Toy Story Concept Art by Ralph Eggleston (From "The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards" Set)

Similarly to what I did a few weeks ago, tonight I just wanted to quickly share some more of my personal favorite art found in the "The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards" Volume 1 boxed set—this time Toy Story! While these aren't new items of mine, I've never highlighted these specific postcards individually before. I was looking through the sets recently, as I do every now and then, and was reminded of this absolutely amazing concept art by the studio's own [the legendary] Ralph Eggleston (art director for Toy Story)! The art, featuring Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Hamm, Bo Peep, Slinky, Lenny, Rex and Mr. Potato Head, was just too amazing not to share with you all.

So were these concept designs for Andy's drawings, the ones on the wall in his bedroom? I'm not exactly sure what they were originally made/intended for, but that's my best guess since it fits that crayon-drawn style. The size of each postcard is unique (about 5 3/4" x 4"), so it's kind of hard to find little frames that size. I've always wanted to frame these for my desk, but it just hasn't happened yet. I really wish they were also available as larger prints so I could hang it on my office wall!

Anyway, that's everything for tonight. Just something short and sweet. If you're interested in adding either of the "Art of Pixar" postcard boxed sets to your collection (they're a great price by the way; total must-haves), you can make your purchase using the Amazon affiliate links below. Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!

Happy Mother's Day 2020!

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone! Can you identify all these Pixar moms? Shout out your favorite down below and any you can think of that I may have missed! 

Hope you all had a beautiful day— see you right here tomorrow :)

Loungefly Disney·Pixar Panel Scenes Mini Backpack from BoxLunch—GIVEAWAY!!

Yesterday I posted my review of the fantastic BoxLunch exclusive Loungefly Disney·Pixar Panel Scenes Mini Backpack seen above...and today I'm giving you a chance to WIN it! Be sure to enter my giveaway, only on Instagram HERE. The instructions are as follows: 

1) Be sure to be following me @danthepixarfan and @boxlunchgifts on Instagram
2) Like this giveaway post
3) Tag a Disney/Pixar loving friend in the comments below the post (multiple friends will count as multiple entries, please no fake or spam accounts as they will not be counted)
4) Though not necessary, if you share this post on your Instagram page and/or Instagram story with my handle tagged, I will screen shot it and that will also count as an additional entry + improve you chances.
 
BEGINS NOW

ENDS WEDNESDAY 5/13 at 10:00 pm EST. The winner will be chosen at random and announced within 24 hours. Open to everyone. BEST OF LUCK! 🙌🏻

Loungefly Disney·Pixar Panel Scenes Mini Backpack (BoxLunch Exclusive)

Four of my favorite Pixar films + adorably illustrated screen art + faux leather Loungefly mini backpack= this must have item for Pixar fans! Characters/iconic imagery from Wall·E, Up, Monsters Inc. and Toy Story are all featured here in this insanely cute panel style BoxLunch exclusive design. The enamel "Pixar Ball" zipper pull takes it over the top! This is one amazing backpack right here.

Additional details include adjustable straps, carry handle, two side pockets, silver tone hardware, main zip compartment, Loungefly brand badge on side, interior zip pocket and blue interior lining with an allover Pixar character silhouette pattern. Size of the backpack is about 9" x 10 1/2" x 5". It's small, but it's really the perfect size for a day at the Disney Parks to keep some small personal items in that you might need throughout the day. I'm so excited to wear it during my next trip—you know, when the parks eventually open back up!

 Check out all the details below...

Which Pixar characters and objects do you spot on the silhouette pattern inside the backpack?

If you've even gotten any product from Loungefly, you know their company is synonymous with quality. If you're unfamiliar with them, they're a premiere contemporary accessory company (owned by Funko), maker of  pop-culture focused, officially licensed backpacks, handbags, wallets, pins and so much more. Their Disney/Pixar items are the real standouts, but the also have products related to Hello Kitty, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pokemon and the like. I have nothing but great things to say about this one! Original retail price was $69.90 at BoxLunch, however it has unfortunately since sold out.

Let me know your thoughts below. Were you able to pick this up for your collection? What's your favorite Disney Loungefly item? There are SO MANY amazing designs! If you haven't yet, be sure to explore their website, especially their Toy Story items. You'll be blown away.

