Podcasts about Littlest Pet Shop

How do toys shape who we become? Today, I sit down with a fascinating toy historian Chris Byrne who reveals the hidden power of play - from how different toys develop everything from relationship skills to problem - solving abilities.    We explore why true play isn't about reaching an end goal, but about embracing the pure joy of the journey. Whether you're looking to understand the art of playing alongside your kids or giving them space to explore independently, this episode will transform how you think about playtime. Join us for a rich conversation about rediscovering the magic that happens when we give ourselves permission to simply play.   After exploring the art of play with our toy historian today, I want to share something powerful with you. My book Fertile Imagination tackles a crucial truth: we can't guide our children toward imagination if we've lost touch with our own. I'll show you the exact framework I used to reawaken and strengthen this superpower – the same one that transformed both my life and my three sons'. If you're ready to rediscover your creativity and childlike zest for life, grab your copy now: https://bit.ly/fertilebook     In this episode, you will hear:    Play is a process, not a means to an end, and embracing it can reduce stress. Imagination influences every decision we make. Playing with toys helps kids develop problem-solving and relationship skills. Adults benefit from play too—it fosters creativity, joy, and innovation. Letting children lead playtime strengthens their confidence and creativity. Kids learn by doing, and unstructured play is vital for their development. In corporate settings, a playful mindset can unlock new ideas and innovation. Fear of failure limits creativity—kids don't judge play, and neither should we.   This episode is brought to you by:    Fertile Imagination: A Guide For Stretching Every Mom's Superpower For Maximum Impact – My book is available as a hard cover, paperback, and also as an audiobook. If you are on the go and wish to quickly jot down where you can purchase the book then head to: https://bit.ly/fertilebook.    If however you want to grab the audio version then head to the show notes to click the direct Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Fertile-Imagination-Stretching-Superpower-Maximum/dp/B0CK2ZSMLB   About Chris Bryne   Chris Byrne has spent over 35 years in the toy industry, holding major marketing and creative roles before launching Byrne Communications, a consultancy specializing in product development, strategic planning, and marketing. A passionate advocate for the power of play, he has studied its impact on child development and creativity across industries. He has appeared on major media outlets worldwide, sharing insights on toys, play, and innovation. He also co-hosts The Playground Podcast, diving deep into the toy industry's past, present, and future.   SHARE this episode with fellow moms and entrepreneurs who want to bring more creativity into their lives! Chris's insights on play, imagination, and innovation are a must-listen for anyone balancing motherhood and career growth. Let's embrace play, rediscover joy, and inspire the next generation! Supporting Resources:   Website: https://www.thetoyguy.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetoyguy/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetoyguyofficial/ The Playground Podcast: Spotify & Apple Podcasts Subscribe and Review   Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.    I'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms. About Fertile Imagination   You can be a great mom without giving up, shrinking, or hiding your dreams. There's flexibility in how you pursue anything – your role, your lifestyle, and your personal and professional goals. The limitations on your dreams are waiting to be shattered. It's time to see and seize what's beyond your gaze. Let's bridge your childhood daydreams with your grown-up realities. Imagine skipping with your kids along any path – you, surpassing your milestones while your kids are reaching theirs. There's only one superpower versatile enough to stretch your thinking beyond what's been done before: a Fertile Imagination. It's like kryptonite for impostor syndrome and feeling stuck when it's alert!    In Fertile Imagination, you will awaken your sleeping source of creative solutions. If you can wake up a toddler or a groggy middle schooler, then together with the stories in this book – featuring 25 guests from my podcast Unimaginable Wellness, proven tools, and personal anecdotes – we will wake up your former playmate: your imagination!  Advance Praise    “You'll find reality-based strategies for imagining your own imperfect, fulfilling life in this book!” —MARTHA HENNESSEY, former NH State Senator    “Melissa invites the reader into a personal and deep journey about topics that are crucially important to uncover what would make a mom (and dad too) truly happy to work on…even after the kids are in bed.” —KEN HONDA, best-selling author of Happy Money    “This book is a great purchase for moms in every stage of life. Melissa is like a great friend, honest and wise and funny, telling you about her life and asking you to reflect on yours.” —MAUREEN TURNER CAREY, librarian in Austin, TX           TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Chris: I really believe is what we play with as kids really becomes, we become a lot of that. And we had a basement in our house that had a room in it, that had a window in it. And my brothers and I would create puppet shows. And we would do that. And we would just go round up all the kids in the neighborhood and say, you have to watch this puppet show. And they did. I mean, they were good. But it was really about storytelling. It was about connection. It was about making things up and just feeling very alive in that moment, feeling very connected to who I was at that time and being able to share that with other people. 00:00:43 Melissa: Welcome to the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, your weekly podcast to inspire you to dream bigger. Plan out how you're going to get to that next level in business, find the energy to keep going, and make sure your creative juices are flowing so that this way you get what you really want rather than having to settle. Get ready to discover how mom founders have reimagined entrepreneurship and motherhood. Ever wonder how they do it? Tune in to find out. 00:01:09 Melissa: And stretch yourself by also learning from diverse entrepreneurs who might not be moms, but who have lessons you can tailor about how you can disrupt industries and step way outside of your comfort zone. I believe every mom's superpower is her imagination. In this podcast, I'm gonna give you the mindset, methods, and tools to unleash yours. Sounds good? Then keep listening. 00:01:36 Melissa: So how do toys shape who we become? Have you ever asked yourself that question as you are giving your child a toy? If that toy is going to influence their career choices ahead or the way that they are, their character. Today, I sat down with a fascinating toy historian, Chris Byrne. 00:02:04 Melissa: Now he is a 35 year plus veteran of the toy industry. He's held major marketing and creative positions earlier in his life. And he's appeared on TV talking about toys and play in the US and around the world. He's even been on the Live with Kelly and Mark show as a regular guest. And he has his own podcast, by the way, the Playground Podcast. 00:02:29 Melissa: So, Chris reveals today the hidden power of play, from how different toys develop everything from relationship skills to problem-solving abilities. We also explore why true play isn't about reaching an end goal, it's about embracing the pure joy of the journey. So, whether you're looking to understand the art of playing alongside your kids or giving them some space to explore independently, this episode is going to change how you think about playtime. So I encourage you to join us for this rich conversation about rediscovering the magic that happens when we give ourselves permission to just play. 00:03:10 Melissa: Okay, so before we jump into the conversation, I wanna just let you know that after the conversation, I would invite you to explore the art of play with my book, Fertile Imagination. Why is that relevant to you as a mom? Here's what I want you to know. It's really hard to guide our kids toward imagination if we've secretly lost touch with our own. So in my book, Fertile Imagination, I share with you the exact framework that I used in order to reawaken my imagination, play with my imagination, stretch my imagination, and strengthen what I believe to be our greatest superpower. 00:03:56 Melissa: So this framework is super simple to follow. It is guided and it is also provided in lots of really cool journaling question prompts in the book. And it's gonna be the same exact process that I used in order to really get back in touch with that little childlike spirit that all of us has, but maybe we forgot we have held quite tightly close to our hearts. 00:04:22 Melissa: So, I invite you to go ahead, rediscover your creativity, and see if you can find your childlike zest for life. Because I really believe that it's hard to teach our kids things that we may have forgotten are natural to us, and maybe came naturally to us when we were younger. So enjoy the conversation. The link to the book is available in the show notes where you're listening to this. Let me read the actual link so that you can learn more about my book, Fertile Imagination. 00:04:53 Melissa: It is a bit.ly link. So it is bit.ly/fertilebook. You can absolutely grab a copy right there of Fertile Imagination. If you wanted the audio version that is available exclusively via Amazon. So go ahead and check out the show notes for that link. Thank you again. And I hope you enjoy the conversation and let me know what you think at the end, I will share with you my top three takeaways that you can apply to your immediate mom life. Thank you so much. 00:05:28 Melissa: Chris Byrne. I am so excited to have you here on the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. How are you? 00:05:35 Chris: I am very well. I'm so excited to be with you. Thank you so much for the invitation. 00:05:40 Melissa: I couldn't get enough of your TED Talk. I was like, oh my gosh, he's not just a toy historian. He's like a toy psychologist. I loved it. I loved it. So welcome to the show. Chris, I want to just start with the big, big question on my mind. Help me understand from your perspective, decades in the industry, learning about the art of play, like what is an imagination to you and do you consider it a superpower? 00:06:12 Chris: Well, I absolutely consider our imagination our superpower. It is the one thing that, really one of the many things that really define us as human beings. Nothing happens in our world that doesn't start in the imagination. It can be, what do I want for lunch? Or what do I want to be when I grow up? Or should I marry this person? Or should I have children? 00:06:34 Chris: Or whatever it is because we begin in the imagination and other kinds of animals, you just put food in front of them and they eat, it's instinctual. But for us, it's not- as humans, it's not just instinctual. We literally create our worlds on a daily basis and that starts in the imagination. 00:06:54 Melissa: I agree. And it's interesting because as a fully grown adult, I would say that when I was writing my book, Fertile Imagination, and I see it as like a superpower for moms who are technically adults. I feel like it's a topic that is seldom discussed amongst adults. Like, is this something that you are noticing? Or maybe, you know, people that have that childlike quality because of your industry? What's your take on imagination, the art of play, and being an adult? 00:07:30 Chris: Well, I think all of those are really critical to who we are, because play is really the act of asking a question, what if? What if I do this? What if I, you know, as an adult in can be, what if do whatever? For me, as a kid is like, what if I jump off this wall? What's gonna happen? You know, but we grow up and we have a little bit more, more adult kind of perceptions, if you will, for that. And it really is like trying to spin out a scenario. 00:08:06 Chris: So if I am going to take a new job, for example, what is that gonna be like? Who am I gonna be working with? And we begin to develop stories around things in our imagination. And those stories are very important because we really can't take action to make things real until we've imagined them as a concept. 00:08:28 Melissa: Yeah. And so, okay. So this is something that I'm struggling with right now. This is like real time, I need some help, get me unclogged sort of stuff. So this idea of having a story in my mind and having a vision I want to make real, the vision side of it is so hard right now for me to see, mainly because it's like, there's things that I've envisioned in the past, but I haven't made happen. So I don't know kind of like how to play myself to a solution or a vision or just kind of like, think with a little less of like the past, you know, like hindering this vision. 00:09:15 Chris: Right. It's a great, it's a great thing. I mean, I'm sorry you're going through that, but I think that if you look at how a child plays, right, when they get an idea and they don't sit there and think, well, if I just do this or I do this or I do that, it's going to be fun, right? They come, that's not fun. I'm done. I'm on to the next thing. And I think as adults, we should do that too. If something is becoming too much effort, if it's not working, then we just drop it and go on to the next thing. 00:09:47 Chris: And I don't think there's any harm or foul in that. And I think that when you look at a kid who is imagining and playing, they're not judging the play as they're doing it. They're looking at well, where did this take me and where should I go next from it? And it's a much freer, kind of more peaceful way to go through the world. 00:10:08 Chris: I mean, I talk about things that I've done that turned out to be mistakes. And I call them I said, well, that was a once in a lifetime experience. As in I don't have to do that again. I learned the lesson. 00:10:20 Melissa: Yeah. And I think, you know, approaching any problem from that perspective releases that pressure to get it right the first time. And it gives you like the levity to get back up and just be like, okay, let's go at it again. And I imagine like, cause I noticed also, and I know that this side of it might be a little bit more conventional thinking, but like, you actually bring these ideas into corporate settings, you know, the art of play. 00:10:51 Melissa: And I'm like, if I think about the different environments where it's not okay to play. It's not okay to make mistakes. Like how do you sell that idea of we're just playing right now and don't get frustrated if it works or not in like a corporate setting, you know? 00:11:11 Chris: Well, one of the things that's so interesting in a corporate setting is people come into a meeting or a brainstorming and they're focused on one specific outcome, right? So if you're focused on an outcome, you kind of end-run the process of play because play is a process. Play is asking, what if, you know, let's go down this road and let's go down this road and see what it is. So I always encourage people to be as off the wall as possible. I will give you an example that almost got me fired. 00:11:43 Melissa: This is a good one, okay. 00:11:44 Chris: And nobody will like it, but I was working with Ideal, with Ideal Toy Company and we had the Shirley Temple doll. And nobody, we had these porcelain $400 Shirley Temple dolls and Shirley Temple dolls were huge in the '30s and still with doll collectors, but nobody was buying them. And we thought, how do we get rid of them? And I said, well, why don't we put them on the QE2 and use them as skeet? Like people can launch the doll. 00:12:11 Chris: So the brand manager got really mad at me. And told me I was inappropriate. But as we talked more, we ended up doing a doll collecting event with Cunard that actually turned out to be good. So the idea is, go out there and play off the wall in a safe environment, obviously. So the idea of creating an environment where it's safe to play, where it's safe to have that sort of impulsive childish response to a situation is okay. 00:12:45 Chris: We would never have promoted that in a corporate sense. But the idea that we were just playing with ideas and being silly. That opens the pathway to being really creative and to seeing what could actually work. And then once you get that, you put the action steps in place to get to the next step. 00:13:05 Melissa: Yeah, I think just, you know, going crazy and just really trying to break out of conventional thinking and our very logical pathways in our mind, it's like first we do this, that, the other. It's almost like some sentences, right? And the way we like greet each other, it's so like rehearsed that to come up with something like, oh my gosh, I love your outfit. You know, it reminds me of like a toy soldier or something. It would be like way off, but it would start rapport, I think. Rapport or like, you know, people would be like, kind of weirded out. But I've always tried that. How can I not weird people out? 00:13:44 Chris: Well, it's, right, well, that's always a question, but I don't really worry about that too much. But I think that one of the things, again, as I was saying about process, but also getting over fear, right? As adults, we think, well, what if I get it wrong? Children, when they play, if you watch them play, they don't worry about getting it wrong. They just think, well, that didn't work. That didn't do what I wanted it to do. Let me do something else. They haven't built a hierarchy of judgment and really being unkind to themselves about doing something wrong. 00:14:19 Chris: And if you embrace play, there's really no kind of, you can't be wrong when you're playing, right? Some things may be practical, but there's imagination and there's spinning things out, things that might never become real, but then things that actually could practically become real. And the process of getting to that point is actually pretty joyful. 00:14:42 Melissa: And I think we could all use some more joy these days, that's for sure. Adults and children alike. So let's see, let's go back in time. So let's go back to the time where you recall maybe playing with a toy and feeling like an insane amount of joy. If you can think about, you know, your one moment or one of the moments, I'm curious to hear your perspective. 00:15:06 Chris: Well, it's really interesting because one of the things that I really believe is what we play with as kids really becomes, we become a lot of that. And we had a basement in our house that had a room in it. They had a window in it. And my brothers and I would create puppet shows. And we would do that. And we would just go round up all the kids in the neighborhood and say, you have to watch this puppet show. And they did. They were good. But it was really about storytelling. It was about connection. It was about making things up and just feeling very alive in that moment, feeling very connected to who I was at that time and being able to share that with other people. 