Inside this Issue: Mardi Gras Anniversary 1st Internet Only Edition of Town Tattler Disney Event Review Glenn s Garden Create Your Contest 2009 Issue 1
Membear Only Perks Y ou are entitled to special membears only perks. We are happy to offer you a sweet double teddie figurine that is only available to 2009 membears and only through the exclusive Club web site! Jean & Hubert is an adorable teddie couple who shows their playful side as they dress as colorful clowns for the 15th anniversary celebration. They make the perfect addition to your 2009 costume ball! Visit the Club section of www.enesco. com now to order yours. Jean & Hubert Membears Only Internet Exclusive! #4012928 $37.50 US SRP N ot only is it the beginning of a new calendar year, but a new Club year as well. It just so happens that the year 2009 marks the 15th anniversary of the Cherished Teddies Club and brings some exciting changes to the Club. You ll notice that the Town Tattler has now gone electronic! With this new format you will receive your newsletter in a more timely fashion, with news that is quick and current. This option is also better for the environment, as we re saving a few trees by not printing. We hope you come to rely on the Town Tattler for the most up-to-date news and information. And, as always, we welcome your suggestions! See page 8 of this issue to see how you can contribute your contest ideas. And, of course, this offer is in addition to your many other Club benefits, including: We know that many of you enjoy saving your Town Tattler newsletters, so we have made sure this format is easy to save on your computer and print so you can read it at your leisure. If you are reading this on the Club web site and it was not delivered to your email address, please email us your name, membearship number, and the email address you d like us to have on file to ctclub@enesco.com. If you do not have web access at your home, most local libraries have free access, or ask a friend, relative or neighbor to print your newsletter for you. Donavon, your Symbol of Membearship figurine A beautiful memory keeper kit box. A figural photo clip to hold your photos, cards or notes. A subscription to the NEW quarterly Town TattlerSM e-newsletter The exclusive opportunity to purchase Membears Only Figurines Your personalized membearship card The opportunity to participate in fantastic Cherished Teddies events and special programs throughout the year We also have a special program for our Charter Membears. As Charter Membears have been club members since the inception of the club, the charter club membears will also receive a special 15th anniversary club lapel pin. We are so glad you are with us for the 2009 Club year, and all the anniversary celebration fun we have in store. If you have yet to renew your membearship, you can do so now! And don t forget that membearship also makes a great gift for anyone who loves teddies. Happy reading! Beary Sincerely Yours, Your Friends At Club Headquarters Bill & Linda #CT0093 $35.00 US Viola #CT0092 $27.50 US Clyde #CT0091 $25.00 US Donavon 2009 Symbol of Membearship On Our Cover: Jean & Hubert Internet Exclusive Club Figurine #4012928 2 $37.50 US SRP All of this, a value of more than $45.00, for just $29.99! If you have not yet renewed for 2009, see a Cherished Teddies retailer near you, visit www.enesco.com or call 1-800-4-ENESCO today. Program varies in Canada. Canadian membears may call 1-800-582-0338 to renew. 3
It Was a Disney December to Remember Meet Bonnie Coladonato! ACherished Teddies carnival themed evening was especially enjoyed by everyone. Carnival games and the chance to pick-your-own Cherished Teddies prizes had the sound of laughter echoing through the room all night. Walt Disney World is a place where magic can be found around every corner and countless dreams come true every day. This held especially true for the guests of the Cherished Teddies Weekend Extravaganza that took place this past December. More than 200 collectors took part in the four day event which was jam-packed with fun, prizes and Disney excitement. One of the prizes during Carnival Night was the chance to be featured in this newsletter! Bonnie Coladonato from Greencastle, PA was one of our lucky winners. Bonnie and her husband of 36 years, Bob, have been collecting Cherished Teddies figurines since 1997. They attended the event in Disney World to celebrate her 60th birthday. The Very Merry Mickey Christmas was one of the highlights of the trip. I just love Disney and Christmas, and it was a wonderful experience to spend this time seeing old friends I had met at other conventions, says Bonnie. It