April 30, 2007
MAY INTRODUCTIONS
http://www.ty.com/MayIntro2007

April 26, 2007
RETIREMENTS
Mooosly and Canada (key chain) have both retired today: http://www.ty.com/A07Ret1

April 22, 2007
CORNISH EXCLUSIVE TO COME
Special thanks to Jenni at Abbeybears in Cornwall. Jen writes: "Hi All

Just wanted to confirm what Secret Bean has been talking about on the UK based 'Beanieuk' site.......There is to be another Cornish Exclusive Beanie Baby! His release date is May 26th and as Secret Bean has said, there will be a 'special something' for those who are able to attend the venue on the release day!

For ANY enquiries, just drop us a line at abbeybears@hotmail.co.uk  the usual email address :)

many thanks, take good care,
from Jen at Abbeybears, Cornwall"

April 21, 2007
MARILYN'S PHOTOS
Thank you to Marilyn for sharing photos of Sandals, Happy Birthday, Slapshot, Scholar, Mom 2007 from Ty Store, and April BOTM - Palace. http://www.planetbeans.com/MarilynsPhotos2.htm

April 20, 2007
Chenoweth, Huffman, Moore Take Part in Elephant Project
Broadway, film, and TV stars have been posing for photos with elephants for a charity project called the Elephant Project to benefit the Alzheimer's Association. Celebrities including Felicity Huffman, Kristin Chenoweth, and Julianne Moore, have been posing with an elephant beanie baby and signing specialized Elephant Project cards in order to create items for auctions. Rounds of auctions are held every few months, with each celebrity package consisting of an 8x10 photo of the celebrity and an elephant, an autographed card, and an elephant beanie baby.

The current round of auctions began on April 15th and 16th and will end on April 22nd and 23rd. At this time, forty celebrity packages have been placed on eBay in hopes of raising over a thousand dollars by the end of the round.

The Elephant Project was created in July 2006 by 16-year old David Niederhoffer, who wanted to create an organization to raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer's Association after his grandfather passed away from Alzheimer's disease. For more information, including the current auction schedule, details on how to bid, and information on how to donate to the Alzheimer's Association, visit www.elephantproject.org.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=17647

NOTE: There are lots of photos of Peanut & Trumpet in the hands, or on the heads of some pretty famous people. When clicking on the elephantproject.org link above make sure to click on "Auction Page" at the top then check out the "completed auctions" and "new pictures".

Beanie Babies for Guard babies
Stuffed animals give comfort to kids whose parents are at war
Oregon Army National Guard Sgt. Kenneth Heywood received 108 babies in the mail on Friday.

And the proud father couldn't be happier — that they were Beanie Babies dubbed "Salute" dressed in desert camouflage sent at no charge by TY Industries based in Bolingbrook, Ill.

"I didn't expect this — what a nice thing to do," he said. "I want to give them to young kids whose parents are in Afghanistan. It will bring comfort to them."

The Phoenix resident, an 18-year veteran of the Guard, is a member of the Guard's 1-186 Infantry Battalion headquartered in Ashland. Roughly 100 members of the 1-186 are currently deployed to Afghanistan as part of the Tigard-based 41st Brigade Combat Team, although some are expected to begin returning home next month.

The deployment of Beanie Babies, a company of tiny Teddy bears dressed in light-colored camouflage, was the result of an e-mail that Heywood had sent to the company after purchasing one on the Oregon coast about three weeks ago. http://archive.mailtribune.com/archive/2007/0417/local/stories/militarybabies.htm

Santa Barbara Zoo Celebrates the Latest Addition: Endangered Lemurs
Say "hello" to the newest addition at Santa Barbara Zoo, baby Lemurs. Maybe it's their little yellow eyes but everyone loves these beanie-baby Lemurs.

On April 3rd a pair of highly endangered black and white ruffed Lemurs were brought into the world. Brother and sister are said to be doing fine in spite of weighing only 5 ounces at birth.

