Down with Trolls.

Sadly the trolls are out there.  Remember my enchanted gift to the park?

I was informed by some friends that they couldn’t find it when they visited the park, so I had to go check for myself.

‘Sigh’, they were right.  Some trolls had come and carted off my fairy door just as I feared they would. 

Dumb trolls.

Of course I’m thrilled it lasted so long.  Three weeks feeding the imagination of children was something to be happy about.

So in order not to let the Trolls get the upper hand.  I’ve used the random generator to choose three lucky winners from the participants at my Magical Second Start to the Right Adventure.  I so wish I had something for all the participants because I loved visiting everyone.

Winner of my Fairy Dream door (on the left) is:

Surviving Grannies Guide to Happily Ever After

The Winner of my Cottage Kitchen Fairy Door is:

OLDE BAGGS ‘N STUFT SHIRTS

And finally my good-luck wood Ebony ‘Believe Necklace and Earring set goes to:

Witch Way

Congrats again ladies.  Please be sure and send me your addresses to I can send a little enchantment your way.

So Take That Trolls.  You can’t snuff out our imagination no matter how hard you try.

When Imagination goes Awry

We just flew home from Neverland, ahhhh what an adventure.  Many thanks to all the participants who joined me there.  Almost done with me Neverland clock… can’t wait… hopefully this weekend it will contain the names of the lucky fairy door winners.

And next year, I’ll be visiting Neverland again because I can’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first release of J.M. Barrie’s first book ‘Peter Pan and Wendy’.

My mind is swirling with all the fun we are going to have next year.  Who knows maybe my children will put on a clothesline theater production of the play. 

So, as you know I’ve been blessed with abundant imagination, as have my children.

Fortunately I have the good sense to keep a foot in both the land of imagination and reality at the same time.  My kids not so much.  Which is where it’s up to me to make sure I don’t lose them to their flights of fancy.

Four-year old Hope has enjoyed the ride to Neverland, just as I did when I was her age.  She presented me with this darling picture of Peter and Wendy that she drew.  It’s magic.

However…

Princess warned me that Hope was standing in her window waiting for Peter to come and fly her to Neverland.

Gulp!!! 

Her window is over two stories off the ground.  Fortunately she didn’t attempt to fly without Peter and Pixie Dust.  However, after I re-started my heart, I think the window may be barred, unless I’m in the room reading Bedtime stories.

Oh Heavens, that brought me back to reality fast.  I know where she get’s her wonder from.  It’s from me, this chick…

Me, as a wee one of course.  See the deer-caught-in-headlights look… I’ve perfected it during my many daydreams.  Remember how I told you my first memories of Peter Pan was listening to my Dad read me stories while sitting in a trailer home at my Grandparents farm.  Well in my memory (imagination) and for years (okay until this year)  I thought that trailer looked like this.  Maybe my thoughts latched onto it because it has the nostalgic look about it.

Can you imagine my dismay when I found this picture.

No, not the dismay of seeing a photo of wee me in curlers but notice the trailer in the background.  I didn’t recognize it at all.  The blue and white shelter was so chased out of my memory, replace by a sliver ghost that wasn’t real.  I had to immediately contact my parents to see if the silver ghost was a true memory at all.  It wasn’t.  The only trailer I lived in was the box shaped one in the picture.  The Airstream trailer, sadly was a false memory at best.  My Dad did confirm the stories under the window though.  Whew!  At least I’m not all bonkers.

Maybe the airstream is a future memory?  Hummm.  A Traveling Nursery?  

Okay enough dwelling on my imaginative memory.  I’ve got just a couple days left of summer before school starts and I’m going to work hard on helping my kids find their footing in both the land of reality and imagination.

Second Star to the Right Blog Adventure

"Second to the right, and straight on till morning."
That, Peter had told Wendy, was the way to the Neverland. ~ J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.

After Last Year’s Adventure, I just couldn’t wait for this day to arrive.  Many magical thanks to all the enchanted participants (see them all on my sidebar)  in this year’s adventure.  Please visit them to discover many different paths to Neverland, Imagination, and Staying Young at Heart.

Now we’re off.  First you have to Believe.

           Painting by Margaret W.Tarrant (1888—1959). 

‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.’  ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Sometimes it’s hard for grown-ups to believe.  Yes, sometimes they forget how to follow their dreams.

Mrs. Darling: There are many different kinds of bravery. There's the bravery of thinking of others before one's self. Now, your father has never brandished a sword nor fired a pistol, thank heavens. But he has made many sacrifices for his family, and put away many dreams.
Michael: Where did he put them?
Mrs. Darling: He put them in a drawer. And sometimes, late at night, we take them out and admire them. But it gets harder and harder to close the drawer... He does. And that is why he is brave.  ~From the 2003 Peter Pan Movie

Brave? Yes.  Some dreams need to wait.  Yet I wonder if Mr. Darling would have benefitted from bringing his family along as he followed some of those dreams.  The grown-up Wendy remembered the joy of dreaming or she never would have allowed Jane to visit Neverland with Peter.

Illustrations by F.D. Bedford for J.M.Barrie’s 1911 Edition of Peter Pan

I’ve chosen long ago to join in and enjoy frequent visits to the land of imagination with my children.  We even shared some of that joy with other’s when we installed a fairy door at a local park. 

When seeing children dream you can’t help but want to join in.  Somehow, watching them, rekindles the fire of imagination you held precious as a child.

And before you know it, your playing along, creating new dreams…

Taking the time to stop and admire the flowers in all their magical glory.

Or, gazing at the beauty of an evening sky…

And not only should you dream, but you should get up and do something about those dreams.  Like exploring new places.  When in doubt, let the Lost Boys be your guide, and explore frequently.

And Never, I say Never, pass up the opportunity to dip your toes in a cool stream on a warm day.  Remember how blissful that was when you were younger?  How refreshing?

When you’ve forgotten how to imagine, just follow the children’s example.  Play dress-up.

I’ve been dreaming of the Nursery Window.  Not the window’s in today’s nurseries (babies room), but the window’s in the Nurseries of Yester-year.  The window that Wendy began her adventure from.

Nurseries held adventures, both in reading fanciful stories and acting them out.  What would the story of Peter Pan be without it’s start in the Nursery.  What about Bedtime Stories?  Are they not the fuel of dreams at night?

Someday, I plan on having a magical nursery.  A place where not only can my children and grandchildren dream, but I can too.   I’m even working on pieces to add to my Nursery.  Want a peek?  It’s not finished but I’m enjoying the journey and couldn’t wait to share it with you.

Tis a simple clock box.  That spoke to my imagination and begged to be something different.  Something befitting an enchanted Nursery.

A box that wanted to be a dream itself.   And that’s just what it’s turning into.  My Neverland Dream.

Can you feel it’s magic.

I promise to show you how it turns out .  It’s a slow dream, but I’m loving every second of it.

There are so many adventures I’d love to share.  Some of these Neverland journey’s are not completed.  I’m still working on them.  Part of dreaming is being brave enough to try something new.  So I completed another Fawndear First.  Shockingly, I, with huge help from my editing-wise son Abner, made a little movie.  Well music-video, that is, just over a minute long.  It’s a wee little thing so take a peek and please forgive the camera lady, she didn’t do these sweet fairies justice.

 There is hope in dreams, imagination, and in the courage of those who wish to make those dreams a reality. Jonas Salk

And for all the wonderful Second Star Participants.  I will be randomly selecting a couple of you to receive some of my Fairy Doors on the 28th.

Now, Don’t forget…

‘There is nothing like a dream to create the future.’ ~Victor Hugo

Sweet Dreams and Thank you for Visiting.

Tootles,

FawnDear

When Grown-Up’s Play Dress-Up

Had my best day this summer.  Want to know what I did?

Played Dress Up.  How’s that for staying young at heart.    But first I had to do a little work.

I needed something to dress-up in.   So, I took a Spaghetti Strap dress I found at the local thrift store and I repurposed it.

Yes, the white embroidered flowers on black satin were gorgeous but it’s the back of the dress I fell in love with.   However when playing dress-up with thousands of other grown-ups it needed some tweaking.

Don’t hate me but I made it Medieval.  I really wanted to go in costume to this Renaissance Faire.  I only had a few hours to transform it, so I won’t give you any close-ups.  But I think the dress fit into the atmosphere of the faire perfectly.  The  embroider on the front of the dress I re-used as a headpiece.

I also repurposed some scarf's, dresses, tablecloths and odds and ends found in my sewing stash, to make my girls three fairy dresses.

Lea’s was my favorite.

 

The girls abandoned their wings after the  first hour at the fair.  That’s okay, cause good sport Dad was there to hold the extras.

And the cast of Characters we met were all delightful.  Even if their outer appearance was a bit grim.  This fellow offered to watch our children for us. 

 

And when I asked, ‘Are you afraid?’, he was the one that replied.

‘ Why yes I am?’  he said.  I told him he had good reason.

We even ran into my favorite Wizard Gandalf.

And pirates, faeries, hags and soldiers.  They were all there, and all graciously stood in the heat to entertain a photo with my wee ones.

The shows were all entertaining.  Hope’s favorite show was the one where I got called out of Robin Hood and Maid Marion’s audience to play the fearsome dragon in the play, ‘St. George and the Dragon’.  Don’t I look scary?

And the Joust…  Ouch!

My favorite was the Gypsy Horse Acrobats.

Pretty incredible stuff.

And while entertaining, even for Hope...  There was yet one more thing she wanted to do before our Faire Day was over.

 

I think the part of the day they looked forward to the most was becoming a ‘Lady of the Court’ to her Royal Majesty.

So if you’ve never played Dress-Up as an adult.  I think you should give it a try.    This little video might entice you. 

Second Star Adventure Give-Away

My Creative Pixie dust has been flowing big time.  And I’m having way too much fun with it.  Good thing Prince Erik is out of town this week.  It gives me a chance to clean up all the saw-dust that’s laying around.

I know I’ve been promising you details on the gifts that some of the lucky participants in my Second Star Adventure will receive.  Well, although they are not finished, they are finished enough for me to show them to you.

For the Young and Young at Heart I have two Fairy Door’s.

And a Lucky Necklace.

The picture doesn’t do it justice.  The necklace and earrings are made of ebony wood (the good luck wood) by a local artesian.  I added a touch of my new-found love of my dremel tool and carved the Word ‘Believe’ along with the two stars.  The indentations are filled with Pixie Dust and sealed with a varnish.

The doors were labors of love.  I love them so much it will be hard to part with them.

The first is ‘The Fairy Dream’ Door.  Approximately 7 1/2 inches high and 7 inches wide.

Don’t know if you can tell from the picture, but I used the dremel tool to make the stones surrounding the door stand away from the wall.

And the vines are yet another of my favorite tools – The Wood Burner.

And my favorite word.

The other Door is the the ‘Cottage Kitchen’ Door.

The quote above the door, ‘There is nothing like a Dream to create the Future,’ by Victor Hugo. 

This is the door to my dream cottage.

See there’s even a visiting mouse hiding in the grass.  And my mother’s favorite flower waiting to greet any new visitors.

Can you see how I’m going to have a hard time parting with these?

But I am.  They will go to another Young at Heart Home.  Just sharing my imagination.

Want to know how to get a chance to win one of these?

Well first you have to become a participant in my Second Star Adventure.  Just click on the picture for more details. 

 

I’ll announce the winner on the 28th of August.  I’m giddy with excitement.  Hope you can join the fun.