Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi Karen,
What a great thread!!  I would like to pay homage to my ceramics tutor, Ian George :clap:   I am currently taking a second term with him at evening class - boy, I feel so fortunate!!  He wasn't even supposed to be our tutor, but the original teacher dropped out and he stepped in at the last minute.  This guy is so patient with us and lets everyone learn at their own pace, just nudging each one gently from time to time, when they need a push.  And he is also incredibly modest - I asked him to suggest some books on basic kiln firing and he suggested a couple of authors and a publisher... when I looked up the publisher on Amazon I realised that Ian had written several books himself, and never even mentioned it!  And, having seen some of his own work in an exhibition I am even more in awe of his talent and his patience with us beginners!!
Hugs,
Chris

Thank you SO much, Wendy!!
Hugs,
Chris

OK Shelli - explain please!!    I clearly have a lot to learn about this Etsy business.  I am probably being dense (and it is getting late here) but I don't understand the treasury thing - is it the artist's own work or the work of other artists a person has chosen to showcase together?
How long does it take to learn Etsy-Speak??? :crackup:

Hugs,
Chris

Hey Lisa,
I just checked your Etsy shop - lovely work!!  Did I see Lemon Drop in Art Doll Quarterly??
Hugs,
Chris

Thanks guys!! :hug:
Jane - I will make sure Otto shows off his best side for you. See you at the show!!
Hugs,
Chris

Wow - thanks everyone!!
Etsy sounds just what I am looking for - I adore  good art and craft fairs, so a huge online version sounds like a dream come true!   I will set some time aside at the weekend to go and have a proper look - and Shelli, thanks for the link; I will go check out your blog too!!
Hugs,
Chris

OK, I know I am dense and slow on the uptake, but what is this Etsy thing I hear people talking about??

I know Shelli has mentioned having a presence there, and a number of doll artists in another group I belong to are also on it.  I even went to the Etsy homepage but I'm still not sure exactly what goes on there - is it like a Facebook for artists??  (Facebook and MySpace are also things that have passed me by, haha!).

Those of you who use it - is it an effective sales tool?

Love to hear some opinions,
Chrisx

Wow, Jenny - I can't believe you didn't get at least a nomination!! 
There are so many wonderful bears in the 'Non-Winners Enclosure', I guess it shows what a tough job the judges must have had... trying not to feel down about it as I have plenty of ideas for new bears and I am definitely NOT going to let this put a crimp in my day. 
Big hugs to everyone :hug:
Chrisx

Congratulations to all you talented TOBY nominees - well done!!! :clap:  :clap:
Hugs,
Chrisx

Hi Guys,
Not a single one of my entries was nominated this year
Hey ho - the most important thing is that they have all found new homes with appreciative collectors.  Onwards and upwards and fingers crossed for the GTs...
Chrisx

Kim - I have used a different, British-made product for years, but it is very sticky and quite messy, so I would never have attempted anything this ambious with it.  Thanks to you guys talking about Apoxie Sculpt on TT, I managed to track some down - In England, and in a half price sale - it was clearly meant to be!!    I have now stocked up on the stuff in case I can't get any more!!
Hugs,
Chris

I forgot to add that, if you are working out your own pattern for a mouth insert, I have found that it helps to make the widest point (where upper and lower jaws meet at the corners of the mouth) a little wider that the nose of your head gusset.  If you look at the pictures members have posted here, you will see what I mean... I was too dense to work this out for ages - duh!!
Chris

OK, since Paula 'outed' me, here are a couple of pictures of my open mouth bears!

Arden is 7 inches high and has a lower jaw applied separately.  This side view shows the nice, smiling curve that is someties (!) achievable.

Rawlins has an inset mouth gusset, similar to the way Paula describes her method.  The two bears on my avatar have been done this way too and all are approximately 14 inces.  Oh, and all my open mouth bears have teeth made from white Tulip Paint - like Judi says, you can coax it with a cocktail stick once you have applied it.  And, if you don't like the stark colour of it, you can paint over it with acrylic paint to create a more natural look.
Chris

That darned mojo of mine - I tried keeping him on a leash, but then he just sulks and refuses to cooperate!

Kathy - the muzzle is sculpted directly onto the head.  I stuffed the skull really firmly and shaved the muzzle area, and then it was a case of smoothing on the clay and sculpting it into shape.  It's a bit like needle-felting the features... only with clay.  Does that make any sense?
Christinex

Thanks SO much, you guys!!!  Your comments mean so much to me  :hug:

I can't claim credit for the hat - my mother-in-law makes them for me.  Isn't it gorgeous??  I have sent her a picture of Otto, so I hope she likes him too.
Hugs,
Chrisx

Hi Guys,
I have been feeling really down and uncreative since before Christmas.  So I took my own advice, so often dished out in the pages of Teddy Bear Review, and decided to wander down a few untrodden paths - or, at least ones I haven't visited in a long while!

