Plum Pudding Website Link
Chocolate Cherry Iced Bundt Cake Website Link
Parmesan Cheese Roll Website Link
We were able to go to Hobby Lobby for the first time in a year, and (as always) spent a good amount of time browsing through the Christmas ornaments. Just in case anyone else is heading over there, several of the ornaments turned into great food for the AG dolls! Elizabeth just took the little hooks out with small pliers, and now there are some great cakes, plum puddings and cheese rolls! Here are some pictures with Lori showing the scale of the pieces. You can't buy these online, but you can see them on the Hobby Lobby website. Here are the links, in case that helps anyone find them. Plum Pudding Website Link Chocolate Cherry Iced Bundt Cake Website Link Parmesan Cheese Roll Website Link Have fun shopping, and look for some of these ornaments showing up in photo stories soon!
0 Comments
UPDATE: As I've gotten requests for some dolls to be allowed to cast their votes (Harold and Eliot seem to have some admirers out there!), and a doll forum friend is still working on her own photo story finale about her girls and their reaction to this poll, I'm extending the voting on this through Tuesday. The final Wool Week entry will be posted tomorrow (Harold fans be sure to watch out!), and the winner of the Door Prize will be announced on Wednesday! So, if your dolls want to vote, just send me a message or post a comment with their name and choice. With the Wool Week finale just around the corner (check back on Monday for the final installment), it's time to pick a winner for the Door Prize. As you already know, Trudy graciously offered to donate the front page of the Gazette as the door prize. The winner gets his picture taken with the precocious little Albie (Bunty's special lamb) and run on the front page of the Islandshire Gazette next week. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you need to go to the top of this page and click on the tab that reads "Bunty's Campaign for Wool". Then you need to read through the Wool Week events. After that, you'll want to come back here and vote. If you finish reading before Monday. That's iffy, I know. Well, okay, you can vote without reading anything. But you'll be the loser, because we had a lot of fun this week.) It seemed pretty easy. I mean, how hard is it to pull a ticket from a jar? Well, bad idea to put the entry area in the Ice Cream Parlour. When Trudy went to draw the winning ticket, all she got was a handful of gooey tickets all stuck together. So, to be fair about it, we've decided to let some impartial outsiders choose the winner. That's where you come in. The following nine tickets were all clumped together in a gooey mess, so these are the ones you get to vote on. It's going to be a close race, so vote before Monday. Personally, I have no idea how you're going to choose between them. No one here wants to. Now for the fine print. It's as easy as pie to vote. You can send me a message through the contact form on one of the forums or leave a comment on this blog post to cast your vote. The winner will be announced in the final Wool Week entry on Monday. We do assure you that all votes will be counted, and no one is allowed to vote twice. No mail-ins will be accepted, and only people who are currently alive are allowed to vote. Pets need not vote, because Albie (our very own Leicestershire Longwool lamb) has already been chosen as the animal winner in the contest. Enjoy yourselves, and LOVE A LONGWOOL! #1 - Lori#2 - Sioned#3 - Harold#4 - Janie#5 - Vesey#6 - Brighton#7 - Natalya#8 - Eliot#9 - NautilusThank you for voting, and be sure to check back on Bunty's Blog on Monday to find out who the winner is. Until then, LOVE A LONGWOOL!
One of Islandshire's biggest annual events is Wool Week, and it's starting tomorrow. That means there will be daily photo stories for two weeks on Bunty's section of the Gazette. You can check that out here: So, thanks for reading and check back every day!
Just a heads up to everyone that's been wondering about Wool Week. I'm hoping to have entries for this year's fun posting later this month. We're almost done taking photos, and so many have been coming out well this time that it may take a little over two weeks to post them all! If you missed the Islandshire Wool Week fun from last year, be sure to catch up on those entries while waiting for this year's story. You can check them out here: So, check back soon for the new photo stories on Bunty's Blog!
Let's continue on with the story of the big day. Remember the crowded Build-a-Bear store? Remember Kelly and her "choice" dilemma? Remember Phoenix's admirable job at handling the crowds and serving each customer? How about Jill and Silver's thrilling birthday shopping spree? Let's re-join the crowd at the BY (as in Baby Yoda) clothes bins, where the twins are picking out little robes with fluffy collars for their new cuties. "This is the best birthday ever!" Jill was grinning from ear to ear. While the twins inspected each robe, Phoenix helped Zale pack up her beautiful water-colored bear (that just happened to match her backpack and shirt). "Would you like a box for him?" "No, thanks. He fits in here so well that I'll just take him on my walk this way. I wonder if he likes the beach . . ." Next to check out was Harold. Being the most active member of the Islandshire Merry Man Club, he'd found the perfect large plush of Little John the Bear from Disney's animated Robin Hood. "This is exactly what I need. He'll look great sitting in the Merry Man clubhouse. Wait 'til the other chaps see him." Such a lot of happy customers. Phoenix was feeling pretty happy, too. A little tired, but happy! By now, Jill and Silver had selected robes and dressed their Baby Yodas. "Stand still, girls, and hold your Babies. Smile. Let's have a birthday picture." "Time to get them ready for their trip home. Oh, and don't forget their special birth certificates and collectible photo inserts." "Oh, boy! Thanks! Those are neat. That'll look cool on our bedroom wall . . . or maybe as a decoration on our pin board." The twins closed the boxes and paid with their birthday present: a Build-a-Bear gift card. "Thanks for a great birthday, Phoenix!" They chatted and giggled the whole way home . . . Customers continued to file in and out, the little bell on the back of the door nearly always jingling its song. Phoenix went to