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Meet Peggy Fleming of The Pleasant Ridge Collection

Meet our August/September Artist: Peggy Fleming of The Pleasant Ridge Collection. Every other month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I learned to sew at my mother’s knee, so I actually started making bears and dolls from her scraps when I was very young. Mom was an avid seamstress and made most of our clothes. She was fond of telling the story of how when I was about 2 years old, I swiped her presser foot when she wasn’t looking and wouldn’t tell her where I had put it. When my dad came in from the field he picked me up and walked me around the house until I pointed to it. He thought I was pretty smart to know exactly what would stop my mother from sewing! As I grew up, Mom and I shared many sewing adventures – prom dresses, quilts, and my wedding dress. In the late 1980’s I entered a teddy bear in the Iowa State Fair and won a ribbon. A couple years later, I saw an artist-made miniature bear in a store and wanted it badly. My husband told me I could make one. So I did. That was over 25 years ago and started me on the road to designing bears for the collectible market. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. Most of the bears I make are miniatures in the style of early German bears. They typically have sweet faces. I make a lot of different mohair and alpaca animals and those are mostly realistic. In the last ten years, I have been doing a lot of needle-felting, mostly old-looking Father Christmas-style Santas, Santa bears, some reindeer, chicks and other animals. I like the versatility and have made pieces that are containers or Santas that carry a needle-felted basket and toys. More recently, I’ve been doing mixed media pieces. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I grew up on a farm in Southwest Iowa by the name of Pleasant Ridge Farm – hence my company name. I have lived in Des Moines, Iowa since coming here to Drake University where I earned my degree in journalism. What inspires you? The little faces of my dogs who stare at me while I work wondering why they are not in my lap are probably my most constant inspiration spanning a Peke-a-poo named Muffin, a terrier mix named Sparky and now my Westie, Rowdy. Early Steiff bears are a big influence. What inspires me the most these days is trying something new and challenging. I like to do something that hasn’t been done before. What is your favorite part of bear making? I have been collaborating on designing and making convention souvenir bears for Kansas City Jubilee with two friends, Terri Larson and Joel Hoy. Collectively, we call ourselves Once Upon a Needle and have been hosting periodic internet gallery shows on our website onceuponaneedle.com. We live in a 3-hour triangle – Des Moines, Lincoln, NE, and Lee’s Summit, MO, so it has been challenging working on this project together. We’re learning a lot about each other, ourselves, and how we each do things. Since I work full-time now, I don’t know that I would still be making very many bears unless I had this connection. How did you choose your business name? It’s where I grew up. I draw a lot of inspiration from things I did and saw growing up on Pleasant Ridge Farm. That is where I learned a lot of my skills and received a lot of encouragement from my parents. It’s The Pleasant Ridge Collection so I am not limited to bear making. I am an artist who works in a lot of different media, so I like to keep my options open. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? Well, of course, I am a collector. I try to specialize so I am not overrun by my bear collection, but then, I find I have several specialties – hedgehogs, miniature vintage Steiff, pandas, Westies, bears made by friends… I try to do some scrapbooking every now and then and genealogy. Most every year I design a tree for the Festival of Trees and Lights here in Des Moines that benefits Blank Children’s Hospital. I sit on a couple of community boards and committees concerned with social justice and environmental issues. Do you have any children and/or pets? My husband and I have three grown children, Katie, Megan and Robert. The younger two still live at home. They are all in college. I have the aforementioned Westie, Rowdy, who is my baby, an aging huge happy dog named Teddy who is some kind of German hunting dog mix, and two old gentlemen cats – Abner and Leo. My son and daughter each have a cat in the house also. We have also had hedgehogs and budgies and other critters when the kids were younger. What are you most proud of? Of course, I am proud of my kids. As far as career goes, I am proud that I was able to return to the traditional workplace after staying home with my kids for seventeen years and find my perfect job. As a teddy bear artist, I am proud of being selected to exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute, even though 9/11 and surrounding events caused the exhibit to be cancelled. I am also proud of my TOBY award and being selected as one of the premier designers for Effanbee Doll Company’s Bear Essentials Line . Where do you sell your bears? I sell my bears from my website pleasantridgecollection.com and the Once Upon a Needle website. I go to one or two shows a year and the Iowa Teddy Bear Makers’ Guild occasionally has a show like the upcoming Holiday Magic open house scheduled for November. This year I exhibited at the Teddy Bear Reunion in the Heartland in Clarion, Iowa and I will be at the Kansas City Jubilee in September. The Pleasant Ridge Collection The Pleasant Ridge Collection http://pleasantridgecollection.com The Pleasant Ridge Collection on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Terrie Kalaputas of Terries Bears

Meet our June/July Artist: Terrie Kalaputas of Terries Bears. Every other month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I started making bears and dolls for my children when they were small. When they no longer played with them, I started making artist bears. I was inspired to design my own bears because purchased patterns never turned out the way that I wanted them to and in 2004, I decided to try and sell them on the internet. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. My bears are sweet little teddies with large expressive eyes and innocent expressions that say "just love me". Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live on an acreage just out of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, which is on the outskirts of Edmonton. Here we have the best of both worlds, quiet country living, with the city only 10 minutes away! I grew up in this area, about 100 miles from where I currently live. What inspires you? Lots of different things inspire me, the innocent expressions on the faces of small children, and animals, as well as the fabric itself. Sometimes when I see a new piece of fabric the bear immediately pops into my head. I am also inspired by pictures and drawing of animals, as well as some of the fabulous creations that other artists make. What is your favorite part of bear making? I love the whole process of bear making, from the first tiny stitch to the creation of a new personality, but my favorite part of all is the feedback that I get from others, whether it is from someone who has just bought one of my bears or from someone who has been inspired by my bears to try and make one of their own. How did you choose your business name? I had a terrible time trying to choose an original and catchy business name! Everthing that I thought of was either taken or too similar to someone else's name so I finally just settled on Terries Bears. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? In the summer, I love to garden and to go camping with our friends and family. I used to do a lot hand work like sewing, crocheting, knitting, needlepoint, and cross stitch but now all I do with those skills is make the occasional bear accessory. Do you have any children and/or pets? Yes, I have 2 children in their late 20's and both of them live close by, which is wonderful. We also have one cat by the name of Oliver, who was adopted from the animal shelter 13 years ago. He was a young adult at the time and has brought our whole family so much joy. What are you most proud of? I am so proud of both of my children who have grown up to be very kind, caring, and responsible adults. I am also proud of my little bears. From the first time that I saw artist bears in a teddy bear magazine, it was a dream of mine to make my own bears and to have them recognized around the world. The internet has made this dream come true. Where do you sell your bears? My bears are sold on ebay and bearpile as well as my website. Terries Bears Terries Bears www.terriesbears.com Terries Bears on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Raewyn Todd of Woodbury Park Bears

Meet our December/January Artist: Raewyn Todd of Woodbury Park Bears. Every other month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I started making bears around 2004 after having collected for about 5 or 6 years and then started designing my own around 2007. I got a lot of encouragement from family and friends to design something of my own. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. It's difficult to describe my style because I don't think I have one particularly. I change the size and shape with nearly ever bear I make. I also like to do different techniques on them as well. I currently have a range of little ones that I have done 3 or 4 using the same pattern but different finishing on. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia about an hour & a half north of Sydney. I have lived in Australia since 198I. I was born and grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, where my family still lives. What inspires you? My inspiration can come from many things: colours, textures, fabrics, or even a prop that I make a bear to go with. My dogs inspire me with their antics and expressions, and I also get inspiration from going to doll and bear shows. What is your favorite part of bear making? Like most bear artists my favourite part of making a bear is when the personality starts to emerge when creating the face, closely followed by the finished bear. How did you choose your business name? My business name was chosen from the estate I live in called Woodbury Park, which is surrounded by native bush and national park where I can imagine bears living in very happily. Although there are only Koalas in our bush. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? I like to be doing something all the time when I'm not working on a bear. I will paint, sculpt, sew, and knit. Recently I did an airbrushing course. What ever I do I try to use that technique in my bear making. Do you have any children and/or pets? I have a daughter Samantha (13) who is the light of our lives. I was an older first time mum when she was born. After trying to have a baby for many years we were finally blessed with her. I also have 3 fur babies: 2 dogs BB and Ziggy (both 4), a beagle and a border collie X, and Chloe (the senior citizen) our cat, who is 14 and very much the boss. I love them all and they are all very spoilt. What are you most proud of? The thing I am most proud of is my family: my mum and dad who have been married for over 50 years, my sisters Debra and Diane and especially my husband Gordon who without I couldn't do my bears or I would get very hungry. Where do you sell your bears? Selling my bears is mainly through online shows at Who is Who in Bearmaking and Teddy Bears and Critters Australasia, which I belong to, Bear shows that I attend, through Fred-I-Bear in South Africa. I am going to be bringing out patterns and kits through TedeBits in Sydney in the new year, which I am excited about a new direction for my bears and of course my website and blog. I am trying online shops on Etsy and Artfire at present and am thinking I may try Ebay in the very near future. Woodbury Park Bears Woodbury Park Bears www.woodburyparkbears.com.au Woodbury Park Bears on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Catherine Young of Bumpkin Bears

