Have you dropped in to the Tutorial page yet under the Projects & Tutorials section of my website?  It is there that I share my dream with a dash of inspiration as to why I decided on what I was going to do in regard to painting my new character, Sprout.  Sprout is just full of creative energy and he suggested to me that I shouldn't be afraid to take those "leaps of faith" by getting in front of the camera myself to show you what I do.

Magic, just like Sprout, can also be very hard to capture.  Even when he has been (the mischievous character that he is) a fountain of ideas.  He already knew I like playing with the video special effects and thought to entice me with a little shower of fairy dust to show off his face.  Sprout isn't a shy Fae at all if you haven't figured that out yet *smiling*.

In the meantime, while his head is going through the multiple firings to fix each painting stage, I decided to start on his body.  Sprout shared that he wants his body to be more unique than what I would normally do for one of my characters.  He is a Fae and wants to show his body off after all.  I decided to be different and create his body with needle-felting.  Now needle-felting isn't an art form that happens quickly (especially for larger projects).  It can also involve blood, pricked fingers, and a slight stab or two.

The Sugar Plum Bakery was his new favorite place (especially when they were cooking) to hang out.  He licked his lips in anticipation as he waited for the muffins to appear.  "Ah, the sweet smells of all of those goodies just waiting to be eaten," as he licked his lips once more. ​

​“Don’t worry,” Parsley told her as she stood and began to clear the table of dishes.  “We will be informed when they do, but in the meantime, our next step is to do a little magic of our own.  Finish up your tea and remember to leave just a little in the bottom so that we will see what the tea leaves tell us.”

​“Stay put Efem and finish your tea,” Parsley told them.  “I will be needing your cups shortly.  Think about the Dragon before you finish drinking.  That will help when I read your tea leaves.”  It only took a couple of minutes before Parsley had the table cleared and returned to her seat.  “Now, let’s see what we can find out.”

Parsley could see that Efem was getting concerned.  “Let me see if my cup can tell me more about the searchers."  Closing her eyes, she placed her hands on her teacup.  As she opened them, she turned the cup over and looked in.  "One of the searchers is not of the Fae nor of the land while One is the land.”

​“Parsley, I am confused,” Cornelia said.  “What does that mean?  One not being Fae nor of the land can only mean an outsider I would assume, but how can one be the land?”  “I don’t know,” replied Parsley.  “I am just as confused as you are.  Efem, any ideas?” 

Parsley stood and started to the cottage door.  "I'm going to run down Sprout!  He needs to join in here to help look too!"  Efem and Cornelia looked at each other.  "Who's Sprout?" they thought.

​“Please sit while I brew some tea for us to drink.   Afterwards we can see what the leaves can also reveal to us,” said Parsley as she motioned for Efem and Cornelia to sit at her table.  “I have a nice herbal tea here I would like you to try.  It is my own special blend I call Chameleon as it changes flavors as you drink it."

​​It is amazing how by not saying a word, volumes can be implied thought Efem.  Taking a calming breath and the hint, she sat down at the table to await the tea.

Parsley turned away from the sisters and stepped over to the stove where she had a pot of hot water already simmering.  She then took down her teacups from the cupboard and reached for her special blend.  This she added to the steaming water and stirred in a silent wish as she turned back around with the pot of tea.  Pouring the tea to everyone and taking a sip, she started the conversation.  “Now, from what you have told me of the young Dragon, you both think the first problem is to find him before anyone else does.  Is this correct?”

​“Yes, we need to find him right away before anyone discovers he is a Wish Dragon,” answered Efem, frustrated and impatient to be started and not sitting here talking.

​Cornelia continued to sip her tea and decided to try one of the muffins that Parsley has brought with the tea.  Efem looked over at her wondering why she was not agreeing with her.  Cornelia continued nibbling on her muffin and just smiled at her as she turned her gaze to Parsley.  "Parsley, these are delicious.  Mind giving me the recipe?  I am sure Nemmer and The CAT would love some of these."  Efem was starting to simmer and about to boil over from their apparent lack of concern, when finally Cornelia, taking mercy on Efem, asked Parsley "What do you think we should be doing?"  “Finally,” thought Efem.

