PADDY: "Hullo Scout!"
SCOUT: "Hullo Paddy! Why did you want me to come outside? Are we going to play hide-and-seek? You know how much I love to play hide-and-seek!" *Trembles with excitement.*
PADDY: "Presently, Scout. Presently. But first I wanted to ask you whether you knew what day it was."
SCOUT: "Yes Paddy! I do!" *Nods seriously.*
PADDY: "Good. What day is it then, Scout?"
SCOUT: "It's Wednesday, Paddy! Why did I have to come outside to tell you it is Wednesday?"
PADDY: "Well, that will make itself apparent shortly, Scout. But besides Wednesday, do you know what else it is today, Scout?"
SCOUT: "Hhhmmm..." *Ponders.* "Hhhmmm..." *Thinks.* "I don't know, Paddy. What else is it today?"
PADDY: "Do you remember what I told you when I was reading you Sleeping Beauty before bedtime on Monday, Scout?"
SCOUT: "Yes Paddy!" *Nods seriously.* "You told me to stop interrupting the story or it wouldn't get finished for one hundred years."
PADDY: "Well, that is true, Scout, although I don't think I couched it quite like that. But I also said something else. I said it would be something special after a few sleeps."
SCOUT: "Hhhmmm..." *Ponders.* "Hhhmmm..." *Thinks.* "I don't kn..." *Gasps.* "Wait! I do know! is today my birthday, Paddy?"
PADDY: "Yes Scout, it is! Come along!"
SCOUT: "Where are we going, Paddy?"
PADDY: "We have a surprise for you, Scout: a special birthday surprise!"
SCOUT: "A birthday surprise? For me? How exciting!" *Follows Paddy quickly.*
PADDY: "Hullo everyone! Do you know what? Bears have two birthdays. Do you know what else? Today we are celebrating Scout's birthday, which is the 27th of March, with a picnic party in the garden and cake! Scout doesn't actually know when his first birthday was, so he has decided that his other birthday will be the day he came to live forever with Daddy and me, which was the 27th of March! So the 27th of March it is! Now Scout and I are not allowed to use the oven for fear of singeing our plush fur, so Daddy has been so kind and has baked Scout a birthday cake! It is a rich chocolate cake with pink cream cheese icing, because Scout loves chocolate anything and pink is his favourite colour! The cake is sprinkled with hundreds and thousands! Isn't that special?"
SCOUT: "Yes it is Paddy! What a lovely surprise for my birthday! Thank you Daddy! Grumby tummy Daddy! Grumbly tummy!" * Rubs tummy vigorously. "Isn't Daddy nice to do that just for me? I can't eat that cake all by myself, even with a grumbly tummy, so I am so glad I am having a birthday party with all my bear friends. It's my fifth birthday this year! I have invited Paddy and Daddy of course. I've also asked all our bear family of Cousin Paddington, Bogart, Jago, Daisy-Maud, Rosie, Orson, Danny Boy, Algie, Bertie and our newest members of the family, Flock, Sapphire and Pearl. Of course I also asked Freddy the fox, Duckie and Prince Maurice of the Maileg Mice to come along, and also Chippy the monkey who lives in the front room. I am soooo excited! This is going to be the bestest birthday EVER! I know that everybear and everyone who Paddy has asked to come and celebrate with me will enjoy the occasion!
If today is your birthday too, I'd like to wish you a very happy birthday full of big little bear hugs and snuffly birthday kisses. Even if it isn't, I'd like to wish you a very happy day full of big little bear hugs and snuffly kisses. Would you like some cake too?"
This beautiful nursery pantomime nursery dinner set was made in England by the Shell China Company in the 1920s. It features six cups, saucers and plates as well as a teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, platter, sandwich plate, a lidded soup tureen on its own dish and a gravy or cream jug on its own dish. Each piece is gilt edged and decorated and feature different faerie tales including: "The Queen of Hearts", "To Market, to Market to Buy a Fat Pig", "There was a Little Man who had a Little Gun", "Jack and Jill", "Goosey, Goosey Gander", "Sing a Song of Sixpence" and "Ride a Cock Horse" amongst others. The set I acquired from England, and it is a sister set to a 1930s Shell China Company faerie tale tea set. This set was given as a gift some years ago by a close friend who knows I collect nursery ware and children's tea sets. There are also doll (bear) sized tea spoons which are sterling silver salt spoons, and the spoon in the "Ride a Cock Horse to Bunbury Cross" sugar bowl is an Eighteenth Century mustard spoon and is sterling silver. Their dessert spoons are sterling silver coffee spoons made by James Dixon and Sons in London in 1921.
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
Rosie is Scout's cousin, because like Scout, she is a free trade knitted bear from Africa. She was made in Kenya by one of the Kenana Knitters, Martha Wanjira. She is made from home spun and dyed wool. She was a gift to me from two very dear friends, including the one who gave Scout to Paddy.
