Last summer, Cars Land celebrated its 5th anniversary and with that came a bunch of new prints by various artists to commemorate the occasion. One of them (my personal favorite) was this piece by Disney freelance artist Jerrod Maruyama titled "Cutest Little Town in Carburetor County"! If you follow my blog here, you may remember that I already reviewed this art last fall—though that was the 5"x7" postcard size. Here we have the full 14"x18" Deluxe size matted print...something I just couldn't resist any longer!
For my full thoughts on this adorable art (no need to repeat myself here), check out my ORIGINAL POST.
I almost picked this up when visiting Cars Land last year, but decided against it since I was already given the brilliant postcard (signed by Jerrod and all). It wasn't until a recent sale on the ShopDisney site that I finally just decided to go for it, since I couldn't stop picturing it on my wall next to my Jerrod Maruyama "World of Pixar" piece. I was able to snag this one for just $22! Regular retail price is $39.99.
Below you can see it all framed and hung up in my home office; just as I pictured! That side of my bookcase is becoming my Jerrod Maruyama art gallery. And here's a hint—I'll be showing off another one of his pieces right here later this week, so stay tuned.
Note: I picked up the the simple black 14"x18" frame at Michael's craft store. The size of the print without the matte is 11 2/5'' H x 9'' W.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you should be able to find this still at Disney's WonderGround Gallery (Disney Springs and/or Downtown Disney) and at Ramone's House of Body Art in Cars Land. It's also still available on the ShopDisney site HERE, so snag it while you have the chance.
If you're unfamiliar with Jerrod's work, be sure to check out his blog HERE. If you like what you see (how could you not), you can also follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr, Dribbble and Twitter. As you can see, Jerrod specializes in all things cute and is quite the master. Feel free to reach out to him or myself if you have any questions or comments!
Tonight, as a followup to last week's post on the Mattel Toy Story Minis (Series 5), I've posted my video unbagging of all the new characters! Please enjoy, be sure to like and subscribe to my YouTube channel and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
I'll be back tomorrow with a brand new post—so stay tuned!
"Let's hear it for Oozma Kappa—the most adorable monsters on campus."
Ready for something monstrously unique? Check out this OFFICIAL Disney Store Japan exclusive "Cute-Ma Kappa" Mike Wazowski plush! This was originally available in early 2015, though I just picked it up on eBay this past fall. It's something I've been meaning to show you guys for months now, so I'm excited to do this post!
Remember the scene in Monsters University when Oozma Kappa is pranked by the ROR fraternity who dumps colorful paint, flowers, glitter and stuffed animals on them? It's completely hilarious and memorable, so I'm sure you do. Well this plush is straight out of that moment! As shown in the screen shot below, the photo of [the dubbed] "Cute-Ma Kappa" (with a pink Mike front and center) is then spread throughout the school newspaper and posted all over the campus quad (even on t-shirts). Humiliating right?
I was lucky enough to get this plush new with tags. It's not the easiest one to come by these days! The size is 13" tall (toes to top of horns) and 18" wide (fingertips to fingertips). He's nice and soft with some great embroidered details.
There was also originally suppose to be a Cute-Ma Kappa Sulley plush released as well (as seen HERE), but it seems that one was canceled. What a shame!
If you're looking to add this one to your Disney/Pixar plush collection, be sure to check eBay periodically. Listings do pop up every once in a while! I snagged this one for $17 and free shipping, so prices don't get too outrageous.
Let me know your thoughts and/or any questions you might have in the comment section below!
I know I've been posting a lot of cars lately (don't worry—I have lots more to share from other films), but bear with me. This one is extra cool since this isn't just your average background race car seen in Cars 3. He's also an Easter egg! Tonight I'm taking a look at the Mattel 1:55 scale diecast of Terry Kargas—AKA the Triple Dent racer (No. 31)! He's a stock car seen at the beginning of the film before being replaced by the next-gen racer.
If you're not catching what the reference/Easter egg is here, think back to 2015's Inside Out. Remember the gum commercial joke with the catchy jingle? "Triple Dent Gum will make you smile, Triple Dent Gum it lasts a while, Triple Dent Gum will help you mister, to punch bad breath right in the kisser. Triple Dent Gum!" There you go... the sponsor Triple Dent is the Easter egg here (only in this instance it's not gum– it's "Spearmint Flavored Dent Fillers"). So clever!
As a Pixar mega fan, I love the whole Easter egg hunt when it comes to each film. It's so cool to have one of them represented here on this diecast! If it wasn't for that, he would just be a normal racer; but the fact that the sponsor here is a reference to Inside Out takes the coolness factor up a notch or two.
Find Terry in stores now! Though this is a late 2017 release, he's still popping up in stores across in US (I found him not too long ago at Walmart). There is also a version out there from a different case that comes with a collector card, so look out for that one as well.
Happy hunting! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Hey everyone! It's real late here, but I definitely wanted to fit in today's post. I'm going to keep things short and simple tonight with another Cars 3 Mattel 1:55 scale diecast review! Here is Chase Racelott, or better known by his sponsor Vitoline (No. 24). Chase is a sleek "next-gen" racer who supersedes James Cleanair (Vitoline racer in the original Cars) and Brick Yardley (who appears in some early scenes in Cars 3).
Other than obviously being seen on the racetrack early in the film and at the Florida 500 race, Chase is actually also featured briefly in a RSN (Racing Sports Network) interview. He's the one who says "Let me put it this way. I'm not losing any sleep wondering where Lightning McQueen is"—as shown in the screen shot above. He also congratulates Cruz on her big win saying "You really had it rollin' today." It's cool that this racer has more screen time (compared to the usual blink and you miss it moment) and even some lines of dialogue!
FUN FACT: This car is voiced by (and named after) real life NASCAR driver Chase Elliott.
I totally LOVE the green colors and shiny/metallic graphics on this one. What a gorgeous and vibrant looking diecast!
I found Chase at Walmart a few weeks back, so keep checking your local stores (Target and Toys R Us are always good options too) if you're looking to add this car to your collection! If you'd rather just spend a few more bucks and pick him up online, I included an Amazon link below as well.
Happy Valentine's Day Cars fans! Thanks for dropping by. Today I'm taking a look at another Mattel Cars 3 1:55 scale diecast...Pat Traxson! I was finally able to find this one (at Kmart of all places...I know right?) just last week. I was super excited! That means I only have seven more diecasts to go to finish up 2017.
As shown in the screenshot above, Pat is an official Piston Cup pace car. He's seen most prominently during the film's final race (the Florida 500). If you remember, he's the pace car that Cruz has to beat out when coming out from the pits for the first time! Such a cool moment.
Looks great! It's awesome to have a new version of a pace car (following Charlie Checker from the original Cars). I really dig the design!
If you're still needing to add Pat Traxson to your collection, be on the lookout at your local Walmart, Target, Toys R Us and Kmart stores (even though he's from last year, he's obviously still popping up since I just found him). If you'd rather just snag him online, you can always check current eBay listings HERE or Amazon using the link below.
Alrighty guys—after a month of searching around in my area, I finally found SERIES 5 of the Mattel Toy Story "Minis" blind packs today at Walmart! It's about dang time they hit the east coast. I've received several emails regarding these lately and when I would be posting on them, so I'm thrilled to finally be able to give you my full detailed review!
It's been almost a whole year since Series 4 was released (check out my post from last April HERE), so I was beginning to worry that the line would not be continuing on. I'm so happy it's back with hopefully even more on the way! If you're unfamiliar with this collection of Toy Story Minis, the line launched back in the summer of 2016 and has proved to be pretty popular with fans. If you'd like to catch up on all my previous posts from this awesome collection before continuing on with this new series, be sure to follow the links below:
All caught up? OK perfect...To infinity and beyond!
