Custom Made Disney-Inspired Handbags for Star Wars & Disney Princesses Fans

When I went to Walt Disney World in Orlando earlier this year, I was determined to find a designer Disney bag that I loved.  Alas, it just didn't happen.  There was no magic between me and any of the bags I found.  Did I find some that I liked? . . . Sure!  I just couldn't bring myself to spend a few hundred dollars on a bag I didn't absolutely love.  During the weeks following our trip, I looked around online for a bag because I was told that not all styles were carried in the shops at the park stores.  That's when I happened upon this little Etsy shop called CaliCatBoutique.

After taking a look at the various styles of bags available in this shop, I realized that this Etsy seller offered custom bags, where I could choose the fabrics, vinyl color, zipper color, and more.  I could actually create a bag that I loved!  And, you know what? . . . I ended up creating TWO for much less than it would have cost me for just one high end bag at Disney.  It's been awhile since I wrote a Shop 'n' Share post, but I just couldn't not share about my two new bags!

The first custom handbag is a Star Wars-inspired Sublime bag.  I chose a Rey fabric paired with an off-black vinyl and contrast zippers for a bold accent.

I love the touches of silvertone hardware on this bag, right down to the six metal feet that protect the bottom of the bag from wear.

For the interior, I chose a fun star patterned fabric that picks up the colors of the exterior fabric.  I was pretty pleased with how well the two prints coordinated.

For the zipper, I chose black over a brightly colored one.  I think it worked well.

To complete the look, I found this Star Wars: The Last Jedi Rebel Logo Tassel Keychain to use as a purse charm.  Even though the keychain is goldtone, it worked well with the colors of the bag.  It's almost as if it was made for this Star Wars-inspired bag!

The second bag is a custom tote bag inspired by Disney Princesses.  I first saw this Everyday Tote in purple and fell in love with it.  As I looked around, however, I was extremely infatuated with this subtle Disney Princesses printed fabric.

I paired this pretty fabric with the same off-black vinyl that was used for the Star Wars-inspired bag.

For the interior, I chose a contrasting fabric.  I had a tough time deciding on the color.  Thank goodness the CaliCatBoutique owner is a patient woman.  Ultimately, I ended up with the fuchsia, and I am very pleased with my decision.

When I had mentioned that I never zip my tote bags up, the owner offered to make the bag with a magnetic snap rather than a zipper.  I'm so happy that she did because the functionality of the bag is just as important as the style to me.

Originally, I had purchased a fuchsia leather rose purse charm to hang on this bag, but it didn't look quite right, so I returned to Etsy to find an alternative.  I just think the bag needed a little splash of color.  Finally, I came upon the AnaBeeCreations Etsy shop, where I spotted a mouse head key fob.  I requested to have the pink dotted fabric against the black vinyl.  When the key fob arrived, I replaced the swivel lobster claw clip with a ball chain in order to hang it from my bag.  I love the way this bag turned out, and it's what I'm carrying now for spring!

I'm really just thrilled with my two new bags!  I had also been eyeing the Bonnie Bucket Bag.  Maybe I could have a Buffy the Vampire Slayer-inspired bag made?  Although I did see a beautiful stained glass Beauty and the Beast fabric recently . . . the possibilities are really endless!

NOTE: Be sure to ask for a quote on custom orders, as the cost may vary depending on the fabrics and details you choose.

What theme would inspire your dream handbag?

Tell us in a comment here!

The Magic and Romance Return with Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID Diamond Edition Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack

Thank you to WDSHE for providing a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack for our contest prize and for also sending one to my family as a thank you for taking the time to participate in this campaign.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Do you remember the first magical romantic film you saw in the theaters?  Well, I do!  It was The Little Mermaid in 1989.  On October 1st, 2013, the Diamond Edition of this classic Disney animated film, which contains never-before-seen bonus features, will become available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download.  Although my daughter is familiar with Ariel the red-headed Disney Princess, I am anxious for her to get to know Ariel better.  After all, Ariel was the first of a long line of Disney Princesses who displayed strong will, courage, and a mind of her own.

Do you remember Prince Eric, Sebastian, and Flounder?

How about King Triton. Ursula, and Scuttle?

To share the fond memories and the fun with the next generation of Little Mermaid fans, visit Disney Movies - The Little Mermaid, where you can find video clips, games, crafts, and more.  You can pre-order (prior to October 1st) or purchase THE LITTLE MERMAID Diamond Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack with Digital Copy on Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and many other retailers where Disney movies are sold.

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This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random number drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Wear A Princess Merida Costume to See Disney Pixar's BRAVE at the Theater

Last week, we had the pleasure of attending an advanced screening of Disney Pixar BRAVE.  As if our children were not excited enough to see this film, our daughter had even more reason to look forward to this event.  About a week prior, she received the JAKKS Pacific Merida's Scottish Princess Dress, the Merida Jewelry Set, and Merida's Wig.  The timing worked out perfectly for her to wear the Princess Merida costume to the theater.

