Purple Bean Bear
Kowloon, Hong Kong

Thank you very much to Valerie and the Bears&Buds e-Magazine for organizing the URSA Awards Competition for over a decade which brings together bears artists from all over the world and providing a platform to share new ideas and showcase our artworks.

I thoroughly enjoyed the process and learnt a lot through taking part in the URSA Awards Competition.

I thank Gloria Chan for introducing me to the bear world.

Thank you very much to all my friends and other bears and buds lovers who have voted for Lavendel Rabbit.

Let’s keep the party going each year.

Bears regards,
Angela

12.02 Lavendel Rabbit

The Tuscany Bear Maker

Tuscany, Italy

I’m so happy to be here again this year!
This is an important year, I’m a grandmother for first time!

Time seems to go away so quickly and I have to say all thanks for your love!

I’m really proud to be once again a shining star of this constellation that is URSA!

I want to say a particular thanks to my lovely and patience helper who with his encouragement brought me to be a bear maker: my husband.

Thanks to my daughters for their help and to all my friends who believed and voted me. I would be nothing without you, THANK YOU!

A great thanks to Valerie and Bear&Buds staff for their tireless work they do in this fantastic world of bears!

Really big bear hugs for all.
Annalisa

3.04 Daisy

Warm Heart Bears

Colorado Springs, Colorado

I am proud and excited to be a 2017 URSA Awards Competition winner.

Flutterfly and Apryl & Tynie were inspired by life events and sights.

As this competition is judged by the collectors, being chosen as one of your favorites is the highest compliment one can receive. I am grateful for your support and encouragement.

Huge thanks go to Valerie and her team at Bears&Buds for organizing this competition. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed!

Thank you to my family for standing by me. Their love allows me to keep doing what I love. Huge thanks goes to a group of artists and friends that have encouraged me along the way.

There are so many talented artists who create wonderful bears and friends. Congratulations goes to all of you who have entered the 2017 URSA Competition. You are all winners, as you had the courage to enter one of your creations! Please keep creating your special bears and friends, as your work continues to challenge and inspire me.

Hugs,
Carolyn

2.01 Flutterby

9.01 Apryl & Tyne

Hugs Unlimited
Todmorden, West Yorkshire

I am feeling on top of the world to have won an URSA Competition Award.

I feel very humble because there are so many beautiful creations in the competition, that to have the Beary Hikers amongst the winners has been such a wonderful surprise.

I want to sincerely thank all the people that took their time to vote for the Beary Hikers. The votes are particularly

appreciated because this piece had a very personal meaning to myself and my husband Chris, as it was inspired by rescued bear center that we had visited in Romania.

A very special thank you must also go to Valerie and her team for all the hard work that goes into making Bears&Buds so special and the URSA Competition Awards so inspiring.

Bear Hugs,
Dawn

9.05 The Beary Hikers - (Chris & Dawn)

DiBears
Naples, Florida

I want to thank everyone who voted

in the URSA Awards Competition.
I really appreciate everyone stopping by to vote for their favorite artists bears.

The URSA Award Competition is always amazing. I love to see everyone's beautiful work.

Each year we all go out of our comfort zones to another level of artistry.
I love that!

I'm so honored to be a winner with all the amazing bears that were entered and for that I am very humbled.
Thank you so much!❤

A big thanks to Valerie and Bears&Buds for keeping the tradition
of collecting artist bears out there. Without shows, the teddy bear magazine and her constant effort to get the word out, we would not be where we are as teddy bear artists.

After going through hurricane Irma, I'm also sending a special thank you to all the wonderful collectors and worldwide artists that reached out to see if all the Florida artists were safe. We all are! That kindness brought tears to my eyes.
I'm so thankful for the bear-family making us feel loved!
You cannot ask for anything more than that in life.

Big Hugs,
Diana

3.05 Fiala

Dily's Bears & Craft Designs
Macau, China

I am thrilled to be one of the winners in the URSA Awards Competition this year.

I would like to thank all the artists, my family, my friends and all the voters, of course Valerie and her wonderful team.

Making OOAK teddy bears are the most creative things in my life. I would like to keep going on the path to create more wonderful creations.

