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May 16, 2007 
Bring on the bears!

Sunday show will feature high-end collectible Teddys

By Chris Sims chris.sims@indystar.com

Teddy bears can be a friend for a lifetime, and a teddy bear show might just be one of the few places to obtain a unique piece of family history.

Janie McQuillan creates Wee B. Bears in her Noblesville home. She has written two children's books and makes bears and dolls based on characters in the books. She will be at the Teddy Bear Show and Sale on Sunday. Kelly Wilkinson / The Star The Indianapolis Teddy Bear Show will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Embassy Suites North, near I-465 and Michigan Road, Indianapolis. "We have wonderful collectors in the area that value the teddy bear, which is a wonderful little creature," said Valerie Rogers, show promoter for Bright Star Promotions Inc. "All the teddy bears seem to work their charm." The majority of teddy bears on display are made from mohair, high-end collectibles, according to Rogers. This is an excusive show for the collectors of fine art because the bears are a three-dimensional form of art. "You won't find these on a shelf in a store," Rogers said.

Admission is $6 for adults and $2 for children. Ken Yenke, an author and authoritarian on teddy bears, will appraise bears at the show. Teddy bears can have a verbal appraisal for $1 or a written appraisal for $5.

Another feature: Collectors can have an old, fur coat turned into a family heirloom by artists at the show.

"The time and creativity that go into these bears is awesome," Rogers said. "It's fun to see the excitement of the customers with their newfound friends. There is something magical about teddy bears. We are not sure what it is. You just have to go through the show and look around. One usually speaks to you."

Janie McQuillan, owner of Wee B. Bears, is a teddy bear artist who recently moved to Noblesville from Las Vegas. This will be her third show since moving to the area, but she no longer creates mohair teddy bears.

"The people who supply mohair in America no longer carry a short, dense mohair," McQuillan said. "I make small bears, so when they stopped carrying it, I could no longer get what I needed from the manufacturers. That changed my line of bears and gave me a new direction."

Instead, McQuillan sells bears that match a children's book she has written. While shows provide networking opportunities and a venue to hear about more shows, the best part is the smiles McQuillan sees throughout the day.

"There is nothing better than selling your product and seeing who is buying it," McQuillan said. "The joy they express when they get a new bear, well, I really enjoy that." Her Web site is www.wee-b-bears.com

For more information about the show, visit www.bright-star-promotions.com

Call Star reporter Chris Sims at (317) 444-5548.

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