Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Thank you Sue Ann!  I love CRCrafts!  Great prices and great stuff!  I am very pleased, plus I now have a catalog!  WooHoo.....

So I got to thinking   (scarry that) And  bet we all have some great sources for neat stuff we need for all our bears and gollies etc.

2 of my favorites

Fabric.com  Great fabric and great prices!  Really great!  So if you need to make clothing, or stuff for bears, or quilts or canvas for a cover for thye cover on the spa- this is the place to go

Sunshine Crafts-  Not as many fun toys as CRCrafts, but they have the nittygritty-  Stuff you need-

Okiedokie!

Dilu

PS I couldn't figure out how to make it a link that would work....I'm sorry-

Self Discipline?

Would that be sitting in the spa with a glass of wine?  Well it was exercise, I had to walk out into the back yard to get there.  Plus I poured the wine.  Come on!  Get serious!

I clean.

I do.

The shower gets scrubbed while the conditioner is working in my hair and then we both get rinsed at the same time. 

It works!

I vacuum every single day.  I once read in a book on being a good "officers" wife, (balderdash by the way-) that if you are desperate and the commanding officers wife is going to drop by, at least vacuum.  If the carpet is clean they wont notice the other stuff.

That's balderdash too.....but you all know what mohair threads and poufs are like all over the place and with gollies it is black goolybunnies ( instead of dust bunnies) all over the place.  So I have to vacuum every day.  (Dont cry for me.....its a very small house.)

I make the bed, and only do laundry when there is no more clean underwear.  Reasonable?  I think so too.  That's why I gave my honey 12 pair for Christmas-  (It was really a gift for me...and he still doesn't get it. :lol::lol::lol:)

There are ways around this housework thing

I pre-plan leftovers too.  I am especially happy if I can squeeze 3 nights out of them.  :D

Fortunetly I married a guy in his 40's who'd been a bachelor and was used to beans and rice every day-he thinks he's living large now! :lol:

He insists on doing the dishes at night, which requires putting them in the dishwasher......he says I work all day and must be tired, and it's the leaast he can do.....awwww  so I let him. 

What?  I should tell him the truth? 

Oh, be serious!

I'll bet some of you have cutting the corners tips that could help us have more time with the bears and gols......

dily

Rita is over the operation and doing great....but it is always hard when you have serious surgery....she has been posting so she will probably say hay to you....

There once was a bee who'd been bad

When asked why he'd done what he had

"My father," said he, "is a son of a B"

"and I guess I take after my dad."

Oh PenPen

love your ending-JK should have checked with you! :D:D

It is sad-  Ask those who complain about the book based on religious reasons what kind of books CS Lewis wrote.  Were they not fantasy quite similar? Hmmmm?  And yet CS Lewis is beloved.

Remember, my little chickadees (quick Pen what movie and who were the 2 primary actors?)  Truth comes in many forms- and there is more than one way back to God

Dilu

Oh I love this forum.....laughing is good for the immune system-NancI laughed until my tumtum hurt and then some.....I think the corralling the bee while you pondered the ethics was the best! :lol::lol::lol::lol:

Jane!  Honestly girl it WAS your subject.- 

Shari Earwigs are horrible- no where is safe.  You have to shake out your clothing and your shoes, you have to check the bed, you have to check everything!  ugh! :mad:

By-the-way.....very cleaver using real bee wings....how did it come out?

Come on Shelli- waste not want not.....aren't we always using things meant for something else on our bears and dolls?  Very cleaver thinking, I think

Dilu- very tired but laughed out

I got an e-mail from Laure today.....she sold 3 bears at the show she just came back from and now she is getting ready for the big convention.  She said the market was kind of dead at the show, most everyone only sold 2-3 however one gal sold 9!  Anyway, I asked her to post pictures of the convention etc when she gets back!

you are right about beautiful Marion.  We miss her. 

Penny is still doing gardens....is it still hotter than....in England? 

And what happened to Dale?  Was there too much estrogen here?  It's too bad he doesn't come-

Hmmm  Dilu

WD40 works great on black widows.  But don't kill tarantulas.....they are gentle and just want to come out of the hidey hole cross the road, find a mate and move on.  They usually don't come out till late September , early October.

My husband like to save spiders too.  But he is the terminator with ants. 

Now wait a min.  If your objection is because sensiate beings should be spared, why not ants?

