January 2001 News

... February Info Beanie
Howl has announced in the Diary this afternoon ... Smooch is the February Info Beanie. (Doesn't surprise us, really!)

Congratulations Smooch! Woo hoo! It was a close race but Smooch won! I can't wait to tell her she's going to be so excited! I just know she's going to do a great job! I'm going to find her right now. I'll talk to you later. Bye!

http://www.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/

... Ty Newsflash!
Buckingham Beanie Baby has retired this morning. (Perhaps a Buckingham Beanie Buddy will debut at the Birmingham Show this weekend?)
Click here to view the announcement

... Last Chance to Vote
The voting polls will close today at Noon for February Info Beanie. (Currently Smooch is still in the lead (17.4%), followed by Prince (17.2%).
Click here to vote for February Info Beanie
Click here to view the current ranks

... Interesting theory!
Sly the Beanie Guy has pointed out something to think about ...
(Posted on the Ty Cyberboard)

5 More new beanies are coming?! at least 5!
Sly The Beanie Guy (01:02 pm. Jan 30, 2001 )
Message Id: 798205

Sly The Beanie Guy writes:

Hi!
Check this out! There seems to be a 6 digit difference between the style #s of Kaleidoscope who's style # is 4348 (according to the tag scans I've seen on auction sites and reported 1 of the beanie websites.) and Hopper's style #4342 which was the last style # used on a New beanie baby. There has to be beanie babies with style #s in between Because TY goes in order Usually and uses succeeding style numbers when releasing new beanie babies. This Leads me to believe That Kaleidoscope did leak out early and TY was left with no choice but to announce this cat before announcing the other 5 new beanie babies or maybe more that are coming. The 5 New beanies Babies would be the beanies with the missing style #s. There could possibly be more because the style #s could go higher than Kaleidoscope's when TY announces the next new batch of beanies. There are 5 more coming for sure tho! That Much can be deducted from the gap in the style numbers!
Happy Hunting!

http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg798205.html

... A Valentine's Game
Ms Janie has created a Valentine's Game to help gear you up for that special day. Take the Valentines Word Scramble challenge below.
http://www.msjanie.com/games/valentine.html

... Slight Change
Ty has added "FOR REGISTERED GUESTS ONLY" to the description of Issy, in the Current Beanie Baby section. This was also pointed out on the Ty Cyberboard:

They changed the description of Issy....
ruz-n-zue (12:00 pm. Jan 30, 2001 )
Message Id: 798161

ruz-n-zue writes:
They added in big bold letters "FOR REGISTERED GUESTS ONLY".
http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg798161.html

... Hairy the Tarantula
Hairy has now moved to the retired list of Beanie Babies on Ty's site, following his retirement on the 26th.

... Ty Newsflash
9:55 am ... Ty has posted a Newsflash this morning, introducing the infamous 'cat' ... Kaleidoscope. (No mention is made of it being an Exclusive!)
Click here to view the announcement

... Thanks to Joe, Ron, and Ms Janie for passing along the info!

... Counterfeit 'Sting' Beanie Baby™
There have been various reports of fake Sting Beanie Babies showing up. Ms. Janie has posted information and pictures to compare a real vs fake Sting that you may wish to take a look at.
Click here to view the comparisons of Sting

... Ariel Auction Added
An autographed Ariel, signed by Leelee Sobieski, has been added to Ty Trade. The auction ends on February 6th.
Click here to view the auction
Click here to read a biography of Leelee Sobieski

... UK News ... Update
We have received the following emails from the UK:

East Anglia UK Update
Just a further small update. Further deliveries have been received by most
stores now and there seem to be plenty of beanies about. Much to my delight
I managed to get Buckingham and three out of five of the beanie Kids which
was not too bad this week. I missed Kaleidoscope but this difficult cat -
possible UK exclusive - has made an appearance in one of the small shops on
the outskirts of Norwich - needless to say sold out in a few hours though.
Kind regards
Kevin

Hi Deb
My local store was promised a double delivery of Buckinghams but only got
12 on this delivery, in fact they only got 12 of each new beanie baby design
and they had sold very fast. All the new Kids were gone too but that was not
suprising as my family got 3 complete sets :-)

I asked my friend who owns the store about Kaleidoscope, she had asked Ty
when she placed her order on Friday 19th January and was told that
Kaleidoscope was not YET available!!!! Maybe Birmingham next week will see
its launch? It was also confirmed the Lurkey is definately USA exclusive and
not available in the UK. She also said that Ty were being much more flexible
in letting stores order which designs they wanted, because she didn't want
the Mac Cardinal Buddy (well I wouldn't buy it) and she wasn't told she had
to buy it. Last year Ty outlets had to take every design
Steven :-)

Doodle's Note: My personal opinion is that Kaleidoscope made the shipment 'escape' in the UK a little early ... and probably will make an official 'debut' at the Birmingham Show this weekend. I anticipate to see more of that 'cat' in next month's shipments, at least in the UK. (I have noticed there are only a handful of auctions for the Beanie at present.)

Part of the collecting fun is the anticipation of waiting to see 'what will happen next'. One of the main excitements in the hobby of collecting, after all, is the hunt to find what you are looking for. Imagine if you just could walk in the store, and find exactly what you wanted ALL the time! We have a few 'rare' ones in our personal collection, and will always treasure them. In fact, MANY of them have a 'story' behind them ... from a special friend, the dash early one morning to stand in a long line, etc. We will never have all the ones we would really like to have, but we are thankful and treasure the ones we do. And perhaps the best of all, meeting such wonderful friends along the way. Without Beanies, imagine what life would be like for many of us!

... Ty Newflash Gone
The Newflash (placed on January 24th) wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year, has been removed this afternoon. Just in case you missed it, it's located in the Ty Newflash Archives. :)

... Autographed Ariel Added to Ty Trade
An autographed Ariel, signed by Cuba Gooding Jr., has been added to Ty Trade this afternoon. The auction ends on February 5th.
Click here to view the auction

... February Info Beanie
There are only a couple of days left to vote for February Info Beanie, if you haven't done so. Currently, Smooch is in the lead (15.7%), followed by Prince (13.6%).
Click here to vote for February Info Beanie
Click here to view the current ranks

... Canadian Update
Although no new Beanies were announced at the recent CGTA Show, you can read an interesting report on the show at Northern Trade Winds on the latest in Canada.

... Beanie Oddities
A reader has sent in a picture to Beaniekidz which shows Smooch without the heart nose (with a regular black nose instead), and also Eggs and Shamrock with no emblem ... interesting oddity finds!
Click here to view the photo

... Canadian Fakes Beanies, Part II
From Lulu at Northern Trade Winds:

Teddy New Face Continued: Readers respond to the latest fake discovery. We address their questions and supply new insite in to the reality of fakes in Canadian Ty authorized stores.
Now at www.northtradewinds.com

... Bid4Beans Lottery Update
Congratulations to the winner of the Germania Beanie and Buddy Duo! Bid4Beans had two users match the 5 numbers needed to win ... the winner's winning numbers entry was submitted on December 18th, and declared the winner having submitted the entry first. There were close to 7,000 entries total. A new Lottery Draw has now started and the next lucky winner to match 5 numbers will win a Ty2K Beanie and Buddy Duo. Remember, the lottery is free to play. User registration is required but this is purely for security reasons to help detect entry abuse. For further information and lotto details, click here to visit the Bid4Beans Lottery.

