March 31, 2004
DEAR IS OUT OF STOCK BEFORE BEING RELEASED OFFICIALLY?!
Holly shares with Ms. Janie:
The following is posted on the TY Retailers Site
Out-Of-Stock!
"Dear" bear for the approved Gold Crown Hallmark Stores is currently 
out-of-stock.
Thank you,
03/29/04

< my comments: I wonder what happened with the end of month retirements. Maybe something is planned for April Fool's Day! :o) >

TY AND THE BEANIE STALK
Sly shares with Ms. Janie info about an interesting publication soon to be released
Faith McGowan lived and worked side by side with Ty Warner from before Beanie Babies until Forbes declared Warner the 39th richest man in America with a net worth exceeding $5 billion. 

Since Beanie Mania exploded across the country, Warner has shunned the limelight, turning down all media requests for interviews, as he secretly indulged his fantasies, wiring money out of his personal account to acquire the 52-story Four Seasons Hotel in New York ($275) million); the ultra-exclusive Santa Barbara Biltmore ($150 million); and a customized Boeing 737 ($40 million), among other things. http://www.tyandthebeaniestalk.com/

ALL CHECKLISTS AND INFO PAGES UPDATED
The "complete" checklists are once again complete with the latest releases and the info pages are updated with info on the new Beanies. http://www.planetbeans.com/beanie_info.htm

March 30, 2004
DEAR ARRIVES IN NC
D writes: “Dear is here! I just wanted to let you know that Dear arrived in Raleigh, NC yesterday.  She is BEAUTIFUL!  Ty did a great job with the Mother's Day beanies this year as he did last year... I just wish the newly introduced style Father's Day beanie matched!  I'm not sure if I want to complete the pair this year.  I'm a single mom anyway, but it will all depend on what this Pappa looks like "in the fur".

Pinata looks to be pretty (wish he wasn't pale yellow though - white would go with Jack and Deutschland from what I can tell), and so does the other new bear, however, I don't like that style. D”

APRIL INTRODUCTIONS
http://www.ty.com/April2004_Intro

PICTURES OF APRIL RELEASES
I've received an email from Beanie Connection - The Bean Collector stating they had pictures of the April releases. VIEW PICTURES HERE
BEANIES: Class of 2004 (owl), Pappa (bear), Pinata (bear), Shasta (bear), Slick (fox)
BUDDY: Dad-e (bear)
PLUFFIES: Crusier (turtle), Lasso (horse), Pookie (Koala), and Shearly (Lamb)

<my comments: I believe we will see the official announcement on these new releases at Ty.com today. I am not particularly fond of the bear Beanies but the fox and owl are very cute.>

March 29, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and haven't found ANYTHING worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

March 28, 2004
APRIL RELEASES
Check out this auction on eBay for some of the new April releases. VIEW AUCTION HERE

March 27, 2004
DEAR IS FOUND
Rob shares info about Dear with Ms. Janie. VIEW HERE

EGGBEART ARRIVES
Pictures are finally showing up of Eggbeart. VIEW HERE

CHERISH AUCTION REMINDER & FORUM ADDED
Sue writes: "Hi, Just a reminder that tomorrow (Saturday) evening UK time will see the Me to You Tatty Teddy auction closing. I have added photographs of the signatures on the base and certificate to the auction - Mike Payne has signed both 'Miranda', which I don't believe he did for the few that he signed at the Blackpool event, from looking at other auctions. He has also written the date on the base of the figurine (24/3/04). It really is a very detailed and attractive piece (can you tell that I am having difficulty in letting this one go!?).

There are some delightful Boyds items on 'Buy it Now' on eBay - these auctions will also close tomorrow. I have listed things that would make wonderful Easter gifts and the timing allows them to be mailed as a gift direct to the recipient, if you wish. I am more than happy to include a card. The Huggle-Fluffs are perfect for babies and the 'Master of Disguise' bear dressed as a duck is hilarious! The white Easter bunny in a basket would delight any child (large or small!) - and they are all being offered at well below retail price. Don't miss out on the chance to buy something much more long-lasting than a chocolate egg (the only long-lasting bit about that is the time it will spend on your hips!)

Many thanks for everyone's support and participation in the Global Breakfast event. When all proceeds are totalled I estimate the Grand Total to be in the region of £2,000. As people receive their various purchases and prizes I really hope that they will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed collecting them. I have enjoyed the comments received so far!

Finally, there is a modest 'forum' now available on the website. The intention of this is to enable us to share views and ideas about fundraising, past, present and future; it isn't really for 'beanie discussions' - there are already several excellent forums already established. This forum requires a password to be entered in order to post (you can read-only without the password). If you would like to post, the password to use is 'COLLECTFORLIFE'.

Oh - one last thing - if you haven't put yourself on the Guest Map on the Home Page please take a minute to do so - this is being sent to the Southern Region Branch of Cancer Research UK. My community fundraising organiser is fascinated by what we have achieved recently and I would love to give her a real idea of the extent to which collecting has brought us all together. In particular I would love to see some pins in Australasia (but only if you live there of course!) If you can't manage to put your pin on the map email me and I will help you to do so. Thanks! Best wishes, Sue"

A pancake mystery in the Smokies
If Destin is the Redneck Riviera, then Gatlinburg is the Hillbilly Alps.

