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Strange BearsOne of the my New Years resolutions was to take better care of the nearly 1000 bears in my house. So today I got out all the brushes and cloths and set the vacuum cleaner to low and started taking one of the book cases of bears apart to clean them all properly. And some of them on much closer inspection have not worn well with time........and it is so disappointing.....
I thought I would share some of the problems with you so that we can all learn.
Worst affected by time are some of the dressed bears....now this is to be expected but ........elastic....used to make braces etc have lost the elasticity and so the clown outfits are just hanging there looking awful. Now if I wa a collector who could not sew???...... 6 years after buying this bear I would be very very disappointed. Pants are just falling down and looking shoddy. Much better are those with fitted clothes with snap closers or velcro.......the clowns with ribbon braces still look great as the day I bought them.
Another bear with a leather nose has obvioulsy........now!!!.....had a small problem and the artist has used a drop of glue to fix the problem.......the glue has now given way and so has the leather nose.....hhmmmm....not impressed with this artist at all......she is definitely on my NOT to buy again list....this bear is also 6 years old. Lesson if you are doing a fix make sure it will never be found!!!
Things that look nice new are now with age looking very tacky and yucky like some of the cheaper pendants people hang on their bears........2.4 and 6 years on they have tarnished and look awful......I have removed them all. While I still love the enameled ball around one pandas neck and it still looks lovely. While a Linda Benson's grizzly stills looks exceptional with a bone carved fish.....so a major lesson here.........no cheap nasty bells and things they look uuurrrghhh in a few years time.
Another disappointment........ a bear with a few small accessories has been bumped and I cannot find one of his "toys" but other bears who have had the toys tacked to them or who have been "displayed" in boxes or baskets are much easier tablueaxs to maintain. Actually I have known this for a while and have talked my husband out of buying some lovely bears that would be just a pain to maintain and display for this reason. (if he wants them he can do the dusting!!!)
I try and keep all the swing tags with the bears and it is annoying the number of swings tags that have either gone missing as they have not be securely tied on or are so big they affect easy display of the bears. As an artist and a collector I know it is hard to strike a balance but...
I'm going back to the cleaning now.......I'll let you know if anything else upsets me.
Posts: 3,540Thank you for sharing Sandra :hug: I always plan my bears as heirlooms...ones that will be handed down from generation to generation, so I usually sew where others glue (and that's because I'm actually a hazard with a gluegun 
) But its rather vital to have feedback like this! To know what will give way, and what material will better withstand the tests of time.
Again, thanks for sharing :hug: And do we get to have glimpses of your hug?? :photo:
Brandon BearsThank you Sandra, Some great ideas I hadent thought of. The sure make good sense. Thanks for sharing.
Donna A.
Melbourne, AustraliaUUgh! Who would sell a repaired bear? Who would ever use glue? Perish the thought :doh:
I guess there are lazy people even in the bear world ... sorry to hear your plight Sandra.
I'm always so particular about the fabrics I choose to dress a bear and make them to last the distance but it comes as no surprise to hear what you're saying.
A dear friend of mine bought a very well known artists bear some years back only to find when she removed the hat a few years later ... it had NO EARS!!!
I wish you well with all the dusting ... and repairs.
Posts: 3,540Although it would be shock....if you knew the bear would be perceived with only its hat on for all eternity....would you create ears??? Hmmmm....now there is a puzzle!
And I'm firmly of the opinion that not all glues are created equal 
In December hubby and I went to visit a museum in Columbia, MO and we viewed bows (as in archery) that were easily 500 years old...and the glue that was used to laminate the layers together were showing NO sign of unbonding or deteriorating.
Back Road BearsThe same holds true for those little 'sprigs' of artificial flowers and berries and leaves some folks put on their bears. Those berries often peel, the color on the artificial flowers fade and it all begins to droop. The florist tape used in production to hold it all together dries up too!
Sandra, I'm so glad you've brought this up. I'm sure that most ALL of us at one time or another have adorned a bear in something that we didn't give any thought to what it would look like 6 or 10 years from now.
