Photo-A-Day #2936

Disclosure: I received a gift card for Build-A-Bear Workshop to chronicle making a My Little Pony plush, but they were out of Rainbow Dash and I’m not a Pinkie Pie Fan. However, Eva had earned a trip so we went in to make a new plush friend for her. Opinions about Build-A-Bear Workshop® are 100% my own and we purchased everything on our trip today ourselves. I’m going back to make a Rainbow Dash when she is back in stock.

For the past month or so Eva has had to wear knee stabilizing braces and a bar and boots to bed. She is wearing these to help correct some major pigeon-toed-ness. I’m sure that there is some more medical technical name for this but that is basically the idea. Wearing braces when you sleep is not a fun experience and probably should have been something that we did for Eva when she was younger and didn’t completely understand. But she is old enough to understand and also to dislike the whole experience. We made a deal with her, if she wore her braces and boots for a month with a good attitude then she would earn a trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop®.

Her earning the trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop® also coincided with this review of the new My Little Pony plushes: Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. I enjoy My Little Pony and was looking forward to making a Rainbow Dash plush but she was sold out. There were a bunch of Pinkie Pie plushes around the Build-A-Bear Workshop® but she just wasn’t the pony I was looking for. I did give the associate my number so that she could call me when a new shipment of Rainbow Dash plushes came in. I also reserved the musical insert of the My Little Pony theme song. While talking with her I learned that more ponies are on the way including Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle plus a pre-stuffed Spike plush as well.

In addition to the My Little Pony plushes there are outfits and accessories that are specific to My Little Pony but available to purchase for any of the stuffed animals at Build-A-Bear Workshop®. Eva tried out a few of the items for her new bear but opted for a different outfit in the end.

Eva looked through all the options and decided upon a colorful bear friend. Our associate was fantastic and helped Eva make this new friend. She guided Eva through adding the stuffing to her bear and also adding the heart.

Adding stuffing to Villea (Eva’s name for her new friend

Eva adding a heart to Villea.

First Eva had to fluff up Villea’s fur.

She also brushed out Villea’s fur.

The making of Eva’s new friend, Villea included filling her with stuffing, giving her a very special heart, fluffing up her fur and brushing her fur.

While we could have stopped with just the bear I told Eva that she could pick out an outfit for Villea. I did not know what a process that was going to be. Eva wanted to try out every single item in the store…. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating but she did try on a bunch.

Outfit #1 included a My Little Pony skirt. But Eva decided not to go with this one.

Villea’s second outfit. Didn’t pass Eva’s inspection.

Villea’s final outfit, a special dress and ballet slippers.

Eva was so excited to make her new friend and enjoyed picking out the outfits. As we walked to Build-A-Bear Workshop® she kept telling us that the name of her new friend would be Villea. She was bouncing all around just so fantastically exhuberant about this trip. It was her first trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop® and the experience was so positive. Much of that had to do with the sales associate who worked with us. She was so patient and kind and engaged with Eva throughout the whole experience.

Filling out Villea’s Birth Certificate

She left Build-A-Bear Workshop® with a brand new friend and we all had such a positive experience. Now she has a new friend who she can take with her to bed each night to help comfort her while she has to wear her braces and bar.

Eva with Villea.

I’ll be going back to Build-A-Bear Workshop® to use the gift card that I received and document my making of a Rainbow Dash plush… for the kids, um yeah, for the kids.

Here are some details about the My Little Pony plushes at Build-A-Bear Workshop®.

MY LITTLE PONY Gallops into Build-A-Bear Workshop
Company introduces make-your-own Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash based on the popular MY LITTLE PONY brand

ST. LOUIS (March 26, 2013) – Build-A-Bear Workshop®, the interactive entertainment retailer of customizable stuffed animals, is bringing the magic and friendship of the MY LITTLE PONY brand to Guests everywhere with a collection of characters under license from Hasbro, Inc. Arriving April 1, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash ($24 each) will be available at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores throughout North America and online at Buildabear.com®. The first ever make-your-own MY LITTLE PONY plush allows Guests to engage with these iconic characters in new and exciting ways at Build-A-Bear Workshop and uniquely personalize Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash like never before.

“We know our Guests, from all generations, love the MY LITTLE PONY characters and we are thrilled to be teaming up with Hasbro to bring Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash to Build-A-Bear Workshop,” said Maxine Clark, Build-A-Bear Workshop founder and chief executive bear. “Moms remember this brand from childhood – and now they can share the nostalgia, friendship, and fun with their own kids.”

Build-A-Bear Workshop stores nationwide will be celebrating the arrival of this dynamic duo with a series of special events from April 1 through April 7. Guests and associates will be encouraged to dress up in their favorite MY LITTLE PONY fashions. Additionally, while making a MY LITTLE PONY friend, Guests can take a pony personality quiz, recite the pony promise, and learn how to style their pony’s hair with a special hair care brochure. The bright and colorful manes on Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash allow kids to engage in imaginative play with the ponies. Pinkie Pie has signature pink locks and Rainbow Dash has a multi-colored mane that can be brushed, combed and braided with an exclusive MY LITTLE PONY hairbrush ($3), available only at Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Guests can dress Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash in their signature capes ($13.50) or a variety of other fashions to create the perfect look, including:

• MY LITTLE PONY skirt outfit ($12.50)
• Knight costume ($15.00).
• MY LITTLE PONY theme song ($6) that can be added to any stuffed animal
• Hair extensions ($4.00)
• Rainbow skates ($6.00)

“Friendship is at the heart of the MY LITTLE PONY brand and we are thrilled to offer fans of all ages a whole new way to create their own friendship stories with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash at Build-A-Bear Workshop,” said Samantha Lomow, SVP Global Marketing.

The My Little Pony brand has brought fun, friendship & joy to millions of kids of all ages around the globe. The “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” animated series is created by Hasbro Studios and is currently airing on The Hub TV Network in the United States, and can be seen globally in over 170 countries.

About Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.
Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is the only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. There are more than 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, Mexico and South America. Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop is the leader in interactive retail. Brands include make-your-own Major League Baseball® mascot in-stadium locations, and Build-A-Dino® stores. Build-A-Bear Workshop extends its in-store interactive experience online with its award winning virtual world website at bearville.com™. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the fifth year in a row in 2013. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $394.4 million in fiscal 2011. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the company’s award-winning website at buildabear.com®.

About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company dedicated to fulfilling the fundamental need for play for children and families through creative expression of the Company’s world class brand portfolio, including TRANSFORMERS, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH, MY LITTLE PONY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF, LITTLEST PET SHOP and G.I. JOE. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative play and entertainment experiences, in a variety of forms and formats, anytime and anywhere. The Company’s Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for more than 170 markets around the world, and for the U.S. on The Hub TV Network, part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK). Through the company’s deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens.” Learn more at www.hasbro.com.