ANNIVERSARY RAGSY

Arrival Date: 10/25/21

Size: 13"

Year: 2021 QVC/CB Direct Exclusive 

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: CB Direct UK

Cost: About $92

Thoughts: Ragsy was featured on the last Sneaky Peeks magazine, so when it was revealed she would only be for sale on QVC UK, there were a lot of unhappy American collectors. I understand they were celebrating being with QVC for 15 years, but considering how behind the US is with deliveries (no matter how much it makes sense) seeing another thing the UK got and we didn't wasn't the best feeling. Thankfully, several people got help from wonderful UKers. I couldn't afford it, so I expected not to get one. Then CB Direct said they'd be getting some in and they ship internationally, so I put myself on the wishlist, got the email and bought her. I don't have the original Ragsy, though I do have Dolce, who's very similar. I prefer this 13" size to the original 10" honestly. I wish they'd do Dolce, too! Ragsy is very soft and lovely colors. 

BALLANTYNE (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 10/23/21 (Rehomed 1/23)

Size: 19

Year: 2011 

Edition Size: 3000

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Fellow collector on Facebook

Cost: $70

Thoughts: Ballantyne is one of those older, wobbly-jointed, super floppy, wild-furred guys that I always like to see, though I don't own many. He's the kind of floppy I used to be really worried about, but now I've gotten used to it. I like his fur colors and his big starey eyes in the dark face.

PERKY

Arrival Date: 10/18/21

Size: 10"ish

Year: 2021 Best Friends Club Exclusive

Edition Size: 300 (Mine is #67.)

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Features: Mohair

Purchased From: CB Direct

Cost: FREE (Retail $264.60)

Thoughts: I am still absolutely floored by this. This year, the generous souls behind Charlie Bears are doing three free draws for each of their six Best Friends Club exclusive characters. One person in the US, one in Australia and one in the UK/Europe will be chosen to get a character for free. I somehow missed the posting of the free draw video for Perky and then suddenly, I had an email in my inbox. I was the winner of the US draw! I'm never that level of lucky. It's shocking. And I loved how they did the draw, too, but you'd have to watch the video to see it. (It involves archery!) Perky is absolutely darling. I love her! She's not one I would have chosen for myself, but only because I have to be incredibly choosy when it comes to mohair. She looks so cute next to my Clarabelle elephant, too. Thank you so much, Charlie Bears!

KALEIDOSCOPE #1

Arrival Date: 10/18/21

Size: 15" (He seems bigger though.)

Year: 2021

Designer: Charlie

Purchased From: CB Direct UK

Cost: About $51 ($62.95 US retail)

Thoughts: The main reason I went for Kingsley is because I also saw Kaleidoscope in stock. I've been a little obsessed with getting him ever since I got Blotch. Kaleidoscope is truly a crapshoot. With Kingsley, you're just hoping for a cute face but his patterns are far less variable otherwise. With Kaleidoscope, it was truly super random. I like this guy, but I've labelled him as #1 because I'm sure I'll be getting another once my pre-order finally comes in. I was hoping for brighter colors and they're all on his back. He's very cute and amazingly cuddly. He's soft and squishy, which I love. But I still want one with brighter colors on his face. I'm not sure when he'll make it over here, so I'm glad I have this guy. I may end up keeping both or selling this one on in the future.

KINGSLEY (Rehomed)

 
Arrival Date: 10/18/21

Size: 14"

Year: 2021

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: CB Direct UK

Cost: About $80 ($97.95 US retail)

Thoughts: I have been absolutely itching for new bears. I keep checking CB Direct UK to see if they have anything new and I saw Kingsley. I resisted him a few times, because he is one I have on pre-order, and then he went out of stock. Recently, he returned to in stock and I went for it. I looked at people's Kingsleys online and I knew it would be a crapshoot because some were cute and some were...less so. But I'm really pleased with the one I got! He's adorable. 

BANDAGE

Arrival Date: 10/4/21

Size: 12"

Year: 2021 

Designer: Alison Mills

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $62.95

Thoughts: I didn't plan to buy any of the Halloween bears, but when I saw Bandage, I knew I liked him and had to order one. Being an Egyptologist, I can be picky about mummy depictions and the wraps unfortunately just didn't do it for me. It's a cute idea and I'm glad they included a mummy, but he doesn't look like one to me. But the bear unwrapped is super cute. I love Alison Mills' smaller bears. She's great for the pint-sized fantasy bears. 

SURABHI

Arrival Date: 9/27/21

Size: 15"

Year: 2012 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 4000 (Mine is #3746.)

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Features: Standing

Purchased From: FB collector

Cost: $100

Thoughts: I finally completed my standing animal print quad! These four bears were all Secret Collection. Abhay and Akhuti were 2011 while Surabhi and Shardul were 2012. All are about 15" and they're standing bears. They're soft and cuddly despite the harder feet. I've gotten three of the four from the same person, which is pretty cool. Oddly enough, Surabhi here and Akhuti are the two slightly harder to find ones, one from each year, not both from the same year.

ABHAY

Arrival Date: 9/27/21

Size: 15"

Year: 2011 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 4000 (Mine is #618.)

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Features: Standing

Purchased From: FB collector

Cost: $100

Thoughts: I finally completed my standing animal print quad! These four bears were all Secret Collection. Abhay and Akhuti were 2011 while Surabhi and Shardul were 2012. All are about 15" and they're standing bears. They're soft and cuddly despite the harder feet. I've gotten three of the four from the same person, which is pretty cool. I think Abhay here might be my fave, but don't tell the others.

BLOTCH

Arrival Date: 9/24/21

Size: 10"

Year: 2021 

Designer: Charlie

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: Free with rewards points (Retail $48.95)

Thoughts: I finally got to choose my Blotch! We're so behind here in the US that we've forgotten the quarter system and are just getting whatever we can. Blotch was a 2nd quarter bear, I think, and we're still waiting on his big brother Kaleidoscope. I'm hoping he comes soon. Blotch is one of those very random plush bears where none of them are ever going to look even remotely alike. I had 17 to choose from and the variations were amazing! I had it down to two and this little guy won me over. The other one I was considering had more colors more prominently, but his face wasn't nearly as cute. I love the black and white stripes coming up from his eyes and I wanted orange on his face and there it is. Well, technically, it's pink and yellow blended but it gives an orange appearance. He's teeny, bright and darling. Love him!

SNICKERDOODLE

Arrival Date: 9/16/21

Size: 17"

Year: 2021 

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: CB Direct UK

Cost: $157

Thoughts: Snickerdoodle is just a regular 2nd quarter bear, but I ordered him from CB Direct UK, which I don't tend to do with normal releases. His photo in the catalogue is really not flattering at all, so when people started showing owner photos of him, I thought he was really cute. I resisted for quite a while, but then I caved a few days ago. He's one of those bears that looks a bit grumpy or forlorn. Every one I've seen has had the same look. And I can be a sucker for that. He's tall but skinny and pretty lightweight. And he's soft, but not Tyber level. I really like him so I'm glad I splurged a bit.