OZZIE (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 12/21/17

Size: 21.5"

Year: 2017

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $101.95 after $10 coupon

Thoughts: I thought Ozzie was gorgeous in his promo pics, but I didn't pre-order him right away. I was a little nervous about having too many pre-orders in, especially with two of them being my first mohairs. But as things worked out, I ended up cancelling my Kerri pre-order and replacing her with Ozzie. When people started getting theirs, I hoped the US would get him soon, too, because every Ozzie is gorgeous. There's a lot of variety in the facial patterns. some have more dark by the eyes, more silver, the green is all over the place. I wanted one with the dark eyes and mine definitely has those! He's also got a lovely silver left eye leading into the green patch. His right also has silver, but it's less. There's a neat few strands of fur that are tipped in black though and those are fab. He's just beautiful, a wonderful assortment of colors.

Update: Ozzie was rehomed in June 2018. I needed to cut down on space and he was my biggest bear! I still liked him, but we never really bonded and I think the size was part of it.

SIENNA

Arrival Date: 12/12/17

Size: 13"

Year: 2017

Designer: Kaycee Bears

Purchased From: Beacon's Glow

Cost: $136.95

Thoughts: It's been almost a year since my last Kaycee Bears purchase! Tango arrived on 12/27/16. I wasn't planning on ordering a new one, but when I saw Sienna in a Beacon's Glow newsletter, I went to look at the Autumn 2017 collection and there are some stunning bears (and other animals) there. Sienna won me over though and she came in at the end of last week. Mine arrived today and while she's not huge, her fur is thick and so soft. Her colors are stunning. I adore her!

STUIE

Arrival Date: 11/17/17

Size: 15"

Year: 2016

Edition Size: 2000

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $61.95 on Today's Special (Retail $82.95)

Thoughts: Stuie has been pretty high on my want list probably for about a year. I wasn't in a hurry to get him, because even though I wanted him, BAMS had several in stock. Well, I happened across him on Today's Special last week and had enough money to cover the purchase, so he finally came home. Stuie's part of a small family of four Lyell bears. His bunny counterpart with the same black and white feathery fur is Bryony, who I've had since she came out. She has a white face instead of Stuie's black. Then there are Hinckley (bear) and Herbs (bunny) as the other pair. Herbs is white with hints of black and a black face, while Hinckley is a more even mix of black and white fur with a black face. Hinckley's moved into the most wanted spot that Stuie vacated. These animals are skinnier than a lot of the other CBs and not quite as cuddly, because at least with Stuie and Bryony, the fur is a bit bristly. I love them both though and I hope to add Hinckley soonish. 

SCRABBLE (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 11/10/17 (Rehomed 4/2023)

Size: 20"

Year: 2017

Edition Size: 1450

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Features: Plumo

Purchased From: Beacon's Glow

Cost: $119.95

Thoughts: Scrabble was the only one of the curly-furred bears to make my original pre-order list, although I obviously grabbed Curly when he came out before her. I also have the third one, Bampa, on pre-order now. Scrabble is the biggest of the three at 20" and the only Plumo (part mohair). She has the curly fur on her torso and head, a plumo face and ears, and regular plush arms and legs. She's really soft everywhere and I love her colors. I had a hard time picking one, because my usual stockist only got 3 in and the one cute one was taken by someone else, so I switched to a different stockist and got my choice of 6 bears. There was one that was absolutely perfect, but he was decidedly male and I always thought of Scrabble as female. This one looks like a pretty, if somewhat somber, girl, so she came home to me. She's gorgeous in person. 

