Upside Down Christmas With Paddingtons And Piccadilly

November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Ann La Mar

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

In my role as roving reporter for Miki I am given all sorts of interesting tasks. I was thrilled to be put on Paddington Patrol.

I was keen to get on with this so while on a shopping trip in Yarm I was over the moon to find Paddington in Waterstones book shop window. I had my phone out in a flash and began taking photos. Looking closely at the scene it was really quite amusing. A big Paddington was surrounded by Paddington books and behind him was a Christmas tree with gingerbread men, candy canes and little Paddington decorations. The thing that caught my eye was this cute little Paddington suspended upside down from the top of the tree clinging on to the branches he really looked as though he had made an early start on the Christmas sherry! I couldn’t wait to get home to send Miki the pictures.

Once home I was thinking of this poor little Paddington and asking myself why I didn’t buy him and rescue him from his precarious position. I mentioned this to Miki and of course she said ‘Why didn’t you’!

First thing the next morning, feeling rather guilty I went back to Waterstones and asked the girl in the shop if I could possibly rescue the poor little Paddington from their window display. She was very amused and proceeded to get him from the tree. He was suspended by his leg with fishing line poor little thing. This little bear had ‘spoken’ to me and we had a connection so he was the only one I wanted. I was delighted to set him free and bring him home.

Next came his name, as the real Paddington bear was named after Paddington station where he was found and Miki and Truffle have Euston bear from Paddington’s family living with them, I decided this family member must also be named after a station. I looked at the underground stations and came up with Piccadilly because he was in a Pickle when I first saw him and ‘dilly’ loosely means delighted and I was certainly delighted to have him. Miki loves his name and thinks it is very funny and so like an ‘upside down’ Paddington.

PS: If you are interested in prints of this painting, they are available in many different sizes on paper, metal, canvas, wood, etc. Also on pillows, covers, phone cases, Tote bags, shower curtains, T-shirts, notebooks, towels and many more. Just click on the painting, it will bring you to Miki de Goodaboom’s online shop.

Prince Gulliver And Princess Lily

November 28, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Miki de Goodaboom (Text and Illustration)

In September 2016, Truffle, my partner Kevin and me flew from Alicante (Spain) to Manchester (England). Truffle and me were going on a tour of North Yorkshire with Ann la Mar: a painting trip and a teddy bear trip. We had in mind to adopt some of the bears we would find on our way.

Well, we didn’t need to wait long. On the catalogue of the Easyjet plane, we saw that they had 2 bears for sale, Prince Gulliver and Princess Lily. I didn’t doubt one minute: they had to go back to Spain with us.

I was a bit embarrassed though, not really used to but myself bears in public those days. So I asked Kevin to do it. The stewardess smiled at him, a bit ironically:

“You really want both?”

He could not resist “betraying” me. He said

“Yes! They are for her… she paints them!’

I felt like hiding under the seat! But the woman gave me a wonderful smile and a very nice conversation followed. From that moment, I never needed to be embarrassed again adopting teddy bears in the UK. They all love them, and it does not matter if you are a child or an adult, they understand you! Except if you are a rock star like Kevin, of course, you need to look cooler than that in public!!!

The other day Truffle tweeted the painting of our royal bears to EasyJet, and a person from the company answered at once:

“Please adopt me and take me to Andalusia too! I’m not as lovable or furry as Gulliver or Lilly but I’ll do the dishes…Robbie”

There was then a funny exchange between Robbie and Truffle.

I tell you what: that was enough to make me and Truffle love EasyJet!!!! And we will fly with them as often as we can.

And NO, Robbie hasn’t paid us to make advertising for them! 🙂

PS: If you are interested in prints of that painting, they are available in many different sizes on paper, metal, canvas, wood, etc. Also on pillows, covers, phone cases, Tote bags, shower curtains, T-shirts, notebooks, towels etc. Just click on the painting, it will bring you to my shop online.