... Issy Update
BeanieMom has posted a note from a reader with an 'update' on the availability of Issy at the Four Seasons Hotel. Supposedly, Issy is not available in the room now, only a card that states the bear is available at checkout .. one per 'stay'.
Click here to visit Beanie Mom's site

... Puffkin News
Six new Puffkins will arrive in early March, plus ten Puffkins have retired. For names and pictures of the new releases and retirees, click here.

... Source: Beanieholics

... Canadian Fake Beanies
Lulu from Northern Trade Winds has written an article on fake Canadian Beanie Babies. There is a photo of a counterfeit New Face Teddy Brown with Canadian tush tags.
Northern Trade Winds

... Clues?
Many of us have wondered exactly what can be picked up as clues in the recent Info Beanie Diary postings. Some do pan out to be true ... others are just remarks. Remember a couple of weeks ago when the Info Beanie stated they were making a puzzle? ... And lots of 'talk' recently about painting snow different colors. I have received quite a few emails stating 'possibilities' of what may be in store next ... one repetitive note being Eggs being released in different colors. There are quite a few posts on the Ty Cyberboard as well. A couple of them you might want to check out are:

I think Eggs will be in all colors according to Infobeanie
littlestar (10:12 pm. Jan 26, 2001 )
Message Id: 796009
http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg796009.html
____________

Littlestar, I have been reading Info too and
StormieCat (11:01 pm. Jan 26, 2001 )
Message Id: 796037
http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg796037.html

... Buddy Tush Tag Variation
Ryan from Collectiblez has received a scan of a minor tush tag variation seen on The Beginning Bear Beanie Buddy ... 2000 vs 2001. To check it out, click here

... Get Well Soon!
We send our best wishes to Ms Janie in hopes of a speedy recovery!

... Ty Newsflash!
10:05 am ... WOW ... that was a quick Beanie! Just introduced on January 1st, Ty has retired Hairy the tarantula this morning. He's 26 days old and already in the Retirement Home!
Click here to view the announcement on Ty's site

... News from the UK
From our email, Steven writes:

Hiya
My local Ty store got their delivery yesterday. They got alot of the new
classics (all the new classic dogs), all the new beanie kids and new beanies
and Buckinghams, also alot of the new buddies (except, ears, grace, swoop,
bananas or prince). I got all the kids, new beanies and a Buckingham - in the
buddies - Valentina, Beginning and B.B.Bear, Oats, Rufus and Spunky
Buddies. No sign of Kaleidoscope beanie though :-( Looking forward to seeing
what the Birmingham Toy Fair has to offer!!!!!
Steven

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
1:05 am ... The Alec Baldwin autographed Ariel auction ends on Ty Trade today. (Currently the Ty Trade site is inaccessible ... hopefully it will be up and running soon.)

(A complete list of all previous Ty Trade Ariel charity auctions can be found on this site by clicking here.)

Update: 1:02 pm EST ... The auction closed at $610 (with 5 bids).

... Ty Newsflash
10:10 am ... Ty has just retired Attic Treasure Blush this morning.
Click here to view the Newsflash

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
The Andy Garcia autographed Ariel auction ends on Ty Trade today.
Click here to view the auction

1:05 pm ... Update: The auction closed at $310 (with 1 bid)

... Contest at Andrea's Attic
Andrea writes to inform us of the following Contest:

Hi All
Our members have voted and starting Friday, January 26th, we will be hosting
a brand new contest with a new winner every day! For 12 days we will be
giving away:
Smooch Beanie
Hairy Beanie
Flashy Beanie
Dinky Beanie
Eggs Beanie
Hopper Beanie
Suki Attic Treasure
Arlen Attic Treasure
Shamrock Beanie
Spunky Buddy
Cashmere Ty Classic
Oats Buddy
Check it out at http://www.andreasattic.com
THANKS AND BEST OF LUCK!

... Technical Problems?
9:30 pm ... Are there technical problems on Ty's website, or is something 'brewing'? Whatever the case, there appears to be some 'interference'.

(Note: It appears to be working ok at the moment.)

Daniel writes:
Hi, I typed in www.ty.com and then it took me to the BBOC official site. I thought that I did something wrong so I typed it in again and it took me there again. Then I went to favorites and it took me to the BBOC and then it took me to Ty. L@@ks like Ty is having some technical problems! See Ya! Daniel

... From our email ...
5:00 pm ... Allyson writes that she has received an email from Ty this afternoon, stating the following:

Happy Chinese New Year from Ty

TY WELCOMES THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE!!!

http://www.ty.com/echinesenewyear.html (* Newsflash link)

Rat: Remember to be diligent.
Ox: Success is on its way.
Tiger: Take care of your health.
Snake: Balance is everything.
Dog: Don't get greedy.
Pig: Plan for a rainy day.

What will Ty's Zodiac Collection tell you?

Click here http://www.ty.com/echinesenewyear.html (* Newsflash link)

... The Surprise!
11:25 am ... The Info Beanie's mention of a surprise had many wondering of possible retirements, new releases, etc. Ty has just posted a "Happy Chinese New Year" newflash, with a Zodiac puzzle and Beanie Greetings. (Perhaps the Zodiacs will retire after the big party mentioned by the Info Beanie !)

... New Puffkins™ by Swibco®
I was informed this morning that a local retailer has received in "nine of the new Puffkins". Two of them are Valentines' ... one is a St. Patricks Day. If you are a Puffkins collector, you will love these ... they are too cute!

Pictured Removed	Picture Removed
Juliet Puffkin™ BD - 2/14/01 "How do I love thee ..."	Romeo Puffkin™ BD - 2/14/01 "... Let me count the ways."

Picture Removed

Mr. Lucky Puffkin™
BD - 3/17/01
Mr. Lucky is a happy lad.
Good fortune is always his to be had
When playing games, he's hard to beat.
This leprechaun is on a winning streak!

... Ty 'Surprise' Day
Today is the day the Info Beanie says a 'surprise' will be announced. Whether it is something 'big' or rather 'uneventful', we'll still keep our eyes posted on the Ty site.

The latest entry in the Diary, from this morning, states:

Wednesday January 24, 2001 7:19 a.m.

Good morning! Woo hoo! Just a few more hours until the surprise! Make sure you keep watching! We're going to be leaving to see the Chinese New Year’s parade right after breakfast! I can't wait to see what it's going to be like. I hope we have something really quick for breakfast. This is going to be such a fun day! We have the parade this morning and then our party tonight! Are you doing anything special for Chinese New Year? I wonder if we are going to do any other things for Chinese New Year. Today is just the first day and it lasts until February 11th! I think it's really cool that a holiday can last so long, don't you? I'm going to see if breakfast is ready yet. I'll talk to you later. Bye!