NOTE: BoxLunch has some other really cool exclusive Loungefly designs currently. Check them out HERE.

Disney·Pixar Onward Little Golden Book Review

The humor. The thrills. The emotion. The magic. THE QUEST. Rediscover the adventure to find the Phoenix Gem in this Disney·Pixar Onward Little Golden Book released on February 4th! 

Little Golden Books, like with many people, are a classic part of my childhood; so naturally when Pixar themed Little Golden books (based on the feature length and short films as well as some original stories) began to be published back in 2003 (Finding Nemo was the very first), I jumped right on the chance to collect them all. To this day, I still get super excited for each new release year after year. They're one of the most consistent additions to my collection—I can always count on a new Little Golden Book to coincide with the release of every new Pixar film these days! They're always so well done and this one is no exception.

The story of Onward was wonderfully adapted here by Courtney Carbone (who did a fabulous job at condensing and simplifying the film's main story points for little ones), illustrated by the great Nick Balian (along with the Disney Storybook Art Team) and designed by Tony Fejeran. It's pretty remarkable, each of these books has a different illustrator, yet there's a consistent look that's present across all of them. Balian's style fits perfectly with the timeless charm of Little Golden Books (as well as the rest of the Pixar collection) and I'm sure he'd be happy to know that he's done the series justice. The art is honestly the reason I love collecting and look forward to these books, so I'm glad they nailed it here by hiring the right guy once again. Amazing work, Nick! The epic spread across the fist two pages (partially seen below; a depiction of the film's prologue) is reason enough to snag this book. Just WOW.

The first Little Golden Books were published back in 1942, so needless to say, this collection has really stood the test of time. Hundreds of titles later and it's still going strong! I love how even the modern Little Golden Books (like this one here) tap into the nostalgia of their old time publications and are still created in a similar, [now considered] "retro", fashion.

Now let's continue your exclusive sneak peek inside... 

This hardcover book is the standard Little Golden Book size of 8" tall x 6.5" wide, is 24 pages long and retails for $4.99. If you and/or your little ones at home love Onward like I do, you'll certainly want to pick this up for your collection. It's perfection, sure to be a hit at story time! I picked mine up at Barnes & Noble (it's in stores and online), but you can also find it on Amazon using the link below. It's also available digitally, but I'm all about hard copies.

What are your thoughts? Anyone else out there as excited as I am about this release? Shout it all out down in the comments and hopefully we can get a conversation going.

Final note: You can explore my entire Pixar Little Golden Book collection HERE! There's one for every single Pixar film so far except A Bug's Life (I know, sad but true). Hopefully we'll get that one someday!

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Disney·Pixar Onward Apple iOS Sticker Pack

Hey everyone! Last week I posted on the Incredibles 2 Apple iOS animated stickers and mentioned I'd be back to share the new Onward ones soon as well. And here we are! What's fantastic is that right now these are somehow FREE when usually they're $1.99. Maybe it's one of those things to help people out during this pandemic? Either way, it's awesome!

If you've never downloaded any of these "sticker packs"for your iPhone before, they're absolutely adorable and I can't recommend them enough. They're colorful, perfectly stylized and have fun little motions/moving text...just an all around fun way to add some excitement and Disney/Pixar magic to everyday chats! I believe there's always a place for a Disney/Pixar quote or reference, no matter what kind conversation you're having. :) In addition to these Onward stickers, check out all the other Pixar themed packs available: Toy Story, Cars 3, Finding Dory, Monsters Inc., Coco, Bao, Toy Story 4, Incredibles 2 and Inside Out.

Once installed, all you have to do is tap or drag and drop any sticker into any iMessage conversation and let the fun ensue. You can even resize and rotate them (using two fingers in the classic touch screen manner), stack them and place them on photos/messages within the thread. This pack includes 21 magical stickers featuring the entire main cast of characters: Ian, Barley, Wilden (Dad), Laurel, the Manticore, Blazey (pet dragon), Office Colt Bronco, trash unicorn, pixies and Guinevere (the van).

