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Someone asked me to comment on the entry process and I don't have enough time to do that right now (running out the door soon to get my sons after an extended vacation with their dad, yay!!!)
But I did want to start up a new topic before it slipped my mind entirely.
Anyone who wants to, please contribute your know-how. Anything and everything from timelines to tips and pointers.
I'll add my own, undoubtedly lengthy, two cents in when I get time later on...
Thanks!
LuxembearsI am sure Shelli has sooo much she will add to this but to add my two cents worth.
I think the most important elements, if you will, in submitting entires into the Toby's and Golden Teddy contests are Originality and Outstanding photos that truely show the personality of yor bear. Rmember that the judges don't get to hold and cuddle each bear, thay only have a photo ...so your bear needs to jump out and grab thier attention.
If you are not a supurb photographer then hire one. It is worth the money to have your bear in his/her best light for the judges.
Both the contests have tips for these photos like using a plain background, and using the right colored background best suited for your bear. Like staying away from a white background for a white bear...stuff like that.
I have seen the contenders in my catagory for the Golden Teddy Award, in the over 14" undressed. They are really terrific bears! I am just thrilled to be nominated:)
Well, there's my two cents worth.:D
Fool's Gold BearsI am strongly in need of knowing how to keep tabs on deadlines for these important contests. I seem to get wrapped up in the daily struggle and it slips by me. One bit that I can offer, though, is that I had the privilege of a private critique by Audie Sisson who has been a judge at some of the contests. If a person has the privilege of getting their bears called in for a closer look, the winning criteria has a lot to do with the eensiest details of craftmanship. Some areas that he pointed out to me were: the stuffing must be very smooth and evenly distributed, unless lumpiness is part of the design. The ears must be sewn firmly to the bear with no spaces between the bottom edge of the ear and bears head that are big enough for Audie's little finger to poke through. If the bear is weighted it is preferable for the weight to be distributed evenly throughout the bear so it has a balanced feel. I don't know what he would say about having the bear's feet weighted for standing. The seams must be smoothly executed, with no accidental corners in an intended curve, such as on foot pads. Those are Audie's rules. I don't know anyone else's, but I'm sure they are sticklers for workmanship.
Haus of Bears, Inc.Hi,
Yes. it really like to know also how to win awards other than the yearly Magazine Contest`s. ( I miss the deadlines constantly)
In Germany I knew where and how to enter, but since I am over here in the USA, I dont know which ones to enter.
Would be nice to receive another award again.
http://www.myblackforestbears.com
Past Time BearsLaure, I guess Audie's rules are for the bears that are sent in to be judged in "bearson". The US magazine contests are judged by photos only (except for the manufacturer's categories). I talked to a very knowledgeable collector in Houston a couple of years ago and she happened to be one of the Golden Teddy judges for several years. Her comment was that, by far, the face and its expression was the most important aspect in influencing the judges' decisions. She is in ill health and hasn't judged for quite some time, so I don't know if that still holds true . . . but - from the horse's mouth, so to speak!! 
Also, Laure, I will be happy to post the deadline dates for both the TOBY and Golden Teddy contests . . . when they come out for 2006. Usually, the deadlines are around the end of the year (Dec.) and the first of the next year (Jan.), but whatever they are, I'll put them up here and REMIND EVERYBODY to enter!! The more, the merrier!!! 
Kiprie BearsShelli. Judi. Laure, and Sue Ann ,
Wao ! Thanks for *important information* for
TOBY and Golden teddy bear contest 
I know many of you in this community has won
award from these contest so cool !!
I would love to try entry these show
some day ...10years later....or next year !?
Rita, do you lived in Germany before ? How lucky
you are! I would love to travel to Germany and
check out the all history of teddy bear and
go around Steiff museum :)
Bear Hugs/Marie
Haus of Bears, Inc.Hi Marie,
I AM German, and been here in the USA for ca. 8 Years.
I was born and raised in Frankfurt/Main
http://www.myblackforestbears.com
Rita
Kiprie BearsHallo Rita :lol:
wir sind in der globalen Gemeinschaft dann! danke :D
..please don't reply me in German
because I only know few word...
