My Brambles

Blue on Blue...

1/18/2022

As the Baron and Dowager are taking home the book they borrowed from Atian's library to study, I thought this might be a good time to reveal a little about my new 'borrower' Arnie (or Armina when she is in BIG trouble).

To begin with, I am not a big music trivia person. I might be able to come up with a singer's name or a name to a song but never together which is why I find it funny how sometimes my characters talk to me through music.

Arnie is going to have blue accents as she is neither pyksee nor eemp but maybe a little bit of both (but don't tell the pykees or eemps that as they would feel insulted to be considered in any part a 'borrower'). As I am painting her nails, the song 'Blue on Blue' by Bobby Vinton popped into my head and yes, I had to look it up (*lol). The only the words that kept flying around in my head was the one line - "blue on blue, I can't get over losing you".

As I thought of my little "borrower" I wondered what could be worse than "borrowing" something, feeling the excitement of gaining it running through one's veins, and then to have to lose it when having to either swap it or return it? Remember, the Borrowers never steal for gain but 'borrow' things for knowledge and the bling (*lol). Now Arnie has her theme song!

What's next? Getting Arnie out of the kiln - but before she goes in for her final firing - I want to make sure that her "looks" will go with her wig and eyes... and hopefully, after all of this hard work, she will be revealed in the way she wants to be when she comes out of hiding.

After Hours Visit...

1/12/2022

"What makes you think I have a lockpick set with me?" asked the Baron to his mother.

"You never go on an adventure without them and every time you leave the mansion you always have your tools hidden somewhere in case an adventure begins," answered the Dowager. "Besides, I saw you put them into your coat pocket before we left. We need to make a stop before going home, so you'll be needing them."

Smiling, the Baron pulled out the little leather case holding his 'tools' from his jacket pocket and said, "Do you mean these?" as he held them in his hand. "What adventure are we starting?" Griselda glanced over to see the ring of tools he held and then back to watching outside the carriage window.

"We are going to Atian's. Well, since he is gone, we are going to visit his library. We need something I hope is there," the Dowager said as she continued looking out the carriage window. "I am hoping that since his book collection is the oldest that I know of that there will be a book somewhere there that might help us learn more."

The Baron knew from the way she talked that he would get no more from her so he put away his lockpicks and settled back into his seat for the remainder of the ride.

Soon the Nytemare pulled the coach to the entrance of Atian's cottage where the Realm of Wymsy library was shelved. "We should be back shortly..." the Dowager told the Nytemare as she exited the carriage, "and please wait for us."

As they approached the cottage door, the Baron pulled out his tool set to unlock the door...

"I guess the library knows we are here?" the Baron whispered to the Dowager as he put the unused tool kit back into his pocket. She did not answer, only pushed the door the rest of the way open and walked in. "We are looking for the reference section," was all she said as she lit a candle by the door, picked it up, and started down a row of bookshelves peering into the small alcoves filled with books. Shaking his head from side to side as he wondered what she was looking for, he knew enough to follow and stay out of her way until she found it.

As she continued down another row of shelves lined with books of all sizes, the Baron noticed that his mothers arm was beginning to glow and it was not the one holding the candle... "Mom, I think something is happening..." he started to say as she glared at him for the interruption but before she could tell him to keep looking, she too noticed that her arm was glowing. It was the Dragon Clan tattoo! "We have found it... or more precisely it has found us!" she whispered to her son. "Look around. It must be somewhere close by."

Having no idea what they were looking for, the Baron started pulling several books and scrolls from the shelves and handed them to his mother so she could read the titles. Soon it became obvious which book she sought because as the Baron handed one to her, the book began to glow just like her tattoo.

"We are done here. I will leave a note for the house brownie watching over the Library that we are borrowing the book while you let the Nytemare know we will be ready to leave shortly. We need to return to the Mansion," the Dowager told her son. "Right after you put the other books back that is ~ after all, a house brownie is not someone to upset, which she would be, after seeing this mess."

Break'n the Rules...

1/4/2022

The party was over without the Borrowers showing up and all that was left to do now was to send the few that always have to be told that it was time for them to go home to leave. That... and of course the cleaning up.

