Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Daphne, I've already managed to lose her address, so I suspect she'll be calling me back.

I'm tempted to tell her that she's a known picture collector and harrasser, and that I've been advised not to respond. Maybe if everyone refused to send pictures, she'd fume and rant for a while and then go away!

Sue Ann, what a beautiful bear!

I've spent the day watching CNN's original Sept 11 coverage and some of the memorial services. I remember being in shock most of that day, but it all came back.

A year after the attack I visited NY and walked around the vast Ground Zero perimeter, then north along the blocks where people had fled. There were still dozens of hand-made memorials and posters along the streets.

Hi Peta!

Your site is very attractive and easy to navigate, and I can't wait to see more of your adorable bears!

I added my link and copied your banner to add to my website later today.

Please don't be shy--we have a lot of fun here

all I was told over and over again, Teddy bears are for babys not me

"but did you know this is not real blankie, this is something to polishes dad's car, it's made of sheep skin and I can wash this"

Oh no, Peta and Marie!

Talk about blighting somebody's youth . . . 

REALLY?? HOW GREAT IS THAT!!

:dance:

If Teddy Bear Day falls on a weekend, we should get to take Monday off! :crackup:

Michelle, I also work from pictures of real animals. I've got huge files of critterpix on my computer and pinned up all over my work area.

When I'm having trouble figuring out how to transform a 3-dimensional body part to a 2-dimensional pattern piece, I sometimes model the thing in clay . . . just plain children's modelling clay. I then drape my modelled piece with something disposable (like paper towels) to determine pattern shape, dart placement, seam placement, etc. This is a  messy method, but it works for me when nothing else does.

I did the same thing when trying to imitate an old Steiff bear for the 'Classical' challenge. I couldn't figure out how to make the feet long, narrow and flattish all at the same time. Maybe next time I'll get it right!

Jared, of course you're right . . . I did a quick google of Russian noun plurals, but lost heart after I hit the word 'complicated'.

I still like the sound of 'Borides'.

Kelly--just think of a man taking his ripped pants to a tailor for mending. The conversation goes like this . . .

Tailor: "Euripides?"
Customer: "Eumenides?"

It's an old Greek major joke. Very very old.

These are great stories folks!

I had a big brown and white teddy, nothing special but dearly beloved, and too big to carry everywhere, but he was with me from my second Christmas until I left home for college.

For some reason I named him Tedwhitebrown. I suspect I was pressured to give him a name on Christmas Day, and this was the best I could do.

I started collecting Steiffs (small ones except for the beautiful Roe Deer that the dog ate) but could never quite bring myself to ask for a Steiff bear--it would have seemed horribly disloyal to poor shabby Tedwhitebrown, and would make him feel bad about his inferior pedigree.  I actually thought this way right through my late teens--evidence of  a late bloomer?

The little animal I carried everywhere was a raccoon I named Aroma because when he was first given to me I thought he was a skunk--more evidence of a late bloomer? The day I admitted to myself that he was actually a raccoon was my first experience of Existential Shock, and it was a dilly!  

The last I heard of Tedwhitebrown, he had mouldered away in a storage area over my parents' garage. I was furious at the time but, now that I'm a parent, I feel somewhat different. My own kids don't expect their parents to preserve their forgotten treasures in a kind of shrine to their childhoods, but somehow I did!

They're such beautiful cats, Jared--what a shame you have to give them up!

But cat allergies can be really bad, so you're wise to take no chances.

One of my sons in law can't enter our house, no matter how clean (purely theoretical supposition, of course), because he still reacts strongly enough to 'memory of cat' to end up in the hospital.

Jared, your Hug of Buns is so adorable!!

But 'Bori' . . . . hmmm. It probably isn't, but Boris sounds Greekish. How about 'March of the Borides' (pronounced like 'Euripides') :dance:

Michelle, I'm struggling with Hamlet's doublet, and trying to finish Yorick's skull in time to get this dratted bear onto my website this morning.

Welcome, Michelle! It sounds as though you should be teaching us

There's good stuff in the archives.

Once I got the hang of it, I just started sketching and drafting the body pieces for the effect I was after.

I'm now finishing a "Hamlet Bear", tall and skinny and dressed, which was a completely new adventure for me.

Well, I guess I'm the newest member of the club.

Not any more, I am--my only consolation is that I'm in very good company! :crackup:

I had a new student itting beside me when the phone rang, and 3 dogs barking their heads off.

She sounded eager to buy, and by the time I figured out who she was, I'd already written down her address.

:doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh: ACK!! HOW DUMB IS THAT? :doh:  :doh:   :doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:  :doh:

He's wonderful, Tammy :clap:

Daphne, your pillow-punching friend who can't scream because she has little kids reminded me . . .

When I couldn't scream because of kids (and neighbors!), I used to sing. Really LOUD.

It's been a while, but I think I could still do the whole score of Phantom of the Opera from memory!

  :hug: Hugs and prayers for a speedy recovery, Jodi :hug:

A few years in retail sent me back to grad school . . . much easier on the feet and the nerves!

I seem to post about the crappy things going on in my life a lot this year

:hug: Dear Daphne, some years are just crappy years--take it from me, I've lived through a lot of them!

It's hard for take-charge people to get through situations that can't really be changed, but you will.

If nothing else, these bad times help us to appreciate the sunny days, the perfect moments and the plain old comfortable ruts when nothing particular is happening at all.

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me, Sandra--if it works, it's a keeper, and this works!

I'm an ears-laster too, though not because I hate it (now that's weird  :crackup: ).

I think the size and curve and placement of the ears really 'set' the bear's expression. I like to play with them.

Like Daphne, I cut them on the large size, then adjust. I guess this counts as designing.

The only time I've cut them out last was when I lost a pair.

She's precious, Jenny. What a perfect little kitten. I'm soooooo jealous!

:hug: Daphne, you're carrying a huge burden on two little shoulders :hug:

When I was going through my worst times, I was beyond any human help. I just prayed for strength and hugged the dogs and/or walked.

This is no time to give up your treats . . . you'll worry off the calories anyway!

What a wonderful story, Judi (blubbing shamelessly here)--and it rings so true for anyone whose child has been on the brink.

  :clap: Wonderful articles on both of you, Kassie and Judi--Congratulations! :hug:

I was thrilled to see the article on your tiger titled with a quotation from Blake!

Thanks for sharing the link, Kate. This was a treat :dance:

They're a beautiful, loving couple, Anne--congratulations!! :dance:

Wow, Kassie, Texas is a beautiful little guy--lucky you, actually living with such gorgeous creatures.

I love his chinny hair

It sounds wonderful!

We don't have enough sunshine in any one spot to grow a tomato.

Before the trees shaded everything we did manage a crop of cherry tomatoes, which my 2-year-old ate.

Then we managed a small corn crop, which the raccoons ate.

My brain hurts

Hey, Wendy, I just finished walking the doggies, eating my breakfast  and dishing up theirs. . . :crackup:

So far all I've done is rip up a tissue box so I can use the inside for grey balance. It's a start!

Stay tuned . . . .