Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Here are some pictures of the latest piece I have finished.  His name is Joe (ok, lets see if anyone figures out why).  He's only 8 inches tall, so the eyes were a challenge, and it took me 3 hours to create the fabric for the coat.  Finished him late last night, so he'll be in Albuquerque this weekend!

To all of you who are mothers, Happy Mother's Day and to all of you who have ever in any way nurtured anyone, Happy Mother's Day too.....sometimes those who "mother" us in unusual places have as much influence for good in our lives as our mothers do.

God bless you all!!

Oh Sue Ann, he's so AWESOME!!!  I can hardly wait until next weekend to see him. 

Well, its now back to work for me, trying to finish a piece so it will be ready to bring with me......

We will add her to our prayer list.  And all of your family as you support her through this!

You might consider dropping a note to John Paul Port and see if he has any ideas about these guys....he's really VERY knowledgable about lots of these!

So, who all from this group will be at Lulu's Show?   (how will I know you, a red carnation in your lapel?  a red rose in your teeth?)

I can tell you what we have for lights. 

My husband used pieces of 2x4 as the bases drilled partly through to allow a PVC connector with screw threads to be glued in. 

We use 3 or 4 inch "C" clamps to fasten that base to the table, then the pieces of PVC pipe are screwed into the bases (all of these parts are painted flat black to blend in with my table cloths). 

Our lights are the clip on desk lamps and I use the "daylight" spiral flouresant bulbs which put out a lot of light without using much electricity or making much heat. 

We plug everything in to surge protectors which makes it easy to turn off the lights overnight too. 

The supplies for all of this came from Home Depot or Lowes (the hardware stores love to see us coming!)

Not much happens to a guy if a woman leaves the seat down.

.....except I'll be doing extra mopping!   ;^)

I'm so excited, we're actually going to get to go to Lulu's show!!! 

I'm working hard on the next bear .... find I'm doing things a whole new way nowdays.  We used to have several bears in the works at once, but now I'm doing one at a time.

Oh yes, Nick has ventured forth from the cutting table and is actually SEWING!!  He is working on his very first bear....its very exciting....maybe he'll have it done for the "first bear" table.....

I've got to turn out the closets to find that "first bear".....he's a sad thing, also a rather large one, no joints, embroidered eyes, etc.

If you all want another "report" from Lois the cub reporter I'd be happen to deliver!  Somebody let me know if I should pack her notebook!!

Yup, the frog (will he become the Prince?) is my work too.....I usually make these MUCH larger, so he was a challenge all his own.

Thanks!

I've been pretty much in "lurk" mode for the last few weeks, trying to sort out finance and car issues.  While I haven't resolved those yet, I did feel the need to go back to work on bears and have created a new OOAK piece.

I'm thinking all that time in Nevada City with Scott, Donna, Shelli and the rest of the gang must have rubbed off somehow, because this new bear really looks quite unlike anything else I have ever done.

Let me know how you like Miss Daisy.

Yes, it is one of the joys of the English language where words meaning very different things sound alike....it does make for some wonderful humor tho'!

Nope, we used to travel in a red Pontiac Bonneville......and it was supposed to last us for another 2 years.....so there we are

(as my mom used to say, there we are:  5000 feet in the air and no parachute, a sick silk worm and a needle with no hole in it!  I never knew quite what that meant, but it definately defines the feeling!!)

What I need now is a van that just drops into our lap....ha!

And shame on me!!!  Yes folks, that's Scott MacKenzie back there, winner of one of the Best in Show awards and general all around nice guy!!

A thousand pardons Scott

Took us 2 days to drive there....the first day from Colorado to Elko, NV, the second into Nevada City......

We won't be driving anywhere for a while, while we were in San Jose to visit friends after the show, our car blew up......nice ending for the whole trip!

Right now we have "borrowed" wheels, and I have no idea how we will afford anything to replace what we had....sigh.....pray for a miracle, we could use one

4 - THE CONSERVATIVE[/u]
4's are sensible and traditional. They like order and routine. They only act when they fully understand what they are expected to do. They like getting their hands dirty and working hard. They are attracted to the outdoors and feel an affinity with nature. They are prepared to wait and can be stubborn and persistent. They should learn to be more flexible and to be nice to themselves.
Famous 4's: Neil Diamond, Margaret Thatcher, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tina Turner, Paul Hogan, Oprah Winfrey.

