Top 10 Disney Mothers

One element that has always been a topic of conversation amongst movie buffs and Disney buffs in particular, is Walt Disney's lack of a mother in his films. Of course the common theory is that as a result of Walt's relationship with his mother Flora, and the fact that her death resulted from a furnace leak at the house he had recently purchased for them in the 1940s, was directly to blame for his lack of mother roles or deaths of mothers in his pictures. However I really don't put much faith in this theory, Dumbo has a very endearing relationship with his mother, Wendy and her little brothers have a great mother and the movie features a song purely dedicated to what it means to have a mother. Therefore I really think the point of Disney's lack of mother figures is sort of baloney. There were and always have been several very important and dedicated mother characters in Disney history and this list is dedicated to some of the best ones (in my opinion of course!)

10. Kala (Tarzan 1998)

As I've previously talked about in a blog post, the opening of the underrated Tarzan where both a baby gorilla and a pair of human parents are brutally killed is such a heartbreaking and intense Disney sequence. Kala, the mother Gorilla is a true example of Altruism. She rescues our baby protagonist and raises him to the best of her ability, which it turns out is pretty darn impressive. Her sweet and very motherly disposition make you completely forget that she and Tarzan are a different species, and their scene together where she explains how alike they really are is one of the most tender moments ever on screen.

9. Momma (The Good Dinosaur 2015)

Speaking of underrated Disney films. In 2015 my boyfriend and I went to see Inside Out, and while we thought it was obviously a fantastic animated movie, several months later we went to say The Good Dinosaur and for us it was by far a better, sadder, funnier and more enjoyable experience. This is probably an unpopular opinion but at the end of the day it's all subjective really! When young Dinosaur Arlo goes missing, the love and respect he has for his family and his mother in particular becomes particularly evident when he talks to his new friend Spot about being seperated from them. Frances McDormand is one of my favourite actresses so add to it that she voices the character of Momma, and you've got a truly wonderful Disney mother character.

8. Mrs. Darling (Peter Pan 1953)

If anybody wanted to see what a classic Disney princess would be like as a mother, well here you have it. She may not have the royal title, but Mrs. Darling is animated, has the personality, mannerisms and lovely speaking voice of a classic Disney Princess. I adore the opening scenes of the movie in which she and Mr. Darling are getting ready to attend a party. It's so reminiscent of all of our childhoods, watching our parents get ready to go out while we play around with our toys and siblings. I particularly enjoy the dry humour Mrs. Darling shows while she remains calm as her husband, the "animated" Mr. Darling loses his patience with the children and the adorable Nana. She must be a good Mother to her kids, as they dedicate an entire song to just what a good mother is, I'm guessing they have had a lot of experience with one!

7. Helen Parr (The Incredibles, 2004)

What a super mom! As Elastigirl, Helen Parr has the ability to reach broad distances and stop criminals in their tracks. As a mom she had the ability to reach across the kitchen to catch a glass of orange juice before it hit the floor. A lot of mothers would say how truly heroic both of these abilities are on a hectic day. I love The Incredibles, the premise is so original and fun and as the matriarch of the Parr family, Helen really shines as a woman trying to keep her heroic family safe. She also has some truly funny moments, like the one where she realizes how her figure has changed since having kids, now I don't know many mothers that can't relate to that experience.

6. Eudora (The Princess and the Frog, 2009) 

With the warm voice talent of Oprah Winfrey and the realistic mixed feelings about her daughter's need for success and lack of a social life. Eudora is one of the most loving and real life mothers of all of Disney's movies. She has a very sweet and tender way with her daughter and despite being widowed young, she raised her daughter to have a strong work ethic and to never give up on her dreams. She is a real role model for all single mothers out there.

5. Mrs. Banks (Mary Poppins, 1964)

This is probably a controversial decision, because she is not the most "hands on" mother. But Mrs. Banks is a true example of a mother of her time. She may have required a nanny to look after her children, but to be honest back in those days most mothers probably did. And, there are several times throughout the movie that we see Mrs. Banks really show her affection towards her children and how she will humour them with what they have to say, particularly during the scene in which they tell her and Mr. Banks about their advertisement for a new Nanny. She is also a wonderful example of a working mother as she is so devoted to the good cause of Votes for Women!

4. Bambi's mother (Bambi 1942)

The ultimate heartbreaking moment for many a Disney person, is of course, the death of Bambi's mother by the hands of hunters. I really think this moment hits a nerve with so many people because it involves a little boy scared and alone without his only guardian and that is just a gut wrenching image. However I think it's also so strong because Bambi's mother was portrayed as the ultimate in knowing, loving and protective mothers. Her instant instinct to tell Bambi to run out of the meadow as soon as she sensed the hunters nearby was a real example of altruism and a truly protective Mother.

