Banner Sponsors

clare14 Oct 15, 2005

I want to make a miniature bear, asleep, lying on a Christmas bauble.   I just can't come up with a way of attaching him to the bauble.   Any ideas??

psichick78 Oct 15, 2005

That's a tough one Clare. Been thinking about it. All I can really think of is to glue the teddy down. Or you could wrap something like ribbon around the ball then sew the teddy to that. 
Sorry, best I can come up with,
Heather

clare14 Oct 15, 2005

Thanks Heather, glue's all I could come up with too     It's a tough one, I don't want it to look cheap and tacky and I fear glue will do that.  :(

Thanks for your help 

psichick78 Oct 15, 2005

Well, if you use something like crazy glue, you could use just a tiny little drop in a few places.
Something to think about if no other idea pops up.
You must show us what you come up with though!

Tammy Oct 15, 2005

What if you put wire in the arms and legs so that you could bend them to hug the bauble ????  That might hold him on, but he would still be removable.  Not sure how big the bear will be in comparison to the bauble so maybe this won't work ?????

bearlyart Oct 16, 2005

Not sure what you had in mind for your bauble, but would magnets work?  You can get really, really tiny magnets (I think Sassy Bears carries super strong mini ones).  One could go in the belly of the bear if he is lying down.  The other could either be tucked inside of what he is laying on, or glued / epoxyed to its surface.  When the bear is lying on the magnet, it should not be very visible, if at all.  I have been on a magnets kick lately, can you tell?

Hope this helps!
Kelly

Marie_ Oct 16, 2005

Clare, good luck ! and when you finish, please show us a photo !  :pray:

PS. You girls are so clever....  :hug:

Marie

matilda Oct 16, 2005

I have a wee moose on my fridge that has magnets in all four paws. He's a ripper.

jazzyrags Oct 16, 2005

Go for the magnets Matilda

Dilu Oct 16, 2005

But how will this hep her if the bauble isn't metal?

So Clare, is a bauble like a round ornamnent?  Mine are all glass, so metal wouldn't work. 

I don't know that Crazy glue would work id it is plastic.....Hot glue gun?

Magnatac is my #1 favorite gollygoodTeddy glue-  it seems to do a good job with almost everything.  Except it is hard to get out of the bottle and  it is so fast drying.....you have to prethink exactly what you want to do before you start squeezing.....however  I squeeze small bits out onto my straight pin box and use toothpicks to place it where I want it and in the morning it peals off the box so easily  so I don't think it would be very good plastic type glue.

So again, glass, plastic or metal baubles?  What are we talking here?

Judi Oct 16, 2005

Looks like some good ideas here.  Do you want the bear to be permanently attached?  Magnets sound like a really neat way to go but like Dilu said, that would only work on metal.

I'm with you Dilu on the glue .  Magnatac is great but a buggar to work with.  I  use the pionty tooth picks and work fast. It also makes spider-web-stringy-things while working with it.  Super glue gel has a longer open time...but I don't know if it is as good. 

I would reall like to hear some other opinions on types of glue.

bearlyart Oct 16, 2005

A really good 2-part epoxy will stick just about anything to just about anything, just look on the package to see if it will specifically stick to plastic / wood / glass / metal / whatever you are planning to stick it to. (By 2-part, I mean it comes in separated tubes, you squeeze out a little from both and then mix the two.)  I usually squeeze out the stuff onto a disposable plate, then mix the goo and apply it with a plastic knife.  When everything is done and set, I just throw out the plate and knife.  Let the item you just epoxyed sit overnight or for 24 hours, just to make sure it's really set.    Epoxy takes some getting used to, but I have found it to be more effective than anything else.

Just for some fun, here is a commissioned piece I just did using a fixed metal armature with epoxy in appropriate places for added stability.  There are also six very strong magnets invisible in this photo, three are epoxyed to the base of the armature at the horse's hooves and tail, and a matching three are epoxyed to the wood base.  The horse snaps on and off his base to make it easier to ship and move him, but once he is snapped on he is strong and secure enough to carry the weight of an appropriate rider. 

