Welcome to the Teddy Orphanage at Granny's Attic

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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! 

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

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

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.

Find Teddy Adoption HERE

(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?