Cinnamon Bear, Last Bear of 2009

Time to meet Cinnamon Bear, my last bear of 2009.





I would like to wish all my friends here in teddy bear land and otherwise, a very Happy 2010. Thanks for making 2009 a very fun year for me and the bears.

Teddy Hugs to All from Vicki and the Bears

Holiday Mode; It's Over!

OK, I'm done. I'm out of Holiday Mode and back in the teddy bear room. I just listed my most recent creation, Grizz, on Etsy and I'm going to cut out his sister, Cinnamon, today.

I almost took down the tree today... I did reconsider though and decided I would make better use of my time cutting out another teddy bear.

I'm not a "bah humbug" by any means. It's just that when it's over, it's over and time to get on with the program.... the teddy program that is.

So here is a picture of Grizz. And hopefully Cinnamon will be poking her little nose in here shortly.




Love and hugs to you from Vicki and the Bears

I've Been Working....Honest

It’s been over a month since I’ve written here on the blog. Holy cow, I used to be so good about this, writing at least every two weeks. Now I feel like I’ve lazed out here and I’m not too pleased with myself (sigh...).

However, I have been working.

Really.

I have some new bears to show you.



In addition to my regular bears like my newest creations Halo and the teddy for my niece...

"Halo"
"Bear for my Niece"

...I'm also working on a new design. Maybe that's why I'm lax to post here on the blog. Working on new stuff means for me a lot of starts and stops, dos and re-dos, studying and concentration.

I’ve been consumed by my fascination with “real” bears, like the Grizzly and brown bears in Alaska. Consequently, I’m working up a pattern and have finished my first prototype, which I have called Brown Bear.

We have a taxidermy stuffed huge brown bear in our mall here in Juneau. I never really look at it because I am really not into stuffed “real” creatures. However, I have been studying it closely, because that bear will help me design my new patterns and make my very own realistic (not real) brown/grizzly bear.




This is my first attempt at "trapunto paws" and using polymer clay for the nose (my hat goes off to all those polymer clay artists..... it's hard to get that thing to stay how I want it). I will keep practicing, though, because I know that's how I get the results I want (eventually).

Thank you for dropping by. If I don't get back here before Christmas, I wish you a most peaceful Holiday.

Hugs from Vicki and the Grizzly Bears

Inspiration and Teddy Bear Love

Inspiration sneaks in when you are least aware of it.


It comes from reading a story in a magazine about somebody’s “muse” and you wonder to yourself if you, indeed, have a “muse” of your own.


It comes from believing in the magic and listening to the still small voice that comes to you that says, “If you believe in the magic, you have to live the magic.”


It comes from not comparing yourself to others, knowing that inside you is a unique expression of the universe begging to come forth.


It comes from having an idea and being willing to work on that idea until it comes to fruition, even if it isn't quite the outcome you imagined it to be.


It comes from believing in yourself.

Belief.

That’s it.

Just believe.


Don’t worry about tomorrow. Cultivate teddy bear love. It is everywhere. It exists.


Even on the dull days when nothing seems to fit anymore and teddy bear love and inspiration seem to have flown out the window never to return.


If you stay, if you believe, if you still keep on keeping on…. teddy love and inspiration will return.


You have to believe in yourself.

You have to take that first step.

Even if there is only the teeniest bit of light available that begs you to come forth.


You have to believe.

Teddy love and inspiration are not things you can hang on to.

They are things that you must believe in and give away at every opportunity.


Because it is only by giving them away that you get to experience them for yourself.

You have to walk through doubt.

You have to push that button even though everything in your mind tells you not to because people will judge you for who you are.


But you have to anyway, because there is something inside that says you just can’t quit one more time.


You must enter into uncharted territory. You have to be brave enough to create something and let other’s see it.

Let yourself be seen.

New Bears to Report

"The Blues"



Stuart (he gets two photos up cuz I LOVE him!




Nathan



Evan (he's a little bigger than the others at 6 inches)



And finally little Pepe!



I'll just let the teddies tell the story this time.

Many hugs to you all from the Vicki and the teeny teddies.

