Showing posts with label moth treatment for teddy bears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moth treatment for teddy bears. Show all posts

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Welcome to the Teddy Orphanage at Grannys Attic - Blog 5

2nd October 2014

Welcome to the fifth blog from me, Granny Annie, at the Teddy Orphanage at Grannys Attic on Groovycart. If you would like to read the profiles of all the bears that are hoping to be adopted please go HERE  (or most of them are on my first blog in July). To see HOW to adopt a bear find the details at the end of this blog.

Much has happened - bears have come and gone! A wonderful bear arrived and I named him Colin. He was, or rather is, a Lakeland Bear and collectable.


Lakeland Bears by Wendy Philips are no longer made, and much sought after. To read the very interesting history of these bears - and see some of their wonderful outfits, please do have a look at the website HERE - truly worth a look!  Colin was adopted through Ebay and didn't stay with me for very long, but he was a firm favourite with the Orphanage bears as he had so many tales to tell. He arrived with only one walking shoe, and here demonstrates to the bears how difficult it is to walk up hill and down dale with only one clog - even with a stick!

Lakeland bear, Grannys Attic, Groovycart
 The other bears in the photo are - left to right - little Hugo and his older brother Alexander, in matching blue jumpers, Harry, the gardener bear, then black Nisbet and golden Butterscotch - all still available for adoption.

Colin also had a pair of original woolly trousers and some rather holey socks!

 While the older bears talked, young Hugo pushed Cubby around the rug in Colin's clog!
 Then he wanted a go himself, but was too big to fit into the shoe and too heavy for little Cubby to move along! Silly little bears!

While they were all in the garden Harry thought he might as well check his cucumbers - the last of the season. Anyone who adopts Harry will be very lucky - he brings all kinds of good things to eat to the table.


A group of bears very much down on their luck arrived - Miles, Morris Minor and Danny & Frank. They were all Dean's bears from the 90s and once Collector's bears, but they had been neglected and forgotten, shoved in boxes and ignored and Granny Annie found that they had suffered from moth infestations. Little Joy, the clean and tidy housekeeping bear, was quite horrified, but all the bears went straight to the spa for the 'cure' and when they emerged all the nasties were gone and Joy heaved a sigh of relief! Though she still went to the cupboard to fetch the Rentokil Moth Killer Strips which are the very best thing to deter moths - available on Ebay.  Unfortunately, Granny Annie couldn't do anything about the loss of beautiful mohair - poor Miles really was quite bald. 

 Above, Miles and below, Morris Minor
 Below, Frank & Danny, the little scamps! Always finding and eating my chocolate!

But kind teddy people called arctophiles read Granny's plea for new homes (Ebay again) and all the bears were quickly adopted into new 'hugs'. Happy endings and bear hugs all round! I had the loveliest message from the lady who adopted Miles -

I was the VERY lucky winner of Miles.
I just wanted to thank you and assure you that he will be lovingly looked after. I can't wait for him to arrive.
I have printed off the Ebay listing, that you spent so much time preparing, and it will live close to Miles just in case we should ever be parted. If the unthinkable did ever happen I would hope whoever found him would read it and care for him as much as I will.
Thank you so much for giving me the privilege of adopting Miles.

And now another happy ending....Cornelius has been tracked down, and has now returned to his young wife, Cordelia and their baby Cubby! Horatio, who lives at the Orphanage made many phone calls and eventually someone said that they might have seen Cornelius on a knitting pattern (??) - and it was true! Cornelius was so ashamed that he had let his wife and child down that he felt he couldn't look for them until he had a proper job and some money coming in - so although modelling is not really his thing - he'd rather be a builder or a bouncer - it certainly is a lucrative job, and he's got the looks for it!


Cordelia burst into tears of relief when she was shown this photo - 
a bit like Long Lost Family for bears! Daddy's coming home! she told little Cubby. Good, said Cubby, I love my daddy! 

