Staying Positive

Thank you so much for the encouragement and suggestions on yesterday's post. I am feeling much better today, the news yesterday makes me really worried that I wanted to write in on my blog of my thoughts at that moment.  I have received emails, comments and messages from friends on facebook and whatsapp, it's really feels comforting. The outcome of whether I can attend the show or not will have to wait till mid-march when the date of the major event is confirm.

I am staying positive and pray hard that I can still attend the Melbourne show. I have already planned what to make for the show and started making new bears/animals since January, I want to show my collectors some of my latest creations. As I always say that shows/exhibitions are very important to me, they are just like a graduation display for final year project in school, it brings me back to the good old days. A bear show/exhibition is just the moment that I always look forward to show my work to the world and within that few hours; I feel proud of myself and my family feels that too. That few hours makes all my hard work worth while.

I doesn't want to say negative things about my ex-company, because I love my job as a designer and I love toys. It's sad that how things had changed over the years and how people's attitude have changed. I want to say that my love and passion for toy design will never change and I will continue to design, innovate and create till the moment I stop breathing; nothing's going to stop me.

What should I do?

Today I went to my manager's room to inform her of my one week trip to Melbourne in May. To my surprise, she disapprove my trip... She told me that will be a major event which requires ALL STAFFS to come back to work in May and she cannot confirm which date as instructions have not been given by the upper management yet.

I told her I have already purchased 4 adult tickets and tickets for an exhibition (I didn't let anyone know that I am participating in a bear show). She asked me to call the agent to ask for a refund or change the trip to another date. I am really disappointed, my main aim of visiting Melbourne is to participate in a bear show, I don't find any point of visiting there if there isn't a show and what is worst is that I even paid the table fee for the show last week. I purchased the flight tickets online and not through an agent so refund for the tickets and table fee is uncertain, this makes me really mad...

What comes to my head immediately was to submit my resignation letter if my leave has been disapproved. I know that most people would say that I am crazy, but I am really serious in this matter. Sadly I have to say, I left my first job (I love the job and have been working for 3yrs) last year because one of my colleages backstabbed and told my boss about my bears and online shop etc... we had an agruement over this, he disagree of me spending time making bears and earning extras... so I decided to leave the company and continue to pursue my dream and passion.

I am hoping and praying that I can still go to the Melbourne trip. My manager says if the event does not fall on the same dates I can go for my trip, but when will I know? I am worried :( If you were on my shoes what would you do?

Hugs,
Wayne

New Buster Puppy "Benji"

Hello friends! I am delighted to introduce my latest new puppy "Benji". He is approximately 6.5" long for head to tail. I want to thank Quentin for telling me that he is Buster Breed :) Buster was a mixed-breed dog, his father was a German Shepherd and and his mother a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. (Got this info from Wikipedia)

Once again, this puppy is also a OPD (One-Piece-Design) like my previous puppy, Jiro. Benji is fully armature on his head, ears, neck, spine, tail and legs; he is very poseable and softly stuffed and heavily weighted with polyfill, glass beads and crushed garnets.

Benji is now available for adoption on my website:
http://www.wix.com/waynelim/waynestonbears/benji

We hope you enjoy viewing his pictures and have a wonderful week!
Hugs, Wayne

My oh my! I want these!

I chanced upon a website today with these interesting products! Wow!
I want one for my Macbook Air!

Read more about it here:
http://www.gadgetmac.com/gadgetmac/color-your-apple-keyboard-the-silicone-cover-guide.html

WIP Project B & W

B&W? No... it means Black and White... LOL!

I am currently making something black and white, it can't escape your eyes, right now you should know what it is.

COMING SOON ^.^

WIP - New Pup

After receiving lots of positive feedbacks on my bull dog Jiro, I am now working another new pup. This little pup I am working on is a Welsh Terrier and I am suppose to use long pile fur to make it look like one, however I have no idea what I am thinking while cutting... I choose a piece of golden short dense pile mohair to make him instead. Guess what? He has now become a puppy which I have no idea what breed he is... can anyone help me name his breed? Mix-breed? LOL

Anyway along the process of making this little chap here is really fun, he is full wire armatured on the head, neck, spine, tail and 4 legs. Heavily weighted with glass beads, crushed garnets and polyfill! I am in love with him!

He is almost done, I am now hoping to find a suitable collar and a name for him. A name from you would be deeply appreciated! I will take some nice photos this weekend then he will be all ready to find a good home, I shall keep him with me for a few more days :)

Here are some of the WIP pictures.

OK..Daddy sewn and stuff me up!

Sometimes I think daddy is a plastic surgeon... he is going to perform a nose job for me... OUCH!