CURLY

Arrival Date: 10/16/17

Size: 18"

Year: 2017

Edition Size: 1550

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $15.08 after Rewards Coupon (Retail $103.95)

Thoughts: Curly was sort of a whim. I thought the trio of curly bears was interesting, but it was Scrabble that got my pre-order. Then Bampa came out awhile ago in the UK and I thought he was neat-looking, but not many people got him and I kind of forgot about him. Then Curly came out...I think on QVC UK...and people bought him right up. I saw photos of him and liked him a lot more than I did at first. I knew I had a Rewards Coupon coming after Brat, Dave and Dusk, so I thought I'd check out real photos of Curly and possibly very likely pick him to use my coupon on. Well, he was more popular than I planned and he got fully reserved, but thanks to some changed minds, I ended up having 3 to choose from, including 2 of my 3 favorite ones. I never thought this guy would be left for me, because when I saw all 8, I deemed him and one other (who got claimed first) the cutest. I think people were put off by his nose. The other Curlys have a striped nose, but mine didn't get any stripes. I prefer a cute face to nose stripes, unless the stripes are crucial to the design (see: Tick Tock), so it's obvious this guy was meant for me to adopt. His fur is SO awesome and he's super huggable. I love him a lot!

DUSK

Arrival Date: 10/16/17

Size: 12"

Year: 2017 Trade Show Special

Edition Size: 2050

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $60.95

Thoughts: Dusk wasn't originally my fave of the trade show bunnies. That was Bluebell. And I almost bought her, but when there were only 2 Dusks left and I only liked the face of one of them, I knew he had to come home first. And no regrets. His fur is just splendid. He's a skinny little guy, but so is Bryony, my other Lyell bunny, so they go well together. Although they're not displayed on the same shelf! I had planned on it, but Dusk's ears stand up too high. His ears are fully bendable and fun to play with, but I want him sitting there with them sticking up, not flopped over. Dusk has definitely sold me on the idea of getting Bluebell as soon as I can swing it.

DAVE (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 10/16/17 (Rehomed 11/23)

Size: 8"

Year: 2017

Edition Size: 2200

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $50.95

Thoughts: DAVE. There's a collection of little bears this year that are based on Will's friends and while most people loved the more unusually-printed ones like Tadam and Briz, I loved Dave. He's just a simple little chocolate brown bear with a giant gut. He's my smaller bear, along with Mix from last year's Sweetie Shop collection, but considering Mix has longer hair, Dave looks like the littlest. Except around the middle! Seriously, I bought him because he's a great color and a chub. He's awesome. And he refers to himself in the third person. Look at him. He totally does.

BRAT

Arrival Date: 10/16/17

Size: 12"

Year: 2017 Halloween Collection

Edition Size: 1490

Designer: Alison Mills

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $59.95

Thoughts: Brat was called the "bear dressed like a rat." Well, dressed like a rat just means he has a long purple corduroy tail. So my Brat is actually a rat. He's got a little bit longer muzzle, so it works. Brat is not exactly like I imagined, as for a long time, I was only going by his single stock photo, a group shot of all the Halloween ones. He was distinctly blue-purple there, but in actuality, he's red-purple. I don't mind, because I love purple in any shade. He has paw pads on the bottoms of his arms, as opposed to the typical sides, so he has the begging hands, which works great for a rat. I really love him!

FIRECRACKER

Arrival Date: 10/6/17

Size: 15.5"

Year: 2014 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 1500

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: ebay (albijuno)

Cost: $59.99

Thoughts: I've wanted Firecracker for ages and I missed out on a couple auctions from UK sellers. So I was hugely surprised when she turned up from a US seller. Unfortunately, this was at the same time as the QVC show and I had purchasing priorities. so I let her go without a bid, even though it pained me. I got lucky though and no one bid, so when she was relisted, I jumped on her and won with no competition. (Fools! You don't know what you're missing!) Firecracker is a smallish bear at 15.5" and she's one of the Magical Snugglies, so she's skinny. Like really skinny. Skinnier than my other Snugglies like Mystery, Luna and Scrummy. It works for her though. Her long hot pink bits stick out much farther than her black and I love that bow material. I think Smudge uses something similar. Of all my bears, I think Firecracker is my "me" bear. Mostly black but with bursts of bright colors. I wear mostly black, but I accessorize in brighter colors and I used to wear black with neon a lot. She's also got a bit of a bitch face! The black fur above her right eye comes down farther and the pink above her left hints at a raised eyebrow, so she looks like she's questioning everything you do with disdain...a face I make frequently at work.

