Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Oh, that is a lovely story...
Hearing back from your friend must have been a very exciting moment...

I love TT and made lots of friends there. I would be lost without this forum.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Merrythought Cheeky bears are definately my favourites and I have over 40 (I think) of them. I  only have recent ones. All from after the 1990's. I love sooo much their wide smile...

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

I would like to participate if the deadline is february or march, as I will be busy until Christmas with other projects...
I think that it is a good idea to make two or three categories according to the level of the teddy bear makers.
I do hope all will happen smoothly this time...
Personnaly I do prefer that I make a bear for the person who makes a bear for me. I like to know whom i make my bear for as it helps me designing the bear. Plus with my swap partner I can decide about details like dressed or undressed, discuss about colours or styles we prefer or dislike etc.
Getting a bear from a person different to the one who makes a bear for me has something frustrating. It does not feel like a real swap.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Erin, this puppy is beautiful and full of grace... no doubt he will be gorgeous when adult.
Enjoy him!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

I began first to collect manufactured bears. Then I began making my own bears as I descovered I had a lot of fun making my owns. Then i discovered TT and other great forums and happend to make some bear swaps with other artists. Here began my collection of artist bears. It looks like I cannot stop buying some artist bears (my expensive depend on my financial capabilities). I love especialy to buy bears from artist I can meet either on forums or in live.
I feel too like we find some of the artist soul in a bear.
I definately am unable to make myself a "copy" of another artist's bear even if she/he gives me the pattern of the bear i want! Plus I just do not like the idea of copying someone else's style!

Plus, buying a bear from an artist you happened to get friend with is another way of showing that artist your  admiration for her/his bears.

Just follow your heart, Elk!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Oh, alison, you much be such a proud momma with such talended and beautiful children.
I really love the photo of your daughter playing the piano...     

And i have to say it was worth insisting for your son to wear that pink vest!!!

Thanks for sharing!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

This first bear is absolutely beautiful. You really did great for a first bear.

I cannot wait to see your next ones...

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Oh, Gail, it must be so scarry!

I will keep my fingers crossed for Kyle to forget to visit you! or at least not to make too much harm...

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Great choice, Paula.
I really love that place and enjoy a lot their megaphone on the wiki.
I will have at least three bears for the show and hope to have at least one more. Fingers crossed I will manage to make photos good enough, hehehehehe!

I am sure you can sell your gorgeous bears easily at the show.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Sorry, my friends, but Facebook is too unsafe. It is already used to manipulate people against their will or to transfer viruses to their computers. Too many people use it, this is why it is an easy target for bad people. 

So I will not join you as I do not want to put my network into trouble. I guess there are not that many risks I could click on the wrong link on Facebook and get infected or anything else, but I do not want to try.

And all of you who already joined, please keep tuned about everything you hear concerning Facebook. Regularly Google Facebook and check if there are news about bad use of it that could harm you or your computer!

It was a hard choice to do as of course, if there are so many users it means more potential visitors to your pages and websites etc... At home, we have at least two computers connected as a network, which means some viruses I could catch from my computer would be able to reach Malko's. we have firewalls, but they are not stopping eveything.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Jane, your parties are a great fun.
I wish we could do them for real...
Oh, did I ever told you I love Georges Clooney too??? 

Please, make more!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

:clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:
Thanks very much for allowing us to share your beautiful photos of the show, Jane!

:hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

:hug:  :hug:  :hug:

I voted too...

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Oh dear! How horrible!

Lots of hugs for you, Vicki!  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Thanks Ruth, for telling us...

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Right, i have to say that here in France, we had more than enough rain too. We managed to see some sun a few days, but far too much rain for Summer season, definately.

I wish I was able to bring some rain were it is realy needed.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Yesterday late evening, once Malko was back we went back to our neighbour's to ask about the cat. The lady said that the cats managed to go out of the place by himself. But as we were chatting with her, we could hear again the cat, but it looked like he was now in another place, in one of the wooden shelters of the other neighbour...
It was totally impossible to have a grap on him and so frustrating...
I cannot say our new neighbour is a bad person. she told us she had many pets (apparently mostly dogs) in the past but she eventualy got fed up having some (she cared very well of them but there were too many things she could not afford to do because of them, if I well understood).

I am not sure that in France our animal shelters get someone to come to rescue or catch an animal. I never asked it.

Now I do not hear the cat meowing anymore, so I guess he managed to escape.
I will keep an ear and an eye for that cat and if we happen to catch him, we will try to rehome him.

Thanks for your support,
Sophie.

Dear friends,

Last night I was surprised to hear many times in the night a cat meowing very loudly. I recognize that special meow as a desperate meow and said myself there was something wrong for it to happen so often.

today, in the end of the afternoon, once back from work and busy in the living room, I heard again that poor cat and decided I should ask my neighbour if this was her cat.

when i arrived at my neighbours, there were many people there : the owners of the house plus the new person who just arrive to live in that house (rented house) and other people. They explained that the pervious people living there left the place without their kitty who managed to hide in a place where no one can access (the floor there is so fragil anyone would go through it). Some one brough a scale to try to have a look but the kitty does not get nearby even if we call him. They are all desperate about that. The new owner does not want to keep that kitty nor to call the firemen to come as we have to pay firemen each time we ask them some help and she does not wans to pay them to rescue a cat which is not hers!!!! The previous tenant did not left an address neither came for the house checking with the owners!!!! I cannot believe once can abandon a kitty like that. The previous tenant left the house on sunday.
Some villagers proposed to try something else with more scales to try to catch the kitty, but i do not know if they already tried it.
Argh, he is still meowing, the poor little thing.               