As the Dowager, Griselda, and the Baron said their goodbyes to Hungry and the Shadows' King, Griselda was thinking about all that Hunter had told her about what he knew of the tablet. "Not much," she thought. "I probably know more about Dragon tablets than he does." This thought disturbed her because she knew that the Baron and Hunter were correct in their concerns about the troubles this tablet could bring.

Dragons have a very long memory. Some people think that an elephant does, but in comparison to a Dragon, the elephant is just a passing thought. Part of this goes back to Dragons living to very old ages. Where 'Outies' measure events in years, the Dragons measure in eons. Few of the fae live to be as old as a Dragon and it has been a long time since the Dragons left the realms, but Griselda remembers. She was after all a Dragon Clan member and talked to Dragons more than any other fae and that is why the discovery of a Dragon tablet bothered her so much.

Griselda knew that Dragons only wrote down something on a tablet so it would not be forgotten. That usually meant that tablets were for a secret not to be shared freely or something so important that no Dragon should ever forget it!

So, as her and the Baron entered the coach, she was thinking about what to do...

"Hunter, dear, do you mind if your Nytemare takes me on a couple of errands before we return home?" she asked the Shadows' King. "It won't be much out of the way to the Baron's Mansion and these old bones are not up to much more exercise today."

As the Baron forced back a smile, knowing that his mother could still work circles around him, he knew she was up to something and added, "We would appreciate it."

Not wanting to appear uncourteous, he whispered instructions to the Nytemare to be available for them for the night and to take them where ever they requested and soon they were on their way.

The Winter Solstice Party...

12/21/2021

"Leave it to Hunter to be unpredictable. Here we should be having a little tea party and he turns it into the event of the season," growled the Dowager as she rode in a coach on the way to the Winter Solstice event. "Discussing the finding of a Dragon tablet doesn't make this meeting with Hungry any easier either. Now everyone will want to see him!

At least the King sent one of his Nytemares to pull my coach." As horses are few in the Realms, when a Nytemare is willing to take you somewhere - it is only because they wanted to or the Shadows' Realm King commands them to. Griselda was being given an extra treat, being able to ride in one of the King's coaches. "It is nice not to have to walk," she thought. "But he still is going to get an earful about this!"

As the Dowager traveled and was going over in her mind what she was going to say to the Shadows' King, little did she realize that the coach was being watched. Actually, all approaches to the King's castle were being watched! But by whom (or what) is the real question.

Each of the other Kings had their minions out scouting for any clues to the secrets of the Dragon tablet but as of yet, no one had seen the Borrowers. Drat had several of the Troll King's minions watching the trails through the forest (and of course following the Gooblin King's minions) while the Gooblin King had his minions watching the Troll King's minions. He had even put his mechanical bird to the task as it was to continuously fly over Hunter's castle to watch for any unexpected arrivals.

But with all of these minions on the lose, no one thought to check with Meen to see the invited guest list. Of all the guests she had delivered an invitation to, one was skipped over... No, it was not Hungry (as he had already arrived the day before the party so he could visit with Meen and see the Nytemares). It wasn't Snoop who already was sitting next to the entrance doors to the ballroom so he could keep a list of all of the attendees for the morning edition of the Bellwether.

Neither was it The Gooblin King and Troll King who were trying to be polite to each other (and it was killing both of them).

Nor was it the Baron who was presenting the Dowager to the Shadows' King while trying to hide his grin since he knew how mad she was that her little private tea party plan had become a huge event. It seemed everyone who was someone was there except... the Borrowers!

Now, why Meen had not added them to the invitation list would probably be based on the Borrower's history. Anytime a Borrower showed up anywhere, they had the habit of 'borrowing' something. It was worse at parties! So much bling and things to see, that they just could not keep their hands in their own pockets. Forks, knives, spoons, small furry animals, even shoes were known to have disappeared when the Borrowers appeared. (Most instances the items were returned eventually and in some cases even something better had been left behind as in the one instance when a glass of milk had disappeared but in its place was left a milk cow - even if the cow was someone else's, the fact that something better had been left cannot be overlooked.)

It didn't take long before everyone realized (as nothing had gone missing still) that one of the main reasons they had decided to show up for the party wasn't there! No Borrowers which meant no Dragon tablet. Yes, there was a real Dragon, and usually that would have been something of a spectacle, but this group wanted to see what all the hullabaloo was about regarding this newest find... or at least what the latest gossip was about. Since it wasn't here soon the guests started to make excuses as to why they needed to leave (but not until after filling their pockets with food from the buffet tables).