Toto Et Lolo

November 25, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Miki de Goodaboom (Text and Illustration)

After introducing my Aristobears, Lord Albert/Duchess Alba and Lord Winston/Duchess Laila, here is another couple which we have adopted this year. They came from England, and arrived to us with Ann La Mar, our friend reporter here at GoTeddy,

I regularly go and spend time with my Mom, a wonderful 92 year old lady, who, like me, started loving teddy bears as we adopted our very first bear Truffle McFurry. Every time I go there, I take with me my new children, and introduce them to their grand-mother.

As she saw this couple, she laughed and said

“Toto et Lolo!”

In France we call “Toto et Lolo” a couple which has been together for ages, and can’t be without each other. In modern language, we would say “a fusional couple”.

So, here they are, my Toto et Lolo. For those who are not aware: Toto is the man, Lolo is the woman. And for those who know a bit more about teddy Bears, they are “Russ bears”.

Lord Winston And Duchess Laila

November 23, 2017November 23, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / 1 Comment

By Miki de Goodaboom (Text and Illustration)

After having introduced you to my first couple of Aristobears, “Lord Albert and Duchess Alba”, it is today the tour of my second couple, “Lord Winston and Duchess Laila”. They both come from Wales, which I toured during 10 days on a painting trip in September 2017.

We found Lord Winston in an antique shop in a beautiful town called “Machynlleth”, the day we drove from the North to the South of Wales. He majestuously sat on a red throne, he was simply splendid. I did photographs of him, and then said goodbye. But my partner insisted that I could not leave him there, that I had to adopt him.

“How could I, he is much too big to bring him back home in the plane!”

“I will find a way!”

Well, he found a way. Don’t ask me how he did it, but Lord Winston lives now here with us in Spain. I would love to know about his previous life, with whom and where he lived before he retired in the antique shop. One important thing I do know about him, as a beautiful booklet is attached to him and tells an illustrated story about him. You would not believe it, considering his aristocrat origin, but he was a Go-Kart driver!!! His friends helped him building a new go-kart and he won the race. He said

“It is good to have friends like that!”

As for Duchess Laila, we found her in a Welsh charity shop, but I don’t remember where exactly. She obviously is a ballerina, the cutest ballerina ever! As with my first Aristobear couple, it was love at first glance between her and Lord Winston. I was a bit concerned, because of the age difference, but they both convinced me that love has nothing to do with age. And indeed, they seem so happy together, enjoying also the company of Lord Albert and Duchess Alba! Lord Albert and Lord Winston look so similar somehow, I sometimes wonder if they are brothers…

Lord Albert And Duchess Alba

November 21, 2017November 21, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / 2 Comments

By Miki de Goodaboom (Text and Illustration)

To me the world has become a much better and softer world the day I discovered Teddy bears. This happened in the person of my beloved Truffle McFurry, whom you probably know quite well in the meanwhile.

I live though in a country -Spain- where the Teddy Bear culture is not very alive. I guess it will come, one day. It was the same with the pets. Until not a long time ago, the Spaniards didn’t really know the notion of pet: dogs, for example, were only there to watch the house. And cats to catch mice.

Now, every time I travel to the UK, it is like being in Paradise: Teddy Bears are everywhere, they are part of everybody’s daily life.

I was so surprised as one day, at a charity shop from Mojacar beach, only a couple of kilometres away from where I live, I found Lord Albert, a magnificent Teddy. The woman told me his name, and cuddled him a very long time before handling him over to me. It was obvious, that she was sad to let him go. I told her
“Don’t worry, he is going to a very loving home.”

We took lord Albert home. He was glad to be with us, but he felt a bit alone. I had no other aristocrat in the house, he missed that. And he missed a wife. He didn’t say it, him being English and understated, but it was quite obvious. I don’t know if he was a widow, or a bachelor as we adopted him.. would love to know! If somebody comes across this post and knows my Lord Albert, please tell me what you know about him.

