LIVE LIFE NOW * LOVE ALWAYS ~ COME WHAT MAY

For this month, we devote our posting entirely to the celebration of LOVE. After all, it is the month of Valentine's Day, and whether we are in love, out of love or don't believe in love, LOVE is here to stay. And there'll always be someone out there for whom even a small gesture of love and friendship would make a great difference.

So sit back and let Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor whirl you back to the time of Moulin Rouge and lose yourself in their all-consuming love. Sing along to the lyrics below while you browse our special collection of Valentine's Gifts which we got our talented crocheter Third and bear-maker Max to make for us. They are one-of-a-kind gifts that you'll not be able to find anywhere else.

COME WHAT MAY ...
Never knew I could feel like this

Like I've never seen the sky before

Koolly Gang 'A' * Approx 20cm height x 20cm width
Our Koolly Bears & Gang featured here are specially handcrocheted by Third who is trying to make a living from her craft. She learnt to crochet at the age of seven from her neighbour and now creates her own designs. This Valentine's Collection is conceptualised by TeddyThotz in collaboration with Third.

Koolly Gang 'B' * Approx 20cm height x 20cm width

I want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I love you more than this

Koolly Gang 'C' * Approx 18cm height x 20cm width

Koolly Gang 'D' * Approx 18cm height x 20cm width

Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing

Telling me to give you everything

Koolly Gang 'E' * Approx 17cm height x 21cm width

Koolly Gang 'F' * Approx 17cm height x 21cm width

Seasons may change, winter to spring

But I'll love you until the end of time

Koolly Gang 'G' * Approx 14cm height x 15cm width

Come what may, come what may

I will love you until my dying day

Koolly Gang 'H' * Approx 18cm height x 25cm width

Koolly Gang 'I' * Approx 18cm height x 25cm width

Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place

Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace

Koolly Gang 'J' * Approx 15cm height x 20cm width

Koolly Gang 'K' (left) and Koolly Gang 'L' (right)
* Approx 15cm height x 18cm width

Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste

It all revolves around you

Koolly Gang 'M' * Approx 21cm height x 23cm width

Koolly Gang 'N' * Approx 21cm height x 23cm width

And there's no mountain too high, no river too wide

Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side

Koolly Gang 'O' * Approx 16cm height x 19cm width

Koolly Gang 'P' * Approx 17cm height x 21cm width

Storm clouds may gather, and stars may collide

But I'll love you until the end of time

Koolly Gang 'Q' * Approx 17cm height x 22cm width

Koolly Gang 'R' * Approx 17cm height x 22cm width

Come what may, come what may

I will love you until my dying day

MaXX Bear (Big) 'A' (left) and MaXX Bear (Big) 'B' (right)
* Approx 25cm height * Sold separately
This series of Valentine's MaXX Bears and Bunnies is specially designed in
collaboration with Max who has been featured in our January 2011 postings.

Oh come what may, come what may

I will love you (I will love you)

MaXX Bear (Big) 'C' (left) and MaXX Bear (Big) 'D' (right)
* Approx 25cm height * Sold separately

Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place

MaXX Bunny (Big) 'E' (left) and MaXX Bear (Big) 'F' (right)
* Approx 25cm height * Sold separately

Come what may, come what may

I will love you until my dying day

MaXX Bunny (Big) 'G' (left) and MaXX Bunny (Big) 'H' (right)
* Approx 25cm height * Sold separately

The greatest thing you'll ever learnt

Is just to love and be loved in return...

NOTE: FREE delivery to a local address outside active ERP zone with any purchase. To order or for more info, please email jongoh@teddythotz.com or georgewong@teddythotz.com

Creative Expression, Independence through "Weaving Dreams"

Picture shows Mr Pradit Prechanont, President of The Healing Family Foundation, demonstrating the free-form weaving that they refer to as "weaving dreams" when we dropped in recently at the centre located in a quiet part of Chiang Mai. We also met with their Japanese adviser Mr Haruo Nakayama who introduced this activity to the centre as well as to a number of Asian countries.

We decided to visit the centre after reading about its interesting hand-weaving programme for the intellectually disabled that not only provides them an avenue for creative expression but also a source of income. The colourful hand-woven fabric is made into T-shirts, scarves, table runners, coasters, rings and other products which are then retailed to finance the centre's activities.

We wanted to learn more about this weaving technique that encourages artistic expression and that can be learnt by anyone, to explore creative uses for the colourful woven fabric as a way to contribute to the centre's fund. Our initial impression is that the cost of the material would be a major obstacle as the fabric is ten times more costly per square-foot compared to quality cotton fabrics with beautiful prints in the marketplace.

