For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Oh, I don't reeeeeally want to know WHO... just your overall review.... pretend I'm a columnist or news reporter.. you can not disclose such important facts as WHO or WHAT but give me a generalized review... good, bad, etc.:) Pweeeeze?
So, in the news today readers seem to be very disappointed, depressed even, over the ending.....
As I have all I can do to get bears made these days it'll be winter before I have the chance to read again....
But is what I'm hearing true? Is the ending awful? Who was killed? OK, I know, you shouldn't tell and ruin it!
Laura - You are a source of inspiration!! A model bear artist!! Keep it up!! You must set a good example for me & anyone else with time management/self-discipline issues and an addiction to the computer!
The pressure is on!!!:lol:
Big Bear Hugs to you!
Daphne
Oh Jane, you started this thread so you MUST keep reading!!!:lol::lol:
Amanda - well said! "I put more in them because of all the ideas and enthusiasm."
Jane - you crack me up!!
Oodles of sense!! But SPIDERing???? :lol::lol::lol:
Guess that leaves me to catch up on adding links...... off I go!
Maybe we should have another board "Bear Board-A-Holics Annonymus".... And see who can stay OFF it the longest!
LOL!!!:lol::lol::lol:
My first thought was "Oh GREAT! Just what I need! I'll never get anything done!":rolleyes:
But ya know, there is always something new to learn and we always have something to share.
(Lord knows I do, whether anyone wants to hear it or not!!!:lol: Shelli & Dilu - I just might win the windbag contest! Got the double spacing down good! Hee Hee!)
I've had questions about Beary Cheap's synthetics so now I can talk to the horse's mouth!!:D
Besides, Sue Ann, I actually got some work done today! Finished up two bears and got another one cut and sewn! (Winney, I ALMOST stuck to the schedule - you'd be proud!) So I really got rewarded when I opened Beary Cheap's Web Gazette tonight!
Hugs,
Daphne
Sue Ann, he IS very cute!
And your photos are great as always. The bottom left one looks almost like a colored pencil sketch. Hm.....
Great job!
Daphne
Louise & Shelli - I had never thought of submitting it.
I was wishing I had my camera as I drove down the road behind Abby's husband... would have made a neat picture!
I'll look into submitting this... thanks for the suggestion!
Daphne
I seem to have been suffering from "bear artist block" until about 20 minutes ago! I just couldn't decide what my next bear would be! So I decided to clean out my supply closet and all those plastic tote boxes full of 'stuff'! Well, I found loads of hidden treasures (which I put there myself I guess tho' I don't remember when!!) Neat hats, a pair of teddy sized snow shoes, fun little trinkets to hang around the neck..... oh, it was so much fun and the ideas just started pouring out! So now I'm off to sew! (Don't tell my 'boss' I'm on the computer right now or I'd be fired!!:lol:)
But I'm curious:
What do you do when you need inspiration for a teddy bear or other critter???
Oh, Sue Ann, that's great!!!! I'd be in hysterics while hubby went around with hammer and nails boarding up the house!!! Furry things with only FOUR legs I can deal with, no matter what they are!!!:lol:
Yes, spiders are much bigger these days!!!! Here in the woods we have some really truly ugly ones!! The size of your fist and furry! And they JUMP! Others are not so furry and bigger and move fast. Or is it me that moves fast!!!??? I killed a mama spider in the house the other day. Her babies were in her sack and went running when I squished her. Oh my God I thought I'd die!!! I can't wait until fall when they all try to get into the house for the winter!
Shelli - Thank God for sentimental ol' fools like Tim and my hubby and this old man!
Winney - I'll certainly never forget it!!!
An experience like that is so humbling. Simple, down to earth good souls with hearts of gold often touch us the deepest. There I was trying to rush to get errands done with my head reeling about all the things that worry me these days and here's this man who's taken the time out to be close to the one he loves and enjoy the day. God sure has His way of getting His point across!
Hugs to you all!
Daphne
Hayley - I'm with you on the computer and lack of self-discipline being the biggest time eaters! I am going to try Winney's suggestion of lunch break and 15 minute breaks and see what happens. The computer will just have to be my reward at the end of the day for making progress with the bears. I'm sure you'll all live with out as many blabbering posts from me!!:)
It's summer here, 90's and humid and I live in the woods with lots of misquitos and deer flies which are mean, swarm your head and bite HARD! So, outdoor activities are out of the question right now. Tucker goes potty as fast as he can and runs right back inside cause he hates the heat. When September comes we'll be able to exercise outside again until next May when the bugs come back. I used to live on the ocean and miss it greatly... hardly any bugs and always a breeze!
Time for bed... I'm already failing at this new schedule as it's midnight and I need to go to bed earlier so I'll get up before lunch tomorrow!:/
I was on my way to the grocery store this afternoon, driving down a winding country road on a sunny afternoon. In front of me was a big old 50's car - red convertible as big as a boat with a white leather interior. The antique registered license plate read 'ABBY'. Being a romantic I thought what fun that would be, going for a ride with my hubby & dog with the top down.
