Tweedy Teds Tags

Since making and selling quite a few Tweedy Teds over the past few months, I think they have earned the right to their own postcards and hang tags, to celebrate their unique identity.

The Tweedy Teds!

My new 'Tweedy Teds' stationery arrived yesterday and I confess, I am delighted with it! Next time you adopt one of these stylish cloth bears, he or she will arrive with official 'Tweedy Teds' hang tag attached and a matching 'thank you' postcard.

The first 'Tweedy Ted' to be released with this smart new hang tag, is of course, the rather debonair 'Loveday Tweedy' ... which seems only fair, as he is the bear featured on it!

:-)

A perfect couple

Celeste and Albert looked so perfect sat together on my bookcase, I decided to photograph them together. The pics came out really well and now I am considering whether to feature them on new teddy bear hang tags.

It has been a while since I ordered new tags, so I think now is a good time to update. It's always fun to freshen things up and Spring time is the perfect time for such things!

And on the subject of Spring, at last it seems to have arrived here in Kent, in the nick of time for Easter. Last week we were battling sub-zero temperatures, snow and icy blasts from the East for the second time this year and today, the snow has melted, the sun is shining, daffs are blooming everywhere and thankfully, my woolly hats and scarves are back in the drawer where they belong!

:-)

PS. Celeste has been adopted but if you are looking for a big, beautiful, traditional boy, Albert would be delighted to hear from you! 

Full details can be found on my website:

www.allbearbypaula.com

A hang tag history

As I work pretty much at a snail's pace these days, a box of hang tags lasts me quite some time but I was almost caught out recently, when I realised I have only a very few left ...

A new 'All Bear by Paula' hang tag for 2017

I decided to create a new design for my future teddy bears to wear, something fresh and representative of my style of work. The first box has just arrived in the post and I am very happy with them ... I hope you will be too when you receive a teddy bear from me!  It dawned on me that the postcards I send with my bears could also do with updating, so that will be my next task.

The mid 1990's - my very first hang tag

It has been more than twenty years since I attached my very first hang tag to a teddy bear (back then I traded under the name 'Auntie Bears') and in those days, they were all made and written by hand and tied to teddy's wrist with ribbon ... I wonder how many are still in circulation?!

2000 - my first 'All Bear by Paula Carter' hang tag

My first 'All Bear by Paula Carter' hang tags were made from black card with a gold foil logo on the front back in 1996 and were designed to tie in with my stand, back in the days when I exhibited regularly at shows. I can't imagine too many have survived over the years, unless carefully preserved by their owners, as that black card was quite flimsy!

The mid 2000's - a hand laminated hang tag

When the hot foil man went out of business, I had to make my own hang tags on the computer and laminated them myself on a little portable laminating machine. That was a fiddle!

2006 hang tag

2007 hang tag

2008 hang tag

2010 hang tag

2012 hang tag

About ten years ago, my photographer sister told me about an online company called Vistaprint and since then, I have used their software to create my tags and postcards, which has made life much easier!

My current hang tag, about to be retired

There have been many hang tag designs for my work over the years and now that I look back, I see they chart my history as a teddy bear designer. Each tag was attached to a bear about to make his way to a new owner and I always attached my hang tags with a sense of pride in my work and pleasure that someone somewhere in the world, wanted to adopt one of my teddy bears and was looking forward to receiving him, or her.

So when you purchase one of my teddy bears, I hope you will enjoy the fact that that little card attached to him, telling you about his components and year of creation, is actually also a tiny historical 'All Bear' document, with love, from me to you! 

:-)

Mapping out my stationery

The trouble with change is that it can sometime catch you out. After building my new website, www.allbearbypaula.com and organising a smart new dot com domain address, it took a little while to dawn on me that I should also update my hang tags and advertising postcards to avoid sending collectors to my old website now that it is defunct.  My apologies if you have already had one such wasted journey!

Teddy bear hang tag

Those of you who already own an 'All Bear', will know that besides the satin stitched in 'tush tags', each of my bears wears a card hang tag tied around his neck detailing my contact details, bear's name, date and materials on the reverse side.  The tag also states the legally required 'This bear is an adult collectible and not suitable for use under the age of 14', because components such as cotter pins and glass eyes are not considered legally safe for young children.

