Learning to See by Traveling with a Teddy Bear By Brook Noel

"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly"

Sam Keen

This week, I had the pleasure of going to Knoxville to film two segments with the NBC station. One segment included my daughter. We had one long 9-hour-day of travel, then a day of filming, and then a day of travel to return home. She held up like a trooper, constantly assisting me in every way she could.

Of course, as all travel with children includes, there was a challenge or two. First, her last molar decided to come loose. In one hand I held my notes and in the other I held a tube of Orajel. It was always at the most opportune times that the pain would come--while juggling four bags through security, five seconds prior to going live on television--you mothers know how this works. (And for the non-moms reading - the moral and message of this column applies to you so keep reading!)

The last challenge of the trip came the day we left. We had purchased a teddy bear on the way down and Sammy deemed it the most special bear she had ever had. Every night she tucked it in, complete with back rub. She searched a name database on the internet and the bear was named Max Cuddles Arto Bongo Whispers.

When I went to pack, I couldn't put Max Cuddles Arto Bongo Whispers in a suitcase as he might suffocate. So we left him on the chair, safely tucked in a blanky as I proceeded to pack our bags. You can probably guess what happened next. We arrived at the airport 60 minutes prior to our departure, returned the rental car, checked in, only to realize Max Cuddles Arto Bongo Whispers was not with us.

My daughter who had traveled well up to that point, just about broke down. A companion traveling with us pointed out that worst case we would be passing the same store on the way back. Needles to say, my daughter looked at me in horror.

Thinking quickly, I called the hotel to see if the housekeeper could locate the bear. In five minutes the front desk called me back assuring me that the housekeeper had looked under the bed and in the blankets and there was no bear. I disputed this finding, explaining that we had just left, and the bear was definitely there. The woman at the front desk said she would go look and call me back. In another 5 minutes my cell rang. She had found Max Cuddles Arto Bongo Whispers. I asked her to call a cab and have the bear raced to our airline terminal. We were now about 45 minutes away from our departure time, had not yet gone through security, and the hotel was 20 minutes away.

As our flight drew nearer, our travel companion urged me and Sammy to go through security saying she would wait for the bear and if someone was going to miss a flight at least Sammy and I would travel together. Within minutes of that conversation, a large mini-van cab arrived with Max Cuddles Arto Bongo Whispers in the passenger seat. (I imagine he had fun telling people about his interesting passenger of the day!)

We raced through security (with only one stop for Orajel) and made it to our gate just as they were doing the final boarding call.

Later that day, my travel companion re-hashed the morning. She is a dear friend who has known me for many years--and also knows my weaknesses well. One of my weaknesses has always been patience. She paid me a sincere compliment on the patience I had developed during my 10 years so far as a mother. I explained that you get a special gene for that at some point during pregnancy.

As I thought back about the adventure of traveling teddy this morning, I realized why the story is so special to me, and it really doesn't have anything to do with patience or motherhood.

What happened when Max Cuddles Arto Bongo Whispers was lost, was that a 10 year old saw this as a tragedy. While you and I know, it was simply a stuffed bear that will likely end up ragged and forgotten in a toy chest within a few years, in that moment Sammy saw the event much differently.

Instead of seeing it through my 31-year-old eyes, and choosing Fed-Ex service or replacing the bear, I saw it through her eyes. And then I used the resources I had to help.

We all come to our lives with our set of experiences and they become a lens through which we see our daily activities. Living fully involves removing our "lenses" and trying on the lenses of those whom we care for. Doing this is an exercise in self-growth, in pushing our comfort zone, in seeing past the writing on the wall to a new world from a different vantage point. Then we can combine our resources with those whom we care for, stretch our thinking, stretch our vision, and truly find the magic that lies within a moment.

Your Challenge:

This week make a focused effort to see things from another person's perspective. This skill takes practice but it is one that can truly enrich your life. Each day, try to see something fresh from the eyes of another and see what gifts it will bring to you.

p.s. And of course, I am sending a thank you to the wonderful woman at the hotel who helped us. I took a photo of Sammy with Max Cuddles Arto Bongo Whispers and had her draw a picture to go with it.

