Old teddy bears?

[annemusingdesigns]

Ok, I am looking for suggestions for several bins of teddy bears - brand new that I have purchased and stored for some years now. Still clean, in good shape. I always was going to dress them in boy and girl clothes and sell. Ah, the creative mind overtakes ambition!

What shall I do with them now, no one will want then for kids - or let's just say I can't sell them. And many places are afraid of taking them. Very little parts of any are not fabric.

Any suggestions - I just don't want to send them to the 'wax' factory. Where they use to dip toys in wax for some reason. I always feel they are suffocating..

Maybe some retirement care centers - no children there. only at heart...

[Former_Member]

What about keeping with the original plan but dressing them in a manner that will appeal to the ladies who love teddy bears?

[GreenMarkos]

Well I dont think you could sell those on Etsy for a couple of reasons..
#1 they are not vintage and #2 they are not hand made and lastly they can not be marketed towards children.
BUT
The idea of donating them to the retirement homes is a great one, or to the Dementia wards, I used to work in that department and you would just light up their life with a gift like that!
Good luck in whatever you decide!

[KittredgeMercantile]

Sell them as supplies. I don't know how big they are but I would use them in light boxes, door hanger stockings, pin cushions. I can think of many uses. Someone would love to give them a life. I'd list them and see. Just me!

[jeridiehard]

I know here locally, the police departments take them to give to children who are in a situation where the need a extra friend, domestic violence, etc. I would check with my local police department and see what they think!!

[compassionmalas]

I see people in retirement homes with stuffed animals all the time, that's a really good idea. Folks with dementia would love to cuddle them, especially older ladies.

Too bad you can't use them as you originally wanted!

[SewFunDollClothes]

I love the idea of donating them to a retirement or nursing home. My grandmother had one when she was in a nursing home suffering dementia, and her stuffed bear was a favorite - grandma's face would light up when she hugged it!

[Former_Member]

Please don't donate them to a police dept. or any other org. that will end up giving them to children....SAFETY FIRST. :)

[SewFunDollClothes]

Something else to consider - many police/fire departments are no longer accepting toys to give out to traumatized children. Check out this forum:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6333626

[annemusingdesigns]

Thanks all. Yes, I love cuddling them and I think I am still mostly sane.. LOL! I have Peter Pan complex.. LOL! I still cuddle toys.

We'll see how it goes. Donation to nursing homes would be fastest..We have quite a few in area.

Thanks

[Former_Member]

I don't sew as my machine is on the other coast with my daughter, but I have been thinking of having a friend do doll bodies and I would paint faces. I want to buy the pattern from this lady online who has developed a way to make them look three dimensional. They are amazing. Now the question is this: can they be marketed as some other kind of doll than a child's toy? They are what I would consider a collector's item.

[Former_Member]

Now I can't find the designer of the doll faces! Anyone know of her? They are extraordinary.

[compassionmalas]

Oh heck, I still cuddle my stuffed animals, you're never too grown up to do that!

[jeridiehard]

I can't imagine what will happen to todays children if they can't hug a teddy bear while growing up...what is this world coming to???

[annemusingdesigns]

Jeridiehard - they will be able to hug teddy bears, but they must be compliant to the CPSIA laws on lead and phalates. And the tiny parts law as well.

[Former_Member]

greeniemarie says:
Well I dont think you could sell those on Etsy for a couple of reasons..
#1 they are not vintage and #2 they are not hand made and lastly they can not be marketed towards children.
BUT
The idea of donating them to the retirement homes is a great one, or to the Dementia wards, I used to work in that department and you would just light up their life with a gift like that!
Good luck in whatever you decide!
---------------------------------------
If she alters the bears - making clothing and other decorations for the bears - then she can sell them on etsy.

[DragoninKnots]

I suppose you could decorate them in such a way that they are clearly for adults, like scenting them for air fresheners or adding a basketful of liquor-filled chocolates.

[Former_Member]

Listing or donating -- good for you that you aren't just tossing them away!

[isewcute]

greeniemarie... I love your idea of donating them to a dimentia ward... it's something I would never have thought about!

[annemusingdesigns]

The major problem I have with all my accumulated craft stuff that I really should get rid of - it that I don't want to just toss it out! I use to troll the 75%-90% off sales when I worked. I always dreamed of making my living crafting..uh-huh. I have stuff off in all tangents of crafting!

So if I can find a place to take the teddy bear and also places to take fabric, I could basically clean out my studio for my current venue - paper.

[DebandBryCreations]

I love the idea of donating them to a retirement or nursing home, light them up!

[SewFunDollClothes]

annemusingdesigns says:
The major problem I have with all my accumulated craft stuff that I really should get rid of - it that I don't want to just toss it out! I use to troll the 75%-90% off sales when I worked. I always dreamed of making my living crafting..uh-huh. I have stuff off in all tangents of crafting!

So if I can find a place to take the teddy bear and also places to take fabric, I could basically clean out my studio for my current venue - paper.

________________________________


Why not list it here at Etsy as destash? I buy a lot of fabric and ribbon from fellow crafters ... I don't need much for doll clothes, so I'm always looking for 1/2 yard bits and pieces here and there! lol

[annemusingdesigns]

I pulled the teddy bears off the shelf, and found out they hand magnetic hands so they can hug you. I do not think magnets and elderly are a good match due to pacemakers..

I have called around to see where I can donate them. We will see.

[FayeMaloneDesigns]

Can you take the magnets out and stitch the hands closed? Ot put velcro on the hands. My daughter has a monkey that has velcro on the hands so that they can Hug you.

[annemusingdesigns]

I can, but I do not have the time to do so. I guess they go to freeze in storage bin til I can get to them.