Blog Posts

The Mushroom Line...

9/23/2019

As Efem and Cornelia were discussing their plan of locating the missing Dragon, Efem asked, "Now that we have sent Nemmer and The CAT to look for the young Dragon maybe we should contact the Twitter network?"

"Yes, we could. Everyone in the Shadows’ Realm know the birds are a good source of gossip since they do like to twitter all day long to anything that will listen. But you and I know the most reliable source of news is the Mushroom Line," answered Cornelia.

Efem nodded her head as she had to agree, for where ever a shadow lay - a mushroom was sure to sprout, and even though their ears don’t stick out they hear everything that is happening in the woods.

No one knew how they told each other what they heard - not even the trees using the Root Connection could understand it; but the Mushroom Line was usually the first to report anything ‘unusual’ in the Realm.

And if you have not guessed it yet, Parsley is the Telegraph Master to this news line which just irked Efem to no end. Efem wasn't thrilled that she and Cornelia needed to ask her for help in finding the elusive Wish Dragon before anyone else found him.

Efem, who prided herself in being the first to know anything happening in her Sacred Grove, was already feeling a little hedged in as she was sure that Parsley already knew that Efem and Cornelia had already started their journey to see her. That is how efficient the Mushroom Line is.

So as Parsley prepares herself for her visitors, and Efem and Cornelia make their way to her - the mushrooms watch and listen for more news in the Realm for tales of a Dragon.

What is Parsley...

9/17/2019

If Efem and Cornelia are coming over to Parsley's, then she better wake up and get her face on. As I am working with her face, I do feel like I paint in clay rather than sculpt in clay. Just like applying makeup to a face, it is all about the layering process.

Starting out with the foundation, then on to the eye shadows, then maybe a little contouring with the cheeks by adding some depth with another color - or in my case, by adding a little more clay.

As I continue to work on her face, what else does she reveal about herself? After all, our personality shines through our face. When she told me her name, I knew she was going to have a talent (or mis-talent *smiling*) in the kitchen. A fae who likes hanging around the kitchen or dabbling with the soup.

Maybe Parsley isn't necessarily a main ingredient to a meal, but it does add it's own flavor. Plus, I am enjoying discovering it's healing properties along the way, all which make for an interesting adventure.

In the meantime, Parsley is going to offer some recipes and cooking tips she hopes you enjoy while she is getting ready. Her first hint is... did you know that you can freeze avocados? I was reminded this summer that not everyone knew this - so here is her tip.

Simply peal and pit the avocados and then slice them to whatever size you like to work with. When I make something, I tend to use 1/2 of an avocado at a time, so my slices are more liked halves. Also keep in mind the ripeness of the avocado because whatever level of ripeness it is frozen at, is what it is when thawed.

After slicing, place the pieces on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice which helps them from not turning brown. Place the cookie sheet with the avocado slices in the freezer for about 10 minutes to freeze. Take them back out and bag them for long term freezing. That's all there is to it. Now you can have avocados all year around for cooking or making your favorite spreads.

My little "Honey Bee"

6/24/2019

So while Cornelia is away and Nemmer has his nose buried in the latest issue of "Arrows are Us - The Golden Guild Guide Book"... let's take a peek at a special secret recipe of hers.

Once the chocolate sauce is melted and the vanilla is added... spoon a small amount into the mini-muffin/candy pan. Note to self -- line pan with liners. Then set the pan into the freezer for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, mix up the ingredients for the peanut butter center. No cooking involved there... just mixing it up in a bowl.

Pull the pan out of the freezer and then place a layer of the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate.

A few minutes in the freezer might help keep the chocolate that is the top layer from blending with the peanut butter level or leave a bigger space to add more chocolate to top it off with. Either way, place the final layer of the chocolate sauce on top and then place in the freezer for a good hour (I did mine overnight).

The buzz is that they are pretty easy to make. Plus they are gluten free and dairy free (though they do have peanuts). Almond butter could be substituted. Also I did put a pinch of vanilla in with the peanut butter mixture just because I always do *smiling*... Enjoy this little honey sweet.

Strange paths and eating utensils ...?

3/20/2019

The full moon Wednesday night caused the doors of The Old Passageway to be shoved open wide. Beyond the doors lay a path that leads to the Wandering Woods. The Trees are calling. Do I listen to the Trees? Do I listen to the Children of the Woods (the Fae) whispering in the bushes? The Ogham or it's other name, Celtic Tree lettering, is marking a path ahead giving off a faint green glow. They fade away as I approach, only to see them magically re-appear further down the path.

As I continue walking I see a light ahead illuminating from a window with a door next to it. Nothing unusual except for they are on the trunk of an Ancient Oak Tree.

As I came closer, the door slowly opens and I see a hunched-over old woman beckoning me inside. She smiles as I enter and offers me a cup of tea as she invites me to sit at her table.

