-=JANUARY 31, 2003=-
BEAUTIFUL DISPLAYS
Sharon was kind enough to share her holiday displays with me for you all to enjoy. She has sent in pictures of her Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and every day Ty displays. You can view her beautiful displays here: http://www.planetbeans.com/SharonsDisplay.htm

  << REMINDER >> CHUBBLEY ODDITY AUCTION
Sue Owen is doing another one of her great auctions to benefit Cancer Research UK! Sue also has "some great Ty charity auctions scheduled to start on February 15th - with some unique items never before seen on auction! Details will follow when those auctions begin. VIEW CHUBBLEY ODDITY AUCTION HERE

VALENTINE CHUBBLEY SPECIAL
A Valentine Special "Jacks plus 1" is now being offered with a Joker/Black Nose somewhere included in these groups. Exclusives, November or maybe January Releases or others will be included in your orders. See this special at Kansas Brass & Pewter http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/cb.html

Chubbley Collectors--Kansas Brass & Pewter strives to meet all your Chubbley needs or special requests. http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/cb.html

<< REMINDER >> TAYLOR'S BIRTHDAY RAFFLE << other items added >>
Desi writes: "Hi Everyone, I am doing a Raffle for my Daughter Taylor's 4th Birthday party coming up in March....This is my first raffle.....Starting on Monday January 27, 2003 till February 28, 2003 Midnight CST...I am holding a Raffle for My daughter's 4th Birthday party/Present.....In this goodie box includes:

Headband with Barrettes set
Baby Headband with barrettes set
Necklace and bracelet set
Body lotion and shower gel and soap from  Bath & Body works Pear Berry
A candle with a candle plate
Glowing candle is round...Unique
Sparkling Belly button light
2 gel candles (angel wings)
a wire basket
a bag of candy
Gelly Roll Journal with Gel pens
A surprise Beanie
Kiss-E Beanie Baby

Tickets are 4/1.00.....When it makes 15.00 or more I will add a few more items.....If interested in purchasing a raffle ticket e-mail me and put "Taylor Raffle" in the subject line and I will get back to you on where to send money order or you can use Pay pal.....I do have over 100+ References on EBay (EBay id is lovabledes@aol.com) I am also selling stuff on EBay feel free to check them out also.....Its all for my daughter Taylor that will be turning 4 on March 20...."

Thank you
Betty/Desi
lovabledes@aol.com

http://www.geocities.com/des103096/TaylorRaffle.html
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/lovabledes/

ASK TY
Q: Since Punx-e Phil has become so popular, are there any big plans for February 2nd? (submitted by grovershoulders)
A: I think Punx-e plans on meeting the Governor of Pennsylvania at the annual Groundhog Banquet and then getting some rest before we head up to Gobblers Knob for the official ceremonies. http://www.tytrade.com/askty_home 

-=JANUARY 30, 2003=-
BEANIE OF THE MONTH
February is only 2 days away. You have until February 1st to order your BOTM in order to receive Dreamer, the March BOTM. http://www.tytrade.com/bom_order_page

FEBRUARY RELEASES
Beanie Babies < http://www.ty.com/Babies_feb01 >
Color Me Beanie Bunny Kit
Dippy
Eggs III
Lullaby
March
Nibblies

Teenie Beanie Boppers < http://www.ty.com/TBB_feb01 >
Caring Carla
Chillin' Charlie
Classie Cassie
Midfield Mandy
Playful Peggy
Trendy Tracy

Basket Beanies < http://www.ty.com/Basket_feb01 >
Chickie
Eggs II
Eggs III
Hippie

Two must repay $35,000 to eBay fraud victims
A federal judge ordered a Saraland woman and her father-in-law to repay more than $35,000 to victims of an eBay fraud scheme.

Mattie Curtis and Jesse Curtis also must serve five years of probation, the first six months of it under home confinement on electronic monitoring, Chief U.S. District Judge Charles Butler Jr. ruled Tuesday.

The Curtises, along with Bill Curtis - Mattie's husband and Jesse's son - were indicted on more than two-dozen counts of fraud, alleging a seven-year scam centered around Beanie Babies and Palm Pilots, hand-held organizers. They pleaded guilty to assorted counts in October, with other charges being dropped. Bill Curtis is to be sentenced in March. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Plenty For Phil Fans
From: Beanieholics
Of the hundreds of Phil souvenirs available around Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and online at www.groundhogstuff.com, this year's hottest one is the Punxsutawney Phil Beanie Baby manufactured by Beanie Babies maker Ty Inc. 2,000 of the 6-inch, plush Phils sold out in an hour when they were first released Jan. 8. In response to the demand Ty sent two shipments of 5,000 of the online versions of Phil, which are sold at the Ty Web site. To date, more than 10,000 Beanie Baby Phils have been sold, and it's not even Groundhog Day. Click Here For More

-=JANUARY 29, 2003=-
FEBRUARY RELEASE PHOTOS
From: Ms. Janie
Mary Ann shares the following information and photos 
The following pages have been shared. It would appear that previous reports have panned out and Ty will be releasing Easter Beanies. The pages appear to have perforated holes for notebook use. ???? Ms. Janie VIEW NEW RELEASES HERE

Ty Press Release Limited Edition Punxsutawney Phil(R) Beanie Baby(R) Sells Out in Hours 
From: Ms. Janie
While Demand for Punxsutawn-e Phil(TM) Grows OAK BROOK, Ill., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The two Beanie Babies(R) Ty modeled after Punxsutawney Phil have proven to be popular with fans of the legendary weather forecasting groundhog. The limited edition Punxsutawney Phil(R) Beanie Baby(R), which was only available in the souvenir shop of the Punxsutawney Area Chamber of Commerce, sold out in an hour on Wednesday, January 8th. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20021118/TYLOGO ) Meanwhile the demand for the Punxsutawn-e Phil(TM) Beanie Baby(R), which is only available at http://www.ty.com , continues to grow as Groundhog Day draws closer. Ty, who has committed a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Punxsutawn-e Phil(TM) to the Jefferson County Pennsylvania American Red Cross, will present a check in the amount of $75,000.00 to the charity this weekend while in Gobbler's Knob to participate in Groundhog Day festivities. "The Jefferson County American Red Cross is overwhelmed by this generous donation," said Sheila Reed, executive director of the Jefferson County American Red Cross. "Ty's support of our vital life-saving programs and services is greatly appreciated and we can't thank them enough. It has been a struggle to raise funds to maintain adequate resources for our mandated emergency services, disaster training and supply costs." Punxsutawney Phil(R) and Punxsutawn-e Phil(TM) are the latest additions to the Beanie Baby(R) line which was launched in 1993 and is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year. Founded in 1986 by Ty Warner, creator of the wildly popular Beanie Babies(R), Ty is the leader in plush toys. In addition to Beanie Babies(R), the company's product line includes: Beanie Buddies(TM), Classic(TM), Beanie Boppers(TM), Punkies(TM), Pluffies(TM) and Teenie Beanie Boppers(TM). The red Ty heart logo(R), recognized around the world, can be found on all Ty products available at finer specialty gift retailers. Visit Ty on the Internet at http://www.ty.com. VIEW STORY HERE

Welcome To Herald/PrimeTime Online
Thank you for visiting Herald/PrimeTime Online, a site we created for you and the community.
Local news has been the heart and soul of our organization since we first started publishing newspapers in 1885. We have worked diligently to bring our readers the finest in local news and information.