Take a look at all the stickers above and download yours on the app store today (direct link below) to see them in action! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments and stay tuned for more Pixar product reviews right here soon.

Coco: "Miguel and Dante" Postcard (Artwork by Joey Chou)

Hola mis amigos! From one of my favorite artists, the talented Joey Chou, comes this Disney·Pixar Coco inspired print titled "Miguel and Dante"! This gorgeous artwork was released this past February for the 2020 Epcot International Festival of the Arts and follows Chou's previous six Pixar creations which include: The Good Dinosaur (see HERE & HERE), Finding Dory, Up, Cars and The Incredibles. I would absolutely love to see every Pixar film in Chou's portfolio someday.

This is, per usual, the standard 4x5 postcard size I always collect (the best value for this art, retailing at only $5.99—also great if you don't have much wall space), but it's also available as a Deluxe size 14x18 matted print and a 18x24 Canvas Wrap.

Chou's style is incredibly adorable. It's a unique balance of minimal designs, bright/soft colors and simple shapes/sharp lines. I couldn't begin to pick a favorite of his, but this one is up there now for sure! It just may be his most detailed yet. I know I've said that before, but he just keeps topping himself. Just WOW. The marigold bridge, the candles, the beads, the picado banner, Miguel, Dante and Pepita...it's all perfection—vibrant, masterfully composed (that depth is stunning) and cute as can be. It really captures the magic and heart of the film.

Before the shutdown, this could be found at the Disney Springs (or Downtown Disney in CA) Wondeground Gallery shop. At this point, if you're interested in this for your collection, your best bet tracking it down would be checking out current eBay listings HERE.

I can't wait to see what else Chou creates throughout the year! What film would you love to see him tackle next?  Whatever it might be, consider it purchased. Find out more about Joey Chou and his art on his Tumblr, blog, and Facebook page. If you like what you see, give him a follow on Instagram and Twitter as well! He's an awesome guy.

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Be sure to let me know all your thoughts in comment section below. Stay tuned to more from my Pixar collection right here daily!

Finding Nemo SuperBib 2-Pack (by Bumkins)

This past Friday, our baby boy Aidan turned 20 weeks old—how is he already almost five months?! Time is just flying by, which is emotional in one way, but exciting in another since we're absolutely thrilled to see him learn and develop so much every single day! He is so sweet and loving; he brings so much joy and laughter daily and we're always so excited to see what new things he can do. To celebrate him turning 20 weeks old, we thought it was time to introduce him to solid foods since he's been showing a real interest in what mommy and daddy are eating lately! This was a big milestone that we've been anticipating even before Aidan was born, since my wife Brita and I consider ourselves "foodies" and always hoped he would be into a wide variety of foods/flavors like we are.

For Aidan's first solid food, my wife went with a puréed organic roasted sweet potato. He ended up loving it and can't get enough! We were so impressed with how well he did with it his first time and he's only gotten better. Since then, he's had it every day and we've also introduced him to other foods like avocado. He seems to be enjoying it all as much as we always hoped he would! It's so cute to watch him eat (you can just see his little wheels turning) and then suck on the spoon until every last morsel is gone.

With the introduction of messy solids, we knew it was also time to change up his bib. So we started using the Disney Baby Finding Nemo SuperBib (with catch-all pocket) by Bumkins, which comes with two styles in a pack—one design with Nemo and Dory and the other featuring Nemo and Squirt! The screen art is stylized and adorable, perfect for heading into summertime.

The crumb catcher feature is really nice and will be even more useful when he starts eating other messy foods over he next couple years. What I also love is that it's a really easy to clean, lightweight material (100% polyester with coating for waterproofing) that's single ply construction, so it's stain and odor resistant. It can quickly be rinsed by hand (or machine-washed) after use and air dries in a matter of minutes; always ready to be used again before the next meal. It's handy to have a second bib as well in case one is in the laundry!

The bib measures about 10” across and 9” from neck down and is sized for ages 6-24 months (Aidan's a little ahead of the game here ;). Retail price is $12.95.

