My Love Affair with Star Wars
This is a blog I have been hesitant to write because I feel like no matter how hard I try, I won’t be able to do my love for Star Wars justice. Needless to say, I could write a whole series of blogs on the Star Wars galaxy, so condensing this blog enough to capture my passion without writing an entire novel is something that seemed very daunting to me. In order to best introduce my love for the movie franchise, I have decided that giving an inside look into the endless amount of Star Wars collectibles I have would be the best way. (They basically speak for themselves.) So, with that being said, “Punch it, Chewie!”
Let me start off by saying I am definitely an original trilogy gal, so lots of the merch you will see revolves around those three movies (Episodes IV, V, VI). Also, you will definitley have to be familiar with Star Wars in order to appreciate or understand some of the items. Although I prefer the original trilogy, Episodes I, II, and III are also great, but Episodes VII, VIII, IX? I’ll save that for another blog. (Basically, Episode IX *kind of* made up for the most recent trilogy’s story, but Ep. VIII is and always will be garbage. And I’m not the only one being negative about the three new movies- Mark Hamill himself has voiced many hidden and overt criticisms about it. Anyway, let’s get to it….
LEGO + Star Wars
I love Legos and I love Star Wars, so naturally, I am into all things that combine the two. One of my favorite pieces in my collection is an unopened Lego set from the “Droid Escape” scene at the beginning of Episode IV. I am in love with the vintage packaging, and yes, I plan to never open it. However, I do have a more modern version of the same set already built in my collection. My lifetime goal? I want to have shelves displaying every scene in chronological order from the original trilogy in Lego form. I am definitely on my way there, but it is hard to tell from the picture above. It was the best I could do without absolutely tearing up the closet in order to photograph the sets I have already put together. However, I also have a long way to go in terms of collecting the necessary sets to complete my series. I need the Death Star set ($400+), the Tatooine Cantina (also expensive), and some others. I will definitely be saving up for those!
Star Wars: Shakespeare Edition
I have always thought these books were so creative- they are the Star Wars movies written in Shakespearean-style language. I’ve never read a set of books faster, and if you know the ins and outs of the movies, there are some extra clever touches in the books that you might notice. These aren’t a collectible per se, but maybe one day they will be! The author has created books for all 9 movies.
Star Wars Xbox 360
Now, this… this is somethin’ special to me. It combines my love for video games and my love for Star Wars… it’s a limited edition Xbox 360 video game console designed to look like R2-D2. AND it comes with a gold controller that mirrors C-3PO’s design. I got this in the past year on eBay from the “Goodwill of Middle Tennessee,” who happened to be selling this special console in the original box and in almost-new condition. I didn’t even know Goodwill stores had eBay accounts! It was a crazy good find, especially for the price I ended up getting it at. Not only is the design of this Xbox special, but the light around the power button is blue (as opposed to Xbox’s iconic green) and the freaking noises that the console makes when turned on and off and when the disc tray opens and closes are R2-D2’s beeping noises!! I didn’t know this when I bought it, so it was an incredible surprise when I first turned it on. Sometimes I turn it on just to hear the R2-D2 noises it makes, which always makes my dog’s ears perk up.
Star Wars x Coach
Coach New York is an absolute favorite of mine when it comes to designer handbags, wallets, wristlets, etc. I have always loved the brand and its designs, and I have a drawer full of pieces that I have collected overtime. When I found out that Coach did a collaboration with Star Wars and produced a collection, I freaked out. This collection was either bought by me or gifted to me from my kind mother. I absolutely love the pieces I have gathered, but I am always scared to use them because I do not want to get them dirty!
Vintage Star Wars Toys
I am not sure what the market value is for these vintage Star Wars toys, but no matter what, they have value to me personally. I shop for my vintage Star Wars toys at a local buy, sell, and trade store that I have been going to since I was a kid. They are actually a used bookstore, but they are also a hidden treasure chest of video games, vintage items, old technology, records, movies, and more. Their inventory changes all of the time, so I am always a frequent visitor. Pictured above are some of my favorite pieces that I own. First, on the left, you will see a built-it-yourself model of a speeder bike from Episode VII, Return of the Jedi. This toy is from 1983, and it is the oldest Star Wars memorabilia I own. The action figures on the right were produced in the late 1990s and early 2000s by Kenner, an iconic toy company.
Star Wars Pez
Pez candy dispensers are actually an entirely different collection that I have on their own. I have collected Pez dispensers that range from Lord of the Rings sets to old vintage holiday dispensers, but of course, I am a sucker for Star Wars Pez. When I saw this Pez set of the Mandalorian and Grogu (aka “baby Yoda”), I bought it immediately. I mean how cute is it that they made Grogu a smaller dispenser than Mando?!
Funko Pop
Like Pez, Funko Pop figures and bobble heads are something I collect outside of Star Wars, as well. However, the Star Wars ones are my favorites, of course. Pictured here are some of my collection. On the right of the picture is a scene called “Encounter on Endor” from Episode VI, and on the left of the picture is the complete set of the Funko Pop Star Wars Christmas Collection. My boyfriend got these for me last Christmas, and I absolutely love how the Christmas decorations are intertwined with the characters (and I am so happy I have a complete set!)
Star Wars Plush
This is just a sample of my plush collection. This is mainly something I focused on buying as a kid, but I always made sure to buy unique plush animals, characters, or vehicles that I had never seen before in plush form. Pictured to the right is an Ewok, the Death Star, and a Bantha.
Wall Art
Would my collection be complete without wall art? Of course not! Here are some of my favorite pieces: a rough map of the planet Tatooine, the Millennium Falcon, and a panel of Star Wars droids. The Millennium Falcon actually has a 3D effect that makes it appear as if it is flying straight at you when you walk by it. It is hard to display this with a picture, but I tried.
Lunch Boxes
Sometimes vintage and sometimes brand new, I love the shape of a classic metal lunch box, and I think the designs that can be found on them are both eye-catching and iconic. The lunch box on the left features A New Hope, and the lunch box on the right was released in celebration of the Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary.
I hope you enjoyed a sneak peak into my vast Star Wars collection and as much as I enjoyed going through my stuff and giving everything a photoshoot. Once again, these are just pieces of a much, much (...much) larger collection. I can’t wait until I can finally get everything I have out of various storage bins, closets, and corners of my room so that I can give my collection the awesome display it deserves.