We've now taken a step forward and created this site to provide news and information to all of our readers who have access to the World Wide Web. This is an exciting venture for us where we plan to share news and events from our regular print publication and use the power of the Internet to interact with the community.

You'll find we have added powerful Internet classifieds, interactive auctions, online yellow pages and hundreds of pages of great content. So whether you're buying a car, looking for your next house, changing jobs or searching for that retired beanie baby, start your journey here. VIEW HERE

March of Dimes shows how it helps babies
Ten-month-old Taylor Treece is a bundle of bright eyes, curly hair and chubby cheeks, but she wouldn't be alive today without the March of Dimes.

"It's (one organization) I will always support," her mother, Tilara McDonald-Treece, of Lafayette, told a group of March of Dimes fund-raising volunteers on Tuesday. "I will have a reminder forever."

Taylor now weighs 15 pounds. Born three months premature, she weighed 1 pound, 5 ounces at birth and was about the size of a Beanie Baby. She spent 90 days in a neonatal intensive care unit. VIEW STORY HERE

Beanieholics Herschel Giveaway
"Herschel is currently one of the top five traded Beanies according to MetaExchange. We have five of them to give away and we would really like to get these into the hands of those that don't have Cracker Barrel Stores near them or just missed out on this beautiful bear." Click Here For Contest Info

-=JANUARY 28, 2003=-
MORE TY SHIPPING PROBLEMS
Marc writes: "I just received my Kiss-e order in the mail today. I thought it looked "odd" that the box was much smaller than usual for an order of 2 Beanie Babies. When I opened the box, there was only ONE Kiss-e inside. I ordered two Kiss-e Beanies, I'm being billed for two, and the mailing label reads two. I think it's only fair that I receive two, right? The box was sealed (no evidence of tampering) & had the delivery confirmation # and green scan before delivery label, so I can only assume that this error was made by Ty's shipping department. I sent customer service an e-mail & am awaiting a reply.

I don't know if anyone posted this before, but the Babe-e orders that received MC II Anniversary by mistake was a VERY expensive error on Ty's part. According to the post by "Your Friends at Ty" earlier this month, "less than 200" were sent in error. I've already spoken to a manager at MBNA (who contacted administrators at MBNA) and since the error is Ty's fault, MBNA can't do anything about it. If it were MBNA sending them out, then they could do something, but Ty is the one fulfilling the offer.

"Less than 200" is vague. Zero, 1, and 199 are all less than 200. Assume 200 MC II Ann. Beanies sent in error. Cardholders spent (at least) $5000 each to EARN this bear. That gives 200 X $5000 = $1,000,000 That's a MILLION DOLLAR MISTAKE!!!

That may be pocket change to Ty Warner, but for his loyal collectors/consumers, it's a slap in the face. This Beanie was supposed to make up for the disappointment many felt over the original M.C. Beanie II being the special anniversary item. According to the MBNA application, it reads:

Each year...when a cardholder transacts a total of five thousand dollars ($5,000) in new net retail purchase transactions, the cardholder will receive one (1) specially selected Beanie Baby not available for purchase by the general public.

Now, Ty could have said the original M.C. Beanie II DOES fulfill the wording given in the application and that would have been it. MC II Ann. Edition was made as an additional thank you to the customers as a courtesy. In my opinion, this mix-up with the Babe-e orders DID make the Anniversary bear available to the general public. Whether this was truly an honest mistake by Tys shipping department or an intentional ploy to get more orders for Babe-e, I dont know for sure. But as far as Im concerned, this very costly error needs to be addressed further by Ty Inc. & Ty Warner himself. The wording in the application seems fraudulent now as a result of the error. MBNA cardholders who actually spent at least $5000 in the one year to get this so-called "special" Beanie should try writing/e-mailing Ty Inc. to ask for compensation for this error. Maybe some people would like to start a thread on TyTalk to see if Your Friends at Ty will respond? Was anyone even aware of how big of an error this was? Does anyone even care any more or have the majority of people decided to let it slide? Marc"

TRI-COLORED RIBBON ON KISS-e Char writes: "Thought I'd share some info that I haven't seen posted yet. 1}* The neck-ribbon is tri-coloured, but you pretty much have to move the bear around to see the colour change/S. **Note: Which is why I left one photo; dark, so as to see what I am speaking of. Duh; lol. 2}* The fur colour has an orange lighting cast-off to it. Meaning; The bear looks fingernail polish red, but changes to an orange looking colour under the light. **Couldn't get it to show up in photos; sorry. WILD; eh?"

KINKA'S ASSOCIATION WITH TY
Bean Watcher writes: "Hi Lisa! Ever since Sal's Attic did some investigative work about Kinka's association with Ty, Inc., I decided to do some investigative work myself. So, I sent a couple of emails to Kinka' Customer Service section and received some interesting and revealing responses! I will be posting these and another response on my news site, so any of your readers who would like to read more about Ty and Kinka can take a look! For the sake of space, I had to abridge some of my questions on my site, but the essence will still be there. Keep up the good work ! Bean Watcher" VIEW HERE

Mary Beth Auctions
From: Bean eWonderland
Pamela informed us that she had read a thread on the Ty Cyber board stating that Mary Beth had listed several rare and strange items for auction. But where do you find a link to such auctions? We knew just the person to ask. To take a look at the collection and items on offer Click Here

Teddies come to class
From: Bean eWonderland
Whittier Christian Preschool students took their favorite teddy bears on a field trip last week, pulling them around the school in decorated shoeboxes to kick off a two-week reading campaign at home.

The school's Teddy Bear Parade took place Thursday and featured Beanie bears, Pooh bears, blue bears and patriotic bears even a couple of Spiderman and Hello Kitty stuffed dolls. Interactive stories and songs about bears followed the parade. Full Story

-=JANUARY 27, 2003=-
CONGRATS TO THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS!!
What a great game the BUCS played. 48-21 was the final score!! I'm so proud of those BUCS. I like to root for the underdog and they really played a great game. :o)

CHUBBLEY ODDITY AUCTION
Sue Owen is doing another one of her great auctions to benefit Cancer Research UK! Sue also has "some great Ty charity auctions scheduled to start on February 15th - with some unique items never before seen on auction! Details will follow when those auctions begin. VIEW CHUBBLEY ODDITY AUCTION HERE

Pompey Thoughts
From: Bean eWonderland
Many have asked my opinion about the Pompey beanie, many have complained about the length of time it has taken to arrive and some have asked, should I return it and purchase it cheaper on eBay. I have purchased beanies before thinking they were going to be rare and they turned out not to be and I have passed on chances and missed out big time, it is part of the uncertainty in collecting beanies.