One of Daddy's most time consuming process and work is needle sculpting paws

My Lazy Pose! =P

See how nice is my nose job... shsssshhh please don't tell anyone that my nose is fake -.-

We are participating in the Melbourne Teddy Bear Fair!

Hello friends!

Wayneston Bears will be participating in the Melbourne Teddy Bear Fair!

Date: Sunday 6th May 2012

Where: Berwick Leisure Centre, 79 Manuka Rd, Berwick VIC

Australian friends, we see you there! :)

Speed Dating? No Joke!

I accompanied a friend to attend a Speed Dating dinner event on Friday night at Absolute Thai at Marina. This is my first time attending such an event like this. Both of us are singles, I am actually not looking for a girlfriend, just join because the organiser is having a Valentine's Day Special - $25 off so I decided to give it a try...

The place was crowded, in total there were more than 70 singles that night. We were shock because we were only expecting a small group of 40 people, I guess the special promotion really did work out for the organiser.

This is how we started. First we register after that the organiser will bring you to your seat with a lady sitting opposite and alternate to you. I was placed on a square table for 4 with 2 ladies then a man beside me... it feels awkward... the conversation doesn't click to me at all, luckily my friend came to my rescue and bought me to her table which was long that could accommodate 16 people. (LESSON LEARNT - Be there early so that you can choose the the seats. Always choose the long table so you get to chat with more people.)

We were given a piece of paper with menu and "what to do" written on it. I ordered Phai Thai Noodles and my friend ordered Pineapple Fried Rice. Comment for the food? - Horrible...
Those who were sitting on my table who ate the Pineapple Rice only finish half, it was soggy and dry. My Phai Thai wasn't fantasic either, it's dry and sticky... I think that is the worst Phai Thai I ever ate :X
(LESSON LEARNT - Never order sticky food or soup? I find that the Phai Thai Noodle is difficult to eat because it's too sticky and might give a bad impression to the others)

On my row, come along another 3 man in their 30's. They are very confident and sociable, I think they are what most women look for. After dinner, the ladies were been break into 10 groups and the guys were to move to each table to interact with ladies every 12 minutes. The ratio for Ladies to Men on that night was approximately 2:1...
As this is my first time attending such "Dating" event, I am nervous (I wasn't prepared for my introduction etc). Luckily my group of guys that moves along with me were vocal and playful, they started breaking the ice easily for us to have fun chat with the ladies. The ladies and the guys in the event were in their 30's - 40's... Sadly to say I am having a hard time chatting with them... they see me like a small boy LOL

The occupation of the ladies were mostly (Adminstrators, Auditors, Property Agents, Teachers and one of them is Psychiatrist (WOW!) When we were been asked to introduce ourselves and our occupation, I told them that I am a graphic design and an artist... sadly - none of them were interested/impressed :( WHAT IS WRONG WITH US??? Anyway I am glad that 2 of the ladies in their 30's on the event were nice to me, they even asked for my namecard to see my bears' blog... (Oppss they might be reading this)...

Any strange men or ladies we encountered? YES! There is this lady at her 40's - 50's which seems rude - Before we sat down... the first question she thrown to us was "What's your occupation and which company are you working at?" I think she is too direct... even though all of the ladies asked the same questions but it goes with the flow and was in a more polite manner. Anyway this particular lady was a complete shut off for all the guys and none of us bother to chat with her LOL...
On my friends's table, she told me that there is this old man that passed the row of ladies his mobile, wanting them to key in their contact numbers before the conversation. RUDE! He did not even ask if the ladies want to give him. Of course none of them has given their contact to this man.

In conclusion, that night was a weird, awkward, fun event I ever had. Maybe it will be my first and last time joining as the age group seems to be much older than I expected. Ladies like my friend who is looking for a partner in their 30's (Someone is more mature, has high earning power and ready to settle down) can join this event.

I guess that I might just have to hug onto my bears for another few more years... We shall see...LOL

Hugs,
Wayne

Jiro is on Ebay!

I have decided to give Ebay another try and hopefully more people will come and take a look at my work.

This time Jiro will be on Ebay for 7 Days Auction. I hope he can find a home soon. I have set the reserve low at 170USD, if you like to adopt him visit my Ebay auction below:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250997600037

Time to sleepzzzz, good nite peeps :)

I need a home! Woof!

Who do I spend my V'day with?

Seriously it's nothing special for me, it's just another normal day. I went back home after work in the evening, have my dinner with my mum and siblings after that...SEWING.

