Custom Teddys are Back on eBay!

Hi Everyone!

I've decided to reopen my Custom Teddys Store on eBay and have listed 11 new bears. Two of them, Shorty and Sugar Plum, shown above, are listed in auction format and the other nine are available through my store in "buy it now" format.

I put my heart and soul into my business this week. With a little help from my hubby, I have dedicated Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays as teddy bear work days. The rest of the time I can clean house, plant flowers (hum... when the snow melts), play with my Mom and take care of other stuff.

This is such a relief. It seems like for years I have struggled to "find time" for my teddies, always seeming to find something "more important" to do with my days and in the end, feeling like I haven't completed anything.

The decision to actually dedicate time to my business feels like a good, solid step in the direction I want to go, and I've managed to complete long overdue projects that have been piling up here on my desk. I feel strangely organized, focused and ready to roll!! And I'm only on my third day..ha!

If you are interested in viewing the bears I currently have on eBay, you can scroll to the bottom of this page, or click on the link in the opening paragraph of this post. Thanks to you all!

Hugs, Vicki and the bears

When It's Springtime in Alaska....

...it's 40 below, at least according to Johnny Horton and one of his hit songs. Actually, it was 29 degrees when I got up this morning. It took me a minute to realize it was the first day of Spring so I got excited!!!


This is the back yard... I promise to send pictures next Spring (I mean perhaps this summer) when the flowers are in bloom. I know they're buried in there somewhere. Maybe I'll have to get out my wheelbarrow and start carting off some of that snow.



Below is the area where the lilac bush lives and more flowers there in the left hand corner.

Here is my greenhouse. It's like a little freezer in there now, but in a month or so it should be teaming with green plants!! (I better get busy and start some seeds.)

And I'm sure there is a crocus under all that snow. The area by the side of the house that is devoid of snow is where the peones live. I promise to post a picture this summer, as they are gorgeous.

So, Happy First Day of Spring to you all!

Hugs from Vicki and the bears

Of Dads and Teddies

Sunday Marks the one-year anniversary of My Dad's death. He died of Alzheimer's on March 15, 2008.

My Dad was not an emotional man. He was rather gruff and a little rough around the edges--not exactly what you would describe as a teddy bear person.

He liked hunting, reloading ammunition, guns, his woodpile, cars, westerns and all things manly.

When I first started making teddy bears, I gave most of them away as gifts. One yearI sent both Mom and Dad teddy bears for Christmas.

I sent Mom three little bears and I sent Dad a big blue bear. I wasn't worried how Mom would accept her teddy bears. I knew she would love them. What I didn't know is how receptive my gun-loving manly Dad would be to receiving a teddy bear for Christmas.

I thought long and hard before I boxed up his gift to send from Alaska to North Dakota. I slept on it, hemmed over it, hawed over it and finally gave in--willing to face the consequences, as they were.

The first letter I ever received from Dad was postmarked December 29, 1987. This is what he wrote:


"Dear Vic;
I had to write and thank you for the teddy bear. It was the darndest--Mom opened hers and I was watching her. I thought they were the cutest things. You can believe this or not, but the first thing I thought to myself was that I was going to call and chew you out for not sending me one. Then I opened my package--you couldn't have sent me anything better. I really love it. Thank you very much.
I put it on my bed the other night and when I woke up the next morning, the first thing I saw was that bear sitting on the pillow next to me. It's still dark when I get up, but there is enough lite from the yardlite so that I could see the outline of it. It startled the hell out of me until I realized what it was.
Thanks again, I love it
Love, Dad"

So, you just never know about teddies. They really can soften up the toughest of people.

Blue bear has returned to live out the rest of his life where he was born, here in Alaska with me and the rest of the bears.

I miss you, Dad.

Love, Vicki and the bears (and blue bear)

Here's Looking at You !

After being a computer geek for a few weeks, I'm big into teddy bear mode these days, actually my favorite mode to be in.

Thought I'd post a little guy I made a few days ago. He thought he was pretty cool since he got to have this first picture taken where the big people live and not in that weird white tent that lives in the teddy bear room.

His name is Chess and he will be added on to my website as soon as I get back into computer mode.

Hugs, Vicki and the Bears