Disney Hips Up Their Plushies & Classic Characters Become Cool.

Disney has been really good about expanding their brand to include things that would appeal to hipsters of all ages. For the last decade or more everything from their films to their toys, their couture jewelry and collectibles have included modern artsy versions in addition to the classic ones.

The latest are their new soft plush toys that were inspired by the urban vinyl toy culture. The modern looking 12" tall toys called Pook-A-Looz (okay, so the name sucks) were designed to capture the personalities of iconic Disney characters in an edgy, offbeat way.



Sassy and fun, the new line of plush features more than 30 wide-ranging characters from Buzz Lightyear and Cheshire Cat to Muppets and Jack Skellington. Shown below are a few of them for you (keep in mind, there are more than just those shown below.. such as Eeyore, Dumbo and other beloved childhood favorites).

Mickey and Minnie:

Woody and Buzz Lightyear:

Snow White, Dopey and Grump:

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell:

Winnie The Pooh, Tigger and Piglet:
:
Alice, Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter & the Queen Of Hearts:

Goofy, Donald and Pluto:


“We focused on capturing one key element, gesture or trait of each character during the design process. We wanted the look to be very unique, quirky and cool,” said Jose Zamora, lead designer for the DCP products. “When you think of the Queen of Hearts, you think of her mouth, so we brought that out in the design. With the Cheshire Cat, you think of the teeth. So we focused on that famous grin.”

To help promote the new plushies, there will be a series of “Pook-a-Sodes”, videos on the Disney Living YouTube channel. The first one, with Pook-A-Looz Mickey as a ‘Gentleman Caller’ is shown below:



The Disney Living Facebook fan page and @disneyliving Twitter feed will also offer additional content and forums for fans to win prizes, share content and connect.



The 12" Pook-A-Looz cost between $7.99 and $12.99 and can be purchased at Disney Parks, The Disney Store and Toys R Us.

Disney Hips Up Their Plushies & Classic Characters Become Cool.

Disney has been really good about expanding their brand to include things that would appeal to hipsters of all ages. For the last decade or more everything from their films to their toys, their couture jewelry and collectibles have included modern artsy versions in addition to the classic ones.

The latest are their new soft plush toys that were inspired by the urban vinyl toy culture. The modern looking 12" tall toys called Pook-A-Looz (okay, so the name sucks) were designed to capture the personalities of iconic Disney characters in an edgy, offbeat way.



Sassy and fun, the new line of plush features more than 30 wide-ranging characters from Buzz Lightyear and Cheshire Cat to Muppets and Jack Skellington. Shown below are a few of them for you (keep in mind, there are more than just those shown below.. such as Eeyore, Dumbo and other beloved childhood favorites).

Mickey and Minnie:

Woody and Buzz Lightyear:

Snow White, Dopey and Grump:

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell:

Winnie The Pooh, Tigger and Piglet:
:
Alice, Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter & the Queen Of Hearts:

Goofy, Donald and Pluto:


“We focused on capturing one key element, gesture or trait of each character during the design process. We wanted the look to be very unique, quirky and cool,” said Jose Zamora, lead designer for the DCP products. “When you think of the Queen of Hearts, you think of her mouth, so we brought that out in the design. With the Cheshire Cat, you think of the teeth. So we focused on that famous grin.”

To help promote the new plushies, there will be a series of “Pook-a-Sodes”, videos on the Disney Living YouTube channel. The first one, with Pook-A-Looz Mickey as a ‘Gentleman Caller’ is shown below:



The Disney Living Facebook fan page and @disneyliving Twitter feed will also offer additional content and forums for fans to win prizes, share content and connect.



The 12" Pook-A-Looz cost between $7.99 and $12.99 and can be purchased at Disney Parks, The Disney Store and Toys R Us.

You're Never Too Old To Play With Blocks: Wooden Designer Blocks

Seems that many artists and companies are convinced that grown-ups, especially design-loving folk, still want to play with blocks. And from the looks of these, they are right.