Meet our October/November Artist: Catherine Young of Bumpkin Bears. This month we decided to bring you our first interview from 2 years ago. We remind you that you can always go back and read past interviews. Every other month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? On a cold Christmasy day in 2001 I visited my first Bear Fair. I had always had a love of bears growing up but little did I know what a world would be opened up to me with this simple outing! I was bought a teddy making kit as a present and then started to find out about Artist Bears and loved the idea of designing my very own bears. After lots of trial and error I started to design my own range of bears under the name of Bumpkin Bears. Since starting to design my Bumpkin Bears they have found new homes across the world as far and wide as Australia, Japan, USA and across Europe. I have been very fortunate to have my bears featured many times in Bear Collector's magazines, a selection of which you can see in the Media section on my website. I am constantly striving to design and bring alive the most endearing characterful bears that I can. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. Bumpkin Bears capture the spirit of childhood, twinkling soulful eyes of friendship and those ever important open arms for cuddles! I create bears, bunnies and even a recent skunk in both mohairs and luxurious faux furs. I aim for each bear to have his own soulful cute character that can be a friend for life. My bears range from miniatures right up to 17. They are always one of a kind. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in a rural village outside the city of Antwerp in Belgium. I am British (and Scottish and Irish!) and have lived in England all my life until five years ago when I moved to Belgium with my Belgian fiancé along with my two cats. What inspires you? I have a vivid imagination and am inspired by so much around me especially nature and the appealing faces of animals. I love old children's classics like Winnie The Pooh, Black Beauty and Beatrix Potter books. Although I generally make larger bears I have recently been inspired to make a series of nursery rhyme miniature bears which have been very well received and have been a fun challenge. There is something very special about the companionship a bear provides and I like to bring to life bears full of soul and character that can be loved forever. I also make bears on commission and these are even more special when they are in memory of loved ones. What is your favorite part of bear making? I love the moment when I create the face of the bear and see the character appearing, I never cease to get a buzz from this. How did you choose your business name? Bumpkin bears come from my childhood where idyllic days were spent out of doors at my Granny's home in the heart of the English countryside. My Granny nicknamed me a Country Bumpkin and this still holds true today with my love of the outdoors, hence the name of my Bumpkin Bears! Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? I love gardening and am trying to fit in time amongst bear making for a postal course on garden design. I often put photos of my garden and trips on my blog which you can find via my website. I studied art and design and photography at university so I love anything creative including drawing so my hands are always busy. Do you have any pets? I've got two tabby cats and I used to have my own horse in England. What are you most proud of? I always get a wonderful sense of pride when I hear how much my bears are loved by their new parents. I was also thrilled to be a nominee in the Teddy Bear Scene magazine Reader's Choice Awards last year with a bear called Dougal. This was the first competition I had entered my bears into. Where do you sell your bears? I show all my bears on my website and have a mailing list. Everytime I bring a new bear to life I send out an email, a lot of my bears are sold immediately to customers around the world this way. I also list my bears on the Bear Pile website and occasionally Ebay. If anyone wants to join my mailing list they can send me an email. Note: Catherine also sells her bears on Etsy. Note: Catherine now makes beautiful prints and notecards. Bumpkin Bears Bumpkin Bears www.bumpkinbears.com catherine@bumpkinbears.com Bumpkin Bears on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Carol Miller of The Teddy Bear Maker

Meet our August/September Artist: Carol Miller of The Teddy Bear Maker. Every other month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I started making bears in 1996 when I took a class being taught by Steve Schutt. After that first bear I was hooked and I continued to make other peoples patterns until 1998 when I took a design class from Steve because I wanted to create my own patterns from my vision and my own drawings. I knew I was getting it when my finished bears looked like my drawings. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. My bears have been described as "bears that speak to your heart" and many times when people pick them up they say they look like they might talk so I kept the tag line for my cards and hang tags. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in West Palm Beach Florida and was born and raised in Miami Florida. Yes, I am a native. What inspires you? Many things inspire me. Sometimes it is a piece of fabric, an antique lace collar, an old toy, a movie, and my dreams where I see bears that I want to make. Making bears is one of the best things I have ever done and has been a life changing experience for me. What is your favorite part of bear making? My Favorite part of bear making is when I don't have a deadline and can take my time. I enjoy the entire process especially looking at the finished bear for a while but until I choose a name and accessories it is not truly finished. They start to take on personality when the face is complete and sometimes I know their name at that point. I usually tilt their heads to one side and I think that is what makes them look as if they might speak sort of like puppies when they look at you with their heads tilted. I also love finding unusual fabrics to work with such as tapestry. How did you choose your business name? I agonized over a name for quite awhile and it came to me after watching an old Jane Fonda movie called "The Doll Maker" that I would just be "The Teddy Bear Maker"it was generic enough and keeps the focus on the bears and what I do instead of who I am each bear has a little bit of me anyway. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? Quilting is my other big hobby. I also Paint and draw but mostly bear or quilt patterns lately. I would love to write some teddy bear books and illustrate them myself one day. I hand applique tea towels and pillows with bears on them and sell them along with my bears and teddy bear size quilts. I also make Memory bears from clothing of someones loved one for keepsakes. Do you have any children and/or pets? I have a grown son who thinks I am a bit eccentric because of all my bears that live with me but he is happy that I am happy. I think his biggest fear is that my new granddaughter will like bears as much as grandma bear. What are you most proud of? I take pride in my work and am grateful god gave me the ability to create beautiful things including my bears. I try not to be too prideful though because I hear my grandmother in my head saying pride goeth before a fall. Where do you sell your bears? I sell my bears mostly word of mouth, work, shows and an Annual Teddy Bear Tea with my best bear making friends. I hope to do more shows in the future and eventually a web site. The Teddy Bear Maker The Teddy Bear Maker on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Jane Woodard of Heir Bears

Meet our June/July Artist: Jane Woodard of Heir Bears. Every other month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I took my first bear making class in 1997. It was intended to be just a diversion because I was working about 80 hours/week at the time and didn’t really have much time to devote to anything else. After making a handful of bears, I realized I missed having something creative to do and started spending more time making bears. In 1999 a friend convinced me to do my first show (a horrifying experience!). After surviving that initial experience, I continued to do all the shows I could find in Florida. That made me realize I needed to be designing my own patterns if I was to continue selling bears at shows. I had an opportunity to take a design class from Jennifer Laing who was really an inspiration. Since then I have taken several of her bear making classes and have learned a lot about different designs and techniques. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. My style would probably be described as classic. Because I use recycled fur coats for my bears, most of my focus is on the fur and the best way to use it to create a particular look. I want my bears to look natural and to show off the naturally beautiful colors and shadings in the various furs I use. I also use vintage or antique accessories with my bears so the classic styles look best with these antiques. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, which is in the southeast part of the state on the Atlantic Ocean. Originally I am from a small town in northern Ohio but spent many years living in Columbus, Ohio before moving to Florida. I am a “Buckeye” at heart. What inspires you? Most of my inspiration comes when I see a beautiful fur coat hanging in a thrift shop or at an auction. No one wears these coats any more and it would be such a waste to see them destroyed or end up in a landfill. I can immediately see these coats transformed into beautiful bears. Other inspirations come when I go to antique shows and find fun accessories to use with a bear. Then I design a bear to go with the accessories I find. What is your favorite part of bear making? The best part is when I attach the head and joint the arms and legs. To me, that’s when the pieces first start to look like a bear. I don’t complete the face until everything else is finished but as soon as the head is attached, I put in the fake eyes (the ones used when you’re experimenting with placement) and the template for the nose. That’s when I start talking to him or her and can’t wait to finish. How did you choose your business name? When I first started making bears, I thought I was only going to make a few bears a year for people who had their mother’s or grandmother’s fur coat and wanted an heirloom for the memories. So it seemed the perfect business name would be “Heir Bears.” Little did I know I was going to be hooked on this venture and end up making over 100 bears every year! Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? Just about all of my free time is spent making bears or doing other things associated with the bears … booking shows and travel, updating the website, advertising, shopping for antiques, working on new designs, etc. I also still work part-time so my days are pretty full. And I enjoy everything I’m doing so maybe my life is one big hobby! Do you have any children and/or pets? I have a grown son who lives in Gainesville, FL. My pets include an inside cat (“Kitty”), an outside cat who has no name but apparently has adopted me, and the occasional duck and her family of ducklings who love to visit my patio. What are you most proud of? On a personal level I’m most proud of my son and how we both survived single parenthood! On a professional level, I think I’m most proud of being able to overcome my shyness and insecurity enough to actually enjoy and look forward to doing shows and meeting all the other artists and attendees. It was very difficult at first to put my work on display for people to scrutinize. But now I really look forward to seeing and talking to everyone. It’s so rewarding to interact with a customer face-to-face. And nothing takes the place of seeing bears in person and being able to pick them up and touch them to see if you’re going to “bond” with the bear. Where do you sell your bears? The number of teddy bear shows have certainly decreased in the past few years but I still do as many as I can, including San Diego twice a year, Tampa, IDEX-Orlando, TBAI and a couple of local high-end arts & crafts shows. Before Disney canceled the Teddy Bear & Doll Weekend, I exhibited there for the last six years. For the last three years, I have co-hosted a teddy bear tea & luncheon at a Victorian teahouse in south Florida where we offer our bears for sale. I’m looking forward to exhibiting for the second time at the Reunion in the Heartland in Clarion, Iowa in 2010. Occasionally I offer something for sale on eBay. My bears are also advertised in the two U.S. teddy bear magazines. This past year I was fortunate enough to have two feature articles written about my bears, one appearing in Teddy Bear & Friends in September, 2008, and the other in Teddy Bear Review in April, 2009, where one of my bears was also featured on the cover. I have a website that I try to keep updated on a regular basis, www.heirbears.com. A few teddy bear shops also have some of my one-of-a-kind bears available for purchase. And if you’re in the Palm Beach Gardens area, I always welcome teddy bear lovers to see what I have in inventory in my home. Heir Bears Heir Bears www.heirbears.com Heir Bears on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet A.A. Cullum, Author of Rugly Puffs: The Bear Detective

