July 2014
A very warm welcome to the very first blog from me, Granny Annie, about the Teddy Bear Orphanage at Granny's Attic on GroovyCart and how you can give one of these special bears a forever home by adopting him or her yourself (more details of how to do this at the end of the blog or just go to Groovycart.co.uk!)
Currently in the orphanage we have 14 bears - Alexander and baby brother Hugo,
Seamus, Harry, Butterscotch, Joy, Theo, Rosie, Brie, Threadbear and two sets of
twins, Pinky and Perky and Charlie and Archie - all waiting for adoption.
Granny's Attic is my new GroovyCart shop - it's open for browsing, so do please go and have a poke around, but it's still under construction so isn't open for purchasing and Teddy Bear Adoption. You might not find all the bears details there yet, but I am adding them as fast as I can, ready for the Grand Opening 1st September 2014!
Here are the bears -
From left to right, front row (starting with the brown bear with cream bow) Joy, Rosie, Butterscotch, Alexander (with baby Hugo in front of him) and the pink twins Perky and Pinky.
From left to right, back row (starting with the cream bear) Brie, Charlie and Archie (twins), little Threadbear, big Theo, Seamus and Harry.
Please meet the bears individually.... Here's Alexander and baby Hugo
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Alexander and baby Hugo - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, Groovycart
Adoption Details:
Names: Alexander, and baby brother, Hugo
Age: Not known
Physical Characteristics: Both bears are firm and well stuffed. Alexander is really quite heavy! Although Hugo is much smaller than his big brother, he certainly takes after him as both bears have sort of curly, or ruffled plush, in a soft caramel colour with black stitched noses and very dark brown eyes that almost appear black. Their heads don’t move, but their arms and legs do, so they can both sit and stand. Hugo loves wearing his dark blue jumper with ‘teddy’ in white letters, the same as Alexander’s – he feels so grown-up!
Size: Alexander is approx 12 inches in the sitting position, head to bottom, and 16.5 inches head to foot. Hugo is 6 inches sitting, and 8.5 head to foot.
Label: Both bears have Salco Harlow on their labels
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Alexander is friendly and talkative, but a little serious. Hugo is only little and just developing his personality. He looks up to his big brother and wants to do everything Alexander does. Alexander likes reading and thinks doing your homework is very important. He is teaching Hugo his alphabet but so far he only knows ‘b for bear’! Both bears like boys stuff like fishing and watching football.
Past History: Not known.
Ideal Home: Alexander & Hugo are brothers and must be adopted together. Alexander has confided in me that sometimes he finds it hard being the sole carer for little Hugo, and he’s looking for a home where they can stay together, but each have a special person. He hopes to find a nice, quite serious lad to team up with – who maybe has a little brother of his own for Hugo to be friends with.
This is Joy
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Joy - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, GroovyCart
Adoption Details:
Name: Joy
Age: Not known. Label says 1988-2003 so she's approx 11-26 years old
Physical Characteristics: Joy is a very tidy little bear. She has short
springy plush in subtle multi-tones of mid-brown, and small black ‘boot-button’
eyes – in fact she’s a little short-sighted! Joy has squashy beanie-filled
tummy and legs, and even some beans in the tops of her arms. She wears a cream
bow sprinkled with mini maroon stars, and has a heart motif on her right foot.
Her arms, legs and head are fixed in position.
Size: Joy is approx 8 inches in the sitting position, head to bottom, and
about 12 inches head to foot.
Label: The Boyds Collection Ltd.
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Joy is a quiet and busy
sort of bear. She is happy doing homely things, and adores re-arranging the
teddy bears picnic baskets or sorting out the clothes that are donated to the
bear orphanage, putting aside those that need washing or a stitch or two. More
than once I have found her in my china cupboard, tidying it up! She enjoys housework as long as she doesn’t
have to get her hands dirty, quiet times and listening to the radio. She's a little bit scared of rufty-tufty bears and people!
Past History: Not known.
Ideal Home: Joy would like to go to a quiet lady or gentle guy who will
treat her with respect, and give her companionship and a peaceful life. She is
hoping that her new friend will give her a birthday date so she can have a
special day when she gets made a fuss of!
