Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

My daughter is a paralegal and she says it stands for terms of agreement. 

Luann

Hi Antoinett.  Seabrook is such a nice place to live.  I just love it there!  I live in Austin, but do make it over your way occasionally.  Unfortunately, you won't be finding too many bear supplies ANYWHERE at the local stores in your area.  You may be able to find some of the joint sets for larger size bears at Hobby Lobby, but not much else.  On occasion you can can find the plastic pellets at Hobby Lobby or even some Wal-Marts.  Mohair, glass eyes, etc., are going to be almost impossible to locate locally and you will have to probably purchase just about everything online.  I do sell bear-making supplies, and have just about everything you could imagine, but again, it would be through the mail.

There is a doll show in your area in March that I may have a table at, and I'll be bringing supplies with me if I can work out the scheduling.  I'd be happy to offer you any help that I can.  You can e-mail me privately and I can give you more info if you'd like.

There are also quite a few bear-makers in your area, though they are in the same boat you are as far as supplies are concerned.

Luann

Another scam that is going on is that you will receive a message in your regular e-mail (not your e-Bay account) and it looks just like it came from e-Bay.  I just received one that indicated someone had sent me a message in regards to a dispute that had been opened on a item that had been sold.

The subject line has one item number and in the body of the message, there is a different one.

I went to my e-bay account, and there is nothing in there, which I knew shouldn't be, as I hadn't sold anything on e-Bay.  When I typed in the item numbers, one is non-existent and the other was an Italian auction for a pair of high-end running shoes that had ended back in November.

I just never click on anything in an e-mail that pertains to e-Bay unless it comes directly through my e-Bay account.  If I had the time on my hands that these people do, I'd never have to worry about getting bears finished!

Luann

Hi Danni.  Please don't feel like you pushed me.  Once the money hit my paypal account for the bear, I e-mailed him back and forth more than once to make absolutely sure I was dealing with someone who really wanted the bear and wouldn't back out of the deal.   I was able to ge the lady at the post office to confirm that his address was real (worked out that she used to live there, and knew it well).  She also helped me fill out all the proper forms to make sure the package was insured, as well as to be delivered only with a signature.  I felt okay about it after it all checked out, and he has been in constant communication with me as well.  I've sent him all the mailing label numbers and custom form numbers as well, so he's really been pretty patient.  I think he waited a bit too late to order the bear for his fiance and is faced with having to explain why her gift is late. 

Of course, it didn't help that during the holidays, our post offices were closed for Christmas, then New Years, as well as the day after New Year's due to a former president's death. 

I'm feeling okay about the transaction, but people can be weird, and Paypal can be even weirder.  Fingers crossed it all works out, as I'm sure it will.

Hugs,
Luann

I mailed a bear to a gentleman in England on the 27th of December, and quite naturally, it hasn't yet arrived.  Since it went to an overseas destination, it can't be tracked on the USPS website past the point it actually left the states.  I called the post office today and they indicated that it is actually sitting at a postal facility in England, but has yet to be delivered.  He said that the postal system was shut down and did not accept any mail and/or packages from the US for over a week.  Now, that huge backlog of mail has been accepted and they are attempting to deliver it, thus the delay.  Is this true or was this guy just feeding me a line?  I have explained to the purchser of the bear all of this, and have stayed in constant communication.  I'm a little nervous that he's going to ask for his money back and have it taken from my Paypal account, which is how he paid for the bear.  I did insure the package and also required a signature for delivery, so worst case scenario, I would get the bear back.  Can anyone in the UK comment?  Thanks once again.

Luann

At the risk of sounding like a used car salesman - we have both the glass beads and the stainless steel.  I'm attempting to update my website, and the info for the stainless is on there.  If anyone is interested in either of them, you can PM me and I'll send the info to you directly.

Luann

I just went and looked at Sandy's website.  What a treat!  Did you all know that she has 12 ferrets?  There are pictures of them on her site, and they are so cute, you just want to run out and get one for yourself!

Loved your doodle page, especially the drawing with the ark.  Your needle-felted dragon head is really terrific.   I have to admit to not having as much patience as needle-felting requires.  Give me a sewing machine anyday!

Anyway...this has been a great discussion.

Luann

Thank you Sandra for clarifying the difference between stainless steel and steel shot!  I have never been able to convince some people that there is truly a difference.  A huge difference!  I finally came up with the slogan for the stainless, though it still falls on deaf ears sometimes.  My slogan is "No rust, no dust".   I purchased a bear a number of years ago from a lady that had used steel shot in it, and she simply couldn't be told that there was a difference and she might encounter problems later on.  The bear I purchased discolored along the back seam where she had used the steel.  It had the same powdery stuff you are talking about, as it had oxidized.  I love the bear, but had to completely re-stuff it after I cleaned it up.