My wife talked me into a spring break trip to Gatlinburg. A friend had told her, "What Aspen is to the Rockies, Gatlinburg is to the Smokies." WRONG!

Gatlinburg is littered with goofy golf courses, go-cart tracks, airbrush T-shirt shops and a Sansabelt factory-outlet store. It is a town in dire need of restrictive building covenants and an architectural review board.

I noticed something strange while driving through town on my first day - there are an inordinate number of pancake restaurants. I'm not talking about one or two scattered here and there. There seems to be a restaurant specializing in pancakes on every block.

Being the nation's only part-time investigative food journalist and full-time eater, I decided to go on a mission to find out what is behind this culinary anomaly, and which of the many pancake houses served the best pancakes. (What else was I to do all week, go to Dollywood?)

I had many choices: Pancake Pantry, Copper Kettle Pancake House, River Road Pancake House, Miss Ellie's Pancakes and Waffles, Atrium Pancakes, Smokey Mountain Pancake House, a place just called "Pancakes," Parkway Pancake House Gatlinburg, Parkway Pancake House Pigeon Forge, Hearthside Pancake House, Southern Pancakes Family Restaurant, Great American Pancake House, Omelet House Pancake House, Little House of Pancakes (my personal favorite), Flapjack's Pancake Cabin downtown Gatlinburg, Flapjack's Pancake Cabin Gatlinburg, Flapjack's Pancake Cabin Pigeon Forge, Log Cabin Pancake House (a restaurant decorated entirely with Beanie Babies), Log Cabin Pancake House and Mercantile Barn, and Country Kitchen Pancakes. VIEW FULL STORY & GET A PANCAKE RECIPE HERE

Community Kids Festival set
HARLAN -- The biennial Community Kids Festival will be held Saturday, April 3 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Harlan.

Thirty interactive booths and activities will provide education and awareness of health and safety issues to children preschool age through fifth grade and their parents. The event is for persons living in and around the greater Shelby County area.

The first 400 children in attendance will receive either a free bicycle safety helmet, free knee and elbow safety pads or a free insulated lunch bag. At 11:30 a.m., the grand prizes will be awarded. Grand prizes include a bicycle donated by the Huff 'n' Puffers Bike Club, $50 savings bond donated by Harlan Law Enforcement Golf Tournament and a family day pass to Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo donated by the Henry Doorly Zoo. All grand prize recipients must be present to win.

Children attending the event are encouraged to bring a favorite Beanie Baby or teddy bear for a check-up at the Beanie Baby/teddy bear health clinic. Fingerprinting and laminated photo IDs will again be provided to children in attendance. Children who have had fingerprint booklets made at previous Kids Festivals are asked to bring those in for an update. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

March 26, 2004
Company taps teen's creativity
When Mililani teenager Natalie Frazier was told she had cancer, she didn't ask for a horse, a trip to Disney World or a meeting with a celebrity. She wished for a chance to do something creative.

With the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Hawai'i and a public-spirited company, the 15-year-old wound up surfing on the label of a new flavor of Wish-Bone salad dressing that she helped create and which carries her name.

Her effort also resulted in a $400,000 pledge from Wish-Bone to Make-A-Wish.

"I wanted to do something different," said Natalie, who is in remission and is a freshman at Mililani High School.

In 2000 Natalie was diagnosed with a form of cancer called non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Lyn Brown, executive director of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, said it looked into the creation of a Beanie Baby and other ideas for Natalie, but couldn't find the right combination until it heard that Wish-Bone was looking for a way to make a difference with a dressing. VIEW FULL STORY & PICS HERE

CHUBBLEYS & CARE BEARS
Don’t forget that La Rue has the newest Chubbleys and Care Bears for sale. Get them before they are sold out! http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/cb.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/currentcubs.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/carebears.html

March 25, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and haven't found ANYTHING worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

ASK TY
Q: Do you realize how much fun and happiness you have brought to people. What has happened in your life to make you the happiest? (submitted by ritc)
A: First let me say thank you for your kind words. This is a difficult question because there are so many things that bring joy into my life. If we gauge HAPPY based on the total minutes of consecutive smiling time, I would have to say that the Cyberboard New Years Eve party ranked very high on my happy scale ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

March 24, 2004
PROMOTIONAL HERO CONFIRMED FROM TY
This post on the Daily Tymes "from your friends at Ty" has confirmed this special edition HERO Beanie from the Cody Banks movie premiere.

From your friends at Ty
Your Friends at Ty   (Mar 23, 2004, 02:27 PM)
Message Id: 698155

Your Friends at Ty writes:
We are very proud of HERO the Beanie Baby and want everyone to know that we did in fact produce a limited, specially tagged version that is being used to promote the movie.

WHERE IS EGGBEART?
I've not seen a picture surface of this new Ty Store exclusive although it's started to arrive. If you have Eggbeart and would like to share a picture so we can all see what it looks like in person.. please send to Lisa@planetbeans.com

'Time capsule' gives seniors view of younger selves
Last Wednesday afternoon, Tonganoxie High School seniors came face to face with the kids they used to be.

The students read letters and facts about themselves that they wrote when they were in the eighth grade.

