The plush world is an ever-expanding one, and it embraces all forms of soft-sculpture art, high-end collectibles, adult-biased (hands-off) pieces, and huggable/holdable designs for children. Let’s face it: the plush life is a pretty spectacular one! This week I was buying some gifts for two children’s birthday parties. The kids are at that interesting age: one is on the cusp of becoming aware that he’s a child, but not for much longer (he’s turning 12); the other is delighting on finally being acknowledged as a little person in her own right (she’s 6). Both these ages are unique because they represent how different it is for young people at different spectrums of childhood. A 6-year-old is fresh out of kindergarten or first grade, realizing that there is a time to play and a time to study, a time to imagine and then a time to learn. (How lucky these beginning students are if they have a teacher who can blend all of this together in a classroom!)

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Being a fan of soft-art sculptures—or plush pals, in a more friendly, less highfalutin manner of speech—I love the chance to find ways to spread the gospel of fun and fanciful ways to incorporate critters into a home’s design scheme. Yes, we can all put teddy bears on rocking chairs or fill up mantelpieces with mohair mice, but are there other clever ways to add animal magnetism to our house décor? The simple answer is a definite “you bet ya”! Arcadia Home has a huge array of clever and cunning accents that make it clear to the world that you are a teddy bear and friends fanatic!

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