see if she could help anyone, but it looked like they were all doing very well . . . except for poor Kelly, that is! Oh, my. She was still having trouble making that final decision. Wendy and Johanna had arrived and thought they might be able to help their friend make up her mind. "What about a bear? Or a seal? Ooh, that penguin is super cute! Then, there's always Baby Yoda, you know. He's so cute that you just have to love him -- and he's the newest thing." Johanna made her suggestions in her best selling voice. Wendy looked at everything pointed out, and while Kelly still couldn't decide, Wendy knew that she needed to go home with her own Baby Yoda. She selected a cute face from the top of the pile and headed right over to the stuffing machine. In the meantime, Masami and Sun-Ho were digging through the bins of plush. It didn't take too long to find what they were looking for. Masami spotted the perfect unicorn-colored llama that just happened to match her outfit (a very color-coordinated gal). Sun-Ho's choice was more in the line of his favorite theme: UP! Since Build-your-Own-Kevin plushes weren't available, he opted for . . . yep, you got it . . . "Oh, Masami! Look at that . . . SQUIRREL!" "If you guys will just step right over here, we can get your new friends in their boxes for the trip home," said Phoenix, holding out a cute little cardboard house. Masami's llama looked almost excited to be getting into it! Kelly just stared, wondering if she should have chosen one of those . . . The shop was really filling up now, and customers were crowding in. Benny and Raito came in together, with Nanea and Janie close behind, leading everyone's favorite Islandshire Grand Champion chicken on her leash. Raito had quite a shopping list, with plans for taking presents home to friends. He and Benny got right down to business and started looking at the Baby Yoda choices. It did not take long for Raito to start filling his arms with Baby Yodas. "Let's see . . . I need to take one home for my sister. She'd never forgive me if I came home without one for her! And I definitely need one for Angela . . . and I can't forget Wanda . . ." Benny started filling his arms with the matching outfits and suggested buying one of the pre-stuffed display models to save time in the stuffing line. "Great idea, Benny!" While the boys were picking out their Baby Yodas, Nanea and Janie took Flossie over to see the stuffing machine. The bouncing motion of the stuffing seemed to mesmerize Flossie, who just stared with deep concentration. "Excuse us, girls." Benny and Raito came up to the stuffing machine with their arms full of Raito's purchases. "We've got a lot of stuffing to do!" Janie's eyes got as big as saucers, and Nanea wondered silently how Raito was going to fit all of that into his suitcase with the other souvenirs he was already taking home. Phoenix came over and fit one of the unstuffed Baby Yodas onto the end of the stuffing machine. "You can turn the crank, Raito. That gets the stuffing spinning right into your plush." Raito couldn't get started fast enough. "Oh, boy! This is cool!" Obviously, the boys were going to be at this for quite a while, so Nanea and Janie decided to show Flossie all the plush choices. "Let's start with Baby Yoda, since that's who everyone is excited about," said Janie as she sat down to put a Baby Yoda in front of Flossie. "What do you think?" Flossie waddled over to stand near Baby Yoda and gave him one of her very serious looks. She let out one small "cluck", which clearly meant that she did not want to take one of these home. "Don't worry, Flossie! There are all kinds of other stuffed animals to look at. Let's go over to the shelf." Janie dearly loves Flossie. As Nanea and Janie made their way across the shop, they noticed Mabel and Joan on the hunt for something cuddly. Bunty's cousin, Sioned, was chatting with Kelly and showing off the cute little Irish bear that she planned to take home. Kelly thought he looked pretty cute, but she still couldn't decide on what she should take home. "Here's the perfect little kitty cat," squealed Mabel, holding up a calico kitty with a lot of personality and very soft fur. "Oh, yes! This is just what we're looking for." The twins marched off very happily with their new little friend packed safely inside its cute "house box". Janie and Nanea stood in front of the wall of plush and let Flossie survey the shelves. Janie wondered how a chicken was going to make up her mind. Nanea was pretty sure she knew what Flossie was going to pick, but she didn't want to say anything before Flossie made her own decision. Can you guess which one Flossie will pick? Well, if you guessed the little pink and red chicken, then you're right! Flossie hopped right up to the shelf to nudge the cute little plush. "That's what you'd like, Flossie? Alright, we'll go get a box for her." Janie couldn't decide if Flossie thought it was a long-lost cousin or just something to look at. It didn't cluck back . . . "This is a first! A chicken plush for a Grand Champion chicken," said Phoenix when she brought the box. "I think we should have a picture of you guys with Flossie. Say 'cheese'!" Even Flossie looked like she was smiling. By this time, Raito and Benny had everything stuffed and boxed. The Baby Yodas were so cute that Benny had decided to take one home for himself. (Move over little Olu and Minnie Mouse, because a newcomer would be joining the plush collection in the Island House!) It wasn't hard to find a Baby Yoda that had just the expression he liked, but it was really neat to find a plush shark lurking at the bottom. "Hey, man! Look at this. They've got a plush shark. I definitely have to take this one home." Benny grinned while Raito admired the shark. "What's your fascination with sharks, Benny?" Nanea heard the question from across the store and came running over to say, "There isn't time to hear the story now . . . maybe later over a campfire." The happy group left with all their boxes of plush, Flossie waddling out in her own champion-chicken fashion. The shop was emptying out by now, but there were still a couple of shoppers -- including poor Kelly, who just couldn't make up her mind. Bunty and Eliot came in, pushing their Godchild, Truannie, in her pram. The sight of such a cute little baby took Kelly's mind off the plush for a few minutes. "Hello, cutie pie! Are you here to find a new toy?" Truannie