Faerie House Finale: Chapter 3 - Advent

 It kept snowing. Of all the fair house friends, T2 loved snowboarding and would go out alone.

Down once.

Twice.

Three times!

 Each slide required a long climb back to the top. 

The other faerie house friends were bustling. Frog was setting up the pfeffernüsse. The weather was perfect for freezing the rolls outside. They would later be cut into small cookies. 

 Dog was making sure there was enough wood for the fire. 

 T1 was knitting with great focus. Hedgehog was making cards.

“Seven cards to send this year to our friends in Winnipeg,” said Hedgehog, “I need to get the new friends’ names right: Lighter, Lucky and Turry, I believe.” 

Hedgehog paused and looked up. 

“You look anxious,” said Hedgehog after studying Rabbit carefully. 

“I don’t know what to do,” said Rabbit. “I haven’t been here for Christmas before. Sometimes I have a hard time keeping up.” 

 “How about you help me put the cards into envelops, and then let’s have a chat,” said Hedgehog. 

 When the job was done, Rabbit and Hedgehog jumped onto the chair.

“Wait,” said Rabbit, “Did the chair just get bigger?”

“Probably,” said Hedgehog, nonchalantly, “We need the space to sit together.” 

“It boggles the mind,” said Rabbit quietly. 

“Yes,” said Hedgehog, “the magic here does boggle the mind. Have you noticed that the magic only happens when we are caring for each other? All of us have had to learn about taking care. Now tell me, what is bothering you?”

“I guess I just need to know what is going to happen,” said Rabbit, “I haven’t done Christmas before. I don’t think I have ever given or received a gift. And I have no idea when it is. Everyone seems so busy, except maybe T2; I don’t know if I should be hurrying or what.” 

“Ahh, yes,” said Hedgehog, wondering where to start. “We are in advent now. It is my favourite time: lights go on to dispel the darkness, we all bustle a bit, and most important for me, we think about the big hopes we have for ourselves and especially for others.”

Hedgehog stopped to consider the particulars of Rabbit’s question.

“I am not sure about the timing exactly. The Winter Solstice comes first. Then a few days later  Dog starts setting things up and then we know it is time. Perhaps we look busy, some of us just flutter a bit. You have one gift to prepare. Is that coming along well for you?”

“Yes,” chuckled Rabbit, “I know exactly what to do for this dear creature.”

“Excellent,” said Hedgehog, “And are you more settled?”

“Yes, thank you,” said Rabbit.

“Let’s go outside and see the lights,” said Hedgehog. “I love the lights."

One by one, the friends joined Hedgehog and Rabbit outside. 

 “It’s a wonder,” said Frog, looking up. 

“Let’s never lose wonder,” said T1.

Speaking quietly and with emotion, Rabbit said, “I don’t think I have ever said how much I love you all!”

Wonder and love. 

Always.

Box Rooms for Advent

 This year my grandkids will assemble a room. I can't show the final outcome, because they have to make several things along the way, but I will show some process. 

I used a mandarin orange box and spray painted the top red and the bottom green.  The red box will become a living room; the green box will be the kitchen. 

1. The floor: it needs to be coloured and glued in.

Before I get to the second step, I want to show the colour scheme of each room. I am very grateful to my sister-in-law's amazing collection of paper and her generousity. 

First, the living room: the walls will be the blue french provincial print, the rust will be the fireplace and the bright circles will be a chair. 

The kitchen: Lime green cupboards, striped walls, a rust counter, and a spotted table:

2. Walls. They are marked with where some of the things need to go. I like to be open to creative decisions, but in this case, I needed to make sure everything will fit. 

3. Kitchen: counter and tap. This shows the layout.                               

 Living room: fireplace and swag decoration

4. Windows

5. Kitchen: cupboards (see photo above)             Living room: lamp

6. Kitchen: lamp                                                    Living room: logs in a basket

7. Kitchen: fridge                                                   Living room: fire

The fridge door closes with a magnet. 

8. Kitchen - cupboard contents                               

 

Living room: chair. I love the challenge of making a 3D object out of a single piece of paper. 

9. Kitchen - recycling bin. It needs to be assembled.               

Living room - bookshelf. This shows the room laid out with as many items as I could set in place.

10. Kitchen - Blue bowl                                                 Living room - Books

11. Kitchen - table                                                         Living room - Books 2

12. Kitchen - yellow mixing bowl                                   Living room - Books to make 

 

13. Kitchen - ingredients                                                Living room - decor: candles, photos, 

                                                                                        vase, clock (You can see many of these 

                                                                                        items in the photo above.)

14. Kitchen - cookie sheet and cookies                            Living room - plants

15. Kitchen -  cat                                                                Living room - cat

16. Tree. The kitchen and living room both have trees. 

17. Decorations:

18 and 19. Presents - The boxes need to be made, and the gifts put into them.

20. The kids:

Birthday Number: 40

 

Gingko Leaf Book

 I was attracted to the gingko leaf for the shape, but I stayed for the meaning: peace, hope, vitality and duality. 

This is a zig zag or snake book made with a large piece of paper with characters on it. This was a format that allowed me to use the whole piece of paper.  

The leaf doesn't really twirl, but that is what I wanted to suggest.

This is how it unfurls. 

Embroidery Cards

 These stitch practise sheets are ordinary 8.5" x 11" cardstock. I glued the threads to the back. 

My idea is that trying a craft can enhance one's life skills and open up a world of creativity. And if interest does not really develop, one has more awareness of the skill involved can bring better appreciation to the art and craft made by others.  

Loose Leaf

There is an oak tree down the street and a leaf was on the ground when I walked by.  I had some fun. 

Birthday Number: 14