Here's a round up of beautifully designed wooden blocks available on the market:

PhotoLettering Blocks from House Industries:



• 12 Wood Alphabet Blocks
• Blocks 1 3/4" (4.5 cm) square, Kit 11.625" x 4.625" (29.5 cm x 11.5 cm)
• Made in the USA!
• Replenishable Michigan-grown, kiln-dried basswood.
• Printed with non-toxic, lead-free child-safe inks.
buy them here.

Alexander Girard Blocks from House Industries:




• 12 Wood Alphabet Blocks
• Blocks 1 3/4" (4.5 cm) square, Kit 11.625" x 4.625" (29.5 cm x 11.5 cm)
• Made in the USA!
• Replenishable Michigan-grown, kiln-dried basswood.
• Printed with non-toxic, lead-free child-safe inks.
buy them here.

Neutraface Slab Blocks from House Industries:


• 12 Wood Alphabet Blocks
• Blocks 1 3/4" (4.5 cm) square, Kit 11.625" x 4.625" (29.5 cm x 11.5 cm)
• Made in the USA!
• Replenishable Michigan-grown, kiln-dried basswood.
• Printed with non-toxic, lead-free child-safe inks.
buy them here.

NotNeutral Wood Block Set:



• 12 Wood Blocks
• Each six sided block is 1.75" x 1.75"
• Includes wood tray
• Made in the USA from replenishable Michigan Basswood
• Non-toxic, child-safe inks
• CPSIA Compliant - ASTM-F963 / EN-71 Compliant
buy them here


Make Art Not War Blocks by Bob and Roberta Smith


A Tate Exclusive: Bob and Roberta Smith Blocks

These delightful wooden alphabet blocks have been created exclusively for Tate by London-based artist Bob and Roberta Smith. Each set contains 16 colorful blocks in a wooden box with clear lid. 96 facings are included with letters, numbers and punctuation '&?!'.
buy them here.

Naef Blocks

Naef Blocks are more like art puzzles than building blocks and they have tons of styles, here are a few of my favorites:

Naef Mosaik:

Naef Modulon:


Naef Wooden Collection:



Naef Animal Blocks:


There are tons more wooden puzzles and blocks from Naef, see them all here.


You can purchase many of the Naef products in the US here.


Bok handmade wooden blocks by Petit Flaneur:






learn more about them and where to buy at Petite Flaneur
The etsy store
Or buy the garden ones here

HABA architectural blocks:






If you're raising a little architect, HABA wooden blocks come in tons of different architectural styles, representing cities all over the world.
Buy them here.

Worth mentioning:

These wooden Hand Gesture Icons by Roebuck Studios are fun for both adults and children alike:



Crafted of baltic birch wood, all the edges are rounded for safety and a safe, shellac finish is applied. Available in seven colors. Sold as a set of seven or individually.
Buy them here.

Technically, Tree Blocks are not square, but they are fabulous.



TREE BLOCKS®, Exquisitely hand cut branch blocks.
Freeform pieces come in precision-cut 2-cm. increments (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 cm.) with large 2 cm. disks and bridges to support successful building and early math and metric system learning. Diameter of blocks varies. Typical set includes "Y" or forked pieces. They lovingly finish each unique set with flax oil. Tree Blocks come in a colorful, cotton twill, drawstring sack with attractive logo block. Ages 3 to adult. Safe, lab tested.

The standard measure of maple unit blocks (regular kids wooden blocks) is 3/4", virtually the same as 2 cm. The sets can be combined flawlessly.
buy them here.

Okay, not blocks, per se, but these wooden dominoes by Keith Haring demanded inclusion:

Keith Haring Wooden Domino Set:



Keith Haring orange wooden domino set printed with colorful pop art characters. Keith Haring made his name with graffiti style art around New York.
Each set has 28 pieces and is presented in a wooden box. Comes with games rules.
Suitable for ages 2+.
100% wood
buy them here