Mrs Pins is my daughter Tenpin's bear. She has two baby bears (one bottom left), and as tradition insists; just one eye. She was a present from my mother.
Of my three children's own personal bears (Bryn, Harry, and Mrs Pins) she has to be my favourite. I've not painted either Bryn or Harry, but Harry does have his own passport (below)
I like bears. They are usually a child's first real possession, and as such are treasured.
I still have my bear although mother only gave it to me for my 21st birthday after I had complained much earlier that all the other girls at boarding school had bears.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure where Mrs Pins is at the moment. I'll ask Tenpin later.
DeleteYour one eyed Mrs Pins reminds me that I painted a one eyed crow long ago for an old gentleman who was having difficulty understanding the world. I was pleased that he knew what it was and that he smiled. He also smiled after I gave him a shave with a wet razor. He left us shortly after.
ReplyDeleteBears very rarely lose both eyes; just the one. In fact I've almost come to think of any Bear with two eyes as being 'a bit odd'.
DeleteI have a one eyed frog. He's a doorstopper!
DeleteI can't beat that!
DeleteMrs Pins is definitely worthy of a portrait, especially wearing her lovely bright blue dress.
ReplyDeleteAlphie
She's very paintable; the perfect sitter.
DeleteMy big sister gave me my teddy, who is still with me. I remember getting very upset when nobody would use his proper name, Edward!
ReplyDeleteI had a hard doll who was dressed as a soldier. He was about 2 ft tall and was called Alphonse. Not very cuddly.
DeleteStill got my teddy .... he’s in the loft I think. Also, the other day I was looking for something and came across my mother- in - laws teddy bear which is very small. He must be pretty old. I love Harry bears passport. XXXX
ReplyDeleteHarry's Passport is complete from cover to cover; exactly like a real one. It took Wills ages to make.
DeleteMine was called Woolly - he disappeared when I was about six. A dear friend, who felt sad about this, bought me a Paddington when we worked together and I treasured him greatly. My grandchildren all loved him dearly and now he lives in the nursery of my first great grandchild.
ReplyDeleteFirst Teddys can never really be replaced. They are very special (not that I had one).
DeleteI had a deprived childhood as I never had a teddy. Although I did have a golly. Not quite the same.
ReplyDeleteI have a Golly here, but he was only bought about 20 years ago; I felt sorry for him, being so universally rejected.
DeleteSorry to butt in but my Golly was my favourite toy .... it’s sad they are no more .... I loved my Golly so much .... I wish I still had it. To me, there was nothing different to having a Golly as having a doll or teddy. XXXX
DeletePersonally I refuse to think of a Golly as being anything but a nice looking doll/toy. Nor do I think of white dolls as being racist.
DeleteAh, more teddies! Love them all...(but love mine most!) Mrs Pins is quite a unique name.
ReplyDeleteI can remember the very moment when we asked my daughter what name she had chosen. She simply said 'pins'; so, Mrs Pins it was!
DeleteI like the painting. The colours and composition are very pleasing. I have a teddy bear and he is in my kitchen cupboard but I don't remember feeling anything great about him but I suppose I must have done or I wouldn't have kept him. I remember taking him to kindergarten once and leaving him overnight and being worried that he wouldn't be there in the morning but he was. Funny the things you remember.
ReplyDeleteIt's the sort of composition I used to give my pupils/students to paint. You always knew they'd do a good job of it, and go away satisfied!
DeleteI think mine ended up strapped to the front of a dustcart. :( (I still have his photo.)
ReplyDeleteI hate seeing all those teds on the front of dustcarts. I wonder when that tradition began?
DeleteDid she swallow the left eye?
ReplyDeleteEldest son's bear got left in a cafe in Bath, was rescued by friends and washed and re-stuffed..we persuaded him that Arthur (arth=bear in Welsh)had gone on an extended holiday....he still has him...
ReplyDelete