The Tradition, The Dance, The Celebration

A special world wide celebration known as the Winter Solstice is observed for the shortest day of the year occurs on Sunday, December 21, 2014 at approximately 4:30 pm (MDT) or 11:30 pm (UTC) but this is the time that Inuvik, NT (Northwest Territories), Canada marks this date.

But Inuvik does not really pay homage for the Winter Solstice as it has been in complete darkness since December 6th and the sun will not appear again until January 6, 2015 and even on this date it will be just a sliver above the horizon and only for less than an hour. This is when Inuvik celebrates the shortest day of the year. With a massive bonfire lit, dressed in their parkas and fur and standing on the permafrost, the people watch as the skies are once again filled with light.

Situated just above the 68 parallel which is 2 degrees above the Arctic Circle, Inuvik is approximately 100 km (120 miles) from the Beaufort Sea and then another 100 km (120 miles) to reach the Arctic Ocean but these bodies of water can only when travelling on the ice road during the darkest days and nights of the year (or of course through air travel).

There is a long standing tradition from the Inuit people that whistling to the Aurora Boreralis (Northern Lights) is when you can make them dance and come closer to the ground. Mind you, there are many beliefs that the lights are actually walrus' playing soccer with a human head and then all the way to the ghosts of the dead reaching down to take small children away. Which is the truth, only the one with story from their ancestors and then passed onto down to the next generation knows the truth.

So even though the Winter Solstice has passed, Inuvik will continue to stay in the dark for another few weeks but still the days are getting longer and the dark skies are slowly fading away to make room for the sun.

p.s. ~ I lived in Inuvik for just under 7 years and I have on many nights spent time outside in the -30 (-22F) to -40C (-40F) whistling to the lights and watching them dance.

Finally..well kinda finally

I will admit that it has taken me almost 2 months (bad on me) to post the remaining 4 faeries from the Northern Line.

Now granted, I could make a thousand and one excuses...but technically...I really should have done this a wee bit a go but just haven't (bad on me again).

Right now they can be viewed on the website but they are not listed or linked to one of our e-commerce pages but hey, they are up for viewing.

Oooooohhhh but before I forget (and this one isn't a bad on me)....I have taken all NEW photos of The Northern Line Faeries....perhaps that is one of the reasons it has taken me this long for them to be  displayed.

Now, the next step...well, after I have these faeries listed/linked...next will come posting The Calendar Line.

You would think that with the craft fairs, the Christmas rush (guaranteed mailing dates) and well just most (some) of the general stuff being over for the year that I would be way more organized. But I am proud to admit...there are still 5 boxes that need to be dismantled from the craft fairs, all accounting (I haven't even found my sales book yet), posting of new faeries and the whole just keeping up with all of my sites (blog, website, e-commerce pages, Facebook etc.) I am pooped!

This is when I start to think that it is time that my wee faeries come out of hibernation and help me out...but everything that I have done so far has been unsuccessful. I have made tea (the really pretty pink coloured kind), sugar cookies (with extra icing), ringing sweet sounding jingle bells (even my ears are starting to pound), purposely leaving beads laying around the nursery (and yes, I have almost fallen on my keister once or twice), unlocking the cabinet that holds all of the wee jars of faerie dust (man, I know that I am just asking for trouble now)...and well....not too sure what there is left for me to do....any suggestions?

Well off I go to do something...not sure what this something will be...but I'm sure I will end up doing some of it anyways.

Bikini Envy

So many things to say....

We have been enjoying a balmy -30.5C (-22.9F). Instead of their usual hibernation at this time of year...it seems that the faeries have decided to unpack their bikinis. I even saw one trying to pull an umbrella out? Unless they plan on bringing...I don't know, what is the alternative to sunscreen when dealing with the freezing cold? Hot packs? Wooly underwear? Heated socks? Mittens? Parka? Boots? Unless they plan on wearing their bikinis over top of their winter wear...I think they are best off just going back for a nap...but that is just my opinion.

Have you been missing too?

This has been one crazy month. Now you have to understand, this wee Faerie, well she doesn't usually get toooooo worked up over a bit of sporadic nuttiness (now, did you catch that...it's almost into December, the month of when 'nuts' (okay fine, Nut - 1. a a fruit consisting of a hard or tough shell around an edible kernel. * the hard kernel of a nut. courtesy of my iMac Dictionary) get to be in the forefront and be honoured to be within the same candy dish with some of the more traditional types of snacky things that are put out for guests, mind you, that isn't quite true in this household (being vegetarian and everything)...so for those of us that this above 'nutty' commentary doesn't apply to....well, then shall we all continue on with the whole crazy month topic. (ps, has anyone but myself notice how easy it is for me to go off topic. It's like it's a natural type of phenomenal event {okay...it isn't quite a phenomenal event as it isn't just a one time type of event} that I find myself trying to explain myself to you....[okay....I'm trying to make sense of the whole thing myself and then trying to describe what I'm trying to say])....Wowzers (is that even a word...back to the iMac Dictionary....hmmmm this is what I found...hmmm there is just WAY to much for me to type out...so here is a screen shot....{ohhhh something technical...hold onto your hats here...you never now what I blow up this time. {yes, unfortunately there have been numerous times, well that even my son ((who is the Mac guru)) hasn't even been able to help me}...so, according to my iMac Dictionary, I will have to say that sadly 'Wowzers' is not a word...sigh.

Now were was I...(thank goodness I had an interruption otherwise I think I would have almost gone the record {well a record to me}...[hmmm wonder if I should go back on my blogs to find out]...do I have time to do that today??. Okay, so let's say it was a new record (although I highly doubt it), mind you, it just might be a new record??

Okay...I can do this...I can keep on topic...honestly I can (does anyone need the definition of the word 'honestly' as I can get it for you real quickly as I have a tendency to keep up my iMac Dictionary at all times just to get me through writing blogs...it's just a thing I do...{you know...to make it look like I speaks real good English}...man would my teacher's been real upset with me for that comment lol [please, all of my teachers please do not take offence to this previous comment...I just love to use bigger words, words that perhaps could be classified as my word-of-the-day], ((okay, fine...this/these words cannot be considered my word-of-the-day as thankfully, I don't punish you with blogs everyday of the week)) {{mind you, I don't know exactly if it would be a punishment for you more than it would be for me}} [[honestly here, how many new words can a person take in a day]]).

Okay...I'm trying so hard to show you what all I have managed to do so far in this blog....I have managed to use (in the same sentence!! {yes, in the same sentence} [wonder if I could classify this as a phenomenal event??])...I have been able to use all of my brackets....like all of them....in possibly the correct order (mind you, probably in the correct instances) {hey, don't be so critical there....} [I know it's you...you who is by now laughing or could that be crying??]. I have used...

You know the references of Dictionary 'bracket' noun 1. each of a pair of marks [] used to enclose words or figures so as to separate them from the context....Thesaurus 'bracket' noun 2. put the words in brackets: Parenthesis, square bracket... (again, thank you so much iMac Dictionary/Thesaurus).

Okay. how come the sizing of these screen shots ended up to be display in different sizes? Weird, and I mean weird in this instance! Oh well, we will just have to work with it the way it is. I am sooooo impressed with me...I am. (ps....Blogger isn't too happy with me using the word 'sooooo' either...it seems like it likes to auto-correct it to 'sooner'...too bad it 'sooner' just wouldn't fit into the conversation so I didn't upset my whole auto-corrector. Hmmmmph....lol that turned into hmm mph (miles per hour??).

So after the whole explanation of the 'bracket' theme, yes, this has been a very 'crazy' past few weeks. But in order to not upset the applecart (so to speak {please do not make me look up that groupiing words either}, I could you know...yuppers I could [I wonder when the word yuppers will be appointed a place into the dictionary...we all ((well, I do))).

I just LOVE craziness unless it is outside the realm of the Fae (well some of it had to do with the craft fair so, technically) {oh, and I did do some shopping for the nursery as well} really throws me for a loop.

So to recap....my month was insanely busy, I do not like the craziness of such insanely business, I love using brackets in my writing, I love doing screen shots to visibly display my definitions, and I love to shop. Oh, and how could I forget the whole 'nut' thing.

Hmmmmm, wonder what will happen between now and my next blog. I can't wait to see (well, in your case...read) find out.

p.s. Bet you didn't know that I copy and paste these whole write-ups as I go along as wouldn't it be absolutely a catastrophic event that I lose my train-of-thought and have to start all over from the beginning.