Their parents arrived at the zoo in 2004 and gave birth to twin males in May, and now this adorable pair has arrived. Lemurs are native to the Island of Madagascar. http://www.keyt.com/news/local/7073492.html

ASK TY
Q: Would you ever consider opening a museum to show all your product lines & creations & open it to the public? (submitted by Beaniebrother)
A: Hmmm . . . well I certainly enjoy museums and that sounds like an interesting concept ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

April 15, 2007
Kennedys' honeymoon haven restored
It's neither the biggest cottage nor the only one with an ocean view. But it commands at least $1,000 US more a night than other lodgings at historic San Ysidro Ranch in the Montecito hills.

That's because Jackie and John F. Kennedy, who went on to become president of the United States, slept in it during their extended 1953 honeymoon, which, biographers say, took them first to Acapulco, Mexico, and later up the California coast.

The future first couple probably paid $27 a night, the going rate then.

But today you'll pay more than 100 times that -- $2,990 a night -- to sleep in the 1,621-square-foot Kennedy Cottage, which reopened in March after a year-long restoration.

Gone is the plain wood deck in the rear, replaced by a 480-square-foot stone terrace sporting an outdoor shower and a six-person hot tub.

A gated front entrance, with a private courtyard, is also new. Baths off the twin master suites have been redone with white tile, polished-nickel fixtures, glass-door showers and classic claw-foot tubs. White gauze graces the canopied king beds.

Don't look for original furnishings. The eclectic decor, with Asian-style chests, animal paintings and pig and rooster figurines, was gleaned from antiques stores and the world travels of the resort's owner, Beanie Babies tycoon Ty Warner.

No matter. The Kennedys slept here, starting Sept. 28, 1953, for one or more nights, according to the hotel's staff and guest register.

And because the cottage is historic, the basic layout and structure, built from locally quarried Santa Barbara sandstone, are unchanged, said architect Marc Appleton.

The Kennedy Cottage redo is just one piece of a $150-million restoration that is nearly complete at the 40-unit complex, which opened in 1893 and is now managed by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.

In an e-mail, Warner said he wanted "to provide a fresh, new look for this beloved old soul (and add amenities) that discriminating travellers are seeking.'' He also wanted to retain what he called the ranch's "unique character.''

To that end, cottages have heated bathroom floors, flat-screen TVs and decks with hot tubs and showers, but the interior design, as before, is country casual. The resort's two restaurants, the Stonehouse and the Plow & Angel, reopened late last year with new stone terraces, a private dining room and a wine cellar.

The biggest guest unit, the Ty Warner Cottage, will re-open in May. The price tag: $3,990 US a night. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

IT'S SPRINGTIME...
Well today it certainly doesn't feel like Spring since it's only 43 degrees! BRRRRR...
I found some adorable pastel Swarovski butterfly crystals so I decided to create a new springtime bracelet. http://www.planetbeans.com/BraceletsByLisa/pastelbutterfliesBIG.jpg 
Details can be found on the Specialty Bracelets page (look for the spinning NEW button about 3/4 way down the page)
http://www.planetbeans.com/SpecialtyBracelets.htm (I'm running a special on this bracelet through the end of April.)

The school year is almost over. My oldest is graduating next month. Where did the years go?! I'm going to make her a special 2007 graduation bracelet so I will be ordering some 2007 sterling charms. If you would like to order a graduation bracelet, please let me know so I will now how many charms to order. It can take up to a week to receive the charms in stock and many places are already sold out of the 2007.

Also, if you would like something special for your child to give to his/her teacher at the end of the year as a 'thank you' for all they have done during the school year - I have some great items just for the occasion. The "teacher" bookmarks have been very popular. http://www.planetbeans.com/BraceletsByLisa/TeacherBookmarkBIG.jpg
Details can be found on the ETC page (look about 3/4 way down the page)
http://www.planetbeans.com/ETC.htm

I have many other items available: http://www.planetbeans.com/BraceletsByLisa.htm

MARILYN'S PHOTOS OF SALUTE
http://www.planetbeans.com/MarilynsPhotos2.htm

April 14, 2007
TY WEBSITE GETS A FACELIFT
http://www.ty.com The new opening page looks great! You will also notice the Ty Girlz website is ready: http://www.tygirlz.com/

