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I have noticed that there are a few artists that have gone form making dolls to bears......so I was wondering how many of you out there have gone or is trying something new from bears to a new form of art........dolls, sculpting with clay ect.
If you look at how many artist that use to post here all the time and are now hardly heard from are they still in the bear world or moved on to something else. I see we have a lot of new artist and welcome to TT. 
Cutiepie Bearswell, i am pretty good at sculpting, which i used to do a lot before i made bears. it was my favorite activity. 
u can't say im an "artist" though, because at this age...if you are interested, i will be happy to show some of the things i have done.
EJ's CraftsI am fairly new to this site, about a year I guess, although I have been making bears for 30 years. I am awed by some of the bears and other critters I see on this site. As I do mainly child safe bears, mine are pretty traditional looking. I have also always make soft dolls and a few other critters. I don't know about the rest of the bear makers but my passion for making bears has never wained and I will probably make bears until I can't see or handle the fur anymore. There is always some new technique to learn or a new design rolling around in my head that just has to be made up. Right now, with this economy, I know the bears are not selling at the rate they use too but never fail they will again. At my age, I don't have to rely on selling my work to live and only hope I sell enough to buy more supplies. It has to be really hard on those who have to make a living from selling their work and I have a lot of empathy for them.
Back Road Bears
Guilty of 'spreading my creative wings'!! I lost my bear making mojo for a few months.... who am I kidding... it's been close to a year though I continued to make them until about 2 months ago. After a couple of feeble attempts at cloth dolls last year I decided to try again with a new design in mind and am now having a blast with them and have even gotten orders to boot!
Course I have bear shows to produce which sometimes leaves me with no energy for ceativity, especially with a really BIG show coming up this fall. But creating the kind of shows I try to create takes a lot of 'thinking outside the box' too..... it's own kind of creativity there.
Just this past week the bear making bug crawled back under my skin and I've got a bear almost finished that I'm really excited about so I'm hoping this is the start of a new chapter for Back Road Bears. I'm going to continue making annies too.... I think variety is good, might keep me from getting bored.
Hi Linda
Congrats on winning Daphnes blog giveaway. I am still making teddy bears but have also in the past 5-6 mos branched out into making Raggedy Anns which are really fun to do and have stretched my creative abilities in a different direction. Will always make bears however
Hugs
Gail
Where am I - well while working on my website update I discovered Facebook and MAFIA wars !!! So now my daily schedule- Wake up, Mafia War fix, Email check, then sort out the other things needing to be done.
Having a home based shop, I introduced cloth and reborn dolls. I am having fun doing both. As I still attend shows I have to make bears. At the moment I am busy with mini bears that are off to Japan with me.
What gives me a push in the bear direction is seeing a fabric that I like, or perhaps an accessory that will work well with a design.
I also work on bears when stressed as I find this helps me focus on something else than myself.
Lynette
Sorry I haven't been as active a member of Teddy Talk, but the past year has been a challenge for me ..both physically and emotionally. It was one year June 2 that my husband passed away and my world has changed completely.
I am responsible for EVERYTHING now .... keeping up the house, mowing yard, paying all the bills, meeting with the insurance people, holding a full time job, helping my daughter through a divorce and bankruptcy, being there for the grandkids .... and on and on and on.
I have scheduled a couple of shows this fall and am just starting to get back into the bears.... although I'm not making as much progress as I would like..... but with God's help, I'll get a few little critters made and enjoy once again being with all the wonderful members of the teddy bear world.
I have been thinking of several other avenues of creativity to compliment the bears, but so far, they have only been tossed around in my mind.
Hugs,
Wanda Carson
Chaska, MinnesotaWell I make bears for a hobby and have not lost interest, but I have bought a couple of cloth doll books and I think I may try my hand at them.....
Oh Wanda I am so sorry! You have been going thru so much :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: Hugs to your daughter too!!
And yep, still making bears
I must say some you have gone through so life changes that is for sure and has taken you down a different path. I for one have been going through so health issues that has really slowed me down at the moment. I have not made a bear since last year but hope to be able to get back at.
bearyfun732 I would love to see the things you have done.
Thanks Gail
Ellen my mom just went throught that this passed winter. She said it was very painfull.
Wanda I am so sorry! :hug: :hug: :hug:
Thanks for sharing.
It sounds like it's been a tough year for many... I hope this summer brings better health & less stress for you all :hug: .... and more time and inspiration for your art! 
I haven't been on Teddy Talk much for the past couple weeks... but I'm still creating! I've been working on a commissioned realistic Persian cat (one with moose antler teeth & claws) that has been taking all my "bear time". She's challenging, but I'm happy with how she's turning out. I should have her done soon!
