"The Headbean for Mayor! " Yes folks...
he's running for Mayor of Boyds Town, and as part of his special campaign appearance on
QVC, we were treated to the world-wide premier of the Bearly-Built Village, as well as,
Premier Editions of several new Spring Dollstones, 2 great hours of terrrrrrrific plush,
and lots of fun and surprises when QVC and Boyds teamed up for January 2000 Collector's
Day!
During the resin program, Hishonor Gary Lowenthal, proudly presented the
Premier Editions of Bailey's Cozy Cottage, The Public Libeary, Edmund's Hideaway, The
Ted E. Bear Shop, and The Boyds Bearly A School. Limited to 3000 of each style,
these little resin houses are exquisitely detailed and have removable roofs and tiny
little vignettes inside, and those lift out to reveal a secret message. As expected, they
were a total sell-out, but subsequent editions of 5100 each will soon be available at
Boyds retailers. Be sure to look for Alphonse or Sally, the little bears, hiding somewhere
on each cottage!
As they have done in the past, Boyds also presented Premier Editions
(3000 of each piece) of the some of the newest pieces in the Dollstone line. They were: "Cindy
with Collier...Dress Up", a mixed media piece featuring a little girl in a dress
trimmed with a lace collar trying to tie a real ribbon on her dog; "Brook with
Joshua...Puddle Jumpers" which depicted a little girl in a bright red rain coat
and hat splashing through a big rain puddle with her little bear by the hand; and "Barbara
Ann with Jodi and Annie...Stitched With Love" with a little girl using an antique
sewing machine with a hand turned wheel to make an outfit for her doll. Watching was
Annie, seated beside her and Jodi who had to stand on a book to see her sewing. Regular
editions of 6000 each will be available in the retail line.
Other new items but in regular editions included: "Bailey the
Honey Bear" Le Bearmoge porcelain box with Bailey sitting on a beehive surrounded
by sunflowers and eating honey. (A tiny bear, of course, was hiding inside.); The "Huck
with Mandy, Zoe and Zack" Bearstone with Huck giving his little friends a ride in
the "Bear Express" wagon; two brand new Purrstones - "Pokie
Pawsworthy...The Bug Inspector" with a dragon fly perched on his nose and "Momma
Purrsmore, and Baby Belle with Rinkie, Dinky and Dew...Once Upon a Time" with the
mouse trio wearing tiny glasses to read along in the storybook; and the Wee Folkstone
Faerie, "Sudsie Faeriesock...The Mischief Maker" sitting on a basket of
laundry just waiting for the chance to make a few socks disappear!
The plush show was one fabulous item after another and "Sold
Out" signs were appearing at a rapid pace! First up was Mr. Chucklebeary, a
"most unusual bear" made in a fantastic blue plush with Lurex flecks giving it a
special sparkle. This little cutie had a smiling mouth and the typical antique body style
with a humped back. Pink and purple removable ruffled collars and fuzzy pom poms trimmed
this latest clown in the Boyds line-up.
Wilbur and Bartley Poochley were a darling set of two chenille
dogs wearing "cool" bandannas. Wilbur was rust and white with a navy blue
bandanna with ivory stars and Bartley was tan and sporting a red plaid bandanna. Measuring
about 10" each, they had shaving on the top and front of their muzzles giving them
sweet little faces, and long hockey stick arms, short legs and ears that could be posed. I
especially liked the way their paws were stitched tightly to form little toes! These were
a launch and sold out.
Mary Beth Roe announced that the next set shown was half way to being a
sell-out just from the previews, and it was easy to understand why Hannah, Ursula,
Greta and Sarabeth in their rich red and white outfits were so popular! Hannah was a
14" white plush dressed in a red velvet romper and hat with a large white silk flower
on the upturned brim. In her paw she had a canvas bag embroidered with a red heart.
Accompanying her were Ursula, an 8" gold archive bear in an off-white velvet jumper
trimmed with a red embroidered heart and Greta, a 6" mocha archive bear in a red
velvet hat with a white silk flower. She was holding Sarabeth, a white angel Wuzzie
measuring a tiny 2 1/2 ". The entire quantity was gone very quickly. They will make a
perfect Valentine's Day vignette for some lucky bear fans!
Several sets on the show were combinations of items from the retail line
with QVC launches. One such set was the retail line bear Bristol, who was presented
with Chelsea and Cornwell, who were launches. These 8 1/2" plush bears
featured the new two-toned faces for Boyds bears. Bistol was British tan with a white
muzzle and ears and a black jacquard neck ribbon. Cornwell had golden brown fur and a
white muzzle and ears with a green ribbon. Chelsea was all cream color and she had a pink
neck ribbon.
Latte Lapinne, Katalina Kafinata, and Josanna Java were a
combination as well, with Latte the white hare, being another QVC launch. Katalina was a
light brown cat and Josanna, a brown bear. All three were outfitted in
"Americana" prints and plaids and were 5 1/2 inch non-jointed ornaments which
would look super added to a summer wreath or as package trimmers if you didn't want them
to just "hang around" the house.
The last combo retail/launch was Tatters and Patches B. Beariluved,
which Mayor Gary said were "wonderful for a hundred different reasons"!
