Ratatouille: "Anyone Can Cook!" Journal (ShopDisney)

In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, ‘Anyone can cook.’ But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist *can* come from *anywhere*...” -Anton Ego, Ratatouille

Yesterday, Ratatouille celebrated its 12th anniversary (if you can believe it)! I love this film so much and it's even become one of my top favorite Pixar films over the years. You can understand my excitement then when, earlier this year, the Disney Store (and ShopDisney) released this "Anyone Can Cook!" journal—an exact replica of the iconic cookbook seen in the film! I've wanted something like this for some time and I'm so happy it's finally been made.

I love when real life replicas are made based on animated props from Pixar films (examples: My Adventure Book, Mr. Incredible's phone, the Cozy Cone Alarm, Mike's MU hat, Piston Cup Trophy, ect.) as these are some of my favorite pieces to display. This journal is now displayed proudly on my Ratatouille themed shelf in my home office. It was the missing piece I didn't even know I needed!

This hardcover journal is 8 1/2'' H x 6'' W x 1 1/4'' D in size, originally retailed for $16.95 and includes 320 lined pages (with an attached ribbon bookmark) featuring Paris/Kitchen/Food inspired screen art in the signature Ratatouille style. Very tasteful!

On the back of the book, there is a "book synopsis", a "bio" for Chef Gusteau and a "review" quote from Brad Lewis (who's actually the producer of the film). Cleverly done.

The opening and closing end papers feature illustrations (seen directly below) of ''Chef Gusteau's Kitchen'' and its staff (with each job identified)...exactly how it appears in the book in the film! I absolutely love this.
 

Of course the only thing I do wish is that this was an actual cookbook, or at the very least included some recipes in it. All is good though, it's the look of the thing that really matters to me and they nailed that! It's like it leaped off the screen. And you know I'll absolutely be using it to document some of my favorite recipes as well!

Unfortunately, this has since sold out at the Disney Store (and online); but you can find it on eBay using this direct link or on Amazon using the link below. Be sure to let me know your thoughts down in the comments! Did you pick this up for your collection?

Toy Story: Alien Character Figural Plush Slippers (from Happy Feet)

Happy Feet, known for their quality themed slippers and famous for their unique and innovative Zlipperz (which I'll be diving into in an upcoming post), here we have their brand new Toy Story inspired Pizza Planet Alien figural plush slippers! A huge thanks to Happy Feet for this gift, which was given during my recent trip to the Toy Story 4 press junket at Walt Disney World. They are out of this world cute and super soft and cozy! 100% Polyester material.

I got these in XS, the smallest size (for when my boy is a toddler), considered a 7.5-12 (which should be good for a 2-4 year old). They are also available in adult sizes for men in women! Retail price for this pair is $35. Check them out on the "Buy Happy Feet" website and make your purchase HERE.

Love the one inch foam rubber and non-skid bottoms. Even though these are "slippers", we wouldn't want any actual slipping happening!

Just look at these little dudes... <3

Speaking of little dudes, I'm excited for my little dude to wear these one day; but for now they'll have to sit and wait! If you're interested in adding these to your (or your little one's) wardrobe, I can highly recommend them. If the aliens aren't quite your thing, no problem—be sure to check out Happy Feet's HUGE selection of other Disney/Pixar characters HERE!

Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.

Toy Story: Woody and Bullseye Moccasins for Baby (by Freshly Picked)

Freshly Picked, known for their quality mom and baby products (diaper bags, baby moccasins, kids' sneakers, etc.), has collaborated with Disney Baby once again to bring you THE cutest collection of Toy Story baby moccasins EVER. I'm so excited to share with you the pair we were gifted this past weekend! First though, a little backstory...

If you missed my announcement on Instagram, my wife Brita and I are expecting our first baby (a boy!) in December and we could not be more happy and excited. After being together for over 13 years, this has been a long time coming! Anyway, this past weekend we went to see Toy Story 4 with my parents and they surprised us with a super special present wrapped in Woody inspired wrapping paper. As grandparents love to do, they've already been spoiling this baby (and us). We had no idea what it could be and were thrilled to open it up to find this very special pair of Toy Story baby moccasins. I can't even!

Though Freshly Picked currently has many different Toy Story styles/patterns (seen on their site HERE), my mom thought this design was extra cute as it features adorable screen art of Woody & Bullseye (perfectly styled for a baby), a weathered brown collar and is the only pair to feature the iconic "Andy" on one of the soles. She made a great choice, this is totally the pair I would have gravitated toward as well.

In addition to the details listed on the back of the box (seen above), here are some additional features:

• Elastic at the opening makes the shoes easy to put on, easy to take off, and most importantly: they stay on your child's foot.
• Soft-soled moccs are made with durable, wear-tested leather and are suitable for infants and toddlers alike.
• Because the shoes are handmade with natural leather, colors and textures may vary.

My parents got us these in a size 1 (for babies 6 weeks to 6 months), but they are also available up to size 7 (for toddlers about 3-3.5 years old). Retail price for this pair is $60.00.