There are so many super cute SuperBibs available at Bumkins and I recommend checking them all out on their website HERE! I highly suggest snagging a few sets for your little one as this seems to be one of the best reviewed bibs out there (plus there are lots of basic designs and others inspired by pop culture like Mickey Mouse, Toy Story, Nintendo, Super Heroes, Harry Potter and more). You can purchase this Finding Nemo set on the Bumkins website HERE or Amazon using the link below! 

Be sure to let me know your thoughts down in the comments and stay tuned right here for more from my Pixar collection daily.

Monsters Inc.: "Scare Pack" (7" Action Figures by Mattel!)

They scare because they care! Right at the start of the year, Mattel released their brand new Pixar 7" posable action figure collection featuring characters from across many of Pixar's classic films (a branch off of their award winning Toy Story 4 action figure range from last year, which also expanded to Onward as well). Well the collection continues to grow in an exciting way with the release of this Monsters Inc. inspired 4-Pack of figures dubbed "Scare Pack"! This set includes Mike Wazowski, Sulley, Boo and an exclusive Randall. So exciting!

The Mike, Sulley and Boo are exactly the same as the single-pack releases (which I already reviewed HERE), but how could I pass up adding Randall to my collection? This Randall has not been released as an individual figure, so this is currently the only way to get him. Sure, if I knew this set was coming, I would have just waited to get them all here, but oh well.

Since I already shared my thoughts on the other figures (and the line as a whole), this post will just be focusing in on Randall. First though, how amazing did the design team at Mattel do on this packaging!? All the details and subtle Monsters Inc. touches are just phenomenal; on the front and back! The presentation of the figures and artwork on the inside of the window box are fantastic too (love how one side of the backdrop is a door opening to Paris and the other side is the door vault). It's all perfection.

Here is Randall out of the box! He looks outstanding—such a great figure. I'm so impressed with his sculpt (perfect character likeness), paint app and all the points of articulation he has! He's a sturdy plastic figure and measures 6.5" tall. This whole line is the perfect scale for kids to play with and adult collectors to display. Job well done Mattel.

The only thing I wish here is that one or two more accessories were included. A scream canister or a door station (or even Mike's work helmet as seen on the back of the box) would have taken this pack to the next level. No biggie though, just a thought!

There really hasn't been a Randall figure like this since the original one by Hasbro released in 2001 (lights and sounds, seen HERE), so this is really exciting for me and pretty nostalgic seeing Monsters Inc. toys on the shelf again after all these years. You can find this pack at Target (that's where I found mine and I believe it's the only store that currently carries it) for $29.99. Let me know your thoughts down below! Will you be picking this Scare Pack up for your collection?

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Mattel Pixar Minis "World of Pixar Playset" Review

The worlds of Pixar collide in this amazing "Minis" playset from Mattel, appropriately called "World of Pixar Playset"! Last Saturday, I posted on Series 1 of the "PIXAR Minis" blind bags. If you missed that post, you're going to want to check it out before moving on here. Ok, all caught up? Let's go!

As if the "Minis" figures weren't fun enough on their own, Mattel took things to the next level with this super fun 3-movies-in-1 playset. I'm all about playsets when it comes to any figure collection (love any added play features and areas to recreate movie moments), so I was thrilled when I saw this one was coming. This set opens up to 360 degrees of play and includes memorable locations from three classic Pixar films all interconnected: Finding Nemo (dentist office fish tank & Nemo's home sea anemone) , The Incredibles (island omnidroid attack & city Underminer attack) and Monsters Inc. (Boo's door station & Harryhausen's restaurant). And ready for this? It comes with an exclusive Mr. Incredible (blue retro suite) mini figure AND the whole playset folds up into a Pixar ball carry case! See? I told you this was next-level stuff here.

Not only are three Pixar films represented here, but this set has three functions as well. Want to play with your minis and have all the Pixar characters cross over into the different worlds? Let your imagination soar! Want to display your minis? This set is perfect for that. Need a place to store your minis? Look no further than right here! Play, display, store.

Here it is out of the packaging! What Pixar fan could resist this? So iconic.

The case itself is about 8" tall (that includes the handle) and 7" wide.

And here it is opened up with all 13 current minis ready to play! The playset is very simple to fold out (accordion style) and there's no assembly required. Just open it up, unfold the play areas, flip up the backdrops and connect either end of the circle. You're ready to go! Folding everything back up after playing is just as easy and takes little to no effort.