For this kind woman who answered the phone also chose to see this event through the eyes of a 10-year-old.

The Change Your Life Challenge http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.com Take control of your home, finances, relationships, clutter, time-managmenet and more with this 70 Day Program. Sign up for the free Challenge Weekly Newsletter and the motivational daily Good Morning. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brook_Noel

Teddy Bears: A History by Samantha Forest

One of the most recognizable stuffed toys is a teddy bear. Teddy bears are considered classics, enduring, and popular for the purpose of comforting children. It is often a safe option as a gift philippines for any small child. One might wonder how these irresistibly cuddly toys came about.

Although it feels like they have been around forever, they were only conceptualized in 1902. The 26th president of the United States, Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt went on a hunting trip in November 14, 1902 in Mississippi while settling a border dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana. During the hunt, Roosevelt and his group chanced upon a young bear. The men in Roosevelt's group suggested that he shoot the bear but he refused, saying it is unsportsmanlike.

The incident inspired Clifford Berryman to draw a political cartoon illustrating the event. Morris Michtom was inspired by the cartoon to make a stuffed toy bear and called it teddy bear. The teddy bear craze grew such that children and even societal ladies carried their teddy bears everywhere. President Roosevelt also used the teddy bear in his re-election bid and won.

In a few years, the teddy bear craze grew even more. Many companies started manufacturing different kinds of teddy bears. It also became a popular gift philippines item. The teddy bear spread throughout the world, to Europe, Australia, and Asia.

The fondness for teddy bears dissipated at the start of World War II. However, the teddy bear came back with the declaration of British actor Peter Bull of his love for teddy bears. Later on, Beverly Port, an American dollmaker, started teddy bear artistry. The toy is not just a toy anymore that can be used as a gift philippines but has grown to be an adult collectible and antique collection. Many old, manufactured teddy bears began showing up in antique doll and toy auctions and they began winning higher and higher bids. A bear named "Teddy Girl" by Steiff sold for a record of $176,000 at Christie's auction house in 1994.

These teddy bears will still be staples in any kid's room for a long time. It's not surprising with its gift of unconditional acceptance, love, and reassurance.

About the Author

Samantha Forest is an author from Houston Texas who writes articles that provides ideas on how people do their shopping for flowers and gifts. offering insights about the perfect kind of gift or flower for the perfect occasion.

The Steiff Teddy Bear Story By Sharon Lauer

In 1847 in a small town in Giengen, Germany a baby girl was born. She was named Margaret Steiff. Her childhood vigor was cut short when she contracted polio at the age of 2. Although confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life, she became a model for strength and determination.

Margaret excelled in sewing and needlework and became the proud owner of the first sewing machine in Geingen. In 1879, she started her dressmaking business. Her dresses, coats and other clothing products were quickly in demand. In December of that year she came across a pattern for a toy elephant in a magazine. She made these as gifts for her family and close friends. Margaret used her expertise to develop other animal patterns and 1883 added them to her price list as a range of felt items. Her business continued to grow and in 1892 she began making soft filled bears, which would later be referred to as Teddy Bears. These bears resembled real bears, posing on all four paws with humped backs.

Richard Steiff, Margaret's nephew, helped his aunt with design and production of her teddy bears and soft filled animals. An avid art student, he was a regular visitor of the Stuttgart Zoo where he got ideas for animal designs. While touring America, Richard was inspired for a new design during a circus performance. The dancing bears gave him the idea of designing a toy bear which stood upright and was jointed, similar to how dolls were made.

By 1902 the inspiration was reality and Margaret was producing a jointed soft filled teddy bear with mohair plush fur and glass eyes. They were the first jointed teddy bears produced.

In 1903 Richard displayed the new bears at the Leipzig Toy Fair. Unfortunately they didn't generate much interest in the Europeans. As Richard was packing up his display at the end of the fair, American Hermann Berg chanced by his booth. Berg was a buyer for the New York firm Geo Borgfeldt and Company. At about this time in America the story of Theodore Roosevelt's 'Teddy's Bear' was becoming popular. Berg placed an order for 3,000 bears.