KIRI

Arrival Date: 10/3/17

Size: 13"

Year: 2017 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 2500

Designer: Alison Mills

Purchased From: QVC

Cost: $61.32

Thoughts: Kiri the cheetah (NOT a leopard) is one I've wanted since she came out months ago in the UK. I waited patiently because I knew she'd be one of the ones on US QVC. She is random plush and about every one looks different, so I had my fingers crossed I wouldn't hate what I got. But we have success! She doesn't have a lot of the blotchy, dominantly brown plush I don't like as much and her face is nicely spotted. Her nose and muzzle look good. She's a bit starey, but a lot of them are. She's not the cutest I've seen, but she's still way better than lots of others, so she's not going anywhere.

KERRI

Arrival Date: 9/29/17

Size: 18"

Year: 2017

Edition Size: 2300

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: QVC

Cost: Birthday gift

Thoughts: Kerri is stunning! Her facial markings are perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better one. She's a taller bear, but relatively skinny. She's got a tummy, but she doesn't have the girth of similar-sized bears. Her white fur is black-tipped. She's just a stunning bear and I love her.

MCKINLEY

Arrival Date: 9/29/17

Size: 15"

Year: 2017 QVC US Exclusive

Edition Size: 1500 (Mine is #17.)

Designer: Alison Mills

Purchased From: QVC

Cost: $69.60 (regular $84)

Thoughts: Charlie Bears made their debut on QVC in the US on Tuesday, September 26th. The bears had gone up for sale on the website the night before around 11:30. I'd made my purchases and enjoyed watching the show at 5am. McKinley is the first American QVC exclusive. He was a limited edition of 1500 and sold out before the show was over. There are now a lot of new Charlie Bears collectors in the US! McKinley is a floofy tub. He's got a good heft and presence, even though he's not very tall. He has some new paw pads that are incredibly soft and the shaving of the for on the toes is a new feature, too.

TWIG

Arrival Date: 7/26/17

Size: 14.5"

Year: 2017

Edition Size: 1600

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $69.95 (after $5 coupon)

Thoughts: Twig was another I was super excited for and he does not disappoint at all. The secret to him though is to pick out your own (either in person or from photos) and get one with good eyelids. I've seen some poor dears with completely mismatched lids. I knew he was 14", but I still somehow expected him to be bigger. He's quite petite. I love his chest and belly and his hands and feet. Absolutely adorable. I'm happy he and Trudy got to be my first from the 2017 collection.

TRUDY

Arrival Date: 7/26/17

Size: 19"

Year: 2017

Edition Size: 2100

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $98.95 (after $10 coupon)

Thoughts: Trudy was my most wanted from my pre-orders and she really is lovely. I love the "makeup" spots around her left eye, although her right isn't as good. She's a bit unusual with her longer hair on her head and belly and her supersoft arms and legs. I think they might be the special Tyber plush, but I'm not sure. She's quite different from anything else in my collection and I love her.

BRIT (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 7/8/17 (Rehomed 11/24/17)

Size: 13.5"

Year: 2012 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 2500

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Facebook

Cost: $50

Thoughts: Brit was 100% an impulse buy. I thought he was really cute when the seller posted him in one of my FB bear groups, but I saw him again when I was quite sick and living on red, white and blue popsicles. I immediately equated Brit's colors with the popsicles and decided to add him to my hug. He's a very unique bear, as his colors are so vibrant and his fur is also a bit rougher than my others. He's very cute and I love the white and red bursts around mine's eyes.

Despite how much I loved him when I got him, I found myself never fully bonding with Brit, and he actually went back to the nice collector I purchased him from to be a gift for someone else who hopefully does bond with him!

RAFFLES

Arrival Date: 7/7/17

Size: 12"

Year: 2013 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 1200

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $42.89

Thoughts: I never dreamed I'd be able to buy Raffles from a US seller, but that's how it worked out! He doesn't turn up very often and he was a UK exclusive, so finding him this way was a nice surprise and winning the auction for such a low price was even better. Raffles is a little guy, but he's one of the most firmly stuffed bears I own. He's not super cuddly because of that, but he's an awesome little guy anyway. His necklace is really cool. I managed to squeeze him on the shelf by Oodles and Tick Tock, since they're my other two with that dark blue.

