Today is moving day! New Avenue Crew is moving to its new blog home at http://newavenuecrew.blogspot.com. Follow me!

Dear readers, please don’t be alarmed. I am talking about aging the little bear who’s pictured two posts down having a quiet conversation with another bear in progress. When I’m facing a little bear with scissors, some form of stain, and fine-grain sandpaper, it sometimes seems that I should apologize to the little soul before I begin, during the process, and even afterward. And, not being the brave sort, I hesitate to go too far, because, gulp, the fur doesn’t grow back!

Last night before bed, my daughter entered the room where I was working on aging the little bear. She said, “Oh, he’s cute!” and asked to hold him. When she saw him up close, she exclaimed, “He looks old!” I just smiled and told her that’s what I was aiming for. I only hope I can get the “loved” part in there, too.

What might this be, you say? I have decided to make the move…to Blogger. Yes, the New Avenue Crew blog will be moving to http://newavenuecrew.blogspot.com sometime soon. I have some things to work out, like the aforementioned design and theme, but I am excited about the possibilities. I have found Blogger much easier to work with, and there are design themes available (from third parties) that are relatively easy to implement without cost (WordPress charges a fee for customization, but I don’t even know how to work with CSS!).

And so, dear reader, please be watching this space for my official moving announcement. You can even go visit our new home right now, but remember that the walls are bear, er, bare.

“Goodness, when do you think she will finally finish us?”

“I don’t know, but it’s been years in my case.”

“Mine, too!”

“Did you know that she is a proofreader during the day, and she’s a wife and mother, and she works on us in between everything else?”

“Oh! What’s a proofreader?”

“She makes sure that the written word sounds good, looks good…that kind of thing.”

“But why has it taken her so many years to make us?”

“She and her husband adopted their two teenage daughters last year. That took a long time.”

“I’m sure it did!”

“But you know, I’m really very glad she has come out of her bear-making hibernation so we can be loved and adopted one day, too!”

“Me, too!”

“By the way, though it has taken a few years for her to make you, she is going to ‘age’ you some more. Your fur is what they call ‘vintage’ upholstery mohair, and she has already given you some worn spots on your ear, forehead, and muzzle. Her mom collected antique dolls for many years, and so she became a fan of antique teddy bears. She has made one other ‘aged’ bear; he looked well loved. And that’s what she wants for you.”

“Oh! It must be a good thing to be loved.”

“I think it must be.”

Herr Grünhosen

When you are bitten by the bear bug, there is only one remedy: adopt a teddy bear! As you hunt for that perfect new companion, keep the following tips in mind.

Buying Bears

• Buy what you like.
  

  Emmett

• Avoid buying for investment, unless it’s a confirmed antique and you can have it appraised or a bear by a well-known artist.
• Look at the quality of construction.
• The stitches should be neat, tidy, and nearly invisible.
• All the bear’s joints should turn with the same ease.
• There should not be lots of fur trapped in the seams.
• The eyes should be firmly attached and evenly set.
• The ears should also be evenly attached.
• The nose stitches should be pulled with the same tension so there are no bumps or loops.
• Any added color should not rub off on your hands.
• Be sure the bear doesn’t reek of smoke or moth balls.

Where to Find Them

• Shows
• Teddy bear shows are a great way to find that special teddy and connect with like-minded “bear” people.
• Some collectors like to know the artist behind the bear; some won’t buy the bear if they don’t like the artist!
• Stores
• Artist bears
• Some stores hold artist signing events
• Artist-designed manufactured bears
• Manufactured bears
• Internet
• Teddy bear artists’ Web sites and blogs
• Teddy bear forums
• eBay
• Etsy 
• Magazines
• Books
• Antique stores
• You may be able to find old and new bears at antique stores. Beware of new bears that are made to look old and are being sold at a premium price.
• Garage sales and estate sales 

Care and Feeding

• Keep teddy bears out of direct sunlight; their fur may fade, particularly if it has red tones.
• Periodically check your bears for carpet beetle larvae–they will eat your bears…and they especially like red felt! Keep bears off the floor if possible.
• Fluff and move your bears around every now and then.
• Periodic dusting is important; perhaps use a vacuum nozzle covered with a pantyhose leg.
• Surface clean only–never throw a teddy bear into a washing machine or dryer. Use only suds on the fur (not the backing), and dab with clean water to remove. Towel off with a clean cloth.
• Old bears and manufactured bears (such as Steiff) are more desirable if their tags are intact. Try to keep all original ribbons, clothes, tags, and so on that come with any bear you purchase, old or new.
• Hugs are great for a bear’s well-being, not to mention a person’s!
• Be sure to keep a close eye on your teddy bears when they’re around honey or scones with jam.

In 1902, the first teddy bears were created in both Germany and the United States. According to tradition, the teddy bear got its start in America when the political cartoon below was published, telling the story of President Theodore Roosevelt’s refusal to shoot a tied bear cub.

Drawing the Line in Mississippi by Clifford Berryman

And in Germany, Richard Steiff, nephew of the founder of the toy firm Steiff, is credited with creating the first teddy bear. He studied bears in the zoo and based his creation on their characteristics. See the picture below of an early Steiff bear. 

Early Steiff teddy bear, circa 1904

Because this article tells the story much more eloquently than I can, and because this is tidbit Tuesday, I will point you to the Teddy Bear and Friends magazine archive:

http://www.teddybearandfriends.com/archive/articles/history.html

In the more than 100 years since the first teddy bears were created, they have become our companions, our confidants, our comforts. Have you hugged your teddy today?