Happy International Faerie Day

This day is for them, the faeries, this one day of the year... International Faerie Day. The one day that it's okay to say 'yes' I do believe, to dress up, to act like, to just be a faerie yourself.

Well, whether you are a fan of Teresa Moorey and her book titled "The Fairy Bible"; or perhaps you prefer Brian Froud and his book of "Good Faeries/Bad Faeries"; or how about Kelley Heckart and her website "Faery Lore".... I don't think that it really matters whose version or variation you follow, just as long as you know that there are faeries out there. There have been many books, stories, rumours, folktales both in written form and told from one generation to another about the names and definitions of Fae inhabitants that I'm sure one or two of them must have gotten it right or at least lose enough to the truth.

Here is a bit of a history lesson of my adventures on discovering faeries....

I was first introduced to faeries through my girlfriend Patricia, who has unfortunately passed away many many many moons ago now. Setting scene... vanilla scented candles burning, glass of red wine, a warm summer's eve and a purple velvet pouch which inside was Brian Froud's "The Faeries Oracle" book and card set. Patricia asked me to take my time and just shuffle through the cards (face down) until one stood out from the others. So I did as she said, I took my time until one just seemed to speak me. My card, which is as true today as it was back in 2001 was card #36 - Spirit Dance -- Self expression. Freedom. Exploration.

Flash forward to 2010, just newly married and my husband tells me his own stories of what he felt, seen and heard during his experiences with the Fae while he was overseas exploring Scotland, Ireland, England and surrounding areas. This is where I learnt that there are other faeries than what I grew up with.... thank you Walt Disney and Tinkerbell, but that there are the worldly faeries that aren't made of sparkly faerie dust but are more of the trickster, mischievous and not-so-nice type of ones.

Flash forward to 2011 when my husband buys me a book kit by Rachel Haab "Fairies, Petal People You Make Yourself". This was my re-introduction to faeries but now I was making them myself. It was like I had a whole different me, a sparkly me, just waiting to get out.

Flash backwards to 1990 when I had taught myself counted cross-stitch and I discovered the beautiful artwork of tiag (Butternut Road Designs) and Mirabilia. Here, I figured out the the faeries have been with me since my kids were just little. Way back then, they were already speaking to me as I carefully chose the designs that I thought represented each one of my children and then I did more for my family and friends. Now, each room of my house has hanging a picture that I poured my heart & soul into, each one, a faerie spoke to me and told me her story as I was creating her.

for my son Matthew - Earthdancer

for my daughter - Spiritdancer

for my girlfriend Andes - Adia

made for my girlfriend Patricia but will be given to my girlfriend Linda -  Fairy Idyll

So my lesson from the faeries is that they have been with me for years and it took a fellow believer for me to see them with. I dedicate this day to my friend Patricia, who is lucky enough to have been a faerie herself.

Do you have a specific faerie that you feel represents you? When did you remember to believe? Tell me about your experiences with the Fae and I'll share them here on my blog.

These are the 3 faeries that represent me... meet Faerie Amma

Style 1 - Clay Potter
Style 2 - Stylized Banner design by Alyssa
Style 3 - Blossom

Happy International Faerie Day everyone!!

Love,
Faerie Amma

Magic Always Trumps Facts and Fiction

the facts

a rainbow consists of a variety of colours that create a spectrum through reflection, refraction, dispersion and water droplets.  these documented studies have shown that with these 4 requirements there are numerous conditions that go in the designing of the prism like arc seen in the sky.  two of these studies include the sizing of tears which when larger generate vivid hues; and as with the horizon borderline reds/yellows can be seen and the range of blue/green pigments are found when higher in the sky.  

the fiction

folklore does tell us of finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, so if you do happen to find yourself bathed within the crescent of unbelievable colours please do share your riches with me. 

the magic

but more importantly it is with your own eyes that you find the true beauty of a rainbow. 

* please note:

the bits and pieces of information provided above came from a variety of resources which were re-written only to fit this blog posting. 

definition: HERO

Timeless

Heartfelt

Worldly

Otherworldly

Ageless

Immortal

Steadfast

Everlasting

Supernatural

Spiritual

Magical

Godly

Virtuous

Ethical

Charitable

Self-sacrificing

Innocent

Blameless

Empyreal

Olympian

Dreamy

Jovial

Dreamy

God-fearing

Beyond Reproach

How else would you describe a hero? 

Or

If you prefer the more traditional approach?

(see dictionary definitions below)

Or 

Do you have your own definition? 

(if so, please share them in the comment section below)

Merriam-Webster Dictionary
hero -
noun - he-ro
plural he*roes
: a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent
 endowed with great strength and ability
     - an illustrious warrior
     - a man admired for his achievements and noble
       qualities
     - one who shows great courage
: the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work
     - the central figure in an event, period or movement

Oxford Dictionaries 
hero -
noun - he-ro (plural heroes)
: a person, typically a man, who is admired for their courage,
  outstanding achievements, or noble qualities
: (in mythology and folklore) a person of supernatural
  qualities and often semi-divine origin, in particular one
  whose exploits were the subject of ancient Greek myths

Cambridge Dictionaries
hero
noun (plural heroes)
: a person who is admired for having done something very
  brave or having achieved something great
: (female heroine) the main male character in a book or film
  who is usually good
: someone who you admire very much

Collins Dictionaries
hero
noun (plural) - roes
: a man distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility,
  fortitude, etc
: a man who is idealized for possessing superior qualities in
  any field
: (classical mythology) a being of extra ordinate strength and
  courage, often the offspring of a mortal and a god, who is
  celebrated for his exploits
: the principal male character in a novel, play, etc

The Free Dictionary
he*ro
n., pl. roes
: a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his
  brave deeds and noble qualities
: any person who has heroic qualities or has performed a
  heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal
: the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc
: a person who is greatly admired; idol
: (in antiquity) an individual possessing godlike prowess and
  beneficence who often came to be honored as a divinity

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 Perfect Seaside Story

Now thinking along the lines of my wee company that specializes in Faeries you certainly must be questioning the title of this blog posting? Well, I know I would be, if I was you! Just saying??

