Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Fascinating, Patty; I heard about this on NPR a few months ago, myself, in a really intriguing piecethat left me sitting in my car in my driveway for about fifteen minutes, just so I could finish listening!  I've worked with autistic savants -- something totally different, but alike, in the sense that it illustrates how the brain works in really mysterious and marvelous ways.  One kid, James, could barely form a sentence (he was of below average intelligence as well)... but he could tell you exactly where to turn, the name of the street, even the numbers on the segment on which you were driving.  He was like a human GPS device!

I'm curious to learn whether being a synesthete helped or hindered Paige as she made her way through school, particularly in her math studies.  Also, do you have the name of the documentary?  I think I'd like to see it myself.

Very cute, Julia!  I added you to my blog list.

Sometimes the muse takes a vacation.  I understand completely.  She comes back, though, usually... in time.  So maybe don't say goodbye, but just, see ya later...???

I, for one, will miss seeing your fantastic creations shuffle thru my flickr browsings.  Here's hoping you're not on sabbatical forever...

Hey Laura.  I started out using the large size because that's all that was available but when the middle size evolved I bought that one too -- actually, I think I mighta had something to do with it being "born" when I suggested making one with a shorter handle. When that evolved into being I bought one of those too (the middle size, nowadays) and I love it and use that one exclusively for my 12 - 18 inch bears.  So I think it should work for you!

Here, Donna... I did it for you.  :)

I'm a huge fan of this tool.  It's that grippy little end that makes this thing so invaluable; it really does grab just the right amount of polyfil to help you get it in there just so.  I think it would probably have much less use on excelsior but that's conjecture on my part; I haven't tried yet.  On polyfil, tho, it's almost a miracle, and I'm sure it's saved me from tendinitis, which I tend toward and have had surgery for once already.  The long "shaft" part of the tool is also rigid enough that you can really pack that stuff in there and it has no flexibility to it at all.

Bwahaha!  Now THERE's an advertising slogan:  Come visit Tasmania... a great place for road kill.  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:   

In seriousness, I'm not a collector of animal skulls, but they do absolutely fascinate me.  One of my favorite "DirtyJobs" episodes features a place where they clean bones for museums, collectors, anthropologist/zoologists/everything-ologists with some kind of beetle (name escaped me; dermestid??) and these horrid vats of sludge which basically melts any remaining flesh right off the bones.  The host said it was the worst smell he'd ever encountered, and this is a guy who's shoved his hand up a horse bum and cleaned a septic tank, from the inside!  So that's saying a lot.

How did we go from hair hats to horse butts and flesh dissolving?  Oh well.  What a fun thread!  Keep the bleechy goodness coming...

Eileen, I've loved you forever, but this makes you one of my favorite people on Earth.  You DO know how I feel about raccoons, don't you?      

PS  For people getting their shorts all in a bunch about the above comment, please... chizill.  I'd never wish harm on any animal; I'm a pound rescuer myself.  But hey; if an animal is going to be deceased, then in my opinion, it might as well be a raccoon, and if a dog chews on it, well, all the better.  Those masked bandits, cutely disguised, really ARE the spawn of the dark lord.  lol...

I like it, Jennifer; I think it really suits your look and branding.  Nimbleknot is a darling name for sure but it doesn't associate readily with "bears" or "cupcakes" so I think in terms of simply getting people to snap-to and recognize what you make, you've made a terrific move!

Are you going to keep your name here at TT?  Quy can change that for you if you want.

Whee!

My fingers hurt if I don't use that same ULTIMATE STUFFING TOOL Jenny mentioned to help out, and I'm not even arthritic; I just pack that stuff in there hard and my fingers get tired and sore after a limb or two.  Plus I make larger bears so it's kinda hard to get all the way down to the end of the limbs.  If my bears were a bit smaller I might do it differently.  I think the tool helps in my case, but absolutely, if you don't need it, then don't use it.  Whatever works for you is what is best!

I just spent the last half year "on sabbatical" kinda reimagineering my bears a little bit while I took some much-needed time off and by fall I hope to be back with a new-and-improved Potbelly look myself.  But I am keeping in mind what people say they like most about my teddies, and will be making only a few across-the-board changes to that aspect of my work.  Some of the chnages are purely materials related, but I felt were necessary to keep things moving toward "better and better" as I march forward in this path.

