Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Sabine,
Yes, Black Bears. Real chickens, all you have to do is clap your hands and they run    But they do LOVE sunflower seeds and that is what we mostly feed out birds. That's the reason these bears enter a house, they smell the sunflower seeds. But I've heard of even small cats chasing away these bears. They may be big, but not very brave! Happily for us! I am more afraid of large raccoons. But I have to admit I have never been threatened by our many animals. The worse thing I have faced is a Garter snake that was poaching my fish from my pond. I caught him with some barbecue tongs and moved him to a wilder site 
Karen

A Real Three Bears Story
Yes, we have BEARS in our neighborhood, Sharon-Connecticut, New England: Story-
The Kopec family returned home to find that a bear had entered their house through the dog door, left paw prints on all the nearby windows and sliding doors, and eaten a 40lb. bag of sunflower seeds.
Paul Rego and his Environmental Protection crew came out with a trap shaped like a long metal pipe and they loaded it with jelly donuts, peanut butter and bacon grease “(we treat our bears very well ;-)”
Needless to say, with a menu as enticing as that it was only a short time before the bear came down to partake. THe bear was soon trapped. As Rick Kopec waited for the crew  to arrive he walked outside into his yard and spotted another, larger bear ambling down toward the trap.
When Rego and his colleagues arrived, they shot the male bear with darts that put him to sleep, and the two bears were measured, weighed and loaded in the back of Rego’s pickup truck, which was beginning to get crowded.
The smaller, female bear weighed 225 pounds. She already had a radio collar on her neck and red tags on her ears. The Kopecs said she was a frequent visitor to their home. The male bear was quite a bit larger, weighing in at 480 pounds. Kopec took photos, he said he would miss the bear, and took advantage of the rare chance to pet the large and sort of cuddly animals. As he and the environmental team stood talking by the pickup truck, Kopec looked up over Rego’s shoulder and saw a third bear ambling down toward them.
This one was quite a bit larger even than the larger of the two bears in the truck; his weight was estimated at well over 500 pounds. Perhaps because there was no room in the truck, this bear was shooed off into the woods.
The two captured bears were taken down to West Cornwall Road, where they were released.

Yes, we get a lot of bears in out yards. I have several friends who have had bears enter their house. But in all these years, no one has been harmed by a bear. We take it in stride and smile ;-)
Karen and the cats and bears 

Now that's a cat I don't think I could design a pattern for!!
Karen

  Oh My God! Wally is Gone.....
SO very SORRY Linda, he was such a sweet man and he and Linda were such a part of the shows and our memories 
Karen

I haven't found a specific certificate for Teddy Bears. I created mine by changing around a general artist "Certificate of Authenticity". You can find samples all over the web. Here's one site:
http://www.worldprintmakers.com/english/certauth.htm

Karen

Krista,
I don't know how you do it but THANK you for being who you are!! I SO want the Orange guy. I had an orange cat for 17 years and he was the love of my life. Why do you have to be so far away!!
Karen

Veronica,
It's a little hard to visualize if you haven't attempted it. Imagine having a separate back leg that you are going to attach. Now imagine that the outer back end of this leg is already part of the pattern piece, and the thigh curve is sewn(using the insert piece), and all you have to do is sew the front inside of the leg insert to the belly to complete the leg. That's all you are doing. It's not only easier but because the pattern pieces are identical you never have to worry about the legs being in the right position.
Karen

I'm not sure if this helps or hinders?!
But I don't attach non-jointed legs. I cut into the pattern and add inserts to retain the smooth outline of the leg. Here's a copy of my cat cut-out pieces. It's hard to tell but the back legs are cut into the body and the back leg inserts create the legs. It takes some practice but it does create a realistic body shape. The very bottom pieces are the back leg inserts and there is a slit in the body pattern to accommodate the inserts.
Karen

Kimberly,
I LOVE cats BUt oh! your bear 
Karen

I've always thought it would be interesting to have a dog and cat show if we could get enough artists. Maybe we could do it inside a teddy bear show? Just think of how many potential new collectors that might bring to a show  People who don't understand teddy bear collecting might come to see dogs and cats, something they're familiar with, and through osmosis learn about the teddy bear world  :dance:
Karen

Oh boy!
My name had to get dragged into this.... Krista and I are friends and have been even before Krista started creating cats and kittens! We talk all the time. I agree, EVERYONE should start creating cats. We need to create a cat collecting market  I know, self serving, it would help me too.
Karen
P.S. I love Krista's style of cats!

