URSA Awards 2009 Competition
"Reach Way Beyond The Stars"
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URSA Awards 2009 Competition "Reach Way Beyond The Stars" |
Meet the 2009 URSA Winners
Listed by their first names and in their own words.
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Congratulations to all the URSA Award Winners! |
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Alison McKee
eTeddys Entering the URSA Awards Competition for the first time has been a great experience for me. Having a on-line contest has given me and I'm sure all of the artists who entered, a chance to share the world of teddy bear artistry to a wide and diverse audience. Friends and family who may have seen my work were completely unfamiliar with other talented artists in the industry. I received many emails from them after directing them to the URSA contest voting pages. They all expressed sheer amazement at the variety of colors, sizes I am proud to have won an URSA Award and more proud to be able share the wonderful world of teddy bears with those who were unfamiliar. |
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Category 14, Entry 1 |
Annalisa Taddei
The Tuscany Bear Maker My first time entering the URSA Awards Competition and a winner in all three categories! I've no words! |
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Annie Nann
Annie Laurie's Forget-Me-Notkins Once again, the 2009 URSA Awards Competition was a wonderful and fun experience for me. I feel that one of the best things about a teddy bear contest like the URSA, is that it really encourages growth for an artist. My little rodeo clown team is a direct result of the encouragement and enthusiasm I felt. A GREAT BIG thank you to all the teddy bear moms and dads out there who voted! |
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Brenda Parker
BrendaBears I have been designing and creating my bears since the early 1990s. These little creations are my passion. I love to watch them come to life and bring on a personality all their own. It is extremely rewarding to see the positive effect they have on others. A special thank you goes out to Valerie and the whole team at Bears&Buds for the terrific job they do. I would like to send warm hugs to all those who voted for him. Thank you for your support! Brenda |
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Donna Griffin
Donna and the Bears It has been an honor to participate in the URSA Awards Competition.
The program allows us, as artists, to have our work presented on the world stage and the response is so lovely. I do so appreciate those who take time to vote encouraging all of us to do our best and search out new ideas and designs. Many thanks to Bears& Buds for the URSA program and thanks and hugs to those who voted from my tiny Marc Andre; Flower Elf. |
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Gloria Chan
Gloria's Handicraft Studio When we participate in a bear competition, we will try to do our very best. When we are trying our best, we will know the limit of our technique, and then we will be able to see what's beyond our limitation.
Of course, I would be much delighted if I could win a trophy when I enter the URSA Awards Competition. I wish that many trophies could be given out to everyone who entered!
I would like to thank Ms. Valerie and her staff for organizing the URSA Awards Competition which makes for good communication between bear makers and the readers.
Thank you to everyone who voted in the URSA Awards Competition and special thanks to all who voted for my Hong Kong Bears.
Best Regards,
Gloria
Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for me. |
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Jacqui Ellerton
Jac-O-Bears I would like to thank everyone who voted for my little Toy-Box Treasure Jessie and for their emails of encouragement.
It was a big surprise to be in the URSA Award Competition finals, as this was my very first attempt at entering a competition, I was so nervous about entering that I applied in the last hour before the competition closed. After becoming an URSA Awards finalist it has given me the confidence to enter more competitions and especially to have another go in the URSA's next year. To see Jessie get through amongst all the other brilliant bears and buds has been marvelous, as I have been developing a new range of bears that incorporate everything a traditional style bear should look like, which is a total change to the wacky bears that I am probably best known for with the tell tale signs of eyelids, enameled eyes, sculpted faces and paw pads, embellished with airbrushing and the droopy ears. So you can imagine my delight to see my traditional bear Jessie amongst the fantastic finalists.
A very big THANK YOU! to everyone who has supported me throughout the competition by voting for Jessie.
Jacqui |
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Jacquie Pollitt
Threadbears You like me, you really like me!!!!!
Seriously, I would like to thank all the people who took time to go to Bears&Buds and vote, not only for my bear but all of the artists, because without you, the collectors, teddy bear enthusiasts, friends and family, we would not be able to keep doing what we so clearly love to do.
