By Miki de Goodaboom
Here is the first part of the article published last week in the international magazine “Teddy Bear Times”…
England
The Oxfam Camel And Teddy Bears
By Miki De Goodaboom
(Illustration based on a photograph by “Go Teddy!”‘s reporter Kev Le Chat)
It is wonderful to have these reporters, such as Ann La Mar and Kev le Chat, so dedicated and committed to our cause in “Go Teddy!”. Every time they sent me some Teddy photos, it is an immense joy for Truffle McFurry and for me. We love so much to see all these bears from around the world!
Kev le Chat who often goes to charity shops, mostly in search of books, has noticed that there are great motifs for “Go Teddy!” there. And this is true. Most of the time, the bears and other soft animals he sees in these places are quite old, and look so different from all the modern Teddy Bears. Having started very late (only 3 years ago) to be interested in Teddy Bears, it is a whole new fascinating world opening to me. I really do not know how Teddy bears looked like in earlier days…
When I see these Bears from earlier times, I feel that they carry many stories with them. You can feel that they have been cuddled many times, that they have comforted many children (and adults like me probably), and that they have listened to many secrets. They are so touching!
And it is so interesting to see how different they look like and feel. They are less sophisticated than the modern ones, and made out of different material. Material that last forever, I guess. I was amazed as I had once in my hands Benjamin, Truffle’s oldest cousin. He felt so unusual, it was because of the stuffing. I think it was made of real straw. And there was the other one – I don’t remember which one it was,- he was so heavy, I think he was full of lead pearls!
Here is a wonderful motif coming from OXFAM, in Derby I think. A camel and his Teddy Bear mates… judging by the looks, from many different eras!
Big White Rabbits And Teddy Bears In An English Flowershop
By Miki de Goodaboom
(Illustration based on a photograph by “Go Teddy!”‘s reporter Kev Le Chat)
“Go Teddy!” ‘s reporter Kev Le Chat sent me that charming photo from his recent bear photo safari in Derby, in the UK.
I was amazed that the giant rabbit and the little bears were sold in a flower shop… amazed and very pleased as I have the feeling that Teddy Bears are taking the whole world over. One can see them everywhere nowadays!
My Own Teddy Truffle McFurry was a bit upset though… never saw such a big rabbit and such tiny bears, and he said, somehow it is not right. I tried the usually comforting phrase, telling him that it does not matter, that it is never a matter of quantity in life, but of quality. He said:
“No, it is not true… there are many bears around the world, a big quantity, and each of them is huge quality, and the world would not be such a beautiful world without all these bears!”
Again he is right, my lovely Truffy… Anyway, what upset him, is what made me want to paint this motif: I loved the contrast between the rabbit and the bears sizes!.
The Bears From The Yorkshire Moor 03
By Miki de Goodaboom
(Illustration based on a photograph by “Go Teddy!” s reporter Ann La Mar)
This will be my third and last painting of these wonderful creatures which are the Teddy Bears from the Yorkshire Moor. At least for now. In August this year I will travel to Yorkshire and visit them in person, introduced by “Go Teddy!”s reporter Ann La Mar. And no doubt that some of them will inspire me to new portraits.
These ones today are really a weird mix of races and I love it. As Coco Nofrio – Truffle McFurry’s cousin from the USA) so beautifully commented to the first Moor Bear painting I presented in “Go Teddy!” some days ago:
“Such a fabulous variety of Teddy Bears! What’s especially wonderful is that they are all different colors and they don’t care! They are all friends that enjoy each other for who they are on the “inside.” A lesson some humans still need to learn. Tanti baci!”
Coco Nofrio, you are SO right!
The Bears From The Yorkshire Moor 02
By Miki de Goodaboom
(Illustration based on a photograph by “Go Teddy!” s reporter Ann La Mar)
My Teddy Bear Truffle McFurry presented recently the first group portrait of The Bears from the Yorkshire Moor. But there are so many of them that I had to do another painting featuring them.
Truffle is following the Brexit referendum, so he hasn’t got any time to write right now. His Dad is in the UK at the moment, and Truf’ is very scared that he wont ever see his Dad again if they vote for Brexit. I have found no way to calm him down.
Ann La Mar, one of our star reporters at “Go Teddy!” sent us some wonderful photographs from the Moor Teddy Bears. They are so interesting, so different from all the Teddies I know. I love to pain them. Truffle was very upset about the one with the red label showing a 25% discount. He asked:
“How can they put a discount on a Teddy bear? This is not a farm animal market!”
I have to admit, that bear looks very sad. And I understand Truffle’s logic. I answered:
“You know, Truffy, when they sell him cheaper, he will find very fast a lovely family who adopts him!”
But Truffle was not convinced:
“Then it will be a family with not much money, and money is important!”
Oh here we are, I thought, that philosophical discussion about money again.
“Yes, Truffy, money it is important. But Love is more important!”
But my Truffle is not daft. One can’t fool him him so easily. He said
“One can have much money and much love as well! Look, if we had no money at all, we could not go to the bear picnic in England this summer and we would not meet Auntie Ann, and ClaireBear, and Georgia, and Pedro, and all these wonderful Teddies from the Moor! This would be awful!”
I gave up. There is no sense in discussing with a clever Teddy Bear, you will always be wrong!
The Bears From The Yorkshire Moor
By Truffle McFurry
{Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom, based on a photograph by “Go Teddy!” s reporter Ann La Mar)
Hi everybody, Truffle here!
I haven’t written for a while, I was busy learning reading. I haven’t done many progresses though… I am normally quite fast at learning, so I wonder… perhaps I don’t really want to learn reading? I think I much more prefer when my Mom Miki de Goodaboom is reading stories to me… And anyway: why should I do it all myself? I have already so much to do, I am a very busy teddy Bear taking care of everything here on Planet Goodaboom…
My Auntie Ann sent me a great photo recently. She went on a walk in the Moor where she lives. Don’t ask me what a “Moor” is… I know what a “Moore” is, it is my Daddy. It looks weird without the “e” at the end, unfinished… but at least one letter less to read!
So, in that Moor, Auntie Ann went to a boutique and it was full of Teddy Bears. She took photographs and sent me one to show me how the bears look like in her Moor. I have to say, I have never seen something like that! Some are full of long black hair everywhere, some have eyes like my Mom and Dad, with some white on the sides, some are green like Mars men, some look like tigers, some have ears like sheep. And they seem to like living very close to each other, it must be very cold in the Moor! Only looking at them I have to put the air con on here!
I will meet them all in person when I go there in August, I can’t wait!
Thank you, Auntie Ann, you are my star!
Teddy Bear Picnic At Preston Park
By Truffle McFurry
I Am Over The Moon!
I have amazing news!
On the 14th of August I will take part to the annual Teddy Bear picnic in Preston Park in England!
Miki de goodaboom, -my Mom- and me have been invited by “Go Teddy!” ‘s amazing reporter, Ann La Mar!
We will stay a whole week there, and we will visit many beautiful places, and Miki will find fabulous motifs to paint.
We are both SO over the moon! Well, we don’t know what is exactly above the moon, but sure that it is magical!
Thank you so much, Ann La Mar, you certainly are a star shining on us from above the moon!
Go Teddy! 