Big Fat Blog

Your Feedback on Big Fat Balloons

Sophie — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:29:05 +0000

We’re always delighted to hear your feedback on our balloons, teddy bears and chocolates deliveries. It helps us improve our service and of course it’s always good to hear about it if we’re doing a good job!

Here are some of the comments we received this month:

“Arrived in plenty of time – had a good laugh and surprise.”

“The 80th Birthday balloon arrived here safely – excellent. My husband was thrilled! Many thanks. Carole.”

“Very impressed with your service. Bliss Harriet my great, great niece loved her pony balloon. Thank you very much. Best wishes Kath.”

“The balloon is still fantastically inflated 6 days after my birthday. Thanks.”

“My heart shaped walking balloon has been great. Every time we walked past it would follow. Really lovely idea having two legs! Pat.”

“My balloon is still up after 3 weeks!”

“The postcard to say thank you was cool!”

“Thanks for your excellent service. I have received Flatout teddy and will be taking it to our new sweetie pie darling baby Yvie today, will recommend you to friends and family. Cheers Ann.”

Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Sophie — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:50:27 +0000

These chocolate chip cookies are not only delicious, but the recipe is also easy enough to make with the kids. While they will be popular snacks at parties, they will make tasty gifts for loved ones too. Just present them in a pretty box or dish, or in a cello bag tied with a pretty ribbon.

Ingredients

Makes about 16 large cookies

1 cup or 140g of plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup or 55g of butter or margarine
1/2 cup or 115g of dark brown sugar
1/2 cup or 100g of granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tea spoon of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips or 150g of chocolate broken into small chunks

Preparation

Preheat the oven at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Line two or three baking sheets with foil (I’m not sure why but the cookies seem to stick to even non stick surfaces – however they come off very easily if the trays are lined with foil)
Combine the flower, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and stir until blended
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until you have a smooth mixture
Add the egg and vanilla to the mixture and mix well
Add the flour mixture , when blended in, add the chocolate cookies and stir well
Drop the cookie dough in small mounts onto the baking trays (about 1.5″ appart)
Bake in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and slide a spatula under each cookie and transfer to a wire rack to cool
The cookies will keep in an airtight container for a week (if you don’t eat them before!)

Variations

Replace the chocolate chips with sultanas or raisins
Make double chocolate chips cookies – replace 25 g of flour with 25g of cocoa powder
Use a mixture of white, milk and dark chocolate chips

Enjoy!

PS: for other easy party recipes to make with kids, why not check out our chocolate buns recipe and easy chocolate cake recipe?

History of Teddy Bears

Sophie — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:01:42 +0000

Many people out there – no matter what their age – still have a soft spot for their favourite teddy bear or cuddly toy. I’ll admit that my old, threadbare ‘Orange Ted’ still sits in the corner in one of my draws.

But even though teddy bears are one of the most popular children’s toys in history, just how much do you really know about teddy bears?

Not that much was my answer – which is why I set about compiling a section on the history of teddy bears for our web site.

I was surprised to find out that teddy bears are younger than the electric light, the telephone and the motor car! The teddy bear was “invented” simultaneously in the US and Europe at the beginning of the 20th century.

The first ‘Teddys Bear’

It was in 1902, when American President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear cub while hunting, that the idea for ‘Teddy’ bears came into existence. The event was depicted in a cartoon, which was seen by Morris Michtom, a US Russian Jewish immigrant, the following year.

He wrote to the President requesting permission to name a toy bear after him. The ‘Teddys Bear’ was born and became so popular that Morris Michtom became a founding partner in the first teddy bear manufacturing company in the United States, known as the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.

The European teddy bear

By complete coincidence, in 1902 Margarete Steiff, included a Steiff plush bear in her catalogue, which was based on drawings by her nephew, Richard Steiff. When it was introduced at the Leipzig Toy Fair, in March 1903, ‘Baer 55PB’ was snapped up by an American toy buyer, who was aware of the growing American interest.

By 1906, the demand for teddy bears had turned into a craze and these lovable toys were here to stay.

In the “About Teddy Bears” section of our web site you can:

Read the full teddy bears history article
Find out more about Steiff teddy bears, Gund teddy bears, Me to You Tatty Teddy Bears, Flatout bears, Paddington Bear and other famous teddy bears and soft toys

New My Blue Nose Friends by Me to You

Sophie — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:11:09 +0000

Five new Me to You My Blue Nose Friends are now available online – the new limited edition Stilts the Flamingo is already proving popular. Which one’s your favourite? (I like Sue Shee the pelican best!).

Clockwise from the left we have:

My Blue Nose Friend Stilts – a patient flamingo, who will always keep you in suspense; but don’t worry she’ll never stand you up.

My Blue Nose Friend Webster – a creative little spider who will capture your imagination; he’ll always have your thoughts in a spin.

My Blue Nose Friend Sue Shee – a crafty pelican who is always fishing for something, but she’ll never cast a doubt over your friendship.

