Carstairs Considers....: mug

Showing posts with label mug. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Fairy Godmother - Disney Wisdom Collection #12

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great looking mug to round out the set

Cons: Doesn’t actually cause miracles

The Bottom Line:

Mug series wraps up

With pretty lavender mug

Whole series is fun

Our Final Wisdom Mug

In order to avoid the weekend before Christmas, The Disney Store is releasing the final entries in the Disney Wisdom Collection early this month. And Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother has the privilege of closing out this collection.

She is reminding us to be patient with the quote this month, which is “Even miracles take a little time.” It’s always good to remember to be patient.

But you don’t have to be patient since this mug came out two weeks early. And it’s a great mug. As all the others in the series, it is short and wide to hold 12 oz. of your favorite beverage. It is microwave and dishwasher safe, and the bottom is designed to stack with the rest of the mugs in your collection. I wouldn’t recommend a 12 mug tower, but stacking them does save space in the cabinet, for which I am thankful.

The color this month is lavender, the accent color of Fairy Godmother herself. That makes sense because she is one of our featured characters, the other being Gus. The two are featured on one side of the mug with a purple accent color. The both look good and don’t blend that much into the mug itself. The other side features the quote written in yellow with some magic sparkles to accent the words.

I’ve been enjoying the mugs in this collection, and this one is no different. I’m still trying to figure out why the lavender is throwing me off so much this month, but I think I associate blue with Cinderella and especially Fairy Godmother. Not sure why. Anyway, since we’ve already had blue a couple of times, this works to round out the series.

So grab a copy of this mug and drink up. I can’t promise it will add any magic or miracles to your life, but it just might.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Simba - Disney Wisdom Collection #11

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great quote; pretty mug

Cons: Simba gets a little lost

The Bottom Line:

Another great quote

On a pretty yellow mug

Series almost done

Another Fantastic Mug Filled with Wisdom

The Disney Wisdom Collection Mugs have been a lot of fun. I’m enjoying having the colors and characters on my shelf, and this month’s addition is another winner.

This month, we get a quote from The Lion King. The quote is from the turning point in the movie when Rafiki confronts a now grown Simba who has been trying to hide from his past. “The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.” Great reminder, right?

The mug itself is yellow in color. It really does seem to be a lion yellow, which I know isn’t a regular color. I’m sure the fact that the quote is from The Lion King is what is making me think of it that way. Anyway, the quote is on one side of it written in a different shade of yellow with purple and green highlights. There are fun squiggles all around it as well.

The other side of the mug features this month’s characters, Simba and Pumba. They are in a combination of brown and yellow. Pumba looks great this way since he is supposed to be brown anyway. Simba blends into the rest of the mug a bit, but it isn’t too bad. All the better for pouncing, right?

As usual, the mug is short but wide, so it holds 12 oz. of your favorite beverage. It is completely dishwasher and microwave safe, and the bottom is slightly smaller so it will stack with the rest of the mugs in this series. They really do look fun together as the colors mix and match on my shelves.

It’s hard to believe this series is winding down – the last entry will be out in just a few weeks. But that’s the future. For right now, I will enjoy this mug I bought in the not too distant past.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Genie - Disney Wisdom Collection #10

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Characters, quote, color

Cons: I see no cons inside or out

The Bottom Line:

This wisdom quote mug

Cries out to fill with goodness

To match the outside

It May Be What’s Inside this Mug that Counts, but the Outside is Pretty Great, Too

Okay, let’s be honest. As much fun as mugs are, we really care most about what is in them. But it is hard not to get excited when we find a cool looking mug with great characters on it.

In this case, I am referring to the tenth mug in the Disney Wisdom Collection, inspired by a quote from the beginning of Aladdin. “Like so many things, it’s not what is outside, but what is inside that counts.” We may have fun talking about what you put in your mug that makes it so great, but when it comes to people, this is absolutely true. It is what is inside, as shown by your actions, that ultimately counts toward who you are.

