Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I just loved that Vet story, it was great.  So funny.

Edie, what a glorious part of the world you live in - it looks just like paradise - are you out in the "never never" or do you have towns nearby?

Our poor girls overseas, well overseas for us in Australia.  Heat is terrible if you are not used to it, and just as terrible when you are - I hate our Summers.  If it is any consolation to you, and it probably isn't at the moment, we here in Adelaide have just had our coldest June on record.  Australia is such a young country, that our records here were only started 150 years ago, but still, we struck it for the coldest June in 150 years.   Something very strange is going on in this world of ours.  I think Mother Nature is telling us all off in her own way for not looking after things good enough.

Just a thought - If these crazy ones make it onto Ebay, imagine what the ones are like that get rejected by Ebay!!

Wendy, I brought my Reynold Freezer paper at Spotlight here in Adelaide.  They sold it by the metre.  Do you have the Spotlight chain in W.A.?

Sorry, forgot to say, did you scoll down on the squashed fairies one to the bottom of the listing and see the other "fairies" this seller makes - they are brilliant.  I love the little fat hairy man.

This thread is just soooo funny.  I am such a babe in the woods.  I only ever look at "bear" things on ebay, and I never knew that there was this whole crazy other world on there.  Who would bid on these things, they must be nuts.  That squashed fairy so cracked me up, and the old chap in plastic bag - I am sorry but he would have to pay me to take him.  You girls are so funny and I know that by coming on TT everyday, I shall never, ever get any bear making done as your posts are so entertaining.  Thanks.

Claire, I just loved it.  Shall have to keep that one and read it to my daughter when she is older!

What absolutely gorgeous pictures -it's great the dogs have somewhere to cool off.  Do you jump in too?

Gorgeous bear Paula.  Isn't blue just stunning for bears, it seems to work so well in so many shades.

Wow, bears with B cups!  I never imagined it!  If they were all like that we would probably have more males as bear collectors!!!!

What a dear little soul - that cute little face says it all.  I think you have done a super job.  Isn't this anime style so interesting and all the different interpretations.  Does anyone know the history of it?

Congratulations girls on the magazine.  I can't wait to see if my postman brings my copy today to have a look.  Well done.

Goodness me, what is happening in England with all this heat.  I never knew you got it so hot.  Is this usual or an out of the box year?

If you do visit Australia, I would agree not to come in our Summer - you wouldn't really enjoy looking about in that heat.  Our Autumn and Spring are just wonderful.  You English girls would probably consider our Winter a breeze as well.

I couldn't believe he was crocheted, that's amazing - he does look so soft and cuddly.  Perhaps you should keep him - he's gorgeous.

He is just a beautiful bear.  Perfect choice of eyes, and I love the brown on his footpads in contrast to the black fur.  If he were mine, I don't think I could part with him.  He's glorious.

Celena, She is just beautiful, and that fur, what a colour.  How about Cherry Ice or Snow Cherry to cover the dashes of white?

Girls, I know exactly what you mean.  I'm an Aussie, and I just hate the heat.  My husband is English, and he loves it.  He always says I would have made a good Pommie.  We are in Winter at the moment here in Australia, and I love it, but when the hot summer comes, I just wilt.  It is when you have weeks on end and the temperature is constantly up around 100 that it really gets you down.  Bear making is probably not the best hobby either for hot weather.

Louise, I have never heard our hot flushes called sparkles.  I would probably refer to mine more as explosions!!

Oh Bron, how annoying, I bet you said a few choice words!!  I have sent the pigeon off straight away with a new one for you.  Should arrive tonight!!

I think that this is a really interesting topic Paula.  I can give an opinion as a collector, not a seller, as I have never tried to sell a bear.  I have purchased many bears from overseas, and it is a little nervewracking, as I realise that they have so far to come to their new home here in Australia.

Many artists (like you Paula, as I have one of your babies), take great care in preparing their bear for travel.  I consider artist bears "works of art" and I believe that they should be treated as such.  I love it when a bear arrives, at least wrapped in tissue paper first, and then a plastic cover, and then in a good, sturdy, well sealed, well addressed box.  I then know my new bear has travelled well, and whatever each countries postal service has decided to do to him, he has come through unscathed.

I have purchased some very expensive bears from overseas and have been very disappointed in how they have arrived.  In an old box (I'm not against recycling, I just want a strong box), and the bear has just been put in, no protection or covering whatsoever.  The box has then not been very well sealed, and at times I have wondered how they haven't sprung open in their very long trips.

My reason for pointing this out is that I am quite nervous from ordering from these particular artists again, as I think I was quite lucky for the bear to arrive as undamaged as they did, and I might not be so lucky next time.  If I know that an artist takes care in packaging their bear for a long trip, I have every confidence in ordering again.  If artists decide to add a few personalised ideas in packaging, then that is a bonus for the collector.  Another good idea for artists sending bears, especially to Australia, is to put a list of stuffings used inside the bear, e.g. glass pellets, steel shot, polyfill.  I have had some very uncomfortable moments with Customs officers wanting to inspect the innards of my newly arrived bear.  Before they would release my bear I had to get a declaration from the artist of what she used for his filling.  Customs Officers have no appreciation of artists bears!!!  But they need to learn, never stand between a collector and her new bear!!!!

That looks like a house full of joy to me.  Beautiful dogs, I love them.

Hi Renae, Yes, girls are so easy in that department.  When I first babysat a girfriends little boy, and had to change his nappy, I didn't know what on earth to do with all those bits and pieces!!!

Do you know who started me making bears? Oprah Winfrey.  I know it sounds silly doesn't it.  I could never sew a stitch, had always worked, and had never done a craft.  I was 35 years old, had my first baby, and was at home watching Oprah.  It was a show about "following your dreams".  She said "If you want to do something, go out now and do it".  Well, I had always wanted to make a bear, but had absolutely no knowledge or skills whatsoever.  But, Oprah told me to, so off I went to a craft shop.  I brought a bear kit with the most difficult bear I could have chosen, with very thick, stretchy synthetic fur, but that was me, the bigger the better.

Off I went home, learnt how to thread a needle and tie a knot in the end (I'm not kidding) and painfully started making this bear.  By the end of it I had developed a new species of animal.  My bear was not actually a bear, but a big, fluffy mishmash of fur, stitches, discs, perle cotton and suede - all not in the right place.

I showed people, and I think they were so kind in saying it is lovely, what is it!!  Still, you can't keep a determined bear lady down, and my saving grace was finding a shop that actually gave lessons, and I found mohair.  Needless to say, my next bear, did actually start to resemble a bear, and I have never stopped since.

The joy in working with such a soft beautiful medium as mohair, and creating a new little baby with a dear little face looking back up at you each time, well I think that there is something very maternal in that.  It is a very "comforting" craft and I have found bear people I have met just lovely.

Kassie, It was wonderful to see your beautiful Cockatoo.  They are one of my favourite birds.  Here in Australia, you get enormous flocks of hundreds of them in the wild, and the squawking sound they all make together is just deafening.  They are just so wonderful to watch together, and if you are out in the bush, they never fail to give you a tremendous show.

What an amazing bunny - a fantastic photo.  My little dog would be absolutely petrified of him - and those giant feet.  If you put him in the backgarden you wouldn't need a lawnmower!