Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I think Marlene will still be very active by designing new bears. It sounds like a merge. She actually took my order but it came from Phillip-e-bears in Sydney so in fact there is still one less outlet. I would think you could get her patterns through them without buying a kit. I would at least ask.
Susan

Just love to cook but cleaning the shower base and walls is a pain.When I do need a night off cooking my husband is happy to prepare a meal and he isn't too bad at it.
Susan

I just received an order from Teddy Bits Australia. Marlene De Lorenzo took the order but when it arrived a note stated that Phillips Ted-e-bear Supplies have taken it over.So the goods were posted from Sydney rather than Melbourne. I was happy with the usual prompt service and maybe the difference in Postage was little but it is ..to me, another sign that the bear world is going through tough times.
I cant even think of stopping making bears or koalas, as try as I do the mohair/alpaca etc. stash is not getting smaller.
Susan

Thanks everyone,
Yes that is an idea. I will use the one Haley made as I don't want to just be known for Koalas and she selected two bears for the one she did for me.
Susan

Hayley was good enough to design a great Avartar for me, however, in the meantime my husband ...at long last..found time to select a photo for me and placed it on for me, not knowing of the one Hayley made. Thanks Hayley for all your effort but I guess I had best use this one , at least for awhile.
I hope you all enjoy the photo of my Mum and Baby Koala. Lets hope it works as we are not computer smart !! :redface:
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

Thanks for informing us of the Sale. I was hoping that they may have had some of the grey alpaca with guard hairs which is great for my koalas but sadly no. I did notice that they, however, did have one of my bears on their site. The cover of Australian Bear Creations Annual has my "Old Ted" on the cover. He is the large bear with a scarf and is one of the projects inside.
Susan
P.s If anyone has some of the grey alpaca with guard hairs that they would like to sell or swap , i would love to hear from you. I believe it is out of production .

Does it have to be in the USA ? You are welcome to visit my place. I'll even make the coffee and cake. Maybe a few anzac biscuits and lamingtons would go down well.!!!
I look forward to you attending ! :)
Susan
Shepparton /AUSTRALIA
www.adorablebears.com.au

Maybe we could just all exchange our favourite chocolate recipe.
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

I think most people find pricing difficult. It is even more difficult at the moment because there appears to be less demand for bears Worldwide. While it is tempting to reduce your prices just to make a sale I think this can depress the market even more in the long term.(although I have placed a couple of my bears on "special" on my website)
A friend  once owned an exclusive dress boutique. At sale time she would reduce stock and if a garment didn't sell she would put the price back up and more often it sold. She would say , if the price is too low people ask themselves "what is wrong with this article".   I think this can happen with our bears if we don't value our work who will. There is of course that happy medium of also not asking too much  and this is the difficult decision.
With regard to cost of post added to ebay or website purchases, as a rule I include the price of airmail post and insurance so people know the price they bid is the full price they pay. I don't think many would realise that sometimes the cost from Australia can be $ 50 AUD. so my reserve has to cover that cost. I have however, thought I may separate the cost for my next ebay attempt so people see the actual cost of the bear.They then amy appreciate that they are getting a good deal !!

Does anyone have any thoughts? Would you rather just be bidding on a total price inclusive of post and insurance ?
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

A book you could buy on line is a great idea . Could you just select the chapters you want?
I have just finished my smallest felted bears ...only 1 inch tall. It was fun but they don't sell , for me, as well as my mohair or alpaca bears and koalas so it back to work on those. I also did my first felting onto a mohair bear and was pleased with the result.
I will put them on the website soon,,,,,sorry I don't have the skills to add photos on my emails. :doh:
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

I just use the mohair or Alpaca.If you use cheap fur you will not get the same result. You will not only waste your time but your money. You may also have a great design and decide not to use it because it may not have made up as you thought it would in the cheap fur. Just go for it.......use whatever you imagined the design in. That may be a mohair or even a synthetic..if that is  the look you want. But go for quality.
Hope that helps a little. :)
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

Rita,
Obviously you have lots of friends..now add me to that list.
I agree that you need legal advise and maybe there is some free counseling that you can attend. But most of all try to be a good friend to yourself.
Take care.
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

Thanks Clare....yes I do feel good that My Koala has been selected by this lady. Isn,t it a strange feeling to think our work/bears etc , hopefully will be around long after we are,and that they really do become close friends with their new owners.
Susan
www.adorablebears.com

