The Princess Blog

There's one day a year when every girl has the right to be treated like a princess – her birthday. That's why I like to find something fun each year that allows me to bring out my inner royal. Last year, I was regaled with a wonderful performance of Beauty and the Beast . This year, I decided to branch out and visit a local castle. Since  my home castle  is no longer within driving distance of any of the kingdoms , I discovered that there is another castle in Twxas that does tours. It didn't hurt that the town of Bellville happens to share the same name as the fantasy kingdom from  Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella , which I am a huge fan of. Newman's Castle is a hidden gem about two miles away from Austin that gives tours six days a week as well as private events. It isn't a true historical castle as it was completed in 1998, but it is built with 13th-century style medieval architecture. I did my research in advance and had no issues with my visit, but there ar...

Can you believe I've been writing articles about princesses for five years? I still remember posting a list of  100 princesses for my 100th post , and now I have over 600 posts and counting! That's a lot of princesses! For most blogiversaries, I've shared free or deeply discounted Kindle copies of my books , but unfortunately, I haven't written anything new this year. Instead, I've been busy getting settled in my new castle , so I filmed this mini-music video in some of my favorite rooms as a video tour. I hope you enjoy it! Feel free to pause it to get a closer look at some of my new furnishings and old memorabilia. Let me know how many princess easter eggs you can spot in the background! As for what's next, I'm very excited to announce that I've applied to be a big sister through the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America  in the hopes of sharing my experiences with a special little girl, attending more princess events, and getting a better grasp on ...

I've been living in my new castle for almost three weeks now, and it's been a lot of work. As promised, I'm ready to tell you all about the homebuying process. Before I begin, I would like to point out that buying a house is a personal process that varies with each individual. Something that worked out for me might not work so well for you, and that's perfectly fine. After all, a "dream" castle is entirely dependent on the dreams of the person living in it. For smaller spaces, please refer to my "How To Decorate Like a Princess"  post, which focuses on individual rooms or small apartments. I've realized that decorating a small space is a very different process from transforming an entire house into an enchanted home. For example, it's better to put up as many decorations as possible to make a smaller space feel larger, while houses are more about using little touches to show off the space you have. The first step in the home-buying process is...

A common misconception among princess haters is that princesses and the people who admire them are selfish and greedy  because they live in a castle and have enough money to get anything they want. True fans know that this isn't the case. Princesses from fantasy worlds are portrayed as kind and selfless and often want to escape the confines of their castle or tower. This desire for freedom often brings them to the most beautiful secluded environments of peace and serenity. Disney's 1959 animated classic Sleeping Beauty  set the standards for this with its gorgeous anamorphic background paintings of rectangular trees and woodland creatures who feel right at home alongside the lovely Briar Rose, who embraces the tranquility of her little cottage in the woods. Since then, princesses have often been associated with flowers and nature as a reflection of their own natural beauty and innocence. Recently, I discovered a Chinese drama on Netflix called Ashes of Love that brilli...