I think if you're not happy doing what you're doing, Jenny, no matter what it pays or what people like, it just doesn't work.  Follow your muse.  It's been good to you so far!  Personally I'm taking little steps and I'll see where each one lands me, because that seems prudent.  But I AM taking them, because I was feeling really stuck for a while, and I almost left the field entirely for a while there feeling like I "had to" do this, or "should" do that.  It really worked a number on my head and it's only in the last month or so that I feel truly re-energized.  And that's because I decided to make those changes.

I can't wait to see what you come up with next, Jenny; your work is outstanding and whatever 'new' 3 o'clock influences you put to it, I'm sure that won't change one bit.

... this takes a fondness for "all things bear" just a smidge too far, methinks. 

More along these same lines, from the source, here:  http://www.uchu-country.com/works/hairhats.html

Oh, mine do too; our house is covered in barf-stain footprints.  Does that make then barf-prints?  Why doesn't IAMS make transparent -- or at least, white -- cat food?  The mind boggles.

What I meant was, whose cat looks like THAT when they barf?  And it is green?

I'll bet your cat doesn't do THIS, Judi -->    It's in TECHNICOLOR!!!

I like this one, too; forgot to add it earlier.  "Bolt:" 

Gemma, love that huggy one with the bear in jammies.  Cute!!

How cool is that?  I know lots of people are way into WebKinz, including my over-40 friend Denise Van Patten who's the About.com guide to dolls and who owns a doll shop locally; she's also the author of a doll price guide and a collector of and expert on antique dolls.  So they're for sure not just a "kid" thing!  I'll have to check into them.  What's the site?

Very cute smileys, by the way; I think I like the Siamese cat one the best.

Well why wouldn't you share that fantastic news?  There is a difference between gloating and bragging (which you're not), and feeling justifiably proud of something.  I think this clearly falls into the "justifiably proud" category, Miss Judi.  :)

Congratulations on a wonderful bear and a really superb achievement.

The animated ones are all .gif files and you just use the IMG UPLOAD button like you would for ANY picture!  If you see one somewhere and like it, RIGHT CLICK>SAVE AS to your hard drive, then use IMG UPLOAD to get it here.

I don't know what YARG is.  It's kinda like BLARG, I guess.  A made-up word that means, "I am so wierded out/puzzled by what you just said that my eye is popping out."  Also known on some forums, with similar (but not as kewl) eye-popping smileys, as "Eek."  The only way that emoticon could be any better, in my humble opinion of course, is if they made the eye twitchy.  THAT would be perfection!!!  A big ol', twitchy wonky eye. 

Richy, your red foxes are very cute indeed. The vibrating one, though, makes me wanna slap it into stillness.  Totally agitating!!!

Laura, LOVE your computer bashing guy.  I feel like that about 90% of every day. 

Here are two more from my art card/mail art forum.  This one's called "jiggy": 

And here's one for those days when you just plain feel all pirate-y: 

Let the fun continue!!  [hums: Oh, Mickey, You're so fine... You're so fine you blow my mind... Hey Mickey!]

... I had to share with my furry teddy buds -- that's you folks!  Pay attention, people! -- the cutest little smiley I found tonight on another forum.  I've never seen this one before, which is kinda unusual for me as I've kinda been around the track a few times, forum-wise.  What's the word for that anyway? Cylut?  Get it?  Cyber + slut.  I made a funny!  Ha!  Being an ex-cheerleader myself (now, be nice, girls) it really resonated with me.  Good times, good times, those.   (Man, am I punchy tonight, or what?  Maybe I need to get some sleep.)

Check out the infectious boppiness of it all.  Kinda makes me wanna get up and put on some ABBA or something.  I like how she's all blinky, too, like all that cheering is kicking up some serious stadium dust.  Been there, done that:

I have a number of other smilies I rather enjoy viewing, although I find little use for them when I post.  I did ask a while back whether it might be possible to add a few new smileys here at TT but that's not in the works -- for lots of good reasons -- so don't go there!!!     