Ewwwwww?

So okay, I have been awfully quiet these past few days, okay fine, the past couple of weeks?

Ooooopppps...off topic...did you see that insane graphic quote I posted today? Not only was the topic quite gross...but the colour of the background...was that not the LOUDEST colour scheme you have EVER seen!!

For those of you that do follow our Facebook page and for those of you that don't (sure would be nice if you dropped on by...was that a please...perhaps it was), I had noted that hubby and I did an impromptu holiday for about a week.

Oh course, this leaving all of a sudden sure does put a monkey wrench into trying to keep my wee company on the 'map of the internet'.

As soon as I got home (okay, yes, that was a definitely exaggeration of my timeline...but I'm a faerie...so all aspects of time (to you anyways) is certainly not on my schedule) I hurriedly tried to get posted on here, Facebook /// Facebook pages (yes, that was a plural for pages...), Pinterest and Flickr (man, that sure is spreading the 'word'....did you get that one? I really meant 'quote', maybe a 'graphic').

As noted in many posts, I do not add any 'Thought of the Day' messages over the weekend...this allowed me time to unpack all of the new goodies for the nursery (and, ummmm, as normal...there are still plenty of bags still on the worktable calling to me...as I write this blog posting...shush now....all of you!!).

So, I am once again starting to feel under the gun here on trying to get myself ready...yes, it is the time of craft fairs, getting ready for the gift giving season, the time of 'the rush'. As with EVERY year, you promise yourself that THIS will be the year that you are ready!!

Here are a few of the things to do...a few of the reasons why these 'said' things have not been done...

Jewellery....I had over the summer purchased a few (okay, does about a hundred still classify as a few??) of those floating memory lockets. I have now filled them all with the shiny wee faceted gemstones and they are now in their pretty white/sheer organza bags (these ones have pretty silvery butterflies on them...nice!!). I am now waiting impatiently for the fuzzy black felted display cases that have all of those wee square compartments for the speciality charms that you can put into the lockets. Next, I still need to make another one of those flowered display chalkboards that will list the prices.

Faerie Dolls....yes, these are not my Faeries that I make but ones that I had purchased really early on in the year. They have pretty coloured blue, purple, green and yellow hair along with matching wings. They all have wee dresses on them as well...they really are quite adorable. I have attached one of the faerie necklaces that I had made, oh probably for the Trade Show that was in April. They too have been placed into pretty organza bags...these ones are almost a shade of sea green...please do not ask me what this colour really looks like...I just know that it is pretty. These also need a flowered display chalkboard price sign made up.

Faeries...yes, these are the ones that I make....I have enough the Northern Line ready to go....now here is the hiccup...the New Line (if you remembered, the wire was just a bit toooooo off on the size that I required (insert here...I really wished that they would regulate an actual sizing chart) to make them. My goal is still to have at least 5 of each ready to go. That entails layering all of the flower petals, making the heads (with hair), having the wee stands numbered and painted (remember, the nursery uses only environmentally safe products) and there are probably tons of things that I need to do in the hopes that the replacement wire gets here in time.

Now, here is the problem....I have to go out of town again this weekend onto late next week....and you ask what is the problem with that....well....the biggest of our two craft fairs happens on Saturday, November 22! Yes, sure...I can get all of this done prior to leaving! Sure I can...yuppers!!

The Thoughts and The Photos

For the week of October 27 -31, 2014

Authors this week include:

Lois Lowry, J. Maarten Froost, Jostein Gaarder, John Flanagan and Luna Lindsay.

The topics this week were all about how fairy tales will hold us all together no matter what life throws at us.

The full explanation about how a plane really stays afloat in the great sea of the clouds (and I always believed that aerodynamics had absolutely no place in this), how some people really try to debunk the fact that fairy tales are real, the truth of what defines a sword and finally a whole conversation about the more predominately known 6 courts of Fae (yes there was a graphic but then a full blog posting!!).

The week started with how the world itself can destroy itself (hmmm wonder if that word really words both ways?) but the truth about faeries tales will always remain the same.

I love the description of air travel. I know that ever since I was little and as we all did/do ask but how does the plane stay up in the sky (p.s. I still ask this question as I have NEVER been satisfied on the answer that I have been given). I truly believe that I know exactly how the magic works.

As I do not live in the world of 'truth', or at least the truth that is widely accepted and even acknowledged world wide...but I live in one that embraces wonderment, magic, fairy dust, shiny things, rocks (you always have to have rocks), and really just the whole enchantment that I choose to surround myself in. It really doesn't matter what other people think or for that matter, what they say. Once you can get yourself above all of that nonsense, life becomes a much happier place. A place that sometimes stays aloof and for many they never find that silly way for the rest of their lives. This life, this lifestyle, the need to question is one that people forget once they lose their childhood. One that when they believed in the magic of the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus and even the Easter Bunny. One that people strive to once again accept that life doesn't have to be this mechanical, law abiding (okay, well there are still some 'rules' that you have to keep applied to life), boring and disappointing....it doesn't take much to turn it off, to let your feelings replace that 'chip on your shoulder' and that staunch feeling in your belly that you must confirm to the rest of the worlds viewpoint. Who wants to live that way anyways?

The sword and the fairy wand reminds me of the laughter of seeing children playing, those that want/desire to be the hero and those that want to be locked away and rescued. Now, these roles are definitely not defined by gender even though throughout the evolution of life, these roles really have been predestined and even fated for young boys and girls. Is it possible that those that change this viewpoint are they the ones that continue to see the beautiful and sparkly side of life? If they are, I sure hope that their journey is never interrupted by the standards of others. And who knows perhaps swords really are fairy wands.

And as above, this weeks final quote and graphic...I really did go into great explanation of the different types of courts... lol

The Photo

What a wonderful time of year. The end of the harvest season. The time of celebration and the time of argh....the winter and snow is coming.

The wee birds have been busy feasting away on pre-purchased black oiled sunflower seeds and then the natural ones that have been dried from last seasons crop. I just love how a picked over sunflower looks just like a honey comb. It is quite funny how during the summer there is no one to be seen. We fill the bird feeders possibly once a month and yet now they are pretty well empty once a week. Having a natural treed lot (yes, even in a residential area) allows all types of birds to eat, groom and well just sing along in a protected and safe area.

The amazement of a day that has been ceremonially celebration from the very early of times, through to the abduction of symbolism and ritual practices through the power of religion (this is not an attack on the church, no matter what nature of belief that anyone holds dearly), to the adaptation of today's Mardi Gras, Trick and Treating, costumes and lively get-togethers. How time sure does go around and around. Perhaps not in the exact way but through the natural repetition and regurgitation of history.

And our final note for this week is the reminder that 'The Thought' will be back here on Monday, November 10...even wee faeries need some down time as well.

When the Future Becomes the Past

Today is when this moment of the future stands still to become the past.

Today is when even countries become divided within themselves.

Today is when the world goes from up to down.

Today is when yesterday becomes the new now.

Today is when the bottom and the top work side by side.

Today is when the sun shines for one more working hour.

Today is the when the seasons welcome the next.

Today is when autumn wards off winter.

Today is when spring lets the summer come earlier (antithetical of today).

Today is when the hands of a clock are dictated by the spinning of a globe.

This day (or to be exact, within a week or so) is unique, well, twice a year it is unique. Today is known as Daylight Saving Time. This is when time falls back and subsequently when time springs forward late March (or to be exact, within a week or so).

This time change is known as Daylight Saving Time. Working hand in hand with both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres of the world, today exchanges one full hour into either the past or the future.

Known as the way to make better use of the natural daylight by setting your clocks back by one hour in the fall and by setting your clocks forward by one hour in the spring. Please note that it does not actually ADD an hour of daylight to the day but it gives a more usable hour of daylight. Thusly the saying of 'spring ahead and fall back'.

Daylight Saving Time originated in Germany, well, Germany was first to implement this unparalleled change to time. It was actually first proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784 but it wasn't until George Vernon Hudson from New Zealand in the year 1895 when today's modern Daylight Saving Time become the norm. It took another 21 years for the first country to implement this amazing shift of time. On April 30, 1916 the hands of a clock was set forward at 11:00 pm (23:00).

