Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I am always amazed how a bear sort of decides how he wants to turn out. It's like we have nothing to do with it sometimes!  I actually like him looking chunky he has a lot of character The first bear I ever made was from a kit and turned out absolutely nothing like the picture That made me decide there and then to do my own patterns  I still have it some where so if you want it pm me and I'll post it to you. It was about 6" so it might be possible to use some left over scraps. You might have better luck with it! As for Albert I wonder if you cut out the front body pieces upside down so that his arms are where his legs should be? Just a thought? Excellent nose work btw
michelle

A lovely couple of kitties!
michelle

Another lovely bunny! The fur is a beautiful and your colours work so well together. Looks so soft!
michelle

I have tried pastels as I do love the soft depth of definition you can get but couldn't figure out how to stop it rubbing off. Thought about fixative (like you would use for art work) but never actually got round to trying it or maybe I was just applying it wrong in the first place or needed to prepare the surface to take the colour. BTW thank you for the tip about the loc line (silver claw post) I have been after a Uk supplier since last year. I even looked into importing it in bulk and selling myself but it works out cheaper to buy it from the US due to some kind of plastic import tax in to the UK which I suppose is why no one sells it here. It is actually the 1/16th" I really would like but it is quite costly and wonder if I would be better just sticking to experimenting with wire and cable. But regardless the 1/4" you recommended was cheaper than the one I had found   
michelle

Thank you so much Thelma, Leanne and Tony I am so pleased that you like my little bunch!
michelle

How cute! that kitty is FAST asleep
micelle

Stunning!
michelle

Wow what a beautiful cat!
michelle

You hand painted the eyes wow! I was just about to comment on how beautifully you had shaded his muzzle then I scrolled down and read about the eyes you are very talented. Lovely bunny!
michelle

This little kitty looks just like one my cat had (along with 3 others) called Buntin. My cat Suki choose to give birth under my bed so I would wake up covered in kittens  I was 12 and thought it was the best thing ever!
michelle

Thank you Claire, Sarah J, Denise, Peter and Jenny your very kind to take the time to comment
michelle

Thank you for the lovely comments and helpful advice. I had 3 replies on bear pile one for Non OOAK and two for OOAK so I have gone ahead and listed my first bear in the OOAK section. It seems it is a subjective debate. I should have just gone ahead and done it and then I don't suppose any body would have even have noticed but I 'm afraid I am just too damn honest for my own good and hould have just done 5! Etsy was a whole lot easier I just put them in a separate section and like Joanne suggested called them unique. Think I will get back to doing just one bear it's a lot less trouble - like I keep saying still a lot to learn
michelle

Wow thank you Pink! 

That is good advice Joanne and I don't feel that I can class my 6 as OOAK but here is the choice I have in listing on Bearpile:- 
" Be accurate selecting this next option or risk upsetting other members and/or getting in trouble with Bear Pile.
OOAK (One-Of-A-Kind) stuffed bear creation that has already been made and is an edition of 5 or less
       (Types listed under Animal Type below also qualify as a stuffed bear creation. Please use the OTHER option below for all other types/items.)
Non-OOAK/OTHER: I'm listing something other then what qualifies as OOAK stuffed bear creation as defined above.
        (Charlie Bears, Steiff, Isabelle Bears, other manufactured bears/items, fabrics, furs, kits, patterns, pins, plates, parts, paintings, drawings,
       books, clothes, accessories, items not yet made, etc.) "
I don't understand how a OOAK can 5 or less does that mean 5 all exactly the same (pattern, materials, name, finishing but only 5 ever made) or 5 from the same pattern but in different materials. To be honest I don't think my range of bears fits into either category really.
I see a lot of bears that look like the same pattern to me but repeated in different materials but then again I don't count them so maybe there are only 5. This is my dilemma - think I might put a post up on Bearpile and see what response I get back.

I have just finished making a range of 6 bears (in the showcase if you are interested) and am planning to start listing them on bearpile from tomorrow. But in the add a bear section it says OOAK is 5 or less.  I must admit I haven't really paid much attention to this before as this is the first time I have made more than one bear from the same pattern. I checked the wise and wonderful library on here and found a few different threads, the upshot of my research being it means different things to different people ie clear as mud! Now I don't want to upset or misrepresent in any way so I suppose what I am hoping for is some advice at what others do when listing? My bears are the same pattern (my intention was to make them similar) but are all from different furs and have slightly different rompers in different fabrics so in that respect are not repeatable. In my mind they form an edition of one of my OOAK designs if that makes any sense  Help!
michelle

The Baby Browns are a new addition to the Padfield gang. As they are all born from the same pattern and therefore siblings I thought they should have the same surname - Brown (a typical British name). It has been really interesting for me to reuse a pattern as I usually start from scratch with every bear, I find it pretty hard to keep on the straight and narrow without going off a tangent. I guess I am still at the stage where I am so excited by all the possibilities I want to try out to settle in to any one style. The rompers still all ended up slightly different as I just couldn't help myself  

Back row left to right Eric and Betty, front left to right Penny, Rose, Paul and Carl

Eric and Penny having a hug

Softly stuffed (again new for me) and weighted they are a nice handful.
Thank you for looking listing on Etsy and bearpile from tomorrow
michelle

    A bear you just want to pick up and hug! Super work
michelle

    love everything about him!
michelle

michelle

Sweet!
michelle

Having such a great style of bear that everyone knows is yours is something that a lot of us aspire to Brenda so don't be down on your self. He is a wonderful bear!
michelle

  beautiful as ever The subtle pink cheeks are particularly lovely
michelle

Lovely colours and she has a lovely face.... you are on a roll!
michelle

Look how perfect that little nose it 
michelle

Loving all the kitty pics at the mo Gail
michelle