Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I think I sent mine also.. now that I think about it.lolol

I don't know if I signed up or not, but if I didn'y yet, please sign me up too.
Sonya

Yeah for you Mellisa! I knew this would be a great thing for you when you first mentioned it. I am happy it worked out so well. Isn't it funny that people in your own town don't know of the talent right in front of them. If anything, I imagine you probably created at least a few new teddy bear collectors. People tend to fall in love with them once they see an artist bear up close and personal.
Good job!
Hugs
Sonya

I am with you there too! I have one listed with no bids, one last week that also didn't sell, but had a bid, and one other listed with no reserve starting at $29.99, 1 bid, and I paid 23 to list it as a featured. DEPRESSING!

60% General American English

20% Upper Midwestern

10% Yankee

5% Dixie

0% Midwestern

Awwww, now that is CUTE!!

Christmas?? Is it coming up? uh oh! I haven't even thought about it! YIKES!!

WOW!! It really is pretty! ESPECIALLY cause it is not HERE :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:
Sonya!

Sounds great to me Donna! I will see you there!

March 29th is a great day! It's my daughter's birthday! And it's only fitting since you and I share the same birthday as well! Congrats!
Sonya

I do both. I started out on ebay and grew a large collector base there, But did my first show within 6 months of ebay. I actually enjoy the shows a whoile lot more than ebay. I really think we need to cater to BOTH crowds. My first show was slow, but it has steadily built up my clients. The thing I hate about ebay is that is you miss listing for a couple of weeks tha collectors tend to forget you and you have to start all over again.
Sonya

Yeah Baby!! Hi Heather! I got to watch you get married from the online link you sent. It was awesome! TOO FUNNY but totally groovy! Congratulations!
Hugs
Sonya

How absolutely adorable!
Hugs
Sonya

Thanks everyone! Great information. I am so excited to do this show. I booked the Wildflower room at the Outside Inn and look forward to meeting everyone. I think this is going to be an incredible show.
Sonya

Dear Sweet Marie,
I am so sorry for your loss. What a strong wonderful inspirational woman she was. I am sure she taught you to use her as an example ands stay strong. My prayers are with you.
Huge teddy hugs,
Sonya

Thanks Donna, I will get ahold of them. It will be me and my fiance'. My son wants us to stay at his house, but he is in Sacremento and that is a long drive. They will just have to come up to Nevada City to see us. lol. Thanks so much for the info.
Hugs
Sonya

Hi Shantell,
I have always and still do commissions. I enjoy them but I also have some guidelines. I always tell the customer upfront that I would be happy to make a bear for them and allow thewm to choose mohair, paw pad material, of course size, sex (not yes or no, but male or female) and clothing type or none. BUT I do not let them tell me I want a nose this size, bigger ears, longer muzzle, etc. I let them know that I must be allowed to use my own creative abilities to make the bear and that I am positive they will be happy with it. I rarely take a deposit and have never had a bear refused when it was complete. But I am rethinking that policy as I have recently had 2 people ask me to make a bear, say what kind of mohair they wanted, then after I ordered the mohair, they emailed to say they cannot get it now due to whatever reason. It hasn't hurt me because I can use the mohair anyway, but I think if the bear is going to be over a certain size, I will start asking for a deposit to cover my expense.
Sonya

Hi Shelli,
I signed up for the April Nevada City Show. I got my packet in the mail yesterday with lodging info. Just wondered if there is a "favorite" place where the artists stay? I would kind of like to be near where others are staying.
Thanks
Sonya

That is how I do mine when I use either wire or locline. I use regular quilt batting and wrap the wire or locline, then I use a length of artificial sionew and start at one end, tie around the batting, then wrap the sinew around and around to the other end, then tie it there too. I usually stuff the paw of foot first, then add the wrapped wire and joint. Then I add some more polyfil with forceps.
Sonya

When I do a center seam teddy, I place each gusset piece so the nap is going from the center out towwards the ears.

Toby, you are exactly correct.

Jane,  What a sweet guy. He IS worth all of the work.

Sonya

My late mom's birthday?

I have made several with this method. I will have to find a picture of one if I can remeber which ones I did it with

a center seam gusset can really help. Instead of just splitting it right down the middle in a straight line, make the straight line an arc instead
I will make a picture and post it here

Nancy, In jasc paintshop, to crop to say a 4 x 6 inch size, you select the crop tool, then in the box where it says width, heighth, and units, you type in 4 for width, 6 for heighth, and inches for units. a 4 x 6 box will appear on your picture that you can move around with your cursor. If the box is not large enough and cuts off some of your photo, make sure that the box to the right of the units, that says maintain aspect ratio, is checked. Check it if it isn't, then click on one of the corners of the box and stretch it to fit the part you want to crop. Then click the check mark to crop it. It will crop it at 4 x 6.
Sonya

Hi Richy, Welcome to Teddy-talk and welcome to the bear making world. You are in for the time of your life. There are many wonderful books on designing patterns. I would suggest Nancy Tillberg's 101 bears to make as a great one to start with. Also Jennifer Lainge's The art of teddy bears. Both have very good lessons on how to design bears and other animals. it is not as easy as  we all make it sound, but you can learn by using a basic pattern and then "tweaking" it to see what happens to the look if say you make the muzzle longer or the ears bigger, etc. Would love to see your bear when you are done.
Sonya