Gone Camping

July 24, 2017July 24, 2017 | Allison

Last weekend we went on a camping trip with my Dad’s side of the family, and it was so much fun! My camera still isn’t working the best, but I did manage to get a few decent pictures.

We got to the campground in the evening so we didn’t do much after that besides set up. Megan and I shared a really nice tent with our two cousins. Although we did play the most confusing game of Uno ever. XD We played the “interrupting” version where you can lay down a card that’s exactly the same (same number and color) as the one someone else just laid down even if it’s not your turn. Anyway, when we laid down several skips or draw-twos or reverses in a row it got quite complicated, XD Have you ever played Interrupting Uno?

Unfortunately the ground under our tent was quite bumpy and rocky and sloping, and my sleeping bag didn’t provide much protection… so I didn’t sleep that well the first night. XD But oh well.

The next morning we had a delicious breakfast of pancake and sausages and bacon cooked over a combination of a camp cookstove and a bonfire. YUM.

The next day started out extremely hot until a huge rainstorm came in the afternoon. The kids rushed to a pavilion nearby and had fun playing games until it stopped raining. My little sister Carmen got scared of all the thunder though, poor girl.

In the afternoon we went down to the pool which was huge and the perfect temperature, if a bit dirty. All of us except my uncle played a couple of exhilarating games of water polo. It was SO much fun and we all laughed so hard. XD (And my team won both times, heh heh.)

Unfortunately, the floor of the pool was rough concrete and almost all of us skinned our toes and feet up pretty badly what with pushing off hard and running through the water. We had to break out the Band-Aids and gauze when we got back to the campsite and even then we were limping around. XD It would have been pretty hilarious if it wasn’t so painful… well actually, it was still pretty hilarious. 😛 Kind of a strange way to injure yourself, huh?

In the evening we had a bonfire and hot dog roast – and s’mores, of course. My uncle also popped some popcorn over the fire and it was AMAZING! It was some of the best popcorn I have ever tasted! His recipe was 1/3 cup of popcorn to 1/4 cup of oil, I think, with a pinch of salt.

The cicadas and/or tree frogs were really loud, but in a peaceful kind of way. It was so nice just to be sitting around the fire with family and talking and eating popcorn. 🙂

We bought air mattresses for the second night which felt luxurious compared to sleeping bags. XD I know, I need to toughen up – but I have like NO extra padding on my body which doesn’t help anything. XD

We had scrambled eggs and chocolate muffins and bacon for the last breakfast. YUM AGAIN. (Hmm, this post seems to feature a lot of food, doesn’t it? XD )

We then went down and played around at the Gaga pit and swings and rock climbing wall and stuff, but it was so hot we didn’t do it for long.

Before we left we went to the pool one last time and tried not to scrape open our blisters. Eheh heh… dear me.

And then we left! All in all it was a pretty fun time. 😀

Have you gone camping this summer? What is some of your favorite campfire food? What do you like to do best while camping?

***Allison***

25 Incredible Books to Read This Summer

July 22, 2017July 22, 2017 | Allison

25 books (800x800).jpg — Background image via unsplash.com

Hello, and how are you, dears? Good, I hope!

Well it’s summer, which means lots and lots of reading, right? Except if you’re like me, you don’t know what to read.

Don’t panic! Grab your library card and go check out some of these books. I’ve compiled twenty five of my favorite books, including plenty of series to keep you occupied. 🙂

In case you’re wondering, for the most part they aren’t in any particular order. I added a short description – you can ask for a longer one in the comments – and a link to the book on Amazon. (Just note that I didn’t shop around for the cheapest option. Also, these are not affiliate links.)

Now without further ado, I present to you twenty five incredible books!

