Gloria Reiss is better known
by her nickname 'Bunny'.

From the time she was about two weeks old her Mom affectionately called her Bunny.

Living in the St. Louis, Missouri area all of her life, her first love was horses.

"But I always loved teddy bears!"

Her interest in bear making all began in the historic shopping district on Main Street in St. Charles, Missouri.

"Back in the 90s, my favorite store on Main Street was The Bear Factory. That’s where
I saw my very first artist bears! My eyes could not believe what they saw!"

Bunny started collecting bears that very day.

"My collection today is around 150 bears and hares. I have miniatures just ¾" tall and
a bear riding a scooter about 3 1/2 feet tall, plus every size bear in between."

When The Bear Factory began offering teddy bear making classes, Bunny signed up.
"I was in heaven."

The classes were taught by
a variety of visiting teddy bear artists. "Learning and creating was so much fun!"

Bunny's creative thought process led her to believe
she could make her own teddy bears, and she wouldn’t have to buy so many.

"But it didn’t work out that way." she said.

"I became friends with the owners of The Bear Factory, Rhonda who is a terrific bear artist herself, and Jerry Dyer.

I accompanied them to several local teddy bear shows in and around St. Louis. I soon had favorite artists, and I couldn't resist buying even more bears!"

Nancy

Breast Cancer Awareness Bear 1

Betsy

Pete

Rosie

Wisteria

Emma

Bunny took all the classes she could at The Bear Factory. She even attended more classes from well-known bear artists who taught before the bear shows.

Feeling confident with her bear making skills, she stepped into the bear world. She had two patterns – one large and one small, then every once in a while she'd use a pattern from a teddy bear magazine.

Bunny still uses her original patterns and makes adjustments to them as she progresses with the bears.

"I now have 10 patterns which I constantly modify."

"The individualism of my bears is achieved through needle felting the faces.
To me, most of the personality is in the face.
The clothes and accessories help add character to the bears, but the face is where the heart is. So much so that sometimes I have trouble letting the bears go to new homes, they just speak to me!

On occasion her husband loves a bear and doesn't want her to sell it, "so I end up making two bears!"

"I started going to shows in Schaumburg, Illinois plus participating in local shows around St Louis area. I was hooked! It was so much fun to talk to the artists and the collectors at the shows.
I made some great friends."

Bunny has no idea where she came up with her business name, 'Baerietales' but it seemed to fit her well. Her husband is a technology guy, and with Bunny's experience, they had a website up and running.

"I was a production artist and designer at a local graphic design company. That’s where I also learned to build websites. Since retirement, I’ve been concentrating on making bears to sell in online teddy bear shows."

When Bunny was working, she often attended bear shows, even sharing table space with another artist but work, making bears and travel got to be too time consuming.

"I made bears as gifts and
I had the occasional order.
My sister is probably my biggest customer!"

Mandie her youngest daughter, wanted her mother to continue making bears full time after she retired, so she redesigned a make-shift sewing area into a beautiful craft room.

"Now I have a great place to work, I’m organized and I have lots of storage! It’s really wonderful."

"I am fairly new to the online bear show world. It's been two, and I'm building a great following. I’ve been selling in many online teddy bear shows and it is exciting to see where my bears find their new homes."

She participates in Bright Star Promotions, BearHugs4U and TBAI online shows.

"I’m hopeful that the
in-person bear shows will be back some day, as I really miss seeing everyone in person! Now I meet my customers through emails or video chats."

"My work has been featured in Teddy Bear Times&Friends and now here on Bears&Buds."

Last year Bunny made nearly 40 bears, did her own photography, wrote the descriptions and created her own selling web page.
"it is a full time job that
I love."

Jester

Barney

Steampunk Sammy

Will

"A little over 10 years ago,
I made a pink Breast Cancer Awareness bear for a friend after her Mom passed away.
I’ve been asked to make BCA bears for other people, mostly friends.

The responses from the people, after they see their bear, are so heartwarming.
I cry through every thank you letter."

One of the BCA bears was featured in an online bear show, "I had three more orders. The bears are not exactly the same."

"The original bear wore a baseball cap because the friend played softball.
The latest BCA bears have crocheted bonnets and lots
of pink ribbons."

Working with local organizations, Bunny plans
to make more BCA bears
and donate a portion of the proceeds to Breast Cancer Organizations.

The original pink bear is featured above.

Bunny has always been creative. She loves to draw, paint, sculpt, needlefelt, sew, and will lend a hand at lettering signs, making greeting cards, posters or whatever catches her attention.

"My new sewing machine also does embroidery, so I’ve been adding embroidered paw pads on some of my bears.
I love that look!"

Bunny Reiss
Baerietales

Teddy and Andy

Paddy

Bee Bop Bunny

Aidan