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All Bear All Bear by Paula
Kent
Posts: 5,162
Website

Is there a skill you would like to learn or develop further?  Let's share our plans for 2007!

I'd like to learn how to make cloth dolls and in particular, how to needlesculpt detailed facial characteristics on dolls.  I've promised myself I'll get started this year!.  I've bought some materials, a couple of patterns, loads of books and almost booked an online course ....

Anyone else?

Chowlea Bears Chowlea Bears
Posts: 602

needlesculpt facial characteristics

This is my stumbling block with my bears.  I keep trying  - I bet I'm veeeeerrrrrrrryyyyyyyy trying!!!!!!! :doh:

Better photography - I'm a real clutz

Become a computer wizard like so many of you are.

Stellajella Wien
Posts: 1,399

Paula, now, I´m really curious as to how you could improve the cute impressions of your bears by needel sculpting!  They look so perfect to me! bear_wub
Sandra, as soon as you foud out how to become a computer wizard, lemme know please! Wonder who could do the wonder to turn me into one, too. :crackup:

I would like to get to know airbrush and the thingie about needle scultping souds tempting, too.
At the end of the year we should dig up this thread again and look if we achieve anything...

Gaby bear_flower

All Bear All Bear by Paula
Kent
Posts: 5,162
Website

What a great idea Gaby! bear_thumb

My plans for developing my needle sculpting skills aren't for my bears, they are so that I can make character dolls ... well, that's the plan!  They involve much more complicated needlesculpting skills than I use currently on my bears and of course, I need to learn all about how the needlesculpting works with different fabrics too.  We'll see how it progresses. bear_tongue

Good luck to you and Sandra for your plans to learn new skills!

Stellajella Wien
Posts: 1,399

Paula, oh! OH! OOOOHHHHHHHH! You´re gonna make dolls!  :clap:  Great! Can´t wait to see one!
Now, I saw Shelly´s doll yesterday- I still have the Donald Duck band aid on my jaw from when it hit the floor. ASTOUNDING what people can do!
You ladies rock! I love that y´all come up with new ideas in stead of whinging over old ones  :dance:
Good luck!!!
Gaby bear_flower

jenny Three O'clock Bears
warwickshire uk
Posts: 4,413
Website

Make nicer...better... clothes for my bears. Get to grips with photoshop....go on the airbrushing course...Get better at making bears in general.
Make a realistic bear...or two

That enough?

fredbear Fred-i-Bear
Johannesburg
Posts: 2,243
Website

Paula I ahve just ordered some books from the Business:  Dollmaker's Journey , they had a lot on dolls and I think what you want to do.
Photoshop is in line, and learning how to use my camera and take better pictures of the bears.

and then .....................

Lynette

MerBear MerBear Originals
Brockville, Ontario
Posts: 1,540

I've also been intrigued with the cloth dolls and have a couple of patterns on order. Also been busy knitting.
Have to get rid of this daytime job - it's getting in the way of my life!!

Marion

bumblebearies Bumblebearies
Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 436
Website

Yeh,.... work and any promises to do things and people who expect anything of you.... get sooooo much in the way of having fun, don't they?

Paula,....I started making dolls just a couple of years ago.. in an online class.  I lhave to say I learned a lot from my very first class even thoughthe instructor did not give much in the forum as far as help with my particular questions.  However, she did have plenty of info that I was able to download.   I know have pages of stuff to refer to as I go along now making more dolls.  There is plenty of info on the web... just type in cloth dolls and you will find plenty to look at. 
Doll maker's Journey; Doll Street Dreamers; The Doll Net and Crafty College are just a few sites that have plenty happening all the time.  Email me if you like and perhaps I can give you some other sites to check out as and when I find them.  And even though I am a rookie..perhaps I can steer you in the right direciton for furthr info when you need it for certain things.   I belong to a local doll making group as well although they don't really do all that much...but sometimes they have a bit of info I can use..perhaps there is a local one near you?
I now am learning to sculpt some faces and laying cloth over that for the faces..I prefer it to sculpting in cloth.  I love the flat faces and making them loolk 3D with water colour pencils.   I also love the sculpted faces out of polymer clay.  oh, toooo much to do and toooo much fun to have...it just never ends.

Jane Perala Jane Perala Designs Ltd.
Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada
Posts: 819

Like Shelli, I too have been bitten by the lampworking glass beads bug.  A friend (Candy Milliard of Bramble Bears) and I are going to be taking a class in a couple of weeks.  I was at a craft fair this last November, and saw a couple of ladies selling these beads - made up into necklaces, bracelets, etc., and was so intrigued that I ordered a necklace (still waiting anxiously for it).  For two months now I have been just stuck like glue to the internet searching out these glass baubles instead of making bears!!  However I am going to need to make bears so I can pay for the glass beadmaking supplies :crackup:

I'm also hoping to persue the felt flowers that I started this last summer.  As feltmaking is very messy and wet, this will have to wait until the summer when I can do it outside.

Sometimes I find I need to step back from my bearmaking and try these other things, and then I always go back to bears feeling refreshed.

