BAPTISTE

Arrival Date: 6/17/24

Size: 18"

Year: 2024

Designer: Clemens Spieltiere

Purchased From: Artisanal Bears by Old Griz

Cost: $63

Thoughts: I've seen Clemens bears before, but never bought any. No one really spoke to me until I saw Kitty's pictures of the two Baptistes she had for sale. I fell in love with this particular one and was waiting for payday to order. Then Michal appeared and I was able to get both in one order. Thankfully, the other person to purchase Baptiste fell for the other bear, as mine was the only one left when I ordered! Baptiste is a good size and his different types of plush are very soft. He has good joints and nice movement. I think bears like him would be an excellent alternative if CBs are a little too high-priced for anyone. He's wonderfully cuddly and I absolutely adore him.

MICHAL

Arrival Date: 6/17/24

Size: 17.5"

Year: 2024

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: Artisanal Bears by Old Griz

Cost: $175

Thoughts: I fell in love with some Michals from Australia and the UK, but opted to wait to see what American stockists got in. I ended up finally finding the one I wanted and he was worth waiting for. There are two types of face I like on this bear. One is the more standard cute face. The other is what you see here. I think of it as the Trifle face. The eyes are closer together and the face looks rather small in a larger head. I find it endearing. Michal is very soft. His arms are bent a bit by the paws so they curve for a nice hug. Not one I had planned on getting, but owner/stockist pics are the best advertisements. 

STARBURST

 Arrival Date: 6/12/24

Size: 11"

Year: 2024

Designer: Charlie

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: Free with rewards (Retail $63)

Thoughts: Everyone else is Dazzle crazy, but I am all about Starburst. I LOVE these colors and he's so cute and tiny, yet also cuddly. Way cuddlier than Dazzle. If I wasn't interested in so many bears this year, I would totally buy multiple Starbursts.

JD

Arrival Date: 5/20/24

Size: 14.5"

Year: 2024

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $133

Thoughts: I only have a few, but I love bears with this head shape and then the round ears off to the side a little more. JD is a very unusual fabric. I was not expecting it to be textured, but the peachy bits are shorter pile than the rest. I fell for this guy when my stockist put up pics. JD was on my maybe list, but this one had to be mine. When I saw him, I thought, "Oh, I love him, even with his misshapen head." But his head isn't misshapen at all. That indent under his left ear is where the fabric changes pile length. He's incredibly soft and quite cuddly, though his head is on the firm side.  

AVALON

Arrival Date: 5/20/24

Size: 15"

Year: 2024

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $147

Thoughts: I'm sure most others looked at Avalon in the catalog and thought she'd be a pretty bear with poofy ears. Leave it to me to choose the one that looks more like a grumpy male bear...with poofy ears. He's so soft! I wasn't expecting it. I've settled him in next to his cousin Elizabeth. They go together very nicely.  

E NORMOUS

Arrival Date: 5/20/24

Size: 14"

Year: 2023

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $133

Thoughts: He's finally here! E Normous was my preferred dino of the two and he doesn't disappoint one bit. He's huge and super soft, as well as being more lightly stuffed, so despite having a ton of plates down his back, he's very cuddly. 

DAZZLE

Arrival Date: 5/13/24

Size: 13"

Year: 2024

Designer: Charlie

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: Free with rewards (Retail $68)

Thoughts: Bright little Dazzle is my second 2024 bear. He's lovely colors, though the type of longer fur he's made from is a bit scratchy. 

TWILIGHT

Arrival Date: 5/13/24

Size: 19"

Year: 2023 

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $175

Thoughts: I love Twilight more than I expected to. He was a late addition to my preorders. That face with the tilted head is just too precious. I like his body pose, too, though he's not the cuddliest due to it. 

FANG

Arrival Date: 5/8/24

Size: 14.5"

Year: 2023 

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $133

Thoughts: WHAT A FACE. I fell for this guy instantly and was thrilled that I ended up with him. (IIRC I had second pick.) I don't think there's a happier face on my CB shelves. He's big, but not heavily stuffed, so he's super cuddly. More like a regular plushie than a CB. Some of the Bearhouse are stuffed like this, while others are really sturdy. Highly recommend!

PLUTO

Arrival Date: 5/8/24

Size: 12.5"

Year: 2023 

Designer: Isabelle Lee

Purchased From: BAMS

Cost: $119

Thoughts: The last of the planet bears is finally here! I fell hard for this Pluto and his wide eyes. He might even be cuter than Jupiter and Neptune. My stockist once again picked the perfect necklace for him.