I noticed the driver was an older gent with balding head and cigar in hand. I saw something fuzzy poking above the top of the passenger's seat. I thought it was a little old lady, his wife Abby, sitting next to him. Then realized it wasn't human. It was a teddy bear! A big golden tan teddy riding along with this man in his antique convertible. I spent the next 8 miles finding this rather curious while the man puffed on his cigar and breezed along the winding road past the lake, woods and old farm houses, waving at a a few folks along the way.
As we approached the store we both turned our signals on to pull into the parking lot. We parked a row apart. As he walked past my SUV he looked at my license plate which reads 'BEARHUG', smiled at me and said "I've been trying to read that in my rear view mirror." I told him how bear hugs were something my grandpa always gave me and that I love teddy bears. I then asked about the bear riding along with him.
"That's my wife's bear", he said. "Won it for her at the county fair many years ago. She loved that thing! We used to go for rides in that car on Sundays with the bear strapped in the back seat! Never did have any kids. She's gone now but the bear still rides with me. Makes it like she's right there enjoyin' the ride."
I told him what a wonderful husband he was and that I was sorry his wife is gone. He said he never thought he'd talk to a teddy bear but that bear and he had many conversations and it made him feel close to Abby having that bear around.
We chatted another moment, this sweet old man and I. Then he gave me a hug, thanked me for listening and got back in his big old 50's red convertible and drove away.
My next bear will be a big tan bear with a red bow the color of that car and named Abby.
As you all make your next bear I hope you'll consider what that bear could possibly mean to someone 50 years from now!
Bear Hugs,
Daphne
Shelli - Let me know when it's about 65-70 w/no humidity and I'll be there!!!:lol:
Winney - very good advice. But you are making it sound like WORK!!! I guess that's the whole idea!:lol::lol:
I'll start with going to be earlier. Went to bed at 12:30am last night and 1am the night before so this morning I didn't get up until 10:00. I felt like the day was half over!! What a waste!
Tomorrow I'll throw out the old schedule and write out a new one with 1/2 hour for lunch and 2 15min breaks. Perhaps I can at least change the wash over then, take the dog out and do the dishes. Hmmm..... this could be good. I was honestly trying to schedule bears in around all the other stuff..... I was thinking BACKWARDS! DUH!:rolleyes:
Thank you, Winney!!!!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
I'm also a two-a-weeker.... more or less. But that would mean 100 bears a year or so....hmmm... do I really make THAT many??? I really only average about 75 per year. This year will be less.
Amanda is right, it does depend on one's mood. The bears I made earlier this year look like I felt.... ugly and grumpy and sad. I saw that so figured it best not to make too many! Now they are looking a bit more hopeful and quizzical and there are more of them!:)
I work best when my husband is home - not sure why that is. "Having all my chicks in the nest makes me less stressed" or something like that. (Just made that up!) He's gone 13 hours/day so no wonder I don't get much done!!
Daphne
I second everything Loretta said!!
I got a lot more accomplished when I had a real job in addition to making bears. I was much more disciplined. I had a schedule/routine. I had to hold myself accountable to someone else. I was organized.
I've tried doing a daily plan... blocking off an hour for this, an hour for that and in there were a number of hours each day for just bears. But now at the end of the day when I still haven't as much as touched a piece of mohair, thread or needle I wonder what the heck I did all day and when I'm ever going to make bears. :o
Now my doctor says I HAVE to add a 1/2 hour of exercise a day. OK, I know that sounds easy but 1)I HATE exercise and 2)If I can't get WORK done when am I going to find time to exercise???? Jeepers!!!
Would one of you like to be my boss? Hold me accountable, make me get organized and displined or else.....? PLEASE???? HA!:lol:
Dilu - I use HP business cards - the ones that are so nicely perforated you only have to look at them and they tear away from eachother yet the edges are nice and smooth once separated. They have white, ivory, linen texture and probably a host of others. You can also get ones with pretty designs printed on them. I also buy the office store brand ones at times and those are just as good. Just go and check 'em all out - you might get some creative ideas while you are looking. Be sure they are heavy stock/weight. I find these last longer in people's pockets, wallets, piles on the desk, etc.... and often the ink colors are more vivid as the paper is dense, not porus for the ink to bleed.
Shelli- just a side note - I'm planning a visit to Collin's on Sunday! I had no idea they existed til I read about them on your site and I only live 1 1/2 hours away from them! I'm going to a bear show in their neck of the woods so hope to stop by if they are open. What fun it'll be to see a Potbelly Bear in the fur!!! What made you choose Collin's if you don't mind my asking?
Daphne
Laura,
You have been missed!!!
Your new site is adorable!
I know that can take a lot of time!
Sounds like you've been busy.
Just be sure you take time to enjoy your summer!
We'll look forward to hearing from you when you can stop by!!
Hugs,
Daphne