Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Well said, Paula!!!

Just caught this thread now Chrissi - been busy with company. Glad to hear that all has gone well and I hope your husband has a speedy recovery. Sending good thoughts and big hugs your way!

Interesting discussion. I have always loved competition - a chance to challenge myself and often try something new that I mightn't otherwise, especially if the competition has a theme. On my recent ad for Teddy Bear and Friends I did put the label "award winning bears" without really thinking it through, having seen others advertise their bears that way. I don't think I ever thought of that phrase as anything to do with assurance of quality or investment potential but just a means of grabbing attention! I have won numerous awards from all the bear shows I've attended, as well as 18 Toby and Golden Teddy nominations over the years -with several wins - so I don't suppose putting that was in error but I think the rest of you are right that it maybe doesn't mean that much to a collector anymore when there are so many more award competitions.  I know there are a LOT of bear artists who consistently get much higher prices on ebay than I do in spite of my awards!

I feel that some of the bears I have gotten awards for were not as deserving (in my opinion) as some that I didn't - it often depends what you are up against and the taste of the individual judges. I think I mainly have entered contests just for the fun and excitement of it and for sure you can't take it too seriously - especially to think your work is not good if you don't win, or to go on a real ego trip if you do - there are so many factors involved that there has to be a certain amount of luck there too - like being in the right place at the right time!

I'll have to go see if I can find that site several of you mentioned with the winning bears all looking similar - wonder if that might reflect the tastes of the judges???
I always make what I want to make not what is currently "in" - in fact if it looked to me like everyone was on a certain "trend" in the competitions I would try even harder to make something totally different and unique so it would stand out from the rest!

Krista, enjoy your Ace award and don't let any of this discussion take away from that - you're entry was great and you should feel elated at the win!

Even when you're sick, you're hilarious Penny! Started my day off with a laugh - even though I do feel sorry for you! I hate being sick! Hope you are feeling top notch again really soon.

Oh no, Sonya, I am so sorry to hear that you have lost the pups, but don't ever think it is your fault.  Big hugs for you.

Tami, It doesn't have to be a first bear - early is fine - just something that shows contrast to what you are doing now. None of mine are "first" bears - don't have them still - I might have poor photos of some, but my scanner isn't workin, so had to use bears I had kept to photo. Interesting that you were thinking this at the same time - I'd been planning to do it for the last month but have had so much company I didn't get time. Also thought it would be fun to do a thread with a few photos of the best bears - or at least our very favourites  - that we have made, perhaps a little later on - once everyone has finished with this thread. I am sure enjoying seeing where people started and where they have have progressed to now! What a lot of great bears - both early and recent!

Oh this is just so great to see how everyone has progressed - although some of you have been pretty darn good from day one by the looks of it! Keep them coming everyone  - this is fun! Really does show how much using good material affects the outcome too doesn't it - I'm sure my early 9" would have been much cuter if he had been mohair rather than the cheapest synthetic on the planet!  :redface:

I thought it would be interesting to see how much everyone's bears have changed and improved from when they started - and also very encouraging for new artists!

I'll even go first - but remember I've been making bears for almost 20 years so my early ones are from a long time ago when supplies weren't as plentiful and methods not so easily shared. Okay, I'm making excuses - here goes! I'm going to post a photo showing my minis which is mostly what I do now and then one showing a couple of larger bears - the 9" grey?/beige? one I thought was so terrific when I finished it that I couldn't bear to part with it!  :redface: Looking at my early bears now, if I was just starting out I think I'd give up! - so it just shows what you can do with persistance!

Thanks Jodi! That means a lot coming from you, when you make such great bears!

Oh Jodi, I didn't mean that I am giving up on making bears because of slow sales or anything - just that I've been doing this for almost 20 years and feel it is getting close to time to retire!!! I'll likely never quit bears entirely - unless someone wants all my fabric stash -    I had set a goal for myself of 5000 bears and am just a few hundred away from that now. Course my hubby keeps saying, "No, you can't quit!" - guess he thinks he'd have to keep me in spending money then! 

Interesting discussion! I don't have a web site so I pretty much sell exclusively on ebay - with the odd show or private sales. I can understand your point, Patty, about hating to get outbid at the last minute - I hate that too! A lot of people have told me I should have a web site but I am so computer challenged I couldn't figure out how to do something like that and I did inquire about Bear Piles but the fellow didn't respond to my email so still don't know how to get started on there. At this point I feel that I am so close to the end of my bear making career that it doesn't seem worthwhile to do much more than plug along on ebay.
P. S. I DO try to list all my bears for sale here on the "Bears for Sale" section of TT as well!

Lovely bears, Patty! I especially like that panda bear - he is really great!

Shelli, I was certainly not meaning to sound like I was calling you out or attacking you! I just thought I should bring up that rule for the people thinking of entering the contests this year as I thought you must have missed it - didn't think you would be breaking rules on purpose and then be broadcasting the fact here!

Maybe I have been too literal in my interpretation of the rule and just assumed everyone else read it the same way I did and was also selling their entries. Kelly and Kim make some interesting points! Do I ever feel like an idiot having sold quite a number of pieces I would really like to have kept but thought I couldn't in all conscience do! Oh well, I'll just have to console myself with the fact that I likely made someone else happy and I at least have the photos!

Great bear, Millie! I would never have believed you got that lovely color from BEETS!!!!