COCONUT ICE

Arrival Date: 7/3/17

Size: 14"

Year: 2015

Edition Size: 2200

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $59.95 (Retail $84.95)

Thoughts: Coconut Ice had been on my wishlist for over a year when she suddenly became a daily special at BAMS. I couldn't resist grabbing her for the sale price. She's a gorgeous melony color and the black tipping on her fur really works well with it. I got sick shortly after she arrived, so we haven't had much bonding time yet, but she's definitely the one I'm most bonded to out of my most recent trio.

YUMMY (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 6/28/17 (Rehomed 9/3/17)

Size: 16"

Year: 2016

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $63.95 (Retail $84.95)

Thoughts: I was going to buy a completely different bear this week, but Yummy appeared as the daily special and I had to have her instead. Scrummy's happy to have his twin back. It's always amazing to me how different each bear is. Scrummy has a wider happy face, while Yummy's is more drawn and serious-looking. I picked this particular Yummy because she has a lot of pink on her and she does not disappoint. Her back is even more pink. I ended up rehoming Yummy because I felt it wasn't fair how much more I loved Scrummy. She's gone to live with the same nice lady as Sergio.

LUDO

Arrival Date: 6/23/17

Size: 11.5"

Year: 2009

Edition Size: 2218

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $15 (Retail $38.95)

Thoughts: Ludo's been on my low-key want list for ages. I passed him up a few times on ebay, but never tried to win until this auction turned up. I got him for $14 and some change! And then twenty-some dollar shipping, but still. He arrived today, after having the same delivery difficulty as Bristle. I'm anxious now about the Global Shipping Program, but I hope to get some answers on the problems soon. I'm not planning on importing anyone else anytime soon, except for one from Charlie Bears Direct, which uses FedEx. Ludo is a cute little bear, one of the smallest in my collection. I think he'll look great sitting with Dolce.

BRISTLE

Arrival Date: 6/20/17

Size: 8"

Year: 2016 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 1100

Designer: Alison Mills

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $55

Thoughts: I have wanted this guy for months, but he was QVC UK only and the only seller with one on ebay was from Australia. I'm not importing anything from that far! There's another I want that's also QVC UK only, so I was low-key trying to save up to have a friend order both at once and then ship them to me, but I kept getting distracted with other purchases. Then a couple Bristles turned up on ebay and I managed to win this one! He is so super cute. He's a petite little guy. Only Mix and Dolce are this small in my hug. He's got nice girth though for a little guy and he's very huggable.

CHEEKY (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 5/30/17

Size: 16"

Year: 2009

Edition Size: 2200

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $31 (Retail $53.95)

Thoughts: I still can't believe I got this adorable guy for so cheap! He has the sweetest face and his fur is really soft. He's stuffed pretty loosely, so he feels a little more like a regular plush than my very heavy other Charlie Bears, but that works very well for a monkey character. I love the long tail, too!

WOZLEY

Arrival Date: 5/25/17

Size: 17"

Year: 2013

Edition Size: 2400

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: ebay (annesbearscrafts)

Cost: $65 (Retail $97.95)

Thoughts: I've had my eye on Wozley since I started collecting, because I'm a sucker for the green bears. I've been shopping around for some older bears and he was second on my want list. After confirming no US sellers had him, I bought him from the same awesome UK seller I got Kuma from. He arrived today and he's pretty fabulous grouchy. I wasn't expecting that from the photos, but it's undeniable! I think he's going to be one of my curmudgeons like Susan and Dipsy, which is great, because he shares a display shelf with them.