Thanks again!  Luann

It's used a lot in Australia and New Zealand.  My dad was in New Zealand earlier in the year and brought some back for me to try.  I personally find it to be a little bit heavier weight than the glass beads.  I know that there has been some discussion about it on some of the other groups that I'm on.  Even where it is plentiful, a lot of the artists don't use it unless they are making darker colored bears.  It's not recommended for use with the lighter colored mohair fabrics, as it makes it look darker.  It is a dark garnet color.  It doesn't have a consistent texture like the glass beads either.  It is truly like a gritty sand.

Luann

Thanks for the suggestion about the Dryel Shane.  My daughter just asked if I wanted the package of it that she bought.  She only used it the one time, so I can give it a try tomorrow.  I'll let you know how it comes out.

I don't think I've ever seen this type of fabric in anything except black.  It would be georgeous in a cream color though.

Luann

Thanks for the suggestions.  It's actually from full-length coats, and is a hide.  There is a LOT of material there!  I think I'll try the baking soda suggestion and see what happens.  It's not overpowering, but I'd like for it to smell a little less "old" once I've finished a bear or two out of it.  Thanks again.

Luann

I have quite a bit of Persian Lamb Fabric that has a musty smell to it.  Every piece of this type of fabric I've ever seen has this same smell.  Regardless of how long I let it air out, the smell lingers.  Is there a way to really ever remove the smell or do I just need to live with it.  It smells more like something that's been tucked away in an old trunk for a long time, even though it hasn't.  Is this maybe just the "natural" odor of this type of fabric?

Hugs,
Luann

I live in Austin, Texas and have yet to put a coat on this "winter".  Today, it is supposed to be very near 80 degrees and is gorgeous outside.  I've been taking advantage of the weather and have been painting outside.  (I took the doors off of the bathroom, dressing room and bedroom.)  I was able to take them outside and get them sanded and painted and they dried pretty quickly.  I painted the master bathroom while the doors were drying.  This afternoon, I'm hoping to be able to mow the lawn and mulch up all the leaves that have fallen.  I'd better get it done today, as the high for tomorrow is only supposed to be near 50!  My husband has been working in Houston all week, which is only 3 hours away, and they have been rained out for the last 2 days.  The weather has been pretty bizarre everywhere it seems.

Luann

For the miniature bears that I have collected, I used canned air to clean them.  Since it has a "straw" attached, it's great for getting into the tiniest places.  Best of all, since it blows the air off, I don't have to worry about the little ribbons and bows being sucked off by the vacuum (even with a panty hose on the end of the nozzle.)

Hugs,
Luann

A week or so ago someone posted wanting info on Jennifer Laing's new book.  I called and talked with Jennifer this morning, and at this point in time, the book is on indefinite hold.   She is looking into a couple of different options in regards to the book and promised to let me know as soon as she has made a final decision.

Right now, she is buried in snow in New Mexico, like a lot of others on the list, but is still active in the bear world.  She is definitely going to have a table at our show in Albuquerque in May, and possibly our show in Austin in June.  I've been working on projects around the house and maybe if I get my guest bedroom finished up, I can persuade her to come to Austin and stay long enough to do some workshops! 

At any rate, I'll let everyone know as soon as Jennifer tells me what the new book situation looks like.

Hugs,
Luann

Happy Holidays to everyone on the list!  I wanted to share how my year ended and my hopes for 2007.  In late October, I was approached by a group of artists to join them in a booth they share at a long-established art show.  I was a bit apprehensive, as this would be a HUGE undertaking for me.  This would be the 30th year for the show, and  it is very nearly impossible to get in, and some of the same artists have been participating in the show for 15-20 years. This is a 16 day show, that runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, up to and including Christmas Eve.  The shifts to work would be split between 4 of us, so that meant very little time off, if any, for all of us.  (The other artists are not bear-makers.  One is a painter, one does calligraphy type work and the other does mosaic work.)

Anyway...I decided to go for it, plotted out what pieces I wanted to try to get finished, and started cutting, sewing, stuffing, etc.  I started out by initially taking 10 pieces and by the end, had 30 new bears and animal friends at the show.  I came home with only 6 pieces, meaning I had sold 24 over the course of the show! 

I worked on new pieces that I had been wanting to try, including a travelling mouse, my foxes, an elephant and a flamingo.  I also finished up an open mouth cat with feathers in it's mouth and a bird on it's head.  All of them sold, and my confidence level is at an all-time high!

This entire venture has made me realize that there are plenty of collectors out there and they are still buying.  Every piece I took was new and in some cases, very different.  From my vantage point, it appears that if we are willing to step out of our comfort zones and go with our new ideas, the end results may very well be worth it.  I'm looking forward to honing my airbrushing skills (thanks to the class I took from Judi) and have signed up for two more classes that I hope will push me to try other things.

