Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Brenda I wouldn't worry to much about the squeak.  Remember the loc line is there for posing, it's not going to be moved a lot.  We use it all the time and love it, we also use wire but depending on the size of your bear I like the loc line for my bigger bears.    Don't let the squeak bother you honestly, I don't even notice it  .

big hugs

Shane

Tammy for your conversion rate from US to Canadian  $ use the annual conversation rate set by the bank of Canada.   The 2006 rate was 1.13409360.  This is also the rate the Canada Revenue Agency will use to convert US to Canadian funds ( don't ask me how I know this  :crackup: ).

big hugs

Shane

Thanks everyone I'm glad you all like the site and find it easy to get around, that's really what we were shooting for. Nothing fancy and no flash just the bears  .

Well Karen we will work on getting a new pic taken,  I hate having my picture taken but that one was pretty close to what we actually look like.  Perhaps while we are in Schaumburg we will get someone to take a new picture of us.  I'll have to suck in my tummy a lot haha,   I'll make it a priority just for you honey  hmmmm ya really think we look better in person  :crackup: .

big hugs

Shane

Thanks for all of the information Lynette,  Maria Collins has been after me for a couple of yrs now to enter this competition and it looks like I might actully be able to do it this time  wooohooo.

big hugs

Shane

Huge congrats Sonya ,  wow 3oz  I can't even imagine anything being that small wow.  Looking forward to seeing the pics,  I love little yorkies.

big hugs

Shane

Thanks Ilze and Carolyn,  we were trying to keep it plain and simple and easy to get around.  Glad it functions that way for you guys. 

big hugs

Shane

Hi Everyone,  just wanted to let you know that we have a brand new website.  Out with the old and in with the new, I hope you will all take a look .

big hugs

Shane

Well  duhhh  why the heck didn't I think of that  :crackup:  :crackup:   good thinking Ilze that would be the easiest solution now wouldn't it.

big hugs

Shane

Hi Ania,

What size of scraps are you looking for?  like a 9x9 size and does the length of mohair matter or are you just looking for short pile as you make mini bears?

Big hugs

Shane

I had to google what an Echidna was  ,  I thought it was a hedgehog when I first saw it.  They are kinda scary looking at first but now I think they are kinda cute.    I found this information on one web page which I thought was very interesting.

"Together with the platypus, echidnas are the world's only monotremes, or egg-laying mammals. There are two species of echidnas, one confined to the highlands of New Guinea, and one which lives in Australia and New Guinea."

I had never heard of a monotreme either (wow maybe I need to get my head out of the bag of stuffing sometime and maybe I would learn something  ) 

Thanks so much for posting the pic, it's so great to see these other creatures from other parts of the world it's so informative.  Hmmm maybe I'll have to attempt making one of these monotreme's   :crackup: .

big hugs

Shane

I have to agree with Chrissi, I think you need to make some changes to the bear  and not just an accessory or something like that.  Perhaps change one of the furs you used in the panda or something like that. Changing the eyes or the eye sizes different colouro f pad fabric .  Just to make it look a little different , put yourself in your customers place and decide how you would feel if you had purchased a OOAK bear and then found out that the artist had made other's that were basically the same bear.  I know I wouldn't be happy when I thought I was buying a OOAK.

big hugs

Shane

OH Tammy how beautiful is that pic, it looks like a christmas card  ,  I had heard on the news that you guys were gonna get whomped with a big snow storm.  My brother lives in New Brunswick and they were getting some snow yesterday but nothing to what you got.

We got a very light dusting here but it's really cold this morning.  Hope it all metls quickly for you and we can get on with spring.

big hugs

Shane

I jus heard about them yesterday Jodi,  a store near us says they get about 50 phone calls a day about them.  He said they can't keep them in stock and they are now starting to have a hard time to even get their orders filled from their supplier.   I just looked at the web site, man they are adorable I saw about 5 that I want  .  I'm sure you kids will got nuts when they get them .

big hugs

Shane

It is very quiet on here tonight JoAnne, everyone must be getting their sleep in for a busy day tomorrow  .

hugs

Shane

:crackup:  :crackup:   well we would be good company then Tami,  I haven't seen that commercial but it sounds funny.

hugs

Shane

:crackup:   Yep that's the rule, as long as it hasn't been on the floor for longer than 5 seconds it's still edible, usually only us boys follow that rule though 

hugs

Shane

I would have used the noodles as well, but then I would proceed to tell everyone what I did after they had eaten the lasanga  .  At least you didnt' drop them on the floor , I think at that point I would have thrown them out  (hmmm but with men there is that 5 second rule so if I had been able to scoop them back up within that time frame then they would have still been usable)   :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:

big hugs

Shane

Hi Ray,

I have to agree with a lot of what Shelli said.  It truly is a personal choice and preference in whether you use real fur or mohair.  Mohair does not have to be expensive, we get our mohair at at a phenonmal price usually averaging $100.00 Canadian for a yard (and that's for mohair that is over 1" in length.  If you shop around you can find really good deals on mohair.