looked up with her round blue eyes. "Googy." "Oh, look! Here's the perfect pet for you, Truannie." Bunty put a cuddly white cat into the pram. Truannie immediately sucked on its ear. "Googy." "That's what she says when she likes something." Eliot was a little more realistic in his interpretation. "That's what she says for everything. It's the only thing she says." While Eliot pushed Truannie's pram around the store, Bunty did a little shopping of her own. First, she found an adorable black-faced sheep that would look just fabulous on her bed. Then, she found an amazingly fluffy lamb that fairly jumped into her arms. "Brighton really needs this lamb! I just have to get it to send to her. What do you think, Eliot?" But Eliot hadn't heard her; he was in deep conversation with Truannie. Sioned, standing near the shelf of plush, had already found a little Irish bear for herself. "Bunty, you just have to see this very cute bear here. Doesn't he make you think of something?" she asked, as she held out the light pink bear. "Oh, yes! Our Joint Venture!" said Bunty. "He'd make a perfect mascot, wouldn't he? Shall we buy him?" It was a purely rhetorical question, since the girls had already moved to the checkout counter and were sliding the little bear into a box. (More about the secretive Joint Venture is forthcoming in a future issue of the Gazette.) "Thank you so much, Phoenix! This has been a great shopping experience. We'll have to bring Truannie in again for another plush, but she needs to get home now." Sioned left with the trio, leaving only Kelly in the shop with Phoenix. "It's almost closing time, and I still haven't made up my mind. There are just so many cute animals . . . and I like them all." While it crossed Phoenix's mind that there weren't as many cute animals left to choose from as there had been when Kelly was one of the first to arrive this morning, she didn't think that mentioning it would help the situation. Instead (being a very caring salesman), she took Kelly over to the shelf and pointed out a very colorful cuddly bear. "You know, I think you should really consider this bear. He's got French Fries on his little patch, and that's almost your favorite snack. He might be just the one for you." "He's perfect! Why didn't I notice him before? Wait 'til I show Lori what I picked out!" Phoenix boxed up the bear, and Kelly walked happily out of the door, humming all the way. Whew! What an exciting day! Phoenix locked the door, placed the "Closed for the Day" sign in the window, and fell into a chair. Everything had gone off quite well, and even the stock of Baby Yoda had lasted through the all-day rush. It's a good thing she had the weekend off, though, because it was going to take a lot of time to restock the shop. "Ah, well, never do today what you can put off until tomorrow. I think that's the way the saying goes . . ." Right now, it was time to head over to Connie's house (taking along her own cute Baby Yoda, of course) to relax and watch a movie . . . a quiet movie . . . with a small cast and little noise . . . maybe a silent . . .
It's open! Let's go NOW! It's time! The big day on Islandshire had finally arrived, and the place was buzzing with excitement. Baby Yoda's at Phoenix's Build-a-Bear! There was almost as much excitement about this as there has been before the pre-Grand Opening sale of Kelly's Disney Pin Trading store. Phoenix was at the shop before sunrise. Even the birds weren't awake (so the early worm was still safe). There was lots to do before the door could be unlocked, and Phoenix is a very "prepared" little gal. Loads of her friends had already told her they were going to be there "before the crowds arrive". With that many people coming early, they would bring "the crowds" with them, and she didn't want to disappoint even one person. "I hope I ordered enough Baby Yodas . . ." The other stuffed animals seemed to be staring at the pile in the center of the store with what appeared to Phoenix to be a bit of the old "green-eyed monster". (In Baby Yoda's case, you might call it the old "green-eared monster"). Phoenix shook her head to clear the daydreams away and got to work. It didn't take long for Phoenix to ready for the customers. The stuffing machine was loaded and ready to spin. There was a large stack of take-home boxes waiting for the customers. The check-out counter was crowded with plush, birth certificates and special photo inserts to accompany The Child on his homeward journey. The sun had barely crested the trees, when she noticed the first two customers already standing in line outside while others hurried in from every direction. Take a deep breath. Oops, straighten up that pile. Shove that extra bin of stuffing under the counter. Okay . . . it looks like everything is ready. Boy, everything looks really cute! I hope they like it! Phoenix unlocked the door, and the crowd rushed in (in an orderly fashion, of course, because everyone on Islandshire is very polite). The little bell jingled on the back of the door as they pushed it open, but no one heard it over the excited squeals and gasps at the sight of Baby Yoda. Jill and Silver were the first ones inside. It was their birthday weekend, and they had come to build Babies for their special day! Of the whole Island crowd, they are definitely the craziest about Baby. They even came wearing t-shirts appropriate for the release. (That's Jill on the left, Silver on the right.) "I found the one I'd like. How 'bout you?" "Ditto! Ready to stuff them?" By the time they got to Phoenix, the shop was pretty full of customers, and a line had already formed at the stuffing machine. "It's a good thing we got up early and stood in line before the store opened." (Jill's hearing aid helps a lot in normal settings, but the din of loud crowds unsettles her a bit. Too many people talking at the same time just sounds like a lot of noise to her. She doesn't mean to appear rude or snobbish, but she can't always tell that people are talking to her. Then it looks like she's ignoring them. Anyway, Jill and Silver try to avoid large crowds, and this showed all the signs of being a VERY LARGE crowd!) Meanwhile, the place had filled! Leo had no trouble spotting a precious little pink pig with a pretty pink bow on her neck (pink bows are Leo's favorite things). Some of the others, though . . . well . . . decisiveness isn't everyone's virtue . . . Poor Kelly! She loves