SCOUT: "Goodness Paddy! Look at all the pretty ribbons! What is it?"
ORSON: "It’s so beautiful! All sparkling gold and silver and blue!"
CORNELIA: "Oh how magical!"
BOGART: "And listen to the music!"
DANNY BOY: "It sounds like it’s time to sing!"
DUCKIE: "What is all the flap and twitter?"
DAISY-MAUD: "What's happening, Jago?" *Covers eyes with paws and snuggles against Jago.* "I’m scared!"
JAGO: "Oh you don’t have to be scared Daisy-Maud." *Puts arm comforting around his little sister.* "It’s something lovely!"
DAISY-MAUD: "It is, Jago?" *Uncovers eyes and looks up.* "What is it?"
SAPPHIRE: "Oh Pearl! Do you think the world is ending, or the sky is falling in?"
PEARL: "I don't know, Sapphire! Flock! Please wrap your paws around us and protect us!"
FLOCK: "Of course I will Pearl and Sapphire! Come here!" *Wraps arms around Pearl and Sapphire.*
ALGIE: "I think I know what it is, Daisy-Maud!"
SCOUT: "What is it, Jago? What Algie? Paddy what is it? Tell me please!"
PADDY: "It's New Year, Daisy-Maud!"
SCOUT: "New Year's Eve! Already! Hoorah!" *Jumps up and down excitedly through the sea of curling ribbons.* "Quick! I am ready to dance, and dressed in my new jingle bell pink tutu and pearls, I can celebrate in style! Are you ready to celebrate too, mijn beste vriend Peter? We can dance into the New Year with Spencer and every other bear that wants to join in at the New Year's Eve ball."
DANNY BOY: "And I can sing in the New Year with a special old Oirish Air!"
ORSON: "I might join you, Danny Boy. If you don’t mind, or course."
DANNY BOY: "Of course not, Orson! The more the merrier! Let’s all sing!"
JAGO: "I wonder whether tonight I will be asked by Odessa to dance with her again." *Blushes pink beneath English mohair fur.* "I danced with her last year."
BOGART: "She loved dancing with you last year Jago. You are a very good dancer. I am sure she will ask you again."
JAGO: "Thank you so much for the compliment, Bogart!"
DAISY-MAUD: "I will watch you and clap, Jago!
maybe benny will ask me to dance. he is ab very good dancer!"
ROSIE: "I am going to dance with mijn pris Peter if you are going to dance with Odessa, Jago!"
SCOUT: "Oh yes! We can all dance, Rosie! Come on!"
CORNELIA: "I shall dance with my best friend Moesje, and Percy Panda and Punky too! How exciting!" *Claps paws in delight.*
PRINCE MAURICE: "I may even get to see my niece if she comes to the ball! She is a princess, so I'm sure she will!"
FREDDY: "Do you think we get special treats to eat at the New Year’s Ball, Algie?
I know after dancing that I will have a grumbly tummy, and I'm sure Polar will too!" *Cuddles Polar.*
ALGIE: "I’m not sure, Freddy. Maybe?" *Shrugs shoulders.*
COUSIN PADDINGTON: "Now is also a good time to reflect on the passing year and celebrate the new year as it begins."
BOGART: "Oooh! It looks like this New Year is going to be fun!" *Joins Scout jumping up and down with excitement.* "And I have my best friends, Fuzzy and Danbo to call out to. Hullo Fuzzy! Happy New Year! Bleep Bleep-bleep Danbo! Bleep… luv Danbo!, We are going to have a wonderful time at the New year's Eve ball!"
PADDY: "Oh yes! We can dance and play, laugh and cheer!" *Starts dancing.* "Come along Oleg, mijn best vriend and everybear friend we have! Let's all dance!"
JAGO: "Come along my best friend Benny! Let is dance and sing and celebrate! All bears celebrate!" *Starts dancing.*
BOGART: "How wonderful!" *Starts cheering.* "Wheeeeee!"
SCOUT: "Wheeeeee! Come on everybear! Let's dance, sing and play!"
DAISY-MAUD: "Wheeeeee!" *Spins about happily.*
ORSON: "Wheeeeee!"
COUSIN PADDINGTON: "Wheeeeee!"
JAGO: "Wheeeeee!"
ALGIE: "Wheeeeee!"
ROSIE: "Wheeeeee!"
BERTIE: "Wheeeeee!"
FLOCK: "Wheeeeee!"
PEARL: "Wheeeeee!"
SAPPHIRE: "Wheeeeee!"
FREDDY: "Wheeeeee!"
DUCKIE: "I still don’t see what all the flap and twitter is about!" *Shakes head.* "Crazy bears! Still, if you can’t beat them… join them! Wheeeeee!"
DADDY: "Australia is one of the first places to celebrate New Year, so Paddington, Scout, Cousin Paddington, Bogart, Jago, Daisy-Maud, Rosie, Cornelia, Bertie, Orson, Danny Boy, Algie, Flock, Pearl, Sapphire, Freddy, Duckie, Prince Maurice and I..."
SCOUT: "And my Little Red Riding Hood dolly, Daddy!"
PADDY: "And Scout's Little Red Riding Hood doll, Daddy!"
DADDY: "And Scout's Little Red Riding Hood doll are getting into the spirit (and champagne I suspect)!"
SCOUT: "Champagne Daddy?" *Looks concerned.* "You said I am too young to drink, and if I am, then Dolly certainly is!"
DADDY: "Well Scout, that's true for Dolly, but we can make a special exception tonight for you. You may have a very small glass of very good quality champagne. I will put a glass out for you."