It must also be remembered that the Pompey beanie is a football club bear, meant for the supporters, the club did not realise how popular this bear would be. One person was working in the club shop taking telephone orders, this one person was enough and has been for years so to suddenly be faced with so many orders must have been a bit of a shock.

I agree it has been poorly handled but I stress that we are talking about a sports football club, not a Ty retailer. Maybe the pressures put upon them or the lack of information by Ty Europe in the first place was what is unfair. I do sympathise with anyone who has been waiting weeks, or who has paid over the odds for this bear but... If the club had only received a limited amount of bears, if eBay had not been flooded and if the secondary market was still fetching over $100.00 a bear would anyone be complaining or would they wait happily knowing a bear costing them $41.00 was on its way with a secondary value of $100?

Don't get me wrong, I was surprised at the charge the club were asking for postage of Pompey, I do not understand how this is justified myself, but I am even more surprised that so many people were willing to pay it. I think you must ask yourself the reason for placing an order at the club shop for Pompey. Was it because you thought it would rise in value or was it because you really did like the look of it and wanted it in your collection for this reason alone?

Grocery Shopping
From: Bean eWonderland
A message on the Ty Cyber Board states that Shop-Rite in Brick, NJ is selling Pastel Peace, Goldie, Ted-es and stores in Manitoba and New Brunswick have Kanata, Blue peanut, Spot (with the spot) and tan horn Unicorn in stock at $6.99. Wonder where they managed to get these from? View Thread

-=JANUARY 26, 2003=-
TAYLOR'S BIRTHDAY RAFFLE
Desi writes: "Hi Everyone, I am doing a Raffle for my Daughter Taylor's 4th Birthday party coming up in March....This is my first raffle.....Starting on Monday January 27, 2003 till February 28, 2003 Midnight CST...I am holding a Raffle for My daughter's 4th Birthday party/Present.....In this goodie box includes:

Headband with Barrettes set
Baby Headband with barrettes set
Necklace and bracelet set
Body lotion and shower gel and soap from  Bath & Body works Pear Berry
A candle with a candle plate
Glowing candle is round...Unique
Sparkling Belly button light
2 gel candles (angel wings)
a wire basket
a bag of candy
Gelly Roll Journal with Gel pens
A surprise Beanie

Tickets are 4/1.00.....When it makes 15.00 or more I will add a few more items.....If interested in purchasing a raffle ticket e-mail me and put "Taylor Raffle" in the subject line and I will get back to you on where to send money order or you can use Pay pal.....I do have over 100+ References on EBay (EBay id is lovabledes@aol.com) I am also selling stuff on EBay feel free to check them out also.....Its all for my daughter Taylor that will be turning 4 on March 20...."

Thank you
Betty/Desi
lovabledes@aol.com

http://www.geocities.com/des103096/TaylorRaffle.html
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/lovabledes/

<<< My comments: I have had the pleasure of winning some of Desi's auctions in the past and I can attest to her honesty, friendliness, and speed of shipping. I, too, will be purchasing some raffle tickets and I want to wish everyone luck in the draw and I hope Desi makes tons of money to help with her daughter's birthday. :o) >>>

Toys in the Workplace
From: Beanieholics
Who says toys are just for kids? Studies have proven that using humor and play will improve productivity and creativity in the workplace. Place that Beanie on your computer or at your desk. We know first-hand it will get the conversation away from work--for at least a little while. Click Here For More

Pompey Update
From: Bean eWonderland
Thank you Jim for the tip off regarding Pompey yesterday. Since the report many have been performing their own investigation on the Pompey beanie and working out how rare this bear will or won't be. Including these observation (confirmed) on the Ty Cyber Board

After paying a visit to the store yesterday Jim informs us that the store has nearly run out of its current stock so they are back down to one per customer. Hardly a surprise really if some people are walking away with bags of 60 !!

New Releases
From: Bean eWonderland
Treat as a rumour for now but... Set for release we hear very shortly are: Eggs 3 which will be a purple bear, March the Birthday Bear, a lamb called Lulaby and three bunnies. One of the bunnies is going to be in the style of a colour me beanie and the other like Frankenteddy, multi coloured. There may be more but highly unlikely that there will be any new Buddies.

UPDATE - After writing this article, I paid a visit to the Ty Cyber boards, it seems many of you have already seen these beanies on display, to view one of the many threads please Click Here

-=JANUARY 25, 2003=-
MORE ON SPARKLES SHIPMENTS
Barbara writes: "Hi My Sparkles arrived the other day.  They also had the delivery confirmation number and scan before delivery bright green sticker.  Here is the catch I got 5 so one came in a box all by itself and low and behold that box had NOT one piece of sealing tape on it so the bear could have been take out of it quite easily.  I am thankful that it wasn't.  I guess too many people are claiming that they didn't get their shipments or something as my Punx-Phil which I got last week did not have this confirmation stuff on it.  Only the bear sent in the box by itself was wrapped in the nice tissue with the hearts and or the first time in all the shipments one of the hang tags of the other 4 was slightly bent.  This was due to the fact that he was shoved into the box upside down and smashed in. Barbara"

KISS-e IN-HAND PHOTOS
Bean Watcher writes: " Hi Lisa! To my utter surprise, I received my order of Kiss-e bears today.  I have never ever been so lucky to receive them so quickly!  I think you'll find that these bears are absolutely beautiful.  They have a fiery red coat (like Sizzle's).  I've also taken a photo of the hang tag. VIEW PHOTOS HERE

Tys New Home
From: Bean eWonderland
I had seen reports on this myself, when looking through the 'news' search engines, but as you had to register a USA postal address to access the story I did not mention it. A recent thread on the Ty Cyber Board however states that Ty Warner is having a $22 million mansion being built in Montecito, CA. according to Forbes magazine. View Thread

Pompey Update
From: Bean eWonderland
Our resident Pompey supporter Jim writes: "Having read the rumours, I thought I would update you with the facts as I know them from the Pompey Shop. Firstly, the shop has stopped their 1 per customer policy for over the counter sales. They now sell in Carrier Bags of 10 beanies, a maximum of 3 bags per visit, which means you can get 30 in one go for £180.00.

However, there are 2 shops, and each has the same policy meaning that you can get 60 per visit to the Ground in total. I know of one chap who got 700 over 2 days. With regards to the internet sales, they have decided to fill all orders, so if you ordered 100, you will get 100, provided the orders were all separate i.e 100 orders, not 1 order of 100.

I have been told by a reputable source that there are 50,000 Pompey Bears in the Warehouse, and there will be enough to fulfil all orders, and then some. They will not be sent to other stores, just the Pompey Shop, but retailers are coming from far and wide to the store to get their Bags of 10. Hope this info helps, Regards, Jim


Collectible or Toy?
From: Beanieholics
While searching for Beanie related news I found this article written by a man who has finally come to terms with the idea that toys and collectibles can be the same thing. Click Here For More

WHEN GOD SENDS A TEDDY BEAR Sandy shares this awesome picture.