Cordelia is so pleased to have her cuddly, cheerful (if feckless) hubbie back!



 My darling wife!
My boy!


And this of course means that Cornelius, Cordelia and Cubby (along with Cubby's pram and teddy bear) are now available for adoption through Granny's Attic. They certainly can't go back to where they were living before - those bailiffs might still be looking for them! - and they need a fun, happy, forever home where money worries and doing a moonlight are a thing of the past!

Bear family portrait - Grannys Attic www.groovycart.co.uk
If you feel you could adopt this super family - then please find Teddy Adoption in Grannys Attic at Groovycart

The little blind and deaf bear, Cicely and her faithful companion, Guillaume who featured in the last blog have been offered a beautiful home in a cottage in Norfolk with a very kind, sweet lady. Cicely is not fit for travel just yet, but as soon as she is strong enough, she will be making the journey, with Guillaume to attend to her needs on the way. Here they are at Walter's farewell tea party. He's the 105 year old bear, who also was in the last blog and who has now been adopted and already made the journey to his new home in Wiltshire.

Grannys Attic Teddy Adoption bears tea party
 Left to right, Harry, Cicely, Guillaume, Walter, Rupert and Joy
 Cicely has to be helped to tea and cake

Joy is always 'mother' at tea parties. She keeps the treats in her special tin, and often bakes herself, but these are Mr. Kipling's.




Walter said a private farewell to Rupert. Venerable bear gentleman do not hug, sob and call each other 'mate' - a firm handshake is enough!



The bears always feel a little flat when someone leaves, but Joy soon sprung into action when two grubby vintage little panda bears arrived. She sent them straight to the bathroom with soap and a loofah each!


Granny Annie decided something stronger - even drastic - was needed and decided to risk the washing machine! Jingler and Little P came out cleaner - if not sparkling!


These two are also being adopted through ebay - if you are quick you might just catch up with them - type 'Jingler and Little P' into the search, or their ebay no. 291249699136. Jingler is so called as he used to have a jingle bell inside him, but now it's just a bit of a thump thump sound! Poor old Jingler, it's a long time since his hey-day in the 50s or 60s. Little P is a Chad Valley panda, but both these oldies are very well loved and a bit the worst for it, but I am sure they will find new homes anyway.

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 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.  Welcome 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.

To be cont....

Friday, 29 August 2014

Welcome to the Teddy Orphanage at Grannys Attic - Blog 3

End August 2014

Welcome to the third blog from me, Granny Annie, at the Teddy Orphanage at Grannys Attic on Groovycart. If you would like to read the profiles of all the bears that are hoping to be adopted either go to Grannys Attic Groovycart or to my first blog in July. To see HOW to adopt a bear find the details at the end of this blog.

Harry, the gardening bear, has been picking blackberries....


He was pleased with the crop this year


And so was Joy, who plans to make some nice little pots of jams and jellies


Joy also planned a cream cake treat for Granny Annie and her hubby....


But the cheeky twins, Charlie and Archie got there first!


(If you'd like to consider adopting Harry or Joy or the twins or to see other bears in need of adoption go to Teddy Adoption

Not long ago, the Bears saw someone coming up the road.....in search of the Orphanage



It was a tired young mother bear, with her baby in a pram


Poor Cordelia had to leave her previous home in a hurry - she wasn't able to bring anything with her, except the pram and Cubby's beloved teddy bear. Something to do with unpaid rent.....all very confusing..... and Cubby's daddy, Cornelius, was away from home.....and now Cordelia doesn't know where he is or how to find him!

Kind Alexander wipes away her tears, and Granny Annie assures her that of course she and Cubby can stay at the Orphanage until Cornelius has been tracked down - then they can all be adopted into a lovely new home together!

 Alexander's little brother Hugo admires Cubby's teddy


Old Donkey also lives at the Orphanage - he belonged to Granny Annie's father, who was born in 1913 - and could easily be 100 years old or nearing that. He is very gentle and very patient, and all the bears love him (and so does Granny Annie and he is not up for adoption!)