Anyway Ann La Mar found in internet a wonderful little Duchess. Lord Albert and I looked at her, and for him, it was love at first sight. We let her come all the way from England. I was a bit worried, as love needs to be reciprocated. But Duchess Alba also fell in love at first glance. Both are now spending all their time together, and look very happy. There are even some talks of wedding in the air…

These two, they look so much like my partner and me: the size difference certainly corresponds, me being about half as tall as him. Only the skin colours are inverted! 🙂

Yorkie

November 19, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Ann La Mar

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

While having a bear break ( like a coffee break with the calming addition of bear research) I came across a bear with the sweetest face. He immediately melted my heart.
He was on an auction site so I had to wait some days before I knew for sure he was mine.

I couldn’t wait for the postman to bring him. He was travelling from London back home to North Yorkshire where he started out. Once out of his brown paper he was the sweetest little bear ever. He has a coat of arms on his foot which says City of York. I think this is for the City Council. I guess he was made to commemorate something but I have yet to find out what. He has a tag which says Stonegate Teddy Bears, this is a wonderful bear shop in York.
I wondered if he had a name as it would have been nice to have continuity. I contacted his previous owner who told me he had no name. That is so sad. I decided to call him “Yorkie” after the chocolate bar that was once made there by Rowntree’s.
Yorkie has settled in with all his bear brothers and sisters and is much loved.

Yorkie S

Children In Need

November 17, 2017December 1, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Truffle McFurry

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

Today I am doing something very important! I am sitting with Pudsey and other little bears to collect money for the Children In Need!

I met Pudsey the first time at Newby Hall, as we were visiting all the bears from Gyles Brandreth. He was already collecting money there, he is so generous!

I did not have a white thing with red dots to put on around my head like Pudsey, so I tore up a piece of my red trousers with the white hearts. I hope it will work too and people will give much money for the poor children!

Love you all

Truffle

Pudsey And Truffle McFurry For Children In Need S

We Love Paddington Movies

November 16, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Truffle McFurry

(Illustration by Miki De Goodaboom)

A long time ago I told you about Euston, our little bear from Paddington Bear’s family, who arrived all the way alone from England. We all had many discussions to find the right name for him, he wanted to be called “Paddington” too, but my Mom Miki said we could not do it, because there is only one Paddington.

But now we have it, he is called “Euston”. Because he took the train at Euston Station in London, to come to us in Spain.

We have watched together the first Paddington movie, we love it so much! And now we can’t wait to see the new one, everybody says it is great. My parents said we will look at it for Christmas. What a wonderful Christmas gift for the whole family!

Love you all

Take care

Truffle xxx

We Love Paddington S

I Am A Witch

November 14, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Truffle McFurry

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

Hello everybody!

The other day Auntie Ann La Mar went shopping for her Christmas tree in England, and she came back with lots of photos of very beautiful Christmassy stuff. She sent them to us, we were over the moon, it really was as if it was Christmas already!

There were some witches, they looked fabulous. Auntie Ann told us that they were the witches of Pendle. I thought witches are all bad, but one of them looked quite nice. I asked my Mom Miki to paint me as one of his witches, together with the nice witch.

She said:

“I am not sure I am allowed to do so, Truffy… because of the copyright thing…”

She explained to me once what a thing it is, that copyright. I have forgotten. Anyway I asked her 100 of times again, until she said yes!

“Truffy, if they put me in jail, it will your fault!”

Would they put my Mom in jail because she painted that lovely painting of me? Surely not! And if they do, I will go down to the street, with all my brothers and mates, and make a big revolution to free her!

Take care

Truffle xxx

The Witches Of Pendle S

I Do Poppies Too!

November 12, 2017November 12, 2017 / Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Truffle McFurry

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

Hello everybody!

I feel like I am coming out my winter sleep, I am full of energy! So today, I am going Twitter! Yes, my Dad has just helped me making an account, and now I will tweet, every day perhaps!

I have already tweeted, something with poppies, because everybody is showing poppies today. I hope you like it! It is me tweeting it, but it is my Mom Miki de Goodaboom who painted it. Because I don’t paint, and she doesn’t tweet!

I hope you will follow me too on Twitter, I would feel very proud!

https://twitter.com/TruffleMcfurry

Love you all

Truffle McFurry xxx