History of Ty Beanie Babies • Sweet Summer Time Features

History of Ty Beanie Babies

The first step in the creation of the Beanie Baby began in 1983, when 39 year old former aspiring actor H Ty Warner, who had recently either been fired from or simply chose to leave the Dakin toy company he’d worked for during much of his adult life, opened his own toy company that manufactured small stuffed animals.

He invested pretty much every dime he had in it, including $50,000 in inheritance from his father who had just died.

He called his first toys the Himalayan Cats, which quickly sold out in local stores. What set Warner’s stuffed animals apart was that plastic pellets were used instead of conventional stuffing materials, so the toy had a more life-like and less stiff feel to it. His competitors thought he was nuts, and compared his product to “roadkill.”

Ty had the last laugh by selling 30,000 units of “roadkill” at the Atlanta toy fair, and by 1992 his company’s catalog included dozens of animals. As successful as this endeavor was, Warner was still not satisfied. He wanted to create a collectible toy that kids could purchase with their own pocket money for under five dollars. At the time, according to Ty, there were no toys “in the $5 range that weren’t real garbage.” So he got to work and made it happen.

The “original nine,” as collectors call them, was rolled out in Chicago in 1994. They are, in no particular order: Spot the Dog, Squealer the Pig, Patti the Platypus, Cubbie the Bear, Chocolate the Moose, Pinchers the Lobster, Splash the Killer Whale, Legs the Frog and Splash the Dolphin.

There were 50 official Beanie Babies for sale within a year, but none of them were available at large retail outlets. Ty instead chose to market his product solely at small gift shops and specialty stores, lending the items a certain air of exclusivity, regardless of their low price.

Some things that set Ty’s strategy and product apart were: • Retirement: Beanie Babies were often suddenly “retired,” leading to desperate searches for the ones remaining on store shelves. This also ensured that collectors felt compelled to hunt down every available Beanie Baby, because you never knew when it would suddenly become unavailable.

• Small Stores: As stated earlier, Ty only authorized Beanie Babies to be sold in small gift shops or specialty stores as opposed to large chain retail outlets. This strategy afforded his product an image of class and attracted customers of all ages, which wouldn’t be possible in a large toy stores.

• Perceived Limited Production: Certain Beanie Babies were only available in certain countries or via certain means (like in McDonalds Kid’s Meal toys).

• Individuality: Personification is a way collectors are encouraged to individualize their Beanie Babies. Each Beanie has its own name, birthday and accompanying poem. Collectors could even go online to Ty’s official website to discover their particular Beanie Baby’s personality traits.

Ty Warner took some pretty sizable risks when he launched Ty Inc., dropping every dime he had into a product most in the industry thought was crap. Considering at the peak of the Beanie Baby bubble about a little over a decade ago his net-worth rose to around $6 billion, and even today it’s around $2.6 billion thanks to some savvy business moves during the bubble, it’s pretty safe to say that the self-made billionaire’s risks definitely paid off.

Today, Beanie Babies are no longer produced. But, Ty, Inc. continues to produce stuffed animals that children want to collect. Classic Beanie Babies are often purchased and still collected via methods like eBay.

Article By: TodayIFoundOut.com, Author Kathy Padden, 13 December, 2013, < http://www. todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/12/billion-dollar-babies-history-ty-beanie-babies/>

Sweet Summer Time!

HEALTHY EFFECTS OF LEMONS

Lemons are a beautiful fruit. But, they aren’t just pretty and make good lemonade. They, are pretty healthy for you. We often hear folks say, “They say lemons are healthy for you.” Hear are six healthy effects of lemons based on the science.

SUPPORT GOOD HEART HEALTH

Lemons are a good source of vitamin C. One lemon provides about 31 mg of vitamin C, which is 51% of the reference daily intake (RDI). Research shows that eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke. However, it’s not only the vitamin C that is thought to be good for your heart. The fiber and plant compounds in lemons could also significantly lower some risk factors for heart disease.

HELP CONTROL WEIGHT

Lemons are often promoted as a weight loss food, and there are a few theories as to why this is. One common theory is that the soluble pectin fiber in them expands in your stomach, helping you feel full for longer. That said, not many people eat lemons whole. And because lemon juice contains no pectin, lemon juice drinks will not promote fullness in the same way. Other theories suggest that the plant compounds in lemons may aid weight loss. However, no theory has been proven. Prevent Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are small lumps that form when waste products crystallize and build up in your kidneys. They are quite common, and people who get them often get them repeatedly. Citric acid may help prevent kidney stones by increasing urine volume and increasing urine pH, creating a less favorable environment for kidney stone formation. Just a 1/2-cup (4 ounces or 125 ml) of lemon juice per day may provide enough citric acid to help prevent stone formation in people who have already had them.

PROTECT AGAINST ANEMIA

Iron deficiency anemia is quite common. It occurs when you don’t get enough iron from the foods you eat. Lemons contain some iron, but they primarily prevent anemia by improving your absorption of iron from plant foods.

REDUCE CANCER RISKS

A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent some cancers. Some observational studies have found that people who eat the most citrus fruit have a lower risk of cancer, while other studies have found no effects. In test-tube studies, many compounds from lemons have killed cancer cells. However, they may not have the same effect on the human body. Some researchers think that plant compounds found in lemons — such as limonene and naringenin — could have anticancer effects, but this hypothesis needs further investigation.

SUPPORT GOOD DIGESTIVE HEALTH

Lemons are made up of about 10% carbs, mostly in the form of soluble fiber and simple sugars. The main fiber in lemons is pectin, a form of soluble fiber linked to multiple health benefits. Soluble fiber can improve gut health and slow the digestion of sugars and starches. These effects may result in reduced blood sugar levels. However, to get the benefits of fiber from lemons, you need to eat the pulp.

SIPPING ON SUMMER

SUMMER SPRITZ

Ingredients • 1/2 ripe granadilla passion fruit pulp only • 1/3 lime, juiced • 1 tbsp sugar syrup • Handful of ice • 125ml sparkling water

Directions • Tip the passion fruit pulp, lime juice and sugar syrup into a wine glass and gently muddle using a muddler or the end of a rolling pin.

• Add the ice and sparkling water and stir before serving.

RAW RASPBERRY SHRUB

Ingredients • 300g raspberries • 50g raw honey (see tip) • 75ml raw apple cider vinegar (see tip) • 1/2 small pack mint , leaves only • 750ml bottle sparkling water • ice

Directions • Put half the raspberries in a large bowl and lightly crush some of them with a muddler or a potato masher. Pour over the honey, stir well, cover and leave in the fridge overnight. • The following day, stir in the vinegar, then tip the mixture into a sieve over a large jug and press through using the back of a spoon. • Add the remaining raspberries, the mint leaves, sparkling water and ice. Stir gently to combine, then serve.