The featured artist for the month of October is Ginger Heimbuck from California in the US.

Ginger Heimbuck, from watercolorist to bluegrass musician, graphic arts career, and onward to motherhood, Ginger fearfully cut into her first 1/8 yard of 'real' mohair in 1996. Upon that first snip, Ginger discovered the magical art of sewing fine teddy bears. Soon after, Ginger began creating original bears by drawing her own patterns and combining textures, colors and accessories to achieve her rendition of the 'perfect bear' : with beauty of limb form, facial expression, and endearing bear-sonality.

"Teddy bears are wonderful reminders for all of us to have soft edges, become easy to love, and always ready for a hug,... just like little children and well-worn tedders."

Somewhere between the artist's vision (where every bear has already come to life in the artist's mind and making the bear is just a matter of working out the details), and a place where the artist and collector cross paths, is the world of the teddy bear business. This world may be full of delightful shops. This world may be colorful pages to be turned and photographs to be held. Sometimes the world is an event called a 'Show' where a myriad of artists and collectors meet. And sometimes, the world is as small as a computer and as near as a telephone. There are many avenues to journey in the teddy bear business. The best roads have the signposts which read 'works of excellence' and 'artistic endurance'.

As I was told at the beginning, "You must truly love making the bears, for the true artist bear is formed by the heart." This I have found to be so.

The Bears of Tannenbaum Woods are designed, created and made solely by the artist, Ginger Heimbuck. The bears are fully jointed, fine collectibles made of imported mohair from England and Germany, with pawpads of soft suede or meriono wool. Some include the authentic old-style German tilt growlers, black glass or vintage shoe button eyes, and have pellet-filled tummies. The bears are a combination of hand and machine sewing. Ginger's bears range in size from 8 inches to 21 inches, and in price from $80 to $500.

are everyday friends, 18 ½ inches large, hefty bears complete with special artist-made outfits, or have accessories such as handmade quilts and mobcaps. "Having only one teddy bear as a child, which my sister and I shared, my 'Ragbears' are huggable teddy bears I dreamed of having someday for my own as a grown-up child." Ragbears: 'Abby', 'Setha', 'Gadie' (pronounced 'HAW-dee'), 'Tuppence', 'Corkie', 'Sandy' and 'Irene'.

are traditional tedders, inspired from the turn-of-the-century Steiff teddies (1903-1905) firmly stuffed, with back humps, elongated arms and pawpads, old-style tilt growlers, black shoebutton eyes and excelsior cores. 'Everette', 'Joely', 'Gabbey', 'Rufus, 'Gillian'.

are the newest collection, a whimsical look at the many faceted moods of an artist, personified by these bears who have their own special 'tilted' verse of the titled poem, 'Once upon a Blue Moon' . Inspired by a time when the most incredible things do happen, 'upside down walks right upstairs, and rose-coloured glasses come in pairs'! The eight bears in the collection are available in two sizes, full and baby. Blue 'Bandicoot', 'Pottaroo' the author, 'Jubjub' with trike, 'Tulgey' the forest sprite, 'Gussy' of mistletoe red, 'Ney Ney' with tugger-boat friend, 'Cupper' full of spice and delight. 'Tedder' to debut for Christmas 1999.

The Bears of Tannenbaum Woods Studio is located in the delightful Victorian Village of Ferndale, California set amidst the picturesque scenery of the redwood coast.

The Bears of Tannenbaum Woods are available on the Den shop under the category of Complete Bears or Artist - Ginger Heimbuck. You can also visit Ginger's website at http://www.the-bears.com, and select fine consignment shops in No. California, Oregon, and Colorado.

The bears are fine collectibles, and include: embossed hang tags, Certificate of Limited Edition or Bear Birth Record, signed and/or no.'d by the artist.