Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Wow that's so cool! 

I love the link Shane..I think the mantels are my favorite..the little bears poking through the holes in the trunk...how cute!

:hug:
~Chrissi

Your puddles look so fab out there!!  (I'm still eyeing that petal puddle ) 
Congrats on your page, it's awesome...Penny does great work and really has captured all of our individual styles so well.   

:hug:
~Chrissi

  Oh my goooosh they are too adorable!!  You must have hated being away from them...did you want to smuggle them all away with you    
Thanks for sharing pics and please post more soon!!  They're precious  

:hug:
~Chrissi

Dear Jane you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers :hug:

:hug:
~Chrissi

Well i have 3 dogs and 3 cats...so I guess I can talk for both types a little bit!

When it comes to dogs, yes, dog people do tend to focus on their specific "breed".

I like items that represent the dogs I have or have had. BUT I would be inclined to buy a "mutt", mixed breed, or plain "dog"  if it caught my eye..because as a dog person there's nothing better than a good old fashioned truer than blue mutt/plain old dog.  I don't think you have to pigeon hole yourself into what seems to be hot right now with a few select  breeds. 

Jodi mentioned a particular artist a little while back and I'm head over heels about her dogs....www.Nice-Puppy.com by Susan Tantlinger.  Susan has since joined TT too. 

Cats...you're right, it's the character, spunk, cat-ness that catches my eye.  It's great to find something that looks like one of my "mutt" cats..but it's not necessary.  It's not going to be as extreme as say yorkie to mastiff.  Cats are character.

Can't wait to see your dog!!

:hug:
~Chrissi

Hi Jane,

I pm'ed you earlier today about this one too. 

The auction clearly states "Mink" in more than one place and in the subject line.  Never once does she waiver or state that she's not an expert and guessing at the fur type.  Sellers are savvy, she knows that the phrase "mink coat" alone might sell better than "rabbit or some other kind of fur coat".  If the seller admits to making a "mistake", as she did here, and in her listing she states ...and I quote "All items are guaranteed authentic" then you have every right to a full and complete refund.  Auctions are good faith agreements, contracts, with contractual verbiage.  She wrote what she wrote and now she must stand behind it and honor that contract OR have item misrepresentation actions taken against her.  Simply stating "no refunds" doesn't give a seller the right to write whatever item description they like and then say oh well tough noogies to you I said no refunds.

:hug:
~Chrissi

Kim Endlich uses this kind of mohair, I think I remember her talking about it with one of her panda's.   

Kim you out there??

:hug:
~Chrissi

Here are just a few more.... I love going through these cards!  I had planned to make copies and make "ornaments" from them.  Maybe this coming Christmas.  Have you ever seen old cards and post cards that are between glass, foiled at the edges and then hung with a copper chain.  They're so pretty that way.  I have all the supplies from doing stained glass....just have to do it already! 

:hug:
~Chrissi

I'm 100 days late for this one, but it's the first chance I've had to sit with the scanner!     

Here a just a few of my favorites....  the first here is actually a Union Pacific child's menu, it's really tiny too...just 4.5 inches tall.

:hug:
~Chrissi

Hi Ellen!

I wouldn't worry as much about having large numbers of bears for Ebay or bid4bears.  Most people list one bear at a time.  They might have 1-2 ready and set to go when that first auction ends, but it depends on how you work.  For example you may like to have a larger inventory set during holiday times or summer vacations so your listings aren't interrupted. 

Best advice I can think to give....use the library feature here to it's fullest!!  The information on this site is golden.  I cringe when I think of my first photos for my first listing ever...whoo boy were they schtinky      There are topics in the library about tush tags, business cards, auctions, web design, packaging, lighting, techniques, web sites VS blogs....the list is huge....it's such an amazing resource.

For me personally having a little bit of a plan makes me feel better.  At least for those little things that make an visible impression...like a logo, tags, auction templates, etc.

Can't wait to see your stuff out there!!  You avatar bear's a real cutie!!  

:hug:
~Chrissi

PS..oh and I like accordion files for most of my stuff....patterns, receipts, etc.  I like the flexible plastic ones that have the blank tabs for labeling.  Holds a ton, but stores away nice & compact!  I use Staples for most of that stuff 

I'm sorry to hear about your circumstances...unfortunately shifty back door HR procedures are like a plague in today's world..... accountability only seems to be on the employee's head and not the employer. 