Meet our April/May Author: A.A. Cullum, Author of Rugly Puffs: The Bear Detective. Every other month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start writing Rugly Puffs: The Bear Detective and what inspired you to write this series? I started writing the Rugly Puffs books in 2004, but having a full time job as a geologist in Norway, it has been a painfully slow process to get the first book completed and published. I really struggled with reading when I was small and was eight before I finally managed to read my first book alone. The books I was given when working hard with my reading were really dull. This inspired me to write a super exciting book, that could inspire children struggling with their reading like I did. Whether this is kids struggling with English as their first language or those learning English as an additional language, I think that books need to be as exciting as possible and written like films, creating images and stories that capture and thrill their readers. Describe the background and basic ideas behind the series. Rugly Puffs is an active bear, both indoors and out. His adventures have taken their toll though, leaving his fur dirty and smelly. Even Rugly’s owner Ziggy has noticed the pong and banished him from the bed. Parrot says the smell is stuffing fungus and that this will explode through Rugly’s fur at any moment if left untreated, but can everything Parrot says be trusted? Before Rugly can figure out what to do, burglars pay a visit to the house and steal the television, the computer and Parrot. All the toys are in shock at this terrible loss, but it gives Rugly the chance he’s been waiting for. It’s a case for the Bear Detective. This is the first book of a series in which Rugly gets rejected by his owner Ziggy, who is getting to the age where teddy bears are no longer cool. This forces Rugly to face his worst fears and forge a new life for himself. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in Norway with my wife and small daughters. I grew up in Norfolk UK, then spent far too long at Aberystwyth University in Wales which was such fun I didn’t want to leave. I moved to Norway in 1997 and when the winter snows first arrived it was like a dream come true, more white stuff that I knew what to do with and it stayed for the next four months! What inspires you? I am extremely nosey and can’t help but listen to other people conversations wherever I am. I like to re-construct peoples circumstances in the craziest way possible, spinning what they say into exciting scenarios of peril and intrigue. This is what has inspired me to write many of the unfinished and incomplete books and scripts which lie strewn along the way. Once I get a story into my head it just tickles away at me until I write it down. What is your favourite part about writing bear stories? The Rugly Puffs adventures are set just outside the world that we all know. This gives the freedom to write exciting adventures for Rugly Puffs in which the normal dull rules that govern our over cautious lives don’t exist. Where did the name Rugly Puffs come from? My wife loves to do knitting and crochet during the winter, she often sits cosily by the fire with a rug over her knees doing this in the evenings. This rug has always been known as “Rugly” and when I was searching for a good name for a new bear adventure I was working on the name just jumped into place. Do you have any other hobbies besides writing? I love wood turning and spend as much time as possible making plates, bowls and puzzles which nearly always end up being given away as presents. Fossils are another fascination which I have pursued since childhood. My father always told me to find something I like doing and then get someone to pay me to do it, as a professional geologist I guess I have achieved this. I’m about to set off to the Isle of Wight on a dinosaur excavation next month and just can’t wait! Do you have any children and/or pets? My wife and I have two little daughters, Ella and Ida who are extremely fun and love teddy bears even more than I do. What are you most proud of? It has taken me years to complete something which is worthy of publication and feel that the Rugly Puffs series reflects me and my personality in a really great way. Getting this published has been a huge challenge and as a result I’m extremely proud of it. Where do you sell your books? Rugly Puffs: The Bear Detective is book one of the series with two more due out during the year. The first book is appearing in bookshops throughout Europe just now. It is however, to be found on almost all on-line book sellers worldwide, so pick one that’s closest to you to reduce the postage charges. As a general guide it is priced at £4.99 / $7.99 from Amazon. Rugly has his own website: www.ruglypuffs.com and e-mail rugly.puffs@gmail.com. He can be found on several of the social networking sites such as Twitter.com, FaceBook and has a group in LinkedIn. Rugly has asked me to run some competitions through these sites later in the year and we are keeping a running account of his ongoing adventures and treasure hunts as they happen. Rugly writes back to all who contact him so he’d love to hear from you. Rugly Puffs: The Bear Detective by A.A. Cullum Rugly Puffs www.ruglypuffs.com Children’s Fiction 6+ Paperback: 80 pages Publisher: YouWriteOn (December 8, 2008) www.youwriteon.com Distributed internationally by Gardners and Nielsen 01323 521777 Gail.Harbour@gardners.com Language: English ISBN-10: 1849232482 ISBN-13: 978-1849232487

Meet Sandi Smith of Bearly Sane

Meet our February/March Artist: Sandi Smith of Bearly Sane. Every other month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I began making and designing my own bears in 1996 after attending a bear show. The first bear I made was from a kit that I purchased at the show, then I progressed to patterns from Australian Bear Creations. It was only a matter of a few months before I began designing my own. I guess I was pretty lucky that I had had experience in pattern drafting and a background as graphic designer and illustrator to draw on. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. To be honest I don't really think I have a particular style. My bears are probably a bit like me in some ways, a little wierd and a lot crazy, I tend to just let myself go when designing and just do what comes naturally. In the early days I would make an illustration of what I would like to make, sit down with my pencil and ruler and carefully measure everything, often making up a pattern in calico first. However, these days I find myself just doodling straight on the plastic template and when it looks right to me, I cut it out. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in a south eastern suburb of Melbourne, Australia, in the same home we raised our kids in. When my husband and I bought this house I swore I would never move again. I was born in England and had done so much travelling as a child, I hated changing schools and constantly saying good-by to newly made friends, so I didn't want to put my own kids through that. What inspires you? My inspiration comes from many things, sometimes it can be a piece of fabric I see in a quilting shop or a child's story book, the expression on my dog's face, an old black and white movie or a pair of kids shoes. My husband tells me I have the most active imagination of anyone he knows...my teachers told me to stop daydreaming in class, so it's never been hard for me to be creative. What is your favorite part of bear making? That's a toss up between actually designing the bear and the hand sewing, as I find the designing stimulating and the sewing relaxing. I'm not all that keen on the stuffing, although I do tend to spend a long time stuffing my bears quite firm. I also really enjoy needle felting and finishing the face. Come to think of it, there's not much I don't enjoy about bear artistry. How did you choose your business name? My husband is to blame for that...he always says I am just hanging on to my sanity by a thread! Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? Not hobbies as such. I do enjoy doing the occasional jig saw puzzle and listening to music. I used to spend a lot of time drawing and painting, but I haven't done any for a long time, I guess I am just too busy with my bears and the websites these days and when I do have time out I usually just enjoy spending time with my husband. Do you have any children and/or pets? I have three grown children, a boy and two wonderful girls, four grand kids, two girls and two boys and my wonderful fluffy companion Woody, who sleeps all day. What are you most proud of? At this point in time, I would say, all the work I put in to promoting my fellow artists. Teddy Bears and Critters Australasia has come a long way since it's inception in April 2008. I have built a website, organised a great online show in September 2008 with artists from Australia and New Zealand, sponsored a Cambodian sun bear, planned a second online show for February 2009, this time including artists from all around the world and a fund raiser for Free the Bears Inc., introduced The Australasian Creative Design Awards and have a third show in the planning stages for June. It can be very rewarding when you help other people and I receive a lot of pleasure from seeing others succeed knowing I have helped along the way. Where do you sell your bears? My bears are available from my website, the online shows, the Woodend Teddy Bear Show and when I can manage it, I really like support Nancy on Bid4Bears. Bearly Sane Bearly Sane www.bearlysaneteddies.com Bearly Sane Blog www.bearlysaneteddies.com/apps/blog/ Bearly Sane on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Melanie Jayne of Bear Treasures

Meet our December/January Artist: Melanie Jayne of Bear Treasures. Every other month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I have been making bear since 2005. I have always considered myself as an artist. In one form or another I have always had a strong passion towards art and all things creative. From a young child my aunty taught me how to draw and my mum and nana taught me how to sew. It was inevitable that I was to attended art college and later continued as a freelance artist. Nevertheless when our eldest son Patrick was born I decided that I needed a professional career and studied a degree in law with the intention to eventually qualify and work as a solicitor. During my studies my mum died at the age of 52 from breast cancer, this was an extremely difficult time for all of us, but some months later her death made me re-evaluate my life, our family life and our family future once more. We made some difficult life changing decisions and I came to the conclusion to devote my time to Patrick and our family by becoming a full-time mum, I simply didn't want to look back in years to come and regret the time I had missed with our son. A full-time mum and housewife? In many respects this is an enormously funny notion. I instantly knew house work, the school run, homework and other activities would not fulfill me and instantaneously turned back to the only other thing I had ever thoroughly enjoyed and loved art and design. Primarily I started to paint and design for children¢s nursery themes, during which time while experimenting with a teddy bear theme I inevitably found bear making. I had planned to make a bear from a purchased pattern and sell the bear with the teddy bear nursery theme. After reading a magazine article I was unsure whether this was possible due to copyright and other artist infringements, so I simply decided to design my own bear. From that very first bear I was spontaneously captivated and enthused by teddy bears, needless to say I never completed the teddy bear nursery theme or any other nursery theme and bear making was soon to inadvertently become my full-time occupation! I suppose since the birth of Patrick and the death of my mother the last few years have sent me on journey both personally and emotionally. This has been a massive circle bringing me back to art and providing me with fulfillment in family life and in the joy of bear artistry, something which I would never change or regret. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in Wigan, Lancashire England and I have always lived here. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. What inspires you? Teddy bear artistry is my full time occupation and it does fit perfectly with and around family commitments, however from time to time it has taken over. From the onset I have designed my own patterns, as I am also self taught one bear design has lead to the next, so last three years have been an exciting rollercoaster and an unpredictable journey. This unpredictability became clear with the arrival of our second son Oliver in 2007 and nothing could have prepared me for the life changing impact that the birth of our second son would have on the whole of my bear making and teddy bear designs in general! My background as a contemporary mixed media artist inspired and reflected in my earlier teddy bears designs which may have been considered as pushing the boundaries of traditional bears and where quirky in nature with long neck, large noses and often big feet. As a teddy bear artist, designer and being self taught it is almost expected as I found new inspirations from my original works and experimented with new techniques and features that my bears would evolve with time and progress, plus I have never wanted to stand still. From the onset believed that I would always want to move forward with my teddy bear artistry. Nevertheless I did not expect with the surprise news of our second child the greatest of all inspiration would come from my expectancy and arrival of Oliver in August 2007. The result of which is visibly and distinctly new in my present teddy bear designs of today The impact of a new baby has been extremely strange and exceedingly unpredictable on my teddy bear artistry. My current work has a much younger almost sweeter appeal in their facial characteristics and proportions with the main inspiration sourced from motherhood and everything related to a new baby! The new bears are achieved by first and foremost design then extensive needle, scissor sculpting and other techniques, including delicate hand shading and mohair¢s that I have occasionally hand dyed. I do prefer to work with mohair¢s and alpacas and on the rare occasion I may use good quality faux fur, but they are proving difficult to find. The designs and techniques I used collectively allow me to make individual bear personalities. In recent times there has been much debate as to what constitutes one of a kind so now a days especially with my new designs I use the term ooak very loosely and prefer to describe my bears as individual personalities, this provides me with the creative freedom to work with the same design in different mohair¢s, using different technique styles or with slightly different design features than the last, but I would still never identically duplicate a bear What is your favorite part of bear/animal making? My favourite part of bear making has to be seeing a bear come to life through design and than crafting the bear, but above all I love doing the bears faces this is where the true character of a bear personality comes through. How did you choose your business name? As I was originally going to set up in business as an interior designer for children's nurseries I had already named my business Little Treasures or at least played around with that idea, so when I accidentally found bear making I simply changed the name to Bear Treasures. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? I am afraid to say that apart from my bear business I no longer have time for any other hobbies; however, just recently have started to miss painting something I would love to do freelance again, but I know how much fine art takes over my life and my heart and passion is with the bears, but maybe in the future my collectors may get the opportunity to see some of my work. Where do you sell your bears? I sell my bear through my website. I have just opened an Etsy shop where I hope to make and possibly sell bears I have made and designed exclusively in my store, but I still need to figure my way round Etsy. Bear Treasures Bear Treasures www.beartreasures.com Bear Treasures Blog http://beartreasures.blogspot.com Bear Treasures on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5648114