3. Mrs. Potts (Beauty and the Beast 1991)

What's more comforting that a mother who wants to sing you a soothing song while she offers you a hot cup of tea and a biscuit? Mrs. Potts is one of the best Disney mothers because even though she and her son Chip were turned into inanimate objects, she never let that stop her from taking the best care of him and raising him well while making the most of a tough situation. Which, lets face it is what many moms out there have to do. Plus she's voiced by Angela Lansbury, you can't get more motherly than that!

2. Duchess (The Aristocats 1970)

She's beautiful, she's protective and she teaches good lessons to her kids. The Aristocats is one of my favourite ever animated movies and I absolutely adore the stunning Duchess and her little kittens. When she and the kittens are kidnapped by the conniving Edgar, her first instinct is to gather her kids in the morning and try to get home. Luckily she meets up with the King of the Highway, Thomas O'Malley (the alley cat!) and the two take the kittens home. What I think is so great about Duchess as a single mom is that although she does fall for O'Malley, it's completely clear that she wouldn't bother with him at all unless she thought he would make an excellent Dad for her kittens, which thankfully, he really does. 

1. Sarabi (The Lion King 1994)

Well basically, I can relate to Sarabi, she was the mother of a Simba, I was the mother of a Simba. But seriously, watching The Lion King 2 the other day really made me want to do this list, I love the portrayal of Sarabi and Nala as mothers. I think Sarabi in particular is such a regal character, and her and Mufasa's love and devotion to each other and their son is such a beautiful part of the story. I also love the strength she exhibits when confronting Scar and her reaction to realizing her son is still living is a really emotional and heartwarming moment. Also I think she is animated just beautifully. She is my favourite portrayal of a Disney mother. 

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My top 10 Disney Cats

Disney is more than well known for it's lovable animal animated characters. There most recent Oscar winning film was solely dedicated to them. As a true honest to goodness lover of both Disney and animals (and a cat owner myself) I decided to make a list of the some of the feline friends that I have appeared in some of our much loved Disney films. I've only included actual domesticated cats and no lions, tigers or tiggers

10. Rufus from The Rescuers (1977)

I recently watched this movie for the first time in years and I have to say, it truly is a little often forgotten gem, Of course with a movie surrounding 2 little mice, you have to have a cat in there somewhere. Rather than doing the obvious and have a villainous cat to chase the protagonists, the makers decided to have a sweet and lovable old moggy with a taste for napping and ginger snaps

9. Dinah from Alice in Wonderland (1951)

This little lady appears relatively briefly in this surrealistic film, and she is often the least remembered cat featured as most people think of the Cheshire Cat when they think of Alice. Having said that I've always loved Dinah, her cute little flabbergasted reactions at Alice's talk of living in a Wonderland are irresistibly adorable, and she rocked the pink bow long before Marie from The Aristocats came along

8. Lucifer from Cinderella (1950)

Lucifer may be a little fat nightmare of an animal, but he is an unforgettable character from one of Disney's true classics, so I would be nuts not to mention him on this list. He also makes for some of the most comedic moments in the film (his moments of manic glee at being evil) and in my opinion one of the most frustrating moments. That being when he traps Gus Gus under a tea cup right before he gets to give Cinderella the bedroom key. That moment is Hitchcock worthy in terms of how suspenseful it can be and this rotund little fuzz ball helps create that.

7. Sergeant Tibbs in 101 Dalmations (1961)

I must admit I have a personal affection for Sergeant Tibbs as we had a cat in my family as a child that we called Tibbs. So I always look forward to seeing this little guy on the screen. I love the fact that the Sergeant of this bunch of animals isn't the big dogs or the majestic horse, it's the scrawny little cat, I just think that's a wonderful idea and that he is a great little representative for the whisker set in this canine tale

6. Mittens in Bolt (2008)

Bolt is a fantastic film I only watched a few months ago for the first time ever and I adored it. Of course the John Travolta voiced Bolt is undeniably the main reason for the movie being so sweet and cute, but the character of Mittens is also to thank in a big way. She brings tears to even the coldest of people's eyes with the story of how she became homeless. i think it particularly touched me as I worked at an animal shelter with animals who had that exact back story. Thankfully it all works out for her in the end. Phew! or should I say Meow!

5. Figaro in Pinocchio (1940) 

This tiny firecracker of a fluff is so well animated and characterized that you just want to pick him up out of the screen and take him home for a cuddle. He has such a funny little personality and his exasperation at not getting his food or sleep when he wants as well as his reactions to meeting Pinocchio remind me so much of all the cats I've had throughout the years. 