The diameter of the play area when opened up is about 14".

I like the addition of the storage/display shelves inside either half of the Pixar ball. Nice touch.

World of Nemo! Just keep swimming...

The anemone has a little window that opens up for Nemo to swim inside!

World of The Incredibles...it's showtime.

Here's a closer look at the exclusive Mr. Incredible! Syndrome, Elastigirl, Jack-Jack and Mr. Incredible (red suite) are scheduled to come in a future series.

The Underminer's drill can open up! Could we see an Underminer mini in the future?

World of Monsters...I wouldn't have nothin' if I didn't have you.

Boo's door opens! Boo and Randall minis are slated for a future series as well.

I love the art design of the octopus monster Chef in the Harryhausen's area. SO extra cute!

That's about it everyone! To wrap things up. I just have to say that the cuteness levels are off the charts with this whole set. While there aren't a lot of action/play features here (remember though, mini figures in general are inherently not the most thrilling of toys), the playset makes up for it by having an amazing design overall. If you collect the "PIXAR Minis", then this set will most likely be on your must-have list. I completely recommend it, for play or display! Retail price is $19.99 and can be found on Amazon (direct link to purchase below). I've yet to see this available anywhere else in-store.

Can't wait to to hear all YOUR thoughts! Let me know what you think down in the comment section and be sure to stay tuned right here daily for more from my Pixar collection.

Disney Parks "The World of Pixar" Men's Tee

AMAZING TEE ALERT 🚨 Straight from Walt Disney World and Disneyland, here we have this outstanding "The World of Pixar" adult tee as part of the "The World of Pixar" line of merch released earlier this year! The last time I was into a Disney Store/ Disney Parks shirt design this much was probably this "Pixar Pals" shirt from 2014.

I'm just such a huge fan of the minimalist character designs that were created for this collection, so this tee was a must-have because of those alone. Plus the whole screen art of the stacked "Pixar"s is so fun, colorful and unique—unlike any other shirt in my Pixar collection! It's a really clean design; busy, but not too busy. It really is a celebration of all Pixar's films! Well, almost all of them. This shirt has characters representing every single Pixar film/franchise except two. Yup, you guessed it (the two that usually get shafted): A Bug's Life and The Good Dinosaur (this tee came out before Onward was released). They just needed to throw Arlo and Flik on here and then the whole library through 2019 would have been represented. Oh well, not a huge deal...just a little missed opportunity.

By the way, I've yet to find out who the artist is behind the brilliant "The World of Pixar" art. If you have any insights, be sure to let me know. I'd love to follow their work and give them proper credit here. 

 

The characters included are: Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, Space Alien (Toy Story), Mike Wazowski, Sulley (Monsters, Inc.), Jack-Jack, Edna Mode (The Incredibles), Russell, Dug, Kevin (Up), Wall•E, Eve (WALL•E), Merida (Brave) Miguel, Dante (Coco) Lightning McQueen (Cars), Joy, Anger (Inside Out), Remy (Ratatouille), Nemo, Dory, Squirt (Finding Nemo), the Pixar Lamp and the Pixar Ball. The shirt is pretty standard Hanes Brand quality (not the softest), but the cut is decent. It fits pretty well and relatively slim. I personally gravitate toward the more athletic fit though (this isn't quite that), so I'll admit that I'm a bit picky with how tees fit.

This t-shirt was available at the Disney Parks before the shutdown and then on ShopDisney.com very briefly for $24.99 (unfortunately it sold out there pretty quick). I hope they restock it online for everyone who didn't get a chance to get it, especially since the parks are currently closed for the foreseeable future. A huge thanks to my friend Paulina who picked this up for me and sent it my way before all the craziness out there!

Pixar fans, this is a must-have shirt for your collection if you can get your hands on it! Maybe check current eBay listings HERE? If you like this shirt design, you're going to want to check out the rest of the super fun "The World of Pixar" collection HERE & HERE —most of which is also currently still on ShopDisney. See also: my post on the Pixar ball keychain and sticky note set.

Let me know all your thoughts down below! Were you able to pick this one up?