He gives me a baleful look and cont. spraying.

Sue Ann- very good advice.  It is scarry as all get out what happens to people that get those bites.....especially on the tushtag area.....

You can't sit down, you are sick all the time....ugh!

What creeps me out the worst.....Hawaiin cockroaches and Texas cockroaches.....they are as big as ELEPHANTS.....right Sue Ann?

When my Uncle from Houston came to visit the cockroaches carried in the suitcases.

In Hawaii people kept pet tarantualas or geikos to eat the cockroaches.

I lived next door to a slob- so I kept my apartment sterile clean....no cockroaches-they stayed next door happy as clams

Re: Mr. no-set-policy-on-house-hold-pests:
I shouldn't complain-he is a relentless terminator with poison oak.
dilu

Rita

We have a blue and gold Macaw-  what do you have? 

We modified a special cage so she goes with us in the RV.....Mainly because we know that no one around here know enough about parrots to be trusted with her.

And if you have parrots you already know how tempermental they can be.

But they are also psychic and can make us do things- lie suddenly get up and get her a piece of cheese.

Its a little scarry sometimes.

Dilu

Hmm great ideas- bet the card stock is a little cheaper too. 
We have a paper cutter.....

I think I'll try both and see which works best for me and run with it.

Thank you everyone

Dily

Does it need to be heat set, or do you know-  I guess a hair dryer would be heat setting it....hmmmmm

I have the Peta Princesses bear here, needing eyes nose mouth and decorations, I think I will experiemnt using the oils on her.

Thanks

hugs dilyu

I M MOVING THIS TO THE TOP BECAUSE oops caps lock-I hate
that key- Because Shelli's question didn't get answered and I am hoping some one will know the answer

dilu

Hi Ya Kim....love your idea about the iron on batting thing for toes.....I have tons of that stuff.  So it is a trapunto technique, If I am understanding.

Marie- I love your bear and think your toes look grreat!

Catherine-  what a sweet babykins.  Great look.

Thank you everyone- some times it takes a simple word to make everything click into place-  now I GET IT

Dilu

just going to check is not in the cards :lol::lol:

I live to far away- so I will find a a site with HP products and take a look....Thanks Daphne.

Hey Winney-you still haven't told me why we got those oil pastels, or if you did, I missed it.  Sherryl got them for us and the colors are glorius but I am not sure what the stated application was......

Dilu

did you already post the answer?

Tell me again....please

Dilu

One way I get a lot done is I cut out alot at a time.  When I create a new pattern I make plastic templates in several sizes.....then I cut out about 10-12 at a time and I put them in the sane (same) ziplock bag as the corresponding  pattern pieces.  Then I sew them all at once.  Then I start the tedious task of turning jointing.  Then I will stuff them all at once and then do the faces all at once.....a regular little
Ford assembly line golly factory here!

I am not sure most people would like to do that with bears....although on my mini bears I do the same thing....

I don't know- it just seems to go faster this way...I've been known to put on a movies run back and sew during the commercials, then run back and pick up a nose or stuffing when the movie is back....

Opps.....commercial time gotta go.......:D

You guys are too too funny.  Hayley  they do make steel cages, be glad your kids aren't in them....We call them Fulsome prison, Atascadaro, Pelican Bay, prison.

Yikes

My son assures me that I didn't warp him anymore than would be considered normal.

The one he still thinks hysterical was what I did at feeding time. 
You know when the toddler is learning to feed himself:

I put the high chair in the bath tub and let him have at.  When he was through I washed it all down the drain and he got a bath too.

Made life a lot easier.

His grandmother thought I was a monster

I thought I was smart. :lol::lol::lol:

Dilu

I ended up getting a program from Broderbund.  I figured they have been around, golly, about 20-25 years?  They must have the kinks worked out.  and the program was $9.95-how can you go wrong with that?

When it gets here I guess I'll get started.

Next question, when you print your own what particular brand of cards do you use to print on?

Dilu

Maybe three's the charm.....I want to see too....come on Danni

Dilu

Thank you thank you thank you!!! :D

Shelli your graphics made it all clear.  I love it. 

Question; couldn't we steam shrink instead of gathering? If need be?

Do a running stitch around. gently pull it up while steaming?  It would decrease the bulk and then after it sets, trim the mohair as suggested?