Bär(bear) and Bier(beer). he he
Bär hugs/Marie
Fool's Gold BearsThanks for the insight Sue Ann. I didn't know that the magazine contests are judged by the photo only. After talking to Audie, who someone at IDEX said was an authority of some kind, I assumed that he had judged the magazine contests. Thanks for making plans to post the contest deadlines. That will help me a lot. :D:cool:
Hugs,
PottersHouse BearsHello Rita,
Your bears are beautiful. And welcome to the US (eight years late). Germany is one of the countries that I hope to visit someday. My dad's family is German. My maiden name is Gleckler. Maybe that trip is in my future.
My family tried to get me to enter last years contests but I declined. I guess I didn't think I was ready for that. Competition is not my thing. I have had some bad experiences in the past. I realize that this is different and I can't judge by the past, but I entered a contest (not teddy bear) and I took first place. I had friends who would not even speak to me afterwards. Well, maybe they weren't friends. But I am thinking of entering this year. I have ideas rolling around in my head. Now to get them out of my head and into some mohair.
Laure,
Audie Sison was probably talking about the TITA (Japan's Tokyo International Teddy Awards) competition. He has been a judge for that award several times and is a big promoter of the TITA and very much encourages American artists to enter. For that award entries are first judged from photos, then if your piece is nominated you send it to Japan where it is judged by a panel of experts and put on exhibit at several Japanese shows for public voting, plus it will appear in the Japan Teddy Bear Fan Club Magazine with a ballot for public voting, much as the TB&F and TB Review do for the TOBY and Golden Teddy Awards. I have gone through this process several times (and was lucky enough to have my entry win a TITA last year!) and can say that you have to be patient -- the piece is in Japan about five or six months. For anyone that is interested in the TITA, the deadline for entry is soon. (Applications must be received in Japan by June 20th)
Information about the award is at: http://www.teddybear.co.jp/download/pdf … ations.pdf
If anyone wants to enter and has any questions, feel free to ask and I'll be happy to help if I can.
Hugs, Donna
Man, I wish I had known about the TITA's before now; I don't have anything ready to enter that is ALSO still in my possession.
Anyway...
I promised I'd return to this subject, so here goes. I'm very new to these things, having entered both contests last year for the first time, so I'm by no means a seasoned expert. But I can offer a few ideas up, for those interested parties who asked.
CONTEST PARTICULARS
I only have familiarity with the contests sponsored by the two big US magazines: Teddy Bear Review (TBR) and Teddy Bear & Friends (TB&F.)
TBR magazine sponsors the GOLDEN TEDDY competition.
TB&F magazine sponsors the TOBY (Teddy Bear of the Year) competition.
CONTEST TYPES
As mentioned in other posts, the big US magazine contests are photo submission contests. This is neither better, nor worse, than a physical entry competition (althought you might encounter people who will want to convince you otherwise!) Photo submission contests are just one "type" of competition.
It works like this:
You send in photo submissions of your work according to category (size, dressed v. undressed, etc.);
a panel of experts selects nominees for each category from the photos received;
a winner is selected, by the magazine reading public, from the published photo list of the nominees.
TIMELINE
TBR and TB&F run their competitions roughly in parallel. Usually it looks like this:
Deadline for photo submission: Dec/Jan
Announcement of nominees: March/April (at a big show or event)
Publication of nominees/voting by public: August
Announcement of winners: October (at a big show or event)
RULES and GUIDELINES
These vary by magazine so consult either the relevant issue, the magazine website(s), or the publishers/editors for more information.
TIPS & POINTERS
Follow the instructions for submission exactly; they can be lengthy and require a close read.
Make sure your photos are excellent -- nothing less than that -- and of the right size and format (no digital printouts, for example, which reproduce poorly; I believe both contests specifically forbid them); make sure to label them on the back as instructed.
Ensure that you fill out all appropriate forms completely, and be sure to send in your entry fees (and yes, there are entry fees, and they are not small.)
Don't compete against yourself; an artist can only be nominated once per category, so if you'd like to enter multiple bears, enter them in different categories (like "Large dressed" and "Tableaux.")
Work hard on creating a beseeching face, no matter what your critter!
Originality and creativity, plus quality and intricacy of workmanship, look to be some of the more important determinants for success, based on examination of the nominees. It's not enough to have a cute bear, or a dressed bear. There has to be a certain grabby something extra-special about that cute bear, with the charm and sweet winsomeness you'd want in a bear on top of that.
