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.

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

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.

When the weather gets hot…

I’m on fire right now.  Summer weather has actually only been around for 3 or 4 days.  The heat I mean.  This has been the coolest summer I can remember (WHICH I’M LOVING).  Cloudy, cool mornings (PERFECT for yard work), and the high’s around the mid 70’s.  Seriously, weather created just for me. 

Today was a warmer day – Over 80 degree’s F.  I know, I know you folks in AZ are cursing me right now.   I think we’ve had around a weeks worth of days over 80 all summer long.    Regardless, I’m loving the weather.  In fact it’s been so hot I’ve done something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.

Strip…

the paint off some old furniture.  What kind of person do you think I am?  I’ve been working on 3 different pieces -

A Clock box, and can I say the stripping varnish and stain is a pain.  It’s future will hopefully be an enchanted dream box.

A heirloom rocker that’s been through generations of my family and all my kids and even spent a winter outside.

I pray I can save it, but it’s in pretty bad shape.  I know certain pieces will have to be replaced, but the wood, for the most part  is still okay.

And what of this?  Let’s just say one of my favorite artist has inspired the future of this chair.  Can you just imagine a whimsical Storybook Chair?  I’m beyond excited.

 

I have such amazing dreams for each of these pieces.  And the weather is perfect for working outside on such dreams as these.

Guess what?  My sweet fairy door is a finalist… okay, to be honest all the entries are finalists.  Let’s just say, there are some pretty creative ladies out there.  Hop on by (by clicking on the button) and vote for your favorite.

And this weekend.  I’ve a special surprise.  I’ll be showing you the treasures I’ll be giving away for my Second Star to the Right Adventure.  Almost put the finishing touches on them.  Now to find where I put my pixie dust?

As you can tell my dreams are in full force, I’m sure my Prince wishes de-cluttering were closer to the top of my dream list.  It will come… eventually.  Until then I’m enjoying every step along the way.

Second Star to the Right Adventure II

Pull out your Spyglass, Cutlass, Fairy Wings, or Pixie Dust because it’s that time again to enter the world of your imagination.

Last Year’s Adventure was my summer highlight, so I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to host another Enchanting Blog Party for the Young and Young at Heart.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.                Albert Einstein

This Adventure is our family’s way of making up for the lack of Holiday’s in August.  Sure you can celebrate that it’s National Catfish Month or that the…

8th is ‘Sneak a Zucchini onto your neighbor’s porch day (which I would love by-the-way)  or…

13th is Blame Someone Else Day

18th is Bad Poetry Day (Who makes this stuff up?) 

So granted I think a Second Star to the Right Adventure is merited by the fact that we need to take time to smell the roses, and enjoy life and the little treasures all around us.

‘But Peter’, said Wendy.  ‘How do we get to Never Land?’

It’s quite simple…

Think Happy Thoughts… and then act on them.  Between now and August 21st let your inner child take flight and have an adventure or two or a dozen,  Then on the 21st you can blog about the Adventure(s) and we’ll all link up and Visit Neverland or Wonderland (whichever your preference) together.  And yes I’ll have some magical more Magical gifts that I’ll be giving away to some lucky participants.

Can’t you just feel the Pixie Dust sprinkling down on you now?

Ideas for Enchanting Fun:

Find some Pirate Treasure,

Build Sandcastles,

Or Swim with the Mermaids like last year’s blog party participant Fairy Child Heirlooms.

Explore New Worlds,

Build a Fairy Garden,

Make Fairy crafts or Gifts

Better yet, Dance and Dine with the Fairies.

Watch the Clouds or…

Sleep under the Stars.

And like a child don’t forget to find the beauty all around, be it in the sky or under your feet.

  

So embrace the spirit of imagination within, find joy and happiness in the small and simple things.  Then come tell us how it is you keep a youthful heart.  That way we can all find just how it is, that we really do find Never Land.  Remember that this is a family friendly blog so go light on the Pirate Rum and keep your content Clean or I’ll be sending Hook your way.

Leave a comment and your blog address and I’ll be sure and link you up on the side.  That and by joining the party you’ll have a chance to win some Treasure!  Want to know what it looks like?

I will be giving away a couple of Fairy Doors and a necklace to some of my lucky participants.

More info. on the gifts can be found here. Just participate in the Second Star to the Right adventure and I’ll draw three lucky names from among those participants on the 28th of August.

 

Feel Free to copy this picture and link it back to me.

 The great man is he who does not lose his child's-heart. ~Mencius, Book IV

Can’t wait to find out where imagination takes you….