-=JANUARY 24, 2003=-
SPARKLES w/DELIVERY CONFIRMATION?
Marc writes: "I just received my Sparkles order in today's (Thursday's) mail. My 2 bears were wrapped in the tissue paper as others have reported. My box has a delivery confirmation number on it from the USPS & a sticker to scan before delivery. No one else has mentioned this yet. Do you think Ty's doing this to prevent theft? Is it just me or did anyone notice that some of the Beanie names that are being used now sound like candidates from the People's Beanie choices? Sparkles & Dreamer from Beanie of the Month, and Charmer. Anyone want to check this out? Marc"

-=JANUARY 23, 2003=-
TEAL TEDDY ON AMERICAN IDOL CONFIRMED...
Gayle writes: "I saw it also...it was the old faced teal buddie and he did throw it to the ground...it had the tag but no tag protector on it....and he did name is Simon....who insulted his "GREAT" singing talents....weren't some of those people just awful....and the way some of them dressed..."

POMPEY PICTURES
Charlene writes: "Hey Lisa: This is what I got in my mail box this afternoon. Thought that maybe 
you'd like to share with the other readers. *Note: I received 'BOTH' my beanies, though Pompey Sport has been telling people that have ordered, "They would be getting only one, because of the statement on their site's ordering page, 'Limit of One Beanie per order'."
POMPEY w/Pompey Sport catalog <notice the Pompey rolled up in the catalog. Charlene said that's how they arrived at her house.>
POMPEY close-up

SPARKLES PICTURE
Charlene shares pictures of her Sparkles "Beanie of the Month". VIEW HERE

Beanie Babies Makes "Century of Toys List'"
From: Beanieholics
Toy Industry Association has released a list of one hundred of the industry's most memorable and creative toys from the past century. The list is part of the 100th anniversary of the American International Toy Fair, to be held in New York in February. Ty makes the list with the release of Beanie Babies. Click Here For More

-=JANUARY 22, 2003=-
AN INTERVIEW WITH TERRI SOPP RAE
Kathie Currie of Chubbley Corners has interviewed Terri Sopp Rae. Some of you may be familiar with Terri's wonderful artistic talents. READ INTERVIEW HERE Terri is not only talented at drawing Beanies, she also decorates them. The interview page has some great pictures of her creations.  Pictures for the Planet Beans Coloring Book were donated by Terri Sopp Rae. These pictures are great to print out and color. My kids have enjoyed them these past few years. http://www.planetbeans.com/colorboo.htm

BEANIE BUDDY ON AMERICAN IDOL?
Marc writes: "Thought I saw a teal green (old-faced) Employee Buddy on the premiere of American Idol Tues. night during one of the "confessionals." The contestant mentioned they named it Simon (after the judge) but was so disgusted after getting the boot, that I think they punched or shook it and then threw it on the ground!!! Anyone else see this? It was only on-screen for a few seconds, but I'm pretty sure it was a Ty product. Think I noticed the tag, which must be the sign of a collector...being able to spot the tag from a mile away? LOL!!!! ;) Marc"

Show Locations
From: Bean eWonderland
When one of our readers asked for a complete list of all USA Ty shows this year, who better to ask than our friend 'Bob'. So just in case anyone else would like to make a mark on their calendar:

I obtained this information directly from a Ty Rep who acted like it is SECRET. Why, I don't know. Notice that the Ty's booth for the New York Toy Fair is different than that shown on the current show floor plan. Not sure which is correct but will try to find out. I guess the most important information is the dates they occur. Remember, all information is subject to change. VIEW COMPLETE LISTING HERE

Adrienne shares the following: "Good Morning Lisa !! Speaking of TY Greetings !!!  Here is a scan of the front of a greeting card I received at Christmas from the TY retailer for this area.  On the back is the TY heart and underneath it says TY (Canada) Inc so I don't know if these were just in Canada or not."

-=JANUARY 21, 2003=-
A GREAT IDEA!!
Debbie writes:  " Hi Lisa, I hope that everything is going great for you this new year, I also wanted to tell you that the site looks great---THANK YOU!!!  I also read the piece on Lawerence the camel going overseas, it was a great idea. Our nephew is being deployed this week over seas and when we had a family get together for him, my family gave him a Halo II Jingle Beanie to carry with him, when he opened it he knew it would serve as his Guardian Angel. We realized the little bell inside needed to come out, so my sister did minor surgery on it, within a few minutes he was noise free. Our nephew put it right back in his travel bag with a GRIN on his face, made me smile also. So I thought I would let you know that all kinds of Beanies will probably be going over seas with OUR TROOPS. We need to keep THEM ALL IN OUR PRAYERS!!!!!  Take care and HAVE A GREAT DAY & GOD BLESS!!!!!!      Debbie    :o)   :o) "

Sals Attic goes undercover 
From: Ms. Janie
2002 Seasons Greetings Cards from Ty Although a lot of the buzz on the chat boards is about Ty's Valentine's cards, little is known about the 2002 Seasons Greetings Cards from Ty. With a little detective work we have found out the following information about these creative cute cards. http://www.salsattic.com/tycards1.htm

Take time to tame toy clutter 
From: Ms. Janie
Christmas is behind you, but if you're like most parents, you're probably facing a pile of your child's holiday haul and wondering, "Where do these things go?" Decluttering children's rooms Rotate toys. "Then kids aren't overwhelmed by choices," says Debbie Williams, author of "Home Management 101." "It teaches them to respect what they do have." With older children, the rotation concept could work more like an internal toy swap, with children choosing two items to take out of a reserved box of toys and picking which two go in. Store out-of-season clothes in suitcases or in marked boxes in extra closets or the garage. Donate outgrown or disliked clothes, or keep them in boxes marked by size so they are easy to pass on or consign. Closet ideas: Take the doors off and keep the child's chest of drawers in the closet. Or, install a second rod lower to the ground so the clothes children wear are easily accessible; keep dress-up clothes on the higher rod. Or put up floor-to- ceiling shelves. Use large plastic dish pans (which can be bought inexpensively at a restaurant supply store) to store toys. Used for busing tables, four or five of the sturdy pans can fit under a single bed, said Cynthia Townley Ewer, editor of Organizedhome.com. Store toys by theme (Barbie, Legos, cars, etc.) in see-through plastic boxes. Williams prefers containers with handles so children can move toys to another room -- and easily take them back. Throw away the cardboard boxes games come in and keep all the pieces in a labeled plastic freezer storage bag instead. File the bags and accompanying board in an open container with other games. Use over-the-door shoe holders to store such items as Hot Wheels, Barbies, action figures or arts and crafts materials. READ FULL STORY HERE 

REGARDING TEENIE BOPPERS AT BOOKS-A-MILLION
Becky writes: "The BAM in Owensboro has a small Hallmark inside it. I bet that's why the Teenies were there." 

