Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Rita,
I think he is really really cute.  The only thing I could possible see is the upper inner mouth is showing.  Can you take a few stitches and pull it up so it cannot be seen from the front?

Love the mohair and the eyes!

Pour one for me too Louise!

Candy floss is the English term for cotton candy.

Ebay can be a roller coaster.  I have seen bids jump from less than $100 to over $500 in the last two minutes.  But not lately, however.

The most I have had watching an item was 84, with over 1,600 hits.  The most I ever sold a bear for was $3,252.00....WWAAAAAYYYYY over retail.  Lately , ebay has been very VERY slow for me.  It seems to be unpredictable.  Just depends if that certain someone is looking at the time your  bear is listed.  I too, have sold several bears after the auction these past two months.  HHhhhmmmmmm.

Just keep trying...there is a home for every bear thast is made with love.

Now I for sure am going to get that Holly bear Sue Ann!   If it is still available.  I am still having trouble accessing my ebay page.  I think I need a tech to come and wipe my hard drive clean and just start over. 

Winney, Michaels crafts has the wire mesh.  it is nothing at all like the kind for a window.  It comes in copper and some kind of zinc coated variety.  It is found in the section where they sell paster for casting.  It is really cool stuff to use but the edges are very very sharp.  SOrry, I don't have the package it came in.  Next time I go to the craft store I will pay attention to the name.

I thought up the mesh-in-the-rabbit-ears thing myself...it is amazing what can happen to your creativity when you are "in spirit" or inspired, as Dr Wayne Dyer says.  I was just going for a walk along our street where we have a corn field.  The smell is amazing.  I felt like I was in God's garden.  Having a clear head opens the door for such things.

You absolutely right Shelli.  Greed...on ebays part.  They are getting sooooo picky!

I have relisted my bear and removed the sentence they objected to and replaced it with : " My apologies for having to relist this bear.  Ebay has informed me the mentioning of websites is not permitted."

I wonder if they will allow me to say THAT....it has the word 'website' in it.  We'll see.......

Shelli, I insert the ears before stuffing the head.  It is quite fiddely but it seems to get the end result that I want.

Man.... I think I am going to have to get that SueAnn Franklin mint bear...........ooooooohhhhhh...especially since I know the artist!

I just thought I would let you all know that ebay is becoming more and more strict.  My most recent listing was ended early by ebay because I had this exact sentence in my listing:  "Visit my website for more available bears."    This is what they told me via email this afternoon.

I was informed that I cannot have this type of language in my listings, that would promote sales outside of ebay.  geeeeeeesh!    Now, I knew that ebay did not allow actual website address, but now you cannot even MENTION you have a website.  YIKES!

I have been doing this for a while...someone must have pointed this out to ebay and complained.  That is my guess.  Anyway, I have since relisted.

Be careful what you say about your websites on ebay!!!!

Daphne, your froggiy is darlling...I bet if you kiss him he will turn into a handsome prince!

Here's another way to add tremedous flexibility to wired bunny ears.  As well as using a good stiff wire , I add a whole layer os wire mesh, available at any craft store.  It ia amazing how I can then position the ears. 

I line the ears, (the photo of my bunny earlier in this post is quite large, over 30" tall) with muslin and glue the wire mesh, AFTER sewing up ONE side of the ear.  You need lots of room to turn so I have to leave one side open.  Stitching wrong sides together after turning works very well with ladder stitch and is undetectable..

I also leave very long ends to anchor the wire into the head.  In fact long enough to twist the ends of both the ears' wire together.  The deeper the wire placement inside the head, the more stable and easy it will be to play and position the ears.  They will feel more substantial.

Sue Ann,  YOU are an amazing lady....Grand Prize Steiff...and I just saw a bear on ebay from the Franklin Mint called "Holly"  created by Sue Ann Holcomb!  She is adorabale!  I am tempted to bid on her. 

Kerren I love your tiger cat.  Very very CUTE!

I also did a froggie for my Hucklebeary Bear to hold.

I hand dyed the mohair from the same dye batch.  The lighter color I left in the dye bath for a much shorter time period so it would be the same tone only lighter.  I felted his hands and feet, and eyelids.

Does anyone do lizards?

I would like to do more puppies.....in my "spare" time.

Oh, Shelli, the rabbit is real rabbit fur with a mohair inset face , paws, and inner ears.  I made him from a nice grey brindle fur coat.

Thanks for the lovely comments.  There are so many great critters popping up here.  Keep 'em coming!

Kirsten,
I certainly feel for you.  When I was pregnant with my third child, now 2 1/2 years old, all I wanted to do was lay from side to side and get lost in a good book.  Pregnancy sure does change things. 

It sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now.  The good thing is no one can ever take away your talent.  The most important thing right now is you, your health, and the health of your baby.

Take care and big bear huggies!
Judi

Shelli,
Also to add to all these really good tips, I have found that sometimes you have to leave the entire back of , lets say, the leg section, open and sew it up on wrong sides together using ladder stitching.  This is especially true with using arctic fox fur as it is so incredibly thick, or New Zeland sheep.