April 13, 2007
ASK TY
Q: If you could have anything in the world, what would you want? (submitted by flipflopgirl)
A: This is a really hard question because there are so many things that I would want. Let me put it this way . . . a world where everyone lives peacefully ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

April 10, 2007
INTRODUCING SALUTE @ TY STORE
http://www.ty.com/Salute_intro

April 7, 2007
HAPPY EASTER FROM JOHN
John shares a beautiful spring photo to wish us all a Happy Easter. http://www.planetbeans.com/JohnsPictures.htm

April 6, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO ZOO EXCLUSIVE ON SALE TODAY!
http://www.planetbeans.com/Monarch.htm

JEN'S PHOTOS OF TY GIRLZ
http://www.planetbeans.com/JennisPhotos&Info.htm

Toy maker Ganz strikes gold with Beanie Babies of the online age
First came Google. Then came MySpace, Facebook and Second Life -- all created by hip young techies from California. But the biggest new Internet innovation comes from an unlikely place: a Toronto-based company best known for cheesy giftware and stuffed toys.

If you have a kid in elementary school, chances are you've heard of Webkinz -- a line of plush toys made by Ganz Inc. What makes Webkinz possibly the most sought-after toy ever is that each one comes with a secret code that gives its owner access to the vast online Webkinz World. There, users can create an avatar, or online identity, for their pet and "adopt" it.

Ganz's product is revolutionary: It's the first real-world toy that's essentially just a key to an interactive website. And it has likely created panic at toy companies the world over as they try to replicate Ganz's success.

"They've taken some of the successful elements of Cabbage Patch Kids and Neopets [a virtual world where users play games and "raise" digital pets] to create something new that blurs the lines between physical toys and digital content," says Anita Frazier, a toy analyst with NPD Group of New York.

"Toy manufacturers continually attempt to appeal to today's children. What better way to engage them than by appealing to their interest in interactive, digital products?"

Susan McDonald knows all about Webkinz. Her two daughters -- along with kids across North America -- are fanatical about the toys, which come in roughly 40 models and retail for about $13. Ten-year-old Sarah has five. Emily, who is 6, bought her first, an elephant named Webster, a few months ago, after her best friend got one.

The girls spend about an hour a day in Webkinz World, playing games, caring for their pets and even chatting with friends. "They could probably go two hours, if it weren't for homework, piano lessons and dance class," says Ms. McDonald, who recently spent days scouring Toronto toy stores in search of Webkinz to reward her daughters for great report cards. Mastermind, a Toronto-based chain of 10 toy stores, can barely keep Webkinz on the shelves. Co-owner Jon Levy thought nothing would ever top Beanie Babies -- what he calls "the Big Kahuna" of the toy business. "It was a once-in-an-industry phenomenon," says Mr. Levy, who started Mastermind with his brother, Andy, in 1984.

Then along came Webkinz. "When we first got Webkinz in about two years ago, they started selling as well as bestsellers like Tamagotchi, and we thought, 'Oh boy, isn't this a nice ride,' " Mr. Levy says. "And then sales doubled. Then they double-doubled. Then they double-double-doubled. I was blown away."

Webkinz.com had 2.85 million unique visitors in February and more than 72 million page views, according to Nielsen/NetRatings. (In comparison, MySpace had well over 50 million users and more than 25 billion page views.) Not bad for a company that relies on word-of-mouth advertising generated by elementary-school kids, and hundreds of websites dedicated to Webkinz news and rumours.

Ganz was started in 1950, when Samuel Ganz signed a distribution deal for a doll he had spotted in New York. He became a legend in the toy business, sourcing products from Asia decades before any of his competitors. The business is now run by Samuel's grandson, Howard. (Much like Beanie Babies creator Ty Warner, he doesn't speak to the media.) Mr. Ganz was strictly old-school until mid-2005, when it launched Webkinz. "It's not a plush toy that as an afterthought got a website, or a website that made us think, maybe there should be a plush," says the company's communications director Susan McVeigh. "They were developed in tandem." http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070406.RWEBKINZ06/TPStory/Business

April 1, 2007
APRIL BOTM
http://www.ty.com/bbom_Palace

APRIL WALLPAPER
http://www.ty.com/April07_wallpaper