Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Dilu,  :hug:I just want to add.........

:lol:When I turn off my computer, and then turn on on head .........DISAPPEARS.................then I save Teddy Talk in my Favorites again and the head is there...weird...
Is that happens only in my parallel univers?????

:lol:
Dilu, it has been there all the time  :lol:
at least on my computer since I logged in here.  :whistle:

Huggs, Julia :hug:

Shelli, thanks It's always great to hear such encouraging (did I spell that right :redface: :whistle:?) words from all of  you!  :hug:

Huggs, Julia

:hug: :cake: :rose:

Shantell that's for you.

Huggs, Julia

That's why it was only three bears from one artist! Over 300 bears!

Ok My bears are already there sitting and waiting just as me... :pray:

If you want take a look at Russian bear. They are very creative. I'm sure you'll find some new ideas (I did :angel:)

Here's the link
http://www.teddybear.ru/Exhibition/Tedd … index1.htm
Do you, girls want a laugh a little?
I got a message today from the one girl. She said she adore my anime Mimi and asked me could I give her a pattern so she'll sew her for herself.............................................. :doh:
Does anyone else want the pattern???? :twisted:
(I want Judi's, Kim's, Shelli's, Sue Ann's, and ALL other TT's artists patterns :twisted: )

Huggs, Julia

I'm sooo happy!!!
Marie's got my bear and like him! :hug: :lol:
I havn't seen Marie's bear yet but I'll see it on Sunday when my hubby come back.  :dance:

Lucky girl! She'll get Shantell's bear... :dance:

By the way, I like your new avatar!

You know Russian collectable artist bears are differ from others. I have a pictures from Moscow show already. Bears are made of EVERYTHING!!! But almost all of them are fully jointed... ;), and have other features of an artist bear.

Daphne, I think bear making is too concervative. As all German......
But personally I would love to make unjointed bear someday. Yesterday I've got an e-mail from a lady. She was asking me to make two bears for her daughters. 7 and 1 years old. I think artist's bear for 1 year old girl should look alot different. (and we discussed that already).
But still It would be me making the bear....... .

I will deffinatelly welcome such artists! Daphne are you one of them? :hug: :whistle:

Julia

Paula, you make great bears! awesome and BIG. That's why you could work with the head held sideways between your knees ...  If Kim will do that with her minis....................
I hold my heads (no........bear's head) and stitch from bottom to top with my right hand.
If I use thick felt under embroidering I sew it on with few stitches. I try not to use glue but if I do I take the gel type.  Then I go from right to left sides. Then from bottom to top. It's hard to embroider in the sides of the big noses. I do sides first then cover with the finishing layer from bottom to top......

:hug: :hug: :hug: :/
Kim, don't worry! After 10-20 years of bearmaking our noses would be perfect!

Oh, Kim I do understand you!
(I hope it's not my bear who makes your fingers hurt) :whistle:

The Red one - Gretel' (she is in bears for sale section) has really big nose. I can not do anything on the next day after stitching such noses.....................Fingers hurt soooo much.

It's one of the reason I start to make Fimo noses. :thumbsup:

But if I do plain nose not punchy one I never had such hurting problem.

By the way do you use any tools? I do. Don't know how do you call it in English but I guess girls will help. 

Shantell, I do think your bears are great too!!
I like you Daisy Mae. She's got the look.  :love:

Keep going, don't give up. The right customer in a right time in a right place will find you.

:love:
Julia

Jane, how is your anime doing?

Dilu, he is up to something... I love his face. Just like a child's one when some "great" ideas coming up in their's heads! :hug:

So, cute. I think he's hiding a present for Gollies.....

Oh,  :hug: :hug: :hug: :love:
Such a cuttie! adorable!

Aerianna, your bears have the look. i like her soft expression. Such a lady!  :love:

Beautiful eyes!

Huggs, Julia

Marion, I really like his open mouth and toes. He looks so "alive" :thumbsup:

Hugs, Julia

Jenn, sorry about that. :hug:
I try to go to sleep when I really want to sleep. It's usually around 2-3 a.m. If I'm in bed and do not want to sleep, I fall asleep and then wake up at 4-5 and stay awake to 6-7 o'clock. It's much worse then to go to sleep at even 3 o'clock. I think.. :doh: :love:

Good night Jenn (it's 11:06 p.m. at my place) :dance:

Hugs, Julia

Judi, I LOVE HER!! She's got my daughter's name!! 

