What is a fairy tale? Photo Credit: Disney Destinations According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary the definition of a fairy tale is: "A story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending." Thanks to Joan at MooseStash Quilting for organizing this Fairy Tale Blog Hop. I have been inspired by seeing all my quilting friends' fairy tale projects. As a special thank you for those who visit, I am offering a free downloadable and printable fairy tales themed quilt planner and journal in PDF format. It will be available for free all summer long...if you know where to find it. You can find the link to it here hosted on my other blog about adding Disney magic to everyday life. This quilt planner and journal was created specially for this blog hop! Me, Disney and Fairy Tales One thing you need to know about me is that I am a huge Disney fan! If you have followed me for very long, this is not a surprise. I am a huge Disney fan because I realize that sometimes we have to go through difficult times before we reach our happy ending. And Disney inspires me to keep moving forward through the tough times because the reward is coming. And once I've got that reward, more adventures come along to challenge me...leading to another magical ending. Life seems to be one fairy tale after another after another after another. And I keep moving forward so I can see what's waiting for me at the end of each chapter. Life is not perfect...and that's okay because there are always good things to balance the difficult. Quilting Fairy Tales I realize that many of my quilting and other projects also mirror the definition of a fairy tale. So many times am I working on a project and something doesn't go quite right. I cut some fabric incorrectly and need to rethink the design. Or maybe the colors I chose don't quite work together, so I need to make some substitutions. But once the process is finished, the final project is just what was needed for someone at just the right time. I've pulled together some pictures of my Disney projects for the Fairy Tale Blog Hop. I fell in love with this adorable Tinkerbell fabric. As with many of my quilts, I wanted to create something quickly. I used up some scraps of blues, purples, and greens to create this lap quilt for a friend who loves all things Tinkerbell. My hubby (aka Mr. Goofin' Off) wanted a quilt for his newly remodeled TV room. Captain America is his favorite Avenger and this is the fabric he picked out. Here is the lap-sized quilt. But then he changed his mind and wanted it for our bed. (Apparently, he was tired of all the "floral" patterns on our bed.) So I added borders...and...voila! A queen-sized quilt perfect for a superhero's (or a goofy man's) bedroom. When I came across this fun Woody fabric, I knew EXACTLY what I was going to use it for. My nephew was getting married and had asked Mr. Goofin' Off to perform the ceremony. It was a Toy Story themed wedding. They were married "to infinity and beyond." Believe it or not, I actually do quilt projects that aren't so obviously Disney. But the reality is, when I pick a focus fabric, it almost always reminds me of something Disney. It's just the way my brain works. I make no apologies for it because it helps me stay sane in the crazy times of life. It is a constant reminder of the many fairy tales (big and little) that have occurred in my lifetime. A Few Other Fairy Tale Projects My other favorite hobby is counted cross stitch. I have been especially drawn to full-coverage projects. And, of course, can I help it if most of the patterns I choose are Disney (and fairy tale) themed? One of my favorite stitching projects ever was this Tinkerbell pattern I purchased off of eBay. I smiled every time I worked on it. This Snow White piece was stitched for Love Quilts USA. They make themed quilts with cross stitched blocks for children with life-threatening or life-altering illnesses. I found this pattern on Etsy. I loved all the purples and pinks and the picture within the silhouette of good ol' Eeyore. My current WIP. This piece is titled "Mickey and Pirate Friends." I am approximately 25% finished with this one. It will be about the size of a movie poster when I am finished. This was a special request by Mr. Goofin' Off and will be framed and hung in our family room. Fairy Tale Blog Hop Blogs Below you can find all the other blogs participating in the Fairy Tale Blog Hop this week. If you're like me, visiting other blogs can be a nice way to settle down at the end of the day...or a way to get the creative juices and be inspired by other people's projects. Each blog has been assigned a day of the week to post to spread all the fun out over the week. So take a few minutes to visit these other great blogs and see what they have to offer: Monday (June 21st): Creatin' in the Sticks Samelia's Mum Kathleen McMusing Becky's Adventurers in Quilting and Traveling Vrooman's Quilts Food for Thought Tuesday (June 22nd): Quilted Delights Stitchin' at Home Karrins Crazy World Quilting & Learning - What a Combo! Sewing Up My Fabric Selina Quilts Wednesday (June 23rd): Just Let Me Quilt Websterquilt Inflorescence Elizabeth Coughlin Designs Just Because Quilts Domestic Felicity Thursday (June 24th): Scrapdash That Fabric Feeling Ms P Designs USA Quilt Schmilt Patchouli Moon Studio Days Filled With Joy Goofin' Off Around the Block (YOU'RE HERE) Friday (June 25th): Quilt Fabrication My Bumbleberry Life Songbird Designs Words & Stitches MooseStash Quilting As I mentioned before, I truly think that this journey of life is like a series of fairy tales. For each chapter of difficulties and challenge, we often get rewarded by our next happy ending. Then we are hit again with more challenges and adventures...and then hopefully another happy ending (no matter how brief it may be). I live for those happy times and fairy tales. Each quilt finish, to me, is like a mini fairy tale ending. I enjoy seeing how fabrics and shapes have come together to create something that will give comfort to someone...and hopefully make them smile each time they use it. May life be a never-ending fairy tale to all my quilting and stitching friends! Thanks for joining me! Have a magical day! P.S. Don't forget to download the free printable PDF fairy tales themed quilt journal and planner! Just click on the picture below for more information.