PADDY, SCOUT, COUSIN PADDINGTON, BOGART, JAGO DAISY-MAUD, ORSON, DANNY BOY, ALGIE, CORNELIA, BERTIE, FLOCK, SAPPHIRE, PEARL, FREDDY, PRINCE MAURICE and DUCKIE: "Happy New Year Daddy!"
DADDY: "Happy New Year Every bear, fox, duck and mouse"
PADDY: " Scout, Cousin Paddington, Bogart, Jago, Daisy-Maud, Rosie, Bertie, Cornelia, Peal, Flock, Sapphire, Orson, Danny Boy, Algie, Freddy, Duckie, Prince Maurice, Little Red Riding Hood Dolly, Daddy and I would like to wish all our Flickr friends and followers the very best for the New Year. Thank you for your support, encouragement and comments. Thank you also for all your wonderful photographs! May your New Year's Eve be a festive one, however you are celebrating this year, and if you are fortunate enough celebrate it with others, may those others be people you love and who love you. May 2024 be a happy, prosperous and artistic year for you all. We are all sending you lots of New Year's Eve big little bear hugs and snuffly kisses!"
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
Travelling all the way from London, Cousin Paddington was caught in transit thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, so it looks like he is stopping with us for a long while. That makes me happy, as the more I look into his happy, smiling face, the more attached I am becoming to him.
Bogart has travelled all the way from Georgia, via Alabama as a gift to me from a friend. He has lovely Southern manners and seems to be a fun and gentle soul with an inquisitive nature.
Rosie is Scout\'s cousin, because like Scout, she is a free trade knitted bear from Africa. She was made in Kenya by one of the Kenana Knitters, Martha Wanjira. She is made from home spun and dyed wool. She was a gift to me from two very dear friends, including the one who gave Scout to Paddy.
Jago was a gift from a dear friend in England. He is made of English mohair with suede paw pads and glass eyes. He is a gentle bear, kind and patient who carries an air of calm about him. He is already fitting in with everyone else very nicely.
Daisy-Maud is Jago\'s little sister and was made by the same friend in England who made him. She is made of German mohair with floral fabric cotton paw pads that match her pretty sunhat, and glass eyes. A sweet and loving little girl bear, she is happy to be reunited with her big brother, Jago, and enjoys being spoiled by her new Daddy.
Orson, named after the little bear constellation, was made by the same friend who made Jago and Daisy-Maud. He comes ready dressed in \'trousers\' made of German mohair accessorised with embroidered braces. His paws are ultra suede and his eyes are glass. He is described as being a little bit serious minded but very friendly. He\'s fine once he gets to know you.
Danny Boy, made by the same friend who made Jago, Daisy-Maud and Orson, has a touch of the \'Oirish\' in him with his emerald green scarf. He has an open mouth as he likes to sing and comes with his own songbook, "Irish Airs for Teddy Bears". He has a wobbly head to give him animation when he\'s talking to you, and is made of English mohair, has paws of ultra suede and eyes of glass. Quite a happy-go-lucky little character....
Algie is made by the same friend in England who made Jago, Daisy-Maud, Orson and Danny Boy. He is made of sparse English mohair, has paws of ultra suede and eyes of glass. A very adventurous little boy, he loves to climb and sit on top of gates, edges of tables and chairs. He adore climbing trees and will cheekily sit there with crossed legs. He\'s very friendly and he loves adventures of any kind.
Cornelia, I found in an antique and vintage market quite recently. She is a vintage edition Russ Bear from their Mohair Collection. She is made of deliberately mottled mohair to give her that vintage look. One of a limited edition of 10,000, she was designed by artist Carol Hosfstad and is completely handmade.
Bertie came to live with me on Christmas Day 2022. He was a gift from a very dear friend. He is vintage and is hand knitted with soft red dioxide wool and has chocolate brown felt pads on his paws. He has shiny black bead eyes and has his own very smart tartan bow. He tells me that he was living in an antique shop for quite a while, just looking for his forever home, which now he feels that he has. Bertie is very soft and loves cuddles, and whilst perhaps not as forthcoming as some of my other bears due to his shyness, he is very loving and caring and gives big little bear hugs and snuffly kisses beautifully.
Pearl and Sapphire are both little Russ Bears, and Flock a vintage posable bear who all arrived on Christmas Day 2023. They travelled from Mama Kim\'s house in Alabama all the way here. Both are sweet little bears who are tenacious and cheeky, but full of love and snuffly kisses most of all.
Freddy Fox is made by Merrythought in England. I bought him, of all places, from a men’s accessory shop in Melbourne’s Block Arcade, called Mr. Wares. Freddy Fox is made of English Mohair with felt paws and glass bead eyes. He has so much charm and charisma that already he is winning hearts with anyone whom he meets, and he is kind and sweet, which makes him an ideal member of our family.
Prince Maurice is a Maileg mouse, given to me as a birthday gift by my two goddaughters. Maileg (pronounced My’lye) is a brand of charming Danish-designed toys created to inspire children’s favorite playtime stories. By bringing storybook whimsy to everyday moments, Maileg toys help children (large ones and small) explore the pure and simple wonder of imagination. Beloved for their heartwarming personalities, Maileg toys show playfulness and charm in every last detail. Theirs is a timeless world filled with beautiful accessories and settings.
Duckie I saw when I was at a Sunday market on a stall of homemade knitted and crocheted items. She caught my eye straight away with her happy, smiley face and bright colours. I think she finds life with my bears intriguing and perhaps a little confusing, however she is learning.