I’ve been writing lots lately about a certain bear with a blue nose and his friends. Florence is smitten with the collection and at an event recently fell in love with the dress up version which I wrote about recently. I know that Tatty Teddy and his Blue Nose Friends are collectors items and I remembered that a good friend of mine is one of those said collectors! She very kindly agreed to write a guest post for me about why she loves them so much! I love her story, hope you do too!

Yes, I Cut Off The Tags!!!!

I love and always have loved cuddly toys!  When I was younger we had bunk beds at home, but I didn’t share a room.  Apparently my sister (who is 3 ½ years older) didn’t like sharing a room with me!  How rude………. anyway back to the beds.  I slept on the bottom, with a pink canopy around it, and on the top were my cuddly toys.  There were lots, I mean it was full!  I knew each one, could tell if one was missing and had them all in a set order.  The special privileged few slept on the bottom bunk with me.  In my late teens/early 20’s you could still find a number of cuddly toys (minus the bunk beds) on my bed, and yes I still went to sleep cuddling one!!!  That all changed once I met my now husband, their new place was on a shelf or (sob) for some, the loft!

So it comes as no surprise that I love ‘Me To You Bears’ by Tatty Teddy And My Blue Nose Friends, and yes they live on a shelf (well until I had my daughter, but to that later).  It’s hard to say why I love them; there are a number of reasons really, the softness, the cute little blue nose, the patches or the different types?  Ruth remembered me obsessing over a ‘Me To You Bear’ once, because of one I desperately wanted years ago when we worked together.  He was dressed up in an elephant onesie, cute right?  I knew I wanted him, but couldn’t find him anywhere!  I did manage to get him though: my fiancé found him while working away for the week, I was a happy girl.

This leads nicely on to another reason why I love them: the memories.  So many of my bears are linked to fun or sweet memories and I’ll share a few with you.

Tatty Teddy slippers – I really, really, really wanted these for Christmas.  My now husband was left in no doubt that he HAD to get them for me, which he did.  However he thought he was funny: he had wrapped them up individually.  One was given in the morning before Christmas dinner and it took a number of hours for him to give me the other foot.

Guiding bear – I am a Girl Guide leader.  My parents gave me a bear that is wearing a Guiding uniform.   He always joins me on camps.

Limited addition Large Brown Bear – I remember seeing this bear, which is what the Tatty Teddy looks like before being left in the snow and became damaged, and  I thought he looked adorable.   He also came with a story book about how he became Tatty.  I knew I wanted to have it and give to my child (whenever that would be).  The Bear now lives in my daughter’s room and the book is a favourite bedtime story.

I know some people keep theirs in pristine condition, with the tags left on.  I once did that, but now as a Mummy I want my daughter to enjoy them and for her that involves playing/cuddling/touching them, so yes I cut/remove the tags!  What is the point in having a cuddly toy if you don’t cuddle it?!?

Did I mention the nickname my husband gave me when we first got together?  It was bear!

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