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Fool's Gold BearsHi everyone, it's Laure Weltsch.
My continuing apologies for not posting here more often; can't seem to coordinate it with so much life going on. 
I hope you will have some advice that will help me make a report of the bag's contents to the airlines. I've pieced together a general list as I remember it, of what was in the bag, and what it cost. It has not taken much figuring to approach the $1000.00 mark! Here's the dilemma, though. In the bag were half a dozen or more original patterns. I'm not at all sure how to figure a price on them. They are completely irreplaceable. How would you price them, realistically? I mean, if I can't get the bag back, which I'm desperately hoping for, at least I want to select a price for the patterns that the airlines will be willing to pay. 
Eager for your thoughts on the matter.
Laure
Posts: 3,540How completely gutwrenching to lose your patterns!! 
I wouldn't know how to place a pricetag on them, as to me patterns are invaluable. They are your livelihood!
I'd say to detail the contents as much as you can, and to have them pay top dollar for the loss (which as you say, is easily accountable once you begin totalling a sewing kit). I'll keep my fingers crossed that your bag has merely gone on its very own vacation and will return to you :hug:
Hi Laure! It's always so good to hear from you, even under the worst of circumstances. So, so sorry to hear about your luggage mishap. Airlines! Don't get me started.
I haven't ever experienced your scenario but I think if I were you, I'd AT A MINIMUM estimate how much you might have made had you used each missing pattern even one more time. Then I'd estimate how many times I might have used each pattern (and if you have historical precedent to cite, such as, "I've already used pattern X 6 times this year alone) that will help your case, especially if you have photos of auctions or sales listings or receipts to back it up.
It's a lot of work but probably the best way to produce a convincing arguement that you didn't just lose paper, but INCOME, with the loss of those patterns.
Best of luck to you, and please, don't be a stranger. At least pop in with a few photos for us, won't you? I miss your darling work!
XOXO!
Fool's Gold BearsThanks Debbie, Shelli,
Your suggestions, Shelli, crossed my mind, but seemed like so much work. Really, it's the only reasonable approach; I just hope I can remember which patterns they were. I took some pics at Teddy Bear Jubilee in Kansas City, but alas, my camera was/is in the missing bag.
Congrats to you and other Teddy Talkers on your Golden Teddy Award nominations. Probably some of you also have TOBY nominations too, but I haven't studied those yet. Interesting to note that so many nominees are TT participants. Obviously Teddy Talk is the home of the greats!
Blessings and
Bear Hugs,
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)We have had whole bags disappear, sometimes for a few days or a week, and some to never turn up again.
These were with the major carriers like American and United: I cannot reason the they would suddenly start to feel more generous in these days of everything else going up, but I can tell you that as of ourt last experience a year ago, their allowed liability had a TOP price of about $250, which it screamingly ridiculous, considering that the bags alone are at least $100+.
Check with the airline (it's probably on their site's FAQs unless you'd rather try to get a real person who can answer this) to see what the max they'll pay is. I can't blame them, as a few bad apples spoiled it long ago by claiming $$ for things that weren't originally in that pc of luggage - or they over-inflated the original price.
Good Luck & Pls tell us your outcome.
Donna's Duin BruinsHi Laure,
So sorry to hear this has happened. Hopefully the bag will show up. The first thing that came to my mind was what would an architect charge for a set of building plans. Realistically our patterns are just as valuable.
Good Luck with this,
Donna
Oh Laure I am SO sorry!!!! 
Back Road BearsLaure,
I've missed you but am always pleased to catch a glimpse of you and your bears at show when photos are posted here!
Bobbie has a good point.
And as I'm flying to two shows in the next month or so I'm now petrified to do it!
At your expense an invaluale lesson has been learned.... make copies of your patterns if you are going to travel with them. I'm going to keep that in mind.
I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this and I hope the airlines pay you properly!
:hug:
Laure, I am very sorry to hear about your dilemma and I feel so sad for you.
I really hope that the airlines will find it and good luck with getting back what is yours.
Hugs
Carolyn
:hug: 
:hug:
Past Time BearsHiya, Laure . . . glad to see you posting, but wish it were for a happier reason. I surely hope there is a great ending to the story! :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Fool's Gold BearsThank you, Friends, for your sympathies, hugs and caring advice. Well, I just checked with the airlines (American) and found that they will pay a maximum of $3,000.00 now. That is a relief! As for the patterns, I am coming to terms with the fact that they are probably gone. None of the ones in the bag were needed for outstanding orders, so I'm ready to simply move on from here. I'll redirect my grief to creative energy for new designs.
Daphne, I wish I had known how close I 1was to your neighborhood whern in August my hubby and I spent over a week in Berlin, NH visiting friends. We could have had tea together! We went up there following Teddy Expo in WADC. I'll be doing the show again next year, so maybe we can meet up then.
Hugs to all, 
Kingfisher Farm Teddies and Folk ArtHI Laure.....I sure hope it turns up........I have had some close calls. But they always turned up. Pam
WienLaure,
what a bummer!
But still, it´s only a few days since you´re missing your bag, so don´t worry, sometimes it just takes bit longer to find it...just keep calling the airline and investigate with them.
Most important: check with them, if the description of your bag, the brand and any stickers, ribbons or name tags you have are correctly in your file.
Gaby
Drea's BearsOh gosh Laurie! How awful!!!!!!!!
To loose patters on top of it all! I really hope it turns up!
Good for you it turning it around and re-directing your grief into creating new patterns! What a positive way to look at things.
Keep us posted on how everything turns out.
Hugs,
AndreaM 
Fool's Gold BearsThanks for your kind thoughts, Gaby, Andrea. I will send in the report the airline is asking for. They want an itemized accounting of all that was in the bag, and the bag itself, the cost and where I got each item from. I'm trying to recall exactly which patterns were in the bag, and what bears were made with them, so I can account for how much I might have gotten from their use in the future, had they been available to use. It's a frustrating task, but I think that with work, I can approximate which patterns were lost and document them. At least one of them, though, was a new pattern that I made while I was traveling. I made a couple of bears from it, and took pictures, which are in my camera, which is in the lost bag. Whaddaya do with that? I still have one of the bears, so I can borrow my daughter's camera, but it is all such a hassle. 
I will be really glad when it's over, no matter what the outcome may be.
Posts: 3,540Just remember, they bank on people getting fed up over the details, and just going away of their own accord. I know its a total pain in the patootie, but do your best with the itemized list, and take it from there. :hug: I think you've got the best attitude you could possibly have for all of this ~ onwards and upwards!!! :hug: :hug:
And Gaby's right, sometimes it does take time for the baggage to be found. So there's hope yet. 
