Blingles Theme Pack & Crystal Pets Review

Blingles are a great way to get some bling and pizazz into the holiday season! My daughter adores anything that sparkles and shines, but these products are equally enjoyed by boys.  We have the Blingles Accessory Pack as well as the Crystal Pets Pack. Between them, there are over 400 gems, 2 gem mats, glue rolls, trinket box, photo frame, key ring, gift cards, and a huge variety of design templates.  With craft kits always a big hit in this household, there were more than enough materials to add sparkle and shine to everything in the wardrobe.

The concept itself is simple, with clear instructions in the packaging, to ensure a great result is achieved immediately. If you’re not sure about creating your own design, there are some great templates that you can use. My 7 year old quickly decided she wanted to branch out into her own artwork and was delighted with the results she achieved. A huge animal fan, my son worked on a number of puppy and dog outlines, delighted with what he produced. The small gemstone bling that will stick to practically anything, including clothing and shoes.   To make a ‘blingle’, a template is chosen ( or you can make your own up), gems positioned onto the no-mess glue sheet and it peeled apart to then stick wherever its needed. The high quality glue roll ensures that the design will stick to most things. he kit comes with a special pen that makes it easy to pick up the gems.

The age range for Blingles is suggested for chidren girls ages 6 and up, although perhaps unless they have good fine motor control, a little older will ensure there are no tears or frustrated designers. In saying that, younger children will have just the same deslight in creating when working alongside an older sibling or parent. I really appreciated the tidy tray for all of the materials, keeping them in order and easily accessible. 

Design It, Press It, Bling It!  It really is that simple. Refills of both the gems and transfer glue rolls are readily available.

Note that the kit has tiny pieces, so if you have younger children around you’ll want to take extra care that they don’t go into mouths. The Blingles Kits by Moose Toys are available from major toy stores and were at supplied to us by the wonderful team at  Undertow Media to review.

Blingles Sparkling Princess Review

Blingles promises to add a creative sparkle to all your accessories.The Sparkling Princess designs features stars, hearts, crowns, lips and music notes, perfect for the young princess in the household. However, with their new line up fo theme packs, kids can choose designs they are interested in. Adding some pizzaz to noteooks, ipods, handbags and belts has never been easier for young designers

Although marketed towards the tween market, the templates are easy to follow and once young children are shown the process, they will be able to design and create their own bling with little assistance. To make a blingle, a template is chosen, gems positioned onto the no-mess glue sheet and it peeled apart to then stick wherever its needed. The high quality glue roll ensures that the design will stick to most things. 

Each kit is generous with the amount and variety of gemstones and it was good to see that refills of both the gems and transfer glue rolls are readily available. The tiny gemstones can be a little fiddly to handle and smaller hands may find it frustrating to position when creating some of the more detailed designs. The kit is an attractively set out with spots to store all of the equipment and consumables. 

The wide variety of deigns possible allows the creator to use the bling in a wide range of places. An accent for a handmade card, giving a gift photo frame a special lift, a sparkle for sunglasses or personalising a phone or laptop; the possibilities are endless. 

The Sparkling Princess Blingles kit was enthusiastically received and with immediate professional results, its expected it will remain a favourite craft activity for a while. With a wide range of designs to choose from, the difficult decision will be how much bling is too much?  

Blingles Sparkling Princess by Moose Toys is available from Toys R Us and all leading toy shops. My daughter would like to thank the wonderful people at  Undertow Media for sending us the product to review. 

Angry Birds Space Plush Toy Review.

Unless you have been living under a rock for years, you will have heard the unmistakable taunting laughter and soundtrack music to Angry Birds, one of the most successful games of 2010. With over 12 million copies of the game has been purchased through Apple’s App Store, and over 1 billion copies on other platforms, its popularity lays in its addictive, deceptively clever and challenging puzzles. The franchise has expanded its products to items from lunch boxes to keyrings, with its fans not necessarily children. Its almost inconceivable that there is a movie, and adventure theme park dedicated to this game.

With the launch of Angry Birds Space, a collaborative effort with NASA, comes a new line of plush toys which include original characters, alongside new heros. The limited series is currently available in three sizes, 5", 8" and a small backpack clip. Velvety soft and invitingly squeezable, these rotund characters emit three distinct authentic sounds from the game, making them a must for the serious Angry Birds Collector.

 The plush toys are well made, with stitching both strong and close together, giving the impression that they will endure some friendly slingshot fights and re - enactments. The colours are vibrant and true to character. The tiny costuming and embroidery shows a good standard of attention to detail in the design and construction of the toy.

There are no hard, sharp or detachable parts and with the noise activator deep inside, the Angry Bird Plush would be a suitable toy for children aged 1 and upward. The pricing is comparable to other licensed plush toys. The only complaint which could be made about these toys is that the flat noise button, hidden deep inside the soft belly of each of the characters, can be difficult to find in order to set off. With the repetitious maddening laughter of joyous birds, this may not be a negative aspect.

 Moose World Enterprise distribute these officially licensed products through a number of venues making them accessible online and in most toy and variety high street stores. With Father's Day celebrated in many countries shortly, this may be a present which will bring a smile to Dad's face, rather than risk the traditional socks or handkerchief gift offerings.
  Angry Birds Space 8” Talking Plush RRP $25
  Angry Birds Space 5” Talking Plush RRP $14
  Angry Birds Space Back Pack Clip RRP $8

 Disclosure: The author was grateful to have been sent a plush toy to review.

 Product photos Via Wiki 

Baby Rosy Cheeks Baby Doll - A Review

There were squeals of delight as our Rosy Cheeks Baby Doll was lifted out of her packaging.  She is part of a gorgeous soft doll line by The North American Bear Company. Rosy Cheeks was recently noted as a winner of Top Tips Trusted and Creative Child Magazine Awards. The Company’s toy range delight and enchant children from infants to tweenagers, covering bears, baby dolls, princess and fantasy play dolls.

The Rosy Cheeks range features dolls made from a super soft washable velour. Their embroidered faces are minimalistic but carry a sweet expression. They also have a lifelike ‘outie’ belly button and bottom with the cutest toes and fingers. The baby dolls have a removable jersey top, hat and diaper and and I.D bracelet.

Product Pros

Being soft and squishy, Rosy Cheeks is perfect for a young child to take everywhere they go and sleep. The material is soft and immediately huggable and is of high quality. The baby doll is a good size for dolly strollers. The diaper and shirt have velcro fasteners so it’s easy for a small hands to dress and undress. Even if it gets soiled, a quick hand wash will ensure the doll and clothes look new when dried.

The I.D bracelet is a perfect addition for personalisation. This little detail makes introducing a new brother or sister a little easier for toddlers. Another beautiful option for this doll is the ability to embroider personalised messages or features directly onto the surface.

Rosy Cheeks is available in a few hair colours and skin tones as well as in boy or girl. They are suitable for toddlers through to children still enchanted by baby dolls.

Product Cons

The ID Bracelet is made of a hard plastic and could be a little scratchy when the doll is hugged and carried about.

The little hat is held on with a stitch. Ensure that this is kept on as once it is taken off, the hat does not sit well and could be easily lost.

Overall, Rosy Cheeks Baby Doll is a perfect gift for a child wanting a snuggly comforting toy. By ensuring that the hat is secure and bracelet removed, it is suitable for young babies, with the assurance of long lasting play for years to come.

Annie would like to thank The North American Bear Company for supplying Rosy Cheeks Baby Doll to review.  Their products can be viewed and purchased online .