Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I'd suggest what others already have....take mohair, fur, what you use to the shops and test the machines.  Really take your time with it. Some machines just don't do mohair & fur well.

I sew on a 1950's singer featherweight and I wouldn't trade it for anything right now.  It handles mohair like a champ. I love my machine.    

:hug:
~Chrissi

I LOVE this kind of stuff, but I was going back and forth with table design for a while too.   I was feeling  trying to get a holiday theme in my table without going overboard or taking it to a level I'm not into personally.  I finally had to stop over thinking it and do what made sense to me....staying true to the style of the bears and me as the artist (my web/blog design, etc).
Complimenting your style and bear style so all flows and ties together is what I like to see in all of the table pics.  Each business has "a look" just like the bears themselves, & sticking to that made sense to me and put my  mind at ease!!     I'll still have a "kiss" of holiday, but it's not a theme at this point.  I could use my table display anytime of year.

Daphne, If I was helping you out with a table I'd go with things that convey The Back Roads of Maine...warm woodsy tones...either fall or winter.  If you're using cubes or crates to gain height maybe tweak them to keep the design theme going...paint them (the spray paints out there are fantastic...with textures and all), maybe distress them if their wooden, or cover them in fabric using a spray adhesive. (???)

Scanning over the show and travel pics is one of my favorite things to do out here!  I love the tables full of bears and looking at each design

:hug:
~Chrissi

Yes, this organization is real.  They have houses, rooms and other facilities for families when a child is in a hospital.  It assists with the high out of pocket cost many families pay when away from home during medical treatment. 
This is a link to their main site.  I think, not 100% sure, that you would be assisting a more regional program that assists the Albany NY area specifically. 
http://www.rmhc.org/rmhc/index/programs … house.html

:hug:
~Chrissi

  Love them!

My mom's always been able to get her dogs to say "I love you mom".  I never had any luck with our doggies.  BUT my one luv ball cat, says I love you. 

:hug:
~Chrissi

Here's a giggle (can't believe I'm posting this!!)

I'm SUPER late to this thread, but our computer decided to up and quit and it stayed that way for a week.  I can't tell you the # of times I thought..." I'll just look that up" and realized I had no way to do it.  Phone #s, directions.....little things you don't even think about.  Not having access to my web site, blog, forums and plain old email was just torture.  BUT we had a ton going on, so the time flew by. 

I just got my studio completely organized from top to bottom.  Posted a pic on my blog of my pretty mohair in it's new cabinet and then THIS happened!!!    :crackup:

We had hardwood floors installed in most of the house. I love it and I'm not complaining in the slightest....BUT when we squeezed the last bit of stuff into the only room not getting floors...MY STUDIO...well, I just about had the biggest mental freak out ever.  I made my hub promise about 30 times that within 2 days my studio would be back to it's perfectly organized self.  (I have to take pics of that still!!)  I was in the studio working again as of yesterday.

Here's what it looked like just days ago  

Where's my STUDIO??!!  :crackup:  :crackup:

:hug:
~Chrissi

Watch out for the "caller ID" thing too.  They just did a thing on our local news out here about how there are services that people can now use to spoof and scam via Caller ID.   

From one news article:  "In the last few years, Caller ID spoofing has become much easier. Millions of people have Internet telephone equipment that can be set to make any number appear on a Caller ID system. And several web sites have sprung up to provide Caller ID spoofing services, eliminating the need for any special hardware.

For instance, Spoofcard.com sells a virtual "calling card" for $10 that provides 60 minutes of talk time. The user dials a toll-free number, then keys in the destination number and the Caller ID number to display. The service also provides optional voice scrambling, to make the caller sound like someone of the opposite sex.

Caller ID spoofing appears to be legal, though many of its uses are not."

Nice, huh?  We make it easier & easier for criminals to fraud good people and harder than ever to recover your good name/ good credit once they ruin you.  It's beyond comprehension.