Well, this does nad does not fit me.....I can be stubborn and persistent (just can't leave something alone until I solve it) and I do tend to "beat myself up" (mentally at least).  As for the famous 4s, I love Neil Diamond and I have an ever growing respect for Oprah Winfrey. 

Interesting to think about this tho'  my hubbie is a 6 which I think fits him much better than my number does

"Trust your instincts, close your eyes and LEAP!"

Okay folks, inspired by the really great ATCs that Shelli had on her table at Nevada City, I decided to try one of my own....

I think its a bit primitive, so I could use some helpful suggestions.....

Thanks!!

"Trust your instincts, close your eyes and LEAP!"

Well, she certainly has my awe and respect if she does all that!  A  really clean house has never been within MY reach.....at some point when my daughter was really little, I was working full time and trying to save my sanity by having some creative outlet, I gave up on the really clean house.....so we have dog hair and bear hair and dust bunnies under the beds!

As for working on projects, I too work on multiple things at a time.  I keep a sketch book (sketch may be a misnomer, I really can not draw!), with ideas and what pass for drawings and if my estimate of time is right, I will have to live to 150 to get them all done....but at least I'll not be bored!

Ok, now its off to get back to work on the latest art form, working on my first artist card!

"Trust your instincts, close your eyes and LEAP!"

Bear Log – Travel Date, Sunday, April 9, 2006

Today was the last day of the convention.  I went out to visit with more people.

While I was out, I had my picture taken with Zippy the Clown.  He has been part of the entertainment with the Swan Bros. Flying Teddy Bear Circus all three days of the convention.

When I visited at Bev Dodd’s table, I found long nosed bears that were very interesting.

I also went back to visit at Donna Butts’ table and check out her third place winner in the Best of Show contest.  WOW!

I wanted to visit again with the bear that won second place in the Best of Show contest at Scott MacKenzie’s table, but that bear had gone to a new home, so I was too late.

At the end of the day the group from Teddy Talk gathered for a picture together.  Aren’t we a cute group!

The Teddy-Talk gang, from left to right:  Shellie Heinemann (Potbelly Bears); Donna Butts (Yosemite Bearworks); Donna Mettling (The Bruin Sisterhood); Bev Dodd (Bev’s Bears); Virginia Jasmer (Jazzbears); Lois the Cub Reporter (me!) and Bev Haring (Esmerldas).

We’re really tired and ready to head home, but we’re already marking our calendars for next year’s convention.  Be sure to mark yours for April 13, 14 and 15, 2007, and join us in Nevada City for the 24th Annual International Teddy Bear Convention.  (Yes, you’ll have to complete your taxes before you come, but we promise it will be worth your while!)

Bear Log – Travel Date, Saturday, April 8, 2006

Day 2 of the big convention.  Most of today I was in the booth, listening to all kinds of people talk about bears and other animals.  Bear makers talked about fur types and how to dye things and doing noses and eyes and ears.

Today there was a front page article in the local newspaper here about the Convention.  There were pictures of bears and lots of information about the history of the teddy bear and of the convention.

During the show, the people who came to visit got to vote on the Best in Show bears by putting the number of their favorite bear in the ballot box. 

After the show closed today, there was a vendor reception.  There was cheese and crackers and shrimp and brownies….very yummy!

During the reception the results of the Best of Show voting were announced.  The winners this year were:  3rd place, a tie between Donna Butts and Connie Alexander; 2nd place, Scott MacKenzie and 1st place, Kimberly Welton.

Bear Log, Travel Date – Friday, April 7, 2006, evening

We’ve had a very busy day.  First thing this morning I got my official credentials for the convention.  Very impressive don’t you think?

After I had my credentials, I got to walk around and visit other booths.  I visited with bears (and other animals) on other tables.  First stop was right next door to our table where I talked with Tucker on Shelli Heinemann’s table.  I tried to get Tucker to go outside to play with his boat in the creek, but he was being so good!

Visiting among the many bears (and other animals!) of The Bruin Sisterhood was a lot of fun.

Scott MacKenzie has his travel bear with him.  His bear and I had a long conversation where we exchanged secrets that only bears get to know about.

Another Sisterhood member, Diana Ussery, brought rats!  A very interesting group of rats these, being very protective of the tiny rat babies.  I decided not to upset any of them

I spent a long time admiring the very cute girl on Donna Butts’ table, but I couldn’t get her to come with us on our travels.

We went shopping at Donna Mettling’s table.  She had lots and lots of wonderful colored markers to play with.  So many colors, so little time!  I did get to bring home a variety of blue and purple markers – maybe I’ll try them out as eye makeup.

