BruinMischief.com
Title
Bruin Mischief
Description
I have been creating teddy bears since 1993. I’ve collected bears since my childhood. When I was six my family went to Yellowstone, as we stopped to look at the mother bear with her two cubs, I got out of the back of the camper to see them. My parents, not realizing this, drove away, leaving me with the bears; thus I was nicknamed "Goldilocks"
On that same trip my 12 year old brother tore the eye off my favorite teddy, my 10 year old cousin felt so sad for me she gave me her teddy - a wonderful 12" Steiff Zotty. My brother had an 18" Zotty who I confiscated, and the two bears, along with a 3" Schuco became my constant companions.
Almost twenty five years later I was complaining to my favorite bear (one of about 300) how unhappy I was with my job, it suddenly occurred to me - I should try making my own. Why not make bears to give someone else the joy, companionship and unconditional love I’d found in my teddies. My mom was a professional seamstress. I had learned to sew from her by osmosis. I would sit at her feet while she sewed and play with my bears. Today I sew my bears on the very same machine my mom used when I was a child. I started making bears with a pattern I found in a teddy bear magazine. The finished bear looked more like a mouse than a bear so I developed my own patterns in hopes of achieving a more "bear like" bear. Originality in design and quality workmanship are very important to me. From that first bear I wanted a creation from my soul that I could be proud of. About a year later I exhibited my bears at a teddy bear show, sold one, and never looked back.
