Full Circle

 

Full Circle

One for vintage teddy bear admirers... a proud moment in my bear making history.

My first childhood teddy bear, a fine 1950's Chiltern Hugmee, holds a copy of the 2011 Hugglets UK Teddy Bear Guide, featuring one of my original handcrafted teddy bear designs called 'Chester' on the front cover.

Now that is what you might call a full circle!

Hugglets, a salute

For 30 years, Glenn and Irene Jackman, organisers of our much loved 'Hugglets Festivals', have painstakingly created this fabulous guide to teddy bear businesses, both in the UK and around the world. The Guide not only offers a valuable resource to anyone with an interest in collecting, selling or creating teddy bears, it is also a fascinating history of teddy bear artistry throughout the past three decades.

  

Having my bear 'Chester' featured on the cover of the Guide back in 2014, was one of my proudest moments, so I know first-hand how excited lovely Dawn Jellis-Jones of 'The Old Post Office Bears' will be to have had her super antique style bear, gracing this 30th edition cover as it is such an honour in the teddy bear world! Huge congratulations to you Dawn!

Wonderful new bear artists have joined our ranks over the years, but sadly, some slipped quietly away. Someone much missed this year, is our lovely Sandra Hobbs, creator of the adorable 'Sally Anne Bears'. May you sleep tight Sandra ... you and your beautiful teddy bears, will be forever remembered.

This year, the Guide features a special mention for one of the loveliest bear makers in the business, Pamela Ann Howells. Pam is the longest standing UK bear artist, first working with the famous Chiltern Hygenic Toy Company back in the 1950's. She is celebrating 60 years of teddy bear making - an outstanding achievement!

Many thanks to Glenn and Irene Jackman, for giving us thirty years of Hugglets. We, your bear artists, salute you.

xxXxx

The UK Teddy Bear Guide's official publication is the 27th October 2016, but you can order a copy from the Hugglets website now, by visiting the link below:

 Hugglets Guide

:-)

Cutting it fine!

Last minute dash to submit my artwork for advertising in the 2015 'UK Teddy Bear Guide'!

 The annual guide, published by Hugglets for the past twenty-seven years, is a terrific resource for all things teddy bear related and will be available to order from October.

To order your copy please visit www.hugglets.co.uk

Cover Star!

I have been fortunate enough to have my work recognised many times over the years with various international awards, published articles and the like, but there have remained one or two personal 'bucket list' achievements I privately hoped might still happen.

'Big Ted' the Chiltern Hugmee bear who started my teddy career, 

holding the 'UK Teddy Bear Guide', featuring 'Chester' on the cover!

So I am thrilled to say, yesterday I was able to tick one such honour off my list when the 27th annual edition of the Hugglets' 'UK Teddy Bear Guide' dropped through my letterbox featuring my bear 'Chester' as its cover star ... this guide is the essential resource for all teddy bear lovers, so to have my bear chosen to represent the teddy bear industry for 2014 is a huge thrill!

If you would like to purchase a copy of the '2014 UK Teddy Bear Guide', please visit www.hugglets.co.uk for details of how to order.

2013 UK Teddy Bear Guide

The 2013 UK Teddy Bear Guide has just been published and is packed with among other things, teddy bear artist, shop, museums and supplier listings.  It's a very useful reference book and this is the Guide's 26th consecutive year of publication!

I like to book advertising space in the Guide each year if possible but as colour ads are a little on the pricey side and like many bear makers, I have a very small advertising budget to take care of, I've opted for a black and white ad this year ... I think it looks very smart, I hope you like it too!

 If you would like to purchase a copy of the 2013 UK Teddy Bear Guide, 

please visit: 

Hugglets

One thing leads to another ... and another ... and ...

One thing always leads to another doesn't it?!  First the 'phone call from a shop, then fabrics are ordered, bears designed and several weeks later a collection is finally created.  That's only the beginning though, because when the last ear is stitched in place, I need to set up studio and take photographs - which is what I've been doing today.  Peculiarly, my legs ache like billyo now, must be all that clambering around on my knees to find the perfect camera position!

Autumn/Winter advertisement for

The Teddy Bear Annual

Just as I'd finished taking photographs of my Autumn collection this afternoon, the telephone rang; 'would I like to advertise in the forthcoming issue of 'Teddy Bear Annual?'  Hardly a question in need of an answer - of course I would, it's a great mag!  So, as I was saying at the start of my post, one thing led to another and after fiddling around in Photoshop, my 'Teddy Bear Annual' advertisement is now good to go ... which led me to remember another ad needing my attention! 

