Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hiya Kerren. I ordered off Sassy bears on Sunday. I kept my order low because of customs. It should be under £18 not that you always get clobbered for tax. I paid using paypal as I have money in my account. Paypal just convert it at that days rates. Very easy. I will let you know when it comes so we can see how long it takes. There was some lovely stuff. I have also been lucky on ebay and that material will be with me soon. The only other place I have had from is the link below. I had the mocasin type fabric that my avatar is made from.(4")

http://pawbears.co.uk

I have not used these for years. You have to cut to about 1 1/2" them make your own loops. The only trouble is your eye holes have to be bigger to take where you twist the wire around to secure. I would use them if I got them at a good price, but I would not go out of my way to buy them.

:twisted: Go girl! Its best to get it out of your system. I have'nt tried corded eyelids yet, so you are braver than me. I have just finished the head of a green bear with doll eyes and needlefelted eyelids. I have never done a green bear before so we shall see what people think of coloured bears.

I know how you feel. Amy had a lovely mini lop bunny. It was so sweet. Very intelligent too. It just died for no reason. People don't realise how nice these little bundles of fluff are. Unfortunately I developed an allergy to rabbits. When we were looking after my nephews rabbit, they only stopped to chat in our room (it was in the pet carrier) and my chest started to go tight and my breathing was hard. I also get itchy eyes. It takes hours to go away and I have to take an antihistamine tablet. So no more bunnies at our house.

Jenny, you are perhaps like me, anything for a quiet life and then you get that today. I am trying to be more 'hard'. Sometimes like Shelli says you need to get tough and I'm not really built that way. I had a friend die last Sunday. She was 57 and had known the tragedy of losing a son of 12. I am only 37 and have never lost someone who was a mate. We were not best friends but I used to see her every week.  I suppose as you get older these things happen. I would put today down to experience and remember it was not your fault and in the end the other person bought it on themselves.

I spent a lovely day in Litchfield which has a cathedral. I visited my mother-in-law later and will be settling down soon with a glass of wine to watch 'the shawshank redemption', triumph over unfairness, good film to watch at the moment. Curry later, then bed. I've got to go a works meeting tomorrow, while my husband and daughter go to the funpark at Southport! I suppose thats what life is all about, that rollercoaster that goes up and down. Have a good weekend everyone! :dance:

Another thing I do (with my big bears too) is because using ladder stitch to close limbs after stuffing can make the shape a bit messy I do it another way. I sew my limbs all the way around. I make a little vertical slit, at the top of the limb where the joint would go, having fray checked this before. I turn through here, stuff, put my joint in, then ladder stich up. The joint hides the stitching against the body and you have a lovely smooth shaped limb.

You have got me started now, when I finish the bear I am on now, I think I will try one slightly smaller than my usual 4". It keeps things interesting. Thanks everyone. :clap:

I would go with what everyone has been saying. Take it back, start again and re-sell it. And... pour yourself a large glass of wine tonight and chill. Customers ahhh!!!!

Wow Melissa what a lovely job you have done. Could anyone tell me what the customs limit is from Canada to the UK? (so I won't have to pay tax) Also would it be best to pay by credit card or paypal because of conversion from sterling to dollars? (I assume I have to pay something). There are some lovely fabrics on that site and I would love to order some.

I got some great forceps off ebay to do my turning of limbs. Came with a good pair of tweezers to. I use 3mm black eyes and for realism fairy doll eyes to. I don't do less than 4" now although I did smaller years ago. I use small cotter pin joints about 1/4" and I sometimes use the cotter pins and bigger washers. You will need small steel shot and I got a smaller curved needle from Tesco. It was just over an inch wide and really helps to sew ears on. I think you will really enjoy the challenge and it could open up a whole new market of collectors.

www.fairytasia.co.uk for fairy eyes, lovely site too.

Custard my avatar is 4" and I half sewed him on the machine and then did the fiddly bits by hand.

Good points. When I sold my Koala I put something like ' Oliver OOAK mohair artist bear'. I try to get as many of the search words in as possible. I thing I should have put mini in as well. You are better missing even the name out as they can see your bear on the gallery. Koalas are not even bears but I had to put it in for the search element. I shall think more carefully on that one and will also list on ebay.com and uk, thanks everyone.

