Jo Knits!

Toutou!!!

Blogs are fun, right? You read them, learn about new things, new ideas, new yarns. People start to become like friends and sometimes you might worry if someone doesn't blog for a few days. Yesterday I saw Alison blogging about Ikea and thought to myself, hey why don't we go there today. Well the smart side of me knocked the impulsive one aside, let's go monday and avoid all the people in the store. So my internet travels brought me to learn about something else, the Build-A-Bear Workshop. Hummm... now THAT sounds interesting, lets google about that and see where these workshops are... Uh oh, the impulsive one is back again!

I remembered hearing about a place in Quebec to make your own teddy bear, I had seen a piece on this on a show. Searched for the show's website then searched the archives week by week until I found the website. Did I want to go or not? LOL! We find out the place in Quebec it's called Atelier Toutou and it is found at the #1 ski resort in Eastern North America, let's just say it almost made me want to try skiing for the 1st time. LOL! Mont Tremblant is like a little piece of heaven, Lucas kept asking if Santa lived in this or that house on the mountain. It felt like Christmas walking around in the snow, they have little spots with adirondack chairs and a roaring fire to keep you warm. The sun was setting so we mostly visited as the night came up. I hope one day we will get to go back and see this place in daylight.

Now the workshop is a WONDERFUL place!!! The employees truely love their job and as soon as they open one in Montreal I'm sending in my resume. LOL! You go in and there's a wall of bears and other animals that you choose from, then it's off to the fluff machine where with cuddle tests you get to decide when you new friends is perfectly stuffed just for you. The child then gets to choose a guardian angel or star which will hold a special secret within the bear. We opted not buying clothing but there's plenty of cute outfits for the new bears. You then have to name your new friend and a passport is made, they each leave the store in a travelling box. Not before the pledge of love and promise of cuddles made by each person buying a bear.

It was truely a magical time spent at the workshop, worth the TWO hour drive to the mountain and then two hours back. Luckily our kids are good car 'nappers', we ate in a fun little pasta place and went back home in the darkness. We didn't spend much time at the mountain but we will be back! Someone else wants a teddy bear..... hummm who can that be???? Ok, ok, I resisted getting one yesterday but now feel bad, I should've indulged myself in getting one. LOL! Last year when we travelled for work I brought a small Elmo with us in every city, the kids and I both gave our mutual Elmos hugs before leaving each week. I think a new teddy to travel with us this year would be fun. YES, I'm being childish too, I love stuffed animals and don't own any, so why not splurge and get myself one made just for moi! :)

The bears safely sleeping in their luggage box. Kids awaiting the ride to go back home. A great evening we had in a beautiful place. :)
hugs,

Posted by Jo at December 13, 2004 12:23 PM