I hope the new year brings all of us the opportunityand courage to step forward and try all those things we've been wanting to, but haven't done so. 

Hugs,
Luann

I stay in touch with Jennifer and just got a note from her last week, but she didn't mention the book.  I just sent her an e-mail asking about it.  We did talk about it in May, but at that time, it looked like the book might not be out for at least another year.  I'll let you know as soon as I hear back from her.  It may be a day or so, but if I don't hear back by thursday, I'll give her a call.

Hugs, Luann

Thanks for the insight on this situation.  It's a bit tricky, but since it was supposed to be a gift for Christmas, I became a little suspicious when he waited another week to write back and confirm.  Changing his mind so many times also made me a little suspicious.  This morning, I received an e-mail and he still wants the bear, but now needs to make sure I can get it to him by the first of January - from the US to England - yet he is unable to even pay until tomorrow night.  This will be tricky at best with this timeline.

While I'd love to be able to have the sale of a bear, I'd rather err on the side of caution.  I just wrote him back and will see what the response is.

Thanks again.

Luann

I received a message about two weeks ago from a person inquiring about one of the bears on my website.  They asked if it was still available, and if I had more pictures of other bears.  I notified them that I had updated my site with new bears, and they wrote back - still wanting a bear, but a different one.  Okay - no problem.  Then, they asked if I could include a personal note with it, as it is to be a Christmas gift.  Okay - again no problem.  They ask for total cost, including shipping, which I sent.  Now, a week later, I hear back, and they still want a bear, but yet a different one! 

I'm just a little concerned at this point that this is going to turn out to be a bad situation.  This person lives in England, and at this point, there is just no way I can get the bear there in time, especially since they can't pay until Wednesday.  I just have a "gut" feeling about this that something is not right.

Has anyone else received this type of e-mail?  At this point, I don't even know if the bear they are now wanting is available, as I'm showing at a local show, and it may have sold tonight.  That's is what I told them, but if the bear is still available or if they decide they want another, do I have any way to protect myself through Paypal?  I don't want them to pay me, then mail out the bear, only to have them withdraw the funds after the bear is gone.

Thanks for any advice.

Luann

Thanks Tammy.  Those are the same pictures and articles.  I realized that I missed Sarah Jane too - apologies for the oversight.  I see that the girls in Australia received the magazine in September, and we just received ours today.  It appears that we are close to 2 issues behind in receiving them, but they are always worth the wait.

Hugs,
Luann

I can try to scan the articles, but it's about 7 pages, so.....  At the risk of tooting my own horn, I do sell the magazines, and I'm here in the states.  I have an auto ship of both the Bear Creations and the Dolls, Bears and Collectibles, both Australian publications.  While we are usually about 1 or 2 issues behind them receiving them in Australia, they all get here eventually.

I'll see how the scanning goes after dinner.

Luann

I just got my latest shipment of Australian Bear Creations and there is a real nice article on Shelli of PotBelly Bears!  I still haven't looked at the rest of the magazine, but did see that Hayley Justice is in there too, with a real nice article.  Congratulations girls!  Nice articles on both of you.  (The issue is Vol 12 No 3)

Luann

Thanks Patty.  I actually prefer to purchase it in the packs with 50 or more sheets, but will keep Joann's in mind if I can find it.  Thank you as well Donna.  I buy a lot from Quilter's Resource and wasn't able to find it in the catalog.  It must be listed under something totally different than Quilting, Template or Plastic.  I'll give them a call in the morning and see if I can order some.

Luann

Does anyone have a source for the plastic quilting templates that are opaque?  I usually buy it in bulk from Edinburgh, but they have changed suppliers and the sheets they sell now are clear - not opaque.  Unfortunately, I now have 50 sheets of it and just hate using it!  I've checked e-Bay as well as several Quilt suppliers, but want to buy in bulk, not by the sheet.

Luann

I've been watching this thread for a day or so now, and thought I'd offer what I look for when perusing e-Bay.  This is strictly my own opinion, and no intent is made to hurt anyone's feelings.  I've never sold my bears on e-Bay, and my comments are based on being a buyer (or potential buyer) of others bears.

Early every morning, I go through the e-Bay listings for bear-making supplies and OOAK Artist Bears.  Research shows that when at a bear or trade show, you basically hav 15 seconds to capture someone's attention to your table.  That is an inordinate short amount of time!  E-bay listings, in my opinion, don't allow you even that much time.  You have a mere 1 or 2 seconds to capture someone's attention or they move on.  At least at a show, you may have a second opportunity to see the customer as they go around the room.  They may or may not go back on e-Bay.  Having said that, the tiny photo that is displayed in the listing has to be one that will INSTANTLY capture their attention, which is no easy feat, given how small the photos are.  I went through the OOAK Artist Bear listings this morning, picked some at random, and here are some things that instantly came to my attention  that would deter me from even bidding.