I love the colors. The muted light blue and browns make for a very soothing combo. Everything about the look of these is very tastefully done.

If you're some Toy Story loving parents with a baby on the way like we are (or have a little one under 4), these might be for you! You really can't go wrong as this is a quality, trusted brand and this adorable pair of moccs feels very well made. You can pick them up on the Freshly Picked site HERE OR on ShopDisney HERE.

What do you think of this amazing collection? Which is your favorite Toy Story pair of moccs? Have you or do you plan on picking any up? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!

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UPDATE 2/25/20— Our baby Aidan was born on December 13th, 2019! He's now just over two months old and already hits into his Toy Story Freshly Picked moccasins :)

Toy Story 4: Bounty Paper Towels

HAPPY TOY STORY 4 RELEASE NIGHT!

If you've been to literally any store lately, you've probably noticed the Toy Story 4 logo here and there and everywhere you look. So many brands have jumped on the chance to partner with Disney·Pixar to help promote this film, it's really something else! Even Bounty (the quicker picker upper) has released some fantastic paper towels featuring some really adorable limited time Toy Story 4 inspired prints. Let's take a look!

These took a while to hit my area, but I finally found them a few weeks back (on my birthday to be exact) at Stop & Shop— one of the main grocery store chains here on the east coast. Apparently you can also find them at Meijer stores and BJ's; possibly even Target or Walmart, though I haven't spotted them there yet. I would check any of your local grocery stores as you never know where they might be stocked!

This particular package I got comes with just two rolls, but there are bigger packs out there as well. Each roll has a different design; one featuring Jessie, Woody and Bullseye and one featuring several other new and classic characters (Alien, Bo Peep, Forky, Jessie, Slinky, Buzz, Ducky, Bunny and Woody) with some subtle carnival elements. I absolutely love the style of these prints! If you happen to know who the artist is, let me know as well so I can give the credit he or she deserves. They're almost too cute to even use!

DESIGN 1

DESIGN 2

That's about it! I really just wanted to make you all aware that these exist before they go away. If you have any little Toy Story fans at home, I'm sure they would love having one of these rolls in the kitchen to use while the excitement for the film is in the air! I believe there are even more designs out there included in other packages, so if you got one with anything different from what I have here, let me know down in the comments (and feel free to add a photo).

Have you picked these up or do you plan to? What are your thoughts? Shout 'em out! 

Piper Vinyl Figure Review (Funko Shop Exclusive)

There are few cuter things in this world than Piper, the title character and star of Pixar's 2016 short film (which debuted in front of Finding Dory in theaters). Piper instantly became one of my all-time favorite shorts and I am completely thrilled to finally have her represented in my collection as a collectible! On June 5th, Funko released this amazing vinyl figure on their "pop up shop" website, which is fourth in their Pixar short film limited edition vinyl figure series (following Bao, Knick Knack and Presto). I am so happy to see this line continuing strong!

The packaging, as usual, is designed with collectors in mind and is completely display worthy (featuring a sandy beach/ocean backdrop). On the back, it reads:
 "Piper" tells the story of a hungry sandpiper hatching who ventures from her nest for the first time to dig for food by the shoreline. The only problem is, the food is buried beneath the sand where scary waves roll up onto the shore."

The box is much smaller than I was expecting, measuring at about 6" wide and 5" tall. And what's that? She comes with a second little character? Yup, her tiny hermit crab friend that she meets during her adventure to find food! Such a fun and unexpected addition.

Now let's take a look at this amazing figure out of the package...

Piper is definitely the smallest vinyl figure yet, at only 2.5" tall x 2" wide, but that doesn't keep her from being the cutest. Her likeness here is 100% spot on, as if she jumped out of the TV and plopped herself on my shelf! The same goes for the hermit crab friend (who's only 1" tall)—so incredibly adorable! Funko really outdid themselves here; from the sculpt, to the paint application, to the packaging...it's all perfection.

If you and/or someone you know loves Piper, this is a must have and I can't recommend it enough! Lucky for you, if you haven't purchased it quite yet, it's still in stock on the Funko Shop website HERE. Hurry before the waves wash it away! Retail price is $15.00 (+$6.95 shipping).

I don't take any short film merch for granted, as it's a rare treat and we're so lucky these days to have more of it thanks to Funko. What are your thoughts? Did you pick this figure up or plan to? Who would you like to see next? I'm still holding out hope for Partly Cloudy and Day & Night! Looking forward to hearing what you think down below.

★★★★★

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Toy Story 2: Al's Toy Barn Mug & Jumbo Pin (ShopDisney)

“Available at all Al's Toy Barn outlets in the Tri-county area.”

Al's Toy Barn got some love out of nowhere earlier this year! The Disney Store (and ShopDisney) released an exclusive range of products surrounding the iconic fictitious toy store from the Toy Story films (most prominent in Toy Story 2), Al's Toy Barn. As seen here, I purchased the mug and the jumbo pin, but there was also a "staff" t-shirt, a tote bag and a pen (included in the Pixar Business Pen Set which I reviewed HERE). Let's take a closer look at what I got! 

First off, we have an Al's Toy Barn mug featuring the instantly recognizable logo (at least to us Disney/Pixar fans) and signature deep "barn red" color. Simple, but I love it! You can totally imagine the store staff having one of these cups and sipping their morning coffee from it in the Toy Story world. For me, I'll be using it to house my Pixar Business Pen Set and will be displaying it on my office desk at work come tomorrow! Finally gonna get some Pixar represented there.

Details:

• Dishwasher and microwave safe
• Ceramic
• 3 3/4'' H x 3 1/2'' Diameter (5'' W at handle)
• Holds 12 oz.
• Retail Price  $12.95

The second item I'm reviewing here is this Al's Toy Barn "Jumbo Pin"! This is another fun and super unique item inspired by what Al McWhiggin's name tag may have looked like while working there at the store. Such a brilliant idea! And for a pin, this thing is pretty big (it certainly earns the "jumbo" name). I'm not a big pin collector, but this was a real standout to me. And let me tell you, I just put it up on my Pixar pin board and it looks awesome. Highly recommend!

Details:

• Metal / enamel
• Enameled cloisonne  
•  Goldtone finish
• Mickey icon pinbacks
• 2'' H x 3 1/4'' W
• Retail Price $14.95 

As a long time fan of Toy Story (but especially Toy Story 2), these are some amazing items to have as part of my collection. I didn't really have much for Al's Toy Barn up until now. And honestly looking back, I should have gone for the shirt and tote bag too— but oh well! I would have totally gone for them if only these things really were just a buck, buck, buck. They're definitely not cheap, cheap, cheap.  

The last item out of these still in stock on the website is the mug, so get it HERE while it's still around! Let me know all your thoughts down below. Have you picked up anything from this assortment?

Toy Story: Pizza Planet Claw Tumbler with Straw (ShopDisney)

Thirsty anyone? Then grab this spacetacular Toy Story tumbler with straw inspired by the iconic Pizza Planet Space Crane Game ("The Claaaawwwwww") from the original film! This was released earlier this year at the Disney Store (and ShopDisney.com) and is still available to purchase online HERE. It's fantastic— you know I love anything Pizza Planet, so I had to pick this up. And, for what's essentially just a cup, it's impressive that this is probably the most screen accurate space crane product I own. Perfect for practical use or display!

Here are all the official details you'll need to know:

• Figural tumbler shaped like the rocket ship arcade game (made of plastic)
• Includes (nonfunctional) joystick, buttons, and prize deposit
• Reusable straw flares so it won't fall out
• Silicone claw attached to straw
• Not dishwasher or microwave safe
• 8'' H x 4'' Diameter (at widest point)
• Holds 20 oz.

This has been out for a while now, so definitely grab it before it's suddenly gone for good. This is such a fun tumbler for all Toy Story fans alike, whether you're young or young at heart! As mentioned, it's perfect to display along with the rest of your Toy Story collection or makes a great cup to sip from on Pizza night or while visiting the Disney Parks. Whatever floats your rocket! Retail price is $16.95.

Have you picked this up? What are your thoughts? Let me know down in the comment section below and stay tuned for more from my Pixar collection daily!

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Toy Story: Woody + Buzz Lightyear "Vynl" Figure 2-Pack (by Funko)

I can't even tell you how many different stylized versions of Buzz and Woody figures I have, but what's one more set right? These new vinyl figures by Funko (as part of their "Vynl" line, appropriately named) were released just recently and are so cute that I couldn't resist! Funko debuted this "Vynl" 2-Pack collection in 2017, which is essentially a close cousin to their wildly successful "POP!" line. Here's the official description:

There’s no “i” in Vynl. because there’s always two of them! Funko is proud to introduce Vynl., a brand new line of stylized vinyl collectibles created with pop culture fanatics in mind! Vynl. will take a new approach to collecting by showcasing the intricate relationships between beloved characters through a playful new aesthetic and display-ready collector packaging. As this new line of figures is centered around character relationships, every Vynl. release will contain two figures in order to highlight the connection between both characters and play off of their respective storylines.

This is the first Pixar related "Vynl" set to be released.

This set retails for around $14.99 (it varies ever so slightly) and can be found at stores like Amazon (link below), Game Stop, Hot Topic, BoxLunch and Entertainment Earth (among others). They're about the size of a standard Funko "POP!" figure (about 4"-4.5" tall) and, like usual, stands are included.

I just love the style! This series is a bit more boxy and "straight lined" in their designs when compared to Funko "POP!" figures. Their faces are a bit more expressive (and cartoony) as well. Adorable and unique! Let's take a closer look at these cuties out of the box...

I can't recommend these enough to all you Toy Story fans out there. You won't want to miss out on these iconic characters (one of the best movie duos ever created) in one of their cutest forms to date. And of course they make the perfect shelf or desk display for adult collectors such as myself—very tasteful! Let me know all your thoughts below.

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