McDonald's Happy Meals
From: Beanieholics
McDonald's Corp. said Monday it plans to give away the popular girls' Betty Spaghetty doll and Tonka trucks in its upcoming Happy Meal promotion for children, its latest attempt to revive slowing sales in the U.S. market. McDonald's, whose previous Happy Meal promotions with Teenie Beanie Babies plush toys drew a near-frenzied response from customers, will launch the promotion for four weeks nationwide beginning Jan. 24th. Click Here For Story

Baby, I Just Love Those Beanie Bears
From: Beanieholics
Fans of Beanie Baby Bears gathered at a collectors' fair in the UK at Swindon. Enthusiasts from around the country came to sell their wares and acquire rare versions of the cuddly toys at the Thistle Hotel. Click Here For Story

-=JANUARY 20, 2003=-
Teenie Boppers At Books-A-Million?
From: Beanieholics
So I waited a bit too long to buy a 2003 calendar for our den. Theresa and I were out looking for one yesterday when we stopped by Books-A-Million to see what calendars they had on clearance. While we were looking around we ran across a table that had Teenie Beanie Boppers! When did Books-A-Million start selling these?? They too were on clearance at 45% off or 50% off the $4.99 sticker price if you had a Books-A-Million discount card. We keep saying that Ty items show up in the strangest places. This is just another example.

My comments: What a fantastic deal. I hope Randy & Theresa picked up some of those Teenie Boppers. If you live near a Books-A-Million this one might be worth checking into. ;o)

ODDITY CHUBBLEY BEAR FOR CHARITY Shared by La Rue of Kansas Brass & Pewter Sue Owen writes: "I have an oddity Honey Chubbley that I discovered in a sealed bag of Chubbley Bears. It has a tush tag that refers to an entirely different company. I have only heard of one other such bear, which was recently auctioned on eBay.   Next Sunday (26th January) an auction will start on eBay for this bear, in aid of Cancer Research UK, under the heading 'CHERISH A CHUBBLEY ODDITY', under my user name sue_owen. I do hope that collectors will bid for the bear to raise more money for this worthwhile charity." http://www.geocities.com/sue_owenuk/

Camel Helps Little Girl Over Hump
From: Beanieholics
Pvt. Lawrence will be ready to serve six to eight months in Afghanistan when he ships out next week. And just like any other soldier, Lawrence will say goodbye to family and friends. But Lawrence isn't like other soldiers. He's a camel, a stuffed toy. (An Attic Treasure actually.) He'll be traveling overseas in the care of Master Sgt. Becki Caldwell, who is scheduled to deploy with the 18th Airborne Corps on Jan. 27. Click Here For Story

Bye Bye Babe-e
http://www.ty.com/BABE-e_ret 

-=JANUARY 19, 2003=-
Monroe workers rescue child's precious friend
From: Bean eWonderland
Brandie Brimfield's angelic baby doll, Elizabeth - the one with the chubby cheeks, big brown eyes and pantaloons - was on a hellacious journey. But a crew of township public works employees, standing knee-deep in a mound of putrid garbage, acted quickly to save the little girl's most precious possession from a fiery end.

The 6-year-old Forest Hills girl's beloved doll and her other bedtime pals - 15 Beanie Babies and a collection of treasured stuffed animals - were nearly cremated in the county incinerator Thursday. The near-catastrophe started Thursday morning, when Brandie's dad, Chip, mistakenly tossed a bag with his daughter's doll and toys in with the curbside trash. Full Story

NEW CHUBBLEYS ARRIVE
Gayle of Grandma's Bears now has the November releases in stock. These include the following: CHUBBLEYS: Honey (honey colored), Snowbear (red scarf), Russel, and Bubble. CUBS: Rollem and Sleepyhead. Gayle also has a good supply of the other Chubbley Bears. http://www.grandmasbears.net  If you are having a hard time accessing Grandma's Bears website you can email Gayle directly to place an order. GrandmasBears@aol.com 

POMPEY COMMENTS
Short Memory ?? A while back I read a report either here in your newsletter or Jackie Greenwoods [the only two I get] about the Pompey beanies that were "refused" by the Portsmouth Club who was overwhelmed and TY then sent them "unordered" to stores in the area [of the club]. The article writer pointed out that the amount shipped, two or three dozen, times the receiving stores , 20 or so, equaled the normal monthly shipment to the Football Club's Stadium store [1200 or so ]. Apparently the club has been taking efforts to see that the fans are only getting one Pompey [per game] but no such restrictions would have been imposed on the shopkeepers who suddenly got a windfall shipment. They may have sold all to one customer or if brighter may have held them back and be selling directly themselves. Having said that, I should like to point out that most beanie collectors seem to have lost sight of the fact that a shopkeeper has a perfect right to try and make a living. I would imagine that most collectors shop sales or use coupons in an attempt to get the best value for their shopping dollar a seller has the same right to get the best value for something that he/she/it has purchased --or in this case has had sent to their store without even being ordered. Well all is said and done -Please remember folks, Ty is a businessman and those who sell his products are also. Please feel free to delete the soapbox oration but I get a little tired of seeing all the complaining whenever things don't work out prezackly as some collector thinks they should. Ed Q aka Boolphrog

PINEWOOD DERBY
I'm proud to let you all know that my son's Pinewood Derby car took 1st runner-up for SPEED in the Webelos division and 3rd in overall speed from ALL the scouts that raced yesterday. He will be going to the District race in either March or April and will be racing against LOTS of other boys that took 1st, 2nd, or 3rd respectively. Once the pictures are posted on the Pack website I will share the photo with you. Robbie received a silver medallion necklace for the 1st runner-up for SPEED and a trophy for the 3rd overall SPEED. He's really excited. My hubby and son both put in a lot of work on this car. Robbie also received the "Most Futuristic Car" award.

-=JANUARY 18, 2003=-
TY NEWSFLASH
A newsflash has been posted on Ty.com to introduce the Jan/Feb 2003 issue of Mary Beth's Beanies & More http://www.ty.com/Magazine_Feb 

UP4TRADE PAUSED
Richard writes: "Hi Everyone I received an email this morning from a reader who pointed out a VERY valid point. Since KnK and Collectingnation closed, there have been several new sites pop up claiming to retrieve your old feedback..

OK great, but what else are they able to retrieve, your old password and email maybe? If you are like many people who like to keep the same password for everything, consider changing it now !!

I know I have been contacted by one of these sites, how did they get my email in the first place? Imagine if your old password for KnK or CN is the same as your ebay account or Paypal??

For this reason also, Yavett and myself have paused the use of Up4Trade, we are going through logs checking nobody has accessed our servers. WE DO NOT FEEL that we have a security issue but nobody would thank us if we discovered that we had and we had not investigated.

We shall also be installing extra security measures as we do not want anyone attempting to try in the future. Please do not panic if you see the Up4Trade site down. It may be on and off for a while as we update security.

