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I'm no help with the office aspect right now. After being in retail land and corporate cubicle land since I was 18 I'm thrilled to pieces to have complete control of my day, time, goals and home based workspace. I'm on the other side right now where I've never felt so creative..but I'm at a year of doing it too...I'm sure I'll hit a 2 or 7 year itch and need to shake thing up a bit to remain creative.
BUT I do get the social aspect and that's where I plan a half day with my sisters, or take classes that can contribute to what I'm doing but that aren't bear related....art related courses (stained glass, book making, etc) that are usually offered one night or one day a week via community college or something like an adult learning thing at the local high school. I personally wouldn't go back to retail for social interaction because it can get old fast when you're looking for something a little more real. Maybe you could teach a bear class (away from your place) as a catalyst for creativity, you've always said you're a teacher at heart 
Good Luck with it all!
:hug:
~Chrissi
Hi Melissa,
I would try giving suppliers a call to see if they have something that matches what you're looking for. If not in the exact color you need, maybe they do in a cream or white where you could dye it to meet the color you need 
:hug:
~Chrissi
Oh my gosh, where to start! 
(yep Shane! You got it right...it's a lot to say and type out 
Imagine being in grade school with that one :crackup: )
I walked into the showroom at 8:00 and totally went deer in headlights for about a minute :crackup: Folks were setting up and I was floored to see what a show actually looked like...I was a first time attendee and exhibitor all at once!! I had about 10 minutes of nerves from that point and then I was so into it all that I was having too much fun to be nervous. To my right was Pamela Wooley's table (wow...big, huge lovey bears) so fun to look over at. To my left Teddies of Mt Holly, where Pat and Linda were just about the funniest and sweetest ladies around. I'm so excited to take the ride out to the store now! Across from my table were Kelly and Margaret of Canna Bear Paint. Kelly and Margaret were both so genuinely nice, helpful and positive with me about the whole show experience. Such sweet ladies. I could not have asked for a better table to be at, my neighbors were fantastic. I was able to jet around a little bit, met a few TT'ers, and took a few pictures too. I won't have them uploaded til early next week 'cause we took off for vacation today after getting home from MD. But I did get some really good pics!
I went into this with no high hopes and I came out thrilled with the experience. I was approached with possibilities of wholesale, participating in online shows, met wonderful collectors face to face while selling to new collectors. The overall experience was so positive and I'm excited about participating again.
I'm not sure if traffic overall was high, low or normal being my first time out there....but both Dean and I were "wowed". I have to say that being at a show and seeing all of the bears live and in person is like nothing you will see online. If you can get to a show....go, you will not be disappointed.
:hug:
~Chrissi
I LOVE Halloween! Hope you have a fun night with loads of candies and kiddies in cute costumes pick treats over tricks
These are our pumpkins from last year. My sis has a pumpkin carving party each year...TONS of fun! My pumpkin is all the way over to the right. My first attempt at a detailed carving where you don't go all the way through the pumpkin! Can you tell it's Linus from The Peanuts?? I love Linus! 
(I've got more halloween pics out on my blog right now )
:hug:
~Chrissi
I use a small shipping scale that I purchased about a year ago online, here's the link: http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/index … ProdID=244
:hug:
~Chrissi
Yep! These have been around for years, especially in candle shops in my area. Any and all stuffed items from bears to dogs, cats, beanies...anything they can dip. When done properly they don't really look like they're wax dipped...you shouldn't see drippy, hanging wax fur or waxy eyes at all. It almost looks like a resin knick knack with a scent. You do have to protect your furniture, the wax can damage certain finishes. When the scent goes out you hit it with a hairdryer to revive.
I don't like the idea of a bear being dipped 
(personally I wouldn't dip a bear) , but some of the stuff you can dip in scented wax is pretty cool if you like primitives....clothespins, rag balls, floral items, pinecones, any stuffed item like snowmen, etc. They make cute Primitive Christmasy items and the smooth surfaces work the best.
:hug:
~Chrissi
Oh, now really...how CUTE is that??!! Best Buddies already, too sweet
:hug:
~Chrissi
UFO...I had to search that one to see what it meant!
It's only a UFO (unfinished object ??) if you don't finish him/her! There's a point with every bear where it could look off, odd, not right or even disheartening, but you just keep going and most times the finished piece really surprises you. An unworked bear head is the worst thing to look at sometimes! Trimming, sculpting, eyes, nose, & ears (bears like ears my friend 
) will created a totally charming little bear.