By 1904 the Steiff teddy bear had become an American success. They were awarded various accolades including the prestigious Grand Prix award. In total 12,000 bears were sold by the end of 1904 with the trademark button in the left ear.

Publicity from Roosevelt's adventure helped place teddy bears in the hearts of Americans where they remain today. The world record price for an antique bear was made at a December 1994 auction. The winning bid was $176,000.00 for a 1905 Steiff bear. Steiff teddy bears continue to leave their marks today in the hearts of collectors and teddy bear lovers alike.

Sharon Lauer is a free lance writer and the marketing director forhttp://www.everyoccasiongiftshop.com and http://www.simplythebestbaskets.com. She regularly writes articles on various aspects of gifts and gift giving. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Lauer

Who is Teddy Bear? By Tina Nyary

There is nothing like a Teddy Bear!

Since his existence, he has brought pleasure, serenity, and comfort to children and people of all ages worldwide. A Teddy Bear is very special, because he is more than a toy - he is a companion. He has wonderful qualities, he consoles when needed, he has compassion when required, and he knows everything about us including our deepest thoughts. He is our most intimate friend! Did you ever feel like that about your Teddy Bear? I am sure you did, we all did! How can a stuffed bear, although cute and cuddly bring so much pleasure and happiness to our lives? Let's look at some of Teddy's origins.

It is well known that the name "Teddy" originates from Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States of America 1901-1909, who was referred to as Teddy by the public. There are numerous stories of how the Teddy Bear received the President's name. One story refers to a Mississippi bear-hunting trip where villagers wishing to please the President captured a bear for him to shoot, however, the President flatly refused. He drew a line, as this was not fair hunting sportsmanship. This encounter became a famous cartoon story by Clifford Berryman under the title of "Drawing the Line in Mississippi." The cartoon caught very wide attention, which eventually led to the Teddy Bear and its name. Another story suggests that the staff of Hotel Colorado wanted to cheer-up President Roosevelt during a hunting trip with a gift. They presented him with a small stuffed bear made by the housekeeping employees. His daughter, Alice, liked the bear and gave it the name Teddy.

Based on my findings, it seems that Teddy was born around 1902, but this was not just a US birth. Coincidentally, at the Steiff Company in Giengen an der Brenz, Baden Württemberg in Germany, the owner Margarete Steiff, produced stuffed animal toys. Her nephew Richard Steiff was an artist who drew animal pictures for the stuffed animal toy production of the company. In 1902, Richard visited the Stuttgart Zoo and made a sketch of a bear cub. The company started production of his design and the German (Teddy) bear was born. How wonderful sometimes coincidences work. Was it destiny to remember internationally a great President throughout the ages with this divine toy? In 1903, at the Leipzig Toy Fair Steiff sold 3000 bears to an American toy merchant and by 1907 the Steiff Company sold 974,000 bears. Whatever the stories are, the fact remains that the Teddy Bear became a famous and beloved toy ever since the time of President Theodore Roosevelt. A nice long stretch!

The bear market is still going strong to this day. Teddy Bears or stuffed bears in general are here to stay for generations to come. It is interesting to know that in some families Teddy Bears have become heirloom pieces. Did you know that bear collectors are called arctophiles? The word derives from the Greek language "arcto" meaning bear and "philos" meaning lover. Bears are not just a toy for children, bears are also used as mascots by many organizations or as corporate gifts and uncountable other special uses. There are also Teddy Bear Clubs and some organizations even have annual conventions to celebrate these lovable keepsakes.

Teddy Bear has reached its 106th Birthday, that is a good old ripe age, but we all know he will live forever.

Tina Nyary, researched a beloved stuffed animal toy, the Teddy Bear. Stuffed teddy bears are without a doubt one of the most adored stuffed animal toys. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Nyary

Breeding Teddy Bear Hamster For Beginners by Andrew Martin Jr.