LOULABELLE (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 5/23/17 (Rehomed 6/16/17)

Size: 17"

Year: 2014

Edition Size: 2500

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Features: Plumo

Purchased From: Private collector (with help from BAMS)

Cost: $84 (Retail $104.95)

Thoughts: I bought Loulabelle from a lovely older collector who was downsizing her collection. I've wanted Loula, along with Befuddle and Bambooozle, for awhile. Having got the other two, I was thrilled to buy her from another US collector. Her plumo touches are really pretty and go nicely with her color scheme. She's a little more subdued than the other two, but they all look gorgeous on the same shelf.

I decided to rehome Loula due to some vet bills. I'll miss her a little, but I knew when I opened her package that I probably wasn't going to bond with her. Sometimes you just know. That's why I never undid her key necklace.

MYSTERY

Arrival Date: 5/23/17

Size: 19.5"

Year: 2014

Edition Size: 2700

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $33.76 (Retail $87.95)

Thoughts: I've wanted Mystery since I first got into collecting, but I bought Chocoholic, who is one of the Magical Snugglies like Mystery and never bonded with him, so I crossed her and Patience off my list. However, recently the UK ebay sellers have started getting some of these bears in for really low prices and I couldn't resist the seller that had both a good price and several bears to choose from with photographs wisely placed in the listing. Mystery is skinny like Chocoholic, not more padded like Scrummy. I can feel her armature, but it doesn't bother me with her like it did with Choco. I think he was simply too big. Mystery is full of sass and since she's a lovely dark color scheme with much purple, she's going to live on my bed. She has one of the best necklaces of my collection, too!

AUTUMN

Arrival Date: 5/13/17

Size: 15.5"

Year: 2014

Edition Size: 1800

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $49.95 (Retail $79.95)

Thoughts: I have had my eye on this particular Autumn for months, but none of the ones available ever seemed to sell, so I let others take priority. BAMS recently started putting more bears on ebay and I saw that one of them was this particular Autumn! So I asked about her and was told that she could be pulled off there so I could buy her the normal way, but then another buyer had asked about her first. I spent a day wondering if I'd get to adopt my Autumn, since the others looked more sad and this one just looks sweet and a bit quizzical with her tilted face. But I got the good news and Autumn arrived along with Sergio today. She's so soft and I can't wait for bedtime snuggles. Poor Sergio got chosen first, but he's not getting first cuddles. Autumn's claimed a place next to Pumpkin Pie, who has a similar type of fur and color scheme, although Autumn's much more subdued. I've been planning on seating those two together for ages and I'm happy to finally do it.

SERGIO (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 5/13/17 (Rehomed 8/17/17)

Size: 14"

Year: 2016

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $84.95

Thoughts: Sergio looked rather somber in his picture when I bought him, but in person, he doesn't look much that way. His colors are unusual and not captured well in photos. There's a lot more blue in the steel blue bits than pictures tend to show, although my shot of him here isn't far off. I think he's going to be fun to get to know, because my personality read of him wasn't accurate! Although actually, going way back to my first sight of him in the catalog, I thought he'd be a bit dapper and that I think might be right.

SCRUMMY

Arrival Date: 5/8/17

Size: 16"

Year: 2016

Edition Size: 2000

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $79.95 after $5 coupon

Thoughts: Scrummy and his twin sister Yummy both caught my eye when I first saw the 2016 catalogue, but when I learned they were 16", I decided to skip them. At the time, I was trying to stick to smaller bears, but we know how that turned out. At 16", Scrummy fits right in with Chuck, Clancy and Red Liquorice. He's skinny, but still pleasantly stuffed enough for hugs. I love the colors of his fur, which remind me of non-American licorice. Yummy is similar, only she's got a white face and white fur surrounding dark paw pads on her feet. She'll be purchased eventually, but my stockist has 5, so I'm not in a hurry. I needed a bear to spend my expiring $5 gift certificate on and I was going to order Sergio, but Scrummy is right before him in the photos and I took a look at the two available and fell in love with this guy. You can't tell from this photo, because his face is so dark, but he's got the biggest smile.

