For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Its been 10 months of hard work but I am beginning to get the hang of this bear-making thing. May I introduce a few of the boys…or at least, their prototypes ...
Honestly, have any bears ever been stuffed and un-stuffed as many times as these and lived to tell about it? Weight management has taken on a whole new meaning! These fellows have been articulated and disarticulated three times in their short fuzzy lives. Chompzworth has had three pairs of legs since he first appeared on the Forum unfinished several months ago. Well, after much argument he and his pals stand and sit without support. (Grizzles are very disobedient bears!)
These are the progenitors for my adult male grizzly bears who range in size from 19 to 26 inches. The two boys sharing the spotlight were the first and second built, and the final largest bear, was my last design. They seem very happy to be finished. Hopefully in the next month or two with a new website and blog, Fauxpaw Bears will become the reality the bears and I have been working (and struggling these months for).
Kudos: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Thank you to Judi Paul and her Felted Faces class for techniques in felted eyelids especially.
And for sculpted polymer noses, thank you to Joanne Livingston who prompted and supported me through all their ‘nasal iterations’.
And a special shout out to all of you on Teddy Talk whose suggestions “helped my bears stand.” I think I used every single tactic you supplied plus a few of my own.
And an especial thank you to the wonderful people who had the foresight and ingenuity to develop this forum and preserved this fabulous library as a resource.
This is a wonderful community of giving and sharing people and I can only hope that my ‘not so little’ bears in some small way reflect the joy I’ve found being among you.
Pat Klein
Congratulations, these bears are just wonderful, and I can see how much effort and care you have put into creating them. It certainly sounds like you have well and truly caught our bug - and it will never leave you. I agree with you how wonderful all the resources are on Teddy Talk for new bearmakers. Everyone in this community is so caring and helpful. Please let me know when you have your new blog and website and perhaps we could trade links if you would like to.
:clap: They are AWESOME Pat! They made me smile as soon as I saw them. You've done a wonderful job with them.
Hi Pat
Well Done :clap: :clap: :clap: you are well on your way and theres no going back They are all terrific they made me smile as soon as I saw them.
Raewyn
These are absolutely blooming fantastic! If I'm as good as you in 10 months I'll be over the moon. You can really see the time you've spent in them and the perfect has paid off tremendously. You can really see how much you've learnt in these bears too.
Beautiful!
Richard
x
Oh those were well worth all the effort! Love their noses and the scissor sculpting on their faces, and love the paw shading and the open mouths
Wow! They really are splendid! You must be thrilled with them!
I am so glad to see them here Pat!! Bodies and heads together. They truly are wonderful, expressive, beautifully executed.
Best of luck in your new venture
Joanne
All right, Pat!!! :clap: :clap: :clap: WoooHoooo! They are simply GORGEOUS! You've hit the nail right on the head! Perfect!
Thank you all for your generous praise. Your words of welcome and approval make all that re-stuffing and re-sewing worth it! It really inspires me. Yes, when the computer connections are up, I am anxious to 'get connected'....so exciting! It's a sprint between the bears and the computer stuff now.
All I know is I am never happier than when I am building the boys (and girls)…I guess that is why they are smiling.
Anecdotally, my husband walked into the room a few days ago and everyone was lined up on the counter, mouths open in characteristic bear laughter. He turned to me thumbing in their direction, and said rather gruffly, “I don’t know what they are on, but I could sure use some of it.”
When I looked up from my sewing to respond, he was looking at the bears and was smiling.
Smiles: the final product!
Pat
I just want to give these guys a big hug! Great work :clap: :hug:
You did a wonderful job on the bears. Their personalities come though and you just can't help but smile.
Wow what a couple of great characters! I love the wrinkle effect under the eyes!
VERY WELL DONE! I LOVE THESE GUYS, PERFECT, YOUR NOT ON YOUR WAY, YOUR THERE!!! :clap:
I have just started to post here again and I'm not sure how I missed these big bundles of personality! Their faces are fantastic!
Oh my, they are fantastic! :dance: :clap: :clap: They look alive - as though they could get up and give you a hug. Impressive work
Hugs,