The one hour time change was never set in stone throughout the ages. There has been a full gamut of documented shift changes from 20 minutes all the way up to 2 hours.

Those countries that participate in this remarkable phenomenal jump can be divided by the strangest standards. Even different sections of these countries do not recognize this change of time.
In Australia, Canada and the United States, uses a different name for these special hours in today's society. The DST - Daylight Saving Time is ofter referred to Savings with an 's'. It is perceived that this extra 's' became the norm as it is a common expression in our vocabulary, for example - a savings account. In the United Kingdom these hours are commonly referred to BST, British Summer Time, or 'Summer Time'. They term Winter Time, is used for standard time, or the time without DST. The term Summer Time can even be seen in various bills and Acts, including 'Summer Time Act of 1916, the Summer Time Act of 1925 and the Summer Time Act of 1972.

There are approximately 70 countries that utilize Daylight Saving Time. Japan, India and China of the major industrialized countries do not observe some form of the DST. In China itself, they had in place a single time zone until 1980, when they adopted DST during the years of 1986 to 1991. They once again returned to the single time zone that is used today. 'Sommerzeit' is the term used for 'Summer Time' in Germany. April 1916, the German Federal Council decreed the DST be instituted as a wartime measure.

The countries nearest to the equator or tropical countries do not generally exercise this change of time. Since the hours of actual sunlight cannot be observed to change dramatically between seasons there is really no advantage to moving the hands of a clock.

The use of DST can be dissolved even within a country itself. In Canada for example, the province of Saskatchewan established The Time Act of 1966. Even though this province is located within the Mountain Standard Time (MST) that runs between the prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan to Manitoba. Previously the question of 'time' was the responsibility of each municipality under the Cities Act and the Towns Act of the day. This new Time Act of 1966 brought together all of the uses of MST, CST and DST into one time. The time of Central Standard Time which does not recognize any changes of time itself. Now if you were to look to the province of Manitoba, even though it is within the Central Time Zone, it acknowledges the use of CST and CDT, Central Standard Time and Central Daylight Time.

When looking at an actual chart from all of the countries world wide, some do not only observe DST but they have adopted different dates, even months of when these changes take place. Making DST a unique change of time worldwide.

So if you live in a country, a state, a province that uses the time unit of Daylight Saving Time...I hope you celebrate that one full extra hour of useable sunlight, even if it is that nice feeling of being able to snooze in bed before your alarm goes off when you have to start your day.

As the Night Takes Over

A bit of history for night of October 31st.

A bit of history...The Spelling...Halloween; Hallow's Eve; Hallowe'en; All Hallows; All Hallows Eve; All Hallows Even; Hallowed Evening...

A bit of history...The Name....All Saints' Day (derived from the Catholic Church); All Soul's Day (again derived from the Catholic Church); Samhain (derived from the Celtic Islands); The Festival of the Dead (derived from the Celtic tribes); The Feast of Samhain (derived from the celebrations of witches); All Hallows (derived from the Catholic to honour all the saints); All Hallows Even (derived from the Irish Catholic peasants)....

A bit of history...The Samhain (pronounced say-wen).... comes from the Irish Gaelic word samhuinn, meaning 'summer's end' and was recognized as the biggest and most significant holiday of the Celtic year.

A bit of history....The Hallowed.....sanctified or holy.

A bit of history...The 'All Hallows'.....in Ireland was a time for fairies to dance.

A bit of history....The Otherworld....was the time of the end of the harvest, the summer's end, the time with the veil to the 'otherworld' is at its thinest allowing fairies, banshees, puka and other spirits to roam freely upon the earth.

A bit of history...The Mumming.....stemmed from the dressing up to represent demons and dreadful creatures as if the souls of the dead. These creatures would then roam around and perform antics in order to offered food and drink.

A bit of history...The Costume.....can be traced back to this mumming ritual which is still celebrated world wide by the Druids. The dress of the demons are now represented through costumes such as witches, ghosts and skeletons.

A bit of history...The Bonfire....was named after the sacrifices of animal and humans and the ashes and bones could be found once the fire died down, hence the reference from the name 'bone fires' or the 'fire of the bones'. This is now where people wear costumes, ugly masks and disguises in order to confuse and ward off evil spirits.

A bit of history....The Hawthorn or Whitethorn bush....were the favourited place to set out offerings in an attempt to appease bad spirits and fairies.

A bit of history...The Mardi Gras....is the adults version of today's Halloween celebration that is practiced by children. This day involves magnificent masquerade balls.

A bit of history....The Dead...the celebration of the Day of the Dead by the Celts.

A bit of history....The Druid...the wearing of costumes that would keep these people safe from the spirits.

A bit of history...The Jack-o'-Lantern....become a pumpkin in the late 1800's when it was originally a turnip that had been made into lamps. These lamps were placed in windows to help guide the spirits along their journeys. The carving of scary faces on turnips and placing them near the entry of the home was again a way to ward off evil spirits.

A bit of history...The Embers....these were the embers that were carried home from the great bonfire, usually in a carved out turnip that wore a face in order to scare away evil sprites, to which they were to relight the hearth fire for good luck.

A bit of history...The Ashes....from the bonfires were spread across the fields to protect them against the spirits who would cause the next season's crops to fail.

A bit of history...The Offerings....were actually food, drinks or even gifts that were placed out a part of the ritual to remember and honour the dead. Today, these offerings are the candy that is handed out.

A bit of history....The Centrepiece....here fruit, apples and nuts are set out as a representation of the end of the harvest.

So between the myths, the legends, the practices, the meanings, the spellings, the 'bits of history'.... the celebration from the past through to today....

But in my wee world....my mew mew, Lady Isabella has her own way to celebrate posing with the candles that are left out in the window (and yes, these are the lighted candles and the wax burning ones...but can you see in the candles...that even today...the ghost, the ghouls, the fairies, the souls of the dead still rise to roam free for the evening. May they pass by to ward off the evil spirits.

The Perfect Day

I'm not sure if it is by complete coincidence of the true nature and meaning behind the lore of Fae, behind the traditions of today and the weekend of a new time. What an amazing day, what an amazing weekend, this is!!

Shall we start at the beginning....

As in today's 'Thought of the Day' graphic, evil, well no, that's not quite correct in the definition...I bare with me..I'm getting to it). The Seelie Court has just a bit of evil to it, and I guess you could say that the Unseelie Court has just a bit more evil, possibly a whole lot more than just a bit, evil attached to this group (oh come on now...you know that this 'just a bit' of evil in no way, shape or form truly describes this court).

History....now, please do forgive me, as this information is pulled from so many sources, that I can't really quote any one of them as I have jumbled all of the words into my own interpretation....as always..sigh...so, please do not bother scrolling down to the bottom as there are no footnotes included....

Let's try to explain a few things....

There are possibly 6, but knowing faeries, there will technically be an inexhaustible limit to the courts within the realms of fae but there are 6 that seem to have withstood the test of time and are still quite known today. This part I have found to be a little bit strange to me, as the information that I was able to garner really only spoke of 4 major courts...but who am I to say anything, particularly anything that I really know nothing about!!

Onto the definitions...I know get on with it already...there are still 2 other topics on today's agenda to talk about....

Fae Courts....

The Seelie Courts:

Summer - these faeries are possibly the nicest of all, well to your face that is as they can be or probably more so a bit on the fiery side. Fiery side? Well, you know how the sun during this time is at its brightest, the warmest, the ice tea (for those of you that prefer something a bit stronger, I will add in coolers and even though it is not my cup of tea (ha, ha, ha) a bottle of beer being cracked open that can be heard throughout the land), the time for barbecues, lounging around by the pool/ocean/water in general, the time of the full blooming for the flowers...Okay you get the drift...this particular court is the epitome of summer, but just as some days can be soooo friggin' (sorry for swearing but that is the best definition) hot and unbearable...so can be the faeries. I'm not sure if the heat is what gets to them but remember that fiery side I mentioned earlier....well so can their tempers be, hence the LESS evil of the groups.

Spring - okay, so I'm doing these out of order...just note that I can do this as it is me telling the story here...so there! This court of course represents the spring season...dah, bet you didn't figure that out on your own now did ya'. This court can be called the calmest of them all. It is not too hot or not too cold for that matter...it is just right, (not trying to make any reference at all to the story of 'Goldilocks and the Three Little Bears') but hey, if it helps with the analogy of this paragraph than so be it. Everything is just right, literally, the porridge, the chair and the finally the bed. Think that should pretty well sum up this court!