Click here to read the Info Beanie Diary

... Chinese New Year
As I noted earlier, January 24, 2001 is the first day of the new Chinese New Year ... The Year of the Snake. Below is a link with further information that Ms Janie has written, which you may find interesting.

Click here to read Ms Janie's article

... Tomorrow with Anticipation
As you know, the big 'hype' the last few days has been over the Info Beanie's Diary entries, suggesting 'something' happening tomorrow. Many of you have written with a variety of ideas, some quite interesting. We DO know the Zodiac Beanies are involved, based on the latest Diary posting. At least it won't be long before we will find out ... I'll be here thoughout the day with updates and any news.

I am so happy that this day is finally over! I know it wasn't any longer than any other day but it sure seemed like it! I think it's because I'm so excited about sharing our surprise with you tomorrow. The Zodiac Beanies are more excited than anyone! I think it's because they are so much a part of the surprise! I think if I was a Zodiac Beanie I wouldn't be able to sleep at all tonight! I think there might even be some special surprise just for them tomorrow too! I better get to bed so I'll have lots of energy tomorrow. Good night!

Click here to read the Info Beanie Diary

... Another New Beanie Baby?
Sly the Beanie Guy notes that the new baseball schedule for the Chicago Cubs has been posted on the Cubs website. A promotion for May 20th is listed as 'Ty Beanie Baby Debut'. The unknown new Beanie Baby along with a commemorative card will be given to the first 10,000 children attending the game.
Click here to view the Cubs Promotional Schedule

... Source: Beanieholics

... UK Update
From our email, Kevin writes:
Hi Debs Just to let you know the latest in UK Norfolk. Today saw Norwich receive more Buckingham's and Eggs, Irish Bear and Lips. I was too late though and they sold out in minutes. The new Beanie Kids seemed to be present in force as was Hopper - Flashy - and Dinky. Really pleased I was able to get Beginning, Birthday and Valentina Buddies with no problems. Lets hope more bears are on the way.
Kind regards Kevin

... Six Issy Beanies "In Hand" and More?
A reader points out an auction on eBay UK for six 'Issy' Beanie Babies (in hand) ... location - New Jersey. And more??? Hmmmm

Hi Deb
I was just trawling through eBay and saw this auction for Issy – this person has 6 on one auction and a lot more on other auctions – he has 50 cards for sale as well.

... New Ty Trade Ariel Auction
3:50 pm ... Ty Trade has added an autographed Ariel Beanie Baby signed by actor James Van Der Beek to the auction list. (He is the young actor who appeared in the TV Series "Dawson's Creek".) The auction ends on February 1st.
Click here to view the auction on Ty Trade

... Info Beanie Diary ... Update (again)
12:15 pm ... Yesterday's diary entry (regarding THE secret) has mysteriously been posted now (perhaps I missed something and need more rest!) It does seem to involve the Zodiac Beanies ... a retirement party? (I read where the Chinese New Year starts on January 24th! ... The Year of the Snake!)
Click here to read Sunday's Diary Entry

... Info Beanie Diary ... Update
12:10 pm ... What is the Info Beanie talking about??? The following has just been posted. A secret???

Good morning! I talked to our friends at Ty and they said that since I've never walked in my sleep before that they didn't think I would start now. They also said that it would be really hard to type in my sleep. Boy, that sure took a load of worries off of my mind. I would feel so terrible if I was the one that blew the surprise! I'm glad we only have to wait today and tomorrow before you know what the secret is. I wish we could go to the park today so I would not think about the secret but there is still so much to do for it. Maybe we could work really hard on it today and finish and then we wouldn't have to work on it or think about it tomorrow! I'm going to see what everyone thinks about that idea! I'll talk to you later. Bye!

Click here to read the latest Diary posting

... Info Beanie Diary
11:45 pm ... You have to wonder what's up with the latest diary entries. Nothing has been posted since Saturday morning. Perhaps his fortune was a trip out of town! :) Perhaps he's busy working on a retirement party for the Zodiac Beanies??? Howl writes:

"Good morning! We're going to make our fortune cookies today! First we have to very neatly write all our fortunes on little pieces of paper. Once we get that done, we can actually make the cookies ...."

Click here to read the Info Beanie Diary

Doodle's Note: Speaking of the Info Beanie diary, the voting polls are open, of course, for February's Info Beanie. It's interesting to note that although you can't vote for the 2000 Holiday Bear as it has retired, it's still listed in the ranking poll (0.0%). Also Clubby III is retired but still listed as a 'candidate'. ... Smooch is currently ahead in the polls (19.5%), with Flashy following in second place (16.9%)
Click here to vote for February Info Beanie
Click here to view the current ranks

... Now at Northern Trade Winds
Lulu informs us of the following:

- 100% authentic Buckingham "Buddy" photo!
- CGTA Show coming soon. Any surprises for Canada?
- Martin Luther King Day and what Beanie Collectors can do to stop the spread of racist materials on eBay.

Now at www.northtradewinds.com

Doodle's Note: Before jumping to conclusions, check out the 'Buddy' picture first!

... Ooops
On January 15th, Kerstin wrote:
Hello Doodle
Can you tell when Ty have retired Bunnybaby and Lamybaby?
Greetings, Kerstin from Germany

After checking the Ty site, I did notice that they were listed as retired on the Baby Ty page. I'm not sure if they quietly retired on the 15th though ... just noticed it then. With a hectic last few days, I failed to post it.

... Thank You!!!
A little birdie had recently escaped from the nest and passed the word around of my birthday yesterday. (I thought it was a deep dark secret! LOL) At any rate, I received wonderful cards and emails from lots of people yesterday wishing me a special day. I have responded to each one (hopefully), but in case I missed one ... thank you all so much. You're thoughtfulness was appreciated!

... "Designed" Beanies and Buddies
Ms. Janie has received more pictures from a reader of another batch of beautifully designed Beanie and Buddy styles.
Click here to view the pics on Ms. Janie's site

... Almost there
On June 8, 2000, the counter on the Ty website passed the 4 billion mark. Within the next couple of weeks, the counter will pass 5 billion ... that's 1 billion visitors in approximately 8 months. Now THAT'S a lot of visits !!!
Link to Ty website

... The Chinese New Year is Approaching
Although celebrations of the Chinese New Year vary, the underlying message is one of peace and happiness for family members and friends. The beginning of the Chinese New Year starts on January 24th? February 5th? this year. (Two different sources). (Because of the cyclical dating, the beginning of the year can fall anywhere between late January and mid February.)

The Info Beanie has mentioned recently in the Diary of preparations for a big celebration at that time ... probably the retirement of the Zodiac Beanies as well.

