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Wagga WaggaI am so disappointed. I went to a wonderful bear course at Bear Essence in Victoria on the weekend. Mind you I drove 6 hours to get there so you can be sure I was really looking forward to it. It was a course on faces under the wonderful tutelage of Monica Spicer. I learned so much from Monica and I was so pleased with the bear (which was Monica's pattern Sven). I have achieved what I have wanted to for the last 5 years.
:dance:
Anyway, I showed it to my husband and to my friends at work, simply bubbling with excitement, and they just looked at me like "well it's just a bear". I felt so let down!! 
They just can't see what I see when I look at him and appreciate the amount of work and love that goes into him. 
I wasn't sure if I could post a picture because it is Monica's design etc, but if it is OK - I will so that maybe some of you like minded people can look at him and see what I see.
BrisbaneWe would love to see pictures. Its is perfectly fine to post pictures of your creations from other peoples designs on TT (I like to give the designer credit in my posts when I do). Monica's classes are so much fun aren't they. 
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Therese
Wagga WaggaWell here is Sven, created by Monica Spicer. The class taught faces:
and here is the finished product
I love Monica's bears and she is the best teacher ever. Sven is a little worried because he is all tangled up in the Christmas lights...... :P
How could you NOT love him???
Aw. What a cutie. Courses with reknowned bear artists are such a buzz. I went on a weekend course taught by Gregory Gyllenship back in July. It was inspirational...so I really understand your excitement.
Regards
Sue
Laurie Lou BearsHe is wonderful Leanne...you have made a really nice bear :dance: :dance:
There are just some people that cannot see how lovely art is in any form whether it be a painting or a bear or sculpture.Those sort of people are just not into that sort of thing and would never realise how much time and love goes into creating a piece.But don't let that get you down.As long as you love him and love making your bears don't worry.I am sure there are plenty of teddy talkers who think the same as me and can see what a lovely bear he is
Laurie :hug:
Sophie Z'OursYou an be proud of your achievement, Leanne!
This bear your made looks fantastic. It is really obvious you did a hard work on it.
Now it is hard to have everybody understanding how much it means for us to get some positive and construtive feedback on our work.
My own parents do not show any interest in my bears. My brother does not show much interest, but obviously was happy the first time I gave him a bear.
Lots of people still consider teddy bears as toys and see no point in making collector ones.
So way to go! :hug: :hug: :hug:
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
desertmountainbearwonderful bear, you did a great job, just love his face
Joanne
PottersHouse BearsYour bear is beautiful! You have done a wonderful job. But we are all unique individuals. What one sees as beautiful, another sees as plain, or maybe doesn't even see it as anything at all. I get the same reaction from my husband when I show him a bear or piece of art I really like. But he gets the same reaction from me when he is drooling over a chain saw. Personally, I would much rather hug a bear than a chain saw. 
puca bearsLeanne - your bear is really gorgeous! And don't worry - for all the people who don't "get" bears, and understand the sheer craftsmanship involved, there are heaps more who DO and will.........like all of us here........
Remember, the first person you are making a bear for is YOURSELF!
huggies
Maria
Emo Bears He's lovely. I've got that pattern somewhere.
Agreed, ignore the people who cannot appreciate your work. It's easily done, after all, we live in a world where you can pick up a commercially produced soft toy for virtually next to nothing. This makes people disregard all the work involved. Ironically, I have only started buying bears since I have started making them - Now I appreciate the hours of work and the skill level involved, I appreciate bears all the more.
To me, a bear will never just be a bear - it is a heart, and soul and made with hours of love. He truly is special xxx :hug:
Chaska, MinnesotaWell I love your bear!! Some people really don't understand what goes into hand made bears. But take hart, many do for they are your fellow artist and let's not forget the collectors. I find when I explain to my friends and coworkers (meaning educating about the craft), they have a new appreciation for what they are seeing. In fact some have learned how to make bears too....
DENBY BEARS The bear is great, I wish I could get to a class like that. People that are not bear people do not realize what it means when you create a bear all your own. I get that all the time, but you and I both know that our bears are great.
thanx for sharing.
YorkshireI LOVE your bear. He has the most gorgeous face
My husband sees all the bears I have made (yes all 13 ) and my collection as a 'nothing' in fact I don't even waste my excitement on him any more 
BUT it will not stop me from making or collecting, I just keep all the buzz to myself, its my secret pleasure Don't let others spoil your joy and talent, you can share it with us :hug:
HUgs Ali
Posts: 277Leanne,
Your bear is very beautiful, I love him. I just recently started making bears, and my husband loves everyone of them. I bring all my bears to work and they are admired by my co-workers. So next time you make a bear
bring him here to the US, and I'm sure everyone here will love and adore your bears. Don't give up, he is a beautiful bear.
