Santa Bear

Santa Bear is back in town!

Yes, I've enjoyed being Santa Bear again the past few weeks. I've given out pressies, sang songs, had a lot of mulled wine and said ho ho ho more times than I can remember!

My pals have joined in with Blue Bear, Fido and Eddie all dressing up and organizing trips out.

We had a very special trip to Norwich Cathedral for Christmas with the Choir. We, of course, had a special box all to ourselves!

Then the biggest surprise of all. Blue Bear kept it quiet! We all had to be ready at 6.30pm and a limo pulled up for all of us. Everyone was trying to guess where we were going and the excitement built.

We pulled up outside Cinema City, Norwich and all was revealed - a special screening of 'It's a wonderful life' with mulled wine and mince pies too!  There wasn't a dry eye in the house and we all came home relaxed and christmassy!

Looking forward to 2014 now and more filmmaking!  I can reveal we've found a 'lost' honey bear film! Watch this space!

A very Happy New Year.

HB and pals!

Biccypedia - or is it?

Now you know how much I love my icecream?  Stop, you say, this is a Biccypedia surely.  What's this about icecream?

Well, yes, correct it is a Biccypedia, but it is my Biccypedia, so from time to time I can make the odd exception.

And here is my first....

I heard about the new 'Cornetto' chocolate version of their famous icecream cone and I thought, well I love chocolate, I love icecream, I need to give this one a try!

So, little Blue Bear went off on a shopping expedition and true to his word brought back this lovely little cone, a perfect size for little me.  I knew immediately I would be able to take a few of these wherever I go.  Also, if you've read my previous blogs, you will know I tend to have a habit of hiding biscuits here and there and these little chocolates will be very easy for me to find hiding places for.  Just in case I get hungry.

Taking off the wrapper, I had to keep convincing myself that it was really just a chocolate and not the icecream.  It continued, the gorgeous white chocolate is so smooth and creamy that it really feels like you're eating a mini-Cornetto.  Delicious.  Then there is the usual chocolate and lovely crunchy cone.  I went and asked Blue Bear, is this really just a chocolate - you got the icecream?  He reassured me that, no this was the chocolate.  Of course I got crumbs all over me as usual, but isn't that a great part of it?! Blue Bear didn't look impressed, so I quickly cleared up!

These are amazing, they taste so much like the ice cream! I love them and as they are just the right size for me I think we need to stock up, Blue Bear?  Blue Bear - time to go to the shop?  Now, where is he, I saw him a second ago...not hiding from me are you?  Hmmm...I'll have to go on my own then!

Until next time,

  

Biccypedia #3

Here it is! My third entry into the Biccypedia.

This time I really struggled on what to choose.  So many biscuits.  I spent an hour in the local supermarket going from one to the other and then back again.  I wanted to buy them all but Blue Bear put his paw down and said I needed to choose and quickly as he wanted a cup of tea and looking at all these biscuits was making him hungry.

So I chose and can reveal this time, my Biccypedia choice is...

Yes, the yummy Jammie Dodgers.

I like the crumbliness of these lovely little biscuits. And the little hearts in the middle. That is nice enough and then you get the yummy jammy ooze and I start acting like the Cookie Monster and there are crumbs and jam everywhere!  Blue Bear makes me have a plate when I'm on the Jammie Dodgers.  I say that there's no point having a plate as they'll all soon be gone!  On one shopping trip I was caught loading up my basket with nothing but Jammie Dodgers and Blue Bear made me go and put some back and at least get some fruit and veg. 

I like to stick 'HB' over the 'Everyone loves...' bit on the packet as I do think they should all be mine! He he he.  But I do share them with my Raggie pals and we have little competitions on how long it takes to get to the jam, and who has the most crumbs on them at the end!

I once got in trouble when I was peckish and got up for a secret midnight snack.  I thought I was in the clear until I was rumbled in the morning as little paw prints of jam were found all over my route from the bedroom to the kitchen.  Plus, apparently, all you could hear from the kitchen was 'nom nom nom nom nom'.  Note to self, be quieter and wash your paws next time!

Well, as the last crumb of this week's Biccypedia is polished off by my Raggle Taggle friends, I'll get down to the series business of choosing my next biccie.

Until next time.

Biccypedia Number Two

Hello all

HB here with my second entry into my 'Biccypedia'.

I've again been hard at working munching and crunching and dipping and sipping to bring you my biscuit of the week.

So, without further ado, I reveal this week's choice:

Now, okay, maybe I'm being a bit controversial including 'Jaffa Cakes' in my 'Biccypedia', but I enjoy them with a nice cup of tea and I want to include them, so there!

Of course, once I had decided on the Jaffa Cakes for this week, I was very excited. It would need a lot of testing just to find out what my favourite bit is.

It's a hard choice.  The chocolate for me is a big draw which is why I love them.  I'll have chocolate with anything me.  The orangey bit is so sweet and yummy too.  Before long I had managed to get chocolate all over my face and had to go off for a shower and clean up as Blue Bear wasn't very impressed and worried I was going to put my chocolate paws all over the wall!  I think he was more worried about me getting chocolate on his blue fur!

Returning refreshed I popped the kettle on, put my paws up and dished out the rest of the Jaffa Cakes to my raggie pals and we all sat down for an afternoon film.  We're a hungry lot and soon enough there was just one left!  In the end we had to play a game of 'Musical Bears' to get the winner.  It was my pal Fido who won and Fido being the good sort he is, shared it with everyone anyway!

Now, I must remember to get a personal supply of Jaffa Cakes and hide them away for a hungry day.

Until next time, happy biccy eating.

HB

Biccypedia

Biccypedia

Welcome to my Biccypedia.

I love biscuits, so I've decided to take on the hard job of sampling biscuits every week and telling you all about them!  It's a tough job, but I'm the bear to do it!

So, without further ado, I will introduce you to my 'Biscuit of the Week'.

Maryland Cookies

 

  

If you know me well you will be fully aware that I'm partial to chocolate and biscuits, so if the two can be combined it is a wonderful treat.  So, chocolate chip cookies are a particular favourite of mine.  I love any cookies, but these Maryland Cookies are just right for a little bear like me.  Not too small and not too big but they fill me up.  Of course I like a good crunch in a biccie and these do not disappoint either.  All you can hear from me sometimes is crunch, crunch, crunch.....crunch, crunch, crunch!

Of course Blue Bear has to come and clear up after me as I always get crumbs everywhere. He says that I'm easy to find as a I leave a trail of biccie crumbs wherever I go!  I'll have to do better at finding a hiding place with all my biscuits where no-one can find me, he he he!

I once took to hiding biscuits around the house.  Well, just in case I got peckish going from one room to the next, but I kept forgetting where I'd put them and Blue Bear wasn't very impressed when he found stale biscuits everywhere!

Well, I'd better start planning what biscuits I'm going to choose next week!  Happy crunching.

HB

The Bear is back!

I'm back!

I realise I've been fairly quiet the past, er, year or so, but I have been a busy little bear, filming, sleeping, eating biccies and suchlike!  But here I am, ready to tell the world about my day-to-day escapades and adventures!

Coming up soon....

* News on my new film

* Biccypedia

First let me share some piccies from our adventures in 2012:

Jubilee Tea Party

We had our very own Raggie Taggie Tea Party in honour of the Golden Jubilee.  Sandwiches, cake, flags...brilliant time was had by all as you can see in our photos: 

 
Filming

I did some more of my little films in 2012:

Love is in the Bear 

I really enjoyed filming this and going shopping in some lovely little shops in Norwich - SinSins, The Elm Hill Craft Shop, Pickalilly Flowers and Beautiful Bakes. Thank you everyone for welcoming me and my crew!

This has been screened at the Norwich Sound and Vision Festival 2012 and the East Anglian Film Network & Anteros Arts Foundation short film night.  I was very excited, I hoped for a red carpet, he he he!

 

The Bear Witch Project

There was some spooky goings on at HB Towers when we filmed this! Both Blue Bear and I admitted we got a little bit spooked as we filmed late into the night.  Some of our younger pals ended up hiding under the duvet, until we coaxed them out with some tea and biccies!

Santa Bear
 
I loved filming this.  One of my favourite times of the year and I get to play Santa in my very own film.  Thank you too of course to Jarrold store in Norwich for letting us take over the Santa grotto for a little while.  I didn't want to leave of course!

 

Twitter

If you're not already following me on Twitter, then come and join me and get weekly (sometimes daily!) updates on my general musings, biscuit eating and wonderings about the world - Honey Bear on Twitter 

Until next time,

HB

 

A Raggly Taggly New Year!

Happy New Year!

First couple of weeks into the new year and it's been a fairly restful one following festive season antics in Raggle Taggles!

December 22nd was the annual Raggle Taggle Christmas Fancy Dress Party.  It's one of those events in the year that everyone gets excited about and a few of the raggle taggles had been chatting about it for weeks.

What to wear was on everyone's minds, decisions were made and little outfits were being hastily sewn up for pirates, ghosts, .......  Little Fido got a bit confused and as it was a 'Fancy' dress party he thought they all had to come dressed as Fancy Pants the mouse.  He did see the funny side of him in his little mouse costume though and hilarity reigned supreme for a few hours.

Of course, me, Blue Bear and Eddie had our outfits all ready decided on.  I had my Santa Bear out, Blue Bear some Santa trousers and beard and Eddie as a Santa Elf!  Some of the younger raggles got rather excited and thought the real Santa had arrived early!

Following the party, Blue Bear, Eddie and I packed a few bags as we were off on our hols.  Well, Christmas Eve to our old stomping ground at Rachel's parents and then a brand new destination of the wilds of Sutton near Stalham!

I must say a great time was had by all and we celebrated the New Year in style with a party back home.

Onto plans for 2012.  Well once our DoP (Director of Photography) Rachel is feeling better we will be all go on production for my next film.  All under-wraps at the moment, however, I can say that I will be taking in some of the sights of Norwich! Watch this space!

Also new is the 'Honey Bear and the Raggle Taggles' calendar I had printed as a surprise for everyone, which went down rather well!  Anyone want a copy?  Also had a prototype t-shirt printed too, which I would love to go into mass production on but Blue Bear has calmed me down on that one at the moment!


I'm also going to be introducing some special mentions in my blogs for websites and shops I like, people I know and I'll start this month with a couple.  Firstly, Rachel now has her own website, which I rather like at Rachel Banham and the cafe where I filmed 'HB's Day Out' - Cherryleaf Coffee House and a brand new shop opened in Bridewell Alley U and Your Skin

So hopefully next time I'll have more exciting news on my new film.  In the meantime, please keep telling your friends about me and my films and my raggle taggle gang!  HB Productions on You Tube  HB Productions Website Honey Bear on Twitter Honey Bear on Facebook

Have fun.

HB hits the Big Screen!

Well it’s been a while since my last blog, completely unintentionally but it’s been an eventful couple of months in Raggle Taggle land!


It’s getting towards that time of the year when we all get very excited about the arrival of … Santa Bear ........anyway, more on that next time.

About a month or so ago, big news arrived at the Raggle Taggle newsdesk that my films were to be shown on the BBC Big Screen in Norwich! My little films on the Big Screen! Amazing. When I was told, I had to lay down in a dark room for half an hour and needed a large glass of squash to help revive me! I never imagined I’d reach such heights!

Blue Bear decided we needed to plan an announcement to the Raggles properly and they all shortly received an invitation to an event announcing the good news! Everyone turned up wondering what was happening, was the fish and chip budget being reduced, had the sweetie jar run dry...rumours were rife.

Blue Bear called for quiet and asked for attention. The Raggle Taggles hushed. Blue Bear asked what the BBC Big Screen in Norwich and Honey Bear had in common. A few confused Raggles came up with suggestions that it was being moved to the lounge, a couple thought they were having an outing to watch a new film. Finally Blue Bear made the announcement that the first three of HB's films were to be shown on the big screen. Well, pandemonium erupted. Fancy, Snowy and Moppy started running around yelling and wooping, Fido passed out and Albee and Eddie just stood in stunned silence. I called for champagne – though it suspiciously tasted like lemonade and the celebrations went on into the evening.

A few days later Blue Bear and I prepared for a trek over to the BBC Big Screen to see our hard work being shown to the good citizens of Norwich! We made some sandwiches and a flask of tea and took up our positions. We didn't have to wait long and we were rewarded with a brilliant showing of my films.

I was so excited Blue Bear had to tell me to calm down and we got some very strange looks!

It was a very exciting moment for us and I need to thank Becky Betts at the BBC for helping. It has since also been announced that my films are being shown at Big Screens across the country – so watch out for them in a city near you!

Next film? Well, watch this space in the next couple of weeks, we might have something very special just in time for Christmas! Look out for …. Santa Bear!

In the meantime, have a look at my films at HB Productions

Until next time, take care and keep warm.

Blue Bear takes the helm!

Hello, I’m Blue Bear and I’m taking the helm of the blog this month whilst HB has a rest after finishing his latest film.  I might even let you into a few secrets on daily life with HB! 

I know I’ve been mentioned before, but let me introduce myself properly.  My name is Blue Bear and my official title is ‘Director of Raggling’ for the Raggle Taggles.  I like reading The Times on a Sunday, I’m a bit of a sci-fi fan and love Torchwood and Dr Who, am partial to tea and scones and love rock n’roll.  My daily job means looking after finances, managing the fish and chip budget and the weekly order, delegating jobs, making bookings, organising events and generally making sure everyone is a happy raggle taggle.  Also introducing new member’s and buddying them with someone else to make them feel welcome in their new home.  And of course, dealing with any incidents.  You’ve already heard about Fancy getting stuck on top of the wardrobe of course, but there is often something going on.

Like a few days ago when HB was determined that Eddie needed an eye test.  We’re not sure where he concocted this idea, but think he dreamt it. He wouldn’t let it go however and in the end we set up a mini opticians in the lounge just to placate him! Sometimes that’s all it takes!

So, do you really want to know what it’s like living with HB?  Only if you can keep a secret?!

Being honest, it is mostly smooth running, fun and a very happy house and a very happy bunch of raggle taggles.  HB does have his quirks though.

He has recently taken to making somewhat outlandish claims!  These claims are getting more and more ridiculous by the week, however, usually the best policy is to just let him carry on, smile and he soon finds a new subject to talk about!

 

For example, some of his amazing claims have been:

He was the first bear on the moon apparently.  Before Armstrong, HB bounced out in his little spacebear suit. He then regaled us with tales of how it was fun to start with and he enjoyed having a bounce about but then realised he was a bit sleepy and could do with some tea and cake and a bit of a snooze.  According to HB that is.

How he wowed the audience at the RSC in Stratford with his award-winning, critically acclaimed performance in ‘The Merry Bears of Windsor’.

How he apparently turned down the lead role in ‘Bear without a cause’. The role then went to James Dean and the title changed...

And the other night whilst watching ‘ET’, he claimed that although it’s one of his favourite films, the ending isn’t strictly true as apparently ET lives round the corner in a mansion and is one of HB’s best mates.

To be honest there is rather a lot of this, but it’s what we love about him and why he makes the raggle taggles such a fun gang to be part of!

Anyway, that’s enough from me this month.  I’ve got to get on with some planning for the coming week, but first, while HB is still snoozing I think I’ve time to rest my paws, read the papers and enjoy a big mug of tea!

Remember though, next time you’re watching your favourite film.  If you think you see a little brown bear in the background or think the title of the film has changed, then perhaps HB’s outlandish claims aren’t so outlandish after all...!

Have fun and take care.

Blue Bear

DoR