Finding Nemo: Bruce and Nemo 3D Character Mugs

Currently available at the Disney Store, here are some fantastic character mugs from Finding Nemo...Bruce the shark and Nemo himself!  

These were released a few months ago as part of a series of six Pixar themed mugs that also includes: Wall·E and Eve, Hamm, and one based off The Incredibles. See the rest right here in the coming weeks.

As you can see below, Nemo even has his "lucky fin." Great detail!  

 

As expected, these are really well made with quality ceramic and have really fun designs. They hold 16 oz and are microwave and dishwasher safe.

This collection of mugs has proved to be very popular with most of them being sold out currently. If you're interested in these though, you're in luck! They are still available on the DisneyStore.com. You can find the Nemo one here and the Bruce one here. 

Or you can buy from eBay below:

Finding Nemo: Bruce and Nemo Mugs

Thanks for visiting today's post, I really appreciate the support! Be sure to come back daily for more and please contact me if you have any questions or would like any additional info. Have a great weekend!

Monsters University: Roll a Scare Monsters PAGE UPDATE- Archie

Today's post is another page update to the Monsters University Roll a Scare line...here we have Archie the scare pig! Visit the original post here and scroll down to see the update. Thanks for visiting!

Ratatouille: The Guide to Remy's World

   Here is yet another one of DK publishing's "Essential Guide" books! These books always chock-full of lots of fun info about characters, plot points, props, fun trivia ("Did you know?" facts), quotes, stats and much more! They are definitely geared more to a younger crowed, but I still say they're great for learning so many simple things about the films that you might not get from just watching them. I especially like this one since I really don't have very many items from Ratatouille. 

As you can see, this one is a little different then the other "essential guides" as this one is actually called "The Guide to Remy's World" and is much smaller than the others (this one is only 5 1/2 by 7 inches). However, inside the pages are the same standard essential guide style and layout.

Here's an example of a couple of the fun pages you can expect:

 

You can still get this book on Amazon new or used for really cheap!

Or, if you're more of an eBay person, find it on eBay below (also very inexpensive):

 Ratatouille: The Guide to Remy's World Book

 You can find an "Essential Guide" for every Pixar film except A Bug's Life.

Check out my "Books" label to the right the explore my growing collection of Pixar books and to see more of the Essential Guides that I own. More to come!

Monsters Inc: Little Mikey Plush

Everyone who has seen Monsters Inc. seems to always remember Mike's little "teddy bear" monster, Little Mikey. He wasn't on screen for very long, but Pixar created such a memorable and iconic design for him that it not only excited fans to see him have a cameo in the prequel, Monsters University, but also the casual viewer as well. 

In 2001, with the original launch of the Monsters Inc. products, Hasbro created this "real" Little Mikey plush just as it appears in the film! It stands at about 11 inches tall (with the horns).

 

 It's really well made and is stitched with a great quality (and soft I might add) material. The eye is plastic.

 

 Here you can better tell how big this guy is if you compare it to my hand. It's a little smaller than it is in the film but I'd say this is very film accurate for the most part.

 

Like mentioned, this was made by Hasbro (I don't have the packaging, but you can see how it was originally packaged here). The Disney Store also released their own Little Mikey which was the exact same size, but I favored this one ultimately and felt that it was a little bit better quality all around. When searching online for either of these versions, the way you can tell the difference is that the Disney Store version has thicker smile (for lack of a better way to say it) and less texture to the fabric. See the Disney Store one here and compare for yourself!

If you're interested in tracking either of these Little Mikey dolls down, you can check out eBay below (they usually sell between $30-$65 depending on which one and the condition it's in):

 Monsters Inc. Little Mikey Doll

Also, just a word of advice, if you do end up searching eBay for these, be careful not to get either of them confused with the 6" Little Mikey that came with the 2001 Babblin' Boo doll. Sometimes on eBay, that one will look like the right one at first (since it's hard to determine size from pictures). Just make sure you find one that states that it is 10-11 inches before buying.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Be sure to check back daily for more items from my Pixar collection and feel free to comment or ask questions anytime. 

