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Across the Fence:  A Fairy Ritual  |
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shepherdess
True Blue Farmgirl
359 Posts
Robin
Eatonville
Washington
USA
359 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 30 2005 : 3:09:49 PM
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When I was small my mom talked to me about fairies and showed me how to make fairy gardens. She said she played with fairy gardens when she was little.She told me stories of knomes and fairies. She loved the forest and flowers and passed it on to me.
My friend Shirley ( who is also on this list )has told me of some her fairy tales and has made me remember those days with my mom.
I can still see the ring of mushrooms in our yard that my mom called a Fairy ring and the tiny fairies dancing in the ring.
When my husband and I were on a trip to Orcas Island not long ago, a leaf attached to the antenna of our car and rode for many miles before detaching. I told my husband it was a fairy hitchhiking for as far as our car would take it. His rely was " oh "
Thanks, Robin in Western Washington
Farm Girl from Western Washington
" From sheep to handspun " |
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julia hayes
True Blue Farmgirl
1132 Posts
julia
medical lake
wa
USA
1132 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2005 : 4:14:26 PM
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Here I was feeling moments of insecurity having fairy rituals let alone sharing my experience with the cyber-world!! What a complete dooooofus I am!! Your stories and experiences are all so incredible. I am so thrilled to to know there are so many fairy-folk out there. Frannie, your tale is what movies are made of..how positively enchanting. thank you so much for sharing! I tell you, I've said it before, but I've been re-inspired to add more to my fairy garden and rituals, including adding to my costume! I have wings and a crown but the gown I have just won't do!! Time to sew myself a new one I think!
Tell me are there any of you out there who do Goddess parties and festivals? let me know and do share more!!
blessings, Julia Hayes
being simple to simply be |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2005 : 10:12:21 PM
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julia .. i do hope you have seen the movie about the two little Victorian girls who took photos of fairies and shocked the world. What an enchanting movie .. ALL fairie lovers should make sure to see it! Haven't done any Goddess parties or festivals .. but would love to hear if others have. Not real sure what a goddess actually is unless she is a female god?? Probably there are a quite a few interpretations of this term. xo
True Friends, Frannie |
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owwlady
True Blue Farmgirl
899 Posts
Jan
Tomahawk
WI
USA
899 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2006 : 08:28:32 AM
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| Frannie, your description of your fairie parties made me want to be a child again. I wish someone with a sense of fantasy had been in my life then. I have to tell you all about my guy's reaction to fairies. He has 90 acres of wonderful woods on his land. I told him I would like to set up little areas that the fairies have visited to show to the grandchildren, his and mine, along the trails. I said we could find a hollow tree and tell the kids that was where the fairies lived. His reply was, "Why lie to them, just tell them it's hollow from termites!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Now there is a person with no sense of enchantment!!! |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2006 : 09:11:16 AM
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o.k. miz jan .. your 'mission impossible' assignment is .. to bring that fairie enchantment into that man's life! jus' set little fairies amongst some lichen or spanish moss .. in the hollow of that tree! build that fairie forest for the grandchildren .. when he sees their delight .. he might just start believing! (sprinkle some fairie dust on his pillow or on his head when he falls alseep .. OR .. make some little globs of elmer's glue on waxed paper .. and when they get a little tacky .. roll them in glitter .. and sprinkle THOSE in his hair .. when he wakes up and discovers them .. tell him it is FAIRY POOP! And that is what happens to those who do not believe! xoxo
True Friends, Frannie |
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Rebekka Mae
True Blue Farmgirl
965 Posts
Rebekka
Moscow
ID
USA
965 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2006 : 10:09:21 AM
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Fariy Poop- that is just too funny! My husband will love that one- he grew up surrounded by northern California mama's who were all about fairies and he has a splendid imagination- though I think it has been awhile since the world has seemed magical to him (his sweet mama passed on last winter). Once we buy our little farm this spring I will definetly need to plant a fairy garden and find a knotty gnome home to celebrate. I would love to have some tea parties once the stage is set (right now we are renting a condo so there is not really the right atmosphere for such a thing). Frannie- do you have any pictures of the fairy wings you made?
I am having so much fun hearing about everyones fairy rituals- what fun!
I wish we could all go out to Mary Janes Farm and have a fairy party in the Plum Pit- it would be perfect...
Till next time, Rebekka |
Edited by - Rebekka Mae on Jan 02 2006 12:45:01 PM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2006 : 12:05:55 PM
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i no longer have those fairie wings .. presented them as gifts at the last 'fairie' tea party i did at crooked tree hollow. basically all ya' have to do is to get some strong (but bendable wire ... but not so bendable that it is going to get all mis-shapen .. i can't remember what 'gauge' i got .. jus' go to your harware store and play with different gauges) then make fairy wing shapes (and they can all be the same .. or you can get creative!) then i stretch 'tulle' netting in 'rainbow' colors around it and twisted, tied, and hand-sewed them to the wings .. again .. this is something you will have to 'play with' ... then i attached colorful wide silk ribbons for them to criss-cross them across their chests and tie in the back (or front) .. you can add glitter sparkles to the edges too! xo
True Friends, Frannie |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2006 : 5:30:03 PM
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You know if you look inside the (not sure what you call it) wooden leaves of a pine cone or pull one out you can see the footprints from a fairy. Also centipedes are fairy buses. And Frannie, did see that movie the other day with the two little English girls who photographed fairies, I loved it.
