Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Ohhh...that really does pull the heartstrings, doesn't it?  How wonderful that she has that bear............and how wonderful that you are now a part of Pooh's history Heather!   

The story reminds me of a bear my mom has had since she was little.  He's in pretty sorry shape, but she loves him how he is.  He does still have his sight though, since mom gave him new eyes when she was still a kid.  They're mismatched buttons and a bit loose, but hey.. he can see!

Tracy

Oh my gosh Lisa!    Your poor hubby!  An experience like that could cause a permanent power tool phobia!
Be careful when airbrushing........we can't have another toothless one on here!  I need to have some distinction!  

Aleta--I think the gold hoop earing is nice, too.  It really sets off the facial hair and creepy monkey eyes!

Tracy

Yeah, right!!!  I've seen your pic---you could never look this bad!!        It's actually my Kindergarten picture.

Tracy

I finally found a picture for my user photo---and is wasn't easy, believe me!  Not the best picture, but I thought it was better than this one!!        

Tracy

thanks Marion, that does sound easier than melting beeswax and using a brush--I've tried that too, but it gunks up on me ...Maybe I should take the hint and stay away from the wax!  

I guess what I really want to end up with is a nice shine to my noses, while still letting the stitches show through.  I have also tried a varnish made with glue and water, and that didn't work for me either! Aagh!

Tracy

Haley-Wow!  thanks for the visual!  I love the black, so black it will be.  What photo software do you use?  That's gonna be my next 'big' purchase (mohair doesn't count!   ) All I have right now is an antiquated version of Print Shop Photo Pro.  Does a few things, but not enough!  Oh, and Mr Nekked's tongue is ultrasuede that has been shaded and then coated with a gloss varnish for sculpey clay.  The gloss kind of soaks in and hardens and just leaves the tongue set in a natural looking position, etc.  Something I tried one day for the heck of it and liked it!

Kimberly- 'Mr. Nekked No Name' is way too long to fit on a tush tag!      I'll have to think of something soon.  Any suggestions? 

Tracy

Thanks gals!  For both the compliments on my shading (which I still think needs much work ) and the tips on background color.  I knew the bright blue would be bad, but was using this background earlier for a very dark brown bear for which it worked well (she's going on ebay this weekend).  I really had no idea what color to use for Mr. Nekked No Name!  I would never have thought of black.  I'm going to try that tomorrow, and grey too if I have something that color.  Wish me luck!      The photography is still a 'head scratcher' for me most of the time!

Tracy

Okay, here's a couple of pics of my nekked 'No Name' bear.  He's the first I've shaded with oils.  Got a little too dark, and the background makes the shading look too orangey in the photos .  Any suggestions on background color for this guy?  I'm not sure what would work the best.  (He will have blue overalls eventually) 

Tracy

I'm going to take some pics of another bear today that's going on ebay this weekend, so I'll take a few of 'No Name' bear as well.  He'll be nekked though (Eeek!   )........haven't had time yet to sew up some overalls for him.  I had wanted to use a pair of baby bibs on him, but couldn't find anything to fit, so I have to sew them, whether I like it or not!  I did find some wonderful denim yesterday though. Just gotta get my rear in gear and get 'em done!:D 

Tracy

Strange animals ----including the last one!  

Ha Ha!    That book is great, isn't it?  I should have asked if you had it before scanning that and all! :doh:
I haven't tried the shape shifting yet---let me know how it works?

Tracy

Hi Catherine,

I read your post and remembered seeing reference to this in Nancy Tillberg's book '101 Bears to Make'.  The technique is called shape shifting, using your original pattern and just changing the shape--such as straight leg to bent knee.    I scanned the picture from the book--sorry scanned a little crooked and missed the text, but I think you can still see what Nancy has done.  She cut identical leg pieces, cut three seperate sections from them and pieced them back together with brads so the leg could be moved into the desired position.  Then trace round the whole thing, and you have your new leg piece!

Hope this helps!

Tracy

:dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:

I just tried out the oil paint technique of shading as outlined by Shelli.  It's faaaantabulous!!      
So much better than acrylics.  The shading went so smoothly--I didn't feel like it was a struggle at all.  And the best part is the oil paint seems to soak in and actually stain the mohair, instead of just "sitting" on top.  I did have a tendency to go a bit too dark, so will have to work on that.  I am still happy with the results though!

