Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

I love Facebook - it is a kind of one stop place for me to catch up on everyone. At Stratford it was really nice to chat to some people who I had only met on Facebook before. I enjoy being in a place that has people not just from the bear world, but locally and family as well. If someone requests me as a friend and I don't know them and have no friends in common, then I usually send them a note asking them if they have the wrong person.

If there are quite a few friends in common then I always accept them.

I don't always have time to go on all the forums at the moment, particularly as I seem to spend most of my time walking up hills. Facebook keeps me in touch with various aspects of my life in a quick and easy format.

The other thing I enjoy about it is that I have got to have a little bit of interaction with my bear friends on a more personal level, rather than talking bears all the time. I think this important when you work full time with bears.

I hope that makes sense.

Dawn
Hugs Unlimited

(Dawn James if you want to add me on Facebook!) 

Hi

A final appeal now for sponsorship. I am getting closer to my target but could still do with a few more sponsors. Every donation is very much appreciated by me no matter what the size.

If you would like to help me help the bears my fund-raising page is www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1

Also to help things along a bit I have put a Panda and Hare onto Ebay - all proceeds will go to the WSPA Bear Sanctuary.

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/merchant/teddyad … Z1QQ_fromZ

Thank you for looking.

Hugs

Dawn
Hugs Unlimited

Hi

The fund-raising is going really well. Thank you so much to all the lovely bear people that have donated. I am now on my final push for funding as WSPA need to have the bulk of what I have collected by the end of next week.

To help things along I have put a little bear on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? … %26otn%3D1

Low start with all proceeds going to the WSPA Bear Sanctuary.

Also, the lovely Lynn from Madabout has done Blisters with all proceeds coming to my fund-raising:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Blister-4-3-4-Pan … 7C294%3A50

If you would like to sponsor me for my 50 mile walk and help real bears that have been tortured to live out thier lives in peace and safety, the sponsor page is:
www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1

Thank you.

Hugs

Dawn, Hugs Unlimited

Hi Jane

No pressure at all, if you can get something for them please do, - but if you have some left over after selling them, I am wanting things to sell to raise funds for my WSPA Bear Trek - I have still got about £1000 to raise.  I could take them off you at Stratford. Hugs, Dawn xx

Hi

A big thank you to Pauline from Valewood Bears who came to Made in Tod and sponsored me at the weekend. It was lovely to see you Pauline.

I have just updated my blog which is all about the trek:

www.hugsunlimited.blogspot.com

I am almost half way with the fund-raising but time is running out - funds need to be with WSPA by the middle of June.

A huge thank you to everyone who has sponsored me. I am looking for more sponsors though - if you feel you could spare a little to help me help the bears, you can donate on my fund-raising page here:

www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1

Thank you

Hugs

Dawn, Hugs Unlimited.

P.S. I'm looking forward to spending some more time on the forums after the trek, at the moment I am spending loads of my time walking up hills.

Thank you very much to Ruth of Flutter By Bears for her donation - it really does mean a lot to me.

Every time I get a bit scared about the walking part I look at pictures of the bears that need rescuing and it really spurs me on.

We are hoping to do our first ten mile walk this weekend.

Hugs

Dawn, Hugs Unlimited

Please help the rescue bears www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1

Thank you very much to Elaine, Peterbear and Maria - your donations and kind words really do mean a lot to me.

There are times when I feel really overwhelmed by all the training and fund-raising, but seeing the total going up and reading the messages of encouragement really lifts my spirits. I really do want to do this for the bears.

We have just come back from another long walk. My poor husband just has time to change into his walking boots when he gets in from work and I'm dragging him up the hills.

It was lovely to see the new born lambs again. I cannot believe how high they can jump!

Hugs

Dawn

www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1

Woohoo - congratulations.  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:

Dawn

Hugs Unlimited

I just wanted to say a big thank you to Lynda for her donation. We are off in a minute for another long walk.

