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Valentine’s Bears

/ Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

Text & Photo by Miki de Goodaboom

I live in Spain. Here is Teddy Bear culture, unfortunately, not developed at all. You can find some in the toy shops, of course, but even there, they are rather rare. In the meanwhile, due to the increasing number of English tourists and residents, you can see sometimes Teddy Bears appearing in charity shops.

And yet: in the town where I am right now, Benidorm, I have seen the most beautiful Teddy Bear setting ever! To compensate the economic effects and the sadness of Covid, the town hall has organised a context among shops, bars, hotels, etc, for the best Valentine decoration, under the motto “Benidorm Te Espera” (Benidorm is waiting for you). Even closed businesses can participate… what most of them are these days!

Each participant receives 500 euros, and the first 3 winners will win a nice amount too. 3000 businesses have subscribed, with the result that thousands and thousands of red hearts and love words are beating all around Benidorm. I have to say: you like Valentines or not, this is beautifully uplifting the mood.

I could not believe my eyes as I saw that cafe – Cafeteria Uliana, Avda Mediterraneo- decoration. At the 4 coloured tables by the window are sitting big Teddy bears, little ones too, all having coffee, tea, cava even, with all kind of yummy pastries, all served in beautiful dishes. It really looks like a cafe exclusively fir Teddy Bears, and the bears seem to have such fun and enjoying it so much!

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Winnie Wimbledon In Thirsk

/ Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Ann La Mar

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

I first saw Winnie on the Internet, she was so cute and had such a sweet face. We, the other bears and I decided we would like her to come and live with us on Planet Boomerann. She lived on the south coast of England so arrangements were made for her travel to Yorkshire.

We waited and waited, days became weeks and still Winnie didn’t arrive. I checked with the lady at her previous home but she hadn’t gone back there. By this time we were very worried. I knew Winnie had been to that place called ‘ the Royal Mail sorting office’ full of conveyer belts and big baskets of mail. I think poor Winnie had been dispatched to Wimbledon in London. This would have made her happy because she had big dreams of becoming a tennis champion.
We were so sad and downhearted that Winnie was lost that Miki and Truffle decided to look for her. Some weeks later a surprise package arrived and to our delight there was Winnie. Miki and Truffle had found her and sent her home from her adventures. We were over the moon.

Winnie has settled into Yorkshire life but she is always up to mischief with her brothers and sisters so I thought it would be a good idea that she had a hobby. I decided to take her to Thirsk to visit the yarn bombers display. These ladies as so clever knitting amazing things to decorate their town. Winnie loved sitting on the bollard with the Yorkshire rose and a background to match her dress. She was very high up, her ‘head in the clouds’ needless to say not one stitch of knitting has been done!

 

Little Addition by Miki de Goodaboom

While I was painting Winnie sitting on that lovely bench knitted by the Yarnbombers from Thirsk, in North Yorkshire, a little bear with a blue bow came around. He looked at Winnie, looked at the free place next to her and then asked her if he might sit there next to her.

“Of course you may!’, she said in a quite posh way. “I am Winnie Wimbledon… and who are you?”
“Hello Winnie… I am BlueBow, and I come from Richmond.”
“From Richmond? It is quite a distance! Have you come walking, all alone?”
“No, there are others like me, we came in a bus to see the Yarnbombers decorations!”

And they went on and on and on… Teddy bears have always so much to tell each other!

Winnie Wimbledon In Thirsk S

(Prints of all sorts are available. Click on the painting to go to Miki de Goodaboom’s shop online)

 

Love Is In The Air!

/ Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

by Truffle McFurry

Hallo Teddy bear lovers around the world!

Last year I went travelling  with my parents in Wales. You don’t know where is Wales? It is a little country on the same island as England, and it is very lovely. My Mom Miki de Goodaboom always wanted to go there to paint, and so one day my Dad, the English rocker Kev Moore, took us there.

They say it is so lovely and so green there because it rains all the time. But we took with us our Spanish sun and we had a beautiful weather. We were so happy!

Somewhere, I don’t remember where, we saw a Teddy bear and a mouse. I think they were about to marry, The mouse looked very smart in her red dress and with the flowers in her hand, but the groom was quite naked, apart from a bow around his neck. Perhaps this is how they marry in Wales. It is so different everywhere!

Anyway I asked my Mom to paint them, as they are so cute. She started but then stopped, saying she had more important things to paint. Really , I am asking you:

What is more important than teddy bears???

She says:

“Well, Truffy, if it is that important, why don’t you paint them yourself?”

Well, I am very busy too. all the time. And I can’t paint like her… even if she says I am quite talented.

Yesterday, she was a bit doing nothing , so I told her she should finish the bear and the mouse.  I never give up, me. I am a bit like her in those things. And she did!