s the teddies cute faces that draw her to the collection, that and her love for teddie bears in general. I love the fact that Pricilla and Glenn name their teddies. Kerry was the last one I needed to complete my entire family, she says. Now I have all my family member teddies displayed together. Bonnie finds the earlier, more tattered bears truly endearing, but she appreciates how the bears have evolved over the past 15 years. Collectors enjoyed an exclusive night at Magic Kingdom for the Very Merry Christmas Party with a spectacular parade, short lines for the attractions and a festive holiday atmosphere. Some of Bonnie s favorite figurines are those with a beach theme, but her absolute favorite piece is the customer appreciation figurine from 1993. When I saw it, I instantly loved it. Bob bought it from another collector and gave it to me for my birthday one year. He put so much effort into getting that piece, it s been my favorite ever since, Bonnie explains. With more than 800 figurines in her collection, Bonnie accommodates many of the pieces in a dedicated Cherished Teddies room in their basement that is lined with display cases. She also enjoys decorating the rest of the house with her teddies, and she brings out the holiday ones for special seasonal decorating. 4 Guests also enjoyed meeting and chatting with artist Glenn Hillman, and the feeling was mutual! I had a great time visiting with so many wonderful people. The weather was perfect and the event was relaxing, said Glenn. He graciously signed figurines and took photos with collectors throughout the weekend. It was an event that will never be forgotten, with so many cherished memories made. We are happy so many of you were able to attend, and we look forward to seeing you and more Cherished Teddies friends at future events! Over her years of collecting, one thing has always remained the same her appreciation for the artists behind the collection. It is always a privilege when I meet Glenn, Priscilla, and Norm. They are warm, caring, and giving people who collectors can relate to. They are just lovely people, she says. We couldn t agree more, Bonnie! Congratulations to Bonnie and our other winners who will be featured in upcoming issues of the Town Tatter. 5
Deliver Some Love This Valentine s Day! It is the time of year to celebrate all the love that we are lucky to have in our lives. This loving teddie is adorned with pretty pink hearts and red ribbons to celebrate the occasion! In fact, she is delivering a whole bushel of heartfelt wishes to the one she loves the most. Sweetheart that she is, she is available just in time for Valentine s Day at Cherished Teddies retailers and at enesco.com. Add her to your collection as a symbol of the love you and your Valentine share. Sasha Delivering All My Love To You #4012273 $31.75 US SRP Think Spring! No, it is not too early to be thinking of blooming bulbs and buzzing bees, spring will be here before we know it! And with spring comes gardening. Working in the soil is not only exercise for the body, but also for the soul bringing to realization beautiful works of living art. In celebration of this season of renewal, three new garden-themed figurines are now available. From new seedlings to pots of lovely blooms, these pieces echo the fresh season of spring. They are available now at Cherished Teddies retailers and at www.enesco.com. Sarah & Kensie Watch What can grow with seeds of hope #4012864 $35.00 US SRP Carmella True friendship is never uprooted #4012861 $22.50 US SRP Julia Keep on Blooming #4012863 $22.50 US SRP An Egg-ceptional Easter is Ahead! Commemorate the splendor of Easter with this cheerful teddie in her egg-shaped wagon! Pulled by a helpful goose, this figurine makes a wonderful addition to an Easter dinner centerpiece, or placed Fiora Spring Is Filed With Egg-Citement #4012272 $31.75 US SRP anywhere as a sweet, springtime accent. It is available in stores and on-line now. An Artist s Garden As many of you may know, artist Glenn Hillman is an avid and well-recognized gardener. His gardens have been featured in several publications and provide a source of great joy and inspiration for Glenn. He shares with us his thoughts on his gardens as spring approaches. Everyone s approach to gardening is different. And while Glenn has distinct preferences as to color and texture combinations, he has a have no fear attitude. He knows that if he doesn t like something it can always be changed. 