Our Story
Hey there my name is Carmen, and my story all began many years before Cuddly Bear Wear had even started. My Pa would not allow me to have any pets, so my Mother took me to a well known British teddy bear store called 'The Bear Factory' It was so magical, it had so much charm and had the atmosphere of an old fashioned toy store, no bright primary colours, but the reserved British style of years gone by. As I entered I was so over whelmed by the choice of the many animals I could choose from.
The little animals were sectioned into little wooden crates, which were along the outer walls of the store. The lighting was so subtle and soft and gave a kind glow to all the furry friends in the store ''Do you know who you would like to take home?' my Mother asked. I didn't answer, I picked up a black and white cat, The decision of what black and white cat to choose was unbearable as all their little eyes were staring at me to take them all home with me. I closed my eyes and picked up a new friend. I know it sounds funny but I already knew I wanted a cat before I got there, and also knew what I was going to call her too! I carried on walking around the store as if I was going to make another decision, but all the while I clung tightly to my new friend.
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The whole way of making a bear was different then, it was stuffed and sewn by hand by little workers at a work-table like little elf's. It's so different now, everything is done by machine. Everything is noisy and bright, there's a lot to be said by 'less is more'.
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I named my new friend Twinkie.
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As the years went by me and Twinkie had the most fun, she went everywhere with me. When I started primary school she came to school with me on my first day, and although I had to say goodbye to her at the school gates, I knew she would be there at the end of the day to greet and walk home with me.
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My Primary School was great! and there was always some kind of activity that encouraged the imagination of us pupils. I had no problems using my imagination, and so when we were told we were going to have a 'bring a bear to school' day I was over the moon, at last everyone could meet my best friend Twinkie. And this leads me to the tale of how Cuddly Bear Wear had began.
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My Mother whose name is Rosie Bear, (coincidence I think not) was always busy being creative some how, and making clothes for Twinkie was one of them. My imagination was always ready for an new adventure, dressing up as my favourite characters to the fairy tales that were read to me, such as Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the 3 Bears...and of course Mum would make me and Twinkie identical outfits so we were always on these adventures together. So when the day came to bring a bear to school, Mum of course found an unused uniform of mine and went busying her self with making one for Twinkie. 'Twinkie can not go to school with out a uniform' she claimed, and within 20 minutes Twinkie was ready to go to school. We both went to bed full of excitement of the day ahead.
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This day will always stay in my memory as one of the most loving exciting days of my life. But it did have to come to an end, or so you would think, but this is where the story just begins.
Hello let me introduce myself, I am Rosie Bear, and I will continue Our Story of how Cuddly Bear Wear begin...
It was in the summer of 2005 and my daughter had a 'bring a bear to school' day. Of course it would of been outrageous for her furry little friend to go to school without a uniform, so off I went making 2 little uniforms, one for Carmen's Twinkie, and one for her little friend Hanah's bear whom both was over after school.
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I didn't think much of it on the morning of taking my daughter to school, we got a few strange looks from parents as she carried Twinkie proudly to school, and so I dropped her off and carried on with my day.
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The day proceeded as usual, and before I knew it it was time to pick her up from school. I waited and waited outside the classroom and soon half an hour had passed, and I was the only Mum in the playground. Where was my little girl? I entered the classroom, and was greeted by her teacher who began to stick a 'Well Done ' sticker on my top, and said with a big smile 'Well done for making the uniform for the bear'.
On the walk home, My daughter told me about her adventuresome day, and after all the things she told me that her and Twinkie had got up to, she then told me that everyone in her class wanted me to make uniforms for their bears too!
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Over the coming weeks I was a little busy to say the least, but soon I managed to complete the task for all my daughter's school friends. The parents of course did seem to be more overjoyed than the children, and wanted to give me some kind of payment for the gift I had made for their children. I couldn't ask for anything, It just wasn't in me to do so. And because I refuse to take any payment for the bear uniforms, The parents began buying me lovely gifts as payment, to this I could not say no because they went out of their way to so this. The funny thing about this was that the gifts I received must have cost them a fair penny, and I did wonder if it would have cost them less if I did just charged them for the work.
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After discussing this with my husband, He suggested why don't I build a website and start a business, that way you will not feel guilty about charging your customers for the work you do. And that's what I did. And as they say 'the rest is history'
The time has flown by, and in that time we have grown to be a proud British Company that started from the my daughter's love of dressing bears and dolls, and her first little visit to 'The Bear Factory' in the 90's. Alas 'The Bear Factory' is no longer part of the British experience of building a bear that is British. And I suppose that's where we come into the story of continuing the experience and the story telling of how children learn through play and adventure. If you can't find what you are looking for...try us and we will try and see what we can do to make your life a little different and not to be part of the same old same old. Encouraging your child to be different encourages creativity.
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let the story continue...
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Twinkie has been well loved throughout the years, and has followed my Daughter on many journey's throughout her life so far. At the moment it's 2019, and she and Twinkie are at university.
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I am sure there are many more adventures to come.
Rosie Bear
Our Story...so far
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