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Hello everyone!
With some encouragement, I've decided to add to the Challenges section with my own idea for a challenge. I'm sure you all have a special friend from your childhood tucked away somewhere- mine is a (truly retro!) Popples, and she is still with me here at University as you can see!
I've always wondered if peoples childhood toys bore any resemblance to their creations, especially in terms of facial appearance- I think that my Popples and my Poke the sloth share their heavy eyelids and sleepy faces, but not much else!
So, onto the challenge!
Do you think you can take the features of your old childhood friends, and add them to your current creations to give a contemporary twist? Even better, think you can 'remake' your bears and more to give a touch of your style to a much older one? Personally I think I'll be looking either at the puffy cheeks or the colour cocktail that is my old friend, but it's up to you!
EDIT : Right, I know I am stingy on deadlines, so lets make it January 
Please join us people!! I want to see your interpretations!
I love the sound of this challenge Chloe! I'll certainly see if I can come up with something - might need a wee bit more time though, any chance you could stretch the deadline to Christmas?
You are the boss Paula 
Like I say I don't have much experience with these, so I had no idea about deadlines- I'll make it the end of December instead
Teenytinyteddybearsoh Chloe what a wonderful idea... love it. :clap: :hug: :clap: was thinking the other day, I had 3 special friends (only one survived all the years) but would love to recreate them, but to the same scale as the rest of my bears are now. I cant travel with big bears. So this is PERFECT. Well done you
I have one of my childhood 'friend's tucked away in a corner of my clothes drawer because he's very frail these days. I was given him by an auntie when I was about three or four. So I'm thinking of taking his very recognisable features (he's from a well-known tv programme back in the 60's) and using them as inspiration to make one of my own teddy bears ... I ordered the fabric yesterday and I'm really looking forward to this project! When my bear is complete, I will photograph him with the original.
Cool! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with- Glad to hear you like my idea Carolynn :)Appart from her scratched eyes, and absent hat and tail my Popples seems to have done ok in her 20 years of life- until you hold back her ears and see how faded they are now!
Bear HeartsHi, this challenge sounds really neat. I also wanted to include a photo of me with my childhood friend.....Gizmo!
They look kind of similar in the face, don't they?
I've started work on my challenge bear today. When I was a very small girl, I used to love watching 'The Sooty show' on tv ... in those days it was in black and white ... anyway, I digress! In the 60's my auntie bought me a Chad Valley Sooty puppet when I was just three or four and I still have him, so I am going to use his as inspiration for my 'Lost in the mists of time' challenge to create a Sooty inspired 'All Bear'!
Has anyone else decided what they are going to do yet?
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsI want to do this! I still have my bear--he's pictured on my blog and on my webpage bio. I'll have to start in December!
Oooh a Gizmo bear- As long as it's not reversible to give a fullt fledged Gremlin bear, that sounds like fun! :P
I thought yours was a Sooty from your description Paula I'm still trying to find the mohair for mine- I want it nice and plushy! Haven't decided how many colours to incorporate yet either... I think I have some of the original chad valley mohair stashed somewhere.... certainly have some from an old English bear factory, a nice golden colour...
Tami, I'm so pleased that you've decided to join- you know I love your bears 
Can't wait to see what you come up with- I think we must have posted at the same time!
Yay!!!! Tami's in too!!!!!!! :dance:
Hug A Bye BearsHi Chloe, I love the idea of this challenge but unfortunately I was deprived of a teddy bear as a child, which I'm sure is one of the reasons why I'm so attracted to them now ! So would I be allowed to recreate the very first bear that I bought for myself???? It's an old rod jointed Berlin bear and is so very different to any of my own creations that it will be a challenge for sure, hope I'm in. Let me know if this would be ok,
Hugs Ginie
Of course Ginie It doesn't have to be a bear either, if you had another favourite toy? I think anything important to you on the leel of the childhood toy is fine.
I was thinking about extending the deadline to January so people could deal with their Christmas bears first- how does everyone feel about that?
Hug A Bye BearsGreat, thanks Chloe, the extended deadline sounds good too!
Hugs Ginie
I think extending the deadline would be a good idea too ... it might encourage a few more TT'ers to join us!
Ginie, your project sounds interesting!
AlmostBearsi wouldnt mind doing this one, exept my faverite childhood toy was an icecream doll and i cannot figure out how i could interprate that into a bear , but i'll keep thinking on it 
i have a few other loved toys ..maybe i might have to go to the second best one
this isnt my doll, i dont have her anymore ...just a pic i found on google 
Lol, have you looked at my Popples? She's such a mish-mash XD I think I'll be looking at the colours and the sleepy expression- maybe you could make clothes like yours? With a pink nose?
Pandy Potter BearsI'll go for this too. Mine is a 40 year old panda I had for my first Christmas. Well nearly forty 
, so it would be nice to make a miniature version or something like my but with the look of my old panda. Lovely challenge.
Thanks Amanda I can't wait to see what people come up with! A teeny panda sounds very hard, but also very cute
Our Blue Iguanais care bear part of it? I only remember I used to watch Carebears when i was in grade school and even a sticker album!
hmmmm..... this is so hard to think...
I would love to join in on this challenge. I can't make my mind up whether to do a fox that was given to me the day I was born , a bunny I have had for just as long (these two are OLD), or one of the dogs I dearly loved (and still do). So many to choose from. I played and loved stuffed animals much more than dolls. I will take pics when I have a little more time and then maybe I can get help deciding.
Beth
Hey Minigrul - I remember Carebears too you're welcome to try and incorporate 'carebear-ness' into your own style, of course!
Beth, all three of your ideas sound like fun You should definitely photograph them! I'm happy you've decided to join
Bears by EdieChloe, I'll try to join this challenge too - now that it's extended to January (end of????) as I will be away until the first week of January. I didn't have a teddy bear as a child but I had a VERY favourite doll that I am going copy as a bear - have actually done this already years ago as a mini but this time I'll do it larger in an anime style and I think with the clothes too, to make it more interesting!
Hi Edie- sorry I missed your post!
Yes it's the end of January- it will help me out too So many university deadlines... 
Can't wait to see what clothes you come up with!