The next Court is The Unseelie (and I suppose you already have figured out who these guys are)!! (smarty pants...no-one likes a know-it-all):

Autumn - the time of change, the time of death, the time of dancing around the campfire. These are the worker bees of the hive. They are the collectors of the honey, okay enough with the references to outside stories or behaviours. Sitting back on the rocking chair, smoking that long pipe, listening to the fiddle music (not my personal favourite type of music, but I degress again), thanking the 'gods' above that the pesky little ones are finally going back to school, watching the sun sink below the horizon with its fantastic orange colours, oh and how could I forget....doing the cannonball jumps in the raked up leaf pile. There is no tea on the menu tonight but more the warmed hot buttered rum apple cider (spiked with a bit of rum, okay, perhaps more like a 75/25 split, yes that being the rum at the 75 percentage as who wants just an apple flavouring in the mug...mind you...I might like mine without the rum part but with the 75% being the hot buttered flavouring), I know in the latter part of this season you can purchase eggnog (but then again, when did it become the norm to have Christmas trees and potential gifts all ready in the isles at shopping malls), mulled wine with cranberries..(yummy) and even hot chocolate with those wee marshmallows that float on top from the package (I've heard but don't quote me on this...they really aren't marshmallows..but who really wants to know this fact/fiction). So to sum this court up, they are the wild bunch that really is calmest of the all!

Winter: the time of freezing your butt off, getting your tongue stuck on that metal light post, snow ball fights, the building of igloos, the....oh wait, this is the human race I'm talking about now! Besides it being to darn (did you all see that...I substituted the word darn instead of the harsher word, the not so polite, the word you wouldn't say in front of your Granny...damn...of crap...there I typed it out anyways)...I know, me bad...the faeries made me do it...seeeee...just like I mentioned above the MORE, possibly EVEN MORE evilest of the courts. 'nough about this group as I think you can probable fill in the blanks after the words 'more, possibly even more evilest' of the courts....

So here, it the graphic....


p.s. I ran out of room on this blog posting so you will just have to wait for the next topic being typed out a bit later on in the day...now don't get your panties tied in a knot....I promise to be back later (yes, I know...promises, promises!!).

p.s.s. Yes, this is the same graphic that I will be putting up on the 'Thought of the Day' tab, so don't feel obligated to changing pages, as I would hate to make you work any harder today than necessary.

p.s.s.s See I told you there would be no quotational footnotes!! SEE!!

The Release?

As I have had not much umph for creating over this past summer and I have sooo many interesting creations, different designs and even a full new line of faeries...I promise that they will slowly start to be released over the next few weeks.

Now, I do know that I have missed my prime goal of having these wee ones ready for the holiday gift giving season but you know what, faeries are faeries, they don't conform to what we humans call a calendar. They just are! Faeries are like mysterious critters that just show up. They don't have a need for a time schedule! Now I am sure that some faeries are very notorious and very precise in their ways that really do need some type of a watch but I am sure that it doesn't resemble anything like what we humans use. This in itself is what makes faeries still an enigma. They have their world, one that when they want to, they share with us. Perhaps only through misty apparitions. Perhaps through sleepy dreams. Perhaps through a sentence that came out not at all how it should have. Perhaps by stealing away 'time' in your busy day by not letting you focus on anything.

So with that all said....this first limited Holiday Edition 2014 - Candy Cane is ready to finally be shown. She has been playing here in the nursery for a few weeks already but she has her own timetable, one that even I cannot mess with. Faeries are Faeries!

Introducing Candy Cane...

The Thoughts and The Photos

For the week of October 20-24, 2014

Authors this week include:
Eloisa James, Audrey Hepburn, Nick Harkaway, Charliane Harris and P.J. Roscoe

Topics were for the most part very humorous, well except for today's posting...it was a nice one to end the week off on. We go all the way from gingerbread to fairy tales to ninjas, disposing of human all the way to remembering wonder.

I did have a good chuckle while posting these silly ones this week. Some days it is just nice to stop thinking of all of the busy things that are happening around us as every moment of everyday. It is hard to just stop. To close off your mind. To close off electronics..okay, but do this one after you have read this blog posting...please. To close off your worries. Perhaps we all just need that gentle reminder that it is okay to laugh. This laugh doesn't have to be in your 'outside' voice. This laugh can be done as simply as a smile. But truth be known, a smile goes a lot farther than a laugh. A smile is contagious (well so can a laugh be if you have one of this absolutely from the belly types), long lasting, something that can be shared with friends and strangers. So go ahead...smile as some of these 'Thoughts'....share a part of you that everyone can relate to.

I think the one that stands out the most is the quote for Audrey Hepburn. When you think of an iconic figure, and by all means they do not have to be in the acting profession, I am always amazed and humbled when you realize they are people too. People like you and I. People that still do the same similar things that I do in a day. People who have feelings, inner turmoil, friends, family, recognition for a job well done and of the course the most important one of them all...they just need to be loved. This need is ground into our minds, our hearts, our souls. What would we be without it? What would you be without the need to be loved?

'The Photo'

The nursery has been lucky enough to have an extended autumn this year. Even though most of the leaves have fallen off the trees there is still a colourful ground cover that can be seen. Most of the mornings have still included watching the dew drops glistening without being frozen yet. It is not normally until high noon before things start to melt but the water drops on the leaves can still be seen without ice crystals beginning to form. Another anomaly for this time of year is fog? The past couple of days have been quite unique and very fascinating. With the sky being greyed out and not being able to see down the road at some moments it certainly does bring an eerie feeling. The thing that I can relate to this site is when the forest fires of the summer bring linger smoke across the land (sometimes not so lingering but ummm...in your own backyard!). With this being October 24 it sure would be cool if this weather pattern stuck around for lets say exactly one more week! Who needs a smog/smoke machine for Halloween when nature has provided the perfect backdrop for that spooky look.

And our final note for this week is the reminder that 'The Thought' will be back here on Monday, October 27...as even wee faeries need some down time as well.

The Expedition of a Faerie Prince!

It is always such a privilege when I find out that one of my wee faeries has been picked for an Etsy Treasury.

I was sent an email yesterday informing me that Faerie Prince Cameron has made the front page! Such exciting news for such a wee little guy.

This is his story...

Faerie Prince Cameron is somewhat of a mystery here in the nursery. he showed up on a clear and sunny day this winter, which really isn't a strange occurrence but it is when he had brought with him that leaves us all wondering how on earth he found this far-away northern nursery. In his acorn basket, Prince Cameron is carrying an Amber Drop Cone which after doing our homework, we found out comes from the Pacific Northwest of the United States? He has flown a long long long way to arrive here in our nursery.

He is sporting a soft silver coloured body with a rich olive green coloured cotton floss. Matching silvery translucent wings, an acorn cap and basket made from an acorn top with an amber drop cone nestled inside.

I would like to thank Annafaerie for her Treasury of True Fairy #940. Interesting gifts for different occasions. 

Erosion can only bring the old to new light

As there are always things that are evolving here at the nursery...perhaps not actually evolving...more like...I love change. Well, that should be rephrased....I love change on my terms. Example...when growing up, I was the one that would change the bedroom around at least once a week. Why you ask? Because I could! This habit in a way has never left me. I love to change and move furniture, decor and well pretty much all of a room to this day. And, isn't it strange that both of my children, particularly my son, do the same?

So to continue on with the original thought...change here in the nursery of course due to space, table, shelving and well everything has really limited and stymied this habit...which isn't a good thing! so instead I have taken this 'need' and funnelled it to my on-line presence instead.

I'm  not sure if some of the last month or two changes here on the blog you will have noticed but this last week in particular has seen some dramatic updates. Of course, the phone call has been put through to Shawn, the nursery's website guru, to just tweak the background, okay, I will admit it...this whole coding part of which I have no clue on how to do....and okay, I will admit it....I'm kinda not allowed to touch as I am the type to do big oooop's that take a few more that just a couple of minutes to fix! Example...just like with everything else to do with the nursery...I do not care for disorder...that even goes towards my iMac's desktop! And ummm.....well, I had decided that there was this really UGLY icon on my desktop that for some reason I was unable to change...so off it went into the trash. So ummm...yeah, that was my hard drive, my operating system, ummm the umph of the computer! And well, this wee little icon movement caused a few phone calls to Apple Helpline and more than a few calls from my son to try to retrieve it. Hence....I am not/do not add or delete any icons from my desktop without permission from my son and ummm....I really doubt it if with this knowledge in hand, would Shawn appreciate me getting behind the scenes into this whole coding changes/updates that he has worked so hard to put into place.

There are still a few small and some quite dramatic changes/updates that will be happening over the next few weeks. I'm hoping that they will improve the look and feel without losing, hampering or compromising the actual look of this blog so it doesn't lose the coherence and flow from one site to another.

The Unconventional Thought Process of the Modern Day Faerie

A bit of a background for you....

My resume is actually quite a good one (if I say so myself)....

Work history.... hmmmm which direction am I supposed to start from...
Mother...still doing that but that started only 28 almost 29 years ago
Grandmother...still doing that but started only 4 years ago
Executive Assistant to 2 mayors and 1 First Nation's chief
Payroll Officer
Human Resources Officer
Utilities Officer
Nursing Assistant

My references include 2 mayors, 3 senior administrative officers, 1 First Nation's chief and 1 director of finance....


To the NOW part....

I am/are a/an Faerie Amma aka Amma Emm

My nickname that has had actually many versions including (and not excluding)...Emme, Emma...with finally ending up with the shortest possible Emm..oh except I did have someone call me em and em (which upon their retirement gave me a bag of *M&M's)

To continue on...

The Icelandic version of Grandmother is Amma...so that was quite a natural evolvement. Amma in mythology means Mother Goddess....so okay...YAY...that sounds pretty awesome to me! But technically there is a bit of history to that story as well...I had a girlfriend (I'm sorry to say that we have parted ways and not on a happy note at all) that had given me a white polka dotted pink coffee mug...this mug had the following words... 'Goddess, formally Princess'....thus the quite natural evolvement to Amma (note...this mug is now 26 years old...and sad to say has a wee bit of a crack just starting at the top)...PLEASE SEE BELOW...

Now back to the original title of this blog (I know you knew that I would get there eventually).

Back in the days (listed above), I knew without even thinking how to prioritize no matter which position I held. It just seemed to come quite natural. Something that I would sometimes even boast about (no, not me!!).

But (there always is a but, especially in my blog postings)...now that I am Faerie Amma...well now that I work out of my home with a full time position of making faeries, playing with flowers, paints, fimo, glue, stickers, beads...okay list can and does go on it seems like forever...

Oh, and before I forget...I still organize everything here in the nursery...flower petals are in baggies, first by size and then by colour. If there is only one flower petal of one size or colour it still gets it own baggies (yes, I do keep the baggie companies in business). And that of course is just the beginning, every wooden bead has its own container, all of the miniatures are divided by holiday, beads and charms have all of their own compartments, organza bags are all done by colour and then size...even the thread for my sewing machine and serger.....

Oh, and before I forget..the most important job of all...being a Mom...and every night when my kids went to bed..I would organize their **Lego! And to top it all off...it would never be done the same way consecutively...one night by colour, the next by shape, the next by size...okay point has been given.

My dilemma now is that I have NO clue how to prioritize anything? Something that has come to me so naturally all of my life...has gone POOF! And I mean POOF, even with a puff of smoke...mind you it was a pretty shade of purple...but still a POOF!!

I sit here, either at the computer or at the work table with no timetable, no schedule, no nothing. It all comes down to...do I feel like creating today or is just not that type of day....(hint, hint..this wasn't one of those days). And then the same goes for here at the computer....do I work on all of the photos, do I blog (hint, hint...this was one of those days), do I work on the 'Thought of the Day' project (hint, hint..this was one of those days) or do I run around taking Instagram photos? I forgot to add in, I've taken to drying and pressing flowers out of the garden (mind you, those days have sorrily come to an end with the winter season now almost upon us).

So hmmmm....what to do, what to do??  I know what!! I'll blog and take a picture of my 'Goddess (formally Princess)' mug!!!!!!

The 'Thoughts'

For the week of October 13-17, 2014

'The Thought'

Authors this week include:

Lita Burke, Awwthentic and William Butler Yeats

Topics were kind of all over the place as well!
The sizing up faeries in Ireland, finding faeries, unicorns, dull worlds and beautiful smiles. It seems as well that I doubled up on both Awwthentic and Yeats quotes...I guess that they must have had special meanings this week.

'The Photo'

Well this week was both the final sneak peeks and then finally the introduction of our first Holiday Limited Edition Faerie - Candy Cane. Surprisingly enough, this faerie seems to love the camera? I wished that I had more photos to share but she is still busy in the photo sets? Go figure...this one has a fascination with her candy cane striped dress that she just can't stop spinning around. I sure hope that she doesn't eventually fall over!

The rest of the week, well I tried to capture the happier parts of our northern Nursery and its first snowfall (okay, I will admit that this is not the first one for this winter as we have had snow every month this year!!) but this one I doubt will go away and is now here to stay. We still have wee pansies that are weighted down with so much sticky snow that they are trying their best to still show their colours. The next photo was one from our local bird feeder which wasn't exempt from the warm weather that over night of course plummeted...this left everything with a wonderful icy look to everything (unfortunately that meant the same for our sidewalks and roads turning everything to a pretty sheen of black ice).

I am sure that I will be able to finally the grab the camera or at least the memory card, now wouldn't that be terribly sneaky of me....Candy Cane can continue swirling with the camera pointed at her but there just won't be any 'film' in it....this should give me time to upload the photos that have already been taken and I hope to work on those over the weekend.

On that note...'The Photo' and the 'The Thought' will be back on Monday :)

The Candy Cane

Well, this week certainly has been a busy one here at the nursery. A new Faerie has arrived and with the cold winds of winter she brings a bit of warmth and a whole lot of mischief!

Introducing Holiday Edition 2014 - Candy Cane

I certainly do love the photo of her from up above as she looks just like one of the Christmas candies that are red and white striped!

Now, I haven't had time to take her professional shots yet, but who could resist just showing a few Instagram photos that have already been posted.

Don't you think she looks just like a candy or maybe even a red glitter poinsettia?

p.s. Please remember that she is a VERY Limited Edition with only 10 available for this season.

The Week of October 6 - 10, 2014

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the week of October 6 - 10, 2014!!

The Quotes for this week have been from...
William O'Brien, 'Peter, Enchantment and Stardust: The Poems'
Awwthentic, 'The Prince and The Fairy'
Lucy Aisy
M. F. Moonzajer, 'A moment with God; Poetry'
Kailan Gow, 'Bitter Frost'

The Instagram postings for this week have been of...
Our new packaging
Hoarfrost
Holiday Edition

I am happy to say that our Website, Flickr and Pinterest pages have updated as well. I have opted to know type out the whole quote instead of just the author's name where noted. I even found out that on Flickr that you can add key words!! Granted, I did have difficulties figuring out what 'Tags' to use but I did manage to get a few in. I am presuming though, that I should start updating our Google+ page with these postings as well? All in due time I guess!! And of course, these 'Thoughts of the Day' will be posted once again on our Facebook page. For now, all of our impromptu Instagram photos are automatically put on our Flickr, Twitter and Tumblr accounts.

Being Back But It Seems Like I Never Left?

Once again, the company's Facebook page has been re-opened I guess that might be the right wording to use?

I guess when you leave you hope to come back to a clean slate...sigh...unfortunately everything is exactly where I left it.

Previously one of the reasons that I had left, besides not being appreciated so to say about my art...were all of the 'false' likes that had started 'following' my page. Now, granted some of these I might have invited myself by joining sites that shared your pages with others but there is no way that I could have done all of these 2715!

I did notice though that when I put on freebies or a giveaway...and even ones that I had actually paid to have advertised, there were only a handful of entries from people that I even knew, some had been on my page previously and most/all people that had entered were out for  'the free buck' so to say.

With all of the above reasons I shut down Facebook altogether. I gave my closing date...even said goodbye. I did postings for almost 2 weeks on how everyone...anyone (please) could keep in touch, follow along, maybe even leave a comment or two.

Well, that all completely fell through! I had one or two FB friend's that followed our Instagram account, oh wait...those one or two also had visited here as well...and well ummm....ummm... ummm....Can you understand now why I felt the need to just go away?