The Mysterious Benedict Society Series: THIS IS (one of) THE BEST SERIES EVER! There’s no bad language, magic, or inappropriate content; it’s great for all ages; and it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read! Unfortunately it’s super hard to explain the plot without spoiling it or else making it sound boring, but I’ll give it a try. After following a strange advertisement in the newspaper and passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children embark on a strange adventure to stop the evil Mr. Curtain from taking over the world with his Whisperer in a most terrible way. They must use their abilities and work as a team to solve the riddles and mysteries at every turn. Ugh, that was an awful summary. You can read a slightly better one here.
The Penderwicks Series: Follow the four Penderwick sisters on many hilarious and heartwarming adventures (and misadventures). Filled with funny, well crafted, and extremely relatable characters, these books are immensely satisfying must-reads, and perfect for summer!
The Chronicles of Narnia Series: This is part of Amazon’s summary: “…four children travel repeatedly to a world in which they are far more than mere children and everything is far more than it seems. Richly told, populated with fascinating characters, perfectly realized in detail of world and pacing of plot, and profoundly allegorical, the story is infused throughout with the timeless issues of good and evil, faith and hope.” If you haven’t yet read these wonderful classics, well, what are you waiting for?
The Mighty Miss Malone: I read this just recently, and it was so good it’s now one of my favorite books! Narrated by a black girl living in the time of the Great Depression, this historical-fiction-ish story is full of humor, warmth, and wonderful characters.
Miss Piggle-Wiggle Series: Charming, clever, and hilarious. Another perfect read-aloud. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is a rather eccentric old lady who finds the most peculiar cures for children’s bad habits. Like the time when she cures a boy who doesn’t want to take a bath by letting him get so dirty, his parents can plant radishes in his hair. Or the time when… well, I could go on, but maybe you should just read them yourself. 😉
The Green Ember Series: A delightful adventure story starring two rabbits named Heather and Picket. When their peaceful world is disturbed, the two siblings are thrown onto a dangerous path that will take strength they didn’t know they had. Joined by many interesting and sometimes mysterious characters, the two rabbits join the fight “Till the Green Ember rises or the end of the world.” These books are kind of a blend of Watership Down, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings.
Freddy the Pig Series: Freddy the Pig is no ordinary pig. He’s also a writer, a detective, and leader of all the animals on Mr. Bean’s farm – in short, Freddy is a hero. He, along with his friends Jinx the cat and Mrs. Wiggins the cow, lead the farm animals on all sorts of wild adventures, uncovering schemes and concocting clever plans.
Charlotte’s Web: Wilbur the pig goes into hysterics when he finds out he will be butchered one day. But with the help of his talented spider friend Charlotte and farm girl Fern, they come up with a plan that just might save his bacon. This is definitely another children’s classic.
Do Hard Things: This is quite different from the rest of the books on this list, but it’s one of the most life-changing. Do Hard Things is a how-to book written by teenagers that shows you how to overcome society’s pathetically low expectations for today’s teenagers and use your life to make a difference. That involves sometimes scary things and stepping outside your comfort zone, but the rewards are sky-high. The authors are unashamedly Christian, but their points are still as true and thought-provoking for non-Christians. Read this. Please. (They also have a website called therebelution.com.)
Pippi Longstocking Series: These books contain the laugh-out-loud escapades of an unusually spunky, peculiar, and delightful red-haired girl who can turn anything into an adventure. A great read-aloud for all ages.
Anne of Green Gables Series: A sweet, funny series about another lovable red-haired orphan girl. Anne-with-an-e has a big heart and a flair for the dramatic. She encounters many trials in her life such as that hilarious escapade with the “raspberry cordial,” nearly drowning while pretending to be a heroine in a poem, and a certain boy named Gilbert who insists on calling her “Carrots.”
Swiss Family Robinson: An exciting adventure story about a family who is shipwrecked on an island and must fend for themselves. The language of the original is rather dense, but the story is sooo good once you get into it! Mom read it to my siblings and I quite a few years ago and we all loved it.
Little Women: Four sisters learn to make their own fun from what they have while their father is away at war and their mother works hard to support their family. Sorry, this one’s a little hard to summarize. XD But it IS really good! 😉
The Little House Series: The classic (true) story of life as a pioneer. It’s amazing how very different Laura and Almanzo’s lives were from ours – a world without cars or electronics, where everyone made their own clothes and built their own houses and grew most of their own food. I like how my little sister says reading these make her feel all warm inside – me too! 😀 One of my top favorite series ever!
Peter Pan: Three children visit Neverland – a magical world of fairies, mermaids, pirates, and boys who never grow up. A delightful children’s classic.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH: When Mrs. Frisby’s home is about to be destroyed, the mouse seeks help from the mysterious rats of NIMH, rats who are abnormally strong and intelligent. But why? What happened to the rats and how are they connected to NIMH, whatever that stands for? I think this is a lesser known book/series that deserves more popularity. It’s really quite good!
The Borrowers Series: Unbeknownst to the humans, a family of tiny people live within their walls, surviving by “borrowing” human things – dollhouse furniture, scraps of food, bits of thread… But what would happen if the humans discovered them? It looks like they’re about to find out.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins: Part of Amazon’s summary: “A classic of American humor, the adventures of a house painter and his brood of high-stepping penguins have delighted children for generations.” This is such a funny, charming book.
Mary Poppins Series: Let’s do another Amazon summary: “When their new nanny, Mary Poppins, arrives on a gust of the East Wind, greets their mother, and slides up the banister, Jane and Michael’s lives are turned magically upside down . . . Mary takes the children on the most extraordinary outings: to a fun fair inside a pavement picture; to visit Uncle Andrew who floats up to the ceiling when he laughs; on a spectacular trip to see the Man-in-the-Moon!”
My Side of the Mountain Trilogy: A boy named Sam runs away and makes a home for himself on the side of a mountain, learning how to hunt, cook, make a house out of a tree, and more. This series reminds me of Swiss Family Robinson and The Little House.
The Wizard of Oz Series: A tornado suddenly whisks Dorothy and her dog Toto away to a strange new land with talking lions and scarecrows and tin men – and a mysterious wizard who seems to be hiding something. But what? And now how will Dorothy ever get back to her farm?
Winnie the Pooh Series: An adorable, hilarious story about a stuffed bear and his companions who live in the Hundred Acre Wood. I absolutely love the writing style, the gentle yet laugh-out-loud humor, and the lovable characters. This is meant for younger children, but older children and adults will love it too – a perfect read-aloud.
James Herriot Series: A sort of autobiography about the adventures of James Herriot, a vet who works in the England countryside. He encounters many strange and funny cases, but he manages all of them with a warm sense of humor and some soap and hot water.
The Secret Garden: One of my favorite classics! A young girl discovers a hidden garden and takes it upon herself to uncover its secrets and bring it back to life. The garden miraculously does the same to her and her friends and makes them grow and blossom in ways they had never thought possible.
And last but the opposite of least… The Bible! The Bible is not only the most important book you will ever read, but it has some quite interesting (and true!) stories in it: the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Ruth, Esther, Daniel, David, Paul, and of course, Jesus, among many, many others. The amazing thing about the Bible is you can always find some new detail or meaning every time you read it. Try it and see! You might be surprised at how a supposedly familiar Bible story or passage encourages you in a fresh new way.

