Get Star-Struck in Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure

Have you ever wondered what it's like to drop 13 stories, only to rise right back up to the top? Do you want to learn how to draw your favorite Disney character? Do you want to meet the crew from Arendale, then watch the Mad Hatter crush it on stage? Hollywood Land in Disney California Adventure is the place to see and be seen at the Disneyland Resort. Here you can meet Disney's most popular sisters, Anna and Elsa along with their buddy Olaf. You can also have a conversation with Crush from Finding Nemo; where else can you talk to a turtle?? Little ones will love the Frozen-themed stage show in the Crown Jewel Theatre, or the interactive Disney Junior puppet show in the Disney Theater.

Pro Tip: Get your Fast Pass to meet Anna and Elsa upon entering the park, then walk over to meet Olaf across the street near the Crown Jewel Theatre.

The Arendale sisters and Turtle Talk are inside my favorite indoor spaces, the Animation building. Here you can also learn how to draw different Disney characters inside the Animation Academy. It's also an amazing space to just sit, enjoy a cool drink (from Schmoozie's across the street!) and cool off while being surrounded by the wonder of animation. Exit through Off the Page to see Disney artists at work and drool over the incredible artwork.

Trust me: if you haven't been inside the Animation building before, take a few moments to step inside. I had no idea what I was missing for years!

Hollywood Land is also home to the thrill ride, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. If you are a fan of the original Twilight Zone TV series, you will appreciate the special setup video that plays prior to the ride. And some of you may remember the Disney movie, Tower of Terror, that further sets the premise for the ride (it was about as popular as The Haunted Mansion movie...). This ride isn't for the faint of heart, so make sure little ones are mature enough to handle the shock (which may not correlate to height!).

Another not-to-be-missed part of Hollywood Land is Disney's Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular. True to it's name, this musical adaptation of Aladdin is spectacular, featuring dancing, singing and ornate sets rivaling a Broadway show. Everyone I have taken to this show has loved it. And it's shorter than a normal musical, giving you just enough time to rest before your next adventure in the park. Check the Entertainment Schedule for daily show times.

When night falls, the Mad T Party takes over Hollywood Land with an explosion of lights and live music. This awesome Alice in Wonderland-themed band plays rock songs from the 80's, 90's and today. There's something for everyone (although I noticed quite a few more adults rocking out than the tween crowd during the previous Frozen-themed party). Grab one of the themed drinks then head down the rabbit hole with Alice and crew.

Hollywood Land is packed with entertainment for all ages, which is different than the ride-focused Disneyland that we're all used to. Make sure to dedicate time to seeing the incredible shows within Hollywood Land during your next visit to Disney California Adventure!

Welcome to World of Color Wednesday! For those of you unfamiliar, Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color was a broadcast television series that showcased the new technology of color television. Today, Disney California Adventure plays tribute to that part of Disney history with a spectacular nighttime entertainment show featuring jets of water, lights, lasers and of course music. My own way to pay tribute to the show is by creating a color board every week, inspired by a different land from Disney Parks or character from Disney films. Join me every Wednesday in celebrating the Wonderful World of Color!

The Happiest Giveaway on Earth!

One of my favorite Disney bloggers, The Happiest Blog on Earth, is celebrating her Two Year Blog Birthday with a fabulous Disney-inspired giveaway! The prizes include 4 Disney inspired products by some amazing Etsy sellers! I was thrilled when she reached out to me to design an exclusive print just for her celebration. She picked one of her favorite quotes by Walt Disney, "Keep Moving Forward", that we all can relate to for an instant dose of motivation. For the design, I knew I wanted to create something futuristic that celebrated Walt's love for progress and technology. I drew inspiration from Tomorrowland, the showcase for innovation in Disney Parks, and I even included a mini Astro Orbiter rocket.

The Happiest Blog on Earth really is that, a great place to read about the latest happenings at the Disneyland Resort and get excited for your next Disney adventure. Jessica provides awesome monthly updates to keep you informed about the month ahead at Disneyland. The Happiest Blog on Earth is a great resource for planning your next Disney Day!

Now go enter the giveaway for your chance to win those awesome prizes, including an exclusive print by me! Entries close on September 9th, 2015! Click here to enter the giveaway

The Midnight Collection: Now Available on Etsy!

