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Back Road Bears
Here are the 3 mink bears I've been working on. I'm only showing you because a couple of people asked to see. Consider yourself warned.... I'm no Tammy Wamboldt or Nancy Tillberg or Judi Paul!!! :redface:
I swore off real fur a year ago but when my folks were visiting my great aunt who thrust her mink stole into mom's hand saying "Tell Daphne I want 3 little bears for my granddaughters to remember me by!" what could I say! I've really let mom know this is absolutely THE END!!! I don't care if the president's wife asks for bears to be made of her fur coat. The answer is NO! I don't like working with real fur for an infinite number of reason which I won't bore you with! I think it shows in my work. I admire those who can make such marvelous bears with it!!! But it's definitely in the best interest of both myself, my husband who has to listen to the screams, language and throwing of things while I'm working, and my customer, if I don't make anymore. I'm leaving it to the experts.
I did try making the noses of Sculpy (sp?) over a glass eye and think that with a little practice I could make some great noses this way. Very good idea someone had! Though mom says these noses look like koala noses!
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE..... DON'T leave any comments to try to make me feel differently about these guys. 
No encouraging, positive comments just to boost my ego. I'm not looking for that and I think you'd all be lying. 
I hate false, superficial praise like that. 
If you tell me they are hideous I will thank you up, down and sideways! 
And belive you!!! 
'Bear' Bottoms OriginalsWell Daphne,
You'll kill me, but I do like those little guys. I think they are cute! But I'm not trying to talk you into making more.... I do think they are cute though... and it's not superficial "Oh yes, just lovely!" when I really don't like them; I don't do that. To me, if you don't like it, just don't comment, please... Don't fill me up with praise that you don't mean....
Kimberly W.
Posts: 3,177O God they are so crap Daph - nasty little boogers - mean squinty eyes and there's three of 'em too, if they start breeding we may have a 'Gremlin' moment on our hands :twisted: :dance:
Is that derogatory enough for you Daph???
Love Ya 
Penny :hug:
Apple Dumpling DesignsI agree Penny...pure Crap...give it up Daphne...
I think I might trip on my nose for the rest of the day now!!!
Back Road BearsROFLMAO!!! 
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
I knew I could count on you all!
Don't hold back!!
Back Road BearsKimberly,
Thank you for understanding and being a non-superficial, honest person!
Not that the rest aren't, but it just a very appreciated characteristic!!
bears by beesley TMSorry Daph! I love and adore them! They are so darn cute. You did an awesome job!
Many Hugs Louise
Terries BearsDaphne, they may not be Tammy Wambolt or Nancy Tillberg, or Judi Paul fur bears but I am sure that the Grandma and the grandaughters who get them will be thrilled and will all love them to death.
I hesitate to tell you this but I think that they are cute, they look so sweet and innocent sitting there as if to say "we didn't mean to give you such a hard time" 
I do agree with you though, I started my bear "career" by making fur bears out of Grandma coats and now I really dislike it.....it is just plain hard work! I cringe whenever I get an order for "memory bears" !
Winneybears and FriendsOh Daph..they are so hideously cute ! They act like they are the 3 monkeys , see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil ...No, really ..they look like they are all saying ....at the same time; " Who, me " ?
I think they have loads of character and the noses DO NOT look like Koala bear noses...find a Kola nose on the net to show your mom, no disrespect... but she is wayyyy off. The term cute I think refers to many types of bears...like , baby faced cute, old fashion cute, worn out cute, whimsically cute...yours are a mix of real character and whimsical cute...and thats the truth ! :hug:
I have been making real fur bears for years and they are DIFFICULT to make but, but, but......they always turn out different... but CUTE and soooo soft...customers just love them, I don't think you can make an ugly mink bear .
I am not an expert but I figure the only way to make what we ourselves envision takes a lot of practice, its the same with any medium. So you may have wanted a baby face cute bear and instead got a character cute bear....disappointing ? 
and it wasn't even fun either ! Pity your sewing room , must look like a tornado hit it after all the fits . 
I like the way you used the stole lining ...bet your aunt will too and I think she will just love the 3 bears that came into this world with such a difficult labor for their mom. OK. calm you feathers down Daph...you don't have to make any more real fur bears . :pray:
Oddly enough....months or maybe years from now your eyes will land on some real fur and what will pop into your mind is " Hmmmm, that would make a beautiful bear " ...he, he.... Do I dare ?.... :twisted: Evil Winney
Posts: 2,203Daphine, If I wasn't impressed, I'd have to have my head checked! :hug: I completely understand your frustration! just watching someone else work with that stuff makes me buggy!
Christchurch, New ZealandWell I think they are lovely - and such a lovely gift for the granddaughters.
You should be very pleased with yourself as you have done a fantastic job and you have even managed to get them looking so identical (which is a feat in itself). Well done!!
Flying Fur StudiosNever have I seen such ugly bears! THese are just hidious. How could you even show them off? Really................
No, they are fine. But I totally understand as well about the false praise. I don't think it's fair. If I post a bear, I'd learn much more from those who don't like it, than those who lie about liking it.
And blah, blah blah. In a rambling mood today
Delartful BearsLOL Daphne, you are funny!!! I don't think they are nearly as bad as you think they - you know what? I thought it was cool how they look so similar to your mohair bears. Probably not quiet as cute as your mohair bears, but similar none the less!!
Put your foot down in future.. LOL I do like the little bears.. Please don't be so hard on them!
