Top of the Morning: Elsa Dethrones Barbie as Favorite Toy Among Girls

1. Elsa dethrones Barbie

Queen Elsa and the Frozen characters’ merchandise are the most popular toys for girls this holiday season, replacing Barbie dolls, which have enjoyed this recognition for 11 years. This comes as no surprise, as the Frozen phenomenon has captured the hearts of little girls around the world since the movie was released last year. (yahoo.com)


2. Pinoy student makes phone charger out of scrap
A high school student from Navotas High School in the Philippines won the gold medal in a recent international competition held in Indonesia for his "upcycled" entry. Edie Joshua Vargas, 16, made an electrical charger using discarded parts of his computer and called it the “X-scrap,” which can also be used as a computer cooling pad. Good job, Edie! (interaksyon.com)

 
3. Toy maker gives life to kid’s drawings

Remember your kid’s drawings of strange, wonderful characters that exist only in their imagination? Toy-maker Budsies (budsies.com) can now bring those drawings to life by turning them into 16-inch-tall, hypoallergenic stuffed toys. Budsies isn’t picky on which artwork to reinterpret as a plushy -— bring on the wackiest characters, and they’ll surely deliver. (boredpanda.com)


4. Superhero toys aren’t just for boys
While on a shopping trip, British mom Karen Cole's 7-year old daughter Maggie was displeased after seeing a sign that says “fun gifts for boys” on a Marvel alarm clock. Karen captured the moment and posted a photo on Twitter, which is currently raking in retweets and favorites. On her blog, Karen shares that she firmly believes that children should be free to choose what they’d like to play with, and not be dictated by gendered toys. (mashable.com)


5. Fil-Am designer lends talent to Starbucks mugs
A Filipino-American woman's design has been chosen and printed on a Starbucks limited-edition mug. Esther Asuncion, a visual communications designer for the Seattle-based coffee company, conceptualized a design with a little boy holding on to a big, green Starbucks balloon, drawing inspiration from her three-year-old son Flynn. The mug is included in the Starbucks Dot Collection. (gmanetwork.com)