Please help me help the bears. www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1

Hi

Here is a picture of a bear in need of rescue. It really is so sad that these poor animals are treated so badly just so that they can make a bit of money for their owners. I really want to help these beautiful creatures, but I can't do it on my own. I am not asking for large donations but if I could get small donations for a lot of people that would really help.

I am having to go walking every day to get me fit enough to do the 50 miles over 4 days of the challenge. My time for fund-raising is therefore quite limited. So, please, please help me help the bears. I particularly enjoy reading any messages of encouragement just to let me know that I am not completely mad!

I have been in the teddy bear world for well over 20 years and I know what a caring world it is. I am very proud to be part of it and that is why I am trying to do my bit to help the real bears.

Thank you
Hugs

Dawn
Hugs Unlimited

www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1
www.hugsunlimited.blogspot.com

Sorry - I forgot to mention that you don't need to be in the UK to donate - Justgiving now accepts Paypal.

Hugs

Dawn, Hugs Unlimited
www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1

Thank you for the kind words and for the donation. I actually get back the day before the Hugglets fair in September so I am hoping to have lots of photos on my table (possibly not many bears though!) xx

Thank you for your donation and good wishes - it really means a lot to me. xx

Thank you Maria - I am looking forward to it, but I'm scared that the trek will be full of skinny young people - not old teddy bear shaped ones like me!

Hi

Like most Bear Artists I also have a great love of real bears. That is why I have decided to take part in the WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) 2009 Bear Trek Fund-Raising Adventure. This takes place in September this year and involves walking 50 miles through the Carpathian mountains over five days to the WSPA Bear Sanctuary in Romania.

The sanctuary houses bears that have been rescued from illegal zoos, or that have been orphaned or treated badly and used as tourist attractions.  It makes me cry to think of animals suffering and that is why I am doing the trek. I am a bit scared of the walking part as I am 53 years old and am shaped more like a teddy bear than an athlete! However, I am absolutely determined that I will make it.  As well as the trek itself, I am having to undergo some fairly strenuous training in the evenings and weekends.

So, this is an appeal to all the bear lovers out there - I know times are tough but if you could manage a donation I will be really grateful. My fund-raising page is www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1 and you can read all about my training progress on my blog page at www.hugsunlimited.blogspot.com. Just Giving is a safe and secure website that accepts credit cards and Paypal. If you would prefer to donate another way, please email me and I will send you my address.

Having spent 23 years in the teddy bear business this is my way of giving something back to the bears - I hate asking for money and am not a natural fund-raiser, but I really do need help in raising the funds.

Thank you in advance.

Best wishes

Dawn, Hugs Unlimited

Hi
I am on Facebook too - I love to have friends from the bear world - my name is Dawn James and in my picture I am waving a pair of walking boots. Hugs Dawn   

Thank you Jane - the pictures are brilliant. Nice to see you on Sunday as well. xx

Very difficult to find the right words at times like this, but I just wanted to let the Australian members know that I am thinking of you. I really hope that the worst is over for you. xx :hug: Dawn, Hugs Unlimited

Hi
I found these on the website of a local interest magazine:

Page Link: http://www.yougotpapped.com/Default.aspx?gal=419

Dawn
Hugs Unlimited

I was delighted to win one first place, two second place and one third place award at Hove on Sunday. I was particularly pleased because the standard was so high this year.  

Well done Julie - your bears are stunning and very well deserved winners. :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :Dawn, Hugs Unlimited xx

:crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:  :crackup:

Very very funny.

From the posts on this thread I would guess that those of you that are going have not got tables booked. I have a table at Hove, I will be on the first floor just outside of the big hall. Hugs Unlimited. There will be lots of choccies on my table so please come and visit.  It will be nice to put some names to faces - of course I already know some of you.     

LOL- I'm sure James would love to share some cake with you, and if heneeds help with it.....

Thank you - it's getting close now.