plush, collectibles and licensed things . . . but she has a little trouble deciding what to buy. With all the choices staring her in the face, it was almost too much for her! "What should I pick? I like them all! The Child is so cute, and I love that bear . . . and I really like that pelican. Oh, my . . . What's a girlie to do?!" Lori sensed Kelly's dilemma and came to the rescue. "Come on, let's look around together. There are lots of great choices, but something will jump right out at you." Lori is everyone's idea of the best Personal Shopper, and Phoenix was glad to see her here so early. By this time, the shop was packed, and everyone was hard at work trying to choose their own special creation. Mariamne (pronounced Maryanne), ever the people person, contentedly looked around and made up a poem for the occasion: People came from everywhere to be at Phoenix's Build-a-Bear. Some have a favorite color in mind, Others a favorite animal kind. Some know what's going in their box, Still others seem to stare in shock. Kashook . . . stuffer works like ne'er before, and still more crowds come through the door. When day is done, and Phoenix locks up, will Baby Yoda take the Winner's Cup? Phoenix had pre-stuffed some of the animals, just in case someone didn't want to stuff their own or wait in the stuffing line. She had bins of unstuffed animals to dig through. There were tables, shelves and bins everywhere! Eloy was hunting for something . . . he just didn't know quite what. Even Minnie was here . . . and she doesn't usually brave crowds or large events. But who can resist Build-a-Bear and Baby Yoda?! As some of the others moved towards the line at the stuffing machine, Mariamne and George brought Kelly over to the display to suggest some fun choices for her collection of plush. "This French-fries bear is so cute, Kelly! And that's your favorite snack, so he might be just perfect for you." "Or what about that really cool frog?!" (George is all boy.) "I just don't know . . ." Kelly was still overwhelmed with all the choices. Eloy and Leo were the first to finish stuffing their plush and selecting accessories. The little pink pig and Eloy's black bear were tucked safely in their fun take-home boxes, and Phoenix made sure that each one went home with their birth certificate. Jill and Silver, having never been in the store before, needed some help stuffing their Baby Yodas. "Baby even looks cute while he's being stuffed! Oh, I'll never forget today, as long as I live!" "Come on, Silver! You can turn the handle to keep the stuffing all fluffed." Phoenix had done a good explaining everything, and Jill and Silver were quick learners. "This is the best birthday ever! This is the way!" While the twins were busy stuffing their Babies, George found just what he was looking for . . . a brown bear with the British flag on his chest. "Wow! This is like something Prince George might have. Cool." Kelly peeked over George's shoulder to see what he'd picked out. "That's a nice one. Maybe that's the kind of bear I need." She sighed. "It's such a hard decision. I just don't know what to pick!" "There'll be something that stands out a little more than the rest in your mind. That's the one you should pick, not what someone else likes!" George is very decisive and never has trouble making up his mind. Kelly sighed. "I don't know, George. It's not that easy. They all look so cute . . ." She turned around to see who else was in the store. Nachito and his sister, Nautilus, weren't paying any attention to Baby Yoda. They were excitedly digging through all the plush bins and seemed to know what they didn't want. They also didn't seem to mind that it was taking a good bit of digging to find what they did want. Hmm . . . Kelly didn't think that method was for her. Everything looked so cute. How does one decide? "Here it is!" "Here it is!" They stood up and shouted at the exact same moment. After the laughing died down, they realized they were in a real pickle here. Each had found a really cute little fish . . . but which should they buy? The orange one? The cute little spotted one? Nachito and Nautilus were going back and forth, back and forth. He liked the plain orange one, because "it looks like a boy". She liked the spotted one with pink fins, because "it looks like a girl". Phoenix came over to see if she could help out, since it was obvious that there was only one solution to the problem . . . "Why don't you just buy them both?" Phoenix held up two birth certificates and handed one to each of them. "Well, fish do get lonely." "Yeah, you're right! They're better in pairs." Those fish were boxed up and paid for in no time flat. Good job, Phoenix! That's good salesmanship. And those are two happy customers. The next customer was Connie (who is pretty shy in big crowds). She timidly looked at the wall of plush, having a picture of something cuddly in mind. Connie likes to sit at home on her little pink sofa and watch movies, so her stuffed animal needed to be something soft and lovable. Phoenix walked over to the counter and picked up a one-of-a-kind bear. "Look here, Connie! I think Pooky is exactly who you need. Can't you just see him sitting on your sofa?" Connie was smiling her sweetest smile and held out her arms in excitement. "Oh, Phoenix -- he's perfect! He's the bear I've always hoped for. Come here, little Pooky, I'll take you home now." "Don't you even want a box?" "No, thank you. Pooky doesn't like to be in dark boxes. I'll just carry him home." Connie walked proudly out the door and down the street, ready to show Pooky to her friends as she made her way home. By now, the crowd was bigger than ever, the shop nearly bursting at the seams! Phoenix knows how to handle it, though. "Time to get everyone checked out who's made their decision and let the others look around on their own." Lori had her arms filled with boxes: a Baby Yoda (because "He'll be a cool collectible to have one day.") and a black and white cat which she'd already named "Ollie". "Would you like me to help you with your packages," asked Harold. Always ready to be the man of the situation, he didn't like to see a girl so weighed down with big boxes. "No, thanks. Nice of you to offer, but I'll be fine. I've got a couple more shops to visit before going home. Bye, Harold, and thanks again!" "But how will you see to find your way home?" Lori just kept on moving . . . To be continued.
