A Sentimental Christmas Gift ~ 2008

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This is a lovely photo of Marian Earle . . . taken about 75 years ago. Marian passed away last summer at the age of 96. Her family misses her dearly, especially her daughter Dianne. I was asked to make a Teddy Bear from Marian's Mink Stole, as a special Christmas Gift for Dianne.

Here is a before picture of Marian's Coat

The Bear started to take shape nicely.

I was hoping for a very sweet teddy bear.

I wanted her to be very feminine and pretty. I gave her an Irish Crochet Collar and a silk bow (from the lining of the coat).

I added a purple velvet flower ~ Vintage Millinery and gave her pretty light green eyes.

I sewed the label from within the coat to the back of the silk bow.

Ms. Bear had a quick photo shoot before I mailed her ~ the package arrived on Christmas Eve.

She was certainly a surprise and her arrival was a very emotional moment.



Her new home is on top of Marian's Memory Box in Dianne's bedroom. She is the first thing Dianne see's every morning when she wakes up.



I am happy Teddy made it to her new home for Christmas : )

On my way home ~ 1940's Panda

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This little 1940's Panda is all done and on his way back home today. I added a red plaid ribbon, like the 1940's Cuddle Panda shown in the Teddy Bear Encyclopedia.

He looks lovely in red and is all set to show off his new look. It was great fun restoring him back to his former glory. Thank you Susan, for the opportunity to work on your Dad's childhood teddy. ~ Karen

Almost Done ~ 1940s Panda Bear

Hi Mom ~ Susan (Lemon Wolf Bears), I know you miss me a lot. I miss you too. I am feeling much better now. My eyes have been secured. My ears had a few extra stitches here and there, to make them stand up nice and straight. My smile has been fixed and my little red mouth is much more visible now. My fur has been cleaned twice and I am told it needs a bit more work.

I have a vintage red ribbon which I can keep (it will be cut to size soon) and a plaid blanket to keep me comfortable while I am visiting. I really like my blanket, so maybe she will let me keep it : ) I have been told I will get a plaid bow soon. The lady looking after me is hoping to buy some more vintage ribbon at a local auction. I hear she likes to shop there a lot, LOL. Bye for now, xoxox

Panda Bear at the Old Soul Spa

I have a new little friend at the Old Soul Teddy Bear Spa. This sweet little 1940s Panda Bear has come for a visit. He will have his eyes tightened, nose and mouth threads repaired, fur cleaned and fluffed and a new/replacement bow (just like his original I hope). He wants to say Hi to his Mom and let her know that he is doing just fine : )

This is the "before" photo

He will be ready for his "after" photo in October.

Clean and Bright ~ Antique Chad Valley Bear

What a cute Chad Valley bear he is . . . after all the dust and dirt is gone. The lovely golden mohair was revealed. Thank you to Deb Burnham (teddy's mom) of bh.bears . . . for taking such wonderful "after" pictures. He does look quite happy with himself now : )

I pulled up the old pictures from a previous post so you can see

the Before and After photos together.

Bye bye . . . dirt !


I love the change too.

Steiff Clown Bear ~ Before and After

I had the pleasure of owning this 1920's Steiff Clown bear for two years. He has now moved on to join another Hug. He will always be one of my favorite restorations.

It took quite a long time to get his mohair clean. It eventually went from grey to cream.

He really fluffed up too.

He was quite dirty and dusty when I received him.

Almost 100 years of dust certainly does show.

Glass cabinets keep Bears happy.

Before Picture

A real bear cub!

What a sweetie ! This picture was taken last spring in my neighbours backyard . . . a sweet little thing wandering around. My friend and I stayed close to the back door! Big mama was likely not too far away. It will be better for them if they choose a more rural location this year. They tend to spook most humans!

Old Soul Spa !

Hi Mom! (Deborah of BH.bears) Just a quick note to let you know that I really like this place : ). I am very relaxed and content. I even have my own room ! The lady here thinks her dog is a bit jealous of all the attention I am getting. She had to give the dog lots of pats on the head too.

After two surface baths I think I look pretty good (still not done though ~ I am told).

She took a close-up picture of may face before my bath . . . . (how embarrassing).

This is me on my first day at the Old Soul Spa. I wasn't too thrilled about the "before" pictures, but I reluctantly agreed. I hope she fixes my paw soon. Bye for now ! hugs xoxoxo

Molly's Restoration ~ Before and After

Molly is a Steiff dog from the late 1920's. Her transformation shows what a little TLC can accomplish. She was very dirty and sad when I found her . . . now her fur is light, bright and fluffy. What a sweetie !

After a gentle surface cleaning and a few new nose threads . . . . Ms. Molly is quite happy again.

Teddy Bear PinKeep

This little guy is actually a pin cushion. I created a teddy bear head and combined it with a rolly polly body over a wooden candlestick base. He will make sure you always know where your pins are !