The mug this month is blue since Genie is our featured character. He and Abu are on one side of the mug in varying shades of blue. Yes, Abu is blue as well, but it works somehow. He is holding the lamp, and Genie has one hand up in a “ta-da” gesture.

The other side of the mug features the quote itself. The words are mainly in a couple shades of red, which stands out well on the blue background. The doodles around the quote mainly look like fireworks this month, which I love since it reminds me of the end of the movie.

As with the other mugs in the series, it is short but wide, so it easily holds 12 oz. The fact that it is wide makes it a little hard to put it in the dishwasher, but it is dishwasher and microwave safe.

A great quote coupled with fun characters. What’s not to love about this mug? Now, to figure out what beverage will be as magical as the outside.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Sword in the Stone - Disney Wisdom Collection #9

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great color and quote

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Pretty lavender

Really makes this mug stand out

Features a great quote

Let Me Share My Knowledge About This Mug

We’ve reached three quarters of the way through the Disney Wisdom Collection. My cupboards are overflowing with mugs, but I don’t regret starting to collect these for a minute. This month’s mug is a great addition to the series.

This month the quote comes from Wart, aka King Arthur, in The Sword in the Stone. It is “Knowledge and wisdom is the real power.” And this is a power that anyone can use. I kind of like the fact that wisdom is showing up in this quote from the Disney Wisdom Collection. Feels appropriate, right?

The mug itself is lavender while the inside color is a deep purpose. The two combined are beautiful. One side of the mug features the characters for the month – Merlin and Madam Mim. They both look to be dancing, but Merlin is a bit more on his feet with his wand waved. Mim is dancing with complete abandon, and I actually like how she looks.

The other side features the quote in yellow and orange. It’s a great choice and stands out from the lavender well while complimenting it.

The squiggles around the quote and characters this month are stars and diamonds. I also feel like they are magic from the two characters bouncing around. These squiggles have always been appropriate, but I feel this is especially true this month.

The mugs are designed with a base slightly smaller than the rest so you can stack them. That has definitely helped my cupboard space a little. It’s short but wide, so it holds 12 oz. of liquid. As you’d expect from a contemporary mug, it is completely dishwasher and microwave safe.

I haven’t been a big fan of the colors chosen for the last couple of months, but I am loving this one. I think it will become a favorite in the series.

If you have been collecting this series, you’ll be glad to add the September mug to your collection.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Bambi - Disney Wisdom Collection #8

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Good mug, good quote

Cons: I’m saying nothing about cons

The Bottom Line:

This great looking mug

Offers wisdom and a way

To practice silence

Stuck for Something Nice to Say? Take a Drink from this Mug

The August quote in the Disney Wisdom Collection is one I knew would be included from the beginning. And this mug is the perfect way to put it into practice.

The quote this month is Thumper’s often quoted line from Bambi, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.” There is a lot of wisdom in being silent, right? And this mug gives you the perfect way to put that into practice. Stuck for something to say? Simply take a sip from the mug. You can’t speak while you’ve got liquid in your mouth, so you can either come up with something nice to say while you swallow or drink until the conversation has moved on to another topic. Problem solved.

Like the rest of the mugs in this series from Shop Disney and The Disney Store (you can buy these limited edition mugs either on line or in stores while supplies last), they are short and wide, but they still easily hold 12 oz. of liquid. As you’d expect from modern mugs, these are completely dishwasher and microwave safe.

The color this month is a brownish orange. I am probably a bit colored in my view of the mug (pun definitely intended) since Bambi is the featured character this month. Either way, it’s a good color and fits in well with the rest of the collection. One side of the mug features the quote, with key words highlighted in green so they really stand out. Bordering the quote, we get stylized twigs and branches, perfectly designed to fit in with the decorations of the rest of the series. On the other side are the two characters. No, Thumper isn’t one of them. Instead, we get Bambi and Flower. While Flower looks a bit off in these two shades of orange brown, Bambi actually looks pretty good in this color. Both of the characters are distinct enough to stand out from the base color of the mug. The leaf motif is carried over to the character side of the mug, which I really enjoy as well.

These mugs are proving to be fun, and the Bambi mug is no exception. Plus I love how it can be used to practice what it preaches.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Jiminy Cricket - Disney Wisdom Collection #7

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Nice mug with another fun quote

Cons: Don’t like the color

The Bottom Line:

Another fun mug

Characters, quote are both great

Conscience glad I got

Don’t Prick Your Conscience. Buy This Mug

I’m at the point I need to do some serious rearranging in my cupboards for the mugs I’ve been buying this year as part of the Disney Wisdom Collection. Not that it has stopped me from starting the second half of the series with this mug inspired by the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio.

This month’s quote is “Always let your conscience be your guide.” It is featured on one side of the mug in blue and red surrounded by doodles. I love the way they’ve chosen to display the quote. Of course, with it being a shorter quote, they can do more with it. On the other side are the characters for the month, Jiminy Cricket and Figaro.

My biggest issue with this mug is the color. Since Jiminy is the featured characters, they’ve gone with a yellow-green. Now, I agree that it is appropriate for the character since crickets are close to that color. I just have never been a fan of yellow-green. So, as you can imagine, that takes away some from my enjoyment of the mug. In person, the color is a bit more of a pea soup color, which is better but still not ideal for me. As usual, the characters blend into the mug a bit, but they stand out better than Cogsworth and Lumiere did last month.

Like the rest of the set, I appreciate the fact that the bottom is notched so it is stackable. I can fit more in my cupboards that way. It is a little shorter than some mugs, but it is wider, so you get a 14 oz mug that is dishwasher and microwave safe.

Color aside, I do appreciate this addition to my Disney Wisdom Mug collection. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to figure out where it is going to rest in my cupboard.

Sunday, June 16, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Lumiere - Disney Wisdom Collection #6

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good quote, characters look good on the mug

Cons: Much paler than I would have liked

The Bottom Line:

Mug with boldness quote

Comes in very pale yellow

Good, not favorite

This Mug is a Little too Pale Yellow to be Bold

While I have been enjoying the variety of colors in the Disney Wisdom collection, I hadn’t thought of the irony for this month’s entry in the series. The quote is on boldness, and the color is yellow. The mug really drives the point home since it is a pale yellow.

The quote comes from Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast. “You don’t have time to be timid. You must be bold, daring!” And, since both Lumiere and Cogsworth are our characters this month, the yellow makes sense. However, for the mug, they went with a very pale yellow. I really was picturing something a little darker, like the yellow in the inside of the mug. I’m sure it will grow on me as a color, but I still haven’t quite adjusted to it.

Unfortunately, the characters don’t fair that well on the mug. Lumiere almost completely fades into the mug. The candlestick part of his body is dark, but the wax is so light it is hard to see. Cogsworth is a bit better, but he still blends in a little too much.

On the other side of the mug, we get the quote for the month. The calligraphy is wonderful again, and it is in purple and lavender, so it really stands out. Dare I say it? The quote itself is bold. The squiggles around in include flames, and there is a red rose. I love both of these touches.

As with the others in the series, it is short and wide, which means it is still a 14 oz. mug that is completely microwave and dishwasher safe. The way the bottom notches allows the mugs to stack on top of each other, which is very helpful since I am already out of cupboard space before I even started this series.

But I can’t resist these mugs. This one may be paler than I wanted, but this mug is still going to be fun to have and use.

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Pocahontas - Disney Wisdom Collection #5

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great quote; great looking mug

Cons: None related to the mug itself

The Bottom Line:

A great wisdom quote

Captured on a stunning mug

Glad I got this one

Good Reminder on a Fun Mug

While I will never love the movie Pocahontas, I definitely appreciate Disney using a quote from it as part of their Disney Wisdom Collection. This beautiful mug is a great addition to my collection.