Marian
Everything Crafty
Wagga WaggaThankyou so much ladies, you have restored my faith 
I guess I'll just keep it to myself and show you ladies and gents who can really appreciate what goes into creating a very special and wonderful bear. You have all made me feel much much better :hug:
Honey Valley BearsHe is beautiful. You should be very proud of him. Don't let people who don't get it drag you down there are a lot of them out there. This is something you should be proud to show and any negative or indifferent feedback just brush it off. There are too many things in life that bring us all down, Teddy bears are a pick me up. Make sure you keep it that way.
It's true a lot of people other than collectors and other artists view most bears as being just plain old Teddy Bears nothing special. My husband used to be like that. But one day I said to him "Honey, look what I created!", he kind of just shugged and said that's nice, just like it was any old bear, no big deal. So I asked him if he was proud of me. Was he happy that I had found something I enjoyed doing and that I poured my heart and soul into making. He told me he was. I then explained that his off handed answer didn't really show me that. He started seeing my bears differently. Now he even helps me with them, he stuffs them and joints them, he'll even cut the fabric out for me if I trace out the bear. One day I had 5 patterns traced out on different fabrics, I came home to find them all ready for me to sew. And the best part is he did it right. He found a webpage that told him how to cut only the backing and followed it. I was amazed. Now he even encourages me to continue making bears and to give him stuff to help with.
I know I'm very lucky in this and not everyone is going to have the same result. But try approaching your husband in a different way about a finsihed bear. Tell him how you feel about it. And if he still doesn't understand, then you come right over here and post a picture of that bear for all of us to see. You should be proud of your work and the bear you gave life to, so show him off, never doubt if you should post a picture.
Hugs
Amber
Baildon bearsI completly know how you feel, I feel completly alone where I live, nobody understands my craft, my family and friends look at me with a kind of (shes bonkers look) my husband is only just starting to get it and only because I am actually selling my bears for a resonable amount and am selling quite alot, he said to me the other day, are you keeping track of what your selliing as we will need to put it through the buisness, its the first time he as actually looked at my bears as a growing cottage industry buisness. Talking to people on forums makes me realize I am not alone. Hannah
Boechout, AntwerpAnyway, I showed it to my husband and to my friends at work, simply bubbling with excitement, and they just looked at me like "well it's just a bear". I felt so let down!!
Hi Leanne,
As a teddy bear lover and not an artist, I fully appreciate how much effort and skill and creativity go into making a teddy bear.
I really hate it when people say: "Well, I could do that easily" (when looking at a painting for instance) or in your case :"well it's just at bear (what's so special about that)". I have only one reply to these philistines : "if it's so easy, why don't you make one yourself".
Well of course, they can't . Because they haven't got your talent, your love for making bears, your creativity and your skills.
And deep down inside, they are probably envious of your talents.
So do not let these people discourage you; show your creations to people who know how to appreciate them and who can give you constructive advice on how to further improve your skills.
And by the way, I think your bear is adorable
Hugs, :hug:
Peterbear
The Littlest ThistleWell I think he's lovely, well done!
I'm lucky in that my parents are great bear collectors, and they have loved even my early recreations from patterns (the first pattern I love the bears that it produced, and they were identical, and bear like, but bore no resemblance to the photo on the pattern front 
) however I was still sewing up the seams of the 4 bears I was making for my friend last Thursday when I was away for a photography weekend with a huge bunch of friends, and I got trapped for half an hour by a guy who insisted on telling me that while he liked the bears and he really appreciated all the hard work and craftmanship, that as a real man he didn't do small furry toys and he'd never buy one and on, and on, and on...
Wagga WaggaYou may be sorry you said to share with you! 
I have just bought more kits to make more of Monica's bears!!! Where should I post the pictures when I have finished them?
BrisbaneAww he turned out so cute!! :clap: :clap: :clap: You can post more bears in the showcase section.
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Therese
Agree, he's adorable. It is in his lil face, he's got his own adorable personality 
FenBeary FolkHi Leanne, he has a gorgeous face and you should rightly be proud
I live in a mixed world, those like my mother who loves all my bears, my hubby and daughter who are my critics and work who just look and at best say "oh thats nice" and at worst say "oh"
Each time I vow not to show my new bears to those non bear people but each time I do, mainly for their approval (that me) I think its just a question of whether a person is a bear person and not if the bear is good or not.........................hope that makes sense
Anyway, he does have a beautiful face and a nose to die for :hug: :hug: :hug:
BaerenbaudeHello Leanne,
firstly let me say that your bear is gorgeous.
Please don´t get upset about people not accepting the work and love which is put into an teddy when sewing him. There are many bear lovers and collectors out there, but we should always keep in mind that there are also many people who do not understand the "bear world".
Posts: 9Their bear is fantastic. Great work. I congratulate.
