What's Your Favorite Candy Bar? Or Why Crowdsourcing Your Trip on FaceBook Is A Bad Call

You've seen it before; someone on your Facebook feed asks for recommendations for their upcoming trip to Walt Disney World. It's likely they have never been and are looking for tips and tricks to get them started. This post may or may not phase you. Maybe you get all excited and recommend all your favorite attractions, and where your favorite parade seats are, and where they just have to get dining reservations. Or you may just scroll right past thinking, that's a nightmare I don't want to get involved with. When I see those posts, I cringe. I cringe because not only will there be a ton of erroneous information, I cringe because their friends are cheerfully letting them know all the things they liked (and didn't) while in no way considering your family's needs and desires. They are telling you what their favorite candy bar is, not telling you where you can find your favorite.

Remember that jingle from Almond Joy and Mounds? Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't. This is what a good travel planner can parse out for you. When you are considering a trip to Walt Disney World the last thing you need is the conflicting advice from your friends; some of them like nuts, some don't. What you really need is the help of a Disney travel planner. These people are trained in all things Disney. They have experience and knowledge your friends who went two years ago don't. You need to think about what it is your family likes, what your needs are, how you like to travel, and where you like to stay.

Consider this: Are you foodies, and if so, do you have food allergies? Are you the family that likes to go till you drop, or do you like a more leisurely pace? Does your family like to swim, or do you prefer a playground? Are you into broadway shows, or thrill rides, or both? Do you like a high level of convenience in your trip, or do you want to travel on a shoestring? Do you want autonomy, or do you like to have someone else handle the details? Maybe you want a resort with a lot of kitsch and activity, or maybe you like to stay in a quiet, out of the way place. These are not the questions your friends are considering when they recommend their favorite candy bars. They are assuming you like the same ones they do. Maybe you do, but odds are, there are some things that you like that they just don't.

So the next time you see a Facebook post asking for Disney recommendations, the best recommendation you can give is to refer them to a Disney travel planner, preferably one like me who has been over 50 times and can offer sound advice with up to date, accurate, information on all the policies and practices at Walt Disney World. I can't tell you the number of times I have seen downright incorrect information given by well meaning individuals. It's not that they are trying to sabotage your vacation, but if you listen to only the advice of friends, you are bound to be disappointed. Walt Disney World is constantly changing. They add and take away experiences on a regular basis. It's an amazing trip, but it can also be a disaster. It would be such a shame to think you are going to get one sort of candy bar and end up with your least favorite in return. Call a Disney travel planner. You will be so thankful you did.

Celebrate Flag Day with Margaritas!

Hello readers! Did you know it's flag day in Mexico today? I think a little margarita celebration is in order, don't you? Let's take a look back at one of my favorite Cinco de Mayo posts ever!


In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we decided to do our own Disney Margarita Tour. If you are a margarita fan, you will no doubt know that La Cava del Tequila is THE place to go for some of the best and most inventive margaritas on property. But it's not the ONLY place. We chose to recreate some new and some vintage recipes to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some of the the old crew. What a blast!

And special thanks to the hubs for the incredible food!

Here are the recipes we tried. We salted all of our glasses with pink Himalayan salt. Enjoy them! And until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Sun-Kissed Margarita
From Mickey's Gourmet Cookbook
(Outer Rim, Contemporary - which is no longer there)

Lemon Rind
Kosher salt
1.5 oz 80 percent oak-aged tequila
3/4 oz brandy-based orange liqueur
3/4 orange liqueur
4 oz sour mix
crushed ice
lime wheel
1 oz orange juice

Rub the rim of the cocktail glass with lemon rind & dip into kosher salt. Combine tequila, liqueurs & sour mix in a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into salt-rimmed cocktail glass. Top with orange juice. Garnish with lime wheel.

Seven Seas Sunset -- same as above, but substitute cranberry juice for the orange juice.

Avocado Margarita 

La cava del Tequila - Epcot's Mexico Pavillion
(recipe from Disney Food Blog)

1/2 ripe Haas avocado
2 oz white 100% agave Tequila
1 oz Midori melon liquor
juice of one lime
1 oz. Agave syrup
Ice

Blend all ingredients in a blender until very smooth and creamy. Serve in salt rimmed glass. (use Hibiscus salt if you can. Look for it at the market next time you're in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot!)

Habanero Lime Margarita
available at any resort lounge
(Recipe from Party Through The Parks)

1 part Patron Silver tequila
3 parts Mr. & Mrs. T's sweet & sour
pour ingrédients over ice and add a good drizzle of Monin habanero lime syrup and the juice from half a lime




Agave Nectar Margarita
available at any resort lounge
(from Party Through The Parks)

1 part Tierras Organic Blanco tequila
3 parts simple syrup made with agave nectar (50% agave/50% water)
Pour ingrédients over ice and add the juice from 1/2 a lime





Jalapeño Margarita Recipe
(Cava del Tequila - Mexico pavilion, Epcot)

1/4 fresh cucumber (peeled and seeded and then cut into 1.5" pieces)
2" piece green bell pepper (seeded)
1/2 of 1 small jalapeño (seeded and cut into 1.5" pieces)
1 shot Silver tequila
Fresh lime juice
Triple Sec - orange flavor
Simple Syrup / agave nectar

Method: place fruit in the bottom of your glass and muddle to release some of the juices. Don't go crazy here, muddling shouldn't create a mush of fruit, just sufficiently bruise them. Top off the glass with ice and add 2 parts tequila, 1 part triple sec, 2 parts lime juice, 1 part simple syrup made with agave nectar. Shake and serve in a Himalayan salt rimmed glass.

Walt Disney World 101 | 10 Of Our Favorite Touring Tips

We are gearing up in the cottage for a Spring Break trip to Walt Disney World! It's been a while since we have braved the madness of a packed theme park. And a little refresher is always a good idea! So today I share my Top 10 WDW Touring Tips with you.

These are tried and true and used on every Walt Disney World vacation we take. Some are obvious, some are not. Some have taken us a while to realize, some have been with us from the very beginning (and I do mean from the VERY beginning!). I can still hear my dad shouting, "Left side, Amy!" I hope you enjoy them and they come in useful for you and your touring party too.

1. Stay To The Left. This may be the single most important tip we have. Our American tendency is to stay to the right. And most tourists will choose the line or the attraction that is to their right. As we've continued to travel to WDW this rule has morphed somewhat into, take the path farthest from the door (or humanity). You'd be surprised how much faster you can get your burger and fries if you just move to the farthest line.
2. Wait To Leave The Parks. It sounds a little nutty, but if you don't have toddlers having historic melt downs, then stay a bit after the fireworks and linger in the shops or buy one last sweet treat. Let the transportation crush happen without you. Waiting to leave the park (especially the Magic Kingdom) can make everyone's night much better.
3. Arrive Early. If you can't manage the late nights, consider arriving for rope drop. The MK has a fun celebration prior to opening and all parks are clean and sparkling early in the morning; often you can get some nice photos with just your family in them.
4. Make A Dining Reservation For The Hour Before Park Opening. Some character meals allow for early entry to the parks. You must have a reservation and all the members of your party before you can go in, but you can eat in the park before it is officially open. This has two advantages; obviously you can maximize your time in that first line or two and you can get some really great photos without the crush of humanity.
5. Get A Haircut At The Harmony Barber Shop. This is strictly a Magic Kingdom experience, but I love doing this! Our first kid had the privilege of having his first haircut there. I HIGHLY recommend this! There was all sorts of kitsch and celebration and they are excellent with a wiggly kid.
6. Watch The Parade From Frontierland. Again, this is specific to the Magic Kingdom, but we have had excellent luck finding a good spot for viewing the parade and it's usually much less hectic. This is not the best plan if you want to see the fireworks after the parade. And as an added bonus, we can hit the Pirates of the Caribbean on the way out!
7. Hit Your Favorite Rides During the Evening Entertainment. If you are not watching the parade, the fireworks, or Illuminations, this is an excellent time to ride your favorite (usually crowded) rides. E-ticket rides were the most expensive and usually most desired rides when Disneyland and Walt Disney World opened. We still have a tendency to refer to them as such around the cottage.
8. Use The Single Rider Lines. If you are not opposed to riding next to someone you don't know, the single rider line can be a great time saver. Usually Mr. Photos From The Parks and Doc can ride the same coaster, or consecutive coasters and come out beaming. 
9. Grab A Button At Guest Relations. Especially if you are celebrating a birthday, first visit, or anniversary, get a button! The cast members are wonderful at making a little extra magic happen. You can even request a birthday phone call at your resort when checking in! 
10. Talk To Cast Members. They are incredibly willing to help, share Disney trivia, tell jokes, trade pins, hand out stickers and trading cards, and just in general make your trip enjoyable. One of my favorite interactions was with a street sweeper in Animal Kingdom who kept my kids entertained with jokes as we were all headed to the exit together. 

Remember to try and stay positive while you're touring and enjoy the time you have, even in the small moments. It's the happiest place on Earth, and you deserve a great vacation! Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Customizing Your MagicBands with My Fantasy Bands

If you have been to Walt Disney World lately you will notice that the DIY and customized Disney experience is at an all time high! LOADS of us are sporting our special shirts, hats, bags and now MagicBands. Of course, we at the cottage are TOTALLY into that!

Today I wanted to introduce you to one of my favorite products for customizing your MagicBand: My Fantasy Bands. These decals are professionally printed and can withstand the abuse of my family! We are still using these same magic bands a year later. And they have all been in the pool and the shower/bath and remain on the bands with no peeling. I am really impressed with the quality of these decals. In fact, if you have booked a trip with me in the last few months, you may have received a surprise package of these for your very own MagicBands!

These decals were really easy to apply, and they come with instructions on how to make them last. Plus she has ALL SORTS of great themes, some seasonal, some Disney related, some just for fun! I can't recommend these highly enough. And if you are on Instagram, you can see lots of her designs modeled by actual guests by following @myfantasybands. Have fun perusing Erin's site! Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Another Great DIY Disney Luggage Tag!

Thursday's post has inspired me to create another cute DIY felt luggage tag for our family's upcoming Fall Break Trip!

I give you Donald Duck. I was a little worried about sewing around a shape with a lot more definition than the simple three circles of the Mickey head in the last post. But it was not as difficult as I first thought. As long as I went slow it was fine! Here's the trick, I like to make the stitches in the zig-zag closer together. So if your machine can shorten the distance between stitches, I would recommend it. It looks a bit more uniform in the end. I also love how the yellow felt pops on the blue background. You will DEFINITELY be able to spot your luggage on that carousel!

If you want the full description on the how-to, check out my original post DIY Disney Felt Luggage Tags. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Disney Felt Luggage Tags

Are you headed to a Disney Destination for Fall Break this year? If so, this is the perfect little project to get you in the Disney spirit!

You know how excited you are to get to Disney, and then you get to the airport and everyone's bag looks pretty much the same? Even with those snazzy Disney luggage tags they send you, your bag still looks like everyone else's, because they got the same tags you did!

September is National Sewing Month and as such, I thought it would be fun to share this easy Disney luggage tag. You can make it in any color your choose, but it will make your bag stand out as your own. That's a particularly good thing when you have antsy, anxious children pulling your pant leg, ready to get to Disney!

You could hand stitch this project or machine stitch it. I chose to use the machine simply for the sake of time. I was able to whip this up in half an hour. That's well within our nap-time window here at the cottage!

I first did a Google search for a Mickey Mouse silhouette, printed it, and used it as a template for this tag. I then cut out my Mickey from black felt, used it to determine the size for the background and cut out two rectangles of felt. (I chose yellow for the other side of this tag because that's what I had, but get creative and let your tag be entirely yours.)

I then took the red felt, pinned the Mickey silhouette to that and used a zigzag stitch to appliqué it to the background. I then pinned the yellow felt to the back of the red felt and used the overlock stitch to sew them together. You could also play around with the decorative stitches on your machine for sewing the two rectangles together. I love using felt for this project, because even if you use a strait stitch to finish this project, your edges will look good.

I'd love to get several of these together for our next trip, each one themed to our favorite characters. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

WDW Abbreviations Cheat Sheet

Have you ever heard a Disney geek talk about going to Walt Disney World? It can sound like a foreign language! We can frequently be heard saying (or texting) that we are taking the ferry from the WL to the MK and hitting POTC first thing so we can make our ADR for BOG. It can make you wonder what in the world we were talking about!

Disney has gotten so big, and has so many special Disney experiences, that most of who deal with it on a daily basis have learned a sort of short cut language if you will. We speak in a lot of abbreviations, and I know I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to these coded messages

Well, for those of you newbies (or oldies who are struggling to remember!), here's a little cheat sheet for you.

So did you decode the original message? We were taking the ferry from the Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom to Pirates Of The Caribbean in order to make it to our Advanced Dining Reservation at Be Our Guest! You can see why the abbreviations come in so handy! I hope this helps you decode the Disney speak a little. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Kid-Size Vacation Package Now Available at WDW

Hello friends! I know its time to start thinking about he holidays and crafting but of my goodness this offer is too good not to share! You can head to Walt Disney World with your little for just $1055.00! Here are all the details:

If this package is in your wheelhouse, please give me a call as soon as possible! I'll get you booked and on your way to a magical vacation! Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Learning More About Walt Disney World Water Parks

As a Certified Disney Travel Planner, I have been learning quite a bit about the WDW waterparks this summer. I thought I would use an entry here to share a little of what I learned with all of you.

My family has never really been much into swimming until the two little ones came along. This summer we have spent well over 50% of our days at the pool. That has definitely changed my thoughts about whether or not to visit a water park durning our next Walt Disney World trip! I have always been on the opinion that the pool at our resort was plenty enough fun for us. Now I am starting to see how we could really enjoy a full day at one of the two waterparks on property.

First, lets talk about the new Water Parks and More ticket add on. With this upgrade you get the same number of visits to 6 resort destinations (Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course, and Oak Trail Golf Course) as you do park days.

So if you have a 3-day Water Parks and More ticket, you get to visit 3 Disney Theme Parks, AND  you get 3 visits to any of the Water Parks and More Options You can visit these other options on ANY of the days your are at Disney. It DOES NOT have to be on the same day you visit a theme park. So for instance, if you are going to be at the Walt Disney World Resort for 7 days, you could purchase a 3-day Water Parks and More ticket, spend days 1-3 at various theme parks, days 4-5 at the water parks, and days 6-7 playing golf. It's a great way to enjoy all that the WDW Resort has to offer!

Secondly, there are some ways to guarantee that you get some seats in the shade! I grew up in the days of River Country, watching my dad race to the shelter at rope drop to be sure our group had a place to recover from the sun! Those days are long gone. If you want a cabana-style accommodation at either Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach there are there for the renting! For as little as $60 you can rent an Umbrella area that will accommodate up to 4 guest. You have great seating, loungers and shade. But if you are looking for something a little more like what you might find at Castaway Cay, there are cabana-type areas at both waterparks in the $350 range. These can accommodate up to 6 guests and have a larger set of amenities that come included. For my high maintenance family, this sounds like a dream come true!

If you are a frequent visitor to either of the Disney Water Parks, I would love to hear your feedback! I am sure my family will be trying out one or both on our next Walt Disney World vacation. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Disney Mousekeeping Envelopes

For those of you Disney newbies, Mousekeeping is the Disney version of housekeeping. These are the people who make your room look like new when you walk in. They even make some fun shapes with towels and play funny games with your stuffed animals. Tip them well. They work very hard.

Side note, if you are staying in one of the DVC villas, you should note that housekeeping does not come every day unless you request them to. We find the standard service to be enough. Others in our Disney family do not. It's something to consider as you plan your next stay at the Disney Resorts. If you do wish to have addition Mousekeeping services, remember to request them at check-in, or press the mousekeeping button on your room phone.

And on that note, WDW Prep School has some terrific Disney themed Mousekeeping envelopes free to download! There are several designs to choose from, so have some fun printing these out. It helps Mousekeeping know that the money is for them, and it keeps my little guys from trying to give it back to me! (Or pocketing it for themselves!)

Be sure to check out Shannon's entire site for all sorts of really helpful Disney planning tips, especially if you are just starting out. As my dear friend Fauna says, it feels you need a B.A. in Disney Planning, and a minor in Disney Dining to make your first trip successful! WDW Prep School can take some of the edge off of that for you.

Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Disney Dinner | Catfish and Grits from the Coral Reef

I think one of the best kept secrets for Disney Dining is the Coral Reef at Epcot's Living Seas. If you have never taken the opportunity to dine there and you even remotely like seafood, you are missing out! Book an ADR for your next trip. You'll be glad you did. Not only is the menu outstanding, the atmosphere is complete unique from any other restaurant on property. Where else can you dine inside a living coral reef? And they even give you souvenir guides so you know what fishes you are looking at. (Don't forget to spot that hidden Mickey on the ocean floor!)

This recipe is from Magical Recipes, a truly great resource for Disney recipes from around the "World." If you are looking for something specific, I would search there first. Although I'd stay away from the Crystal Palace Lemon Bars. Just saying.

Mr. Photos from the Parks is an amazing chef and his spin on this recipe was simply delicious. Although I'm not sure I would recommend this wine for this meal, as we both felt it was more like a Pinot Grigio than a Chardonnay; we would go with Francis Coppola's Diamond Collection Chardonnay instead. It's one of my standbys. (And if you even get the chance to visit that winery I HIGHLY recommend it!)

Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Disney Travel Game

When I saw this idea on Pinterest, I knew I wanted to recreate it using the Disney ephemera I had collected over the years. I tend to be a pack rat - every now and again, this winds up being a good thing. It's nice when that happens! If you are a pack rat too, then this project is free to create. I know I love a budget friendly DIY.
I had an old sturdy tube from some Silhouette stencil vinyl that was just right for this project, perfect for outlining the shapes of some old Disney stickers I had lying around. (I believe these are from the 90s - when I was still paper scrapbooking. Disney had a terrific scrapbooking store back then; I'm not sure if it's still around today.) If you don't have any stickers, they are very easily obtained from the Dollar Store, or a craft store. And they are usually fairly inexpensive, especially if you have a coupon.

The idea here is simple. I removed the outer edge of the sticker paper, leaving the actual stickers on the page. Then I used the "blanks" as a stencil to trace the shapes of the stickers onto the paper tube. I used a fat Sharpie to trace them and then a fine point Sharpie to label the shapes. (I have a bit of a pen addiction as well. I love my Sharpies!) Happy isn't quite able to read yet, and I wanted Poppins or Doc to be able to help him if I wasn't available.  So now there are several Disney shapes and characters to match to the shapes on the tube. I figure this could last him a good 20 minutes if he takes to it! Stickers are generally a favorite for him. For our family, the trick is finding new and different things to keep the little ones occupied on our drive. It's a LONG way to Orlando from our cottage in the midwest! I'll let you know if this works for us. And if you try it, let us know how it worked for you!

Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Victoria & Alberts Mushroom Ragout

It's Pescetarian June in the cottage and I couldn't let the opportunity go by without posting a fabulous Disney recipe. First off, pescetarian means eating fish along with a vegetarian diet. I was vegetarian for 7 years before having Doc. (That pregnancy was ALL about red meat!) So this summer we decided for health reasons and being more responsible to the earth, we would spend the month eating pescetarian. I think it's been eye-opening for all of us, each in his or her own way.

Secondly, I have a thing for Victoria and Albert's. We are definitely foodies here in the cottage (especially Doc!) and from the beginning have loved V&A's. Mr. Photos from the Parks and I have been three times, each was outstanding! This is a six course meal with wine pairings if you so desire. It is not to be rushed, everything is elegant, perfectly portioned, and sublime. (The costumed waitstaff is a touch over the top, but hey, it's Disney.) Guests are required to dress up and I love that too. It's one of those special experiences that stays with you. And the coffee "show" at the end of the meal is worth waiting for!

When I saw the abundance of mushrooms in our refrigerator and then ran across this Victoria and Albert's mushroom ragout, I knew it was kismet. I substituted dried thyme for the fresh and used vegetable stock for the beef. Everything else was exactly as written, and it was lovely! We served it over mushroom ravioli. I loved it! Not only was the flavor wonderful, the memories of Victoria and Albert's while I was making it were wonderful to have too.

Give this recipe a try if you are a fan of mushrooms - it's worth the little time it took to put it all together. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Disney Mickey Mouse Sippy Cup Leash

Mickey Mouse Sippy Cup Leash

This is one of those things that makes a huge difference with little effort. The last time we were in Walt Disney World, our 2-year-old loved throwing his sippy cup down when he was done with it. Chasing those rolling cups in the parks was not fun, and not a thought I relished doing again. But never fear, Make It & Love It has a tutorial that will save the day! I love that this little sippy cup leash is extremely lightweight and won't take up any extra room in the storage compartment when you are done with it. So, so smart.

This tutorial is so easy that I was able to bang it out in less than 20 minutes. THAT'S a project I can love! I scored this ribbon at Walmart, prepackaged in 3 yard increments. Unfortunately, I don't remember the cost, but I'd be surprised if it was more than $5.00. I've since seen it at JoAnn's too. I've also had luck with Etsy and Ebay for deals on Disney ribbon, some really rare, some not so much. Shop around; I assure you, you'll find more than you bargained for!

I already had my elastic on hand, so this project was well under $5.00. I consider that a great deal! You could use this in the car on a road trip as well as on the stroller or backpack in the parks. We've tried it on a number of different sippy cups, and all of them seem to work well. These Nuby ones are Happy's favorites, so I made sure it would hold these easily. We'll be taking several with us again this October! If you see our decked out stroller, stop and say hi! We love to hear from our readers.

Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Disney Stroller Cup Holder

Who doesn't need another water bottle holder at Disney? I know we never seem to have enough places to store everything when we are in the parks, and I love the idea of having the stroller do most of the work for us. This is one solution I just had to try.

I used this tutorial from Sew Can Do to create my cup holder. I love that it's large enough to hold my aluminum water bottle and this combo snack/sipper cup I found through Zulily!

I did tweak this pattern a bit. Instead of using oil cloth, I used quilting cotton. To give it a little more heft, I inserted a piece of scrap canvas (you could use a bit of denim from an old pair of jeans as well) between the two sides, and one in the bottom; and I used pellon interfacing on all the cotton pieces. Pellon is an iron-on interfacing and I use it for a LOT of sewing projects. If you can't find it in your local fabric shop, ask at the cutting desk. They will know exactly what you are looking for. I loved the stiffness and absorbency of the fabric when it was all done. I hate sweaty drinking glasses and bottles.

I also made an extension piece for our stroller handlebar. I thought about making the entire piece bigger, but I like the idea of having the size option. The only caveat to that is with the extension, the holder swung around a bit, and Mr. Photos From The Parks says it hits him in the navel whenever he uses the stroller. I'm a bit shorter and it doesn't seem to do that for me. You may want to make some adjustments according to your own stature.

A note about water in Disney:
I think the water in Disney (well, in Orlando) is a bit skunky. I am usually a fan of filling my own water bottle at the drinking fountain wherever we are - or at least out of the tap. But in Disney, that just won't cut it for me. I need the filtered water to get the odd smell out. If you are opposed to paying "Disney prices" for water, there is another solution. Almost every Disney Resort room has a mini fridge. Stop and get a case of water before you arrive on property. This is obviously easy if you drive, but even if you fly (as we often do), it's not as complicated as it might seem. Tiffany Towncar - a company we HIGHLY recommend - will make a 30 min. grocery stop as part of their ground transportation service. If you would rather take the Magical Express, you can always have Garden Grocer deliver groceries right to your room. In either case, you have water at your disposal and much cheaper than if you would buy it in the parks.

Flag Day DIY inspired by Disney's Animal Kingdom

DIY Tibetan Prayer Flags Inspired by Disney's Animal Kingdom

Flag Day is intended as a celebration of the adoption of the American Flag - it is always celebrated on June 14th. As it happens, the US Army's "birthday" is also on this day. If you are interested in more history on Flag Day, you can check out this Wikipedia article. But for Flag Day this year, I decided to take a more non-traditional track.

I have always loved the themeing in the Animal Kingdom of Walt Disney World. Even as a new park (when it was not very fun for our family - and SUPER hot) the themed areas seemed superior to much of the rest of the Disney Resort. I have especially become a fan of the Tibetan prayer flags near Expedition Everest. I've always been a spiritual person, and drawn to these flags and their purpose wherever I see them. They are meant to be torn and impermanent items. If you want a little more information about them, you should check out The Peace Flag Project. I think they are just beautiful. So when I found this tutorial for making miniature prayer flags from Small World Land, I knew I had found a project for me.

For this project, I used the printable document supplied in the tutorial. I sized it to 150% and printed it directly only my fabric. If you've never printed on fabric, it's a very simple process. I used these instructions from Instructables. I didn't have any freezer paper, so I used Silhouette's Sewable Heat Transfer Fabric Interfacing. I'm glad I did. I was able to print on it with no problems. I was even able to iron two small strips of flags together to make them double sided. I then just cut them apart and strung them on button-hole thread. (It's thicker thread than what you usually sew with.) And I love the result! I have my own little string of prayers hanging in my studio. They are a lovely reminder of the prayers I wish to offer up to the universe.

Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Disney Closet Divider Tags

DIY Disney Closet Tags

When I saw these shapes in the Silhouette store, I knew I would need them. I am an organizer, a planner and I prepare. And this is never more true than when we are going to Walt Disney World. When I pack, I pack in outfits. I like to know that I'll have everything I need to look put together all in one place. It all gets laid out by day, and then put together in the suitcase as one. Ziplock baggies are especially helpful in this department and come in handy if you have wet bathing suits to bring home. And I love not having to think about things like what to wear when we are at the parks.

As an aside, I highly recommend unpacking your suitcase when you arrive at your resort. There is nothing worse than trying to decipher which clothes are dirty and which are clean when you are running late to your ADR. (And we are always running late. I assure you.) Also, I always designate an empty bag or drawer for dirty clothes. That way we are not tripping over one another's ish in a tiny space.

With these tags, I can easily mark which outfits are to be worn on what days; no more arguing with the kids. Even better, I can see at a glance if I have packed enough clothing, or not. Once it's all together, it goes in a big ziplock bag, tag included. When we arrive at the resort I simply hang the entire outfit together on a hanger and pop the tag over it. Done! Everyone knows which outfit is for which day. I can even plan an outfit for a special character meal that I know will look good in the photos later on. So no matter who is helping Happy get dressed, they know what he should wear and I don't have to interrupt what I'm doing to pull out clothes. Let's foster independence where we can, shall we?

I used my basic scrapbooking supplies to create these tags; mostly using paper and ribbon. I themed them to the Classic Disney Characters, but you could do these for any set of characters that mean something to your family. I may try and do a set based on Phineas and Ferb for Doc; his clothes will be in a separate room from ours. These tags represent, Sunday - Minnie, Monday - Mickey, Tuesday - Donald, Wednesday - Goofy, Thursday - Pluto, and Friday - Daisy. I know, I don't have Saturday; won't be needing that one on this trip. Too bad. We'll just have to remedy that another time!

And for those who may need to know, the design ID numbers for these Hanger Tags are: 32018, 32017, 32016, 32015, 32014, 32012, 32011. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Disney Pressed Penny Push Pins

I am a self-professed pressed penny enthusiast. I always head to Disney armed with rolls of quarters and pennies. It's a great way to keep the littles busy while we wait for the thrill-seekers to to finish their attractions. I especially love to hit the penny machines in the shops on Sunset Boulevard in Disney's Hollywood Studios. The wait for The Rockin' Roller Coaster and Hollywood Tower of Terror can be LONG. If we didn't get fast passes and we've already finished the Disney Jr. show, this is where I go to keep the kiddos busy. Of course, there are penny machines throughout the entire Disney Resort. Some of the best pressed pennies can be had at some of the less-visited places. A pressed penny hunt can be a great activity for a non-park day.

And what's better than a 51 cent souvenir? This also means, however, that I have quite a collection of pressed pennies. And that I am always looking for something to do with them. It occurred to me that I could glue them to some flat head push pins to create a unique (and useful) souvenir. I LOVE a useful souvenir. I feel better about it taking up space in my house. So these fantastic little beauties were born! I used Gorilla Glue, but I think an epoxy or even Super Glue would do the trick.

So simple and so fun. I think they'd be the perfect stocking stuffer, don't you? Or perhaps a graduation gift? After all, the traditional graduation gift is money, right? Wrap these up in a sweet little box and include a couple of bills in there too. Voila! Thoughtful and easy - my kind of gift! And these certainly fall into the nap time friendly and budget friendly category as well. I just love these little gems. I see many sets in our future!

I hope you have fun making these, and until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Tinkerbell Treasures: Coin Rolls

I saw this idea on pinterest, via Martha Stewart, as a stocking stuffer and thought it would be great for a Tinkerbell Treasure! I love the pressed penny machines in Disney. I think they are a great way to spend your waiting time -- waiting for a dinner reservation, waiting for the taller kiddos to finish their thrill rides, waiting for mom to check out at the shops. I'll buy that kind of patience for 50¢ any day of the week! Plus, there are all sorts of games you can play with the pressed pennies once you've collected a few (more on that in a later post).


For these coin rolls I decided to just wrap them in scrapbook paper scraps, but you could certainly decide to use a solid paper and ribbons that match your child's favorite Disney character, or specifically Disney paper. And I was tempted to skip the cellophane, but it really makes a big difference in keeping the ends of the rolls together and adding a sweet touch. A roll of quarters ($10) and a roll of pennies (50¢) should keep two kids busy for at least a couple of days (that's 10 pressed pennies each), that is, if they don't develop an obsession for collecting pressed pennies!

If you want to make these for the pressed penny lover in your life, I have a downloadable page of tags for you to use. Just click here, or click on the thumbnail below to download. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Upcycled Disney T-shirt Pool Bag

I know I've mentioned this about a bazillion times, but I'll say it again, I hate those plastic-y graphics on T-shirts. Like, a lot. But sometimes you can't help but end up with one from a trip with friends. What to do? I say make a cute pool bag for your next trip! Doc needs a small bag (that's hard to miss!) to keep his sunscreen, hat, phone and arcade card in while he's at the pool. This would be perfect!

I saw this idea on Pinterest and immediately knew it was the project for this T-shirt. The shirt has sentimental value, but I can't bear to wear it. Perfect solution. I followed Jill's tutorial from One Good Thing. I particularly liked how she braided the handles of her bag. Great detail.

Modifications I made to her tutorial: I sewed two diagonal seams at the corner of the bag to give it the shape I was looking for; I also took a strip of fabric from the sleeve and sewed it over the braided seam. It just hid all my imperfect sewing! You can see a close up of it in the photo to the right.

All in all this was a terrifically easy project and certainly nap-time friendly! And for you budget conscious Disney travelers, this project is FREE if you already own the T-shirt. It doesn't get better than that! Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!