2012 UK Teddy Bear Guide Advertisement

The 2012 UK Teddy Bear Guide will be published by Hugglets in October and as the copy deadline is only two weeks away, it's time to get my advertising act together!  Unfortunately my limited budget doesn't stretch to two full colour ads, but no matter, I think this ad works well in black and white.

By the way, do you recognise the little wooden chair I've used in these ads?  Yes, it's the one I bought from Christopher's Chairs back in June, at the Stratford show!

Well, that's the photographing and advertising taken care of, now I just need to pack up these bears and send them on their merry way before starting work on my 'Teddies 2011' show bears - there only three weeks to go, so I think I may need a miracle!

The UK Teddy Bear Guide 2011 - out now!

The 'UK Teddy Bear Guide' for 2011 dropped through my letterbox this morning and I was so delighted to receive it, I couldn't wait to race upstairs for my little camera to share it with you!

The UK Teddy Bear Guide 2011

This is the 24th edition of the annual Hugglets Guide and believe me, it's a cracker! The cover bear is called 'Bolero' and was created by 'Vintage Bears' in France - c'est magnifique!  I think this is my favourite ever Hugglets Guide front cover!

The Guide is a mine of teddy bear related information and an absolute must have for anyone with a passion for teddy bears.  If you would like to purchase a copy, it will be available shortly from:

 http://www.hugglets.co.uk/guideindex.php

By the way, are you wondering who the bear holding my copy of the Guide is?  Well,  I'll tell you ... he is my lovely 1940's Chiltern Hugmee 'Bobby Bear'.  I bought him  from the (sadly now closed) Petersfield Bear Museum in Hampshire, long before I began bear making.  The museum was opened in 1984 by Judy Sparrow to showcase her spectacular collection of antique teddy bears.  After admiring all Judy's fabulous bear treasures, I regretfully ambled towards the door to go home and Bobby Bear caught my eye ... I couldn't take my eyes off him and had a lovely chat with Judy and her husband; needless to say, Bobby Bear came home with me and has been with me ever since! 

'Teddy Bears' written in 1993 by Judy Sparrow

Back in 1993, Judy had her delightful 'Teddy Bears' book published in hardback by Magna Books. It features some beautiful photographs of Judy's antique bear collection and it is still possible to find copies if you hunt online.  In fact, I found several copies available on http://www.amazon.co.uk/ today.  It's a lovely book and if you have an interest in the history of teddy bears, I would highly recommend grabbing a copy for your bookshelf if you are ever lucky enough to find one!

All things advertising

It occurred to me this morning, if I want to have promotional postcards available for the Teddies 2010 show on September 12th I'd jolly well better organise myself and design some!  So, with a cup of coffee to hand and specs perched on my nose, I've twiddled and tweaked in Photoshop and this is what I've come up with ...

My new promotional postcard for 'Teddies 2010' show

Ad copy for the 2011 'Teddy Bear Annual'

While we're on the subject of advertising and promotion, I recently designed the above ad for the 2011 edition of the 'Teddy Bear Annual' which is now on sale. I used a very similar advertisement for 'The UK Teddy Bear Guide 2010' too, but had that one printed in black and white as colour ads can be pretty costly and we teddy bear artists have to keep a careful eye on our advertising budgets!

If you would like to purchase a copy of the 'Teddy Bear Annual' please visit:

http://www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk/magazines/default.asp?magazine=5

And 'The UK Teddy Bear Guide 2010' can be purchased from:

http://www.hugglets.co.uk/guideindex.php

Happy bear reading!

UK Teddy Bear Guide 2010 Available Now!

The UK Teddy Bear Guide published by Hugglets

This is the 23rd year of publication by the Hugglets team and it's a terrific resource for anyone who loves bears both in the UK and overseas.  The cover price is a mere £5.95 plus postage ... so go on, why not treat yourselves! 

Click here to visit the Hugglets website:

 http://www.hugglets.co.uk/guideindex.php

Oh and just in case you are wondering, the beautiful bear in the picture holding the Guide is my lovely 'Dudley', a wonderful 25" bear created by Frank Webster of Charnwood Bears.  Sadly I haven't seen Frank in a while and can't find his work online; unfortunately he isn't advertised in the new Guide, so I can only assume he is no longer creating his wonderful bears ... please let me know if I'm wrong, I'd love to see Frank's bears again!

Looks like we made it!

Well, it looks like we made it! Here we are, the very last day of 2008. I wonder how you will spend your day? I'm not the retrospective type generally speaking, preferring instead to plan ahead. That said, a beary brief summary of 2008 wouldn't hurt anyone eh?

Planning ahead ...