It can be a truly wonderful experience to breed teddy bear hamsters; You need to think about a number of things before you decide to breed your hamsters:

Who are you going to sell your baby hamsters to? After only 20 - 25 days, baby hamsters can be weaned. They can begin to breed once they reach 45 days old. Once the pups are born, there is not much time before you need to find them homes. You need to know long before the time comes, where you are going to send your baby hamsters. Do not just set the babies free. They will be eaten, or they will starve. In the unlikely event that they survive, they will start to breed and will become a pest. They will have to go to their new homes sometime between 4 - 7 weeks old.

Do you have the required supplies as well as enough space to breed hamsters? You will have to have enough space and living area. At least four housing facilities are needed: one for males, one for females, one for a quarantine tank, and one for a birthing house.

Are you ready to commit to all the work needed for hamster breeding? You need to make a considerable commitment to be able to successfully breed hamsters. You need to keep the cages very clean. Your will have more expenses because your will need more bedding, more food, and more supplies overall. You also need to remember the cages, the toys, exercise wheels, and so on. Before you decide on breeding your hamsters, be sure that you are willing and able to invest in those resources.

Once you have made the decision to breed your hamsters, the following steps will get you off to a great start:

1. Purchase your hamsters from a good breeder. Find a breeder who keeps their hamsters areas clean, and provide them with enough space to live.

2. Before completing the sale, make sure to observe the hamster you are interested in closely. Is the hamster friendly? Calm? Tame? Curious? Do not pick a hamster who seem timid or one that seem overly aggressive. Temperament is hereditary, so you wouldn't want to breed these hamsters. Instead you want a hamster that is tame. Ideally, you should try to find a breeder who handles their hamsters often and even tames them before they are sold. You will probably want to get your hamsters for breeding from a good breeder. This is because the local pet store does not usually handle their hamsters often enough.

3. Keep the male hamsters separate from the female hamster until you are ready to breed them. Females will often abuse their male partners if they are not yet ready for mating. Every four days or so, a female hamster becomes fertile. You will know when a female hamster is fertile by the way she freezes her tail up in the air when a male hamster is around.

4. Be sure to keep a pregnant or nursing hamster away from any noise. Do not handle them too often. Remember not to touch any of the babies until they are weaned. Separate the males and females soon after weaning to prevent them from breeding.

About the Author

Andrew Martin Jr. is a pet enthusiast and publisher. He owns and maintains Hamster Care Answers, a resource forhamster breeding and hamster care.

Different Ways To Display Your Teddy Bears by Jael Soutter

Teddy bears are now in museums due to their history of how they came about. If you love teddy bears or know someone that does try heading out to one of these museums. The world's very first Teddy Bear Museum was in Petersfield, Hampshire, England back in 1984. Judy Sparrow opened it up with her own collection of teddy bears.

The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum in Dorset is opened 7 days a week beginning at 9:30 a.m. This museum has teddy bears around every corner, from the very old to the latest and greatest. Look back through time as you watch your favorite fictional bears come to life right before your eyes. Watch out as you turn the corner, there are even life sized teddy bears to keep you company. You can even walk into the house of "Mr. Edward" bear and sit with his family. The gift shop has everything you could possibly want from character teddy bears to one of a kind.

England wasn't the only place in the world that has teddy bear museums, but that is where the first museum popped up. Jeju Teddy Bear Museum opened its doors in 2001, this place has all types of different teddy bears inside and all types of information on them. There's a café for those parents that need a drink while carting their children around, two galleries, beautiful gardens and a gift shop.

The Dancing Bear Folk Center is the largest teddy bears museum in the western United States. It is located in Thermopolis, Wyoming and is ready for you to come and explore its teddy bears. If you ever get out to Vermont don't forget to stop at the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. They've got so many teddy bears you won't want to go home without one. Take a tour of the factory while you're there too.

There is also the Teddy Bear House Bed and Breakfast in Anchorage, Alaska where teddy bears are displayed in every room of the house. The cost is $45 a night per person and that includes breakfast. Try making some very bearable memories and start seeking out those teddy bears.

About the Author

Learn about endangered bears and pictures of bears at the About Animals site.