00:15:52 Melissa: Wow, so that's interesting. So it's funny because I feel like maybe I was, because I was an only child for most of my upbringing, like a lot of the things I did were just on my own and I had to really figure out how to make something out of what was around me. So let me share like this one thing that I would do to just pass the time. And of course, like in the background, like there was like maybe Magnum P.I. playing or, you know, name- Hawaii Five-0, whatever my mom was into. 00:16:25 Melissa: So I would go to the closet and I would take out a shoebox. And I would proceed to create like a scene. So they're called dioramas. I looked it up because I was like, this is a weird thing that I just kept doing all the time. And then I would create little figurines and put like little slots, you know, on the sides and move the little carboards in and out, you know. And I was like, okay, I have to ask Chris, like, what does that say about me? I have no idea. 00:16:56 Chris: Well, I mean, I would say it sort of starts you as a storyteller, which is what you're doing today. You're telling stories and you're facilitating other people telling stories. But it's also, I mean, especially for children at that age, it's about trying to make sense of the world and the stories they tell us, like trying to make sense of relationships. I'll tell you another story. 00:17:18 Chris: Years ago, we were playing with some kids with Barbie dolls. And they had all these different Barbie dolls. And one kid took all the blonde Barbie dolls and they were making fun of the brunette Barbie doll. And we were just watching this and going, yeah, this is somebody who is working out a reality in their life. 00:17:38 Chris: And that is really what play is, because even as she, in this case it was a girl, became powerful in that situation, was able to stand up for herself, you're giving your brain the sense that you can actually do this. If you do it vicariously, you've already had that experience on some level. So that when you confront that in real life, it might be easier, or you might have a solution. 00:18:03 Chris: I mean, how many times do you go into a situation, an interview or whatever, and you've rehearsed what you're gonna say? And your brain already knows that. It's like visual, what they talk about in sports about visualizing, you know, the outcome. You know, you're already having that experience, which is so cool. Cause our brain doesn't know the difference sometimes between reality and what we imagine. 00:18:24 Melissa: I love that. I love that. And so, yeah, who knows what I was trying to work out? There are a lot of things going on in my home. I'll tell you that much. But yeah, I think, you know, that idea though, just like trying to work things out that, you know, maybe you don't have that first person experience with, but like doing it through the use of a toy. Have you noticed at a curiosity any sort of changes with the dynamics between toys and kids now that there's like AI sort of toys out there? 00:19:01 Chris: There are so many different types of play experiences. What we were just talking about is more traditional doll or action figure or stuffed animal kind of play where a child is really doing that. Some of the other stuff with AI or licensed space like Star Wars, Marvel, all of that is beginning to understand yourself as a capable human being. 00:19:23 Chris: So for example, if I'm a superhero, I can feel. I can have the feeling of what it's like to be a superhero. And I always say, if your life is all about mom is in control, eat your peas, get in the minivan, do your homework, suddenly if you're a superhero, that's very empowering. And then empowering as an individual to be able to confront the world in a different way because you're empowered. So it's very classical, the kind of totemistic idea that we take on the powers of the superheroes. 00:19:59 Chris: And even though we're not gonna fly, we're not gonna lift, we're not gonna pick up a truck, we're not gonna do that, you have the emotional sense of capability, which is really what it's all about. 00:20:10 Melissa: That's interesting. I think, I mean, I don't know. Now that I think about my kids, for example, their toy experiences these days is really YouTube videos and playing video games and things like that. And I wonder if that's also along the same thread of what you just said, feeling the different capabilities like running fast or jumping high, things like that. 00:20:37 Chris: I think definitely. I mean, it's, you know, YouTube videos are like today's cartoons, right, on some level. You know, I grew up watching cartoons and, and it was- so they're looking at who are my role models and who are, you know, somebody's doing something. Oh, I'd like to try that. And, you know, or oh, wow, they tried that, I'm not gonna do that, but what would it be like if I did this kind of thing? 00:21:03 Chris: So I think that it's a window on the world and people are always concerned about screen time and I'm never concerned about screen time so much as I'm concerned about what's on the screen. So that is what's being modeled through the YouTube things, things that you as a mom or a parent want your child to be consuming because it can be very supportive or it can be kind of dangerous depending on what kids have access to. 00:21:30 Melissa: Yeah. And it's so interesting what you're sharing right now, because I mean, I had Saturday morning cartoons, for example, and I ate a lot of cereals with all the dyes and all these other things. And my kids literally tell me, they're like, oh, we want to have Saturday morning cartoons just like you. But of course, it is that YouTube thing. And I limit it to SpongeBob. Like, that's appropriate for their ages right now. 00:21:54 Melissa: But I think that's so interesting, this whole idea of rehearsal and visualization and imagination. I wonder because when it comes to toys and just the way that they've changed through the years, how did, for example, Tickle Me Elmo, how did that support people in terms of capabilities or anything? I'm curious. 00:22:22 Chris: Well, Tickle Me Elmo was kind of an outlier in that, you know, in terms of classical play. Tickle Me Elmo became a fad, right? And fads take on a life of their own. They kind of jump the shark or jump from the toy industry because Tickle Me Elmo started as an entertaining little preschool doll for preschoolers, infants and preschoolers. Suddenly it becomes this whole cultural phenomenon that everybody has to have. 00:22:50 Chris: It becomes, so it's a fad, so it becomes kind of a marker in time. So if you were around for Tickle Me Elmo, and you remember that, it's sort of a springboard to your memories of what the latter part of 1996 was about, because that's when Tickle Me Elmo was really huge. So that's not really kind of play in the way that I talk about it a lot. That becomes a cultural event. And my other joke about Tickle Me Elmo, Tickle Me Elmo was $40 really, basically, or more. You know, you can have a Tickle Me Elmo and be really cool for a lot less than you can have a Birkin bag. 00:23:26 Melissa: Wow, yeah, that's true. That is true. It's so funny, this conversation just takes me down the whole nostalgic route. Like I'm thinking about my Steve Urkel joke pull doll. Do you remember that one? 00:23:39 Chris: Yeah, yeah, of course. 00:23:41 Melissa: Yeah, so anyways, I'm totally like aging myself right now. I'm like, oh, I had Steve Urkel and I had Popples and all the like. What do you think, you know, nostalgia? Let's talk about that. Because I feel like a lot of marketers use that, you know, in order to kind of like pull forth a certain generation, let's say. And I even feel like at a supermarket, like I'm like, I think they know who their shoppers are with the music. But let's talk about nostalgia. 00:24:09 Melissa: Like, and again, thinking about more quote unquote modern toys, you know, like. And back to like these like electronics, like do you think that it'll be the same sort of calling card, I think is the right phrase? Like when someone starts saying, oh, like, let's say 10 years from now, you know, what's the name of the- Stumble Guys? Like, do you think that people will say like a certain like thing on video games and it'll have the same emotional pull as like Tickle Me Elmo, Popples, or Cabbage Patch? 00:24:41 Chris: It's hard to know. The thing about nostalgia is it's really for adults, right? Nostalgia is for people looking back. When you're three and four, you're not nostalgic for much. You're not remembering much. Maybe you remember your pull ups, right? When you had your pull ups. But you don't, you're not really nostalgic for something because you haven't been around that much. 00:25:03 Chris: The challenge from a toy marketing standpoint is relying on nostalgia to sell toys. Because I mean, yes, there's a certain level of you as a mom had My Little Pony or Littlest Pet Shop or any of those huge hits, Masters of the Universe. And you want to share those with your child. But for it to engage your child's imagination, there has to be something authentic to them. It's not just, mom liked this, so I'm going to like it too. That doesn't really work. 00:25:31 Chris: Look at Barbie and how Barbie's been redefined over the years, because Barbie always reflects the culture at any given time. So in 1959, she could be a fashion model or a bride, right? Pretty much, those are the Barbie options. Today, there are hundreds of careers and there's hundreds of abilities. And Barbie, the Barbie line looks like the world kids are growing up in, just as it did in 1959. It's just a more diverse and broader world with more possibility for girls and women today than it was in 1959. 00:26:08 Melissa: So when it comes to the toy industry, who's actually using their imagination to come up with like what to make for the future? Like, is it a combination of kids and adults? Is it like who's actually imagining like right now, like in the Mattels, et cetera, you know, what's coming down the line like 10 years from now? It's going to be hot and cool. And like, how do you how do you imagine something like that? 00:26:36 Chris: Well, it's hard. I mean, I think I think it's like, you know, my crystal ball usually needs a shot of Windex so I could get a clearer sense. But it's more an art than a science, that's for sure. And it's looking at trends. It's looking at how are kids playing, how are they interacting, how are they socializing, what is fun to them, and what's going on in the culture at large. Because the toy industry always reflects the culture. 00:27:03 Chris: We're always reflecting, because kids, you know, most healthy kids, they aspire to being big. They wanna grow up and they want the things like their parents have. So back in the, you know, in the early 2000s when cell phones came out, you saw tons of preschool cell phones, right? You don't see that so much anymore because the preschoolers have a real cellphone. 00:27:25 Chris: But you see things that will allow them to feel like they are part of the culture and they are growing up into it and that they are older and perhaps more capable than they really are because that's an important imaginative tool to help in the maturation process. 00:27:41 Melissa: That's fascinating. So that's true. It was definitely a lot of like, I don't know, mommy and me things. Like you see them with like a cash register or like a Target cart, right? The plastic little one, right? Cause their parent is shopping at Target. And so I wonder because it's like, there's some habits that as a parent, like maybe we wanna shake off ourselves, but we're inadvertently doing a lot. 00:28:06 Melissa: So like the cellphone one, I'm like, oh God, yeah, mommy has a cellphone and now her child does too. And it's like, how can I stop? And it's a reinforcement, but I'm wondering, okay, so in terms of the future and in terms of toys, have you ever done or seen any sort of things where the mom was playing with the child versus the child was playing by themselves? Like any differences there? 00:28:31 Melissa: Because I would love to just kind of inspire a listener right now to consider the fact that actually getting lost in play with their child can be even more beneficial than just having your child play with a toy to the side and you're doing something completely different. 00:28:52 Chris: I think that is critically important. One of the things that we're talking to parents of Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids. And Gen Alpha was born 2010 to this year. And one of the things that parents talk about is some of the best part of their day is when they're playing with kids. And what I always suggest is that if you're playing with your kid, especially if they're a preschooler, let the child run the play and you respond. Don't tell them, oh, look at this, oh, do that. 00:29:24 Chris: And you don't have to teach, it doesn't have to teach them anything, right? It doesn't have to teach. Kids are going to learn. So really letting that child's imagination drive the experience because, you know, I think every parent has had the experience where your child comes up with something and you go where did that come from? 00:29:45 Melissa: 100%. All the time. 00:29:47 Chris: And it's because they're sponges and they're listening to their absorbing everything and then they're processing it to their childlike brains or their childish brains. So I think that letting the child do that, but being there and being in communication is really important. 00:30:02 Chris: When I was growing up and maybe when you were too, we had three different worlds. We had kid world where no adults came in and the kids were doing that. We had adult world where we weren't allowed, where the parents would do that. And then there was family world, which is dinner and vacations and being yelled at about your grades or whatever that was. 00:30:21 Chris: But those three worlds don't really seem to exist anymore. And parents and kids are much more integrated in one another's lives. I think that's an outcome of COVID. It's actually a very positive outcome from COVID. Because you as mom and dad, have fun with your kids. Come on. It's, again, back to the idea of process rather than outcome. They don't have to become an expert ball player. They don't have to become an expert thing at times. They can actually just learn and play and discover the world and share those discoveries with you. 00:30:51 Melissa: Yeah, I love that. And I think it's an opportunity for someone that has to think a lot in life and feels the stresses of life to kind of let go and just stop thinking and just going with what is. Be present. You know, be totally present. 00:31:12 Chris: Be totally present and just be open to what it is. It's trying not to, as I was saying, it doesn't have to have a definitive outcome. And the one thing I think we've lost track of, often in our culture right now, is the idea of embracing process. It's really okay to make mistakes. It's really okay to try something, as long as you get up and start again. 00:31:36 Chris: I mean, how many times have you, I was talking about, for me, I learned to ski late. And I'm a really mediocre skier. I'm enthusiastic, but I'm not good. And I had somebody who was teaching me and he said, Chris, eventually I was scared. Eventually you're gonna have to point your skis down the hill. So I did it, I fell a lot, I did that, but I was so eager to learn that I'd fall and get up again. 00:32:04 Chris: I had to learn how to get up, but that's the thing that I think is, you know, if you have an idea of where you'd like to go but embrace the process on the way there because who knows what you're going to learn and what you're going to discover. 00:32:16 Melissa: Yeah, I definitely agree with that. I think that's the key to any goal. It's just you have to really fall in love with the process as you head towards the vision the goal, you know, whatever it is that you're trying to accomplish. And I also love the fact that, you know, as with play it's like there's something that's so pure about it, you know, when left on unmanipulated. 00:32:40 Melissa: It's like as a parent, we might have this desire to like educate our kids up to wazoo with regards to like every educational toy out there and every moment with we're with them, we're teaching them another language or coding or something. But I think, you know, just being open to a little bit, you know, unstructured play and that time with your child has so many benefits. And I think, you know, Chris, the work that you're doing just stay connected to like play as just being fun and okay and positive is is really helpful. Thank you so much for the work that you've done. 00:33:18 Chris: Thanks. I mean, I really do think that it as I mentioned, joy before it really does open the door to being joyful and going, oh, wow, that's fun, you know? I mean, when was the last time you said, oh, wow, that's really fun. 00:33:31 Melissa: 100%. Yeah, for sure. Thank you so much, Chris. So where can listeners continue to learn about their favorite toys, about you, about what's up ahead in the toy industry? 00:33:42 Chris: You can come see the toyguy.com. That's probably the best way. And then on Instagram, I'm thetoyguy. So, yeah. And I post a lot of pictures from things like toy fairs and different things and things that are fun for me and that make me giggle. 00:33:58 Melissa: Thank you so much, Chris. Have an awesome one. 00:34:01 Chris: Thank you. 00:34:03 Melissa: My three takeaways for this conversation that you can absolutely take to the bank and apply in your home are, first, this idea that playing with our kids has benefits for our kids, but also for us, especially if you're a super busy mom. It helps put you in the immediate present moment. So that's a big, big perk right there. 00:34:25 Melissa: Second is this idea that it's all about the process as opposed to the final answer. And that's something that I know is hard to think about when you're constantly thinking about what's next in your life. So thinking about play as something that you're doing and it's a process instead of to put together that Lego piece might be a great shift in your thinking and could relieve you of the stress and pressure of getting things right. 00:34:54 Melissa: Second, no, actually my third point here, my third point would be that in terms of the benefits of playing, I hadn't realized how psychologically deep some of these toys touch the minds of our kids. So the simple fact that we are thinking about, you know, working out relationships when you're doing a diorama, which may have been the case for me personally or maybe you're thinking about whether or not you have skills like a superhero, which was something that Chris shared, I just never thought about how psychologically interesting playing with a toy could be. 00:35:32 Melissa: So you might want to reconsider this idea that playing with a toy is just a way to distract your child or keep them focused on something other than breaking things. There could be real psychological value and also something for you to just consider psychological opportunity when it comes to the choices behind the toys we put in front of our kids. 00:36:00 Melissa: So I hope you enjoyed this conversation. Again, this episode was brought to you by my book, Fertile Imagination. I am excited about it. It's a guide for stretching every mom's superpower for maximum impact. Your imagination is your superpower. That is why I had Chris on the show today. I encourage you to check out the show notes where you could actually purchase the book and let me know that you did. I am always available for conversation and any questions. Thank you so much and I appreciate you. And until next Tuesday.

Host Bex Scott lets you in on her process for going through her local Value Village thrift store in this episode. She explains the layout of the store section by section, how they're stocked, and what to look for in each. She explains where the good stuff is on the shelf, how to check items for damage, and where some of the hot items are hidden. If Value Village is new to you or you find it overwhelming, this episode will break it down into understandable sections and help you scour for the perfect vintage score that you're seeking. Bex also shares some key tips for collectors and resellers. Did you know that some of the best items are on the very bottom shelves in Value Village? Don't be afraid to get on the floor and look down there. Where do they hide the salt and pepper shakers? Should you skip the book section? If you arrive at the store first thing in the morning, is sneaking into the middle of the queue a good idea? Bex answers all these questions and more in this episode. Listen in then share your thoughts and tips with Bex on Instagram @PyrexWithBex. Resources discussed in this episode:Value VillageFind a Value Village near you—Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex—TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast, where you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Hey everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. On today's episode, I want to take you through my process for shopping at Value Village. Now, where I live in Alberta, we have quite a few different thrift shops, antique shops, but I find that the one that I have the most success at right now is actually the Value Village in Red Deer. So for those of you who live in this area, I would be interested to see if you kind of have the same process as me for going through the store. Now, I know that everybody has their own sections that they really love to hit up first. I know that when I used to go thrifting every day before we had our daughter, I used to show up way before the store opened and line up at the Value Village, this was in Calgary, not where we live now, but you would see the same people there all the time. The same person was always first, and you would get to know the people who were shopping there, which was kind of fun. Bex Scott: [00:01:38] And you would watch as people who weren't regulars came around the corner and they thought they could sneak into the line or try and create another line to get into the store before you did. And these people were having none of it. So one thing to know for sure is to never mess with a die-hard thrifter or reseller because they stake claim to their spot in that line and they will not move from it. So back when I used to go to Value Village in Calgary, my first stop was always the Pyrex section because there were a lot of other people who went there first. You wanted to be the first one to get the fresh Pyrex that they put out. A lot of times that's how I got my full sets. And you do have to kind of fight people for different things because you can tell, right? As you guys both lock eyes on the same set, it's like whoever is closest to that, you grab it. So you put your hand on it and you just have to be assertive, which is something that I'm not good at. I've learned to be a little more assertive since I've been thrifting for a bit longer now, but it's definitely not in my personality to fight with somebody over something. It's not worth it in my opinion. Bex Scott: [00:02:58] If somebody is going to fight with me over a set of Pyrex, I will gladly give it to them because I'm just, I don't like conflict. I will miss out on a great opportunity just to avoid the conflict with a stranger. But some other people who are there that you get to know, there was one lady, I called her the Teacup Lady because she went and cleared out the full section of teacups at Value Village every single morning, and I would kind of creep to look at what was in her cart. I have no clue about teacups at all. Nothing. No knowledge about china, any of that stuff. So it was fascinating to me to see what she was buying. And I'm sure she was a reseller, because nobody can store that many teacups in their house. Well, that might be a lie because I have that much Pyrex. But anyway, there was also a guy that would go and buy vintage books and then somebody else who would buy video games and electronics. So those were the usuals who would line up with me on at the Value Village. So since I've moved out of the city, I frequent Goodwill, Sally-Ann, Value Village, and then a few of the smaller thrift and antique stores in our town. And Value Village is definitely a big store to search through. It goes in huge cycles of being amazing and just being totally crap for what's in there. Bex Scott: [00:04:33] A lot of it goes with the seasons, which makes sense. So right now it's not too bad because people are clearing out after the holidays. Christmas is over, they have more time. So they're focusing more on clearing out, maybe getting ready to sell their houses in the spring/summer. So there's been a lot of good vintage in the stores recently, but before Christmas, it was all Christmas. That's all you would find there. Everything else was kind of junky stuff. And then right after Christmas, it went through a phase where the shelves were, like, completely bare, except for a few things. So now if, now is February, if you're getting into thrifting or reselling, now is a great time, in my opinion, to start stocking up on your inventory and looking through things before the big garage sale season comes up, which I'm extremely excited about. Bex Scott: [00:05:33] Okay, so I avoid a lot of sections in Value Village when I look for my inventory. That is mainly because it's not my area of specialty. I don't know a lot about it, and I can't buy from every single category, or I would probably be kicked out of my house. Just kidding. But it would, it wouldn't work. So right when you walk into our Value Village, on the right, there's DVDs and board games. Now, I know a lot of people who resell DVDs and resell vintage, and not even vintage, just modern contemporary games, and they do extremely well. Bex Scott: [00:06:12] So I would love to get somebody on the podcast as a guest to talk about just board games, DVDs, music, that kind of stuff, because that is a section that I avoid. The first section that I do go to is the book section. I am a massive reader. I read every day. Right now my goal is to try and read six books a month. I did that for January. We'll see for February. But I have a problem with buying books for myself, never mind books to resell and to collect. But when I do buy them for my collection, it's the Little Golden Books. I love vintage Little Golden Books. Some of the newer ones are cute too, but I buy them for the illustrations and the artwork in them, and this might hurt a lot of people to hear, but I repurposed some of the pages in crafting, so I've been making little coasters and journals, covering journals with like Disney pictures and just really nice old vintage artwork, which I know is terrible to do to cut a book up. But I try to only cut the ones up that are really damaged. I don't ever touch a brand new pristine condition book. So I collect those for myself and to read to my daughter. So I'm trying to collect as many Little Golden Books for her as I can to pass down to her. I also have had great success selling the Little Golden Books. Bex Scott: [00:07:50] So if you can find them for like $0.25 each or a dollar each, they usually resell for like $3 to $4. So not a huge profit there. But if you get enough of them, you can sell them in bulk, you can sell them as a collection. And you might be able to find some good money in that section. Next, I always buy vintage Baby-Sitters Club books and Sweet Valley High, so right now those ones are really popular. I've sold quite a few Baby-Sitters Club books, and they did release, I think it was on Netflix, a Baby-Sitters Club TV show, which is actually pretty good, I'm not going to lie. So it did make a little bit of a comeback, but people are trying to complete their collections that they had growing up. So I always try and grab those books, especially the older Baby-Sitters Club ones. Next is Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. There are some extremely die-hard collectors here, and I know I've talked about this in a previous podcast episode. There are different types of the Nancy Drew, different time frames that they were released with different covers, artwork, that kind of thing. So keep that in mind when you are buying them if you were trying to complete a collection or you're trying to resell, that different ones will have different values just because of the time they were released and the type of cover that they have. Bex Scott: [00:09:25] Okay, so once you leave the book section in my Value Village, you go to this extremely overwhelming vase section where they've just crammed every single vase that has ever been donated from a florist shop. So you'll see a bajillion of them. They all look the same. They're all in there. I don't know why, but the same two vases could have two different prices. It drives me insane. But this is where I have had the most luck finding swung vases. And you need to be quick on these. Like this, when I walk in, I scan that section first to see if they've put anything really tall on the top shelf, because that's where they usually are. If I don't see any, I head to the books, but I've found quite a few amazing vases in this section. This is also where you want to look for pottery. Anything marked, I find is great to buy if you look it up with Google Lens. A lot of the potters marks are very hard to discern. So this is an area that I don't know a lot about, but I have lots of friends who have made great money selling especially German pottery. So if you can get to know some of the German pottery names, then this is the section you want to look for them in. Bex Scott: [00:10:47] Kitschy planters. Everybody loves a good kitschy planter. These ones can be from maybe it was like a vase that somebody got their baby shower gift from. They have the cute little lambs and the balloons and the blue and pinks. Lots of Easter around Easter time. So little chicks and rabbits, that kind of thing. So I always pick up the kitschy planters if they're in good condition. Make sure you touch every inch of them. Same with the vases. These sections are terrible for broken items. I don't know if they just don't catch them when they sort them or if they sell them regardless, but I've been so excited about finding something that I just grab it, throw it in my cart, and I get home and I secretly cry in my office because now I have to do something with this broken vase. Another thing that I often forget to look at are brass vases. So a lot of these are made in India and they're beautiful. These ones are always great to resell. They're also great in displays because they are so pretty. But keep an eye out for brass vases. Make sure you get them at a good price, though, because Value Village has caught on that these are valuable items and they have been jacking the prices of them. So next to the vase section is what I call the weird wood section. This is like a catch-all for anything wood that comes into the store. A lot of times there are broken shelves here, little knickknack things, but the things that I like to look for are the wooden knickknack boxes or jewelry boxes. Bex Scott: [00:12:35] A lot of them have really nice ornate carvings in them. Sometimes people's names on them. I really like these for storing knickknacks and jewelry, but also for reselling because they are a hot item. People love wooden boxes. Next would be wooden or carved animals. A lot of these things look like they might not have any value, but depending on the wood they're made out of, if you go home and research them, or you do a quick Google Lens in the store, it is definitely worth while. A lot of the wood is very valuable and the carvings have been done. There's lots from Africa or Mexico or places like that by the Indigenous people in the area, and they are very beautiful and great for collections, but also for reselling as well. Next up would be look for the little wooden knickknack shelves. These can be like the letterpress drawers or little mug holders that you put on your wall with the little pegs. Like the peg - peg, what's the word I'm going for? - The peg, the peg holder shelf thingies. Somebody, if you know what the actual word is, let me know. Not enough coffee today. But yes, look for those. I have seen some beautiful displays at Christmas where you have the accordion, peg hanger and you put Christmas decorations on them.That is a goal of mine one year to do with my vintage Christmas balls. Bex Scott: [00:14:09] Okay, so we've gone from the weird wood section now. I'm skipping over the strange candle, votive, school supply aisle. There's very rarely anything in there. Maybe sometimes old vintage photo albums. That is a good thing to always grab if they're in good condition. And always look for photos in them, because sometimes Value Village doesn't take them out, which is a really big score, but I usually skip this weird section, come back to it at the very end if I have time. Next is the plastic stuff. So this is your typical, I bought this plastic water bottle and now I'm donating it, and Value Village now has 10,000 of them, so avoid those ones. I find it kind of gross anyway to buy an old reused plastic water bottle, but that's just me. Some of you might love that section. What is good in this section though, is Starbucks to go mugs. If they are in near brand new condition or they haven't been used and abused, they will resell. Starbucks always resells. I've had amazing luck with it. Just be sure to open it because you never know what's inside. Still in this section, this is where you find your vintage Tupperware. Do not sleep on this section. People will donate their vintage Tupperware. Always do, this is so gross, but always do the sniff test. I have opened some in Value Village and there have been spiders and bugs and weird smells in there. Bex Scott: [00:15:47] To me, it's not worth it to take those home and clean them because I am creeped out by that. And it's, yeah, I would rather just leave that there for somebody else, which might be mean, but I would definitely check the condition and make sure somebody hasn't had spaghetti in it for a bajillion years, because that stuff stains. Look for utensil marks, make sure they're not totally torn to shreds and that they haven't been warped in the dishwasher or the microwave. So make sure the lids are nice and flat and that somebody also hasn't written their name on it in Sharpie. There may be a way to get it off, but just be cognizant of that when you're looking at the Tupperware section. Okay. Next we get into dishware. I love the dishware section. This is where I have found some amazing vintage Denby dishes. I'm not going to pronounce this right, but Le Creuset. I have found five Le Creuset mugs for 4.99. They are amazing to resell because they are just so valuable and expensive. Look for any Japan stoneware plates, Corelle dishes, those still resell like the butterfly gold that goes with the Pyrex. What else? Just keep an eye out. Start researching your dishware and just look at the bottom of everything, because you will be surprised at how many things you can miss just because you think it might be cheap. Bex Scott: [00:17:25] There's been a lot of Dollar Store or Walmart dishes that I think look like Le Creuset, and then I flip them over and they're not, and vice versa. So just keep an eye open. In the same aisle we have the teacup section. So I know that this can be a gold mine. This is one that I do skip over because I have such limited knowledge in it. So if you are a teacup collector, I would definitely check this section out. Look for chips. Look for gold that's been rubbed off. A lot of the vintage teacups, they do have a gold rim or a gold handle, and it's always the first to rub off. So just make sure you keep that in mind when you're looking through teacups. If, sometimes they put teapots in this section as well. Teapots can be very gross and stained on the inside, but if you put a dishwasher pod inside of them and let it soak, it will clean out all of that tea staining. On the other side of this aisle is the glassware. Another one of one of my favorites, because you never know what you're going to find here. So I look for vintage Libby. So if you flip it over, you'll see the little script L on the bottom. A lot of these dishes or glasses are the ones with the gorgeous designs. They can have sometimes metallic on them, gold Bex Scott: [00:18:53] Just make sure again that the gold isn't rubbing off. But they have the groovy flowers and the amazing patterns that you see in all the vintage catalogs. So this is a great section to look for that in. And try to find them in sets like four, eight, that always sells better. I've bought a lot of single glasses, which are definitely harder to resell. Sets of three are harder to resell as well, so you might get people asking to buy two of them and then you're stuck with one. But just keep that in mind when you're looking in the glasses. This is also where you're going to find the Dorothy Thorpe. So there's a lot of look alikes. So this is where there's the silver fade, like the roly poly glasses. I always buy those. They became very popular after Mad Men came out, the roly polys with the silver rim. Those are gorgeous. So I would recommend buying those. But always take a look at the silver. If it has scratches, if it's coming off, if it's fading. Because that will really hurt your resale value. Okay. We're still in the same aisle. This is a very good aisle. We are at the coffee mugs now and this section is usually a disaster. You have to dig. I have broken quite a few mugs in this section, because you're trying to reach around and get the good stuff at the back, so just be careful when you're moving things around, because I definitely need help in this section. Bex Scott: [00:20:26] This is where you're going to find your milk glass, so don't do just a cursory glance. You might want to walk down the aisle in one direction and walk back. I often get on the floor and look in the bottom shelf just because it's so easy to miss things. But Federal glass mugs, what else do we have in this section? Fire King, we have the Pyrex mugs. We have, what else, stoneware. Made in Japan stoneware and English stoneware. I always buy those mugs. Also pottery, makers mugs, that kind of thing. So look to see if they have a pottery studio signature on the bottom. And Disney. Disney and Starbucks, always buy the Disney and Starbucks if it is in good condition, do not leave them. I know it's not vintage, but people love them. You can oftentimes find really rare or not in production Disney and Starbucks mugs and those sell really well, especially on Marketplace. Okay. The next aisle is the random junk aisle. This aisle drives me crazy because most of the time everything is broken in it. It's pieces and parts of things that they didn't know what they were, so they just threw them in there. But it's still worth it to dig through. This is where you'll find your trivets. A lot of times they have nice Lucite ones with flowers pressed in, really nice brass trivets, some wooden ones. Bex Scott: [00:21:58] Placemats are here in the boxes. This is where I usually get my salt and pepper shakers, but make sure they are not chipped. It is so hard to find salt and pepper shakers that aren't chipped at Value Village. What else is good to keep an eye out? Marble rolling pins. I found quite a few marble rolling pins that do very well for resale, and I've kept a few of them because they are amazing to bake with. Recipe boxes. This is where I find the awesome recipe boxes from the 60s and 70s with the gross recipes in there. Those are always really fun to look through. After the random junk section, you have the serving dishes, and this is kind of a catch-all for anything glass. Lots of juice jugs, Pyrex percolators are here. But the best part of this section is the uranium glass that people don't realize is in there. So always bring your black light, because this is a section where it's usually stuffed in the bottom of the shelf at the very back. And it's the uranium glass platters, the milk and sugars, anything like that. Little bowls and dishes and trinket dishes. Make sure you look for anything that stands out as green. Stoneware serving platters. I found some beautiful floral print stoneware platters here and in my shop, weirdly enough, this is where the staff like to hide the valuable electronics. Bex Scott: [00:23:34] So I have laid on my stomach in the floor multiple times. Because if you go towards the end of the day when the store is going to be closing soon, they like to hide Playstation games, Game Boy games. I've had some Wii controllers and just some really amazing stuff hidden in this section at the back. So pro tip, get on the floor, don't care what people think about you, just look for that gold mine of stuff that people are hiding because it does happen. My most favorite section, the Pyrex section, it is dwindling these days. There's not a lot out there. Mostly what I find is super beat up, dishwasher damaged to the point where it's not recognizable anymore. It's really sad. When I started thrifting, there was definitely a lot more, but I am now in a population that is a lot smaller than where I used to live too. But every once in a while you find a good, a good score of Pyrex. They're usually on the top shelf, which is easy to spot. Other things you can find in the section are Wilton cake pans. I've had great success selling Wilton cake pans. You just have to make sure that they are a low enough price. I would avoid cornflower CorningWare. It, 3 or 4 years ago, it was a hot item. It was hard to keep it in stock, for me at least. And now it is a struggle to sell it. Bex Scott: [00:25:12] So spice of life, blue cornflower, any of that stuff. If you have success selling it still, go for it. But for me, I pass over that stuff now just because I found that it's not worth it. Jello molds. I love jello molds. These are the tin, usually rose gold or copper looking ones. They're so cute and a whole bunch of different sizes. I always grab those ones because they are fun in displays, to collect, and to resell as well. Okay, so now we are in to the strange bathroom section. My Value Village has a section where they sell hair clips, curling irons, what else do they sell there? Just weird random laundry baskets. But this section is amazing for vintage garbage cans. Also vintage jewelry boxes. So don't pass this section up if you have it in your store. This is where I find a lot of my velvet covered snap shut jewelry boxes, the smaller ones that fit little rings or necklaces. Those ones sell really well, especially if they are in good condition. If not, you can also recover them. I have a friend who does amazing and beautiful work recovering vintage jewelry boxes with new velvet, new insides, cleans up the little feet. So if you're interested in taking on a project like that, this is a great spot to look for them. Bex Scott: [00:26:46] Next up is the linen section. I could spend a whole day in this section. It starts off with aprons, dishcloths tea towels, and then it goes into fabric, sheets, duvets and blankets, and then pillows. So this is all a lot of personal preference when you're buying linens, what you like to look for. But I like to look for the groovy floral sheets, anything with like a bold retro pattern. Chenille duvets. Pillowcases with flowers. What else? Really cool tea towels with graphics. Those all seem to resell really well. Especially the retro groovy looking sheets. Just make sure that you inspect them for holes, stains, anything suspicious because they do sneak in there. I find a lot of, like, duvets and bedspreads that I really like, but our Value Village is ridiculous for prices and they can be upwards of $20, so to me that is not really worth it. If you're looking through pillows, look for anything that is latch hook. I found an amazing latch hook mushroom pillow the other day. Um, crocheted pillows do really well. Anything with florals. The funky, groovy patterns again. And if it's a seasonal item, Christmas pillows, Halloween pillows, pillowcases and covers from the fancy stores, like the modern stores like Urban Barn, Pier One, anything like that. Even Indigo/Chapters, they get a lot of those in there. Those are great for reselling as well. On the right hand side of the linen section is the sewing section in our store. Now, I don't buy sewing patterns from Value Village because I find that $2 to $3 each is what I can sell them for, and that's the same price that Value Village sells them for. Bex Scott: [00:28:56] So unless it's something really amazing, like a Barbie pattern, I always grab Barbie clothes patterns, Barbie furniture patterns, those ones resell at a higher price. Sometimes you can get about $10 or more for a pattern that is Barbie. But this is where I find my latch hook patterns, my cruels, my needlepoint, my cross stitch. They've had some amazing kits in this section, and you do have to dig through, because this is where they also put the baby diapers and the feminine products that are donated. So you have to dig a little bit, but they are in there. Next up we have the kids section. The kids toys and clothes. I have dug through the toys before to find Cabbage Patch Kids, My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop, vintage Barbie. This is a section you really need to spend time, like, come to the store just to look at the toys, because you need to dig through broken toys that aren't working anymore and just really spend time to decipher if it's vintage, if it's modern. I don't buy clothes when I go to the thrift store because that's a whole other thing. I wish I had the had the time and the patience to search through clothes and photograph them and all that fun stuff, but I mostly stick to the hard goods. Bex Scott: [00:30:22] Next is purses. Purses and accessories I do like to look through because I buy the nice sequined beaded clutches, little handbags. Those do really well for resale and they're really pretty too. If you just want to dress up and go out for your own fun. So I do look through those. Sometimes you can find some good designer bags. I've found some Betsey Johnson, some Coach, but most of the time they separate those out in the Value Village and put them in the locked case. Next would be oversize items. This is usually where electronics, big furniture is in our store, and it's actually one that a lot of people I find skip because they think everything in there is too big. But there's been some really good finds in this section. I went with my friend not too long ago and we found, I think it was three lawn chairs with retro patterns on them. They were really cool. I found some awesome dressers, bookshelves, just really nice MCM looking furniture. Stools. And this is where they put lamps too. So you can find some awesome vintage lamps in this section to refurbish. Wine racks, couches. If you're really interested in refurbishing or cleaning something out like that, but make sure you take a look, just a quick walkthrough of the section because you can find some pretty awesome stuff. Bex Scott: [00:31:49] And last but not least, this section is so fun to look through. It is the jewelry section. It's almost like a game for me now, where I know that they've gone through and looked through the signed pieces, and most of the time they're pretty good at it, they know what they're looking for, but there are some awesome gems you can find in here. I would love to find a find a Sherman. That would be crazy if they left a Sherman on the wall of jewelry. But I've found quite a bit of Sarah Coventry. Butler. Vendome. What else has there been? Just a lot of random signed pieces that have been skipped over. I mostly look for brooches. Anything with a nice rhinestone, even if it's vintage and unsigned, I buy it. And anything floral. So the nice, what's it called? The coated flowers. I've lost the word for it now, but they're the metal flowers that are usually a brooch or an earring. People love to make arrangements with those and frame them in a shadow box. Anything that has a really nice old clasp that might have some faux pearls and lockets. I love to look for lockets. So this section, you could probably spend a half day just looking through the wall of jewelry there. And sometimes the prices are great, sometimes not so much. But if you can find anything that they've missed that says 14 karat gold on it, anything that's sterling silver or, what else is there, even you might even find some real pearls you don't know. So this is a good section to spend a good chunk of time in looking through. Bex Scott: [00:33:27] And last but not least, I think I already said that about the jewelry, but this is kind of an extension, would be the locked cabinet that they have. So that's where they keep what they consider the really good jewelry, the electronics, sometimes there's designer shoes in there. I don't spend a lot of time in that section because it is mostly overpriced and to me, not as fun to look through, but because there's a lot of people, I'm sure, like me, who don't go to it, you could find some amazing scores. So that is a quick walk through of my Value Village store. I'm sure that they vary a little bit with quality of goods, the layout, that kind of thing. But that is a typical thrifting restock run for me, where I'll go in and go through my process and hopefully find some goodies. So check out the show notes for my social media platforms. Find me. I am on Instagram at Pyrex with Bex. I live sell on Whatnot at Pyrex with Bex as well. I have regular shows on that platform and there are some really amazing Canadian sellers on there. We all sell vintage of some variety. So feel free to find us there and message me if you'd like to reach out and chat. Thanks so much everybody. 

Join Alf and Reilly as they unlock the secrets of the universe and finally make it in tiny hollywood.>>>>>

Kelly is coming in hot with her take on 'the day in the life ofs', Lizz is putting so much pressure on her spray tan, and both gals are sharing a few names that they will not be giving to their baby girls.  → Kelly and Lizz can't wait to see you at The Car Mom Auto Show! Grab your tickets and hit the road to see the best family rides all in one place.  The great eight of childhood dolls pits classic favorites against each other to see who wins the title of most fun. Will it be Barbie, Polly Pocket, Bratz, Littlest Pet Shop, Webkinz, American Girl, My Scene, or Tamagotchi? Non-GMO, gluten-free, healthy meals are hard to come by when you're out and about as a busy mom. In seconds, you can grab a protein-packed shake and have a clean meal on the go, anytime. Clean Simple Eats was founded by a husband and wife duo who get the struggle of eating healthy as a parent. After living on cereal and takeout, they took matters into their own hands. Try one of their protein powders in 26 different flavors to ditch the drive-through the easy way.  → Go to cleansimpleeats.com and use code CARPOOL for 20% off your first order You're trying so hard to feed your family healthy, so why let your cookware leach yucky chemicals into your food? With Caraway cookware you can rest assured that you're cooking with non-toxic pots and pans that also look gorgeous with any design aesthetic. And not only is Caraway healthy and beautiful, their pans also come with the perfect storage system. Over 65,000 people have given Caraway kitchenware five stars. Now it's time to try it for yourself.  → Visit carawayhome.com/carpool or use the code CARPOOL at checkout to get 10% off your next purchase for a limited time. Hate dealing with customer service? Let Rocket Money do it for you. Over 74% of people have subscriptions they've forgotten about. Cancel unused and unwanted subscriptions, keep your spending on track, and put money right back in your pocket with Rocket Money. With over 5 million users, Rocket Money has helped save its members an average of $720 a year with over 500 million in canceled subscriptions. So stop wasting money on things you don't use.  → Download the Rocket Money app at rocketmoney.com/carpool   A listener asks if she should pass her 2015 GMC Terrain on to her teen driver or trade it in for a new vehicle for herself. Kelly shares why she would keep the car. Another long time listener is weighing the pros and cons of three across in the Traverse vs. captains chairs in a Z 71. Kelly gets put on the spot and can't wait to drive the Traverse herself to share more about this bench seat situation. → Write in your advice questions! Send Kelly and Lizz an email to get your question featured on the show at hello@thecarmomofficial.com  In industry news Kelly highlights the Consumer Reports list of top teen cars. She loves their ratings based on safety and reliability features while the cars still remain pretty affordable for a teen car.  As soon as the Auto Show is over, Kelly and Lizz will be diving right into Thaw-gust so they can ditch the drive-through postpartum style. Kelly is ready to triple her batch of baked ziti and Lizz is going to be making meatballs for subs on her fresh ciabatta bakery bread from Wild Grain.  → To share your ditch the drive-through recipe with us, call (959) CAR-POOL and leave us a message! Follow the Carpool Podcast on IG Follow the Carpool Podcast on YouTube Join The Car Mom Crew Facebook Group! Follow Kelly on IG Follow Lizz on IG Follow the Truck Dad on IG Visit thecarmomofficial.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://youtu.be/aKlR5SvJOTQHello listeners and welcome to today's episode of our eCom Pulse podcast! I'm thrilled to have Katy Katz, a digital marketing expert with nearly 20 years of experience, joining us. Katy heads Digital Marketing & E-Commerce at Basic Fun!, a company known for its beloved toy brands like Care Bears, Tonka, and Littlest Pet Shop.In this episode, Katy shares her journey from starting in Facebook marketing for an art gallery to becoming a leader in the e-commerce and digital marketing space. She discusses the challenges and opportunities of marketing in the toy industry, the evolution of digital marketing strategies, and the importance of data-driven decision-making.You'll hear about the critical role of combining organic and paid strategies on platforms like Amazon, the power of influencer marketing, and how to maintain a cohesive brand presence across multiple channels. Katy also offers insights into creating engaging customer experiences, the significance of internal marketing, and the necessity of continuous learning and adaptation in the fast-paced world of digital marketing.Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just starting, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways that you won't want to miss. Let's dive in!Website: https://www.vimmi.netEmail us: info@vimmi.netPodcast website: https://vimmi.net/ecom-pulse-podcast/Talk to us on Social:LinkedIn Vimmi: https://il.linkedin.com/company/vimmiLinkedIn Eitan Koter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eitankoter/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VimmiCommunicationsGuest: Katy Katz, Head of Digital Marketing & E-Commerce at Basic Fun!LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katykatztx/Basic Fun! - http://www.basicfun.comTakeaways:Data-driven decision-making is crucial in digital marketing, especially in the e-commerce space.Influencers play a significant role in spreading brand messages and building trust with consumers.Attribution can be challenging, but tools like ChannelSight can help track campaign performance.Continuous learning and networking within the industry are essential for marketers to stay up-to-date and find joy in their work.Multi-channel marketing strategies are necessary to reach and engage consumers in a rapidly changing digital landscape.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Background02:20 The Excitement of Marketing and Passion for the Toy Industry04:13 The Changing Landscape of Marketing and the Barrier to Entry05:35 Marketing Activities on Amazon06:39 The Relationship Between Organic and Paid Marketing on Amazon09:15 The Importance of Inbound Marketing for Paid Media Success11:00 Marketing to Kids and the Role of Influencers12:07 Managing Partnerships with Amazon and Other Retailers15:06 Creating Unique Brand Storefronts and Customized Landing Pages16:21 Managing Multi-Channel Activities and Decision-Making21:46 The Role of the CMO in E-commerce23:32 Tips for Digital Marketing Leaders31:59 Fun Fact and Conclusion

For Episode 56 of Goodfriends, we compiled some very random Top Ten Lists! Tune in to hear our choices for the top ten music videos of all time, Littlest Pet Shop pets, gummy candies, awkward social encounters, cryptids, playing cards, needle drop moments in movies, ugliest animals, and cutest animals! If you enjoy this episode or want to see more lists, please reach out! One love

In this episode of The Voiceover Gurus Podcast, Linda invites Australian voice actor, Matt Cowlrick, to discuss the essential elements of a successful career in voiceover. Matt shares insights on how having a diverse range of accents and vocal ranges can help voice actors tap into a broader range of opportunities and build a long-lasting career. Listen and learn about how Matt has made it work for decades. About Matt: Matt Cowlrick has been a full-time voice actor for over a decade. He records every day from his personal Source-Connect and ISDN studio, mostly in the genres of commercial, corporate and animation/character.   He works in multiple accents and vocal ranges with some of the biggest brands in the world. Select national campaign voice work includes TD Bank, GMC, McDonalds in Canada, BabyBel, Scrubbing Bubbles, Hilton, WorkDay in the US, Trex Decks in the UK and VistaPrint in Australia. He has performed promo work for AMC, Discovery, and Paramount+. Some of his animation and video game credits are Pirate Express (TELETOON), My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Chuck's Choice, World of Warcraft and Littlest Pet Shop and Loki and additional characters in Marvel Super Hero Adventures.   Visit Matt's production company website: https://www.timbersound.ca/#about And consulting website: https://www.timbercreative.ca/   FOR MORE INFO ON THE SHOW, PLEASE VISIT: Coaching Website: https://voiceover.guru/  and https://learnwiththegurus.com/ Linda Bruno Voice Actress  https://www.lindabruno.com Alyssa Jayson Actress and Musician http://www.alyssajayson.com Join our Circle Community: https://the-voiceover-gurus.circle.so/home

Lauren took a week off of the podcast and invited two team members from Brand Good Time in to talk all things BARBIE MARKETING. In this episode,  Laken Wallace and Hope Dwyer of Brand Good Time discuss the rebranding and marketing efforts of Barbie. They talk about the release of the Barbie movie and various brand partnerships that have contributed to the success of the campaign. They highlight the unique marketing strategies employed, such as the selfie generator and experiential marketing. The hosts express their admiration for Barbie's attention-grabbing tactics and the sense of gamification involved. They also discuss the transition from brand partnerships to organic, earned marketing. The conversation then shifts to the future of Mattel's marketing, including plans for more movies featuring different Barbie products. Topics Discussed: rebranding, marketing, Barbie, Barbie movie, brand partnerships, podcast, spoiler-free zone, sales decline, image problems, reputation issues, rebranding efforts, vlog Barbie, body types, inclusivity, impact, marketing strategies, selfie generator, connectedness, experiential marketing, brand collaborations, makeup brands, Xbox, Burger King, Crocs, Barbie Dreamhouse, Airbnb, flashmob, excitement, admiration, attention-grabbing, gamification, success, user-generated content, Barbie filter, organic marketing, earned marketing, brand partnerships, trend-setting, future, Mattel's marketing, movies, Hot Wheels, Uno, Polly Pocket, Littlest Pet Shop, personal connectionFollow us on Instagram: @brandgoodtime @shesbusyafWork with us: brandgoodtime.com

Sasha and Peewee talk about flipping #thrift store, retail and garage sale items and all the bumps they experience along the way.  Whether you're brand new to reselling or just looking to gain some additional knowledge, listen to Flips and Bumps and lets help each other make some money!This week:  -Goodwill Bins and Storage Lockers-An international glitch-How to sort littlest pet shop for long term profits-Screen doors-Garage Sale Talk-Flip or Bump of the Week-And Much More!New episodes every Monday at FlipsAndBumps.com or wherever you get your podcasts from@FlipsAndBumps on Twitter and InstagramEmail us any questions or comments you have at FlipsAndBumpsPodcast@Gmail.com#goodwill , #goodwillfinds , #resellercommunity , #resell , #reseller , #flip , #thrift , #pawn , #pawnshop , #garagesale , #garagesales , #estatesale , #fleamarket ,  #auctions, #bolo , #ebay , #ebaysales , #ebayseller , #ebayreseller, #videogames, #ebayresellercommunity, #podcast , #toys , #vintagetoys, #vintageclothing Flip Dat Turkey!

Matt Cowlrick voice over career spans over 20 countries,utilizing multiple accents and through a variety of genres.He's been the commercial brand voice for major companies like TD Bank, BabyBel,Scrubbing Bubbles, and VistaPrint,He's voiced promo campaigns on AMC and Paramount+and played lead and recurring characters on series like My Little Pony,Marvel Superheroes, and the Littlest Pet Shop.Plus, he's an expert at direct marketing managed through a CRM. 

Eric Rogers is a prolific television, film, and comic book writer whose produced credits include the Emmy-winning FUTURAMA and NYPD BLUE, as well as POLLY POCKET, S.M.A.S.H., BRICKLEBERRY, UGLYDOLLS, STRETCH ARMSTRONG, WANDER OVER YONDER, KINGDOM BUILDERS, TEEN TITANS GO!, and LITTLEST PET SHOP. Eric is the Co-Creator, Executive Producer, and Show Runner for the new sci-fi/action-comedy series from Hasbro Studios, MICRONAUTS, which will premiere in 2020. He was also the Creator, Executive Producer, and Show Runner for Netflix's SKYLANDERS ACADEMY, based on ActiVision-Blizzard's best-selling "Skylanders" video game series. Eric is a 2011 Writer's Guild of America Award nominee for his FUTURAMA script, "The Silence Of The Clamps". He hopes the WGA never realizes they obviously made some sort of grave clerical error with this nomination. Follow Kaia Alexander: https://twitter.com/ThisisKaia https://entertainmentbusinessleague.com/

Nicole Lyn Oliver is a Canadian actress known for her roles as Cheerilee and Princess Celestia in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and Zoe Trent in Littlest Pet Shop

Hello, and welcome back to the final episode of Favorite Five, where we go over my favorite five episodes from the final season of the Littlest Pet Shop. While the show might not have ended on its own terms, they still produced some good episodes, and these, in my opinion, are the best.Is it possible to balance between what writers want and what the company wants? Should the show have tried more? How many times do I repeat myself about the episodes? Can style also be a reason to like an episode? Why can I not remember a simple phrase like "spead your wings"? 

I realized that I could’ve just said “Littlest Pets”...enjoy and happy holidays! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/2000skidlife/message

Today Tryg talked with his friend Alanna about her childhood obsession with LPS! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mystrangeaddictions/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mystrangeaddictions/support

On this episode we're taking it back to the mid 90's with the golden era of the Internet. Do you remember the effort it would take to log on the Internet via dial up and then DSL?! Oh and of course, staying up til 3AM talking to your crush on AOL Instant Messenger (but then, he ignores you at school the next day). On this episode, Naseem is joined by her older cousin Roxanna who is a huge part of influencing her love for pop culture because of their shared childhood memories. We're talking about all that plus CD-ROM games, the Littlest Pet Shop, and an interesting scientific experiment on the how likely we are to spend more when we're reminiscing. -- Follow Naseem on Instagram and Medium Kudos to my amazing team for making this dream come to life: Cover Art: David Navarro Promotional Art: Haley Bolt Music: Klenze --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/naseem-khalili/support

Hello and welcome to the Littlest PetCast. I today's episode we are rounding things out by going over the final episode of Littlest Pet Shop, "Littlest Pet Street", with part one written by Guy Toubes, part 2 written by David Shayne, and both parts directed by Joel Dickie, Steven Garcia, and Mike Myhre. In this episode, to help with the grand opening of the Littlest Pet Street, Blythe thinks to get internet sensation Felina Meow. In doing so, they have to go to Bermuda. While on their way back, a storm happens, stranding them on a deserted island.Why is "It's The Pet Fest!" such a good point of comparisson for this episode? Is there a secret island in the Atlantic we don't know about? How come the Soul Eater ending gets a lot of flack? Did I say everything I need to? Why is this episode such a mixed bag?Thank you to everyone who has listened.My Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/vgckennyLPC on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkw-i587zdImpnw1SYIkrlA?

Hello and welcome to the Littlest PetCast. I today's episode we are rounding things out by going over the final episode of Littlest Pet Shop, "Littlest Pet Street", with part one written by Guy Toubes, part 2 written by David Shayne, and both parts directed by Joel Dickie, Steven Garcia, and Mike Myhre. In this episode, to help with the grand opening of the Littlest Pet Street, Blythe thinks to get internet sensation Felina Meow. In doing so, they have to go to Bermuda. While on their way back, a storm happens, stranding them on a deserted island.Why is "It's The Pet Fest!" such a good point of comparison for this episode? Is there a secret island in the Atlantic we don't know about? How come the Soul Eater ending gets a lot of flack? Did I say everything I need to? Why is this episode such a mixed bag?Thank you to everyone who has listened.My Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/vgckennyLPC on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkw-i587zdImpnw1SYIkrlA?

This week, in the first episode of several with a guest co-host, we talk about the history of the teeny tiny littlest collectible pets, The Littlest Pet Shop!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/ToysWereUsPodcast)

Hello, and welcome to the Halloween episode of the Littlest PetCast. Yeah, it's a bit late for Halloween, but who cares? In this episode, we talk about the episode "Littlest Pet Shop of Horrors", written by David Shayne, and directed by Joel Dickie and Steven Garcia. In this episode, Blythe has to work on Halloween night, so in order to entertain themselves they have a spooky story contest. Meanwhile, Roger is super jet-lagged and thinks that the people in costumes are what they appear to be.Should Russell sort out his feelings about women? Is Misery/King of Comedy a bit too advanced for the target audience? Who can resist a Freeman's Mind reference? Is Frankenstein's Monster really a monster? How therapeutic is working at LPS for Blythe?My Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/vgckennyLPC on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkw-i587zdImpnw1SYIkrlA?

Welcome to our first After These Messages episode! In these episodes, we watch and discuss commercials from the past, often related to the movies we watched, or chosen by one of us or our guest. This time we're in for a wild ride with some of Christa Carmen's favorite childhood toys, Teddy Ruxpin and Puppy Surprise. And then Christa told us all about how she and her sister used to play Littlest Pet Shop with LIVE BIRDS! Thanks for listening! If you liked this episode, tell all your friends, and PLEASE rate and review us on the podcast site of your choice!

Welcome to our first After These Messages episode! In these episodes, we watch and discuss commercials from the past, often related to the movies we watched, or chosen by one of us or our guest. This time we’re in for a wild ride with some of Christa Carmen’s favorite childhood toys, Teddy Ruxpin and Puppy Surprise. The spoooooky Teddy Ruxpin commercial with a Dracula and Frankenstein themeThe show and tell classroom with mean kids who are too snobby for teddy bearsNew Teddy Ruxpin Instruction VideoPuppy Surprise from 1992UK video comparing 90s version and 2015 version of Puppy SurprisePuppy Surprise sleepy versionAnd then Christa told us all about how she and her sister used to play Littlest Pet Shop with LIVE BIRDS! And we have pictures to prove it! How fun is that?Image description: Christa’s Parakeet Cashiers at The Littlest Pet ShopIImage Description: Tiny Christa and her sister, playing with their birds!Thanks for listening! If you liked this episode, tell all your friends, rate and review us on the podcast site of your choice, and consider becoming a paid subscriber or patron. You can get two bonus episodes (one movie and one After These Messages) each month, plus your support helps us make this show! This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at thisiswhywerelikethis.substack.com/subscribe

Hello, and welcome to the beginning of the end of the Littlest PetCast. To kick off the fourth and final season, we are taking a look at the episode "The Tortoise and the Heir", writte by Guy Toubes, and directed by Joel Dickie and Steven Garcia. In the episode, Blythe feels alone because of her ability to speak to animals. However, when a tortoise comes to the pet shop claiming that one of his previous owners could also talk to pets, Blythe wants answers. Meanwhile, Vinnie gets a glimpse of Blythe complaining and thinks that Blythe isn't speaking to the pets anymore.Isn't Speedy endearing? Did they confirm the truth about Blythe's mom? What power should that one other person have? Do I hit home my thesis statement? How does Littlest Pet Shop compare to Re-Kan!?My Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/vgckennyLPC on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkw-i587zdImpnw1SYIkrlA?

Hello and welcome back to the Littlest PetCast. In todays episode we finally close the book on being out of step with the air date order when we tackle the episode "The Very Littlest Pet Shop", written by Evan Gore and Heather Lombard. In this episode a slow loris named Dolores comes to the pet shop. She does not like to be laughed at, and Blythe tells the pets as much. However when Dolores's habits make everyone laugh she puts a curse on the Littlest Pet Shop to make it even smaller. The small store is taken in by Alice. Blythe and Zoe now have to find the shop before the curse lifts.How do you like my Stitch voice? Should Blythe call CPS for Alice? Would the KND help more troubled kids? Do animals have their own names for the places they live? Am I a fool, or does this make sense?

Hello, and welcome to a delayed episode of the Littlest PetCast, but mental health is more important than a podcast.And my mental health gets healed by the amazingness that is "Fish Out of Water", written by Guy Toubes, and directed by Joel Dickie. In this episode a fish named Goldie comes to the Littlest Pet Shop. The pets want to help his dream of seeking thrills, so they give him a mobility option. However, he becomes too mobile and gets lost in the sewers/storm drain. Meanwhile, Blythe is worried when she finds out that Josh is working at the Largest Ever Pet Shop, and goes in investigate.Are you a bad enough dude to save Blythe's crush? Was Al Gore president in this universe? Why do I default on "Oliver and Company" when I'm talking about "Oliver Twist"? What could possibly go wrong? How Canadian are most sewers? Or storm drains?

Hello and Welcome back to the Littlest PetCast. In today's episode, we are going over the episode "Feud for Thought", with story by Adam Beechen and Roger Eschbacher, teleplay by Roger Eschbacher, and directed by Joel Dickie. In this episode, two families (or one family, as the case may be) who have brought their koalas into the feud leave the koalas at LPS, and they bring the other pets into feuding. Meanwhile, Blythe and her friends' weekend plans are in the process of being ruined because Britney thinks she's smart after getting a D- on a test while Whitney got an F, and wants to hang out with Blythe's group because they're smart.Where are Yungmee's parents? What would you do to deal with a sentient blob you created? How do the Biskit's powers work? Did you enjoy the little editing bits I made? How does time flow in this show?

"I can't get away. I think about the implications of being in the fray, and possibly the complications. Especially today, I worry over situations that I know will be OK. It's just underkill. Day after day they reappear Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear Ghosts appear and fade away...."Hello, and welcome back to the Littlest PetCast. In today's episode, we are going over the episode "Snow Stormin'", written by Roger Eschbacher, and directed by Joel Dickie. In this episode, the pets have had it with each other, but have to spend more time together after it's too late, I mean, they're snowed in. Blythe is saddened by this, and tries to think of a way to get them to reunite. Meanwhile, Roger tries to get into the Littlest Pet Shop, but finds himself anywhere but.Is Roger's story a Goofy cartoon with a dark twist at the end? Does the world of LPS live in Al Gore's ice cube dropping future? Is Buttercream's energy evil? How many schools did the Biskits get kicked out of? Can you just be mad at your friends sometimes?

Welcome back to this episode of the Littlest PetCast. Today we are going over the episode "Hamster Hoods", written by Guy Toubes, and directed by Joel Dickie. In this episode, a robbery takes place at Largest Ever Pet Shop, and the stolen goods somehow end up at Littlest Pet Shop. After finding a possible point of entry, Vinnie and Pepper investigate, while Blythe tries to return the objects and gets accused of being the thief.Who else hears two young girl detectives and IMMEDIATELY thinks of Mary-Kate and Ashley? Are the twins in the right for at least suspecting Blythe? Do I still need to justify myself on the order I'm going over episodes? What other roles should Zoe have? How many listeners did I just loose by going super political in the episode?

Hello, and welcome back to the Littlest PetCast, and welcome to the new year. It's been a bit, but we are here now, and we are talking about the episode "Sleeper", with story by Julie McNally-Cahill, Tim Cahill, and Tom Minton, teleplay by Tom Minton, and directed by Joel Dickie. In today's episode Russell challenges Vinnie and Sunil to entertain the next guest that comes to the daycamp. The camper in question? A hyperactive raccoon named Otto Von Fuzzlebutt. However, when Fuzzlebutt falls asleep, Vinnie and Sunil decide to take a page out of the 80's and Weekend at Bernie's the situation. Meanwhile, Fisher is upset about losing sales to Littlest Pet Shop. He tries to use marketing and his daughters to solve this problem.How do the Biskit twins see the world? Did I justify myself on how I am covering season 3? Is Russell completly toxic? How was New York broken up? If you were to parody a movie, wouldn't you want to parody its signature song as well?

Hello and welcome to a delayed episode of the Littlest PetCast. In this episode we go over the episode "Sunil's Sick Day", with story by Julie McNally Cahill, Tim Cahill, and Merriwether Williams , teleplay by Merriwether Williams, and directed by Dallas Parker. In this episode, Sunil is sick and Blythe goes to take care of him. Meanwhile, the pets fear Vinnie's reaction, but when it's obvious that Vinnie doesn't care about Sunil they know something is up. Blythe gets a similar vibe from Sunil. It's up to Blythe and Russell's detective persona Cyril McFlip to find the cause of this rift before it drags them apart forever.Why did I get sick before THIS episode of all episodes? Does the actual physiology of an animal matter to the writers? How did I manage to summarize this episode in sub-30? Can future episodes get even more gay? Do you think a show called "Cyril" could compete on the BBC?

Hello and welcome back to the Littlest PetCast. In this episode, we will go over the episode "Commercial Success", with story by Julie McNally-Cahill, Tim Cahill, & Roger Eschbacher, teleplay by Roger Eschbacher, and directed by Dallas Parker. In this episode business is slow at the Littlest Pet Shop, so to combat this Blythe has the idea to make a commercial. Blythe gets her friend Jasper to direct, but he becomes someone else when given the role of director and no one likes him or the product he's making.Is Littlest Pat a National Treasure? What other boroughs are there in Downtown City? How many episodes can A Day at the Museum taint just by existing? Is this show more real in a different dimension but still somewhat fake? Who would you describe as a PWASOFHJ?

Hello and welcome back to the Littlest PetCast. in today's episode, we go over the episode "The Treasure of Henrietta Twombly", written by Guy Toubes, and directed by Dallas Parker. In this episode, a treasure hunting show, literally called "Treasure Hunters" descends upon the Littlest Pet Shop. They are looking for a treasure that was left by Mrs. Twombly's Great Great Great Grandmother, Henrietta. However, when the pets think that the show will keep the treasure for itself, they opt to hunt this treasure so that Mrs. Twombly can keep it.Which Biskit hired Riley to steal the treasure? Do pets have a well developed moral code? How does being born in between time and space affect you? Where's the caveman? How does someone get a monkey, a gecko, a mongoose, and a panda in America in the 1800's?

Hello, and welcome to the Littlest PetCast. During today's proceedings, we will be looking at the episode "Pawlm Reading", written by Corey Powell and directed by Dallas Parker. In this episode, a supposed pet psychic walks into the Littlest Pet Shop to share her services. But is she all that she says she is? She got the personalities of all of the regulars at the shop wrong. You may make your opening statements.Is Mrs. Twombly insecure? How many stupid things have you done? Do animals not have a completely free a will yet? Why are there only two pet stores in a city with two million people in it? Can you tell how much I love Ace Attorney?

Hello, and welcome to today's episode of the Littlest PetCast. In today's episode, we go over the episode "Eight Arms to Hold You", written by Tom Minton and directed by Dallas Parker. In this episode, Russell has an overnight stay planned at the Littlest Pet Shop, and Blythe surprises him by agreeing to stay with him. Vinnie and Sunil want to crash the party, but they aren't the only ones. But they could be the only ones...who are ALIVE! DUN DUN DUH! (Spoilers: The other thing crashing is alive.)Why does the title kind of give away the ending? Do you think that Russell's homebrew of My First Formal Dance makes it a better game? Would Professor X be so upset about New York City breaking up that he would not set foot in Downtown City? Can animals read CreepyPasta? Is Gian right behind me telling me he's correct?

Kara Lee Burk began writing while working with The Second City-Detroit and various sketch comedy troupes in New York City. An alumni of the Warner Bros Television Writers Workshop, she has been staffed as a writer on Romantically Challenged (ABC), Melissa & Joey (ABC Family) and The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show (Dreamworks / Netflix). She has developed multiple series, wrote on Hanazuki, a bunch digital shorts for The Littlest Pet Shop (both on YouTube) and is currently a writer for the upcoming Costume Quest (Amazon). "[For writer's block], I switch gears and work on something else for a day. It's like a game of Jenga. You gotta poke at different blocks and work on the ones that move. And if something is stuck, you don't know how moving to another project, something may shift and you'll see the answer." • Kara Lee Burk on Twitter   // Pulling Your Hair Out is produced and hosted by Richard Lowe. Music by Joshua Moshier.

For the second Paper Team Live event, Alex and Nick head to WonderCon 2018 to host a panel on adapting IPs to television. From books, to comics and movies, it seems that all your favorite TV shows are adaptations of existing properties. But writing a fresh story within well-known worlds poses its own set of challenges. That's why we've invited an all-star panel of TV writers and producers to hear their thoughts on this topic. Panelists include Michael R. Perry (Altered Carbon, The Dead Zone), Ray Utarnachitt (DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Person of Interest), Kai Yu Wu (The Flash, Hannibal), Britta Lundin (Riverdale), and Colleen McAllister (My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop). What is the process of adapting something to television? How can writers stay true to established material while putting their own spin on it? Why do certain properties make for great TV? How do writers and producers interact with original creators and rights owners? The Paper Team returns live to room 209... SHOWNOTES Content Paper Team WonderCon 2018 panel on adapting IPs for television (00:41) Next Time On (48:13) Links Colleen McAllister on Twitter Britta Lundin on Twitter Ray Utarnachitt on Twitter Kai Wu on Twitter Michael R. Perry on Twitter My Little Pony: Equestria Girls Littlest Pet Shop Hanazuki: Full of Treasures Riverdale "Ship It" - Britta Lundin DC's Legends of Tomorrow The Flash Supergirl Hannibal Deception Altered Carbon Captain Cold Justice League Action Psych Jughead Jones Richard K. Morgan Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Bryan Fuller Greg Berlanti Geoff Johns Heat Wave Felicity Smoak The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Marc Guggenheim Laeta Kalogridis "TV Writer vs. Fandom: Writers’ Rooms and Fan Interaction" (PT38) Ms. Marvel Five Deadly Venoms Nancy Drew (Film) Into the Badlands Little House on the Prairie books Weird War Tales Special thanks to Alex Switzky for the audio recording and Lauren Conoscenti for the photo. If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :) You can find Paper Team on Twitter: Alex - @TVCalling Nick - @_njwatson If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: ask@paperteam.co

Hello and welcome to the Littlest PetCast. This episode, we are going over the season 1 finale of Littlest Pet Shop, which makes this the season 1 finale of the Littlest PetCast as well. The finale is called "Summertime Blues", and it has story by Julie McNally-Cahill, Tim Cahill, and Roger Eschbacher, teleplay by Roger Eschbacher, and directed by Dallas Parker. In this episode, Blythe is accepted into a summer program upstate. This means that for the summer Blythe will be gone, which upsets her friends. They try to pretend like that that's not the case, but inside they're crying.Is Blythe's mouth sometimes faster than her brain? Why do I keep talking about shipping in this show? Does no one escape podcasting unscathed? How does animal evolution to a more human-like state work in this world? Can you say a show is good if what makes it better is headcanon?

Hello and welcome to this episode of the Littlest PetCast. I hope you like it when things get rambly, because it gets really rambly when we go over the episode "Frenemies", with story by Julie McNally Cahill, Tim Cahill, and Guy Toubes, teleplay by Guy Toubes, and directed by Dallas Parker. In this epsiode we find out that Penny Ling has spent almost a year at the Littlest Pet Shop and Zoe and Pepper decide to throw a party for her. However, Zoe and Pepper disagree on who is in charge. Meanwhile Vinnie looses his tail and believes he can't dance without it.How much do you have to be told something is not going well before you believe it? Can kicking logic to the curb help you become a doctor? Why do these animals suddenly know the word "doctor"? Is the idea of Linkara owning a panda not the funniest thing? What makes you truly a woman?

Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the Littlest PetCast. In today's episode we look at a fantastic episode in the series, "Mean Isn't Your Color" with story by Mitch Larson and Cory Powell, teleplay by Cory Powell, and directed by Dallas Parker. In this shining example of an episode, Roger says he has a date to a Charity Ball, which Blythe freaks out about. Blythe becomes too focused on what's stressing her out that she doesn't realize that she's stressing out Penny Ling because of a sketch mixup.Should people cry alone? Is the reason the Littlest Pet Shop not using a Brown Bear of any kind because putting clothing on Brown Bears is Build-A-Bear's thing? Why is it pronounced "Leinnerhosen" when it's spelled "Lederhosen"? Should more kids shows tackle the effects of anxiety? Why is Roger just the sweetest? Who wouldn't want to watch Lawnmower Wars? Also, #RogerforDreamDaddy2

Hek82 like LPS, I just can't get enuf of those cute Littlest Pet Shop toys ... they are cool! Artists like Melanie Martinez like them too, she's got some great songs that are very popular with the young girls who enjoy those toys. I had to toss in some White TOwn songs just 'cause I missed the girlfriends song ... enjoy!

When Hasbro introduced a hamster named “Harris Faulkner” to its “Littlest Pet Shop” line of animal character toys, it drew a multi-million dollar lawsuit from real-life television journalist Harris Faulkner. The complaint, filed in New Jersey, included claims for violation of the right of publicity under New Jersey common law and false advertising and false […]

Emily and guest Kelley Rose really get into it this week. There has never been so much pet talk in one place.

Hey Guys! Today I talk about Toy Copy Cats, that means different people who take unique ideas from other toy factories. I talk about Monster High and Ever After High and how sometimes the dolls can be similar. Also other toys like Littlest Pet Shop and Shopkins.

Todd and Dave groom another episode as they take a gander at the Littlest Pet Shop. Follow us on Twitter/ parentmistakes and Facebook/ parentingmistakes

"Littlest Pet Shop Rabbit Hole" Recorded 09.07.2015This week we discuss popular baby names and think about what crimes we would name our children after, and next time, we promise, we will eat before the episode so we don't talk about food the whole time. Topics Discussed: "Get over here, Chaos!," Chris Brownasshole, Sea-Section, So Fresh and So Clean, Rodent Woman Sues to Have Hamster Teeth Removed, Naked and Crispy, Get me a Straw, The King's Inner Thoughts, David Bowie Square Pants, Blankman Was a Great Film, Gross Burglary the Kid, Tommy Flame

Story of the day: Harris Faulkner, the Fox News anchor, says she received "emotional damage" because Hasbro introduced a member of their Littlest Pet Shop toy line: Harris Faulkner the hamster. Yep. They don't make the hamster any more, but that isn't stopping the outrage from the "uniquely named" (as she claims) Faulkner.

Giant Media Ball presents: half a pie. Episode 00000 sets the stage for what might or might not become a podcast. Bask in the dirge of our shame, maybe.Wiggly of Trap Door gets ever closer to half a pie as he relates his stories of MLP FIM, Equestria, Monster High, Littlest Pet Shop, KODI, and begins running down Numbers through D of 500 TV Shows and the stuff that pops along the way.Go to the GIANT, buy an individually cartoned half a pie, turn on podcast, cry. #halfapie #onemankaraoke

Zu Pink Girl talks Littlest Pet Shop new versus old figures. Zu Pink Girl tells you why one style is better and why, but she knows you may have your opinion too.

AFTERBUZZ TV — Robots In Disguise edition, is a weekly "after show" for fans of Transformers: Robots In Disguise. In this episode hosts Megan Salinas, Emma Fyffe, Alexis Torres, and Katie Cullen interview special guest Adam Beechen. Beechen has written scripts for various cartoons, such as Teen Titans, The Wild Thornberrys, Rugrats, Pink Panther and Pals, The Batman, Edgar and Ellen, Littlest Pet Shop and the Ben 10 franchise. He was also the story editor on Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi for Cartoon Network. He was an executive producer on The Adventures of Chuck and Friends. Beechen has written for the Nickelodeon live-action series, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, and for the short-lived drama Savannah. Beechen wrote several Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys and Rocket Power comic strips for Nickelodeon Magazine. Beechen's first credited published work was a graphic novel named Hench, with artist Manny Bello, was published by Ai Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AFTERBUZZ TV — Robots In Disguise edition, is a weekly "after show" for fans of Transformers: Robots In Disguise. In this episode hosts Megan Salinas, Emma Fyffe, Alexis Torres, and Katie Cullen interview special guest Adam Beechen. Beechen has written scripts for various cartoons, such as Teen Titans, The Wild Thornberrys, Rugrats, Pink Panther and Pals, The Batman, Edgar and Ellen, Littlest Pet Shop and the Ben 10 franchise. He was also the story editor on Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi for Cartoon Network. He was an executive producer on The Adventures of Chuck and Friends. Beechen has written for the Nickelodeon live-action series, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, and for the short-lived drama Savannah. Beechen wrote several Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys and Rocket Power comic strips for Nickelodeon Magazine. Beechen's first credited published work was a graphic novel named Hench, with artist Manny Bello, was published by Ai

So get this – there’s a show written by DHX and which features good writing, tons of voice actors, great music and it’s not the one you’re usually thinking! It’s all about pets! We delve into the littlest pets and … Continue reading →