So I've been blogging about toys and the designer toy scene for nearly 9 years now. I started a site called Toytoons.com in the summer of 2004. The basic HTML site was going to be silly drawings I did, random interviews, and reviews of cheap toys my wife and I picked up in the local Target. I wanted to emulate the classic X-Entertainment site.

Then I discovered Monsterism, Uglydolls, and the Insurgents Wilderness Gruppo...and I was hooked on designer toys. At that time, there weren't any sites reporting on this niche market. You had the Kidrobot forum...and that's pretty much where everyone went to get their news. It was around February 2005 when I signed on with Action Online (Figures.com) to be their Designer Toy Portal. I thought it would be good exposure and help pay some bills (especially site/toy/travel related). Over six months, I made nothing. I left.

I decided to start up Plastic and Plush because I wanted to get back to having complete freedom over what I posted and when I posted it. I always said I started this and continued to do this because it's fun. And it's been a one-man-show.

If you think there's money in running a blog like this...choose a new line of work.  Over the last several years, the bastardization of "toy blogs" and the downturn in the economy have made it difficult to drum up enough advertisers and funds to make it to New York Comic Con...let alone San Diego Comic Con and Designer Con.

If you add in having two little ones under 3 and a full time job...you realize that time management choices need to be made...as time is precious. It's tough coming home from a long day at work to site behind a computer yet again. I do fiscal forecasting in my day job, so any given day I'm staring at a computer screen for 12 hours total.

Any wonder why I'm in the worst shape in my life? It was no surprise to me that Andy over at ToysREvil had his health scare. Sitting on your ass in front of a computer for 12 hours a day does a number on your physical (and sometimes mental) well-being. I'm not sure what's worse...that sedentary lifestyle or inhaling resin all day long.

With all of that said....

2013 is going to be a year of change on PlasticandPlush.com. I'm going to get away from queuing up multiple posts every night. Don't be surprised if I post one item per day. Maybe even every other day. This will all be original reporting, focusing on toy reviews and specific new pieces. Maybe even some video reviews. Quality over Quantity. 

I'm also going to reach out to all of the artists and companies out there. I'm going to basically allow for artist submitted posts.

How will it work?

Shoot me an email at brian@plasticandplush.com and ask me to be added as a contributor. You'll be able to copy and paste your press release or tell us about your latest custom in a basic web template. Add an image or two. Submit it for approval. I check it out to make sure you're not linking to porn...give it a standard look...and it gets published. (This will also help with those last minute press releases I often can't get to)

When will this all start?

I'm not sure. If there's anything you should know by now it's that I have a difficult time making up my mind (hence the semi-annual color and logo changes - I'm sure there will be one more in the near future).

Finally...

I'd like to thank all of you for continuing to read the site and sticking with me as we move into this next phase of Plastic and Plush. Let's hope that 2013 is our best year yet. Go team! And all of that stuff...