Author: Miki de Goodaboom

Tough Ted And His Friends At Newby Hall

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By Miki de Goodaboom (Text and Illustration)

Some more wonderful bears from Gyles Brandreth Bear House at Newby Hall in the UK…

These were not celebrities bears, I think. They were not behind glass, and they were no explicate notes telling who they are. They were sitting directly under the roof, on a wooden bar from the roof structure. They were not famous, but nevertheless incredibly cute and touching.

I fell in love with this scene, with Tough Ted and his big Teddy Mate, and the bear girl with the marine dress turning her back to them! Reminded me of so many scenes between children…

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The Diana’s Bears At Newby Hall

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By Miki de Goodaboom (Text and Illustration)

With “The Three Paddington Bears”, I started yesterday publishing a series of Teddy Bears from Gyles Brandreth’s collection.  Today it will be “The Diana’s Bears”

These are the ones who probably touched me the deepest… here is their story, written next to them at Newby Hall:

“This is a small collection of the bears left by members of the public at Kensington Palace in memory of Diana, Princess Of  Wales, who died in a car accident in Paris, alongside her friend, Dodi Fayed, in August 1997. Paul Burrell, Diana’s former butler, accepted the bears on behalf of the Brandreth Bear Collection in 2000. All the other bears were collected, cleaned and distributed among the children of war-torned former Yugoslavia.”

I habe nothing to add to that really, except perhaps that when i stood in front of them, tears came to my eyes and I had the feeling of witnessing an important and best moment of humanity’s history…

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Three Paddingtons At Newby Hall

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By Miki de Goodaboom (Illustration and Text)

In September 2016 my Teddy Bear Truffle McFurry and me travelled to the UK to make a Tour of Yorkshire with “Go Teddy!”‘s reporter Ann La Mar.

One of our most expected events there was the visit of TV celebrity Gyles Brandreth ‘s Bear House at Newby Hall, exhibiting many  bears from his huge and famous collection.

Ann, Truffle and me will tell you all the details about that exciting day in our illustrated book “The Little Tour Of Yorkshire”, to be published at some point in 2018.

Before the trip, I had contacted Gyles to ask him for the permission of painting some of his bears. He had accepted, writing a charming email to Truffle and me, ending with the words

“With bear hugs and best wishes”

We loved that so much!

The first bears I painted are the first ones we saw as we entered the Bear House: the Paddington Bears. Having one Paddington at home (you can read about him in the post “Paddington Arrived To Spain”), we both were very emotional to see this famous brothers…

Once more I would like to thank Gyles to give all Teddy Bear lovers the opportunity to visit his wonderful bears!

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Truffle McFurry On His Way To Malta

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By Truffle McFurry

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

 

Hi everybody, I hope you are well and still love us, Teddy Bears!

I was just in holidays with my Mom Miki, the French painter, and my Dad, the English rocker. Well, my Mom was not in holiday because it was a painting trip. She was working.

It was our first holiday together again, for a long time, and it was so nice! We were in Malta, an island far away in the middle of the big blue sea. 2 weeks!

We took the plane in a new place, it is a city in Spain, it is called Valencia. I had never been there before. As always I was quite scared to go through the security, sitting in my tray and going into the tunnel, where they check if I have a bomb inside!

Look on the painting, we are waiting to go into the plane under the sign of the police. I tried to look cool, but the police is always scary. Even when you are innocent, you always feel that you have done something wrong and you think they will arrest you!

But they did not arrest us, and we could go on the plane! It was beautiful then, and sure I will tell you about Malta soon.  We have saved some lovely Teddy Bears in Malta, and I have even found my Grand-Da again. I will ask Miki to paint them all and we will show you.

Take care!