As the party dwindled down to just the minion staff and the few guests who had really wanted to just attend a party, Hunter lead Griselda, Hungry, and the Baron into a small sitting room for a quick private discussion. "It appears that the race is now on for who finds out what is on the Dragon tablet first," said the Shadows' King to the others as they sat. "I know this is not what you were expecting Griselda but I needed to know what you know about it."

"What tablet?" Hungry asked, but before Hunter could answer the Baron said, "This tablet that might have untold power." As he continued, Hunter only nodded his head affirming the Barons chilling words. "Hungry, some rulers are benevolent and just, while some are looking to expand their treasury or reputation. There are some who quest for more knowledge or power and some want to change things to be the way they want them to be. Several here tonight attended so they could see the Dragon tablet and had hoped to learn something that the others did not know. Since the tablet wasn't here, each is now heading to their realm to start the race to see who can find the Borrower with the tablet and get it for themself."

"A race you say? asked Hungry looking at the Shadows' King. "Are we in it?"

Invitations are coming in...

12/14/2021

"Hmmm. It has been a long time since Hunter has thrown a party. I wonder how he has heard about the tablet?" Druzzy grumbled. "Maybe the Wish Dragon will also be there. That would save me from having to be nice to that annoying musical troll Hewy."

Others wonder how they can use the gathering to their advantage...

"Ahhhh... This works perfectly into my plans. Now maybe I will find out if anyone else already knows what is on the tablet or where it truly is. If this event can help me find the Dragon Token then attending this frivolous party will be worth it," smiled the Gooblin King. "This way I won't be needing my little mechanical bird for this party. I can send him out for a back up plan, like bringing in pizza for later!"

And some had hoped that nobody knew about the tablet at all...

"Drat. I had hoped that word of the tablet would not have gotten around to everyone yet. Now all of them will be trying to find out what the tablet says and I am only figuring out parts of it myself. If only my sight would show it to me but something is screening it. If anybody else would have found it but the Borrowers, I would already have been able to see it. I am sure that this is the beginning of another catastrophe," growled Awena. "Arrange for transportation immediately. I will be attending this Solstice Party," Awena told one of her attending Sleeping Sisters.

But one had only a single concern...

"Whatever a Solstice Party is, I sure hope it has lots of food," thought Hungry.

A Minion's work is only beginning - The Invites

12/7/2021

The Shadows' King has meet with the staff of his castle and the planning has begun. Rooms are being tidy up for the guests. Even the Dusty Mytes were called in to help as long as they didn't "sneeze" others into forgetting what they were suppose to be doing. (Check tutorial if you need your own dusty myte for your holiday cleaning.)

The kitchen larder is being well stocked for the dinner to be served at this Winter Solstice Event. Everyone knows a Troll can eat more than three times their weight in sugar cookies alone. Meen, being Hunter's chief minion, was delegated the task of sending out the invitations (as well as delivering them). She hopes she has everyone's name spelled right. Nothing would land her in the dungeon faster than if she got a title or name spelled wrong as royalty is so sensitive that way.

If the Dowager was thinking that her suggestion to meet with Hunter, the Shadows' King, and to have him invite Hungry to a small quiet affair then she must have forgotten or be way out of practice - for this event will be the Event of the Year if he had anything to do about it.

"I have no intention of keeping this meeting small," thought Hunter as he smiled while reading the invitation that Meen had given him to approve. Handing the invitation back to Meen he told her, "The invitations are fine Meen. Go ahead and start delivering them but make sure they understand that this is going to be one party that they won't want to miss." As she scampered away The King mumbled under his breath, "And we shall soon find out what is on the Dragon tablet." For he knew that if he was to keep his own realm safe he better know who the players in this drama are and what they want.

Minions, Mushrooms and Meetings...

11/30/2021

Everyone in the Realms know that the Mushroom Line is the fastest way news travels. As quick as a wink, if one mushroom hears something, it speeds through the line clear to the Telegraph Master, Parsley. Though it is a guarded secret (as not everyone is suppose to know), that there is another communication line that runs even faster than the Mushrooms. It is the Minion Chain!