Advertising postcard

I spent yesterday afternoon engrossed in 'Photoshop', working on new advertising stationery for my bears, whilst trying to fathom how to keep the text inside the required parameters for www.vistaprint.co.uk printing.  After several unsatisfactory attempts, I eventually arrived at this hang tag and postcard, featuring Twig, Logan and little Acorn. I do hope you like the new artwork as these cards will be accompanying all new bears in future ... just as soon as they arrive from the printers!

And just to make absolutely certain you all know exactly where to find us in future, here is a link to our lovely new dot.com website!

www.allbearbypaula.com

Dolly Doodle Airs and Graces!

Octavia Orangewitch Dolly Doodle hopped on her broomstick to take up residence in Europe on All Hallowes Eve ... it seems my Prim Dolly Doodles are determined to follow in the bears' furry footsteps by becoming international jetsetters!

Hang tag design - front

In fact, they have even requested their own professional hang tags!

Hang tag design - reverse

And they've asked for satin sew-in labels ... would you believe it?!  Talk about airs and graces, at this rate they'll be demanding their own website next!

Finishing Touches!

So here we are, the day before show day!  The final ear has been attached and everyone photographed, so all that is left for me to do is finalise price tags, hangtags, carrier bags and generally organise myself before thinking about packing up my trusty Saxo early tomorrow morning.  Unfortunately Sunday's weather forecast isn't good - heavy rain and gale force winds are predicted, so  I'm praying our show collectors will be a hardy bunch, prepared to battle the elements for their special show bears!

20" Elwyn

I'm relieved to tell you I finished my 'just one more' bear yesterday evening.  After making all the careworn, scruffy bears, I couldn't resist the temptation to create a lovely new looking, pristine white, fluffy bear -  I dare say he will stick out like a sore thumb on my table against the ramshackle rest, but never mind!

Careworn Collection hangtag

I had one of my last minute lightbulb moments a few days ago and decided I needed to design new hangtags and postcards for the show bears.  Typically I didn't leave myself enough time to take advantage of reasonable delivery charges, so paid a small fortune to make sure they arrived in the nick of time, but at least they did arrive and the bears will be able to show them off properly at the Winter Bearfest tomorrow! 

 Careworn Collection promotional postcard

If you would like to visit the 'Winter Bearfest' tomorrow, please come along to Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London SW8.  The doors open at 10.30am and the day will be filled from start to finish with thousands of the most wonderful teddy bears, all hoping to find new homes!

Auntie Bears, a click down Memory Lane

The 'Auntie Bears' stand

Did I ever mention that I first started work as a teddy bear maker with my sister Fiona? No? Well, perhaps I should have done! It's such an integral part of my life and work as a bear maker. Are you sitting comfortably? Good, then I'll begin!

Unfortunately I can't remember this chap's name at the moment, but I do remember it was me who made him. Together with 'Frankie' below, he was a shop exclusive for 'House of Bruin' ... my very first pair of shop exclusive bears!

Way back in the early 90's, Fiona and I were having so much fun creating our first teddy bears together. We spent most of our time talking bears and of course, discussing the business of bears. Initially our goal was simply to make teddy bears for the sheer pleasure of knowing we could, selling didn't enter our thoughts, but as time and our confidence pressed on, we noticed many of our creations heading out the door in the eager grasp of family and friends, at which point the business of bears began to intrigue us.

'Tosh' by Fiona Smith of Auntie Bears

One daft day while I was out of the house, Fiona bear-napped a small selection of my bears, bundled them into her car and drove them to the 'Rochester Bear Shop' for evaluation. Those kind ladies (does anyone remember Carol and Michelle?) sang our bears' praises and invited the bears not only into their shop, but also into their very own teddy bear show, 'The Rochester Bear Fair', which in those days, exhibited a heady list of quality bear artists. Naturally I was utterly shocked when Fiona finally 'fessed up to her dastardly deed, but to her credit, she was responsible for making me recognise our apprenticeship had come to an end and the time had come for us to take up the mantle as fully fledged teddy bear artists.

That was then and of course, this is now. Times have changed beyond recognition over the past fifteen years or so, not only for the two of us, but also for the bear world in general. Regrettably for me, Fiona's career as a bear artist drew to a natural conclusion as life events took over, redirecting her focus some time ago. So I have since continued alone in my life as a creator of teddy bears, waving a wistful farewall to shared sewing days, lovely cake and coffee lunches and to the many bear related plans and projects in which we jointly invested our hearts and souls. Do I miss those days? Oh yes, of course I do. They were a whole heap of fun and who better to share them with than my own sister?!

