Oh how special Brave is to me… premiering three days before my 20th birthday, my mom and I saw this together, she was prepared to fall asleep during it, and by the end, we were both in tears! My mom is the most important person in the world to me and it was so special getting to see this movie with her! We’ve watched it a few times again since and I’m thinking it’s time for a rewatch with her!

But on to my usual such-eel about the movie… Merida is Pixar’s first and only princess, Merida was inducted very quickly into the Princess Fairytale Hall and the creators were upset with Disney publicists for altering her appearance for the induction–they thinned her face and waist, smoothed her hair, and made her breasts slightly larger, this upset Pixar’s creator because she based the images of Merida on her own daughter. Brave is set in Scotland and tells the tale of a girl who just wants to be free over being a princess. She seeks the help of a witch to change her fate, but ends up nearly costing her family dearly. In the end, both Merida and Queen Eleanor learn a bit about each other and respect for each others views.

I got this Harris Bear from the Brave movie at my first (and only) trip to Disneyland in the summer of 2012 just a few weeks after the movie came out (you know, back when they actually produced march on time for the movies to come out). I introduced Dublin, my niece, to Brave and it’s been one of her favorites ever since! A few years later, I got to spring break with my niece at my mom’s house and we snuggled up to the same bear! I have all 3 brothers and the mama bear, they are the best stuffed animals! Actually, during that spring break, she was listening to something on her headphones and I was listening to “Touch the Sky” on a speaker, she ripped off her headphones and said “I HEAR BRAVE!” and we danced to the soundtrack. That is one of the reasons why I will always love Brave.

One more quick story… It’s amazing how social media can connect people. One of our friends’ girlfriends (Elizabeth) used to work at WDW, and we’d chatted about it a few times, she played a princess, I thought it was super cool, but didn’t want to annoy her about it. We met in around 2018.

A few months ago, I posted these pictures of meeting Merida at Magic Kingdom in 2012!! (btw I was sooooooo excited and I’ve been so sad that I haven’t had time to meet her again!) And Elizabeth comments on this picture… IT WAS HER! How crazy that I met her as Merida years before she ever met her boyfriend who is our friend?! You can check out Elizabeth here as Ariel, as Anna (and here), and here as Merida! It really is a small world after all.

Day 21: Brave (2012)

I was having a really rough day when we watched Brave, **it had hit the fan at work throughout the day, even though it was a weekend, my Old Navy package was mis-delivered (but they had great customer service! UPS’s customer service? not so much), and I was exhausted! I took a two-hour nap in the middle of the day! Finally we got up, took Meeko for a walk, and just spending an hour in the sun completely turned around my mood!! I wasn’t really in the mood to put together a whole Bound though (because some of my items I wanted were in that missing package), so I pulled out the only Brave T I own, and made my hair as big and curly as I could. I don’t feel like I was cheating though because I did do a ’90s Merida Bound back in February and I’m sharing the bound breakdown with you below!

Brave Food – Chicken Pot Pie

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While not Scottish, Chicken Pot Pie felt like the perfect homey dinner for this Pixar Princess. I love this Stella Parks recipe for double-crusted chicken pot pie, we follow it to a T!

Brave Quarantivity – Taking Meeko for a Sunny Walk

We put Meeko in a backpack, tucked in to a fluffy sweater, and strapped him to my chest. He was hesitant at first, but in the end seemed to really enjoy the fresh air and sunshine!!

Brave Outfits

In-Park Look (and at home!)

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The Merida Ears from Marvelous Darling Designs • “At Last I see the Wine” Tangled T-Shirt from The Midnight Comet 

Instagram post for Merida Ears from MarvelousDarlingDesigns.

Marvelous Darling Designs is my favorite Etsy shop for ears & Tara is a fantastic human. Even though Merida is the least bridal princess, my maid of honor knew it’s the princess I would. want to be. I’d been eyeing these ears fora wile and Tara worked with Jasmine to turn them into bridal ears!!! I also gifted my wonderful bridesmaids and bachelorette attendees each a pair of Tara’s amazing ears, check out what other goodies I included!

Brave Workout Gear

Brave DisneyBound

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BOUND BREAKDOWN

Dark Mark Choker + Necklace Set from Hot Topic (wearing just the choker with the chem spun around back) • Plaid Button-Up from Old Navy (similar) • Black Tank Top from Amazon • Black High-Waisted Distressed Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans from Old Navy • Calista Combat Boot from DSW • Brave Bear from Shop Disney (smaller version)

See my original Instagram Post for this Merida 90s Bound.

For the story behind what I’m doing here and to see more, check this out! Sometimes I Quarantine: with Classic Princesses!

Shortly before 2012’s Brave, Rapunzel hit the big screens in 2010, Sometimes I Quarantine: with Rapunzel!

The next year, Disney went big giving us a princess and a queen! Frozen themed day, coming soon!

Still bored? Check out Rapunzel’s Quarantivity Tower!