Once again, the UK Hugglets Guide was a great key to reading many of the changes in the UK teddy bear world. If you think between the advertisements from one year to the next, it's fairly straightforward to draw conclusions about new bear artists entering the industry, established artists working hard to move things forward and bear artists who have opted for a complete change of direction. The guide is also a reasonably reliable indicator to which specialist shows are still going strong, which have fallen by the wayside, which shops are thriving, which have ceased trading in artist bears and so on. There have been many changes throughout 2008, but I believe some of that change has been long overdue and although it has challenged everyone involved in keeping the bear world alive, the upside is that challenge motivates wonderful creativity!

UK Teddy Bear Guide 2009

Despite the economic gloom and doom spouted on almost every news bulletin around the world over past months, I am pleased to report each and every All Bear created in 2008 quickly found a new owner and for that, I am extremely grateful to my collectors without whom I could not continue my chosen work. My bears have introduced me to some truly wonderful people in 2008 and I have loved the contact with both new friends and old!

2008 TOBY Industry's Choice Award (right)

On a creative level, I am confident the work I am now achieving is of my best and my 2008 TOBY Industry's Choice Award, has certainly endorsed all that I continually strive for; a fabulous accolade and one I shall always treasure. I am already in the throes of planning new designs for 2009 and after my Christmas break, feel fired up and raring to get back into my workroom. My first show of 2009 will be the Hugglets' 'Winter Bearfest' in Kensington; this is always my favourite show of any new year because everyone is bursting with such creativity at the start of the New Year!

Winter Bearfest 2009

In my ongoing quest for inspirational events at which to offer my bears to collectors in person, I exhibited at several specialist shows last year and for these opportunities, I would like to thank the organisers for their dedication to the promotion of our most special teddy bears. I am looking forward to taking part in the ever popular Hugglets' shows in 2009, but have decided not to rebook the 'Teddy Bear Artist Event' at Stratford Upon Avon, because, despite the wonderful attention to detail and innovative displays, on a practical level it really is too far for me to travel. The online shows I have participated in have been full of fun and I would like to extend these events next year, perhaps to include one or two online gallery shows of my own ... I know how much you all enjoyed 'Santa's Sack' and that has set me thinking! I also have a collaborative venture in the pipeline, but for now, that's top secret - I'll let you know when it comes together; suffice it to say, this has the potential to be a very exciting project!

Hugglets 'Teddies 2008' show in Kensington, London

2008 saw the sad demise of my favourite UK teddy bear mag, the 'Teddy Bear Scene' and so I am praying that editorial publishing opportunities for teddy bear artists and bear related businesses continue to be well supported throughout 2009. I have secured several advertising opportunities for All Bear with magazines in both Australia and America and will continue to keep my eyes and ears alert for further invitations, in an effort to help promote the artist teddy bear world and of course, to continue to share my All Bears with as international a market as possible! I really do believe it is vitally important for everyone involved to play an active part in keeping our bear industry vibrant by taking a global view - talking about, thinking about and of course acting to expand horizons wherever appropriate. In my view, this is the only way to ensure the industry's evolution and secure its future for generations to come.

All Bear advertisement for Teddy Bear and Friends magazine
January 2009 issue

And on that note, I am delighted to report the success of the British Bears on the Net forum -what a project that has been! UK bear artists are at last reaping the benefits of an online central resource established to provide information, support and friendship. Learning how to build the forum was a challenge, but one I enjoyed and I am so pleased the BBN membership is now finding the forum useful. Long may it continue!

British Bears on the Net forum

So what will 2009 bring? The New Year is always a good time for review, so I will shortly be thinking through my plans for 2009 in an effort to recognise what worked well for All Bear in 2008 and what did not. These thoughts will encompass all aspects of running my little business, from how I cope with admin and financial planning, through to the design of my bears and where I would like to take that design process next; marketing/promotional opportunities will naturally come to the fore and alongside editorial coverage, website maintenance, blog development, show planning and so forth. This review will also encompass my competitive work, because I believe the major international competitions offer a terrific focus for the teddy bear as art and wherever possible, should be supported by serious bear artists.

TOBY Industry's Choice Awards

All in all, I can honestly say I am content with the way 2008 panned out for All Bear and I am looking forward to the challenges of 2009. In the meantime though, it's time for me to thank you all for sharing the ramblings of this bear maker's blog throughout 2008 and to wish you all,

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

UK Teddy Bear Guide 2009 OUT NOW!

The 2009 UK Teddy Bear Guide has just been published and is now available from www.hugglets.co.uk

The UK Teddy Bear Guide 2009

This is a terrific paperback publication, full to bursting with bear businesses both in the UK and overseas. Published by our esteemed Hugglets team, Glen and Irene Jackman, for an amazing 22nd year, this edition has been fully revised and updated with 116 new entries and contains many more contact and product changes. It details bear artists, bear shops, bear related suppliers, bear publications, bear shows ... you name it, the list goes on! The UK Teddy Bear Guide carries full contact details including website addresses and is a 'must have' for anyone interested in the bear world. It also contains 2 free tickets for each of the prestigious Hugglets Festivals!

