STRUDEL

Arrival Date: 12/7/20

Size: 18"

Year: 2020

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $109.95

Thoughts: Strudel was one of my top most wanted bears from the 2020 catalog. Rea, Logan, Carousel, Strudel, Crin and Roger. The latter four there are all Q4. Not that that means anything, because we're still missing Q2 bears in the US, including my beloved Logan. But I am happy we're finally getting some of our Q4s. Strudel is like Peach Cobbler, who wasn't on my pre-orders but I ended up caving and getting anyway. I still prefer the darker Strudel over her. He was worth waiting for. Though I did have a minor freakout last night, because he went from Orlando down to someplace in Tampa. I thought he was going to be lost and come really late. But no! He surprised me by being out for delivery, so thanks, Ybor City, for being fast enough to get my bear to Greenville in the wee hours and then thanks to Greenville for not sucking for once and getting him to Asheville early. I'm having a bit of a melancholy day, so I need some good bear hugs and Strudel is great for those. Everything good said about Peach Cobbler also applies to him. 

KIBIBI

Arrival Date: 12/3/20

Size: 12.5"

Year: 2018

Edition Size: 2500

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: CB Direct

Cost: $33.75

Thoughts: A lot of people complained about the big sale event the official Charlie Bears sales pages did, but I got this little girl for half price and she may have been the only one available, so I am not complaining one bit! I think I had Kibibi on pre-order back in 2018 only to have to cancel her. I'm glad she finally made it here, because she fits in perfectly on the shelf of bears with similar hairstyles (Stuart, Ainsley, Sharon and Justine are also there). She's adorable, tiny and very lightweight! 

MILLER

Arrival Date: 12/2/20

Size: 19"

Year: 2020

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $111.95

Thoughts: Miller was an unexpected buy. I thought he was pretty cute in the 2020 catalog, but I was pre-ordering so many, I decided I didn't need "giant Candace." But when he came out, I realized I love Candace enough to also have a giant version similar to her. Her giant big brother. I was late to the pre-order game though, so when my stockist got her 8, I was last in line. All 8 were cute though, so I waited...and waited...and waited. Some people take forever to choose. I try to be as fast as possible, though I'm slowed by a few hours if I'm at work. It took many days, but I finally got the notice to pick. I obsessively checked the Dropbox album, watching them go one by one. The one I expected to be left over actually was chosen second, while the one I thought was cutest kept not getting picked. So to my great surprise, the one I liked best ended up being one of the two left for me to pick from. (Someone must have declined for there to be 2 left.) And here he is. I still can't believe no one wanted this one!

CAROUSEL

Arrival Date: 11/22/20

Size: 22"

Year: 2020

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $168

Thoughts: My big guy is here! Carousel was the first one in the 2020 catalog to really jump right out at me. I recognized that black fur with the neon red tipping right away as Together's fur. I adore Together, so Carousel was a must have. Being this stunning black and red would have been enough, too, but I really love Together's fur. Actually, I think the brighter red on his paws and ears is the same as Cherry Pie, who's another big favorite. Carousel is enormous at 22", though he doesn't have the girth of Christian, who is I think only an inch taller. I need to note that is NOT Carousel's necklace. I preferred this one that Valerie included, so I removed the heart he came with. I haven't cuddled with him yet, but I think he's going to be a great one for it.

BANJO

Arrival Date: 11/21/20

Size: 17"

Year: 2015

Edition Size: 1800

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Fellow collector on Facebook

Cost: $62 shipped

Thoughts: I fell in love with a Banjo quite a while ago and the transaction never went through. The seller was very difficult about me sending the money a certain way (the correct way) via Paypal when she'd never asked for her way (the wrong way) up front. if she had, I would have automatically refused to buy. I loved that bear though and I was very sad I couldn't adopt him. It's been worth the wait though to finally get him from a nice fellow collector, who saw my name by Banjo on the CB North America Facebook wishlist. She reached out to me while I was on vacation and I was able to finally bring home this adorable guy. He's an older bear from 2015, back they were made more like this. He's got really oversized feet and he's floppy in a good way and cuddly in a great way. I love him. 

MORITZ

Arrival Date: 11/17/20

Size: 19"

Year: 2020 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 3000

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Features: Plumo

Purchased From: QVC

Cost: $136

Thoughts: I wasn't completely sold on Moritz, but when he popped up on CB Direct and I couldn't order because we were leaving for vacation shortly, I was annoyed. Thankfully, he appeared on QVC while I was away and I was able to order before he sold out. Based on owner pics, I still wasn't positive on him and I'm glad I went the QVC route just in case, but he was to surprise me. I think mine is the best one I've seen yet. He's practically perfect. He's tyber, so he's incredibly soft, and his fur has purple undertones, so he's going to be pals with Carson and share that shelf. He's also plumo, so his ears and muzzle are both mohair. Some plumos are more patchy, which happens with mohair, but Moritz is looking good. I'm glad I got him!

GRIFF

Arrival Date: 11/2/20

Size: 22"

Year: 2020

Edition Size: 2000 (Mine is #288.)

Designer: Alison Mills

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $160.95

Thoughts: Oh, Griff. I kept seeing people's that were so cutesy and kinda goofy because he's prone to looking a little cross-eyed. I hoped I'd find one that was more stern and hoo boy, did he not disappoint. My Griff is more over it than you will ever manage to be in your life. If you play around with the fur over his eyes, he can also pull off looking very smirky. The detail level on him is fantastic and I adore him.  

LEE

Arrival Date: 11/2/20

Size: 19"

Year: 2020

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Features: Plumo

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $128.95

Thoughts: Lee was the one I anticipated liking least of today's arrivals, but he actually won me over really quickly. He's partially tyber, which is always a great thing, and he's so silky soft when you hold him. He's taller and sleeker, too, so he's going to be a really good cuddler.  

LOLLYGAG (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 11/2/20 (Rehomed 1/23)

Size: 13"

Year: 2020

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $104.95

Thoughts: Lollygag is definitely a very popular bear. I've seen a lot of him all over the various CB Facebook groups. Honestly though, she's (mine's a girl) my least favorite of today's four arrivals. I still think she's way overpriced for a Bearhouse (non-jointed) offering. The detail is there, but others have equal detail and cost less. She's still cute though and I do like her.  

CHEESE WHIZZ

Arrival Date: 11/2/20

Size: 19"

Year: 2020

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $118.95

Thoughts: I recently got Soda Pop and now Cheese Whizz is home. Definitely the male of the three siblings and also my favorite. He's more loosely stuffed so he's squishy and the cuddliest of the three. I love his golden yellow! I don't have many yellow bears.