“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost
Showing posts with label Fairy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fairy. Show all posts

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Once Upon a Time



We have April showers.  The rain is pattering on the roof and when I step outside I smell the sweet scent of spring earth .... the smell of the garden waking up after its long winter slumber. The Fairies are awake again too, and they sometimes sneak in and bring little presents.

I found one hanging out next to the bottle of Port wine. He looks to be holding up some kind of little snack. Don't mind if I do little Fairy friend. The sound of rain on the roof, a wee bit of Port and a snack. It's a nice way to spend the evening.

I remembered that somewhere in my image files I also had a sweet little Fairy poem with an illustration. Probably ripped from some old magazine long ago, I love the illustration and the poem.  I uploaded it to my Fairy Pinterest board and wrote the poem out so it's easier to read.






Once Upon a Time by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman illustrated by Childe Hassam circa 1900







Once Upon A Time

Now, once upon a time, a nest of fairies
Was in a meadow 'neath a wild rose-tree;
And, once upon a time, the violets clustered
So thick around it one could scarcely see;
And, once upon a time, a troop of children
Came dancing by upon the flowery ground;
And, once upon a time, the nest of fairies,
With shouts of joy and wonderment they found;
And, once upon a time, the fairies fluttered
On purple winglets, shimmering in the sun;
And, once upon a time, the nest forsaking,
They flew off thro' the violets, every one;
And, once upon a time, the children followed
With loud halloos along the meadow green;
And, once upon a time, the fairies vanished,
And never more could one of them be seen;
And, once upon a time, the children sought them
For many a day, but fruitless was their quest,
For, once upon a time, amid the violets,
They only found the fairies' empty nest.

by
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

illustrated 
by Childe Hassam

 

Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman (October 31, 1852 – March 13, 1930) was a prominent 19th-century American author.  Frederick Childe Hassam (October 17, 1859 – August 27, 1935) was a prolific American Impressionist painter, noted for his urban and coastal scenes. In 1882, Hassam became a free-lance illustrator (known as a "black-and-white man" in the trade), and established his first studio. He specialized in illustrating children's stories for magazines such as Harper's Weekly, Scribner's Monthly, and The Century.




Remember if you come upon some Fairies in the garden, tread softly, 
you don't want to frighten them away!
~~ Diane ~~






Sunday, November 30, 2014

Christmas Fairies

Well here we are! It's December and the holiday rush accelerates! Oh I do wish I had a few extra Christmas Fairies running about that would help me with the decorating and preparations for the Christmas festivities! Instead I have an inquisitive helper who would rather play with the garland than help hang it (Guy)!

I love the vintage image of the fairy below, whipping up some beautiful holly out of her magic Christmas kettle.  I do not know who the illustrator is but I find it quite adorable!  The equally lovely poem below is by author Lewis Carroll.





Christmas Greetings from a Fairy to a Child

Lady, dear, if Fairies may
For a moment lay aside
Cunning tricks and elfish play,
'Tis at happy Christmas-tide.

We have heard the children say -
Gentle children, whom we love -
Long ago on Christmas Day,
Came a message from above,

Still, as Christmas-tide comes round,
They remember it again -
Echo still the joyful sound
"Peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Yet the hearts must childlike be
Where such heavenly guests abide;
Unto children, in their glee,
All the year is Christmas-tide!

Thus, forgetting tricks and play
For a moment, Lady dear,
We would wish you, if we may,
Merry Christmas, Glad New Year!

Christmas 1887 ~ Lewis Carroll


Thank you all for visiting! 
I'm looking forward to checking in on all of your lovely 
blogs to see what you've been up to! 

Happy Holidays ~~ Diane 


 

Friday, September 6, 2013

Summer's Still Here


Summer's not over yet! You still have time to work on a few garden projects.  I have one for you that you might find fun to do at this time of year. It's also a great time to get the materials at a bargain price. It's your very own fountain/water garden!

Ours started out about 10 years ago as a simple Spit'in Frog water fountain and now has become a Fairy Garden Fountain. More about that later.

Before you start, to make this successful, you must already have an outdoor outlet installed in a convenient location. This is strictly an outdoor project because the water will splash out onto the ground. I refill my fountain or top it off at least once a week.

Things you need:
  • Electrical outlet
  • Water-garden pump
  • Large decorative pot without drain holes (I use the plastic/foam type)
  • Plant drainage saucer (sized about an inch smaller than the opening of your decorative pot)
  • Old plastic pot with drain holes that will fit inside your decorative pot
  • Plastic tubing (about 3 feet) I used a size that would look good with my frog, about 1/4" diameter and it must fit over the pump water outlet
  • plastic zip tie (to connect the tubing to the pump) follow pump directions
  • Decorative 'something' like my frog if you want to drill your own hole for the tube or just place the tube between or under some stones... use your imagination!
  • Rocks
  • Water (don't' try running the pump without it!)


Here are some of the items I used for my fountain. Adjust some of the details to your own preference.  The most important item you will need is a water-garden pump. Make sure it is for use Outside too! I used a small one because my container is only about 1 foot tall by 16 inches across. Pumps are widely available now at garden centers, big box stores or online. They run between $10-$20.

My husband and I had seen a similar fountain at the Arboretum and wanted to create our own version. I found the cast iron frog somewhere (hey it's been 10 years) and my husband drilled a small hole in his mouth for the plastic tube.






Water Garden pump, this one has lasted for over 10 years!

Frog with tubing




Decorative leak-proof container




Inner tray with it's aged patina of old moss...

Other items for my fountain include a top 'tray' for everything decorative to sit on and a large decorative pot to contain the water.  I chose plastic because I didn't want to lug around anything too heavy but any large leak proof pot will work.  The pots are sometimes called 'consolidated foam' or 'injection molded' planters. Make sure you get one that is water proof and free of holes. I think I found mine at Big Lots.

As for the plastic 'tray', I wanted something fairly shallow, so I used a plastic drainage saucer from the local garden center. I found one that is about 14" in diameter and fits just inside my large pot which is about 16" across. You want it to be about an inch smaller than your pot so the water can drain into the bottom of the pot and you also need room to hide the extra tubing and electric cord.




I used an old black plastic pot with the drain holes precut for my round 'tray' to stand on.The pump cord and tube were threaded through the holes in the pot.








Here the fountain is partially constructed. The frog sits in the tray which is on top of the black pot in the bottom of the decorative foam pot. Once I have the pot next to the electrical outlet I can start adding some rocks. Then add your water. It will take a few minutes for the pump to prime itself with water and start running through the tubing. Be patient! It may take 5 or more minutes.

Just a note, since we live in an area with freezing winter temperatures, I drain my fountain in early October and store it in an outdoor shed for the winter. I usually start it up again in mid April if the weather is nice. This year I didn't set it up until June! We only unplug it when we are going to be out of town for several days, otherwise it runs all summer long. The benefit is that mosquitoes will not breed in running water and the water stays fresher because the pump aerates the water.

PLAIN FOUNTAIN



Nice, but not too exciting. So this year, I thought hmmmm....

Fairy Garden Fountain!!!




So I went to my local Fairy Garden, Garden Center (yes we have one) and purchased some wee little plants and a wee little turtle with a wee little house. I also found my perfect little Forget-Me-Not Fairy to add to the fountain to make it complete! I also purchased a fake hollowed out rock and planted two of my wee little plants in it to place on the side.





The Forget-Me-Not Fairy with her friends the Wee Little Turtle and the Spit'in Frog!






I hope I have inspired you to take 
advantage of those clearance priced garden center items. 
You could have your very own Fairy Fountain by the weekend! 
~ Diane ~


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Pixie Dust


This Pixie Boot Planter is as cute as can be! Made between 1934-1957 in Culver City California at the Gilner Pottery Company. Check out my shop CraveCute on Etsy for more cute things! I found a couple of quotes to go with my Pixie post, hope you enjoy them.  ~~ Diane


All the world is made of faith, and trust, 
and pixie dust. 
                                                  ~~ J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan





To Be A Child

Know you what it is to be a child? ... 
It is to believe in love, 
to believe in loveliness, to believe in belief;
it is to be so little that the elves can reach to whisper in your ear,
it is to turn pumpkins into coaches, and mice into horses,
lowness into loftiness, and nothing into everything,
for each child has its fairy godmother in its soul.
~~ Francis Thompson



Sunday, March 17, 2013

The Fairy Gardens

While we wait for spring's arrival, I want to share some of the whimsical fairy gardens that I visited a few weeks ago.  I didn't have to go too far to find a whole different world full of  tiny, little fairy delights.

Tonkadale Greenhouse


This presentation took place at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and the gardens were created by the Tonkadale Greenhouse.  I think they did a magnificent job putting these little vignettes together. I can only imagine how much fun that must have been!  I picked a few of my favorite images and put together this little glimpse into the world of the fairies, gnomes and sprites.  They are all around, in the trees, under the leaves, spreading magic with their tiny fairy wands.








They had a few nice books on display featuring our favorite fairies and artists, like Cicely Barker.




Below are some of my favorite images and a few more that I could not fit into the video. Check out the charming cottages, furniture and accessories.  I'm a bit envious of some of their darling homes!















This little fairy is in the orchard picking apples.










Who knew cute little gnomes lived in the desert!












An Asian themed fairy house.









Fairies also roast marshmallows!





































The beautiful interior of the Arboretum's main hall.



Are you feeling inspired to create your own fairy garden? I can hardly wait!




Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Finding Fairies by Marjorie Barrows

Just a little preview of what is to come in the next few days! 
Enjoy this little poem by Marjorie Barrows from the Poems for Boys and Girls book.



Illustrated by Lois Maloy
click to see a larger version



Tuesday, September 25, 2012

A Fairy Went A-Marketing

That is the name of the poem and illustration I am sharing with you today. Have you heard this poem before? Well I had not and now I am in love with it. I love the gentle, caring ways of this beautiful little fairy.  As an adult I read this poem and I wonder what I would have thought of it as a child, because reading it now it has a very deep and profound message for me and for all of us.
I think if I had to choose one word to express my thoughts about this poem, 
I would choose the word Compassion.

The name of the book is Poems for Boys and Girls compiled by Marjorie Barrows and illustrated by Lois Maloy.  I am sure you will be seeing many more excerpts from this book in the future, but for now here is the poem. I am including the text in case some of you have trouble reading the print on the image.



A Fairy Went A-Marketing
by 
Rose Fyleman

A Fairy went a-marketing--
She bought a little fish;
She put it in a crystal bowl
Upon a golden dish.
An hour she sat in wonderment
And watched its silver gleam,
And then she gently took it up
And slipped it in a stream.




A fairy went a-marketing--
She bought a colored bird;
It sang the sweetest, shrillest song
That ever she had heard.
She sat beside its painted cage 
And listened half the day,
And then she opened wide the door
And let it fly away.


A fairy went a-marketing--
She bought a winter gown
All stitched about with gossamer
And lined with thistledown.
She wore it all the afternoon
With prancing and delight,
Then gave it to a little frog
To keep him warm at night.




A fairy went a-marketing
She bought a gentle mouse
To take her tiny messages,
To keep her tiny house.
All day she kept its busy feet
Pit-patting to and fro,
And then she kissed its silken ears,
Thanked it, and let it go.




Wednesday, August 22, 2012

I Would Ride With You Upon the Wind

This is for all of my bloggy friends who love 'Fairy Tales'. Sometimes you just want to go to that place in your daydreams, if only for a few minutes. Join me please, as we step into the world of fairies and love and fairy tale love...


Illustration by Milo Winter (1886-1956)

OK, they say butterfly, but I say fairy!






 Aoede's First Single 'Fairy Tale Love' from her April 2012 CD: 'Skeletons of the Muse'


A Trip to Fairy Land



Autumn Fairy by M.T. Ross


Fairy bread



A Fairy Voyage



Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,
For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the disheveled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame.


                                                                               ~William Butler Yeats, "The Land of Heart's Desire," 1894











Have a great week all!