My Blue Nose Friend Giggles – a cheeky baboon who loves to play jokes, but don’t worry, he won’t leave any banana skins for you.

My Blue Nose Friend Goldie – a playful Labrador who always likes to be a good sport; he’ll do anything to score brownie points with you.

New Sesame Street Bean Bags and Finger Puppets

Sophie — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:08:55 +0000

Check out our new Gund Sesame Street bean bags and finger puppets. These pocket size characters from the popular TV show make ideal small gifts for friends and relatives.

Although children love them it seems that adults can’t keep their hands off them either. Perfect to brighten up office life, they make fun desk toys too!

Buy one or collect all the characters! We now have the following bean bags in stock:

(Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and Grover will follow at the end of the summer)

The new Sesame Street finger puppets include:

>> View our full range of Sesame Street soft toys.

Chocolate Buns Recipe

Sophie — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:32:28 +0000

While buns are perfect treats for parties – chocolate buns tend to be the most popular ones. They are very easy to make and the recipe is perfect for those who think they can’t cook, kids, busy people and of course for all chocolate cake lovers!

Ingredients

To make enough mixture for 12 small buns, you will need:

100g (1 oz) of butter
100g (4 oz) of caster sugar
2 medium eggs
25g (1 oz) of cocoa powder
75g (3 oz) of self-raising flower

Preparation

Heat oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Line a bun tin with bun cases.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour with each.
Gently fold in remaining flour and cocoa powder.
Half fill the paper cases with the mixture and bake for about 15 minutes until firm.

To vary the recipe:

Ice and decorate your buns
Add chocolate chips to the mixture (white chocolate will make an interesting colour contrast)
Sprinkle chopped candied orange peels on your buns before baking (pictured above)
Sprinkle the buns with icing sugar after baking

Enjoy!

PS: if you like chocolate, why not check out our easy chocolate cake recipe?

My Blue Nose Friends Park Adventure – Story 3

Sophie — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:14:20 +0000

Follow the latest My Blue Nose Friend story and watch Tatty Teddy’s adventure in the park!

Tatty Teddy Dream 3 – illustrated story (PDF file)

>> Buy My Blue Nose Friends online.

>> Visit My Blue Nose Friends official web site.

New Frog Walking Balloon

Sophie — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 08:09:26 +0000

The new Frog Walking Balloons have just arrived in stock and they are already hopping out fast. In recent days I have been asked a few times by customers what walking balloons are.

If you haven’t seen these popular balloons before, unlike traditional helium balloons, they are not tied to a string and weight and do not float up towards the ceiling.

Instead, walking balloons have slightly weighted feet. This means the balloon does not rise,but hovers just above the floor. If you set off pulling the string behind you, your animal balloon will obediently follow – “walking” behind you like a well-trained pet.

Needless to say – It’s hard not to smile and giggle (and I don’t care how old you are), as a frog or cow or even a chicken, pokes its head out of a large box and then follows you around the room!

Graduation and Teacher’s Me to You Tatty Teddies

Sophie — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 07:39:21 +0000

With only a few weeks before the summer holiday, graduations and exam results are just around the corner.

This year’s Me to You Graduation teddy bears are now on the web site.

They will make ideal small keepsake gifts on their own or with one of our graduation balloons or congratulations balloons.

The new Tatty Teddy Graduation Range includes:

Graduation Teddy Bear Gift – Me to You – a very popular standing 6″ graduation teddy, complete with graduation cap, scroll and gown (pictured left)
Small Me to You Graduation Teddy Bear Gift – a tiny 3″ bear with graduation cap and scroll
Small Congratulations Tatty Teddy- a small 3″ Me to you Bear holding a “Congratulations” sign
Me to You Well Done Teddy Bear – a 6″ seated bear holding a “Well Done” sign

If you have primary school aged children you might also want to check out the new Small Best Teacher Me to You Teddy Bear and Small Classroom Assistant Me to You Teddy Bear. Perfect if you’re stuck for teacher gift ideas!

New Tiny Tatty Teddy Me to You Bears

Sophie — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:31:01 +0000

Tatty Teddy, the loveable little Me to You bear with a blue nose and a warm heart, now features on a wonderful new range of nursery gifts.

The new Tiny Tatty Teddy Me to You range has just arrived in stock and features a full range of teddy bears designed just for baby. They are all suitable from birth and will make great baby gifts. The range includes:

My First Tiny Tatty Teddy – Me to You – a plain 8″ Tatty Teddy in supersoft grey fur, presented in a pretty gift box
Me to You Tiny Tatty Teddy Comforter – a soft Me to You comforter with a white blanket for baby to snuggle up to, sold in a pretty gift box for perfect gift presentation
Playtime Tiny Tatty Teddy – Me to You – (pictured left) an interactive 8″ Me to You Bear for baby with crinkle and squeak sounds
Baby on Board Sign Me to You – this popular item is back with an updated design. It makes an ideal small gift for new parents!

View the full Me to You Baby range online and give baby their first Tatty Teddy!