Bogart has travelled all the way from Georgia, via Alabama as a gift to me from a friend. He has lovely Southern manners and seems to be a fun and gentle soul with an inquisitive nature.
Jago was a gift from a dear friend in England. He is made of English mohair with suede paw pads and glass eyes. He is a gentle bear, kind and patient who carries an air of calm about him. He is already fitting in with everyone else very nicely.
Travelling all the way from London, Cousin Paddington was caught in transit thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, so it looks like he is stopping with us for a long while. That makes me happy, as the more I look into his happy, smiling face, the more attached I am becoming to him.
Freddy Fox is made by Merrythought in England. I bought him, of all places, from a men’s accessory shop in Melbourne’s Block Arcade, called Mr. Wares. Freddy Fox is made of English Mohair with felt paws and glass bead eyes. He has so much charm and charisma that already he is winning hearts with anyone whom he meets, and he is kind and sweet, which makes him an ideal member of our family.
Daisy Maud is Jago's little sister and was made by the same friend in England who made him. She is made of German mohair with floral fabric cotton paw pads that match her pretty sunhat, and glass eyes. A sweet and loving little girl bear, she is happy to be reunited with her big brother, Jago, and enjoys being spoiled by her new Daddy.
Orson, named after the little bear constellation, was made by the same friend who made Jago and Daisy-Maud. He comes ready dressed in 'trousers' made of German mohair accessorised with embroidered braces. His paws are ultra suede and his eyes are glass. He is described as being a little bit serious minded but very friendly. He's fine once he gets to know you.
Danny Boy, made by the same friend who made Jago, Daisy-Maud and Orson, has a touch of the 'Oirish' in him with his emerald green scarf. He has an open mouth as he likes to sing and comes with his own songbook, "Irish Airs for Teddy Bears". He has a wobbly head to give him animation when he's talking to you, and is made of English mohair, has paws of ultra suede and eyes of glass. Quite a happy-go-lucky little character....
Algie is made by the same friend who made Jago, Daisy-Maud, Orson and Danny Boy. He is is made of sparse English mohair, has paws of ultra suede and eyes of glass. A very adventurous little boy, he loves to climb and sit on top of gates, edges of tables and chairs. He adore climbing trees, and will cheekily sit there with crossed legs. He's very friendly and he loves adventures of any kind.
Duckie I saw when I was at a Sunday market on a stall of homemade knitted and crocheted items. She caught my eye straight away with her happy, smiley face and bright colours. I think she finds life with my bears intriguing and perhaps a little confusing, however she is learning.
Bertie came to live with me on Christmas Day 2022. He was a gift from a very dear friend. He is vintage and is hand knitted with soft red dioxide wool and has chocolate brown felt pads on his paws. He has shiny black bead eyes and has his own very smart tartan bow. He tells me that he was living in an antique shop for quite a while, just looking for his forever home, which now he feels that he has. Bertie is very soft and loves cuddles, and whilst perhaps not as forthcoming as some of my other bears due to his shyness, he is very loving and caring and gives big little bear hugs and snuffly kisses beautifully.
Chippy the monkey came to live with me when I was four. His name is derived from his innards, which are broken chips of hazelnut shells. He was made in America some time in the mid Twentieth Century. He features beautiful brown glass eyes, a felt face, hands and feet. He was given to me by one of my Grandfather's friends who worked in a small high street toy shop which sold a mixture of new, vintage and antique toys. Chippy was vintage at the time, and had been well loved prior, so with a few holes, some worn plush and patches, he was too worn to be sold, but my family friend knew that my gentle nature and respect for my toys meant he could find a new home with me for a long time. All these decades later, she was proven right, for he still lives with me; a bit more loved, a bit more worn and with a few more patches. He also has some red chalk marks on his right hand which I remember putting on him by accident when I was six! He wanted to draw a rose on my chalkboard and I helped him do it!
Pearl and Sapphire are both little Russ Bears, and Flock a vintage posable bear who all arrived on Christmas Day 2023. They travelled from Mama Kim's house in Alabama all the way here. Both are sweet little bears who are tenacious and cheeky, but full of love and snuffly kisses most of all.
Prince Maurice is a Maileg mouse, given to me as a birthday gift by my two goddaughters. Maileg (pronounced My’lye) is a brand of charming Danish-designed toys created to inspire children’s favorite playtime stories. By bringing storybook whimsy to everyday moments, Maileg toys help children (large ones and small) explore the pure and simple wonder of imagination. Beloved for their heartwarming personalities, Maileg toys show playfulness and charm in every last detail. Theirs is a timeless world filled with beautiful accessories and settings.