Teddy bear care tips by Hafizah Nurain

Have you ever tried to clean your teddy bear and end up frustated with the 'new look' of your teddy bear? Well, I had. And what worse was that it was the first teddy bear gift from someone very special. Yes, I do love teddy bears a lot, but I just wished that I had learned the proper way to clean teddy bear before I actually attempted to do it myself. And that is why I want to share with you these simple tips on teddy bear care so yours wont't end up with a 'whole new look' like mine. • Wipe your teddy bear with a damp cloth (preferably white and no soap please). This sound pretty simple but it is the safest and most effective way to clean surface dirt on your teddy bear. Wipe down your teddy bears just like you are wiping the delicate skin of a child - gently and carefully. Alternatively, if you do not want your teddy bear to get wet, you can also use a handheld vacuum cleaner to remove the surface dirt on your teddy bear. • If you think you need to wash your teddy bear in a washing machine, please read its cleaning instructions first (a lot of people do not recommend this though). Some teddy bears are machine washable, but it is better to take extra precaution when you are using the washing machine to wash your teddy bears. Put your teddy bear in a meshbag (alternatively, you can put your teddy bear in a pillowcase) and choose the gentle most cycle your machine can offer. Air dry your teddy bear afterward. Your teddy bear do not need to be dried under the sun because that can cause the color to wear off. • Lastly, don't forget to give your teddy bear a good brush PS: You can also send your teddy bear to a centre which specializes in restoring teddy bears if you are afraid of spoiling your teddy bear. Whatever option you choose, your teddy bear deserves the best care from a person like you.

About the Author

Hafizah Nurain is the cofounder of www.uniqueteddybeargift.com, an online store that brings you among the world-renowned teddy bear gift centres for your complete teddy bear gift idea. Find selections of quality teddy bear and choices of teddy bear for baby gift, birthday gift, anniversary gift, wedding gift, thank you gift, get well soon gift, teddy bear gift basket,personalized teddy bear, heated bear and also build a bear kit.

Make a Bear Party By Ricy Chacko

Are you looking for a fun filled unique birthday party? Nowadays all birthday parties offer fun and hands on party activities for children of all ages. It is important that parents get it right so the birthday girl or boy will enjoy and remember this for years to come. The teddy bear stuffing business is a new and highly original entertainment. Children and parents will love the hands on fun of choosing their own teddy bears to stuff. These companies bring you all the fun and creativity of stuffing a teddy bear in a more relaxed and convenient location using do-it-yourself kits either in the home or in a hall or other venue.

Teddy bears and other stuffed animals can be used to decorate a room as well as for bear related games and activities for the children. Invitation cards can be cut into teddy bear shapes with pink ribbon on the top of the teddy bear's head for a girl's invitation, and a blue ribbon around the teddy bear's neck for a boy's invitation. Make sure you include the request for all the guests to bring their own bear to the party.

When kids think of bears they often think of honey and bees, so a great idea for decorations are lots of yellow and black balloons and banners. If possible have various teddy bears positioned all around the room. The best decorated bear is a good choice for a prize at a bear party where children stuff bears or other animals by themselves. For a fun filled bear party, make your own teddy bears and plush animals with add on bear-related crafts and gifts.

Bear making parties are the latest must have entertainment for kids who want to have fun. Be my bear helps you to make a bear party for your children. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricy_Chacko

"Make Your Own" Gift Basket Ideas By Kim M. Wilson

Gift baskets have been around for years, and gift basket making has been around even longer. The unique thing about gift baskets is that they are more personal than most gifts (let's say a gift card) and each gift basket could have a personal meaning. People give gift baskets for many different reasons and for different occasions. The Internet has provided a way for people to give and send gift baskets to love ones across the nation. Regardless of the reason, gift baskets can warm someone's heart just to know that someone is thinking of them.

To make gift baskets more personable and more heartwarming, people like to make their own gift baskets. Now for some people, designing and putting things together from scratch comes easily. And for others, gift basket making can be a daunting task. If you are making a gift basket to send in the mail or to give to someone in person, here are a few tips to help make gift basket making a little easier. It is so easy, here's what you do.

First, after deciding on whom you are making the gift basket for, select a theme for the gift basket. The occasion usually helps to determine the theme for your gift basket. Some occasions are easier than others; say for example a newborn baby. You can pick out all the things you know a new born baby will need. Now birthdays and anniversaries might be a little more difficult, and a thinking of you gift basket, even more so.

