Teddy Blog

Care Bear Afghan - still under construction

Rosie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:24:27 +0000

I have been working on a Care Bear Afghan for the past year and a half. I want to finish this for a Christmas present for Brittny. A simple panel of single crochet with cross stitching over it creates a Care Bear. This is in a booklet that can be found at most craft stores. While it didn’t look like it was going to be such a long drawn out project, for me, having little spare time to work on it, it has become quite a challenge. Currently I have the bear just about done. This particular one- Sunshine Bear- is sitting on a swing that is tied to a star. Once the bear part is completed I need to still do the star. It’s turning out to be very nice and I am pleased so far. I know Brittny will love this as it will be one of her favorite bears and is done is a soft baby type yarn. It will be big enough to cover a twin bed. If you do intend to attempt such a project, give yourself plenty of time to do it as it is time consuming. Doing the counted cross stitch isn’t all that hard over single crochet, but pulling out errors can be rather tricky. I know.

A Lost Teddy

Rosie — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:31:49 +0000

What can you do if your child has lost his or her teddy bear? Replacing their old beloved bear can’t be that easy. Children cannot be fooled if a new bear is suddenly there when they know the old one so well. The best thing to do is to call the store or other place where you can remember your child having the teddy bear. If your child is too upset, perhaps it would be best to go shopping for a new bear, explaining that more care needs to be taken with a new bear so it won’t be lost like the old one. Most children will be accepting of this, but there may be a child who won’t be too happy. Hopefully someone will turn the bear into the lost and found so child and bear can be reunited. Letting the child pick out a new bear will make that bear special. It’s best not to make a big deal of the child losing the bear. It’s like losing your best friend. Hugs and reassurance that another teddy can be had will make things better.

Happy Birthday Paddington Bear !!!

Rosie — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:18:22 +0000

It’s the 50th birthday for Paddington Bear! This cute,cuddly bear who wears a yellow raincoat has been making generations of children happy. With his winsome little face and the slicker with hat, Paddington has been cuddling with children of all ages. I can remember the first time I saw Paddington and feel in love with him. My children have had Paddington snuggle with them at bedtime. He is an endearing soul.

With all the stories written about Paddington since his conception, it’s hard to believe he is an “old bear”. I doubt if his creator Michael Bond could have realized Paddington would be around after 50 years and still be a popular bear. Best wishes, Paddington, and hopes for many more years of giving children pleasure.

Advertising with Teddy Bears

Rosie — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:53:18 +0000

It wasn’t until the 1980’s that teddy bears became advertising for different companies. Used in commercials, television shows, storybooks, and cartoons, teddy bears began helping sell products to consumers. Commercial teddy bears even became selling products on their own. When people saw how cute they were people wanted to buy them.

IN 1992 the Coca cola bears started promoting Coca Cola. The first commercial was the “Northern Lights” showed an animated polar bear who went the to movies and ended the night drinking a Coke while watching the Northern Lights. Soon these special bears were being sold everywhere.

The Snuggle bear teddy bears have been around since 1983 when they first started floating down in the commercials. You’ll find Snuggles on every product sold by the company today. Snuggle bears of all sizes have been sold since then.

By 2000 companies started noticing that those cute little teddies bears really helped sell products. Charmin introduced the “Call of Nature” commercials with their own Charmin bear, adding a bear cub in 2001. Now there is a whole bear family in the commercials for toilet paper.

Who can resist a teddy bear, especially when he’s selling a product? Kids of all ages will want that particular teddy bear.

Just how much is your teddy bear worth?

Rosie — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:28:51 +0000

So, just how much is that teddy bear worth? Prices can go up or down over the years or the price could stay the same. Depends on the market for teddy bears. You can take your teddy bear to a dealer or check a book that would list different bears.

Examine your teddy bear very closely. Before buying a teddy bear look him over and ask as many questions as you can. Where did this bear come from? Who had him last? Was he well loved? Is his fur getting thin in places? What about his foot pads? There are different things to look at on a bear. Labels, joints, pads on the feet, face, and fur. The face might give you an idea of how old the bear is. Joints might be stiff and hard like a bear you’d find in a craft store. That’s what teddy bears in the beginning were like. Pads can indicate if he is of good quality or not. Many companies decades ago made their bears with long noses because the bear was to represent the real thing, not a cute, cuddly toy or collectible. Does the bear have glass or button eyes? He might be worth something more. A hand sewn teddy should have no flaw or at the least very minimal flaws.

A handmade teddy bear

Rosie — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 23:37:33 +0000

When someone gives you a teddy bear they made by hand, treasure it. It was made with love.Someone
thought of you and cared enough to sit and create the bear for you. Some handmade teddy bears can take weeks to make, especially when the person who made it for you has problems seeing or working with their hands. Every time they had to thread a needle, or push the needle through the material, they cared enough about you to create this bear. Not everyone will be as lucky as you are to receive such a gift. You may never get another bear handmade from that same person.

One way to treasure your teddy bear is by placing it in a glass cabinet or a see through box. This will eliminate dust that can get on your bear and in between the stitches. It will also keep your bear looking brand new. Remember a handmade gift can be passed to your own children or grandchildren if properly cared for. This makes a great heirloom gift.

Cleaning your handmade bear isn’t hard to do. Just take a lightly damp cloth and go over any spots your teddy may have. Dry it quickly and never pull on the material. Some regular teddy bears you can pull and stretch out to reshape them. A handmade teddy should never be pulled or stretched. If you pull on the bear your granny made you it might start coming apart at the seams. Always keep your handmade
teddies safe and up high so little ones can’t get to them. A handmade teddy bear reflects all the love the person who made it for you has to give.

Selecting teddy bears for newborns

Rosie — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:02:38 +0000

Everyone loves to get teddy bears for newborns, but safety is a must! You have to find a bear that is something the newborn can cuddle. Some have musical devices inside them. A soft plush teddy bear is the best since they have no hard objects inside them which makes them a safer choice. There won’t be any choking hazards with these bears.

There are also teddy bear security blankets so cute and cuddly. A square blanket with a teddy bear in the center, these are easy for a baby to hold. These are made of the softest fleece material with the teddy bears being just as soft. For babies who seem to have a hard time falling asleep there’s a Heartbeat bear. This bear has the sound of a human heartbeat inside it.

Giving a newborn a teddy bear will be a keepsake they will always have. There are many bears suitable for a newborn. Look for the softest and check to make sure the eyes won’t be able to be pulled out. Even though a newborn can’t pull out the eyes, you want to make sure the bear is safe enough for him or her.