Meet Shelli Heinemann of Potbelly Bears

Meet our October/November Artist: Shelli Heinemann of Potbelly Bears. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I made my first bear in 2003, and sold my first bear in 2004. When I started, I purchased bearmaking books from a local used book store, and utilized the patterns they contained to make my first bears. From those patterns, I gained an understanding of basic construction and proportion and assembly and jointing. I quickly developed a real hunger to create my own original patterns, though, and to find my unique "voice" in bearmaking, which drove me to give pattern design a shot for the first time in my life. After one or two failed attempts, I had a successful outcome. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. I like my bears to be "teddy-like" and huggable; they're neither particularly realistic, nor especially cartoon-y. Last year I took a one-year sabbatical from bearmaking, during which I dabbled in 2D artforms -- and even authored a book! Now, totally reinvigorated and refreshed, I'm returning to the studio table with some new ideas. I'll still focus on the wide-eyed, winsome, detailed faces that I so love making, and that my collectors seem to really enjoy. But I also want to focus more on the "whole bear;" on creating pieces with attention to detail across every aspect -- like trapunto pawpads, for example. I'm really wanting to see each piece I make as more an art object you can hug at this point in my career, than a "stuffed animal" that happens to be a bear. It's a psychological shift and it might sound small and subtle from an outside perspective, but inside my head, it's really an entirely new approach. I SEE what I'm doing, what I want to be making, differently now. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in Chico, in Northern California, which is about four hours north of my original hometown of Mountain View. Mountain View is now better know as the home of Google! What inspires you? What doesn't inspire me? :) I'm particularly inspired by the wondrous, the beautiful, and the magical -- whatever that may be. What is your favorite part of bear/animal making? Oh, absolutely, the construction and finishing of the face. That's where each little furry soul gets born. How did you choose your business name? Hmm... That's kinda a long and probably boring story! The short version is that I originally wanted to be "ShelliBelli Bears," but my excellent friend and touchstone, Andrea, talked me out of it. She's a branding expert, marketing consultant, and graphic designer, and she gave me lots of smart reasons why that name wasn't ideal, such as: people would likely misspell "ShelliBelli" in a web search because both parts of that compound word are unusually spelled, and that might cost me website or eBay hits. I was convinced! So I morphed into POTBELLY BEARS which has more to do with the product I actually sell (another point Andrea made) and wasn't being used elsewhere, that I could find. It's proved an excellent choice, and when I branched out into other artforms, it was very easy to broaden that to include POTBELLY ARTS. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? The one that I find particularly consuming and enthralling is Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs. I'm a member at several mail art sites and a frequent participant in swaps. It's so great for my creativity to stretch this way, and the artists I trade with are spectacular, so I'm growing a lovely card collection along the way. Do you have any children and/or pets? I have a husband, two sons and two stepsons, and we are an absolute menagerie of rescued animals, with two dogs and four cats. Between that, and the mohair, I live a hairy life. I know that sounds totally weird, but it's true. What are you most proud of? Oh, gosh... I'm sooooo proud of my sons. That's an easy answer! They're incredible people, so accomplished and funny and cool. I could go on and on; I've basically been an at-home mom for 15 years now who's supplemented that life, when I could, with bearmaking and other pursuits. But if you mean "professionally" or "creatively" I'd have to say I'm really proud of the bearmaking tutorials I've shared, because it feels so good to teach and share; I'm proud to have been asked to co-found the awesome teddy forum, Teddy-Talk.com, and to have been a moderator for years during its early growth and development. I'm also incredibly proud of the book I recently authored and edited, which was a labor of love and turned out really nicely. It's called COLOR: A COLLABORATIVE PERSPECTIVE and it's a collection of wonderful original art of all kinds made by friends of mine in the ATC world. You can view a preview -- or buy it! -- at LuLu.com. Where do you sell your bears? I'm formerly almost exclusively an eBay girl, but I've been giving a lot of serious thought to selling only and directly from my website from here on out. That one's to be decided. Once I make up my mind the options will be obvious; just visit my website. :) Potbelly Bears Potbelly Bears www.potbellybears.com Potbelly Bears Blog http://www.potbellyarts.typepad.com/ Potbelly Bears on Teddy-Bears.org Potbelly Bears on Etsy www.potbellyarts.etsy.com Ebay Seller Name: potbellybears

Meet Paula Carter of All Bear

Meet our August/September Artist: Paula Carter of All Bear. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? My interest in bear art evolved from a passion for vintage English teddy bears, particularly the Chiltern Hugmee. Back in the early 90's, I came across Pauline Cockrill's 'The Ultimate Teddy Bear' book and after reading the listings at the back of the book, I began to realise there was a whole world of teddy bears to find out about! Shortly after that, I visited my very first bear show in London and was blown away by the amazing array of teddy bears being offered for sale and needless to say, it wasn't long after that I was tempted into having a go myself! Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. I have a reputation for making big bears. My preference is to use traditional bear crafting skills to create classic teddy bears, with a subtle nod to contemporary design. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I have lived in the County of Kent in the United Kingdom for most of the past thirty five years, but originally I hail from Hampshire, near the sea! What inspires you? I look for inspiration absolutely everywhere. Nature, colour, literature, music, humour ... you name it, I try to take inspiration from it! What is your favorite part of bear making? Like many other bear artists, I take particular pleasure in creating the bear's head and seeing his personality evolve. I also relish the business of bears, running a sole tradership means being a 'Jack of all Trades' and I find it extremely satisfying to know that I am responsible not only for creating my product from raw materials, but also for marketing it and ensuring my business makes a profit! How did you choose your business name? I wanted a name which encompassed both my style of bear making and my commitment towards continuing our proud British bear crafting heritage, I wanted something to sum it all up ... hence, 'All Bear'. Simple but effective! Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? One of my favourite pastimes is to take a walk in the fresh air and go exploring, I really enjoy doing that. I also love to read, knit, garden and listen to music. Do you have any pets and/or children? At 23 and 25, I don't think my two offspring can be classed as children any more! I have a son and a daughter, both of whom live with me and our three cats. What are you most proud of? Aside from my children, I think I would say I am most proud of keeping my teddy bear business going through good times and bad! I have been self-employed for a fair number of years and that has taken commitment, determination, inspiration (and plenty of perspiration!) and sheer hard work. I have had to learn many skills (alongside developing my bear making abilties) to keep my little bear business ticking over and I am proud of what I have achieved in terms of both business and reputation. A particular highlight for me this year has been to receive my first 'TOBY Industry's Choice Award'. Where do you sell your bears? My bears are available primarily through my website and from the two major London shows I attend, one in February and the other in September. From time to time I am invited to create special shop exclusive bears for the odd shop here and there, but mainly I run a web-based business from www.allbear.co.uk selling direct to collectors. All Bear All Bear www.allbear.co.uk All Bear Blog http://allbear.blogspot.com All Bear on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Jane Lynne Martin of Doodlebears