The only problem with the Minion Chain is that each link is only as good as each Minion who carried the message. That, and how good the next in line is at figuring out the message's meaning before repeating it. There was once a message that started out on the Minion Chain as a simple request for a cup of sugar and ended up becoming a life or death plea for a chocolate cake (apparently one of the Minions was hungry when it spread the message). This issue has been researched by the wisest in the realms and it was finally determined that the clearest messages were in the shortest chains. Which is another reason that Meen's reports to the Shadows' King was so accurate - she was the only one in the chain. Nothing like keeping a message short and sweet.

The emergency meeting of C.O.G. (Cooperation of Organized Grunts) had just ended and Meen, being a member outstanding (that is she was standing out by the food tables trying to put some into her pockets for later), had heard about the Borrowers and the tablet they had found. The excitement of a Dragon tablet had her hopping faster than she had ever hopped before. Leaping over mushrooms and logs, just barely missing falling into a pool of water on the other side, she hurried to get back to the Shadows' King's castle to tell him the news!

Upon entering the castle, she went straight to the King's Audience Chamber, hoping to find him there so she would not have to search for him out in the forest. It was his daily habit to be available in the chamber for anyone to present themselves about this time. But in her hurry to go the emergency C.O.G. meeting she had left her timepiece behind when she was called to it. "Hopefully he has not finished yet", gasped Meen as she was still trying to catch her breath. Her luck was still with her as she saw that the King was there. The last of his subjects had just left and he was reading a letter that had just been delivered.

Quickly she kneeled at the base of his throne and awaited his notice. "What is it you are wanting to see me about," he asked Meen without looking up from the letter he was still reading. She did not immediately respond as she was still trying to catch her breath ("One too many sweets at the meeting," thought Meen). This pause caused the King to look over the letter and at her, wondering about the delay.

"Your majesty, I have important news that I just heard that you should know about," Meen finally was able to tell Hunter. "Hopefully it is better than the chocolate cake incident," was the King's reply.

Blushing slightly, the little Pyksee continued, "Sire, I have just returned from a meeting of my fellow Minions and it has been reported that a tablet has been found." As the King looked at her, trying to understand the importance of what she was saying, it finally struck Meen that she had forgotten to tell him the most important part. "It is a Dragon tablet from before they left the Realms," she said.

Now that was interesting thought the King. It also further explained the letter he was reading from the Dowager Griselda and her desire to have tea with him and wouldn't it be nice if he invited Hungry, the Wish Dragon, to be there too.

"Very good Meen. Well done! Now it appears we must prepare for a little party. Gather the staff and we will start the planning. I think it is past the time to find out who are all of the players of this drama," as he reread the Dowager's letter. "Besides no one 'summons' me," mumbled the Shadows' King to himself, "even if she is a Dragon Clan Counselor."

Quoting Einstein???

11/21/2021

Albert Einstein was once reportedly to have said, "The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits".

How does this quote associate with what I do in my sculpting? Good question... Maybe because sometimes I feel that I don't know what I am doing (feeling stupid at times) but that is when the creative process begins. And I definitely try not to give myself limits.

When I sculpt hands, the techniques are the same that I use to create my dolls - making sure that I don't undercut in the clay that makes it difficult for them to come out of a mold.

But that doesn't always happen how I would like. Each time I create a mold the possibility of something going wrong is always there. This time, my mold would not release the hands and the first pouring did not go well as you can see. But a little scratching here and there and the molds were saved! Arnie (or Arminda - I haven't decided which name yet or both *smiling*) is going to have her hands.

I stated in an earlier Bramble that I fell in love with this blue fur I had picked up for my granddaughter's dragon projects. I now knew it had to also be a part of my "Borrowers" too.

Another favorite saying of mine is... One is good, two is better, and three is best! (*lol *)

Anyhow, as I sculpt new characters, I am always thinking ahead to what else I might need to make to complete them. I realized that if I wanted to use the fur though, I would need to 'spruce-it-up' with a little extra color (two colors are better than one *lol*). Arnie told me she needed a stripe of sorts in her "fur" which is when we came up with this idea.

I always think that being a little "nutz" is what allows to me think outside the box too. So, after spraying the fur with some alcohol dye paint and then blow drying it, Arnie and I think that she is going to look pretty good... and I don't even have her out of the mold yet. (*lol*)

A Borrower Starts to Appear...