Scully and His Corvette

My name is Scully. I was born on December 2, 2002. I am slightly less than 3 inches tall and wear a red print vest. Basically, what I am is a “practice bear”… and I don’t really mind that. That means I actually serve a very valuable service. My Mom teddy bear lady was practicing to make smaller bears. She made me and put a little red vest upon my chest and called me Scully.



She must have liked me because in the summer of 2003 she took me along when she and Himself went to Victoria to pick up the Corvette. I was so excited to be going along, I could hardly sit still the whole way. But little did I know what was yet to come.

It was a 1981 black slightly used Corvette, but I loved it and when she explained to Himself that the Corvette really should belong to Scully, I almost jumped out of my vest. So we all got in the Corvette and proceeded to drive back to Seattle so we could put the Corvette on the barge and bring it back home to Juneau.


I insisted on sitting on the dash, even though I kept falling off.


When we got back home I was requested to turn my Corvette over to Himself, my boss/owner/master/friend, and trust him to completely dismantle my prized possession and rebuild it from the ground up, so to speak.




Years passed. I sat in the man-office waiting, gathering dust, sitting, staring at the wall, gathering faith, hoping, and finally, one day Himself asked his wife teddy bear lady, “Want to go for a Corvette ride?” And she replied, “Yes, and let’s take Scully!”

I could hardly believe my ears! I almost jumped for joy but there was so much dust on me, I couldn’t muster the strength.

So the teddy bear lady picked me up, shook me off, brought me out into the sunshine and placed me on the hood of the Corvette.


The Corvette was just beautiful! It was now this smashing color of red (and it matches my vest) with a little bit of black, leather seats and a wonderful new dashboard for me to sit on. This was worth waiting for, for sure.


So we went for a ride. I got to drive. I got to see amazing scenery. And I got to hang out with the teddy bear lady and Himself for a little while. It was a perfect day in the life of a patient teddy bear.


And now I’m back on my shelf in the man-office, but that’s OK. Because I know that by being patient I have been rewarded and my teddy dreams have come true. My Corvette is back on the road and it is way cool!!!


So, thanks to Himself for fixing my Corvette and making it so beautiful. And thanks to my Mom teddy bear lady for remembering me, sitting here in the man-office for many years, waiting for the magic moment.


Now I have my memories and my dreams and my hopes that I can go for another ride someday beary, beary soon.

Good night from Scully.

My Newest Fuzzy Friend!

The other day I was out shopping with Mom when I spotted him. Sitting atop a shelf at Fred Meyer’s. "I have to have him," I exclaimed to Mom. So she agreed and insisted on buying him for me.

I placed him ever so gently in the cart and we proceeded on with our shopping trip.

I wasn’t quite sure how he would be accepted by the other bears once we got home.

It took awhile, but today they invited him to join in teddy story time.

Teddies are such open and loving little individuals.

However, I kind of think this is only going to last until the end of the month.



Happy Halloween month to you,

Vicki and the bears and the fuzzy spider

Happy Birthday Dear Daughter

On October 8, 1970 at the ripe old age of 19, I gave birth to you, my first child, a beautiful baby girl.



We named you Barbara Ann, mostly because being a child of the 60’s I was in love with the Beach Boys and my favorite song was Barbara Ann.

So I began to raise you, my little Barbie doll, although I was little more than a child myself.

The years went by so fast, I can hardly believe it.



If I would have known then, what I know now.

How different things would have been.

But I’ve learned many things from you, my dear.

Lessons of love and absolute joy.

Lessons of opening and gratitude.

Lessons of letting go and letting in.

Lessons of growing up and growing old.



And believe me when I say, I am so proud of you. You are so beautiful. And you are loved absolutely. My little girl.



Happy Birthday!
With Love, Mom

Everett the Panda Bear

OK, I'm going to get past this "hair" thing and post a teddy...


This is Everett, my most recent creation. He is made from this fuzzy fleece-type material that I find at JoAnn's. It's not considered plush, but I find it makes the softest bears. The fibers do tend to get all over the place, but a little tumble in the dryer set at "fluff" takes care of a lot of that.


I airbrushed him to give him his panda features... and I'm pretty pleased with the way he turned out.



He is a love, and with his arms open, he is ready for hugs.



So, teddy hugs to all of you and have a great Saturday. Vicki and Everett