If you are a web master, if you own a Beanie Group or if you are able to spread the word in anyway please do so. This is not meant to scare anyone but sites who can retrieve, hack, access, steal, invade (or whatever you wish to call it) other sites for feedback, will also have the ability to obtain maybe a little more of your personal information than you would like.. Lets just hope that they Don't !! Richard" MORE INFORMATION FOUND HERE

My comments: WTG to Richard and Yavett for taking care of your Up4Trade members. ;o)

WHERE ARE ALL THE POMPEY BEANIES?
Stephen points out auctions from two sellers for MULTIPLE Pompey Beanies.
THIS SELLER HAS 10 ON AUCTION
THIS SELLER HAS 19 ON AUCTION

TY'S VALENTINE'S DAY CARDS
Bean Watcher writes: "Hi Lisa! A collector sent me some beautiful photographs of Ty's Valentine's Day Cards....  WOW!  Are they really nice cards!   I've posted them on my news site and they are a real pleasure to look at!  I'm sharing these with you so that collectors everywhere can enjoy the great works of art that Ty creates. Have a wonderful day! Bean Watcher  VIEW CARDS HERE

More On Ty's New Home
From: Beanieholics
Forbes.com comments on Ty Warner's purchase of a new $22 million home in Montecito, California saying, "The seven-bedroom house is said to be 14,000 square feet, and given the property's plush Montecito location (the exclusive area near Santa Barbara where Oprah Winfrey bought her $50 million home), the selling price was probably within reason. Warner, whom we estimate to be worth about $6 billion, can easily afford it." Click Here For More

-=JANUARY 17, 2003=-
NEW CHUBBLEY PICTURES
Daphne has posted pictures of the newest Chubbley Bears due to hit stores later this month. VIEW NEW CHUBBS HERE 

The January Mini Hunt begins this Saturday 1/18. 
Nina writes: "This is a multi-site graphic hunt, with minimal time constrictions. Once posted, all graphics will remain up until after the end of the whole hunt, you can miss a day or two & still have plenty of time to catch up. Lots of great sites to explore & lots of great prizes will assure you will have lots of fun, so come & check it out": FOR RULES AND PRIZES CLICK HERE

CONTEST AT THE BEAN SCENE
Jamie writes: "Hey! Can you post on your site that I am running a new contest called "Writer's Block" on my article? The prizes include Wales, England, and Scotland trio (1st prize), Kanata (2nd prize), and Celebrations (3rd prize). For more details go to my article. Thanks!See you at the Beanscene!"  VISIT THE BEAN SCENE HERE

N. J. Honor Legion plays Santa Claus at Children’s Aid
The Honor Legion of the Police Departments of the State of N.J. (NJHL) embarked on a new program enhancement to our Widow and Orphan’s fund with the goal of making some children happy during the holiday season.
The NJHL purchased toys and clothing destined for 60 children (infant to adolescent) in the care of Children's Aid and Family Services (CAFS). These children are housed in two Pre-Adoptive Treatment Homes and three Adolescent Group Homes located in Ridgewood, Bogota, Hackensack, Paterson, and East Orange, New Jersey. CAFS also maintains the Turrell Child Development Center with 200 children, ages 2 months to 5-years-old. The NJHL also purchased some toys (several toy cars and playhouses) for the center itself.

On Dec. 11, 2002, NJHL dropped off the toys and clothing purchased for the 60 children living in the group homes at the CAFS building at 200 Robin Road, Paramus. The Turrell Child Developmental Center is also housed at this location. In addition to the products purchased for the center, the NJHL Santa Claus (played by Dan Nosenchuk), and the elves (girls from Paramus High School Honor Society and Paramus Catholic High School), distributed to each of the 200 children a Christmas stocking, coloring book, and “Beanie Baby.” READ FULL STORY HERE

Youngsters aim for a clean sweep
DALLAS - Perhaps a future Sarah Hughes is here among this group of giggly, pony-tailed girls.

But for now, the youngsters are content to play a background role at the 2003 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

The "sweepers," as they are called, are responsible for picking up the flowers and stuffed toys tossed by fans to their favorite skaters after their performances.

It isn't a glamorous job. But the girls are thrilled to have a rinkside seat while their favorite skaters glide and twirl across the ice.

"I love watching them," said Kylie Lynch, 13, of Coppell. "It's so cool."

A sweeper's marching orders are fairly simple: Scoop up the stuff as quickly as you can and leave no Beanie Baby behind. READ FULL STORY HERE

ASK TY
Q: How can I purchase the new Beanie Baby called Punxsutawney Phil?
(submitted by ninna15781)
A: This little guy has become quite a celebrity. As many of you know, there are 2 different versions of Phil. There was a limited number of Punxsutawney Phil sold by the Punxy Chamber of Commerce . . . I think this version may be sold out. The second version, PUNXSUTAWN-e PHIL is available at the TyStore. Keep an eye on this little guy . . . . you never know where he might pop up. http://www.tytrade.com/askty_home 

My comments: It's surprising to me that this question won the majority vote. Anyone at all who reads Beanie news on ANY site or visits the Ty website knows the answer to this question. ;o) I'm wondering by the last part of Ty's comment if we are to read something into his words. Do you think Punxy Phil will show up in other retail outlets? It would stand to reason that Punxy Phil should retire at the Ty Store on Groundhog day or even before if he sells out, which is a real possibility.

SPARKLES AUCTIONS
There are a number of auctions for Sparkles on eBay. There are some IN HAND with pictures of the actual bear. VIEW PICTURE HERE

-=JANUARY 16, 2003=-
Punkies Question
From: Bean eWonderland
Marilyn questions; "I've been calling a couple of stores that got in Punkies to see if they'd gotten in the fourth of the set...T-Bone....and I've found out something that's makes me wonder if they are shipping to selected locations only. One store that got Punkies last week has two other branch stores that didn't get their shipment of Punkies. I also found Punkies at a bookstore & at least one of their other branch stores did not get Punkies with their Ty shipment last week. That makes them a little harder to find if this is happening elsewhere as well.Marilyn

Fraud Alert
From: Bean eWonderland
Jenny writes: I found your fraud alert interesting - but more interesting to me is that you made no mention of the signed & authenticated Pompey bear. Or the fact that TBB has been doing all the authenticating of these pieces for these sellers in WASHINGTON. So, she authenticated for them within 14 days: a signed MC I bear a signed MC II bear a signed Scared-E bear a signed Pompey

- plus they have a ton of easily manipulated oddities - not to mention the 26 MC BEANIE II cards - not to mention that 1/2 of their feedbacks received in the last two months are for purchases of the MC beanies that they are turning into oddities.

My comments: This "saga" has gotten even more interesting. Please visit Bean eWonderland to read the rest of the above and the previous entries about these questionable auctions.

HALLMARK BEARS
Pat shares with Ms. Janie:
Hi I'm Pat from Michigan........ My Hallmark crown store told me today they will be able to order a max of Hallmark beanie bears 60. They said a one time order. Will arrive in March.