The fun's not over yet, but this issue of the Gazette has about all the photos it can handle. Check back for Part 2 very soon for more fun photos of Baby Yoda, Flossie the Chicken and others! Things are buzzing on Islandshire right now. Not only are a few new arrivals expected to the crowd in the coming week or two, but Phoenix's Build-a-Bear shop is getting ready for an exciting new release! It all started early in the morning. Zale was out taking a brisk walk before any of the local shops were open (she has to keep in shape for all her swimming and diving) when she noticed a new display in the Build-a-Bear window. Baby Yoda?! Baby Yoda!! On Islandshire! And it must be coming pretty soon for the window display to be up already! Zale looked around to find someone else -- she just had to share the news. Not a soul in sight. "Oh, well, Nachito and Nautilus will be up by now. I'll just go tell them." Zale took off back the way she came. Not two minutes later, Nanea and Janie came strolling down from the other end of the street. Flossie's morning walk, you know. While walks on the beach are Flossie's favorite, she does love a good stroll past all the shops. Sometimes their friends come out with a treat for the island's only Grand Champion Chicken. This morning, however, treats were forgotten, as the new window display was enough to bring both girls to a sudden stop. "Janie! Look! Look, Janie! It's BABY YODA!!" shouted Nanea. "We'd better get home and tell Raito and Benny about this right away. They're going to want to camp out to be first in line." Janie looked at the picture of the adorable little Child plush. "He has two-bow ears, like me!" "Well, sort of, Janie. Hmm. But he's a boy, so I don't think he wears fashion accessories." Janie took a bite out of her Minnie Mouse ice cream cone. Imagine not wearing fashion accessories. Flossie took a close look at the window display. Or was it her own reflection? Nanea and Janie couldn't decide if she liked Baby Yoda or not. "Oh well, we'll bring her to release day. She can pick out her own Build-a-Bear then." Nanea patted Flossie on the head. Flossie clucked. "Hurry up, Nanea!" Janie hollered between bites. Well, as much as you can "holler" when your tongue is frozen. "Let's go tell the boys!" Off the trio went down the street. Flossie's slow waddle normally wasn't a problem, but the girls scooped her up and ran towards home. A little while later, another trio came strolling by. This time it was Eliot and Bunty taking their God-daughter, Truannie, for a walk in her stroller. They looked in each shop window as they passed, but nothing had caught their eye yet. While not much of a shopper, there's nothing Eliot likes better than finding little presents for Truannie. "Look at this, Eliot!" exclaimed Bunty, pointing to the new display. "Maybe Truannie wants her own Baby Yoda!" Truannie just hugged her little lamb toy and sucked on its ear. "I don't know . . ." Eliot surveyed the size of the Baby Yoda display and wondered if it would even fit in the stroller with Truannie. "Well, why don't we plan to bring her on release day? She's bound to find something she likes." "Good idea. Do you like the sound of that, Truannie?" "Googy." Bunty turned the stroller towards home, anxious to get there soon enough to let all of her friends know to clear their calendar.
With everyone gone to tell the others, Main Street was strangely empty. The Build-a-Bear window display shone out like a little beacon of excitement, announcing the big day that was about to bring Baby Yoda to the island! No pre-order on Islandshire, just lots of fun with friends. Check back soon for lots of photos and fun . . . Now that the weather is warming up, the tropical breezes on Islandshire are just lovely. It's been a perfect opportunity for Benny and Nanea to take Raito over to the large beach not too far from their house (actually, nothing in Islandshire is really very far away from their house). They got into some comfy clothes and packed their fishing poles and a picnic lunch. There's nothing Flossie likes more than a walk on the sand, so she clucked and waddled right over to her leash . . . and, well, Nanea never says "no" to walking Flossie . . . After a quick breakfast on the patio, our little group packed their lunch and set out for the beach. When they got to the water, everything looked so beautiful that they had to just watch the little waves lapping on the shore. Flossie clucked with contentment. Hopeful, the boys went straight for their new fishing poles. "That's a great idea! You boys fish for a while, while Flossie and I explore the seashore for treasures. We'll be back in time to set up the picnic." Nanea adjusted Flossie's collar and started off towards the lighthouse. Benny was excited about trying his new pole, but Raito was a little distracted by the sight of Flossie walking down the beach. "Hey, man," said Benny as he tapped his friend on the shoulder. "Let's get the poles, okay?" Raito turned his mind from leashed chickens to fish, and the fun began. Nanea and Flossie set off across the beach, stopping every now and then to admire little seashells or watch the palm fronds as they swayed in the breeze. Well, really, Flossie was hoping for a stray insect or two to come her way . . . or for someone to notice how Grand she is (she IS a Grand Champion chicken, as you know) . . . Somewhere along the way (one loses track of time at the beach on a fine morning), Zale "halloo-ed" and ran over to join them. (In case you haven't met her, Zale is owner of the only Scuba Dive Shop and gear rental stall on the island, besides being a longtime friend and diving buddy.) "Hey, Nanea! It's a great morning, isn't it?! I'm checking out the water, because Nachito is going to take me out in his boat later for a bit of a dive. What's up?" "Oh, Benny and I brought Raito out for the day. The boys are fishing while Flossie and I enjoy a seaside walk, then we're going to have a picnic." "That sounds like fun. It certainly is a great day for it! And how are you, little sweetie?" Zale sat down to say "hi" to Flossie. Flossie clucked. "Want to come to the picnic? We've got plenty of food, and we'd all love to have you!" "Thanks, Nanea, but I'm supposed to be meeting Nachito pretty soon, and I still have to get back home to get my scuba gear ready. I'll take a raincheck on that, though!" Zale patted Flossie on the head. "Say 'hi' to the boys for me." "We sure will. See you later," said Nanea as she waved goodbye and headed back down the beach. Meanwhile, farther down the beach, the boys were enjoying their new poles. Benny had opted for one of Nachito's spincasters, complete with a fancy lure. "None of that modern stuff for me," said Raito. "I like a good old-fashioned bamboo pole myself. Tell you what, let's see who catches the most fish." "Hey, man, great idea. May the best rod win!" The boys fished for a long time, and they didn't even notice that the morning had flown by. The fish weren't biting, but it didn't really matter. They'd enjoyed just being together, and the sun felt good. (And Benny hadn't even once thought about fashion accessories. He loved his sister, but . . . girls do think about the silliest things sometimes.) "There's a great fishing spot in the lagoon," said Benny. "Maybe we'll try there tomorrow. Then we'll see which pole the fish like best!" The boys hadn't noticed Nanea and Flossie coming back up the beach, but their stomachs let them know that it must be pushing lunch time. "Hey, boys! We're back! Catch anything?" No boy likes to be the first to admit to catching no fish, but Nanea quickly figured it out when the boys turned around and started spluttering. "Good thing we packed a big lunch." "Why don't we eat now?" "This beach air makes me hungry." Nanea grinned and headed towards the picnic basket. Boys are always hungry. Working together, it didn't take long to get everything ready. Raito set up the beach chairs. Benny grabbed the cooler. Nanea fixed the picnic blanket and umbrella. "We don't want Flossie to get too hot in the sun." What a spread! And what a thoughtful hostess Nanea is! She'd packed all their favorite food: fresh poi, celery with peanut butter, apple slices, pineapple wedges, and egg sandwiches on Hawaiian bread. Oh, and let's not forget the Dole Whip and cookies for dessert! Even Flossie had a special bowl of picnic chow . . . "Does Flossie always come on the picnics?" Raito was enjoying having a pet chicken around. "Oh, yes. She loves to eat outside." (Nanea is always very considerate of Flossie's desires.) Raito offered Flossie some of his pineapple, but she just clucked and settled into the warm sand a little more. Pineapple doesn't really agree with her. Cookies, though . . . that's a different matter. By the time Raito was munching on his cranberry nut cookie, Flossie had inched her way to his side and looked up at him with her most adoring eyes. Cluck. "Hey, guys! She likes me!" Raito broke off little chunks and fed her out of his hand. His friends didn't have the heart to tell him that it was just the cookies. Cluck, cluck. It had been a great day. Everyone was full, so they just sat around and talked. It would be soon enough to pack things up and head for home. Right now, though, the sun was warm, the breeze cool, and they had it all to themselves. The friends were happy, and Flossie settled in under her umbrella for a short nap. And time passed . . .