Sadly, we've found that high cost is the major barrier to our attempt to support the services and products which welfare agencies provide. If agencies can be more competitive in their pricing, they'll definitely be able to raise more funds for themselves.

Note: Visitors can purchase products made by The Healing Family Foundation at its premises. Details of the centre's products, activities and location are on its website at www.hffcm.org.

Max and Jon with their MaXX Bears

What a great start to the new year for Jon (right) seen here with his Shifu Max, showing off the bears that they had just finished making. Compared to the Sunshine Bear that we learnt to make not too long ago, this was far more difficult, requiring long needles, plyers and even surgical instruments!!!

We consider ourselves truly blessed that Max, the creator of our MaXX Bears and Bunnies made from recycled jeans, offered to take Jon in as his pupil and shared with Jon his closely guarded bear making techniques and skills.

It was an ultimate act of trust in us because if these bear-making secrets become known to others, it could affect Max's livelihood. We are therefore duty bound to safeguard these secrets to protect Max's interest.

Here's a close-up look of the MaXX bears that Jon and his Shifu Max made:

Rugged Backpacks Made from RECYCLED JEANS!

Talking about CREATIVE RECYCLING, here's a collection of rugged-looking BACKPACKS MADE FROM RECYCLED JEANS and embellished with embroidered badges that are sewn (not glued) onto them. The backpack, made with good quality zip, has two side-pockets decorated with badges, a big zip pocket in front, and a slip pocket inside.

Online price is $28 (with FREE delivery to a local address outside ERP zones). Email us for our catalogue to make your selection. TeddyThotz's other CREATIVE RECYCLING products featured in this blog include MaXX Bears and Bunnies made from recycled jeans and Leather Journals made from leather scraps.

Of Karang Guni Men and CREATIVE RECYCLING

If you think we've got a Karang Guni business going on, you're partly right. Promoting CREATIVE RECYCLING has been one of our social enterprise projects. Recycling isn't new of course. In fact, long before it became a buzz word, the karang guni men were already doing it, collecting unwanted stuff and turning them into cash or usable items.

We spent some back-breaking time rinsing these coffee bean sacks from to rid them of the jute particles and strong smell. Next we'll be embarking on an adventure of discovery to see what useful-and-attractive things we can turn these sacks into. It'll be our most ambitious CREATIVE RECYCLING venture to date.

We hope to have some interesting results to show.

New Textile Teddies and Doggies to Come in the NEW YEAR!

The Textile Teddies and Doggies we featured on our website and on this blog have largely been sold out. THANKS TO ALL WHO 'ADOPTED' THEM.

What can we look forward to in the NEW YEAR - 2011? Come end-January 2011, we will have new Textile Teddies and Doggies in the following fabric patterns:

These fabric prints would be just nice for Lunar New Year around the corner. We've also included some checked prints as alternatives to floral prints. You should be able to see them at our next PaTH Market on 29-30 January 2011 (Sat&Sun) at VivoCity, Level 1, West Court (around Lobby A and C area - the side nearer the sea and Harbourfront).

Meet Our MaXX Bears and Bunnies

We love our MaXX Bears and Bunnies and what better ways to help you appreciate them than to showcase a selection of them here. Whether smart or rugged looking, bruised or bleeding, you can see that every MaXX Bear and Bunny is unique and different. Being UNTYPICAL is the defining characteristic of our MaXX Bears and Bunnies.

To order our MaXX Bears and Bunnies, please contact georgewong@teddythotz.com for pictures of the most current collection.

MaXX Bears and Bunnies ~ Live Life to the MAX!

Every pair of jeans that's been worn for a long time has a characteristics of its own. It would have the DNA of the wearer's unique life experiences in this rough and tumble world.

That's why our MaXX Bears and Bunnies ~ made from RECYCLED jeans ~ are so unusual and intriguing. Every one of them has a personality of its own. Whatever the appearance ~ smart and tough, worn and faded or torn and tattered ~ there's clearly an indomitable spirit in each MaXX Bear and Bunny.

For this unique "CREATIVE RECYCLING" project, we work with indie designer Max who studied communications design and developed his own bear-making techniques. An amazingly creative and nice guy, Max lives a simple life and sends money home regularly to his aged parents who are in their 60s but continue to eke out a living as rice farmers in Chiang Rai.

