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Upstate New YorkYup yup ... everyone has different circumstances. And if a customer truly touches your heart and you need to sell your $110 bear for $50, so be it. Perhaps this person was an "angel among us." Who knows! That having been said ... as a new bear maker, I know I have to be careful to minimally get my costs back, and that should sound like the obvious ... but it can be tricky. BTW, new bear in a day or two. I WILL find a way to get you a pic, I promise.
Deb
Just stoking the coals...
One of the reasons that I, personally, like eBay so much -- and I am the first to admit eBay isn't to everyone's liking -- is that there is NO GUILT involved in setting prices, since the bidders do that job for me! And if something doesn't meet reserve -- the price I think the combination of my materials, labor (time and skill), and originality merit -- that INFORMS me about how to better value my work for next time.
With eBay, I never feel I am "overinflating" anything, or "undervaluing" anything. eBay works like any market; on the principal of supply and demand. If people want something badly enough, they will be willing to sacrifice hard-won cash to obtain it. And if there's less of that particular something available in the first place -- such as is the case with our one-of-a-kind or very-limited-edition artist bears -- it becomes all that much more "valuable" due to its rarity.
I don't like setting prices for my work and try to avoid doing so. When I wholesale I know the retailer will mark my work up but I'm not involved in that! And other retailers take a commission, so I don't fully realize those profits either.
The only piece I've ever felt really, really good about pricing was my TBAI piece, and that was because all proceeds went to charity, so a big ticket price was pure altruism, and not selfishness. Ya know?
Anyway... this is a fascinating thread. I really enjoy how everyone here can voice differing opinions while remaining supportive, respectful, and friendly. I'm sure you all know well that it is rare indeed to find a community so capable of mature, contrary discourse. Good on all of you. 
Nova Scotia,CanadaMandie,my heart goes out to you and I blame a great deal of my bad luck on Murphy's Law seeing as I'm a Murphy :D
I feel your pain and commiserate about the stress I have a similar situation going on (not so much the kids) and have been thinking of medicating.Hope you feel better soon.
Hugs,Shari.
Winneybears and FriendsSome nice thoughts there Shelli...yes, Ebay does offer some good things for us artists such as bringing the collector on, then they can really compete with the other wanna owners and leave us out of it..sure makes it easier for us.
Oh my gosh..Mandie and Shari..I sure know what you two must be going thru...any stress no matter where it comes from...can make our bodies react in terrible ways , mainly with illness being the results. We all must find ways to get a handle on this...before we get ill....meds should be the last resort...but it can also be done after we get ill too.
Stressors need buffers...what's mine? I had to develope some...beautiful music, ear plugs with music, I love those guitar or piano only tapes . I have one that just really made me very calm, unstressed. It was just a thunder storm. Id play it at bed time..lay on my back, put the player on my chest..each side was 30 min.
I could hear the birds in the trees , then a slight wind, then it would pick up and the birds would chatter a bit ,the rustle of their feathers as they huddled closer together...then lightning in the distance..then closer cracks of thunder would peal out..rain drops...more then picking up more lightning, rain...everything would build to a creschendo.... then gradually it would reverse till I could hear a drop dripping with a " plink " from the roof into a pot I imagined sat on my back porch.
Great tape! I never thought I would find such a thing that would really help my stress so much. The first night I listened to both sides nearly falling asleep at the end.
The second night I got to the end of the first side, the 3rd night I only got into the tape 25 min...From then on I used the tape when ever I felt stressed out , especially at bed....it was my quiet place Id go to...all alone, just me ..and God.
Try it...they sell these kind of tapes at Target, I have seen environmental ones on the ocean sounds, country, babbling brook..etc..but I found the Thunderstorm to be the best one for me.
Other things Id do is walk out doors where I can talk or spill my guts to Jesus while we walked together ...a trip to the coast ( just gas $ ) to hear the waves, sit or walk on the beach while the wind and gulls are the only things I hear..no cars, people, etc...just the fresh cleansing waves and wind....