"I have changed a lot," said Stephanie Downs. "Some of the stuff in my life I wrote as important then isn't in my life anymore. I wrote that I liked Beanie Babies -- I don't have those anymore." VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Boy collects stuffed animals to help other kids heal
Zachary Tarlow is about to give new homes to hundreds of creatures.

In doing so, he also hopes to comfort hundreds of local children.

As part of his bar mitzvah, Zachary collected scores of Beanie Babies, Pound Puppies, teddy bears, frogs, bunnies, Elmos and Barneys to donate to the Stamford Police Department.

"I needed to do a mitzvah project, which is a good deed for the community," he said.

Stamford police store stuffed animals in the trunks of squad cars as part of its Creature Comfort Program, which recognizes them as effective tools in trauma situations.

Zachary will present about 650 new or gently used fuzzy friends to the department at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Stuffed animals are used to help soothe children who have witnessed a traumatic event -- from motor vehicle accidents to domestic violence -- or who are victims of crime. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

March 23, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over these past couple of days and I've not found much worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

An author says inventors of toys and games shouldn't be anonymous.
SARASOTA -- Sell 3 million books and you're on the New York Times best-sellers list. Sell 3 million records and you're on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Sell 3 million copies of a game or toy and you're anonymous. Rich, maybe, but not a household name.

Tim Walsh, who in fact did invent a game (TriBond) that sold 3 million copies and was recently picked up by Mattel, decided to remedy the anonymity of toy and game inventors with "The Playmakers: Amazing Origins of Timeless Toys" (Keys Publishing, $50).

The coffee-table book, designed by Giles Hoover of ospreydesign in Bradenton, tells the behind-the-scenes stories of 75 hugely popular toys and games of the 20th century and the people who invented them.

For example:

Uno, a card game that has sold 150 million copies around the world, was invented by a Merle Robbins, a barber in Cincinnati, and his son Ray, to settle a family disagreement about the rules of a game.

Part of the fun of creating the book was tracking down not only the inventors of toys and games but old, original or prototype versions. Walsh's home and office are decorated with vintage editions of Monopoly and Candy Land, Tonka trucks and Matchbox cars, Slinkys and Barbies and a rare Beanie Baby.

Many of them he found on the Internet auction site eBay, where it helps to know, for example, that the prototype of Tonka Toys was the Streater Steam Shovel, made by Streater Industries (and commonly misspelled as "Streeter"), and that the first Flexible Flyer sleds were called Fireflys.

Walsh holds a refreshing attitude about games and toys: They're meant to be played, and played with. His daughters get to ride the 1979 Big Wheel he found on eBay, unassembled, in its original carton. VIEW FULL STORY & MORE EXAMPLES HERE

March 22, 2004
Preteen hosts birthday party to benefit Storks Nest
Emily Hamburger, 11, celebrated her birthday this year by asking friends to donated items to the Stork's Nest instead of giving her presents. The Stork's Nest is a nonprofit organization that helps low-income, high-risk pregnant women.

It had all of the makings of a preteen girl's birthday party -- the cake, the hot dogs, the swimming.

Emily Hamburger's 11th birthday party was a bit different than other traditional parties. Instead of gifts, party-goers were asked to bring new or gently used items which would benefit the Stork's Nest. The Stork's Nest is a nonprofit organization that helps low-income, high-risk pregnant women with prenatal health care.

"I was really surprised one girl gave us all of her Beanie Babies," Emily marveled. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

March 21, 2004
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO UK MUMS
Today is Mother's Day in the UK. I wanted to wish all of you a fabulous day spent with your family, celebrating milestones and all things to be proud of and remember this is the one day to pamper your special Mum and yourself if you are the Mum of the house! ;o)

March 20, 2004
BAGS OF BEANIES
Brenda shares: “Hey, Lisa! You are not going to believe this. I stopped to visit my friend, where she works. She had me check out a store shelf in store. On the shelf were TY Beanie Babies....older styles. She said that a local Ty Retailer had stopped by the store, that morning and dropped off 3 full bags of 5 different styled beanies. 24 to a bag each. He donated them to the store....Goodwill Industries, Inc. to have them sell them out of their store. They were going to sell them for $14.00 per bag, but my friend said no one would by a complete bag of them. So they are selling them singularly for a little over $1.00 a piece. One of the three was the sloth....Slowpoke. Can't remember the other 2 beanies they were selling. I'd say that a retailer must have over ordered, couldn't sell them at regular store prices in his store....so donated them to Goodwill Industries, Inc. to have them sell them to children and be rid of them.

UPDATE: The beanies at that store were SLOWPOKE, HONKS, & SCALY. And I also found Attic Treasures....BONNIE and BRISBANE. All for only $1.95 ea.. All hang tags seem to be in mint condition, too. Thought I'd let you know, before I turn in for the night. Still can't believe a TY Retailer just donated the beanies to this store. Then the store selling them, for just $1.95 ea. Quite a deal...if a person does not have them in their collection and want them, huh? ”

CHERISH AUCTION REMINDER
Sue writes: “A final reminder that the CHERISH Global Breakfast auctions and contests all close on Saturday 20th March.  VIEW AUCTIONS HERE

These include the wonderful Me to You Tatty Teddy figurine 'Breakfast in Bed', signed by the designer 'Miranda', the huge Harrods Teddy Bear signed by Mohamed Al Fayed ('Breakfast in Style'), Sir Richard Branson's signed baseball hat (The High Flyer's Breakfast), Bidder Beanie and eBay mug ('The eBay Addict's Breakfast Package') as well as various Beanies signed by UK celebrities related to the breakfast/eating theme.

