Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi Jackie, the short answer is yes!    In fact, I'm surprised your post office hasn't said anything before.  The white stick-on forms are really easy to use and teddy bears count as soft toys and are zero-rated for duty when going from the UK to the US. 

To make their passage even easier, there is something called a 'harmonised tariff code', which you can write in the relevant box on the customs form, and then your customer should not have to incur any customs charges by mistake and then go through the tiresome process of claiming them back. 
The code for 'stuffed animal soft toys' is: 95034100

Put this code on any bear you send outside of the European Union - not all countries are as generous regarding duty as the USA, but this code will, at least, speed your bear on its way that bit faster and may even decrease the possibility of your package being opened by customs.

Best wishes,
Christine

:crackup: Right, Mindy!!

Given the candidates they chose, I actually thought the programme was reasonably even-handed - guessing how their minds work, it could have been a lot more exploitative.  But I don't think it would convince anyone to rush out and buy a reborn!! 
Chris

Chloe - congratulations!!!!! :clap:
And what are you worrying about??  I haven't even begun to think about Hugglets yet... oh wait, maybe that's why I only ever turn up with about six bears!    
Hugs,
Christine

Hi Mindy,
Happy New Year to you, by the way!
The programme was made for British tv on Channel 4, which has a bit of a reputation for airing controversial and sensational topics.  Predictably, they picked collectors who would make 'good tv', as Amanda has said... ie, people you'd probably cross the road to avoid in real life!   They concentrated on reborns, although I think some of the dolls shown were actual sculpts, which might have made for more interesting viewing, as they didn't show much of the actual process of making the dolls.  They really concentrated on collectors' motives for buying them in the first place, and there were shots of these ladies of a certain age (!) wheeling their dolls in prams, taking them to the park, buying them expensive outfits, etc.  I'm not sure how common that behaviour is, but you can judge for yourself as I belive Penny posted a link to Channel 4's website and you can view it online - we'd love to know what you think!!
Hugs,
Chgristine

Wow Daphne,
GREAT pictures!!  Thanks for sharing
Christine

I won't bash the Canada Post either, but I shipped a bear to a collector in Alberta in November and she only arrived on Christmas Eve... I am sure everyone's wonderful ornaments will arrive eventually - and they will be worth the wait!  I am so pleased with my little Spruce from Gemma, and all the pictures have been such fun to see.
Thank you, Tami, for organising such a great swap! :clap:
Hugs,
Christine

Hi guys,
Well, I watched the whole thing last night and it left me feeling pretty sad.  I absolutely agree with those of you who have commented that dolls can be lovely - and, indeed, I collect dolls and have started making them again as well - but the programme kept emphasising that these were 'not just dolls', and that people saw them as substitute babies.  It was really interesting to see the reaction of the women's partners, who mostly recoiled in horror, or seemed utterly bemused... mind you, I have also seen that look in the eyes of some gentlemen at bear fairs - I usually take pity on them and tell them where the bar is!

PS, my husband is thinking of getting one so that we can park in the mother & baby bays at the supermarket!!
Hugs,
Christine

Yes, I am curious to see this programme too.  Although, knowing Channel Four, I hope they don't turn it into a freak show... I remember something on tv about bear collecting once - I think the programme was about obsessions, and the collector bit was sandwiched between a Wiccan and a tatooed lady!
Hugs,
Christine

Yikes Paula!!
At least now you will have a backup machine - and the January sales are on!!  This happened to me once too and my machine had to be sent away.  I was so thankful I had a spare - I couldn't face the thought of having to hand sew everything for a month!!!
Hugs,
Chris

Hooray!!!  My little guy has arrived - and his name is Spruce!  Here he is, hanging from our table centre tree (our only tree this year, since the big one is buried somewhere in the garage!).  He looks perfect - thank you SO much, Gemma 
AND, as luck would have it, Gemma was my swappee too, and Im glad to hear that he arrived just in the nick of time before Christmas!!
Hugs,
Chrisx

Well, I think my ornament has reached its destination - according to the post office, anyway... I just hope my swappee has taken safe delivery of it :pray:

The mail seems to be REALLY slow this year!!
Hugs,
Chris

Well, I finally finished my little chap and he will be on his way today...
Hugs,
Chrisx

Yaay - a happy ending!! :dance:
Hugs,
Christine

Hi Debbie,
Did you insure the bears and are they on a trackable service?  Even if not, don't panic - they may turn up yet!!  The Christmas post always slows things down at this time of year - I am waiting to hear about a bear I have sent to Canada, and I am also expecting a parcel from New York which was mailed three weeks ago.  It may be that your bears are held up in Customs - in which case you won't know until they are released for delivery.  So maybe start the claim process, but don't hit the panic button yet
Hoping they turn up soon!!
Christine

Well done, Vicki!! :clap:
Bear hugs,
Christine

Congratulations, Shelly!! :clap:
And well done to everyone who took part!!
Beary hugs,
Christine

Hi Karen,
I love my Bernina too!!!!  I have a 1001 model - solid metal casing and a real trouper.  I bought it in 1995 and it has been in constant daily use since then - so much so that it needed to have a new motor two years ago. 

