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!

An Eleventh Hour Visitor?

Now here we are at a very northern nursery in Canada, with the sun now setting earlier and earlier in evening with barely a the light from dusk sky.

At this hour the Faeries rarely are allowed outside at this unusual hour. Why you ask? Well to be honest the mosquitoes are still bigger than they are! To me, if I was a Faerie...I wouldn't want to be outside either.

So there I was sitting outside breathing in the fresh air, hearing the breeze murmur their way through the tips of tallest tree branches and watch the light as it quickly fades away. I was enjoying my cup of tea in my favourite mug when I thought I heard a rustle in the low lying undergrowth and small shrubs?

Being as inquisitive as I am (and well knowing that I would be in BIG trouble from the Faeries if I didn't go and investigate) I ran back into the nursery to grab the camera....thankfully I didn't rouse anyone or else I never would have gotten back outside!

And this is what I found...I'm not too sure who this is? What they are doing here at the nursery? Where they came from? Are there more? Why are they rustling around just outside the nursery in the late evening light? Why are they here? The questions going through my head were quickly being asked to the point I just couldn't keep up and I defiantly can't remember to write them all down here.

This is what I heard...whispers, sighs, and even though I was within hearing distance I still couldn't distinguish the language that I could just barely hear.

What could I see....a hat that definitely had undoubtably had a curly form, it looked a lot like burlap to me but then how could burlap have form? A very long beard could be seen from a side profile, leading me to believe that our visitor just might be a little old man, gnome, dwarf!

This wee creature was definitely looking around but didn't seem to wander to far from where I originally found him. He just kind of was gazing, inspecting and possibly even peeking through the leaves just checking me out as well?

Now a lot of the pictures that I am posting may very similar in looks but all I could think of what to do was to keep pressing the shutter button just to make sure that I got something on film.

Once inside the nursery, I uploaded the photos from the camera to my iPhoto....now it is VERY important that you realize that none of these photos have been altered in anyway. All I did was add our watermark...well for you know why reasons.

I will definitely take another gander in the morning and perhaps let the Faeries out to look around just in case he is just too nervous to see me, me who must look like a giant.

So here he is our eleventh hour visitor...

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.

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.