TRAVIS

 Arrival Date: 5/30/22

Size: 14"

Year: 2022 Secret Collection

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: CB Direct

Cost: $91 after BFC coupon (Retail $111)

Thoughts: Oh, wow! I'm surprised again! His stock picture does not to do this guy a single bit of justice. Travis is lovely colors and the darker eye patches and ears really stand out. I think his ear and eye marking fur is the same as Poncho's main fur, while his main body fur is what was used on Tilly's ears and toes. Kind of a soft cocoa color with black tipping. Travis is softer than Tilly, though nothing close to tyber-level. He's so much better than I imagined. Love him!

SHIRLEY

Arrival Date: 5/23/22

Size: 13"

Year: 2022

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: Free with Rewards (Retail $101.95)

Thoughts: Oh, wow, what a surprise! Shirley was already an unplanned adoption. I had my rewards points from my past two orders and planned to use them on one of two other bears, but when I saw this Shirley, I really liked her. Then she became available very quickly and I had to grab her. So first surprise is that I didn't plan to get a Shirley. Second surprise is that in her catalogue photo she looks off-white, cream, maybe a little beige. She is not. She's PEACH! Her fur is shorter and swirly, revealing a darker color underneath. I think it's dark brown but it could be a brown-toned black. So not only do I love her grumpy little face, but she's also a color I prefer and she's super soft. She's more wobble-jointed so she's a good cuddler despite her small size. I'm so glad I chose her! Or she chose me, as they say.

DEREK

Arrival Date: 5/21/22

Size: 14"

Year: 2022

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $114.95

Thoughts: Oh, what a cutie! I'm so glad we got this first shipment of 2022 bears pretty quickly. This guy was my other major want for Q1 aside from Zach and he does not disappoint at all. SO ADORABLE. He's like a little lion bear. I'm not sure if his arms and legs are tyber but they could be. They're very silky soft. (I'm not a good judge of tyber when it's short pile like this. It's easier to tell when it's longer like Zach's fur.) 

ZACH (US)

Arrival Date: 5/21/22

Size: 13.5"

Year: 2022

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $104.95

Thoughts: Remember how I said I might end up with two Zachs? Yup, it happened. He's so soft and cuddly that I don't mind one bit. The first one is in his spot on my shelf but this one got a spot on the bed so I can reach him easily. I always like to choose a sleeping cuddling companion before I get into bed, but sometimes I'm too lazy and I just reach for someone that's on the bed. I think I'll be reaching for him a lot. He's got a less frightened/concerned expression than my other one and they're both adorable but definitely different. 

This new one is on the left and my first is on the right. 

MICHAELA

Arrival Date: 5/20/22

Size: 15"

Year: 2022 Secret Collection

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: CB Direct via Amazon

Cost: $133

Thoughts: Michaela was not on my radar at all until someone posted an arrival pic. Then I decided I wanted her. She arrived today and she's really cute. I like her animal print combined with the tufted toes and the more plush actual toes. Those are two of my favorite newer features CB has been doing. Michaela's a shorter bear and she's skinny, so she's pretty lightweight. I like her a lot. 

GRAHAM

Arrival Date: 5/19/22

Size: 20"

Year: 2022 Secret Collection

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: CB Direct via Amazon

Cost: $196

Thoughts: Ah, the big guy. I had his name written down from the Sneaky Peeks and I saw him on CB Direct but only briefly. I don't think I had the funds just yet and then he was gone, but lo and behold, CB Direct is also on Amazon and if I buy there I can use Affirm and their blessed 12-month payment plans (which I pay off early so I pay as little interest as possible). So I was able to order my Graham (and then Michaela after seeing owner pics). He arrived today and he's definitely a big, beefy guy (to use the QVC presenter's word for Jason from way back when), but he's actually really lightweight. He doesn't feel overwhelming at all. He's gorgeous, too. Definitely a keeper!

RUNES (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 5/16/22

Size: 14"

Year: 2021

Edition Size: 400 (Mine is #273.)

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $342.95

Thoughts: So all my mohair pieces that were supposed to be spread out last year arrived in two concurrent shipments. Sigh. I was able to buy Runes in full thanks to Paypal Pay in 4 but Charms and Harley will be in layaway for a bit. I like Runes a lot but I'm not quite in love. He may be moving on to another home eventually. I think I want to get Charms here first and see if I prefer one or the other. I have Snapdragon, who is the ultimate mohair dragon, and I try to limit my mohair pieces because they feel like extravagances to me. Runes is gorgeous and he's currently enjoying sitting with Grumbleweed, the original green dragon. I may rearrange those top shelves once Lantern and Charms get here. I'd like Charms by Scorch and Runes by Signals but I don't have enough space at the moment. 

RAY

Arrival Date: 5/2/22

Size: 14"

Year: 2021

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: Free with Rewards (Retail $97.95)

Thoughts: Ray was my unplanned addition. I was down to pick a Eugene after two previous shipments didn't yield one I wanted, but I opted to switch to Ray instead because I loved this particular one. He reminds me of Geronimo but more cuddly. I love Geronimo but any standing bear is automatically less cuddly than a regular bear. The little clock necklace is from my stockist and not original to him. He's got a key under there that came with him. I think he's going to be a great cuddler. I love the somewhat baffled expression, too, because the name Ray automatically brings Ray Stantz from Ghostbusters to mind. 

LOCKMASTER

Arrival Date: 5/2/22

Size: 12.5"

Year: 2021

Designer: Alison Mills

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $118.95

Thoughts: GAH, THE CUTENESS. Lockmaster is the smallest of the gargoyle trio. I was drawn to this one because there's something in her eyes that reminds me of my dog Pixie, who passed in January. She's soft and sweet and easy to cuddle for one of the smaller scale pieces. Love her so much!

KAYLEIGH

Arrival Date: 5/2/22

Size: 14"

Year: 2021

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $97.95

Thoughts: Kayleigh is one of the more unusual bears from 2021. I wasn't sure I was getting one. I've seen cute ones and I've seen less cute ones, so it was fully dependent on the selection. But I loved this one's face so here she is. Kayleigh has very odd proportions. I'm used to bears with shorter limbs or sometimes ones that seem too long, but Kayleigh's seem too thick. Her head is teeny tiny and her torso is similar, but her arms and legs are almost the same size as Pashmina's! (Pashmina uses the same fabric.) Kayleigh is still cute, just a bit different. 

CINNAMON

Arrival Date: 5/2/22

Size: 15"

Year: 2021

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $97.95

Thoughts: Cinnamon is one of the batch of rather roly poly designs from 2021. I have Kermode from this set. Cinnamon is a bundle of adorable podge. He's very cute and cuddly. 

BURROWS

Arrival Date: 5/2/22

Size: 15.5"

Year: 2021

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost:  $66.95

Thoughts: Burrows is an adorable Bearhouse mole. He's soft and cuddly and just plain darling. That face! I've always liked moles and he looks really cute sitting with Dringle. 

RIVER (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 5/2/22 (Rehomed 6/23)

Size: 18"

Year: 2021

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $128.95

Thoughts: River is one I wasn't sure I was going to get. When the first batch came in, there wasn't one left for me that I liked and then in the second batch, there was only one, maybe two. But I did end up getting that one from the second batch and here he is. River was the biggest guy in my delivery of six today. He's quite tall but with shorter limbs. River is supposed to have a couple "eyebrows" but mine barely has any, which is why I chose him. I honestly don't have a ton to say about these guys because I unpacked, photographed and then found spots for them on my shelves. I'll have more time to develop opinions as I spend more time with them, but I do like River. I don't have that many black bears so he's a nice addition and I love the brown toes especially.