11/16/2021

A little bit about the Borrowers as one begins to take shape in the hidden region of my craftroom. The Borrowers have always been able to go back and forth between the Shadows and the Villagers, but they also can go into the other "domain" where the Outies rule. Even with all of this traveling, few have ever really seen one. Oh, they are talked about and people know they are real, but what they look like is mostly a mystery. But why?

Borrowers are often mistaken for Gremblins (they are distant cousins to what Outies call Gremlins but with one major difference - Gremblins never destroy anything or cause harm like Gremlins do, they only change the appearance of things making them harder to find) which the borrowers find humorous as they have no problems letting the Gremblins mistakenly take the blame for often a Borrower's actions. I mean who else takes the sock out of the dryer or moves the glasses or keys when one knew just where they had left them. But remember, a Borrower always replaces what they 'borrow' with something else or they return it if another thing catches their eye before they move on.

Borrowers don't use their magic to get in and out of places. They think that by using magic it is somehow cheating and lowering their 'borrowing' skills (which they are most prideful of). The thrill of the 'borrow' is being able to find a way in and out without anyone else knowing (that and maybe having someone else blamed - that is considered the perfect 'borrow' to a Borrower).

The Borrowers have several keys to all the portals they use (like the Brownies) which give them the ability to go back and forth between any place and dimension - but one key has been denied to them for many eons. It is a key of legend known to the Borrowers and they have been on the lookout for it but have never found it. Many have followed the clues to where it might be found but no Borrower even knows what the key looks like for sure. Was it a skeleton key, a padlock key, or maybe something different - like a key word?

Now that they have recently found a tablet written by the Dragons their hope is renewed that maybe it will lead them to the key! One small problem... they can't read it. Okay, maybe two small problems - the Borrower who will soon take shape has a thought - maybe their thinking has been a skewed? Maybe instead of looking for a "key"... maybe the "key" is something else entirely - maybe even a little Wish Dragon???

The Minions Meet...

11/9/2021

Tap! Tap! Tap!... went the gavel on the stone podium. Tap! Tap! Tap!... but with everyone talking, yelling, screaming, and arguing, nobody heard the minion standing behind the rock podium tapping the small wooden gavel she held in her hand. Realizing that it was not working, she reached down and pulled up a larger metal hammer five times the size of the little gavel, lifted it high above her head and slammed it down on the rock several times.

Each time the hammer hit the stone podium a loud booming noise rang out, reverberating throughout the enormous cavern chamber that all the other minions were in.

Quickly the loud roar of the minions quieted and soon all eyes were watching her as she threateningly bounced the hammer in one hand while holding the handle in the other. "If everyone will be silent we will start this emergency meeting of C.O.G. so we can get back to our other minion business." She continued when all eyes were watching her (except for the few younger minions in the back by the food tables trying to eat all of the sweets they could before the meeting ended).

"I am sure that by now most of you are aware of the discovery that was recently made and being a member of the Cooperation of Organized Grunts (C.O.G.) we have called here this special meeting to discuss what needs to be done about it."

After getting the crowd's attention with this statement, she started talking again as they slowly quieted down. "Fellow members of C.O.G., for those of you who have not heard the entirety of the situation, it has come to our attention that the 'Borrowers'..." and with the mention of their name a loud groan escaped the lips of each of the listening members. The speaker gave a minute for the group to quiet down again before continuing, "The 'Borrowers' have discovered a tablet left behind by the Dragons. We still do not know what is written on the tablet but we have heard that several different factions are trying to obtain it for their own purposes. We must get it first!" With that statement, the minion crowd again went wild and starting cheering and chanting - "The tablet... The tablet!"

"As minions of the various leaders in the Realms, we are the ones that make the wheels turn (quite literally) and make daily things happen. That is why we have organized to make sure that confusion and disorganization does not reign and that one day we will be recognized for our efforts and become leaders of these realms," she ended to the loud roar of approval and agreement from the other minions.

Again, waiting for the crowd to quiet down, the speaker continued, "But since it is not our way for violence, we must do something else to win their support. I have held council with several of the other minion groups and we have come to only one option that has the highest chance of success. We must convince the 'Borrowers' to join C.O.G."

The silence in the chamber was astounding! Even the younger members trying to eat the last of the cookies on the snack tables stopped chewing and starred at the speaker as if she had just grown another head. Have the 'Borrowers' join C.O.G.? They must have heard wrong...