I ask her if I drink her tea, will I end up in her oven? She smiles and replies "No". She tells me that she only called to me so that she may remind me of my mystical roots.

Startled, I ask what mystical roots would that be? Slowly she starts to speak, "Do you remember when you first started on this path and told me that the only way you would learn to sculpt was if I made it interesting?" I nodded my head, thinking back that I thought I had been only talking to the voice in my head... or so I thought.

"Did you not acknowledge that your four boys would be where you would start with your clay?" Again I nodded my head, thinking it would have been nice too if I had said something about how long I was going to be spending on this particular path.

"What logo did you decide to use for this path," the Old Woman asks? I replied that I had been looking into the mystical meaning of the Celtic Trees. "Correct", the Old Woman said, "and you drew a line for each of your sons standing on the foundation or line of your love for them."

"Because each son is strong and tall in his own space, no one line was taller than the other nor leaned nor slanted. They were to stand side by side, equal to each other. With this logo, what tree did it represent?"

I reply, that it is a hazel wood. The Old Woman smiles as she tells me that she so loves a twist in a tale. "For is that not the name of your grandmother too?" Yes, it was, I replied my grandmother's name was Hazel Woods.

As the Old Woman stands and starts to usher me out the front door, tea cup and spoon in my hand, she reminds me "You remember where you started from, now is the time to look ahead." Before she closes the door, she takes the cup from my hand saying - "You will need to give this to Efem," leaving me the spoon.

Starting back down the path, staring at the spoon still in my hand, I wondered what was all this about. The trees calling me, the reminder from the old lady, and now a spoon. So typical I am thinking. I hope for easier answers when what I get is more questions. Guess I will have to go back to Efem for the answers.

What happens if...

3/10/2019

I am sitting at my sewing machine (sewing doll outfits of course) and listening to a program on my tablet, when I hear these words... "What happens if...?" This woman was talking about her creative approach towards her writing. SPARK! I know that process! The "What Happens If..." process - it is what I use in my own approach to my creativity.

I am told I have a great imagination when, in reality, it is because of this "What Happens If..." process. I am just TOO darn curious to see what happens if... (for those who wonder where Meen gets it *lol).

And apparently, What Happens If must have Curiosity to accompany it for the process to work.

"What happens if..." I see a person with a funny expression? A glimmer starts rolling around in my brain and bounces like a ping pong ball which sparks a magical idea.

Then Curiosity rolls it around into the next...

What happens if... I take that idea and with a lump of clay turn it into a doll? And then Curiosity keeps that ball rolling until...

This What happens if has now becomes a character which my Curiosity has chosen to ride along with. The two of them fuel the creative sparks that feed my work.

For if I don't have Curiosity along for the ride, the What happens If's might never happen and how sad that would be. I love my Curiosity, as it has taken me many places (with maybe some I shouldn't have traveled), and how much bigger my world is for having gone there in the first place.

So, I put the What happen if's in my backpack. I stuff my Curiosity into my travel bag and take off to travel the paths of creativity. I bring along my compass (so I can stay true to my path), my map (so I can have a point of destination or goal), and my admission tickets (giving myself permission to play with my inner child) and head on out the door to those creative places - Let's Go!...

How does a Faerie Get her Name?

3/5/2019

It is an interesting and serious process acquiring a name. It may reflect a well known hero, a family member to be honored, or it can be related to an emotion - such as Joy, Love, or Desiree for example. A name is a very personal element. Not everyone is thrilled with being called 'hey-you'.

My process of naming is intuitive. The more my characters tell me about themselves the more their name is revealed. Often their names will come in a dream and I don't need to dig any deeper.

Not so with my newest character. At the time when I began her, she was going to be a part of a sister energy. I recently walked the path of loosing my sister to cancer. Part of my healing is to use my art to reveal and play with that powerful and loving relationship between sisters. After all, sisters are a breed unto themselves (just ask my brother).

At first my character told me her name was Fern as I began exploring the valleys of her face. Then her ears took on a whole new twist and she said "Wait..", now her name was Marigold. Yes, I was getting a little confused by this time. Further research was required. I looked up the meanings of Fern and Marigold. I discovered that Fern is a plant of shade and green which I took to mean the dark part of the Ying/Yang energy. Marigold was the fire and light part of that same energy.

I couldn't decide on one or the other and neither one sounded right to me. Okay, then let's combine them. Nah... that didn't work either... until I decided that FM - F(fern)M(marigold) was it. FM is a radio wave that is unique and often plays more music than not. FM's twisted ears reflect that she hears things on her own vibration and wavelength. So FM it will be... but now with a magical twist -- Efem.

Please meet my newest magical character. She has only revealed her name so far and still hasn't decided to tell me whether she is a faery or a nymph. I will keep you posted as to our further 'conversations'.

March 1st is Dragonfaust Day!

3/1/2019

What is a Dusty Myte?

