe it is like collecting a nice piece of fabric thinking someday this might be a cool bear. 

Some images are really wonderful silly tricks too. I remember for a long time I had some favorate backgrounds that I used crinkled up aluminim foil shot very close to with a camera and a walmart bag crinkled up on my scanner, then retouched and retinted.

articicle

people buy chia pets and pet rocks...  I am not sure who is to fault here.  its like telemarketers... someone is buying else they wouldn't be calling.

as an artist who sells art occasionally, I must admit I have done some logo work that was purely pandering to the crowd with a pretty picture because I needed to pay rent... yet I did feel horrible for lowering myself to what I call sailboats and lighthouses... but hunger is a good motivator.

maybe at least they feel a little cheap making these?  then again I remember when I was six or so and making pet rock knock offs for candy, toy, and comic money...

I think I am more offended that there is a market for things like say drugs.  You can be sure that it would go away very quickly if no one "bit"  on that sad note shame on any of you that bought one of those singing billy bass fish, what were you thinking?

articicle

on my first bear it took like three weeks from design of the pattern to giving it away.  That pile of fabric was a bit intimidating sort of like a blank canvas.  in serious time I must have 6-8 hours at least in it... but it was a labor of love.

articicle

shes beary cool.  We just about all have to make a living, pay rent and buy food.  That's just the facts. 

still I am with joeseph campbell in the idea of "follow your bliss"  not in a hedonistic way but just to pursue your heart felt tugs, and you may not always end up with a huge bank account, but just because you have cash it isn't going to make your life perfect.  Congrats on keeping ome yule in the cheer of Christmas