I have always recommended Berninas because they are tough little machines and really reliable, but they are a European make (Swiss, I think?) and they seem to ber VERY expensive in the USA.  I didn't realise this until last year, when I saw a very basic model in New York for $1750, yikes!!!!   So I'm sorry, ladies, because I know that's going to be way out of reach of most budgets - they are a lot cheaper in Britain and Europe!!!

I have a Pfaff as a backup - not my choice, but I sort of inherited it and a gift is a gift!    I will probably get another Bernina at some point too.

Hugs,
Christine

Thanks, you guys!!!
What I didn't mention is that she is a belated 40th birthday present to myself - it has taken me almost that long to save up for her!    But here is proof that everything comes to she who waits...
Hugs,
Chrisx

Hello everyone,
I promised to share pictures if my lovely antique doll ever made the trip from Kansas to New York... well, she arrived Friday, yaaaay!! :dance:

So, here are a few pictures of the French miss who gave me so many sleepless nights - only USPS knows what she was doing for the two weeks when she dropped off the radar, and they're not telling

Anyway, for your delight, here is my 29 inch Portrait Jumeau Fashion.  She has the most exquisite face and colouring - and I am so pleased to have found one after looking for so many years!!

Thanks guys, for all your support and advice while she was lost in the postal system - now you can see what all the fuss was about!!
Hugs,
Chris

Hey Paula,
I can see you had a play with the filters!!  Really nice composotion. 
There are some great images here - congratulations all of you!! :clap:
Hugs,
Chris

Hi Karen,
Thanks for the information - that certainly makes a kind of sense!!

When my doll arrives, I will post a picture of her so that you can see what little French miss has caused me so many sleepless nights!  I won't do it yet, in case I jinx the whole thing and she disappears without trace!!
But, if you like antique dolls, you will know how special she is when I tell you that she is an early Jumeau Portrait Fashion - and she is 29" tall, which is even more unusual.  She has that 'special' face that only a few of them have.  Unfortunately, she also has a hairline crack along one cheek, which is how I came to be able to just about afford to buy her.  As I say, it was one of those 'now or never' moments!

Thanks, you guys, for holding my hand through this.  I promise never to do it again!!
Hugs,
Chris

Hi Guys,
Thank you SO much for the words of reassurance!!  Sorry Shelli, yes, I had misread what you meant - you're right, it certainly should be trackable!!  Boy, am I learning FAST about the Byzantine rules of USPS
Many thanks, Kelly for the heads up about Monday being a holiday - I would really have hit the panic button if I had tried to call them and got no reply.
Well, I shall just try and be patient - from what I gather, the dealer has packed my doll in a very large box, so she will be hard to lose, I hope!!  Keep your fingers crossed, guys!!
Thanks again,
Chrisx

Hi Shelli,
This WAS sent priority mail.  At least, this is what the guy said: "The doll will post by U.S. Mail, Priority Rate, Registered, Insured.  The package will have to be signed for.  The box should be opened as indicated on the box "TOP" "  So now I am even more confused!!     The guy is an antique dealer so I presume he ships a lot of stuff this way - I thought it would be safer to have my doll shipped to a US address as I wouldn't want to entrust her to the international postal system - especially as we are in the middle of strike action right now!! 
Going to do the grocery shopping now, and will try not to think about it for an hour or so while i am in Tesco's!!
Hugs,
Chrisx

The doll has definitely not arrived yet as I spoke to my friend last night.  And now she's gone away for a week!!!  Fortunately, the doormen at her apartment are authorised to sign for packages for her, but it's an added complication I could have done without
Right now I feel sick!!  It's not even a question about the monetary value - she is fully insured so I will get my money back if she goes missing BUT that's not the point.  This is a really special doll, quite rare - and even rarer in my price bracket!  I have searched and saved for years to find this particular mold, so when she came up I could hardly believe it - it was a once in a lifetime opportunity...  I really do hope she has just been delayed and will turn up in the next few days...
Sad and worried hugs,
Chris

Hi Guys,
Thank you for sharing your stories - I will just have to be patient a little longer, I think!  I am just dumbfounded though, that I paid over $75 for this service (and remember, it is just a domestic shipment, from one US address to another US address) and there doesn't seem to be any way to track it!!  If I had known it would be this problematic, I would have arranged for DHL to pick it up from the guy's front door and deliver it to me here in the UK - it wouldn't have cost much more, would be fully trackable, and I would have got it in a couple of days, grrr!!
If I tell you that I had to insure the parcel for $7,000, you will see why I am getting worried!
OK, going to lie down in a darkened room for a while now....
Hugs,
Chrisx