There is a host of donated items on offer by silent auction on http://www.boglin.net

If you take a look at the creators of the items in the gallery you may recognise a name or two from the various Beanie fansites and forums! Now is your chance to own one of Queenie Beanie's painted bears, or one of PattiBuddy, FerociousPlatypus's decorated eggs and creative Beanie displays, or a beautiful jewlled 'Goddess' Beanie by aphrodite...the list goes on...Daphne Roberts, the editor of the UK magazine 'Bean Bag and Collectables' has donated 2 signed copies of the current issue, which features a double page article about the CHERISH Global breakfast and has photographs of many of the Decorated Beanies.

Please - if you haven't already done so - pop over to the website and vote for your favourite Decorated Beanie - the creators stand to win prizes! They have all donated their items and deserve to be recognised for their efforts.

Don't forget to submit any entries to the Fun and Games that are on a special page (link from the Home Page) - you might also win a prize!

Also - there have been hundreds of visitors to the website this week - but few have put their 'pin' on the Guest Map. It would be wonderful to have more pins on the map to represent the global nature of this event, which has brought together collectors from all over the world.

Thank you so much for your participation and support.

I have received a steady stream of donations from people who enjoyed their virtual breakfast as well as of payments for the fun Breakfast Beanie Packages available on the website.

The total raised from all events and activities related to the CHERISH Global Breakfast looks set to exceed £1000! Best wishes, Sue”

March 19, 2004
PROMOTIONAL 'HERO' APPEARS
There have been reports surfacing on the Ty Cyberboard about auctions for a promotional "HERO" Beanie Baby. I found several auctions which feature this "rare" Beanie and a number of other collectible items from the movie premiere. 

Partial item description: (AGENT CODY BANKS 2: DESTINATION LONDON PREMIERE COMBO SET) This auction is for one “VERY RARE” premiere combo set of: (1) – Official “Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London Ty “Hero” Beanie Baby Bear (not sold in stores), (2) – Theatre tickets “to see the film”, (2) Party passes “to the premiere party after the movie”, (1) – Official MGM parking pass, (1) – sheet of Agent Cody Banks letterhead “from the production office” VIEW AUCTION HERE

Bean Watcher writes: "A Hero the Bear Beanie Baby has surfaced to promote the movie, Agent Cody Banks 2:  Destination London." For more info CLICK HERE He's posted info about an auction from one of his readers that ended at just $7 for this promotional Beanie.

Ms Janie has info about this promotional Beanie as well. VIEW HERE

BLARN-e RETIRES
Brenda shares the following: “Hi,Lisa! Just a quick note (1:32am). BLARN-e is retired! http://www.tytrade.com/TyStore Thought I'd check the status of my Eggbeart order, before going to bed. Found BLARN-e window stamped RETIRED. Thought you'd like to know, for you news in the morning.”

Simple Bookkeeping for Beanbag Collectors
Maida writes: “Hi Lisa, I wanted to let you and your readers know that I have an auction on ebay for my computer program. It is a fixed price buy now of $17.99 instead of the usual $19.99.” VIEW AUCTION HERE

CONTEST TIME AT MS. JANIE'S
Ms. Janie celebrates the 5th anniversary of her website today and is running a contest in which there will be 3 very lucky winners. VIEW CONTEST INFO HERE

March 18, 2004
A Gift of Love: Cookies for Troops
Ten-year-old Callie Boone wanted to do something to show her support for American soldiers fighting in Iraq.

Boone, a fourth-grader at Academy Heights Elementary School, is a Girl Scout. She is a member of Carolinas of the Pines Girl Scout Troop 942. With the annual Girl Scout cookie sales under way, she came up with the idea to ask people to buy a box of cookies for soldiers as well as for themselves.

“My daddy was sending some medical stuff to the children in Iraq,” Callie said Tuesday. “We sent some Beanie Babies over a little bit later last year. Girl Scout cookies seemed like a good idea, because I know a couple of soldiers who really like Girl Scout cookies.”

Her father, Bob Boone, a former U.S. Army captain and vice president at FirstHealth of the Carolinas, says they often talked about soldiers overseas and the war. He suggested she give them some of her cookies, but his daughter took the idea a big step further. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

DESCRIPTION OF DEAR (THE SOON TO BE RELEASED HALLMARK BEAR)
One of Bean Watcher's readers sends in a description of this bear. It's said the bear will be released on April 1st. VIEW INFO HERE

March 17, 2004
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY
Have a lucky day today and be sure to share a smile with someone that needs one. Curious about the history of St. Patrick's Day? VIEW HERE

REMINDER: CHERISH AUCTIONS
Sue writes: “Hi, I just wanted to share with you these photos of two St Patrick's Day decorated items: Dublin, wearing a sweater that I designed and knitted. It has a pot of gold and a rainbow on the front, a shamrock on one sleeve, a gold horseshoe on the other and 'GOOD LUCK' on the back. The other item is Ivy Chubbley, who has been decorated with beads by Jacqui Campbell for CHERISH. She has used green, white and orange beads to represent the national colours of Ireland and has made a lovely job of the Irish flag on Ivy's paw and chest. Ivy is wearing a beaded ribbon head-dress.