Well, I hope you found some new stories to try in that list, my friends. Which ones are you looking forward to reading? How many have you already read? And what are a few of your favorite books?

***Allison***

P. S. I have sooooo many more favorite books that I originally was going to do a list of 50, but I thought that would get a bit long. XD So maybe I can do another book list post! What do you guys think?

Poems

July 17, 2017 | Allison

I used to despise most poetry, especially unrhyming poetry. But now… now I actually kind of like it! It lets you look at the world in a different way. And I have to admit, it’s pretty fun to write. 😀 I decided to share a few of my poems today, which I hope you enjoy. I’m not very experienced with poem-writing so any tips or constructive criticism is welcome. 🙂

poem 3 (1280x853) — This book is “all the small poems and fourteen more,” which I highly recommend, by the way. 🙂

poems

poems slip on tinted glasses

and make you look at everything

upside down and sideways

until you don’t know where you started

and even the plainest, dullest things

are something new and wonderful.

bonfire

warm, nimble fingers

grabbing for a hold

on slippery branches, paper, sticks

then giving up

and sliding down again,

but leaving black scars

to mark their path.

hungry flames

licking with soft strokes

melting the wood

with warm tongues.

a burning sunset in a ring of stones.

art

the language of imagination.

art is spoken not

with verbs and nouns

but with brushstrokes

and colors

and lines.

art is spoken not

with the mouth,

but with the fingertips;

not only with the mind,

but with the soul.

some people are fluent from birth

and some must work

to master it,

but like all languages,

anyone can learn.

pool

there is nothing quite like

a pool, with its

liquid burden of blue

which wraps around you

like an cool blanket

and holds you up

on its strong, soft back.

when you plunge beneath

the surface, you enter another world:

still, silent,

save for the whisper of

your body as it

glides through

the water.

pools are

freckles and brown arms

and pink shoulders

where the sunscreen was too thin;

bubbles swimming to the surface

like fragile jellyfish;

sunbeams dancing together

in intricate patterns,

a web of yellow light

shifting and shimmering

in the cool blue water;

a place where everything

moves in slow motion.

vacation

a few days of

condensed work

for a few days of

condensed memories.

piano

a funny language

with an alphabet

of dots and lines.

its sentences are

spoken not with

the tongue, but

with the fingers;

not with the mind,

but with the soul.

playing piano is

reading a beautiful

story out loud with

your fingertips, a

story sung by the

heart of the composer

and captured forever

on a white paper page.

little things

a dew drop hanging

from a blade of grass,

poised for a dive.

a perfect blossom,

opening it’s shy face

to the world.

a set of brilliant colored pencils,

lined up like colorful soldiers

in their square tin.

a sunset burning up the sky

one flaming cloud at a time.

a basket of vegetables

sun-warmed and fresh picked.

i sometimes think

the best things come in

small packages.

don’t you?

the sound of summer

the deep bass of bullfrogs,

the cymbal clash of thunder,

the low roar of a lawn mower,

the staccato pop of canning jars sealing,

the juicy crunch of a watermelon slice,

the splash of a rock thrown into water,

the buzzing crescendo of cicadas,

the shrill soprano chirp of crickets,

the sweet melody of birdsong,

all weave together,

into a beautiful symphony:

the sound of summer.

That was fun! And yes, I am aware that the “art” and “piano” poems are very similar – almost exactly the same in some parts. But I couldn’t bear to change those parts out and I wanted to share both of them. XD

Which poem was your favorite? Do you like non-rhyming poetry?

***Allison***

P. S. Guys, you should really check out Hayley’s ATC trade! She needs a few more people to sign up before the trade is worthwhile to do, so if you like art, you should definitely look into it! 😀 And in case you’re wondering, I’ll be doing the trade too. 😉

Envelope Art

June 18, 2017November 12, 2018 | Allison

I absolutely adore writing letters to my amazing pen(cil) pal, Charis, and also decorating envelopes to put them in. Today I decided to do a round-up of the envelopes I’ve decorated so far. I hope you enjoy! Also, you should really check out the lovely assortment of decorated envelopes and art Charis has made here! 🙂

I think this is my first envelope. It’s okay, but thankfully they have improved since then. XD

Aww, this is one of my favorites! It’s simple, but so cute.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you there! XD My family wondered what the mail lady thought when she saw this. 😛 It’s not my best eye ever, but it was quite fun to draw, especially the iris. I drew this because Charis has blue eyes, and I love drawing eyes!

As you can tell, this was from Christmas. 😉

The light blue marker stopped working on the sky, but the faded effect turned out kinda neat.

A galaxy envelope from when I first learned how to draw galaxies. 🙂

Eh. This one’s okay but the lines from the other side of the envelope kind of mess it up. (The weird splotches on the leaves are to cover up addresses.)

And last but not least, my most recent and possibly my favorite! I love how this turned out, with the colors and everything! Would anyone like an Art Lab post about the inspiration behind this and a tutorial on how to make it?

Well I hope you enjoyed that, dear readers. Which envelope was your favorite? Do you like decorating envelopes?

Thanks for reading!

***Allison***

WordCrafters 3!

June 15, 2017 | Allison

IT’S HERE, GUYS! YAYAYAYAY! I am so looking forward to reading your lovely chapters this go ’round. 😀

Here is the list of participants and their order. Please let me know if those weeks absolutely will NOT work for you, and I’ll do my best to change it.

For a quick review of the rules, I’ll show you the first chapter here shortly, and then the next person, will write the second chapter based on where it ends and the loose plot outline I’ll give you. After a maximum of one week, it’s the next person’s turn. If you finish your story before one week, that would be great too! It will make WordCrafters move forward a little more quickly.

I decided to put the pictures of the characters and their descriptions on the WordCrafters 3 page so this post wouldn’t get insanely long. XD

Now for the first chapter. Eeeee, I’m so excited! I hope you enjoy!

__________________________

Esme was having a wonderful day. Little waves nibbled at her toes, sun rays warmed her back, and the seashell she had found felt cool and smooth in her palm. Vivi was sunbathing on her beach towel a few feet away, and Pippin… Esme shook her head and smiled. Pippin was sneaking up to Vivi with a pail of freezing ocean water. He beamed Esme a mischievous grin and dumped the bucket over Vivi’s head.

Esme had to put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Vivi scrambled to her feet, spluttering with rage and surprise, and ran after Pippin, yelling and threatening to dunk him in the water if he so much as touched her again.

She heaved a happy sigh. Life was good.

Esme settled back into the sand and took another fond look at her seashell. It was perfect, spiraling around and around, each spiral smaller than the last. It reminded her of a giant, periwinkle snail shell. She turned the shell over to gaze into the pearly opening. Suddenly, she gasped. Her eyes widened. She shook the shell, tapped it gently on the ground, and finally reached inside with her slender fingers and pulled out a scrap of paper.

“Pippin, Vivi, come quick! Look what I found!” she called excitedly.

They halted the chase and trotted obediently over to Esme.

“What is it, Esme?” asked Pippin. In answer, she handed him the scrap.

Pippin frowned and read aloud, “‘Item 7: fourteen mermaid scales.’ What on earth?”

Vivi snatched it from him, “Wait, and there’s something on the back: ‘Operation Portal Icxylwocig, property of P. Charming.’”

The three friends looked at each other with wide eyes. Was it time to go back?

*****************

Alalia was having a wonderful day. She and her cousin Jacob were testing out his new boat, the “Captain Hook,” at the beach. A stiff breeze filled the sail and they skimmed gracefully through the water. She leaned over the side, trailing her hands in the cool water, and…

“JACOB! Come look!”

Jacob started in surprise. “What on earth, Alalia? You nearly knocked me overboard!” Jacob rolled his eyes, but grinned good-naturedly. He made his way over to her side of the boat. “What-“ He left the word hanging as a flash of green and red flew under their boat. He rubbed his eyes. Alalia blinked.

There it was again – a long, green, fish-like tail, with red hair was streaming out above it.

“A mermaid,” Alalia whispered.

They looked at each other. Could this mean what they thought it did?

*****************

The next day Pippin, Vivi, and Esme all hurried back to the beach. They scoured the shore for more notes, leaving no shell unturned.

Nothing.

Finally the three of them plopped down on a rock, discouraged. Two other teenagers were walking in their direction, chatting intently about something.

“I’m just sure it was a mermaid,” the girl was saying. “What if it was Ariel?”

The boy shook his head. “I dunno. I mean, if it’s really her, why is she in the human world and not in Fairyland? I realize we didn’t see her when we visited but-“

They both stopped short when they noticed the three children listening to them with wide eyes and open mouths.

Vivi spoke first. “Are you guys talking about… mermaids?”

The two teenagers looked embarrassed. “Oh… um, we were just…”

“And something about Fairyland?”

“Well, we-“

“So we aren’t the only ones!”

The boy looked startled. “Wait, what?”

Pippin hopped off the rock and held out the mysterious note. “Have a look at this. We found it yesterday in a shell.”

A look of recognition flitted over the girl’s face. “Icxylwocig. I saw that on a sign in the forest, when I first came through the portal.” Then she caught herself. “Oh, I mean…”

“Really? You guys went through a portal?!” Vivi was excited now. “So did we! Well, kind of. See, one day we found this huge, weird-looking egg…”

And with that, everyone started talking at once, racing each other to tell their wonderful adventures.

After many words and tales and names were exchanged, the five children felt like they had been friends for years. It was easy to become friends with the only other people in the world who understand your biggest secret.

“But now we need to figure out what this note means,” Pippin said, getting back to business. “It could be some sort of portal instrument or something, to take us back.”

“Or maybe it has something to do with our mermaid sighting? You know, the part about the mermaid scales?” Jacob suggested.

“Maybe…”

Esme had been listening quietly to everyone else’s talk, until at last she spoke up shyly, in her soft voice: “I-I have an idea.” Everyone turned toward her expectantly.

“Well, you know how it says, ‘Operation Portal Icxylwocig? And the mermaid scales section sounds like part of a recipe. Maybe P. Charming, whoever that is, was trying to make a sort of recipe for a portal to get to Fairyland?”

Everyone nodded their heads thoughtfully.

“Yeah, and you need mermaid scales to make it!” Alalia jumped in. “And maybe the ‘Item 7’ part means it’s the 7^th ingredient or something.”

Vivi jumped up suddenly. “Guys, wait. What if we found all the ingredients and made the portal ourselves? Then if that really was Ariel that Jacob and Alalia saw, we could take her back to Fairyland, and everything would be perfect!”

At that, everyone started talking excitedly.

“HOLD IT!” yelled Jacob. “Does anyone know a P. Charming? If we could find him, maybe he’d give us the rest of the notes.”

“But if he knows all the ingredients, maybe he’s already made the portal… maybe that’s how I got to Fairyland in the first place,” Alalia pointed out.

Everyone was silent for a moment, thinking.

Suddenly Esme’s face brightened. “Oh, I just remembered! We have Katri’s diary! Maybe there’s something in there about portals!”

“Brilliant!” Pippin shouted in delight. “Let’s go check!”

*****************

Precious minutes ticked away as Pippin, Vivi, and Esme introduced their new friends to their parents, but finally the five children were safely in the girls’ bedroom at the beach house. Esme held out a violet leather journal studded with glittering stones.

Jacob wrinkled his nose, “Ew, you can tell that’s a fairy’s diary. Look at all that purple sparkly stuff.” Everyone laughed. “So are we going to read the whole thing or what?”

Vivi frowned. “Nah, that would take way too long. Here, I’ve read the first entry already, so I can just give you a summary while Esme looks for the entry about portals.”

Vivi cleared her throat with a mock-serious expression, and began. “So Snow White got banished from her home in Fairyland after she herself banished Ariel, Katri’s sister, out of jealousy.”

Jacob snorted. “Number one, how can a mermaid be sisters with a fairy? And number two, she banished her out of jealousy?”

Vivi sighed impatiently. “Number one, I am not an expert on family relations in Fairyland. I don’t know, maybe one of them was adopted or something. If Katri wrote in her diary that Ariel’s her sister, I’ll go with that. And number two, yes, she did. Because Ariel had married her prince while Snow White’s prince, Prince Charming, had suddenly disappeared one day and never returned. No one knows why. Snow White was so heartbroken and jealous of Ariel’s happiness that she banished her – she only meant to move her to a different province, but her plans went awry. Now Katri, her father, and Snow White all want Ariel back, but the problem is, they don’t know where to find her. They think she might be in the human world, but if so, they can’t go and get her. Residents of Fairyland are too obvious in the human world, and plus, there are other physical complications of adjusting to a different world. That’s why we all went to Fairyland – they wanted to force us to find Ariel, but we escaped before they could make us do it.”

“So do you think they sent us the note on purpose, to take us back? No one else but us could figure out what the note meant,” Alalia said.

Pippin shook his head. “Nah, because how could they know we would find that specific shell?”

Jacob nodded. “Good point. It’s still a little weird, though.” He looked over at Esme. “Did you ind anything yet, Esme?”

“Actually, yes!” Esme smiled. “Here, Vivi, you can read it.”

Vivi cleared her throat and read…

Dad says portals to other worlds must be made with resources native to that world. For instance, if I wanted to make a portal to the human world, I would need wood, nails, and other human things to make it. So for Prince Charming’s portal to work, he has to take some ingredients from Fairyland to the human world and build it there. I don’t know why he thinks it’s worth the risk – what if he gets an ingredient wrong and gets stuck in the human world forever? I personally never liked Flynn Rider that much anyway, but I guess he and Charming were pretty close friends. Rapunzel just isn’t the same since he’s gone missing, and I’ll admit it’s quite heroic of Prince Charming to try to rescue her dear husband.

“Woah, now everything is starting to make sense,” Vivi said. “So Prince Charming must have been making a portal to get his friend back to Fairyland, but he messed up his recipe and the portal didn’t work.”

“GUYS! I have it!” Alalia shouted. “Why didn’t we think of this sooner: P. Charming is Prince Charming!”

Everyone blinked. Oh, duh.

Jacob got to his feet, rubbing his hands together. “Well, now that we’ve got all this figured out, let’s go make the portal and save everyone!”

Vivi looked at him scornfully. “You can’t just do that, Jacob. What about our parents? And how are we going to find the other notes? We don’t even know if there ARE other notes. We need to get prepared, first. We’ll need food, and water, and some way to make shelter, and-”

“That’s our girl,” grinned Pippin, poking Vivi. “Always prepared.” She glared at him.

Esme, who was still leafing through the diary pages, suddenly jumped up and shouted, “EUREKA!” Then she blushed and lowered her voice. “Oops. I mean, look what I found!” She had opened the journal to a page with a list of ingredients.

Prince Charming’s portal is coming along pretty well. He even told me what he has so far. (But it’s top secret, so don’t tell anyone, diary. Ha ha.)

Item One: Oak wood

Item Two: Generous amount of fairy dust

Item Three: Stepping stones

Item Four: ???

Item Five: ???

Item Six: ???

Item Seven: ???

I sure hope Prince Charming’s expedition goes well, because if he can’t find the right ingredients, he might never return.

__________________________

Ooooohhhhh! 😀 And lastly but not leastly, here’s the revised plot summary, to aid you in your writing:

It all starts with a mysterious note tucked inside a seashell. What could it mean? Who could it be from? And could it be time to go back? Five friends, Pippin, Jacob, Vivi, Alalia, and Esme work together to solve the mystery, and come up with a surprising solution: What if Snow White’s prince, Prince Charming, was working on constructing a portal between the human and fairytale world, but he got stranded in the human world and couldn’t get back to Snow White? If the five friends could find the rest of the notes, perhaps they could build their own portal to bring Ariel back to Fairyland – and maybe even Prince Charming with her.

Thus begins the biggest adventure so far as the children track down pieces of Fairyland hidden in the human world. But unbeknownst to them, there is danger lurking in the shadows – banished convicts from Fairyland that will do almost anything to get their hands on those mysterious notes. If this is a fairy tale, where is the happily ever after?

Exciting? I think so! I cannot wait to see how the story turns out! If you have any questions about the story or the participant list or WordCrafters in general, please just drop me a comment.

Thank you all so much for participating, and have fun!

***Allison***

Mystery Revealed #9

June 14, 2017June 14, 2017 | Allison

Eek yay! Are you ready to see the answers to these mystery pictures, guys? Thank you all so much for guessing! I enjoyed reading everyone’s comments. 🙂

And now I shall reveal the mysteries…

#1. Kitchen grater

#2. Fingernail clippers

#3. Avocado

#4. Dollar bill

#5. Serrated knife blade

#6. Flyswatter (I have no idea what the marks on there are from. XD )

#7. Straw broom

#8. Sand dollar

#9. Cork

#10. Shell

Ta-daa! Are you like, “duh!” now? XD That’s usually how it happens with me.

Now for the winners: Out of around 30 participants, I think only two people got them all correct, and they are…

Emma Weasley

Simply Megan Joy

Congratulations, guys! Thank you all so much for playing, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have. 🙂 Until next time!

***Allison***

P. S. Oh my goodness I’m posting the start of WordCrafters tomorrow! O.o I better get cracking… er, writing.

Mystery Pictures #9

June 7, 2017 | Allison

Oh my goodness, it’s been almost a year since I did one of these! I guess it’s high time for another one, huh? Eep, I’m so excited! In case you’re not familiar with these posts, here’s how they work.

I’m going to show you 10 super close-up pictures of ordinary objects, and you guys just guess what they are. Comment below with your guesses, and I’ll reveal the answers and the winners next Wednesday the 14th. Oh, and I don’t approve these comments until I reveal the mystery, just so no one gets ideas from another guesser, so don’t panic if your comment isn’t showing up. 😉 And lastly, to see my previous mystery pictures posts, click here.

Alrighty! Let’s begin!

#1.

#2.

#3.

#4.

#5.

#6.

#7.

#8.

#9.

#10.

And that’s it!

YAY I’m so excited to read your guesses! I hope you enjoyed this little post, and thanks for reading, dears!

***Allison***

Introducing… WordCrafters 3!

May 26, 2017 | Allison

WordCrafters 3 (1280x1280) (800x800)

*Dances around throwing confetti* YIPPEE IT’S HERE! Guys, I am super excited for this round of WordCrafters! It feels like forever since I started the last one. And I’m especially excited for this one because Josie and I have some special plans for WordCrafters 3. 😀 AHHH I can’t wait to tell you guys about them! 😀

But first…

What Is WordCrafters?

Basically, WordCrafters is a story-chain where you collaborate with other writers to create a unique book. At the kick-off of WordCrafters, my blogger friend Josie and I will start the story by writing the first chapter, and then you guys take it from there. Each participant picks up where the last left off and writes just one chapter, and then Josie and I will conclude the book. Chapter by chapter, writer by writer, we’ve written a whole story!

I created WordCrafters last year with the excellent help and advice of the lovely Josie (otherwise known as Été), and since then we have successfully completed two WordCrafters stories, here and here. You should definitely check them out – all of the participants did an AMAZING job! 😀

How to Enter

*IMPORTANT* Please finish reading this post before entering. 🙂

If you are 10-18 and have a parent’s permission, just enter by commenting on this post!
Also, before entering, please take time to consider not just whether you want to enter, but whether you will realistically be able to participate when your turn comes. We would absolutely love to have you, but please don’t just sign up thinking, “Huh, this might be fun,” but then decide you don’t feel like doing it after all when it comes to your turn. It not only complicates things for Josie and me, it’s also not very considerate of the other participants. Of course, this is just a writing challenge! It’s not going to be the end of the world if you can’t write your chapter, and no one’s going to be outraged or anything, but we would greatly appreciate if you at least make an honest effort to fulfill your commitment, as small as it is. 🙂 And if you really wanted to write your chapter but had something come up, we will be happy to rework your turn if possible. Thanks, guys! ♥

Rules for Content

PLEASE keep your writing squeaky clean. Especially because this challenge is for kids, please don’t use any inappropriate content, which includes bad language, extreme violence, etc. It’s perfectly all right to use fairytale magic (think Narnia and Cinderella) and even to kill a character (as long as it’s not a main character), but just don’t make it overly gruesome. If you have questions about what can and can’t be allowed, please just ask! We reserve the right to refuse or edit out any offensive content.

Guidelines for Writing Your Chapter

I will notify you when it’s your turn to write a chapter. Please try to respond as soon as possible so I know my notification went through. 🙂
Please try to complete your chapter within one week. I know this is a change from the previous WordCrafters, but Josie and I both though we should set some limit this time. Last WordCrafters took a looong time to complete, and it didn’t seem very considerate to the other people who were waiting for a chance to enter the next one. Plus, it works best if we can mostly finish up WordCrafters over the summer when everyone has more time to write. 😉
When your chapter is finished, post it on your blog and link back to this post. I’ll read your chapter and then add it to the WordCrafters 3 page up there at the top of my blog. (Or you can click here.)
After you submit your chapter, I will let the next participant know it’s their turn. And there we go! That’s the pattern until all of the participants have had a chance to write their chapter.

What If I Don’t Have a Blog?

If you want to enter this challenge but you don’t have a blog, that’s fine! Just comment below saying that you’d like to enter and you’re not a blogger. I’ll notify you of your turn by email, and you can send your chapter to Josie or me via our contact forms.

What Will the Story Be About?

Ooh, this is the fun part. 😀 I’ll give you guys more details and pictures of the characters on the starting day, but here are the basics:

Characters: OOH guess what? In this story, all of the main characters from the previous two WordCrafters are going to meet each other and go on an adventure together! In case you need a refresher, here are the characters:

Alalia: For Alalia, books are her life. Most of the time Alalia is quiet, but her mind is always observing things, imagining things. She is shy, stubborn, tender-hearted, creative, and loves reading and writing. Alalia is of average height and weight, with straight brown hair blue eyes, and olive skin. She is thirteen years old.
Jacob: Jacob is always up for an adventure. He loves any activity that gets your heart racing. Jacob is helpful, caring, and kind, especially to younger kids. Jacob is a bit over six feet tall, has messy black hair, dark brown eyes, and medium skin. He is sixteen years old.
Pippin: Pippin is always ready with a grin and a laugh. He is easy-going, funny, and loyal, but he sometimes unintentionally hurts people with his frank comments, and is always accidentally getting himself and others into trouble with his lighthearted pranks. Pippin is tall and lanky, with curly red hair; twinkling hazel eyes; and freckled skin. He is sixteen, almost seventeen years old.
Vivi: Vivi is always on the go. She is athletic, outgoing, and very smart, but sometimes her strong nature gets the better of her and she becomes bossy and overbearing. Vivi also has a short temper; she very rarely cries, but easily gets angry. Vivi is short and wiry, with shoulder-length, wavy blond hair; gray-blue eyes; and tanned skin. She is thirteen years old.
Esme: Esme is gentle soul. She is kind, tender, and affectionate, but also a bit fragile and proud of her beauty – she doesn’t like getting her hands dirty or her dress torn. Although she is easily frightened and often cries about small things, in true trials she is amazingly strong. Esme is small and slender, with long, straight black hair; dark brown eyes; and creamy skin. She is eleven years old.

Plot: This is another thing we’re doing a bit different this time. Josie and I are going to give you guys a bit more of an outline than we usually do because… well, I’ll talk about that at the end of the post. 😉 We’re still working out the details of the plot, but here’s a short synopsis, subject to change:

The five kids meet each other on a vacation and discover that they share a secret: they are the only humans to have ever traveled to the hidden world of Fairyland. One day they find a stack of envelopes in the mail, labeled “From Ariel. To Whom It May Concern.” Upon opening the letters, they find that the envelopes contain a series of mysteries, along with clues that just might lead them to the solutions. Is the sender of the letters really Snow White’s sister? Why did she disappear and where did she go? And who is that mysterious stranger that appears to be following them? The clues lead the five friends to a surprising solution… and into big trouble. If this is a fairytale, where’s the happy ending?

When Will WordCrafters 3 Start?

Josie and I will post the first chapter of WordCrafters 3 on June 15. That means you have about 20 days to sign up. O.o

One More Thing…

Okay, guys, I know this is getting rather long but I have one more really exciting thing to tell you! After this round of WordCrafters is completed, if all goes well we’re hoping to make all three WordCrafters so far into a book! That’s why Josie and I are giving you guys a bit more of a plot outline, because this round is going to be the last book in the “series” if you want to call it that. What do you guys think about self-publishing it? Would you be interested in helping us edit it?

*********************

AHHH I’M SO EXCITED! Are you? If you have any questions, please feel free to talk to Josie or me.

Thanks for reading, my friends! ♥

***Allison***

Birthday Harvest

May 16, 2017May 17, 2017 | Allison

HA HA do you like my title? XD I don’t really like the term “birthday haul” because it seems kind of greedy or something, but that’s just my weird opinion. So anyway, I looked up synonyms for “haul” and found “harvest.” 😛 And there you have the story of my title.

Ahem. Let’s move on, shall we? Oh wait, before we start, I must say that I just really wanted to brag about my presents and how many I got and how great they were and… I’M JUST KIDDING I’M JUST KIDDING! Goodness, don’t look so shocked. XD Heh heh, but no, I am not trying to do the aforementioned, just in case you were wondering. I’m posting this because I personally like reading birthday posts myself and because I thought you guys might enjoy one too. 🙂

Okay, now we can start! 😀 By the way, these gifts are in no particular order. I just put them all on the table and grabbed what was handy first. XD

Ooh look! It’s a bullet journal! My mom and dad gave me this and it’s so pretty! I’ve actually only heard about them recently, but I thought a BuJo would be quite helpful. I’m still getting the hang of it, but I really like it so far! I think it’s more of a system than a thing, which is nice because you can customize it pretty much however you want. Do you think I should do a bullet journal post sometime?

My friend (who has a blog here) gave me a bag of luscious chocolate truffles. OHHHH YUMMINESS! Enough said. XD

My cousins gave me these lovely watercolor brush pens. They’re so neat! They’re kind of like a marker but with a paintbrush tip. They actually color more like ink than watercolor, but if you use the waterbrush that comes with it (see it there on the right side?) you can get a more watercolor-y effect. What I really like about these is how fine the tips are.

I thought maybe I should show you an example of how they work…

My Grammy and Grandaddy gave me this wonderful sketchbook. I love it! It has 128 nice, thick pages. I used the watercolor brush pens on it and they didn’t bleed through, although you could kind of see the drawing on the other side. I can’t wait to fill it up! 😀

Another thing I really like about the sketchbook is how flat it is when I open it. Some sketchbooks are always wanting to close up on you, but this one doesn’t!

This thingy came along with the sketchbook. It’s rather neat and pretty, but I have no clue what it is. XD It’s obviously a ruler, but it looks like it’s meant to be something else too. I thought maybe a letter opener, but Dad says it’s too blunt on the end. Guesses, anyone?

My sister Megan and my grandparents both got me several skeins (is it skeins? balls? fluffy squishy things?) of beautiful felting wool. Have you heard of needle felting? You should look it up online or on Etsy. People make absolutely amazing things from felting wool! A sweet lady at church recently gave me a felting kit and I’m having fun experimenting. I’m sure felted things will show up in a later post. 😉

Two of my friends gave me Hobby Lobby gift cards. YAYAYAY I LOVE HOBBY LOBBY! *Happy sigh* I think I’ll buy a tri-fold poster board so I have a better photo background for things like this. Heh heh. And I can’t wait to see what other fun things I find!

Awww! My littlest sister Carmen gave me a rock she had found and quite a few coupons for setting the table. ♥ It was so funny, but so sweet! (Don’t you just love little kids’ spelling and handwriting?)

AHHHHH YAY! My parents got me a pack of 72 Prismacolor colored pencils! I am SO excited because I only had 24 before and I absolutely love Prismacolor brand colored pencils. They color so smoothly and with such rich, brilliant pigment. I’ll definitely show you some of the drawings I’ve made with them in my next art post. 😀

Okay, I spent WAY too long arranging the pencils in rainbow order and then trying to get a good overhead shot of them all lined up. XD But it was worth it, right? Ahhh, they look so pretty. 🙂

My grandparents gave me these helpful little colorless blender pencils. They’re for blending the Prismacolor colored pencils, and they work brilliantly!

My Grandpa and Grandma gave me these gorgeous ferns. ♥ Ohhhh I love plants in general and ferns especially!

And last but not least, Grammy and Grandaddy gave me a renewal of PicMonkey Royale. (Which I don’t have a picture of – sorry!) I really love the PicMonkey photo editor and Royale gives you access to tons of extra features, so I’m quite happy about that!

Well, I hope you enjoyed this fun little post. 🙂 Do you like Birthday Haul *ahem* Birthday Harvest posts?

As always, thanks for reading, my dears, and have a lovely day!

***Allison***