Stella..a kind of Christmassy bear!!

[Jenny]

Here's Stella...she's kind of a Christmassy bear. She sports my new eyelid technique ..which was a happy accident...and hopefully add something extra to the bears expressions!

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[gotobedbears]

I love the new eyelids Jen, can your bears get any more appealing???

She's lovely Jenny - definitely has the 'pick me up and take me home' look.

Bet she's sold already :6086:

Penny

[Jenny]

Thanks Penny....I am always nervous about eyelids...for precisely the reason Paula said in her post. They can look a bit weird if you're not very careful how you do them..and I'm afraid I don't go much for the corded 'budgerigar' look which is everywhere at the moment ..LOL...so I wanted to do eyelids...but subtle ones so the bear didn't look like it had done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson and come off worst!! So when I did these ones I was very pleased...

She isn't 'sold' as such but she is 'on hold'...otherwise..it's off to Ebay for her!!

[yvonne]

She's so appealing Jenny.......its definately the eyes have it with Stella.

I quite agree with you about the corded eyes, which give a very harsh

look........( isn't it just great when you stumble accross a new technique that

works so well)..... and what you have done here is so soft....and sort of

gently.........she is simply adorable!!!


Yvonne. :)

[shelly]

She is lovely Jenny, your bears are very feminine.

I read the bit about corded eyes , could you explain what they are for me?

Thanks, :6086:
Shelly.

[gotobedbears]

I'm afraid I don't go much for the corded 'budgerigar' look which is everywhere at the moment
That's it!!!!! That's what they remind me of Jenny - i have been racking my brain about what that type of eyelid reminded me of and you have hit the nail on the head!
:6045:

I won't ever be able to look at another bear with corded eyelids without thinking to meself "Who's a Pretty Boy Then" ha ha ha ha ha - gosh i'm cracking up here hoo hoo hoo :D :p :rolleyes:

Penny hee hee hee

[Jenny]

Thanks girls...I very much appreciate the lovely compliments!!!

Shelly..corded eyes....well ...basically a few years or so ago one or two artists started using fine cord which they use to create an eyelid shape..you kind of poke a hole with an awl, stick the end of the cord in the hole then run it round the eye to create an eye-lid shape. You have to use glue to hold it in place...although some people stitch them in place. Done in a heavy handed way it can look like a budgies eyes...with a very obvious line of cord skirting the eye. Done well it looks fantastic and can create a beautiful almond eye shape...and is extremely pretty.

Lately though lots of bear makers seem to be using this technique and many are really good at it...but I just needed to look for another way to create an eyelid that didn't look like a sleepy bear type of look, or a budgerigar..but still create the almond eye shape that I have been desperate to perfect....

I guess it's just that I wanted to find a different route to the same end!!!

So I accidentally discovered this technique of using various fabrics...no glue...no cord ...and no needle felting!! It's not a great picture of them..I'll try to post a better one!

So now everything I make has eyelids!!!

Here are some sleepy eyed bears and a panda 's face close up...the panda has the eye lids too...but they are very subtle..it just gives a nice shape to the eye.
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[Laurie]

She looks so lovable and cute Jenny-I doubt that she will take very long to sell.
I love the fur you use on your bears but I never know where to start in seeking these out.I order from probear but haven't ordered any from any of the places in the usa(even though it looks like they have wonderful fur) as they tie me up in knots with the amount of choice available and I don't know what sort of charges you incur from shipping in from the usa.:confused:

[Jenny]

Well Laurie, it is hard to choose fabric and often I have bought stuff that has not been what I thought when it arrived. So there is much tp be said for going to fairs and buying direct from there..you get to see it first hand.

That said I do buy from the USA and I know what I want now....the down side of that is the fact that you can get stung for customs duty. I just bought a load of faux fur wihich cost me about £120 plus shipping...another £25 plus £46 customs duty...that makes it a dear do!! I can't find what I want in Europe in terms of faux fur so I have to buy from the USA...I have no other choice!!

Some of the US suppliers will write 'samples' on the box so it avoids customs duty..but that's not legal..so I never ask for that...if they do it all well and good but I can't bring myself to ask!!

As far as mohair goes I flit about , I have a huge stash of it bought from all over the place...I have never used Pro-Bear..at the moment I am using lots of alpaca that I bought about 2 years ago and stashed away!!

The very best thing to do is to order a sample kit of all the fabrics on offer. It's well worth it. I have several kits and now know the difference between the various finishes that I didn't have a clue about before! This particular fabric is an extra- dense 1" pile feather finish in off-white ...it's a Hembold fabric so I am sure Christie Bears will have similar. You just have to try them out to see what suits your style!

[shelly]

Hi Jenny , thanks for explaining about the eyes , I will keep an eye out, excuse the pun, for them. I didn't realise that bear making followed such trends, but I suppose like fashion if some new idea comes out people would want to experiment.

Thanks Shelly
:6086:

[Melanie Jayne]

She is stunning:6013: :6013:

[Laurie]

Thanks for the info Jenny.The customs charges can be pretty high-at least if I ordered some it wouldn't be such a shock now I know how much to expect.
I got about 400 samples from probear for around £30 and they are well worth it as it helps a lot to see what you are going to order although like you said theres nothing better than going to shows and choosing as the fur can look different in a sample compared to a quarter of a meter.I have found though that the same style fur in different colours can come in different densities etc so it is just trial and error.All part of the fun in bear making I suppose.:)

[Jenny]

Laurie..I got the same from the USA..a huge box with every type of fabric...but it's been my best friend ever since. I won't use 75% of the fabrics but at least I know what's what.