Both items will be added tomorrow evening to the other CHERISH auctions already running and all will close this Saturday. Other news on http://www.boglin.net Thanks for reading! Sue Owen” VIEW AUCTIONS HERE

ASK TY
Q: How do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Do you go to the parade in Chicago? (submitted by anna-belle) 
A: Top O' the Mornin' ! I think I'll be having a little corn beef and cabbage for lunch and hopefully sampling some home made soda bread at the office. Chicago had their parade on Saturday and New York will have theirs today. Did you know that the very first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City in 1762 and today it is one of the largest parades honoring this day. Maybe I'll see you there ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

March 16, 2004
EGGBEART IS INTRODUCED (Ty Store Exclusive)
http://www.ty.com/Eggbeart_Intro

She eases fears at Children's Hospital
Visiting the hospital doesn't scare 4-year-old Nella Harting. Like hundreds of children before her, Nella associates Children's Hospital Boston not with doctors, painful procedures, or illness, but with Myra Fox, also known as "the play lady."

This attitude can be contagious. The last time Harting visited the hospital with her children, Fox, as always, supplied them with new Beanie Babies. After leaving her office, the Hartings passed a little girl in a wheelchair and the siblings held a quick conference. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

The Mankarios Group Appointed New Managers of San Ysidro Ranch
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Ty Warner, Chairman and CEO of Ty Warner Hotels and Resorts, owner of the world renowned San Ysidro Ranch, Santa Barbara have retained the Mankarios Group as Managers of the resort. 

The resort, with 38 luxurious cottages, has recently completed extensive renovations as part of the first phase of an on-going program. Built in classic bungalow style, the cottages offer wood-burning fireplaces, outdoor hot tubs and decks giving way to sweeping vistas of the Pacific Ocean, Channel Islands and Santa Ynez Mountains. 

Famed as "The Most Romantic Destination in the World," "Hideaway of the Rich and Famous," "Magic in the Mountains" and many similar accolades, the resort offers the ultimate experience in luxury getaways with world-class service and the finest regional cuisine featuring the freshest ingredients from the resort's organic vegetable and herb garden. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

March 15, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and can't find anything worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

DIPPY BUDDY RETIRES
http://www.ty.com/Dippy_Retirement 

March 14, 2004
New York Yankees' Beanie Buddy Promotion
Bean Watcher reports: The New York Yankees, a professional U.S. Major League Baseball team, has posted a special promotion on its official website.  In its "Promotions" section is a post about a Limited Edition Ty Beanie Buddy Day scheduled for August 8, 2004.  The special plush toy will be limited to the first 18,000 fans, 14 years of age and under.  There is no picture of this giveaway and thus, no clue if it will be a bear or some other style.  To view the New York Yankees' Promotional Schedule, click here. 

March 13, 2004
CARE BEAR SPECIAL
La Rue writes: “Kansas Brass & Pewter, home of the 3Cs--Chubbley, Care Bears and Countin' Sheep--is holding a 3-day Special, today, tomorrow and Sunday, on the Good Luck Beanie and Clip Care Bears. New shipments of Care Bears and Chubbleys arrived this past week and am not fully organized.
http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/carebears.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/cb.html
I will be gone from Monday (15th until the 22nd of March) but will have all orders in the mail on Monday (15th).”

CHERISH All Day Global Breakfast!
Sue writes: “Much of today's activity is taking place on http://www.boglin.net and later on www.ebay.co.uk under seller ID sue_owen

Please check out the website for lots to do - all in the interests of raising plenty for Cancer Research UK!

Don't forget to mark your visit to the website by adding your icon to show that you participated in the world's biggest breakfast.

Best wishes, Sue Owen”

<<my comments: Make sure to stop by boglin.net and vote for your favorite "breakfast". There are some really talented people out there. There's also some interesting trivia and much more. Visit the "guest map" and put your pin in it's place to let Sue and everyone else know you've been there to visit. Sue has done a lot for this latest project so please do support her.>>

'Cody' is here to stay
The story of the teen CIA agent is turning into a decent series despite lackluster villains and a cast change in the sequel.

The first "Agent Cody Banks" movie was an amusing twist on the James Bond formula: The secret agent hero was not a super-suave man of the world but a geeky 15-year-old Seattle kid.

Cody's love interest, Hilary Duff, is also gone. In the tradition of Bond movies, I suppose, there's a new flirtation for (still tongue-tied) Cody: a flutist (Hannah Spearritt) in the band. Returning to the cast is Keith David, as the CIA chief; he has a close encounter with a Beanie Baby that seriously affects his dignity. VIEW FULL ARTICLE HERE

<<my comments: Has anyone seen this movie yet? If you have.. do you have comments about the role of Beanies in this movie? Some of us that may not see the movie may be curious.>>

March 12, 2004
ASK TY
Q: In the second Agent Cody Banks movie, what role do the Beanie Babies play? (submitted by Brandi101617)
A: I would love to give you the answer but I have been sworn to secrecy. Let's just say that Hero plays a CENTRAL role and his INTELLIGENCE surprises everyone in the AGENCY ! http://www.ty.com/askty_home

UK CIRCUS BEANIE DISPLAY
A UK retailer shares a picture with Ms. Janie: The display is a bit different than the one from the U.S. VIEW UK VERSION HERE ~ VIEW U.S. VERSION HERE

Beanies for Baghdad-Single toy prompts program to make Iraqi children smile
Ask many Americans' thoughts on Iraq and they will talk about service members fighting for freedom.