Thanks Shelli!!  

Tracy

I tried EZ wax awhile back, and didn't have much luck with it.  It seems rock hard to me, too, and didn't seem to want to go onto the nose!  Am I doing something wrong?  There wasn't much for directions that came with it, but it seemed like it should be self explanitory.  Feeling like an idiot here..................

Tracy

I have never thought to wash mohair in the machine....wish I had before working with a certain length of it.  I made a bear from a dark brown mohair with bleached blonde tips that was awesome until I started working with it.  It just seemed to mat up terribly on the bear as I went along!   Must have been due to the bleaching process?  I ended up using a leave in conditioner spray that did help a lot--smelled great too--after little miss bear was all sewn up.  That was kind of a pain though as I really had to spray and comb all of her!  I like to use the spray to direct fur on seams, ears, etc, but the entire bear was too much.  I'm so glad I stumbled across this post----Thanks gals, I'll remember this!  Might just have to try the washing machine ASAP!

Tracy

:clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:
A great, big congratulations to all of you who were nominated for the TOBY!!!  Awesome!!!

Tracy

Chickens have to be my favorite "weird" animal (or bird-whatever!) They do the dumbest things. I used to have a banty hen who would fly up to one of the horse's back and go for a ride.  She'd stay there for at least an hour, and the horse really didn't care either.  I also had a pet chicken named Stubby when I was little.  He was an old banty rooster that was blind in one eye and had stubs for legs (they were frozen off one winter).  I carried him around under my arm and would even sneak him into my grandma's house.  He loved pecking crumbs under the kitchen floor!    I still have chickens, and currently the goofiest one is a young rooster that follows me everywhere and begs for something to eat.  He as almost followed me right into the house.  I have to watch him, cuz he's not pecking crumbs under MY table!  

Tracy

Close up pic of eye/eyelid.  This is my CSI pic--if you look you can see my propane tank and kid's toys and camera, etc reflected in the eye (so glad I moved out of the way before the shutter snapped, or I'd be in it too ).  If this was CSI, you could zoom in and find all kinds of things!  Love that show!

Tracy

I love tails, too!  All my bears get them anymore.  Their little hineys look naked without them, and I have to do it!

Tracy

I am definitely no expert here, but I always cut my ultrasuede lids long enough to insert the ends (which are tapered) into slits I cut into the mohair on either side of the eye.  (That cutting into the mohair always scares me!   )  I fray check the holes/slits and also add glue inside.  The lids are stitched into the holes and tied off.  I also add a little glue to the back of the lid so it's secure over the eye.  This all works very well every time I do it---really the hardest part is not getting glue into the fur! 

Tracy

Dilu  I would make myself a mohair toupee for every day of the week, each in a different color and style!!     ( You know, I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't have a few other "mania's" as well! hee hee! )

Tracy

Hey, I just looked really close at this guy's feedback on ebay, and I believe that he is legitimate and is probably bear shopping.  It looks like he sent a similiar email to Kate as he did to me.  He hasn't bid on my auction yet, either. 

I had thought about answering him with the reserve and posting it on my auction, but I did decide not to let my reserve be known after reading what Jenny had to say--thanks Jenny!  I appreciate the personal experience you shared   Anyway, I ended up just thanking him for his interest in my bear and that I regretfully could not give him my reserve as it wouldn't be fair to other bidders. 

Whew....that's settled.  I feel better now!

Thanks gals!

Tracy

Happy Valentine's Day!! 

Tracy

Deb--thanks so much for digging also  .  I found the same info, and it made me wonder if I should just go ahead and give him the reserve.  I think though, that since these inquiries came from Singapore, and this buyer has not got many feedbacks in ebay, that I will just tell him what Shantell suggested--it wouldn't be fair to other bidders.  I would have to put the price in my auction for all bidders, and I think that defeats the purpose a little bit.

Shantell--Thanks!  I'm going to use that!   

Tracy

Thanks for the quick feedback gals!  Here's the actual emails copied and pasted.  Maybe my intuition is trying to tell my something--I do feel a little uneasy about this!  

Dilu, you're right that if he is sincerely interested he will bid! 

Aack!  I can see already that listing on ebay can cause serious hair pulling (and potential resulting baldness)!

Tracy