My advice would be to gather those items already mentioned...policy/procedures/ exact dates of occurrences, reviews, request your personnel file be mailed to you asap, etc.  Write down today, when it's fresh in your head, the exact account of what happened during your termination. Write down the names and numbers of anyone who witnessed what happened or who can attest to working procedures, expectations, work-flow, policies, requests, emails, circumstances, etc.  After you have clear documentation... then seek solid, reputable, and proven legal counsel. Most don't collect any fees unless you see a settlement, so get a good attorney from the get go. Meet with a few and interview them, you don't have to go with the first guy in the phone book.  Let them hear your case, read your documentation and then let them take it all up with the state and other agencies.  The EEOC can be a little more pro corporation than we'd like to think and having solid legal representation is almost required to navigate the time frames and requirements.  Contact unemployment immediately to set up a case and receive income...you paid into it for 10 years, it's yours to use now that you're in need.
(10 years is a long time to work for a company and then be suddenly terminated without warnings of any kind.......does anything "happen" at 10 years?  An increase in time off, being "vested" in a pension/savings plan, etc ??? Things to consider and take to your attorney)
Good Luck.

:hug:
~Chrissi

EDIT:  PS....The time clock part......if the reason for your termination is based on time discrepancies between a manual time clock and a PC clock (???)  either you or your attorney request the companies policy and system in place to ensure that those 2 mechanisms are constantly in synch and accurately reflecting true time. If they're willing to loose a ten year associate based on that reason......well, they must already have super dooper system in place to ensure it's accurate time tracking.  OR if it's about work that you were requested and required to do offline, without a PC, and THEN they said you were slacking or not online "enough" during those times...have your job functions all written out for your attorney to see. Give him/her a typical daily timeline of what you do and how you do it (handwritten tasks, inventory tasks, tasks at your desk, away from your desk, on the pc, off of the pc, etc. If Tuesdays were different than Wednesdays write that down too. If your job requires you to be "offline" at times, then it requires it.   

One more tip....put any/all requests it in writing, via email or certified mail.  Phone calls and verbal discussions , never happen in today's world...(even if they really did happen).

2nd Edit:  Just thought I'd add this one last piece too......if they were speaking of downsizing (layoffs) and then (very stupidly) decided to wronfully terminate instead....keep your eyes and ears open for hirings in that facility, esp for the job you were performing.  When layoffs happen a company can not rehire for that position for a specific time (say 6 months)...they can bring you back, but they can't fill that position with a lower paid person or a new person.  If they fire you (a 10 year  person with a "higher" pay scale) and then hire a newbie at a lower rate....well that's a big wrongful termination case.  Again, good luck

Fabulous idea and what a wonderful opportunity to be able to "collaborate" on such a piece!
Thank you Mindy for posting!

:hug:
~Chrissi

Luv the pet topics

Love your second pic there Samantha!  Just trying to sneak a little one for herself

I can't upload pics right now...at my sisters helping with the new baby  ...but I did add a new page to my web site a little while back called About The Woods . The first "about" is about our fur kids.  To see pics of all our furballs just click on this link 

http://catherwoods.com/AbouttheWoods.htm

:hug:
~Chrissi

Wonderful story and the quote at the end is superb!   :clap:

What a great quote

:hug:
~Chrissi

My husband started this book right after we lost our Lab in August...I don't know how he got through it, but he said it was a fantastic book.  He even got teared up with it and then parts of the book reminded him so much of our Lab.  The book is still with his reading stuff next to the bed but I can't bring myself to read it yet...the cover alone makes me think of my Shelby and gets me a little teary.  I still miss my doggie too much 
The whole time I had Shelby I always said I should write a book....some of the things this dog did and we did together....oh boy...someday I'll read this one

:hug:
~Chrissi

I'm just using this armature now, I've had it sitting aside for a while waiting for the right bears.  I'm moving it back and forth and it's not horribly noisy. I'm get a little squeak or plastics rubbing sound every once in a while. I think for the posing options it offers the slight squeak or clicking is a good compromise!  The bears aren't going to be walking about all day bugging their new mums with squeakies

Not sure if it matters but I'm using Jeton brand and not "Loc Line" name brand.  I got mine from crscrafts. 

I've tried wire and I don't like it too much...I found it got "kinked"or something during even the simplist bending. When I did use wire I opted not to use the little connector ring things...after moving a few back and forth 3-4 times they snapped right in half. I wasn't sure how that would play into the whole "test of time" thing with limb posing, so I opted for drilling a hole through the disk and secured the wire that way.