Take care

xxx

Truffle McFurry

A Mouse And A Bear In Love S

(Prints of all sorts are available. Click on the painting to go to Miki de Goodaboom’s shop online!)

Toto Et Lolo

/ 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”.

Toto et Lolo S

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.

A Bibliophile Teddy Bear In Great Ayton

/ Miki de Goodaboom / 1 Comment

By Truffle McFurry

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

Hallo everybody!

My Mom Miki and me have just come back from an exploring and painting trip through North Yorkshire in England. We had been invited by our amazing “Go Teddy!”‘s reporter Ann La Mar. She was the best guide ever, she knew every little corner and road, and she showed us so many beautiful things!

It was so exciting that Miki, Ann and Me have decided to write a book together about our adventures there. I cannot tell you much now, because if I did, you would not want to buy the book, and you need to buy it, because I want it to become a best-seller” I need serious pocket money, but I cannot tell you why now!

I saw that funny bear with the golden glasses in a shop in Great Ayton, where Captain Cook went to school. That bear was a “bibliophile” (Miki told me!), somebody who loves books. I love that word, and I will use it very often, because it is the best way to learn it for ever! I am a bibliophile too, I love books, but I don’t really love reading, I prefer when my Mom reads out loud for me!

Love you all, take care! xx

great-ayton-teddy-bear-s

Ursus Arctos

/ Miki de Goodaboom / 2 Comments

By Ursus Arctos

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom based on photographs by “Go  Teddys!” s new reporter “Jo du Nor”)

I am Ursus Arctos, from Balkans… Many years ago, as I was a young orphan baby due to this terrible period , I met Joël (alias Jo du Nor), a PeaceKeeper in Sarajevo and we became closed friends. One day, he said to me that he really missed his wife. As I did not know France, I proposed to him to make a surprise to her wife by bringing her a message.
I remember how she cried when I knocked on her door…

It was a very long trip and as you can see on the photo, I damaged my left foot and his lovely wife, having looked after me, decided not to let me going back home and she adopted me !

Now, I lived in France with my new family and I love them so much that they love me…

 

PS (by Miki de Goodaboom): I have very recently learnt that a person who is very fond of and is usually a collector of Teddy Bears is called “an arctophile” (from Greek “arktos”, bear)

and…

I want to thank Jo du Nor, from the bottom of mu heart, for sharing that wonderful bear and his so special story with us…

ursus-arctos-s

 

Petipa, Capuchon and Clopin-Clopan

/ Miki de Goodaboom / 1 Comment

By Truffle McFurry and Nelle La Belle

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

Hi , Teddy Bear friends, Truffle here back online with some new bears from “Nelle La Belle” family!

Last time it was Effiloche and Petichourose. Today Nelle asked me to present you:

  • Petitpa (“Little Step”)
  • Capuchon (“Little Hoodie”)
  • Clopin-Clopan (“Hobbly”)

I have translated as good as I can, but really, the French names are so much prettier!

 

Here what Nelle wrote to me about their story:

“… Petipa lived in the same English shop as Effiloche. She seemed bored and above all, she was lost in the middle of trinkets. She reached out to me..

… Capuchon: his story is sad… He was in a huge display case, all alone… impossible to leave him there! …

… Clopin–clopan was offered to me in a store. I saved him through several moves, but he lost a foot on the way.…”

They are all so pretty and touching, but here, on planet Goodaboom, we have a very special feeling for poor Clopin-Clopan… we just adore him, he is so funny, and we hope he does not suffer too much without his foot. But I am sure that Nelle and her family are taking much care of him!

Petipa And Capucho And Clopin Clopan S

Effiloche And Petichourose

/ Miki de Goodaboom / 1 Comment

By Truffle McFurry and Nelle La Belle

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

 

Hallo, Truffle here, introducing you to new couisns from France!

The other day Nelle La Belle -By the way, it is my who invented her pen name for “Go Teddy!”, I find it beautiful and she loves it too!- sent me photographs of some of her bears.

On one of them are these two amazing bears, called “Effiloché” (The big one) and “Petichourose”(the little pink one). It sounds so poetic and so funny! I know a bit of French, but I had to ask my Mom what “éffiloché” and “Petichourose” means. She said:

“Effiloché means something like fluffly… and Petichourose something like little pink cutie…”

Now this is good. “Fluffly” is a very nice word. My Auntie Ann has even got a bear called “Fluffle”! And Little Pink Cutie is a great name for the little one.

Nelle la Belle told me the story:

“… Effiloché was abandoned in an English boutique type store (hard to describe the style, I think it‘s English. He gave me a look so full of kindness that he melt my heart.  And as soon as I touched him, it was over, he had to come back with me :).  As well as being beautiful, he is o soft! As he is the biggest of the entire family, it’s almost natural that he takes care of Petichourose, which is the smallest of the family…”

Welcome to our family, Effiloché and Petichourose,  we already love you so much!

