Do you collect anything?
@BearArtistLady (5382)
United States
November 14, 2018 11:54am CST
I'm a teddy bear artist and collector. Being an artist means that I design and make teddy bears and other creatures from scratch. I'm currently working on very carefully taking apart a military dress uniform and I am going to make four memory bears from it. It's a special order from a lady I know from the shop where my bears are displayed. I make my bears out of fake fur, mohair fur, recycled vintage furs (minks etc) and clothing like this wool jacket. The bears I make are fully jointed which means that their arms, legs and heads move on metal cotter pins that are put through the parts of the bear that I want to move, then the cotter pins are opened so that they hold the parts of the bear in place and keep the part so it moves. I also hand finish the face with either imported German glass eyes or antique shoe buttons for bears that are going to adult homes or if the bear is going to a child I place acrylic safety eyes in the head. The nose and mouth on all the bears is hand embroidered by me on each animal. Each bear or critter takes about 15 hours from start to finish. The real fur creations take longer because I line the leather of the fur with fabric so that there isn't undue stress on the leather. I have to glue the fabric to the leather and wait for the glue to dry so I can work with the fur. The real fur bears take special handling too so they cost a lot more. But I have tons of fun making the bears so I don't really notice the amount of time that goes into making each bear.
I also collect teddy bears and other stuffed animals. I am rather choosy about the ones I buy now. I lost my entire collection when my house burned down, so I don't buy as many that I see and like. Right now I only have about 15, and out of the 15 only 4 are mass manufactured. That means that they come from a company like Steiff or Ty. The rest are bears or critters that I made that I just can't give up.
Do you collect anything? What do you collect and how long have you been collecting? Do you add to your collection often or are you selective about your collecting?
8 people like this
9 responses
@hillhjill (23664)
• United States
14 Nov 18
Sounds wonderful how you make those bears, I remember my favorite bear my daddy got me when I was little and I carried him around so much on arm and leg was longer than the other, and I had him up to the age of 18. But my house got broke into and out of all the stuff they could of took, they took my bear 
, so after that I didn't collect anything.
, so after that I didn't collect anything.2 people like this
@shaggin (71666)
• United States
15 Nov 18
@hillhjill I slept with a panda bear from the time I was a small kid until I started dating my boyfriend at 17 and started sleeping next to him instead of my panda bear. When we got married I looked through his family's photos and found a picture of my husband playing with a panda bear exactly like mine. I thought that was so ironic. That is wonderful the memory you have of your favorite bear but so sad that of all things was stolen. So cruel to steal something like that.
2 people like this
@BearArtistLady (5382)
• United States
15 Nov 18
My Mom gave away my favorite stuffed rabbit that I got for Easter when I was five. I adored that rabbit and I carried him with me everywhere. Mom gave him away when I went to Thailand for a few months. I was crushed when I got home and my Harvey was gone! Harvey knew a lot of my secrets. The biggest thief we had lived under our roof; the thief was my brother. He was five years my senior and constantly stealing things from my parents and myself. We couldn't keep money in the house let alone any jewelry or other things of sentimental value. At least he didn't steal my rabbit and a few other stuffed animals that I cared deeply for. My heart goes out to you and your having your bear being stolen...they knew you and what they wanted from your home.
3 people like this
@hillhjill (23664)
• United States
15 Nov 18
@shaggin That's sweet and I'm glad I have all those memories of my bear and my mom has pictures of me holding him as I slept.
2 people like this
@BearArtistLady (5382)
• United States
15 Nov 18
I'm looking for some particular cookbooks. I can't remember their names but will recognize them when I see their covers. I've also replaced some of the teddy bear books that I lost when my house burned down a year ago October 2. I really miss being able to reach into the bookcase and pick out the book I need for what ever project I have in mind. I also miss my collection of recipes that I had in a binder. I had one from Gourmet magazine that was for a super yummy walnut cake. It too burned with the rest of the stuff. When I get the replacement recipe books and recipes I plan to scan them onto the computer and save them on a disc so I have them easy to grab and run with.
Cook books and teddy bear making books take up too much room in the house I'm staying in...I have a space about 4' x 6' for keeping my stuff. For someone like me who picks up stuff for the shop it isn't really enough room to store the items in.
I need to stop collecting!!!
I need to stop collecting!!!
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
14 Nov 18
I used to collect postcards. I bought postcards when I visited new places and my friends also sent me postcards for my collection. I put them all on my wall. When I moved I gave most of my postcards away. I also have had a small collection of costume dolls from different countries, but gave them to charity another time that I moved. Now I don't collect anything.