For your own amusement, though, and perhaps for you to save to your hard drive and upload at your discretion, I present for your consideration my wonky favorite emoticons, many of them largely inappropriate and useless because we are such a fun and supportive bunch, but which always make me smile.  Enjoy!  And I'd love to see your favorite smileys, if you've got some... but please, best behavior here; let's keep our smiley-sharing rated PG and child-friendly.  We do have teen visitors here!

Ummm... duh.

Barf cat:  Whose cat DOES this?!? 

Yarg: 

Not sure what on earth this "emotes" but it sure is cute: 

This is so totally me.  NEVER use it when I post.  lol... 

Louise ROCKS!!!      

Yup, bib.  My kid ran cross country this year.  They called it a bib there, too, and also on his ski team.

Yayyyyyyyyyy!!!!

That lampworking is such a tempting diversion, isn't it, Jane???  lol...  My passion for it burned out after a while but I can see how it would stay lit for some, in spades.  It's incredibly addictive.  Show us your beads,please; you must have them online somewhere (website, eBay, WetCanvas, etc.)???

I'm PMing you.

GOOD LUCK to you!!  And put on your thick skin.  I've seen those flameworkers work flaming like no one else.

There are tons of bearmakers who work in synthetics, including here on this forum -- for sure!  This site is sponsored by a mohair supplier so it's no accident that many of us here use mohair; browsing the Intercal weekly specials mailer or their online catalog led many people straight to this forum!  Keep in mind, too, that teddies were traditionally made from mohair, so there's the sentimental pull of staying true to the original vision that tugs at not-a-few artists as well.  Plus, mohair is just really dang easy to work with -- or at least, it is for me.  I find it easier to work with than faux furs, myself.  So kudos to you who work in faux furs instead!!

Karen Lyons, who makes spectacular cats and who posted above, works largely in plush if memory serves. 

Jenny Johnson, a very popular bear artist -- 3 o'clock Bears -- comes to mind, too, straight away, as someone who does a LOT of her pieces in plush faux furs.  Paula Carter also comes immediately to mind as someone who's done wonderful things in plush; check out her ALL BEARS.  I know there are a bajillion others.  I'm just having a midlife moment and can't think of them right now.  Daphne Blau (Back Road Bears) created the Mimsy character -- yes, from the movie! -- with needle felting and out of plush material (I think.. ?)

We also have a big helping of folks on the forum who work extensively -- some exclusively -- in real fur (usually repurposed from old coats) and other imaginative materials. 

Sue Ann Holcomb just this week posted an incredibly cool patchwork-y kind of scrapbook bear:  http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=24379 

And Michelle Lamb, who's a friend of mine and known to many, but not a participant here, works extensively in faux fur and has for the length of her long and wonderful career; she's mentored and inspired many a bear artist, including me.  You can check out her faboo work at:  www.oneandonlybears.com

Last, I don't think it's an overstatement to say that most mini artists use faux furs, specifically upholstery type furs.  I may be overstating that, but I don't think I am.  Mini makers, step in and slap me up side the head if I'm misrepresenting your materials.

So yeah, don't be shy to post work that's done in faux fur here.  And do feel free to ask questions and explore techniques if you'd like to take your work one step beyond where it is now... whatever your vision of "one step beyond" might be.  There's help aplenty and so many ways to slice this bear-y furry loaf.  I think you'll find support whichever way you turn.  This site has historically had an artist-bear bent vs. a made-for-the-younger-set tone, mostly simply because those are the folks who landed here via the Intercal connection... but certainly, ALL are welcome here. 

Welcome, welcome, to you both!

Gosh, Eva... I think there's a place for every kind of bear in this world.  I'd hate for one of mine to end up with a toddler because they're absolutely not designed for young children.  So what would a little one have to hug, teddy-wise, if not for bears like yours???

Just like when choosing fabric to determine the look and feel of a bear, one usually has a purpose in mind for that bear, too.  My purpose is to create art objects for the adult collector.  If your purpose, though, is to create something lovable and huggable and perfect for affection, for children, then I'd say you're right on track and meeting your goals.

GORGEOUS!  I peeked in at your blog as well.  Just spectacular.  Thanks so much for sharing those.

Oh goodie!! (greedy little claps) 

I think it's funny that these answers depend on when we woke up and what time of day it is when we answer.  This was one of the first things I did when I got up (really late) today.  Also, am I the only one who's noticing that we seem to be a particularly weepy bunch?  lol...