Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

OHHHHH SHES LOVELY

Hi Jenni,

A big welcome from me....

YOUR BEARS LOOK ORIGINAL AND FABULOUS AND I THINK THEY WILL SELL VERY WELL FOR YOU.

SORRY... I DONT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE FROM... YOU NEED TO FILL IN YOUR PROFILE... SEE IT ON THE BROWN BORDER ABOVE

Let me pass on my bit of learned advice...

If you find a  bear does'nt sell put it too one side and make another of a different design colour or fabric, Eventually you will find out what sells for you and what doesnt...  This process is soooo frustrating. But im sure i'm not the only artist that started out in this postition... I have a shelf of cast offs at home.... I LOVE THEM BUT THEY DIDNT SELL...  A YEAR LATER I KNOW WHY... :crackup:  Always bear in mind that what you like is not neccessarily what the customer likes. I am constantly striving to improve on everything designs, materials, quality really does count.....Selling bears is really not a light undertaking....

EBAY

DONT USE THE FEATURED ITEM ON EBAY UNLESS YOUR BEARS SELL FOR $100'S OF DOLLARS

ALWAYS START YOUR BEARS AT THE MINIMUM PRICE YOU WANT TO ACHEIVE.

DONT EVER LIST OR SELL THEM TO CHEAPLY, IT JUST ATTRACTS BARGAIN HUNTERS... You wont make any money!

ALWAYS LIST YOUR BEARS WITH MULTIPLE VERY GOOD PHOTOS.

INVEST IN A GOOD CAMERA AND EDITING SOFTWARE.

ITS A GOOD IDEA TO USE AUCTION TEMPLATES OR EVEN HOST YOUR OWN PICTURES ITS CHEAPER.

LIST YOUR NEXT BEAR JUST BEFORE THE CURRENT AUCTION ENDS

ALWAYS NOTE EVERYONES EMAIL ADDRESSES

EMAIL THEM REGULARY WITH ANY NEW BEAR DETAILS.

WHEN A BEAR SELLS WITH LOTS OF BIDS MAKE ANOTHER SIMILAR THIS BEAR IS NOW A WINNER.

LIST YOUR OWN AND YOUR WEBSITES DETAILS ON YOUR EBAY ABOUT ME PAGE.

IF YOU SELL LOTS OF BEARS IT IS WORTH CONSIDERING A BASIC EBAY SHOP.

PS...

BID4BEARS

THIS IS ANOTHER GOOD PLACE TO LIST AND SELL.

http://www.bid4bears.com

I HOPE THIS ALL HELPS
Lanie x

A horrible and sad situation.....
I send my sympathy thoughts and prayers for everyone involved... :pray:
Hope you feel better :hug:  soon

Hazelnut Tree (Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding
but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression,
active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody,
sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment
and expects complete fairness.

  :crackup: 

A HAZLENUT TREE....HMMMM

I'm soOOOO glad your son and his school friends are okey.....  

I ditto Daphne....

If all parents today put the same effort our mums and dads put into us... Instead of expecting them to care and entertain themselves. Things like this would be far and few between...

Long before all our modern day life fillers like tv video computers game consoles etc were invented.
Kids were FAR more innocent, with FAR less crazy notions,  and FAR more contented with life.

Don't get me wrong there is a place for all these things but mixed in the right propotion, with family interaction love and respect.

Were creating a world where all this monsterous behavior is becoming the regular occurence.

Alot of children seem sadly disturbed and fear nothing now... And seem to be needing far bigger kicks....And sadly lack respect for anything or anyone not even their own lives...They see no wrong?

I HOPE MY CHILDREN DO....

Its all soooo scary...

Thank you Teddy Talk!
Exactly Just what we needed
:crackup:  :crackup:

Vicki, have a go its so much fun, its the anticipation of not knowing exactly what the final result will look like until the very last minute.

Yippee hes now sold too

Lisa,
IM IN AWE.....
What a fantastic living the dream tale you have to tell your family maybe grandchildren...
You need to get it all down on paper and publish it as a very inspiring book...
I did get your message about our kids yesterday... thanks for the understanding...
Dianne your an inspiration too, a similar sort of story, but a triumph to all women on there own. I was widowed in my early twenties and spent many years alone so i understand all that. Boy how proud your daughter must be of you...
Me well i've only been bear making for about a year.  I'm now a stay at home mum. I do try to work hard at my bears. I choose to make OOAK bears like Dianne, i can only work hard if im not bored, i too only buy small amounts of fabrics, this keeps it all interesting. I'm constantly designing new bears. I do think im very lucky,  as I do seem to sell most of them. When i started i didnt get very much for them, but they seem to be fetching a little more, i hope this trend continues, as every penny i earn is soooo appreciated in our house, hubby now not working & growing kids an all...

Im sooo inspired by you all...