Monsters University: Travel Mug

Here's another cool item that was released as part of the Monsters University marketing campaign! About eight months before the film's release (and before we knew hardly anything about the film), Pixar created a "school website"  that acted as though MU was a real school. 

This mug (or more like a thermos) was available at the "MU Store" section of the site where you could find lots of typical college store type items such as shirts, hoodies, pennants, other mugs, car accessories, hats, etc. 

 This was then also available at the DisneyStore.com a little bit later. It has since sold out at the Disney Store but the MU Store seems to still have it in stock...and on sale! Definitely head on over there if you're interested. I think the store is still active but I'm not totally sure. It still lists things as in stock so I'm assuming you can still purchase from there.

If you're a fan of MU and want to show off your "school pride", this is for you. As always, it's really good quality and made of stainless steel with a brushed chrome finish. It's 16 oz and has a plastic "cool band" built in. I love the simple design with the school's logo and I'm so happy I finally had a chance to get this. I haven't used it yet to actually drink from yet (I've just had it on display) but I'm sure it works great from what I can tell. View the product's page here for a few more details.

You can also find it on eBay below:

Monsters University Travel Mug

A big thanks to my parents since this was a Christmas present from them! I really appreciate it.

Have any questions? Just let me know! Shoot them off in the comments below or send me an email.

 Thanks so much for stopping by and be sure to check back daily for more items from my Pixar collection!

Toy Story 3: Art of Book

 Here is yet another fun and insightful "Art of" book by Charles Solomon and Chronicle Publishing...The Art of Toy Story 3!

The documentary "Inside Pixar" calls Toy Story's 3 Pixar's "Crown Jewel" and is considered, by many, to be Pixar's greatest film. Almost 4 years later and it still remains number one on the list of highest grossing animated films (with a gross of $1,063,171,911).

This book is 175 pages filled with the story behind Toy Story 3 and includes countless pieces of concept art, storyboards, maquettes and much more. It begins with a great preface by John Lasseter, continues with a foreword by director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla K. Anderson and then goes into the introduction which goes through a brief history of the Toy Story legacy. From there, you get right into the bulk of all the art included in this book.

It really was an amazing story of how Toy Story 3 finally got to the screen. Pixar had wanted to make Toy Story a trilogy ever since the success of Toy Story 2 in 1999 but it was not as simple as just doing it. There were many complications with the deal they had with Disney at the time and their contract with them was coming to an end. It wasn't until Disney bought Pixar in 2006 that it was possible to make the film after many years of waiting...and of course, they needed to have just the right story to do the franchise justice.

In fact, Toy Story 3 was almost an entirely different story and was to be made without Pixar by a short lived division of Disney Animation Studios called "Circle 7." The main purpose of this division was to make sequels to the Pixar films up to end of Pixar and Disney's agreement in 2006 (Pixar's first 7 films). Toy Story 3, Monsters Inc. 2 and Finding Nemo 2 were all in the works, but the division was shut down before the work on any of them was completed. I'm so glad that Toy Story 3 or any of the Pixar sequels were not made without Pixar itself. I wonder what they would have been like? If you do some digging online, you can actually find some really interesting official info on what the stories of those unmade sequels would have been (and there's even some concept art out there for them).

 Anyway, I'm glad it all worked out with Pixar and Disney sticking with their partnership and that Toy Story 3 was made. In 2010, more than a decade after Toy Story 2 was released, fans were finally able to see the much loved characters of Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang on the big screen again. You want to know all of the details on how exactly that happened? You'll have to pick up a copy of this book, you won't regret it! 

 Below are a few page examples:

 If you're a fan of Toy Story, Pixar, art, or all of the above, then this is the book for you! You can pick it up on Amazon or on eBay below:

The Art of Toy Story 3 Book

Thanks for visiting today's post and be sure to check back daily for more! Also, I wanted to give a shout out and a big thanks to my wife Brita for this thoughtful Christmas gift. I love it!