As you have found out....leave very large openings for turning.  This may sound funny but if you lick your hands ...just a little, you will be able to grip the muslin side better for easing the turning process.  Hey it works!!!!!:D

Hi.  I have made puppies, kitties, bunnies ,  a mouse, and a tiger, and a skunk.  These pictures are made from real fur.

Great pictures ladies!!!

You take care of yourself Dilu.  It won't be the same for a few days without you but we will always be here for you.

Gollygeewhizbearhuggies

Judi

Daphne, a vacation away is good for the soul.....and you can sneak some sewing along.

A cabin in the woods sounds very inspiring indeed.  Have a fun and relaxing time.

Shari , what am amazing bear!  Are you selling him? Very original and I love the colors.  Great job girl!

AH, Shelli, I was not offended by your post at all.  It's just me putting in my two cents.  I certainly understand it can be a touchy subject.  I have  found that there are buyers who will ask if the fur came from a coat or a pelt but with YOUR amazing talent you will not put anyone off with whatever materials you use for your darling bears.  You are very kind to be concerned about others feelings.  I am soooo sorry about your kitty.  I dread that day our pets go to kitty and doggies heaven.

I think I tend to detach myself from the fact that fur comes from a once living thing.  Living on a dairy farm I have experienced  the amazing wonder of life watching calves being born, to crying at the loss of a cow or calf.  One had to be shot just yesterday and it still makes my heart ache every time something like that happens.

  I remember our top herd cow, Holtex, slipped on the ice a few years ago and split her pelvis "spread eagle".  She was in pain and I stayed by her side stroking her head.... I just cried for her.  I hate to see anyone suffer.  She had to be put down.  Life and death is just part of farming.

There was an article in our local newspaper recently with Miss Wisconsin holding a live mink at a mink ranch.  The text that accompanied the photo stated that she was holding one of the minks that was to be made into her coat! YIKES!  My hubby showed it to me and it really bothered me a lot.  yet, I make bears from mink...I don't know.  Our minds have ways of supressing unpleasantries.

Anyway, I am rambling here.
You make those gorgeous bears girls!!! Then show us pictures so we can all drool!

Here's a hug from me too Jane.:|:|:|

My mom always says "your health is paramount".  You take care of yourself and we will be thinking of you.  Take a bear with you to the hospital.:/

Hugs, Judi

Super cute bear Hayley.  I personally like to do leather noses on real fur bears.  It just my  "thing".  I prefer the stitched noses on mohair.   Just a thought here,  maybe if you used a muslin backing with a higher thread count it will hold together better when stitching on real fur.  Looks like like you came up with a really great idea to fix your nose problem with your bear.

I do love real fur.

Whether you buy an old coat or a pelt, the source is still the same.  Pelts were used to originally make any coat.  Animals die to make a coat just as they did to create a tanned pelt.  I am afraid that either way the industry looks it will hold strong.  I  use both pelts and vintage fur.  I have made real fur bears for 6 years and pelts are much nicer fur on average.  They are cleaner and fresher.  However, I have also found some really nice coats too. It just depends what I "happen" across.

I have never been attacked by animals rights groups...hopefully I never will.  I guess everyone has to have a cause, but don't let them stop you.  You have rights too.  A vintage coat is only a step inbetween the animals pelt and a finished bear.

AAHHH we must think alike Shelli!  Hey, you are free to do what you like.  I do not own Winken, Blinken, and Nod...so have at it my dear.

Shari, I made these three just beofre I went on vacation.  Winken is on ebay and the others will most likely follow.

Thank you so much ladies for your always encouraging comments!!!!

JILLYBEE!!!  What a truely sweet person you are!  I am so glad you were able to take the time to come and see me in WBP.  West Palm Beach is a spectacularly beautiful place.  Ditto on every thing you said rigth back at cha' Jill!

SO everyone knows, Jill needs to give herself more credit.  She brought one of her bears with her and he was gorgeous and perfectly proportioned.  She is a very talented , fun, sweet , and pretty lady.  I too  wish we could have spent more time together.

I also wish we could all have a bear reunion somewhere sometime.  But, until then we have this and a few other boards to keep in touch.

Bless you Jill!

Huggies, Judi

Hi Guys.  Here are two bears made from the exact mohair except for the paw pads.  They look very different from each other.  On Nod you cannot see the glitter in his brown eyes but they do sparkle in 'bearson'.

Marie , how nice that you only live 30 minutes from Disney.  Do you also have an EPOCT , MGM, and Animal Kingdom parks?  These are all park of the Walt Disney World in Florida.  I belive Hong Kong will be building a Disney World too.

Well, I got my credit card "stuff" sorted out.  This scam is affecting VISA cards, just so you all know.  I hope that all hackers will have diarrhea at the worst possible time.  Shame on them.  Boy, you really have to watch your credit cards..and question anything and everything you don't  recognize...no matter how small...that is how it all starts.

Dilu, that is really awesome about your dad's paintings.  I will definitely be paying attention to the Aflac commercials (my kids love the duck).  Do you have any pictures you could post?

Here's another one.

Here's KODA!  He's the smaller bear on Kenai's back.

GO SEE THE MOVIE!  You'll love it.