Have fun and good luck!
Kelly

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorOct 16, 2005

Kelly, that horse is AWESOME!!!!!  :clap:

Eileen Oct 16, 2005

I love your horse, Kelly!! Beautiful, beautiful!  :clap:

Eileen

Dilu Oct 16, 2005

Kelly, I am in awe.....not just of the awesome horse but the thinking that went into how to do the mechanics

Well Done!

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorOct 16, 2005

Ooooh, ooooh, Kelly . . . WONDERFUL horse . . . you are waaaay multi-talented, Girl!!  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

bearlyart Oct 16, 2005

Hey, I looked up the brand of the epoxy that I use in case anyone is interested.  I bought it on the glue aisle at a local hardware store.  It is Loctite brand, I use the general purpose stuff in a red and white tube, and it says it is good for wood, metal, ceramic, glass, plastic and tile.  There are also variants that are specifically for one type of material (just metal, etc., they also have one that is good under water!).  Very nice stuff, highly recommend it.  I also use just a little of this epoxy on armature used in bear legs / arms, to make sure that the ring terminal at the end of the armature wire never, ever comes loose I just dab a bit where the two meet.

Cheers,
Kelly

P.S. Thank you for the kind words about the horse, you nice people give such a boost to my self-confidence

gingerbear Oct 16, 2005

clare,

another option would be to permanently attach a "bed" or a blanket and pillow to the bauble, and little bear could fit between the covers, as a pocket of sorts.

good luck  :hug:

ginnie

clare14 Oct 16, 2005

Thank you so much for all your ideas, you're all so very kind.  :)

I think I'm going to try a few different ideas, the magnets, the glue, the bedding.... ooh I shall have fun!!

I will definitely let you all know  :thumbsup:

Thank you again    xx

Bumpkin Bears Oct 16, 2005

Hi all - firstly good luck with your idea Claire  and Kelly - your horse is apsolutely AMAZING, being a horse lover myself I am blown away by the proportions, his legs and that beautiful arching neck ooh and the detail on the bridle and saddle - you are VERY VERY talented - I could go on forever on this one  :love:... that sure is a lucky person that will get that horse - just magical.

Hugs
Catherine

gingerbear Oct 17, 2005

kelly, hello i am new here...

i just saw your very beautiful horse and wondered what type of fabric is he made of?  he's just wonderful, boy that armature must have been tricky!   i am an incurable horse lover... :love:

ginnie   

bearlyart Oct 17, 2005

Hi Ginnie!  The fabric was a black velvet (intended for mini bears, it has a nice strong grid backing).  I got it from the supplies dealer Spare Bear Parts, I forget exactly how much the yard I bought was but it was less than $20 and very nice quality.  The hooves are ultrasuede and the mane and tail are mohair.  The armature gave me fits, I must say it looked like a T-Rex before the horse went on it!  Guess it's nice to know I could come up with a dinosaur if I ever needed to.  Just can't think of a reason why I'd need to do a dinosaur  :)

And thank you for the kind words, by the way!  Horses are a nice different thing for me to work on, I rode for years as a kid and must admit I've missed it ever since I stopped.  Maybe some day...

Cheers,
Kelly

Dilu Oct 17, 2005

Oh Catherine-  is this a new avatar?  How cute it is-I don't remember it from before.

I love it!

Well done for the avatar and wonderful to Kelly for her wonderful horse...very impressive....

And we have wonderful pictures to look foreard to, right Miss Clare?!

psichick78 Oct 18, 2005

Kelly, you are amazing!! How did you ever make that horse? All that planning, and then the pattern? I wish you taught work shops in pattern design. I would take one with you for sure!!!!

As for the glue, I'll have to try some of that magnatac. I have to admit I just use crazy glue for everything, but no-one else does. So there must be a better way.

Heather

Tammy Oct 18, 2005

Kelly that horse is AMAZING !  What talent you have.   :thumbsup:

Ginnie, nice to have you join the group.  It is a great place for inspiration and hugs  :hug: