REDUCED! Original Creation by Voula Handmade Potpourri Teddy Bear offers

Backstory:
In the early 1990s I changed jobs within the same company. My new boss and over half of my internal customer base was in Parsippany, New Jersey, and my office was in Washington, DC. This meant that I traveled often via Continental Airlines to Newark Airport, and from there by limo to Parsippany. The culture in the office in Parsippany was very different from the culture in my DC offce. The first Christmas, my boss presented me with this beautiful, handmade, fragrant Original Creation by Voula Handmade Potpourri Teddy Bear. I was offers surprised and touched, because I had only one other boss present me with a Christmas gift in all of my fifteen years working with the company.

History:
The history of Voula's World, the shop where this bear was created, has a sad ending. "In its 26 years in Monroe, Voula's World has gone through a transformation, much like its owner, Voula Begley.

What began as a popular Victorian boutique shop became a Christmas ornament mainstay and for the last decade has served as a kind of religious sanctuary for customers, spurred by Begley's own spiritual awakening.

But as Voula's World has changed, so too has the economy, and after more than a quarter of a century, Begley says her store will likely shutter its doors in the coming months."
Stephen Stirling, New Jersey Star Ledger, December 5, 2010.

Description:

This handmade bear has manufactured legs, arms and head attached to a potpourri-stuffed lace body. It is trimmed with ivory lace, handmade burgundy and ivory roses, burgundy ribbons and pearl-like beaded embellishments. When it was new it had a wonderful fragrance (from the potpourri in the body). It has the original tag "Original Creation by Voula (908) 251-1134. It is in excellent condition, with some dust in the handmade roses, and some minor fraying at the end of ribbons. It would make a sweet gift for any doll or bear collector. Since it is one of a kind and handmade, and the shop is out of business, this is a very rare and collectible item.

9 inches x 10.5 inches x 6.5 inches.