Ask Maj. James Barker and he will talk about a little girl named Sara, a Beanie Baby named "Courage" and a program meant to bring joy into the lives of thousands of Iraqi children.

He will talk about the Beanies for Baghdad program that gives Americans a chance to bring a smile to the face of a child half a world away.

Barker, now at Fort Leavenworth, went to Southwest Asia in February 2003 with V Corps. While there, he received a care package from his sister and nephew that contained "Courage," a dog with an American flag on its right shoulder. "Courage" is the Beanie Baby created to honor those who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

"One day, I threw it in my bag in case I had the opportunity to pass it on to some Iraqi child because what I noticed was, other than a soccer ball here and there, the children of Iraq had no toys at all," said Barker. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

March 11, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and can't find anything worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

NEW CHUBBLEYS ARRIVE
La Rue writes: “Kansas Brass and Pewter--Home of the 3C's (Chubbleys, Care Bears and Countin' Sheep)--has updated the Chubbley web site as the January Releases have arrived. CHERISH, COMET, CONFETTI, the small ROMEO Cuddley, BARKER, this one is a cutie, and SEVEN with ICICLE, the Cub. We are still able to offer them at the same price as before.”

http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/cb.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/kansaspewter/currentcubs.html

<<my comments: I am a proud owner of Cherish, Barker, and Icicle. I just adore these Chubbleys. Barker is sooooo adorable! I’ve almost lost my Barker to my kids. LOL Cherish is really nice with the long fur and carrying that cute bunny. Icicle is a Cub and I love those Chubb Cubs!>>

March 10, 2004
Peerless leader
Perceptive, adaptable, and remarkably low-key, eBay chief executive Meg Whitman rides e-tail's hottest segment - the global garage sale called peer-to-peer.

As one of the world's richest people, Meg Whitman could travel by corporate jet, a preferred perk of many business executives. Most of the time, though, she chooses to take commercial flights. It's a way to meet her customers.

"If I'm in an airport wearing an eBay hat or eBay T-shirt, people will come up to me and ask me if I work for eBay. When I tell them 'yes,' they say: 'I want to tell you, my feedback rating is 936.' Before they tell me their name, before they tell me what they sell, it's their feedback rating. It is a really important part of eBay's chemistry," she says, explaining that the customer-community approval process - through which eBay users rate one another's reliability - is what makes her online-auction business tick. EBay, she says, is a company driven by self-worth.

America's most pragmatic chief executive is happily at play in the Elysian fields of electronic commerce. A child of privilege, she sits in her open cubicle in San Jose, Calif., surrounded by family photos, Beanie Babies, Mr. Potato Head figures, and dozens of other mementos collected along a more than 20-year course through corporate America. One item stands out: a yellow hard hat with "Whitman" stenciled across the front. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

Last night a Gallery was added, showing in detail all of the entries to the Decorated Breakfast Beanie Contest. These 'packages' are all so wonderful and creative (just a few are shown below). Their creators have kindly donated them to CHERISH to be sold by silent auction on http://www.boglin.net from this Saturday 13th March, the day of the CHERISH Global beanie Breakfast. Full details of how bids can be placed will be posted on the website later this week.

For those who like their auctions at a faster pace there will be additional items available through auctions on eBay, again starting on Saturday - many of these items have been signed by celebrities and are 'breakfast packages' too - for example, the High Flyer's Breakfast (Sir Richard Branson) and 'Breakfast in Style' (Harrods/Mohame Al Fayed) as well as the ultimate 'eBay Addict's Breakfast' (Bidder with eBay mug and stickers!).

For those who prefer to buy rather than bid there will a menu of Breakfast Beanie Packages. The Special Edition Beanies have additional commemorative items included in the packages and there is something there to suit all budgets. Included in one package is a CHERISH Global Breakfast Book, which included recipes and ideas from friends all over the world. The fun breakfast picture on the Home Page of the website, which can be clicked to reveal masses of Beanies, has been turned into a special Breakfast Badge, which can only be obtained as part of one of these Special Editions.

As always all proceeds will go to Cancer Research UK.

Please come along and enjoy breakfast at http://www.boglin.net this Saturday, whatever part of the world you are in - we are open all day! Sue Owen

Doctors taught to admit mistakes and apologize
COPIC seeks more disclosure, cut in malpractice lawsuits
Elise Davis had everything for her slumber party except an extra pillow.

It was stored so high in the closet that she had to climb onto a chair, then balance on her Barbie jewelry box, then hold the lower shelf - just to reach it.

When chair, jewelry box, shelf and little girl tumbled to the floor, Elise's nose was cut deeply enough for three stitches.

