Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Glad I'm not the only geek! :D
At least now, being "geek" is in.
At least that's what I'm telling myself.
Heather

I stuff my heads super firm as well. As much as I can fit. And it's amazing what will fit in there. I'm sure you gals understand.
I don't have any fancy tools, so I just use a chopstick as my stuffing tool. Works great. I don't seen to have any troubles with it.
I also do all the embroidery work before I stuff the head. But I'm just finding out, it's better for me to do the sculpting and attaching the eyes after I have closed up the head. I found that if I attached the eyes before the head was jointed, the eyes would come just a little bit loose. I figure this was bec. I tied the knot soo tight, it eventually compressed the stuffing even more. Same with the sculpting.
Just figured this out recently, so I thought I'd share.
I also switched to the walmart brand I've heard you all talk so much about. I used to use that really slippery stuff found in craft stores. But I don't know if I like it. I find it is easier to stuff the head where you want it, but I also find I can squish the head out of shape, the other stuffing seemed to stay put, no matter how I squished the head. And I stuff real hard. Maybe it's just me, or maybe you guys like how you can mold the head a little more. I'd be curious to know.
Heather

Thanks Judi for the complement. I hated this bear at 1st, but he's really grown on me now.
I also agree about poking your fingers felting Those little barbs hurt!!! I find I'm okay if I keep my work on the foam, but often, I find myself hold a little piece by hand, now that's dangerous!!!
I'll have to try the old pillow foam. Great idea!!!
I also pin a piece of screen over my foam, I find it stops the wool from being felted right onto it, and it's great if you're felting anything flat.
Heather

I also think Beesley bears have a specific look to them. A very vute look I may add.
Now, i don't have a style yet either. Not really. I may develop one, one day. But I also know some great artists who's bears look very different from eachother and they like it that way. I think i may end up like that as well. Change keeps me excited, and I love to try new things with each bear. At least for now anyway.

Shari, your bear totally have a look to them. I think I could pick your bears out of a crowd. It's the faces, and the noses that do it. I also wanted to say I'm very happy that your aviator bear sold. He was gonna be mine, but I like to bid last minute, but a bunch of friends came over and I got distracted. I was SOOOOOOO mad!!! Keep making them please, I have to have one!
Heather

I saw that too ladies. I was very proud. I feel like I know someone famous when I see a bear who's maker I know. I'm always showing my boyfriend my magazines saying " I know her!! "
I'm such a geek!!
Heather

Just wanted to add a quick note.
I don't remember where I read this, but I remember reading a story about a woman who bought a bear on-line. When she came home, the box was on her front deck in the rain. She was very worried untill she opened the box and saw the bear, nice and dry in a ziplock bag.
I've always remembered this, because you just never know what is going to happen to that box, once it leaves your hands. So even though tissue is a great idea, I would also wrap the bear in plasic or something.
Just my thought for the day,
Heather

I have to admit I don't like my curved needles at all. I bought some thinking I would use them to sew on the ears. But I found I just couldn't get the tiny stitches I was wanting. Even though it's a very small needle. Sounds weird, but I use my long doll needle to sew the ears on. Otherwise I just can't seem to get another needle to fit in those weird angles.
Guess we're all different though, so like Gina said, try them. AT least needles are one of the cheaper supplies we need :D
Heather

Marie, the long hair on the unicor is wool from the sheep. It's just unprocessed. Very close to what it looks like right off the sheeps back. Some dollmakers use that stuff for hair.
Thanks for the complements everyone, I love to see all our work.
Heather

Shari, I have used this clay. I have also used many other no-bake clays. I find they are nice, easy to work with but you have to work quick. But I don't really use them unless I'm putting under some apoxie sculpt ( a really hard no bake medium ). I find the no-bake clays just dont have the strength that the other polymers do.
My my 2 cents anyway
Heather

thanks for posting your business cards and hang tags everyone. They are amazing, and they are also inspiring me to get off my butt and create my own. It's just that when I have time to create, all I want to do is sew or sculpt. Time to use the photoshop course I just took I guess. You have given me some great ideas. What a thoughtfull bunch we all are. I LOVE IT!!
Heather

Kim, nothing to add that hasn't been said already. But I had to jump in to tell you how much I LOVE LOVE your bears. Soo unique and adorable. I've seen a few on ebay and wanted them soo badly.
Please keep making more, I must have one, one day.
Heather

thanks for sharing, if I can't be there, it's the next best thing.
Heather

or you can go to gnome sweet gnome. Just google that. They have lots of kits and are cheap.
Heather

Marion, great job on the lion. I can't wait to try it out now!! You did such an awsome job on his nose! It's perfect!

