PHOTOS: Old stuffed animals and the stories behind them  They’re
well-worn, falling apart and have been chewed on my moths, but
after many years these stuffed animals are still treasured and
never forgotten. “Much Loved,” a book by Irish photographer Mark
Nixon documenting 65 teddy bears, takes a nostalgic look at the
lives of our lifetime companions.  How did this project take
off?  I got the idea from watching my son, Calum. I was struck
by how attached he was to his Peter Rabbit, the way he buried
his nose in it while sucking his thumb. I remembered having
similar childhood feelings about my own panda. And so, I
organized a Teddy Day at my studio, where adults and children
brought in their teddies and I photographed them.  Documenting
these teddies must have given you a peek into people’s childhood
and memories.  Indeed, people opened up with stories about their
teddies – how they had nearly lost theirs at some stage was a
common theme. Some tales were hilarious: The wife of a local
radio broadcaster joked