Our daughter has straight dark brown hair.  Unless your child is a natural redhead, then I highly recommend purchasing the wig to go with the costume since it is one of Merida's signatures.  When I first took the wig out of the package and the protective netting, I thought that it looked very unnatural.  After I brushed it out a little, however, the curls softened and looked much more natural.  I have to say that I think our daughter enjoyed having a head full of curls.  She wore the wig for hours, as we traveled to Boston, walked to the theater, and sat through the movie.  Aside from itching her now and then, she said it was comfortable to wear.  On the way home from the movie, she did take the wig off, but then she asked if we could dye her hair red.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

I am extremely pleased that the rest of the costume seemed to be as comfortable for our daughter to wear as the wig.  The dress is recommended for girls sizes 4 to 6x.  Our daughter takes a 5/6 and I found that the dress fit her perfectly.  The waist, which is elasticized in the back, hit at just the right place on her.

The jewelry set comes with a pair of clip-on earrings that glow in the dark.  They were also comfortable for our daughter to wear the whole time.  She is so sad that she lost one while skipping back to the car through the streets of Boston.  The tiara has one comb on each end that stayed put well in the thick wig.  I did not need to use any pins to hold the tiara in place, but I did use some hairspray on the wig to help tame the wild curls a bit.  The necklace was the only thing I needed to alter.  The length just happened to make the pendant hit exactly where the brooch is on the dress.  To shorten it to a choker length, I simply tied one knot on each end near the clasps.  The wig hid the knots completely from view.

We had a Batgirl and a witch costume already on deck for Halloween, but I think our daughter would like to dress up as Merida again.  The dress is the perfect length for her to wear a pair of capri leggings underneath for the cooler October weather.

In addition to the Merida Princess Dress (Retail $19.99), Wig (Retail $14.99), and Jewelry Set (Retail $9.99), you can also find the JAAKS Pacific Merida's Adventure Dress and the Bow and Arrow Set at your local Toys"R"Us and Target stores.


Thank you to JAKKS Pacific for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.

Disney On Ice Presents "Dare To Dream"

Last Saturday, we had the pleasure of attending Disney On Ice: Dare To Dream at the TD Garden in Boston.  The show will be running during the entire February school vacation week through Sunday, February 26th.  What a great way for us to kick off school vacation week for our children!  I have shared some of my family's favorite parts of the show with you below, but you can view all my Disney On Ice: Dare To Dream photos on the 3G2S Facebook page.

Compared to the last Disney On Ice show we attended, Treasure Trove, this one told three complete stories rather than one significant scene from many Disney films.  Since this show was about dreams, the stories included were that of The Princess and the Frog, Cinderella, and Tangled.

I think our whole family agreed that Cinderella's coach was very impressive.  Our 5 year old daughter's favorite part was the character Rapunzel.  My husband was most impressed by the horse Maximus in Tangled.  I have to agree with him, but the part I always enjoy the most is the finale in which all the Disney Princes and Princesses come onto the ice.  In this case, they were all guests at the grand celebration of the return of the lost princess Rapunzel.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

I should also point out that there were some stunts that looked a little risky in this show.  At one point, Flynn Rider is lowered and raised in a harness.  There was quite a routine with Flynn and Rapunzel when she finally leaves the tower for the first time.  Both characters spent quite a lot of time airborne, holding onto only the fabric that represented Rapunzel's long golden hair.

I highly recommend this show for children who have good attention spans since there are three complete tales told.  To learn more about this and other Disney On Ice shows, visit Disney On Ice on Facebook.  For showtimes and ticket prices, visit Ticketmaster.com.


Thank you to Feld Entertainment for providing show tickets for my family to facilitate this review.

Review: Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" (DVD)

Because we did not have the opportunity to watch Disney's The Princess and the Frog on the big screen, we were very much anticipating the March 16th release of the Blu-ray, DVD, and movie download. My 3yr old daughter received a Princess Tiana blanket and pillow for Christmas and she was thrilled to finally see who this princess really was.

Not only is this film a new twist on a classic fairy tale, it is a fine example of what these talented artists can do with hand-drawn animation. Set in New Orleans, this movie tells the story about how the daughter of a seamstress grows up to become a princess and all the events in between, which included a lot of frog-kissing and great jazz music.

Tiana often accompanied her mother to work as a young girl, where she would have the chance to play with one of her mother's best customers, a little girl named Charlotte, who was the daughter of a wealthy man. Despite their differences in social class, the two girls were friends. In fact, it was in Charlotte's bedroom that Tiana listened to her mother read the book "The Princess and the Frog".

