Tampa Show Review 2010

Well, I am back from the Tampa show. It was a one day show but some artist had dinner on Friday. Saturday was a beautiful day and collectors kept the room lively. There was the usual slow down for people getting lunch but people showed up to the very end of the show. One couple came to Florida just for the NASCAR and the bear show and then were going right back home to the snow!
Collectors enjoyed winning bear money they could use at artists tables as it helped them reduce the cost of the bear they wanted. The show was in a good location and there was room to move around in the showroom so you could look at bears easily.
So you want to know what you missed right?!.The bears on the left at top, are Black Forest Bears made of wood shown by atist and antique collector, Carolyn Jacobsen. Jacquelyn melerski of Gilmur Rudley Bears showed the great bear with the duck, and her website is www.gilmurrudley.com
The bears , they are knit or crochet, are by Marge Wiese of Princess Paws Designs & Creations and it was her first show. You can see more of her work at www.princess4paws.com .Cathy Knapp had the most wonderful little mice dressed beautifully and she even had them set in scenes. A very good display. The mouse in the overalls is Cathy's and you can contact her at www.tenderheartteddies.com .
Martha Burch did the woodland looking bear with the wonderful little birds that were barely an inch long! Check out her website Martha's Bears at www.marthasbears.com .

Wendy Collins of Collins Gift Shop brought some wonderful artists pieces, go to www.collinsgifts.com to see what she's up to.

And now it's time for me to get back to work on orders and get ready for the two shows in March. Oooooh is that March peeking around the corner?! Bad for me but great cause Tim Burton's Alice movie comes out on the 5th Yippee! See you at the movies.




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Busy, busy, busy

It's time to get ready for the Tampa bear show and I haven't even made a post in days! But I have been making all sorts of animals like the giraffe above.
That's in between car problems and yoga classes and the rest of life. Hope everyone had a good Valentines day. I just about forgot about it. Course my hubby didn't. Ah, next year.
Hope to post more pictures later of work in progress. Now back to work.

Disappearing Artisans

This weekend I went to a fabric and upholstery store, Freemans, that is in the final stages of closing due to the economy. It is a family owned business, one gentleman has helped designers and layman alike fir years. His knowledge in the craft of upholstery is invaluable. I have had occasion to benefit from it myself.
I'm always buying used pieces and bringing them back to life. One piece, a sofa bed, had two old very worn seat cushions that were useless. He helped me select the best foam that had proper thickness and would last for years. He cut it into one cushion form that I made an inner cover and outer cover for that worked out great.
He also helped in the selection of a foam for a five sided seat of an uncoventional chair, making allowances for the height difference from being compressed by time and use, and it fit wonderfully.
I am hopeful that things are going to get better eventually but what are we going to do about all the knowledge that is disappearing along with skill, attention to detail, and the heart for the job at hand ? I am sad at this loss.


From the bears and me:0)

IDEX Review 2010Continued

Let's try to finish this up again:0)
The UFDC gave dialogues on doll and toys in their booth.


Gina Cass presented her Raggedy Ann and Andy collectibles.



Barbara Close brought some of her German Candy Containers shown above and below.






These pieces had such wonderful detail work, these opened at the animals heads.
The Good Bears of the World also held their auction and a book signing that collectors throughly enjoyed.
Hope to see you there next year.

IDEX2010 Part 2

I have tried to make this post twice and everything has disappeared twice, that's photos and all so I give up for now. sorry.


From the bears and me:0)

IDEX 2010 Show Review

Well the show is over, and while Friday seemed a little slow, Saturday was a constant parade of people. Now don't get me wrong, I know of many artists that sold well on Friday.

And buyers did buy the whole three days. While there were fewer bear artists then in the past, there were a larger number of collectors that came through the show.

What did you miss?


"Little Bantu" a beautiful piece by artist Susan Krey. You can contact her or see more work at Kreydolls.com


New editor of Teddy Bears &Friends Magazine, Terrence Lynch who kindly took free photos of artists work. All you had to do was sign up for a time and bring one of your pieces over to be photograghed. He e-mails you the photos. Pretty cool!


Artist Nancy Latham of Wistful Children offered this wonderful Alice piece with dormouse asleep on the table! Another view below.


Alice showed up quite often, you already saw mine, so here is one from Friedericy Dolls with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Contact artist Lucia Friedericy at FriedericyDolls.com


Ok this will be a two post review. Check the next one.