Themed gift baskets can help to make gift basket making easier. If you know your gift basket recipient's hobbies and/or what their likes are, you can easily put together a sports gift basket for a sports fan or a gardening gift basket for someone who loves working in their garden.

Next, once you have a theme, get a basket. Michael's and other crafts stores sell a wide variety of wonderful gift baskets that often times are on sale. Some department stores with a craft section may also provide a variety of baskets. Now for my nifty shoppers, Thrift Stores are full of all kinds of baskets. Usually most are in good shape. They may need just a little cleaning or color change. You can purchase an air spray can that's used to clean keyboards for computers or buy a can of spray paint to change the color. Both ways are quick and easy.

Lastly, once you have decided on your theme and have your basket, grab a few items that you know your recipient uses and/or likes, for example candy or fruit. The size of your basket will determine the amount of items you need to add. You could also add items of the recipient's favorite color, favorite sports team or favorite non-perishable food items. Once you've developed a theme, it is best to stick to it. But one of the many great things about creative gift giving is introducing the recipient to something new.

Candles are a great gift item and are used by people for an array of reasons. Some people use them for decor while others really like the aroma that candles can add to a room. Adding candles to gift baskets are easy and fun. No matter the theme of your gift basket adding candles can make your gift basket a real treat. Adding candles to any gift basket can also give the gift basket a personal touch that adds to the warmth of gift basket giving. At Fruit Nut and Candle Gift Baskets.com, we offer over 35 aromas to choose from in a variety of creative styles.

For more gift basket information and details, visitfruitnutandcandlegiftbaskets.com and sign up for our newsletter. We provide great ideas for gift baskets and gift basket making. We also provide special offers and discounts through our newsletter for our registered members. We specialize in fruit gift baskets, specialty gift baskets, themed gift baskets and candle gift baskets. Submitted by Kim Wilson http://www.fruitnutandcandlegiftbaskets.com Fruit Nut and Candle Gift Baskets.com offers a variety of gift baskets for every occasion. Let us help you to Make Every Occasion a Gift Basket Occasion. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_M._Wilson

A Teddy Bear For Everyone By Gail Faulkner

Every child deserves a teddy bear to hug when the world gets too painful, lonely or sad. Teddy bears are there to watch over them when the dark is too spooky, they need a best friend or their lives become unstable. There are many charitable organizations out there and they are all working toward the same goal, to put a teddy bear into the arms of a deserving child.

The Vermont Teddy Bear Company started the Big Hero, Little Hero Program in September of 2002, to give children across the country a teddy bear to hug when they need one the most. More than 11 million children are transported by emergency services each year. The Vermont Teddy bear company and outside donations, provide specially designed, 13" teddy bears to provided to emergency service professionals around the country free of charge. Interested parties can participate in this charity by purchasing one of the specially made bears. For every bear bought, The Vermont Teddy Bear Company will donate two bears to an emergency service station in need. These bears are also given to lonely seniors.

The Inland Hospital in Maine, was donated 600 teddy bears to give to children who come in for tests, illness, trauma or with other patients. Thorndike press, located just down the road from Inland Hospital, was able to buy the bears with money earned from a silent auction, bake sales and other activities. The decision for Thorndike to donate the bears was reached after a younger sister of one of the employees was given a bear when she had to attend the hospital.

You may want to start a charitable teddy bear drive in your community, to help put a teddy bear into the arms of every child.

The first step is to recruit others, of like mind, to help you. Let's face it, this a big undertaking for one person. You may also want to get area schools and churches involved. Elementary school students make great recruits, as the entire class (or school) can work together to make money to purchase the teddy bears. Churches like to get involved in charity, especially when it is for children.

Get together with friends and plan some money making activities. A Bowl-a-thon, walk-a-thon, spaghetti dinner, Pancake Breakfast, Bake Sale, auction, rummage sale, or street carnival are all excellent ways to raise money for your teddy bears. You and your group, will need to set a time limit on donations and money collected. For instance, you may want to have enough money to buy the teddy bears by Christmas. You must also decide before you begin, where you will distribute the bears.