This is Brie
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Heather Brianna (Brie) - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, GroovyCart
Name: Heather Brianna (but she likes to be called Brie)
Age: Not known
Physical Characteristics: Brie is a beautiful creamy bear with black ‘boot
button’ eyes and a brown stitched nose. She has a little secret smile on her
face at all times! Her plush is gorgeous and rich in tone, with fleecy bits on
her paws. Her head, arms and legs are fixed in position. Her bottom, feet and
paws are beanie-filled, and she has a bit of a tail. She is wearing a pale
lavender bow.
Size: Brie is approx 10 inches in the sitting position, head to bottom, and
13 inches head to foot.
Label: Russ Berrie & Co.
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Brie is
very good humoured and always smiling. Even if it rains on a picnic day, she
still smiles and makes the best of it! She likes tv, especially watching
sports, but also enjoys any family activities at home like board games and days
out in the country. Brie is also very helpful, caring and compassionate, and an
excellent nurse when any of the other bears end up in the orphanage infirmary. She is not very keen on spiders!
Past History: Brie belonged to a lady who kept her on her dressing table.
She was a gift from the lady’s husband – that’s all I know.
Ideal Home: Brie is hoping to go to a busy family home with lots going on.
It was a little bit too quiet for her at her last home. She has quite sturdy
legs, and has always taken an interest in watching athletics, cycling and
running, but loves all activity. Having said that she is still a girlie bear,
and is intrigued to find out if other colours of ribbon bow, besides lavender,
suit her. She likes rummaging in my
ribbon bag, and looking in the mirror!
This is Seamus
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Seamus - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, GroovyCart
Adoption Details:
Name: Seamus
Age: Not known
Physical Characteristics: Seamus is firm, but squashy if you know what I
mean. He has ruffled golden-brown plush, with a brown stitched nose and dark
brown eyes. His head and arms don’t move but his legs do. He has smooth quite
velvety paws, feet and inside of ears. He has a lucky emerald green shamrock on
his right foot and ‘Good Luck’ on his left. His lovely emerald green jumper has
three gold shamrocks and 'Ireland' on it.
Size: Seamus is approx 10 inches in the sitting position, head to bottom,
and 14 inches head to foot.
Label: Kiddiefun, Dublin
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Seamus has ‘kissed the
Blarney stone’ and never stops talking! He’s
a great story-teller (mostly tall tales of leprechauns and the like!) but he
can be argumentative, and don’t expect to get the better of him! But he has a
heart of gold, would do anything for anybody – but is always late for picnics!
Past History: Not known but originally hails from Ireland of course!
Ideal Home: Seamus would like a new home where
the humans enjoy the craic and a glass of Guinness (or two). If you have a drop
of Irish blood in you, that would be great because he hopes sometime that
you’ll take him back to the Emerald Isle for a visit. In exchange for a loving home, he says he’ll
bring you the luck of the Irish!
This is Theo
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Theo - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, GroovyCart
Name: Theo
Age: Not known
Physical Characteristics: Theo is what is known as an ‘artist bear’ (more
info on that on the internet if you are not familiar with the term). He is a
big, substantial, well stuffed firm bear, with much character, beautifully made and extremely heavy. He has light golden brown longish ruffled fur (mohair) and brown suedette feel pads to his paws. Theo's arms, legs and head all move. His nose is black wool and very distinctive and he has thoughtful brown eyes. He wears a red satin ribbon that often needs re-tying!
Size: Theo is approx 10 inches in the sitting position, head to bottom, and
14 inches head to foot. He weighs approx 2kg.
Label: Del Fiji Bears
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Theo might
look a little grumpy at times, but he’s perfectly pleasant when you get to know
him and actually has a charismatic personality – the more you know him, the
more you want to know! He likes intelligent conversation, a glass of wine or
even a tot of whisky (preferably Lagavulin) and is happy to make up the numbers
at dinner parties. He also likes reading poetry and wonders if he would look
good in a pair of round spectacles (he doesn’t really need them, but is a
little bit of a poser!). Theo doesn’t suffer fools gladly!
