Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Ooh, yes, Millie. I can see a chocolate/peach oldie looking rabbit.  I think I might like to use it for some extra wonky amimes.  Gee!  I guess I better buy some before they sell out. :rolleyes::lol::D

Hayley, So nice to put a face with your name.  What a bunch of cuties...You and the bears.  This is great, everyone sharing what we look like.  Now we won't need nametags when we meet for our fabulous gala on the Riviera!!

Good one, Winney!!  Thanks for the glue tip, too.  We wouldn't want to get our noses out of Joint!! 

Dilu,

Girl!! You better get yourself some archival quality "Wonkadilly" labels!!! :lol::lol:

Thank you, Rita.  (Enquiring minds want to know.) :D

I just now visited your site and just love your bears.  I like how you  have so many that are totally different from one another.  I'm most in love with your little "HARRY" cub that you showed to us a few days ago.

Rita, I didn't know you have a store.  Could you please tell us about it?

When I sew, I enjoy seeing the (weedy) garden and the horses in the field next door at the horse rescue our neighbors run.  Bliss is hearing the wind chimes, birds and bees outside my windows, and at night, hearing the horses squealing to each other and their hooves thundering across the ground. Sometimes I play music CDs.

When Werner and I married 7 yrs ago, he had a habit of watching TV in bed.  Sometimes it would stay on all night.  I never felt like I slept well during those times.  A few years ago, when our church encouraged the congregation to join in a month-long time of (intermittent) fasting, as part of our fast we decided to unplug the TV in our bedroom.  A few months went by before we realized that we weren't watching TV anymore; nothing religious about it, we had simply lost interest.  Now when one of our housemates has the sound up loud in the "TV" room, I find it annoying and will shut the door or ask them to lower the sound.   Now, when you gals are discussing your TV faves, I don't have anything to contribute, as I'm out of the loop on that subject.  Shoot!  I have enough trouble staying focused on bear making with only the 'puter as a distraction. :rolleyes::D

Good thoughts, Eileen, but I can't imagine how that stuff would be used for an aquiarium, or drill extender, for that matter, not that it is important.  I will look for it in my area.

Daphne,  Me too.  I try to be organized, but don't  have the self-discipline to keep the records uniform or in the same place, so I have these bits of records everywhere, which rather than helping keep me organized, contributes to the clutter.  AARGH!!   But I don't worry much about it.

Looks very interesting, Eileen.  I added the site to my favorites list for future reference.  Thanks.

"knuckledragger"  Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha!!! :lol::lol::lol:

OK Daphne, I've got it!  I knew I had seen this film.  I was so curious I phoned my former husband for the answer.   The Movie was "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.  The main Character was "Lenny", a large retarded guy who had a series of pets that he hugged and loved and called George, until they accidentally died.  Lenny was reluctantly taken care of by a friend named "Slim".  I won't tell the really tragic part of the story; you don't want to know.

I have had the same aversion to the dreaded polyester as you, Dilu, because it's "plastic".  But I've been looking with different eyes, lately, when it comes to art.  Bears are filled with Polyfil, and sometimes Polypellets, and perhaps airbrushed with acrylic paint (Poly's cousin); sculpted faces are made from polymer clay, and I do believe that the doubleknit needlesculpting fabric I was speaking of may be part or all Polyester. 

When they are used as artists' tools, they gain my respect as they are incorporated as useful parts of a beautiful multimedia work of art.  I have even come to appreciate the silky polyester singleknit fabric of the 70's.  Now that it's so hard to find, it is once again desirable to me for its colorful patterns and lovely drapable sheen (makes nice clown ruffs).  I love the all natural materials, of course; they are the star materials in our art, but sometimes the man-made ones are very  helpful when used for playing a supporting role to the natural ones.

Hayley, I wonder if that would be what we call 'Kitchen Bouquet'?  I looked at the ingredients on my practically empty bottle, and it listed mainly various vegetables.  I wonder if it is simply the essence of very, very toasted vegs with a few chemicals added, to contribute shelf life.  I imagine you could use it, but would the color stay?