Earlier this year I had decided to take a massive leap into the unknown and add to the Northern Line a mermaid like faerie. As this decision took more studying than the rest of the faeries that represent the environment, animals/birds both well known and sacred, using a historical reference and then finally symbolizing the topography of the land and water of northern Canada.

As from this point in the making of the Northern Line I had taken inspiration from the Northwest Territories and the Yukon areas but I knew little and next to nothing of the newest territory of Canada.  On April 1, 1999 Canada officially divided the Northwest Territories, a land claim that had proposed in 1976. This new 'land' has and still is mainly inhabited by the Inuit who have lived there for thousands of years. This new territory was called Nunavut which translates to the 'place of fish' in the traditional Inukitut language.

Garnered with the history of this magnificent new but oldest land, I knew that I had to fashion a new genre, a new type, a new style of faerie so her story could be told through my own imagination of colours, design, look and feel of a faerie made to represent and hopefully do justice to this land that was and is our ancestry.

I would like to share with you the story that inspired the creation of Mistress Sanna.

**The Legend of Sedna the Sea Goddess

The legend of how Sedna became a sea goddess is told throughout the Arctic. The story varies from one region to the next. However, in all versions, a young woman becomes the mother of all sea creatures and controls the availability of seal, walrus, fish, whale, and other sea animals to the Inuit hunters. 

Once there was a young woman named Sedna. She lived in the Arctic with her mother and father. She loved her mother and father very much and was very content. Her father was a skilled hunter, so he provided very well for his family. Sedna had plenty of food and warm furs to wear. She liked the comfort of her parent's home and refused to marry. Many Inuit men desired Sedna for a wife and asked her parents for permission to marry her. But Sedna refused them all. Even when her parents insisted it was time for her to marry she refused to follow tradition and obey them.

This continued for quite some time, until one particular Inuk came to visit Sedna. This man promised Sedna that he would provide her with plenty of food to eat and furs for clothes and blankets. Sedna agreed to marry him. After they were man and wife, he took her away to his island. When they were alone on the island, he revealed to her that he was not a man at all, but a bird dressed up as a man! Sedna was furious, but she was trapped and had to make the best of it. He, of course, was not a good hunter and could not provide her with meat and furs. All the birdman could catch was fish. Sedna got very tired of eating fish every day.

They lived together on the island for a time, until Sedna's father decided to come and visit. Upon seeing that his daughter was so unhappy and that her husband had lied to her, he killed the birdman. Sedna and her father got into his kayak and set off for home. The birdman's friends discovered what they had done and wanted to avenge the birdman's death. They flew above the kayak and flapped their wings very hard. The flapping of their wings resulted in a huge storm. The waves crashed over the small kayak making it almost impossible to keep the boat upright.

Sedna's father was so frightened that the storm would fill his kayak with water and that he would drown in the icy waters that he threw Sedna overboard. He thought that this would get the birds to stop flapping their wings, but it did not. Sedna did not want to be left in the water, so she held tightly to the edge of her father's boat and would not let go. Fearing that she would tip him over, the father cut her fingers off, one joint at a time. From each of her finger joints different sea creatures were born. They became fish, seals, walruses, and whales.

Sedna sank to the bottom of the ocean and there became a powerful spirit. Her home is now on the ocean floor. If you have seen her, you know she has the head and torso of a woman and the tail of a fish.

Sedna now controls all of the animals of the sea. The Inuit who rely on these animals want to maintain a good relationship with Sedna, so that she will continue to allow her animals to make themselves available to the hunters. Inuit have certain taboos that they must follow to keep Sedna happy. One of these says that when a seal is killed it must be given a drink of fresh water, not salt water.

If the hunters do not catch anything for a long time, the Shaman will transform himself into a fish. In this new form, he or she will swim down to the bottom of the ocean to appease Sedna the Sea Goddess. The Shaman will comb the tangles out of Sedna's hair and put it into braids. This makes her happy and soothes her anger. Perhaps it is because Sedna lost her fingers that she likes to have her hair combed and braided by someone else. When she is happy, she allows her animals to make themselves available to the hunters. Animals do not mind giving themselves up to provide food, clothes, and shelter for the Inuit. **

**© Lenore Lindeman, 1999.
Moore Charles. 1986. Keeveeok, Awake! Edmonton: Ring House Gallery. p. 9–10.
http://www.polarlife.ca/traditional/myth/sedna.htm


I hope you now know why and how I created and welcomed Mistress Sanna amongst the beautiful, mystifying and magical family of the Northern Line of Faeries. I do hope that I have done her justice and I hope that she is able to carry on the folklore of the Inuit people.