SueAnn, very cute. Keep at them.
Heather

Danni, I promise the stuff is green, funny how all colors look so different on different monitors.

Amanda, thanks for all the info on my fabric. My Grandma would be soo proud to see teddies made out of her ald stuff. It was very hard for her to part with her business as she got older. She has just given away everything, ( lucky me! ) So I think I should make her a bear or two with some of the cool upolstery fabrics I have been given. Maybe I can even sell the rest on ebay.
Heather

Hey guys, here are some pictures of what I have. It would be nice to hear what it maybe is anyway. I'm sure you guys know way more than I do. Plus I have a tonne. Not trying to sell anything, but if it's so hard to find I do have some. Even though it's green :P

The picture with the backing showing is about the closest to the real color. At least on my monitor.
Sorry to bore anyone
Heather

Oh Judi, I have no answer for you. Just hope and pray they are honest. I would also contact Ebay right away though, cover your but in case you need to. Do you think the bear has arrived yet?? Maybe you could contact the post office and have it delayed, or hopefully the buyer will pay before the bear arrives in the mail.
Good luck
Heather

hey guys, I'll take a picture of the stuff tonight and if it's okay with everyone, I'll post it here. I'm not really trying to sell, I just know this stuff is really sought after.
So I promise to show pictures. I think it's kinda a dark green, but my boyfriend thinks it's a light green. See why I need to take pics LOL
Heather

you say you sleep better Daphine?? Maybe that should be some motivation for me. I'm such an after dinner muncher.
How did you quit your pop habbit?? I've tried, but I find it easier to quit smoking. What does that tell you about the pop we drink eh?? Amazing
Heather

well, I have a tonne of that stuff in a green color. NO idea if it's dyable. If you want some, email me privatly and I can send you some pics. I'll charge real cheap for my bearmaker friends.
I got the stuff from my grandparents and plan on selling it on ebay but haven't yet.
But I'll make sure you send you pics, as I really don't know what you bought, but my stuff fits the description well. Just too bad it's green.
Heather

how did you know that's what I wanted to do LOL:D:lol:
So does that mean you get to boot my boyfriend in the head for me??
Heather

Dilu, thanks a bunch for sharing. I have yet to try felting on a bear. Too scared, but you've given me courage. Not all our bears can look like Judi's. LOL
As for you asking if this happens to us, where we start out making one thing and end up with another. Happens to me everytime I make something. It's the worst when I'm felting, so you're not alone on that one.
I just posted some pics of my felties, and the unicorn?? Well that started out with the intent of being a lion. Go figure.
Keep at it, I can see the skills there, smooth felting, good definition etc. You're almost there
Heather

yeah. I know Marion. Stress eating is a killer!!! I need a boot camp instructor to keep me away from food. Maybe that's the answer eh?? LOL
I don't think I'm a stress eater, but I think it's more of an addiction. If I try not to eat before bed, all I do is lay in bed, and think about how badly I want food. Then I'll even dream about it all night.
Funny how we know what makes us eat, but it's soo hard to stop.
I'll support you, but I'm too far away to give you the boot. Sorry

Well, I'm very far from any diet expert. But I did have a doctor tell me one thing that has always stuck with me. She said that if I could just cut out a bad habbit or two, I would at least stop gaining weight, and maybe even loose some. This is great adivice. I'm convinced that if I didn't eat before bed and stop drinking coke ( my one HUGe addiction!!) than I'm sure I would probably loose 15 lbs in a year, just by doing that.
This to me is a little more confortable. I just can't diet. I don't do too well, being on 'rules' for my life.
So, I thought I would pass this alone. If you find you're gaining a little every year, than some small changes will really help. Some ideas....
taking the stairs at work
parking at the back of the lots always
eat a healthy breakfast, or at least one really low-fat, high nutrition meal a day
stop drinking pop!!!!
stuff like that. That's the 'diet' I'm trying now. I'm not looking to get skinny overnight, but I would like to stop gaining weight and maybe loose a few while I'm at it.
Anyone else try this? Did it work for you? Guess either way it can't be too bad
Heather

I'm a bit late on this one, but wanted to share as well. Sure is humbling to see some of your guys felted creations. Some really great work out there!!!

ANd I'm working on a really cool felting dragon, but he's taking me forever to finish.