Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Wow, Shelli . . . I didn't remember that you were dressed so authentically!!  Thanks for sharing with those that didn't get to see the dance, Kirsten!! 

I wanna know what you and Kirsten did in New England, Daphne!!

Marie . . . you are tooo cute!!

Welcome, Teri . . . glad the quake wasn't worse than it was.  I don't know - I think I can handle tornados better than an earthquake!!

Heads up, Cindy!  I was lurking on the Edinburgh board just before I logged on here, and I saw the exact same post as yours but from a different person.  This sounds a lot like some sort of scam.  Did the person who requested this have MSG in his/her ID name??

Ooooh, Millie, . . . . sooo cute!

OH MY GOODNESS, Jane!!  I REALLY enjoyed hosting that teddy bear convention!!  Easiest party I've EVER hosted and I LUUUUUV my remodeled house (it certainly needed it) and the fact that I have servants!!  Beautiful dream!!  Your Japanese bears are very lovely and I'm so glad I picked your pattern for us all to make.  What a joy to have all of you cyber bear friends at my house . . . the pleasure was all mine!!  And thanks to you, Jane, for getting us all together.  Sweet dreams again!! 

P.S.  I DO hope we got a photo of Shelli's dance!! 

Laure, I guess Audie's rules are for the bears that are sent in to be judged in "bearson".  The US magazine contests are judged by photos only (except for the manufacturer's categories).  I talked to a very knowledgeable collector in Houston a couple of years ago and she happened to be one of the Golden Teddy judges for several years.  Her comment was that, by far, the face and its expression was the most important aspect in influencing the judges' decisions.  She is in ill health and hasn't judged for quite some time, so I don't know if that still holds true . . . but - from the horse's mouth, so to speak!!   Also, Laure, I will be happy to post the deadline dates for both the TOBY and Golden Teddy contests . . . when they come out for 2006.  Usually, the deadlines are around the end of the year (Dec.) and the first of the next year (Jan.), but whatever they are, I'll put them up here and REMIND EVERYBODY to enter!!  The more, the merrier!!! 

Congratulations, Suzanne . . . we'll be waiting with bated breath to see the results!! 

Very nice looking bird, Kirsten!!  I have a friend who has several "talking" birds and she is a riot when she starts telling all the stuff those birds say.  They are really smart!!

AAAAARRRGGHH!!!   I have been seriously thinking of possibly trying out selling on ebay, but these horror stories scare the bejeebers out of me!!  Sounds like there are meanies out there who make a career out of seeing how much damage they can do to sellers on ebay!  That combined with the stress of wondering if anybody is going to bid on your item is enough for me to back off that plan . . . at least for the time being.  Sheesh!

I use stop-nuts/bolts type joints, mostly.  The ONLY time I don't use them is when I make a wobble head bear.  Then, of course, I will do the cotter pin thingy with the head joint.  For a nut/bolt head joint, I sew all the seams for the head except the neck area, then sew a running stitch around the neck edge.  To make sure the bolt won't turn in the disk of the head, I glue it in with a really STRONG glue and let it dry thoroughly.  Then you can draw the thread up around the bolted disk and you're ready to attach the head to the body!  I have a bolt gluing sessions where I make up a bunch of different sized disks with the bolts . . . then when I make a bear, I already have the head disk ready to go.  I don't do cotter pins because I never could get them tight enough and it was REALLY hard on my arthritic hands. 

Judi . . . Judi's Bear looks just like you!!  I guess that was intentional??!!  Such a sweetie and Diane's golly looks perfect with you - uh, her!! 

My theory has been proven MANY, MANY times over!!!!  You bear people love animals of all kinds and I have appreciated all of these stories.  May we continue to be friends to those creatures that NEED OUR companionship! 

Marie, pincette describes accurately what forceps do . . . "pinch" the fabric!!

Not . . . laughing . . . here!!  Seriously, Shelli, it sounds like a very creative method to me!!

I would welcome a visit from you!!  Austin is a wonderful place and, as a matter of fact, I will be at a bear show there on June 26th.  Please make plans to visit sometime . . . I'd LOVE to see you in person!!

Hooray for the bids, Daphne!!

Ooooooh, Daphne . . . I like that idea a LOT!!

We're happy you are alive and making bears, too, Marie!  Same goes for you, Laure!  Texas is in "Tornado Alley" and I've been close to some, but haven't actually experienced one "up close and personal", I'm very happy to say.

I find that using forceps to turn the mohair right side out is what always works for me.  Do you have any??
By the way, welcome to the board and hope you will post often!! 

UGH!! 

Oh, I agree totally, Laura!  I get sad just thinking about the loss of life for any animal!  My cats will bring in the occasional baby rabbit, bird, lizard, mole, or whatever . . . that they have played with "too hard", so I go out and bury it, telling it how sorry I am that real life is like it is.  I even cringed and felt sorry for a dove that got caught by a hawk right before my eyes as I was looking out a window toward my "back woods".  I had to turn away while the carnage went on.  Know this is life in the wild, but, goodness, sometimes I don't want to know about it!! 

Okay, Danni and Hayley . . . start saving your pennies now . . . maybe you could have a car wash and bake sale!! 

Oh My!!