A postcard from All Bear

I like to enclose a business postcard with my teddy bears when I ship them around the world and I've just about run out, so it's time for a new design for 2017!

Gorgeous Gulliver and his handsome buddy Tabasco modelled for my new postcard. I think they will do a sterling job for my little business and I hope my collectors enjoy receiving their new postcards! I am looking forward to enclosing one of these lovely new cards with each newly adopted teddy bear.

Looking good ... thanks boys!

:-)

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!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's Valentine's Day on Sunday, so I can't resist sharing this 1911 Valentine postcard with you - it's not exactly my idea of romantic though!

I had fun making a special Valentine's Prim Dolly Doodle this week, she's called 'Valentina' ... cute eh?!

20" Valentina

Wishing you all a wonderful Valentine's weekend!

Happy Easter!

I'd like to wish you all a very Happy Easter by sharing this lovely Easter postcard with you - it was sent to me by an 'All Bear' collector who lives in Finland ... thank you Harriet! Thanks also to everyone who sent me Easter E-cards to brighten my Bank Holiday this year.

Have a Happy Easter!

Be Mine?

In 1903 this wonderful Valentine postcard was sent to 'Miss Mary Peck in Woodbridge, Bonn' and today, over one hundred years later, I am sending it to you, wherever you are, via the magic of our internet connection!
Happy Valentine's Day!

20" Valentino will make his debut at the Winter Bearfest show on 22nd February.

I also have a new clown bear to share with you on this most romantic of days (apparently!) I finished 'Valentino' earlier today and couldn't resist naming him accordingly!

The Ghost of Tax Returns Unfiled

After spending the day collating receipts and boggling my poor head with spreadsheets, I am drained of festive spirit today. I loathe doing my Tax Return and delay the inevitable every year, but this year I have truly excelled myself with tardinness - never before have I left it quite so late! That horrible form really is designed to suck the pleasure right out of self-employment. Ah well, I'm almost done, thank heavens - I really didn't want the 'Ghost of Tax Returns Unfiled' looming over me during my Yuletide!

1908 Christmas postcards ... my most recent acquisition is the top one.

Speaking of which, (Christmas that is), on a much brighter note, I can at least share my new (well, actually very old) postcard with you. As you may have guessed, the collecting bug bit me after finding my earlier treasure and I couldn't believe my luck when this one featuring the self-same bear, this time at the helm of a sleigh, turned up at auction recently; that bear really knew how to enjoy his Christmas! It amazes me that here I am in 2008, holding something as simple as a little card designed to spread Christmas cheer an entire century ago ... isn't that something special!

If you look closely, you can just make out the date, handwritten 'Dec, 25th 1908'

Beary Merry Christmas from 1908!

Like many of you I'm sure, there are occasional times when the house is quiet, that my mind will wander, as will my fingers tips, clicking away here and there to see where in this online world of ours, I can transport myself. A week or so ago, I was enjoying an idle moment scrolling through bear related ephemera on a well known auction site, (you know the one, purveyor of all things curious and enticing) and as I casually clicked through lists of unnecessaries, a tiny picture enticed me and I heard myself whispering, 'oh go on Paula, why not?' So I did.

My charming 1908 Teddy Bear Postcard

Signed and franked December 25th 1908, from 'Grandma Berry' and sent from New York to Nashville, Tennessee.

To be honest, I'd completely forgotten my momentary stray from the straight and narrow by the time the postman arrived with a buff coloured, airmail envelope this morning. So what a lovely surprise to tear it open and find this little treasure inside! Wouldn't it make a super Christmas card design for next year?!

Postcards from home

I love receiving postcards, don't you? This gorgeous postcard arrived on my doormat a few days ago, sent from 'Victor's' new owner to let me know he (actually now 'she', but that's a whole other story!) is settling in well to his new surroundings and is currently enjoying a very privileged, comfortable life in his new owner's living room!

Recent postcard sent to me from collector.
What a handsome 1930's Steiff teddy bear!

So many collectors over the years have been kind enough to send me postcards, letters, emails and pretty notelets to let me know how much they enjoy their new bears, so I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone; I really do appreciate these thoughtful gestures and they always make me smile!