Celebrating Experiment 626 "Stitch" Day (plus Spongebob fun!)

This past Wednesday (6/26) was one of those classic Disney holidays that hundreds of Disney fans cannot let go unnoticed. It is known as "Experiment 626 Day", and it's just the right time to honor the crazy and adorable little blue alien that conquered our hearts around the peaceful beaches of Hawaii. Of course, we're talking about Stitch! 

Unfortunately, I'm a terrible person with timing, especially in terms of remembering any dates of special celebrations (birthdays, national holidays, release dates, you name it!). This caused me to join the Experiment 626 Day festivities quite late (on Sunday, to be exact). Furthermore, you see me posting this today, practically a week after the day in question. I've been especially busy raising my very own Experiment 626 - a.k.a. Nugget the puppy-. But, since Stitch is my favorite Disney character, it simply feels mandatory for me to commemorate him somehow. That's why I've taken this opportunity to showcase my modest -but growing- Stitch collection! So, I gathered all my Stitchy items (at least all the ones I could remember) and prepared these lovely photos.

As I said before, Stitch is my absolute favorite Disney character. I think he's a perfect mix between a rebellious soul, a brave explorer, a kind spirit and a funny friend. Plus, he's incredibly adorable and has some amazing battle skills! I especially love how he looks dressed up like Elvis, whom I also adore... though that's a story for another day. Stitch is simply darling to me, but I had another favorite prior to his addition to the Disney family.

Before Lilo & Stitch came out in 2002, I had been a fervent fan of Spongebob Squarepants, my favorite non-Disney character ever. (Fun fact: When I was even younger, my favorite character was Tweety Bird). I still adore Spongebob, but I share my love with Stitch as well. Anyway, I had started to collect lots of different Spongebob-related items, a collection of which I'm proud of to this day. Mug and cups, LEGO figurines, t-shirts, games, toothbrushes, a fleece blanket and many more are part of my treasure loot. You can see some of my collection below, but I missed quite a few items in this photo... which I realized way past taking the pictures.

There's a funny and curious thing about these two characters. Stitch and Spongebob share a connection that could have somewhat influenced me to adopt them as my favorite characters: both are related to Hawaii one way or another! Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of anything Hawaiian and tiki. Lilo & Stitch obviously takes place in Hawaii, specifically inspired by a town in Kauai, and it showcases many things about Hawaiian culture (like hula dancing!). Spongebob Squarepants, on the other hand, is set in Bikini Bottom, an underwater town hypothetically located below Bikini Atoll, one of the many islands that comprise the Marshall Islands, which in turn are located between Hawaii and the Philippines. Although it doesn't physically take place in Hawaii, the series does have lots of elements that imprint a Hawaiian style on it, such as the music and part of its decor. I really love Spongebob's goofy and innocent personality, and the fact that he has a kind spirit... just like Stitch!

I don't know if Spongebob and Stitch would get along wonderfully (especially since they live on opposite sides of the ocean), but these two tropical friends have been coexisting in my life for quite a while now, and I like to think of them as really good buddies. What do you think about this duo: friends or foes?

Don’t forget to follow my blog and social media channels to see more pictures! 

Celebrating May the Fourth with excitement over Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

The happiest May the Fourth to all my Star Wars fellows! Indeed, it's a very happy date since reservations for the upcoming Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge were officially opened a couple of days ago. This same month, the land will be opening at Disneyland for visitors to enjoy, so May will definitely be filled with Star Wars celebrations. I've already started the festivities by pulling off a "why hadn't I made this before?" Darth Maul inspired DisneyBound, like the Sith Lord I hope to become someday.

The Star Wars area at Disney's Hollywood Studios has always been one of my favorite parts of that park. So, naturally, the news of an expansion made me jump of joy... even though I must admit that I'll miss the Backlot Tour! Galaxy's Edge looks fantastic in all the photos and videos that have been released to date, and I can't wait to see it live once it fully opens. I think it's curious how Disney opted for a "reservation" method for Disneyland, but won't be having a similar procedure for Hollywood Studios. Obviously, Galaxy's Edge will be overflowing with expectant guests once it's open to the public, so controlling access to it may prove to be a nice way to improve the guests' experience once they're in.