KUMA

Arrival Date: 4/1/17

Size: 20"

Year: 2013

Edition Size: 2000

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: ebay (annesbearscrafts)

Cost: $86 (Retail $118.95)

Thoughts: I love this bear. Kuma's been my bed cuddle partner for over a month now and he's kept me happy through my little span of not buying bears while I waited to see what was going on with the 2017 collection coming to the US. (It was delayed, but now we have answers.) Kuma's colors are unbelievable and you have to see him in person to really appreciate how gorgeous this design is. I never thought a bear could come close to Oodles in my heart, but this guy did it. Even when I get new bears, Kuma's still going to be sitting in my bed in a special place.

RED LIQUORICE

Arrival Date: 3/31/17

Size: 15"

Year: 2015

Edition Size: 1900

Designer: Heather Lyell

Features: Standing and 6-way jointed. She has a joint in her mid-torso.

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $67.95 (Retail $104.95)

Thoughts: Continuing with my Heather Lyell kick, I finally picked up Red Liquorice, who's been on my want list since I started collecting. She's got an awesome torso joint and she fits in so perfectly with Chuck and Clancy.

DAISYCHAIN

Arrival Date: 3/27/17

Size: 15.5"

Year: 2014 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 3000

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $47

Thoughts: Pansy's partner-in-crime! I'm glad I knew what to expect, because while Daisychain's limbs aren't as loose as Pansy's, her head is even looser! I wrapped a green ribbon around her neck to stabilize it a bit and now I feel much better about her.

MISCHIEF

Arrival Date: 3/20/17

Size: 16"

Year: 2012

Edition Size: 3000

Designer: Heather Lyell

Features: Magnetic front paws

Purchased From: ebay (Bonniesbears)

Cost: $79.99

Thoughts: The longer-faced Heather Lyell designs took awhile to grow on me, but I saw someone in the UK selling the cutest Mischief, so I went looking for one that would get here faster and found this guy. He's got loads of personality and I love the magnetic paws feature. He sits by Pumpkin Pie and I often squeeze their feet when I walk past, just like I do with Susan.

SEEK

Arrival Date: 3/15/17

Size: 11"

Year: 2016

Edition Size: 2400

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $75.95

Thoughts: The last of my 2016 preorders finally rolled in in March 2017. This is typical for CBs. Hide finally got her brother, who is actually my preferred of the two designs.

PANSY

Arrival Date: 3/13/17

Size: 15.5"

Year: 2013 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 3000

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: Facebook

Cost: $55

Thoughts: I grabbed Pansy from a fellow Floridian collector, because pansies are one of my favorite flowers and she's just beautiful. I was a bit dismayed when I saw how wobbly she was, but she really is supposed to be that level of wobbly. She's got thick fur for a smaller bear and is excellent at cuddles.

SCARECROW

Arrival Date: 3/11/17

Size: 19"

Year: 2015

Edition Size: 2700

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Features: Standing bear

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $83 (Retail $124.95)

Thoughts: This guy popped into my wish list after me seeing him several times and gradually falling for him. He's a standing bear, so he's actually better at that than sitting. He stands guard on the shelf between Shades and Graeme.

BAMBOOZLE

Arrival Date: 3/10/17

Size: 17.5"

Year: 2014

Edition Size: 1800

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $79.95 (Retail $113.95)

Thoughts: After getting Befuddle, Bamboozle was a must have, so I grabbed him when he was on special. Unfortunately, he's not as cuddly as she is. I think he's stuffed more. He's very sturdy and doesn't have a lot of give, but to be fair, he only got one shot at sleep cuddles. I'll try again! His colors are lovely though and he's a nice complement to Befuddle. I need to get Loulabelle to sit with them, too.

DAKOTA

Arrival Date: 3/4/17

Size: 18"

Year: 2015

Edition Size: 2700

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Features: Plumo

Purchased From: Samantha's Dolls 

Cost: $114.95

Thoughts: I can't remember how I came across Dakota, but she obviously stuck in my mind, because I preordered 2017's Olien to have that tan/blue combo. Well, I saw real photos of Olien and didn't care for him, so I looked up Dakota and eventually tracked one down. She's plumo like Hubble, but her mohair isn't scratchy, so she's better to sleep with. She's a very beautiful bear.