The scenic drive along the river to the next small town where I can buy fresh fruits, vegs. at a country road stand... and smell the earth. Maybe a short trip to a small town I know of where they have a place that serves wonderful Italian ice cream and there is a terrific bead and yarn shop there. I never have money to buy but I just pretend... If I had the money what would I buy ?...There is always a wonderful place to find .... you need to find one where you can be alone with your thoughts to reflect or just find some peaceful healing...Even in the middle of a big city ...the library holds wonders to dig for...a nice park where birds go or there are ducks to feed ...just go out and find where your special places are....they will help heal you... you deserve it ... Winney
MerBear OriginalsI've found for the past 6 years that working on a teddy relieved my stress! I let my 4 kids live thru their teen-age years (it was hard) and now they are grown and GONE!! Unfortunately I lost my Mom suddenly last year and my Dad was also ill and now requires more help. They both have lived with us the past 20 years. The stress of that plus a bit else has made me crash emotionally and I need to take celexa. I tried not taking them and even I realized that I was not doing well. So I will listen to my doctor and try them for another few months. Please everyone - don't tell Tom Cruise on me!
Marion
Posts: 8,574Daphne! If you leave I do too.....I consider you an important part of our board and I also consider you a beary good friend :)
Shelli- Very important thoughts you brought up. Although even those wells can dry up. retirerments being subject to the vaguries of inflation so to speak! :/
What I really appreciated you posting was the importance of hearing and understanding other sides. So very very crucial to life.
hmmmmmmmmWe could be the United Nations of Teddies and Friends..................
Soooo What do you think ladies....we laungh our own UN and part of the charter is listening-sharing-and trying our darndest to get love in the form of teds, gollies and other fur babies, out to the world.
Made with love so they will give off love!
Says she who has a purring 9 pound stole wrapped around her neck while she is trying to type, but when he is purring I can't toss him off no matter how hot it is because the purring makes me feel safe and loved.
hows that for silly
love to all-and it is easy to send love to all because I have been so well loved in my life-
Dilu
PS By your standards Miss Winney I am priced just about right! 
:lol::lol:
Back Road BearsI guess it's just a good thing that Boyds, Russ and all the other plush manufacturers are out there for those that would like a very special teddy but can't afford artist prices. There is something the average person can settle on so they too can have a special teddy when they need unconditional love that doesn't talk back!
Posts: 8,574Mandie and Shari and all you other moms with kids at home
Oh my dears, hang in there, and come and vent too. We wont mind. A lot of us have grown up kids and can really empathize with what you go through...and because they are our kids they know so very well what buttons to push to push us over the edge.
I used to call my honey and tell him I'm CTD- (circiling the drain)
hmmmm......sometimes I still feel that way! 
:P
It doesn't seem fair, when your business is subject to world wide vaguries, to have money deducted because you might make the same again that you luckily made once before.....I'll keep you in my heart and hope for the best. I know how hard it is to stretch those dollars or Euros or whatever....especially if you have kids at home....
How old are the rugrats? Are they old enough to help you out? Are they old enough to get a job? Are they old enough to understand that mommie is going to have a nervous breakdown and then they will be wards of the state and live in some really awfull Dickinsonian school/orphanage?
I used that particular gem on mine. And my smart mouthed son held up his plate and, with his huge brown eyes, plaintively said "please sir, may I have some more?"
Now, we all know the next line, "more you want more?" However I think I was a little more earthy and downright American with my next line....I am sure it had something to do with living to see his next birthday. :lol::lol::lol:
Which he did......barely......:D:D:D
So hang in there you mom's. Once their puberty is over you will be able to breathe a little more easily
Marion- I solemenly promise to never ever speak to Mr. Cruise.
Granted I do not agree with everything that the American Psychiatric group says. What heresey! and me a psych nurse.....tsk tsk tsk but sometimes a little Celexa can be a life saver.
However I do not think Mr. Cruise has a right to come unglued (truly unhinged) on the morning talk show and critisize someone for seeing a doctor and getting help.
