Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Happy Thanksgiving! :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  Everyone.

I am thankful for every single day.    

PS...if anyone else has more picture please add them.

In the top photo are Jane and Jared Monroe and they had a huge display full of happy bears, bunnies, and even some kitties and dolls.  Just happy faces wherever you looked.    

Amy Thorton and her unique creations came to life in her display.  The faces and expressions were perfect for this time of year.  Big cheshire-cat grins and wonderful colors made her table impossible to walk by without stopping and smiling.

I thought I had taken more photos but I think I was just too distracted by all the sights surrounding me. But at least I got a few to share with you.

I planned on going to this show only to meet artists....not to actually buy anything.  Yeah right!!!

We ended up coming home with Daphne' sheep, Laura's Tag-a-long, Steven and Shane's "Leo Fat Cat" and  Steiff        I just don't know how anyone could leave a bear show empty handed.

It was fabulous to actually meet artist friends that I have "known" for so long only on-line.  And to see their work in person confirms that it is much MUCH nicer to see someone's bears and art in person...in the fur....rather than seeing a photo.

BRAVO to all the artists at the show!!! :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Hi everyone.  I wanted t share a few photos with you from the Kohler Wisconsin Bear show which took place yesterday, Oct 11th at The American Club.   It was a one day show in a gorgeous showroom.

I did not exhibit at this show but rather went to meet up with some fellow bear artists for the first time. 
I met Daphne Blau, Laura Matthews, Steven Clark, Amy Thorton, Jane and Jared Monroe.

The weather in Kolher was that of an amazingly warm Fall day for Wisconsin...the only thing brighter were the bear artist inside the showroom.

Accompanying me were my middle daughter Rachel and my newest bruin Koda.

Meeting artist friends face to face is enough to make me want to get more involved in shows....I am just going to have to start doing shows.

I am unable to move photos around this post ( it's a "Mac-thing") so I will tel you about the photos here:
First photo is Laura Matthews with her lovely display.  She had a wonderful tree with "Tag-a-long-bears"...and of course I just had to have one.  Her bear's faces are precious.

Second photo is Daphne Blau with her Backroad Bears.  Colorful and solid teddys they were.  And she had these great littel hand knitted, then felted, sheep and as we approached one leaped off the table and asked to be adopted.  So we did.  The lamb was made by Daphne's own dad.  Just as soft as can be.

I have to tell you that Rachel even brought along an autograph book because she wanted Mimzy's creator, Daphne's autograph.

Third photo is Left to Right:  Me,  Laura, Daphne (holding my Koda)  :)

Laura, it looks as if you are wearing a crown!!!

Fourth photo is Steven Clark and is adorable colorful critters...and he too had a cuddle with Koda.  See the yellow animal to Steven's right?  That is "Leo Fat Cat" and my Daughter Rachel feel instantly in love.  Sooooooo He too was adopted by us and spent the rest of the afternoon riding on Rachel's shoulder.

Bottom photo is Steven and myself. :hug:  A few more pictures in next post...........

Awe!  What a darling little "possum" Puddle duckie.            

Hi Gail.  Wow, what a beautiful and exquisite cat. How proud you must be to have her on the cover of a magazine. :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Aleta that is brilliant. :clap:  What a time saver that must be.  I use mustache scissors to trim.

Kelly- that is one very-well-use table in your picture.  I guess it shows what a marvolously productive person you are.  

:clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap: You certainly deserve it Krista!  Major is amazing    

What a great photo.  What kind of dog is that?   I love him

Oh my... I LOVE this picture.  I am saving it for future reference.  Beautiful          

Ugh.  That would tick me off too.  Did you know you can change your seller id without loosing your feedback?  That is what I did.  I used to sell under the name tbearpicnic than recently changed it to luxembears.

Also for another of my two cents...I have never noticed a difference when using the "featured" option for 24.99 or whatever the heck it is now.  I think people just search keywords.  That's how I shop on ebay for everything.

What surprise that must have been Sue Ann.  They are really beautiful and I have never seen anything like them before.

:crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  I feel like that at times too.

Best of luck Ann -Marie! :dance:

I agree with this Shelli.  I think you also need to be careful so the bear does not feel like a sack of rice either.More stuffing in the body top.

  Another way for a different effect is ot add small pouches of pellets into the tips of the feet and paws.  This gives nice options for posing and when you pick up the bear they hang down as a real animlas paws would do.   I am working on a non-jointed floppy right now.....from the urgings of my daughter..."Mom...would you please make a bear without joints for once?      

I love the squishy pellets.  They give a totally different feel than the plastic.  I like the squishy ones better...they feel softer and give the finished bear a better quality.  try them!!!  I got mine from Cr's crafts but am going to try Sue Anns link.  Thanks Sue Ann.

Hi Ann- Marie,
Make sure you have a water trap on your compressor because you don't want water coming through your air line.  It will splatter your work.

35MM valve.  Where is this valve?  Is this on your airhose?  An airbrush for fine art should fit nicely in your hand almost like a large pen.  You want to stay away from larger airguns.  I can't picture anything in my mind right now that would be 35mm on an airbrush itself.  If this is on your airhose than that will not affect your painting.

Paint.  Almost any kind of paint will flow through an airbrush but it needs to be at the proper viscosity to flow smoothly.  One of the biggest challenges with airbrushing is trouble-shooting and getting the paint to flow.  Since you are working with such a fine mist of paint it will be more likely to dry on the needle tip and block paint flow.
You can buy ready made airbrush paints from a number of sources.
I work with acrylic based paints as they are soft , flexible , and permanent and they flow nicely.  I use Liqutexx fine art paints which need to be watered down, and Createx which state that they are "airbrush ready" but I still water these down too.  If y our paint builds up too quickly on the mohair it will become stiff and detectable to the touch.
I just bought some taxidermy airbrush piants which I have not tried yet but have poured some out of one of my bottle and they look great.  I can't wait t try them on another new tiger I have in the works at this moment.

The most important thing you can do to help yourself be successful at airbrushing...and I can't over emphasize this,  is practice-practice-practice.

Good luck!

ADORABLE!     JUMP!!!!!            

Congratulations Nancy :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  what a huge honor!  Get that cover framed! :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

:crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:
That's funny.....and I love the word 'nappy' too.

Well Jane, now what do you think?  Do you think we all love and adore you here?  YES WE DO!!!!!           :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Now we're ready for a HUGE party...as only you can do Jane.  You are the best my friend. :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Shelli....I laughed out loud at your kitty picture. :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:

           Poor knut will miss his daddy bear hugs.  I hope others will fill his shoes in time.  I am sure he will be sadly missed.

and when you husband wears a Teddy Talk T shirt regularly.        

Jane, I think your TT partie are hilarious and really made me laugh.       I know how much work you put into it and am sorry to hear that some take offense at such a positive and fun gesture.   I love your parties....keep on doing them....oh...and for my date this year.......could you hook me up with Orlando Bloom, Johnny Depp, and Gerard Butler ( in Phantom of the Opera costume )?....my hubby won't mind a bit.    

Hi Shari!  Glad to see you here again....           :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Shirley that's a great polar bear you have!

I have another one to add too:
When your child's first drawing is a bear, and is proudly handed over to you.