Almost 15 years ago I began making bears with faces sculpted from polymer clay.  I was never 100% happy with the way the clay joined the furry head and was always looking for a more natural look.  The stuff I habitually use to make noses would be too messy to try a full muzzle sculpt, but then I tracked down some Apoxie Sculpt, as I know some TTers use it.  So, to cut a long story short... Tadah!!!  Meet Otto - 14 inches of soulful sweetness, who was an absulute joy to create!!

His face is a blend of clay and fur - and I promise you can't see any joins!!  This stuff is so much stronger that polymer clay and it absolutely LOVES paint - I had a great time blending the colours.  It took a lot of patience to finesse the clay into the right areas, but I think it was worth the effort. 

I really hope you guys like him - I will have him on my stand at Hugglets next month, and he will be joined by a few brothers and sisters.  I might even teach a class on this technique later in the year.

Hugs,
Christine

Yaaay, Peta!!!
I am sure you will have a fantastic time!! :dance:
Big hugs,
Christine

Hi Edie,
Boy oh boy, this really is a complex subject!!
OK... here's my own personal reasoning for my pricing:
I charge around the same price for my minis as I do for my standard, basic bears that stand around 12" - 14".  If I could, sometimes I would charge more, to compensate me for the failing eyesight and pain in my shoulders! :crackup:   I would not charge more for a bear if it took me a long time to make, simply because I had struggled to get it right - I would put that down to my own lack of experience or clumsiness in a particular area and I wouldn't expect a collector to sub me on that one, ha!  BUT, I might charge more for that elusive 'wow!' factor, yes - especially if I knew there was no way I could ever work that particular magic again.  The final outcome is, for me, the most important factor in the pricing of a bear, and I don't really add in the cost of the fabric or my time.
Having said all this, I haven't put up my prices in over six years - and I still offer free worldwide shipping, even though my costs have gone up considerably in recent years.
Hmmnnn.... maybe I should review my pricing!!
Chrisx

Tami and Edie make good points about the differing costs of fabric.  However, I actually don't take that into account so much in my pricing, unless I have used an exceptionally expensive fur.  I tend to go more on time and effort, complexity of design - and plain old gut feeling!   To me, the actual fabric used is not so important - I will use whatever will (I hope!) achieve the best result in terms of design.  I realise that I may be quite odd in this respect and this really is just my personal opinion on the way I work!
Christine

Hi guys,
Really interesting question!  Like some of you, I make bears in many sizes, but I have a special love for minis!   I am in awe of anyone who can make really tiny bears - my smallest are around 3 1/2 inches - and I think that making minis requires a whole different set of skills to making large bears.  I charge around the same for my minis as I do for larger bears because they take me just as long.  I find that they sell best from my website, because I can take good, clear pictures of them, so they don't get 'missed' as they sometimes do at a show when I have a mixed table of large and small bears.  Having said that, I do find that collectors appreciate what goes into creating a good miniature bear and they accept that the costs involved are more than the cost of the fabric and time alone.
Hugs,
Christine

Thanks, guys!!
I am happy to report that his new mom is very happy with him!

I just love making little bears SO much - and I am experimenting with a new design that i hope will allow for even more detail.  I'll post some pictures soon...
Hugs.
Christine

Thanks Jenny - that's really helpful!
My husband downloaded the free version last night so we could have a play with it and it certainly seems to offer s what we are looking for.  The paid for version IS more expensive that some others we have looked at, but, like you say, it seems to be really easy to use and would give us options for customizing and personalizing bulk mailouts.
There is a lot of bad feeling about Orange!  I am really disappointed as we have never had a problem with their mobile contract.  But, at least we are finally out of BT's clutches - NOTHING is as bad as that!!
Thanks again,
Chris

Hi Jenny,
I have just googled their website - the price is listed in GBP, so, are they a British outfit? is the software easy to use?  'Cos I am suddenly VERY interested since we got stitched up by Orange!!!!

This is a warning to any Brits out there tempted to change your server to Orange - DON'T!!!!  We thought they would be way cheaper than BT and we have always had good service from them with our mobiles, but we have found that their web services are incredibly limited:  I have had no end of problems sending an e-mail to my mailing list because it turns out that Orange will only allow you to send an e-mail to a maximum of 20 recipients at a time - with is a bit pathetic.  Even worse, they have blocked our access to the smtp service we pay for, so we cannot get around their low limit.  They have admitted that there is nothing in their terms and conditions about this and they can give us no explanation why they have a block on all smtp sites except their own - aaaargh!!!!  My husband has now found a website dedicated to complaints about Orange... sheesh, I wish he had found it before we signed up for an 18 month agreement!!
Chrisx

Thanks, guys!  I hope his new owner will be very happy with him
Hugs,
Chris

I just wanted to share this little guy with you all:  Peng-Peng is around four inches high and has a newly-designed open mouth.  He will shortly be going to live in Surrey, England - near where I grew up, in fact!
You can see more pictures of him and some of his friends at: www.christinepike.com

Beary best wishes,
Christine