I wasn't watching the show.  (wasn't near my computer..)

JULIA

Melissa!!! He is soooo cute!!! I would'n change his forehead either! Such  :hug:babish look!!

Great one and soo small!!!

Julia

:dance: :dance:Yep, I want to see a pict tooo!!! :whistle:

JulIA

MAKING A NEW BEAR LOOK OLD

How To Distress Mohair by Spare Bear Parts ©1992-2001
TEST, TEST, TEST: Before you try any of these methods on your bears be sure to do a test piece first. The success or failure of any of these methods is often determined simply by personal taste in bear designs. Please, please do a test application first so you can judge if you like the results BEFORE you subject your best bears to an "aging" treatment.

If you spend some time studying old bears the first thing you may notice is they are not evenly discolored. So after you sew and stuff your distressed fur bear you may want to add some "Character" to your creation.

To add "water stains" to a light color bear pour a small amount of hot water over a tea bag, allow to brew a few minutes. Place dripping tea bag on the desired place to be stained. With a spoon, or fingers if cool enough, squeeze out excess tea water. Allow tea water to spread. It will dry lighter in color. I especially like this effect on the paw pads.

Darker stains can be created by using a cotton ball or Q-tip dipped in weak dye water. I like the effect of a little black added to dark brown for this method. Most of the dark stains on old bears are in the fabric backing not on the fur. To achieve this, dab the dye on the backing after you have sewn and before you stuff the bear. This allows the stain to migrate past a seam into another section of the bear just as a real stain would. You can use almost anything as dye as long as it does not leave a residue. Avoid coffee, furniture and shoe polishes, anything with a wax or oil base. Make natural dyes from berry juices, onion leaves, beets or barks and nuts. Walnuts make a wonderful dye. Be sure to wash out any food residue with a mild soap.

Almost every old bear has damaged or even totally missing paw pads. To create aged paw pads, before sewing cut small holes in the felt paw pads. To thin the edges of thick wool felt lay the scissor blades against the fabric and trim. Cut a second set of paw pads from light weight fabric. Place excelsior between the 2 layers of paw pads and baste together, then sew in place. Darken the excelsior with dye before sewing in paws. Most old bears have lost some stuffing or the stuffing has compacted. To accurately reproduce this pack the stuffing firmly but do not fill the entire body cavity. Leaving a little space in the shoulders allows the head to tilt for poseable expressions. Reduce the stuffing in the arms and legs slightly. Very lightly stuffed ankles allows feet to be turned in or out. Stuff the paws and head firmly so the bear will hold up to handling.

Another prominent feature of old bears is missing patches of fur. This takes some practice to make it look naturally worn. Most synthetic furs do not lend themselves well to this treatment. When well done on sparse mohair fabric the effect can really make the design. Again study the old bears. Note what once was a trimmed fur muzzle is now totally bald. Usually the next area to show wear is the edges and the back sides of the ears. The inside of the ear is often the last area to show wear. The rest are usually random patches of bald areas. Use manicure scissors trimming the fur down to the backing (keep the areas you trim very small at first. Work up to larger patches. Remember it doesn't grow back!) Vary the shapes and placement. Don't trim in areas that are usually protected. I.E.: Under the arm, near the joints and inside the ear. Use tweezers to remove the stubble of the trimmed fur. Cut holes in the fabric backing and fray the edges with a needle.

To me a worn perle cotton nose is a must when recreating old bears. Don't complete the nose, but leave out a few stands for warn spots. Or you can complete the nose then cut one or two strands and fray the perle cotton by picking at it with the needle. Leave one or two frayed ends. To fade and dull the sheen of the new perle cotton rub a bees wax candle on the perle cotton and melt the wax with a light bulb.

Finish the new "old" bear with a new "old" ribbon. Splash bleach on ribbon to make faded spots. Then soak it in bleach. Rinse clean and while wet wad up and press with the iron. Tie ribbon on bear while it is still damp making bow droop. Or, dress in antique baby clothes or doll clothes.

I've never done it too.  :/
But my first thought was to wipe the floor at the house during a week... Then make some tea or coffee stains on it cause I'm not sure if the wiping would be enough...

I saw some hint on aging mohair on site ..I
l'll search for the link.
They updated the site but I have it on my computer. Is it Ok to post? It's from SBP.