... Bid4Beans Lottery Update
You can continue to enter daily for a chance to win the Germania Duo! ... There was no winner in this week's lottery draw. Four users came close by matching four numbers each, but five is the requied amount to win. All previous entries roll-over to next week's draw, which means that those who have entered daily have an even greater chance of winning the Germania Beanie & Buddy Duo. There are now currently over 6,375 entries already entered ... BUT, It only takes one entry to win. Remember the lottery is totally free to play, User Registration is required but this is purely for security reasons to help detect entry abuse. http://www.bid4beans.com/lottery/

... Now at Northern Trade Winds ...
1:40 am ... Lulu sends us the following:

Canadian Valentine pack and Buddies arrive!
Chinook Still Shipping
Details of new Kaledeidoscope and the secret it may hold

This and much more at http://www.northtradewinds.com

... Billy Gillman signed Ariel
The Billy Gillman Auction closed today at $520 (with 8 bids) on Ty Trade.

... Ty Trade Ariel Auctions
12:30 pm ... Two new autographed Ariels have been added to Ty Trade: Andy Garcia (auction ends 1/25) and Alec Baldwin (auction ends 1/26).

... Clubby III "Availability" in the UK
Per the Ty Cyberboard:

got a letter from ty europe today and it basicly said this:
beaniekeithuk (08:28 am. Jan 19, 2001 )
Message Id: 791014

beaniekeithuk writes:
that the clubby 3 offer was exclusive and stocks were limited,therefor it is with regret that we inform you that due to overwhelming response,we sold out of clubbies,even after flying in extras. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.Please rest assured that all credit card numbers will remain confidential and no charges have been incurred. Well it was a good job that I ordered on the phone and also our web site order was done ages ago. I for one hope ty does a shop format on the next clubby offer!
regards keith

http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg791014.html

Doodle's Note: Clubby Buddies I, II, and III are all listed as 'retired' on Ty's website.
Click here to view all current and retired Beanie Buddies on Ty's site

... Billy Gilman Auction
The autographed Billy Gilman Ariel on the Ty Trade auction ends today at 12:00 CST. (The bidding is currently at $520 wtih 8 bids)..
Click here to view the auction

...
From our email:

Hello!
I just thought I would quickly share that I have recently posted an
interview on my website, with Mary from Beanies For Preemies, Inc.! There
has been a lot going on with Beanies For Preemies including a new Preemie
Prayer HolyBear, a Preemie Prayer cookbook, and also, celebrity-signed bears
are soon to also come! Mary Stocum shares a lot of the latest info and also
talks about Ty's latest donation to the charity of 30,000 Beanies!!!!
http://www.geocities.com/collectiblezdotnet/Interviews/BeaniesForPreemies3.html

Smiles,
Ryan Connell
http://www.collectiblez.net

...
From our email, from Chris C.:
I'm a new Beanie Site and need some members.Please post me on your site to help get some members. I'd really appreciate it! The Manny Zone

... A Few Tid Bits of Interest
Ms. Janie digs up the dirt and comes up with a few tid bits that may interest you. After 'digging around', she can now verify that Ty was generous enough to donate Attic Treasures to a charity and that the organization did in fact sell this product to the Dollar Stores. You can read more on Ms. Janie's website.

... Valentines Day / St. Patrick's Day Special Order
Ms. Janie has learned that Ty Retailers were sent faxes or received phone calls today concerning a Valentines Day / St. Patrick's Day Special Order. Supposedly, the impression was that retailers can place an extra order for all of Ty's products (with the exception of Buddies and Ty Baby). Orders must be placed before January 22nd, and if not received by January 31st, must be considered cancelled. (The understanding is that these items must also be placed through the Ty Rep.)

... New Look at Ty Trade
When the Ty site mentioned this morning that it was closed for maintenance, it also mentioned "Please visit tytrade.com". As various other pages were working at that time, we had to wonder .. why Ty Trade? Well, if you visit the site now, some rearranging has been done ... you might want to take a look.
Visit Ty Trade here

... 'Kaleidoscope' Beanie Baby
Ms Janie has brought to our attention a picture of a Beanie Baby cat called 'Kaleidoscope' that has reportedly shown up in the UK. A view of this Beanie can be seen on Beanie Wonderland's site by clicking here.

Kaleidoscope
Date of birth: June 24, 2000

Poem:
I'm wild and crazy as you can see
Other cats want to be like me
Some may say I look like a clown
But I'm the coolest cat in town!

Doodle's Note: Notice the difference in the hang tag. "Beanies" is written across the star, instead of the U.S. hang tag version with "Beanie" above the star and "Baby" below. This is similar to the difference in the 2000 version of Beanies in the UK vs the U.S.

... A note on the Calendar
Upon turning the page of the calendar today, it's marked as a special day for Christian. Today's his birthday! Many of you may know or remember him ... our good friend in the UK and a big Beanie fan! If you wish to send him special wishes, you can email him at christian@beanbags.co.uk. We wish him a Happy Birthday, with many more to follow!

... Ty Website "closed for maintenance"
The Ty Website was temporarily closed this morning, with the main page reading "Ty.com is currently closed for maintenance. Please visit tytrade.com". The site is back up now with no apparent changes.

... "Hunting for Issy .... ?
A reader has shared an interesting story with Beanie Mom on her recent trip to The Four Seasons, to add Issy to her collection. To read her experience, click here.

... New Attic Treasures Pics
Ms. Janie has posted some close-up shots of some favorite newly released Ty Attics.
Click here to view the pictures

... Grand Beanie Vacation Contest
Critters n' Gifts is holding a new contest called "The Grand Beanie Vacation Contest". The grand prize is a trip to New York City (plus a night's stay at the Four Seasons Hotel). Now's the chance to try for your own Issy Bear!
Click here for contest details

... 'New Year's Contest'
Brent at BeaNGO informs us that they have just started their New Year's Contest. There are over 40 prizes from Ty, HolyBears, Celebrity Bears, and more.
Click here for contest details

... More Beanie Kids and Beanie Buddy Information Posted
Ty has now posted the hang tag information for Blondie, Shenanigan and Specs Beanie Kids. The information for Large and Extra Large Dotty Beanie Buddies have been posted as well. It appears that all newly introduced Beanies, Buddies, and Kids info is on Ty's site. All should be showing up at your retailer soon.
Click here for link to the Beanie Kids on Ty's site
Click here for link to the Beanie Buddies on Ty's site

Beanie Kids
Blondie - Date of Birth: January 02, 1995
Please dress me up and take me out,
making friends is what it's all about!

Shenanigan - Date of Birth: March 17, 1993
I'll bring you luck the whole year through,
if you keep me close to you!

Specs - Date of Birth: September 25, 1991
Learning is so much fun to do.
May I go to school with you?

Beanie Buddies
Large Dotty
There were two Dalmatian Beanie Babies created:
one with black ears and one with spotted ears.

Extra Large Dotty
This Beanie Buddy is so big,
you might mistake him for a real dog!