SPRUCE

Arrival Date: 3/2/17

Size: 15"

Year: 2012 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 700

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Facebook

Cost: $71

Thoughts: Spruce had been on my wantlist for ages, but being such a low production number and a Secret Collection, he doesn't turn up that often. I found him in a Facebook CB sales group and bought him. He hit a bump in the road and was returned to the sender once, but then made it to me just fine the second time. His fur is splendid and very reminiscent of what he's named after. He's one of the only bears allowed to keep his bell necklace because it's just lovely. He's a wobbler, so he doesn't get cuddled a lot, but he is good for it. I probably shouldn't be as afraid of the wobblier level of wobble joints, but I can't help it sometimes! Spruce sits with Eden, like Demi is with Bray and Tick Tock with Oodles.

WISTERIA

Arrival Date: 2/16/17

Size: 13.5"

Year: 2016 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 1000

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Charlie Bears Direct

Cost: $58.39

Thoughts: Darling Wisteria was my second CB Direct purchase. Her fur is SO SOFT. It's this special kind that's just amazing. She's a tiny delicate little bear that's perfect to hold. 

CLANCY

Arrival Date: 2/13/17

Size: 17"

Year: 2016

Edition Size: 2000

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $97.95

Thoughts: After Chuck, I absolutely needed Clancy. He's not quite as cuddly, because he's more sturdy and not floppy like Chuck. But he's super endearing anyway and has the same gorgeous colors.

CHUCK

Arrival Date: 2/8/17

Size: 14.5"

Year: 2016

Edition Size: 2800

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $68.95 (Retail $85.95)

Thoughts: Chuck and Clancy were on my want list since I first saw the 2016 catalog, but I couldn't quite bring myself to add them to my preorders and pay that much for them. I think I imagined them as smaller than they actually are. But Chuck went on the daily special and I grabbed him and that was it. His colors are so stunning. Pictures do him zero justice. That black-tipped red is absolutely divine, and I love black and red anyway. He's a great little floppy bear with a lot of personality. I've been spending quite a bit of time with him recently and he's excellent for cuddles. I hold him with one arm and Kuma with the other!

GILBERT

Arrival Date: 1/30/17

Size: 15.5"

Year: 2016 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 760

Designer: Alison Mills

Purchased From: Charlie Bears Direct

Cost: $50.40

Thoughts: Gilbert is like Brussell, so unique that you can't quite believe they're CBs. I saw him on ebay and flipped out, because I wanted one really badly. I ended up discovering Charlie Bears Direct shipped to the US and ordered him. He got here amazingly fast and I just adore this little guy. He's got the sweetest goofy face and those enormous ears.

BEFUDDLE

Arrival Date: 1/13/17

Size: 20"

Year: 2015

Edition Size: 2400

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $90

Thoughts: I went through some hurdles to get Befuddle. I won her on ebay for a great price, but then the seller couldn't find her, so I got my money back. Then I bought her from another seller and she took awhile to arrive, despite being in my state. But finally, she made it. I didn't bond with her right away, but after sleep-cuddling her a second time, that was enough. She's very luxe and just amazing to hug with all that gorgeous fur. The first seller did eventually find her, but I'd already adopted this girl.   

SUSAN

Arrival Date: 1/5/17

Size: 18"

Year: 2016

Edition Size: 3400

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $107.95

Thoughts: Oh, my girl. I saved her photo in my selection of bears I'd love to buy from my stockist and just kept going back to her and going back, and finally, she came home. Last Susan in stock! She is like Dipsy. Some Susans look sad, some are just cute. Mine is a curmudgeon. I spent a lot of time with Susan in the first months after I bought her. She got dragged around the apartment a lot, slept with a lot. She's a taller bear, but she's skinny yet still cuddly. Somehow she's just perfect. I usually squeeze her foot when I walk past her shelf.