Sometimes I wonder if girls would really appreciate/like a guy that do sewing... most girls I knew would like to have a more sporty boyfriend. I am just too homey *_*

How wonderful..... I drawn a new puppy design 2days ago and started sewing the inner legs. It's going to be another OPD, I am hoping that he will turn out well.

Thank you for all the lovely comments on Jiro, they mean a lot to me.

One of my friend told me today that her boyfriend took her for dinner at a coffee shop for V'day. She is disappointed that there are no roses and she has to pay for her own bill... what a joke...
I might not be a romantic guy but all this sounds wrong to me. If you want to have a more economical way to spend on this special occasion, why not cook a homemade dinner specially for her perhaps with 2 candle lights?

When you Happy, everyday is just like a V'day! The happiest moment which I have weekly is the moment when a new critter is born and reading the comments from facebook friends, followers from blogs and the hive. These small little actions makes me very contented.

The sewing is almost complete yesterday and I'll be stuffing tonight.
Cya later :)

Hugs,
Wayne

Happy Valentine's Day!

Dear Readers,

Wayneston Bears and Wayne wishing all A
Happy Valentine's Day!

Thanks for your encouragement and support,

WE LOVE YOU! =)



Happy V'day!

Never give up!

I just to share the process of making Jiro. When there's a will there's a way! Yeah! =)

English Bulldog Puppy Named Jiro

Here comes Jiro, the little English Bull Dog. He is a one piece design that I have been working on this week and he is now finally completed.

Hello everyone, my name is Jiro :)

I am always looking outside the window waiting for someone to bring me home

Will you love me?

I promise that I'll be a good boy

He has big eyes with eye whites, this give him an anime look. I really love his body proportion. He is designed to be sitting down. He has a small white tail, the ears have wire armatures and he has a needle felt nose with epoxy sealed nose as well. His body is soft and weighted with polyfill, crushed garnets and glass beads.

Jiro is always looking at you, waiting for you to pick him up. While making him, a novelty song always comes into my mind... "How Much is That Doggie in the Window?" written by Bob Merrill and Ingrid Reuterskiöld in 1952. That's one of my favourite childhood song. =)

I have never own a puppy before, however having the ability to make pups and playing with them make me contented. It just feel good =)

I have posted Jiro on my website. Hope you like him! Woof!

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!
Hugs,
Wayne

WIP - One Piece Design

One of my resolution this year is to learn how to create a One-Piece Design. What is OPD? It means that the bear/animal has no joints - their head, arms and legs are part of the body. Like most soft toys available in the market are OPD, they just sit stills in one positon like a hard sculpture.

To make a moveable OPD you can consider adding skeletions inside the body to make it move. Skeletons can be wire armature or loc-lines. However, to make the OPD moves, it's a tricky process - you got to trial and error on your first few designs to study the amount of tolerance space needed for the skeleton to move.

Right now for this case, I am experimenting on a little pup this week. Yesterday night I have finish sewing the whole body and flipped it inside out. Looking at the amount of space in between the legs, I think an armature might not work at all. I hope he can be completed this week and I'll share with you later.

Hugs,
Wayne

Side view of the pup before turning

This is his frontal view, looks ugly isn't it? :p

Ah... looking good after turning. He is not stuffed yet!



Here's the front view



Basic Bear Making Supplies - Part 1

Here are some of the basic sewing materials that I would highly recommend for bear making. For friends in Singapore, you may find these basic sewing materials in Art Friend or Spot Light.
Here are just some of the neccessary tools, I will share more again later :)

Birch Sewing Needles

I have been using Birch Sewin Needles since the day I started making bears. They are REALLY REALLY GOOD! These needles are very strong and they would rust easily. Each of these needles could last you for more than a year, in fact I have been using the same needles for more than 2 years! I only change them when they turn black due to my sweaty palms. The long one on top is also Birch, it's a doll needle - good for needle sculpting and setting for glass eyes. You can get these from Spot Light at Plaza Singapore.

Guterman Thread

Gutermann thread is the best sewing thread I ever use. They are very strong and I believe most artist uses them. Usually I cut a long piece about more than an arm's length, insert it into the needle then fold into half and tied a knot then I start sewing with backstitches. You can get these from Art Friend or Spot Light.

Nylon or Polyester Thread

These 2 rolls of Nylon thread is what I use for closing seams and needle sculpting. They are very strong and if you pull them really hard, it will cut your fingers :x
My friend bought from me when they visit bear shops in other countries, so I am not really sure where to get these, maybe you can get from online bear supplies shop. I am still looking around in Singapore to see where can I bought similar thread like this.