Congratulations to all the artists for their entries and all the winners in the 2017 URSA Awards Competition.

Hugs,
Dilys

12.08 Little White Bunny

Bainbridge Bears

Benton Harbor, Michigan

Congratulations to the many worldwide  artists and their wonderful URSA entries.

I’m honored to be an URSA Awards Competition winner and look forward to entering again next year.

A special thanks to my team, my husband Carl, my daughter Beth Anne, my family, friends and the wonderful collectors who helped me by voting for Charlie. I love you. You share my love of teddies along with all the thoughts and ideas that keep me happy and excited to keep on sewing.

Valerie is a “Bright Star” in my world and through her URSA Awards Competition
and the online shows I’m able to show my creations. She is always there for me when help is needed or I have questions.

Best wishes and bear hugs,
Donna

7.02 Charlie

Arkhipova Irina Bears
Moscow, Russia

10.04 George

True Bears
Republic of Moldova

5.03 Boog

Ashenberry

Norfolk, Connecticut

I am honored to have won a two URSA Awards!  

Thanks to all who voted, and a special "thank you" to the collectors, for, if not for you, this warm and fuzzy world would not exist.

Many thanks and much appreciation to Valerie and her crew for all of the time and hard work that goes into making the URSA Awards Competition a reality.

Tiny bear hugs!

Judith

2.05 Mr. Echo

8.06 Sprite

Brierley Bears

Barnsley, South Yorkshire

I am over the moon that I am one of the winners in the 2017 URSA Awards Competition.

As always, it has been a tough competition, and I am honoured that there were so many beautiful creations to choose from.

I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for Ælfweard, he couldn’t have won without you.

Thank you to Valerie and her team at Bears&Buds online magazine for making the URSA Awards Competition possible.

Hugs,  Kat x

3.01 AElfweard

Cooper Bears
Kelmscott, West Australia

I would like to say a how honored I am
to be part of this wonderful group of Bear Artists to be counted as part of this group of amazing people is really a wonderful gift.

I would also like to thank Valerie, your tireless efforts in promoting Bear Artistry is a blessing to us all and none of what we achieve is possible with out the support of you and the work you do.

I would also like to thank from the bottom of my heart everyone who voted for me and have supported us so resoundingly.

I would also like to thank my family and friends who encourage me to keep going and stand by me in all I do, with out you none of what I do would be possible.

Fondly,
Kay

5.01 Dud

7.03 Jabberwook

Cash Equivalent

Critters Creations
Medicine Hat, Alberta

I can't begin to describe how over whelmed I was that Benton and Apollo won!

I am absolutely thrilled and honored to receive an URSA award in this year's competition among so many talented artists and their amazing creations from around the world.

Last year Cinnamon got an honorable mention and I was over the moon. After 20 years of creating bears, this is truly special and a dream come true.

It is truly an honor to be recognized Internationally amongst so many very talented teddy bear artists so a huge thank you to all my collectors, friends, family that supported me and took the time to vote in this year’s competition.

I have been reading Bears&Buds for years and have enter the competition a couple of times in the pass and always well worth it.

And thank you to Valerie and her team for all their hard work in putting the URSA Awards Competition together.

Congratulations to all artists who participated with such outstanding work and extra congratulations to all the winners.

Bear hugs,
Linda

6.04 Apollo

11.07 Benton

Lynn Bowie

Madabout Bears
Dairy Ayrshire, Scotland

It has been a fabulous year for the “Madabouts” this year and to find out that I had won not one but two URSA`s is just the icing on the cake.

I would sincerely like to thank every single person who took the time to vote and a special big thank you for those who chose to vote for Madabout.

Thank you to the collectors who support me by buying my bears and letting me continue to do what I love to do; make bears.

A big thank you, as always, to Valerie for all the hard work she puts into these awards to make it run so smoothly.

I am one very happy bear artist!

Lynn xxx

1.05 Biscuit

Star-Moon-Creations

Calden Hesse, Germany

I am very honored and grateful that my white Stag God of the Forest and my dog Sam are both won in the URSA Awards Competition 2017.

It's the first time for me to win in this competition so I am very touched.

Creating and sewing artist bears has a special place in my heart and in my life.

It is a sincere privilege to have shown my creations worldwide.

I am very thankful to everyone for supporting and voting for my creations.

A special thanks to Valerie and the Bears&Buds team for all the hard work making the URSA Awards so inspiring and special.

Bear Hugs
Nadine

Vita Comoda Teddy

Moscow, Russia

I am incredibly pleased to be one of the winners of the prestigious URSA Awards Competition.

I would like to express my immense gratitude to all those who voted for me and my little animals.

A lot of talented masters participated in this competition and I am honored to be in their company.

I would also like to say a special thank you to Valerie and her team for organizing such a great competition.

Lastly, I would like to thank my family; especially my husband Andrey for his eternal support.

My congratulations to all fellow award recipients!

Nataliya

Live-Toy
Minski Minskaya obl, Belarus

Good day to my friends, customers and collectors!

It's a honor for me to introduce my work in such famous contest as URSA Awards Competition!

I want to say a particular thank you to my lovely husband and to all my dear friends for your care and support!

I am very grateful to have won an award! And it's our mutual victory! When you take my creations to your wonderful homes, you make me better. I'm very happy to work hard and bring some happiness into your life.

Special thank to Valerie for the great job! It's really hard to get together so many talented people from all over the world!

Bear hugs,
Olga

The Mountaineers 

Neidersachsen, Germany

Maisi-Baeren
Offenhousen, Austria

I am so happy to be among the winners again.

Thank you for the URSA Award Competition and it is so beautiful to see so many different wonderful bears and animals here. There is something very special and what an honor.

Thanks to all who have voted for my little Vikoria. I can not believe the results.

For me it is a gift for all the work and love that is stitched in a teddy bear. Nothing in the world can replace what you feel when you design and sew a teddy bear.

I thank you with all my heart.
Silvia

SteviT's Alpaca Encounters
New Milford, Pennsylvania

Thank you to the Bear&Buds readers, collectors, friends and customers who took the time to vote for my needle felted creations.

The life-size Eastern Cottontail Jake is one of my favorites and I am glad yours too.

Ernie's Steampunk Biker Mouse was a very special creation inspired by my partner Ernie, who supports every crazy thing I do and truly thinks my work is special.

I am fortunate to be able to do what I love everyday and it is truly an honor to be recognized Internationally amongst so many very talented artists.
I feel very fortunate to be part of this special group.

And of course, many thanks to Valerie for making the URSA Awards Competition
a reality.

Hugs,
Stevi

Bears by Sue Quinn

Paisley Renfrewshire, Scotland

Regards,

Sue

Fly - Bears

St. Petersburg, Russia

I am very pleased to be among the winners of this wonderful and world-famous URSA Awards Competition.

Many thanks to everyone who voted for my tiny butterfly bear Dominik!

I saw here so many beautiful teddy bears and friends of teddy bears, created by masters from different countries. My warmest congratulations to every winner and participant of the URSA too.

Many thanks to Valerie and the whole team at Bears&Buds for organizing this URSA Awards Competition as it is a creative celebration for the Masters of the Teddy Bears and collectors!

Many Bear Hugs,
Tatyana

ThimbleBeary Originals

Gilmore City, Iowa

I extend my thanks and appreciation to all who voted for my little bear, Mouse.

It is truly an honor to be chosen among the winners of this year’s URSA Awards Competition!

Extra thanks to Valerie and the Bears&Buds team for all their hard work supporting bear artists with this competition and in so many other ways.

My joy comes from creating and especially when I am creating artist bears. This joy becomes my purpose as I share my work with others and bring happiness to them in turn.

Many thanks again to all who cast their votes.

Congratulations as well to all the 2017 URSA winners.

Tracy

Our hat's
off to YOU!

Sponsors note: 

Dawn and her husband hike across mountains to help save and feed the bears. They were featured in the February 2015 issue of Bears&Buds Online Teddy Bear Magazine. We believe her winning entry captures their hiking event.   Read more . . .

5.01

Dud

Cooper Bears
Kay Cooper

The URSA Ribbons come from a
small company in Ohio, USA.

See how the ribbons are made.

Behind the scenes
at the URSA Award Competition headquarters!

<<Click on the curtain icon