I am a bit of an arctophile .. a teddy bear lover.
We always say ...'no more bears' and somehow it just seems to happen. We end up with new bears. Some come and some go and some remain lifelong friends, such as this little chap who came to take assemblt today.
He didn't always look like this. Hew all new and shiny once. I had this teddy for Christmas when I was 2 as this photo shows.
He was actually one of twins. His twin brother was a little bit older, having been bought when I was first born, and was a little shabby and so I had a 'spare' that year. And just as well really. The twin bear (with a blue ribbon) slept with me along with his twin brother in the red. They slept with me for years and were still sleeping with me when I was 15 and went to Majorca on holiday. I only took 'blue' with me as two bears was simply one bear too many to pack.
It was then that disaster struck. He got left behind in the bed. We tried ringing, we had friends who were still out there and they tried, but no joy. Poor teddy had vanished and I am sure was comforting a little Spanish child by then. So 'red' has the love of two lavished on him.
That's why he looks quite 'real'. Those of you who know and love The Velveteen Rabbit will know exactly what I mean by that. Much of his fur has been loved off, he has a few fairly serious holes which can't be repaired as the surrounding fabric is weak and tired, he has a very nasty stain from helping me make enamel badges when I was about 7, but he is still loved and cherished every single day. He is special and irreplaceable. And he made a great focus for assembly.
That's the old ... now I have some new. A new page made with stunning new stuff from Dawn released today at her Scrapbookgraphics store.
She has some new photo templates (I adore her templates) and also some more of those cute plastic pockets and a great set of nibbled and chewed masks.
This page took me ages to make as there are lots and lots of layers, but I am pleased I did it as it is a great summary of a fab year in 2011.
Today I am thankful for
feeling a little better
the strength to stay as positive as possible
a full fridge that is COOL in every sense
My one minute devotion today is lovely and reminds us of the special people who touch our lives.
Carmen is what Victorian novelists would call simple. She can barely read, she’s not very good at remembering names, and her conversation doesn’t go much beyond “How are you today?” Sixty years old now, she still lives with her mother, and when she comes to church and sits in the pew, there’s something of an eight-year-old about her. She alternates between rapt attention and fidgeting, her head swirling to the back of the sanctuary to see who’s there, her feet swinging from the pew.
And yet, Carmen has an intuitive sense about people. When new people come to church, she makes a beeline for them at the coffee hour, grabs them by the hand, and leads them to meet others. When a parishioner has been away for a long time, she goes up to that person with a big smile and puts out her hand. When a name has been read from the pulpit with a request for prayers, she’ll give whoever it is a hug later in the back of the church. I remember her best at our wedding, when she appeared at church in her prettiest party dress and shiny Mary Janes, wreathed in smiles as she celebrated our happiness.
Some people are a gift by their presence: the calming influence at a contentious meeting at work; the good listener who makes you feel better just by hearing your concerns; the enthusiast who adds energy to a room the moment she walks in the door. What is comforting about Carmen is her goodness. Her kindness arrives unedited, disarming everyone she meets. She brings out the best in people through simple warmth. That’s her gift.
Well I never knew you were an arctophile Karen! Have followed your blog for a long time and hadn't realised. Your bear is wonderful and so precious (bet he could tell a tale or two!) - I am lucky enough to make teddy bears for a living, and have my childhood bear still - they really are wonderful. Sending extra special bear hugs from one arctophile to another :) xx
Posted by: Jackie | January 26, 2012 at 10:11 PM
I'm an arctophile, too!!!!!! I have teddies all over my house. :) Yours is adorable and looks so comfy.
Posted by: Tammy | January 27, 2012 at 08:25 PM
Tiy have a lovely blog, I have really enjoyed reading it. My cat, now gone:( Decided once he was going to bring in a live chipmunk!!!! At least I can say he didn't get the job done, caught him just in time! LOL He just looked at me like "what is wrong with you?? We could have such fun".
Posted by: teddy bear | April 23, 2012 at 02:57 AM