Past History: I only know a little of Theo’s history. He lived with the lady
who made him, who is now 90 years old, until her husband died recently, and
then he was packed up with other things and given away. This was a traumatic
time for him and he doesn’t really want to talk about it any more. The old lady
didn’t name him Theo - I spoke to her and she said she didn't name bears. I asked him his name and after a while he revealed it was Theo. The lady still makes bears, but only miniature ones.
Ideal Home: Theo is rather particular about the new home he hopes to find.
He is not ashamed to say that he likes the finer things in life, and would
prefer to be with someone who is comfortably off and not counting the pennies!
He likes to sit in his own comfortable chair in the main living room, and
doesn’t want to be stuck away in a bedroom with no company. There is a quirky side to his character and
if you are an artist or a writer, or creative in some way, then you and he will
get along wonderfully. Theo hopes to be well established in his new home by the
end of the year and says he has a fancy for a tartan waistcoat as a Christmas
present.
This is Rosie
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Rosie - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, GroovyCart
Adoption Details:
Name: Rosie
Age: Not known
Physical Characteristics: Rosie has a lovely squashy beanie-filled tummy and
legs. She is pretty with ruffled plush in a lovely pinky-brown ‘ashes of roses’
shade, and she wears a brown satin bow and has brown eyes. She does have a bit
of a tail. Rosie is poseable but her head’s a bit floppy. Sometimes she falls
asleep when you’re talking to her!
Size: Rosie is approx 8.5 inches in the sitting position, head to bottom,
and 12 inches head to foot.
Label: Radcliffe. Russ Berrie & Co.
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Rosie is happy and
girlie. She still smells of perfume from her previous home and tells me she
likes nothing better than sitting on a dressing table fiddling with scent
bottles and unscrewing pots of intriguing creams, or comparing nail varnish
colours. She likes trying on jewellery, frills and feathers, and she doesn’t
mind if you are not tidy – she’s quite good at making a mess herself! She’s not
demanding and is content with her own company, and a conversation with someone
now and again. She dislikes noisy brothers bursting into bedrooms!
Past History: Not known but she smells of a nice perfume, so must have been
with a lady!
Ideal Home: Rosie would like to go to a young lady. She won’t mind if she’s
the only bear at home or to join in if there are already lots of bears, but she
has stated that she wants to go somewhere warm with central heating as she says
she hates the cold!
This is Harry
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Harry - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, GroovyCart
Adoption Details:
Name: Harry
Age: Not known
Physical Characteristics: Harry is firm, but squashy if you know what I
mean. A very typical teddy bear. He has curly, or ruffled plush, in a nice mid
toffee colour with a black stitched nose and dark brown eyes. His head doesn’t
move but he does have some movement in his arms and legs. He has quite velvety
paws and feet and a hard bobbly tail.
Size: Harry is approx 11 inches in the sitting position, head to bottom, and
15 inches head to foot.
Label: Debenhams
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Harry has the sunniest
nature in the world, probably due to his love of the out-doors and gardening.
He is happy to go with the flow, and do whatever you want to do. If you go out,
he doesn’t mind waiting, but if you want to take him with you, he’s a great
companion. He’s the kind of bear that will listen to all your secrets. He says he can't think of ANYTHING that he doesnt like!
Past History: Not known.
Ideal Home: Harry doesn’t mind where he goes, or who he lives with as long
as they are kind and friendly and prepared to offer him a happy forever home.
These two are twins, Charlie and Archie
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Charlie (left) and Archie - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, GroovyCart
Adoption Details:
Names: Charlie & Archie (twins). They will be arrive with labels so you
can tell them apart!
Age: Not known
Physical Characteristics: Both bears are squashy, a little floppy and very
soft, with golden brown plush and more velvety mid-brown plush on their noses
and feet, and brown eyes. They have cute bobble tails! Charlie is slightly smaller than Archie, and
Archie is perhaps a little more stuffed! – but they are very similar indeed. Open
the secret zips on their backs, and find the golden keys to their loving
hearts!
Size: In the sitting position, head to bottom, about 11 inches – and head to
dangling foot about 16 inches.
Label: My Pawfect Bear
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Charlie & Archie are both cheerful and
friendly, funny bears. They like going out, don’t mind being squashed into
backpacks and love camping, or pretend camping in the garden! They also love
cuddles and bedtime, falling asleep the minute their heads touch the pillow –
what good little bears! They like milk and biscuits, but don’t like rice
pudding!
