Give Away - Many Thanks!!!!

Whenever I see the list of visitors from all over the world that visit this Blog/Website, I am just overwhelmed. I thank each of you so very much for your interest in me and my bears (bunnies, elephants, turtles, etc.) I wish I could make a little furry friend for each of you, but since I can't, this is what I can do! The little lady in the photograph above will be given away on the last day of January and will hopefully reach the winner by Valentine's Day! I've named her Valentine and she will be bringing my love and thanks with her.

Now here's how we'll do it! If you would like to have a chance to win Valentine, please leave a comment on this posting with your name and email address. I will not publish any of these and will use that web place that picks random numbers to choose the winner. The contest will be over at 6 p.m. on January 31st of 2013 EST. I'll contact the winner at the email address listed and will publish the winner's initials and will let you know where Valentine will be traveling as soon as I have that information from the winner. I won't keep the information you put on the comment page and will not give it to anyone else - this is just between you and me!

I hope you can tell how soft Miss Valentine is from the photo above. She is so huggy and I've made a red wool felt hat for her with a silk ribbon bow on it. She is not suitable for children as she has sparkly black glass eyes. I'll ask the winner to send me a note saying that they understand she's meant for grown ups.
So - Good Luck! I hope you will enjoy taking part and I thank each of you more than you could ever know!!

Love to all,
Donna

EVERYONE PLEASE NOTE!!! YOUR COMMENT WILL NOT APPEAR AS I WILL NOT PUBLISH THEM TO KEEP YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES CONFIDENTIAL. SINCE SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE WRITTEN TO ME WITH A CONCERN, I WILL EMAIL YOU TO LET YOU KNOW YOUR NAME WILL BE COUNTED WHEN I RECEIVE YOUR EMAIL! THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST!

And the winner is!!!! MW in the U. K. Congratulations! Valentine will be flying across the pond soon!

TOBY for Travis

I'm delighted to tell you that my tiny "Travis" has won an TOBY Industry's Choice Award from Teddy Bear and Friends Magazine. The voting for the Public's Choice Award will take place later in the year. I'll be sure to let you know about it.

But First!!

This little Fairy Bear just got her wings! She's about fly "across the pond" to a special friend! She (yet to be named by my friend) just wanted to say "Hello!!"

Happy, Happy!!!!

Why is this little guy so happy????? Could be the news in a message from dear friend, Darleen Allen last night! Check back for news soon ...... and information about the give away. The little give away bear is a beautiful tan mohair and she has a red hat for Valentine's Day. The weather here has been just too yucky to get out and take her photo!!

Thinking of Spring Here

A recent interview asked me what the future would bring - what's going to be new for the new 2013. That certainly reminded me of making new year's resolutions which I never do - not because I don't feel as though they are worth while - just that the year travels at such a speed and then it's time to cook the black eyed peas! (For those not accustomed to southern U. S. customs, it's supposed to be good luck to eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day! A custom which I whole heartedly adhere to because I LOVE black eyed peas!)
The fact is that I don't often have the luxury of planning ahead or thinking of what comes next. Busy as I am, things just flow from one thing to the next. Being asked the question, I had to stop and think of what might come next! I would love to include patterns and kits in my repertory this next year. I have ideas for some new little ones that will use this marvelous new extra extra long fur pictured above in the lovely little lop. Somehow factored in are the shows I'll do: Philadelphia in May, TBAI in August, and Hunt Valley in November ....and the online shows if I can remember the deadlines for application - which I failed to do for the last show of 2012 and the first one for 2013 of Teddies Worldwide.

One thing in store soon will be a give away! I am so thrilled to see the numbers mounting on my page views and feel as though I must celebrate and give away a bear in thanks to my blog/website visitors. Be sure to visit soon and I'll have a photo along with the "rules" for entering the giveaway.

Just reading over plans for the year makes me wonder if I will remember to buy this year's black eyed peas on time!

I really appreciate my visitors and wish each of you a splendid 2013!!

Untold Story of the Teddy Bear

Over a year ago, a very nice lady named Patricia Thorne wrote to me. She told me of her plans to write a book! A short time ago her dream came true. I received this copy in the mail. With the rush of the season, I haven't had a chance to read it thoroughly, but look forward to doing so with a nice cup of tea next week. I did, however, at her urging, look at pages 114 and 115 and found

                                                                               
                                                                              me!

Pat so kindly asked to use some photos of my bears. Of the photos I sent, she chose Christmas themed ones and that makes it especially nice to see at this time of year.

I thank her so very much for including me in this publication! She tells me it is available Everywhere! I hope you will enjoy this book. Here's a link to it on Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/Untold-Story-Teddy-Bear/dp/1457513242/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356262595&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Untold+story+of+the+teddy+bear

Holidays!! Yay!!!!

Let the festivities begin! I am so thrilled to have both my grown up kids with us this year. I hope everyone will enjoy this time when we slow down and reflect on what makes life worth while. I must share this photo of my darlings that I found and you can tell just how old it is by the Ewok in the photo. Now let's see - how long ago was that movie?? We can always date things by where we were living at the time. This photo was made in our quarters at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. We left soon after that for Okinawa. Our lives during Travis' army career were certainly colorful and seemed like a travelog!

Three Little Bears

Xian LuWu

I've just listed three little bears in my Etsy shop! In addition to the open mouthed Polar Bear (who has been named Travis ((after the insistence of my husband of the same name)) and who was featured in the last posting, I offer tiny Xian LuWu pictured above. He's named for the newly named baby panda at the San Diego Zoo. The name means "Little Gift." The third bear is Little Santa dressed all in green. I do hope you'll stop by and see more photos of the three!

Please click: www.etsy.com/shop/Donnaandthebears   I certainly appreciate your comments and
messages.  All three of these bears have been adopted!! Thank you Sue, Lynn, and Debra!!

Travis

Little Santa

A Little Something New

This tiny Polar Bear - as yet unnamed - is my first bear with an open mouth! He stands under 4 inches tall and is fully cotter pin jointed. I hope you think he is sweet and smiley and kind. I crocheted his little hat and found the perfect matching green bell.

And now for a schedule change. Because of family activities - we're all fine, just a lot of moving and other things we've been doing - I won't be able to go to the Hunt Valley Show or participate in the wonderful online show coming up soon. That last one is my fault as I missed the deadline for applying! Where does the time go???

Anyway, this little chap as well as some others will make an appearance soon in my Etsy shop. I am so sorry that I won't be able to see everyone at the show this coming weekend. Please drop me a line and let me know how much fun you have and tell me of the new bears in your collections!! I'd love to see photos too!

I'll be letting you know when my bears will be in the Etsy shop and do hope you'll be able to drop by.