The color of the month is a pretty blue green color. The result is absolutely beautiful. On one side of the mug, we have Meeko the raccoon, this month’s mascot, and Flit the hummingbird. They are in various shades of blue, which isn’t their natural color, but I’ve gotten used to these stylized characters, and I like how they look. They don’t have as much doodle around them, but what they do have looks like leaves and branches.

On the other side is the quote of the month from Grandmother Willow. “Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one.” There is a lot of truth in this quote since it seems like the right path is rarely the easiest one. And the quote looks amazing. They use pink and orange extensively, which really makes it pop out. I think they outdid themselves with the presentation here. Again, the quote is surrounded by leave doodles.

Of course, looks aren’t important if this isn’t a good mug. Fortunately, that’s not a problem at all. The mug is wide and short, but it still easily holds 14 oz. It is designed so that you can stack it with others from the set to take up a little less room in your cupboard, which is nice since I really don’t need any more mugs. And, like most mugs today, it is dishwasher and microwave safe.

I have very little Pocahontas merchandise, and I don’t see that changing. I’m happy to have this mug as one of those rare exceptions.

Sunday, May 5, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Piglet - Disney Wisdom Collection #4

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Good quality mug

Cons: Color and quote don’t appeal to me

The Bottom Line:

Weak quote and pink mug

Make this my least favorite

Sure others will love

Questionable Quote on a Pink Mug

With as popular as the Winnie the Pooh characters are, I wasn’t at all surprised to see them pop up in the Disney Wisdom Collection. In fact, I would have been surprised if they hadn’t. Unfortunately, I do feel like the April mug is the weakest in the series, but I know it is probably most about personal taste.

You see, the color of the month is pink – baby girl pink. That’s never been one of my favorite colors, and so this mug doesn’t appeal to me as much. Of course, I still got it. I’m a collector, after all, and must get all of this series. (Seriously, businesses love people like me.) However, people who love pink will not have the issue with this mug I do.

Since the main character this month is Piglet, the color makes perfect sense. In fact, this may make the most sense of any of the sets in the series. You can see this on the side of the mud that features Piglet. He is joined by Tigger. They have a three-tone pink theme going, and it makes them look great. Okay, Tigger is usually orange, but pink works on him. These characters look the best of any of the characters to date.

On the other side of the mug is my other issue with it – the quote. It comes from the movie The Search for Christopher Robin and quotes Christopher Robin as saying, “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” It sounds good, but I also think there is wisdom in knowing limitations and when to ask others for help if at all possible. Maybe if I saw this quote in context in the movie, I’d feel better about it. The quote itself looks good in dark pink and green with doodles, some of them leaves, surrounding it.

As with the others in this set, the mug is 14 oz and completely dishwasher and microwave safe.

Between the color and the quote, this mug is my least favorite in the series so far, and probably for the entire set. I have a feeling it will be the one I reach for last on my shelf.

Monday, April 1, 2019

Disney Mug Review: The Jungle Book - Disney Wisdom Collection #3

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Color and quote

Cons: I’m not worried about any cons

The Bottom Line:

A worry-free mug

Pulls quote from a song I love

Color is great, too

Getting This Mug is a Bare Necessity

When I first learned of the Disney Wisdom collection back in January, there was one month I knew I needed to get even if I skipped the rest. That was the March release. It combined my favorite quote of the series with my favorite color, so it was a no brainer. And the mug that goes with it is fantastic.

The quote for the month is “Forget about your worries and your strife” which Baloo sings during the song “The Bare Necessities.” I’ve always loved that song from The Jungle Book, so I was drawn to this quote more than many of the others in the series. The mug itself is a deep green, which is my favorite color. Combined, the two are a fantastic match.

As with the other mugs, this one has the quote on one side. The quote is surrounded by squiggles and lines, mixed into which are some leaves, capturing the feel of the jungle. On the other side, we get this month’s characters, Baloo and Bagheera. Baloo is sitting and looking at us while Bagheera is walking and almost looks like he is looking over his shoulder. The characters are black and green and not their true colors. It looks better here than it does on the pin, where Bagheera just looks weird.