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
2:00 pm ... The Ariel signed by Ted Danson ended at $310 (with 5 bids). (The Billy Gilman Ariel auction ends on 1/19.)
Click here for link to the Ted Danson auction
Click here for link to the Billy Gilman auction

... Info Beanie Polls Open
The polls are open for voting for February Info Beanie on Ty's site. (The new Beanies have been also been added to the list.)
Click here to vote for Feb Info Beanie

... BBOC Survey
With the next Ty Exclusive offer, what would you 'most' like to see, 'next like to see' and 'also like to see'? Ty is conducting a survey on the BBOC Website, where you can vote for your choice. (... An interesting step Ty is taking to see what collectors enjoy most!
Click here to take the survey on the BBOC site

... Thanks to Matt from The Bean Scene for sharing the info with us

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
2:00 pm ... The Ariel signed by Ted Danson ended at 12 noon today. (As of this posting, the Ty Trade site is inaccessible).
Click here for link to the Ted Danson auction

... Bid4Beans Lottery Update
There was no winner in this week's lottery draw. Six users came close by matching four numbers each, but five is the required amount to win. All previous entries roll-over to next week's draw, which means that those who have entered daily have an even greater chance of winning the Germania Beanie & Buddy Duo. There are now currently over 5,800 entries already entered ... BUT, It only takes one entry to win. Remember the lottery is totally free to play, User Registration is required but this is purely for security reasons to help detect entry abuse. http://www.bid4beans.com/lottery/

... Ariel Auction Closed
1:05 pm EST ... The autographed Angela Bassett Ariel Auction has closed on Ty Trade at $290 (with 4 bids).

... Newsflash Removed
10:45 am EST ... The Newsflash announcing the recent Buddy retirements has been removed from Ty's main page. It is available to read Ty's Newsflash Archives.

... More New Beanie Pics
12:15 am ... Norma has sent more pictures of 5 of the new Beanie Babies ... Dinky, Flashy, Hopper, Eggs, and Shamrock. She has done an excellent job of capturing the light on the Beanies 'just right' to show the sheen and color of these beautiful Beanies. Flashy is awesome!!!

(Picture Removed)
Flashy Beanie Baby™

(Picture Removed)
"... here is what's under the wings...it's iridescent and material like on Halo II's wings. Very pretty. The detail on this peacock is amazing!"

Interested in some additional pictures of the new Beanies? (Have you seen Dinky??? Whoa! Is he ever cute!) Check out Dinky, Hopper, Eggs, and Shamrock here
Norma states: "Hopper is GRAY...he has silver flecks in his white fur and even in the tail. Like Halo II"

... Luvie Beanie Kid
The tush tag on the new Beanie Kids has been redesigned. Check Ms. Janies post for photos of Luvie, her hang tag, and new Tush Tag at the following link:
http://www.msjanie.com/kids/luvie.html

... Personalized Valentines Bears
From our email:
Your sweetheart will love
this stunning Valentines Bear. A tremendous hit last year, We Make Bears 4 U
www.wemakebears4u.com designed a beautiful new color scheme for this
year's model. Don't forget, this bear will be personalized with your loved
one's name on the back. Order before January 28th to guarantee delivery by
14 February.

View the hot new Valentines Bear by clicking on:
www.wemakebears4u.com

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
Another autographed Ariel, signed by Billy Gilman, has been added to the Ty Trade auction. The bidding ends January 19th at 12 Noon CST.

...
New Beanie Kids - Poems
3:45 pm EST ... Two of the five newest Beanie Kid's poems and birthdays are now listed on Ty's site ... Jammer and Luvie. To view, go to Ty Beanie Kids.

New Beanie Babies - Poems
All the poems and birthday for the newest Beanies are now listed on Ty's site. The remaining four - Hopper, Smooch, Dinky, and Flashy - were added today. To view, go to Ty Beanie Babies

... Ty Trade Ariels
1:15 pm EST ... The Henry Winkler signed Ariel auction on Ty Trade ended at Noon today ... at $390 with 11 bids. (The Angela Bassett Ariel auction ends tomorrow.)

... Ty Newsflash - Buddy Retirements
10:50 am ... Ty has announced the retirements of the following Beanie Buddies this morning ... Flip, Wallace, Libearty, lg Libearty, and x-lg Libearty
Click here for link to Flip and Wallace retirements
Click here for link to the Libearty retirements

... Smooch's Birthday and Poem
9:40 am ... The following was noted on the Ty Cyberboard:

Alphabear writes:
I got him(or her?) January 10, in Japan, and, I will tell the following informations;

Smooch's Birthday: February 14, 2000

Smooch's Poem:

Chocolate candy and flowers are fine
They help to say, "Will you be mine?"
But there's a better thing to do
Let me deliver kisses for you!

http://web1-1.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg786843.html

... More New Pictures
Since the new Ty products are showing up at various retailers, you may have been one of the lucky ones to have found some of them. (It takes eons for them to show up in my area though!) Therefore, I am overjoyed to see actual pictures at least, to satisfy my curiosity. A friend has sent in the picture below of Cashmere, the new Ty Classic, which is absolutely beautiful! Thanks, Norma, for sharing your find! :)

Note: The other new pictures received - of the Onyx Ty Classic, as well as Buddies Ears, Mystic, and The Cardinal - can be viewed by clicking here.

... Don't be Stumped ... Do Your Homework
A collector got 'burned' off of an eBay auction for a counterfeit Humphrey Beanie Baby. View her photos and read her story, posted by Ms. Janie.
http://www.msjanie.com/fakes/humphrey.html

... Now on Northern Trade Winds ...
Lulu writes some interesting information you might want to check out:

- Buckingham Beanie Arrives to the UK!
- Two sets of Pre Packs for Canada
- Another Issy Thought

This and a lot more now at http://www.northtradewinds.com

... A Comforting Beanie
The following is a sad story about a 17-year-old student dying from a drug overdose and how a white Beanie comforted his friends and family.
Click here to read the story

... Source: Ms Janie

... Ty UK Warehouse Low on Stocks
Simon from the UK reports the following to us:

Hi Doodle, We have three stores in England all with Ty accounts The Ty Rep. told us a couple of months back that the TY warehouse in the UK was very low with stock. We have had some quite small deliveries recently, hopefully we will receive more of what we have ordered this month because we are almost out of stock ourself. If we receive a similar size delivery as the past couple of months then we won't have enough to get us through to our next delivery, unless Ty make special deliveries when new stock does arrive. I just hope the containers haven't got delayed in the UK port otherwise it could be awhile for things to catch up in the UK.
... Regards, Simon

... Newest Beanie Buddies - Tag Info
1:45 pm ... The newly released Beanie Buddies listed on Ty's site have now had their hang tag information added as well. The only ones that seem to be missing this information are the Buddies which reportedly have not yet shown up at retailers yet ... large and extra large Dotty.
Click here for link to Ty's Beanie Buddies List

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
The auction for the autographed Ariel on Ty Trade, signed by Henry Winkler, ends tomorrow. The current bid is at $390 (with 11 bids). The Angela Bassett Ariel auction ends January 13th; the Ted Danson Ariel auction ends January 14th.
Click here for link to Ty Trade

... Celebrity Bears Update
Celebrity Bears have just released their January newsletter, which you can read by clicking here.

