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Hi Static, Hi Lisa!!!! Thanks for reviving this thread... so interesting! I think a lot of creative people have a dominant sense that really gets them going. For me it's smell. I have sweet woodruff growing all over the front area of my house, it's particularly fragrant when it blooms, and also in late July when the heat starts to really hit it. It smells like vanilla/fresh cut hay to me, and it always makes me feel happy and creative. This pic shows one of my minis sneaking around in some woodruff AND violets! Love the smell of violets and lavender, and lilac. I'm a fabric softener junkie too! 
Seriously, when I go back to a brand that I used in the past, it takes me right back to what I was doing during that season... it just changes my whole outlook on things and sparks up my imagination and creativity. So... all I have to do is take a big whiff of my shirt sleeve, and there I go! :crackup:
Kim Basta
I totally agree with you Tami... you have to make what you love... I obviously started out with just miniatures, but also worked my way up to making larger bears as well... mostly for the challenge of it, and because those beautiful mohair fabrics were just too gorgeous to resist! I always encourage miniature artists to give a big bear a try & vice versa... there is SO much to be learned in both directions. For the first year of my mini making, my mini bears looked like mini bears! 
It wasn't until after I started making larger bears that my bear making really came into it's own, with prices to reflect that as well.
Since I hand sew my mohair bears, they do take quite a bit longer than my minis, especially since I sew all the seams twice! :doh: Cost-wise, the minatures are certainly less expensive to make. From a profit point of view, I do much better with the little ones. My husband always asks why I even bother with larger bears since the profit ratio is generally so much lower for me, but I just can't help it... I love the mohair so much! I totally agree with Tami... unless you approach bear making from a strictly business/profit point of view (which I doubt many of us do! ) you really do yourself a service when you make what you are drawn to and love! 
Kim Basta
What a fascinating technique SueAnn! Those bears look like they would be fabulously tactile! Gorgeous!
Kim Basta
Chrissie,
If you still can't get it sorted out through Live Help.... you might contact Berta Hesen-Minten of ThreadTeds.... she's a lovely lady, a member here at Teddy Talk, and she's also in the Netherlands. I'm sure she is well aquainted with the necessary PayPal settings... she sells quite a bit overseas....
Her info is right here...
http://www.teddy-talk.com/profile.php?id=344
Good luck!
Kim Basta
Hi Deb! I took a peek and thought your site was really great! I like that it has a nice nostalgic, homey feel to it! 
Kim Basta
It's so exciting to hear everyone's pregnancy updates! Such an exciting time, isn't it!? Just a few more months and we'll have a whole gaggle of little TT babies to welcome into this world! 
Kim Basta
Yep... that'd be my guess too..... her faces are pretty distinctive, and adorable!
Kim Basta
That's great news Louise! What a beautiful dog! 
Debbie! Oh absolutely YUM!!!!! I think they look REALLY good!!! Just bought 4 boxes on sale at the store the other day!!!! And an adorable bear as well!
Kim Basta
OOOO Chloe! WOW, are you ever a stunner in that dress... I can see why it's so magical to you! No good suggestions here, I'm afraid... just hoping that you do manage to get it out! :hug: :hug:
Kim Basta
We are just staying home this year too! :hug:
Oh Sue Ann.... we always do the black eyed peas thing on New Years Day as well! Much of my family is from Kentucky originally, and we've always carried on that lovely southern tradition as well. My dad's side of the family has some German blood... so they do the sauerkraut thing! 
NOT a big fan of the stuff myself, but black eyed peas... yum~!
Kim Basta
I'm with Aleta on this one... just too many things aside from Christamas were happening this year so i could not participate... 
I REALLY hope to do so next year though! Such beautiful trees... Tammy.... you were such an angel to organize all that! It really is a great visual representation of the true spirit of this wonderful place! :clap:
Kim Basta
Good for you Laurie!!! I often make bears in the 4-5 inch range... You have no problem laying a bear this size out on the 9x9 inch piece of fabric..... you'll even have seome left over just in case you need to re cut a piece or two! :dance: :hug:
Can't wait to see what you come up with!
Kim Basta
Oh how wonderful Julia! I've loved seeing her as your avatar...she's just beautiful! So regal looking!
Kim Basta
OOOO! Debbie! I love chocolate cherries!!!!! It's my absolute favorite candy... and there are loads of them on sale from Christmas through Valentine's day! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: I like the dark chocolate ones BEST!
Fimo Classic does come in a nice chocolate brown color... if you'd like it darker you could mix it with a bit of black. Are you doing an intact/unbitten cordial? the ideal thickness for strength os about a 1/4 inch of clay. If you do the foil center... I'd shoot for a clay covering that's about that thickness.... then you can just bake at the temp recommended on the package... maybe just for a few minutes longer than the package specifies.
Just remember that when it comes out of the oven it WON'T be hard... so don't test it for strength/doneness at that point. You'll want to cool it quite a while, then see how strong/done it is. A nice coating of Fimo varnish will give it kind of a shiny wet look... or you can get a nice satin finish with a coating of floor wax, and buff....
MMMMMmmmmm! Now I'm craving the real deal! 
Kim Basta
Here's this year's tree... some of you have been here long enough to remember my 2005 Christmas tree 
Needless to say, THIS one is still pretty tall, by it is so nice and skinny! Yea... the husband has learned!!!! You can check out the 2005 monstrosity on my blog if you wish....
And Daphne... I again brought up your fabulous 2005 lyrics to disuade him from making the same mistake. YOU are a Christmas tradition at our house!
Hi Debbie.... yeah... if you can use the right color of Fimo, that's definitely best. There has been a lot of discussion over the years in the doll community about what kind of paints you can/should use with the polymer clays. You can also mix a blend of different colors of Fimo to really get a nice custom shade as well.... or a marbled look... it's fun stuff! Just make sure that you really bake it enough. If your sculpted piece is large... you may have to give it extra time, justto make sure that it is really and truly cured all the way through. Sometimes the surface is rock hard and the middle can still be all squishy. 
Drop me an eMail if you have any questions/need any advice. :hug:
Kim Basta
Kim Basta
Hi there! Yes, mine are done just the way that Bronwen described above. Cut the muzzle off the side head piece, then add on a seam allowence along each of the new cut edges. If you want the upper nose area to also be a different color, you can cut off a triangular piece of the gusset.... sort of from the area where it curves in near the eyes, and extending to a point (or a rounded curve) near the forhead area. Again, you have to remember to add in a new seam allowence along both of your new cut edges. Hope this helps!
OOO!!!! Loving everyone's Christmasy blogs! There's a post on mine about our town's Holiday Walk.... such a good time! There's a pic of the little ones too! :photo:
http://wildthymeoriginals.wordpress.com/
Kim Basta
Dressing/accessorizing definitely takes longer for me. But, it's something I enjoy immensely. I like to tat or crochet little collars and hats with tiny beads woven in, or make ribbon flowers from scratch. I LOVE doing that stuff.... sort of like a side hobby. It's a good thing that the bears are so eager to wear my little side-creations... otherwise my poor little girl would probably be covered head to toe in beads and ribbons!
Kim Basta