Thanks everyone, Yes it has reminded me that in our small way we can help some people. However, it is this Collector who deserves all the credit for at last having the courage to continue. I will let you all know if she responds after receiving her koala......maybe she'll not like it?  I hope not.
Susan  :rose:
www.adorablebears.com.au

Hi Everyone,
I just had to let you all know how honoured I am . A Collector lost her husband five years ago and has felt too sad to buy a bear ( or bear friend) since then. She has just contacted me to say she wants to purchase Echuca, my Koala. She decribes herself as an elderly person who used to love collecting and attending bear shows with her late husband but just hasn't felt like doing so since his death five years ago. I really hope my Koala brings some joy to her life. I will certainly add a little something extra to her parcel. Isn't this what bear making is all about? :)

Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au
Now I'm off for a run....that is when I often have my best  bear designs come to mind!

I have made a few Golly's but just drew the pattern out on paper. They sold well but then I just had to go back to bears. I did, however, pick up a great book called.."Classic Gollies to knit ,SEw & Crochet" by Marjory Fainges..It has lots of Gollies of all sizes plus Golly things..such as a teacosy, slipper faces etc.
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

I have a couple of awls but the best one came from Beary Cheap in Australia.
It is thicker than the pink handled one and has a larger rounded wooden ball type handle which sits comfortably in the hand.It is so useful for making the right size hole for locknut jointing your bear. The advantage is that if you make a hole in the wrong place, within several hours the hole "heals" because it doesn't cut the backing..just parts the threads.
The good news is that after being unable to obtain them for years..Beary Cheap have them back it stock. I could have sold one to every student when taking workshops but was unable to get them for so long.
Susan
(No I don't own the company or work for Beary Cheap...just love their larger awl)
www.adorablebears.com.au

Sorry to take so long to say thank you to everyone for taking the time to look at my work.
Matilda...what a compliment. Thank you so much for recognising that the Koala is meant to be different to a bear. Your words make all the unseen design work ,worthwhile. :)
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

Hi Denise, I will be interested to hear any follow up you may get on this. i don't understand why ebay would have a problem with that wording,
Best luck,
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

Thanks Marie and Sarah. Its good to know someone is out there and always ready to give a reply.
Susan

All these wonderful ideas and never enough time in the day to try them all. I have done some needle felting and loved it but am trying to stat focused for awhile on my Koalas and the "Kookaburra" which is still at the scetch stage. Maybe I should needle felt part of him.
Can I get a fur effect for the chest? And how do you add mohair to the wool? Do you buy it as you do the wool?
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

Sorry that should read two not tow. The bears don't tow the koalas....but now there is a thought,
Susan

Hi Everyone,
I have just listed tow new bears and two Koalas to my website. There is a little mauve bear called Vera. a fun forest dwelling scruffy gut called Perre plus two  more Koalas. I have five Koalas listed now and they all very different. The two new ones are "Echuca" (a town near where I live in Australia) and a tiny Koala called "Mitta Mitta". I think they are reasonably priced given all the detail..open mouths etc. and also that the Post/Ins. Worlwide is included. I also pay the GST within Australia. I would love to know what you think of this idea....does it make it easier if you are a collector, when you see the full price immediately? Also any feedback on these latest guys would be appreciated.
My husband loves them but I think he may want dinner this evening!  ;)
Susan,
www.adorablebears.com.au
p.s. would you believe I had to REMOVE my Guestbook completely as they still got into it somehow. I am hoping they leave my links page alone.

I will learn to add photos one day !!!

:)Yes I was forced to close my Guestbook due to spam but  none of it was directed at me personally and i still have my name ,address and phone  number on the site.My main concern was that although I could edit it, there was a chance that others, especially children , would see it prior to me removing it.
I also have made some very good contacts and sales by people who see my website but wish to phone or write to me. I advertise in Bear publications and always give my name and contact details.....as you need to. I have never had a problem caused by giving my address and I will never hide my identity.
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

Thanks everyone,
I still have my links page which is open for you to add your link. I just hope thae don't get to that otherwise I will have to close it as well. I can and do edit it , as I did my Guestbook, especially when some just add their link without a simply email to ask or even offer to exchange links.So if you haven't already got a link on my web , and would like to do so...before the parasites get to it....please do so.

Yesterday I spent a wonderful day in the garden. It is Spring in this part of Australia....and after a day of planting felt much better. I have even had a Kookaburra visiting me in the garden. They usually stay in the Gum trees near the river. They are a native bird, often called a laughing Jackass , as their call is just the  like the loud sound of laughter. A lovely way to be woken up each morning. So the world seems a little better today.
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au