This series includes 12 characters total (though many of them have been previously released). The ones that are NEW to this series are: Woody (new variation), Buzz Lightyear (new variation), Ken, Barbie, Mr. Pricklepants, Rex as "Partysaurus Rex"and a fully new Blue Flame Jetpack Buzz Lightyear (which is this series' "Special Edition")! They're the ones I'll be taking a look at today.
Hamm, Slinky, Lotso, Jessie and the Alien have all been released several times previously.
And guess what! I'll save you the trouble of trying to feel for which character is which. Here are ALL the blind bag codes (which are printed on the back bottom right corner of each bag, as seen in my photo below)!
A6: Alien B6: Lotso C6: Rex as "Partysaurus Rex" D6: Blue Flame Rocket "Special Edition" Buzz Lightyear E6: Hamm F6: Slinky G6: Jessie H6: Woody I6: Buzz Lightyear J6: Barbie K6: Ken L6: Mr. Pricklepants
I hope that helps! Now lets take a closer look at each character.
Woody (NEW Series 5 Version)
This new variation ofWoody, though similar to the other versions, is the first to have both arms up with the hands in a "quick draw" pose. Like usual, his hat is removable.
Buzz Lightyear (NEW Series 5 Version)
This Buzz is almost identical to the Buzz that came with the spaceship vehicle. The only difference is that this Buzz is without the blue belt (which technically makes this one new).
Ken
Now onto the fully new characters...check out this Ken in his "animal lovin" outfit! Completely awesome and hilarious. I don't have hardly any Ken merch, so this is a most welcomed addition.
Barbie
Same goes for Barbie! I don't have much merch of her character represented in my collection. This mini is so cute!
Mr. Pricklepants
Mr. Pricklepants is one of my favorite Toy Story side characters. His thespian demeanor is hilarious. It doesn't get much cuter than this little mini here!
Rex as "Partysaurus Rex"
OK I'm so surprised they released this one! Partysaurus Rex is one of my favorite Toy Story Toons, but it's not very known to the general public. This mini is completely adorable—a must have!!
Blue Flame Jetpack Buzz Lightyear
(NEW Series 5 Special Edition!)
This Buzz sports a totally new facial design (love the new mouth) and some awesome translucent blue flames blasting from his jetpack! This one, it seems, is based off of Buzz's flying scene from the very beginning of Toy Story 2. Love it!
Once again, these are MINI figures; like seriously mini. They stand just
over an inch tall, are made of hard plastic and have very limited
articulation (as in most of their heads and turn, but that's about it).
Retail price for each figure is $2.88.
There we have it folks! If you're interested in tracking these down
for yourself, be sure to check you local Walmart (that's where I found
them and where reports across the US are coming from). Let me know your
thoughts below (I love to hear which ones are your favorites) and shout
out who you'd like to see made next in this line!
Until next time... UPDATE: There is also currently a new 10-pack of Toy Story Minis on the ShopDisney site, which has a "first look" Babyface figure!! I really hope that Babyface gets released as a blind bag soon as well (so I don't have to pay $22 for one figure).
UPDATE 2: Added my blind bag opening video below! Visit my YouTube channel HERE and be sure to like and subscribe.
After almost two years, Hallmark has finally released some brand new Pixar inspired Itty Bittys...and they're INCREDIBLE! Just in time for Valentine's Day (also perfect with Incredibles 2 right around the corner), check out these adorable Mr. and Mrs. Incredible Itty Bittys plush— now available at Hallmark stores and Hallmark.com! The last time we got any new Pixar Itty Bittys was back in 2016 with Finding Dory.
Last night I was searching around the Hallmark site for fun; just seeing if there was anything new or interesting that I may have missed as of late. That's when I saw these and was shocked that I didn't know about them! I've been collecting Pixar Itty Bittys since they debuted in spring 2014 (with Mike & Sulley) and was thrilled to see the line continue with these ones. This morning I got right in my car and drove to a few of my local Hallmark stores until I finally found them. So worth it!