The fun isn't over, though. Nanea and Benny have more fun planned for Raito's Islandshire visit, so check back soon for their next adventure! It's a big day for Kelly! She's been working on her new store for months, and it's almost time for the official Grand Opening. Just to be sure that everything's set up right, she's sent out private invitations to a few hand-chosen guests to try out her set-up ahead of time. There'll be more merchandise ready for the Grand Opening, but there's enough on hand today to give it a good first run. One last check over the pin boards, just to make sure that everything's in place. Wouldn't want any blank spots or damaged pins on the boards when guests start to arrive. Oops, room for one more! (Kelly winced a little as she put up that last pin. After all the pins she'd put on boards the day before, her thumb was a taddy bit sore. And she's very right-handed.) Okay, everything looks pretty good. Time to take a deep breath and get ready to open the doors. And don't let them know that you're a little nervous. I wonder if I've "bitten off more than I can chew". I hope the help gets here soon. Oh, they're here! Smile! Wave! Kelly talks to herself when she's nervous . . . Nanea and Makana (long-time pin traders) were the first ones through the door, and the looks on their faces as they stood in speechless awe went a long way to relieving Kelly's tension. "Oh, Kelly! It's amazing!" "It's like a dream vacation right here on Islandshire!" With others here now who could help her with first-time traders, Kelly knew there was nothing to worry about. Benny and Raito? Well, they got a little distracted by the fish at the lagoon. "The last time I saw them, they were making plans to go fishing after the pin trading," Nanea told the others. "Why don't we have a quick look around?" Makana didn't hear Nanea, because she was already past a "quick look". Kelly stepped behind the counter, as her friends ooh-ed and ah-ed their way through the pins she had for sale. She stood there quietly, waiting to see what they noticed first. There were so many things to try out before the big day, but she particularly wanted the special counter display to attract everyone who came in. Yep, it was just right. "Now Available! It's Baby Yoda! Do the magic hand thing, Baby! Ooooh, Jill and Iya will go crazy on Grand Opening day! They're absolutely nuts about anything Mandalorian, particularly Baby Yoda! Let's make everyone promise not to tell, so the twins will be as surprised as we are!" The boys arrived while the girls were discussing whether Baby Yoda was cuter when he was chasing frogs, playing with his metal knob or sipping soup from his little bowl. "Ooh, I think he's always cute! It's a good thing you get all three accessories in that set. Just think . . . our own Disney Store, right here on Islandshire! It's amazing!" (Nanea's ultimate compliment is to call something "amazing".) The boys just shook their heads and made a beeline for the main trading board. Makana left to join them, but Nanea and Kelly never noticed. They just talked and talked about the "wonderfulness" of it all, while the others looked around. Raito didn't bother to contain his excitement. "Look at all those pins! How do you choose? What would my sister like as a souvenir? Hey, wait a minute, I don't have any pins to trade. Benny, heeeeeelp!" As he turned to his friend, he caught a glimpse of a strange-looking pin. "Benny, what is that?" Benny just shook his head and smiled. "Hey, man, you need to watch Disney+ more often. Let's get you set up for trading . . ." "Hey, Raito,", called Makana. "You need to get some pins and a lanyard. They're over there. It's really fun to buy some of the mystery packs, because you never know what you're going to get. Kelly's got Star Wars, It's a Small World, and UP Puzzle mystery packs. But don't buy everything you'd like to keep, because then you won't want to trade. That's always the hard part of pin trading . . . deciding what to trade in." Raito was in seventh heaven. Big sigh followed by bigger grin. Just wait 'til he got home and told his sister about this. Back to earth, though, and time to get started. Meanwhile, another guest had quietly arrived. Sonja was very excited. Even though she had lived in Florida for a while, she'd never been to Disney or traded pins before. "What do I need to buy first? I'd like a lanyard that will match a lot of different outfits, please. Nanea, that one you're wearing would be just perfect, if there's another one like that. You're always so clever with accessories. Oh, Kelly, it's all so perfect. I don't know where to look first!" Nanea and Kelly jumped right in to explain the basics of pin trading. In no time at all, Sonja had picked out a lanyard (just like Nanea's, of course), but the real job started when she had to decide which pins to buy. There were mystery boxes of all different themes, as well as larger mystery packs. "Oh, so many choices and such cute pins. This might take a while. You two are welcome to help someone else. I'll holler when I'm ready to try the trading part. Oooooh, Baby Yoda!" Raito came over to the lanyard display and asked Kelly for help. There were lots of cute designs, but he couldn't decide whether he wanted one with Mickey and Minnie on it . . . or Stitch . . . or Pluto . . . or Donald Duck . . . or . . . hmm. Kelly had the perfect solution. "Why not take this one which has everyone on it?" Yep, that's just what Raito was looking for. It wasn't half as hard to pick out the pins he wanted. Star Wars! No problem deciding there. At Kelly's suggestion, he also picked out a box with a pin in it that he wouldn't want, since he needed something to trade. "How much do I owe you?" "Nothing! It's a present from Benny and Nanea." "Wow, thanks," said Raito. "They're really spoiling me." When everyone had what they needed, Nanea took Sonja and Raito over to the big trading board. Trading pins is easy, but deciding what you want can be kind of tricky -- especially when there are so many choices. "Take your time and look at everything. There's no rush at all. And remember, you can always trade back in the pins you trade for!" Nanea glanced at the pins over their shoulders and . . . hmm . . . she didn't have that one . . . Sonja knew just what kind of pins she wanted -- sweet treats! She found a Donald cupcake right away. After just a little more searching, she found a matching blue macaroon. Raito, on the other hand, took a little time looking at everything before deciding. Every pin looked good, but he knew that when the right one showed up, he'd know it. (Of course, he was keeping his Star Wars pin and not trading it.) Aha! There it was. The pin he wanted. "Mickey Mouse with glasses and a pencil. That's for me!" Nanea knew they'd be all right on their