Elise, who was 9 at the time of the accident, didn't mind the crescent moon scar that appeared months later, but her mother, Heather, saw a future of proms, music recitals and boyfriends, all faced with a bumpy nose.

Unhappy patients - or members of their family, such as Heather Davis - are the focus of a program pioneered by COPIC Insurance Co., the state's largest medical malpractice company.

The program focuses on teaching doctors to discuss medical errors, say "I'm sorry" and figure out how to "make the patient whole." The goal is to keep patients happy with their doctors and avoid costly lawsuits.

For Elise Davis, now 11, the story of her nose doesn't much occur to her. Her strongest memories of the saga are of gifts of a soft teddy bear and a Beanie Baby kitten before her surgery, and eating her favorite dinner of chicken Parmesan the night before surgery. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

March 9, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and can't find anything worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

March 8, 2004
Woman ordered to sell Beanie Babies to repay people she ripped off
WAUKEGAN (AP) -- A Lake County Judge has ordered a woman to sell enough Beanie Babies to repay the people she ripped off in online auctions for the stuffed animals.

Nancy McKenna of Winthrop Harbor was convicted of theft because she failed to fill the order or send a refund to a customer of one of her e-Bay auctions three years after the purchase was made.

In her sentencing on Friday, she was told she has 18 months to peddle enough stuffed animals to repay six people who tried to buy them from her in the past.

Forty-seven-year-old McKenna was convicted of theft in January.

Phillips demanded full restitution and sentenced McKenna to 45 days in jail and two years probation. VIEW HERE

March 7, 2004
NEW TY TRADEMARKS
Brenda shares the following: "Besides the 2 Trademarks, ACCELION & ACCELION COMMUNICATIONS, that Sly noticed for TY, INC and had Ms. Janie announce found in her newsletter today. I have, also noticed TY, INC.'s Trademark Application, dated 01/20/04, for HEARTFELT EXPRESSIONS. It is listed under Goods and Services: Plush toys . Don't know what this new Trademark might be for; but will be interesting, just what Plush toy this Trademark appears on."

Knitting is not just for grandmas anymore.

Students at West Elementary School in Mount Vernon, Ind., are flocking to a new knitting club. The craft is also popping up in knitting clubs at coffee shops and knitting stores in Evansville and Newburgh.

About 40 third-, fourth- and fifth-graders, both boys and girls, meet in the school library on Wednesdays after school to learn to knit and help one another with projects. Many started making scarves for their Build-a-Bears or Beanie Babies, projects small enough for beginners to handle. Teachers were not only surprised at the response but are finding some hidden benefits for the students. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

IN SEARCH OF JACK BEANIE
If you missed out on finding a Jack Beanie Baby you will be pleased to know that the prices on eBay are not too high YET! This buyer is in the U.S. and lists Jack for a starting bid of $9.23. Ending in just under 7 days you may want to take a look. VIEW HERE

March 6, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and can't find anything worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

EGGBEART SHOULD ARRIVE SOON (info below posted 2/27)
With just over one month till Easter one would think that Eggbeart would arrive VERY soon. 
Eggbeart (Ty Store Exclusive) 
Date of Birth: April 11, 2004 

This brightly colored egg you see
is a special gift from me 
But just who will I give it to? 
Happy Easter. . . it's for you! 

March 5, 2004
QUICK RETIREMENT FOR JACK
http://www.ty.com/Jack_Retirement

ASK TY
Q: Do you celebrate every Beanie Baby's birthday? (submitted by sportsgirl12)
A: I do check in with the Info Beanie every month to see which of my favorite Beanies are celebrating a special day. Can you imagine celebrating all their birthdays? We would have cake 364 days this year !

UPDATE: TY SIGNED "I LOVE NY" SHOW BEAR ON AUCTION
With about 2.5 days remaining in this auction there have been 19 bids bringing the top bid to $2,000.00 (reserve met) VIEW AUCTION HERE

Project Smile: Bear hugs for police; Woman supplies Bellingham and Franklin cops with toys
FRANKLIN -- Catherine Pisacane is a familiar face to police departments around the state, and yesterday Franklin and Bellingham officers benefited from this Hopedale resident's handiwork. And it's all thanks to her teddy bears.

March 4, 2004
LACK OF NEWS...
I have searched all over and can't find anything worth reporting. If you have news to share.. please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com. 

PEEPERS & MOTHER 2004 ARRIVE!
Marilyn shares pictures of Mother 2004 and the adorable March 2004 BOTM, Peepers, with Ms. Janie. VIEW PEEPERS HERE  ~ VIEW MOTHER 2004 HERE

TY SIGNED "I LOVE NY" SHOW BEAR ON AUCTION
With about 3.5 days remaining in this auction there have been 18 bids bringing the top bid to $1,125.00 (reserve not met)

partial item description: "Own an extremely rare beanie! ONE OF A KIND TY SIGNED!!

As an authorized beanie retailer, I placed my TY order at the New York Toy Fair on Sunday, February 15. I then received the “I Love NY” beanie given only to retailers participating in the show. It will never be available for sale to retailers.

Ty Warner walked in. Soft spoken and friendly, he signed this beanie for me!

This beanie is authenticated by Peggy Gallagher Enterprises Inc, recommended to me by the TY sales staff. Certificate of Authenticity will accompany bear to its new home.