Donna...GREAT tip, I wouldn't have thought of that!

:hug:
~Chrissi

I'm not sure if this one's been posted already, but this is just about the sweetest thing I've ever seen.  (it's just TOO precious!)
Watch the whole minute and a half if you can...at 1:25 it really looks like he/she kisses the others hand too......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno

:hug:
~Chrissi

These are GREAT!  There's a shopping village close by that did a huge sand sculpture each year....fairy tale scenes, holiday themes, etc.  This stuff is so compact that it would last for weeks or months, even through terrible rains. 

:hug:
~Chrissi

The first one looks like something friends of mine in high school would have done..... these kids knew a stuffed animal or a pretty wrapped "present" could hide pretty much anything. 

I like the second one....little choppy, but a couple of good life lessons in there.  

:hug:
~Chrissi

I've been using "Original Design" from the get-go.  I just found it fit my needs best. 

Most of us are listing in the Artist/OOAK category already, so ooak in a title might even be repetitive (??)

I think if you sold that first panda as a "ooak" then you should do some things to make the newer ones different....being fair to that first buyer who bought a "ooak".  For me personally, this would be more than changing an accessory.  Changing the fur, color, maybe eyes, nose shape, the arm or leg a bit (???)...something that made the new bears original in their own right and different from the contract you had with your first buyer.  But again, that's just my take on it.

Your panda is adorable

:hug:
~Chrissi

Hi Michelle!

After some health issues I used the points system and I've maintained the weight I lost then. I didn't attend meetings or formally join.  My friend had a slider and let me try it to see if it did anything for me.  I'm not a tall or big person either...but I allowed myself up to 25 points knowing that I would be using them for fiber filled healthy foods.  I didn't use any frozen meals or shakes (shakes, drinks, and meal bars for me only increase my cravings and leave me personally feeling unsatisfied). 
Use those 0-1 point veggies to your advantage!  I made soups using those veggies...eating a nice bowl of veggie soup really cuts hunger! Careful with filling up with too much water at first too.  I did that and got bad stomach aches.  Some people (like infants and the elderly) can't take mass amounts of water all the time...it reacts like ulcer pains. Gradually building healthy water consumption will help with cravings.

(I might be wrong, but didn't they put into place that no one should be below a certain point level , no matter their size??  Was is 23-25 points???  Maybe I misheard...but I thought they set a standard not to go below ?)

To me the points were a way to learn healthy fiber/calorie guides and to learn portions. I found pastas that had much much higher fiber counts than regular pasta (Kamut) and just took my time shopping to find other things that were high fiber/low fat & calorie.  Once you get that info it's so much easier to just enjoy eating again. 

:hug:
~Chrissi

How cute is he?!  Look at that loooonng nosie!!

Well, squirrels I have plenty of!!

Oh my gosh, these are too cute!  I'm going to have to borrow my sis's scanner and post a few of mine...I have bunches!

:hug:
~Chrissi

Hi Jodi,
So sorry to hear about your grandparents home.  When a home is filled with such wonderful memories it is hard to think about anything bad happening to the home itself. I can relate to that totally.  Like everyone else has already said, it really is about the memories that you have...those can't be torn down or remodeled :hug:
My family just went through the same thing.  My grandfather passed years ago, I was 15...but my grandmother just past last year and the family just sold her house this year.  Everyone was at the house often cleaning it out and packing up stuff.  I found a few things in my Poppops work area that might have looked like junk to outsiders, but I saw treasures.  I even have the backboard to his workbench (screwdrivers and all) hanging in the stairwell to my downstairs family room.  It's nice to have those pieces visible day to day. 
Maybe someday you'll turn those glass doorknobs into a lovely "hook" for something special in your bedroom or studio.  Have you ever seen those types of doorknob items?  Let me know, I can send a link...I've always wanted to make one.

:hug:
~Chrissi

This was a rusted out greasy oil can from my poppop's workbench.  Little elbow grease and it's art to me.

And his workbench back...he built that bench and I'm glad I took this piece of it.

Oh, you know I was just playing...least I hope you do  :hug:    (you can't use a    and not be playing)
I had to go look up what "imp" was....I thought that one alone was an imp (pixie girly imp)..and the others were bunnies, cats and bears  :doh:   HA! I didn't even see her first 2 sentences above the photo ...I was totally going off of what I read on Shelli's blog the other day about these little ones. (my bad )

:hug:
~Chrissi