Tiana's mother was not the only person who influenced her greatly. Her father worked very long hours to save money to achieve his dream of opening his own restaurant . . . a dream that Tiana inherited when she grew up.

As a result, Tiana worked multiple jobs and did so happily. She gladly turned down social invitations to take another shift if it meant bringing her one step closer to her (and her father's) dream.

At age 19, Tiana's only focus was to open her own restaurant. She was determined even though she faced many obstacles, such as racism and sexism. Another bump in the road was Tiana's inadvertently turning herself into a frog. And so the adventure began.

This adventure allows us to meet several interesting characters, including an eccentric 200yr old blind fairy godmother, a jazz-loving trumpet-playing alligator, and a little firefly with a big heart. The one thing I was surprised about regarding The Princess and the Frog is that the villains seem to be less memorable compared to the Disney movie villains of the past, with the exception of the moment when the evil Doctor Facilier heartlessly squashed Ray the firefly.

My two favorite things about this movie aside from the animation are the various styles of jazz music and Tiana's ultimate realization. She realized that her father was not unhappy because he never achieved his dream of opening a restaurant. She came to learn that he had everything he needed because he had the love of his family and the restaurant of one's dreams would mean nothing without a loved one to share it with.

This movie entertained each member of my family on a different level. Our 3yr old twins were just mesmerized by the animation and the music. Their 6yr old brother laughed out loud several times at the physical comedy. My husband and I, who knew the original story, enjoyed all of the above along with the portrayal of the Louisiana culture and history. The Princess Portraits bonus game was also quite fun. I was surprised that my 6yr old son knew so many of the Disney Princesses' names and our 3yr old twins were able to guess correctly, which pleased them very much.

You can find Disney's The Princess and the Frog on blu-ray and DVD at the Disney Store and most places where Disney movies are sold.

Thank you to Click-Communications for providing us with a sample blu-ray/DVD combo free of charge to base this review upon.

Free Printables: The Princess and the Frog

In anticipation for the release of Disney's The Princess and the Frog on a Blu-ray/DVD combo, DVD, and movie download on March 16th, here are some free printable coloring pages and dot-to-dot activity pages to get your young Disney fan in the mood . . .

To Print: Click on any image to enlarge. Make sure your printer is turned on and ready to print. Then right click on the enlarged image and select print. Use your browser's back button to return to this page.

Look for my review of The Princess and the Frog on DVD coming up later this week.

I did not receive compensation for sharing these free printables with my readers.

Shop 'n' Share: Disney Princess Ornaments

I just wanted to share this bargain I found recently at our local Disney Store. After Christmas, I found these 7-3/4" tall Disney Princess ornaments on sale for just $3.99 each. They were regularly $14.50 .

I picked them up because I thought they would look great hanging in my daughter's room year round. Eventually, when we move, I would like to do her room in lavender, yellow, and white. There is nothing specifically Christmas-like about these ornaments. I had seen other ones in the past, but the ribbons for hanging were red.

The skirts are not quite as full as pictured, but they are still very pretty. You should also know that there are no legs under those skirts.

I know that these are sold out on DisneyStore.com, but you could probably still find them at your local Disney Store.

Review: Disney Deluxe Snow White Doll and Wardrobe Play Set

Not too long ago, I wrote a post about when my nearly 3yr old daughter might be ready for her first fashion doll. Well, since the opportunity presented itself, we decided to give a test run.

After recently viewing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition on DVD, my little princess was delighted to see the beautiful Snow White right in front of her in her own home. To make it even sweeter, this Disney Deluxe Snow White and Wardrobe Play Set comes with two additional outfits.

Between the princess, peasant, and wedding gowns, my daughter's favorite is the princess gown. Not only is that the dress she remembers from the Disney film, but it also has a colorful jeweled bodice and an exquisite golden skirt. I personally think that Snow White looks regal even in the modest peasant dress. Although this play set comes with three outfits, there are only two pairs of shoes. I would have loved to have seen a third pair of shoes included to accompany the wedding gown.

Although my daughter treats her Snow White doll as precious while she is playing with her, she will often leave her behind when her attention is drawn elsewhere and will not think to put the doll somewhere safe. For this reason, I've kept the extra outfits, cape, head band, and both pairs of shoes in the box. I should have thought to also put the head band the doll was wearing into the box because sadly it has gone missing.

I definitely think this Snow White doll would be a cherished gift, whether it's for a little girl who will enjoy years of playing with her or for a collector who may enjoy the doll kept pristine in her box. If you are purchasing for a collector, these Disney Doll and Wardrobe Play Sets are also available for several other Disney Princesses, including Belle, Aurora, Cinderella, Ariel, and the new Tiana. You can track them down at the Disney Store and on Amazon.com .

Thank to Disney Consumer Products for providing a toy sample for this review.