I'm really impressed. Its hard to keep up with all these wonderful bears, but you have done such a good job on the face I had to comment. As to the paints do a search on Shelli's oil paint technique. It is so easy and worked a treat on my needlfelted eyelids, I got them the same colour as the mohair. Dead easy. Just ask if you can't find it and I will explain what she does.

Many years ago, about 11? I did my first Kensington fair and managed to take just over £1000. I was rather pleased as you can imagine. A year later I covered my table fee, petrol down there and had enough left over for a takeaway that night. So I did'nt do it again. It has a knock on effect like you say.
I also think the computer has changed things. Ebay and websites are like fairs every day. The collectors just go to artist bears and there we are. Not quite the same but there you go. It is a shame but I just can't afford to show at them if I have little return.
I hope you do well at Pudsey and at least you can fly the flag so to speak.

Chill out everyone. I don't mind. Thanks for looking. Hammy was my first attempt and I was not sure what I was doing. I think needlefelting is ideal to get noses looking good on small bears. I also like the idea of blending colours. I do thing its a 'just give it a go' kind of thing it seems odd at first but it just works!

I look forward to seeing some of the Judi class bears when you have done them. I would also love to seen them as you go along if anyone is so brave. Good luck to you all.

Poor thing maybe needs a plaster on. Or maybe go for a bandage. My dog once chewed one of my bears arms ( my 'bad' husband had been making the dog jealous by coo ccoing the bear and cuddling it). Ben then got his own back!
Anyway I bandaged the arm then plastered it and the bear sold really well!

I bet you are so proud. He is really YOURS now. Great feeling when its yours from start to finish.

The only thing I can say if someone did dob you in they must be jealous as you are doing well and make nice bears. So give them a big and keep making and selling.

I hope you are feeling better. I had a DVT in my leg when I was pregnant. I was lucky in that when it dislodged it got as far as my groin before I got treatment. I was on heparin (because of pregnancy). It was very painful because I had no painkillers.
I used to have to inject myself twice a day for a few months until Amy was born. I hope they kept an eye on you after the op as thats when anyone can get them.
One of the reasons I got it was because of pregnancy and I was about 17stone, so that didn't help. I now have an aspirin if I go on a long journey and make sure I move around.
So look after yourself and make sure you get plenty of rest.

I have just finished my Progeria Gala bear. I won't name it as I think whoever gets it can name it. Its around 9" and made from mohair. The eyes and joints are all safety ones which were very odd to work with. I also double stitched everything too. Hope its liked!

I will have finished my bear soon and will post it on the showcase section. It was weird putting in eyes first and other things I had to consider. I was well impressed with the plastic saftey eyes I bought. They were only 20p (about 33cents?) and really nice too.

Could be a market there. I'm thinking for newborns or babies first christmas. You can only give it a try.

I think your pattern is spot on. Perhaps a longer distressed fabric and smaller eyes? I don't think it matters too much when you have got the pattern right. Nice bear.

Marie your bears are so lovely. I can't believe how far you have come in a short time.  Sunny is my favourite.
You are all good adverts for the classes.

Here is the first thing that I needlefelted. I had not got a clue what to do but had picked a bit up to get me started. His name is Hammy the Whammy and is one inch. I used different coloured wool to get the blended look.

Oliver was the second bear that I needledfelted onto and is 4 1/2".

I'm all itchy now I've read this. My mohair got a 'mouldy' smell as I used to store it above a cellar. The building was really old and had no heating (it was a shop not my house!) so good idea to condition it.

In my day we used to have the milk for free. I think Margaret Thatcher stopped it. Clare you are a very bad mother.;) I confess my bad mother bit was last week. I knew about the harvest festival hampers in advance but still forgot and had to go rooting through the cupboard for tins of beans etc. Hardly like the ones being carried to school the next day! Are'nt teachers scarey now. I know a few and they are lovely, its just Amy must pass the vibes on about hers!

CHOCOLATE! sorry its been on my mind for two weeks as I'm trying to lose a few pounds.
Keep thinking aloud Kim it keeps us all going........ooooh choc-o-late...:P

Matilda I don't want to 'insult' you but have you got British family with mentioning immigration (might of missed something here)? I read it and did not take any notice of the 'well chuffed' bit until Nancy said. Very northen English.

Means very pleased with yourself or a situation.

I'm as pleased as punch for you!:)