Last Show 2011~ Harrison Rally Day

...A cool, cloudy mid September morning in a small NW Ohio community. This was fun, because it is a downtown street festival and it has a mix of the activities a lot of people think of when they hear "street festival" in the Midwest. 

One being: historical celebrations :

This event is named for a rally held in Perrysburg in the 1800s for William Henry Harrison. If you've heard of "Tippecanoe and Tyler too", it was the Whig party's campaign song based on General Harrison's exploits at the Battle of Tippecanoe fought in 1811 against Chief Tecumseh, and his vice presidential running mate, John Tyler. Mr. Tyler, the 10th president, succeeded Mr. Harrison on April 4, 1841, a month after Mr. Harrison's inauguration. (This last bit of info was totally copied from another website: I generally run as far away from History as I can as a rule...)

Quite a large "small" Festival, 240 booth/tents were set up along the streets of Perrysburg,Ohio.

...Here's mine!

And it wouldn't be a Midwest street fair without a parade!

 

 Of course, the local high school's marching band, too...

 

Always displayed proudly at my booth!

 

And we all love our classic cars! My Dad actually had a black '57 Chevy that I still remember riding in! He sold it when I was 10 :-(...

 

Then the sun came out and totally transformed the day (Although, as you can see, our booth was WAY too close to the railroad tracks!) 

 

The local fire department showing off for the kids...

 

I HAD to get a picture of THIS guy! I didn't even ask to take his picture - I figure that if one walks around with two dogs in doggie harnesses hanging on him , he should expect it! Don't think anyone would have believed me anyway if I hadn't provided proof!

 

 My Hibiscus Blossom display

 

And the Faerie Doors! TWO more are now out in the world attracting our tiny friends =-)

 

I'm so thrilled with digital cameras, because I always take such important and well thought out photos, like the sun glinting off my FunGi....

 

I always like to take an "artist's eye" shot from inside the booth! Good parting shot, too. Later!

*~*~*~*Faerie Lore II*~*~*~*

The term Faerie is derived from "Fé erie", meaning the enchantment of the Fées, while Fé is derived from Fay, which is itself derived from Fatae, or the Fates. The term originally applied to supernatural women who directed the lives of men and attended births. Now it has come to mean any supernatural creature tied to the earth, except monsters and ghosts.

In Ireland, the Faeries are called the Aes Sídhe (singular Aes Sídh). Sídhe happens to be the name for the earthen mounds and hills that dot the Irish landscape. Irish mythology, legendry, and folklore claim the Faeries live under these mounds, so the term "sídhe" has come to mean Faerie in general, but it more properly refers to the palaces, courts, halls, and residences of the Faeries. However they are known by a wide variety of euphemisms, including "the Fair Folk", "the Good Neighbors", "the Little Folk", "the Little Darlings", and "the People of Peace". This is done for two reasons. The first is to avoid attracting their attention and the second is to avoid insulting them.

*~*~*~* Faerie Lore *~*~*~*

Fairy peoples are thought to have descended from the race of Elves. Elves are an ancient race of magical, slender creatures with pointed ears thought to be extinct. Unlike fairies, they lack the ability to fly, which may have made the fairies a more adaptable race. Elves were once very closely associated with the land and with nature and fairies took over many of their roles in this tradition.

Fairies are now air, water, fire and tree spirits. These are also the four points that make up a pagan pentagram (air, water, fire and earth) and the fifth point is spirit, which the fairies incarnate represent.

Revisiting The 2010 Art/Craft Show Season...(2)

Another installment in the saga of  my trials and successes in the Toledo art/craft show circuit...

"In Another Garden" Garden Tour

Perrysburg, Ohio

6/19/10

(My third year participating)

"Awakened to a thunderstorm @ 4:30 AM. Stopped before we left from home - was nice rest of day. Pretty warm, but we were in a nice spot in front of the homeowner's garage in the shade. I did visit 3 of the gardens that were on the same street - even found one of my pieces in the garden next door to the one we were set up in, and sold my first Faerie Door! Homeowners were great AND made a large purchase, too!"

notes: This tour is interesting because it is situated in a different part of town every year. I actually used to go on this tour as just another garden aficionado, and have many fond memories of all the gardens I was able to see. That is my only complaint about becoming a vendor - I can't participate in the tour itself! :-(

Magic Always Exists If You Believe

As I have taken on the responsibility of creating the doors/portals the Faeries require for their homes, I am always looking for new and unique flora to create them from. A few weeks ago, I decided that the flowers of my three Hibiscus plants would make awesome doors. However, when I went to see how many blossoms were out, I was disappointed to not find a single flower left! But that's how Hibiscus are ~ they only bloom for a certain period of time, then they're done. 

Strangely, though, the very next day, a pink blossom appeared, although I hadn't noticed any more buds.

I grabbed it and cast a door from it (I really hated to pick the last blossom of the year without enjoying it all day, but I couldn't pass it up!). It turned out perfectly, and I was content that I was able to create at least ONE Hibiscus Faerie Door this year.

But then, that same week, MANY new blooms appeared, almost as if someone had somehow rejuvenated the blossoming process!

I myself have never had a hardy Hibiscus rebloom and wasn't aware that they even could, but there they were... and as of this posting, three weeks later and also into OCTOBER, they are still blooming! AND I have created several more Doors from them.

Did the Faeries

help me out? Was there a little Magic Dust involved? I like to think so :-)

Beadaholicicity

If you ever ask, I will usually tell you that I really have no vices to speak of. Well, that's probably not entirely accurate...and I may have to rewrite that statement! No, I don't drink (a lot)  or smoke, the usual vices that are referred to, but - oh baby, get me near a bead store, and all my control is gone!

...So the spousal unit had to work this past weekend, and that was my chance to go shoppin'! He did accompany me to a bead store in Ann Arbor a few years ago, and ever since that day, I haven't been able to drag him to another (LOL!). No matter - this is a trip best accomplished alone!

 Yes, I still have thousands of beads, and no, I don't create much in the way of beadwork anymore - but since the Faerie Doors have been doing pretty well, I'm running low on the "Faerie" related components (stars, moons, butterflies, etc.). Thus, I persuaded myself that I just HAD to run over there for "a few" of those.

My very favorite bead place in town is "Meant To Bead" - they've been around for years now, and I think they "get" us bead freaks, that is, they have just about anything a beader could want or need! Findings, pearls, Swarovski crystals, wire, tools, thread, - and BEADS! Glass, vintage, pewter, sterling, ceramic, stone, shell, etc., etc. - BAZILLIONS of 'em! In all fairness, I can find less expensive components at my favorite catalog/online store (Fire Mountain) - but if I want unusual beads ASAP, this is the place to go in Toledo (www.meant2bead.com). I rarely don't find what I need there!

These (below) were awesome! Any kind of glassworking, especially lampworked beads, is the same as magic in my eyes...someday, maybe...but for now, I just admire and appreciate the stuff. I almost purchased the top center piece, but since I generally wear my own jewelry (to advertise), I talked myself out of it......for now. ;-)