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 When people ask me how I got started making bears, I first think of dear old Calhoun, my first clay-faced bear. But the truth is, it started
long before that.
I don't remember how old I was when I began sewing, but I do remember I had to sit on a Sears catalog to reach my mother's sewing machine.
Through the years I always seemed to follow my creative interests, developing whatever skills I needed as I went.
A camera given to me by my Aunt Betty when I was nine years old sparked an interest in
photography. I became such an enthusiast I'd occasionally save my school lunch money to pay for developing film! This hobby became a full blown business in 1980 when I opened The Portrait Shoppe
, an all-purpose photography studio in Selmer, Tennessee. In 1981 I received the "First Award of Excellence" from the Tennessee Professional Photographer's
Association for a portrait I submitted for competition of a Greek Orthodox Bishop.
In 1992, I developed another company, Coln and Son Clothier. This was a joint venture
with my son, Jake. At seven years old, Jake's taste in clothing leaned more toward what the older gentlemen were wearing than the T-shirts and jeans his peers wore. Together, we
designed a line of boys clothing that was reminiscent of the 1920's through 1940's. Not only did Jake name the company (using my maiden name), he modeled the line for our brochures,
offered ideas for designs, tested each new outfit for comfort and durability, accompanied me when marketing the line and invested his profits!
Looking back, it seems that all I have done, including sewing, photography, designing patterns and marketing, has given me the skills needed to do what I do today...make bears!
In late 1995, I met an artist, Lynn Braswell, who made beautiful hand sculpted dolls from clay. I was fascinated by what she did and I longed to have a doll that looked like my daughter,
Ivy Rose. I took dozens of pictures of my little girl, and with Lynn's skill and my determination, was able to complete the doll in time to give it to Ivy Rose for Christmas.
 On New Years Day, 1996, having a small piece of clay left over from creating the doll for Ivy Rose, I began an experimental effort to produce
the face of an imaginary bear. Then, the next step, to design a body for the face. Encouragingly, the first body pattern I designed was the right
size and once jointed and stuffed, had the look I wanted for the face. The first Ivy Rose Bear was "born". I named it Calhoun. After showing
my creation to a good friend, I was told, "I think you have something here! Make another one!" I did and I fell in love with Gunther Bear. I didn't know there
were teddy bear collectors, artists, shows, and magazines. I just knew I was having the time of my life creating teddy bears and being home with Ivy Rose. Soon, though, it became
obvious that I had embarked upon a new business, and that was okay, too.
About Ivy Rose:
 Ivy Rose enjoyed the creation of new bears as much
as I did. She began sculpting little faces out of the clay, making thumbprint eyes. Beginning with the first bear, Calhoun, she has insisted upon kissing
each bear "alive". Since that time, each bear, upon completion, receives a kiss and hug from Ivy Rose. She was only 18 months old when we started this
adventure, but now that she is older, she joyfully helps me wrap and pack each bear for the journey to its adoptive family (click on the photo for more).
Along the Garden Path:
“The Garden” is the imaginary world of Ivy Rose and I . We have joined together increasingly over time to express interest, excitement and creativity through the
development and production of our "Ivy Rose Bears".
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