You've pointed out some very good things to consider... we aren't just making a bear that will sell NOW... we're to be making bears that will still be loved in years to come. That's one of the special things about the bears we make with such high quality materials and care... they are heirlooms!
I will certainly be giving a bit more thought to how I accessorize my bears.
Do let us know if anything strikes you as something to be avoided when making or adorning our beloved furry creations!
Dolls N DreamsGreat topic!! Thanks for sharing your thoughts so far!!
Apple Dumpling DesignsWow...thanks Sandra for bringing this to our attention. Little things that you just don't really think of in the long term. I've stop doing the leather corded eyelids for this very reason. I love the look but in the back of my mind, I've been afraid that the "super glue" used to adhere the cording to the glass eye (NOT the bear) would eventually over time crumble away and the cording would pop loose. I would hate for a collector to think I did shoddy work because of that. I know several artist do this technique quite successfully and this feeling is just ME feeling paranoid and has absolutely nothing to do with the technique itself. I have yet, in my opinion, to master a better techinque with my clumsy shaky fingers. 
Again, thanks for bringing this forward...and thanks Daphne the info on floral tape etc. I had no idea. Note to self..scrap the floral arranging ideas. HA HA I certainly will think a little harder when choosing accessories for my little ones in the future.
Hugs,
Shantell
Back Road Bearsand thanks Daphne the info on floral tape etc. I had no idea. Note to self..scrap the floral arranging ideas. HA HA
Floral arrangements aren't meant to last for generations!! A season or two, a few years.... no problem! I do silk and artificial floral design in my spare time (OK, I don't do it much any more but I used to.) In one of the classes I took we learned about the different materials, dyes, plastics, etc. the stuff was made of... what would last longer, what wouldn't. This helped in pricing our work and selecting the right materials for the works intended use/life span. Even whether the piece would sit in a sunfilled area or in a protected outdoor space made a huge difference in what we selected.
But floral design is fun.. don't scrap the idea! Do it!!! Just keep your bears away from the berries!
Strange BearsI have just finished another few shelves and have come back to bewail dired flowers only to find it has been mentioned. A halo of dired flowers on a lovely white bear just disintigrated in my hands. She is now sitting on my work bench to await a beaded and wire halo I think.
Another bear dressed as a skater just lost the blades of her skates........dead glue.....again!!!
As I mentioned before it seems to be the dressed and adorned bears that have not worn time as well especially if glue has been used in any way.......wings have fallen off and beads...
Colours have also not worn well.......another fairy with ranbow feather wings is now looking very drab and dull.....she too is on my work bench. Some airbrushing had not worn and well as others and so I wis I knew which inks were used......maybe in future I will ask. I will try and check with the artists whose bear habd stood the test of time.
Also noted was the fact that my needle felted bears seem to have attacted more dust than other bears....this may have been because it showed more but .......
SO out the door os all dried flowers.....and glueing on beads and "touches" to capes for wizards etc.....and check the dye on feathers etc.
BrisbaneThank you Sandra...there is a lot of info here I would not have thought of. (worrying about my eyelids now!!! 
) although I don't think they would come out even without the glue as I do sew them all the way through the head, the glue is really just a tribute to my paranoia!! 
Elastic is one I didn't know would give away so soon, I think I'll stick to ties or ribbon in future.
I was wondering about the bells as I love bells to adorn a bear...especially at Christmas, I wonder if it would help to varnish them or seal them with something?? Anyone have any ideas....
By the way this is a great topic as I have often wondered how the bears would wear over time, and didn't know anyone to ask. 
Maybe there is a magazine article in this??
Strange BearsI'm sure it's not new but one of the best ways I found to clean the detailed miniatures was my hair dryer. Most cloths and brushes were too big to clean their flowers and other details.A fine paint brush and a hair dryer did an excellent job however.
Also wooooooohooooo......I found my smallest bear which has been missing for 2 years, I thought he had fallen to the floor and been vaccumed up, at just over 1/2in and dressed in overalls he was one of my favouties and I searched, I thought diligently for him at the time he went missing. Today he blew out of the another bears flower bouquet. She is only 2in tall and the flowers seemed to small to hide him. However I didn't see him there and was ecstatic to see Tom Thumb launch free today...........I do wonder.......has he really been there all this time or was he off on some wild adventure????? HHHMMm MMMMMM
ToadBriarawesome topic, sorry to hear the damage that has had to occur for us to learn, though.
