DIMPLES

Arrival Date: 6/18/20

Size: 16"

Year: 2020 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 900

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: Free! Used my PAWS and only paid part of shipping. (Retail $114.95)

Thoughts: Dimples was one of the Secret Collection I really fell for. I can't exactly say why. He's one of the most standard teddy bear-types in my entire CB collection. Maybe it's the chonk or the tyber fur that I knew would be soft. Or  maybe it's because he reminds me a little bit of tiny Dave only bigger and with a dark muzzle. He's great in person though and I think he's going to be almost as comforting as Rum Baba to cuddle.

STUART

Arrival Date: 6/15/20

Size: 15"

Year: 2018 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 800

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $135

Thoughts: FINALLY. In two ways. First, FINALLY I get to own a Stuart. He's from a set of three released in 2018. Ainsley was part of the regular collection and Sharon was from the Secret Collection, like Stuart. We got Ainsley, of course, and then also Sharon here in the US, so I kept waiting for them to let us have Stuart. And while I waited, he disappeared from CB Direct UK and I missed the opportunity to order him because, you guessed it, we never got him here. I really should have just imported him, because it would have been cheaper than the price I paid on ebay for him now! Second, FINALLY he got here, because he was supposed  to be delivered on freakin' Friday. His box was all beat up, too, and they jammed it into the package hub, so I had to really pull to get it out of there. Thanks, USPS. Anyway, if you'd asked me back in 2018, which one of this trio was my favorite, I might have said Sharon. Or Ainsley. I don't think I would have picked Stuart, but he's definitely my favorite now. The fabric used for his limbs and ears is actually a pale blue tipped in that sandy color, so he kind of glows blue and it's awesome. And not easy to photograph or I would have liked him more from the beginning!

DANUTA

Arrival Date: 6/8/20

Size: 20"

Year: 2020

Edition Size: 1500

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $130.95

Thoughts: Danuta was a last-minute addition. She was completely not on my radar, because in her promo photo, she looked rather monochrome and boring. Very tan. But a few weeks ago, owner photos started appearing and they showed she was a lovely peach shade. (Some make her look pinkish, but that's just odd lighting. She's not pink at all.) So I added her to my pre-orders. I ended up being third to choose, but I had the advantage of my most wanted being this unusual lady. There were plenty that were more traditionally cute and looked more like my Marisa, but I'm drawn to unusual faces a lot of the time. This is especially so when I'm getting two bear characters who are so similar. I like a little variation. So when it came my turn, this wide-eyed lady was waiting for me. I love her because she looks really leonine.

MARISA

Arrival Date: 6/8/20

Size: 20"

Year: 2020

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $130.95

Thoughts: Marisa went on my pre-order list right away, so I was first in line to choose and got this beauty. I love her colors. These ladies are 20" tall, but they're not overwhelmingly huge. They're mostly long arms and legs and not so chunky in the body. Their arms, legs and ears appear to be tyber plush. They're so soft! Marisa and Danuta are going to join Simone on the same shelf, as I see similarities in them.