Check out my detailed shots below. I love the designs!! I find Mr. Incredible's design particularly funny, with his mouth up a bit higher on his face (giving off the appearance of his signature big chin).
ELASTIGIRL
MR. INCREDIBLE
Both of these plushies are 4" H x 3" W x 2.25" D in size and retail for $6.95 each. They're made of a variety of soft fabrics (love that the suites and masks are like a faux leather material) and have some amazing embroidered details. The beans/pellets inside the bottom half of the characters help give them weight so they can stand on their own.
If you missed my post on the previous Pixar Itty Bitty releases, check out the designated label to the right of this page! There are so many cute ones and I'm still hoping for more. Who would you like to see released?
Be sure to pick up these supers at your local Hallmark or online HERE (for Mr. Incredible) and HERE (for Elastigirl). And don't forget to tune in for a new "special look" at Incredibles 2 during the Winter Olympics this Wednesday, February 14th (Valentine's Day)! Shout out your thoughts below.
UPDATE: Did some digging and found Hallmark's Itty Bitty 2018 checklist which shows a sneak peek at Edna Mode—coming this June as an online exclusive! Just awesome.
Welcome back Cars collectors! Today I'm taking a closer look at H. J. Hollis (better known by his sponsor N2O Cola— No. 68), one of the sleek new "next-gen" racers seen in Cars 3. As usual, this is a 1:55 scale diecast from Mattel and was part of last year's 2017 mainline. This one was really hard to come by in my area, but I was lucky enough to have found him this past week at my local Kmart of all places! It was such a pleasant and random find, given that I haven't found anything good at Kmart in like a decade.
As shown in the screen shot above, H. J. can clearly be seen racing in the Florida 500 at the end of the film (you can also spot him briefly during some of the races earlier on in the film as well). He supersedes Manny Flywheel (from the original Cars) and Parker Brakeston (Cars 3 stock car), who also raced for N2O Cola.
This is for sure one of my favorite next-gen racers released so far! LOVE the colors.
Be on the lookout for this one at your local Walmart, Kmart, Target or Toys R Us! This was a late 2017 release, so there's still a chance he could hit your area if he hasn't already. There's also another version out there with a bonus collector card, so be sure to keep your eye peeled for that one as well!
If you'd rather just snag H. J. online to save running around, check out current eBay listings HERE or Amazon using the direct link below. Happy hunting!
If you've been following my blog for some time, you might know I'm a pretty avid collector of the Disney Store PVC figurine sets (when it comes to new Pixar releases, of course). I just think they're a simple, fun and affordable way to get a bunch of the film's main characters as figures—and these days (they haven't always been this good) they're pretty detailed and great for display OR play. Just look at this Coco Deluxe Figurine Set released this past fall...every single one of these guys looks absolutely fantastic! I'm very impressed.
Just about all of these figures are somewhere between 1 1/2" tall (smallest being Dante) and 3 1/2" tall. Pepita is the exception at 5 1/2" long and 4" tall (obviously the largest of the bunch). Retail for the set is $19.99 (which is just a tad over $2 per figure), which I feel is reasonable. Look for Disney Store/ShopDisney.com sales for an even better deal though!
Take a look at my glam shots of each figure below and take in all the details. The paint application is so well done with each one and I really appreciate the orange marigold flower inspired bases! Nice touch.
HÉCTOR
PEPITA
DANTE
CHICHARRÓN
ERNESTO DE LA CRUZ
ALEJIBRE DANTE
MIGUEL
MAMA IMELDA
SKELETON MIGUEL
Note: If you're throwing a Coco themed birthday party and/or making a Coco inspired cake, these would make perfect cake toppers! Just putting that idea out there :)
My top three faves have to be Pepita (I've found that she's one of the most photogenic Pixar characters ever), Chicharrón (from one of my favorite scenes in the film, plus he's a less common character) and alejibre Dante (love the design and his base/stand which gives the figure a flying effect!). What about you??
You can still find this set in stock at your local Disney Store or on the ShopDisney site HERE. Get it while you can and let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