I do thread the leather cord eyelids all the way through the head & just use the superglue to hold em
tight to the eye itself - I would not mind a better sort of glue or process for the same effect though. I have
some various GOOP type glues but to use them for something so small.....ergh. Maybe applied with a toothpick.
Maybe a couple fine-thread stitches in the corner of the eye? Hmmm
Other glue stuff I've done has been decoupage, or for wood or paper accessories. those at least ought to be ok!
Hahahahahhah ....too funny Sandra...... I was laughing my head off reading your posts~!
It is a wonder you didn't vacuum little Tom up today never mind days gone by! How tiny.... yeh...he probably went walk about in somebody's pocket and then they returned him recently.
Lots of good info here though.... thanks from me as well. I have never liked the idea of dried flowers or bits of live things...they do get so dry and break easily. Guess it must be made of clay or beads or ribbons etc... as mentioned in some of the posts.
tx for a good laugh.....
Apple Dumpling DesignsI do thread the leather cord eyelids all the way through the head & just use the superglue to hold em
tight to the eye itself - I would not mind a better sort of glue or process for the same effect though.
I should clarify that I secured the leather cording deep into the head as well...it was only glued to the glass eye to secure it to the eye to hold it.
Things that make you go...hmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
Thanks AGAIN, Sandra!!
Flying Fur StudiosGreat advice. It's good to think about what you bear will look like in the future.
I guess that's why I tend to stay away from adorning my bears too much.
Thanks Sandra
Newcastle, OntarioThis is a good topic - I never glue things to the bear. I always find a way to attach it with thread, even if it means drilling a hole in the accessory. I also put dried mini roses on my wee bears heads, but I coat them with several coats of medium, which makes them very durable. I attach wires to the roses and sew them on to the head. I like to think that the bears I make will last long enough to pass down to children or grandchildren. Here's hoping!
hugs,
Brenda
Kates MatesI've got a word or two to add to this topic too.
Occasionally a bear is brought to 'life' with a character that just begs to be dressed. Without even thinking, any such clothes are cut and sewn to be removable whenever necessary for cleaning, washing, etc. While our bears should never (or hopefully never) come to grief at grubby handling, every fabric item can stand an occasional sprucing. Yet, how often one picks up a pattern that suggests sewing the clothing directly to the bear! In other words, by-passing the need to use elastic, buttons, velcro, etc. I'm sure it must be a much more convenient way to get the 'perfect fit' but what about a couple of years down the track?
Perhaps I'm too fussy?! :doh:
Cheers everyone and a Happy New Year...
Kate
I think climate may come into it a bit as in scotland we seldom get that great a variation in temperature really.I only ever use silk ribbon which seems to last well as I have a stash from decades ago,I like pure wool or silk for the knited stuff and use pure wool tartan when making plaids.I dont really make anything that would require glue and I suppose with no fancy bits my bears are made just as they were a hundred years ago.I suppose bright synthetic fairy types should be kept out of sunlight and in a dust free environment.If you have a thousand(cant really take that in !!!) I suppose thats a heck of a lot of cabinets??/Maybe this will affect the kind of bear you buy from now and and we will all give it more thought.
Sophie Z'OursThanks Sandra for sharing with us.
I now feel guilty...
Guilty because i used some elastic in the pants/dungarees I made to some of my bears without thinking it could not last very long... I will definitely need to think about another way to tighten them for the next bears I make.
Guilty because so far I did not find a better way than glueing the clay eyelids to the bears because of a lack of brilliant idea to do it. Right, I only made very few bears with such eyelids, but well, that's quite annoying. I did not like very much using glue to do it though... I will have to think about a way to do it without glue.
Another think I wonder is whether my bead eyelids and claws will stay nice in the time. i don't use the cheapest ones though.
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Pumpkin & Pickle BearsI agree with Diane that climate may have something to do with it. Also, are any of your bears displayed in sunlight? That of course can make them 'deteriorate' quicker than usual.
