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I thought I'd share a run-in I have recently had with the postal services and a waxed nose:
I've been waxing noses for quite some time and I prefer to seal them with a varnish to protect them. I'm very conscious of making my bears as heirloom bears and want them to last, so give a great deal consideration to the potential for longevity when using more contemporary techniques . Under normal circumstances, these waxed nose bears seem to hold up pretty well from what I've been able to deduce, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case on this occasion.
My bear went missing en route to his new owner. He was posted in a stout double walled box, packaged with plenty of bubble wrap, to prevent him from slipping around in his box. He was also clearly marked 'FRAGILE' with plenty of fragile tape stuck around the outside of the box. Under normal circumstances, this bear would have made his way to a new owner without incident as have many of his peers (worldwide in fact). However, on this occasion the delivery service missorted him and disrespected his packaging. The box eventually arrived crushed and sadly, so was bear's nose. Because of the varnish seal, I can't simply melt the wax back and re-do his nose, so I am in the position of having to tackle the delivery service's compensation system, after having had to accept that the arrival of this bear was not the joy it should have been for my customer. Needless to say, I am very disapointed with the service I have received.
I am now very wary of sending out bears with waxed noses and may well return to my usual hand embroidered noses which after all, are pretty indestructible.
Incidentally, if anyone has any suggestions for repair of this beeswaxed/varnished nose, I'd be grateful to hear them!
So, my warning is, please think carefully about ALL POSSIBLE EVENTUALITIES when using contemporary techniques on your work. If my bear had just had a simple embroidered nose, he could have survived the bad handling and my customer would not have been let down.
Ruby Mountain BearsThat can be so disappointing, still I love the look of the waxed and varnished noses so much. I should think that if this is just a rare event for your bears it should still be a part of your bear making. Your bears are just lovely!!
Little Bear GuyI agree with Kathy, if this is something that has not happened in the past then I think it is likely an isolated incident. We do clay noses and we always wrap the head in a big pieces of bubble wrap whenever we ship them, we have had boxes that arrived pretty mucked up but the faces were still intact and no problems.
big hugs
Shane
Posts: 3,540
Your poor bear!
I agree with the others, don't abandon your technique for one incident. I've seen some of the fragile boxes arrive in horrible shape! 
Personally I think the workers are using anything marked "Fragile" as a football, so I don't label my boxes as fragile.
Best of luck with the postal compensation. :hug:
Paul, how disappointing for you and the collector. I too agree that you shouldn't give up this technique. You are so good at it !! Is there something you could cover the nose with when shipping- an extra strong cardboard muzzle lined with lots of padding ????
Thanks for the support guys, but I'm still wary. My bear was packed in an extra strong box and was bubble wrapped to the hilt to protect him from moving around in the box; unfortunately it looks as though something heavy has been dumped on his box, stoving it in from the top, straight onto his poor conk despite the bubblewrap! Short of reinforcing the box with steelwork, I don't think any packaging would have survived this treatment.
Newcastle, OntarioPaula,
This may sound ridiculous BUT in North America we are actually warned NOT to put Fragile stickers on packages, both by the post office and UPS as it seems to tempt the workers to play football with them, if they are having a bad day! Sorry your bear was damaged - that's awful.
hugs,
Brenda
Waggle BearsI agree with Debbie...
Personally I think the workers are using anything marked "Fragile" as a football
I'm sorry this happened to you and your customer. I love your noses, but I don't have any advice. Let's just hope this will never happen again.
Drea's BearsThant is just awful!
I will never understand why people will be so thoughtless and horrible. What's the point in having fragile stickers in the first place if the warnig isn't going to be heeded?
I'm sorry this happened to you Paula, I hope you can find a way to fix the nose.
AndreaM
Paula,
This may sound ridiculous BUT in North America we are actually warned NOT to put Fragile stickers on packages, both by the post office and UPS as it seems to tempt the workers to play football with them, if they are having a bad day! Sorry your bear was damaged - that's awful.hugs,
Brenda
Brenda, that's outrageous!! Those workers should be dealt with and the delivery companies should offer a far more professional service. 
Hi Paula, 
I hate to say it, but it happens here in the UK too as I have heard, via someone doing temp work for a courier, of some terrible things that happen to our parcels at times. I noticed a while ago that certain couriers always seem to deliver parcels with a large gaping hole in the side, apparently where parcels are "speared" to push them along the ground instead of picking them up, and larger parcels are sometimes treated to a bit of "fork lift" fun with the fork part of the truck. And as for the word "fragile", it seems to mean "fun time" to them and probably a good excuse for a drop kick!
So sorry to hear about the nose on your beautiful bear Paula.
Bear hugs
Marilyn
Past Time BearsAAAAAAACCCKKK! I do waxed noses, too, and that's awful, Paula! So far, I think my packages have arrived at their adoptive homes in reasonably good shape, but guess there's always a first time. My worries are in the heat of summertime . . . will they melt in transit???!!! So far, so good. I am really sorry about your incident and hope it is a one-time occurence. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Hi Sue Ann, interestingly my customer said her bear arrived absolutely frozen, so maybe extremes of temperature either way are risky ... I'm not sure!
It seems a shame, but I may save my nose waxing for show bears, at least that way I know they will be collected in person from the show - but if they don't sell, I'll still have to offer them for mail order purchase ... it's a frustrating problem.
This is the first time I've ever had a damage problem with delivery, so hopefully it is just bad luck and a one-off.
Overall, I hate the idea of disappointed customers and I know this lady would have bought the bear with or without a waxed nose, so for my own peace of mind, I think I'll stick with plain old embroidery, unless I can come up with a really protective way of packaging the bear's head, which is also cost effective in terms of weight for shipping.
I love beautifully stitched plain embroidered noses, so it shouldn't be too much of a creative hardship for me! :P
Sue Ann, incidentally, in terms of repair, the biggest issue is the varnish seal I put over the waxed nose to protect it (!) without that seal, I could simply reheat the waxing and rework the nose. Food for thought ...
Jane Perala Designs Ltd.So sorry to hear about your poor bear, Paula. When I wax a nose I don't put a heavy application on - just a light rubbing of the softened wax block over the nose, then rub with paper. I don't seal it either, as I am worried that any "knock" on his noggin may do what has happened to yours.
I do know that some dogs are quite partial to waxed noses - mine in particular! (dogs that is)
Posts: 3,177Your poor bear and collector
Having once done a short stint at a Royal Mail sorting office (many moons ago) i can confirm that 'Fragile' on a box can be like a red rag to a bull and some idiots (usually temporary agency staff) delight in kicking the bejeezers out of a package which is why i never write fragile on any parcel i send out Paula.
If this is any use to you........when i send out dolls in the post i cover their faces with clear plastic food containers to which i attach a piece of elastic to keep it in place. Maybe you could eat lots of taramasalata and use the pots for popping over the bears muzzles?
Some M&S food packaging pots have no print on them, are really rigid and when washed thoroughly don't give away their origins - this is'nt just packaging, it's M&S packaging
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
I hope nothing like this happens again Paula :hug:
Penny
Matilda Huggington-beareWhat a shame Paula. And how dissapointing. Your poor beautiful bear. Have you thought of extra packaging just for the protection of the nose. Like wrapping one of those air capsules around the head.
Wendy :hug:
Paula I am SO sorry to hear about what happened to your beautiful bear