Entering Galaxy's Edge will immerse us into the planet Batuu, which has never appeared in any of the Star Wars films before. We'll be visiting Black Spire Outpost, where we'll be able to explore around feeling like we're right in the middle of the Star Wars universe. By the way, did you know that this name comes from the fact that Batuu is known for its many spires, particularly the one where the outpost was built? It will be interesting to see the land morph and adapt itself to the twists and turns of the newest Star Wars films, since it's set within the newest sequel trilogy's time frame.

Concept art of Black Spire Outpost at Batuu. Photo from Gizmodo.com

One of the most attractive thing to see at Galaxy's Edge is the Millenium Falcon stationed at the outpost, which houses one of the new attractions: Millenium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. The other new attraction is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. An interesting aspect is that both rides will feature different versions within the same attraction, just like the latest upgrade Disney did on Star Tours. I'm quite thankful that Star Tours is also remaining untouched at Hollywood Studios.

Another thing I'm really excited about is all the new merchandise, food and drinks that will be offered within Galaxy's Edge. There will be four food stands and one cantina, with so many exclusive things on the menu that you'll need to come back several times to try everything. I'm especially intrigued by the fried Endorian tip-yip and the carbon freeze drink. Of course, the classic blue milk and its newest spin -green milk- are also on my list. On the other hand, there will also be nine new shops where you can buy different types of items including plushies, t-shirts, creature replicas, action figures, robes, accessories, home decor, lightsabers and much more.

Photos of merchandise, shops and attractions at Galaxy's Edge. Photos from Gizmodo.com

Speaking of lightsabers, it's been so cool to see people building their own lightsaber at the small station in Star Tour's exit shop through the past years; but it will be even cooler to have Savi's Workshop. This will provide visitors with a unique experience to "professionally" build their own lightsaber based on one of four disciplines and a kyber crystal (or lightsaber crystal) that each guest must choose from. A similar shop called Droid Depot will invite guests to create their own radio controlled droid, whether it's an R or BB series robot.

I'm more than positive that with all these new additions we'll be seeing much more of the Rebellion, the First Order, the Jedi force and the dark side, as the storylines keep developing through time and alongside the movies and other parts of the Star Wars franchise. We'll get the chance to feel like we're truly inside the Star Wars universe; eating, walking and breathing like Batuu citizens or even as galactic passersby. 

On the whole, I think of Galaxy's Edge as the perfect addition us, Star Wars and Disney Park fans, didn't know we needed. All that's left is to experience it ourselves. Unfortunately, my husband and I won't be able to make it to the parks this year, but we're definitely planning to travel to Disney World next year and hit up Hollywood Studios for a good dose of Star Wars at Galaxy's Edge. By the way, hopefully, when the crowds are not as crazy (as I'm sure they will be starting on May 31 and August 29 respectively)!

What are you most excited about? Leave a comment below!

I'll be posting more pictures (and a cool video) on my Instagram account, so feel free to follow me on social media for more content! 

March DisneyBound Challenge 2019 outfit summary

It's THAT time of the year again! March flew by so fast that the only thing I actually remember doing is bounding through the whole month. I must confess this year's DisneyBound challenge caught me off guard (just like last year), except that this time I had the experience of the past DBC and the Fall Into Disney Style challenge from October. Phew! Here's a good summary of what went down last month.

Definitely, participating in your first DisneyBound Challenge is both exhilarating and scary, especially if you've rarely (or never) done it before because you just don't know where to begin, how to organize yourself and how to align your expectations. All you want to do is start channeling your favorite characters and showing your best Disney side, which is exactly the point of Disneybounding. However, the more you do it and participate in these long-term events, the better you get at planning your outfits and photos ahead of time, which ultimately plays in your favor. By the way, you can read my summary about last year's DBC right here!

I've been seeing plenty of dear Disneybounders out there who are naturals at recreating characters, attractions, snacks and even obscure items from Disney films. The dedication that goes into every post is incredible! That's why one of the best parts of DisneyBounding is discovering amazing fellows who share your passion, and interacting with them thanks to our strong feelings for Disney. I feel overjoyed and inspired by everyone sharing their best outfits prepared with all their love, creativity and Disney flare. It's 31 days of friendship, fashion, magic... and a little madness.