I have a collection of Artist bears (only about 12) that I dust and give the 'once over' every week so any signs of wear would be picked up on quite quickly.
It does make me think about right and wrong accessories to use though - thankfully most of my bears are 'nude' and my bigger ones come with my signature 'pumpkin' and 'pickle' beads (which are glass) hanging around their neck so fingers crossed mine won't have any problems..... 
This makes interesting and helpful reading Sandra, thank you for sharing your findings here!
I'm not generally known for dressed bears, but do occasionally knit sweaters which I know last because I've come across bears I sold years ago on Ebay still wearing them. So knitwear seems to be reasonably hard wearing, as I'm sure is tailoring, if sensible consideration is given to the quality of materials used.
On the subject of embellishments such as flowers/bells/ribbons/lace etc., I really wouldn't expect them to last into perpetuity... they just aren't made for it. They are purely dressing for the bear and as such, will most likely need replacing (if preferred) at some point in the future when they become jaded. (Such things can usually be replaced easily from the local haberdashery store to freshen a bear's accessories.) For me, the crucial thing is that the bear himself should stand the test of time. Also, if the bear is sold as a winged bear for example, I would want the wings to stand the test of time along with the bear because as a collector, the wings would be a significant part of the design concept for me. This may involve the bear artist providing detailed care instructions with the bear to ensure that the less robust part of the design is well cared for.
I'm not sure about using glue in making a bear ... I remember there was an interesting debate written up by our own Chris Pike on this very subject and opinions came fast and furious. My view is that I don't know enough about the way glue works with fabric over time, to want to use ii in the process of making the actual bear.
Paints are another questionnable area. If it's any comfort to anyone, I have heard from customers from about ten years ago and the airbrushed bears I have sold them still hold their colouring. I used acrylic inks in the airbrush. I'd love to know how the fabric pens hold up to time!
I'd also be interested to hear how waxed noses fair ... and for that matter, hand embroidered noses too!
Kim-Bee BearsI dont use superglue anymore ONLY because I ALWAYS manage to glue my fingers together YIKES! ... I dont use leather cording because it never turned out right LOL.... I just mostly needlefelt eyelids or I will sink my eyes so I dont have to do eyelids Wow, you made me think twice about accessorizing my bears (although I never have used dried flowers)...
Interesting Topic!
Since I hand color all my cats I have to be very careful. When I first started out I purchased various dyes and inks etc. that claimed to be colorfast. I found out from my artist sister that you can't trust even the best company when it comes to trustworthy colors. As an artist she has seen colors fade and some disappear completely! And the company claimed they we colorfast! Luckily I was just starting out so I did tests. I took a piece of cardboard and cut another piece half the size. I placed a piece of my normal fur onto the cardboard leaving a little edge to write notes. I then took each of my prospective colors and painted stripes across the fur. I took the half size cardboard and covered one half the length of the stripes, this was my control group that I could compare. I then placed the whole thing in a window for 6 months.
It was amazing! One of the reds I was going to use for tigers turned green! Several colors completely disappeared! Yes, many of the blacks turned purple. And these were all colors from the best art companies! I found there were only a few I could really rely on (One of the reasons I create a lot of grey tigers). It's now been 6 years and I still have the test. Only one of the darker colors has turned very slightly brown at the edges but it's hardly noticeable and I think adds a richness to the color.
I also have used some flowers but they are vintage from the 1940's and made out of silk. It wasn't that I'm so smart I just liked their look. I wonder why they can last so long and modern flowers fall apart? The elastic thing really threw me 
What the heck are they doing with elastic! I did use elastic on a few fairy kitten 
skirts. Anyone have one? I'll replace it! All my cats and bears are completely undressable and finished. I guess it's me, I'm always nosey and will undress any piece I purchase to see the bare real guy
Karen
Ellen,
I haven't tested those dyes but I sure would! Bright colors are particularly prone to changing and fading. Have you asked the company if they have tested each color and how they test? Nevertheless, I would still do my own test. Your work is so beautiful it deserves the best!
Karen