Meet our June Artist: Jane Lynne Martin of Doodlebears. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I started making bears in 1999 after going into my local library and buying two teddy bear magazines. When I looked through the magazines I found each one had a free teddy bear pattern inside and, feeling inspired, I set about making the bears. I was so pleased with myself at the time, but looking back now I can see just how poor they really were - I still have them today to remind me of how much my skills have improved. After making several more bears I felt brave enough to attempt my own design, trying to create the bears my imagination had dreamt up. It's been a huge learning curve, but I enjoy it so much that I haven't stopped since! Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. There are so many different styles of bears, and over the years I have tried my hand at most of them, from the wild and wacky, to the elegantly poised traditional, from the small (3 ½ inch) to the big and cuddly (27 inch). More recently however, I returned to my first love – the traditional bear, tending to favour a bear sized around 14 inches. Over the past few years I have started to incorporate needle-felting into my bear-making, and as I have grown more confident in it, I decided to start making primates, particularly chimps and orangutans. Needle-felting allows me to sculpt the features in a way that reflects the primate's expressive faces, and I have had great success with them so far, winning the Reader's Choice Award, furry friend category, in both 2006 and 2007, as well as the Editor's Choice Award in 2007. I am currently nominated for a Golden Teddy Award with my orangutan, Jambi. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I currently live in Buckinghamshire in the UK, although I lived in the Greater London area for some years. Where I live now is roughly twenty five miles from my place of birth. What inspires you? I get a lot of my inspiration from the wonderful expressions on the faces of my two beautiful dogs. I also love primates and so in the last few years I have made quite a few chimpanzees and orangutans. I visit Monkey World in Dorset, UK as often as possible: Monkey World is an amazing sanctuary for rescued primates from all over the world and a cause I wholeheartedly support. Every visit fills me with inspiration: I thoroughly enjoy watching the animals, photographing them and making numerous sketches, and using the experience to plan my next creation. What is your favorite part of bear making? I think many bear artists would agree that the most exciting part of bear-making is the moment when you can finally look into the completed face of whatever little chap you've just finished making. Seeing the expression always comes as a bit of a surprise – I'm never entirely sure who will be looking back at me, and I always find myself saying hello. Luckily my wonderful family are used to me and my eccentric ways! How did you choose your business name? The name Doodlebears came from two sources. Firstly, I had nicknamed my youngest son Doodles several years ago, and secondly, my bears (and primates) tend to start their live as a doodled drawing. It just seemed right that they should be called Doodlebears! Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? I've always been a 'crafty' sort of person – I like to try my hand at anything creative and over the years have tried many things, from knitting to pottery. As a child I loved drawing and painting, and sold my first painting when I was twelve years old. My grandmother taught me to knit when I was three years old, and it's a skill I treasure – I've been able to knit clothing not only for myself and my family, but now my bears. I love to work on my computer, and especially love graphic design. I spend many hours each week designing greeting cards, many of which I post to my friends on an online teddy-bear forum. I Love Teddies Note: Jane is the Celebration Ambassador on Teddy Talk (www.teddy-talk.com). Do you have any pets and/or children? I have five children, three boys and two girls. They're all adults now, but the youngest three are still living at home with me and my husband. I also have two gorgeous Cavalier King Charles spaniels, who I absolutely adore. What are you most proud of? Within the bear-world I am most proud of the awards I have won. I was shocked to receive a nomination for the Reader's Choice Award in 2002 after making bears for such a short period of time, but my proudest moments have to be winning the Reader's Choice Award in both 2006 and 2007 (in the furry friends category) and winning the Editor's Choice Award, also in 2007. I have recently been nominated for a Golden Teddy with my orangutan, Jambi, the results of which have yet to be announced. Where do you sell your bears? I sell through various outlets – my website, bear fairs and eBay. My favourite of these are the bear fairs, where I have the opportunity to meet fellow bear-lovers and indulge in talk of my favourite subject. It really does feel like a privilege to be able to spend a day surrounded by such creative people and such wonderful creations. Doodlebears Doodlebears www.doodlebears.co.uk Doodlebears on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Sue Ann Holcomb of Past Time Bears

Meet our April/May Artist: Sue Ann Holcomb of Past Time Bears. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I began making bears in 1997 because of a need for comfort during a particularly dark and stressful time in my life. I never had teddies or any other stuffed animals when I was growing up, so didn’t realize their therapeutic value until I made that fortunate discovery by way of a department store bear. After trying my hand at making bears using commercial patterns, I decided it would be even more fun and meaningful if I could design them myself. Also, I had found out that there were actually two bear shows almost right in my backyard - well, 25 miles away in Dallas. With that knowledge, I got serious about creating my own patterns. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. My bears are fairly traditional with humps on their backs, waxed noses, and, usually, long arms. One characteristic that is not historically correct, however, is that they all have bangs . . . even the more realistic all-fours designs come with bangs. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I was born in Abilene, located on the central west plains of Texas, aka, “Big Country“. I grew up and went to school in nearby Anson - not quite a desert region, but most of our sparse vegetation was scrubby mesquite trees. When I married, my husband Paul was in the Air Force, so we spent several years living in different parts of the US. When he was discharged, we came back to Texas and settled in the Dallas area. Both of us spent our childhoods amid dust storms and tumbleweeds, so when we chose our permanent home, it was on a heavily wooded acre in a rural community called Double Oak. Even though we are only about 20 minutes from a metropolitan airport, there is a peaceful, serene, and quiet ambience to the area. I love nature and couldn’t ask for better working conditions. My sewing machine sits in front of a huge window that looks out on our back woods. I do get distracted from time to time by what goes on outside that window, however, as we have a variety of birds and animals that provide constant entertainment. What inspires you? You know, I don’t really have a clue as to where the ideas come from. I do know that lots of nights when I should be asleep, my mind is pretty busy designing the next creation. It’s possible that a particular look on one of my pets’ faces or the characteristics of my wooded environment somehow creep into my subconscious and decide to come alive at bedtime. Whatever the source, I hope the ideas keep coming. What is your favorite part of bear making? Oh, by far the most exciting part of making bears is seeing the expression on that face come alive. I always finish the head first so that the bear can watch the rest of him/her self being created. How did you choose your business name? I wanted a name that suggested something old and treasured since I had decided to pattern my designs after the very early bears. I played around with using words like vintage, heirloom, antique, traditional, and heritage, but couldn’t come up with anything I liked. I finally decided on “past time” because bear making had become my past time after retiring from my career, and it was a reference to an older era of time. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? Oh yes . . . way too many! There’s just not enough time in my day to be able to participate actively in all my other interests which include photography, playing the piano, altered art, painting, gardening - and on and on. Do you have any pets and/or children? All of the above. I have two grown daughters who are extremely smart and talented (nope, I’m NOT biased) and six four-legged kids (not so smart and talented). Four cats, two dogs. What are you most proud of? I have been honored through the years with several Golden Teddy nominations, winning one Golden Teddy Award, several TOBY Industry’s Choice Awards, a commission from The Franklin Mint for “Holly the Holiday Bear“, and have been selected as the designer for the Theodore Society’s 2005 Membership bear. Also, my bear “Dallas” was chosen as the grand prize winner of Steiff’s 2004 design contest. I am very grateful to the teddy bear industry and collectors for their confidence in my skills as a bear artist. Where do you sell your bears? Most of my sales come from teddy bear shows, although I’m taking a break this year from participating in them to take care of some important personal matters. I also sell from my website (www.pasttimebears.com) and a retail store, The Toy Shoppe, has carried some of my creations. Thank you to “Teddy-Bears.org” for giving me the opportunity to share some of my life as a bear artist - it’s been a pleasure. Past Time Bears Past Time Bears www.pasttimebears.com Past Time Bears on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Judi Paul of Luxembears

Meet our March Artist: Judi Paul of Luxembears. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? At a very young age I had a passion for art. I started to draw and paint. My favorite subject were animals of every kind…especially lions, tigers, bears and dolphins. At around age 7 I learned to knit and sew my own animals…many of them my own designs. I made my very first jointed fur bear in Jan of 1999. It was about 6 inches tall and I sold it for $35.00. I learned about bear making by buying a mohair bear kit. Soon after that I decide that I would like to design my own bears as I wanted to be original and had some ideas to try out. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. The best way to describe my work, I think, is “whimsically realistic”. But this does not apply to all my designs. I love very expressive faces. I want my bear to “speak” to the public through their faces and body language. I love details…lots and lots of details. I like multi-dimensional eyes, sculpted noses, claws, armature, paw details, double jointed necks, and airbrushed accents. Some have open mouths, teeth and tongues. I especially love to do very firm needle-felted muzzles and paw details. I also love big cats. I have made lions, tigers, a white tiger, and snow leopard. I plan on making many more of these in various designs and body positions. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I have lived in five states: California, Indiana, Michigan, and currently in Luxemburg Wisconsin. I am originally form Derbyshire England and immigrated with my family to the US in 1965 when I was only seven months old. I live on a dairy farm with my husband and three children ages 16, 10, and 5. What inspires you? So many things inspire me. Life in general, first of all. The beauty of nature, being in the fresh air of living in the country; the view from my workshop window….nothing but acres of farm land and a large red oak tree which I often use for photographing my bears in. Being at peace within myself which leaves me open for inspiration to find me. And it does. All the time. I am never with out ideas…in fact, I wish I had more hours of the day to work on the ideas I would like to create. What is your favorite part of bear making? I love hand sewing. All my bears are sewn by hand, even the large ones. I enjoy needle felting because I can sculpt and watch the expressions emerge. Airbrushing is also a favorite of mine. This is like decorating a yummy cake and where the creation truly comes to life. I enjoy sharing my creations with buyers but some bears I find hard to part with, as I know that no two of my creations are ever gong to be the same. They are like children….you can have many children, all of whom come from the same source, yet each one is very different form the others. How did you choose your business name? My business name started out “Teddy Bear Picnic” because I love the song of the same name. Then one day I was driving into the village of Luxemburg, where I live, and I looked at the hand painted sign with the village name and it hit me…”Luxembears”…I live in Luxemburg, I make bears that really are a luxury item….it just felt right. So there it is. My business became “Luxmbears”. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? Beside bear art I love to Ballroom Dance with my husband. In fact that is how we met. We dance every week. I love to do airbrushed painting, many on denim jackets. Wood burning bears on boxes and plaques, drawing with pencil and ink, and painting. Do you have any pets and/or children? Three children. Two girls and a boy, 16, 10, and my boy is 5. They are a constant source of joy and entertainment…they make me laugh…a lot. We have a malti-poo ,Mandi, and a cat named Shamu. We also have a barn and filed full of Registered Holstein Cattle…not to mention ever changing numbers of barn cats. What are you most proud of? I would have to say that I am most proud of my entire family. They all have been and continue to be extremely supportive and proud of my art. I am proud of the fact that I have even been able to have children. I have type one insulin dependent diabetes and was diagnose at age 12. It’s a full time job just manage my health. I take multiple daily injects and finger pokes to test blood sugars. I stay in shape and do well but it is not easy at all. I am proud to have had the front cover of Teddy Bear Review magazine Feb 2007 issue. That will always be an honor. I feel very blessed that I am able to be a stay at home mom ( I quit my nursing job) and pursue my art. I also have to say that I am very pleased to have won awards [I Love Teddies Note: Judi has received many awards, including TOBYs and Golden Teddys] and nominations for her work] for my bears and other animals. Winning awards does not make me a better artist but it is a wonderful feeling to have some of my work recognized and acknowledged. Truly truly and humble honor. Where do you sell your bears? My bears find homes through the auction sites, Ebay and Bid 4 Bears. The Toy Shoppe in Richmond, Virginia also carries my work. I also try to have bears listed on my website from time to time. I have steered always from doing custom orders due to the time constraints. I have a full and busy life with my family and I have lots of bears and other animals that I want to work on. Custom orders tend to inhibit creativity. So many bears….so little time. LOL Luxembears Luxembears www.luxembears.com Luxembears on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Daphne Blau of Back Road Bears

