Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thank you, girls!
Melissa - I just updated my original post and changed the photo.... thanks!!

"Mikasha" is nearly 13 inches tall and is available for immediate adoption on my website! www.backroadbears.com

(Updated with a new/better photo! The ones I took last night in artifical light just didn't bring out her true character.)

Thank you for the lovely compliments!!

"Lovie" is a sweet little ellie just under 10 inches tall who is available for immediate adoption on my website.
She hopes to find someone special to celebrate Valentine's Day with! For more pictures and details please visit my website!
http://backroadbears.com/lovie.htm

Pinking shears are great to use around the edge of the ultrasuede or wool or whatever you are using for the pad. If you use regualr scissors to trim the pad make snips into the edges stopping 1/8 in. from seam. Make snips every 1/4 inch around the curve. With the mohair/fur material, be sure you don't have more than a 1/4 in. of material from seam to raw edge (1/8 in. if making mini bears). I'm sorry... you'll have to convert my inches to cm.

Thank you for the compliments!
I appreciate your comments about the proportions. Although I agree with you I've also been considering making an ellie with a taller body. You talked me out of it! I think I'll spend my design time on an entirely different animal altogether!
First I must finish up 3 more ellies that are just as colorful (but not red!) and will be looking for new homes!

Late in December I posted on my Facebook Fan Page asking fans what color my first elephant of 2010 should be. One collector suggested red. I don't like red... unless it's on a Ford Mustang (we have one!)... so for me this was going to be a real stretch and challenge. I was up for it and I'm glad I did because I'm starting to like red now!

Meet Ruby! She's just under 13 inches tall and made of Schulte mohair and ultrasuede. The collector really designed the whole piece... she wanted red hearts on the ear... and it took me quite a few tries at various techniques and materials to get hearts on there. I didn't want to glue anything and I didn't like how fabric paints worked on the ultrasuede. Finally, I machine needlefelted wool cut out hearts and it worked beautifully (save for the few needles I broke!) and they'll never come off!

Ruby is off to live in Washington State!!

Pat - no, you probably wouldn't like a lot of what you read from that generation! I wouldn't either! I find Facebook a place to be in contact with friends and family from the same generation and similar interests... not a place to see the daily goings on of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, etc as they interact with their friends!!

As a selling opportunity... yes, I've met many wonderful collectors on there I never would have crossed paths with otherwise and have sold many bears as a result. I've even sold to old high school and college friends I reconnected with through Facebook. It's provided wonderful exposure for my business and I've had a great time catching up with old friends and making new ones!

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support!!! I'm glad you all like this idea! As time goes on and we let our collectors know about the page this should help us gain added exposure and sell our work! It's a great way for collectors on Facebook to see artist bears all in one place.

You'll see I'm trying to keep the wall postings to just bears for sale... not chatter. We have places like TT to come and talk! Less chatter makes it easier for folks to see the bears which is what it's all about.

Please note that I'm volunteering my time to create and maintain this fan page. I do not however, with all my other endeavors, have time to promote the page beyond the bear forums and on FB so please, post the link on your Facebook status to let your Facebook friends know about it!!

Thanks again!! You guys are the best! :hug: 

Julia,
Oops!!! All fixed!
Thanks!
---------------

Even those who aren't Facebook members can still have a look at all the available bears! 

As Facebook continues to draw new users from all over the world... including a lot of us bear artists and collectors... I thought it was time we had one central place on there to list our bears for sale! So I've created the page Artist Teddy Bears for Sale

On this page collectors will find teddy bears listed by artists from all over the world... right in one place... while connecting with friends and doing their thing on Facebook. And artists can post photos and links to their current bears for sale right on the wall... for FREE!

If you are a Facebook user be sure to become a fan and tell your friends about this page! If you're not a Facebook user maybe it's time to become one!

Click here to check out Artist Teddy Bears for Sale Artists, go to the info tab to read the simple Rules for Use then get your bears listed on there. Please let your collectors who are Facebook users know about the page! The more collectors we direct to this page the better for all of us!

Thanks!!!
Hugs,
Daphne

Well Katy, I've been doing it for years with out a problem so I'll just keep right on doing it until an issue arises. In 8 years I haven't had a report of any overseas packages even being opened so........