Love you all

Truffle

 

 

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Happy New Year from Teddy Vincent

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By Jo Du Nor and Miki de Goodaboom

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom, based on a photograph by Jo Du Nor and Vincent Van Gogh’s painting “Cafe Terrrace At Night” )

On the first of January this year, my Teddy Bear Truffle McFurry and me received the sweetest New Year greetings ever. They arrived from France in my Facebook postbox. They came from Jo Du Nor, our reporter at “Go Teddy!”, and his new friend, teddy Vincent. Jo wrote:

“Miki, qui mieux que mon nouvel ami, Teddy “Vincent” Bear, peintre formé à l’école de Van Gogh lors de sa période arlésienne, pouvait m’accompagner pour te répondre et venir te présenter mes meilleurs vœux pour la nouvelle année… Je lui ai parlé de Kevin, de Truffle McFurry et de tous tes ami(e)s, il tient à leur souhaiter aussi une bonne année, riche de rencontres, de joies et d’amitié.”

For those who don’t understand French:

“Miki, who better than my new friend, Teddy “Vincent” Bear,  artist trained at the school of Van Gogh during his time in Arles, could accompany me to answer you and send you my best wishes for the new year… I told him about Kevin, Truffle McFurry and all your friends, and also he wants to wish them a happy new year, rich in new encounters,  joys and friendships”.

Truffle and me where really OVER THE MOON!

I could not resist to paint Teddy Vincent in front of that wonderful painting from Vincent Van Gogh, ‘Cafe Terrace At Night”my favourite ever. I thought it was the best tribute I could pay to Teddy Vincent and Man  Vincent. I hope they both like it!  🙂

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In The TransPennine Express

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By Truffle McFurry

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

Hello Everybody!

This is me in the TransPennine Express, coming from Manchester and going to Yarm, to start our Tour De Yorkshire with “Go Teddy!”‘s reporter Ann La Mar (who is also my Auntie Ann… )

We will tell you everything about our Tour in our books, be patient!

Love you all!

Truffle McFurry

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Dr Bear And Dr Bear

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By Urso Arctos and Jo Du Nor

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom, based on a photograph by Jo Du Nor)

Hello ! Do you remember me, Ursus Arctos, from Sarajevo ?
When I arrived to France, I was not in a very good shape…
I would like to present to you the so nice doctors who took care of me : Jo and El Bear, 2 brothers who worked together in the hospital where my parents confided me for my care.
In this period of joy and love for Christmas, I have so much pleasure to thank them for what they made for me ! And I wanted to say it to everybody.
I give big hugs to all of you.

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Noel and His Christmas Friends

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By Ann La Mar

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom, based on photographs by Ann La Mar)

As usual every few weeks I meet my friend for tea. This evening was just the same I set off early to avoid the rush hour traffic as it is normally gridlocked at this hour. To my surprise there was little traffic and plenty of parking spaces. I was now fifteen minutes early and my friend was sure to be five minutes late. I decided to go for a walk in the high street and headed towards the town Christmas  tree, it was all blue and sparkly and looked  lovely against the dark sky. I knew Miki would like it and we are having a sort of virtual Christmas so I took a picture to send her. It has become a favourite pastime of mine to find festive things she would like. The Christmas tree was on the cobbles outside the Oxfam shop. I have discovered that charity shops are a great place to find Teddy bears, although it is a bit sad because they are all there to find new homes.
This evening I was not disappointed, the window had three festive teddy bears displayed all sitting looking out at the Christmas tree. I just had to take pictures of them to send Miki later.
The next morning I was telling MIki about my evening and sent her the pictures. A few minutes later I heard my phone beep, it was miki saying how gorgeous the bears were and a message:

“Ann, is there a chance for me to get this one? But only if it does not mean too much work for you to go back there. I want a Christmas bear, Christmas is so special this year with you sharing everything with me…”

I needed to go to town so I set of on a mission to buy the Christmas bear, hoping he would still be there. If so it was meant to be and Miki would have her bear. As I parked another message arrived…the bear already had a name…

“If I get the bear, I will call him Noel… this is Bernard’s second name… always loved it…”

Now I must get Noel…I didn’t have a plan B if he wasn’t there and Miki would be devastated now he had a name. I got to Oxfam I hardly dare look in the window….what a relief he was sitting waiting for me. I went inside and asked the man if he would take him from the window for me…he was so gentle with him and said:

“ Isn’t he a lovely chap!”