Patches is in the Spring line and Tatters was a launch. These bent knee bears with
elongated bean shaped bodies can be shelf-sitters or posed in a variety of ways. They were
Hishonor's Pick of the Show and had blue gingham checked bows around their necks and cute
red checked patches and stitches on their bodies and paws as if they had been mended after
years of much luvin'.
Mary Beth's Pick of the Show was the QVC Exclusive Cassandra Purrsley,
a soft and sweet shaggy chenille 14" cat with a dark reddish-pink voile ribbon around
her neck. She was adorable with cupped ears and puffy toes and a new style of eyes (found
after much searching by Liz Smith). They have tiny lines in the blue iris and large black
pupils, like the eyes often used for dolls. No surprise that Cassandra was gone quickly.
Delta was a delightful exclusive, this time a big 16" brown
bear designed with a 1930's look with shaving on her nose reaching a peak above her
two-toned brown eyes. Another Liz Smith design, she wore a red and white checked dress
trimmed with tan and tan tea-dyed bloomers. The dress had pin-tucks on the bodice and
buttoned up the front. Her beautiful woven straw hat was trimmed with the dress fabric and
had red silk carnations.
14"bears, 16 bears" and then even 18"!! Grovsnor S.
Grizbear was a really big hunk o' bear and also a QVC exclusive. He featured soft
fiberfill on top and beans in his bottom and was designed to be heavy and hug-able.
Grosvnor was a white plush neeked bear with a sheer voile multicolored neck ribbon and he
sold out quickly.
Karen B. Bearsdale was another QVC exclusive and another
sell-out. She was a light brown bear in a cotton romper and hat. The blue and white plaid
fabric used was a brand new one for Boyds, and is also featured on several items in the
Spring 2000 retail line. Purple rosettes trimmed the romper and that color was picked up
in the light muted pastel shades of the flowers on her matching plaid hat. She featured
hazel eyes with black centers.
Also a sell-out, Miss Amirella and Ripley was a Limited Edition
Set (3000, available only on QVC) of bear, dog and trunk containing "extra"
outfits for this well-dressed young lady. Miss Amirella was a gold bean bag bear dressed
in a dark brown corduroy dress and a wool-blend "menswear checked" coat with
brown velour trim and matching flower trimmed hat. Inside her black trunk she had a tan
corduroy romper and a cute raincoat which was plaid on the inside and black nylon on the
outside. Her companion, Ripley Q. Drooler is the first tri-colored Wuzzie dog and his
"fur coat" was tan, black and white. Miss Amirella was 8" and Ripley was
3". Mary Beth mentioned that "trunk dolls" have always been popular, and
she was delighted to see this "trunk bear".
Starlight B. Bearsworth was another big fellow, this time a
whopping 17" of shaggy taupe colored chenille. He featured an entirely new facial
look and style for Boyds. He had a shaved muzzle, a very high forehead and closely set
beautiful two-toned brown eyes. Starlight's paw pads and big bow around his neck were made
in navy blue fabric with a small star print.
Mary Beth and Gary also presented some items which we have seen before
on other QVC shows, and several things from the Spring line which are, or will soon be,
available at your favorite retail store, such as Lois and Clark, Edmund and Bailey.
He wobbled, he bobbled and he was brand new! Bobble B. Beansford
was a new design with a "moving" head. A coffee colored 10" shaggy chenille
bear wearing a bright red jacquard ribbon around his wobbly neck, he was a big hit with
shoppers who couldn't resist him after Gary demonstrated how his head could be posed
tilted to one side or in a variety of different adorable angles.
Leo, Tumble and Topper were an exclusive/retail combo. A new trio
of T. F. Wuzzies, they were Leo the Lion and Tumble the clown, designed by Liz Smith and
Topper the monkey, an exclusive designed by Jody Battaglia. (The lion in the retail line
is named Theo, but this is what Gary said, and he's the Headbean, so I'm telling you what
I heard!)
Also designed by Bear Artist Jody Battaglia, the set of Martha and
George Jodibears were smaller than others in that series and were a launch by QVC.
These little darlings were 5" light brown bears fully dressed in mini print fabrics.
Martha wore bloomers and a dress with a matching hat and George was all dressed up in
shirt, pants and suspenders.
Nothing on the show, no matter how well dressed, could equal the attire
worn by the candidate for re-election! Who the heck elected him before? Oh, of course, he
"appointed" hisself!! Gary's outfit of lime green satin jacket, lavender ruffled
shirt (ala Elvis?) plaid pants, high boots and campaign promise-size tall purple hat made
him a stand-out, as well as an out-standing host. I'll cast my vote for the man who
promised a bear in every room, and always admits that he "only lies to us on days
that end in y"!
QVC
Report 
Gary will be back on QVC in March for the Easter Show and
the Boyds "Mini-Bear Diane" will be there February 21st for the first
ever Boyds Doll Show. I'll see you again soon!
EXCLUSIVES:
Cassandra Purrsley, Delta, Grovsnor S. Grizbear, Karen B. Bearsdale, Miss Amirella
and Ripley, Mr. Chucklebeary ("You can only find it at QVC"??)