Past History: I was told that these two came from Australia, but that’s all
I know. Maybe they will be able to tell you more! They obviously had an
exciting trip on a plane or ship to get to the UK.
Ideal Home: Charlie & Archie are twins and must be adopted together.
They are looking for a fun noisy home with lots going on – maybe with two
little boys, or a brother and sister. They like going out, don’t mind being
squashed into backpacks and love camping, or pretend camping in the garden!
They also love cuddles and bedtime!
This is Threadbear - photo was taken when he first arrived and he's since had a bath!
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Threadbear - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, GroovyCart |
Adoption Details:
Name: Threadbear or Threadie as he likes to be called (some of the other
bears call him Freddie – he says he doesn’t mind ... Threadie, Freddie, Teddie,
whatever!
Age: About 22-24 years old
Physical Characteristics: Threadie is a scruffy little brown bear, with one
brown button eye and one black stitiched eye. His nose and mouth are stitched.
He has three scruffy brown felt paws that are very bobbly, and one fabric red,
white spotty paw. He has the squeaker in his tummy but not sure it is working! Joy madeThreadie have a bath when he arrived at the orphanage so he's a bit cleaner now
Size: Threadbear is approx 7 inches
Label: A couple of grubby little fabric labels, not easily read. Hodder
& Stoughton Publishing. Dated 1990-92
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Threadie
is genuine, kind and patient. He likes cuddles, story books and being thrown up
in the air and caught again. He LOVES having his tummy pressed so he can try to
squeak for you! – but he doesn’t want to be a dog toy!!! – and he is worried
you won’t love him because he’s not sure if his squeaker is working or not. He’s
trying hard to make it work!
Past History: Threadbear vaguely remembers the days when he came to
someone’s home with the story book ‘Threadbear’ by Mick Inkpen, that was all
about him and Father Christmas. He proudly sat on a shelf with ‘his’ book, but
after as while, things became a bit of a blur. He’s been separated from his
book, passed from child to child, toy-box to toy-box – until thankfully I was
able to take him into the orphanage to look after him kindly till he finds a
forever home.
Ideal Home: Threadbear just wants to go to a warm cosy home. He likes to be
with children doesn’t mind be dragged around or even left in the garden
over-night and would love to hear his story again. Or if someone a bit more
grown-up ‘remembers’ him, then he will be happy to come to you! What he doesn’t
want and is afraid of happening is to be given away again – he did think about
staying permanently at the Orphanage but has bravely decided to try again, one
more time.
Special Notes: Threadie’s Adoption Fee is very low, but unfortunately
Travelling Expenses are the same as for any other bear as they are out of my
control! (My Hermes - £2.99) Perhaps Threadie could be adopted with another
bear from the orphanage, then they could travel together and I could
refund/combine Travelling Fees?
These two are the twins, Pinky and Perky
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Pinky (left) and Perky - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, Groovycart
Adoption Details:
Names: Pinky and Perky (twins) - they will arrive with labels so you can tell them apart
Age: Not known
Physical Characteristics: Both bears are squashy with fat tummies! They have
very soft, very pretty with pale pink plush, kind brown eyes and cheeky expressions. They both have ‘Be
My Bear’on their left foot. They are twins and very similar but Perky is just a
little bigger than Pinky. Poor Pinky had
to be in the infirmary due to an accident to the left hand paw – it had to be
stitched! They both have secret velcro pockets in their backs, with little zip pockets inside for you to hide your little treasures in! Have you ever read the original
version of the story about Peter Pan? At the end there’s a bit about the
fairies that bejewel the twilight – the mauve ones are boy fairies and the
white ones girl fairies and the blue lights are darling little sillies who are
not quite sure what they are.....Well, Pinky and Perky are like that; they are
not concerning themselves with being boys or girls but are happy just to be
adorable fluffy pink teddy bears.
Size: Pinky is about 11 inches and Perky 14 inches.
Label: Be My Bear Ltd.
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Pinky and Perky are
sweet natured bears – a bit ditzy but very loving.
Past History: Not known.
