Welcome to StinkyKid Britt’s blog
What a Difference a Year Makes!
Hi friends!
As you all know, StinkyKid Britt was named after me, the creator of StinkyKids, Britt Menzies. I would like to share a personal story of my own with everyone as the creator and and not as StinkyKid Britt.
The story starts a little over a year ago, July 16, 2009, when my whole world changed in the matter of minutes. While shopping for a gift for my niece Julie (who is StinkyKid Julie) with my daughter Emma, I began to have pain in my tummy.
The pain continued to get worse leading me to an emergency visit to the hospital, to find out that I had a rare situation that if not taken care of immediately, could take my life.
Luckily for me and my family, I was in the hands of amazing doctors and was operated on successfully, and while having to stay in the hospital for a week, my life was saved.
While the recovery was slow and somewhat painful, I was getting better. Until, September 16, 2009, exactly 8 weeks later, I found myself back in the emergency room with a complication from my initial operation, resulting in another week long stay in the hospital and more worry about my health between myself and my family.
But once again, I was in the hands of amazing doctors, and recovered, and recovered to become the text book of health today.
I wanted to share this story because it has now been a year since this unfortunate health scare occurred, and the year has not only brought life back to me, it has brought life and tremendous success to my StinkyKids characters.
What a difference a year makes!!!
Within the year, here is a list of the successes and opportunities that have occurred with me and my little stinKers:
- Plush dolls launched at 110 Nordstrom locations, Nordstrom.com and FAO Schwarz NYC
- Plush dolls sold out at FAO Schwarz and Nordstrom locations
- Nordstrom.com tripled their order in sales
- Plush dolls sold better than other famous brands within Nordstrom and FAO Schwarz landing 33 out of 100 best seller)
- Plush dolls sold out with no advertising and marketing behind the launch
- Signed on with Stone America Licensing to expand the brand into many licensing opportunities
- Partnered with Madame Alexander Doll Company as the exclusive licensee for the soft bodied dolls (see www.madamealxeander.com for full line of plush)
- Partnered with Pearson Publishing for first adventure book in the StinkyKids book series titled ‘StinkyKids and the Runaway Scissors’
- Featured in the July/August 2010 issue of The Toy Book (click link below for article)(http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/7c4b3223#/7c4b3223/1)
- Completed the manuscript for the second adventure book in the StinkyKids book series titled ‘StinkyKids See A Full Moon’
There are many more exciting opportunities that occurred with StinkyKids, but these are the highlights and I am extremely appreciative for every one of them.
Not all of this success came without a lot of work. Even at my weakest moment this past year, I never lost the intense passion that I have to make StinkyKids a household name and a brand we can all trust and enjoy.
Now, almost exactly a year later that I was in the hospital worried about my health, StinkyKids, my family and myself are looking forward to the re-launch of the StinkyKids plush dolls under the Madame Alexander Doll Company name, the launch of the first StinkyKid book published by Pearson, and much more opportunities to expand the brand and live to see our dreams come true. Curently the plush will be sold at (but not all inclusive) (update on the book to come soon):
- FAO Schwarz
- FAO.com
- FAO pop up’s in Toys R Us locations (approx. 300)
- Nordstrom
- Nordstrom.com
- Fat Brain Toy Catalog
- Target.com
- Walmart.com
- Amazon.com
My purpose for sharing this story is to inspire. To appreciate everything that we have and all that we work so hard to achieve. It is a story that has a very happy ending and a lot of valuable lessons attached, that little stinKers of all ages can learn from and strive to accomplish. I wonder what next year will bring and I look forward in the opportunity to not only enjoy it, but live it.
What a difference a year makes!!!
Creating StinkyKids: Not Just Child’s Play
Hello Everyone, StinkyKid Britt here and I am so excited to share some amazing news with you.
Today, is Friday the 13th which normally means that bad things may happen, but for me, as I am a “Leader Of Good’, something great happened for me and my StinkyKids friends today.
We are featured in the lastest issue of The Toy Book!! AND, my good friend StinkyKid Julie is on the COVER!! No kidding!!
The article stretches over 3 pages and includes photos of our creator, Britt Menzies (holding me, StinkyKid Britt, wearing my new tutu from Madame Alexander Doll Company), and photos of the original prototype of the StinkyKid Julie doll (WOW how far she has come!!)
Thanks to Jennifer Ringler for her writing talents who truly captured the entire story giving tribute to everyone who has helped StinkyKids become a success (FAO Schwarz, Nordstrom, more..) and a big thank you to Jackie Breyer, who believed in the StinkyKids story and recommended that the world know about our brand.
Big things are happening to me and my little stinKer friends and the next few months are going to be so much fun as our plush line and book hit stores. I will keep you updated…..
Click this link below to enjoy the article on pages 24, 26, and 28.
StinkyKids New Facebook Page
We are proud to announce at StinkyKids that our little stinKers now have their own Facebook page!!
Come and see all of the exciting new products that we have featuring the 10 diverse StinkyKids characters. Plush dolls, book, tee shirts and much more to come soon.
Our fans are having fun learning about all of the new opportunties in the world of the StinkyKids and are posting adorable pictures of their own little stinKers with their StinkyKids brand products.
Become a fan today as you will Love the StinkyKids.. they are so stinKin’ cute.
Thank you,
StinkyKid Britt
Meet StinkyKid Max
This is my son Max who inspired StinkyKid Max
Hello, StinkyKid Britt here, and I am excited to share another wonderful comment from one of our fans. It is about my favorite little stinKer, StinkyKid Max. Enjoy…
Just saw the Max doll in Nordstrom and bought it for my 1yr old son who loved it! Finally a boy! Just wondering if you have outfits for the doll. Also, where would I be able to purchase a “Britt” doll? Great products! Thank you!
After receiving this comment I thought it would be fun to share a little bit about StinkyKid Max so that you can get to know him better.
StinkyKid Max is named after my son, Max, and the doll looks exactly like him. He wears a bathing suit because the ‘real’ Max is an amazing swimmer and loves the pool. When I created the character, Max had a swim suit with sharks on it, hence StinkyKid Max’s outfit. He is a great soccer player and plays the piano. Kosher dill pickles are his favorite food and he can eat an entire jar full in one sitting. All of the characteristics that I created for StinkyKid Max, truly were inspired by my son Max. As for his ‘leader of good’ quality, the real Max has a heart of gold and always volunteers to help and ‘make right choices’.
Funny story :
I took my son Max to see the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks. In the movie Alvin tells someone that he is so famous that he has his own plush doll. Max and I turned to each other and laughed. I knew that he felt very special knowing he has his own plush doll too.
I am very proud to be able to supply boy plush dolls for our little stinKers. As a mom, whenever I wanted to get a soft ‘lovey’ for my son, it always had to be a stuffed animal or monster or automobile. I am glad to now provide other moms with another opportunity in plush for our little boys; one they can relate to, look like, and take with them as their best friend everywhere.
If you knew the real Max, my son, he would definitely be your best friend and inspire you to ‘Always be a leader of good’.
Cheers to my buddy StinkyKid Max.
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