While you are raising the money, you should look around to find the best place to purchase the teddy bears when the money is collected. It is a very rewarding experience to give a teddy bear to a child. The look on their face when they see the soft, cuddly teddy, is worth ten times the effort it takes to get the bear. The first time you see a child grab the toy and hug it tight, will be one of the happiest of your life.

For Lots more Teddy Bear Information go to http://teddybears.freehostia.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Faulkner

The Weird and Wonderful World Of Teddy Bears By Paul Lakeman

Teddy Bears have been around for over 100 years, but that doesn't stop designers and inventors from coming up with wacky new ways of using, altering, or (in some cases) destroying them!

From the innovative to the kitsch, the world of Teddy Bears is full of inventive new ideas, ranging from the wonderfully touching, to the downright weird!

The Teddy Bear Gun

Surprisingly, this isn’t a joke! This Japanese 'toy' has actually been designed to make life easier at your wedding! Instead of throwing confetti at the bride and groom, the Japanese go one step further and throw Teddy Bears!

Naturally, someone somewhere in Japan realised that this tradition could be made a whole lot easier if they had a gun to 'throw' the Teddy Bears for them, and so created the Teddy Bear Gun.

This contraption-- produced by Japanese paintball gun manufacturers, Sunamiya-- utilises the science behind their paintball guns to thrust the Teddy Bear through a transparent barrel, high into the air with a simple ‘click’ of the trigger.

Fortunately, no Teddy Bears are injured with the use of such a contraption as each bear is fitted with their own mini parachute, so they glide safely and gracefully back down to Earth to wish the bride and groom well on their journey.

USB Teddy Bear

That's right, a data-storing Teddy Bear! At a first glance this is just a normal, cute Teddy Bear, but once you pull its head off (Yes, you are required to decapitate this poor Teddy Bear!), it suddenly becomes a USB memory stick, with the head acting as the cap.

When plugged in, it appears as though the Teddy Bear is being sucked into your computer! Poor thing. Maybe someone had a score to settle? We’re not too sure when, or even if these Teddy Bears will come on to the market. So if you don’t feel like waiting to find out, it can’t be that hard to pull apart one of your much loved cuddly toys…

The Huggable

The 'Huggable' Teddy Bear definitely fits into our 'wonderful' category!

This Teddy Bear is being developed to act as a robotic companion for the ill, elderly or infirm who are unable to enjoy the presence of real animals, and the benefits this can bring. The idea of the 'Huggable' was born after clinical trials proved that animals can reduce stress levels in patients, but some- due to allergies or local restrictions- are not able, or allowed to have access to such animals.

Making use of the latest sensate-skin technology, cameras in the eyes, microphones in the ears, wireless technology and data collection techniques, the Teddy Bear has been intelligently designed to respond to touch in the way a real animal would, and then communicate in an appropriate manner.

The aim is to provide a helpful tool for care providers that is emotionally pleasing and provides real, measurable health benefits to patients. This has to be the most advanced, forward thinking, technologically packed Teddy Bear we’ve ever seen!

Teddy Bear MP3 Player

Appealing to Teddy Bear fans the world over, a nifty little Teddy Bear MP3 player, capable of storing 128mb of audio, with a USB connection, and a liberal $78 price tag, seems set to become one of the most useful and practical Teddy Bears available, without compromising on cuteness.

Created by Tomy, and weighing in at only 50g (excluding battery), this rather retro looking product will offer you up to 8 hours of playback from a single AA battery!

Teddy Bear Chair

As soft and as comforting as a 'real' Teddy Bear, this eccentric Teddy Bear Chair was designed by furniture designer Matti Klenell. Perfect for any Teddy Bear lover looking for something completely different to furnish their home with, 'Mido' is an upholstered Easy Chair, shaped like a Teddy Bear, originally displayed at the Agate Gallery, Stockholm as part of an impressive solo exhibition.

The Evil Spy Robot Teddy Bear

No, this isn't the latest military project, but a Teddy Bear fitted with the latest and most advanced technology. The Teddy Bear is being developed to respond to the Teddy Bear's owners' voice, movements and even facial expressions!