Yes, as a nation, Americans do use medications awfully freely-especially OTCs, but even I will not ever critisize, because I am not in anyone else's shoes but mine, and God alone knows what burdens with which they suffer. (Just to show that once in a while I can remember proper sentence construction :/)
Each of us has to consider our hormones, our nutrition, our stress tolerance, and make these decisions with our doctors. There is no shame in being on an anti-depressant, or any other medication that helps you handle life.
Life is not easy,
but here's the good news; ( nope I DID NOT SAVE MONEY ON CAR INSURRANCE) most people do not need to take an antidepressant for more than 6 months to a year, because their brain chemestry gets back to normal. :)
Ahhhh life. God bless us, everyone. And I like this alternative better than the other.
Dillywonkers
Back Road BearsMy hubby just started on an anti-depressant tonight. Within an hour after taking it he had an anxiety attack just worring about what it was going to do to him and the side effects it would have. I think he needs Ritalin too!!! I just need a good stiff drink!! Oh, wait, I don't drink.... perhaps ice cream will do...
Daphne & the Dopey One
Apple Dumpling DesignsDid I hear "icecream"...that is definitely my addiction...I love the stuff...and since I no longer drink...I try to treat myself at least once a week... :):)
YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!
DoodlebearsHi, I've read in a few posts that some of you have high blood pressure. My husband has been taking his blood pressure medication for years now and they didn't make a scrap of difference . He still takes them every day but my daughter suggested that he also take a high dose garlic capsule every day to see if that would help. He took the garlic capsules every day and now sixteen weeks later his blood pressure is normal. It may be a coincidence but I do believe that after taking the other tablets for seven years with no change it must be the garlic that has helped him. There is no smell from the garlic capsules and as garlic is so good for us anyway there was no harm in taking it. I feel much happier to know that Phil is healthier now. Try it and give it time to see if it works. I take the same capsulas each day as I feel it will help me too. I don't have high blood pressure but as the stuff is so good I take it anyway.
Jane
Flying Fur StudiosI'm a little late on this one, and I do hope I didn't step on anyone's toes.
I would for sure have given that lady my bear for $50. The best part of all this, is that our selling strategies can be as diverse as our teddies. Whatever works for you is the right one!
Heather
Kiprie BearsOh...I'm little late to jump in here(it took me few days to just read...)
but I just wanted to say how all of you are so wonderful :)
Hugs/Marie
Posts: 8,574By the by-for what it's worth, I have known patients to do very well on garlic, and they do come in a non-offensive formula....also some folks do well on zinc-
The only caveat is to be sure you let your doc know and keep track of the blood pressures....high blood pressure can lead to strokes. And, well, we all know what a downer a nasty stroke can be.....don't want that!
dilu
Posts: 3,177
Dilu,
you are without doubt a diamond among the rough of the rest of the world and i'm glad that i can call you a bearyfriend
I don't know what's going on with the US economy but i do know that i ADORE the little golliewollies i bought from you
I WILL BE POSTING A FULL REPORT OF DILU'S GOLLIEWOLLIKINS ADVENTURES IN THE FRENCH ALPS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS - WE HAVE ALL RETURNED JUST A FEW HOURS AGO AND ARE WORN OUT, SWEATY AND ARGUMENTATIVE AT THE MOMENT - when we all calm down and have had a good nights kip (sleep) we can fill you all in with the gory details.
BOY DO I HAVE A STORY TO TELL - SOME PICCIES TOO !!!!!!!!!
Penny
Past Time BearsOoooh, ooooh . . . can't wait, Penny!! Dilu, those gollies are adorable!
Posts: 3,177YEAH, SUE ANN
do i have a story to tell !!!! - i may have to tone it down a bit for the genteel ladies here - but i have to say that Dilus' golliewollikins only have a small part to play in it as it was all too much for their delicate sensitivities. Dilus' gollies are naturally good clean living little creatures and i feel that they should be protected from the harsh realities of life in the French Alps !
Penny
Delartful BearsOooh what an adorable photo. I can't wait to read what Dilu's Gollies have been up to. I imagine they are a naughty little pair!
Danni
