a letter from Australia

Here is the follow up of the charity event to Bears That Care in Melbourne.
I receive a letter from the host, a copy of auction catalogue and a limited lapel.
The most exciting thing is to hear that the positive response on fund raising and participation on donation bears. They are from different countries all over the world. The event started at night with 50 auction bears. Though i am not there, but i know there are lots of hard work behind of every people work on this raffle sales.
I wish i can come over one day, if not, or i can join next year...
If you wish to participate next year, try to visit their website: http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
The cover bear of the BTC lapel pin is from Rosey Day, Australia. I am glad to have one for a festive gift and also reminds me to show our support of the ovarian research






once again, thank you for the online German magazine for posting this event:
http://www.teddybear-news.info/news2011/bears_that_care.html

Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khWvxVEhcMQ&feature=rellist&playnext=1&list=PL4AC19ADC0C79E320
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

a brief description over my blog, wish you enjoy your Christmas with this warmth of chestnuts lie on your palm.
i recently working on some decoration for this seasonal greetings.
instead of having big meal, it's my favourite food in winter. actually i love the shape and proportion of chestnut and bring this into my design.
if this is a decoration, i wonder how it can be hang over the tree with the head...?
i follow what i learn so far to add the double joint neck so it can also hang 45degree against the wall or door.
attached some photos on my development of idea.

we know bears that care

Girls cares, women care, men care? bears that care?

This is the most recent bear project which i committed to do for the charity auction held in Melbourne, for the benefit of ovarian cancer research - a disease that affect many women and their families.
For more information, please visit the following link:

www.bearsthatcare.com.au

Women has to due with many challenges nowadays, friendship, courtship, family life, business life and career life.
Will you have time to listen and follow the news and reports on health issue?

When i was a small, i lost my favourite class teacher who was suffered from breast cancer. I asked my parents what it is and why... but they seems very reluctant to explain that is something you will understand when you grow up.

After graduated, i lost my aunt, who was suffered from breast and cervical cancer. In my memories, she was an outgoing, energetic, positive strong woman who is positive to hold up responsibilities, care family members.
She make use her leisure time to do voluntary work for the society during her recovery. She always shows her smile
each time when we visit,
Her lights and power glows in my heart.

I made a bear, Pierrot. My charity work is minimal, instead of raising fund for the research on ovarian cancer, i wish people can show their awareness to care and support women or people who suffered from this kind of cancer.

Thank you for your interest on reading this information. Wish you can find out something valuable for this Christmas.

updated bear events

With some more information from some bear people, there are much more events coming:
especially in America, go to the link attached for more information. Good luck my friend.
Here comes some photos of the Mittagong show. It's a doll and bear show. There are many active doll maker who devotes their time and skills in making bits and pieces of the outfit. I adore and admire their skills. As they say, it's not difficult, just need your patience to work on it.
This is one of my fav. store: Karen's Artistic Touch:




And one more great table on bears and animal by Robyn at A Gunnie Collectibles:

I like her Gollies and animal's fabrication, the clashing of short pile mini bear fabric to very long pile fur which is very interesting to think and feel their texture rather than visual perception.
May i recall her quotes on the back of her name card:
" All our collectables are designed & created to put a smile in your heart and a light in your eyes"
Finally my bears arrived a place with Hot Christmas:


It's a pity that many great store material supplier and creations only do local business.
Finally, i have an extremely early Christmas greetings to many of you,




oh, wish you can focus on these little tiny mice, instead of those horrible brand reflection.

Bear events and shows

Dear my friend,
Are you busy in preparing bear shows?
Here are the link of the upcoming events before the end of 2011.
Don't miss it. Mark your calendar if you can join or hear the news from other bear making friends.
If there are some more additional information, please leave a comment here.
Looking forward to hear you soon.


Who is Who in bear making, Christmas Bazaar. 5, 6 Nov.
Mittagong Doll & Bear show, 6 Nov.
Scottish Bear Fair, 6 Nov.
Teddies Worldwide Online Bear Show, 18-20 http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifNov.
Taiwan Teddy Bear Show & Creative Awards, 20 Nov.
The Great Yorkshire Teddy Bear Event, 20 Nov.
Hansebar, Hamburg, 27 Nov

woohoohoo, 7 shows in November, must be very busy to work on, to participate and to pay :)
and there is still one show in December:
Salon Ours et Poupees Passion, 4 Dec.

wish you have a wonderful show and a beary happy sewing day.

Q & A

my habits of collecting and using alpaca still keeps on. but there is a design decision query over my recent making.
i try to look for some alternatives instead of using dense pile smooth alpaca, here you will see the sand beige alpaca, it looks coarse and dense, but it feel soft. It's a kind of alpaca & mohair mixed with ratinee finish.



as i want to make a bear friend with the blue mohair bear, i try to use the same kind of method to sew the nose, but under many times of trial & error, i still cannot get what i proposed, so i throw this method.





I find without any even supportive later of suede, the embroidery thread over the sand beige alpaca will bounce back, no matter how i pull the thread...and look a bit full instead of thin and flat. so i look up for another way,
guess what, i try to make a paper mache nose again, i love using this kind of making because it stands very well no matter on alpaca or mohair, it got good qualities to manipulate through each step of layering paper, adding white glue and coloring on top, i got lots of fun through the exploration.



i am going to finish these bears for Christmas, it will be a hot Christmas for them... stay tuned.

the great advisor

Yesterday nite, i read a post from a friend, it's a clip of news in Chinese about a well known label Zara.
To certain people, those items may not their cup of tea, but i was moved by the story of the man behind this label.

Mr. Amancio Ortega Gaona. He was born in a poor family and went to work in a very young age, his success not only built from technical experience or you can say exposure in the industry. But i am sure, instead of working very hard and loyal to one's job, it's important to have a vision in the industry.
Although, the Chinese version news stated that his force of motivation is drawn from the snobbish attitude from the wealthy people, However, i see his positive attitude towards his career path: he observes only rich people could afford good clothing at that time. Why? So, he had a strong intention to make fine clothing available and reachable to most people. Then he look for some other alternatives, saving the transaction cost from the middleman, finding some cheap but good qualities material. It seems a clever act to run a business.
There are experienced bear makers marked high price while on the other hand i notice that there are some well known makers who mark their good qualities critters low... instead of looking up reason for why, or why not. It can be
a personal thing, one can be already self sufficient, no worries about to put the food on the table. Or one maybe looking up for challenge in their life.
It matters about how to keep our material cost low! In our living space, we are suffer from the high rent cost and the cost of living too. Most of the bear making 'material' have to ordered from overseas, we incur a lot on shipping and handling fee. It's competitive for pricing our making.
Recently, i am thinking about the fabrication of materials. It can be an interesting starting point on how to design the cut and how to bring different materials together. I am so excited to see there are some bear maker sharing their fun on exploration in colors and how the material behaves.

Here are the links to the news clipping:
The Chinese version. http://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E4%B8%8D%E5%A0%AA%E6%AF%8D%E5%8F%97%E8%BE%B1-%E7%AA%AE%E5%AD%90%E5%BE%A9%E4%BB%87%E7%BF%BB%E8%BA%AB%E5%85%A8%E7%90%83%E7%AC%AC7%E5%AF%8C.html
The English version. http://www.theoriginof.com/amancio-ortega.html