Instagram

INSTAGRAM BUSINESS ACCOUNT

The Nursery has created a second account where you can enjoy all posts directly related to our Etsy page...

www.instagram.com/enchantedpathwaysfaerienursery


The Nursery's original account will continue to post just as it has with quotes, videos and random photo shoots...

www.instagram.com/faerienurserygarden


i look forward to seeing you on both accounts and don't forget... a follow for a follow

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

Peeking Around the Corner

so, here we are...many many (too many) moons gone by since i have had a chance to chat with you.

to me, when starting a new line, i kinda forget that there is an actual outside, an outside of the nursery. i know that I get comments from hubby (almost daily) did you read about this? have you taken the time to take a look at the photos i sent on Facebook? what do you think about going to the town bar-b-que this Friday? are you all packed to go and meet your 5th grand baby (Jolene Julie)? did you feed the dogs (Fionn & Ciaran) their night time snacks? .... i'm thinking that you just might be getting the picture here.

i have figured out that i really do need to keep in contact but it seems though that when i do get distracted it takes me even longer to complete the project of the day that i had been busy doing in the first place. but i know, my mother told me that getting that bit of fresh air will actually clear my head for a clearer picture of what next needs to be done.  

but.. 

i have convinced myself that .. here it comes .. another excuse ..

on the company's FaceBook page i created a photo album that i feel tells a bit (probably way more than what my intention was) of the up-coming result from my heart-felt journey of this newest line. A line that i can't wait to share with you. Oh, and plus, it just might prove that, yes, i have genuinely been working here in the nursery. 

hush  hush hush out of you .. now the cat-is-out-of-the-bag so to speak so please i ask you to remember that this posting was all just a mirage and that you will patiently wait a bit longer for the big reveal. 

great! now i have to go back and erase my Facebook album so they to can wait too (hopefully before any one sees or comments on the album)!

in case you end up missing it, i figure it would be best to share it with you now  ...

the sneak peek ..

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

PWK Fall Fair & Tea

What a wonderful turnout today. It was so nice seeing returning customers and meeting new ones :)

First of all....a MASSIVE thank you to Georgina for sitting with me today. You made the day perfect.

Second of all....a MASSIVE thank you to my hubby for his help both in the nursery and today (plus having to live me....deserves a wee bit of a mention as well).

After living here now for 2 1/2 years it's amazing how many people I either knew or have seen before (being such the caterpillar type of gal I have become {not so much a social butterfly anymore}) that walked through the doors.

The Faeries were all behaved sitting in the new tree branches and on their platforms on the table. The Seed Pod Babies were happy in their new platter (note to self, Georgina always imagines them swimming, so I think I will pick up some tiny blue marbles or something that they can sit on to give the illusion of floating). The cases for the miniatures worked perfectly and everyone was able to see them and we didn't have to worry about wee little fingers getting ahold of anything (legally, a very important note). I will say though, that the hit of the afternoon was our new line....the Faerie Princes! Everyone had to pick one up and check them out.

We had put out a copy of the new catalogue and people were so impressed with it. Even got a few asking if they could purchase one. As this thought did not quite enter my mind when ordering them, I will make a mental note for next year to perhaps print off a few that can be made available for sale.

A big shout-out goes to Meagan at the Northern Journal for the story she did about me and my little company for Small Business Week in our local newspaper. I must have had a least a dozen people recognize either me or my company name and state that they had read about me and wanted to learn more.

Georgina organized a secret draw for anyone that purchased an item. She even punched out little 3D faerie figures on the ballots for me!! Congratulations Jennifer Hudson, I will be calling you shortly and making arrangements for delivery :)

     

New Best Friend??

I'm not sure how I managed all of the other sanded doors I have done but I tell you....I have a new best friend!!

Today I purchased the Black & Decker Mouse Sander/Polisher and WOW! Did I say WOW yet?? I managed to get 6 large and 25 small doors completed sanded in under 2 hours! AMAZING....WOW.

Totally recommend this product to anyone that has small items to sand and that have small little hands that can't take the abuse from a larger palm sander.