I can hardly wait to try this...
thanks you guys

Dilu

Lisa- its perfect!  Good for you!  Twin Cubs it is!

Shelli-  we have seen your pictures-you are most assuredly not a windbag!  Not even close~!

awwww shoot Daphne- you found me out!....quess Shelli really is the windbag.....but she's still pretty darn cute!

Gotta go to bed.....too long a day!

Gollygeecuddelykins to all of you

Dilu

Awww Laura,  what a nice web site- but your other was nice too.....I found this one relaxing and sweet, and I loved your scrolling bears!

Good job, Girlygirl and it WAS worth the extra time.  Very nice

Dilu

Hi Sweetie pie....

come back soon.....catch up ......don't leave....for so long......

now I gotta go see this revamped web site!

Huggies and gollygeewhishes to you!

Dilu

PS  Was this short and pithy?!?!  :lol::lol:

Buy your supplies in bulk and full yards.....cheaper and gives you a larger profit margin.  Don't expect a profit right away.  It takes time to develop a name and reputation.  The ladies who are getting the big bucks have been at it a long time, they have a reputation and that has to be earneds with a good product.

When I sold my first golly I said to my husband: " Look a profit" and he gently laughed and said "Yeah and it only took you $5000 to get there! " :lol::lol::lol:

  What do you do Sandi?  you have a demanding full time job?  Boy girl. you got gumption!  Starting a new business as well as working full time!  Good for you.  Whoooo hoooo we will cheer you on like you wont believe!

Don't get discouraged.  It is easy to do but it will kill your business quicker than you can say Jack.  When you start to feel down come here and talk to everyone. 

I didn't do some things that I wished I had.....mainly because I didn't know I was going to sell  (oops)

So if you think you are going to sell, be thinking ahead of time about your business cards, your name, your web site, the look you want to have and the demographics you want to market to.  Mine is easy, I make bears for me, and friends now and I make Gollys AND HAVE TO LET THEM GO!  I already know that there are bear artists out there with superior products!  However, gollies are another whole topic. 

It is hard.....

Def. get yourself some web making software and get that up and running.  It can be super simple to start out but at least you'll be out there.  And then you can link to allot of us here, and that will help you get traffic.  Super important!  If you are afraid of making your own website- get over it!  Do it anyway!  (are you listening Marie)  because you are going to go through a lot of changes-while getting up and going and a year from now what you think you want on your site will be different.  Also if you do it yourself you control your site.  You aren't at someone elses whims or time frame.

There is a lot of software out there.....I don't remember what Sue Ann told us she used but I wish I had known before I got the one I got. 

Also something we do here is ask opinions....even some of the gals who have a big name ask opinions....is this better than that....kind of thing.

And Sandi, don't be afraid of us.  I have only seen a harsh word once here, and that person is not on anymore.  Everyone else will tell you whats good or not so good but they do it so gently and with compassion and care that it's OK.....and we all need honest feedback.

And you have here some of the foremost names in the bear community.  They wont tell you that but I will.  Get your magazines out and keep them by the computer, I did and I started recognizing names.  These are ladies who have been through the trenches, and can teach us alit.

And they do- they do not hold back on the help they can offer us.

The other thing I didn't do and so was caught off guard is be thinking about how you want your bears to present.

Luxemburg bears sends her bears out with some special little touches, and I am sure others do too.  I didn't even have boxes or peanuts or tissue.  My first golly went out in a ziplock bag, blown up to give her some protection and then was wrapped in paper towels!  Great presentation huh?!  Fortunately I have some very understanding first clients.  But you have a heads up and can get that going now.

And I can get caught up!

Glad you are here.....yayyyyyy an new artist about to hit the runway!  Good for you Sandi....lets see some of your little guys

Oh yeah....we are all very greedy here....we always want more pictures~!

Gollygoodhuggies to you :P
Dilu

I am pretty easy going about what I am called, cuz nothing anyone here could cme up with would be as bad as a psych patient in the throes of a schizophrenic fit, or an adolescent strung out on meth!

It doesnt matter so much what we are called, as long as we are called...:lol:

The wonks

Ahhh Rita I am so glad she got there.  I always worry sending the kiddikins off on their own-they do tend to get mischevious, and I don't want them getting into trouble at the airports, etc.

I am so glad you like her, hugs to you,  and Rita I am super happy you are feeling better!

Dilu