Romero Britto Disney Figurines

Romero Britto is an artist born in Brazil. He is quite well known for his paintings and sculptures among the neo pop art community. Britto has done several designs for popular products for companies such as Audi, Evian, Coca Cole and of course Walt Disney! He began his relationship with Disney by doing some paintings of several Disney characters in a pop art style. I personally love pop art, it reminds me of old animators such as Chuck Jones and Mary Blair



I first came across Romero Britto's work when I purchased a gorgeous figurine of Snow White on the main street of my town where I bought my Jim Shore items. I had just finished my exams for Animal Science in college and decided to treat myself to the statue that I had been eyeing up in the window for a few weeks. There were three of the same type statues, which were of Cinderella, Belle, and Snow White. Although Snow White is a lovely character, she wouldn't be my favourite Disney princess, but her design was just so unique and pretty that she was the one I wanted the most. I love in particular the colours used for her, as the don't veer too far away from her original colours, but there is still something really one of a kind about this figurine. The detailing in Britto's work, such as the way the skirt of the princess looks like it has folded in and flared out just in the right areas for the way she is posed is very realistic and shows really wonderful attention to detail by the makers/designer.

These collectibles would make a really excellent addition to all Disney fan's collections, because, like the Jim Shore designs, they are classic Disney but with a twist and they're so beautiful to look at. The Snow White item I bought was €39.00 but obviously the prices will vary depending on what country and website you are purchasing from. I still think that's a really decent price for something so unique and interesting as this collectible. I want to add more to my Romero Britto collection eventually. I have my eye on a Lilo and Stitch mini figurine of his that I might purchase and talk about in the new year as a little treat to myself.

You can read about Romero Britto and his work/style here:

https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/brazil/articles/a-splash-of-colour-the-work-of-romero-britto/

Book Review: Fairest of All by Serena Valentino

Book Review: Fairest of All by Serena Valentino

Snow White is a story that everybody knows, even if you haven't seen the Disney version, you will mostly likely have read or seen one of the tellings of this tale at some point in your life. You may not however be as familiar with the Evil Queen's back story, and maybe that's not such a bad thing.

I bought this book in a local charity shop on my way one Friday evening to get a cocktail with my cousin. I spotted it on display in the window and the cover caught my attention, because at first glance I thought it was a picture of 50s pin up Jane Russell. Being a fan of old Hollywood stars also, I stopped and realized it was the Evil Queen, who I then realized looks quite a lot like a young Jane Russell! I went in and purchased the book for only €2.00 which was a proper bargain! Luckily, my cousin, who is also a big Snow White fan found another copy of the book to buy and we headed on our merry way. 

The story is all about the origin story of the Evil Queen and about why and how she came to be so diabolical in the first place. It begins with her as a young woman working with her mirror maker father, before she met the King and became Queen. The story then goes on to tell us of her marriage, her relationship with a very young Snow White and how it all went from so sweet to so sour. The book itself is a quick and easy read, including prologue and epilogue it only consists of 250 pages. I'm actually not sure how to explain what I feel about this book in any other way other than to just say "Meh". It was okay, the story itself could have been so much more imaginative and wicked. It feels like a good opportunity was missed here to be completely honest. The beginning few chapters and the ending are probably the worst. In the middle section, the Queen is starting to become unwound and we're seeing signs of, really who we're waiting for, which is the fantastically devilish and frightening character we had in the movie. However, those moments are too few and far between and not heightened enough to be truly entertaining. One of my major complaints about this book is regarding the supporting characters of the triplet female cousins that are used as a plot hole for everything the Queen does/has from the first film. I thought they were described as something from a Tim Burton film and I did not appreciate that for this story, they just did not fit. The final few chapters are nothing new and add nothing to the original story and I personally found them quite dull to read and left me feeling a little bit sleepy and a tiny bit grumpy. The one positive thing I could say, as mentioned previously, is that it is a quick and easy read and if you're a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs fan, it could be something to look into, if even to see what one person's theory is on why the Queen is just so gosh darn vain and so wonderfully Evil.