The mug itself is short and wide. It may not look like it, but it will hold 14 oz. It is also dishwasher and microwave safe.

Between the quote and the color, this is the mug from the Disney Wisdom set I will be using the most. And I’ll probably have the song stuck in my head every time I pick it up, which is not a bad thing at all.

Friday, March 8, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Mulan - Disney Wisdom Collection #2

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Good sized mug, fun quote, characters

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

A colorful mug

With a great quote, characters

Means drink holding fun

Rare Disney Character on a Great Mug

The second quote that Disney chose for their Wisdom Collection is taken from the movie Mulan. That allowed them to pick a very rare character for some of the items released. That, combined with it being part of a series, turned this mug into a popular item right from the start.

The quote chosen comes from the Emperor. When we meet him near the end of the movie, he praises Mulan by saying “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.” That quote is on one side of the mug. The other features a couple characters from the movie, and pretty much the characters you’d expect. That’s right, we get Mushu and Cri-Kee. While Mushu has shown up on quite a few things over the years, I feel like Cri-Kee is much rarer.

The color this month is red. The mug is a vibrant red, and the characters are done in shades of red. The quote is in silver with a couple words being done in yellow to help them really stand out. It is a lot of fun.

The mugs in this series are short and wide. They may not look like it, but they will hold 14 ounces easily. They are wide enough they take up a little extra room in your dishwasher, but they are dishwasher and microwave safe. The bottom is a little narrower, so you can stack the mugs in this series on top of each other, which means they take up a little less room in your cupboards. That’s a good thing since I’m pretty much out of room as it is.

The characters and quote combine for a fun mug. I was glad to add this to my collection, and I’m looking forward to more.

Sunday, February 3, 2019

Disney Mug Review: Dumbo - Disney Wisdom Collection #1

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great mug with a fun quote

Cons: Might be a little wide for most dishwashers

The Bottom Line:

A mug with a quote

Very blue; really looks great

So series starts well

Inspiration from a Mug

I have a number of mugs that I've collected over the years. Some are souvenirs, but quite a few are Disney related. So when I saw the mugs that are part of the Disney Wisdom Collection, I knew I had to get them, starting with Dumbo.

Each mug in this series will feature a different inspiring quote from a different Disney movie. They kicked things off with a quote from Dumbo. "The very things that held you down are going to carry you up, up, up!" This is a quote from Timothy as he is encouraging Dumbo to fly again when they are both awake. This quote is on one side of the mug. It's mainly written in a dark blue, but a couple of key words are in red. Plus we've got the magic feather hiding in there in yellow. The other side of the mug features Dumbo and Timothy. While Timothy is trying to encourage Dumbo to try flying again, Dumbo is looking at the magic feather in doubt.

Each mug in this series will be a different color, and this one is mostly a light baby blue. Even the characters are mostly light blue, with darker blue, black, and white helping us see them. It's a bit of a different look for the characters, but it works here and I love it.

I was a bit worried about how much the mugs would hold, but I've been pleasantly surprised. While it is short, it is wide, allowing plenty of liquid to sit in there quite easily. I’m sure the official size is 16 oz., but I put 14 oz. in with no issues of spilling. It's width might make it a little more awkward of a fit into your dishwasher, but for me that's a minor issue. And yes, it is dishwasher and microwave safe.

And the quote itself is inspiring, a reminder that we need to look for the positive in any given situation. Not all the quotes are as good, in my opinion, but this one is great.

I'm not quite sure what I will do with all twelve mugs in the series storage wise, but I must get them. Dumbo starts things off very nicely.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Index: Disney Merchanise

I'm going to list my various Disney merchandise related reviews here. However, I will keep my Disney related ornaments here. So for right now, it will mainly be pins and mugs. I will be listening them by series, at least for now.

All Star Trading Cards