Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi guys.  Feel like crying tears of joy?  Watch this video...it speaks for itself...oh...and turn up the sound.

This is the most amazing video I have EVER seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGKWoJi5qM

How exciting for you! :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Beautiful work Kimberly. :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:   What an honor to be able to have your work displayed in someone's home for them to enjoy for years to come.  Nice job!

Amazing!  What a wonderful pair.  

Thank you all SO MUCH!  Rachel is sleeping right now, it's about 6:30 am, but when she gets up I am going to have her read all of your comments.  You will certainly make her day.

Jane, how lovely of you to make again another beautiful , how would you say, graphic tribute to Rachel. Bless you!  I remember when she won for the very first time in 2006 you did that same thing. I copied it and glued a magnetic strip on the back and it is still on our fridge. The animal she won with that year died last summer while Rachel was at her side.  It was terribly sad.  Rachel has sure changed in two years.

Wendy...what's in it for the heifer?  LOTS of cow kisses and the constant TCL all our cows always get and lets see...a few more handfuls of grain and beet pulp...and even more kisses from an adoring little ( well not so little anymore) girl. :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Very funny!!!! :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:

A big congrats Melissa.  I look forward to reading your story when TBCI arrives here in Wisconsin. :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Thanks ladies.  I am working on photos right now.  I added to the first post ...she WON Showmanship. :dance:   I cannot even tell you how amazing we feel right now after all her hard work.  We told her before she went into the show ring that we were very very proud of her for all her hard work no matter what the outcome.

Awe Thanks Eileen.

Rachel is 11 years old, by the way.

If she does not win in Showmanship today at least she has the pretty ribbon to take some of the sting out.

I'll post lots of photos on my blog after the weekend.

Hi guys,

Right now we are very busy with the County Fair as our children show cattle so there is a lot of back-and-forth running from fair-to-farm.....but I wanted to stop in quickly and share with you some exciting news about my daughter Rachel.
She is a 4H member and shows cattle.  She has been showing since the age of 4 in Kiddie Showmanship but now that she is 4H things get a little tougher. 

Some of you might remember a post of mine is 2006 where Rachel's fist year in 4H she won Top Blue in Showmanship.  There is an awful of work that goes into preparing for Showmanship.
Weeks before the show she works with her heifer calf to lead it and "set it up"...which means having the proper foot placement( not as east as it sounds) , head up on the calf when the judge is looking...all the while maintaining control.

  The kids walk their calves around a show ring....and remember these animals are very strong and sometimes put up a fight....and show how they can handle thier animal and remain calm.

The competition is today...and I am nervous.  I really want to see her win but then so does every parent , right.  All she can do is her best.

ANYWAY...what this post is really about is at this fair there is also an art exhibit.  Rachel designed and hand sewed a mohair teddy bear from some of my scraps. She did all of this on her own.  She even needle felted a muzzle, stitched a nose and mouth, and used blue German glass eyes with felt backings. The entries are judged in front of the kids so they can ask questions but the results don;t come until the next day.  They inspected all the seams carefullly......and.....  She won Best in Show!! We were so thrilled to see that big green and white ribbon on her bear yesterday. 

So I wonder if perhaps there is a future bear artist in the making?  Maybe!
Thanks for letting me go on about this...I am just excited....and nervous for today.

OKAY, I just got back from a very long  hot afternoon at the County Fair and Rachel has done it!
She won Showmanship!  We are so proud of her.  She worked for weeks on training her heifer and her hard work has paid off.  What a happy day.  Thanks for letting me share this with you.
Rachel's calves name is Teemar Leap Degree, "Degree" for short.  ( Our farm name is Teemar and he sire of this calf is Leap and she needed a "D" name to connect her to her cow family)

In the group photo from left to right:  My step dad,  my mom, me, my hubby Mark, Rachel , Joey and our star "Degree".

:crackup:  :crackup:  Yeah, those things are really something.  When I opened mine it was in the shape of a frisbee...then POOF...like a magic trick , it opened.  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:
I really don't like mine.  It's too small and it feels liKe I am climbing inot a cave to change the back drop.  I ended up making my own from pvc pipe and fabric.  I love it now.

Kelley, yours sounds pretty nifty too.  If I get another one it will be like you described.

OUCH!  Daphne I was clenching my fists will reading your post.  How painfully awful for you.  OOOOOWE!!!! I hope you do not become infected.

A BIG BIG CONGRATULATIONS IVA!            Enjoy your tiny bundle of joy.

I too used AVG when I had a pc.  My pc choked last week and now I just use my Mac Book.  It's wonderful,......no problems at all.  Once you try Mac you 'll never go back.  My feelings anyway.

I agree with those of you who commented about Norton.  I used to get those annoying pop ups util AVG came on board.  I had AVG for years when pc was still alive.  I highly recommend it too.

Hi Jen,
I was able to see some Reborn babies in person at Idex last summer and some are  unbelievable. They look absolutely real.

There were even some monkeys and a Reborn orangutan that is supposed to be available in  a kit form sometime.  The oraguntan was precious.

Yep.  Count me it.  I have those days too. :crackup:

Hi Carolyn,
I have traveled just fine with scissors over the past several years. The first time  one of the security TSA employees pulled my bag aside and said that all I needed to do was open the scissors so they can properly see that the tips are rounded when the bag goes through the x-raY.   NO POINTED TIP scissors will be allowed through.

Also, you can get tiny blunt tip scissors that will work just fine for cutting thread or yarn.  You can find these in little emergency sewing kits and they work great.  I HAVE to have my sewing and/or knitting on a plane or I will go mad.

I also travel with a teddy bear in my carry-on  and I enjoy the expressions on the TSA workers faces.  Then they will usually give teddy a drug/explosive/chemical wipe down to check tha he is not a smuggling device.  One time teddy got a sticker of approval from the security team.  They probably thought the bear, named "Bob" belonged to one of my children..

Have fun on your trip. :dance:

Don't worry Chris, I think you'll get them and yes your lovely bears are on the voting pages.

I hope you all will receive your copies before the voting deadline.

Best of luck to all of you.

Way to go Melissa.  Awesome work!!! :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

What an exciting trip Tracey.  That must have been quite a  thrill to se them so many lovley bears up close.

I am going to keep this post alive as I never know who might see this.  A BIG GIANT THANK YOU to al who are keeping thier eyes open for this bear. :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Bear people are THE BEST most kind-hearted people.      

Yes, I have t say it was very heavenly being these these tiger cubs.  What is pretty funny is that when I showed some of these photos to my family members in other states a few commented,,, "Neat!.  They look so real."    That's because they ARE real!    

Oh I am so inspired right now.  I am just itching to do more tigers...new designs.

Kelly , I found your story charming and entertaining.    I love it! :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

And I am ever so pleased to hear that you and Smudge have cleared up your misunderstanding .  Don't you just love happy endings.

Hi Everyone.  I just updated my blog with lots of new photos from our mini trip to The Kalahari if you want to check them out.

You guys are so wonderful and caring.  I knew I coudl get support here.   :hug:

Chloe, the bear was purchased in England in the 1960s.  I used to live there then.  SO I am sure it would not have come from America.  But you're awfully kind to ask.

Edie, the bear that I am looking for is identical to the bear on the left.  he is blue with pink inner ears, arms, feet and muzzle.  You are so kind...all of you to leave me such nice and caring comments.

I am hopeful that soon one will pass my way or one of you may come upon one.  Thank you for all , ever so uch for lending me your eyes. :hug:  :hug:  :hug:   This really means a lot to me.