2/17/2019

When I can't see something but I "feel" that it is there, a personal fear is created. By that definition, then maybe I should fear the Dusty Mytes since I can't see them. Now Nemmer, having run into these annoying creatures, knew there was nothing truly to fear from them. They are more like pesky little gossamer flocculent (look it up - it means fluffy) things than anything else. If it wasn't for their particular ability to make us forget where we placed our keys and leaving long trails of dust behind to be dusted away; Nemmer wouldn't have an issue with them.

So once again Nemmer shot me with his arrow of "seeing" (elfshot) and showed me that they weren't evil looking... just nettlesome. And of course, being so sweet and fluffy looking, I had to touch one. By which action, I then made it real... real enough that I can show you how to make your own annoying but sweet looking Dusty Myte.

To visit the tutorial - click here or on the Dusty Myte.

A Rash of Forgetfulness?

2/10/2019

Lately, there has been a rash of forgetfulness in the Shadows' Realm so much now that Nemmer was on-the-job. “Now where could those Dusty Mytes be hiding?" Nemmer mutters to himself as he pokes his head through some bushes. He is pondering this question so hard that he does not notice Meen running from mushroom to mushroom trying to sneak up on him from behind.

”Whatcha doing Nemmer?” Meen asks as she jumps out from behind a giant mushroom and lands right in front of him.

"I spooked ya - didn't I?" Meen giggles. Laughing so hard she had to wipe a tear from her eye. "Whatcha looking for?" As Meen started to take a breath so she could continue to ask more annoying unending questions, Nemmer quickly responds. “Good day Meen. Are you on an errand for the Shadows’ King or just out to play?”

This question worked, as Meen closed her mouth and appeared to be thinking about something. “Now that you mention it, I was supposed to do something… but I can’t remember what it is. Isn’t that funny? How can I do it if I don’t remember it. ”

“Sounds like you have been around a Dusty Myte," answers Nemmer.

"Now think hard… The Shadow King told you to do something… he normally sends you on errands to tell someone about something that’s important. What is new and important that you can think of?”

“I can’t think of anything new. Let’s see, Hungry and I were playing and then we saw Scarlet. Then the King found us and we saw the Nytemares and then Hunter sent Hungry to school… I can’t think of anything important in all of that. Sorry Nemmer, I can’t remember.”

“What does having to be hungry got to do with going to school?” asks Nemmer.

“What are you talking about? The King sent Hungry the baby Wish Dragon to school.” Meen’s eyes suddenly light up, “I remember now! I was to tell everyone that if they see a Dragon in the Shadows’ Realm that it is Hungry on his way to school. Thanks Nemmer." Jumping onto a mushroom, Meen starts to hop away. "I got to get going and spread the word about Hungry."

"That little pykse left before I could ask where she has been," grumbles Nemmer. "Probably forgot that too. Drat... I will just have to keep looking for those pesky Dusty Mytes. They could be anywhere... Imagine a wish dragon back in the kingdom, that is a sight I won't want to forget to see."

Out of the Blue...

2/6/2019

What was that? Is the shadow in the bushes a bird? It should be a bird because it is what I expect it should be. Often what I think I see right in front of me is what it really is. Yet, like the blue jay that I just thought I saw in the bush, might it not also be him?

Him--- because maybe, just maybe, when I have a sudden inspiration or finally see something that has been sitting right before me in a new way, it could have been because of him. Let me introduce him. His name is Nemmer and he is an archer. Now why is that important? It's important because of his elfshot arrows. When I get hit with an idea that comes from out of the blue (haha- that's his favorite joke), what is hidden is now revealed. This does not mean that I get to find that one sock that is missing-- (he tells me because that is someone else's job).

"Hey there... Let me tell them. This is about me after all. This IS my job after all - to give inspiration and the understanding that swells inside. I like to think of myself as the Little Helper who wakes up the unaware."

"Now I understand that not everyone wants to be aware. I accept that, but how boring it must be to be one of those..."

"One question I do get asked when I am first seen is why do I dress up to look like a bird? Other than the fact that I think blue is my color, it helps with the secondary job I have. It is my disguise so that I can keep away those little dusty mytes that steal away inspiration. They are everywhere!"

"Think of those nights when a dream tells you something, but the moment out of bed, it's lost. Or when sitting and an inspiration hits, but from the chair to the next room, that sudden realization of having to ask 'what did I come in here for?' appears and the idea is lost... that's is those nasty little mytes' doing."

"I find that my bow and arrows are especially useful in swatting those pesky little creatures away."

"Well, I have to get back to work, but now that you have seen me as I really appear, ask yourself this question. Will you take that extra second to look to see what was really there? If you see me, then may you be hit by inspiration and not the dusty doo-doo of the mytes! I'm off!!! "

Greetings

Welcome to my blog. This is where I will reveal the magic of my Fae and their stories and share with you some of the success and pitfalls through the journey of doll making, sculpting, and other crafts that all come back to my dolls in many ways.

May you find some small treasure that will enhance your world...welcome to mine.

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