Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

What a wonderful thing you created and manage for bear artists.  Thank you Chrissie

:hug:
~Chrissi

I always sculpt the area first too.... then set the way I described above.  I do it for the mini's and the bigger guys.  If I didn't sculpt first, the amount of tension needed would rip my fingers apart...ouch!! There's still tension and it still pinches the ol' fingers, but it would be a ton worse without sculpting.   

:hug:
~Chrissi

I have nancy's book and just flipped through it 4-5 times and I can't find anything outside of safety eyes and then eye sculpting, so I must be nuts...is it a full moon?? 

Without finding the exact way that your setting in the book I'll take a stab at helping anyway I can 
Do you set one eye at a time, it sounded like you might be?  I do both at the same time so there's even tension between the 2, tying each other down.  Same concept of taking the threads out closest to the disk, so there's no visible "denting" where you knot and hide.  Did that help at all??  I'm not sure......
:hug:
~Chrissi

How precious is THAT picture??!!! 

We just found out yesterday that my sister is having a girl, she's due March 31st I haven't seen the ultrasound pics, yet but she described what you've got pictured here...a lil' girly sucking her thumb  
(I personally LOVE the name Jocelyn....he'll come around.  A girl I worked with had a really unusual name for a girl, husband didn't like it at all. She didn't make too much of it....after labor he wasn't going to give her any grief about a name and she got the name she wanted)

:hug:
~Chrissi

Not a stupid question at all.  Once you've handled the malden mills vintage fabrics up close or maybe even viewed some really good pictures of it....you would be able to spot a piece of it anywhere. If you stumbled across a chair or something flip it over and look to see if an area of the fabrics backing is exposed...that white grid backing is what you're looking for.  From short to the extra long pile, it's harder to find and really sought after by soft sculpture artists. The Halloween Bear under my avatar is made from both short (body in orange) and long pile (browns). Most of my mini's are created with it, I just love the stuff.  I'm using it right now this morning actually
I have dreams of stumbling across a bolt of it someday in my travels (how COOL would that be??).  One can dream

:hug:
~Chrissi

LUCKY DOG!!!!  I'm ALWAYS looking for a chair, sofa, curtains or SOMETHING.  I'm hitting a ton of shops down the shore after Thanksgiving..maybe I'll strike it "rich".    I just found some babyblue in an auction...really really pretty stuff. I'm waiting for a spring bear theme to use my tiny little square.

LUCKY GIRLIE YOU ARE!!!! 

:hug:
~Chrissi

:dance:  :clap: Congratulations, that's awesome and you should be so proud!! :clap:  :dance:   A full color spread in the paper is really a great thing!!

:hug:
~Chrissi

Tracy,
I'm sorry for your family's loss. Harold sounded like such an adventurous and fun loving man, truly appreciating every moment and lived it to the fullest. He was blessed with years of good health that allowed him to do what he loved well into his upper 70s.  As someone who, as a kid, had "death" fears I would focus on all of that good with your boys. It's horrid emotionally when this happens, but Harold would want the boys to not worry and have as much joy and fun as he did in life.  Since Harold had such a travel history maybe the boys could map out all of the places their Grand Dad traveled to on a map, read about the places, and maybe eventually see photos sent of Harold in those places.  Little boys like adventures and they have a role model in Harold and his memories.

:hug:  :hug:
~Chrissi

Congratulations Sandi!!  Can't wait to see the pics once your scanner is up and running.

:hug:
~Chrissi

Starting a mailing can be tough at first. but it's very doable   I have a link on my homepage right now and I plan to add a "share with a friend" link..so that people can share my site with anyone they think might enjoy. (the programming part of that is over my head, my hub is trying to make it work)
Each time I had/have a new creation for sale I create an email for friends, family, coworkers, old coworkers, etc and ask them to pass the email along to anyone they wish (the email holds my web link and mentions joining my mailing list).  If you do shows have a book (address book size) that allows people to give you their first name and email address.  Keep a book in your bag when you go out, you never know when a conversation will strike when a business card and email list "invitation" will come in handy.  (using business cards as an "invitation" is always nice...makes it more special.  "I hope you enjoy visiting my site and feel free to send me an email to let me know what you think!")  Sending out cards/postcards (like Ellen mentioned) is a good practice.  I did it with my jewelry biz and people really appreciated it and came back for future shows and sales. This piece might sound a little crazy, but take advantage of free advertising.  Print up a dozen or so full color/ full page "advertisements", make them bold and not  cluttered.  Have precut tear tabs at the bottom with your website and biz name.  Hang them in any supermarket ,clubcard market, or business that has a public ad board.  People always check out those boards; one or 2 may be your next collector.
I plan to use magazine advertising within a the year, but for now I'm doing as many little things that I can...it can't ever hurt!! 

:hug:
~Chrissi

Oh my how pretty!!  Do you work with the eggs a lot??  I'm always amazed with the carvings people do.
These are just so pretty, thanks for sharing them!

:hug:
~Chrissi

I think that's so very sweet that your hubby went out on his own and did that...mine would be afraid of a sewing machine retailer.  He'd get talked into buying anything...hmmmmm wait a minute, mental note...send hubby off to shop, call ahead..make sure he gets the best :crackup:

No, the best thing my hub does right now is simply 2 words:  "hot towel".  It's getting cold here now and I'm spoiled with a nice warm towel fresh out of the dryer.  Not all week, because we have slightly different schedules, but on the weekends I get a nice warm towel after a shower.  Highly advise it, nothing better, it's the best.  Can't have a bad day after a soft toasty warm towel.