We work in both mohair and real fur, I think mohair allows you more creativity as you can do a lot more needle sculpting in mohair than in real fur (but scissor sculpting in real fur on the faces looks fantastic).  Real fur is very time consuming to work with, cutting the lining out of the coat and disassembling the coat (plus it's a dirty job  )  and don't forget you have to line the pieces as well to protect and strengthen the fur for longevity.   I enjoy working in both, but I love the feel of real fur.

we have only on one occasion had a nasty email from someone regarding us working in real fur.  We didn't respond to it and just let it go, some people are against it and that's fine everyone is entitled to their opinion (that's what makes living in a free country so great). Other's as Shelli pointed out love real fur bears and that's all they collect.   

You have to remember that a real fur bear will likely take you twice as long to finish as a mohair bear.  Don't be afraid to try mohair.   

Ray if you would like to try out a piece of mohair send me a PM and we would be more than happy to send you a piece  to try out (trust me we have tons and tons). 

We also were very shocked at the price of mohair when we started making bears, but once we tried a bear out of mohair we loved it.  It's ok to make bears out of both , we still make real fur bears and mohair bears and sometimes we even combine the two in a bear.

Big Hugs 

Shane

OH my Jodi  thank you so much for your wonderful compliments and to everyone else as well.  We've been on here I think since last Oct-Nov.   It seems everyone wants the big guy lol, we just finished another guy with army pants and a floppy camaflouge hat ( I think he is really sweet as well I'll try and post a pic of him later tonight)

big   :hug:

Shane

Bobbie we took her class a couple of yrs ago, it was so much fun and so informative.  She really has to be one of the sweetest people. 

The April show is down to one day this yr as I think most artist wanted that as the Sunday was always pretty slow, it would be so great if Berta came and did a class (Steve got to go to New Mexico a couple of yrs ago and take a class from her and had a real blast).

big hugs

Shane

Thanks Tami  I"m glad you like the bear.  We actually bought the fur dyed that way, I agree that with this kind of fur I would not want to cover it up 

big hugs

Shane

I have used Mongolian lamb for a bear, I'm posting a picture of him, his name is "Wild Thing" .  It is still on the hide just like any other fur (mink, fox, rabbit) so has to be lined.  It is a difficult fur to work with, well when you make an entire bear out of it.  Stuffing took around 30 hours, sewing it was a breeze though.

I'm not sure if the lambs are just raised to be slaughtered for their pelts though but I could be wrong.   I won't say that I'm for it or against it, I guess one might say it's no different than raising cattle beef or chickens or any other livestock.

big hugs

Shane

Thank you all so much for your great comments and compliments,  it is truly an honour and we can't wait to see the magazine either, I know they did a wonderful job with the article.  I hope everyone gets a chance to experience this feeling,  it truly is one of those things in life that make you very proud of the work that we do (now if we could only get a Toby nomination  :crackup: ) .

Sorry I haven't been on much we have been so busy trying to get bears done for Schaumburg and they have to be shipped out tomorrow so it's been hectic around here (It's 1:30 am here and have about another hour of stuff to do before I get to go to bed  ).  I took a photo of all the bears that are going to be at the show and I'll post it this weekend. 

Maria nice to hear from you as always, I did see your bear on the cover of TBCI ( I think that's right :redface: ) such a wonderful bear but I'd expect nothing less from one your great bears.

big hugs

Shane

Oh  Mindy it sounds like so much fun, we are going to do our best to get there I promise you that.  Never been to Vegas but I know we can have lots of fun.

You are right though that the artist do need to come out and take part, if everyone starts saving their pennies now maybe a lot of us can make it there.  I'd really love to be able to have Steve celebrate his 40th in Vegas as that is what he wants to badly.

big hugs

Shane

Hmmm I have never attempted one either Jodi,  I think I will give it a go after we get back from Schaumburg, I think we should start a thread when we get them done and everyone can post their ATC's.  I need to read through those web sites and find out what the heck I am suppose to do  .

hugs

Shane