Eileen,

The ball joints that I was taught didn't have any wire or locline in the limbs, therefore they couln't stand, but I have thought it might be possible to use wire if I made a transverse loop at the ball end, so it would rest against the ball.  I'm working out in my head how to make disk and ball joints for greater range of motion, so I can make my bear-self that way.

Thank you, Sue Ann, for the kind invitation.  I have wanted to do a show in Texas, and if I can meet with this awesome looney group to boot, all the better.    

If I'm going to spend much money to travel, I'll hope to make a good return for the expense.  If it is a large show, with more patrons, it seems it would be more likely to repay my investment.  What do you think?  I have never attended a Valerie Rogers show, but she does a lot of publicity, so I assume her shows are sizeable.  Have you done the Houston Spring show?  Of Pat Moore's shows, her San Jose show is the largest of hers that I've done.  I would call that one about medium size.  Do you know how big her Texas show normally is?

Next Spring is a long wait from now, but gauging by my current production speed, I wouldn't be ready til then anyhow.  These are only my thoughts... don't let me charge in and make plans for everyone.

Hi All,

Surely didn't mean to mislead anyone concerning Lisa's work.  I assumed it would be obvious that she had more going on than what you see on the surface.  Sorry.  :|

the fabric I'm talking about is possibly a doubleknit, because it is denser than stockinette, and has a different look to the stitches it's made of.  I'm thinking it would produce finer detail than stockinette and maybe hold up better too.  I would be reluctant to use pantyhose or stockinette for fear of runs or holes.

Dilu,

I took a class from Martha Burch where she introduced us to "ball" joints, made with a large bead, for limbs made in two pieces, and a neck joint made by using a piece of lockline as a backbone that extends up into the head.  Two holes are drilled through the narrow part of the lockline joint at 90 degree angles, where the head will join the body.  The head and body are both secured to the lockline with thread taken through the drilled holes.  The head can then be tilted in any direction.  It is a little tricky to completely hide the lockline at the neck joint, but fur with a bit of length to it helps.

Aren't there some shows in Texas?  Maybe we could meet around the time of a good show and make it a double-duty trip.

Hi Winney,

Mohair is good for needlesculpting, but if you want fabric without fur, I've seen a kind of thick tightly knitted fabric that is very needle-responsive.  Have you ever seen what Lisa Lichtenfels can do with a pair of pantyhose and a needle??? It's nearly unbelieveble what realism can be portrayed.

This is 'Mrs Peepers' by lisa Lichtenfels.  You should see her serious work.

Kirsten, I join my prayers to yours and the others here.  God Bless you in your desire for a family. :)

Gentle Hugs,

I have a psychological problem with adulterating my bear people.  I know it sounds dumb, but in my silly mind, a tush tag or signing the foot takes away from the illusion of life in the piece.  I used to put a tag in the back, but I never felt completely comfortable about it, so I quit doing it.  I keep pretty good photo records of my work, so I hope that will do.  If not, I hope I come up with some other recognition tool...how about a thumbnail photo attached to a laminated hanger?

Speaking of Illusions of life, I have sometimes fallen prey to the illusion myself.....Before I was a bear maker, I made cloth dolls.  A friend and I were packing my car for a trip out of town to a show.....I suddenly had the thought, "Oh no!! those piggy dolls won't be able to breathe, all packed together so tightly!!" :P:P:P:P What waz I thinkin'???

Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha!!!Hoo,HOO,HEE,HEE!!!!...  Ooh!(pee-Pee!)
Too much, Ladies!!....Of course, too much of a good thing is just right!! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::P:P:P:rolleyes::rolleyes::P:P:P:D

BTW: Penny is probably still sleeping.  She probably won't get up til midnight.

Whew! That is one very LOVED-LOOKING BEAR!!
Amazing!!!  He looks SOOOO authentic!

Sounds Wonderful, but could be cost-prohibitive at the present.  Now if it were at your house, Shelli.....:lol: