Review: 41356 Stephanie's Heart Box

Stephanie is ready to serve up a tennis ball -- then fuel up on pizza and wash it down with cool water! She's our sporty Friend and has the trophy to prove how much she loves winning!
This set was provided by the AFOL Engagement of The LEGO Group for the purpose of sharing set details with fans. Opinions provided here solely reflect those of our reviewer. Photographs are property of FriendsBricks and are not directed by TLG in any fashion.


The front of this delightfully heart-shaped box shows real girls with sporting equipment. The circle graphic inset of balls and a racket represent Stephanie's favorite activities. Although it isn't specifically her signature icon, which is a star.
The product image has her ready to serve a tennis ball, and the inset shows that everything fits into this brick-built container.


Box back features the standard 5 Friends in their rainbow heart graphic and product image of Stephanie ready to fuel-up on pizza! Her trophy demonstrates the size ratio for items.
Across the bottom are all five Friends who have their own heart boxes, and an image showing them all stacked.

Side view of Stephanie in her graphic/animated form. Box bottom is elongated hexagon with taped slotted flaps.
Once opened, you can see the contents are well packed and the construction booklet is folded. It's a nearly Lotus-like design to the way it folds to create its hexagonal cavity for parts.


Box contents are: 29-page instructions booklet, two 6x6 dark blue (Earth Blue) plates, and two non-numbered bags.
The instruction book cover features a new app ability by scanning the set's QR code for digital instructions.


Largest bag contents:
New of note:
- 3x3 plate 1/4 circle in Earth Blue
- 2x2 curvy tile in Light Pink (TLG's Light Purple)
- 2x4 tile with "Stephanie" printed over lined graphics and her *star* motif in medium azure

Rare:
- Light Pink 2x2 tile with center stud is only in 2 other sets: Heart Box Friendship Pack, and Sweet Mayhem's Brickheadz


Smaller bag parts:
Tan pizza crust tile is always welcome!
The trans blue is actually 1x1 brick (cylinder) it just wouldn't stop rolling for the photo. ;-)


First we build Stephanie and place a bow in her hair, the give her a tennis racket and ball. We then build her a water-bottle, because she'll need it!
This outfit is not new, yet very sporty and classic "Stephanie" with an azure zipped hoodie with magenta and white stripes -- plus her *star* necklace over a white t-shirt.  Of course, also "tennis shoes" in white with azure laces!


Next the heart's bottom layer, then first row of bricks, and finished with tiles. The 2x4 sloped medium azure bricks provide extra stability for the curves of the heart shape.


Building the Lid starts with the printed tile, then the others, while adding each heart curve at a time. The yellow is a bit jolting on top, yet is part of her color palette.
Underside of the lid gets white shoe slide pieces for easing it on a surface; it also makes it easier to pick up from a flat surface.


Now we have both sections of the heart box complete. Those three 1x1 pink plates are what keeps the tiled rim of the bottom secure to the top. When the lid is on, it is firm. For removing the lid, the best way is with your thumb on the side below the printed name tile, with 2 fingers on the heart's curve above that, and pull up with your thumb -- then it opens is cleanly.


Last we build the stand out of the 2x4 white plate and 2 clear slopes. It fits fine and stays -- just don't wiggle the table/surface it's on too much, or else it will fall. Although your heart won't break ;-)


Before we pack it all into the container, as the instructions show us -- we have to get some exercise, right?!
Stephanie is going to use the heart's curvy interior walls as a volley surface. Good luck!


Phew! That was harder than she thought -- luckily we made a full water-bottle for her. She can check her messages on her phone before chomping into that "award winning" Pizza!


All packed in her blue heart, Stephanie is resting up for another day -- with extra parts to spare!


Here are all the 5 Friends Heart Boxes together. Box art already shows how they can stack, so here they are just side-by-side.

Summary:

Being the "sporty" Friend, this heart box gives us some good accessories, although for some reason I kept thinking it would have her dog Dash. He could chase down those stray tennis balls. Pizza is good though, even if it's not her original favorite food: cupcakes.
While I like the Earth Blue, and it is one of her colors, this box would be fun to make in medium azure and light pink only.

All the light pink tiles will be useful for a couple of holiday themed creations. The fact that we get so many tiling-finished sets to build is good for all builders; the young, as well as older MOCers.

The spare parts will also fit inside the heart container box, so if this is given to someone as a gift away from home -- no worries. I like the white inkwell spare, because it allows us to incorporate the smallest LEGO pieces into creations.

~~~