-=JANUARY 15, 2003=-
FAST CONFIRMATION
Donna writes: "lisa, i ordered my kiss-e`s earlier today and got my confirmation within an hour of ordering it. thought that was pretty fast. donna, [cookieo1]

My comments: Ty has really been on the ball with these Ty Store confirmations and quick shipment lately. I hope it continues and wish everyone luck that place an order for these items. :o)

TRADING CLUB INVITATION
Pam writes: "Good morning Lisa, Its been a long time since I wrote to you and I was wondering since, u4t is down if you would mind listing my trading club?  It is on Yahoo, and would love some new members!!  Here is the link for joining  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/beaniegoround

Hope you don't mind and hope to get some new members!!  Thanks and keep up the good work!!  Pam"

THERE IS HOPE
Mel shares with Ms. Janie
Hello Ms. Janie, after reading of the frustrations of the USA collectors regarding this bear, I would like to add that a lot of UK collectors are also having the same frustration. Myself and a few other collectors that I know of ordered Pompey on-line on the very first day of him being available and we are still waiting for him to arrive. Local TY retailers in the Portsmouth area have had Pompey delivered, so there is hope . I think that the staff at PFC did not realize that the demand for Pompey would be so great and can't cope. I am hoping that patience will be a virtue and Pompey will arrive in the post any day now lol Thank you for the great newsletters Regards Mel, UK

POMPEY ARRIVES IN CANADA
Debby shares with Ms. Janie
Hello from Canada, I thought I should let everyone know that I received Pompey yesterday. He came right to my door. All tags were bubble wrapped for protection. I had phoned and placed an order over the phone for three more and was told most orders were shipped out that were ordered in November. I think a lot of people will be happy this week. Best Regards Debbie Elliott http://www.msjanie.com/2002_photos/Debby_Pompey.html

Fraud Alert?
From: Bean eWonderland
Hope you have been following the 'claimed' beanie oddity saga, well it now appears both father and daughter are lucky enough to have a double oddity. Come on please eBay, sort these sellers out before they scam anyone else. Daughters Auction or maybe Fathers Auction.

My comments: This "saga" has gotten even more interesting. Please visit Bean eWonderland to read the previous entries about these questionable auctions.

BOTM NOW SHIPPING
Julia shares: "Hi Lisa, I just received this by e-mail"

Dear Julia,
Thank you for your order from the Ty Store.
This is to confirm shipment of the following order:
Order - 7610XXX
Ship date - 1/14/2003
Item Detail:
Qty Description
1 Beanie Baby of the Month
Ship To Address:
XXX XXXX XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX XX XXXXX
Item(s) cost - $5.00
Shipping & Handling - $3.00
Sales Tax - $0.00
Duty - $0.00
Grand Total - $8.00

Please note, all prices are quoted in US dollars. Your order is being shipped through the Postal Service.

Thank you for ordering from the Ty Store.

Regards,

Ty Store

-=JANUARY 14, 2003=-
PHOTOS OF CAPTAIN & HOTSHOT
Bean Watcher shares: "Hi Lisa!  I have an in hand photograph of Captain and Hotshot posted on my news page in case anyone wants to see them.  These little guys are really neat! Take care, Bean Watcher" VIEW PHOTOS HERE

POMPEY SPORT LOOKING FOR CASUAL STAFF
Pompey Sport are looking for casual staff to work in the busy mail order department. Part time and full time hours are available. READ FULL STORY HERE

My comments: Do you think Pompey Sport is being bombarded with mail orders for Pompey and they've had to hire help? ;o)

Flea market makes dollars and sense for Greenman kids
For fourth-grader Tammy Turner, it was about getting rid of toys that "just lay around on the floor at my house."

For some, like second-grader Philip Biondo, it was "all about the money."

No matter what the motivation, those who took part in Greenman Elementary School's first Kids Flea Market on Saturday considered it a success.

It was "a great way for kids to learn about recycling and that their things have some value, even after they are done playing with them," said Leslie Conklin, who organized the event.

The children gained money experience as they priced all their items to be sold and kept track of their profits as the day went on.

The items brought in for the flea market ranged from books and videos to toys. Fourth-grader Callan Seckman was selling his old action figure dolls, packaged in large plastic bags, for only two dollars a bag.

"I'm older now, and I think it would be better for younger kids to have them to play with," he said. Whatever he didn't sell would be donated to charity.

There were 10 tables of items at the flea market. Tammy and fellow fourth-grader Alexis Lewis were selling old Beanie Babies for a dollar each. Meanwhile, third-grader Rebecca Quade was ready to part with her stuffed animals because she had "outgrown" them and "wanted to put the money in the bank and spend it on other things." READ FULL STORY HERE

Sup Ct Rejects Beanie Baby, Coach Infringement Appeals
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)-- The U.S. Supreme Court Monday let stand a ruling that rejected copyright infringement claims by the maker of Beanie Babies against a company that produced collectors books for the toys.

Ty Inc. of Westmont, Ill., sued Publications International Ltd., also of Illinois, for producing collector guidebooks with pictures of more than 150 Beanie Baby products without getting a license.

Wildly popular in the late 1990s, Beanie Babies are small stuffed toys produced as hundreds of different characters. Ty has also sold its own Beanie Baby guidebooks and licenses guidebooks to other companies. VIEW STORY HERE

Special Announcement Re: Collectibles Extravaganza Magazine (Wrom: VZC Janie)
Producing a magazine is a costly venture, one that must be warranted and profitable. With this said, it is with great sorrow that I make the following announcement: 

Due to a soft collectibles market, Collectibles Extravaganza will cease to publish. Although the premiere issue was very well received and practically sold out, the publisher feels that market conditions are not strong enough to support this publication at this time. 

While the collectibles market is comprised of a lot of Ty collectors it is felt that there is not a need for another Ty publication. Although many of our readers enjoyed the diversity in articles in Collectibles Extravaganza, advertisers wanted more Ty! As to not compete with Ty’s current publication and the UK BeanBag Monthly publication, it has been decided to cease future issues for the foreseeable future. The publisher will continue to watch the market very carefully in the event that conditions warrant an additional publication. 

For collectors who submitted information and photos for our next issue, please know that I will feature them on the site and give you full credit. If this is not to your satisfaction, please advise and I will omit them. 

The premiere issue was a labor of love and the words of encouragement on our efforts were greatly appreciated and made it all worthwhile. When conditions are right we hope to be back. Deb, Randy and I, agree that while we will miss writing for the magazine, we can now focus on sprucing up our sites and staying on top of the market. Our main goal has always been the collector, and with that in mind, we will now go back to work. Sincerely, Ms. Janie

DESI'S AUCTIONS
Desi writes: "I have from kids toys (some new, some not), Hallmark keepsake ornament, Beanies, buddies, kids (girls) clothes, etc, etc...."
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/lovabledes/

Up4Trade Problems
From: Bean eWonderland
During the night, the Up4Trade web site exceeded its bandwidth limit for the month of January with over 53,000 visits in 13 days !! Yavett is busy sorting out a new server which should be in place within the next 12 hours. It looks likely, that Up4Trade will need its very own server at the rate of growth we are experiencing but that is something for us to consider at a later time. For now your patience is appreciated and hopefully you will be able to begin trading again very shortly

NO MORE MAIL ORDERS FOR POMPEY
Mona writes: "Hi Lisa, I received this email from the Pompey Sport":

Thank you for your email.