Here Cordelia has taken baby Cubby, and Alexander's little brother, Hugo, to visit Old Donkey.


He doesn't mind the little bears clambering all over him, though they do wear him out a bit!


Old Donkey when he was new - with my father aged about 3 or 4 in 1916 or 1917


and in about 1982 with my daughter

and in 2012 with my grandson


Old Donkey's companion from 'way back when' is the old bear in the middle of this photo, having a picnic tea with Horatio on the right and Horatio's lady friend of the time on the left (taken in the mid 90s). The old bear, whose name is Rupert, is currently away visiting family but hopes to return to the orphanage soon.

Rupert, again in the mid-90s, with my father, both needing their specs now. My father passed away in 2005, but mostly old bears live forever.

Joy, Heather Brianna (known as Brie) and Rosie have been sorting out some of the clothes kindly donated to the Orphanage Bears....Joy has found some green wellies - they would be just right for Harry when he's gardening, she thinks


Rosie is particularly taken with a straw sun-hat.... and Joy agrees that it suits her


Ok, Rosie, you can keep it!

Unfortunately the boots don't fit Harry - what a shame!

When Joy and Brie go back inside, Rosie stays in the garden in her new sun-hat, 
catching the last rays!

Meanwhile, Horatio (who lives with Granny Annie and is not for adoption) has been trying to make some calls to find Cornelius for Cordelia....He also had a call from Seamus to say that he and little Threadbear arrived safely and are enjoying their wonderful new home.


Horatio is quite an old bear and has had quite a few 'heydays' in his long life. In the mid-90s, he posed with my daughter and her little friend for the Bisto Kids competition. This is the photo we sent in.... you can just about see Horatio on her lap


The children won the Regional Final

Bisto Kids 1995 - Melissa and Ryan 

and then the Grand Final!


Winning a trip to Disneyland Florida!

Cordelia distracts Cubby who is missing his daddy by taking him to see a new arrival at Grannys Attic Zoo......the large sleek black panther



Large black panther for sale - Grannys Attic Groovycart

Cubby goes too close, and Cordelia has to call him back!
 Startled, he falls flat on his face!
 and has to be comforted by mum!

Some bears arrived at the Orphanage that had been in bad company 
- they had to be given the Spa Treatment!


Spa Treatment for Bears
As a  precaution any old or vintage bears are treated to the ‘spa’.
The bears are sealed in a freezer bag and put into the freezer for a minimum of 48 hours and sometimes up to a week. The bears don’t mind this at all, and when they emerge, refreshed, they are given a brush over to remove any dead nasty little things, like moths.
Some people put lavender bags or cedar balls/chips near their vintage bears to deter moths and these smell lovely, but I have been recommended to use Rentokil Moth Killer Strips (available from shops and ebay) for the bears to sit on. These kill moths, larvae and eggs and last for 6 months from the date of opening. (Most bears don't need this type of treatment of course!)

The bears in the spa are not currently available for Adoption but hopefully will be in a few weeks time.

Two other new arrivals at the Orphanage are vulnerable little blind and deaf Cicely, and her faithful companion, Guillaume. They too are not ready for Adoption just yet, but will be very soon.


My grandchildren brought their Build a Bears round for a little party to celebrate the opening of Grannys Attic on Groovycart on 1st Sept 14 

 Above - Left to right, Nisbet, Bob and Rosie - Build a Bears, Butterscotch, Old Donkey and Joy

and below you can also see Alexander and Hugo, far right
(All the bears, except for the Build a Bears and Old Donkey are available for adoption)

Joy is horrified when my granddaughter steals a Smartie!


Grannys Attic on Groovycart - with lots of modern and vintage dolls, toys and other bits and pieces, opens on 1st September 2014 - Be there, or be....bear-less!!!


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 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.  Welcome 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.

To be cont...