I will try to get some news later or tomorrow. I am helpless. I will ask Malko if he has an idea on how to save him once he is back home.

Please, pray for that wee kitty to be rescueded soon.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Dear friends,

I am back from my second day.
Today, i experimented working under the rain... Not a big fun, but this was not heavy rain, so not too bad. A chance i had good rain clothes!
The ground was very muddy...
My muscles were still painful from my first day, but it was not as hard as I expected.
In the morning, we picked some apples and in the afternoon, some pears.
Pears were easier to pick, as we had to pick all fruits in each tree. For the red apples, we had to select the redest ones (we will come back next week for the ones we left in the trees).
I think the hardest for me is to hold the basket full of fruits the whole day, as it is pretty heavy when full (heavier with pears than with apples), so by the end of the day, by back is getting painful. Oh, this is not to complain! My muscles just have to get used to their intense work!!!! As long as it is only muscular pain, thei is fine. I will eventualy get used to it and it will be easier and easier.
my young partner is picking much faster than as do but is a true gentleman. He always finds a good excuse : "normal, you are a beginner" or "I already did that so i am faster". When he gets too far from me in his side, he began to work on my side until he reaches me!!! 
We both fill the same box with our baskets : the box we have to fill can contain about 350 kg (about 175 pounds) of fruits. Once a box is full, one of us (each one's turn) put a tag with his number in it. My partner never complains that he does put more fruits than me in the big box!!! So i am blessed to be working with him.

I hope that I will be able to keep that job after my six-day-try. Today, my boss told me I was not fast enough, but I guess i should not worry too much as he trends to exagerate just to boost everybody!

I will keep you tuned if there is something interesting happening, as I will not report after every day at work! 

Thanks for your support!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Dear Friends,

Today was the big day and I did fine - at least i think so!!!!

We began at 8 am and worked until 4:30 pm with a lunch break.

I had a good day but pretty tiring.
It really began to be hard by the end of the day, for the last two hours, as my back began to be painful plus of course I was a bit tired.

We were lucky we had almost no rain : just a few droplets.  As the weather was cloudy all day we had no need to protect ourselves against sun plus it was not too warm.

I have not picked very much, but I guess this is normal result for a first day.

So now i am home, my muscles are sore but i am happy.
it was great to work in the fresh air.
I was working together with a kid (16 years old) : a very nice guy, a bit shy at the beginning, who finaly began to chat with me at the end of the day when we really needed to find a way to forget time!

I brought a few apples back home : some apples I saved from being abandonned on the ground as not goo for sale.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Thanks girls!

I do not know yet what I will do exactly... I will be explained everything tomorrow morning.

just be patient and wait for my report after my first day!!! 

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Dear friends,

After having a good rest and three additional kilograms (due to a lack of physical activity!!! :P) it is time to go back to the real life.

The situation is : I do not want to work as a teacher anymore and i am totally out of ideas about what job to do now.

I am lucky to live in a location circled by apple fields so lots of arboriculturists nearby. So i decided it would be interesting to try a seasonal job as a beginning.
So this morning I took a list of all places where to phone, starting with the closest one. And success at first try : they were still wanting more workers! They asked me to come for my application, so right after I went there.
And they gave me the job! I will begin early tomorrow morning. :)

Oh, i will not be paid much, as it will be the minimum salary allowed unless they add supplements depending of the amount of work we do each day... i will know everything tomorrow morning for my contract signature.

This job should burn my excessive fat (by chance...).

I will try to get back to you tomorrow after my first day if I still have an inch of energy left!

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Ah, Sarah, i am glad there are so many people here to send you great ideas and advices.
I never had a dog myself so cannot be very helpful.

Your puppy is absolutely adorable and I do not see why should should have chosen another dog. Usualy, the strongest dogs are crosses between different breeds, but that is not a reason to restrict your choice!!!!

Just follow your heart...

Lots of hugs to Pippin and to you.  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Congratulations, Sandi!
You did very well.

My bear Candide was not in the top ten but had a lot of fun participating.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

Thank you sooo much, Lynette!
I was honnoured to be asked to enter a bear in that challenge.
I am glad the money you collected you be useful to help saving bears.

Beary hugs,
Sophie.

:dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:

Judi, that's wonderful!
When i read that last post about Shamu being back home, i shouted a big "YESSSSSSSSSSSSS !" and did the happy dance.

Do not forget to give him a collar with your address or at least something in one ear to be able to identify him if he takes another vacation without asking permission!!!!

Lots of cuddles to Shamu!
Beary hugs,
Sophie.