own, now, so she ran to get the camera. Congratulations to Islandshire's two newest pin traders! Let's all smile and say "Disney". While everyone was over at the large board, Makana spied some Stitch pins on the smaller one. Stitch is her favorite character, and she really likes the Emoji pins. "Too many choices, Kelly. Do I want Stitch serious or smiling?" "Don't worry, Makana. You can always buy more pins to trade or trade today's choices back in on another day. That's the wonder of pin trading!" She went over to show her trades to Nanea, but Nanea was enraptured with her own find. "Just look at this one, Makana! It's a dinglehopper! It's amazing! A dinglehopper! Oooooh!" The two girls shared a little "show and tell" time before Kelly called "Picture time!" More happy pin traders, posing with their lanyards and fun pins. Nanea could tell that her photo collage at home was going to need some updating. Makana doesn't have a photo collage but is going to put her picture on the refrigerator for everyone to see. Time for lunch back at the house. (Nanea had prepared everything before they'd left that morning). Kelly was confident that she could handle the last few "invitees". "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine now!" Benny thought they should take Raito over to Nachito's Bait and Tackle Shop on the way home. "To check out the fishing poles, you know. Just in case. Right, man?" As they headed toward Kelly to say Aloha before leaving, Janie walked through the door. "You guys go on without me. I'll catch up in a couple of minutes," Nanea told the others. Janie had come prepared with her pins and her little backpack full of extras. There was no doubt what kind of pin she was looking for, and the shop proprietor knew right where to find it . . . "Here it is, Janie," said Kelly excitedly. "It's a Mickey-shaped chocolate ice cream bar!" Janie jumped up and down in excitement, her "two-bow hair" bouncing like a pair of Mickey ears in the wind. Everybody on Islandshire knows that Janie loves chocolate. She hardly eats anything else . . . and that's only to balance out the chocolate. "Oh, thank you! That's it! That's the one I need! Here's a vinylmation pin in exchange." Nanea called Janie over to the big board and helped her look through the pins there. Guess what they found? A Minnie Mouse Candy Apple pin with a chocolate coating. Who'd a thunk?! It might have been a short trading time for Janie, but she'd come prepared. Now, why didn't Nanea think about using her backpack to show off her pins and carry the traders? That Janie sure is creative. Janie wasn't here only for pins, though. She had some other shopping in mind. "Kelly, do you have any Minnie Mouse plush? Something my size, small enough to keep on my bed?" "I think this is just the thing for you, Janie!" Kelly held out a cuddly Minnie dressed in a shiny pink Princess costume. "This even matches your outfit." Yep, Kelly was going to excel with her new enterprise. "That's it! She's perfect! She's just what I need. And I'll take a gift card, too. I think I'll bring a friend back for the Grand Opening. This is my new favorite store. Thank you for all your hard work. It's amazing!" (Janie was Nanea's best friend, and a few things had rubbed off on her over the years.) As the two girls headed toward the door, Nanea hollered over her shoulder, "Your store is great, Kelly! I can't wait 'til the Grand Opening, and I think everyone on the Island will love it. When you're done here, come over to our house for the picnic. There's plenty!" Kelly looked a lot more relaxed now. "Thanks for all the help! I'm glad everyone has had fun. I'll send out announcements, when it's time for the big day. And I'll be there later!" Nanea and Janie chattered as they left. "Janie, you are coming for the picnic, right? You know, there's always room for you. Let's run. If we hurry, we can just catch up with the others." Meanwhile, Kelly had just enough time to straighten the postcards before her last two guests arrived. Wendy has just arrived back in Islandshire, after having spent a long time in the hospital, where she'd been recovering from a terrible skin condition. She was excited to be out and about, and this was her first time trading. Lori, on the other hand. Let's just say that if there's anything that Lori knows about, it's Disney stuff. Well, and shopping. She's the best shopper and thrifter on the Island. (Thrifter -- that's what you call someone who knows all the ins and outs of "thrifting"; i.e., shopping and finding deals at thrift stores.) Actually, everyone on Islandshire believes that the phrase "shop till you drop" was coined in her honor. They headed straight to the lanyard rack and found a Minnie Mouse lanyard that matched Wendy's outfit perfectly. Kelly and Lori complimented Wendy on the perfect match. "Thanks. I'd like to get an autograph book while I'm here. Lori says there are going to be Character meet-and-greets here later on, and I can't wait to have them all sign my book." Kelly was pretty quiet, waiting for Lori to notice the you-know-who display. She didn't have to wait long, though. "You have Baby Yoda figures?!!! I've got to have one of those. They'll probably be collectible one day. He's SO cute. You just don't get cuter than Baby Yoda. I can't believe there are any of these left this late in the day!" "I'd better pay for this right away, before you run out!" Kelly looked around and noticed that Wendy was the only other person in the store. And she didn't look too eager about Baby Yoda, so Lori really didn't have to worry too much. Wendy was busy admiring her autograph book, wondering out loud if she should buy two, in case she needed a gift for someone. Kelly stood wondering if she could get more of those Baby figure sets in in time for her Grand Opening. Wendy traded some pins on the small board and then stepped up to the register to pay for everything. "I think you'll do great with your store, Kelly. I know I'll be back!" "Thanks. I was sort of nervous this morning, but I think everyone has enjoyed themselves. I'll be sure to let you know when the Characters will be coming for the meet-and-greet. It's nice to see you out again. You look great, Wendy!" The door shut behind the two girls, and the store was empty. It had been a great day, and Kelly was happy with how everything had turned out. She decided to put the Closed sign up and head over to see if there was anything left at the picnic. (Kelly is always hungry, and Benny and Nanea's luaus are legendary.) The next time she opened, it would be for the Grand Opening celebration. And she felt certain that she was ready. Raito has more adventures to come, so stay tuned. Of course, you're all invited to Kelly's Grand Opening. And she's already ordered another stock of Baby Yoda figures . . .