Ideal Home: Pinky & Perky are twins and must be adopted together. They
are looking for a home with a little girl or two little girls who like the same
sort of things as they do – playing with dolls, dressing up, fairies and princesses, sleep-overs and
watching Disney films. They adore pink, pink and more pink, being silly, having
cuddles and eating sweets! They say they won’t mind being left in the bedroom,
and as soon as the girls are out they will jump on the bed and roll around,
giggling! They have told me that they hope the girls will make them some
jewellery of their own from loom bands.
This is Butterscotch
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Butterscotch - Teddy Adoption, Grannys Attic, GroovyCart
Adoption Details:
Name: Butterscotch (the name given to him by Gund)
Age: 11 years old, at least
Physical Characteristics: Butterscotch has beautiful, incredibly soft and
silky multi-toned butterscotch, brown, apricot and cream plush with a wonderful
sheen to it - very touchable! He is very clean indeed. He has brown eyes and a brown stitched
nose, plus a little bitty tail. He’s soft and squashy, with quite a pudgy tummy (see why in a minute!) and beans in his
bottom, feet and ends of hand paws. He’s floppy and poseable, but his head,
arms and legs are fixed in position. Summer or winter, he wears a fleecy
mult-colour scarf.
Size: Butterscotch is approx 9.5 inches in the sitting position, head to
bottom, and 13 inches head to foot.
Label: Gund. Butterscotch 15100
Personality/Likes/Dislikes: Butterscotch
is observant, honest and sociable – he’ll soon tell you if you look good in the
outfit you’re going out in! (or not!). He loves sweets (hence the tummy!) – toffee, fudge and of
course, butterscotch, and a high treat for him would be to be taken to an event
where there is a fudge stand so he can choose his favourite flavours! He’s looking forward to Autumn as that is his
favourite time of the year – he would love you to make toffee apples and watching firework
displays (but not too close in case a spark might land on his plush and ruin
its incredible smoothness). He’d also enjoy being smuggled into the
movies, to eat popcorn and watch a good film. His main no-no is children with
sticky hands!!!
Past History: Apparently Gund Butterscotch bears were the winner of the 2003
‘Golden Teddy Award’ – I found this out from the internet. And these bears are
now retired (no longer being made). I don’t have any past history for this
particular Butterscotch bear.
Ideal Home: Although Butterscotch adores sweets, he doesn’t want to go to a messy,
sticky home that might ruin his beautiful plush – he is rather fussy, and would
prefer a very clean, tidy home! (wouldn’t we all?)
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How do I adopt a bear from the Orphanage at Granny’s Attic?
1. Go to groovycart.co.uk.
2. Click the green rectangle ‘I want to buy’
3. Click ‘search for a shop’ – on the lefthand side
4. Type Grannys
Attic in the search – and click
5. Some of the photos of items in the Attic will come up.
Click on the green writing Grannys Attic. You will be taken to the Home Page
6. See ‘Navigation’ in the right hand panel. Scroll down
to find Teddy Adoption, and click on it
7. You will be taken to the page where you will see
details of all the bears currently in the orphanage
8. Find a bear you would like to adopt. Consider the
matter carefully then...
9. Take the Solemn Pledge! Repeat to yourself ‘I promise that I will
give this bear or bears a caring forever home’
10. Pay
the Adoption Fee, which includes Travelling Expenses
11. Wait
for your very special bear to arrive!
12. Unpack
your bear and give him or her plenty of space to settle in. He or she will soon start ‘talking’ to you, if you listen carefully.
What if the bear I wanted to adopt has already
been adopted?
If this happens, please don’t get too upset. It
was obviously not meant to be! Perhaps you could adopt one of the other bears?
- or wait and come back to Granny’s
Attic soon to see if another bear you could care for has arrived at the
Orphanage. There will always be super bears of all kinds looking for a forever
home. Your bear is travelling in time towards you, I promise you.
(See my other Groovycart shop called Real Birds Feathers for white doves feathers from my own flock and other interesting natural feathers)
The teddy blog will be continued soon with photos of the bears doing what they enjoy. I hoped you've had fun meeting the bears - please come back again!
PS. I am wondering which bear will be the first adopted from the Orphanage - which one would you adopt?
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