Totoro Plush Backpack Review

Aliexpress is an online wholesale store created by Alibaba.com. Sellers purchase items in bulk and are able to sell their products at very low prices. The majority of products featured on Aliexpress have free shipping and are shipped using China Post Airmail, which takes on average 15 - 30 days (including weekends). There are, of course, faster posting options at a higher price. 

This adorable Totoro backpack is currently my 6th item to have been purchased from Aliexpress, so I have been able to review the site accurately. I tried to put off writing this review for at least a month so I was able to test the quality of the bag, which I can now say is 100% reliable.

I purchased and paid for this item on the 20th August 2014 and received it, approximately, 2 weeks later. it was wrapped securely and tightly in its packaging. Once unwrapped, I determined that the product was in perfect condition and identical to the photos featured on the sellers page. The bag cost US $16.00 and the shipping was free.

There is one large pocket in the middle of the bag and smaller pocket at the front. The zipper for the larger pocket is a large gray pompom which is very easy to find and open. The smaller pockets zipper is just an ordinary zip. Both have stayed firmly attached to the bag throughout the month I've owned it and I have been using it daily for school.

The bag is made of cotton and is very soft and comfortable to wear. It also has adjustable straps, so you can wear it at any length and a hook so you are able to hang it up.

My only complaint for this product are the very limp ears. In the pictures above I have attached safety pins connecting the ears to the bag which cause them to be stiffer. However, without the safety pins, the ears fall limply forward. This isn't uncommon in bags of this kind though, therefore I wasn't particularly surprised. 

The rest of the bag definitely exceeded my expectations and I am very happy to have bought it. I love the bag and you'll look very cute while wearing it! I'd recommend this bag to anyone looking for a cute novelty backpack for school or daily use.

Thank you for reading this review! ♥

Kawaii Box September 2014 Review

Kawaii Box is a monthly subscription service containing hand picked items from Japan and Korea. I have been receiving a Kawaii Box subscription for three months now and am extremely impressed with it's contents. For just $18.90 a month you receive 10 - 12 unique kawaii products, usually themed, which are shipped at the beginning of each month and arrive about 2 weeks later. I was super excited to receive my first Kawaii Box and even more so this month. September's Kawaii Box featured a total of 11 adorable items!

Each Kawaii Box arrives with a cute hand written note! In this months box I also received another 10% discount code for an online shop Blippo.Com! Which stocks Kawaii products from Japan and Korea.

Polka Dot Headband: Oddly enough, I already own two of these headbands in pink and navy blue so it was a surprise to open my kawaii box and discover another one! These headbands are super cute and the bow is adjustable so you can wear it on the middle of your hair or off to the side.

Alpaca Coin Purse: I've been seeing these cute little alpacas in plush form all over Tumblr for a while now and I'm happy to have received such a cute little coin purse this month. This sweet alpaca will fit easily into any purse and can even be attached to a keychain or zip.

Loom Bands: I'm going to be honest here, I'm not altogether sure what these are. They've become quite popular here in New Zealand recently and are called Loom Bands. From what I've seen you're able to make bracelets using them so I'll be sure to give them a go!

Moustache Shoelaces: These super cool shoelaces feature a blue polka dot moustache pattern and I can't wait to find the perfect pair of shoes to put them on!

IceCream Phone Charm: How cute is this squishy phone charm?! It even has sprinkles! Very cute and I'm considering attaching it to my school bag..

Kitty Donut Phone Charm: Another dessert phone charm! How lucky am I?! I've seen so many cooking tutorials on how to make these donuts. I might have a go re-creating this phone charm!

In the mean time, enjoy these kawaii donut tutorials:

How to make Rilakkuma Donuts!

Totoro Donuts and Pusheen the Cat Donuts

How to make Cute Kitty Cat (and dog) Donuts

Rilakkuma Snack: I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened this treat. I'd gathered from the adorable packaging that inside was some kind of breadstick, possibly similar to pocky. The snack is a breadstick but with a much different flavour than pocky. It's sweet and very yummy and I can't get over how cute the box is!

Card Holder: This is probably the most useful item I received in this months Kawaii Box! I rarely use my wallet and struggle to find places to keep my money cards when I'm going out. But with this cute card holder I can attach it to the inside of my bag and even to my belt loops without the need to carry a big wallet or worry about misplacing my card.

Sweet Cat Notebook: Isn't this so adorable? Inside this pocket sized notebook is pale pink unlined paper, perfect for doodling or writing notes. Another cute notebook to add to my collection, which currently takes up most of a drawer. Would you believe that I haven't bought any of them?

Hamu Hamu Town Hamster Cutouts: Er.. I'm not really sure what these are. They're cute little hamsters cut out of cardboard.. Maybe for arts and crafts?

Fruit Nail Art Stickers: Don't take my word for it, but I'm assuming these are a nail art decoration? They're perfect for summer and will add a cute and fruity touch to any manicure!

Kitty Headphone Jack Charm: Lastly, I received this cute headphone jack charm! This is my favourite item this month and it's just so adorable! I'm not sure whether it's a character, so feel free to comment below if you know ♥

Overall I am extremely happy with the products I received this month! However, if you are considering attaching the keychains and phone charms you received in your Kawaii Box to anything (bag, wallet, phone etc.) be aware that these are not particularly high quality products and I have already lost 2 keychains that have fallen off my school bag so be careful if you're using them in this way.

Subscribe to the cutest monthly subscription service here!