Jane P.

melissa Honeythorpe Bears
Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 1,789
Website

I would like to work on my dressed minis...I made one 18 months ago and never got a photo.  Almost every mohair bear I've started ever since is meant to have been dressed and I've chickened out every time.  I have all these dressed bears in my imagination and they've got to be created sometime or my head will explode!  :crackup:

I also want to improve my knitting skills and attempt to learn crochet (again) but I fear that's dreaming the impossible dream!

Shelli SHELLI MAKES
Chico, California
Posts: 9,939
Website

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

I want to learn how to manage my time better, keep better "books" for my business, and keep up with design projects and emails!  Those all relate to my bear making even if they don't apply to the bears directly.  Does that count?

Why am I still here if time management is a goal??? bear_original

psichick78 Flying Fur Studios
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 3,073

Funny Paula, I have also been making dolls. Same with you too Shelli, I guess great bear makers think alike! LOL

Never used to like dolls as a kid, but they seem natural after making bears. Why not make people?

This year, I would like to develop a few super cute, more simple patterns. Something I can whip up kinda fast.
I haven't sculpted in a long time, think I'd like to do that as well.

Like Marion said, my job is getting in the way of my life.

Laurie Laurie Lou Bears
Norfolk
Posts: 3,246

You have exactly the same thoughts as me Melissa.They are my aims of this year.I want to try out knitting and making clothes.I have started a little knitting and need a few more books from the library to help me out out.The only thing is that was a couple of weeks ago and I still haven't had the time to go to the library.I think it is going to be a slow process  bear_ermm
Laurie :hug:

Shari Nova Scotia,Canada
Posts: 1,712

Guess we are all on the same page  :crackup:  I have made polymer sculpted faces for angels and Santas and made fabric sculpted dolls. I really love doing the needle sculpted faces. I want to get back into doing these things this year. I would also like to learn to take better pictures and find at least five more hours to add to my day so that I can actually finish a bear in less than a month  bear_tongue and also work on dolls and sculpting angels bear_wub

Marie_ Kiprie Bears
Yokohama, Japan
Posts: 2,735

No.1) I like to create the sleepy eyes
         with  a " Eyelid "can  OPEN & CLOSE. :lol:

No.2) Get enough skills to open my website.
         I said I'll open my website long time ago
         and still can't open. I am so shame of
         my self!!!   :redface:

Kathleen Pa
Posts: 626

Improve computer and photography skills, hopefully do a website, buy some Sassy fur and try making a mini, keep improving my bears,...... find the time to do all the above. lol.

Kathleen

Irene Irenours-bears
France
Posts: 508

I have yet started to do scrapbooking and i wish to improve my skills. It's also a very hooked thing

All Bear All Bear by Paula
Kent
Posts: 5,162
Website

Great to hear so many plans for 2007!  I always find I need to give myself a project outside of bear making to rejeuvenate my creativity and for me this year, cloth dolls are grabbing my attention.  The process of thinking of other crafts always develops my enthusiasm for bear-making, so I think it's great to take a side step now and again.

Good luck to you all with your new projects ... don't forget to share them with us!  I'm bursting to know how we all get on!!

Christine Christine Pike Bears
Norfolk, UK
Posts: 683
Website

Hi Paula,
You already know I am into the doll thing too - because I have bored you about it in private! bear_grin   However, I am almost ready to come out of hibernation and reveal my first pieces... I treated myself to a couple of cloth doll books for Christmas - and then decided that cloth may not be my thing after all, so have gone for a cloth and hard sculpting combo - I have a couple of plaster molds drying off as I speak and am going to try casting with papier mache slip at the weekend - wish me luck!!
Creative hugs to all,
Chrisx

All Bear All Bear by Paula
Kent
Posts: 5,162
Website

You haven't bored me at all Chris ... I'm so impressed with your sculpted faces, I can't wait to see the dolls!

I would wish you luck, but I doubt you'll need it ... have fun and hurry up and share the results!!

Dilu Posts: 8,574

ya know, if all us dolly gals would come out of the closet we might be able to drum u; more support.  I have a friend in Canada well known for her bears and she is a closet dollygirl, and said she didn't think she could come out because of her rep....

You two are ,out, Shelli did in another post, comeon now, who else is fascinated by the two legged wee ones?

gollyhugs
dilu

makafelts Charlotte Des Roches Designs
Adkins, Texas
Posts: 1,543

Well...I am definitely in the Doll making mode...I taught reproduction porcelain doll making years ago...and have been making more dolls than anything else lately with my needle felting...I am really having fun with them...
Also...related to this topic...I got my crocheting out the other day & found the Pineapple Table Cloth pattern I used years ago to make my Mom a table cloth...and have started one for our son & daughter-in-law... :crackup: Hope it doesn't take me 8 years for this one...it did for the one for my Mom... :crackup:
Hugs &

jazzyrags Jazzy Rags
nsw
Posts: 1,494

Untitled-Duplicated-06.jpgHi Everyone i have be cheating and have got saucy walker fever here is a few i have brought on ebay

Jodi Falk Bears by Jodi
Gahanna , Ohio USA
Posts: 3,463

You guys must share your dolls , I collect dolls so I am excited to see them all !!!

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