This year I felt quite proud of my Disneybounds, especially since eight of them were featured on the official Disneybound's Instagram stories. (Yay me!) The DBC included some new themes like DuckTales, Mary Poppins Returns, 80s styles, Kim Possible and Meet the Robinsons, as well as other recurring topics from last year such as sidekicks, Marvel and characters who are/wear green.  People usually find at least a couple of prompts to be particularly challenging, but the good news is that there's always a way around them: all it takes is thinking outside the box (or closet), or skipping/swapping it for another. Either way, it's all about the fun, just as each year more and more people jump in the DisneyBound fun-wagon.

As a fun fact, the Instagram hashtags #DisneyBoundChallenge and #MarchDisneyboundChallenge escalated to over 46,000 and 21,000 posts respectively this March. I strongly encourage you to follow these hashtags to check out all the amazing Disney-inspired attire put together by everyone who partook in this event. Plus, if you haven't already, you must take a good look at the holy grail and sparkler of this trend: @TheDisneybound

I also want to dedicate this tiny space to make a shout out to some of my favorite March outfits by fabulous DisneyBounders, several of which I also have the privilege of calling my friends. Make sure to check them out!

1. @allthingsbritneylee 's Giselle 2. @dislifeofaya 's Morph 3. @dapperonthedaily 's Mama Odie 4. @sarawtsumtsum 's Judy Hopps 5. @ashleyromantic 's Bo Peep and Woody 

6. @daily.disney.dreaming 's Rapunzel 7. @ambiguousleahcosplay 's Ariel 8. @disroebounder 's Kida 9. @krazykellpics 's Haunted Mansion 10. @didney_magic 's Purple wall 

11. @yay.ima.llama.again 's Tamatoa 12. @quirkychrissy 's Flounder 13. @bryanagriffith 's Dot 14. @kati.nanna.bonana 's Huey, Dewey and Louie 15. @the_littlest_pan 's Hit Cat 

16. @whimsical_lindsical 's Georgette 17. @pixiedustedprincess 's Dr. Delbert Doppler 18. @chim_chim_caity 's Ray 19. @camillakari 's Elastigirl and Jack Jack 20. @shellygram87 's Jane

It was an absolute honor flooding the Instagram feed with Disney fashion all through March alongside these and so many other fantastic DisneyBounders! We'll just have to wait and see what next year's challenge holds for us, while we DisneyBound our way through life. By the way, don't forget to see my wacky #DisneyboundBloopers right there on Instagram. We like to show our fails in the process of taking great pictures! If you liked what you saw, please follow my Instagram account @edu_and_joy to check out all my DisneyBounds and other shenanigans.

Keep an eye out for upcoming posts! 

My fluffy Disney family makes a splash

It's no secret that I am above being a Disney fan. I grew up surrounded by Disney's dazzling stories, admiring its adventurous characters, reading piles upon piles of their books, watching every single one of their endearing movies, cartoons and short films, dressing up in their sumptuously chic clothes, and of course, playing with mountains of their unique toys and decorations. So, no. I'm no Disney fan. I breathe, feel and live Disney. That said, let's go on with the story.

Throughout the years, and since I have memory, my parents indulged my brother and I with all sorts of incredible toys. We were quite careful with our things, so we actually still have most of them and in wonderful conditions. One of my favorites has always been our marvelous plush collection. Consisting of over a hundred stuffed animals in all shapes and sizes (the biggest being a gigantic stuffed teal teddy bear which I won back at a fair in Canada... but that's another story), our collection includes quite a few recognizable Disney characters, as well as other secondary characters who still hold a special place in my heart.

I believe that I've mentioned before that my husband and I moved into an apartment to start a new life. We had the opportunity to furnish and decorate it from scratch, and among some things that we have here, there is a chiffonier with a glass cabinet as the top part. My husband found and brought home this discarded piece of furniture one day, and we put it against a wall right in front of our dining room. It was the perfect piece to display something delicate and cool, so I thought for a while until I remembered that I'd brought a few of my favorite Disney plushies with me, but they'd been sitting inside a bin since we arrived.