I could tell he was a bear lover so I told him he was going to live in Spain with my friend who is an artist and paints teddy bears. He was genuinely interested and he said:

“Well he is dressed and ready to travel, he will have a lovely time”.

I payed and he gently handed him over. I was and am so happy to get him. I cannot begin to explain my feelings as I know how much Noel means to Miki.
I was now carrying Noel in his fine Christmas outfit in the high street…lots of people smiled at us…I’m sure it cheered them up on such a dreary day. I got him back to the car and took his picture to send to Miki with a message..

“Merry Christmas …get ready to welcome Noel!”

Not long after she replied:

“OH MON DIEU!!!! HE IS GORGEOUS!!! Even more from front! I adore him! And a robin!!! and he is going on a drive with Audrey and Ann!!! I am so happy Ann!!!! SO HAPPY! Can’t take my eyes from him, he symbolises so well that special Christmas for me...”

I had to go and visit my dad so Noel came with me in the car (Audrey).
He looked so cute sitting by my side..I wanted to hug him.
As soon as we were home we went to see all my bears and take some pictures for Miki…I’m sure by now Truffle will have seen pictures of Noel his new family member..
It was decided that he will spend Christmas in the UK with his cousins before travelling to Spain in January. We are all delighted to have him stay with us and we will give him a lovely Christmas. Miki and Truffle will get many pictures. Noel is quite happy with Fluffle and Travis…he will sleep in ‘Miki’s room’.

noel-and-his-christmas-friends-s

Father And Son Santa

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By Truffle McFurry

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom, based on a photograph by Ann La Mar)

 

We are all coming into Christmas craziness here! Ann la Mar has just bough a giant Canadian tree, and she sends us all the time photographs from Christmas in England. This is so kind of her to share it all with us. We haven’t such beautiful Christmas decorations in the shops here in Spain, he does not really feels like Christmas. But in England they are all getting crazy!

Yesterday Ann La Mar wrote to me and told me that story:

“Anyway I think I have gone crazy….I have Christmas fever….I was just coming home in the car and waiting to come onto the roundabout was Father Christmas on a motorbike with loads of presents and flashing lights…I nearly put the car off the road! He followed me all the way to Yarm..I am thinking it is only November should I stop and ask if he is lost…I couldn’t take a photo as I was driving and I hadn’t been drinking wine🍷 but even more crazy as I was turning into our road he passed me but now it was 3 father Christmases on motorbikes…I think two must have been security like the queen and presidents have….it was real…I don’t need a shrink….The uk is mad at Christmas…once June and I saw a man in the middle of Northallerton high street in December in nothing but red underpants….he was selling Calvin Klein underwear for the posh store on the high street…“

I could not believe it, but she swears it is true! She said, she could not make it up!

And then she sent us a photograph of Santa and his son… look, even Little Santa loves Teddy Bears the most, among all the toys he could hold in his arms, he is holding a Teddy bear. I am so happy about it!

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Vampiretta And Teddy Pumpkin

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By Miki de Goodaboom

(Text and Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom, Teddy based on a photograph by Kev le Chat)

 

Recently my Teddy Truffle McFurry and me  spent a wonderful week in north Yorkshire, invited by Ann La Mar, one of our star reporters at “Go Teddy!”. We three are right now writing a  huge book about that adventure, with many illustrations. Of many places there and, of course, of teddy bears

On my way back I took the train to Derby , where Kev le Chat – also working as reporter at “Go Teddy!” picked me up at the station. He have me as a gift a very cute little doll, disguised as a vampire for Halloween. I call her Vampiretta.

The other day he went again to a Photo Safari and sent me the photo of  a Teddy Pumpkin. I guess the Halloween business is blooming up there! Vampiretta loves him, and asked me to paint him.

“If not, I will bite you!”

she said and showed me her Baby Vampire teeth through her big smile.

Who can say “no!” to a vampire? Far too dangerous! 🙂

 

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