2 people like this
@shaggin (71666)
• United States
17 Nov 18
@Porcospino I used to collect postcards as a kid. As an adult I put them outside in a free box. I kind of wish I had saved them now as there are members here who collect postcards and I could have sent them to them. When I would go new places I would get a post card as a souvenir that showed the beautiful things I visited. I put them in a photo album back then.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Nov 18
@BearArtistLady I am sorry to hear about the fire, that must have been a horrible experience. I have never experienced a fire, but I used to live in an apartment complex and there was a pyromanic in the neighborhood. The person started a fire the neighbor building, and I was very worried that my building would be next. It didn't happen, but it was very scary.
It is nice of you to help him. I was happy to give my dolls to charity, hopefully they have found new homes somewhere. I have moved many times and over the years I have given many things away. I still have a few dolls and teddy bears, but I keep them in a closet, because I don't want my dog to take them.
@BearArtistLady (5382)
• United States
15 Nov 18
I haven't gotten back into collecting anything since my house burned to the ground last October 2, 2017. Everything I owned burned with the house, and I haven't had the heart to try to collect anything. I'm too afraid to collect anything because I keep thinking that if I do the place I am staying may burn down next.
I'm glad that you gave your dolls to charity. I have some Ty Beanie babies that I am going to price and tag and put into one of the dealer's booths that isn't doing too well selling right now, he can use the help and I'll be more than happy to provide some help to him, he seems like a sweet person.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Nov 18
@BearArtistLady The Breyer horses are really nice. It is such a shame when adults don't listen to a child and give away stuff that is very important to them.
@BearArtistLady (5382)
• United States
19 Nov 18
I'm being less of a collector than I was when I had my own home. When I was little I got a Bryer horse for Christmas one year. I really treasured that horse, but my parents had a yard sale and sold the horse when we moved. I was awfully upset when they sold the horse, but they didn't listen to me when I told them I wanted to keep my horse. I only got to keep a few things from the house we were moving out of...and I didn't get things that were near as nice when we moved into the new house. I collect Bryer horses for Bill's daughter and give her a new antique one each Christmas.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
15 Nov 18
This reminds me of a noontime show I saw on TV several days ago. The contestants were 3 girls and they were among 17 siblings from 8 different mothers and all 17 had the same father. The father must have been collecting wives :) One amusing thing though - most of the siblings were fine with each other but I'm sure you'd guess it right - the mothers were not :)
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
19 Nov 18
@BearArtistLady I was even wondering how he was able to get away with it without the women killing each other hehehe!
@BearArtistLady (5382)
• United States
19 Nov 18
That would have been a riot to watch! I would have probably laughed my way through the whole program! Too bad we can't get those programs over here! The siblings are more apt to get along, but the women who were sharing the father are more apt to be more possessive about the man because of their upbringing. After all we are taught that we are to be loyal and committed to one husband or wife than to have more than one. It's a wonder the father isn't exhausted!
1 person likes this
@m_audrey6788 (58485)
• Germany
14 Nov 18
My mother used to make teddy bears too. I`m not a collector but I collect the things my friends gifts 
1 person likes this
@BearArtistLady (5382)
• United States
15 Nov 18
I've had a lot of friends who used to make teddy bears that gave it up for many different reasons. I don't know all the reasons behind their quitting, but in a couple of cases it was a good thing that they did...their bears weren't very good. I love making teddy bears they are great for relieving stress and keeping my creative juices flowing. I have a design journal in my handbag that I jot down design ideas in it. I periodically take it out of my handbag and work the draft in the journal into a design for a bear. I have so much fun doing that kind of work...especially with the cat helping out (that's Petey. He rides in Bill's Kubota four wheeler cart that Bill drives around the neighborhood instead of driving a car all the time. Petey hears the Kubota start and he races as fast as he can and jumps into the Kubota and nestles down in Bill's lap for his ride around the neighborhood with Bill.) Petey is snoozing beside me right now after his busy day riding with Bill around the neighborhood. So I guess I should get back to work and get back to sewing the miniature bear for the shop.
Off to work, Have a great night! In a huge way it's great that you're not a collector. That gives you more free room in your home rather than filling the empty spaces with stuff that you have "collected". I keep reading up on the various things people collect and values so that if I come across them in my travels I can purchase them for my spot in the shop, but I don't collect them for myself unless I can use them in the house and they won't take up a lot of space.
2 people like this
@m_audrey6788 (58485)
• Germany
15 Nov 18
@BearArtistLady Wow! I`m sure you made a lot of great teddy bears because not all people are talented as you are over there 
@shaggin (71666)
• United States
17 Nov 18
@BearArtistLady aww Bill has changed his feelings towards the cat a lot since you first started posting about it
My boyfriends sister collects blue glass like old blue glass bottles etc.
My boyfriends sister collects blue glass like old blue glass bottles etc.1 person likes this