I took them out and quickly assembled them inside the cabinet to see how they looked in it. Plus, I threw in a beautiful Pluto plush toy that we had found at a flea market almost for free. It was perfect. We both liked it so much that we decided to have a plush-cleaning session to get them primped and polished to shine inside our up-cycled display window.

We were both absolutely skeptical about throwing the plush toys inside the washing machine and dryer just to see them come out in chunks, especially after carefully reading the labels on all the plushies stating to "Only spot clean". Also, we had already tried the "baking soda method", which I must assess as completely ridiculous because it does not clean your plush; it merely disinfects it. So, after some really unsuccessful Google research and YouTube exploring, we found a video of an Argentinian dad and his daughter who cleaned a teddy bear with a somewhat different spot cleaning method. They would wet a toothbrush with a bit of water and dab it in powdered detergent, brushing the stuffed animal's skin to remove any spots and, in general, to remove all the dirt and dust. They would then repeat the process a couple of times and leave the toy to air dry.

We decided to give that method a shot, so we gathered our supplies and began our task. We definitely broke a sweat doing it: it's fine if you're going to clean one or two plush toys, but if you're up for a whole bunch, you're going to need a lot of elbow grease. I think we grew muscles that day from all the cleaning that we did, especially because we had a few other new plushies from the same flea market as before. In the end, we left them to air dry, and we were overall satisfied with our work and with how the stuffed toys turned out.

A few more months went by, and I realized that I was feeling the need of Disney-fying out our home a bit more. I thought it would be a nice idea to display my other Disney plush toys, as we feel it gives a cute and warm feeling to our home. My mother was kind enough to sort out the toys from our plush box and send them over to me. I was ecstatic to open the boxes and find my old and precious plushies, but at the same time I thought most of them looked really dirty and had old stains. I mean, some of them are almost my age, and I don't think any had been washed in... well... forever.

This was when it hit us: were we supposed to spot clean each and every one of these plush toys? Clearly, that was a feat beyond question, so instead we chose to analyze other options. That's when I remembered that I had talked about our plush-cleaning session to a few people back then, and both my grandmother and my dear friend Dulce had mentioned that they cleaned plushies running a cycle in their washing machines and hanging them to air dry. Hmmmmm... What to do? Decisions, decisions. My husband and I took a vote and decided to dunk a first batch of Disney critters into our washing machine. As we closed the door, I had nothing in my head more than the lyrics of "Not while I'm around" from the musical Sweeney Todd, which says:

Nothing's gonna harm you

Not while I'm around

We ran a regular cycle with the same amount of detergent and fabric softener that we use to wash our clothes. Even after reading the labels and warnings, I felt pretty confident about washing them with this new technique. After all, I had two reliable testimonies that swore by this method. Once the first lot was done and the toys were out of the water ride, I realized it had been a phenomenal decision. Not only were the plushies complete and tear-free; they were also clean as new and soft as they probably had been many, many years ago. I scattered them over an old towel outside, in our small terrace, as I was terrified to hang them from the clothing line and lose them to a relentless breeze (it had been quite a windy week). My husband approved the process and we merrily proceeded to conduct two more groups of stuffed animals into the splash zone.

I am overjoyed to say that there were no casualties in our operation, and that our fluffy Disney family is glowing. I've also decided to rotate the plushie display on the glass cabinet by themes or films, so that all the toys get their share of the dining room's spotlight. We absolutely recommend washing your plush toys in a regular to gentle cycle in your washing machine. However, you should follow these three very important precautions:

1. If your plush toy is battery-operated, you might want to skip this method, since you are at a high risk of getting its mechanical system damaged.

2. Some plushies are made with more delicate fabrics than others. If it has any frail materials, or if it's quite old and has begun losing chunks of hair or fiber, do not launder.

3. Red-colored fabrics tend to run and stain other fabrics in the washing machine. If your stuffed animal has a suspicious piece of red fabric, or any other suspicious color for that matter, feel free to conduct a test for color running before dunking it in your machine.

The washing machine method was truly a panacea. I hope this enlightens plushie collectors and parents out there who have faced the same dilemma as us, and that they find peace with this solution.