I am thrilled to announce the launch of the second complete printable party kit, The Midnight Collection, inspired by Disney's animated classic, Cinderella! Party kits for bridal showers and birthday parties are now available in the Enchanted Type Etsy Shop! This collection is designed for the dreamer who wants to throw an enchanted party with limited time and budget. Each kit is easy to download, print and assemble to make your dream event come true.

The complete party kits include everything you need, and are customized by myself to include your party details. The kit will be sent directly to your preferred email address as PDF files, which are easy to open and print using Adobe Reader (available to download for free here).

The Instant Download kits also include PDF files with everything except the invitation and personalized welcome sign. These are great for the last minute party planner (we've all been there!), ready to be downloaded, printed, and assembled at a moment's notice.

Looking to add some enchantment to your space? This bonus pack includes two 5x7 art prints from the Midnight Collection. Easily frame these timeless quotes or use some washi tape to instantly hang them on your wall!

These new collections are now available in the Enchanted Type Etsy Shop to help you plan your next magical event. Make sure you check out them out before the clock strikes Midnight!

Cinderella Inspiration Board + The Next Collection Announced!

I am so excited to announce the next printable party kit collection that will be available on Etsy... Introducing The Midnight Collection, inspired by Disney's Cinderella! The printable party kit will be launching next week, but today you will see the inspiration board that guided the design of the collection.

One of my most popular prints on Etsy has been the "So This is Love" art print, so I couldn't wait to create a collection to compliment it. I expanded on that retro design to create an entire party collection fit for a modern Cinderella. Before diving in, I gathered inspiration from around the Disneyland Resort.

From Cinderella's home and castle on the Storybook Canal Boats to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (with that gorgeous Fairy Godmother stained glass window!), Cinderella is an important part of Disney's history. The original concept art designed by Mary Blair was especially inspirational for me. I admire Mary Blair's art and career with the Walt Disney Studios, so the movies that she was a part of have a special place in my world.

The collection will be launching next week, but make sure to sign up for the newsletter to receive a bonus Cinderella-inspired art print going out in the September edition!

The "Have Courage and Be Kind" art print is no longer available in the Adventure Club but can be found in the Etsy shop. Sign up now so you never miss a free printable!

Free Wall Art Printable Quote from Cinderella

Join the newsletter to be the first to know when the collection goes live on Etsy, and get instant access to library of other free downloads available now in the Adventure Clubhouse. You'll get updates a few times a month with exclusive info, free downloads and coupon codes!

Join the Adventure Club... it's free!

How I Design a Party Kit Collection + The Mermaid Style Guide

Today I'm excited to share a peek behind-the-scenes of my design process! Designing an entire printable party kit collection involves a lot of moving parts, but I've developed a system to keep all my inspiration organized and the collections cohesive.

If you've been following the blog for the last few months, you've probably noticed the World of Color Wednesday inspiration boards. I start each collection by creating one of those inspiration boards to curate all the images and details that could be included. The key is looking for small details, like the clam shell chairs in Ariel's Undersea Adventure, or the flower frequently seen in Ariel's hair. You can learn more about how I create an inspiration board here.

Next I step away from the computer and start hand-drawing different ideas. This helps me think out of the box to come up with original, never-seen-before ideas. The clam shell image you see started as a sketch that I scanned into my computer then traced digitally in Adobe Illustrator.

The first collection piece that I create is the invitation because that is the very heart of the party. It's the first interaction that guests have; the first impression of what's to follow. It's an opportunity to end up on the fridge or in the dreaded pile-of-forgotten-mail. I want your party to be remembered!

Once the invitation is finalized, I create a style guide with the key elements of the design. If you've seen style guides for brands before, this is very similar! My style guides include the fonts, colors, patterns, and key design elements that will be repeated throughout the remainder of the collection. This is my constant companion while designing the rest of the collection, to make sure everything works well together and each design element is well represented.

For the remaining pieces in the collection, I use a template I created in Adobe Illustrator to make sure the sizes for each piece are accurate and to save time recreating each piece. Before I call the collection "complete", I print off every piece and personally test them by cutting them out and assembling each design. Once each piece gets my stamp of approval, I create an overview image and share the new collection with the world!

I hope this helps you get a better idea of how to design a complete party collection. It's something I am super passionate about and feel so lucky to call it my job!

You can find the Mermaid Party Kit seen above in my Etsy shop, Enchanted Type!