:hug:
~Chrissi

I did yesterday...I thought it was because I re-subscribed early maybe (???) 
It will come in handy

:hug:
~Chrissi

This is a great idea.
There was a group who did this in my parents neighborhood.  They did by invitation and minor advertising.  The whole entrance and first floor was turned into the showcase.  I was really young, but I remember thinking how cool it was.  I've thought about doing it myself. 
I've done jewelry home shows...you'd be surprised how many persons you can invite to an event when you sit down and think about it. Mail simple informative postcards ...asking each to bring a friend is an added bonus.  Those who bring a friend are added to a "raffle..maybe a basket with a small bear in the middle (???)"....there are TONS of things to do with a home show.  And aside from the cost of postage, drinks and a few basic seasonal finger foods (away from furry ones) the cost for a weekend or evening event is minimal....can't hurt to try...even if you only make a couple connections. I was thinking of doing it with 2-3 other artists, not necessarily bear artists.

Kelly ~ images of attacking mallies with handi-wipes is too funny!!! :crackup:  :crackup:  If I did do something in a mall the bears would have to be behind plexiglass (little bears hiding behind Starbcuks and Cinnabon smudged plexiglass would be ok) :crackup:

:hug:
~Chrissi

Fancy 5 star hotel:  Cost is my first thought. They never have great lighting, and I can't stand the curtains and carpeting most times :lol:

Rec Hall...depends on the community.  Some are amazing, some not so hot.  A nice hall within an active and enthusiastic community could be fantastic.

Hay field:  I live in a "historic" touristy area with lots of events taking place in/on "fields/grounds" or historic parks, so as long as the weather is cooperative outside events can draw in great things. 

An hour drive away from me with heavy community involvement...I'd sit in or outdoors.  In my area...being stuck in a hotel could really ruin an event.  Something held in any one of the foot trafficed historic towns, even coinciding with another event, could be golden.  Malls in my area would be horrid.  Unless you were smack in the holiday season chances are you'd see more teens than collectors.

I'm only going off of what I've heard and read...but I'll say it again... I think shows aren't doing so hot 'cause they're the same thing in the same town with the same tapped out consumer. The wells runnin' dry situation.  Tradition is one thing, but beating a dead horse is just painful for all involved.  I think there are too many untapped markets and collectors to not try new venues and new approaches.

:hug:
~Chrissi

Lucky Lucky Girls!!!     I'm hoping to see a Past Time in my future!! 

:hug:
~Chrissi

I personally adore Micelle as an artist and as a person.  I think what she's said sums it up with such grace and humor. Each sentence rings with such good spirit.

Each of us look at works, study works, use past ideas to create just what is in our own heart and soul. She's looked at other designs, looked at others work then taken those elements into her heart to create her art.   My interpretation of what she wrote is:  lighten up already, it's all been done before and will be again... we're all pirates..."visonary piracy".  I love that term now!! How can we condemn others for their fair share of these old seas..who are any of us to lay claim to well traveled waters??   I can't count the number of times I've seen an image or idea and stored it away for later tweaking into my own artistic style.  Old postcards, illustrations, children's books, and antique shops are my personal pirates seas.  I feel like setting sail this weekend now....cast out the anchors in my favorite shop and hope to find buried treasure (it'll be buried too...that's half the fun).  I appreciate Michelle, not only is she fantastically talented..but she's so "real".

:hug:
~Chrissi

Oh my gosh, that's amazing.....to have parrots just sitting outside in the wild like that!!  I've got drabby brown squirrels out back.

:hug:
~Chrissi

The same exact thing happened to me not too long ago....boy was I frustrated  
I almost gave up ....instead I took a break, had something "bad" to eat and then tried again with another plan.  It all works out in the end, no worries.  I'm sure whatever you're working on will be gorgeous and fantastic in the end!!!

:hug:
~Chrissi

I'm probably jumping the gun here, there will probably be an announcement.  But I've seen the banner out for the Oh Ho Ho BearZ online show and I'm wondering what it is. It's right around the corner..... Anyone know? 

:hug:
~Chrissi

If you can't carve a pumpkin here's a virtual pumpkin carving you can try!!  It's really cute

http://www.cubpack81.com/images/carve_pumpkin.swf 

:hug:
~Chrissi

:dance:  :clap: Congratulations Edie!! :clap:  :dance:

How exciting for you and very much deserved..they are a lovely and endearing design.

:hug:
~Chrissi

Thanks all!!  It really is a fun tradition, very casual.  Being a blanket kid myself, Linus will always ROCK in my opinion.  Kids with blankets (and teddy bears of course) are the coolest.   

Pen,
When I was growing up we had one dad at the end of the street run out of the woods dressed as dracula....scared the wits out of us, but it was fun!!  Play some scary music out front and the kiddies will be flocking to the "creepy house" with Penny's dolls.

:hug:
~Chrissi

I'm substituting the Clooney for a pinch of Matthew McConaughey 

:hug:
~Chrissi

Hi!
Sharing some Halloween pictures.  Each year my sister has a pumpkin carving party at her house.  She makes chili, we all bring something kind of food treat (I did caramel apples drizzled with chocolate) and we each bring a pumpkin to carve.  No commercial patterns, we just draw out what we want and go for it! 

This year we watched Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin while eating the chili and that's where my inspiration came from...Linus is my favorite.  I was still at the carving table an hour after everyone else was done....but I had fun  :crackup: 

:hug:
~Chrissi