I think perhaps the best way to deal with all of this nonsense is that I might look into just starting a new page? That might help, so to say...weed out those that aren't interested in my Enchanted Pathways Faerie Nursery.

As of today, well...maybe this weekend...this will be my goal. What is the point of having 2715 'like's' when I don't exist anyways?

Now, for those of you that have taken the time to listen, to read, to look at all of the pretty pictures, have visited our Website, Instagram, Flickr, Google+, Tweeter, Pinterest...well you get the idea...thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Actually, I don't think I can ever say thank you enough.

Introduction of a Lost Clay Potter??

Well it seems that there is an never ending surprises that happen here at the nursery.

Over the weekend there was a wee knock on the door.  Now if this was summer time or even very late spring this would not have been something that doesn't happen on a regular basis...but with it now being nippy outside with even snowflakes falling gracefully from the sky I was actually quite concerned and questioned who on earth could be outside on this wintery day??

Wow! I couldn't believe my eyes...there was a Faerie standing there just a shivering away. I asked her right away to come in to warm up by the pellet stove and then I ran off to make a pot of sweet tea for her.

After she was settled in and rocking away on one of the comfy chairs she began to tell her story all the while emptying her bag of the many treasures that she had collected on her way.

Here she was a Clay Potter that had been swooped up by a westwardly wind and she couldn't find her way back. Thankfully she found a yellow breasted grosbeak that new the way to the nursery...and now here she is!

As I hadn't even known that there were any more Clay Potters out there she definitely was a beautiful surprise and a wonderful addition to the group.

Once she was all able to get up and bit more back to normal she asked if she could introduce herself to the others. I wasn't too sure what she had in mind but I told her I would do anything to help her out.

Then she ran off with Faerie Bosh to help her in the kitchen. Hmmm what was she up to?

So here is here introduction....please meet Faerie Edie...

Here is a close up of Faerie Edie

What a stunning dress!

And with Faerie Bosh's help...she offered every one a bit of  yummy strawberry shortcake  and a cup of  sweet tea? She then started to sing away with a most beautiful voice that I have ever heard.

The Promise Fulfilled?

Yay!

Oh no not the Yay that you are thinking of sorry and....no not that this week is over either....but that it is time that I get to share with you the postings that were made both through the 'Thought of the Day' and Instagram updates for the week of September 29th through October 3rd, 2014.....

'Thought of the Day'

A. E. Housman, William Butler Yeats, Eleanor Roosevelt, Luna Lindsey and Jarod Kintz.

Instagram 

Faerie Goddess and the touch of Old Man Winter

If you wish to check them out...you can scroll up a bit to the menu bar and there they are right there...
The Thought and The Photo

Enjoy   :)

p.s. please note that these postings do not include weekends

A Personal Leap

I had mentioned on this blog a few day before that I was learning so many things that lie silently behind the scene to only once in awhile to bare its face.

Oh, about a lifetime ago I worked in a flower shop. To say my creativeness 'bloomed' is an understatement. I was so happy working in the front where I dealt with flowers and people but then I got a chance to start working in the back. Ordering flowers and then actually going to the local suppliers to pick and choose which flowers I would need for the next few days was a real eye opening process. I could actually see a warehouse filled with every colour, every shape, every kind of flower imaginable...and then every cost to them!

After about 6 months of being on both sides of the table (or at least I had figured that was all there was to it) I was offered the opportunity to buy right out the whole flower shop. Now being in a very well established area and having an amazing clientele and that the owner had been the original and so the shop had a fantastic rating and profile. With this all being in mind, I did up my whole proposal, business plan along with financing requirements in order to go in for a loan. After that intense but successful exercise I ended up having an epiphany! There is so much more than what I knew to run a small business.

Off to school I go, granted in my 30's but still young enough to not take for granted the ability to learn. I ended up with my diploma in business management with an accounting background. Now I figured with all of the education I had enoug
h to arm myself to see if I was ready to go it alone.

And of course, after a 3 year program the little shop that I had wanted in the beginning and lead me to this point in life had been sold. Sigh.

Off onto another adventure. I ended up with 7 years of experience being in council chambers and working side by side with a mayor and SAO (senior administrative officer). This was the best job and life that I had up that point in my life.

With a few years in-between then and now, life has taken me down many paths with so my curves and one-way roads that I have now ended up here.

Where is here? Here is in my wee nursery working with faeries. I can't imagine doing anything else anymore (of course eventually I will want/need to get back into the workforce).

So after all that has been said and done one of the newest gifts that I have been able to learn from and on my own is graphic designing. Prior to now I have always resourced this part of the company to an amazing friend but then as life goes on, she moved away to another area that we could only talk to each other through the phone, email and messaging.

For now, this is the story behind where I came from and where I am now.

Into the KNOWN Wild Blue Yonder

Do you ever get the feeling that you that you have to do something in order to do what you need to do?

I have sat here for almost 3 weeks looking at my work table that is still scattered with stuff that I have either never bother to unpack, display or just plain and simple put away!

But that isn't even the worst of it yet!!

I know that once I clear and clean off my massive 1.2m x 1.2m (4'x4' ) table that I really will have to not only do something productive with both my time and energy but that I will have/need to start getting creating again.

Now, please do not get me wrong by any means!!

I love being creative. It's in my bones. It's in my head. It's in my heart. The difference here is that in essence I have/need to be creative.

Now, please do not get me wrong by any means!!

This next Line of Faeries truly inspires me. Excites me. Is part of me. I have purchased absolutely everything that I require/need to make/create these Faeries. Everything is separated into their own pretty coloured cloth boxes and rubbermaids just waiting for me. Calling to me. Even whispering to me.

Now, please do not get me wrong by any means!!

I so really want to get these Faeries done by the holiday gift giving and craft shows. I think though that I have missed my international shipping time for any of my Faerie creations in order to reach their destination in time to be wrapped and opened. This is such a massive hurt/blow to me as I was really counting on, well let's face it...for more sales.

Now, please do not get me wrong by any means!!

Since I have shut down my Facebook page I know that I have missed out on the largest looking/shopping opportunity. Promoting my website, blog and even my e-commerce pages is way harder than I had expected. Well, actually I know that I was throwing myself under the bus but I needed to take a break.

Now, please do not get me wrong any means!!

I have tried relentlessly to promote my wee company. To get seen. to not fall behind on what I need to do. I do know however that I made these massive changes and transformations since I knew that I would be away from the nursery for almost three and half weeks. Trying to keep up remotely would have both been way too time consuming and well, let's face it....not the type of vacation that I truly needed.

Now, please do not get me wrong by any means!!

I didn't want to be away from the nursery. I needed to be away mentally and physically. Anyone of you that run a small home based business knows that it takes about 7-10 hours a day. Yes, this is way longer than a full time job. These are the sacrifices that need to be done. This in itself takes everything that you have. Everything that you want to do outside of the business. Everything that you want to do socially un-business related. Everything that you call a personal life. These all get interrupted and/or cut short.

Now, please do not get me wrong by any means!!

Since leaving work (and not by choice), loosing your independence (I am no longer cleared to fly or to drive a vehicle), to being in the house all day with only three critters to keep you company and well, to talk to. When I was a Mom at home with two children this scenario was quite different. Yes, I was still home alone (technically), I did have the ability to fly and drive (but I'll admit somedays just wasn't worth the effort) and when I was talking essentially at least I was teaching (hoping) to teach my children a few life experiences.

Now, please do not get me wrong any means!!

I do promise myself (and you) that the cleaning of my table will start. My head has rested. My body has rested. My heart has rested. Everything else can be called my creativeness and it too have been rested. It is time for me to become Faerie Amma once again.

The Unknown Progression

I find it truly amazing how the progression of my ideas have come to this point.

Back in 2010 I had only begun to think of making flower petal faeries. I was doing them to keep myself busy until I could find a full time job in our newly move to the Northwest Territories. Granted I have lived in the north for 14 years already but never in Fort Smith, never married and never for following someone up here (well okay, there was one time but I was only 7 months old, so I don't think that this is a true indication of the point that I am trying to get at).

My wee Enchanted Pathways company was registered in British Columbia and at that time I was just looking to try to make replica doors as shown in the *Hobbit movie. I thought they would be fun to make so there I was with a design in mind, a massive of amount of new tools and even a **Dremel. Alas, this idea never did come to fruition. I did have fun though!