:hug:
~Chrissi

I'm in....timing is really good now!!  Thanks for organizing Jenn

Clare I LOVE prim Christmas!! Right up my alley

:hug:
~Chrissi

Oh Jenny that stinks!!  I'm super sensitive to those deep muscle creams and rubs too...one word of caution: a lot of those creams use ingredients that are worsened and intensified with water and have to be removed from the skin with (this sounds crazy but) oil...like cooking oil or olive oil.  Any cream with the ingredient Capsaicin (or an ingredient that in a variation of this word) is from a hot pepper and can give you a nasty burn..and water will make it worse.  We found this out the hard way years ago when my hub had his initial back injury.  The stuff burned like heck and made his skin so red. Only after he tried to wash it off did I read the inside of the box and see that water made it all worse.  So sorry this is all happening to you 

:hug:
~Chrissi

When my neck and upper back are bothering me I swear by warm heat.  I use an herbal pack that I can place in the microwave, sometimes I'll spritz with water for a moist heat.  When I went to physical therapy they alway had me use 5-10 minutes of warm heat prior to the session...maybe that would help you prior to bear making (???)    http://www.natureswaypa.com/index2.ivnu 

This is the only site I could find quickly with info on ergonomic sitting with an illustration. (The rest of this site could be horrible, I just wanted a pic)  May help with getting your chair set up, or finding a new chair to work at. I use an adjustable chair in the studio and it helps....the way we sit really makes a difference.
http://www.spine-health.com/topics/cd/ergo/ergo05.html

Massages are wonderful!!  Just make sure you find someone who will treat you with kid gloves.  Some are more geared towards harsher deep tissue massage and that can put you out of commission for a few days if they're really rough and your not use to it.  **Drink LOTS and LOTS of water after any kind of massage.  Your muscles need it to recoupe and it will lessen any soreness.**

With the cough is there anything at all new in your environment or diet that could be causing the chest/coughing issue.  New fur, cleaning supply, personal care product, mold or spores of any kind, food item...anything that may be giving you a reaction?   Have you had a chest xray?

:hug:
~Chrissi

I only wear Demeter Fragrances anymore. I like them because they don't change or "turn" over time...like some perfumes do with body heat. I like Peach in the summer, sometimes mixed with Angel Food and then  either Cinnamon Buns or Devil's Food in the winter. 
They're a really fun fragrance company, as you can see by the new fragrance on their home page.....Crayon    They hit the fragrances right on...even the weird ones 

http://www.demeterfragrance.com/

:hug:
~Chrissi

Sarah he's even cuter now!! Is that possible???!     What a total love in his blue sweater...that last picture with him tugging at it is priceless    

:hug:  :hug:
~Chrissi

I'm in!!  Awesome idea Lisa...you're so creative

:hug:
~Chrissi

Oh Edie that STINKS!! 
Personally I would understand the mistake and not ask to be removed from your list, it was just an honest mistake.  But then you've got the added aggravation of someone to taking advantage like that. That's mighty tacky. 
:hug:
~Chrissi

For those wondering, blind copy is that line in your email that reads "BCC" or blind carbon copy. Sometimes you have to open your address book to see the feature.  A lot of services just have a "to" and "copy" area vidible at all times.  BCC hides all of the address names.  You can place addresses in that line and no one will be able to see anyone else who gets the email.  I add my own address in the main "to" or "recipient" line, place all other addresses in BCC and then send out.

Congratulations Melanie Jane and Family!!  I love the name Oliver as well.  SO exciting, congrats!!

:hug:
~Chrissi

I use the same as Kim....little forceps. I also use little locking hemostats.  I don't use the tool to grab and pull the fabric.  I use the tool to hold the fabric as I sort of "roll" and manipulate the fabric back over itself.  Grabbing/locking onto the inside of the piece and then trying to pull can lead to holes when/if your tool slips off of the fabric. There's nothing more upsetting than hand stitching a tiny limb, a paw pad and then having a hole or loss of fur happen when turning  -ugh-.

Hope that helps!!
:hug:
~Chrissi

They're fantastic Jane!  Love the blues and greens...reminds me of sea glass and the swirling ocean   Can't wait til you begin to sell!  I prefer artisan pieces over store bought any day of the week.  Your customers are then your walking/talking billboards every time they get a compliment on the piece they're wearing.
Keep us posted!! 

