This tribe is for Fudgee Bears, the Family and Friends of Fudgee Bears (FAFOFB), other cool bears, and anybody who's bear friendly.

The Fudgee Bear clan is an Los Angeles based community of professionals, artists, dancers, performers, designers, photographers, musicians, healers, wonderful geeks and fabulous freaks that spread joy, laughter and bear hugs to the world at large. The Fudgee Bears current bear count is 57 multicolored bears. Created by Mikiko Nagao, a fashion designer and costumer based in Silver Lake, Mikiko is a native of Japan that speaks remarkable engrish, but with a thick accent.

When asked what a fudgee bear was, her husband Teo' s response was: "Fuzzy bear. She can't pronounce the "z". So it's really fuzzy bear."

Originally, participation into the Fudgee bear clan was by invitation to Mikiko's "Make Your Own Shit Night " a costume workshop that she hosts. There, Mikiko helps you make your fudgee bear from her own design pattern. It doesn't matter if you have any sewing experience, because she shows you step by step.

*Bear* (he-he!) in mind, "Make Your Own Shit Night" isn't just for Fudgee bear costumes. If you have a project in mind, but you don't know how to make it, she'll collaborate with you to help you realize your project, and she'll share her expertise with you every step of the way.

Did I mention that Mikiko is an amazing woman?

"Make Your Own Shit Night" is temporarily discontinued because Mikiko and Teo now have a bun in the oven -- or what I say "a bear in there!" and needs to take a bit of a break.

Instead, in an effort to raise funds for the bear cub's birth and medical costs, Mikiko is now making custom-made Fudgee bear suits for the public at a really fabulous price. Visit her at www.dreamcircus.com for more information on her Fudgee Bear suits.

Other requirements to be a Fudgee Bear are participation in the clan's activities including:

1) Creating, identifying and adopting your own Fudgee Bear name.

2) A mandatory meeting of our yearly pow wow called High Bear Nation which takes place in Center Camp on
Friday night at midnight where all the Fudgee's come together to hibernate in the middle of Center Camp!

3) You must also make "tag" or with your name on it and your location in case you are caught by Animal
Control so that you may be returned to your camp if you're too inebriated!

4) Try to attend the Fudgee Bear ski trip over Xmas vacation at a ski lodge in Big Bear Lake, California!

Come join this tribe, as I can personally testify that: bears have more fun! For instance: this year at Burning Man I camped at the Kiddie Korral, a camp for kids. I was in my bear suit when a four year old girl came running up to me and hugging me going "It's a fuzzy bear! It's a fuzzy bear!"

And I go: "Yeah, that's right! I'm a fudgee bear!"

http://fudgeebears.tribe.net