I find that sometimes ..when the fabric arrives it is nothing like the sample. ... so I have taken to washing all my mohair these days..then tumbling it in the drier. It becomes much softer and fluffier..and it tightens the backing up substantially.

I don't ever wash the faux fur though...that would be disastrous!!!

[All Bear]

Lovely feminine bear Jenny and the eyelids are nice and subtle, very pretty. I agree with you about the corded lids ... in the right hands they can be worked to perfection, but if not, they can look very artificial and a bit harsh. Like you, I'm not too sure about introducing glue, so the corded thing doesn't really appeal to me ... I also think it tends to make such a dramatic feature of the eyes that sometimes an artist's work can lose identity and look too much like another artist's work, if they use the same technique as one another.

[Ruth]

Jenny , out of all the beautiful pics of your bears Stella is my absolute favourite !!! :6088: the feather finish fur and that "little girl" face are just irresistable !! How lucky is the person who has her on hold ! ( oh rats..:6022: )
Ruth

[Jenny]

Paula...You hit the nail on the head. They corded look is so specific that it definitely reflects those artists work who first used the method..and much as it's a great technique done well..it really is a case of 'damn it, why didn't I think of that first!!'

Hence the constant search for an equally easy and effective method of my own!

Thanks Ruth...for your lovely comments.

This little bear is no longer on hold..she's going to be available later today...after I have tweeked her a bit and done some more pics.

[Geralye]

Jenny,

How do you wash your mohair - hand? machine?

What do you wash it in - washing powder? shampoo?

I'm tempted to try, but worry that I will muck up the mohair.:rolleyes:

[Jenny]

Well...Miss Stella has had a new picture done and a wash and brush up....she's looking for a new mummy


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[Judi Russell]

Jenny, congratulations on another wonderful bear, she is simply stunning.:6087:

[Jenny]

Geralye..I machine wash it on a hand wash cycle ...if that makes sense!! About 30c and a delicate wash would do the same. I use washing powder ...non-bio..and I use a bit of fabric conditioner...then I tumble dry.

I started doing it for two reasons...the main one is because fabric goes flat shipping and so I would put it in the tumbler for 10 minutes with one of those sheet things to give it a fluff up...then I noticed that some fabric was on a very loosely woven backing and needed a bit of reinforcement before sewing..and someone told me that washing it first can tighten the backing up a bit..which I found to be true. I noticed that the pile can be a bit fluffier and nicer to work with subsequently so now I do nearly all the curly/feathery ones before I work on them.

[katiecountrymouse1]

Hi Jenny
Found the webpage.:6013:
Wow! She's lovely.
How do you do it, they get better every time I see one of your bears.
Is it just practise makes perfect, or is it you have the midas touch.
Love kayx.:)

[shebob bears]

:6086: :6086: Jenny,

How do you wash your mohair - hand? machine?

What do you wash it in - washing powder? shampoo?

I'm tempted to try, but worry that I will muck up the mohair.:rolleyes:

Mohair is a hair, NOT wool, so wash it in shampoo, preferably one for dry hair or use a conditioner after shampooing. I have been doing this for many years as soon as I have sheared the goats. It then retains that luxurious soft silky feel. I know you are refering to the fabric rather than the raw fleece, but the same rules seem to apply. The backing to the mohair will respond well to the shampoo treatment. I prefer to hand wash, then let it dry flat in the airing cupboard. If you want to fluff it up again, just put in the the tumble drier for 5/10 minutes, and feel how soft and silky it has become.

Good luck, and have fun.

Sheila.

[Jenny]

Sheila..I know what you mean about the shampoo...and it's a good point. I have washed loads of fabric in non-bio washing powder with no detrimental effect though...but will definitely try the shampoo in the future. I do put it in the machine though...because my main reason for doing it is to firm up the backing..and this method seems to work...

If mohair is like human hair it'll be as tough as old boot leather..when I see the things people do to their own hair when the come to the salon I am amazed there's any left on their head!!

Seriously though...I do use the tumbler to fluff up the pile..and the washing machine to shrink the backing slightly. Now you've said that I might not bother using any washing powder...since it's already clean...just a bit of fabric conditioner..Hmmmmmm!

Hi Kay...I am glad you joined...it's nice to see new faces on board!!! As far as it goes with my bears it's definitely a case of practise, practise, practise...LOL!!

[Chowlea Bears]

As far as it goes with my bears it's definitely a case of practise, practise, practise...LOL!!


You can practice till the cows come home - but if you haven't got the skill to start with - your stuffed...........................:6022:

Don't undersell your talent Jenny. Can I have the bit in the little finger of your left hand?:6086: P-L-E-A-S-E.............:6086: :6086:

[Jenny]

Sandra...you're such a lovely lady!!

There are things that I know I am good at..and things I ain't....like maths and housework (aaaagh !) but I always was told when I started out as a hairdresser..and I was (am) quite a talented hairdresser , that with talent comes a responsibility to keep improving..otherwise you might just as well give up. I remember when I started hairdressing I won the 'Apprentice of the Year ' for the Midlands area...and I'd practised and practised till my fingers hurt. I got maximum points and won the compliments of the judges who were very impressed. About a month later I went into another competition and this time didn't practise because I now thought I was a big-shot and didn't need to..and I came third to someone who I'd beaten in the first competition..so that taught me the lesson I have never forgotten.

To never take anything for granted..and I never will!!

I'm extremely proud of what I can do but I'd never think it's just down to being a clever dick...I have to work very hard at it..like everyone does!!

[Vicky Allum]

Jenny

Just wanted to say that Stella is absolutley beautiful.:6084: