Blossom in Jewel Forest Read online

  Thanks fairy much Catherine Coe!

  Welcome to the world of the fashion fairy princesses! Join Blossom and friends on their magical adventures in fairyland.

  They can’t wait to explore

  Can you?

  Contents

  Cover

  Half Title Page

  Dedication

  Title Page

  Map

  Jewel Forest

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Fashion Fairy Princess Website

  Sneak Peek of Catkin in Jewel Forest

  Fun Facts about Blossom

  Back Ads

  Copyright

  Blossom was pulling the latest tray of diamond-glitter brownies out of the bakery oven when she heard the door open and a little voice call out.

  “Hi, Blossom, are you there?”

  Blossom popped up her head from behind the counter and saw Pip standing in the doorway, waving and smiling. Her tiny forest fairy friend wore a gorgeous fern grass dress with matching dangly earrings. Blossom looked down at herself. She had icing sugar all over her tights, dandelion flour covered her apron, and she was certain she had cake mixture stuck in her unruly blonde hair!

  “Oh, hello, Pip. I’m sorry I look such a mess! It’s all been a bit crazy getting ready for the Jewel Forest fête tomorrow.”

  Everyone loved the annual fête. Fairies came from all over fairyland to join in the fun and games – and to sample Blossom’s famous cakes!

  “I thought it might be, so I wanted to pop in and see how you were doing,” said Pip. “You mustn’t work too hard, you know.”

  “But the cake sale is the highlight of the fête!” Blossom took a tray of unbaked muffins from the counter and slid them into the steaming hot oven. She threw in some more fairy-dust to keep up the temperature. “All the cakes have to be perfect!”

  Pip looked around the bakery. Every single surface was covered. There were open bags of flour and sugar, cake stands in beautiful pastel colours, biscuits cooling, fairy buns with their icing setting, and bowls of mixture waiting to be put into moulds. She wondered whether Blossom would get everything done in time, but she didn’t want to ask and risk hurting her friend’s feelings. Blossom was the best baker in the forest, after all.

  “While the muffins are baking, let me show you some of my cake designs,” Blossom suggested, fluttering around the counter and heading towards the walnut table where customers usually sat. Today that would have been impossible, as it was covered in cake boxes – some already made, some still flat and waiting to be put together.

  Pip moved a pile of unmade cake boxes from a chair and placed them carefully on the floor while Blossom grabbed a large daisy-paper scrapbook from the window sill.

  “I’ve been working on the recipe for the moonbutter cakes for weeks,” said Blossom, pointing to a pencil drawing of cupcakes with butter icing in the shape of crescent moons.

  “Oh, they look delicious!” Pip peered at the scrapbook. Blossom’s drawings were so detailed she could almost taste them!

  Blossom turned a page. “And this is how I’ve designed the diamond-glitter brownies. When they’re put on to their cake stand, they’ll look like a sparkling tree trunk!”

  “What a great idea – and perfect for a forest fête,” agreed Pip.

  “Thanks, Pip,” said Blossom, grinning. “And let me show you what I’m planning for the highlight of my stall…” Blossom flicked through the pages with her dough-covered fingers. “Here it is – the double-layer sunshine cake!”

  A huge two-layer cake had been drawn on the page, with shimmering rays bursting out of the top. “It will be iced with edible jewels straight from the Jewel Tree, which will shoot rays of sunshine from the cake as you eat it. It’s going to be very special – I hope so, anyway.” The Jewel Tree was the first tree ever to grow in the forest and the source of all the forest fairy magic. Blossom closed the scrapbook and jumped up. “I must check on the muffins!”

  She whizzed behind the bakery counter and opened the oven. Mouth-watering smells flooded the whole room with chocolatey-sugar sweetness. Pip breathed in deeply. “Mmmmm, yum!”

  “Um, Pip, could you hold these a moment while I put the ruby-jam tarts in the oven?” Blossom asked.

  “Of course!” Pip put on a spare pair of moss-stitch oven gloves that had been hanging on the wall and took the tray of muffins from Blossom. She looked at the cooling counter, and saw there was no room whatsoever for another tray.

  The counter was covered in freshly baked goodies, waiting for icing or decorations, or to be filled with cream. She worried again that her friend had taken on more than she could handle. She took a deep breath. “Er, Blossom … are you going to be OK with all of this? I mean, will you really get it done in time?”

  Blossom looked up at her friend from where she crouched beside the oven door. “Of course!” She glanced around the bakery – she knew there was a lot to do, but she was sure she’d manage.

  “And anyway, the whole forest is relying on me! I can’t let them down.”

  “The cakes will be delicious, I know it. But I’d better go now.” Pip held up an empty dress bag. “I was on my way to pick up my fancy dress for the fête competition!”

  “Ooh, how exciting – what are you going as?” asked Blossom as she filled a piping bag with honey-cream.

  “Now that’s a secret!” Pip winked. “But I’ll give you a clue: it’ll be berry special!”

  “Oh, that reminds me – I haven’t collected the blackberries for the fairy-fruit four-layer cupcakes yet!” Blossom grabbed a large purple-straw basket from a rose-thorn hook on the wall, then untied her apron and popped it on the hook. “I’d better go now – there won’t be any time later. I’ll come with you!”

  Outside was just as frantic as inside the bakery. Along the fairy skyway – leafy bridges high above the forest floor – hundreds of pointy-eared forest fairies rushed around, many of them carrying baskets or sacks slung over their shoulders. It seemed as if the entire forest was preparing for the fête the next day.

  Pretty pink hummingbirds busily hung up leaf bunting with their beaks along the sparkling railings of the skyway. Jewel moths zoomed about carrying web-silk, and ants scuttled back and forth with fête lanterns on their back. Blossom and Pip were so busy taking everything in, their mouths open in awe, that at first they didn’t hear Primrose – not until the fairy princess tapped on their shoulders.

  “Blossom, Pip! I thought it was you,” said Primrose as the two fairies swung round. The princess’s arms were full of beautifully wrapped presents. “I’m just on my way to drop off these raffle prizes! What are you up to?”

  Blossom held up her basket. “I need to collect blackberries for some of my cakes,” she said.

  “And I’m going to pick up my fancy-dress outfit from the tailor’s,” Pip said in her small voice. “I can’t wait for you to see it!”

  “Neither can I,” said Primrose, beaming. “And I can’t wait to see your stall, Blossom – I’m going to make sure I’m hungry so I can try as many treats as possible! Everyone at the Tree Palace has been talking about your cakes. They’re longing to taste them! How is the baking going? You must have so much to do.”

  Blossom nodded. “But it’s all under control!” she said. “I have lots to do today, but that’s always the way with baking – if I want the cakes to be their freshest, most thi
ngs have to be prepared at the last minute!”

  “I should let you go, then,” said Primrose. “Good luck with everything!” The fairy princess fluttered away, weighed down with the raffle prizes.

  “I’ll leave you here, too, Blossom,” said Pip. “I must hurry to Starlight-Starbright tailor’s.”

  Blossom clapped a hand to her forehead, her cheeks turning pink. “Oh, that reminds me! The stars – I’ve forgotten those too!”

  Pip frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I need to get star sprinkles for the glow-beam sandwich cake. Oh, I’m so glad you mentioned stars, Pip. I’ll pick some up on the way back.”

  “I’m glad I helped! See you later, then, Blossom,” called Pip in her small voice. The tiny fairy whizzed off in the opposite direction.

  Blossom hurried along the fairy skyway, her mind on all the different cakes she had to finish. She almost didn’t see her candy-pink tree squirrel friend, Sycamore, coming the other way. He carried so many nuts in his arms, his tufted head was barely visible above them.

  “Oh, hello, Blossom,” Sycamore said in his deep voice. “I’m afraid I can’t stop – I’ve got to hide all these nuts for the Find the Nut game before sunset!”

  That sounds like fun, thought Blossom. But her excitement quickly changed to a wave of panic. Sycamore had reminded her that she still needed to get walnuts for her honey and walnut tart. It’s OK, she told herself. I can gather some when I pick the blackberries – as long as the squirrels haven’t hidden them all!

  “Good luck!” she called to Sycamore as he rushed past, his pink fluffy tail bobbing up and down.

  Sycamore looked back over his shoulder at Blossom. “And good luck to you too – I can’t wait to taste your cakes tomorrow!”

  Blossom continued on her way, repeating over and over to herself everything she had to get while she was out. There was no time to forget anything! Blackberries, star sprinkles, walnuts… Blackberries, star sprinkles, walnuts… And she’d left the ruby-jam tarts baking in the oven. She’d better be quick!

  Blossom fell into the bakery doorway, exhausted. She carried a basket full of blackberries on one arm, a sack of walnuts slung over her shoulder, a pouch of shimmering star sprinkles in her left hand and a bunch of moth-silk in her right. The silk was another thing that had slipped her mind – as she’d left the blackberry bushes she’d bumped into another tree squirrel, Conker. He’d been busily plaiting the tug-of-war rope, which was made of a thousand moth-silk threads. She’d almost forgotten that she needed silk to tie up her cake boxes! Luckily, Conker had lots to spare, and he’d happily given her a few threads in exchange for a box of ruby-jam tarts at the fête tomorrow. Blossom knew they were his favourite!

  Blossom dropped the bags of ingredients on the white-tiled bakery floor. She sat down for a moment to catch her breath, and felt her pale green wings droop with tiredness. She closed her eyes for a second, but then flashed them open, annoyed with herself. With so much to finish, there was no time to rest right now. She could do that tomorrow!

  What first? she wondered, looking around. Her gaze fell on the oven – the ruby-jam tarts! Blossom jumped up and fluttered over to the oven, grabbing one of the oven mitts and yanking it open. No burning smell – thank fairyness! But when she pulled out the tray of tarts, she could see there was a different problem – the tarts had barely cooked at all!

  Blossom looked at the bowl of fairy-dust, which she used specially to keep the oven hot. She’d forgotten to add more dust when she’d put the tarts in. She dipped her hand into the bowl, grabbed a large handful of dust and scattered it into the oven, her arms bristling with warmth as she felt the temperature increase straight away. Blossom pushed down the rising panic in her stomach and popped the tarts back in. It’s going to be OK, she told herself.

  On the counter, the mixture for the starberry muffins was laid out. Next to it stood the double-layer sunshine cake. It would be cool enough to ice with the edible jewels now. A large yellow bowl held the mixture for the glow-beam cake – that needed to be stirred, then poured into two tins ready to go in the oven. She also had to make a start on the fairy-fruit four-layer cupcakes. Her mind buzzed with all she still had to do – thinking about everything, it did seem like an awful lot of work! How had she left it all until now?

  Blossom shook herself. There’s no point in worrying about it, she thought, determined to stay positive. I’ll just have to work through the night if I have to!

  She set to work on the fairy-fruit cupcakes, pouring the fruits into four separate mixing bowls and adding some fairy flour and jewel-bee honey to each one. Making the mixture calmed her down – baking always did – and she hummed the sacred forest song as she worked.

  Once she’d poured each fruit layer into the dainty orange-blossom cases, she took the ruby-jam tarts out of the oven. They were now crisp and golden, with the glittering ruby-jam bubbling in the centre of each one. Perfect! Blossom flew over to the window sill to check her plans in the scrapbook. It was dusk already so she had to light her firefly lanterns as she flicked through the pages. She turned to the one that showed the design for the moonbutter cakes – that’s what she’d do next. They needed extra time to set once they’d been decorated with the butter icing.

