Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi, Paula, and welcome to the board.  What a super avatar!

Hello and a big welcome, Christine . . . it is really great to have you aboard!!  Will the subject of your greeting cards be bears?  I'd love to see samples from your line, if you have time to post some.

Echo that for me, too, Wanda . . . great avatar - is that Shelli's talent at work?

You people are killin' me here!! I hear that laughing is good for you . . . well, I ought to be the healthiest person alive!!

Weeeeelllll, I think you two (Winney and Shelli) now qualify as stand-up comics!!   Being the witty "bearsons" that you are!!

Hey, Dilu . . . your testing out all the options is GREAT!  Thanks much for the report.  I noted that you play the piano . . . too bad we can't hear you on the message board.   I played for a long time, but since I started bearing, it's REALLY hard to find time to practice.

Dilu, LOVED the story about your dad . . . how neat!!   I used to paint on t-shirts back in the '70s/'80s and used acrylics.  I heat set them because they would be washed frequently, but it surely took a LOOOOONNNGGG time for the paint to fade or crack . . . which it did eventually.  But now, the paint is better and even designated for fabrics, so I don't think you can go wrong with acrylics.  I find that on a small area like a bear face or pads, I have so much more control with the marker or pencil.  Anyway, I'm an advocate of whatever works best for YOU!! 

You're very welcome.  You can do it any way that feels "right" and "comfortable" for you.  Hugs,  Sue Ann

Laura, I lurked by the Edinburgh board before I came on here and saw your post about the Schaumburg show . . . thanks much again for liking my hugs and my rooster . . . you're a Sweetie!!   Also, your avatar is VERY attractive - you did a great job!  This is PhotoShop that you and Shelli work with?  I've got an OLD version of Corel Photo something or other that I use, but it certainly doesn't have all the bells and whistles that PhotoShop apparently does.  Maybe I need and update . . . . hmmmmmm. 

Thanks for the safety tip, Laura.  I have an electric stove, so think that's a bit safer than a gas one.  I also never turn the heat on the burner any higher than the lowest point on the "warm" setting.  As yet, I haven't had any accidents, but you can't be too cautious.  Thanks again!!

Hmmmm . . . that is interesting.  Through the years of making bears, I've put bows on either right or left ears, both ears at once, a bow between the ears, or a headband bow.  Guess maybe that points to trying to be balanced at all times!!    And not getting it right, so trying it again another way.  lol

Hiya, Dilu.  This is how I do my melting.  I melt a large chunk of beeswax in an aluminum pie pan on top of a  stove burner (set the heat at the LOWEST temperature).  When it's all melted, I just use a small paintbrush to brush on the wax.  When I'm through, I leave the paintbrush in the remaining wax (in the pan) and it will harden.  I just put the pan away until I'm ready for the next nose to wax . . . then start the process all over again.  Depending on how much wax you melt will determine how many noses you can do . . . eventually you'll have to add more beeswax, but this has worked well for me and none of it is wasted. 

Thanks a bunch, Winney.  Shelli fixed up my avatar . . . isn't she GREAT with graphic design?!!!    No, basically, I'm right handed, but I do a lot of things with my left hand that most right handed people do with their right hands.  So, guess I might lean a wee bit toward ambidexterity.  Pshew - is that a word?  What prompted you to ask . . . or should I know??!! 

Thanks much for the tip, Cindy . . . it's wonderful that artists are so willing to share what works for them.

HEE HEE . . . you're a hoot, Eileen! 

Ooooh, Shelli . . . I really needed some company in the bear slammin' department . . . thanks much for joining me!  I DO like filling the feet with beads for standing, but the fact is - I just can't get the bear to stand alone unless I get a little firm with my determination to make it behave!   Really looking forward to seeing your pencil shaded bear . . . I KNOW that it will be a honey! 

Dilu . . . yes, you can buy Ezy-wax from Beary Cheap.  I've never tried it, but I think another way to use it is just rub it on your completed embroidered nose.  As it comes in colors, you won't have to add color as I do sometimes using the melted beeswax.  When I put several layers on, "white" places show up; then I need to add whatever color I want the nose to be with permanent markers . . . or whatever paint or coloring agent you prefer.  Anyway, think it's worth a try and may use it myself one of these days!

Thanks, Guys . . . Yep, I've been making bears only since 1997, but I've seen a LOT of trends come into our business.  One can only guess at predicting what is going to come in the future.  I just totally marvel at the creativity and imagination that is displayed at bear shows!!  Human ingenuity is awesome!

HA, Dilu . . . am glad to meet another artist that has more than she needs!  Bet I'm going to win, though, because I have - who only knows how much - a gazillion yards of mohair stashed in every corner of space in my house.  And boxes and boxes of ribbons and accessories; and waaaaayyy too many pair of eyes - and the supply list goes on, on, on, on!!    You know that "Whoever dies with the most (insert fabric, mohair, toys, whatever), WINS"!!

Hi, Everybody.  I'm assuming most of us posters are bearmakers.  I think we need to do what we can to lure collectors to our board, also.  I think, besides buying our bears (thank goodness!!), collectors can give us ideas, suggestions, and just "talk" in general that can be of real value to us as artists.  We need to stay on top of what the trend is, what the important things are that a collector looks for in a bear, and what they think will happen to bear collecting in the future.  All of this really interests me and I would be very excited if we could get a few collectors on here to give us their perspective.  So . . . one of the things I am going to do in the next few days is contact some of my buyers - by postcard or e-mail - and let them know that Intercal is hosting Teddy Talk AND has bears for sale!!   Maybe if several of us do this, we could entice some collectors to join us on this forum.  Sound good to you all?

Hi, Cindy . . . what an adorable avatar!!   Welcome to Teddy Talk . . .  so glad to have you aboard!  I've found that this is a GREAT place to spend a LOT of time!   Already we're helping each other out with suggestions, so feel free to join the fray!!  I'll be looking forward to seeing some of your creations on Bears for Sale!

Hey, Laura, thanks for the input on free standing bears . . . it will help! 

Danni . . . I also use the markers on ultrasuede foot pads.  A suggestion would be to try out the markers or pencils on a scrap piece of whatever fabric you're using - saves a ton of woe if you don't like the results!!

Shelli, have you ever used acrylic paints to do your shading?  In my opinion, they are much more user friendly than oil paints and you clean up with water rather than turpentine.

Danni, just wanted to show you examples of shading on wool felt.  The brown is using a permanent pen/marker and the blue is using Prismacolor brand colored pencils.  With the marker, I used a blender to fade out the edge.  On the pencil, I just used a gradual lighter touch on the faded edge.  Actually, I use the markers on felt ALL the time . . . with no evidence of a problem!!   Thanks for your kind words, but don't think you need to be starstruck . . . I'm far, far from that!!!