Effiloche Et Petichourose S

Dingle

/ Miki de Goodaboom / 1 Comment

By Truffle McFurry and Mahé The Free

(Illustration by Miki de Goodaboom)

Hallo Everybody, Truffle writing here, with great news front the front!

While I was on a painting and football trip in Portugal with my parents, our new reporter at “Go Teddy!”, Mahé The Free, from France, was herself on a mission in Ireland. In the town of Dingle she met an Irish beautiful girl bear. They spoke a lot with each other and Mahé told her about me, and showed her images of me. Dingle was so excited that she said:

“I want to go and live with Truffle on Planet Goodaboom!”

So Mahé took her back to France, and from there sent her to us. She arrived 2 days ago. We were not expecting her so soon, it was such a wonderful surprise!

As she saw me, she got so excited that she hugged me all the time, and kissed me, and did not sop saying “Oh Truffle, oh my little Truffle!”. She has got a very lovely girly voice, and a funny Irish accent. She is a bit smaller than me, and very cute, and wears a beautiful green dress and a green bow on her head. She has got such a lovely little face!

I was a bit embarrassed though, with all these cuddles and hugs and admiration, and also it was very hot! But Dingle didn’t care, she kept hugging me and cuddling me the whole day. Then Miki put us in front of the air con and everything was ok.

At some point she noticed that I was wearing a football T-Shirt and she asked me if I loved footie, and I said yes, of course, and she told me that she loves it too. And we came into a deep discussion because she even knew some of my heroes, the Rams, who play for the national team of Ireland: Jeff Hendrick,  Richard Keogh and Cyrus Christie! It was so wonderful, I had never thought that such a fine elegant girl could know so much about football!

Yesterday Mahé sent us an email to tell us about Dingle’s departure from France.

“… I had installed Dingle comfortably in a shoebox, not very wide,  with much bubble wrap and I had made loads of small holes on the top of the box so that she could breathe all along her journey! I had closed laterally and in the middle and write your address in the half lower part of the shoe box.

I arrived at the post office and gave my pretty box to the postmistress. I know her well. She looked at me and asked gently:

“What is in there?”

I said the truth:

“A little Teddy bear”.

And here she told me:
“I do not advise you to make her leave like that, in a box with all these holes! Customs will open the box and think that it is about illegal animal traffic, something like that! In any case, they will open it!”
So I got Dingle out of her beautiful travel box travel and put her it into the  thick mailing envelope. I got a real pinch in the heart, I was afraid that she chokes!
I saw the look of people who lined up… one can imagine

 

I was really looking forward to hear that she has well-arrived. She is so endearing, so fragile! Truffle’s shoulders will surely protect her.  I wish them both much  happiness! 😘😵😘
.. .and please, take car that nobody hurts her, I do not trust guys!

 

Big kisses, tell her that I love her and please give me some news from time to time..  and tell her that her friends send kisses and hugs.
Mahé”
Isn’t it a an amazing story? I love it!
See you again soon, I hope, with other exciting news from The Teddy Bear World!
Dingle And Truffle McFurry S

Heather For The Ones We Love

/ Miki de Goodaboom / Leave a comment

By Miki de Goodaboom

(based on a photograph by “Go Teddy!”‘s reporter Ann La Mar)

Yesterday Ann La Mar went on a walk through her beautiful North Yorkshire Moor and picked up some heather for Truffle McFurry and me. She knows how much I love the heather, and as far as I remember, I have never seen some “live”.

Then she went home and had three of her lovely Teddy Bears sending the heather to Truffle and me. From right to left they are:

Marlon, Fluffle & Travis

What a heart-warming gesture!

I have already introduced you to Marlon, – his full name being Marlon Blanco-, from Spain but living with Ann in the UK now. I have painted him at different occasions, last time being at the Tour de Yorkshire.

But it is the first time I have painted Travis… he has a touching story, told by Ann:

“… He is small and cute his little patches are made of something like rain coat material and were going all hard and crinkly in Spain so I brought him back they feel better now.
A little back ground on Travis…..I went to my dentist one day and was sitting in the waiting area and in the corner of the room was an open box all I could see was two dark eyes staring at me. I went to look and there was a little bear starring at me with several others. My name was called so I went for my check up and came back to pay. I looked round and this little bear was still looking at me…..I had to have him…the receptionist said they were being sold for a local charity so that was it I bought him. In the back ground was music it was ‘why does it always rain on me! By Travis…..outside it was raining so he became Travis…..”

Travis is immensely lucky to have been adopted by Ann!

As for Fluffle, the big fluffy one in the middle, I will paint him again one day, and tell you his story then.

For now Truffle and me just want to add:

THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANN, MARLON, TRAVIS & FLUFFLE!

Heather For The Ones We Love S