Fo, what was this bear's name? My memory has let me down again!

'Aston Martin' by Auntie Bears, a great big growly bear created by me as a special order for an enthusiastic collector.

We created so many bears between us in the early days that I'd go so far as to say we were prolific! Show days were fast and furious, we accepted invitations to make personal appearances in teddy bear shops, our bears were regularly featured in magazines and our telephones didn't stop ringing. Auntie Bears travelled far and wide beyond the UK ... America, Japan, Singapore, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, the list went on and on and ...

'Godfrey' by Fiona Smith of Auntie Bears

... but with the arrival of the internet in recent years, I have noticed how much quieter my telephone has become and somehow an inbox full of email just doesn't quite have the same pulsatingly urgent ring to it; in fact, I swear some days I don't even hear my own voice from morn 'til teatime!

'Frankie' (named after Frank Webster of Charnwood Bears, owner of 'The House of Bruin')by Paula Carter of Auntie Bears

An original, hand scribed 'Auntie Bears' hang tag

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not the type of person to be forever harking back to the past, far from it in fact, but late last week, I was stopped in my tracks and hauled back to our 'Auntie Bears' days, by a single listing on 'Google,' stumbled across whilst surfing the web. One thing clicked quickly through to another and in seconds there I was, walking right back down Memory Lane! As my research became more focused, these dear old Auntie Bears began to greet me like long lost friends. Tosh, Edwin, Godfrey, Frankie, Aston Martin, there they all were, rehomed and reassigned, (one or two wearing the wrong hangtags and claiming each other's identity, but hey, that's life in the bear world and I've learned my lesson, these days I stitch the hangtags to my bears!) Angus however, was still patiently waiting; waiting I am absolutely convinced, for destiny to reach out and claim him back ...

'Angus' by Fiona Smith of Auntie Bears

So, I'll let you know when he arrives later this week ... sentimental? Moi? As if.

Specs, sniffles, submissions and so much to do!

ALL BEAR publicity postcards, new design for 2008

I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today, with a stuffy nose and a burning throat. I've munched my way through half a packet of lozenges this afternoon but despite being a wee bit on the pathetic side, I expect I'll live, so please ignore my sorry sniffles.

On a brighter note, I can now thread a needle again! For quite a while I've been aware of holding reading matter, sewing needles and so on, at arm's length and peering with one eye closed to gain focus, so I finally gave in and made an appointment to see the optician; she categorically confirmed old age is definitely creeping up on me and promptly issued a prescription for reading glasses. I don't mind wearing specs at all though, in fact, I'm rather chuffed with them and after struggling manfully for so long, my tired old eyes are most appreciative of their posh new glasses!
After my family filled weekend, I was eager to get back into my workroom today. I hope you'll be pleased to hear I have been hard at work on another Spring bear destined for my website; with luck I will have this bear ready to show you tomorrow. No, I'm not going to reveal too much just yet, but I don't mind telling you the mohair is a very pretty lavender ... a tease? Me? As if!

It's almost time for the annual URSA Awards to take place. As you may remember, I entered last year for the first time, but without success. It's not always easy to dust oneself down and take the plunge again as even teddy bear designers have delicate ego's to consider, but this particular bear designer is no Prima Dona, so hey ho, here I go again ... I'll let you know which bears I've submitted a little nearer the time.

New hangtags for 2008

It's going to be a busy week for me, what with another order to complete for Sue Pearson's lovely shop in Brighton and an article to write for a New Zealand magazine, not to mention the All Bear accounts needing to be knocked into shape for the tax man, (groan) a task which definitely qualifies as my least favourite of the entire year.
Rear of new hangtag

Fortunately, I managed to find some time recently to put some of Tina's gorgeous photographs to practical use. It's all jolly fine having fabulous professional photographs taken, but once the bears have enjoyed their big day out in the studio, I need to consider how best to employ the pics. This time I thought the group shot would be perfect for creating some new hangtags and publicity postcards, with the aim of keeping my promotional materials fresh for collectors. I've also used a lovely head shot of Raffles for the black and white backside of the hangtag. I'm quite pleased with the results, so now I can cross that particular job off my 'to do' list, put the kettle on, pour a Lemsip and whine pitifully in the hope of gaining a little sympathy from my lot when they get home this evening!