Thursday, April 24, 2014

A Bit About Tatty Teddy from the UK

Had heard about Tatty Teddy from the UK quite some time ago as a very sweet UK customer of ours does Tatty Teddy cross-stitch kits.  So I decided to research the background behind this cute little character from England.

Created initially in 1987 by English cartoonist and illustrator Michael Payne, these adorable little teddy bears with the classic blue noses went into production by the Carte Blanche Greetings Ltd Company.  (These Tatty Teddy bears are also known to some as Me to You Bears).

Mr. Payne recently left  his position as Tatty Teddy illustrator at Carte Blanche Greetings.  He is know drawn by a team of three very talented artists:  Steve Mort-Hill, Ceri Lewis, and Tom Barnfield.

In 2001 the US company, Douglas Company, received the rights and license to sell the brand in the US and Canada.

Currently the Tatty Teddy line includes plush toys, figurines, cards, coffee mugs, wedding accessories, and cross stitch kits as mentioned previously.

Tatty Teddys have quite a worldwide following and there exists annual Tatty Teddy national collectors events.  On occasion there have been produced several special and limited edition bears which in turn enhances the collectible nature of these teddybears.

In 2008, Carte Blanche Greetings introduced an additional line called "My Blue Nose Friends" which consisted of other animals created in the same style of Tatty Teddy.  Their plush is a different color than the traditional grey of Tatty Teddy but each one has the dark eyes in close proximity to each other, and the classic light blue nose.

It is very understandable why these adorable little teddy bears are popular in the UK.  So now whenever you see a little grey bear with blue nose you can identify him as a "Tatty Teddy" who originated in England!

Quote of the Day - "The palest ink is better than the best memory." - Chinese Proverb

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