  Blossom fluttered her wings at double speed, flying back to the counter and pouring ingredients into another mixing bowl. She stirred it with a large willow-wand spoon, her arms aching as she whisked the thick batter.

  Ping! went the silver-bell oven timer, telling Blossom the fairy-fruit cupcakes were ready. She opened the door once more and the delicious fruity aromas immediately filled the bakery. She set down the cupcakes, which had risen perfectly, and tested one by cutting it in half.

  “Gorgeous, if I do say so myself,” Blossom declared. Each layer was a different colour. A purple blackberry layer was at the bottom, and above that a green apple layer. Next was a pink strawberry layer, and on top was a yellow lemon layer. She couldn’t wait for the forest fairies to try these – it was a brand new recipe! She popped one of the halves in her mouth and grinned. The fruity sponges melted on her tongue, and the flavour changed with every bite.

  “OK, back to work!” Blossom told herself. She flew over to the moonbutter batter – it needed just a little more stirring before she could pour it into the cake tins. To give her feet a rest, she sat back on a tall kitchen toadstool as she worked. Once the moonbutter cakes were in the oven, she could start icing the sunshine cake. But as the forest fairy thought of all the things she had to do, her eyelids began to close. Her arm stopped mixing and her head sagged down, until all that could be heard were her gentle snores as she fell asleep in the light, buttery batter.

  Catkin flew along the fairy skyway, her crimson wings and curly red hair shimmering in the pink sunlight. It was her favourite time of night, when dusk fell on the forest, and everything seemed even more magical than ever. Catkin was on her way to Goldie’s Groceries to fetch more firelight candles for the fête – she was on the organizing committee, and in charge of lots of things, including the lighting. She’d already bought hundreds of candles, but it wasn’t quite enough! Goldie had promised to keep some reserved, just in case she needed more. Catkin just hoped the shop was still open!

  As she fluttered along in the warm evening air, Catkin checked off her list of things for the fête.

  Prepare the raffle tickets.

  Organize the extra-special raffle prize.

  Check the woodland decorations.

  Collect the bellflower microphone from Toadstool Town Hall.

  Organize the tug-of-war teams.

  There was a lot to do, Catkin realized, but she didn’t mind. Having a late night to get everything properly prepared was worth it, to make sure the fête was spectacular!

  As she approached Blossom’s bakery, she noticed the lanterns were all still on. Blossom must be working late too, finishing all the
cakes for her stall, thought Catkin. It was always one of the most popular attractions at the fête. I wonder if she’s made any starberry muffins this year? She hoped so – they were her favourite.

  Catkin reached the bakery, looked through the window and gasped. She had expected Blossom to be whizzing around the bakery as usual, but instead she was fast asleep on the counter, her blonde head lying in a puddle of batter! Catkin pressed her nose up to the glass and saw that every single surface was covered in half-finished cakes. Poor Blossom, she thought. She must have been working so hard she’s tired herself out.

  Catkin moved towards the closed door and reached out to open it when she stopped herself. If Blossom was this exhausted, she most definitely needed to sleep. Rather than go inside and wake her friend, was there another way to fix this problem and help Blossom?

  Catkin sat down cross-legged on the sparkling fairy skyway. The gems dotted over the bridge glistened in the moonlight. Pip didn’t live very far away, in a tree house in the opal-oak tree. Catkin leapt up and began fluttering her crimson wings towards Pip’s home. She hoped her friend would be able to help.

  Moments later, Catkin was knocking on the little arched door of Pip’s tree house. Because Pip was so small, everything about her tree house was tiny too! “Pip, are you awake?” she whispered.

  Pip opened the door with a mug of emerald-nut tea in her hand. “Hello, Catkin, is everything all right?” Her pretty face creased with concern when she saw the serious look in Catkin’s eyes.

  “I’m sorry to come over after nightfall, but there’s a bit of an emergency!” said Catkin.

  “That’s OK!” Pip replied. “I was up anyway, putting the finishing touches to my fancy-dress outfit.”