It's been a busy time on Islandshire. Our visit with Makana was so fun that Benny decided to invite one of his pals to come over for a bit. Say "hello" to Raito! A week into our visit, and there's still a lot left to do before he goes home. Raito's been at Boarding School in frosty Wisconsin and is anxious to return to the warm sunshine on Pleasant Island (a tropical haven in a hidden cove somewhere in Colorado). His sister (whose name is, coincidentally, Nanea) and friends back home will have to wait a little longer, though, since he decided to break his journey here on Islandshire with Benny and Nanea. He arrived pretty late at night (one of those red-eye flights that don't hurt the wallet), so the three just had time to share hugs and fall into bed . . . A Beautiful Morning (with a Fun Surprise)After spending so much time in the cold and snow of Wisconsin, Raito was slow that first morning in getting out of his hammock. A warm breeze lulled him back to sleep, and it wasn't until Polynesia (Benny & Nanea's pet bird) welcomed the sun with her song in a nearby tree that he stretched and rubbed his eyes open. No need to rush. Raito loved the wonderful feeling of it all and thought that he couldn't have ordered up a better morning! Benny had a different idea, though. "Hey, man! We gotta get up and dressed, because we've got a surprise for you today. Come on, let's have some breakfast before we leave." Raito yawned and hopped out of the hammock, sad to shed his very cool Surfing Octopus PJs so soon. Always the perfect host, Benny agreed to eating first and changing later. And Polynesia continued to sing . . . While Benny went off to squeeze some fresh juice, Raito found a seat under the palm tree in the front yard. "Wisconsin doesn't have anything like this," he thought. "It's so peaceful and quiet here." Before he had time to settle in, though, "visitors" came crawling, waddling and swooping in from every direction. Flossie, Aulani and Polynesia just love company! Flossie clucked (just once, mind you). Polynesia sang. Aulani blinked. And Raito smiled with delight. Before Raito could even take it all in, Benny returned with the juice and said, "Nanea's making breakfast and is gonna leave it on the table for us." "Why isn't she relaxing out here with us?" asked Raito. "It's such a nice morning to sit back and take it easy." Benny laughed a secret kind of laugh. "Because we're taking you some place special today, and it opens at nine o'clock. That doesn't give Nanea much time to get dressed and choose her fashion accessories. You know . . . girls." "So, where are we going?" Raito couldn't imagine rushing through a morning like this, but he knew it must be something exciting to have Nanea skipping her hula practice! Benny grinned. He'd better tell Raito what was up, or he'd never get him moving. "We've been invited to a once-in-a-lifetime Islandshire event. Kelly's having a presale day before the official Grand Opening of her new Disney Pin Trading store. She's having a small crowd in today to test her set-up." Raito couldn't believe it! "Pin trading! We're going pin trading?! Just wait'll I tell my sister about this!" Now it was his turn to feel a bit rushed. They hurried through their juice, fed the pets and rushed in to breakfast. You've never seen two boys eat their food so quickly -- not to mention getting dressed in lickety-split time. "Okay, time to go! Wait . . . where's Nanea? "She'll be ready in a minute. Maybe." "I hope she hurries. What time does it start? We don't want to be late! So, Benny, what is pin trading? I didn't bring any pins to trade. Does she sell pins, too? Oh, boy, I can't wait to share this back home!" The boys chatted about the pins they hoped to find and the Disney characters that they liked. The minutes were ticking by, but where was Nanea? Maybe they shouldn't wait. They decided to start heading over to Kelly's by themselves. Nanea could catch up later . . . "Wait for me! Don't leave! I'm ready now!" There she was -- decked out in the nick of time with her Aulani Minnie Mouse ears, pin lanyard and bracelets. (Girls sure do get fancy when they go out.) "Let's get going! We don't want to be late!" The boys laughed, as Nanea ran down the steps. Before they got out of the yard, though, Makana ran up. She'd been sent by Kelly to make sure that they were going to arrive in time for the opening. Since Benny and Nanea have been pin trading before, Kelly needed their help to explain how everything works to everyone who was new to the fun. "Come on, guys! Let's get going!" Raito was off at a run. This was going to be one of the best vacations ever!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stay tuned for the first glimpse of Islandshire's newest enterprise: Kelly's Disney Pin Trading store. |
Sarah, EditorTrudy, ReporterBlog Archive
April 2024
Categories
All
Other TopicsMeet the DollsNaneaBennyHaroldHarriet (aka Bunty)EliotJill and SilverKellyEydie |