Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I sleep with my bears so they need some sprucing.  I think a cat brush would work the same as a baby brush (if it's groupings of bristles, I suppose there are different kinds). I think I'm going to go back to my brush for expensive doll wigs.  I hardly ever find bear hair in that brush after a gentle fluffing.

Thanks

Shanna

Hello again-
    I followed some advice and bought a brush for baby hair to use on my alpaca bear.  However, I seem to be finding a lot more hair coming out in the brush.  I posted a question on facebook and someone responded that alpaca is a lot more delicate than mohair.  Is this true?  Also, most of the hair I'm finding are a bit shorter, is it possible that the baby brush is breaking the hair?  What do you use on your alpaca?

Thanks again

Shanna

Oh yes, Congratulations!  I've always loved your bears!!  I wish I had a copy of this to read.

Hugs!!
Shanna

Great link, thanks Daphne.

First off, Love your fox, he is really cute. 

I have never sold anything on Bear Pile.  My sales have been through other venues, but I still put them on every so with the hope that someone might see me there.  I agree that the monthly fee is reasonable if you are making sales, but for me spending $15 each month and not having ever sold anything is getting waring.  I've also tried Etsy and have not had success.  My blog has worked out better and I participated in an online show that went well.  Don't be discouraged, your bears are cute and I think many people are having troubles selling bears at the moment.

Good luck!'

Shanna

Thanks everyone!  Daphne, thanks so much, your answer to my question was enormously helpful.  I am very careful, of course, but think my memory is faulty.  I always look at a bear and think, is this what he looked like when he was new?  I can never remember and so worry that I'm over grooming or something.  I am unaware of the milling process for these fabrics.  As an bear maker, you would think all this information should be something I should know and I'm embarrassed that I didn't.  Thanks again everyone, you've put my mind at rest.

Shanna

Thanks Becky, does anyone know about the brushing.  I just got an alpaca bear and his fur is so soft, but I love to brush it to make it fluffy.  Nothing comes out, but again, not sure if he can get the bear equivalent of split ends?

Shanna

I have a couple questions that I should probably know the answer to but don't so here it is.  I try to make sure my hands are always washed and clean before I work on, or cuddle my mohair/aplaca bears, but it is winter right now and my hands do get dry.  My question is, has anyone had experience with hand oils affecting the mohair/alpaca fabric of a bear after more extensive handling?   

Second question, I frequently brush up the mohair and alpaca on my bears (more extensively on bears in my own personal collection than those that I make), I always check the brush to make sure I'm not brushing too hard and pulling out any of the mohair from the backing, aside from that, can extensive gentle brushing be damaging to the fur?  I wasn't sure if it can affect the ends of the strands of mohair/alpaca as it can with human hair, or if that damage is mostly related to heat and UV.

Thanks so much everyone!

Shanna

That is so darn cute!! Love the design!!

Cute as a button!

I didn't put that she wasn't firmly stuffed (she's not super squishy, but not rock hard), but I went back to check my listing and I definitely wrote that she has a wobble jointed head.  It's funny because I had another person try to buy her at almost the very same time and so contacted her.  She also doesn't want a wobble joint in the head.  I'm thinking that they just looked at the photos and didn't read the description!

Shanna

You probably already know this, but just in case I thought I should mention that wet mohair has an odor all it's own.  It goes away when it dries, but that takes a lot longer than I would have thought.  I typically rinse my mohair before I make a bear out it, but the first time I did this Alison from teddy bear mohair got a panicky phone call from me because the fur still smelled even though it felt dry.  Several more days just hanging out and the wet dog smell was gone, but I didn't want you to get disheartened too soon!

Good luck
Shanna

It didn't bother so much that the mouse wasn't her cup of tea, but when she wrote the e-mail she told me that these "problems" would be easily fixed, I just had undo the seam on the body.  I e-mailed her back that there is no problem, that everything she disliked was a matter of opinion and I gave her a squishy body and a wobble joint on purpose.  I thought it was a bit disrespectful that she presented it as a flaw in my work when it was really just a personal preference issue.

Thanks again everyone!

Shanna

Thanks everyone for your kind and supportive words.  I offered the buyer to change the joint in the head so it wouldn't wobble and to stuff her as firmly as possible, but she said she would just like a refund.  She did mention several times how cute the design is so I'm guessing she needs the money.  I wasn't aware that the wobble joint isn't popular.  She just had a slight wobble, nothing dramatic.  I'll keep that in mind with future bears.  I personally love a slight wobble (as long as it's not so loose the head feels like it's going to drop right off the body), as I think it gives them more expression, but it valuable to know that my opinion is not shared by most.  I want to make bears that will appeal to many and not just to me!!

Thanks again you've been super!

Shanna

I definitely could make the changes easily, but she didn't ask for that, she just wanted to return her.  I'm wondering if it's a case of buyers remorse as we are close to the holidays and right now pocketbooks are tight.  I did send an e-mail asking that question.  We will see what she responds back.  Thanks everyone for your comments.  Daphne, I feel so sad that in all your years you've never had someone exchange something and here I am haven't sold but maybe 8 bears and am already having troubles.  I have passed my bears by other artists who said that they are very well made, but I can't help feeling a little disappointed in myself.

Shanna

Unfortunately, the person who bought my little mouse Bella from the worldwide Teddy bear show, just now e-mailed me to tell me that she doesn't like the wobble joint in the head and thinks I need to stuff her more firmly.  She would like to send her back.  It's been three weeks since I sent her out, my question to you is what kind of a time limit do you usually give for returns?  I think 3 weeks is pushing it a little.  I told her she would need to send Bella back in the condition she was sent in (including no smoke smell).  I'm also thinking that I don't refund shipping costs right?  Let me know what you think.  What a disappointment.  I had another seller who tried to buy this mouse at the very same time for her daughter for Christmas.  I have been working on another mouse for her and if the woman would have contacted me sooner, I could have gotten Bella to her by Christmas, now she will probably be late.

Thanks everyone
Shanna

I am a huge fan of your work.  Brilliant!

ha!

Thanks so much.  I will ladder stitch her a tail soon.  I think I am going to wire it, it would be cuter that way.  I appreciate all your tips!

Shanna

Great ideas thanks everyone!

Shanna

I'm trying to put a tail on my mouse and can't seem to figure out how to make her a long skinny tail out of mohair.  I machine stitched the size I wanted and have been unsuccessful at turning the piece right side out.  Any suggestions?

Thanks
Shanna

This is so cute!  Sometimes I feel this way, like I want to pass out in a dish of delicious food!

I'm sure some of you have already seen the post on blogspot, or facebook, but I thought I would mention it here as well.  After all the fun I've had participating in blog giveaways (and my lucky win of Royce from the JRB creations giveaway) I have decided to have my very own.  The giveaway is a little panda named Minzhe, handmade by me.  You can see photos and instructions on how to enter on my blog at http://littleleafbears.blogspot.com.  I hope you stop by!!

Hugs
Shanna

Beautiful photos.  What a handsome couple!

Wow, I didn't know that Canada had a similar holiday.  It's one of my favorites and I don't even eat turkey (but I do love all the fixings)!

Have a wonderful day!

Shanna