I've completely lost my blog-posting rhythm nowadays, but if you liked this story stay tuned for more coming up! 

March DisneyBound Challenge 2018 outfit summary

It's obvious that this year has been slow for me in terms of blog writing. Only one post in three whole months! However, I must highlight that I've been a little busy planning a new project that you'll likely discover soon enough. But, I really didn't want March to go by unnoticed because of the wonderful experience in which I took part during the last 31 days.

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you've probably already noticed that every single day of March I have posted a Disney-inspired outfit portraying a Disney character, item or park. What you may not know is that every year the fabulous Leslie Kay promotes the March DisneyBound Challenge from her well-known @TheDisneybound Instagram account and her DisneyBound Tumblr. Following the hashtag #DisneyBoundChallenge you will find quite a fashionable flood of Disney-inspired ensembles from hundreds of Disney fans from all around the world.

The trick about the DisneyBound Challenge -it is a challenge, after all- is that you must follow a pre-determined theme for each day of the month. This year some of the topics included movies like The Little Mermaid, A Wrinkle in Time, and Cinderella; characters like princes, sidekicks and villains; and even some other themes like rule breakers, 90s styles and park attractions.

According to @TheDisneybound, this year's challenge doubled the amount of Instagram posts using #DisneyboundChallenge, going from less than 14,000 images before the challenge started to an overwhelming post count of almost 29,000. This implies there's a flowing river of Disney-inspired outfits to admire and take inspiration from. What I liked the most about this challenge was seeing all the different styles, combinations and creative views within the Disney community. Everyone comes together, free to use their imagination and express their personality, thanks to a conjoined love and admiration for the happiest place on Earth and everything around it.

In the photos above you can see my 31 bounds for the month. It was so fun to participate in this year's #DisneyboundChallenge, but it was also a daring task to keep up with the challenge every day. I'm also really glad about taking the decision of changing my backdrops after the first four DisneyBounds that I posted. The extra effort of finding locations was really worth it! Feel free to visit my Instagram account @edu_and_joy to check out all my March bounds and some older Disney outfits from past months.

Remember to follow me on social media to get all my new posts! 

Mermaid Monday: Ariel visits the aquarium

Welcome, March! And welcome to my first post of the year! I seriously can't believe how fast time flies. It feels like it was yesterday that I made my last blog post, when in reality it's been three months. Ooops! Lots of things have been going on these months, but today I wanted to share our experience at the Barcelona Aquarium, a place I'd been wanting to visit since we arrived to the city, for a really cool Mermaid Monday (though I know it's actually Thursday).

First of all, no good visit to any aquarium could be complete without a proper Disneybound of an ocean-related character. Honestly, I feel it's very hard to find a comfortable and beautiful outfit with these cold temperatures. I wish I could Disneybound every day of my life, which is already quite a daunting task, but it's even more difficult when you have to wear three or four layers of clothes to protect yourself from the cold. I'm so not feeling like Elsa in winter! But with a bit of planning I was able to choose a nice ensemble to portray Ariel during my trip to the aquarium honoring a lovely Mermaid Monday.

My outfit was simple, but highly recognizable. The beautiful green mermaid dress by Retrolicious, which I got from The Oblong Box Shop, served as a wonderful base to channel Ariel. You can read a detailed review of this dress if you go back a few posts in the blog, or simply click here. Its green scaley pattern perfectly resembles the little mermaid's tail, while the dark purple cardigan tied over it evokes her sea shell top. Everything came together nicely with a pair of tropical-themed flats in a similar color scheme. Those weren't my first shoe option, but given that we had a long walk ahead of us, they started to seem like a pretty good choice. We left our coats and scarves inside a locker at the aquarium's entrance, since the building is completely enclosed and has no outdoor tanks or shows. Here's a little side-by-side:

We had a *splash* at the aquarium, where we got to see dozens of large fish tanks with around 450 different species of marine animals. Fish, eels, sharks, starfish, mantas, jellyfish, and even penguins made their appearances throughout the place. There are special daily "feeding show" schedules, where you can see crew members feeding some of the animals. My absolute favorite part was a long underwater tunnel filled with fish and sharks, which reminded me of the similar tunnels at the Boston Aquarium and Sea World Orlando. However, I must say that larger animals like orcas, walruses, dolphins and others were nowhere to be found. We really expected to see some big mammals, but the only sizable beast we saw was a really hunchbacked bull shark. He is the pride of the Barcelona Aquarium, and you can actually opt to swim with the sharks in that tank... for quite a high price!