The fur you pick out for each design and size will matter too. You've got a plush (very nice looking) fur on a littler bear, so the limbs might not show the definition of your design like a shorter pile will. This fur on slightly larger bear will look totally different. Don't get discouraged or disheartened. This is an art and a skill that you'll perfect with each bear you complete. But give each one a chance and complete it, that's what will really help you in the long run.
:hug:
~Chrissi
Could have filled this space 100 times already!
Aleta is gifted in the area of decor....magazine worthy all the way!
:hug:
~Chrissi
Yep, it's a scam. I've seen them too in my email. Never click on any buttons or reply features with these emails. Check your own "my ebay" account first and then forward this stuff onto spoof@ebay.com ...you'll get a spam/phishing email reply in minutes, confirming it's junk.
If you did hit reply or respond buttons...change all of your passwords ASAP. (I'm like Tami...I change my passwords every 2-3 months.)
:hug:
~Chrissi
I've been following the thread, the bears are all fantastic! (So, cake is the secret, huh Paula??? And Sultana cake! My dad makes it every Christmas from my great grandmother's recipe. Must try it before bear making )
I'm prepping for 3 shows this month, so I've just taken my photos today (nothing like the last minute! -eek-)
Here are my sneaky peeks
:hug:
~Chrissi
Wow! :redface: thank you everyone, truly :hug: Like I said it's been a little while since I've made a mini, so your feedback has really made my day!
:hug:
~Chrissi
Hickory is right up my alley with the wonderful fall theme I'm loving his fur and hug me expression..what a luv!
:hug:
~Chrissi
It's been a little bit since I've made a mini...(totally bad on my part since I started out making minis!!)...but there will be many more in the new year because I thoroughly enjoyed making these 2 little guys.
These are really quick outside shots....
They both hold "balloons" like most, if not all, of my minis do.
Dreamer holds a moon balloon. The tag on the balloon reads "the moon and back"
Romeo holds a heart balloon with a tag that reads "key to your heart", he also wears a wee little key around his neck.
They will both be available for sale at the upcoming Hunt Valley Show on 11/4.
Hope you like 'em!
:hug:
~Chrissi
The history of the magazine...the then and the now..via cover art (I'd love to see every cover myself...I love to see that stuff!), the award competitions over the years, any influential points that would be considered ground breaking or inspirational to the industry. The coverage of teddy bear shows over the years. Even the behind the scenes of the magazine itself...celebrating the magazine should probably celebrate who and how it's done. Shoot...maybe go all out and see if artists would create a piece focused on this theme so that people visiting this exhibit could physically see what fills the pages of the magazine you're celebrating.
Can't forget the history of what the magazine itself is dedicated to. The history of the teddy bear and all the details of it's journey to now. The bears and the collectibles that surround the teddy bear.
:hug:
~Chrissi
(I regret having covered Kelly Dean so early in his career, because his work now is much better.)
How 'bout a revisit? Being a newbie I missed the first one and I imagine there would be so much more to cover with. I appreciate and wholeheartedly believe in mentors, wisdom gained, growth within the art, etc...so revisiting those who have succeeded and grown within the industry over the years would be so fantastic. We all can't reach out to this person, so having an article hit those points for all of us to benefit from would be wonderful.
:hug:
~Chrissi
Ok, total newbie to this, so excuse me if I ask a totally stupid question. But is an "art doll" different from an artisan doll or a soft sculptural doll ? Meaning does calling something an "art doll" mean it's more...funky, experimental, off the wall....pushing the envelope, more than say an artisan doll by I don't know: Maggie Iacono?? Was there a branching off within the doll world?
Mabe it's our own perception of what we do and what "art" should look like (on paper) that's really the underlying current?? Personally, I'm more traditional in my tastes so I can look at a childrens' quilt from 1940 and see the "art" in it...it doesn't have to be the modern quilt of today with outrageous colors, shapes, forms, and lack of traditional pattern for me to appreciate it as art. Same goes for the bears. Give me a simple bear of the utmost design and quality and I see a timeless art....the extreme stuff just looks like somethings trying too hard (to me personally, that's my thing.....no throwing stuff at me "neither! 