Thanks! Everybody,
It's been a long hard day!  I Know, I should be happy my cats are worthy of resale  I think maybe I personalize each of my cats and kittens and I know it's strange but I, generally, remember each of my collectors and I worry when someone I know sells a cat!?  I know;  I'll get over it
Karen

It's happening again! I've sold only a handful of cats/kittens to the UK but it seems whenever I have a "good" sale day on ebay I find one of my cats or kittens that I've sold to the UK is up on ebay  I'm not specifically naming my collectors. Each time the piece is being sold in the UK it's by a person who is not the original buyer? IS it just me? OR maybe coincidence? I've had this happen three times in the last year but only in the UK! Why would collectors buy just to sell to another party who then sells the piece? My cat Damariscotta is now up for resale on ebay and he looks so sad. I feel really bad for him. Please! I'm NOT asking anyone to buy him! That will just encourage this type of buying and selling. I don't know what the answer is, it's just sad.
Karen

Gantaeno,
In the "cat world" fat means you're a successful cat! Your cat is a great success 
Karen

Michelle,
I understand    As I walk down to breakfast at Country Corners restaurant after it has rained, I bend down to pick up earthworms who have been washed into the road. Drivers must think I'm crazy 
Karen

  Here's my photo contribution.......
Mrs. Norris
A wonderful but misunderstood cat! What other cat would stand guard with it's owner!
Karen

Stitch & Bear Guys,
IT can't be that negative. Dumbledore trusted Snape. Dumbledore, up to this point, has never been wrong. We know so little of the deep background of this story. I think we have to trust our instincts  Dumbledore may be dead but Snape will have a large part in saving Harry. I would be VERY surprised if Harry dies. I think he will leave Hogwarts and maybe even start a new series on his own?
Karen

:hug:
Boy! that is sweet. You can tell the little guy is really old and his younger buddy is happy to let him ride along. If the world could be so loving!?!
Karen

:clap: Lisa 
He's JUST wonderful! They're going to go crazy over him.
Congratulations!
Karen

:clap:  Heather!
That's priceless! What a wonderful description. I'd love to see a photo of your guy?

Robyn,
Love your dogs, too! There's so much I don't know about different breeds but I'm getting ideas!
Thanks,
Karen

Ellen and Denise,
Thanks! You helped me understand why some TT members thought I was insulting dogs when I truly love both cats and dogs. I just haven't been around dogs since I've started my cat designs. Still complicated so I'll shut up  :doh:
It is fun, though, to image your pet as a human character (this is what I meant by character) and have them stand in as an actor. Where I live there are coyotes, bobcats, even 40 lb. racoons that will go after cats. My sensible cats come in from my garden by dusk and are afraid of the night noises. But I always have at least one brave adventurer who hones his skills and learns the ways of the wild. He/She will still be a sweet domestic cat by day and is at a distinct disadvantage in the wild, but then takes their best chance and faces the night just for the adventure. This is where I got my gambler character. He faces the odds with a few tricks up his sleeve? (ok in his hat  :rolleyes:) Each of my characters comes from a certain cat personality I have known.
Karen
Denise, How about a sharp looking Jester with a wand and a wise look in his eye?

Thanks everyone   :hug: Chrissi! love those faces, what characters!
You've all given me some great ideas. I have been around dogs most of my life. First a wonderful Shepherd mix who was sort of "woe's me", but that was understandable being with 4 young children  Then a feisty Beagle who always followed his nose no matter what trouble it got him into    followed by a Saint Bernard loyal and loving but not too bright. Finally, a Lhasa Apso who had a very strong! personality. I think I will volunteer at a shelter (I just hope I can take the sadness ) With cats I've always had 3-4 so I could study their different personalities and I could see "characters" just by looking in their eyes. I don't have dogs around now and I can't study them in the way I do my cats. I wish I could have 3-4 happy dogs around and see them in a natural environment    but I think that would be taking on too much love 
Karen
P.S. I have to say that cats also have very individual personalities, you can have a couch potato and a court jester in the same litter.  But it is a myth that cats are aloof and don't need attention. They crave just as much love and attention as dogs they just go about it slightly differently (actually, like some people have said; they have dogs that act like cats, and I've seen cats that act very much like dogs!)  My cats are also very attuned to my moods and know when I'm ill even before I do and won't leave my side for a moment when I'm sick, not even to eat. But, please, I don't want to start any dog versus cat thing THey're all WONDERFUL and I'm so happy I have the privilege of attempting to create their images
Karen

Hello!,
I'm just starting to create dogs and I need help? I've grown up with dogs and cats as a child; I've had cats as an adult. I know cat personalities. My cat characters are Pirates, Gamblers, a flirty Dance Hall Gal. I love the Spark of cat personalities. I love dogs for their regal loyalty and non-judgemental love but I'm having a hard time seeing dogs as characters? Can some dog owners help me? How do you see your dog? What character could you see you dog as?
Thanks :photo:
Karen

Wow,
Can you give any of the details mentioned in the auction? Synthetic fur can be very high quality and cost $100/yd. or more-retail, or as little as $10.00/yd. for carnival quality faux fur. It can also be woven or knit (stretch). You can check my website for how synthetic can be used, I love good quality soft dense synthetic for my cats.
Karen

Debbie,
What a strange place, Madagascar! Apparently there are a few strange predators. I don't know if they hunt lemurs?
Anyone interested in some really amazing animals check out this website:
http://www.wildmadagascar.org/wildlife/animals.html
Karen
P.S. I'm on TT a lot today, I've got a bad cold and I'm not up to work  I'm sure I'll say some stupid things but I have an excuse.