Tickets are also a bit overpriced in relation to what you get to see, at least according to us, so it's nice to wait for discounts and offers. We actually got a great coupon with 4€ off each ticket. Savings, savings, come to me! Although it was a fun adventure, I think the Barcelona Aquarium definitely doesn't rank in my top three favorite aquariums. Regardless, it was a wonderful experience and this little Ariel is always glad to visit fishy friends. I truly felt like a mermaid in the ocean for a whole day. Aquariums are one of my go-to places all around the world... I think I'll be going back soon to get a new shark plushie from the aquarium store to add to my collection.

By the way, I was able to identify all the fish species from Finding Nemo swimming in different tanks. I'm guessing that after the movie became so popular, hundreds of aquariums around the world began to place these fish together for Disney fans to discover. You can use my guide "A study on Finding Nemo's aquarium fish" to look for them next time you go to any aquarium! Just follow this link. And speaking of Nemo, have you checked out @TheDisneybound 's new March Disneybound challenge? I will be partaking in this, so stick around my Instagram account to check all the Disney-inspired outfits I post this month. Let's get our Disney on!

Come back later for new posts and cool findings! 

Disneybound summary: August & September

New month, new Disneybound summary! I've combined August & September's Disney-inspired outfits into one cool post, showcasing bounds from four different animated films plus one iconic treat. Every single bound has been a new and exciting challenge, where I dare myself to put together the most fashionable and creative combinations. Now, let's talk about each ensemble.

Wendy

Have you noticed how most Disney princesses and some other characters tend to wear pastel colors? I'm completely in love with these color hues, but I scarcely have any pastel garments in my closet. Wendy is a great example of an iconic baby blue base, and I was lucky enough to have this old Zara dress in my closet. To make it a little bit more romantic I added my favorite cream cardigan from Doll Me Up. Finally, I accessorized the outfit with blue ribbons for the waistband and hair, silver star earrings and a thimble necklace... all winks to icons present in the film.

Note to self: sew more clothes in pastel fabrics.

Pongo & Perdita

Seeing as this doggy couple has a similar look between Pongo & Perdita, I decided to create the same aesthetic for both and switch the secondary color from red (Pongo) to blue (Perdita). It was a total win because I had the skirts, ribbons and headbands in both colors, so it felt like the outfits were meant to be. The base is a black & white spotted button-up by Jonathan Z, paired with inherited tennis skirts from Ellesse. I also styled my hair in two high ponytails to simulate dog ears.

Gaston

My, what a guy, that Gaston! This bound came to my mind as soon as I was given the scarlet polo shirt. I've never liked polo shirts, but I knew this one would serve a beautiful purpose for the outfit. Paired with a cropped mustard cardigan tied around the shoulders, and a vintage black skirt with a big silver belt buckle, the appearance it casts is phenomenal. To complete the look, I styled my hair in a high ponytail and a pompadour.

Joy

Joy as Joy. Nothing more to say. Since many years ago I've been dreaming about dying my hair, but I've never decided on finally doing it. That's why I recently purchased some bright-colored wigs to satisfy my whim of having colored locks. Portraying Joy through Disneybound was a perfect opportunity to wear this royal blue wig for the first time. I paired it with a yellow speckled cocktail dress (digitally altered to make it look slightly greener), royal blue eyeshadow and a ball pool ball I just randomly happened to have around my house. Doesn't the glow make the outfit pop?

Strawberry Minnie lollipop

Who says Disneybounding is only about characters? Trying out a new kind of bound was both challenging and thrilling. Truth be told, I'd had that lollipop inside my freezer for about three years, so I decided it was the right moment to experiment with it. This time I wore an old pink striped Zara shirt to recreate the lollipop's swirls, and a pink pencil skirt from French Connection. To top off the ensemble, of course I had to hold the strawberry lollipop itself!

Check out my Instagram account for more Disneybounds and other outfits!