Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi there Chloe
Fantastic bears, fantastic colours and such lovely little personalities!  I particularly like the elephants, but they are all so lovely!  Hope to be able to get to Hugglets to have a peek!  Have a great day!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi Yvonne!

They look so pretty and gorgeous, so I am looking forward to hopefully seeing them in the fur if I am lucky enough to get to Hugglets, and also if I am in time before they all fly off your table!!!

See you soon!  Take care.

Hugs

Marilyn

Wow!  Who could resist that lovely little expression!  Beautiful!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi everyone!

Good luck to all those attending Hugglets!!  I will be there but only as a visitor this time, but I am really looking forward to seeing all your lovely bears and meeting some of you for the first time!

Have a brilliant day!!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi Ruth
Big congratulations to you for lovely Pollyanna!!!  Well done!!

Hugs

Marilyn

That's fantastic Samantha!!  Well done and congratulations! :clap:

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi everyone
Well, first of all - Krista, your work is absolutely stunning.  Major looks wonderful!

Paula, 16 minutes to stuff and joint a head!!!!!! I think you should produce a video!!!!!!!

As it was maybe my comment on another thread to Paula that possibly sparked this topic off, I guess I should be timing myself properly too!  I only cut out a new pattern today in order to time myself, but as I am in the midst of seven other bears all in different stages at the moment, I think it will be a little while before I have any figures to hand!!!  I'll try not to be tooooooooooooo long!!!!! 

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi Judi
This comes as no surprise!!!!  Your work is truly amazing.  Congratulations and well done!!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi Shelly,
Big congratulations to you!  Your rabbit is amazing and you so deserve this!!  Well done!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi everyone
I am a little late but I would just like to pass on huge congratulations to all you lucky nominees!!! 

What a fantastic outcome for so many of you - well done!!!  All the work looks brilliant! :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi everyone
Yes, I certainly agree that you have to work out in advance in which direction you want to go with regard to trade buyers.  I know from painful personal experience when I was exhibiting at a show, and a buyer approached me.  She started asking me about the discount I would be prepared to give her etc. and I was totally unprepared!  I felt my face go all hot and red, and I felt really awkward. :redface:   I politely said that I was sorry but "No", but then when she went away, I kept wondering whether I had done the right thing, particularly as the show was not well attended.

So, definitely be prepared!  Decide on your direction and stick with it!!!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi Michelle
Thank you for sharing the video with us all, it was so sweet!  I absolutely love stories like that and I now have a big grin across my face!      I would love to have a pet crow, I think they have a lot of character!

Hugs
Marilyn

Hi Judi,

Well, I think you new website is very nice indeed - very tastefully done and very professional, and shows off all your tremendous work brilliantly!  You must be delighted with it!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi Paula,

Yes, it would be great to have a topic on the time it takes to complete certain aspects in bear making.

I never charge an amount per hour for making bears (my prices would be stupid if I did!! ) .  I just settle on a price that covers my costs and feels "right" without over charging at all.  I'm not a good business woman I'm afraid, and there have been times when I have returned from a show and worked out "my profit" only to find that by the time I have added everything up and compensated for having to buy replacement material in order to make a new replacement bear, I have hardly made a thing, often finding it would have been better not to have done the fair at all and still have my bears!!!  Oh dear, I am way below the minimum wage level!!!!  I think I have been looking upon it too much as a hobby and probably not how I should be looking at it!!

Look forward to the new thread!

Hugs

Marilyn

Ruth  He!!!  I just get drunk at the start!!!!  he he!!
Don't worry, I will be going through my "panic" stage before the show with regard to the bear making side, and then I will be panicing about getting to the fair on time and all the other hundred-and-one things that you think of and worry about!!  By the time I am all set up, my mind is off in a world of its own and that's the time to try and relax!!!!  But I always enjoy the days, even when certain fairs have been poorly attended as I have made some lovely friends during the shows and I always enjoy a laugh and a giggle!! Actually, I think I enjoy bear making for the fairs really, and am sad when they are over because then there is usually a long wait until the next one!

Hugs

Marilyn 

Hi!

Just having a little laugh here!!!  Oh Paula,  I wish I could make a bear in 10 hours!!! I am usually just about starting to stuff a bear at that stage and I usually reckon on taking between 25 to 30 hours of actual working!!!!  I know I take my time, but what am I doing wrong!!!!!

Sue, try and turn your panic into excitement!  I absolutely loved my first fair and I think one of the things that helped was that I didn't go with high expectations of selling loads of bears.  I thought that I would use it as an "experience" and if anything sold then that would be a big bonus!  It took me a little while to know when to chat with a potential customer, or when to just say "hello" and let them browse, you will soon get the "feel" for that situation.  Keep smiling and as others have already said, keep a sense of humour!

The day will absolutely whizz by ... oh, and don't forget to take a picture of your stand before the fair starts.  It is always nice to look back on them to remind you of the bears that you sold!!

Have a brilliant day   .....  and .......  RELAX!!!!!!!!!

Hugs

Marilyn

A gorgeous picture!!  These little sweeties are just about the prettiest little creatures in the world, absolutely beautiful.

Thank you Tami!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi!

Well  ....   You all look like winners to me!!!

Very well done anyway!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi everyone!
Would just like to pass on big hugs and big congratulations to everyone who did so well!!!!  It was lovely to see so many familiar names from TT - well done!! 

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi Gemma,

Yes, I have often wondered about buying mohair from them too, as there are some lovely ones to choose from.  I have been "afraid" to because I didn't know whether here in the UK we would be landed with other charges from customs on import.  Has anyone any ideas on this?

I am sure you will love your mohairs, it's very exciting ordering lovely colours - enjoy the surprise!!

Hugs

Marilyn

Aawwwww!  That little expression says it all!!!!!  An beautiful little soul!

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi Chloe!!

A brilliant photo!!!  Looks a cool dude!!!!!!!  That bear should be fantastic when it's finished!

Hugs

Marilyn

Dear Duff,

I felt very emotional watching the movie  ....  certainly a most important "sign"  and a lovely way to send a very meaningful  "thank you" .  You just can't thank some people enough ......

Hugs

Marilyn

Hi Jane,

Thank you for those!  They are truly amazing, particularly the first little girl who I learnt a lot from!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hugs

Marilyn

Oh, how beautiful!        I have a grin from ear to ear!!!  Thank you so much for showing us these - these have put me in the mood for doing some bearing today!!!

Hugs

Marilyn