I've found that the editors of both the big magazines are more than willing to offer help and answer questions, or to very quickly forward your questions to someone who more quickly and completely can. Don't be afraid to get clear on the concepts! Answers are very available and the magazine folk want you to enter lots and enter often!
RESOURCES
Teddy Bear Review http://www.teddybearreview.com/
Teddy Bear & Friends http://www.teddybearandfriends.com/
Winneybears and FriendsThank you so much Shelli. This is sure to help many of us and I would encourage many of you all to get down to business and start working towards entering you bear into competition.....including me ! ..LOL.
If you don't think your bear " is good enough"...... how many times have you heard that ?...
If you really think that's true...then get on with it by learning more advanced bear skills, take some classes, buy some bear books and pay attention to developing YOUR own look! Practice and get real fussy with the details.
Be imaginative, have fun., be daring, why not ? ..doncha remember when you were a little kid daydreaming., fantasizing ......find that again and do it. I really do think that every single person can develope their own certain look.....it comes from their own likes and dislikes and deep down personal artistic expression. LEARNING THE SKILLS IS JUST A TOOL....you need to have them first ......it serves to provide us a way to express ourselves.
Then after you know all the rules, you can go out and break them...that is " think outside the box."
I am writing this as much for myself as for you all....LOL. Hugs to you all...Winney
Fool's Gold BearsDonna, thanks for the clarification and info about the TITO contest. Wish I had something ready for it this year, but guess I'll try to get good and ready by next year. Congrats on your win last year. :):cool:
Shelli, You are an awesome teacher. Thanks ever so much for such an organized overview of the mag. contests. :D:cool:
Kiprie BearsShelli, Thanks for the information !
Millie, congratulation for award winning !
Please tell us what kind of contest that was !?
Not bears!? then.....cat? dog? he he
Donna, Thanks for the information about TITA.
I live in Japan but didn't really know how to
entry. 
I'm not ready for next one
but I will love to try for next year.
I saw your wonderful bear in the magazine
TB&F Japan too ! You are famous in here too :D
Bear Hugs/Marie
Marie,
How fun that you know of my bears! I was really tempted to go to Japan last year for the TITA Awards Banquet, but it just didn't work out -- maybe someday! I didn't enter the TITA contest this year either. I'm taking a year off from entering contests. Next year we should all give it a try -- then we could have a meeting in Japan! I would love to see a Japanese teddy bear show. I love the bears by Japanese artists. I have a bear and a cat made by Harumi Isiguro. Do you know of her work?
Hugs,
Donna
Fool's Gold BearsDonna,
I think I may know of her work. I met a darling young Japanese woman at (formerly) Linda Mullins' show in San Diego last August. I think her name was Harumi. She was so sweet. Some of her creations were very tiny and detailed. She gave me a very gracious invitation to "Prease come to Japan." I would love to go if I can some day. 
Kiprie BearsHello Donna !
I would love to meet you at
meeting in here Japan !
I'm just worry that your fan may take you away and I might have no chance to talk to you 
hmmmm
Yes, Ms.Ishiguro Harumi is too famous in
Japan. I don't know her in person(because
I'm new to teddy world)but I saw her and
her bears/animals in magazine
Laure and everyone, Please Paleae let
me know if you are coming to Japan.
I will run there to see you
Bear Hugs/Marie
Fool's Gold BearsI would love to meet you in person, Marie. I'll let you know if I make plans to go to Japan.
Laure, if you do, buy me a ticket and I'll reimburse. I wanna go too. 
Fool's Gold BearsShelli, maybe your little avatar bear, 'Summer', will sprinkle some pixie dust on us, and we can all fly over together. 
;):|
DoodlebearsPlease send some of the pixie dust over to me please Shelli. I would love to go to Japan as well. I have a friend, Toshiko who live in Tokyo I could visit her and then we could all meet up with Marie and go to the Teddy Bear museum.
Marie do you know of Hiro and Michi Takahashi from Fairy Chuckle. I met them on two occasions whilst at shows in London, they are lovely people and make beautiful bears.
Jane.
Past Time BearsMe too, me too . . . I want to go to Japan!!
Shelli,
I hope "Summer" has lots of that pixie dust handy - have her toss some toward Oakhurst. We could all invade Japan together and Marie could be our guide!
Oohhhhh coool!!!!! count me in too!