In the process of this whole new experiment I did learn some very valuable information. Shopping, how to get the lowest price and value for the dollar. Shipping, how to get products from the USA without having to pay duty on them. Ideas, how to jot everything and I mean everything. Tools, how not to loose a finger or other appendages. Paperwork, how to document and file. Education, using all that you have learned in the past and trying to adapt it to what you need now. Friendship, the importance of having someone to bounce ideas off. Love, knowing that you are someone believes in you.

I have now gone from the original play of making Hobbit doors and then onto simple flower petal faeries to what my company is today.

1 - Generation 1 Flower Petal Faeries ~~ that have an average of 20 silk flower petals and stand approximately 7.6 cm (3") in height.

2 - Magical Wooden Faerie Doors ~~ these are now actual cutout wooden doors and no longer doll house doors.

3 - Teacup Nurseries ~~ using miniature trees, flowers and dollhouse items that have been made into a small garden area that faeries just might be found.

4 - Seed Pod Babies ~~ using the small roses that I used to take apart for the smallest petals when making the Generation 1 Faeries are now transformed into a full rose head with a curly wired tail and then placed into a tree pod with a bed of moss.

5 - Generation 2 Flower Petal Faeries ~~ using a wooden platform these faeries stand about 12.7 cm (5") and are numbered for collection status. This style is made up into full groups that are meant to be purchased as a full set.

So that is the product end of my company. Now onto the other end of the company!!

I am now quite proficient at the accounting end but still have a hired certified accountant to do the tax filing. I do all of the GST filing on my own currently.

Photography is now done completely be me. I am able to use my ***Photoshop program in order to clean up and adjust the photos as required for website usage. I have a complete shadowbox that allows me to take consistent photos.

Website has now been changed over to a ****Weebly program where I have full control over the pages. I still do have a tons of assistance from Shawn my In-House-Guru that helps me with absolutely everything when it comes to coding.

Extras are now designed by me for all printing purposes this includes cloth bags, sticky notes, magnets, rack cards, tri-fold cards, postcards, business cards, labels and rubber stamps.

Graphics have thankfully been done by both Alyssa and Shona for the icon and main stump photo.

Adverts are now done by myself as well. This is a part of the company that I never thought that I would teach myself to do (with help from Linda). It is amazing how I have been able to create a background and then put all of the company information on it. These adverts are now run in national magazines and local newspapers.

Additions include the new 'Thought of the Day' graphics along with quotes and now Instagram photos that have a wee stories with them.

Wow! Now that is progression!

Here is the advert that will be going into issue #28 of the Faerie Magazine. I am really happy with what I have been able to create and make my own.

On a final note, this all wouldn't have been possible without you!

* The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - WingNut Films
**Dremel Tools - Robert Bosh Tool Corporation
***Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 Editor
****Weebly website and blog site founded by David, Dan and Chris

The Distraction before the Snowflake

So, with absolutely full intentions to get so many things done, it seems that so many more things just happened to skip on up to the top of the list.

How on earth does this happen. Now, it is usually at this time that I start to question how much of this silliness can actually be chalked up to the Faeries playing their games here around the nursery. As with our temperature this morning being a glorious -1C (30F), I'm thinking that to not make my things-to-do less but possibly even more as with this silly weather, the Faeries will definitely be taking their tea and cookies inside today. With that being said, it is that time of year that we will have a few warmer days of autumn before the snowflakes start to fall. So, I think that instead of getting myself all worked up over everything little thing that I will be taking my time to play, play outside, play inside...well just play!

The Weekend

Well, what a weekend this has been!

It was time to start getting the flower nursery ready for the long winter ahead of us and this of course is a sadder time for our wee faeries. As they watch the last of the sweet peas, snap dragons, cosmos and even the smaller of the sunflowers being brought into the nursery to keep them warm over our chillier nights. Don't get me wrong as the nursery smells amazing with 5 vases filled with the sweet peas but I must admit it is sad to start having to prune and weed for the one of the final times.

But on a high note, I found my very first 5 leaf clover!! I know hey. I have been collecting a few 4 leaf clovers in our nursery but this was a very special one for sure!

I have now started the newest tab titled The Photos! This tab will now show all of the postings that I have done through Instagram as I know that some of our readers do not use this program. As I still trying to figure out how to show when changes and/or additions have been made in the tabs on this blog I think that I will just do a quick follow-up on Fridays as a reminder?? Mind you, I did just find out that if you follow our Bloglovin page that it will send you a weekly (or more if you like I think....mine is weekly....I think) e-mail to let you that I have done some kind of changes to this page!!

I will start again as of today with the 'Thought of the Day' program. Mind you it was a good thing that I had a few that were ready to post as this whole running away from the nursery for almost a month has definitely took me off of trying to figure out what a daily schedule is...well except for getting breakfast ready and sitting out on a handmade stone patio overlooking a estuary that leads to the Pacific Ocean. I am missing my wee hummingbirds that came to visit, the birds singing while swaying on the cattails, the frogs croaking on the lily pads and well the sunshine! For myself this was a wonderful routine but being Faerie Amma there is just so much to do here in the nursery that I just feel like I am barely treading water.

As with anything, I will gradually get myself into a regular sort of mind to include everyone in this crazy and definitely noisy nursery. Noisy you ask? Well you try to gather the faeries that are trying to be out in the last few warmer days of autumn. If there was any such thing as reluctance well the faeries definitely have this as the top of the list! Mind you, I feel the same way for sure. It really is hard to have had to say goodbye to the 24 hour daylight before we left on our adventure and now to come back home to our short autumn already drawing to an end.   p.s. it did snow one day here at the nursery but I was on a beach collecting seashells!!

Accomplishments already done this weekend in-between nap times...I have now updated all of the photos on the website as there had been a few sales and bit of switching faeries from one e-commerce site to another. Of course, I have started the Instagram tab and well, unfortunately I still cannot find my work table. Hummmp as she turns around and says....tomorrow. tomorrow sounds like a better idea!!

Well, off to do the 'Thought of the Day'

The Disappearing Tan Lines

Sigh....well with every holiday to the land of sunshine eventually the tan starts to fade away but thankfully the memories are and will be still fresh in your mind.

I had a wonderful time on the sunshine coast and was able to take some pretty fabulous photos that I posted through Instagram, well I thought that they were pretty fabulous photos!

As promised, I will start back this week with the 'Thought of the Day' postings.

And, as promised, I will go back and create a new tab for the 'Photo of the ??'. I have no clue exactly what to call this new idea.

I do notice though that unless I post something through this regular front blog page that no one really knows when I update the other tabs. I find this very frustrating and I am quite disappointed in this part of the Blogger program. I am still trying to research how to either get around this dilemma or how to let you, the reader know that I am posting. If anyone out there knows how to do this...please, please, please either comment on this post or send me an email. Any help at this stage is much appreciated.

I also apologize for the lateness of the posting as I had hoped to do it as soon as we had arrived home, okay, well after I unpacked from a three week vacation, well after I had a nap that lasted almost 24 hours, and well after I finally made it the grocery store to get some food the house!

As well, there are so many things that I need to get accomplished kind of ASAP.

• I am trying to make sure that the website has all of the correct links to each faerie that is available for sale. 
• I need to post all 13 members of the Northern Line of Faeries. 
• I would really like to figure out how to zoom when I am using the Instagram program on my iPhone. 
• I have everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that I need to start the new Line of Faeries. 
• I need to clean up the nursery after putting every general box and bag that landed on my worktable that had anything to do with the nursery.
• I took over 200 photos on my camera that I need to upload and figure out what I want to share.
• I was able to purchase another wee cabinet that currently holds all of Sapphire the Pixie's Faerie Dust jars. Now I need to know what to store in the new one and then to remember to give Sapphire the key!!
• I have a new butterfly diary that I would like to start using in the nursery...but again, what do I put in it...and no, this one doesn't have a key that I need to give to Sapphire.
• Photos, photos, photos. I took all new shots of the Northern Line of Faeries and I will need to see if that will be perfect to put on the website or not.
• I received a phone call from late July for one of our most favourites' visitors to the nursery and I just haven't either felt well enough or silly enough to not be ready for them to drop in.
• Speaking of those 'faerie minded' visitors, I received through an email a beautiful photo that I need to print off in colour and hang. It is always a humbling feeling when someone thinks of you.
• I guess I could go on and on and on...but I just realized that instead of writing all of this down here, that I guess that there were a few things that I could actually be doing to cross off of on my list...sigh...
• Ummm...anyone care to come for a visit to help me out?

