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Posts: 1,153Can someone tell me what Hugglets is? or was? or are? 
Hugglets? It... or they... run probably the biggest ,best...(depends on how you do on the day I suspect) teddy bear fairs in the UK. I believe...so I have been told.. that there used to be nore than just the 2 fairs they run now, one in February and one in September (it happened last week). It's a brilliant showcase for artists in the UK..as well as from all over the world.
It's regarded by most as the pinnacle of shows and collectors will come from all over the place to visit. I only do the February one...they have a huge waiting list for artists and only well established folks get to exhibit at both. I got offered a table with one week to go...and I should learn to be prepared as I had to turn it down through lack of finished bears.
They also publish the annual Teddy Bear Guide...a handbook for artists, collectors and anyone else with an interest in bears and anything else vaguely furry....it's a must have!!
Hope that helps!!!
Jenny
Hugglets was the forerunner in the UK teddy bear magazine trade, established by Irene and Glen Jackman. They published a quarterly (I think, my memory is rusty!) magazine dedicated to the hobby of collecting teddy bears, well over ten years ago. Eventually beary competition reared its head with the publication of not just one, but two bi-monthly magazines (which subsequently went monthly) and the Hugglets magazine was taken over by Ashdown Publishing (Teddy Bear Times magazine).
Hugglets was a great magazine and gave the superstars of the UK bear world, a platform for the first time. Work from the likes of Janet Clark and Frank Webster graced the pages, as did wonderful articles about collecting elderly bears - articles penned by our very own Queen of Bear Knowledge, Pat Rush (who I believe was the editor? Correct me someone if I'm wrong!)
Irene and Glen also established the first Hugglets teddy bear shows. They introduced a wonderful show purely for artist bears, which used to take place in Stratford Upon Avon. Sadly, that show was eventually moved to the much larger venue in Kensington Town Hall, which included bear shops too. Hugglets still run the Kensington shows (do a good job too!) and produce the UK Teddy Bear Guide, which they introduced many years ago. They have been the underpinning organisation for the UK teddy bear industry and have worked for more than a decade to support it.
Upstate New YorkThank you reporters Jenny and D'Paula, reporting live here on TT from the UK! :D:D:D
Deb
Posts: 1,153Wow, you girls did a great job. VEry interesting and now we have a thread started with pictures too.
I wish we had a show like that here, that was close. I would be there from sun up to sun down.
I was especially impressed that you were allowed to take pictures. All the doll shows that I was an exhibitor in...almost all the doll artists would not allow any pictures to be taken. I always did because I thought with something as technical as an original sculpted doll, what would be the harm and it is so much fun to go home and look at all the pictures.
I think doll artists are very different that teddy artists.
Anyway, I didn't mean to get off the subject....thank you for responding to my thread.
Nanc........