6 Unearth Some Irish Luck Saint Patrick s Day is right around the corner, and this festive Irish fairy would like to help celebrate with a basket filled with shiny gold! She sits atop a mushroom much like leprechauns are often depicted. According to the medieval Irish, leprechauns even used mushrooms to protect them from the rain. They are also said to dine on them, along with some shamrocks. It is interesting to note that certain types of mushrooms are strongly associated with fairies because of the way they grow. The mushroom Marasmius oreades is often called the Fairy Ring mushroom because of its growth pattern. It often grows in a near perfect circle, which came to be called a fairy ring by the people of old Europe. When they came upon these rings of mushrooms in grassy clearings, they assumed there must have been magical creatures like fairies, wood nymphs, or leprechauns doing their nightly dances, inside these mysterious rings. And who are we to say that they don t still do so today? Invite this bit of Irish lore into your home. Deirdre is available now at Cherished Teddies retailers and on-line at enesco.com. Deirdre So Lucky To Have A Friend in You #4012284 $26.00 US SRP Glenn s garden is well-established, so this time of year he looks through the plant catalogs he receives in the mail to check out the most cutting edge plants that he may consider adding to the mix. His designs incorporate heirloom varieties with newcomers just entering the American garden scene. In January he uses boughs from his Christmas tree to provide an extra layer of protection for his plants. But he begins his real outdoor work as early as February. I start with general shrub maintenance. I prune shrubs, fruit trees and hydrangeas and remove any damaged wood, Glenn explains. He officially uncovers his garden in April. This is when he starts cleaning up the beds, fertilizes, and divides perennials. His alpine garden begins blooming in April and continues through May. As the growing season wears on, the colors of Glenn s garden grow warmer. In spring, you ll find a lot of blue and yellow plants blooming together. In June, the pinks and grays begin. By early autumn, purples meet the pinks. Each season brings something unique to the gardens, he says. While it is clear that gardening is one of Glenn s passions, he doesn t want to spend his time fussing over delicate plants. I grow things that are tough and hardy, and most annuals are in pots that are easy to care for, says Glenn. A walk through his gardens will have you gazing at an abundance of variegated plants, bearded irises, peonies, Lady s Mantle, catnip, lots of lacy-cut leaves and pastel shades. It s a place that puts a busy artist like Glenn at ease. 7
Create Your Contest Some of the best ideas we get, whether it s for a specific figurine, an event, or a newsletter article, come from Club membears just like you! So here s a new contest for you we would like to hear your contest ideas. Be creative and think of what kind of contest you would like to participate in. Send us your ideas along with an answer key if applicable. Be sure to also include a photo of yourself, your membearship number, and tell us how you came up with your idea. E-mail entries to ctclub@enesco.com or send to: Cherished Teddies Club Create-A-Contest, 225 Windsor Drive, Itasca, IL 60143. We will randomly choose contests to feature in upcoming issues of the Town Tatter sm. If your contest is chosen, you will receive a Cherished Teddies figurineas our gift to you! Please submit entries by May 15 2009. Think it s too late to renew for 08? Think again! There are still a limited number of 2008 Club kits available, so if you have not yet renewed, now is your last chance to retain your membership number! Membearship kits and Membears Only Figurines are subject to availability and the 2008 Membears Only piece, CT0083 is sold out. To renew your membearship for 2008 before your chance is gone forever, see your local Cherished Teddies retailer, visit the club section of enesco. com, or call 1-800-4-ENESCO. Canadian membears may call 1-800-582-0338 to renew. 8 2009 Hillman Family, LLC, Licensee Enesco, LLC. All rights reserved worldwide. The Town Tattler sm is the official publication of the Cherished Teddies Club sm, 225 Windsor Dr., Itasca, Illinois 60143. It is intended for the sole use of Club membears. Any facsimile reproduction, including photocopy or xerographic reproduction, is strictly prohibited under the copyright laws of the United States of America. The Town Tattler sm, Cherished Teddies Town, Cherished Teddies and The Cherished Teddies Club sm are trademarks and service marks of Enesco, LLC. All Cherished Teddies items shown are protected by copyright 1991-2008 Hillman Family, LLC, licensee Enesco, LLC. Visit us at www.enesco.com. CTC08_136R