Noted is the release of Star #79 - the Cupid Bear; the Love Bear (by rubbing the pink hearts, they will disappear and then slowly reappear); Star #80 - St. Paddy Bear; and Star #81 the Easter Bunny Bear (no picture available yet, but it sounds adorable!) The Namesake Bears will be introduced at the Dallas Gift Show on January 13th!

... 2001 Tush Tag Change
Ms Janie has written of a tush tag change on the new 2001 Beanie Babies. She has posted a picture showing the details of the tush tag, which can be viewed by clicking here. She has also written a detailed description of the change, which you can read here.

... New Pictures
Thanks to Norma, who sent in a picture of Swoop Buddy with Hairy Beanie Baby! ... OK, we just added those to our wish list, too! :)
NOTE: The hang tag reads: "Swoop the Beanie Baby was the fourth dinosaur Beanie Baby made by Ty"

(Picture Removed)

... New Beanies Poems and Birthdays on Ty's Currents List
3:50 pm ... Collectors in certain parts of the country, as you know, are reporting finding some of the newest Beanie Babies at retailers ... namely, Eggs, Shamrock, and Hairy. The birthdays and poems have now been added to the current list on Ty's site for these three Beanies. The other four (Hopper, Smooch, Dinky, and Flashy) are listed, but currently do not state their information yet. *No further information has been added yet on any of the newest Buddies.
Click here to view the list of Beanie Babies on Ty's site

... Zodiac Beanies Retirement Soon?
The Chinese New Year begins in two weeks. Many are wondering if the Zodiac Beanies will retire at that time. The Info Beanie refers to the "New Year" in today's diary entry:

Good morning! I just found out something very exciting! I was talking to Dragon and he told me that in two weeks it would be the Chinese New Year! He said that this year it was his year which mean that it's the Year of the Dragon but after Chinese New Year it will be the Year of the Snake! I bet Snake is really excited about that! Dragon told me that we are going to have a special celebration for the Chinese New Year. He said that he doesn't know what we're going to do yet but I'm sure it will be fun! I'm going to see what I can find out about the Chinese New Year. I'll talk to you later. Bye!

Click here for link to the Info Beanie Diary

... Heavenly Bears Christening/Baptism Bears
Heavenly Bears has released a brand new line of bears that represent faith, peace of mind, and God and life long commitment. Ms. Janie has posted a picture of these beautiful bears, as well as the story behind them.
Click here to visit Ms Janie's site and read the story
Click here to visit the Heavenly Bears site

... More pics
12:15 am - Just in case you haven't seen the newest Beanie Baby hang tag for 2001, check out Ms Janie's site for a nice close up view. While surfing around, you may also want to visit Beanie Mom. She has some new pictures posted on some of the most recent releases, with poems.

(With my car in the shop and no transportation, at least I can view them ... but then, my hubby probably planned it that way!)

... New Beanie Baby Hang Tag Photo
Apparently it's true (see note posted earlier today) ... new Beanies are starting to show up; Eggs has already made it to eBay. If you're interested in viewing the hang tag, as well as a photo of Eggs, check the eBay auction here.

... Thanks to Ms Janie for sharing this info!

... New Beanies / Tags
2:30 pm ... If this is true (noted on the Ty Cyberboard), the newest Beanie Babies are appearing at retailers. (Note the tag change remark):

Just picked up eggs and shamrock
wrigley (01:04 pm. Jan 09, 2001 )
Message Id: 785285

wrigley writes:
There is a different tag. It has a smaller silver star and beanie above it
and baby below the star. I found them in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.

Thanks for listening!!!!!!!

http://web2-2.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg785285.html

... New Beanies Shipping ... U.S. / U.K.
From our email:

Hi Deb, Reports are surfacing that some of the new beanies will be appearing in stores in the USA this week. These reports suggest that only 24 of some styles have shipped instead of the assumed 36 as originally ordered. I suppose it'll just mean there won't be quite as many in stores this month as first thought, the main thing is that they have been dispatched and will arrive this week.... Happy Hunting!!!

There is currently no news as of yet with regards to the New Releases appearing in the UK stores, then again this is nothing new!!! This will add to many USA beanies being imported to the UK. Many collectors in the UK have their new releases before Ty retailers receive their shipments... No wonder all stores are full of shelf sitters. I wonder what effect it would have on USA sales figures if the UK received shipments at the same time.
Regards 'DJ'

... An Artist at Work
Ms. Janie has posted some pictures from the works of an artist, who has dyed and painted various Beanies and Buddies.
Click here to view the photos on Ms Janie's site

... Beanies: Popularity and Worth
As new Ty products are now showing up in stores and the secondary market slows down a bit, Lulu of Northern Trade Winds asks "What is the clear projection of the popularity of this toy?" Do the low secondary market values signal the downslide of Beanies or something else?
Click here for link to Northern Trade Winds

... New Buddies Showing Up in Singapore
Some of the new Beanie Buddies are shipping to Singapore ...some not yet available in the U.S. (as far as we know). Included in the batch are The Beginning Bear, B.B. Bear, and Chops. If you are a Buddy collector, you'll definitely want these on your list! Check out some pictures Beanie Mom has posted by clicking here.

... Ty Warner in Wall Street Journal
In Friday's edition of the Wall Street Journal, there was a segment called 'Inside the World of Corporate Finance'. In it's first ever listing of net-worth "Winners and Losers" for 2000 to include America's wealthiest people, Ty Warner made the list. The list ranks those who notched the biggest gains and losses to their net worth. Ty Warner, the reclusive toy magnate behind the Beanie Baby cult, gained a whopping estimated $1 billion.

... Source: Ms Janie

... Billionaire Bear 3 - Current?
From our email: DJ writes:
"Just a thought, but why is the Billionaire 3 Bear listed as a current Bear on the Ty site? It was never released to the general public, so how can a 'non-current' Bear EVER retire? In theory, this bear retired the same day it was issued to the Reps."

Comment: Perhaps Ty has just 'overlooked' this. At any rate, it shall remain only on the "Wish List" of most collectors!

