A Weekend of Faerie Making on Salt Spring

October 4, 2018

~ Day one ~

Salt spring in autumn is a pretty magical place to begin with, and we were lucky enough to have a beautiful venue surrounded by forest and horses, with a view of the ocean. We spent two and a half days bringing eight little faeries to life, over many cups of tea and good conversation.

~ Making toadstools ~

It was incredible to see the wonderful and distinct little personalities that came out in each faerie. They were all so beautiful, and so different. We pour a lot of ourselves into our dolls, and when you have a group of eight very talented and lovely women, all kinds of magic happens!

It was such a privilege to spend a weekend with these incredible ladies, learning, laughing and sharing. I came away with such a full heart (I think we all did!).

Thank you!

The Toadstool Collection

September 20, 2018

This little collection of three needle felted toadstools sit hidden away in antique sewing table drawers. They were inspired by the beautiful warm colours of autumn, and can sit on a table or be hung on the wall.

Materials ~ Hand dyed wool felt, silk roving, wire, antique sewing drawers

Toadstool #2

11 x 4.25 x 4.5

Toadstool # 1

10.25” x 4.25” x 4.25”

Toadstool # 3

10.25“ x 4.25“ x 4“

They will be available in my shop this evening, September 20th, at 9PM ADT. Each piece will be sold separately, they are $200 USD (plus postage).

Orla & Hazel

September 14, 2018

Orla & Hazel

The Autumn faeries are moving in. You can spot them on chilly mornings, going about the trees and fields of goldenrod, with tiny silk cocoon satchels slung over their backs, gathering acorn caps and other autumn treasures.

Today I met Orla, who shared with me that her name means ‘golden princess’, which seemed rather fitting as she sat their on the back of her Merlin, shimmering with every shade of gold.

And sweet little Hazel, with her chickadee, who gave me a beautiful twig of acorn caps to add to my autumn decorations. When I asked what they planned to do with all of the caps they had collected Hazel told me that they would be sanded down and used as dishes for their big harvest feast. Orla had gathered a rooster feather as decoration as well. I smiled as they both flew off in search of more acorns, autumn is definitely here, soon the trees will start to change. I’ve been sewing faerie jackets that I’ll leave out when the first frost comes, with tiny thimbles of honey so they might make some faerie mead to stay warm over the long winter months.

September

The goldenrod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.

The gentian’s bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusky pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest
In every meadow-nook;
And asters by the brookside
Make asters in the brook.

From dewy lanes at morning
The grapes’ sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather,
And autumn’s best of cheer.

by Helen Hunt Jackson (1831 – 1885)

Orla & Hazel will be in my shop (separately) this evening at 7PM (ADT).

They’re one of a kind art dolls. They are entirely hand stitched from natural fibres (with the exception of their wings). Orla’s dress is made from plant dyed silk and vintage lace, her cap is made from a silk carrier rod. Hazel is dressed in a vintage cotton dress, hand dyed with Queen Anne’s lace. There acorn caps were lovingly collected from a huge old oak tree in England and are being carried in tea dyed silk cocoons.

Orla & her Merlin will be $500 (plus postage), and Hazel & her chickadee are $275 (plus postage).