The Book is actually part of a series by the same author about origins of Disney Characters which also includes Beauty and the Beast's Beast and The Little Mermaid's Ursula (which I actually wouldn't mind checking out, to see if it is more entertaining than this book) You can check them out here

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Serena%20Valentino%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ntx=mode%20matchall

Chubby little Plushies All Stuffed With Fluff

I wanted to do a post about Disney's stuffed animals/characters. Many, many people collect them, and some have absolutely HUGE collections, like whole king size beds full of them. I only have a few of them so far, the main reason for this is that the Disney Store nearest me is a 2 hour train ride away on Grafton Street in Dublin City. It would be extremely dangerous for my purse and my bank account if I lived closer to that store! which I'm sure all Disney fans can relate to. The teddies range in price, but the regular size ones are usually between €25.00 and €30.00 which I have to say, for something of such beautiful quality, isn't too bad. Obviously you can get Disney teddies that are just as lovely from other places, I just have a particular fondness for these ones.

I do have a fondness for TY Beanies as well as some other stuffed animals brands. But, the Disney ones are my absolute favourite and the quality, as with all Disney store merchandise, is terrific. My tiny collection consists of four teddies. Three of which were given to me by my boyfriend as presents so I take that as a perfect sign of how well he knows me! The first one I got for myself in 2012 during what was probably only my second visit to the Disney store. It's a Lady from Lady and the Tramp, her detailing includes of course her blue collar with it's golden tag. The next one I received last Christmas from my boyfriend, it's a big adult Simba, I was delighted with this one for several reasons including because my cat's name is Simba and also because I really wasn't expecting to get it and I had never seen it in the store before so I was really surprised and thought it was just gorgeous, with his big mane and happy expression, it was the perfect gift for me. Next, I have my Tramp for lady and the tramp which is my favourite of the four teddies. I guess because I just think it's the most detailed and it reminds me of a lovely dog I know called Baxter. He also has his red collar from the end of the film with his own golden tag on it which I think makes him match up with the Lady teddy even more. Finally I have my Marie from The Aristocats, this is definitely the cutest one I own, I got it from my boyfriend for Valentine's Day this year when we both went to the Dublin Store, I got him a big Stitch teddy there as his present. The Marie teddy has her pink bow and collar around her neck with a satin fabric and she's just a gorgeous teddy. I think she's very realistic too, my evidence of that is that a dog who's puppy I was caring for actually growled at her for a minute thinking she was real! 

 Something I should mention about real Disney store plushies is that they always include a little stamp at the bottom of their feet or somewhere on their body that has "Genuine, Original and Authentic" written on it. To be fair though, as long as it has copywright Disney on the label or written on it somewhere, you know it's the real deal and as long as it's special to you and something that you love because it reminds you of one of your beloved Disney movies/memories, then that's really all that matters. 

You can have a look at Disney plushies/soft toys on the Disney Store website too <3

http://www.disneystore.co.uk/departments/toys/soft-toys

Best Disney Christmas Movies

Well now that it's officially less than 3 weeks till Christmas Day, and I'm really starting to feel the Festive Spirit, I thought I'd just make a little list of some of what I consider to be the best Disney Christmas Movies. There are A LOT of them, of course, but some in my opinion are just much better than others. So here's my personal favourites, and hopefully anybody looking to do a movie marathon of Christmas films will find it helpful in the coming weeks

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)

Okay, so this film will never live up to the original, obviously, but it's still a charming and sweet little story that brings all of our favourite characters to the screen again. The story takes place during Belle's time at the castle, before she and the Beast fell fully in love and he let her leave. The plot consists of Belle and the rest of the castle trying to change the Beast's mind about his hatred for Christmas. Paige O'Hara returns as Belle thank god, and Tim Curry does an excellent job voicing the villainous Organ Forte. There is also some lovely songs, particularly "As Long as There's Christmas". 4 out of 5 stars from me, even if that is helped a lot by nostalgia






The Santa Clause (1994)

This movie is played every single Christmas season as the Saturday movie here in Ireland and I look forward to it every time! It stars the fantastic Tim Allen, as a man who accidentally kills Santa Claus, which means he has to take his place as old Father Christmas. I adored this film as a child, it's a lot of fun and some really emotional moments. This yet again is a film that may be loved more by people who watched it as children than by people who watch it for the first time today, but I feel it still holds up as a Christmas classic. 5 out of 5 stars from me









The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

I recently had a debate with a friend of mine as to whether this was a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie, it obviously can be see as both, however I always found it to be more Christmassy than anything. With that in mind, I'll absolutely be watching it in the next few weeks. There's not much I can say about this film that hasn't already been said, so many people adore it and with good reason. The animation is wonderful and really charming and the songs. I remember when I first watched it, the song "What's This?" was just so magical to listen to and watch, it's still one of my favourites. 4 out of 5 stars from me








