CRAYOLA- MORE THAN JUST CRAYONS

When you think of Crayola, what comes to mind?

Crayons
Crayons
Crayons,yes yes….

Crayola Crayons—the big yellow box with the array of colored crayons. Then of Course there are the Crayola Markers- which are fat and juicy and come in your standard ROY G BIV colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown,black, and gray.
When you had projects in school or had to make posters for games, you always bought CRAYOLA – that was the ONLY way to go right?!?!?!

Well guess what? I truly believe, and hopefully someone will email me and tell me, that Crayola is undergoing an extensive shake up.Is Jill Barad from Mattel working for Crayola and no one knows it?!?!?!? Crayola, is by far, going to be, according to my estimations, one of the BIGGEST winners this holiday season. Crayola, in case you haven’t noticed, has all of a sudden awakened from their multi colored dream and has taken the kid world by storm - so much so that even I have noticed. And we all know that once I notice, it must be a good thing.

Crayola was once known as Binney and Smith. However, in early 2007, they officially changed their name to Crayola LLC, probably due to the fact that Crayola is more recognized than the Binney & Smith name. And to me, it seems like Crayola LLC has really been charging forward at an accelerated pace since then.

Most everything I want this Christmas is made by Crayola—and that has NEVER happened.

In case you have missed the new gadgets Crayola LLC is creating, let me educate you.

A. The Crayola Glo Dome: This is such a great innovative toy. Its a globe that allows you to draw on it and it “glows”. It’s so simple yet so fascinating. The Crayola Glo Dome is a simple toy that can keep you fascinated for hours. I want one of these for XMAS.

B. The Crayola Glo Board/Glo Station: Same idea—it’s a board that allows you to draw on it and your images “glow”. How cool is that. Its almost like Lite Brite, but different. Yes, we must all acknowledge that Lite Brite was the first toy that glowed, but they didn’t advance that “glowing” technology the way Crayola has. Hasbro knew toys that “glowed” were fascinating, that is why they made the Lite Brite and the Glo Worm. But HASBRO should have kept expanding on the whole “glow” idea. Where they ended is where Crayola has taken off. FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!


C. The Crayola Color Me A Song Pad : This is so fascinating. I want this for XMAS TOO !! This is a “toy” which allows your toddler to color and hear music at the same time. The faster the kid draws, the faster the music goes. The slower they draw, the slower the music. How neat!! I think this is a great toy to have if you have little kids AND you are traveling. If you are the driver and you give this toy to your child, you will know they have fallen asleep once the music stops or slows down. This “technology” is absolutely mind blowing because it can be used in many ways. This SAME technology can be used in elementary schools, when teaching kids how to write. As their writing improves, the tempo of the music will increase. This technology has a lot of potential…..trust me.

D. The Crayola Color Wonder set: I really like this. This is a coloring set which allows the painter to draw, but yet there is no paint. The set uses special paper and special paint. Its all magically connected in some odd strange way. It’s like the paintbrush has a brain of its own and is electronically/magnetically connected to the special paper and the special paint. Don’t ask me how it works—I don’t know—but the fact that it is so magical makes me want one. You should want one too. It’s one of the “wonders” of the toy world I suppose.

So you see, Crayola is a top player this holiday season. If you are at the toy store and you feel overwhelmed, stop by the Crayola section because they have A LOT to offer this holiday season. Whether its 3D Sidewalk Chalk or Glo Globes- the selections is remarkable!!

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Today is Strawberry Shortcakes Birthday!! She's 30!!! Hooray SS. Is it just me or did you think Strawberry sHORTCAke was way older than 30?!!? I know I did!! im a child of the80s and I remember my sister hadthe starwberry Shortcake lunchbox.And she is older than me.So as a kid, I think Strawberry shortcake was my sisters age-between 35-40.i never knew she was much younger. When i think if Strawberry Shortcake i think of my sister, because as a kid strawberry shortcake is the first toy I remember.Yeah there were popples, barbies, board games, those great Golden Books, and the Mork and Mindy doll(which I had thank you very much-I had Mork), and the See and Says that had pullable levers,but I truly remember Strawberry Shortcake as the first.My sister had this lunchbox and everyday, she would take her lunchbox to school- even though i don't remember my mom making lunch for her.Anyways bake to Strawberry- so my sister had this lunchbox and I remember she guarded that thing with her life- the lunchbox and the thermos drinkie thingie in the box.The box was made of metal back then.And like, it was my sisters most prized possession.Like we could play hard with toys but with our girl Strawberry, no, she was different.Strawberry was treated very carefully.So as I think about Strawberry Shortcake today, November 9, 2010, I have good memories because Strawberry has always been in a class of her own.Today my sister is a smart independent woman, and I truly believe that she owes her success to Strawberry shortcake. Strawberry Shortcake enabled young girls all over the world to feel empowered and proud of who they were. If Strawberry was a happy girl living in a strawberry, then who were you to say you weren't happy living in a real world? HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!!!