Meet our February Artist: Daphne Blau Bears. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I began making bears in late 2000 after attending my first handmade teddy bear show. I used Jennifer Laing patterns for the first few months but because I get bored quickly and don't like to make what someone else has already done, I began 'tweaking' the pattern here and there and learned the effects each tweak had on the finished bear. It wasn't long before I was sitting down with a blank piece of paper and creating my own bears. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. Hmmm.... a few years ago I would have told you they were all pretty traditional bears as the industry standard goes. Then they began to be more contemporary..... colorful, big noses and feet and the bears as a whole were bigger... I moved up to the 14-20 inch size where I'd stuck with the 10-12 inch size the first couple of years. Now with a new year I've been experimenting with smaller bears.... well, 7 inches is small in my book! And not just bears now. I've created an elephant and a lion thus far which was fun. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I was born and raised in New Hampshire, lived in Massachusetts for a while then came back to New Hampshire. I'm a mountain girl.... love the views, ever changing foliage and landscape and all the wildlife. What inspires you? My two dogs... wheaten terriers... many say my bears have their faces. Also just digging through my mohair stash, my quilting fabric stash or even a drawer full of accessories can inspire visions of bears made with those goodies! What is your favorite part of bear making? Hmm... well, I can honestly say that the only parts I've never griped about are tracing and cutting. The sewing, trying to get the ears, eyes and nose right, the limbs jointed on in the right place, stuffing w/o lumps.... it can all be trying at one time or another. Thus my favorite part is tying on the bow or accessories and meeting my newest completed bear! Don't get me wrong, I do find the whole process to be exciting - I wouldn't be doing it otherwise! How did you choose your business name? I lived on an old back road in the mountains.. still do but on a different road in a different town, different mountains... anyway.. the name of the road we lived on was Bear Hill Road. Back Road Bears just sort of came to me and seemed most fitting. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? Needlefelting, punch needle embroidery, quilting, gardening, antiquing and eating chocolate. :o) Well, I'd rather call that a hobby than an addiction, wouldn't you??!! Do you have any pets and/or children? As mentioned, we have two wheaten terriers. Don't need kids with those two around! They are needy, time consuming and costly all on their own! Course, they won't be able to take care of me when I'm old or inherit my bears when I die but they keep my blood pressure down and keep me company, laughing and loved... who could ask for more? What are you most proud of? Professionally speaking: the teddy bear shows I produce here in New England. I organized my first show 3 years ago in Maine. I'd been attending bear shows for a number of years and making note of things I liked and disliked, knowing one day I wanted to put together my own show. When the opportunity presented itself I seized the moment and jumped in head first, wanting to offer a show that would make the artists happy and feel appreciated and collectors excited. It's harder than it sounds but feedback says I accomplished that my first time out! The right setting is important to me... something unique... bright and cheerful. And quality in craftsmanship and variety is important too - annual shows can get stale. The biggest challenge most any promoter faces is getting people in the door. It's harder today than it was 5-10 years ago. (I won't get into the whys - economy and the internet have a great deal to do with it though.) Now promoters must think outside the box and introduce new people to the industry. We can't count on current collectors always supporting us, we always have to work at attracting new folks. The saying "Build it and they will come" may apply to baseball stadiums but not teddy bear shows. So, as a new promoter I am learning what works, what doesn't and just how costly advertising is (more incentive to think outside the box!). Artists and collectors alike have commented on the quality of my shows and the fact that they are growing in artist and collector participation each year says a lot. This year I have artists traveling from Canada and the other side of the US to participate. That means a lot to me that they'd go the extra mile, literally, for one of my shows! I produce two shows a year now - The New England Spring Teddy Bear Show in NH and The Maine Teddy Bear & Soft-Sculpture Show in ME. To learn more about my shows, read reviews and see photos or get an application please visit www.backroadevents.net Where do you sell your bears? I sell my bears mainly at teddy bear shows. I also sell from my site and by word of mouth. Once in a blue moon I'll put a bear on eBay but I really don't have time to make enough bears to spread myself out that much. I have all I can do to keep up with orders! Due to tendon problems in my hands I can't sew as much as I'd like to which limits my productivity somewhat. If my orthopedic surgeon had it his way I wouldn't be making bears at all. This way I figure he has job security! Producing shows and being a mohair supplier ( www.backroadbears.com/supplyshop.htm ) as well as teaching workshops take up quite a bit of time also. I Love Teddies Note: Daphne did not mention this in her interview, but she made the bunny in the movie “The Last Mimzy,” which came out in theaters in 2007. Tonner Doll made some versions of Mimzy. Contact Daphne for more information. Back Road Bears Back Road Bears www.backroadbears.com Back Road Bears on Teddy-Bears.org Back Road Events www.backroadevents.net Back Road Events Upcoming Shows for 2008: March 29 - New England Spring Teddy Bear Show July 26 - Maine Teddy Bear & Soft-Sculpture Show

Meet Carolyn Green of Draffin Bears

Meet our January Artist: Carolyn Green of Draffin Bears. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? The birth of our daughter Victoria in 1989 and son Marcel in 1991 inspired me to start making bears for my children. I wanted to give both of them something special. Looking at the mass produced bears available, I felt that these lacked the life and personality of a handmade bear. I decided to make my own bears, and thus in 1992, Draffin Bears was born. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. Draffin Bears are of a traditional style and follow an old fashioned theme, as of yesteryear. Typically the bears are dressed as gentleman or ladies. They are made from the finest mohair or sometimes alpaca and their clothes are fashioned from the finest quality cloth and sometimes I will accessorize them with rare and antique items and beautiful hats adorned with flowers. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in New Zealand on a small Island called Waiheke, located about 18 miles off the coast of the North Island. It is a beautiful subtropical Island with about 8,000 full time residents. I grew up in a small town called Dannevirke, where many Danish people immigrated to and was a great place to live and grow up and go to school there. What inspires you? I have always admired the beautiful vintage bears that have been around for over 100 years in some cases and they still look beautiful albeit a little loved and worn. I think that they have inspired me to give my creations an old fashioned theme. What is your favorite part of bear making? I particularly enjoy the stage when the bears eyes are sewn in and they look back at you and seem to come alive. How did you choose your business name? I chose Draffin Bears as that is my maiden name and my married name was Green, but that really did not sound right. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? I used to make porcelain dolls and still have a collection in a cabinet and I used to make some of my clothes from about the age of 15. I also love to embroider, knit, do hardanger and cross stitch and have just recently finished a cross stitch of two bears enjoying afternoon tea. Do you have any children and/or pets? We have a daughter Victoria 18 and son Marcel 16 - teenagers! An interesting stage of life! They are both beautiful and most of the time are a lot of fun. We have a giant Schnauzer named Heidi and a sealpoint Persian cat called Louis. What are you most proud of? I have donated 5 bears to the Waiheke Homecare Hospice and a big Sailor bear called George to the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation for the Bentley Glamour Gala. I enjoy hearing from collectors when they have adopted a bear and have made many friends this way. I made my Mother a Scottish bear Hamish and he had a little Scotch terrier to accompany him and she really loves them and has them sitting on their bed. Where do you sell your bears? I sell my bears from my web-site www.draffinbears.com and lately I have had a market which is held the last Sunday of the month at the Stamford Plaza Hotel in the ballroom. It has been a lot of fun and I have met some really lovely people and sold some of my bears there. Draffin Bears Draffin Bears www.draffinbears.com Draffin Bears on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Tami Lahey of Dolls N Dreams