After the show hours were over, we went to a party.  Folks from the internet group had a gathering at the Outside Inn in Nevada City.  In the office of the Inn, I found some more bear friends to talk to.

At the party, all the people sat around and talked about bears….imagine that, how they design bears, how they joint bears, how they put eyes on bears, all about airbrushing and markers and hand painted eyes.  Wow, so much heavy bear maker brainpower all in one room! 

During other parts of the day, we did some research to find out more about the building the show is in.  The building was originally built in 1856, and served as the metalworking operation for the mines in the area around Nevada City.  The foundry continued to be used for metal work including steel fabrication until 1974.  The building has thick natural stone walls, heavy timber beams and a metal roof.  Today the building is owned and operated by the Nevada County Cultural Preservation Trust.  It is used for the several arts companies and is rented out for weddings and other gala events. 

This year is the 23rd year that the International Teddy Bear Convention has been housed in the Foundry Building. 

Back in the early days of the convention, the restroom facilities were mostly a short row of porta-potties in the back parking lot.  Artist’s quickly learned to carry large sheets of sturdy plastic which were used to cover their tables and bears at night, and on  particularly raining days, during the show hours too because the aging tin roof leaked.

Now days there are brand new indoor restroom facilities, and a new roof was put on a few years back, but the wonderful atmosphere of the facility remains.  It feels like all those miners of all those years are still here enjoying the bears, and the bears feel right at home in the building too.

Bear Log, Travel Date – Thursday, April 6, 2006, evening

On the road again today, headed to our destination in Nevada City, CA.  When we left our motel, it was lightly snowing.  Along the way we saw places where there had been a lot of snow.  When we turned off the main highway, we went down a windy road where there had been lots of snow.  I got out of the car and sit on a big pile of snow….BRRRRRR!  It took me quite a while to warm up again.

On the sides of the roadway into Nevada City, once you get below the snow level, there are daffodils planted.  Some years the daffodils have already bloomed and died by the time of the convention, but this year they are in their full glorious array of color.

We’re finally out of the car and in our motel for the next few days.  I found lots of neat places to sit for pictures.  The motel we stay in is called Coach ‘n Four Motel in Grass Valley, CA.  In front of the motel they have an antique pick up truck.  I got to sit on it to have my picture taken.  I can’t imagine making the trip we’ve made the last two days in that truck, but it’s pretty neat.   

Tomorrow is the beginning of the convention……I can’t wait!!

Bear Log, Travel Date – Wednesday, April 5, 2006, evening

What at day!  While we didn’t get up as early as the once in a lifetime calendar event at 1:02 this morning (that was 01:02:03 04/05/06), we did get up early and pack out to the car to begin the next leg of our journey.

Riding in the car can be kind of boring except when we saw animals in the fields we were passing.  We saw lots and lots of antelope along the side of the road in one place.  Then when we were in a rain storm we saw a flock of sheep that had just been shorn all huddled together in one corner of a field.  I’m glad we didn’t get that close to them; I know wet wool doesn’t smell that great, so I can’t figure out how sheep can stand each other in wet weather! 

We went into a gift shop along the way.  Now this is more like it.   I got to play in the rock pile, aren’t these pretty? 

Then I went looking on other shelves.  The big jars of nuts and raisins looked good.

But then I spotted my favorite thing……HONEY!  I wanted to hide this cute bear jar and take it out to the car, but it nearly as big as I am.

We went to dinner in a Casino.  In Nevada they have these places full of bright colorful machines.  I put in a quarter and pushed the button.  I never could get my machine to make all those fun dinging sounds.

During dinner I got to play with a crayon and paper.  I tried hard to pick the right numbers, but no luck.

Back in our room for the night, I got some help with my computer log, ‘cuz as you can see, the keyboard is a little too big for me to handle alone.

Bear Log, Travel Date – Tuesday, April 4, 2006, evening

Wow, here we are at our first evening’s stop over.  This is a BIG house with some very interesting décor.  Look at the big deer!  But he’s dressed so strangely for spring, I guess they celebrate Christmas for a long time here. 

This is where our dog gets to stay while we go to the convention.  Here is a picture of our dog (the black Labrador) and the dog that lives at this house (a malamute).  The dogs will have fun together while we’re gone.

Bear Log, Travel Date – Tuesday, April 4, 2006, morning

Today is the big day.  After all the preparation of the last few weeks, we are actually leaving today.  All the bags are packed, the car is loaded and I’ve hopped into the tote bag to go.  This should be fun!