I especially want to thank the people who did vote for me, I do not enter a lot of competitions, so when I do and am fortunate enough to win it is a huge honour and proves that everything I go through, creatively and emotionally, oh yes, a great deal of emotion goes into every creation, is worth it. I love what I do and I thank you for allowing me to keep doing it.
Thank you for voting for me. Jacquie |
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Jan Cuming
Jinglebears Wow!!!!!!
I cant believe it! Are you sure? These were just some of the thoughts that flew through my head when I saw that I had won prize in the URSA Awards Competition this year. What a fabulous feeling and it all done by the voting public and organized by Bears&Buds. Thank you , thank you, thank you! You have made my day, week, month and year, and designing, making, competing is what makes bear making all worthwhile.
What a fantastic thing Cyberspace is to connect us all across the world. Warmest greetings from New Zealand.
Jan
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Joanne Livingston
Desert Mountain Bears My New Year's resolution was to become better know in the bear world. I entered the URSA Awards Competition to have my work seen. I entered two bears, Benson, and Page. The competition was stiff. I knew that Bears&Buds was doing massive advertising, so I kept my eye on the real prize, exposure. I actually got teary-eyed when I saw that Benson had made it through to the final round. I am truly thankful to the people who thought he was good enough and voted for him. I do feel that this competition has helped me to become better known as a bear maker. Thank you Bears&Buds for making it possible. |
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 Category 7, Entry 5 Panda Cub in Tree |
Johni Jacobsen Johni Jacobsen Studio Fox River Grove, Illinois - USA I got the idea for this piece when we went to the San Diego zoo to see the pandas. It took two more years to decide to get the idea out of my head and create the piece. Feeling I had made a good representation of what I had seen, family and friends coaxed me to enter it in the URSA Awards Competition. I was extremely excited to be voted as one of the top three nominees in my category. |
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 Category 14, Entry 3 Lola Laughs
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Karen Lyons KJ Lyons Designs Seattle, Washington - USA I believe the Internet will be very important to Teddy Bear Artists in the future and Bears&Buds" is the premiere web site promoting Teddy Bears and Teddy Bear Artists today! I am very honored to be a URSA Award winner and I think Valerie is doing a wonderful job of promoting our art and moving us into what will be an important part of our future as an art form. Karen |
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 Category 1, Entry 6 Booh Category 12, Entry 6 |
Kim Russell Russell Bears Perth, West Australia A huge "Thank You" goes out to everyone that took the time to vote in this years URSA Awards and congratulations to all the amazing artists that participated, making it such a success. Also a huge "Thanks" to Bears&Buds for making this possible for all of us artists and collectors. It really was exciting for me as this was the first time I had entered my work. I have been watching the URSA Awards for some time now, always having my say by religiously voting for my favourite pieces and now I am honoured and thrilled to have made it as a finalist.
I love to create my little characters and decided to enter them just for the exposure, not expecting any of them to end up as finalists.
So from the bottom of my heart, a very special "Thank You" and big "Bear Hugs" to all who voted for my pieces. I really appreciate it and am totally blown away by your support.
Beary kind regards,
Kim
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Krista Griffiths
K Pawz Creations Thank you so much to everyone who voted this year, not just for my entries, but for all the amazing creations entered in the URSA Awards Competition! You are the ones who keep us doing what we love to do! It is because of your appreciation that we are able to continue to 'Reach Way Beyond the Stars'. Thank you to Valerie and everyone involved at Bears& Buds who have once again brought us an amazing competition, and continue to make Bears&Buds the hot spot of bear artistry. Thank you as well to all the other artists who entered. Thank you for believing in yourselves enough to share your creations with the world. Whether, you Win, Place or Show, it doesn�t matter, the fact that we reached for the stars and entering makes us all winners! The real award for me in this all is sharing a place on the podium with such amazing talent! Big Hugs, Krista
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Marge Wiese Princess4Paws Designs I would like to extend a great big Thank You to all who voted for my creations! I am so happy to be among the bear artists who are the 2009 URSA Award winners. I have been creating miniature teddy bears and their friends since July 2005. I am honored to have my needle felted sculpture, �Ting � Chinese Year of the Tiger� and my crocheted Teddy Bear, �Madeline�, both voted as finalist for the 2009 URSA Awards Competition. Tropical Teddy Bear Hugs! |
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Marion Fraile
bearkidz by Marion Fraile First of all I would like to thank everybody who voted in this exciting competition for my bears Molly and Hannah.