Meet our December Artist: Tami Lahey of Dolls N Dreams. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I started designing teddy bears close to two years ago after viewing the wonderful Artist Bears on Ebay. I was hooked. I also found a wonderful place to visit on the internet called Teddy Talk, met some wonderful artists and learned the ropes of designing my very own teddy bear pattern. I also purchased many how to books. I'm still on Teddy Talk today and was recently given the title of "Cute Animal Ambassador". Being the animal lover I am, I post a cute animal photo on the board each day for all to see. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. I have been designing fairy dolls for over ten years, and wanted to bring my fantasy theme to the teddy bear. Although it was a lot of work, it was also a lot of fun developing my own unique pattern. The name I decided on was Fairy Doogles. Each one seems to have their own mischievous personality and have curly toe boots, antennas & fairy features. I also developed a pattern for a Mermaid/bear called "Cuddletails" and a series called Woodland Wabbits. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I’m originally from Odessa, Texas, and recently moved to Aurora, Colorado. Although it is very pretty here, this southern girl still can't get use to the snow & cold weather! What inspires you? My love of fairies inspired the Fairy Doogles, and my favorite book is called Fairy Art by Iain Zaczek. This book explores the magical world of nineteenth and twentieth-century fairy paintings. The book is beautifully illustrated and gives one a glimpse into the realms of myth and fantasy. I am a huge animal lover and was recently inspired by my adorable Westie, Tiffani, to design a new Doogle Dog. I named the Doogle Dog Tiffy as well. What is your favorite part of bear making? I receive the sweetest emails about my creations. The most enjoyable part of creating a bear is knowing someone else will love him as much as I do. Teddy bear people are the most wonderful people in the world. How did you choose your business name? I have had my business name of Dolls N Dreams for over ten years now. I always wanted to design creations that one may envision in a dream, and I created many fantasy dolls from dreams I have. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? I love interior decorating, painting, needlepoint, and another passion I have is baking. Love the sweets! Keeping my website www.dollsndreams.com, my myspace page and a blog updated takes a lot of time. Teaching myself html way back so it has really come in handy. Do you have any children and/or pets? My husband Tom & I have an adorable 5-year-old Westie named Tiffani and she is the 'CPO' of Dolls N Dreams (Chief Puppy Officer). She also has her own website, www.dollsndreams.com/tiffani.html She is our joy! What are you most proud of? I was thrilled to have one of my Fairy Doogles win a TOBY Industry Choice Award this year. That was a living dream for me. The award was proudly displayed among my Barbie Bazaar Crystal Awards I have won over the years. I keep them all in a lighted cabinet. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or uncreative, they always give me inspiration. Where do you sell your bears? I sell my bears from my website and on Ebay Auctions. I'm proud to say I have over 1600 positive feedback rating on ebay. I'm also a member of a wonderful group called Bear Artist Online, which usually has two online shows a year. If you would like to join my email update group and be notified when new creations are listed, please send me an email. Dolls N Dreams Dolls N Dreams www.dollsndreams.com dollsndreams@msn.com Dolls N Dreams

Meet Lynette Kennedy of Fred-I-Bear

Meet our November Artist: Lynette Kennedy of Fred-I-Bear. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! 1. When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? Teddy bears came into my life 10 years ago. Although each teddy bear has the basic components, it is great fun to try variations and this is where you have fun designing your style. Somehow, as a child, teddy bears did not feature in my life, thou I still have my doll that I played with for many hours. 2. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. Most of my bears tend to be traditional styled and recently I have included needle felting features. I prefer working with mohair although I have also been experimenting with Japanese Silk which I sell in my shop. 3. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I am South African been born in South Africa, I live just outside Johannesburg in the province of Gauteng which was formerly the Transvaal. We live inland where gold was originally mined and is still mined today. 4. What inspires you? Mostly the mohair fabric, quilting and patchwork fabric. I enjoy Country crafts quilting fabric; many ideas have been born from this. 5. What is your favorite part of bear making? I tend to have good bear eye days and bad bear eye days, then it could be the ears, so when I have achieved what I want it is the finishing off , as then I can "play".It always delights me how a flower, hat or ruffle can change the bear's look. 6. How did you choose your business name? My grand father and a very good friend are/were the "Fred's" in my life that were special people. If I had known that my hobby would turn into a business I would have chosen "Quirky Bears" as Quirk is my maiden name. To supply the South African market with bear making supplies and accessories I have opened a shop which I have called "Fredi's Workbasket" 7. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? I have recently taken up ballroom dancing lessons as dancing is something that I love and have always wanted to do the right way. Pottering in my garden and being able to pick the flowers I have grown gives me much pleasure. Reading and a bit of gym help to keep me out of mischief. 8. Do you have any children and/or pets? My two children are married and I am a proud grandmother of a 16 month old grandson. My husband will tell you that first on my list is my grandson, my daughter and son, my dogs, my bears, and somewhere at the bottom of the list he might feature. My dogs control my life. They try stealing my bears when I am not looking, and they wake me up in the middle of the night when they think they hear a mouse in the kitchen; however, I would never part with one of them. All my dogs are strays so they need that little extra bit of love. 9. What are you most proud of? In my family, it is to see what independent successful people my children have become. Myself- from being insecure and having to overcome many obstacles I have today become a successful business person. With my bears, it is the joy of seeing something that I have made bring a smile to a collector's face when they take one home. 10. Where do you sell your bears? I attend various shows in England, Europe,Japan, Korea and Taiwan, here my bears are sold at the exhibitions . Other teddy bears shops around the world have sold my bears and with the world opening up with the internet, I have started to build a good customer base via this outlet. Fred-I-Bear Fred-I-Bear www.fred-i-bear.co.za Fred-I-Bear on Teddy-Bears.org

Meet Laura Lynn Matthews of Teddies by Laura Lynn

Meet our October Artist: Laura Lynn Matthews of Teddies by Laura Lynn. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! 1. When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? I started making bears after I had been collecting artist bears for a few years. I was reading the newest brochure on classes for continuing education at the high school and there was a class on how to make a fully jointed mohair teddy bear. I knew I had to take it. I was instantly hooked! I later discovered that one of my favorite local artists gave classes too. I took several classes from her including how to make my own designs. Although she has now retired... we still keep in touch! 2. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. I would say that I am more well known for my contemporary bears with cute, slightly "doggy looking" faces. They all seem to have bangs, like me too LOL! I have recently started a new series too... "The Olde Friends Collection". These bears are more like the ones I made in the beginning... new bears designed to look like old bears - well loved. I'm also in the process of designing some cats and dogs too! I can't wait till these are ready! 3. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in the Chicago suburbs, and have lived here my entire life. We just recently moved into a more country area of the Chicago area, though, and I just love it! We have a horse stable at the end of our quiet street, our neighbor farms sheep, another has chickens.... We call it "5 minutes into the country" 4. What inspires you? Sometimes the mohair will inspire me to make a certain type of bear. Other times a prop - found in a shop or even on eBay - can inspire another bear. I find inspiration all around me. Ideas come to me faster than I can make them. Many ideas come from my dogs, past and present. I'm a huge animal lover! I also love to browse thru doll magazines, country magazines and window shop. 5. What is your favorite part of bear making? Completing the face is the best part... I just love seeing that face peering up at me! That's when they seem to "come alive"! My other favorite part of bear making is cutting out the pieces and sewing them together. I find it very relaxing. 6. How did you choose your business name? I was at my desk answering a call at my old job, and doodling... I ended up drawing two capital letter "L's" intertwined with each other. (my first and middle initial) It thought it would be a great logo for me, so I decided on "Teddies by Laura Lynn". One of these days I need to get the logo done LOL!!! 7. Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? I don't know if these count as "besides bear making"... but I have 2 websites that I work on in my "spare time". One is: www.TeddyBearCollecting.com . The goal of this website is to educate the general public about the existence of artist bears and hopefully bring new collectors into the hobby! I feel that bringing new collectors into the hobby is important for both the bear artist AND the collector. It's fairly obvious why new collectors to the hobby is important to the bear artist - buy why is it important to the collector? The answer is this: With more collectors to buy the bears - bear artists can continue to make their creations. If artists start to have a harder time selling their work... they eventually have to find a different way to pay the bills. Many have ended up getting "regular" jobs. I know I have many artists on my wish list whose bears I want. I can't buy them all at once, I have to wait and do it a little at a time. Unfortunately, already there are some artists whose work I cannot add to my collection as they have had to quit bear making as a source of income in order to find steady work. So it is important to the collector that new collectors come into the hobby of collecting artist bears... to be sure there are plenty of artist bears to choose from in the future! My other website is: www.FreeTeddyBearPatterns.NET ; I started this site so that I would be able to have some fun designing teddy bear patterns... sometimes outside of my regular "look". I decided to share them with everyone on this site for free - and you can sell the bears you make from these patterns too if you wish! Just mention on the tag that the pattern came from www.FreeTeddyBearPatterns.NET ; There are sponsors on the Free Patterns site. Without them, the site would not be possible. If you were planning on purchasing an item anyway, if you buy it from these links it helps to support this site. I don't have a lot of time for many other hobbies... but I enjoy reading - especially mysteries! I love photography and candle making too. It can be really hard to try to fit everything in that I want to do. 8. Do you have any pets? Next to my daughter they are my pride and joy! We have 4 whippet dogs. They are like greyhounds, but 1/2 their size. Our Girls (they are all girls) are all on the smaller side of the scale - just 25 pounds and wonderful! 9. What are you most proud of? I am so VERY pleased that my creations have brought smiles and happiness to other people. For me, that is the BEST part of my job and my proudest moment. The first time one of my collectors told me that.. she happened to tell me this at a low time for me... when I was wondering what in the world am I doing? I realized that what I do DOES make a difference - that I can put a smile on another person's face and heart with what I do. 10. Where do you sell your bears? I started selling my bears on eBay and continue to do so. After a couple of years on eBay I decided to learn how to build my own website. Now, most of my bears are sold from my site. I started selling at a couple shows in the last few years too and absolutely love it! I have 2 mailing lists... one is an email list to receive emails when new bears are available for adoption. Send me an email if you'd like to be added or just sign up on my site. I have another list - a regular mailing list for those without regular internet access. I'm hoping to start having quarterly "Mailing List" shows for my collectors who don't use the internet, but need a bear fix in between shows :) Teddies by Laura Lynn Teddies by Laura Lynn www.teddiesbylauralynn.com Free Teddy Bear Patterns www.FreeTeddyBearPatterns.NET Teddy Bear Collecting teddybearcollecting.teddiesbylauralynn.com Teddies by Laura Lynn on Teddy-Bears.Org

