Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Bobbie,
You pegged me right. I am moving, shortly.  I'm heading for Seattle. But no need to be sarcastic, this is a crazy time for shipping in the US and I ship a lot! Again, why is it less expensive to ship Express Mail/One Day to California than Priority Mail 3-4 Days? I shouldn't have to move to the Yukon to get an answer 
Karen
P.S. Yes, I've contacted the USPS Headquarters.

BUT, Shane!
It costs $5.00 less to ship One day Express than to Ship 3-5 Day Priority?  When I went back to complain they handed me $5.00 and changed my box stickers to Express! What the heck are we doing down here??
Karen
P.S. Need a cat artist in Canada This is too crazy!!

I just got a shock! I went to send one of my cats to a customer in California (I'm on the East coast in Connecticut). The old cost I used to charge was a flat $14.00 Priority Mail. I raised my charge to $18.00 thinking that should cover the rise in USPS prices. When I went to send the cat I got a shock! The cost was $37.80! The cost is now double what it used to be  THen I checked out the cost for Express/one day shipping. IT was $32.80! $5.00 LESS than Priority 3-4 day shipping!! Apparently for anyplace further than half way the length of the USA, it is cheaper to ship Express mail than to ship Priority mail! I will shortly be checking UPS prices 
Karen
Anyone else had this problem?

Matilda,
Your garden is like some wild fantasy! Thank you SOO much for your bird photos. I guess you know, most of us will never have the chance to see these wonderful birds.
Thank you,
Karen

It's too late, I'm totally insane from the heat!
But, heh, I've had some very interesting thoughts and panicks  But I guess I'm lucky, our heat wave will end in two days. Lisa, come to our Mudge pond and show as much skin as you need too! This is an old NEw England town, average age around 80    you'd be a young nymph 
Karen, is that my name?!

Thanks! Brenda,
Now I don't feel so crazy 
Karen

Amy, Hello!
I guess we all have different genes or something on those lines?!  I can take 14 below in stride. Bundle-up, stay near a fire, get warm  But heat gets me panicky and paranoid. I feel like I'm trapped and going to die    My ancestors were from Northern Denmark, maybe that has something to do with it, but you look very Nordic, so maybe it's just ME?!
Karen

Chrissi,
I love    the sprinkler solution but then I have to go back into the fur situation. Hmmm?! Naked, Sprinkler, and fur? Interesting 
Karen

Sorry, Sarahjane,
I know a lot of artists here are on celsius    I think that would be 34.44 Celsius?
Tami, we get to -20F here in New England but you can always get warm! Dress in layers, run around, stand in front of a fireplace  But how can you get cool when you're walking around? Naked is tempting but......
Karen

WE hit 94 degrees here today and I feel like I'm going crazy    My best air-conditioning is in my studio so I locked myself in and worked all day. Good for production but already I'm feeling paranoid, like I'm trapped by the heat. We don't get this kind of heat too often in New England.  How do you hot weather climate artists handle the heat? I thought I'd be better with this as I got older but at this point I'm thinking of Alaska 
Karen and hot cats!

Jo,
Please! let us know that this squirrel survived this incident? Red squirrels are such brave and aggressive guys for their size, you gotta love them 
Karen

OK,
I'm listening to i-tunes, old-time radio (1940's) series, and listing my newest eBay cat.
Karen
Judi, Good luck! on your wonderful Journey 

What beautiful photos! Such an amazing child! Even more poignant when you see the computer in the photo    Yes, touch is an important part of being human. I would get these photos framed.
Karen

:clap: Daphne
Congratulations! You have his essence! HE is a special Wheaten. That's what we try to create with our art 
Karen
P.S. This is a problem or blessing? If you are sensitive to your customer sometimes you really do see and create their dog, or cat I have stopped creating cats that have left this earth, it's just too emotionally draining.

:clap: Congratulations,
You have raised really exceptional kittens! In my work I've seen a LOT of kitten photos and your kittens are just beautiful!
Karen

Pauline?
I guess you're joking?? Do you have a cat? That is NOT a mean face. It's more;  I'm a tired and confused- face. He's just a kitten!
Karen

Wow, Debbie!
You're right   :crackup:  That looks just like a catnip-high! But kittens don't usually react to catnip that early? But I guess there could be exceptions 
Karen

:clap: Lisa,
Your piece is wonderful and so TRUE to the Elinor's philosophy. She was, and is, the original Wild Woman! About 20 years ago while I was living in NYC Elinor came for a show and visited my friend, Colette Wolfe, also well-known as a fabric artist. Colette told the story of how Elinor came to NYC wearing her dress with at least a dozen little dolls attached. (Only Elinor could carry off that kind of dress  ) She stopped traffic! They attended a prestigious museum show and Elinor was the *Star*  :dance:  She is a force of nature!
Karen

Debbie,
Kittens are all OUT crazy when they play!  That's tiring stuff 
Karen

  I have to admit, I always think my photos make me look goofy    AND then I think; hmmm.... maybe I am sort of goofy! Not that I'm stupid but I do live in my own imagination world most of the time. I can get serious and practical, but I slip into "Kid" very easily. I guess the tip-off was that whenever I go to a friend's dinner or party their kids pull me away to play with toys or a game video(I'm pretty good at them ;-)
Sarah! You are so right. You're a Disney Honorary Member ;-> I was in the mouth of a Shark from Nemo 
Debbie, You have to be kidding?! You look so cute in your photo! Not goofy like me 
Karen

I've always said that I wanted to be known just for my work and I shunned photos. At Disney I had a great collector of the cats come and take me out to dinner and on some rides. I was so greatful if stubborn at first  (I do this show alone and am usually too busy to see the park.) Anyway this is a photo she took as we were exiting a ride. I looked at it and thought; what a perfect metaphor for what it's like to make your living as a teddy bear artist! Always on the edge in the Shark's mouth    So this is a photo I'll use. I hope it makes someone smile.
Karen
Sooo in the shark's MOUTH!

Kathy!
I love her wistful/soulful expression. Yes, you are a true cat artist  :clap:
Karen

Jenny!
You have joined our collection of cat artists! Yes, cats are HARD but so rewarding 
Karen

Hmmm ...
First I have to say I love my eBay collectors and I list only special pieces on eBay. As has been said; my eBay collectors are not the collectors I have at Shows. And the designs I have for shows are not the designs I show on eBay. I, also, participate in many charity auctions and special show auctions. I think of an eBay auction in the same way. At most auctions the piece starts at $0. (With eBay I usually start at $100.00 because of this special case where if you start too low you piece will be FAR back in the pages). But as with most auctions, the reserve is not revealed. I feel this is part of the auction game. And I think, rightfully, so. An artist can't afford to take a loss if for some reason the auction is slow or if some calamity occurs that distracts bidders. Any fine art auction would have a reserve. And I'm a little put off when an auction starts at the reserve?! First I wonder what the artist expects in price when they start at $400? It just doesn't feel like an auction  I, also, feel the point is to get many bids and get collectors participating and excited about the auction. OK, I'll admit maybe I'm old-fashioned. Maybe eBay is nothing like a real auction? But it's worked for me 
Karen

Daphne,
I think that little bit of mileage is enough I hear the New Hampshire bears are more wild than our CT bears. We haven't had a charging incident, in fact, I thinks sometimes our bears want to move in with us 
Karen