With Microsoft showcasing a high-tech Spy Robot Teddy Bear at the TechFest trade fair, the stage looks set for further investment and development into intelligent Teddy Bears capable of recording moments of your child's day, reading them a book, and even connecting to a parent's system in a remote location to enable them to 'program a repertoire for a child'. The possibilities seem endless!

Initially, this Teddy Bear was designed to plainly track someone’s movement around a room, but since then, the whole project has exploded, and future plans for the Teddy Bear will take this toy to an amazing level of sophistication.

The Creepy Teddy Bear

This may be the strangest and most disturbing Teddy Bear I’ve ever come across, and slots into our 'weird' category perfectly!

Called the somewhat reassuring 'TeddyBearBand', this 'cuddly toy' was surprisingly designed by Philippe Starck who claims that 'an overabundance of toys fosters infidelity' in children, leading him to create this kind of hybrid of Teddy Bears/soft toys that apparently meets all of a child's needs!

With this Teddy Bear having a bunny for a hand, and a dog for a foot, it certainly packs more animals into a cuddly toy than the average Teddy Bear, but I'm worried about the dreams I'll be having tonight after seeing this thing, let along the effect it'll have on a young child.

The Teddy Bear Remote Control

This slightly odd-looking Teddy Bear, designed by the innovative designer Leah Culver, doubles up as an all-purpose remote control.

While maintaining it's softness and child-like appeal, this Teddy Bear makes a surprisingly effective, fully functional remote control. Squeeze the Teddy Bear's chest to play/pause your program or film, and change the volume with a soft pinch of the ear.

We really like this one! Slightly weird, but also somewhat wonderful!

GPS Navigation Teddy Bear

This cheeky but fun GPS-fitted Teddy Bear (Navirobo) sits on your dashboard and directs you to your destination. But heaven forbid if you take a wrong turn, for your cuddly companion-- who even does a little jig when you finally reach your destination-- will mock you!

This is a great, laugh-out-loud Teddy Bear, designed and manufactured in (you guessed it!) Japan, will be a great addition to your dashboard that will make your long journeys home far less tedious!

'You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog'

When Barney the guard dog went on a rampage at Wookey Hole Caves, it was no ordinary Teddy Bear that became one of her victims

Mabel, made in Germany in 1909, who previously belonged to none other than the King himself-- Elvis Presley-- lay mortally wounded, surrounded by the remains of almost a hundred rare Teddy Bears, destroyed by the foul-tempered Doberman Pinscher.

The Teddy Bears were on loan at the time of the attack, displayed at Wookey Hole Caves, Somerset. Mabel-- bought for $40,000 by Sir Benjamin Slade, an avid collector of Elvis memorabilia-- was, not-surprisingly, the star attraction.

Barney, who was supposed to be guarding the Teddy Bear collection, worth over £400,000 was wrestled to the ground among the remains of the Teddy Bears, with "Heads pulled off, arms, legs here and there, it was a total carnage really. I've never seen such a mess, there was stuffing, fluff and bear bits everywhere."

Sir Benjamin was, understandably, not best pleased!

Do our Teddy Bears have feelings too?

With so many weird and wonderful things happening in the Teddy Bear world, it makes you wonder whether our cuddly friends have feelings and emotions of their own. What would they think of the crazy ideas we have for Teddy Bears? Do they come awake at night and remember our moments of cruelty?

Perhaps it is sometimes true that we form connections with the inanimate objects that we surround ourselves with and eventually humanise our Teddy Bears, and by doing this, we begin treating them as if they have human emotions- pain, fear, love. Whatever the case, here at Funky Bears, we’re sure the crazy Teddy Bear inventions will continue, and we can’t wait to see the next weird or wonderful ideas that people in the same industry as ourselves will come up with!

About the author Paul Lakeman of Funky Bears produces completely personalised Teddy Bear gifts for all occasions, and is holding a FREE PRIZE DRAW to win a GIANT FUNKY BEAR. For more information, please contact us Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Lakeman

Illie Willie Teddy Bear - Child's Get Well Gift

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