At the conclusion of this auction, a generous donation will be made to Rotary International, one of the top service organizations in the world. Measured in dollars given, they grant more educational scholarships than any other organization in the world. They are also dedicated to eradicating POLIO world wide, having donated hundreds of millions of dollars thus far. VIEW AUCTION HERE

March 3, 2004
THANK YOU BEAR RETIRES
Thanks to Brenda for letting me know that Thank You Bear 2003 is no longer on the currents list at Ty.com.

March 2, 2004
CONTEST WINNERS POSTED
Sorry for the delay. Yesterday was quite hectic. My kids wanted to pick the winning entry numbers so I had to wait until they got home from school because the morning rush wasn't the time to do it. LOL Then I had errands to run in the afternoon. When I came home and one kid went to a friends house and the other went outside to play so I had to wait until the evening. After sorting through the entries I now have 5 winners! http://www.planetbeans.com/February2004Contest.htm

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOGLIN.NET (Sue!)
Sue writes: “I'm delighted to tell you that www.boglin.net is celebrating one year since it was first launched in its current form - although that has now changed! We decided that a change was as good as a rest and have revamped the site. There are a few teething problems and elements yet to be added but we did want to mark this important day by sharing what work has been completed so far.

Hopefully the rest of the site will be finished very soon!

There are some exciting news updates on the Home Page about recent donations, including an amazing volume of goodies from Boyds Bears. Also, for the Tatty Teddy lovers out there, we have been promised one of the new Limited Edition Breakfast in Bed figurines when they go on sale - and Mike Payne has agreed to sign and personalise it to its auction winner, along with a personalised sketch! More details on www.boglin.net! Sue Owen”

Credit union campaign aids hospitalized kids
Central City raises $3,500 for Share-A-Bear program
There's just something about a Beanie Baby teddy bear that makes a child feel better.

If one can bring comfort, hundreds of the soft, colorful, stuffed animals should make even sick children downright perky. That's what Donna Fleming, marketing manager at Central City Credit Union, is counting on.

The Marshfield credit union on Saturday finished its big February fund-raiser for Children's Miracle Network's Share-A-Bear program, in which it raised about $3,500. The Beanie Babies will go to children receiving care at Saint Joseph's Hospital.

Employees and members sponsored bears brought to the store by Children's Miracle Network. They donated $5 for small bears and $10 for bigger ones, Fleming said.
"One hundred percent of donations go to children, which is why we feel it's such a worthwhile cause," she said. "We're very proud to be a small part of what they're doing. It's just such a wonderful cause."
People also donated $5 to sponsor paper hearts and a link for $1. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

March 1, 2004
TY STORE RETIREMENTS
KISS-e Buddy & SMOOCH-e Beanie Retire
http://www.tytrade.com/TyStore

MARCH WALLPAPER
http://www.ty.com/March2004_wallpaper_win

CHECKLISTS UPDATED (once again)
http://www.planetbeans.com/beanie_info.htm

MARCH BOTM (looks like a baby version of DUCK-e)
Introducing Peepers: http://www.ty.com/BBOTM_March_04

What are your thoughts of this latest BOTM? Are you thinking what I'm thinking? It looks an awful lot like Duck-e? ;o)

AUCTIONS OF INTEREST
My dear friend Adrienne has some great items up for auction. Included amongst the collectibles offered Adrienne has some rare Special Olympics and Sick Kids Ty items on auction. If there's something you may be interested in.. email Adrienne from the "Ask Seller a Question" link on her auctions. VIEW AUCTIONS HERE

WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED...
I will be announcing the winners for the February 2004 contest later today.

Findlay Achieves Junior Worlds Goal
Ontario's Terra Findlay was a busy girl at Canadians, figure skating in both junior ladies and junior pairs. "This was a big step this year to do both at Canadians," said the tiny 13-year-old, "but I want to continue in both as long as I can. I want to focus more on singles next year since this was our last season in junior pairs. I know I'll have to choose one thing sooner or later but I don't know which." Findlay's goals were to finish in the top ten in junior ladies and make the podium in junior pairs. She accomplished one goal, coming from fifth after the short to finish second in junior pairs with John Mattatall, earning a trip to Junior Worlds. But she only finished 12th in junior ladies. Last season, Findlay took the bronze in novice ladies at Junior Canadians, while Findlay and Mattatall finished fourth in junior pairs.

To relax, Findlay likes to go to the movies or hang out with her friends. "My favorite movies are comedies and Finding Nemo," she said. "I like to read, but not too often. But I go on MSN a lot." She collects Beanie Babies but likes to go with Buttle to give extra toys to children in area hospitals. In the spring, she likes to play baseball, usually as a pitcher. She wanted to play volleyball on her school team but practice conflicted with her skating schedule. Findlay also participates in track meets, usually at 1500 meters. VIEW FULL STORY HERE

March Ordering 
Billyboy shares with Ms. Janie
Ordering will begin Monday, March 1st at 7:00 am CT. 

Ty Shopping Bags and Truly Yours are not available for March ordering. 

Our newly introduced Whimsical Beanies are available in min. 24 - max. 36 each. All styles must be ordered for full representation and the Whimsical Displayer will be sent at no cost. Thank you. 02/24/04 billyboy