SMUDGE

Arrival Date: 1/5/17

Size: 12"

Year: 2014 Secret Collection

Edition Size: 4750

Designer: Heather Lyell

Purchased From: ebay

Cost: $51

Thoughts: It took me months to get Smudge, because I had to wait for more stockists to put him on ebay and then find just the right face. I had a great one, but he got bought before I got paid. Then this guy came around and I grabbed him. I have actually seen one since that I like better, but don't tell him that! I can't afford to buy doubles. Heh. And I wouldn't sell this one anyway. He sits smack dab in the middle of the Bray/Eden/Oodles top shelf and I meet his little eyes multiple times a day.

TICK TOCK

Arrival Date: 12/29/16

Size: 14"

Year: 2013

Edition Size: 3000

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: Rewards Bear (Retail $81.95)

Thoughts: Tick Tock was in the bargain section of my stockist, but when it got down to only one left, he went back to regular price. I was sad I'd missed out on the deal and really wanted him, but I had this thought in the back of my mind that I could choose him for my rewards bear, and that's exactly what happened. He is splendid. Absolutely splendid. No photos I take can quite capture this guy's gorgeous face. He sits with Oodles, because they have similar, very...I don't know...almost alive with expression faces. He's another very underrated bear that I cannot believe more people don't like. 

PEPPER POT

Arrival Date: 12/29/16

Size: 12"

Year: 2016

Edition Size: 2760

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $66.95

Thoughts: Pepper Pot! Oh, I love him. He frustrated me though, because Australia and one US stockist had him way back in March, but he didn't make it to the UK or my stockist until December. Late December, too. I couldn't figure it out, but apparently this is a thing sometimes. I was a good customer though and didn't break my preorder. I'm glad I didn't, because I have never seen another Pepper Pot that looks quite like mine.I think he's a very underrated bear. You hardly ever see him, but he's a tiny delight.

KEKEZZA

Arrival Date: 12/29/16 

Size: 15.5"

Year: 2016

Edition Size: 3200

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $89.95

Thoughts: Kekezza grabbed my attention in the 2016 catalogue, but I didn't preorder her. Firmly back into bears, after a short break between July and October, I was happy to adopt her. She's an unusual bear and I love that, though she's got the long wispy hairs that don't make her the best for cuddles. She's the only bear to still have her necklace sewn on, as I didn't want to mess up her fur. European regulations mean the bears now have their necklaces sewn on, so you have to carefully clip them off unless you want them to stay where they are.

TANGO

Arrival Date: 12/27/16

Size: 13.5"

Year: 2015

Designer: Kaycee Bears

Purchased From: Beacon's Glow

Cost: $94.95

Thoughts: My second Kaycee Bear. Tango's color did not disappoint in the least. I love this shade and he sits next to Pumpkin Pie so they can revel in being orange together.

MALCOLM (Rehomed)

Arrival Date: 11/25/16 (Rehomed 5/18/17)

Size: 14"

Year: 2016 Birthday Box Bear, LE 6000

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: $71.95

Thoughts: Malcolm was the birthday box last year and I was glad, because I like the big guy, but will never buy him. He's cute, but doesn't get given a lot of attention. He hangs out with Shades, Scarecrow and Graeme on their shelf. I decided to rehome him, because he doesn't get the attention he deserves. I guess I prefer my tougher-looking bears to be big guys.

DEMI

Arrival Date: 11/25/16

Size: 13"

Year: 2013

Edition Size: 3000

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Bears Against MS

Cost: Contest Prize (Retail $71.95)

Thoughts: Demi! A very female bear canonically, so to speak, but mine is male and grumpy. Demi's been on my stockist's sale list for ages and I always had my eye on him, but never got around to purchasing, because there were two I just could not choose between. Well, it came time for the anniversary of CB and my stockist had a fun party on Facebook. I was shocked to learn that I was the lucky winner of the free bear, drawn from the names of those who had participated in the day's contests! It took me a bit to pore over the offerings, but Demi seemed the obvious choice. He's a lovely purple and sits on Bray's lap. He's one of the only bears I have left the necklace on and one of the very, very few who get to wear a bell.