The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992)

Of all of the Disney Christmas movies and perhaps of any of the Christmas movies I watched as a kid, this one is by far my favourite. It has Michael Caine as Scrooge and Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, what's not to love? The classic Charles Dickens' story being told by the Muppets works so brilliantly well and cleverly. According to information I've read, the movie didn't do very well at the Box Office that year due to Home Alone 2, but I have to be honest, I feel this is a way better more festive feature and a childhood classic. 5 out of 5 stars







Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too (1991)

Well, here's one for the tiniest of tikes to enjoy, and if you're at all like me, the older tikes too. The movie is, like everything Pooh Bear related, absolutely adorable. I used to own this one VHS as a kid and I would watch it all year round. The plot revolves around all the Hundred Acre Wood gang going to the North Pole to get Christopher Robin's letter back before santa claus see's that it doesn't say what Pooh bear wants on it. It wouldn't be considered by critics to be as great an animation as the original Winnie the Pooh films, but I think it's a lovely little treat for kids and some adults on a Christmas morning. 5 out of 5 stars

Back to my Childhood: Disney toys and Draughts

Yesterday, my Boyfriend and I went shopping in Gorey, a small town next to mine that has a tonne of small boutique style shops with unique bits and bobs, or thingamabobs. Although I did not get 20 thingamabobs, I did pick up a few presents for family and of course, some small Disney themed bits for myself.

The first Disney things I purchased were these two adorable little Disney figurines I found in a toy shop called Munchkins. The figures of produced by Bullyland, which I had never heard of. They are approximately I'd say 2 inches tall and made from PVC. I walked in the door of the shop and straight away I spotted a large glass display case full of these cute little characters from most of the Disney classics and even from modern movies like Moana and Rapunzel. The two I chose to buy were The Evil Queen from Snow White and her old Peddler (witch) woman disguise also. They cost €5.95 each which really isn't much at all. They are obviously not very rare and wouldn't be considered to be greatly detailed, despite what the many online descriptions of them say, but they are lovely little figurines for the price and I plan on collecting some bit by bit each time I go to Gorey.

The Other Disney item I got yesterday was in a book/toy store and it was a Disney Draughts Board Game. I spotted it while looking for one last small toy to pop in with my nephew's Christmas presents. It was among a bunch of for sale board games and books and was marked down from €9.99 to €6.99. I looked at my boyfriend (who is also a big board game fanatic) and said we had to get it for such a cheap price and to keep us entertained once in a while and of course because it was Disney. So, I purchased it along with my nephew's present. The game itself is literally just a game of draughts or checkers as some places call them. It has a cute little blue and navy board with a load of the characters surrounding it's boarder and 2 sets of pawns. We were far too tired from our retail therapy to play a game last night, but I'd imagine it's the exact same as any game of draughts only it has the Disney novelty which lets face it, makes everything better! The game was made by Trefl which I believe is a Polish company and I think it would make a great little present for anybody you know that loves Disney and Board games.

You can see the entire Disney Bullyland Figure Collection here

http://www.paragontoys.co.uk/disney-figures---by-bullyland-79-c.asp

You can also purchase the Disney Draughts set here

https://www.amazon.com/Linenideas-00634-Disney-Draughts/dp/B002Y739QE

Moana Review

Moana (2016) My Review ★★★★★

My boyfriend and I went to see Disney's new film Moana last night at our local cinema. The movie is animated and features the voices of Dwayne Johnson, Auli'i Cravalho and Nicole Scherzinger. Before I talk about this movie I have to mention the short at the beginning of the film. Whenever I go to see any Disney animated production I always forget and then am pleasantly surprised when Mickey in Steamboat Willy pops up whistling and then a short begins. This one was entitled, Inner Workings and it was so good! I won't give away too much about it, but there's one point half way through the short that I actually found myself tearing up and getting really ovwhelmed. So needless to say, it was very touching and I really hope it is in with a shot for the Best Animated Short at the Academy Awards 2017.