Laniex

BRILLIANT YOU'VE JUST HAD ME AND HUBBY CHOKING WITH LAUGHTER
MORE MORE PLEASE  :clap:

Tammy,
Hi hope they are better now...
Its sooo addictive though dont you think....
And you can make them look exactly as you wish...
I just wish i had more time....

Daphne,
OHHHHHH SOOOOOOO YES
CLICK CLICK CLICK PAGE 136     

Kids they have radar ears and never miss a trick
HOW CUTE IS MACKENZIE :hug:

I really can't believe the magazine published this with out consulting you first? 

But on a positive note;

ITS REALLY EXCELLENT PUBLICITY

Just think everyone will be looking you up to see your much sort after bears, too see why the lady wants one sooooo much...
Hopefully they will have lots of money to buy too.

And more good publicity when you get your response in....

Theres one big problem though Jenny you might need to make that other pair of hands.....

Lanie x

EVERYONES HYSTERICAL AS ALWAYS

I ALWAYS THOUGHT ID NEVER AGE
NOW WHEN I HEAR SONGS LIKE THESE AGAIN I FEEL ANCIENT
I JUST DONT KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED 

OOOOO GOOD WHAT AN EXCELLENT IDEA :clap:
AND IM SOO LUCKY I GET JENNY...
JENNY A LADY WITH A BEAUTIFUL SMILE.
I ADMIRED JENNYS BABY BEARS LONG BEFORE JOINING TEDDY TALK...WONDERFUL BEARS WITH SOULS....
AFTER READING YOUR ABOUT ME PAGE... I FIND WEVE LOTS IN COMMON...  I WENT TO ART COLLEGE, IVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH PHOTOGRAPHY FOR OVER 20 YEARS, I ALSO HAVE 3 DOGS.
I WONDER WHAT ELSE?
I LIKE JENNY... 

WELL DONE AMY :clap: 

HEAR  HEAR   HEAR

I know what you mean Kids, Housework, HUSBANDS  arrrghhhh 

Sarah check out Wannadoo's free  Build A Website...
It only takes minutes to set one up.
http://www.wanadoo.co.uk/

Good luck whatever you decide to do
Lanie  :hug:

PAULA THAT WAS LOVELY....
WHAT A BRILLIANT IDEA

I love him any which way

Kassie,

Id like to add i don't know who or what you are actually referring to, but i could not read your post without  being moved by it... IM SO SORRY... BUT I THINK THIS IS AWFUL.

This absolutely horrifys me :(
How on earth can grown adults behave in such a distasteful manner.

Why have you been made you feel so bad, for so long. Why has it not stoped and been resolved. Why have you been put into the situation where you have felt you needed to come on here and tell your story...

Whoever and whatever is involved PLEASE END IT NOW... NO ONE DESERVES TO BE BULLIED...

BULLYING IS DISGUSTING AND DAMAGING NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE....

This is a matter very close to my heart.... My young son Jay has been bullied at school and at home via the internet...

WE HAVE HAD A TERRIBLE TIME TRYING TO REBUILD HIS SELF CONFIDENCE...
At home he tended to take out his pent up frustration on his poor little sister....
It did and still does have quite a negative effect on him...

We were very lucky the school has an absolutely no bullying policy and it seems to have knocked the nail on the head and stopped it...

POOR YOU HOW DO YOU FIGHT VICIOUS RUMOURS...

THIS IS AN INSERT FROM A BOOKLET WE WERE GIVEN
SOME GOOD SIMPLE ADVICE WHICH HELPED US DEAL WITH SOME OF JAYS PROBLEMS...

The Number One rule for dealing with this type of behavior is: don't respond, don't interact and don't engage. This is not as easy to do as it sounds. It's a natural response to want to defend yourself, and to put the person right. However, never argue with a serial bully; it's not a mature adult discussion, but like dealing with a child or immature teenager; whilst the serial bully may be an adult on the outside, on the inside they are like a child who's never grown up - and probably never will. Serial bullies and harassers often have disordered behavior or thinking patterns and do not share the same thoughts or values as you.

Rule two is become alert to provocation. It could be called "The Baiting Game". A provocative comment is made and those who respond spontaneously in irritation (eg non-assertively) are then encouraged to engage in conflict with those who respond without irritation (eg assertively). The provoker watches, waits and stirs the pot with the occasional additional provocation. What interests me is the sense of gratification that a provoker gains from watching others indulge in destructive interaction initiated by him- or herself. In this context, gratification is a perverse form of satisfaction akin to, but distinct from, pleasure.

The third rule; is become an observer. Although you may be the target of the cyberbullys anger, you can train yourself to act as an observer. This takes you out of the firing line and enables you to study the perpetrator and collect evidence. When people use bullying behaviors they project their own weaknesses, failings and shortcomings on to others. In other words, they are telling you about themselves by fabricating an accusation based on something they themselves have done wrong. Whenever you receive a flame mail or hate mail, train yourself to instinctively ask the question, "What is this person revealing about themselves this time?"