) I would still appreciate the envelope pushing articles, read them to stay current/educated within the industry, but I would like to see balance in any publication... unless a publication was deemed only for "art_____" and geared towards the extreme factor (if that's what "art____" means)
I really like the collector photo idea! And the artfully arranged idea is awesome, as it applies to all styles, shapes and sizes. I think getting more collector input is key as well, only because what an artist wants from an art form can be totally different from what the collector wants.
My folks are on a business trip right now with a large group of people who have never heard of bear artists or realized the art form was out there. My mom took a huge chunk of my business cards with her, handed them out and even opened up a laptop to share my site and a few others. These people were amazed and SO impressed with it all. I think it's the way we ourselves present the art and ourselves as artists. Bear Artist can be a really cool thing to say out loud 
Sanitation engineer still has to explain his job I don't like to use "soft sculptural artist" because in it's true definition and roots it doesn't fit what I do, from an art history point. Plus when I was growing up soft sculpture was a pantyhose doll we made for fun...so in my own head that's not what I do
:hug:
~Chrissi
Edit: Paula, that's pretty much what I was trying to say! I take forever to type out and proof my posts and you summed it up perfectly for me
I may get myself in hot water here, but I really feel that unless bear artists take responsibility for making sure they keep informed about our broader industry and work hard to help promote it, that industry won't develop sufficiently to be able to nurture their progress. It's too easy for us to complain about how awful things are becoming when shows, magazines etc disappear but I really think it would be far more beneficial for us to consider what we can do both independently and collectively to help turn the tide and refocus interest in our industry.
Last night as I read this thread I was leaning towards what Paula has since said above. The idea of what we do individually matters. I can't give out any advice on how to work a magazine or what content should or shouldn't be involved...for me personally, that's like the ebayer telling Judi how to construct her bear's nose! (another current thread out here)
I can say what I appreciate about the magazine's I have subscriptions to...fantastic full color photos and articles printed on quality paper with the even blend of artist and manufactured bears. I'm not as concerned with the size of the magazine as long as the content within is relevant and quality driven. With nearly all of the bear publications we're given the opportunity to essentially advertise for free if we submit our own quality photos regularly. And paid advertising, is actually veryreasonable compared to other art publications. I've gathered the quotes and was pretty shocked (talk about sticker shock!!). I truly think that the bear mags take the smaller based artists into account in this area, where other arts magazines are catering to the manufacturers much much more. As a personal/business goal I've set aside specific bear sales for advertising costs this year. Money's always tight, but that's where personal/business related budgeting comes in. It's not always easy, but it's worth the time and planning.
In line with what can we do to increase readership and appreciation for the art, how about gift subscriptions to friends, family, etc who show an appreciation and would in turn share that appreciation with others? Christmas, birthdays, etc...why not share this art and it's industry for an entire year? Maybe take a subscription card to your doctor, dentists, or hairdressers office and suggest they add it to their magazine list for the new year. The magazines are much more family friendly than most gossip mags/rags that are out there. News stand costs are nearly double what the subscription rates are, so it's kinda sorta obvious that subscriptions are the way even the publishers would like us to go. (??) But again, I can't be sure 'cause I don't know a single thing about that industry and all it entails. But I sure do appreciate it and what it's allowed for me personally!
:hug:
~Chrissi
I second what's already been said! You're not leaving TT, you're just switching gears You'll still be you and your posts will still be yours, that can't change. Looking forward to seeing more of your lovelies and new rascals!! :hug:
:hug:
~Chrissi
Wouldn't that be so cool!!? My hub always says I have a Super Smell...does that count? :crackup: I smell stuff at least 5 minutes before anyone else does. True story, we visited relative..who lived in a very nice home in a very nice neighborhood. As soon as I got out of the car I was "complaining" about this smell..it was almost a gas smell, but not quite....it stung my nose. No one else really smelled it. That same week a meth lab was busted around the corner. (They like to hide in the "nice" areas thinking no one will suspect it) SUPER SMELL :crackup: :crackup:
The person below me has their Christmas shopping done, wrapped and ready to go!
:hug:
~Chrissi
Best of luck with your surgery Judi! Thinking of you and a quick n speedy recovery :hug:
I'd like to think the best and think that the email was from a hijacked account, but it's probably just one of "those people". The next time you want a critique on your award winning, magazine featured, cover gracing bears you just run right back out to this one and take notes (sarcasm intended....heavily)
Hope to hear from you soon and that all goes well!!
:hug: :hug:
~Chrissi