Now, onto Moana. The plot is kind of standard Disney fair in that it's about a young girl going on an adventure, Dwayne Johnson's character even makes a little joke about the whole "princess on a mission" story line which I really enjoyed. The story centers on a young girl who is about to become the Chief of her people on an Island in Ancient Polynesia, when she is chosen by the Ocean to go on a mission and restore the heart of a god so her Island's crops will keep growing and fish will return to near their land. During this mission she meets the Demi God who stole the Heart in the first place. I won't say anything more about the plot because I don't want to spoil anything for anybody reading.

My overall feeling about this film was that it was pretty wonderful. There are so many amazing aspects to it, not least of all the animation, which is probably the best I've seen Disney do, it is just so realistic. I in particular love the water Animation, which as any Disney fan knows has proved difficult to get right for animators ever since the making of Pinocchio. The female lead & title character Moana is one of the most independent and fearless Disney girls since Mulan, and even better because she's not trying to "be a man", and doesn't have to end up with one, she's just doing what she can to save her home and loved ones. The Demi God, Maui voiced by The Rock himself (and honestly they picked the perfect man to play this guy) provides some really great banter moments and also one of the more heartbreaking plot points in the whole film. The laughs come mainly from Moana's pet chicken, who I think would remind everybody of some dopey hapless pet they've had at one time or another. There is also a hilarious scene with Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement voicing a jewel obsessed Crab.

What shines most in this movie however for me was the music, it was so effective and beautifully sung, I particularly loved the song How Far I'll Go, which was really rousing, particularly it's reprise towards the end of the film. I don't believe the film was have as huge an appeal to kids as Frozen, however much it deserves it which is unfortunate. Overall, I would give Moana 5 out of 5 stars, one of the best Disney films I've seen in the past 10 years, beautifully animated with fun likable characters and a really effective ending sequence. A must see for all Disney lovers!

Paint with all the Colours of.....your Crayola Box!

Disney Art Therapy Colouring Book

I just have to admit right now, that I own more than just the colouring book I'm about to talk about, I do actually own 3 or 4 Disney colouring books, including a Princess one and a Jungle Book one. I've always found colouring, even into my adulthood to be really calming and enjoyable, even if most of the books I've used to do it are recommended for 4 year olds. According to a few articles I've come across online, there are dozens of reasons why colouring is therapeutic for adults, including the fact that it helps de-stress people and it can help bring out creativity. I mostly do it because as I said, it calms me and I like the purdy pictures, I pretty much stick to Disney or cartoon themed books myself but you can get so many Art Therapy colouring books now of all kind for Adults and Kids which I think is fantastic! It takes the stigma away from doing something most people would only associate with Childhood.

I actually came across this gorgeous Disney Princess Art Therapy colouring book a few months ago in my local TK Maxx among all the odds and ends they have in the arts & crafts section. The book is A4 Sized and has LOTS of pages with different Disney Princess related patterns, some of which even have pictures of the princesses themselves. It cost me €5.99 in that shop, but I guess that's a low price as that's how TK Maxx works, I'd imagine it usually sells for €10.00 and up. Either way it's well worth the price as it's so big.

So in conclusion, if you're into arts & crafts, Disney Princess pictures or just calming yourself with some pictures and markers this would be a great thing to pick up. As the back of the book says; "Everyone has an inner artist waiting to be released, and this magical collection of Disney Princess Patterns provides the perfect canvas to develop your creative skills".

Jim Shore Statues and Why I love them

Jim Shore's Disney Tradition Statues are probably some of the most beautiful and wonderfully designed Disney collector's Items I have ever seen. I first came across these lovely figurines in a jewelers in my home town and I couldn't believe how amazingly detailed they were, but they were also just so different and unlike any Disney figure I'd seen before which I loved. They had a really well done display of some of the statues in their window among all of their bracelets and whatnot. When I went home and googled about the figures I discovered that they are very popular and you can get them in any number of places and there are so many different ones.

The man behind these creations, Jim Shore, is an American artist from South Carolina who, after years of successfully making his own unique creations, teamed up with Disney to produce his own twist on their classic characters and stories. When asked why he loves making his pieces, Jim was quoted as saying: “Art is something I’ve done all my life. It’s what I’ve always loved and the only thing I ever wanted to do. But making a living as an artist isn’t easy. There are thousands of very talented people out there that never get a chance to show what they can do. I’ve been lucky. Not only do I get to do what I love, I get to share it with people around the world. I’ve been given a tremendous gift and I thank God for it every day.”