4. Duchess from The Aristocats (1970)

What a doll! I may be a tad bias here as my own cat happens to be a fully white one just like Duchess. I really do wish he had her personality to though! One of the most beautiful and ladylike Disney characters ever and she wasn't even human. I also adore the voice of Eva Gabor as Duchess, such a lovely and refined characterization. 

3. The Kittens from The Aristocats (1970)

I know technically this is 3 different characters, but for the purposes of this list I'm going to group them together in a little trio. Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz are the perfect kids and kittens for any parent/owner. Their cute little individual looks along with their continuous bickering and playful fights are a lot of fun to watch in the movie. I also particular love the kids that voiced them. I have a Marie plushie from the Disney Store and I cannot wait to get the other two kittens as part of my collection. 

2. Oliver from Oliver and Company (1988)

Whenever I mention this movie I always have to say just how underrated it is. It's got some wonderful song numbers and some great comedic moments and is a really unique idea for an animated feature. The stroke of genius of making the character of Oliver into a little ginger kitten is a purrrfect (see what I did there) idea. From the moment this little guy appears on screen in a box full of his siblings to the tune of "Once Upon A Time in New York City" we as the viewer fall in love and completely route for him and his canine companions

1. Thomas O'Malley from The Aristocats (1970)

Abraham De lacy.....Giuseppe Casey....Thomas O'Malley.....O'Malley the Alley Cat. This smooth operator. There are so many aspects of this character that are amazing, from his wonderful entrance song to his velvet voice (courtesy of Phil Harris, the voice of Baloo and Little John as well). My mother has a 17 year old cat called Sparky and if he were made into a cartoon, Thomas O'Malley would definitely be it. He is the epitome of a lovable rogue and his romance with Duchess in the picture is one of the best in Disney history

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My Disney Purchases This Month

This post is just a short one to talk about some of the lovely Disney purchases I made this month so far. It's kind of a very small mini haul as there are only three things involved! But they're just so nice I had to talk about them.

The first Disney thing I got this month was in a store called Dealz, which is kind of like a convenience store/pound shop. They are these adorable little emery boards, with Minnie Mouse details and design on them, I've come to find that most of these kind of shops can be amazing for little Disney bits and bobs, in particular Beauty type products and stationary, they may be cheap but that doesn't change the fact that they are still Disney and still great little thingamabobs to add to your collection. I haven't actually used them yet, I might just keep them as decoration from my Vanity table. They cost about €1.50, absolute bargain!

The next thing I got was a wonderful and really unique thing that I have wanted for a long time. A Cinderella Musical ornament. It's from the Disney Enchanting Collection (Musical figurine's edition) and I love it so much. I had been passing by the same shop in which I bought my Jim Shore figures and I saw they had these musical ones with Belle, Snow White and Cinderella in the window. So, I decided to put by €10 a week for 5 weeks so I could get the Cinderella one, I'm not sure why that one caught my eye the most but it just did. I would lovely to purchase the other two eventually, but I'll give my purse strings a break for a while until then. I went for a nice lunch with my cousin the week before last and decided to call in, pay my last bit of cash and pick up Cinderella. Something, which I didn't know when I initially wanted to get this figure is that, each one of them plays it's one individual song from their movie. So Cinderella of course plays "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes". I'm not too cool (obviously) to admit that I was extra excited to get it when I realized this, it had never crossed my mind they would put the effort into doing that and I just assumed they would play a generic music box tune. I think it's such a special part of owning one of these collectibles though and it added to my excitement. As previously mentioned, the item cost €50.00 for me, although as usual, the prices most likely vary in other places/countries, I wouldn't expect to get it for much less than that though as it is a fabulous collector's item. As a side note, the Belle one plays "Tale As Old As Time" and the Snow White one plays "Someday My Prince Will Come" how sweet is that? <3 

The final thing I got this month was on Saturday. I was up the main street of my town running some errands and I spotted in the window of a charity shop, an Ariel doll. I had seen the doll in the Disney Store in Dublin on Valentine's Day last year and I really liked it, but because it was €30 and a little smaller than the one I chose (My Marie from The Aristocats) I decided to leave it, so you can probably imagine how thrilled I was when I came across this great find in the Jack and Jill shop window! The doll itself is in great condition, there are one or two frayed parts on her skirt, but other than that she is great nick and so pretty. When I went into the shop I asked the lady at the counter how much she cost and she gave her to me for €4! the label said 5 but as I was routing around my purse for the extra euro she said it was no problem and I was so happy with her. I think people should really pay more attention to trying charity and thrift shops for Disney finds. This is the second thing I've gotten from that shop (the first being my Fairest of All book) and I will definitely be popping in and out of there in the future to see if I can discover any more treasures. Another plus of trying those shops is that any money you spend in them not only gets you a great or a few great Disney things, but they money also goes towards a good cause so that's pretty wonderful too. 

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!