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I'v finally gotten around to putting my first few bears up on Etsy!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CeeDeesBears
Must keep going now. The mammoth is nearly finished except I need steel shot, and to re do the neck joint, I think the discs are too small and her head flops forward.
Caroline D
Miser BearsLooking good! I hope your bears find lovely new homes! 
BatFinch BearsWoah - I think you are selling yourself a little short there 
I would look at increasing your prices! Did you work out how much materials cost and things? (even if it's just a hobby, you don't want to be losing money!)
But massive congratulations - it took me a long time and a lot of courage to put mine on Etsy - the ones I put up did sell though! 
Woah - I think you are selling yourself a little short there
But massive congratulations - it took me a long time and a lot of courage to put mine on Etsy - the ones I put up did sell though! :D
Hi Emily
I thought long and hard about the pricing, having seen other comments about underpricing. But I decided that, these are effectively, learner bears. I wouldn't feel justified in selling them for much higher, the same sort of prices as other far more skilled and experience bear makers are selling for. These prices cover the costs of the materials well enough, and when I feel that their quality is better, that I've developed the patterns further and more uniquely, and when the craftsmanship is better, (I could put in descriptions of the flaws as I see them, but this would not be good salesmanship!) then I will sell for higher prices. I look on this as my apprenticeship. Other than doing this, I suppose I could give them away as gifts, (which I have done recently with 2), or give them away to charity. I don't want a house full of apprentice bears, our house is way too small! Does this make sense?
regards
Caroline
Congratulations Caroline, I wish you luck with your new Etsy shop! 
It is always tricky to set a price. At the beginning especially as it is a sort of test for our work. I understand when you say that as you feel that you are still learning you don't want to charge as and experienced artist would. I think your bears are very cute though. I think you still could add a little to your prices and it still would be a fair price. Anyways, you can always raise the prices in the next bears, when you feel you are getting better!
As I started selling my first bears - not so long ago - I also started to learn some basics to photograph them at their best. I noticed that two of your bears were photographed using flash. You could try taking pictures without flash. It is one of my first lessons learned in that field (I am still learning!).
Again, good luck! It is exciting when you finally have the courage to try!
Miser BearsI see a lot of bears on etsy for £80 or more! I decided to go for £30 for my bears to see how it goes, fingers crossed :s
Congratulations Caroline, I wish you luck with your new Etsy shop!
It is always tricky to set a price. At the beginning especially as it is a sort of test for our work. I understand when you say that as you feel that you are still learning you don't want to charge as and experienced artist would. I think your bears are very cute though. I think you still could add a little to your prices and it still would be a fair price. Anyways, you can always raise the prices in the next bears, when you feel you are getting better!As I started selling my first bears - not so long ago
Again, good luck! It is exciting when you finally have the courage to try!
Hi Francy
Thanks for your input. That is my intention, to raise the prices as I improve and use better materials. I've yet to try real mohair, I'd hate to mess it up at that price!
I didn't use flash for the photos, just the sun on a very sunny day, but I think it reflected off the panne velvet more than is good. I need to work out how to do colour correction on Paint.net or Gimp, that is probably what was needed, that and better background materials.
Caroline
I see a lot of bears on etsy for £80 or more! I decided to go for £30 for my bears to see how it goes, fingers crossed :s
Your bears are lovely Heather. But yours are made of mohair, which as we all know, costs way more than fake fur! I agree, that seems like a reasonable price for your bears.
Caroline
Miser BearsThanks Caroline!! 