Shelli, I have always sold the pieces that I have entered in the Tobys and Golden Teddies. Nothing to do with business or lack of sentimentality, as over the years I have certainly wished I could keep some of the really special ones - but are you aware that the rules state "each piece entered MUST be available for sale, or sold, during the year 2006 - 2007 to be eligible" and also in the affirmation statement that you sign on entry it states "I further attest .... that the teddy bear or friend entered is/will be produced and available for sale nationally and/or internationally in the calendar years 2006 and/or 2007".  I copied this from this year's Toby rules but I know that that was the rules in past years as well and I am sure it is also for the Golden Teddies although I don't have that info right in front of me at the moment.

Also as far as the price being higher if it wins, it also states in the rules - "#13 Any substantial changes in design, costume, materials, or RETAIL PRICE from the original entry are grounds for disqualification of the entry." This I think would have to refer to a listed price - if you sold the item on ebay, as long as you didn't start it higher or put a reserve higher than what you stated on the entry form as the retail price, then you should be fine even if it goes higher than that.

Something for some of the other makers to think about who are considering entering the contests this year - are you willing to part with your entry! Of course if your entry is a limited edition I don't think the rules mean you couldn't keep one then as you would still be offering others like it for sale.

Millie, I really don't think it matters whether you sell the bear first or after - main reason to save it for after would be to be able to say it is a nominee or winner - and that perhaps if you were selling it on ebay it would go higher from the extra publicity - but as far as rules it can be either.

Hope this helps! And Mindy, if I've gotten any of this wrong or misunderstood the rules, please clarify!

Daphne, That is a lot for anyone to cope with all at once for sure! Sounds to me like you need some escapism - like a trip to Disneyland would be ideal, a day or two of putting life on hold and not thinking about anything else but having pure childlike fun! Since that is likely not realistic what about getting lost in a great book for a while - a fun one, not an educational one, or if you aren't a reader, watching a totally absorbing fun movie. Anything that would completely take your mind off everything for a while and leave you refreshed to face life again later and it might seem easier to cope with.

Heather, you're not just teasing are you! LOL! I've missed the Calgary Bear Fair so much - never could understand why someone didn't step up and take it over as it was so successful - getting a new show going this much later might take a bit of doing but I'd certainly to attend if at all possible - particularily if it was a convention type show and not just another sale. Can't wait to hear more details!

Hi Patty,
Welcome to Teddy Talk! Have you talked to your insurance company about this? From my personal experience most insurance companies want an appraised value, or some sort of proof of value, on an art item for insurance so I am thinking likely the retail price you paid for each bear - using your receipt - would likely work best and easiest. If anything did happen to the bear then likely you could replace if for around that same amount for a similar bear from the artist - if it was a short time later. Over the years you might need to keep an eye on what a particular artist's bears are going for in case they increase greatly and perhaps show some proof of this to your insurance company and raise the insured amount at that time. Hope this helps! You will love it here on TT - everyone is so friendly!

I personally don't believe that there is a lot of "politics" behind these contests. I have entered and been nominated quite a number of times without doing a lot of advertising in the magazines or having bears in stores owned by judges - in other words there would have been no reason for them to nominate my bears unless they did like them against what else was submitted. I do think though that there is a fair bit of luck involved too as I have had bears nominated that I entered just because I was entering a couple of others and the price gets cheaper for mutiple enteries. The ones I was especially proud of, and had high hopes for, frequently were not the ones nominated but rather the others that I had thrown in at the last minute in case they might stand a chance. Now I think that has more to do with what else was entered in the same category. Perhaps some years too many people are on similar themes and therefore their bears don't stand out, or certain categories might have much stiffer competition than others that year. There are so many factors that even when you are disappointed if a bear isn't nominated, you have to realize it does not mean that your bear isn't good. I also feel that the photos are really important since that is what the judging is based on - you really have to capture your bear at his best and most appealing so it will stand out to the judges.  I would definitely encourage anyone to try though as you just never know what the entries will be on any given year and what will appeal to the judges - as long as you can afford it you really have nothing to lose as long as you keep your expectations realistic!

Hi Daphne,
Sorry to hear that you are feeling under such a burden again. You've already gotten lots of great advice so about all I can add is a book I read that really changed my life. It is called "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. It mainly deals with learning to live in the present moment and has really taught me to quit fretting about the past and worrying about the future - here and now is all we REALLY have after all! We don't have to get through tomorrow or the next week or the next year, we only have to live the moment we are currently in.

Yeh, Jared - I can't handle the cold either - that's why we try to go to Yuma Arizona for a few months each winter! Hey - you could house sit! Course we are out in the boonies so you would have a long way to go to get to a job! There's always some drawback! We are actually getting a Walmart in Pincher Creek next year - about 15 min away - YEH!!! - so maybe you could get a transfer -lol!

I'm another one who never had a teddy as a child - until I made my first bear at age 13. I did have lots of dolls and still love dolls and now have a collection of antique dolls and bears that must number well over 3 or 400 - just making up I guess!

That is a gorgeous house Jodi and you have a lovely family! So glad to hear that you are feeling better - being sick really sucks! We don't have Kohl's in Canada - at least not in western Canada - so my first experience with the store was last winter in Yuma as they just opened one there - nice store and they had lots of good sales. Anyone looking for work or advancement should move here to Alberta - they just can't get enough workers for any jobs and there are signs up looking for employees everywhere! Course the down side is you can't find anywhere to live! LOL! House prices have skyrocketed and not much available to rent.

And number one, Brenda, get the computer up and running - we miss your posts!

Well, it's almost 12:30 here so I am off to bed.