Danni
BEAR ME SHOOTKA:hug: Daphne, I'm afraid I'm the next victim, 
....but I LOVE them...
And they're really cute!!! I like noses and shaved muzzle..
You should post closer veiw pictures... :hug:
Julia :hug:
Starlite BearsAaaw Daphne - and there I was just measuring up my discarded mink stole and figuring out how much to post to you for revamping 
Oh my well perhaps next years model will be a better color for my future heritage bear
Daphne - they dooo have such character and I take m;y hat of to you for being able to duplicate just like little triplets - Soo Sorry I too think they are cute!!
:hug:
Anne
Kim-Bee BearsDaphne this trio is wonderful! I know what you mean about working with real fur, its the pits! I have a whole storage tote filled with it... I might do one in the future but it is such a pain!!!! I might sell it on ebay and buy more mohair with the proceeds HA!
Daphne I have to say that I really like them! And I can definitely see that they are Back Road Bears!!! Your style just shines thru even in fur! So many times the same bear in mohair and in fur will look totally different....
NOT false praise here...
LuxembearsAh Daphne! You are very hard on yourself indeed!!! I do agree with Laura that they certainly show through your style. I think that is something to be proud of.
I also know how difficult it is to work with real fur. It is different in many ways than creating bears from mohair and much much more involved. A right pain in the neck! Mink is not an easy fur and it takes time to really get a feel for working with the furry-stuff-that-has-a-mind-of-it's-own.
I think you did a very nice job. My first real fur bears were....um.....interesting..... I learned bearmaking with real fur so going iot mohair was a real treat. I think it would be much harder to go from mohair to real fur, so I can understand why you would not like it. HOWEVER>>>> I think your bears are very sweet looking and your family will be very happy with them...especailly that fact that they are made with love.
Back Road BearsThank you all...
I still don't care for them much but I will admit that the one in the middle with the most woeful expression is my fav if I had to have one. To me they all look quite different from eachother. Funny how we view our own work. I know, we're usually our own worst critics. No exception here!
No close up on purpose.... don't want to show off the goofs... like trimming the fur down too close to the pelt on the muzzle! Ooops!
Winney - I'm so sorry I didn't add you to the Tammy, Nancy, Judi list... your bears are adorable too! And I will admit that I have a black persian lamb coat in the cellar which I am hanging on to.... for the day I go completely nuts and want to have at it. I made a black bear like my avatar out of that kind of fur once and he was gorgeous. Maybe Judi is right... it's the mink that gives me grief.
Daphne, Thanks for sharing the pictures. The bears look hideous....how can you show your face here again............
Seriously, You have nothing to be embarrased about. I really think they have very cute, innocent faces that beg for a hug. Real fur is not very forgiving, but somehow I am addicted to the stuff. Sometimes I feel like I'm torturing myself , but when those faces are done they make me smile. These bears still have the Backroads Bear look too ! The use of the lining adds such a personal touch o. :dance: :dance: I really do think you did a good job and the noses are definately not KOALA .
I am honored that you put my name in the same sentence with Judi and Nancy. I have a lot more to learn to be anywhere near their league ! As with Judi, I started with real fur and I think it is easier to go from fur mohair, than from mohair to fur. Be proud of the bears, especially that size as they are not easy to do. I'm on #245 and here is a picture of my 1st fur bear in 2003 ! Have a good laugh
'Bear' Bottoms OriginalsTammy,
OMG, pleeeeeaaaase don't be offended, but he has got that PERFECT, sweet, cute Qwasimoto (sp?) look to him!! When I saw him, the first thing I did was chuckle out loud and say "Awwwwwwwww..." It's like he just sits there saying, "Please love me, I'm good..."
That was NOT meant to be malicious, so please don't take it that way.... But he DOES have a very enamoring look. hee hee
Kimberly W.
Kim, that is the perfect description for my poor little Joey. He really does look like Qwasimoto !!!! That is why he lives on the back of a shelf in my basement. I'm glad I kept him for those days when I feel like a failure at bears. he shows me just how much I have improved !!!! And to think I was proud of him that day he was born ! Oh he is sooooo funny looking with those crooked eyes. Daphne's bears look perfect compared to mine.
Thanks for the laugh Kim ! !
'Bear' Bottoms Originals Hee hee, glad you didn't take offense! Whew! :hug:
But you SHOULD have been proud of him, if for nothing else, the fact that you took that step to try! And you should be proud of him, because if it weren't for him and feeling as though you'd accomplished something, you wouldn't be making bears, now would you? 
And plus.... I haven't even TRIED to make a real fur bear. It's one of those dark, scary monsters in the closet I'm afraid of venturing toward!
P.S. The mottled face gives him SO much character!
Kimberly W.
'Bear' Bottoms OriginalsOh, and by the way, your foot pads on Joey look pretty much like mine STILL do if I try to use ultrasuede. I swear I think I'm the only bear maker that has so much trouble with it!!!!
Kimberly W.
Posts: 3,540 Oh blah! Hideous examples of real fur bears....ick pooey!!! NOT!!!
I don't know how you can't like them, Daphne....no, I take that back, working with primarily real fur...I can FULLY understand how you cannot like them having to battle with mink. Let's just say, real fur has a mind of its own....and it WILL NOT listen if you want it to lie the other way
I think they're adorable, but I can easily see why you're swearing off custom real fur bears... or simply swearing in general!
Tammy, I think your first bear is cute...definitely huggable! Its wonderful to be able to look at our first creations and pick them apart, and see just how far our talent has grown.