Our amazingly talented friend Max in his sparsely furnished rented room
where he lives and creates his bears and bunnies from recycled jeans.
The plyers on his lap and the super-long needles in front of him show
what brute strength goes into making our MaXX Bears and Bunnies.

TO ORDER:

Email us for the catalogue of our MaXX Bears and Bunnies if you would like to order. Or follow us on facebook.com/teddythotz.sg or https://www.instagram.com/onekind.george/

MaXX Bears and Bunnies in three sizes (from left): Regular MaXX Bear and
Bunny, Big MaXX Bunny and Jumbo MaXX Bear.

The Creation of Sunshine Bear

We like to get involved in the creation of our products ~ from tweaking existing designs to developing completely new designs, and from knowing what goes into making them to actually learning how to make them.

For our new series of bears which we'll be introducing in time for Christmas, we decided to pick up the needle and thread and sew one ourselves under the guidance of multi-talented Sunisa, our new-found bear maker who's a graduate in fine art, a florist and an entrepreneur. (Wow!!!)

The reason we chose to learn how to make this bear was because this particular bear is COMPLETELY HAND-STITCHED FROM HEAD TO TOE.

Since this bear is Sun-isa's creation and it has a bright and cheerful look with a sense of curiosity and wonderment, we're calling it our SUNSHINE BEAR.

SOCIAL MISSION FOR SUNSHINE BEAR
With the bear making skills that we now have, we'll be sending Sunshine Bear out on some new social missions we have in mind.

The Story of 'Creation': Sunisa's three wise bears waiting for
a miracle about to happen.

Lo and behold! A new bear is taking shape.

New bear is now able to sit with its head, arms and legs
finally attached to its body. In the background is Sunisa.

With ears, eyes, nose and a smile and ribbon added, new

Sunshine bear finally comes to life.

New Sunshine bear is the centre of attraction as everyone wants
to know the story of his creation.

For Other Bear Stories:

See also our blog postings in October on new Textile Teddies and Doggies in Floral, Corduroy and Denim materials.

Creative Recycling ~ Leather Journals Made From Leather Scraps

One of our social enterprise initiatives is to promote CREATIVE RECYCLING in support of the "3 R" effort to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to help our environment. Our Leather Journals are part of that effort. They are made from leather scraps in various textures and tones combined in creative ways to give the journals the naturally raw and rugged look. We work with Ret, a hardworking young man who studied Agriculture thinking he would pursue a career in that field in his largely farming community but instead ended up helping his parents in their small leather business. We're glad to be able to generate business for this humble and friendly family.

Below is a selection available online. They come in four sizes, Size 1 to 4, ranging in price from $13.90 to $28.90 (online prices). Please email us at georgewong@teddythotz.com for the catalogue with the full selection and details.

Ring-Bound JOURNALS Wrapped in FABulous Fabrics

We've always liked hardcover books that are thread-sewn and fabric-wrapped. But for journals or notebooks, where we need to replace used pages, it's not practical to have the pages bound and glued. We decided, therefore, to design our own fabric-wrapped journals using ring-binder which would allow pages to be added and removed easily.

The result is FABULOUS! So we're calling them our FABric JOURNALS ~ journals wrapped in FABulous fabrics featuring beautiful floral prints, lovely country prints and also masculine checked prints for the men.

For this project, we tapped on the excellent book-binding skills of two young career ladies, Supawan and Noi, who are only free after their work and during the weekends to make them. Noi's aunt, who is a full-time housewife, is the wonderful sewing talent behind the journals. It's our latest successful social enterprise project that harness the skills and talents of the 'ordinary' people.

We have two sizes ~ Large with A5-size contents ($20.90 each) and Small with 14cm height x 13cm width contents ($18.90). Do email us at georgewong@teddythotz.com for the full catalogue.

New Textile Teddies and Doggies ~ Complete Series

Finally, here's our full series of Textile Teddies and Doggies in fabulous floral and country prints. After our rediscovery of the Botanic Gardens, and with Christmas around the corner, we thought it'd be nice to have our teddies and doggies in bright and cheerful colours.

These are our small teddies and doggies with keychain. Online price is $8 each (usual retail price $8.90). Buy any mix of four teddies and doggies at only $30+FREE local delivery (ie, $7.50 each).  We also have them in Big and Jumbo sizes for some of these patterns. Online prices are Big ~ $16+$3 delivery (retail $19.90) and $29+$1 for delivery (retail $29.90). For order under $30, delivery charge applies ($3 home delivery or SingPost rate). Please email us at georgewong@teddythotz.com for the catalogues to make your selection.