Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Absolutely ditto what Sue Ann said, coming from me, too.  It's great to make new friends!

Hey, I didn't know you were actually a bearmaker too, Dale.  Wow!

Eye patches and exploding bear heads.  You two ladies paint QUITE the picture of our little hobby, here.

Cracking up... :P

PS  I'd offer bright ideas on this one but unfortunately I don't have any. ;(
PPS  Dilu, hope you're okay!

Judi... you're not a pain.  Let me reformat and resend your way.  It should be fine.  Does it read .jpg as the extension?  Who knows... maybe it's my mistake and I sent you the wrong file (I saved in several formats.)  Will check on that and get back to you...

Dale, you are our new hero.  Thank you!!!

I can't even remember which magazine I was reading just tonight (can you believe I've been so busy that I have issues of TBR, TB&F, and TBCI that I've not yet devoured???), but I noticed that Paula has a wonderful big fluffy beigy-tan guy published this month! 

Congrats, Paula!

Yeah, I use Elmers cause we have it around (two elementary schoolers here.)  But any white glue should work just fine.

Hey, that's a great idea,  Christine.  It's so simple I can't believe I didn't think of it myself.  That's what this board is for!  Bright sparks of ingenuity from elsewhere!

And also, thank you most sincerely for the nice words about my bears. <blushing> They are sooooooo fun to make.  I guess that's true for all of us.  That's why we're here...

I read about your new greeting card venture somewhere, Christine... maybe in one of the teddy trade magazines...? 

Anyway... it's wonderful to have you aboard here.  Welcome, welcome, welcome!

PS  I "know" you from what I've read as "Christine Pike," but do you prefer, "Chris?"  I ask because you signed your post that way.

Welcome Paula!!!

PS  I like the "our Shelli" reference.  It feels like home!

Alright already... criminies... :P

But... Thanks for the notice and mention.

:D:D:D:D

You're welcome. 

I know that feeling; it's wonderful.  I just discovered that one can download, FOR FREE, little "elements" for use in digital scrapbooks (or on websites, or in logos and banners, etc.)  They are very cute, like ribbons and buttons.  So I'm excited, too.

I think everyone here loves to share and give... we get so much back.  And there's a real love of learning here, too.  I like "seekers;" they inspire me. 

Thank you all for being my inspirations!  And thanks, Dilu, for reminding me to say so!

I don't know anything about dyeing anything, but I'm surprised about the PETA opposition to wool.  Is it because they don't think the sheep are treated well before shearing?  It is a renewable resource.  So leather I'd understand, but this one is a surprise.

Anxiously awaiting YOUR insight!

Hi Dilu.

I hate you.

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

I think you're all nuts. :D:D:D
I've been using a regular old metal foot.  I can't see a thing.  Laughing here...

Actually, on some of my pieces I actually DRAW -- with Micron pen -- the 1/4" seam allowance so I get it perfect and don't have to rely on my eye, or on the sewing foot.  I do this around the muzzle, up to about where the eyes would insert... and also, on the footpads and pawpads.  It keeps me '"in line."  If you'll pardon the pun.

I didn't even think to use the zipper foot before I was forced to with that alligator clip purchase last weekend, although I can't really say why not.  (PS  Until Wanda mentioned it, I didn't know it was called a "zipper foot."  That pretty much tells you, right there, how many zippers I've installed.) It just didn't occur to me. 

And I'm not all that adept at sewing in general (or at least I wasn't before bearmaking,) so I forgot that a person can adjust the needle to sew left, middle, or right of the foot.  I might have to try out that way of yours, Wanda, with the needle to the edge.  I can eyeball a 1/4" seam allowance fairly reliably at this point.

See... on this board, ya learn something new every day!

That's pretty much my approach, too, Wanda.  Anything to get more made, quicker.  That is, when I get done dinking around on the computer...!

I bought a ton of the clips from Radio Shack this weekend, after discovering that Orchard Supply only had them available in very pricey packs of, like, five.  They work well but I HATE HATE HATE unpinning while I sew -- talk about getting slowed down! -- which I think Judi or Laura said they do with their clips.  It's just not for me.  So to circumvent that annoyance,  I changed my sewing foot from the normal one to a narrow one, allowing me to sew right around the edges without removing the clips at all until I finished.

I found the clips particularly wonderful for attaching footpads (see PRECIOUS).  Before, I would tack the pads on in at least four but usually six places, and then either machine stitch or backstitch (depending on size.)  But with these clips and for PRECIOUS, I just put a ton of them around the edges and ran everything through my machine without a single tacking stitch at all!  Worked like a charm!

Good luck!

He's doing very well and gets his first permanent cast tomorrow morning.  We had an appointment for him to get it last week but the doctor wanted to wait for things to "get sticky" before moving him from a splint that was working well.

Lately, though, both Toby and his brother are noticing that his cast "smells like feet," so we're all very excited to get the permanent one.  Plus, he gets to get it signed!  Very exciting for a kid!

Thanks for asking...

I just bought some myself at our local Radio Shack -- NOT behind the counter.  We Chico-ans are apparently to be trusted!  Shocking, actually, since Radio Shack is across from one of the two local high schools...!

Anyhoos, they come in packs of 12 in the smallest size (the one I bought) for just under two dollars a pack (here in California they do, anyway.)  Just in case you want to price compare with the eBay guy Laura mentioned above (whose stuff I haven't looked at yet.)

Hope this helps!

Judi, just wanted to share that my broken-arm guy, Toby, was sitting near me as I read the board last night.  And he witnessed me break into laughter and asked, "What's so funny?"  So I shared your 'pissass' entry with him. 

He now thinks you are all utterly cool -- instead of dorky, home-grown, bearmakers, which I suspect was his initial thought (little does he know the evil we do...!) -- so I thank you for creating an image of board-addicted, bearmakin', mommies and pet owners as cool, airbrushed, and break-dancing!

Laughing here... :D:D

You're very welcome, but I can't take credit for this idea as an original one.  I read about using a 50/50 glue/water mix to harden noses somewhere else, myself.  It does work like a charm, that's for certain!

Judi, it's my understanding that bearmakers are invited to post sales notices for their own work, regardless of the actual, physical location (thier studio on a shelf; at a retail establishment awating sale; on auction at eBay) of that bear.

I think the concern about eBay listings, on this board or any other, is that:

1)  The board will become glutted with brief, link-containing listings, and will quickly morph into a selling and advertising venue, rather than a learning and joining venue, which is why such things are established in the first place.  Intercal has circumvented that problem by providing an entirely separate board -- BEARS FOR SALE -- on which to post sales and promotional notes, thus preserving the main forum board -- GENERAL DISCUSSION -- for just that!... and that

2) People will simply write, "I have a bear on eBay; go here: http.......", including just a link, rather than actual photo and description content, in their sales referral... which does end up looking something like one endless list of classified ads.  No one wants to read that!  It's hard on the eyes.

So, all that to say that -- as long as a person creates a post of class and content -- photo, description, etc. -- it's quite okay to refer people to eBay auctions!

Hope this helps...

Dilu,

I've never used wax and certainly do like the way it looks but I started out using -- yes! -- a 50/50 mixture of plain ol' Elmer's white glue mixed with tap water.  Brush it on in thin layers, making sure to keep everything "bubble free".  It does, in fact, make your nose hard... but not ROCK hard.  So it can't be... um... "picked!"

:D

Hope this helps!

I can "bear"ly stand such high praise.