I have included some photos of ones I've purchased since 2011. The most recent one I got was for my 5 month old Nephew's bedroom. My sister, went with a Winnie the Pooh theme which I was naturally pretty happy about, and I knew the second she told me that, I'd have to add a little Jim Shore touch to the room. The statue is of Pooh and his teddy getting ready for a long winter's slumber , which I thought was just a super cute idea and to have in a baby's room was ideal! It's about 6 inches tall I believe and when I gave it to my sister before the little man arrived into the world she was really delighted with it.

As you can see, the detail on them is really intricate and it just looks like something special. My favourite part of the Winnie the Pooh is his little pj's and that he's got his own little bear, such an adorable concept.

One of the first Statues I bought for myself in 2011 was an Alice in Wonderland one, the collection has a lot of this type of figure, mostly of the girl characters sitting on a stand and they are so pretty and delicate looking.

One other statue I thought I'd talk about from not my personal collection, but it is one I purchased for my cousin for her birthday last year. Her favourite Disney movie is Peter Pan, so the minute I saw him sitting in that window display of that jewelers I knew it was the perfect gift for her. It's similar to my Alice one and a Bambi one I also have, I should mention the prices vary with these items, the smaller ones like Peter Pan & Alice aren't too expensive (€25.00) here in Ireland, however the larger and more detailed they get, the pricier they get, but they are absolutely worth it! If you're a collector and are looking for a new line of Disney merchandise to peak your interest or if you're just interested in keeping a gorgeous piece of Disney art in your home, I'd definitely look into Jim Shore's Disney Traditions Collection! It's the perfect time of year for it.

You can see Jim's stuff on Facebook <3

https://www.facebook.com/ArtistJimShore/?fref=ts

Jim Shore Disney Traditions Online Shop <3

http://shop.jimshore.com/disney-traditions.html

Book Review: The Disney Book, A Celebration of the World of Disney

Book Review: The Disney Book, A Celebration of the World of Disney

I wanted my first post to be about this wonderful book I came across in a small bookstore in a town I was working in about three months ago. The Book is entitled The Disney Book; A Celebration of the World of Disney. It was written by Jim Fanning and published by DK in 2015. It cost me €23.99 here in Ireland. I didn't set out to purchase this amazing book, however when I came across it while looking for a story book for my baby nephew one morning I absolutely HAD to have it!

The most beautiful and interesting thing about this book for me are the rare images it contains. It has so many unique story board sketches from Snow White and other classics which are lovely to see as well as an early sketch drawn by Walt himself as a young man in his sister's school book. When you first open the book it comes with an original 35mm filmstrip from Disney Pixar's Brave. I must be completely honest here, Brave is not a favourite of mine, however it is a pretty cool item to have in any Disney fan's collection, so I really think it was a sweet little touch that the publishers included it.

The Book begin's with some super interesting history on Walt's beginnings and his time making Silly Symphonies and how he came to create everybody's favourite Mouse with Designer Ub Iwerks. There are individual sections throughout the book about all of the Disney classics and how they were made, the artistry that went into making them and the audience reception upon their release. The book is very thorough however, so it doesn't just give you information on the standard Disney animated films, there's a really in depth look at the live action films made by Disney too, including of course Mary Poppins, my personal favourite! I really loved the parts that were dedicated to discussing the animator's and imagineer's work and how it varied and was unique to each film.

The final sections of the book are about Disney branding and merchandising and also the impact the Disney brand has had on the world of entertainment, including a lengthy section about Disney theme parks which I found very interesting and unique to this particular book.

All in all, this book was a terrific buy. I think if you wanted to know more about Disney as a whole, in particular about Disney history, it's a must-read item. 5 out of 5 from me!

My Very Own Disney World

My Very Own Disney World!

Hi! My name's Sinead and I am a 25 year old Irish Disney fanatic! I love ALL things Disney, from the music, to novelty items, to Disneyland and of course Disney Films! I have been a Disney fanatic since I was a little chubby child and I have only become more interested and devoted a fan as the years have gone by. I decided to do this blog mainly to share some interesting things I have bought, received, come across over the years that are Disney related. I'm pretty much doing this to entertain myself first and foremost, but also I'd like to think that maybe some fellow Disney fans will come upon some of my posts and find them a little bit interesting. So, if you're that kind of person and would like to read my blog to pass the time, Be My Guest!