These Repurposed Stuffed Animals on Etsy Will Bring Your Childhood Nightmares to Life

They’re not exactly the Care Bears of your childhood, but anything described as “disturbing, unsettling, and precisely what I hope it’d be” is certain to reel us in. And that’s exactly what you’ll find in TeddyBearsAndScares, an Etsy account that takes vintage teddy bears and turns them into nightmarish creatures. 

“Meet Hellven Lee, the teddy bear,” one post reads. “Hellven was created with a used teddy bear. He has hand crafted bloody gums and teeth, along with handmade horns.” 

Then there’s a deranged version of Share Bear, that classic 80s Care Bear known for her purple fur and lollipops on her belly.

“This one of a kind Share Bear had a bit too much candy and has barfed it all up!” the description reads. “She was made from a pre-loved Care Bear plush. She features a handmade mouth, gums, teeth, blue tongue, and green barf.”

But before you hide under the covers, check out the backstory on these creepy creations. TeddyBearsandScares is the brain child of Aniston Jade, an 18-year-old artist from  Mesa, Arizona. Jade started making the “zombie plushies” at age 14. 

“I always loved going to Halloween stores and seeing all the scary props and animatronics. I was so fascinated by these that I wanted to try and make my own,” Jade tells Apartment Therapy. 

She started out getting secondhand teddy bears from thrift stores, and testing different materials and textures. To find the perfect plushy to tackle, she searches for teddy bears that are durable and of good quality, and have some weight to them.

Even if a bear has a small hole or mess up, I would be happy to take it and turn it into something new and creative for many more people to enjoy,” says Jade.

Creating the twisted pieces is currently Jade’s full-time job, as she’s living with Crohn’s Disease, a painful gastrointestinal condition.

“I cannot stand for long amounts of time without getting migraines, feeling weak and sick, and needing often and sudden breaks,” says Jade. “I am so thankful to be able to create these in my home without the stress and negative effects that a regular job would bring me.”

You can check out more of Aniston Jade’s work on her Etsy page.