... My Goodness, "Thank You" Beanie Heaven!
1:30 am EST ... While perusing around eBay, a reader has pointed out an auction for 12 'Thank You' Bears, being sold individually (with MORE on the way?) You might want to take a look at this auction ... it's quite an eyefull. <Sigh!>
Click here to view the auction

... Bid4Beans Lottery Update
No winner in this week's lottery draw. Four people matched four numbers but you have to have five number out of the six numbers drawn to win. All previous entries roll-over to next week's draw, which means that those who have entered daily have an even greater chance of winning the Germania Beanie and Beanie Buddy Duo. There are now currently over 5,200 entries entered ... BUT, It only takes one entry to win. Remember the lottery is totally free to play, User Registration is required but this is purely for security reasons to help detect abuse.
Click Here For Bid4Beans Lottery

... Contest at Andrea's Attic
Andrea's Attic informs us that their new Contest starts today. The prizes ... Chinook Beanie Baby and Maple Beanie Buddy.
Click here for additional details

... New Buddy Pics
12:15 am ... As you are probably aware, several of the newly released Beanie Buddies are now appearing in retail stores. Norma has sent pictures of four Buddies found today ... Bananas, Floppity, Valentina, and Rufus! ... (Thanks for sharing with us!)
Click here to view the newest Buddies pics

... Issy Pictures
After a stay at the Four Seasons Hotel, Smart Collecting has posted photos of Issy, with hang tag, card, and tush tag.
Click for link to Issy photos

...
"My oh My!!! What has happened to affect today's market place and how we do business?" ... written by Ms Janie

Earlier in the day (Friday), I had the chance to read and enjoy the above article posted by Ms Janie on her site. (Due to server 'problems', I was unable to refer readers to it.) If you haven't had a chance to read it yet, you're missing an interesting and informative outlook on various aspects of the collectibles' market - How are collectors affected by today's market? What are manufacturers to do? ... and more. ... You'll definitely learn something by checking it out.

Click here to read the article

... Newsflash Removed
5:30 pm EST ... The Newsflash with the latest introductions has been removed from Ty's main page ... it is located in the Archives section. The newest products are now listed in the currents section (but no birthdays or poems yet).
Click here for link to the Ty Website

... New Autographed Ariel Auctions on Ty Trade
12:30 pm EST ... The Donna Dixon Ariel auction ends at 12:00 CST today (see update below). Three new auctions have been added this morning:

- Henry Winkler - auction ends 1/12/01
- Angela Bassett - auction ends 1/13/01
- Ted Danson - auction ends 1/14/01

Click here to visit Ty Trade

Update: 1:05 pm EST ... The Donna Dixon Autographed Ariel auction closed at $260 (with one bid)

... Info Beanie Hint?
Although the Info Beanie Diary entries used to drop 'hints', there haven't been too many 'clues' lately. Perhaps this is one? ... "I wonder if today is any kind of special day?"

Friday January 5, 2001 8:40 a.m.

I think the birds are really happy with all of the treats we put out for them! There seemed to be a lot more birds than usual too. They must know it's National Bird Day. It could also be that they are usually here and gone by the time I'm awake. Either way, it was a lot of fun to see such happy birds. I wonder if today is any kind of special day? I'm going to go and ask our friends at Ty. I'll talk to you later. Bye!

Click here to read the Info Beanie Diary

... New Buddies Arriving Already
BeanieMom has pictures posted of a few of the new Beanie Buddies already purchased by a reader in Wisconsin. (Pictured are Ears and Mystic Buddies ... also purchased were large and x-large Valentina Buddies. Wow ... It didn't take long for those to show up!
Click here to visit BeanieMom

... Thank You Bear - Retired!
11:00 am ... After checking the current/retired Beanie Baby listing on Ty's site, it appears the 'Thank You Bear' has quietly moved to the retired list this morning.
Click here to view the current/retired list on Ty's site

... Issy's Poem

(Picture Removed)

IN MEMORY OF CHRISTOPHER SHARP 1960-1978

If you travel far and wide
Keep Issy always by your side
And when you must turn out the light
You'll hear him softly say "good night!"

Available exclusively at Four Seasons Hotel
New York.

Ty has also added Issy's poem to the current list on the site. This Bear IS an exclusive to the Four Seasons Hotel. OK, another one that will remain on my 'wish list' only!

... The Mysterious "Eighth" Beanie
Some retailers have been reporting that a Beanie Baby "Platypus" was available for ordering on the Ty Retailer site. Beanieholics has received the following information from a retailer reader:

I order on line and when checking my orders, which are emailed back to me, there are 8 beanies. Here is a copy of what TY says I ordered:
4335 SMOOCH - i love you bear 36
4336 HAIRY - spider 36
4337 EGGS - easter bear 36
4338 SHAMROCK - good luck bear 36
4339 FLASHY - peacock 36
4341 DINKY - duck 36
4342 HOPPER - bunny 36
4347 PLATYPUS - platypus 36
There were no pictures on the retailer website when we ordered -- just a heart saying picture coming soon on all the new items. I will keep you posted. --A

... Ariel Auction
The autographed Donna Dixon Ariel auction ends on Ty Trade tomorrow. Although the site has had problems recently, the 'technical difficulties' seem to have been fixed now. (If you haven't read Ms. Janie's story on the signing of the Dan Aykroyd and Donna Dixon Ariel Beanies, click here).

... For Your Info
Although this is not 'bean bag' related news, I thought it worth passing along for your protection ... a few 'virus' warnings you may want to take note of:
Click here to read the article

... A 'Beanie Baby' Sandwich???
A reader passed this along to me ... I almost fell out of my chair when I read it. I guess we all need a little humor now and then! ... (It is 1:15 am ... an interesting way to end a long day! :)
Click here to check it out

... Issy and the Hidden Truths
Lulu from Northern Trade Winds shares some interesting reading you might want to check out:

Now on Northern Trade Winds
ISSY AND THE HIDDEN TRUTHS - Let the truth be known
A MESSAGE FROM THE HEART - A story of love, loss and hope

http://www.northtradewinds.com

...
From our email:
The Bean Scene has reopened! After three weeks we are finally back! We have a new look and tons of new features to check out. We also have a new contest 'Who Wants To Be BeanBagAire' going on! You won't want to miss out on that! Come check us out http://thebeanscene.cjb.net/

... Ty Site Updating?
3:40 pm EST ... When visiting the Ty Website, the buttons at the top, accessing all the Ty product listings, is unavailable momentarily. The listings are perhaps being updated, with all the newest releases. (It will be interesting to see what the poems and birthdays are!) It currently reads:

This Ty.com feature is currently unavailable. Please try again later. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Regards,
Ty

Update: 9:00 pm ... The various links on the Ty site seem to all be up and running now. Apparently, Ty was experiencing 'technical difficulties'. The current/retired lists are accessible now, the Diary has been updated, and the Cyberboard is back 'in progress'. (Ty had posted a note on the Cyberboard earlier, stating:

"We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with the Cyberboard. We are working on the problem and hope to have it corrected shortly. Thank you for your patience."

... Planet Beans - Chinook Contest
Lisa from Planet Beans is holding a Contest with Chinook as the prize. Unfortunately, she can only update the site occasionally, due to server problems. Since she is unable to update the contest questions with any regularity on the News Page, she is having to send them out in a Newsletter each morning. In order for you to enter the contest, you have to know the questions to answer ... therefore, if you wish to participate, you need to join the mailing list (which can be done by clicking here). The site itself is fully functionable, but the contest forms are not working due to the server issue.