"Importing" food and sending a tiny package of candy as a thank you with an order I should think would be two very different things. Besides, seems the world is much more concerned with weapon material being shipped at this point than they are bits of candy.

Well, my US customers haven't complained of bottles (plastic) of maple syrup rupturing in any way in the 8 years I've been shipping them and many of those packages have been on planes across the US. I just question what int'l customs would think/do with the syrup but I'm guessing it could slow up delivery of the bear and I'd rather not take that chance.

Alison, I love it!

Love the Penny idea, Bobbie! I went with the candies for int'l customers because they weigh a little less for shipping and I wasnt' so sure about shipping liquid overseas. I supposed it'd be just fine but with the flying I do I guess I got it stuck in my head "no liquid"!!

Real bear's paws are different in the front than in the back. And most teddy bear patterns are designed with paw pad shapes that are different also. (Unless of course you are making a four legged realsitic polar bear for example.) It would benefit you greatly to buy a teddy bear making book or a pattern or two... you can buy online! You will also find free patterns online like at www.freeteddybearpatterns.net Do some reasearch, look through photos in the teddy bears & friends for sale section here on Teddy Talk... you CAN see the differences. There is also a "library" here on Teddy Talk  with links to past discussions on all kinds of bear making related topics. Look above your very first post up there, on the left, see the smiley face waving at your next to a drop down box with the word LIBRARY??? Look through the options in that drop down menu... you'll find a lot of useful info!!

Oh, how adorable, Bobbie!!! I think sending sweet things of any kind is the prefect gift to go with our bears!!

Being from Maple Syrup country I send wee jars to my US customers and maple candy to my international ones when its sugaring season and everything is fresh... which will start late next month!!

That cub has been making the cutest sounds this morning!! And as an only child myself I can say that yes, a playmate would be nice but there's also something special about having mom all to yourself!!

I'm looking forward to getting some errands and house cleaning done today... I feel like I've been sitting in the same place for 3 days now!! Wait, I have!! :crackup:

It's important to read the updates posted by the researchers who, although they are learning from all of this too, do have a little more experience and education than we do! Keeping up with their information as they share it will prevent anyone from being misinformed or spreading misinformation. Here is the latest update - which, if you follow on Facebook, you can find quite easily. http://www.facebook.com/notes/lily-the- … 477?ref=mf Here you will read what her actions following her first birth were all about and whether or not they think she will have another cub.

She is resting peacefully... slow steady breathing... no signs of heavy breathing, contractions, etc. like she had nearly 24 hrs. leading up to the little cubs birth. We have to remember that she doesn't get pain meds and is likely still uncomfortable causing some thrashing around. AND... she has a wee one who is likely squirmy at times, moving under her... she's going to move around!!

But all is well and peaceful and quiet at the Lily Den!! Yay, Lily! Hopefully she can catch up on some much needed rest now!!!

No... just one cub. Dr. Rodgers confirms he's only heard one cub voice. The second round of cub screaming began when Lily moved... it might have simply upset the cub. There were no signs of her licking another newborn nor any suckling sounds as we witnessed with the birth of the first cub. She seems to be taking a well deserved rest now!
 

Yes, we were seeing all the rain while watching the Barrett Jackson Auctions out of Scottsdale last night. What a mess. Stay safe!

Still just one... we saw it's front arm/paw reaching at lily's muzzle.
 

12:39 Eastern - Lily Gave Birth!!!! The sound of that little one is soooooo sweet!!! Yay!!! Just one I think.... so far!

Shirley, I used the Kunin Shaggy Felt for Mimzy who was the bunny star in a children's movie called The Last Mimzy (2007).

To dye it you'd need to use disperse dyes which require a chemical for "carrying" the color into the polyester fabric. It's also requires extremely high heat and a lot of patience.... not recommended for someone new to dyeing! There are fabric crayons you could use that are supposed to work on synthetic fabric. I believe they have to be heat set though which will melt the felt.

Sandpaper is probably the best option. To add a grunge coloring to it at the same time you distress it use it to dust the house or mop your floor with. Seriously!! It's the next best thing to rubbing it on the sidewalk! This stuff will pill pretty easily so it shouldn't take too much hard work to give it a worn look.

Good luck!

she's back, she's fluffed her bedding and is now just very restless again.