We are sorry to inform you that due to excessive demand we have had to suspend our mail order for Pompey Beanie. They are now only available to buy over the counter in our store.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Kind regards,

Pompey Sport

My comments: I guess I'll never own a Pompey Beanie. Good luck to those of you that ordered. I hope Pompey Sport are able to fulfill the massive number of orders.

Adrienne writes: "Good Morning Lisa !! Well I tried to stay awake last night to phone the Pompey store when it would be their opening time this morning but I couldn't keep my eyes from slamming shut !! I gave up and went to bed. I called this morning and talked to a very nice young man who said there would be no more phone orders either. They took some but now they can't anymore. He said that any orders from overseas would be arriving in 8 - 12 weeks as they go through their backlog. :-( Thought I'd let you know !!! Have a super day my dear friend !!"

GRANDMA'S BEARS SITE NOT WORKING
Gayle wanted me to let you know that her website is unavailable to some browsers at this time. You can place an order for the new Chubbley Bears by emailing Gayle at: GrandmasBears@aol.com 

-=JANUARY 13, 2003=-
INFO BEANIE HINTS?
Sunday January 12,2003 09:22 p.m.
I guess it turned out to be a pretty fun day after all. I guess Pegasus was right, lazy days really are okay every now and again. We just found out that tomorrow we are going to meet another new friend! I wonder who it could be? Maybe it's that KISS-e bear that everyone's been talking about. I've seen a lot of people talking about her on the Internet, so I hope that's who it is! Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough! I'll talk to you all tomorrow! Goodnight!

Sunday January 12,2003 03:47 p.m.
Well, the waffles didn't help and neither did lunch. It's just a lazy day. Pegasus said that it's okay to feel like that sometimes. So I mostly just drew pictures and colored today. I drew some trees and tall grass to go into our 'garden'. Then I drew pictures of some of my Beanie friends. I like to use a lot of color in my pictures, so first I drew Zoom and Hodge-Podge because they're so colorful! Then I drew a picture of PUNXSUTAWN-e PHIL popping out of his hole. He signed his name on it for me. He called it his autograph. I guess that when people are really famous other people like to get them to sign their names on things and these are called autographs. I guess some people even collect autographs! Maybe I'll start a collection now. I also drew pictures of Snowcap and Fridge. I found one piece of black paper and I used my white crayon to draw them. I almost used up the whole crayon! Well, I'm going to go clean up my art supplies now. I'll talk to you later. Bye!

My comments: If I'm reading these hints correctly, it looks like Kiss-e is going to be introduced today and it also looks like perhaps some of the PUNXSUTAWN-e PHIL Beanies may be signed.

Ty Adds To His 'Home' Collection
From: Beanieholics
Beanie Babies billionaire Ty Warner has bought another house in California. The seven-bedroom, 14,000-square-foot Montecito home is located on the oceanfront and cost quite a bit more than the other house he already owns in the area.
Click Here For More

The Punxs'y Phil Beanie Baby Saga
From: Beanieholics
In spite of the arrival of a most unwelcome arctic air mass that plunged temperatures to sub-zero (figuring in the wind-chill factor), Groundhogtown boasts of at least one hot spot - the Chamber of Commerce souvenir shop in downtown Punxsutawney. That's where the latest rage made a brief appearance - the one and only Punxs'y Phil Beanie Baby. Brief because they were sold out in one hour. Michele Huey provides the chronology of the past week in the Punxs'y Phil Beanie Baby saga. Click Here For Story

KISS-e INTRODUCTION
http://www.ty.com/KISS-e 

Did you notice the Leprechaun hiding behind the shade on the bottom right window? I'm thinking that's the e-Beanie for St. Patrick's Day. I wish Ty would consider introducing more than one e-Beanie at a time to save people that do order some shipping money. ;o)

-=JANUARY 12, 2003=-
"50 BEARS FOR 50 STATES"
La Rue shares the following: "Stately Bears has concluded "50 bears for 50 states" plus the Washington DC, limited 1500 production, and 1st Edition Leaf/New Hampshire which is retired. The remaining inventory can seen at: http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/sb.html Stately Bears has been a great educational tool for children with information about the state and a great place to save your State Quarters inside the tag protector."

Rare MC II ?
From: Bean eWonderland
Darren questions the authenticity of the following auction, View Here. It is for a Ty MC II Anniversary Bear with an upside down badge on BOTH the nose and chest. The seller has shades and a positive feedback of four although they have took the time to become verified. We waited until the auction was over as we did not wish to influence anyone, could this be genuine?

Rare MC II Update
From: Bean eWonderland
Bob writes; "I saw the auction mentioned for the rare MC II where both the nose and chest pin (emblem) were rotated. Did anyone also notice that the seller also had the following auctions, all listed as having same error:

3105674361 Periwinkle - Oddity *Nose & Pin*
3105674033 Sunny - Oddity *Nose & Pin*
3105302289 Clubby 5 - double oddity *Nose & Pin* !!


I find it hard to believe that one person would be fortunate enough to have 4 Beanie Baby bears all having the exact same error. You be the judge!

My comments: Just beware when bidding on auctions. If you are going to bid on an oddity like this.. might I suggest you make sure it's authenticated first. Oddities like mentioned above are few and far between so I find it HIGHLY unlikely that one seller would be listing 4 at one time.

Useful Ideas For A Stuffed House
From: Beanieholics
(Our thanks to Stephen who shares this story from The Toronto Star.)
What do you do when your house is so full of stuffed animals that you are practically walking on them? Here is an article that may prove helpful in getting your Beanie collection back under control. Click Here For Story

-=JANUARY 11, 2003=-
PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL AUCTIONS
I expected to see many more IN HAND auctions for the RETAIL version of Punxsutawney Phil since there was a limit of 4 DOZEN Beanies per person. What a shame to allow people to pick up that many and leave out so many true collectors that only wanted one or two. I'm sure in the coming days we will see Punxsutawney Phil RETAIL fetching a pretty penny on eBay. Just take a look at the auctions currently running. Those prices are ridiculous but they will be sold to people that are desperate for this special Beanie. Good luck to those that wanted to obtain one for their personal collection. :o) VIEW AUCTIONS HERE

KISS-e BEAR ON AUCTION
Currently there are 4 auctions for Kiss-e Bear. Here's an auction with a picture. Doesn't it look like an old faced Valentina? VIEW AUCTION HERE

-=JANUARY 10, 2003=-
NEW TY HEART ON TY.COM
I'm sure you've noticed by now the new Ty heart gracing the main page of Ty.com. It has "10 yrs" with sparkles on it. 

OBSERVATIONS OF THE NEW 2003 TY TAG La Rue shares the following: New 2003 Beanie Babies Hang Tag: FRONT: Five Stars changed to 10 yrs. yrs inside a white star with silver rays; Beanie Babies change to broader yellow font without the thinner outlined font on the 2002. INSIDE: Same size font with two 2003 exceptions: Left fold--Made in China: omitted. Right fold--Bold and larger font (www.ty.com)

PHIL ON THE NEWS!!
Marc writes: 
"Hello Lisa & PB readers!!!