Christmas Gifts

All month I have been listening to Christmas songs on my local radio station 103.5 as a recent tradition that I have taken for the last few years. By listening to these holiday songs, it has put me in a holly jolly festive mood.  

As Christmas draws closer, I have been getting all the special X-mas gifts that I wanted...

Christmas Plushes

Nao Porcelain Figurines

This Christmas, I wanted something that wasn't any ordinary type of gift. I was searching for something special and these gifts above filled all my requirements. 

If you were giving a plush or doll for Christmas...

The doll has to be of a large type size and cannot be small like 10 inches. Large type of gifts usually gives an impression that someone has spent a lot of money on you. It says a lot about how valuable you are to the person giving you the gift.

Another thing about the plush is that it is Christmas themed. It's a special seasonal gift that you won't be able to find during the year. Unless you are a Collector yourself or a relative of a Collector, then the average consumer wouldn't know what was selling these past several holidays.

Lastly, *THE* Gift...

It is true what they say about the more expensive the gift, the more special it is to the individual collector. Sure, it's not the same for everyone. Although, not everyone is a collector. As a collector, my collection is all about the materialistic things. 

My porcelain figurines did cost me a pretty penny, but it's all worth it in my world. Yes, the money spent on all my collection won't keep me warm at night or fill my tummy-- but all that I have, I am proud of something that gives me passion in life. 

I have something to care about other than my family and life. My collection tells a story about me. I can choose a special toy or figurine and be able to tell you why it's so special to me or how it has come into my collection. Stories after stories to tell because this is my life and my very special world that I get to share here on my blog.

This jolly season, I'd like to give thanks to all my readers who have followed my journey in the magical world of Sanrio. Thank you for visiting and sharing my love for all things kawaii.

XOXO,

Lynnie 

Review: Hello Kitty's Check Plaid Series

At last, a red series line!

Check Plaid Design

Recently, Sanrio has come out with a new series line-- all in red color. If what memory serves me, it has been a long time since Sanrio has focused on a red series line (excludes kitchen tools). They've been certainly focused on the color pink for both characters: Hello Kitty and My Melody. While there's nothing wrong with focusing on a pink color theme, a change up of colors to a red theme would bring about some diversity to the character, whether it being My Melody or Hello Kitty. Plus, red is a classic color that both characters have started out with-- a red bow for HK and a red hood for My Melody.

Including myself, there are many fans who have missed a red themed Hello Kitty series (plugin: RED hood My Melody fans too!). So, when Check Plaid design series came along and was released, I was very excited and hoping that several items would catch my eye to add to my collection.

Unfortunately, I have to say that none of the items in the red Check Plaid series caught my interest. 

My Sanrio Rating:  ♥♥ 3/4

In the 90's, Sanrio would release a series line that had more than 22 items. It would also include a matching series of stickers, pens, erasers, stationery, and desktop products. The whole shebang!

Nowadays, it's a limited regular series that we get from time to time. I have a feeling that if this red series had included stickers, a pencil case, classic stamp set box, ceramic coin bank, and pens to purchase, I'd be first in line to order.

Breakdown:
Handbags

I think I am turned off by this design because I know that the handbags are laminated embossed instead of just fabric feeling of the handbags. When you run your hand over the bags, you will feel the plastic laminated embossed that will protect your bags from staining easily. 

Again, what's with the plastic? 

Sure, the designers laminated for the benefit of keeping the stains away, but it's not the same if it has a shiny gloss over the product. Compared to a Gucci hangbag, do you see them putting plastic over their leather bags? Would you like carrying around plastic covered purses? For me, it's a definite BIG fat NO!

For me, it's all about FASHION. No plastic needed, thank you very much.

So what if your handbags are stained after using a few months later? It's why we're called shopaholics for a reason. We have an excuse to go buy another gorgeous handbag out there that has caught our eye. It's a repeated cycle. We get something new, it eventually gets old and retired from use, then replaced.

Another thing that is a turn off, the gold outline of Hello Kitty is a bit hard to see from the busy plaid background. Since it's laminated, I'd make a stab of it and guess that the gold outlining of HK is separate from the red plaid handbag, right? Meaning the gold outline is printed on the laminated embossed material. 

Conclusion: Cheap design

Why does this watch look like cheap plastic or a cheap imitation of a real watch?

What happened to the middle portion of Hello Kitty's upper body? Why is it designed like that?