Helen Dekker , VintageDecoBears

For as long as she can remember, Helen Dekker has always been busy creating things. Her grandmother and mother are both very creative people, she feels she has inherited her creativity from them.

Living in the North of the Netherlands, she has been making bears since 2013. At first, she started with a few bear-making kits and since March 2015 she began designing her own patterns. Designing her own Teddy Bears has given her a lot of inspiration and creativity.

She remembers, as a child, playing with bears and dolls when she spent time with her grandparents. This has been her inspiration for the bears she makes. A nod to earlier times. She tries to give all her bears the ‘Traditional Vintage Style’. Each finished bear she creates surprises her with it’s own personality and individual look. That’s why she experiences a lot of fun making and giving each bear it’s own different style and character.

Helen’s bears are One-of-a-Kind, so no two bears are the same. All her bears are handmade, five-way jointed and filled with wood wool, sawdust and sometimes kapok or cotton.

Bear making is one of her hobbies, through which she can express her creativity. Her bears are adopted by collectors all over the world, she is very proud of the fact that her bears bring enjoyment to so many worldwide. ‘If I can make a collector happy with one of my bears, that really makes my day!’ says Helen.

She has attended several shows in England, Germany and the Netherlands and in 2019 she won an ‘Aloysius Excellent Novice Award’.

The bears she designs have a little VDB label on the back, which means that all her bears are designed and made by herself. She uses high quality mohair (some bears are sewn using rare, antique mohair), viscose and vintage plush for her bears.

Visit Helen’s websites to view more of her wonderful creations.
https://vintagedecobears.tedsby.com/
https://facebook.com/VintageDecoBears