Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi Everyone,
Sadly I have been forced to close my Guestbook to those who wish to leave a message. I can still add entries if anyone wishes to email me.
This has been due to people leaving religious and political messages.More recently I checked my Guestbook and pornographic photos had also been left. Not wanting this to offend anyone,  as I was,  and not wanting this  S---T  to be seen by children. I contacted  the people who take care of my website and have paid to close access to this part of my site.
Its a sad world .
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

I purchase wool filling from Bendigo Woollen Mills...Ph. 0354424600. If you buy 3kg. delivery is free. the cost is $36. I find I can pack it hard or soft and the  needle pulls through easily when stitching the nose.
They also sell beautiful knitting yarns and will include a sample card with your filling is you ask.
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au     

I live in Australia and buy from whoever has what I want. I have purchased for both Intercal and Edibururgh Imports for a few years now and find them both very good. The post is not too bad as I am often saving on specials or buying  1 yard pieces . It would be too expensive to buy in 1/4 yard pieces.
I still buy from Beary Cheap and while their range is not as good, they still sell a reasonable range of mohair etc. i am just waiting for a delivery from them for their mohair dyes. They had them especially made for mohair. Again I find it very much cheaper to buy form them in w/sale  quantities.
Glass beads I buy buy the bucket from a roadworks company...they use it to mix with the painted white lines .
Stuffing....I buy new clean wool from a knitting mill and they deliver it free of freight charge.
Hope this helps someone out there.
Susan

I use wax from Beary Cheap or Gerrys in Australia. I hold it over a candle flame then using a small butter knife scrape a small amount of wax onto the knife and apply it to the nose . I then mold it with the knife. I buff it to a shine with folded white paper changing the paper often. i have done it this way for years and always get compliments on the effect....but it is not for the faint hearted. remember to protect the bear by using masking tape around the muzzle.
Susan
www.adorablebears.com.au

I forgot to say that I had no intention of becoming a collector but started to collect just a couple. My husband bought me a wonderful Steiff one Christmas then last year we traveled to Europe, including a visit to  Steiff,  and several bears were added along the way. Now I guess I am a Collector.
Susan

Hi Chrissie,
I am new to the list but not to creating bears so will try to answer some of your questions.
I have been designing and making my bears for about 12 years now. I had never seen an Artist bear before that time.  I have sewn all my life and taught Art and sewing for many years. Like many people when I first saw the price of Artist bears I couldn't understand how Artists could charge so much for a bear....i now know that the cost ,plus time ,is never returned when you sell a bear !!. I just had to have one of these "special' bears so first sent for a kit and made my first bear in two days. I immediately started my own designs.I then discovered all the wonderful mohair and still can't stop buying.
As for ideas...there is never enough time to try all the designs that I would like to create. Then there are ideas that are given to you. Currently i am working on a bear which is very new to me in style. A  friend asked my to make him a "gym Instructor" bear. It has to be a girl, with a pony tail that will sit on a stand while he instructs R.P.M classes at the Gym.  So ideas are everywhere.
Hope this is not too long an answer.
Now I must get back to that bear.
Susan