If I see a jumbled photo, and have to work out what it MIGHT be, I move on.  Chances are, from my experience, that once I've clicked on the auction, the other photos will be just as jumbled and I feel I've wasted time.  If you're not good with taking photos, find someone who is!  Your photos are what will sell your items.

Reserve prices - It's perfectly okay to list your pieces with a reserve, but if you want to sell it - tell it!  Put the reserve price in the listing description somewhere.  Some buyers watch a lot of items, and if they have to e-mail to find out what the reserve is, they have to wait for an answer, which may or may not ever come.  This may cost you a sale.  You obviously aren't going to sell it for less than the reserve anyway - so what's the harm in telling what you really want for it?

Descriptions - I like to read a clear-concise description of the piece I'm looking at.  If I have to scroll and scroll and scroll through text and graphics, I lose interest.  Give the pertinent info about the piece, and perhaps a bit about yourself.    I read one listing this morning that went on and on about all the awards they had won, how many times they'd been published, all the shows they were at, etc.  I forgot about the bear.  Basic info about you is good, but don't let it overwhelm the bear you are listing.  Set up an "About Me" page!  People will click on it if they want to know more about you.

Reason for listing - I get depressed reading about how many times a bear has been listed, how sad they are that no one wants them, how much it's cost to list with e-Bay, and how badly you need money to pay bills, tuition, vet fees, etc.  We all have money issues at some point or another, but perhaps we shouldn't emphasize them on an e-Bay listing.  The chat groups and forums are great support for that.  We know from the beginning that we have to pay those fees to e-Bay and Paypal whether the bear sells or not.  Take that into consideration when listing.  If a bear has been re-listed 3 times, stop!  Figure out what you need to do to make sell.

Photos - I clicked on three separate listings this morning and waited and waited and waited for the photos to download.  One listing had over 25 photos and took 13 minutes to download!  Another took 7 minutes, and the third 11 minutes.  Not everyone is on high speed!  List one or two good photos and offer to e-mail more if they are interested.  As I am on dial-up, I would usually never wait that long.  I waited this morning just to see how long it would actually take.   Time is money, and I wasted half an hour waiting for items I wasn't even interested in to download.

Threats - When I see threats regarding negative feedback, no responsibility for lost packages, being reported to e-Bay for non-payment and telling me not to bid if I'm not going to pay - I move on!    Know the e-Bay rules.  Suggest that payment is appreciated within 3 days, but KNOW that e-Bay gives them 7 to pay.  While insurance is always optional, it is the seller's responsibility to make sure the package arrive to the buyer.  Insurance covers the seller - not the buyer!   Use delivery confirmation to cover yourself.  People who are not going to pay don't care if you report them.  Don't warn them - DO IT!  Give them negative feedback, as well as a strike, file for your listing fees to be refunded and re-list the bear once you have blocked the deadbeat bidder.  You always have the opportunity to offer a second chance to someone else.

Listing times - I usually watch auctions that are on for 3 days.  I usually forget about a bear that I have to watch for 7 - 10 days, and find something else that is on a shorter listing.  Once the 7 - 10 days is over, I than have to wait for them to receive payment, and another week for the package to arrive.  Two to three weeks have now passed.  I saw a bear yesterday that I was VERY interested in, but had a question.  It was a one day auction, and because the seller was in another country, there was no way to send her an e-mail and get a response in time to bid.  This cost her the sale, and the bear went unsold.

Shipping - Some of the listings ask for you to e-mail for a "guesstimate" of shipping costs.  If they send you an estimate of $10, and you win the auction and the shipping actually end up being $30 - you have to pay it.  Not a good idea to go with guesstimates in my opinion.

Conversions - People from all walks of life are on e-Bay and not everyone knows the conversion rates.  I will sometimes look up the conversion rates for listings, but not always.  Again, it takes time to go to another site and figure out the dimensions, price, etc., if they are listing is a currency or measurement other than the one the buyer is accustomed to using.  It's your job to list the information that may be crucial to the sale.

It irritates me to see people list bears in categories that they don't belong in.  If I see items listed in the wrong category, I see that as a desperate attempt to draw attention to sell their piece.  I'm talking about blatant listings in wrong categories, ie OOAK artist bears in a Pincushion listing.

Lastly -If a bear obviously needs a doll stand in order to be properly displayed or photographed, photograph it with one and include in with the bear.  If a buyer purchases your bear and then finds that they have to go out and buy a doll stand or a chair to be able to enjoy their new purchase, it kind of take the shine off of it.  Doll stands are inexpensive and a $2 item may make the difference.

I know I've rambled on, and hopefully, these observations will be taken as constructive, and hopefully improve sales for those that list and those that buy.

Hugs,
Luann