I would also like to thank Valerie and everybody else at Bears & Buds for running this annual competition. I am the face behind bearkidz bears. Each bear is one-of-a-kind and crocheted from a variety of different yarns. I like to combine my love for bears and the art of crocheting in creating my bears.
Each year I look forward to taking part in the URSA Awards Competition where so many wonderful entries, from all over the world are shown.
I am thrilled that this year, once again, both my entries are in the finals. Thank you to all who voted for my entries!
Marion |
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Mary Jardin Wimberley
Mary's Secret Garden I�m so honored to have connected with you through my art work.
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Melissa Zemeski
Attic Heirloom Treasures I was overwhelmed with excitement to find out I was a finalist-winner.
Thank you to everyone who voted for Captain Zinfangar.
I must say that this competition was full of amazing artists. I'm honored to be apart of such a BIG group of talented people. I truly appreciate all the readers, collectors, family and friends, for voting, for me. Teddy bear hugs to you all. A BIG Thank you to Valerie of Bears&Buds for working as hard as she does to put together every year the URSA Awards Competition. Without her and her helpers we couldn't participate in such a wonderful event. She is truly
an awesome and talented lady!!
I worked on Captain Zinfangar for months. He is one of my favorite dressed / costumed bears I've ever made. I take
great pride in my work. When I did this piece I knew Captain Zinfangar would fit right in to the Clowns and Costumed
Bears&Buds category.
Thank you again for voting for Captain Zinfangar in the 2009 URSA Awards Competition!!!
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Natascha Sabo
Leftybears I�m sooo happy to hear that my little Soggy Bottom Boy is among the URSA Award Winners 2009. I want to thank everybody who voted for my little bear. Three years ago, with a challenge among fellow artist, titled �Miss You�, this means a bear or bud that misses someone or something. Natasha |
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Category 12, Entry 1
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Oksana Skliarenko Oksana's Toys Kiev, Ukraine Winning was such a wonderful surprise! Particularly as I became a winner among so many talented artists. I am really pleased that my work has appealed to those who supported me by their votes. I would like to thank Valerie and the staff at Bears&Buds for organizing this fun competition and say a huge thank you to all who voted for my bears! p; Seaman is my first experience in miniature bear making. Rabbit is my favorite toy. It�s really one of a kind. I can not explain HOW I MADE IT. I had to cut and add parts and pieces just as I began making it. Huge thanks to my friends in Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, France, Italy and Portugal. It feels great when you can share your hobby with friends. I like showing them my art and hope they are not yet too tired of it. And, of course, I really look forward to having their support in the future competitions. Oksana |
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Phyllis Swanson
Swanson Designs I have always loved horses and wanted to capture their essence in crochet. Shenandoah is the result of that challenge, which I finally felt capable of tackling this year and I loved every minute of the process. He has been my inspiration to begin other equine projects. I am humbly honored that Shenandoah was voted a winner in the URSA Awards Competition. Thanks to Valerie and Bears&Buds, for sponsoring the competition. Big thanks to all who voted for Shenandoah! |
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Tatiana Scalozub I live in Odessa, Ukraine and our city is try to develop an awareness for teddy bears. I teach my students to create bears, help them with information and travel to exhibitions. Bear making is very important for me and I am happy to take part in the International URSA Awards Competition. It is the first time for me. Thank you to everyone who likes my Mariasha and for your votes! Kind regards. |
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Terrie Kalaputas Terries Bears Thank you so much to all who voted for my bears! I love the whole process of creating bears and it is so rewarding when others love the bears that I make. Thank you so much for the emails and comments that I received about my entries, they have truly �made my day!�
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Your vote helped determined the URSA Major Award winner! |
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The URSA Major -Best Over All Award winner is: Melissa Zemeski
Voted the Best Overall winner! Our hat's off to YOU! |
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Each winner will receive their awards by mail, Gifts courtesy of Bears&Bud's Associates, Artists, Sponsors, |
See all the gifts
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Special thank you to our generous supporters for their lovely gifts. |
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Watch the URSA Awards Presentation on YouTube.com Coming soon |
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