... Hop 'N Quacks
The Boyds Bear website announces the following:

"The Head Bean's created a collection of critters just in time for the Easter season. The Folks at Boyds are callin' 'em The Hop 'N Quacks, and legend has it, they closely resemble a band of critters that go around paintin' Easter eggs, fillin' baskets with candies, and plantin' all the sweet Spring flowers. Never knew the Easter Bunny had helpers, did ya?!
Click here to meet the Hop 'N Quacks

... Source: Beanieholics

... Asia is Exploding with Ty Activity
The following photos, shared by Ms Janie, represents promotional activities conducted during Christmas week. The children really seem to be enjoying these activities. Way to go, Ty Asia!
Click here to view the pictures

... More Issy Questions Answered
From Lulu at Northern Trade Winds:

More Issy Questions Answered and a SPECIAL REPORT on the New Ty
Releases. We find out what predictions for new releases came true and
share lots fun facts and info surrounding this latest batch of goodies.
We even have new predictions on the next Beanie Buddy variation!

Check it out at www.northtradewinds.com

... Retailer Orders
Retailers were able to order the new Ty products on their January orders. I would expect to see them in stores in a couple of weeks. Retailers have reported of a Beanie - "Platypus" - that was on the form and yet unofficially announced by Ty.

I would be on the lookout for some of the new products soon. With apparent 'holiday' themes, they may not be out too long. There are Valentine, St. Patrick's Day, and Easter themes in the various product lines. I must admit, Ty did a great job with these latest ones! Being in an area where they don't always show up right away, I hope to be lucky enough to find some of them!

... New Beanies Added
1:10 pm EST ... Issy and Thank You Bear have made it to the current Beanie list on Ty's website. (Although there are no pictures yet, they should be added soon.)
Click here to view Ty's Current Beanie List

... Thanks to DJ for the info!

... New Celebrity Bears
Beanieholics reports of two new releases just announced by Celebrity Bears. The first release is called the 'Love Bear' and features a soft pastel material that features hearts that disappear when you rub them. What an interesting concept! The second release is Star #79 - Cupid. This bear is made of a soft white material with a red nose and cupid embroidered on the front.
Click here for a picture of The Love Bear
Click here for a picture of Cupid

... January Ordering Parameters
For the month of January, the following items listed below are limited to the quantities indicated. Orders may be entered starting on January 2nd, at 7:00 AM CST.
- Beanie Babies - 36 pcs. per design per location
(Including Zodiacs)
- Beanie Kids - 12 pcs. per design per location
- Beanie Buddies - 6 pcs. per design per location
Flitter and Batty are limited to multiples of 12 only
- Jumbo & Extra Large Buddies – 1 pc. per design per location
- Large Buddies - 2 pcs. per design per location
- Attic Treasures - 24 pcs. per design per location
- Baby Ty - 4 pcs. per design per location
- Classics - 12 pcs. per design per location
- Ty Heart tag protectors - 24 pcs
- Ty POS Kit - Kit includes a hanging mobile, window decal, and 2 easel-back retailer signs
- Ty Gear - 12 pcs. per design. Ty Gear outfits are packaged in counter top displays containing 12 pcs. of a design. A master shipping carton contains 4 counter displays. Therefore, it is necessary to order Ty Gear in multiples of 4, 8 or 12 different designs. Please follow these guidelines when ordering.

... News Source: Ms Janie

... Ty Site
10:05 am EST Update ... Ty's main page now displays the correct date and the counter is active again, the Info Beanie Diary entry has been entered for this morning, and the current/retired lists are accessible (although the newbies haven't made it there yet).

9:15 am EST ... The Ty website still shows a date of January 1st, the counter is at another standstill, the Info Beanie Diary needs updating, and the current/retired lists are still inaccessible. (I personally anticipate a major retirement soon!) Need I say more?

... The Truth Behind Issy
Lulu at Northern Trade Winds shares some additional information on the inspirations of 'Issy'.

SPECIAL REPORT: THE TRUTH BEHIND ISSY
The truth behind this bear has not been known. The criticism of it has
been very harsh. By reading this article I hope you will understand why
Ty distributes this bear so differently. Issy is inspired by two of
Canada's greatest heroes and it is my pleasure and honor to share their
stories with you.

Lulu :0)
http://www.northtradewinds.com

... Who Wants to Be a BeanBagaire!? Contest
Heather Lea from the Daily Bean shares the following:

Good Evening! I just want to let you know that the Who Wants to Be
a BeanBagaire!? Contest starts today! The first questions for the contest
will be posted after 7 PM EST.

Please let your readers know that the contest has started!

Contest Rules - http://www.heatherlea.com/beanbagaire.htm

... Collectiblez Contest
Ryan shares the following:

Happy New Year!!
Collectiblez is currently having a contest where you could have the lucky
chance to win one of NINETEEN different Ty prizes in the "Ringin' In The New
Year" Contest!! There are more details at http://www.collectiblez.net !

Thank you so very much!
Smiles,
Ryan Connell

... New Ty Products Announced!
Ty rang in the New Year 2001 with many new releases ... 7 new Beanie Babies, 22 Beanie Buddies, 5 Beanie Kids, 12 Attic Treasures, 4 Baby Ty, 12 Ty Classics, and 3 Ty Gear outfits.
Click here for link to the General Introduction Page

Click below for the individual new products listings:
Beanie Babies - Smooch, Shamrock, Eggs (bears); Hopper (bunny); Hairy (spider); Flashy (peacock); and Dinky (chick?)
Beanie Buddies - Ears (extra lg, lg - white), Ears (reg. - brown); Valentina (reg, lg, extra lg, jumbo); Grace; Spunky; Chops; Floppity; Cardinal (Mac); Mystic; Swoop; Beginning Bear; B.B. Bear; Dotty (lg, extra lg); Bananas; Oats; Prince; Rufus
Beanie Kids - Blondie; Jammer; Specs; Shenanigan; Luvie
Attic Treasures - Minerva; Emmet; Hogan; Olivia; Suki; Cooper; Arlen; Adelaide; Carey; May; Cassandra; April
Baby Ty - Bearbaby (pink); Kittybaby; Bearbaby (blue); Honeybunnybaby
Ty Classic - Rouge; Carley; Onyx; Rescue; Romper; Sheriff; Iceberg; Baby Iceberg; Quackie; Cashmere; Sugarplum; Gumdrop
Ty Gear - Bunny; Snowboarder; Dressup

... January Info Beanie
The Info Beanie page is now back up, having been down since Friday. Howl is the new Info Beanie for January - quietly making his first entry at 12:09 am:

Hi everyone! This is Howl! This is my first Info Beanie entry! Thanks so much for voting for me! We finally found out what the surprise was! Our friends at Ty had all kinds of fun hats and noisemakers for us! We got them just before midnight! We're having a great time making lots of noise! I'm going to get back to the party now I'll talk to you in the morning! Good night and Happy New Year!
Click here to read the Info Beanie Diary