Meet Catherine Young of Bumpkin Bears

Meet our September Artist: Catherine Young of Bumpkin Bears. Each month, we'll bring you an interview with someone in the bear world. Enjoy! When did you start making bears and what inspired you to design your own? On a cold Christmasy day in 2001 I visited my first Bear Fair. I had always had a love of bears growing up but little did I know what a world would be opened up to me with this simple outing! I was bought a teddy making kit as a present and then started to find out about Artist Bears and loved the idea of designing my very own bears. After lots of trial and error I started to design my own range of bears under the name of Bumpkin Bears. Since starting to design my Bumpkin Bears they have found new homes across the world as far and wide as Australia, Japan, USA and across Europe. I have been very fortunate to have my bears featured many times in Bear Collector's magazines, a selection of which you can see in the Media section on my website. I am constantly striving to design and bring alive the most endearing characterful bears that I can. Describe your style of bears and/or animals you make. Bumpkin Bears capture the spirit of childhood, twinkling soulful eyes of friendship and those ever important open arms for cuddles! I create bears, bunnies and even a recent skunk in both mohairs and luxurious faux furs. I aim for each bear to have his own soulful cute character that can be a friend for life. My bears range from miniatures right up to 17. They are always one of a kind. Where do you live and where are you originally from? I live in a rural village outside the city of Antwerp in Belgium. I am British (and Scottish and Irish!) and have lived in England all my life until five years ago when I moved to Belgium with my Belgian fiancé along with my two cats. What inspires you? I have a vivid imagination and am inspired by so much around me especially nature and the appealing faces of animals. I love old children's classics like Winnie The Pooh, Black Beauty and Beatrix Potter books. Although I generally make larger bears I have recently been inspired to make a series of nursery rhyme miniature bears which have been very well received and have been a fun challenge. There is something very special about the companionship a bear provides and I like to bring to life bears full of soul and character that can be loved forever. I also make bears on commission and these are even more special when they are in memory of loved ones. What is your favorite part of bear making? I love the moment when I create the face of the bear and see the character appearing, I never cease to get a buzz from this. How did you choose your business name? Bumpkin bears come from my childhood where idyllic days were spent out of doors at my Granny's home in the heart of the English countryside. My Granny nicknamed me a Country Bumpkin and this still holds true today with my love of the outdoors, hence the name of my Bumpkin Bears! Do you have any other hobbies besides bear making? I love gardening and am trying to fit in time amongst bear making for a postal course on garden design. I often put photos of my garden and trips on my blog which you can find via my website. I studied art and design and photography at university so I love anything creative including drawing so my hands are always busy. Do you have any pets? I've got two tabby cats and I used to have my own horse in England. What are you most proud of? I always get a wonderful sense of pride when I hear how much my bears are loved by their new parents. I was also thrilled to be a nominee in the Teddy Bear Scene magazine Reader's Choice Awards last year with a bear called Dougal. This was the first competition I had entered my bears into. Where do you sell your bears? I show all my bears on my website and have a mailing list. Everytime I bring a new bear to life I send out an email, a lot of my bears are sold immediately to customers around the world this way. I also list my bears on the Bear Pile website and occasionally Ebay. If anyone wants to join my mailing list they can send me an email. Bumpkin Bears Bumpkin Bears www.bumpkinbears.com catherine@bumpkinbears.com Bumpkin Bears on Teddy-Bears.Org

New Teddy Bear Artists for August 8 2007

Apple Dumpling Bears, Critters Creations, Dusty Attic Bears, Real Deal Bears , Seamore Collectibles, Terries Bears, TinyBear

New Teddy Bear Artists for August 4th, 2007

Hairy Hugs, Chantal Bears - Original Creations, Knoevelkes, Patricia Tagg

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News Teddy Bear Artists for Sept 26,2006

Jenny Loves Benny, Coco Bears, Chiffonnelle, SARAH'S BEARS OF CAMBRIDGE

New Teddy Bear Artist for June 6, 2006

Teddy-Bears.Org would like to share with you 2 new and creative artists who have joined our site, Love Bud Bears by Sandy and Back Road Bears by Daphne Blau .

And do not forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

New Teddy Bear Artist for Feb, 21 2006

Teddy-Bears.Org would like to share with you a new and creative artist who has joined our site, White Forest Bears.

And do not forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

New Teddy Artist : What do the Netherlands and a Teddy Bear artist have in common?

Nothing, unless you are of course Old Time Teddies & Furry Friends by Marjoleine Diemel, the designer of award winning, hand made teddy bears and "doggies". follow the link and fnd out more about her.

Do not forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

New Teddy Bear Artists for Feb 7, 2006

Teddy-Bears.Org welcomes 2 Teddy Bear Artists new to our site, Knit with Love and East Bench Bears. Do not forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

New Teddy Bear Artist for Feb 03, 2006

Teddy-Bears.Org welcomes our new Teddy Bear Artist Reves d ours (Dreams of Bears) and do not forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

New Teddy Bear Artist for Jan 12, 2006

Teddy-Bears.Org welcomes our new Teddy Bear Artist Bearly Sane and do not forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

First New Teddy Bear Artist for 2006!

We would like to welcome and congradulate Charmisa Bears for being our first new Teddy Bear Artist added to Teddy-Bears.Org for 2006! Click here to visit Charmisa Bears's artist profile.

New Teddy Bear Artists for Dec 16, 2005

Teddy-Bears.Org welcomes our new Teddy Bear Artist Elfin Bears And do not forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

Where have we been?

Well, there was hurricane Wilma and then..... But we are actively adding new artists to the site now. Stay tuned.

New Teddy Bear Artists for Sept, 20 2005

Teddy-Bears.Org welcomes our new Teddy Bear Artist.

Three Oclock Bears By Jenny Johnson

And don't forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

New Teddy Bear Artists for Sept, 19 2005

Teddy-Bears.Org welcomes our new Teddy Bear Artist.

Bumpkin Bears by Catherine Young

And don't forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

New Teddy Bear Artists for Sept, 13 2005

Teddy-Bears.Org welcomes our new Teddy Bear Artist.

Teddies by Laura Lynn

And don't forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

New Teddy Bear Artists for Sept, 12 2005

Teddy-Bears.Org has 5 new artists to share with you. From around the world: Australia, Singapore and the United States! An interesting bunch for this news update! Follow the below links and have a look at some great bears!

Carson Creations

Miniature Vintage Mink Teddy Bears by Kathy Myers

Rufnut Teddy's

Bearybead by Poey Yin Theng

Wild Thyme Originals by Kim Basta

And don't forget, if you know of an artist who should be featured on Teddy-Bears.Org, please visit our contact page page and let us know!

What do you get with the UK, a Boat, Canals and a Teddy Bear Artist?

The answer is simple: Estelle's Canal Bears. Estelle contacted me about a week ago regarding teddy-bears.org. After reading her bio and swapping emails, I had the opportunity to learn a little bit about her and became interested in her Teddy Bear Studio.

Where is her studio you ask? On a Canal Cruiser currently docked on the Rochdale Canal. While cruising the British Inland Waterways (all 3200 km worth), she is also designing Teddy Bears in her travels. Talk about working on holiday!

She gets her inspiration for her bear names from places along the canal. Her bears originated in the New Forest, where she sold at craft fairs, Hayloft Gallery and the Redhouse Museum in Christchurch Dorset. She is also an active member of CADarts and designs all of her own bear patterns so no two bears are ever alike. Her bears are made of synthetic furs and often come with their own toys or furniture. Her bears are generally for the adult collector. Each bear comes with a Yorkshire Passport and Birth Certificate.

But don't go looking for her at Rochdale Canal; her boat was undergoing maintenance for 6 months, but it is now complete. Off again! Estelle has access to the internet and keeps in contact with her collectors through email. Since her boat is not an ocean vessel, there is always a place for her to send bears to collectors.

You can view Estelle's Canal Bears Bio at Teddy-Bears.Org

Teddy Bear Blog

Did you know Teddy-Bears.Org news is a blog? That is right, you can subscribe to our news section with your favorite blog news reading program and find out when new artists are added and all the happenings in the Teddy Bear World!

So subscribe today or add this page to your bookmarks!

New Teddy Bear Artists for Sept 8, 2005

Welcome everybody, we have 4 new Teddy Bear Artists to share with you! Check out their fantastic creations by following the links below.

Estelle's Canal Bears
Bears by Beesley
Bear with me Enterprises
Mutz's Tootsz Bears by Amy Thonrton

New Teddy Bear Artists for Sept 6, 2005

New Teddy Bear Artists for Sept 6, 2005

Bambridge Bears
K P Bears
La Grange Bears
Taralee Teds

Another new Teddy Bear Artist for Sept 1, 2005

We want to welcome a new Teddy Bear Artist from New Zealand, Draffin Bears

New artists for Sept 1, 2005

We welcome our new artist to the system:
Bear Paws by Roxanne. Her bio page can be found at Bear Paws by Roxanne

Teddy-Bears.Org Welcomes three new Teddy Bear Artists

We wanted to take this oppurtunity to welcome three new artists to Teddy-Bears.Org

Beary Loveable Bears by Karyn Ford
Bettina Groh - The Glass Dragon
Di Nic's Bears by Karen DiNicola

Welcome our New Teddy Bear Artist, Ellen Sotos.

We welcome our new artist to Teddy-Bear.Org, Ellen Sotos. She has been making teddy bears for over 20 years and has a wide variety of Teddy Bears from mini's to fashion ladies. Come see her bio page at Ellen Sotos.

Teddy-Bears.Org Introduction

Teddy-Bears.Org has completed the development of the Teddy Bear Artist Bio site. This portion of our web site allows artists to create their own Bio pages which includes contact information and pictures. In the near future, all artists will have the ability to upload new releases.

The news section of our site will include local news, industry news and release information from artists. Artists will have the capability to post directly to the blog from their artist page.