:hug:
~Chrissi

I commented on Shel's blog about this one too.  My family and friends are beyond supportive and proud of what I do.  I'm very very proud of what I do and I, like Karen, keep pics with me to share with those who don't understand or can't visualize what I/we do. I'll hand out biz cards and then suggest they check out the overall industry.... how large it is.  I feel sad for anyone who looks at any one particular profession as inferior or not "real"....how small their own world must be. I pity them, not myself.  Some people go an entire lifetime never doing what they love, or not trying out of fear..... how small the black and white box they live in must be.  Poor things.

All that matters to me at this point in my life is my happiness and that what I do truly brings happiness to those I work with.  My collectors glowing emails and expressed joy from my work is proof that I'm doing something right. If someone in the grocery doesn't "get it"....oh well their loss.

:hug:
~Chrissi

Hi Jennifer!
I've referred folks to Andrea Brewer's free pattern page before...I think for pulled toes.... she gives a quick blip on needle sculpting with a little pic that might help you out.  I like visuals myself.  It's a really cute pattern too, if you're just starting out with mohair and want to try a few techniques.  It's one of the first I tried years ago.

http://www.brewersbruins.com/MAIN_bears … ttern.html

Hope it helps a little!
:hug:
~Chrissi

It's an appreciation for the art, that's what I told my hub the first time I bought an artist bear.  Yes, I create in the same field...but I also collect the art I appreciate.  Artists don't usually fill their homes with their own work, they tend to fill it with the styles and works that inspire them and speak to them. 

Knitters still buy sweaters, Chefs can still order out

:hug:
~Chrissi

Can't wait to see your big bear...betcha he's a cutie!

I've always done the BCC with mailing lists, it's incredibly important to keep that information private.  People should opt in and then have the right to opt out easily.
 
In an attempt to solicit consumers/collectors probably more harm is being done to this business.... by spamming.  It's unsolicited "junk mail".  And although cheaper than advertising, probably not the best ways to get your name out there, as spam has a reputation for being mostly untrustworthy stuff infringing on privacy and space. 

Once again I'm just sad that this is another issue involving members.   Too corporate cut throat for teddy bear making 

:hug:
~Chrissi

edit:  I was slowly typing and rewording (and stuffing a limb.....juggling ) as you were saying the same thing Jacqui..... spam's not the way to go.  Maybe we can turn this around and start listing the positive ways to build a mailing list or something??  Incentives that you can offer, guestbooks as shows, "share with a friend" offers,  etc......

Marion...he's sweet!!  gotta name yet?  He looks like a fun guy, like a class clown...maybe a famous comedian's name would fit him

Daphne
There are a few of us at the show who are still doing BAO and will have laptops, maybe you could jump on one for emails and whatnot.  I wasn't sure I could do both, but I figure I can have at least 1 bear for BAO...if I get 2 or 3 great, but I"ll have 1 for sure.  It'd be a shame to miss, it saw amazing hits and exposure.

:hug:
~Chrissi

I can only think to check the exact size and properties of the pics that are working well and then make sure that the new ones match up exactly.

Lisa posted this really great help link out on her blog.....all easy cut -n- paste codes and how to's.  Maybe it could help solve the problem (??)   

http://tips-for-new-bloggers.blogspot.com/

:hug:
~Chrissi

Mindy's last line made me think of this little news clip I saw a few nights ago....thought I'd share it! (Forgive the 10 second commercial you have to sit through....don't you just hate those things??!)

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3399202

:hug:
~Chrissi

Between listings, web site updates, blog updates, forums , photo time, and all of the other stuff (supply shopping, emails, paying bills etc) that I do online the hub is actually sending me links for wireless laptops so that he can get on our PC once in a while.  It's so funny....he's highlighting the emails "you can use this anywhere in the house" (like he had to "sell" me on it!)   
SO I thought about having a wireless laptop at a show and using paypal too....but then I thought about security issues.  Would I, myself, plug my password into a PC that I was unfamiliar with?? What security features does the owner use and what if it becomes compromised?  I'm not sure how PCs store that stuff...or if they do store it......those were my thoughts when doing my "pro/con" list in my head.  I'd LOVE to use it over a CC service, but I'm still unsure about those things I mentioned.   

Anyone else considered using or used it already??
:hug:
~Chrissi