Binder Clips

What are these? Why am I using Binder Clips??? These binder clips are use to clip both pieces of fabric together when sewing. These keeps the fabric in position so that it doesn't shift or stretch when you sew. Many artists are using round head pins to secure when sewing but this works better for me. You have to try it yourself to know what works best for you :)

Polyfill

Polyfill is used by most artist to stuff their bears. They are also known as polyester fibers belonging to the family of plastics. They are water proof, easy to work with, heavy and most important of all - free from insects :) You can buy this from Spot Light or use the polyfill from brand new pillow cases.

I am working on a One-piece design now, he is looking good. Tomorrow I will share some pictures of his WIP. Do come back again tomorrow :) Good nite!

Hugs,
Wayne

A Lost Opportunity

In life, there are many opportunities waiting for you only when you are prepare for it. So when the right moment comes CATCH IT!

Last week, I checked my spam mail inbox and realised that I have missed an interview by one of the Singapore Magazine. The email was sent about 3 weeks ago and they found me from one of the design website. Lesson learnt... always check your junk/spam mailbox.

Today I have received another enquiry from someone in Canada wanting to distribute of one of my product design but it wouldn't work. That product was a a Baby Milk Maker which was designed for my school final year project in 2005, it was a concept and prototype that was never actualise. I could remember that someone approaching me about manufacturing it when I am having my final year exhibition in our school Atrium. That time I wasn't interested and turn down because I am serving the army after graduation, now come to think of it, I might have lost a great opportunity.

There is no point crying over spilt milk. I am consistantly preparing myself for the next opportunity to come.
Now right, this year I hope to spend more time creating new designs, improving my skills and learn new techniques, participating in more overseas Teddy Bear Shows. I know that if I work hard, I will get there - to become a great Toy Designer :)

New monkey name Chappy

I am in love with my creations more and more, day after day. They able to communicate with me, they told me the way they want to look like, how much stuffings onto their bodies and the proportions in them. I can feel that I am getting better with this art and still proud to be a teddy bear artist.

I grew up with a soft toy monkey when I was a child, he was my companion. One day my mum sent him for washing and clipped him onto the window then a strong wind blew him away and I cried for many days. Till today I still misses him :(

Today, I am delighted to introduce my latest Monkey named Chappy. He is 8 inches tall made of very soft Japanese Alpaca. I am very very very happy with him :) His arms, legs and tail has wire armature as well. I love the way he sits, he has a wired spine which allows him to lay back and sit lazily, playing with him is so much fun!

Chappy is now available for adoption on my website.
http://www.wix.com/waynelim/waynestonbears/chappy

《我的小小发明》Think Big on 29 January 2012 (Enjoy Watching! :)

Hello friends :) I am sharing here with you the better resolution of video of "Think Big". Kindly note that I have deleted the earlier ones which I have shared a few posts ago.

To my surprise, one of my classmates has recorded me a CD of the show without me knowing, thank you so much my friend Joey. I am very touched! :) The production crew will only send me the CD in April after the full show ends, so these new videos here should be good enough for your viewing :)

We hope you enjoy the show!

*There are English Subtitles, enjoy!*

Wayneston Bears is featured on TBR April Issue! =D

Great news! We are featured on the April Issue of Teddy Bear Review, USA!

It has been a honour to be featured 2nd time for the year 2012 on this prestigious magazine. Thank you so much Teddy Bear Review! :)

The article talks about several artists' plan for the year 2012. The different approach / strategies of artists tackling the hard times of economy downturn and some creations that could be foreseen in this upcoming year. I mentioned about making a Dragon for the new year on the magazine... this write up was sent last year before Christmas when I haven't even thought of the design! I am glad that I have kept my promise and accomplished it =)

There are many wonderful pictures in this issue, my friend Joanne is also featured on the same article as well, you should go take a look at her beautiful pandas, I am sure they melt your heart =)

Reading this magazine today really made my day, now i got my mojo back into bear making, time for some BEAR MAKING ADVENTURE!!! ROAR~

Look! My bear, Barney is seating right there =>

Dazzel my panda is featured on this page!

My friend, Joanne Livingston's pandas are featured on the left :)

Happy reading!

Hugs,
Wayne

My bear making mojo is back!

I have been slacking for almost a week! After the last pony I made a week ago, we spent most of the days having Chinese New Year house visits. This is also a good time for me to rest my hands, I have been sewing too much lately and that causes my hands to numb sometimes.... :(

After the few days of public holiday, I just felt like doing nothing and just slack! I have been watching dramas, playing games. Time to pull back and be disclipine! Few days ago I have redraw another new pattern and started sewing.

As you can see here he is almost 65% done :) I am confident of completing him this week to show everyone.

We wish everyone a wonderful day!