Flying Woodchips

during the last month or so (okay, more like 3 months and a bit?) while we were out for a walk on a cold and crisp afternoon we were hoping that we might spot a faerie or two but instead to our surprise we came across a tree trunk the must have housed some pretty tasty bugs.

with having three resident woodpecker in the neighbourhood and after comparing their beaks to the size of the hole it was quite easy to figure out that a Pileated woodpecker had come to visit us.

after coming home to a cup of steaming hot cocoa we decided even though there was no hide nor hair of a faerie about, we did have a great afternoon of exercising and bird watching.

note:
woodpecker photos curtesy of Cornell Lad of Ornithology - All About Birds website

When it's too cold to shovel

with the temperature dropping to -33.8 here at the nursery not only is it too cold to work but you can't even here a peep! i'm thinking that it might be that they can't un-clump the frozen sparkle dust in order to play.

on the those days where it isn't quite so frosty out that i do still try to keep myself busy whether it be in where it is toasty or when it is so nippy that the tip of my nose starts to turn red. but when i do venture through the glass doors one must remember that to awaken a faerie let a lone a whole nursery full of them, well, its just not something that i or even for that matter that you would do. speaking from past experiences it is best to just tiptoe around instead of stomping your boots to shake off the snow, and i know, who would of thunk? but when i do start to think back even (as long as to when my noggin starts to hurt) i really can't seem to recall exactly what it is that i have must have been doing or even to pinpoint to any one thing but surely i must have been doing something that i or at least i hope i have been. 

with the sun still shining on these very cold days and the snow is so beautiful and sparkling that it really is a shame to not dress up snuggly warm and take a few pictures outside. when out and about on these frozen trips i have come across magical doors hiding in amongst the tree branches and bunny holes. you certainly can see where the there has been some activity where someone has been busy shovelling out the doorway but on most of them the snow hasn't been disturbed as the faeries must be hiding away in what must be a forever time for them. i have heard (well when i have been eavesdropping) from their tiny whispers that that when the snow is blowing or the mosquitoes are so thick that even they can't out fly them that this is definitely the time to be comfortable and to warm their tootsies in front of the flickering fireplace. i have wondered though that where or what they would they find enough food to keep their plates full on the dining room table. after what has seemed to be forever and a day i have decided that they must stash away munchables just like the squirrels do which in turn would make perfectly sense that they are really leary as to not let any of the neighbouring critters come to visit just incase their hiding places be found. 

today i decided to sneak on in to just catch up on a few of my terribly tardiness chores with the hope that i don't disturb their slumber. please don't forget to visit our Instagram account where at least i can post some lovely photos without being caught. 

someone must have come
and shovelled out the walkway

best to stay put for the rest of the day

The wind blown look!

Welcome aboard.

May we please have your full attention to the safety features on-board this car hood:

* Note that the fasten seat belt sign has now been turned on.

* All carry-on luggage should be stowed.

* Seat backs and folding trays are in upright position.

* Emergency exists are located to both sides of the aircraft.

* Just as a reminder this is a non-smoking flight (except for passing vehicle exhaust fumes).

* Please note that turbulence occasionally may occur during a flight at which time the seat belt sign will be turned on and you will be asked to return to your seat.


Now sit back and enjoy the flight.


The wind blown look! Preflight includes the ruffling of feathers, confirmation of GPS coordinates, checking of windspeed and finally ready to take flight. Safe journeys and say hi to the family from us.

Catching an Icy Toe

As all of our Northern Faeries are in their own way very special...some are very colourful, some stem from stories told of yesterdays years, some are traditions, some can be seen just out the window, and some represent the environment, land and waters of the North.

It is here where one of our elusive Faeries actually lives...

Where the most unimaginable world resides.... Where waves tips are frozen instantly.... Where just a single ray sunshine travels farther than the eye can see....Where aliens wander in all sizes and colours...Where the largest of mammals hunt undisturbed....Where the environment is encroaching in their space....Where a delicate ecological system can not be recreated...Where only the brave dare to visit...This is where Mistress Sanna calls home. And every so often she comes onto the snowy land where her tail mysteriously transforms. And if your eyes can see through the blinding white shield that is created by the blowing wind you might catch a glimpse of her across the ice. And on the rarest of chances that she might be the one to see that just as you are curious to she what blurry shape you thought was only a dream...she too, will come to the very edge of the iceberg to see what the blurry shape see seen and if it too was a mirage...It is at this time, but you must be quick....that you can take ahold of her hand and bring her back to land. Once she is warmed by the lit fire in the nursery, she will warm and start to question all that lays before her. She now waits with the sound of a ticking clock beating in mind...what other adventures wait for her. She is now ready for her next journey, perhaps one to your house....but be it known that if left out too long she will secretly sip back to her home...the Arctic Ocean.

Stay tuned as the nursery has received a wee note wrapped out of a diary from a Mistress Sanna who has begun her own new journey above the ocean.

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!

From the cozy corner of the nursery...

I have been huddled away here in the nursery for a few reasons...

1. the weather...it's cold outside
2. my health has crept back to the forefront of my life again
3. it is the busy season for the nursery
4. it's still cold out there
5. I have ordered so much product that I have to somehow find places to put it all
6. it's still very cold out there
7. I am surrounded by beauty in my little nursery with twinkling lights, hanging vines and fancy silk flowers, faeries that I have made and some that I have bought and all of my ideas and dreams circling around me.

This is my sanctuary. I am at home here. And did I mention....it's cold out there!!

So...today, being a Sunday, being Sunday, November 10, 2013 which normally is a rather quiet day, being a Sunday and all. I had quite a few wonderful surprises happen.