Oh, and I have asked our website guru to see if it would be possible to change out the font that I am currently using on Blogger as if I can't read it, I really don't know how you can??

The Instant Photo

I have had such a great time continuing my wee stories through the nursery's Instagram account that just like the 'Thought of the Day' postings I would like to share them with you as well.

I will add yet another tab at the top so you can see the photos and story that was written to go with them.

In that same breath, again, this same idea will be carried over to the website as well.

I can't wait to start sharing even more of my silly antidotes, musings and even sometimes inspirational short stories. Mind you with all this being said, it seems that I might have started giving 'mankind' in general a hard time? But, this I will let you decide for yourself...mind you if you are a troll, a whale, a faerie or even a snail....you just might not actually have this same perspective!

I will start this new addition to the blog once I am back in the nursery.

O Time, Time, wherefore art thou Time?

Okay, sorry William Shakespeare for altering, thrashing, destroying, let alone stealing your most beloved lines and words....

William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet: Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 33-36

            Juliet
33       O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
34       Deny thy father ad refuse thy name;
35       Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
36       And I'll no longer be a Capulet


Okay...and then looking at my iMac dictionary there is no listing under my dictionary, thesaurus, Apple or Wikipedia to let me know exactly what, who or how is a Capulet...YAYAYAY Thank you Mr. Internet...Capulet was Juliet's last name!!

Off to the actual scene again to see if I can figure it out there (gssssshhhh who knew that Romeo and Juliet was so hard to read...and yes, I'm that one that missed out on this grand best work ever by William Shakespeare and ended up with The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet and Macbeth throughout my high school years...oh but wait...there is more to this story...wait for it, wait for it...I got some of the best marks for my studies in Macbeth, so not all was a waste of time).

So, onto what, where, when and who...okay we already know who...time is who...the what, where and when is what I want to know...where did they/it go??

Please take this posting as an apology from me...as I really wanted to get my 'Thought of the Day' graphics up today for the next few weeks...but alas, it did not happen.

But hey....it does give you something to look forward to? Yes, oh yes, in deedy do it does :)

Signing off for now for a much needed sleepover away from the Nursery. Please do send me a message if you would like something passed along to Pixie Heather and I will for sure send it forward.

Loves you all...
Night night, sweet sleep, my Faeries...sweet sleep.
Good morning, good morning, sweet play, my Faeries...sweet play.

The Sleepover?

Well, this wee Faerie is taking a much needed sleepover away from the Nursery.

But, but, but....please do not fret....Pixie Heather will be here...now everyone jump up and down and saying YAY...in fact let's do it many times over. YAY, YAY, YAY, YAY....okay that's enough, that's all I need is for anyone to run out of jumping umph and even worse to run out of breath, and even, even worse than that is to get laryngitis because of the celebration of Pixie Heather being here at the Nursery...(hmmm are you jumping up and down and saying YAY,  in fact let's do it many times over. YAY, YAY, YAY, YAY for fact that Pixie Heather is going to be looking after the Nursery...or are you jumping up and down in fact let's do it many times over. YAY, YAY, YAY, YAY and that I am going away for a much needed sleepover from the Nursery)!! Hmmmm, Now, I know that there are a few of you out there...and you know who you are!! Yes, you!! Yes, you, that is who I am addressing in this paragraph! Okay fine, possibly more than just the few of you...Yes, the more of you that I had addressed at the beginning of this paragraph will say but how are you not supposed welcome Pixie Heather for staying here at the Nursery or supposed to saying YAY, that you are so happy that I am taking a much needed sleepover away from the Nursery (now if you do decide that you are going to do your YAY in fact let's do it many times over YAY, YAY, YAY to say goodbye to me, Faerie Amma while she is away for a much needed sleepover away from the Nursery...than, I just think that if very nice of you...sigh)

I have tried my best to pre-do as many 'Thoughts of the Day' as I could over the past few days and I will post them today...but, but, but....YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to let your EYES wander in any such way...that's all I need is for you to start your day off with the wrong 'Thought of the Day'! I would feel sooooo bad if your 'Thought of the Day' was mixed up in your noggin! That would just be DISASTROUS! And trust me...you really don't want to put yourself into a dangerous situation that's for sure. As who knows what just might happen? You might end up wearing a matching set of socks! You might end up figuring out who laughs at you when you are walking past the sunflowers! Oh, and oh goodness, be that you find out where your keys are! And oh, oh my goodness, and I certainly do hope that this DOESN'T happen to you, that you just might figure out that your glasses are actually on top of your head! Oh my goodness, I would just be besides myself! Here I am...just thinking of all of the silliness that just might go on while I am away taking a much needed sleepover away from the Nursery. Oh my, and now I am soooo worried that you just might starting to think of the mischief that might go on...okay, okay, I certainly hope that you don't figure out who is hiding your extra sock in the warm dryer...oh wait, I forgot..who will care about that missing sock from the warm dryer as you NEVER wear a matching pair of socks anyways! Ah, big sigh...thank goodness Pixie Heather is going to be here to protect you from any silliness that just might go on while I am away taking a much needed sleepover away from the Nursery!!

Now, I know that there are a few of you out there...and you know who you are!! Yes, you!! Yes, you, that is who I am addressing in this above beginning part and then again of the above above paragraph! Okay fine, possibly more than just the few of you...Yes, the more of you that I had addressed at the beginning part of the above paragraph and then again of the above above paragraphs  ....which is that you are not supposed to let your eyes wander when you have to find the order of the day which is for the 'Thought of the Day' for that day. Yes, I realize that you will have to scroll down to find the 'Thought of the Day' for this so called 'Thought of the Day' that it belongs to. But this is where I was originally talking to that few of you out there..and you know who you are!! Yes, you!! Yes, you, that is who I am addressing in this above beginning part and then again of this above paragraph.....that you just might let your eyes wander.

My solution to this above issue (and yes, being the Guardian of the Nursery, I know every solution) on how to not open your eyes...I figure if you open the 'Quotes' tab and then page of this blog and then just close your eyes (yes, this whole blog posting is about your 'EYES') and then with your mouse and with your eyes still being closed, just scroll down? I'm pretty sure that this will get you pretty close to the 'Thought of the Day' that you need to read for that day. Yuppers, I think that I have it all figured out....but now the question....do you have it figured out as well? I know that there are a few of you out there...and you know who your are!! Yes, you!! Yes, you, that is who I am addressing in this above beginning part and then again of the above and above paragraphs! Okay fine, possibly more than just the few of you...Yes, the more of you that I addressed in the beginning part of this paragraph and then again of the above above paragraphs, that is who I am addressing in this paragraph....but how are you not supposed to let your eyes wander when you have to find the order of which your 'Thought of the Day' is?

So, here is me...trusting you (now, I know that there are a few of you out there....and you know who your are!! Yes, you!! Yes, you, that is who I am addressing in this paragraph that is written above and then those above above paragraphs! Okay fine, possibly the more of just the few of you...Yes, the more of you that I had address at the beginning {okay at almost the beginning of the middle} of the above paragraph and then again of the above above paragraphs that will say but how are you going to trust us to not suppose to let our eyes wander when you have to find the order of which the 'Thought of the Day' is which).  Well to those of you out there...and you know who you are!! Yes, you!! Yes, you, that is who I am addressing in this above paragraph at the beginning{okay at almost the beginning of the middle} of this paragraph and then the above above above paragraphs....and okay fine, the possibly more than just the few of you...Yes, the more of you that I had addressed at the beginning of this paragraph {okay at almost the beginning of the middle and then again at the beginning of the above above above paragraphs}will say but how are you not supposed to let your eyes wander when you have to find the order of which day is which).

Well for crying out loud...I just hope that you will the Quotes tab and then page for my continued 'Thought of the Day' while I am away taking a much needed sleepover away from the Nursery.

Please enjoy your next few weeks and I will see you all soon!!

p.s. Thank you Pixie Heather for looking after the Nursery for me :)

Pixie Heather of The Clay Potters