Early Morning Rise

Wow, look at that, it's not even a quarter to 8 in the morning yet and I have my first coat on the latest set of doors that I had sanded last weekend. It is a glorious day for Summer Solstice even though up here above the Arctic Circle it doesn't really get dark at night :)

Etsy

Well it's done!! My little petal faerie called Blossom is the first one to be placed on my Esty page. Hopefully this link works!!

Etsy - Enchanted Pathways Faerie Nursery

And as the weekend goes on between sanding all the little doors (I found my protective safety glasses finally), I will be putting more faeries up on the site...

Newest News from the Nursery

It has been a week of getting little things done that don't really seem to amount to much but still they need to be done.

Check list:

Order new paper cutter. I figured the nursery needed a paper cutter of its own so I could cut out the new guardian ship papers and all of the little cards that go with an order. Note to self....paper cutters are sharp! Figured I had it all under control with just two little bandaids and a larger on top until I bent my fingers down. Next step off to find hubby to assist with stopping the bleeding. I hadn't even cut one piece of paper and I was banned from using the new paper cutter for almost a week! Back to normal now, good scars mind you....but I have developed a good working relationship with my new paper cutter (it was a wee bit tense there for awhile).

Order new business cards. Yes, this is now my third set of business cards. Now that the Faerie Nursery has an official logo and font and website I have now attempted hopefully my last for awhile order of new business cards. Just got my notification from Vista Print that they have been placed in the post :)

Order a new monitor for the iMac. My computer screen has now developed the most annoying mind you pretty coloured lines on it. While the lines themselves are quite attractive and make the coolest of designs I have finally broken down and ordered a new stand alone monitor so I can see things a bit better. On a side note, I ordered the new monitor from the same place I got the new paper cutter from. I was ensured that there would be NO sharp corners on the new monitor. 

Business meeting with 'secret partner' Debora. We had another awesome brainstorming session earlier on this week. A new work schedule has been developed so we can get a good handle on hopefully a VERY successful upcoming Christmas season. 

Etsy, who would have thought that there was sooo much to do behind setting up an Etsy Shop. Almost done though and should be able to place my first faeries on this weekend.

Website is up and running and a big thank you goes out to Shawn. There are still a few tweaks that we find but only stuff that is behind the scenes. I think it looks fantabulous myself. 

Doors are now being drawn out. As I am unable to actually cut out the doors, hubby dearest will be doing this daunting task for me (as from above, me and sharp objects do not get along that well). With it being the long weekend this will be a great time for the doors to be cut as it will allow me to do the sanding when it is nice out. 

Order new miniatures. We have decided to allow the customer to customize their kit when ordering a faerie, door and trinket chest. As getting these new miniatures in take added time to new guardians receiving their faeries, we have decided to preempt and order a few things ahead of time. The trinket chests themselves will not have any products removed or substituted out but these specialized items will come in their own wee little paper bag for you to give to your faerie.

Accounting books are always a daunting task but I have been able to keep things in line and am completing my log entries once a week. The paperwork behind a company is always the must UN-FUN part of it all. 

Packing boxes, we are in the process of ordering new packing boxes as we never thought beyond our faeries! There will now be boxes available for shipping out doors, faeries and trinket chests both in the gift box style for local purchases and in the corrugated cardboard for mailing. There will also be shipping boxes for the teacups and faeries together as well. 

So as you can see, lots has been done over the last week or so but only the stuff that is behind the scenes. 

The nursery staff will be doing another walk soon to see if there are any new seed pods that need to be collected...that's the FUN part :)

Flower Petal Faeries

Well there are many components to this project!

Firstly, the wire. As this is a speciality cloth wrapped wire I must say I have had a lot of difficulty in finding what I want. The wire that I was able to get is of the correct gauge but I wished that I could have found it in other colours.

Perler Beads, not as easy to come by as one would think. These are used underneath the bottom layer of petals to make them balloon out. 

Feathers....I thought that some of the Faeries should have real feathered wings not sure how they will work but I look forward to experimenting with them.

I recruited my Mom and my husband to spend an hour or two taking apart flower heads. Thank you sooooo much :) Now, I should have all of the flower petals that I will ever need to complete a whole bouquet of Flower Petal Faeries.

As well, I purchased more of the wooden boxes that I need to hold all of the Faeries precious goodies. These need to be stained to match the doors.