1. The Faery World magazine was printed today and my ad was placed on the front inside cover. Ms. Tee Gregory (Owner) has the most coolest way to view her website that you can actually see my advert for yourself. Thank you so much.

2. I received an email from Bethan Davies (Founder/CEO) for CraftStar, an on-line e-commerce store that I am a member of. This email informed me that my work was included in their 25 Magical and Fantasy Gifts Guide blog and on their YouTube video! Both Snowflake and Raven of the Northern Faeries Line were featured. Thank you so much.

3. I have joined 5 new Facebook groups - Handmade Crafts; Arts and Crafts for Sale; Handmade With Love Creations; "Crafty We R" ONLY Hand and Homemade Craft Sales, Tips and Help, and Craft Crafts where I have featured my Northern Line Faeries and I can't believe the wonderful and kinds words and messages that other members have left for me. Thank you so much.

So besides it being cold outside today, my heart couldn't be warmer. Thank you so much to each and everyone of you. You made my day.

Planting Day at the Nursery

With our weather still being so chilly outside still the faeries decided to bring a bit of spring into the nursery itself. They were busy replanting the little Valentine's Day rose bush, rooting some houseplants and planting wee little pansy seeds.

Here is a sneak peek at what they were doing and you can see the whole album on our Facebook page.

Where did Spring go??

Well today was April 2, 2013 and this is what it looked outside of our northern nursery today even though we decorated the windows!

I do believe we were to expect 13 cm (5") of fresh snow and later on in the week we are to drop down again to -27C (-17F).

Oh well, eventually spring will get here :)

It's Cold Outside!!

Even though the nursery is located above the 60th parallel and the faeries are used to our cold winters...when I woke up this morning and checked the thermometer's temperature outside, it registered -38.9 C (and F when it gets that cold!). Well, I rushed down to the nursery to make sure the faeries were okay...and this is what I found!!

It seemed that the faeries took everything into their own hands...Pixie Bess, Grace and Ivy along with Sprite Enwedhan were all busy knitting away making scarves for the other faeries.

Hot apple juice was already brewing on the stove top with Mouse the Ashray Faerie, Ros of the Moss People, Faerie Cabela and Faerie Mia standing by with the cinnamon sticks. 

Even the  youngest of the Clay Potters were making sure that everyone would stay warm. Here are Sprite SugarPlum, Pixie Tilly and Ella the Sprite watching over newly baked chocolate chip cookies.

I couldn't quite figure out where everyone else had gone to as I know for a fact that in this type of weather I would not have left a window open. But after a bit of thinking....I know I had to go out and fill the bird feeders this morning so the wee little birds could eat. Without a blink out the door they must have went. Here are Faerie Nettle, Fae Bella, Nipper the Clurichaun, Benny the Sprite, Missy May of the Moss People and Pixie Heather out in the cold all sporting the new scarves that had been made during the night. 

And finally, out trying to catch the suns rays, I found Sapphire the Pixie, Pixie Sunburst and Pixie Jinx. 

Out in the Sunshine

It seems that the Clay Potter Faeries have decided that they have been cooped up too long indoors. Even though it is still very cold and the air is crisp, the sun was out and shining so I decided to leave the door ajar just a bit to see who wanted to venture outside.

The first one I seen fly out was Nettle, she was all excited to sit in the tree branches. And what a great spot she found too...right beside the large bird feeder. I don't think she really thought that idea through all the way as I found her having to bat away some of our more aggressive Boreal Chickadees more than once, mind you she was sitting awfully close to them. I am sure she will have tons of stories to tell the faeries during afternoon tea.

Joining her in the sunshine today were Benny, Grace, Jinx, Tilly and Ivy. I think they all had a great time. When I last checked on them though, they were all huddled in by the wood burning stove trying to warm up. I think that I will leave out a few extra cookies and make sure that the tea pot is full all the way to the brim so they can tell the other Clay Potters all about their time out in the sunshine.

Vienna by Meagan

So the Nursery was lucky enough to have both Meagan and Heather over this past weekend. While Heather made a beautiful faerie that reminded her of wintery days, while Meagan's faerie kept to a similar brrrrrr theme she also mentioned what her faerie likes to do on warm summer days.

I would like you all to meet Vienna and this is how her story goes...

"Vienna is a delightfully aristocratic faerie with a taste for the finer things in life. She enjoys reading the classics in a giant elm in the park on a summer day or taking a seat in a packed opera house on a snowy winter's evening. Having spend much of her life in Russia and Austria, she enjoys the cold of the North very much, just as long as it includes a toasty fire and a cup of spicy mulled wine."

Thank you so much for visiting Meagan, I hope you had a wonderful time and that you will be back again soon.

Bottom's Up!

Indecent Exposure at it's finest!!!!

I have ordered and received tons of new flowers.....all the colours of the rainbow at my fingertips :)

Here are 17 more Petal Faeries in the making....plus my messy work area!

It truly was a wonderful way to spend a lazy and cold Sunday. I was up at 5:00 and 7:00 with the dogs...finally feeding them and Isabella around 9:00. Crawled back in bed and put Star Trek on for the third time on my iPad (I love that movie). Hubby woke me up around 11:00 and told me to just stay in bed :)  And that I did! I played a few games on the iPad and than my son called and we chatted on iChat (deep discussions on how disturbing I found the Dr. Who episode called Weeping Angels). Next was a long hot shower and than off to have a large glass of Silk chocolate milk, a banana and get this....3 bowls of Frosted Flakes (again with Silk vanilla)! What a breakfast.....well by then it was after 2:00....so what a lunch! Next....laundry and general house chores. As hubby was still playing on his computer...off I went to my 'office' and it was time to play :)   I put on Titanic and had a wonderful day of making faeries.