​“Oh, I have already started.  The Mushroom Line has been informed to find the Dragon as a priority news item.  Anything involving the Dragon is to be reported immediately.  They already have a few reports but nothing substantiated yet,” replied Parsley.  “Do you really like the muffins?” she asked Cornelia.  “They are one of Mrs. C's recipes.  I just whipped them up for Sprout.  He really likes them.”

​​Efem was stunned.  These were just the things she needed to hear.  That everyone was  working together to help find the poor lost little Dragon.  She also realized that she truly had missed her old friend and started to glow with joyful feelings.

Parsley, seeing Efem starting to glow at her words, started to blush.  She too had missed her childhood friend.  To hide the blush, she lifted the pot of tea.  “I will get us some more tea.  Then we can see what the leaves also have to tell us about this young Dragon.​"

​Efem had been looking at her feet the whole time Parsley and Cornelia had been speaking.  Finally she lifted her head and looked at Parsley.  “Parsley, I know that it has been a long time since we last talked.  I know I have been a stubborn old oak  but right now we don't have time for chit-chat, we need your help.”

​“Does the Mushroom Line know where to find him?” they asked Parsley at the same time.  Slightly embarrassed, Efem nodded to her sister to continue, “We must find him. We think it is important that we become his first teachers.  At least that is according to the Sleeping Ladies and their Petal Post.  Otherwise great havoc will occur in all of the realms.”  Cornelia quickly explained to Parsley what they knew about the young Dragon and that they were aware that there were others now trying to find the young Wish Dragon too.  The Sleeping Ladies felt that this must not happen until he understood the consequences of his abilities.

​“I will help you both as this emergency affects us all,” decided Parsley.  "Now come inside so we can start making plans."  As they all entered Parsley's mushroom home, Efem did have something to say and knew if she did not say it now, it would not get any easier later.  ​“Parsley, I am sorry.  It never should have taken a Dragon to make me realize the friendship I lost through my obstinance."

"Efem, I regret that it took something as important as this to bring you here to my door too.  You don’t have to say anymore, let us focus on what needs to be done now."  Parsley wondered  if the Wish Dragon was already granting wishes for she had wished for a long time to have this misunderstanding end.

“Now then let’s get started, we have a Wish Dragon to find!” smiled Efem at Parsley and Cornelia.

​How fun it was to run carefree and let the wind blow through my hair or squishing mud between my toes (which to be honest, I still squish mud...).  After all, isn't this the main purpose of a fairy - to awaken the child within us?  The child within holds our dreams, wishes, and our laughter and beliefs that we carry with us into adulthood.  Don't lock them away... let them run free and be 'happy feet'.

Now that she has shown me her 'happy feet' she is willing to reveal herself to me.  Which is good because I am a little out-of-shape for all the chasing after her.  But, like any good exercise the more I practice the better I will get... even if it is only a little skip to begin with.

... Parsley is running the "boss" ragged - so this is that helpful Hubby filling in on this week's Brambles to talk about fishing (or is that wishing?) before the Christmas season starts (you know what I am talking about - where Halloween and Thanksgiving have not even happened yet but the stores are filling up with Christmas decorations).  Anyhow, here at MisPlace Dolls I have found the best way for me to get new toys is to drop those little "helpful" hints.  You know, like when the "boss" is creating something and then I hint something like 'oh, if I had a (fill in the blank) tool, I could do that for you'.  The other day was no exception.

Sooo, being the dutiful minion, I cut a dowel rod into a short stick and scraped out the walnut shell with my meager set of tools and showed them to the "boss".  "Well.... hmmm .  It might work" was her reply.  Which means it's okay but what if we did this... was the decision.  Now here is where timing adds to the perfect happy ending to this story (also called baiting the line)!  Somewhere in the conversation certain words might have been said...  'If I had a Dremel tool with the right attachments, this would be so much easier and would probably look better' (the hook!).

Oh, I am sure that Parsley is wishing there was a fairy godmother to just wish her hairdo in with a wave of her wand. But for me the hair is my second favorite thing to play with during the doll making process.  I know that I am a "wanna be" beautician and that my sons were so thrilled when I moved on to doing dolls' hair instead of theirs.  So what to do about Parsley's hair?