My 'All Bear' advertisement featured on the left page!

Naturally, as soon as I had ripped the jiffy bag containing my copy open, I flicked straight to the 'Bear Makers and Artists' section to find my 'Victor' advertisement. Fortunately for me, I'm listed alphabetically on the first page of this category (no, that wasn't a happy accident, it was a carefully contrived plan when I was selecting 'All Bear' as my trading name!) so finding my ad was easy and I must say, I'm absolutely delighted with how it looks on the page!

I do hope you will purchase a copy of the 2009 Guide ... believe me, it will be £5.95 well spent! Right, that's my sales pitch done, now I'm off to read my copy from cover to glorious cover!

05.11.09 Guide Update: if you would like a copy of the Hugglets Guide, please let me know as I now have several copies 2009 available for sale.

Ringing the changes.

The 'UK Teddy Bear Guide 2008' has just been published. Mine dropped through the letterbox this morning and I've been flicking through eagerly ever since! It's a really useful book, full to bursting with contacts and gorgeous pics, so if you haven't already ordered a copy, why not pop along to www.hugglets.co.uk and order yours today?!

Each year I receive the Teddy Bear Guide, it makes me realise just how many of my own years have been spent creating teddy bears. It's somewhere in the region of thirteen so far, so as you can guess, I've seen many comings and goings over that time.

This year I am saddened to flick through the current list of bear artists only to find that some of our most esteemed UK makers are no longer advertising their work, presumably because they have moved on to pastures new after so many long years creating their beautiful bears, as in the case of Janet Clark whose unique work I was talking about with you, in an earlier post.

'Morpheus' by Sandra Wickenden (smaller bear by Mac Pholen)
In particular this year, I noticed Frank Webster, Sandra Wickenden and Sue Schoen have quietly withdrawn from the Guide. So, I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the inspiration and generous support, including freely given hugs, shared with me throughout my own years as a bear maker.

On a more uplifting note, it is a pleasure to see many more recently established bear artists advertising wonderful bears and a relief to find Pam Howells in those hallowed pages, just where she should be, after so many decades of sharing her delightful bear craft. In fact, if ever there was to be a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' created for our UK bear industry, it would surely have to be Pam's by undisputable right.

One thing's for sure, it's always worth purchasing a copy of the 'UK Teddy Bear Guide' to keep bang up to-date with the latest goings on in the bear world! Thanks for another great Guide Hugglets!

Advertising asides.

It's advertising time in Bear Land again. The annual Hugglets 'UK Teddy Bear Guide' is due for publication very soon and after a break of some years, I feel the time is right for me to take a colour ad promoting my work, once again.

I'm always frustrated by my limited graphic design skills but needs must, so I've battled on in an attempt to create my own advertisement. This year I've decided to use 'Billy Buttons' for the guide ad. My photographer sister Tina took this fabulous pic for me and this is the end result of my fumblings ...

I love to see my little ads popping up in specialist publications; even after all these years I still get a buzz from flicking through the pages until I spot my own advertisement. The downside of course, is the cost of advertising which unfortunately limits the frequency of my ads ...

Aside from the 'UK Teddy Bear Guide 2008' (http://www.hugglets.co.uk/) which is published by Hugglets once a year here in the UK (please visit their website if you would like to purchase a copy) and which is a fabulous reference for anyone interested in teddy bears, I also try to take regular advertising space in my favourite UK magazine 'The Teddy Bear Scene' (http://www.teddybearscene.co.uk/); in fact, the above ad will also pop up in the December issue of TBS which goes on sale in November.

Next year I'd love to tackle the US magazines, but to do that, I'll need to plan well ahead because their ads really don't come cheap and sadly, there is only so much of this particular bear maker's advertising budget available to spread around!

So, why do I advertise? Well, apart from the obvious need to keep collectors informed and to draw new collectors' interest to my own work (after all, a girl needs to eat!) I advertise for the bigger picture. I think it's vital to keep our niche publications on newsagent's shelves, available for everyone to enjoy. If they fade away from sale in the High Street, how will we capture the eye of new collectors? The kind of collector who doesn't yet realise they are about to become a collector? How will we invite new people into our fascinating world?

Without advertisers, it's impossible for the magazines to stay with us, working on our behalf. So, above all else, that's why I advertise. A little bit of support from as many bear artists as possible, goes a mighty long way to supporting our bigger picture.