The forth rule is decide if you want to take action, and if so, prepare carefully and strike hard. Sometimes refusing to respond and engage will result in the cyberbully losing interest and going off to find someone easier to torment. Sometimes though, especially if there has been interaction in the past, the cyberbully is so obsessed that s/he cannot and will not let go. You will have to make that person let go, but only through swift, hard, legal action, and only when the time is right. Don't deal with the abuser yourself (this encourages bullies and stalkers), use a third party such as a solicitor.

Finally a reminder - never try to mediate, negotiate, conciliate or otherwise deal with a bully or stalker yourself. Always remember Rule #1: don't respond, don't interact and don't engage.

Kassie,

Id like to add don't let silly behavior stop you doing what you do best and enjoy.

It would be nice to think that mature adults are grown up enough to recognise & deal with thoughts of jealousy, envy & inferiority which are the root cause of most personality disorders & can make a bully, in a mature manner, seek professional help, most preferably without inflicting there grief onto others...

Some people are sincere, some insincere i know which id like to be remembered as.....

Shame on them...

:hug: BIG HUGS FOR KASSIE  :hug: 

Lanie X

Hi Sarah jane,

Your bears are cute and original.

I really feel for you......

Let me pass on my bit of learned advice...

If you find a  bear does'nt sell put it too one side and make another of a different design colour or fabric, Eventually you will find out what sells for you and what doesnt...  This process is soooo frustrating. But im sure i'm not the only artist that started out in this postition... I have a shelf of cast offs at home.... I LOVE THEM BUT THEY DIDNT SELL...   Always bear in mind that what you like is not neccessarily what the customer likes. I am constantly striving to improve on everything designs, materials, quality really does count.....Selling bears is really not a light undertaking....

EBAY

DONT USE THE FEATURED ITEM ON EBAY UNLESS YOUR BEARS SELL FOR $100'S OF DOLLARS
ALWAYS START YOUR BEARS AT THE MINIMUM PRICE YOU WANT TO ACHEIVE.
DONT SELL THEM TO CHEAPLY, IT JUST ATTRACTS BARGAIN HUNTERS... You wont make any money!
ALWAYS LIST YOUR BEARS WITH MULTIPLE VERY GOOD PHOTOS.
INVESTMENT IN A NEW CAMERA AND EDITING SOFTWARE
LIST YOUR NEXT BEAR JUST BEFORE THE CURRENT AUCTION ENDS
ALWAYS NOTE EVERYONES EMAIL ADDRESSES
EMAIL THEM REGULARY WITH ANY NEW BEAR DETAILS.
WHEN A BEAR SELLS WITH LOTS OF BIDS MAKE ANOTHER SIMILAR THIS BEAR IS NOW A WINNER.
LIST YOUR OWN AND YOUR WEBSITES DETAILS ON YOUR EBAY ABOUT ME PAGE.
IF YOU SELL LOTS OF BEARS IT IS WORTH CONSIDERING A BASIC EBAY SHOP.

WEBSITE

GET ONE UP AND RUNNING THERE ARE MANY FREE SUPPLIERS OUT THERE SUCH AS
http://www.bearpile.com
http://www.wanadoo.co.uk (This is the one i use)
MAKE YOUR WEBSITE FRIENDLY AND LINKS EASY TO FOLLOW
CONSTANTLY PROMOTE YOUR WEBSITE ON EVERYTHING

OTHER PLACES TO SELL

POST ALL NEW BEARS ON TEDDY TALK

YOU CAN ALSO SELL ON ;   http://www.bid4bears.com

BEAR PILE
LOCAL CRAFT FAIRS
BEAR FAIRS
SCHOOL FETES

ADVERTISEMENTS

BEAR MAGAZINES
LOCAL MAGAZINES AT CHRISTMAS TIME
LOCAL PAPERS AT CHRISTMAS TIME
CHURCH MAGAZINES
LOCAL NEWSLETTERS
PROFESSIONALLY MADE POSTERS

EDITORIALS

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS MAGAZINES CONTACT THEM TO DO A REPORT ABOUT YOUR NEW VENTURE
CONTACT ALL THE BEAR MAGAZINES YOU CAN FIND SEND IN YOUR BEAR PHOTOGRAPHS

BUSINESS CARDS

DETAIL WITH YOUR NAME, TELEPHONE NUMBER, DETAILS OF YOUR BEARS, WEBSITE...

JUST HAND THEM OUT THESE SELL FOR YOU

GET FREE CARDS FROM; http://www.vistaprint.co.uk

I sincerely hope this all helps Sarah Jane...
Dont hesitate to keep in touch...
Warm regards
Lanie x

Dilu , get better soon.... We miss you....

What fun...
Im a 6....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY :cake:  :hug:
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US  A REALLY GREAT PLACE TO BE.....