Toy Story 1 2 & 3: Funko Pop PAGE UPDATE- Lotso

Hey everyone, happy weekend! Today's post is a page update to my original Toy Story Funko Pop post...the Lotso bobble head! Visit the original page here to see the update which includes more info on this figure as well as what other versions of him are out there.

Thanks for visiting! Be sure to check back daily to see even more items from my Pixar collection. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions through email or leaving a comment here on the blog.

Pixar Collection: Notebook

Here is the Disney/Pixar collection notebook! This amazing line of products debuted at the Disney D23 expo last August and then went to the DisneyStore.com for a short time. In addition to this, there were 4 other products available featuring this same design: stickers, a mug set, a second mug set, a note card set, an iPhone case, a Sticky Note Set, and a pencil/eraser set.

Like I've mentioned, when I saw this line of products, I was hooked on getting them. I just love the design and the minimalist style of the characters. I was afraid they were going to be only exclusives at the expo but was thrilled when they became available at the Disney Store.

As you can see below, the front cover (as well as the back) is actually two layered. The very top cover is a semi-clear (but frosty) vinyl material, something I didn't realize until I got it and saw it and person. So when the covers are down it gives it a cool look where some of the images are more faded and others more vibrant. It actually makes it that much cooler! 

 

 Here's the notebook paper you'll find inside:

And if you're going to be doing any graphing (Ha! I know I won't be. Math isn't my thing), graph paper is included in the book as well:

In addition, the notebook is divided into three sections, each of them separated by a folder pocket as seen below:

On the back, there is the Disney/Pixar logo. I love it! There are a lot of Pixar notebooks out there but this has got to be my absolutely favorite. If you can get a hold of this, I'd go for it! You'll love it too. 

 

This has sold out at the Disney Store but you can still find it on eBay below if you're interested (there is currently just 1 for about $20 but there will be more up, I'm sure):

D23 Disney/Pixar Collection Notebook

As usual, thank you very much for taking the time to stop by. If you like what you see, check back daily for more items from my Pixar collection! 

Pixar Collection: Little Golden Books PAGE UPDATE- Presto

Today's post is a page update to my collection of Little Golden Books...Presto! Did you know that this book was illustrated by a Pixarian? Find out who by visit the original post here. Just scroll down to see the update. 

As usual, thanks for visiting! Be sure to check back daily as many more items from my Pixar collection will be added soon.

FInding Nemo: Mine, Mine, Mine Mug

 When I saw that this mug was out there, I couldn't resist but to snag it! It's currently very popular and I was lucky enough to get it at the Disney Store's website last week. It was sold out for a while and just it just so happened to be back briefly when I checked. Not long after I purchased it, it had already sold out again!

This is part of the DisneyStore.com, Theme Park and Cruise Line exclusive line of Finding Nemo "Mine, Mine, Mine" seagull merchandise which includes a wide selection of products including: this mug (of course), a plush, a pin, a travel thermos, a 9" Vinylmation, a magnet, a luggage tag, an iPhone case, a snow globe, a plastic cup with straw, men's and woman's t-shirts and more. There are even some more obscure things such as a candle, a throw pillow and a toothpick holder! Check them all out here at LaughingPlace.com.

I remember I saw a bunch of the "Mine, Mine, Mine" items listed above at the Castaway Cay (Disney's private island) gift shop during our Disney Cruise of '12...but it only now stood out as being really clever and a must have addition to my collection! 

 

  As usual with the official Disney merchandise mugs, this product is extremely good quality and very well made. I love the details from the handle to the inside of the mug. It's made from a study ceramic and is dishwasher safe. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but some of the seagulls actually stick out from the mug which give them a 3D effect! 

 

  You can still find this at the parks, I imagine, if you know where to look. It's $12.95 unless you happen to find it on sale...

 

 ...but if you're not going to the parks or on a Disney Cruise any time soon, you can find it at the website I linked to up at the top of the post or grab it here (as well as the rest of the collection) on eBay:

Finding Nemo "Mine, Mine, Mine" Disney Parks Merchandise

If you're a fan of Finding Nemo, I definitely recommend getting this mug while you can still get it!  It's really fun, whether you use it as a display for your desk or use it to drink your hot chocolate from.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to check back daily for more items from my Pixar collection. Much more to come, stay tuned! 

The Incredibles: The Essential Guide

Since I was little, I always liked the DK publishing's "Essential Guide" books to all my favorite movies...Pixar films are of course no exception! These books always chock-full of lots of fun info about characters, plot points, props, fun trivia ("Did you know?" facts), quotes, stats and much more! They are definitely geared more to a younger crowed, but I still say they're great for learning so many simple things about the films that you might not get from just watching them. I especially like this one since I really don't have very many items from The Incredibles.

 Here's an example of a couple of the fun pages you can expect:

 

You can still get this book on Amazon new for really cheap!

Or, if you're more of an eBay person, find it on eBay below (also very inexpensive):

The Incredibles: The Essential Guide

 You can find an "Essential Guide" for every Pixar film except A Bug's Life.

Check out my "Books" label to the right the explore my growing collection of Pixar books and see more of the Essential Guides that I own. More to come!

Monsters Inc: Disney On Ice Hard Hat

Here's kind of a fun item today! Here we have the Disney on Ice: Monster's Inc. exclusive M.I. hard hat! This was available amongst all the official merchandise sold there at the show which ran from 2006-2007.

The hat is made of a sturdy plastic material and, since it's made for kids for the most part, it's a smaller size (just big enough to barely fit my head. If you have a head much bigger than mine though, it probably won't fit). You can see the size comparison above, using the Funko POP figures.

 Of course I didn't get this to wear, but to display. Hopefully my kids will love it someday (here's hoping they love Pixar, especially Monsters Inc. 

 

If you're interested in this unique collectible, check it out on eBay for pretty reasonable prices:

Monsters Inc. On Ice Hard Hat'

Thank you for visiting today's post and if you're new here, welcome! Please take time to explore my collection if you're interested and be sure to check back daily for more!

Wall-E: Art of Book

Who doesn't love Wall-E? It's just without a doubt an extremely brilliant and beautiful film, thought of by many to be Pixar's very best project to date.

With this Art of Wall-E book (By Tim Hauser, foreword by Director Andrew Stanton), you can dive much deeper into the story behind the story and all of wonderful art leading up to the images you know and love today. Like all of the other "Art of" books by Chronicle Publishing, this book is a wonderful, high quality hardcover book with over 150 vibrantly printed printed pages.

This book is pretty amazing, being chock-full of not only concept art and storyboards, but many great insights on the whole "making of" process as well. I haven't read the entire thing yet, but I have looked through it all from cover to cover and have read a pretty good amount since having just received this for Valentine's Day. 

 

 The official book description below describes much better than me about what to expect...

 ...and below are a few examples of the pages:

An insight that really stood out to me while reading this was the original ideas of what the humans were to be like on the Axiom. In the early art and story, they became more like "gel" aliens from being in space so long! There's a lot of interesting art and commentary on why this idea was originally part of the story and why it was ultimately scrapped. You'll want to read about it! I for one am glad they went back to the more, for lack of a better term, "human humans." : )

Another thing that stood out to me while looking through all the pages multiple times is that Wall-E himself never seemed to go through any major design changes. It seems as though Andrew Stanton knew from the beginning what the basic look of Wall-E would be and never really strayed from that. The (almost) same goes for Eve as well. The book does have just a couple different early designs for her but, again, the basic idea and shape seems to have always been there in the original vision for the film.

Wall-E and Pixar fans, you definitely need this book if you haven't gotten it already! You will learn so much and will not be disappointed in the content. If you're looking to pick this up, you can find it on Amazon.

You can also find it on eBay below:

The Art of Wall-E

Thanks to my parents yet again for this awesome Valentine's Day present! Being the awesome love story that it is (and the fact that there is red in the Wall-E logo :), you couldn't have made a better gift choice. I love it! 

Thanks so much for stopping by. Be sure to check back daily to see even more from my Pixar collection! Please let me know if you have an comments, suggestions or questions.