Anne
"Second star to the right, straight on till morning" Peter Pan
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2006 : 7:16:01 PM
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i have some pinecones downstairs .. so i'm going to peek at the fairie feetsies. Love the fairiy buses ... and i've ALWAYS believed that 'dragonflies' are fairies in party dresses. Oh my YHes .. i did see A Fairy Tale (i think that was the name of the movie .. saw it several years ago .. have a book about it too. Did you know that (so it is told) both of the little girls died in olde age and the first one kept it a secret and the second one .. just before her death .. told that the photos were a photographic trick. I believe they had a boy cousin who used to draw pictures of fairies .. and somehow they set them up and since cameras were 'new' .. they were able to simulate the fairies in flight. Leastways that is what i read. (i prefer to bhink they were REAL to these little girls. xo
True Friends, Frannie |
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owwlady
True Blue Farmgirl
899 Posts
Jan
Tomahawk
WI
USA
899 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2006 : 08:11:33 AM
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| Oh Frannie! Fairy poop in his hair!!!! That is great! He's coming in town and staying with me around the 15th of this month. Hmmmmm...wonder if the fairies will vist him. You're a riot!! You know how it is, some men know everything there is about fixing their tractor or combine, but visits from fairies, not that's a whole different mindset. Yes, I will accept my "mission impossible" and bring enchantment into his life. I'll keep you posted. |
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owwlady
True Blue Farmgirl
899 Posts
Jan
Tomahawk
WI
USA
899 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2006 : 08:17:51 AM
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| Rebekka, I will have to check the library for you. There's a book I took out once, from a neighboring library, that was all about making fairy costumes for kids and having fairy parties. It was great. I haven't made any yet, but I would like to make some for the grandchildren. There were patterns for the skirts worn over a leotard, the wings, wands, headbands and even ideas for glueing flowers on shoes. I wish I could remember the name of the book, but I'll see if I can search and find it. I'll let you know. |
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LadyCrystal
True Blue Farmgirl
593 Posts
Alicia
Rhode Island
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2006 : 2:32:08 PM
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Frannie,I read that book too but I though the one that said they were all a fake except one.Maybe I am wrong but I would like to believe that too.
Alicia
http://fromcitytocountrygirl.blogspot.com/
follow your dreams |
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2006 : 4:53:32 PM
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Just popping in to say hi and comment that all you gals are precious! What a sweet discussion. It makes me wish my daughters were little again so I could re-do their bedrooms in fairie decor. I think this house is in need of some sparkling glitter!! Off to the store I go!
Blessings
Catherine
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2006 : 5:26:21 PM
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Catherine -
You could still do a bit of Fairies in your favorite room. I have no children, but that does not stop me from doing some childlike stuff. In our bedroom I painted a dragonfly (actual size, not huge)in flight over our bed, so when you wake up and look up there he is. Also I have a grasshopper hopping over a flower by the window. Stars are painted on the ceiling in our entryway and when we do more remodeling, especially a new bathroom, thinking of painting a bird on a branch or maybe a fairy on a bird on branch up on the wall in the bathroom. DH just rolls his eyes, but he puts up with my little creative touches.
Anne
"Second star to the right, straight on till morning" Peter Pan
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2006 : 9:09:49 PM
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I googled Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (and Harry Houdini) because according to the movie: Fairy Tale - A True Story .. they believed the two girls who claimed to have photographed fairies. Don't know how reliable this article is .. but it sure is worth looking at. To read it in it's entirety (and see copies of original photograms.. go to this web-site:
http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/doyle.htm
In 1917, two teenage girls in Yorkshire produced photographs they had taken of fairies in their garden. Elsie Wright (age 16) and her cousin Frances Griffiths (age 10) used a simple camera and were said to be lacking any knowledge of photography or photographic trickery.
Photo No. 1, above, taken in July, showed Frances in the garden with a waterfall in the backround and a bush in the foreground. Four fairies are dancing upon the bush. Three have wings and one is playing a long flute-like instrument. Frances is not looking at the fairies just in front of her, but seems to be posing for the camera. Though the waterfall is blurred, indicating a slow shutter speed, the fairies, are not blurred, even though leaping in the air.
Photographic experts who were consulted declared that none of the negatives had been tampered with, there was no evidence of double exposures, and that a slight blurring of one of the fairies in photo number one indicated that the fairy was moving during the exposure of 1/50 or 1/100 second. They seemed not to even entertain the simpler explanation that the fairies were simple paper cut-outs fastened on the bush, jiggling slightly in the breeze. Doyle and other believers were also not troubled by the fact that the fairy's wings never showed blurred movement, even in the picture of the fairy calmly posed suspended in mid-air. Apparently fairy wings don't work like hummingbird's wings.
Hardly anyone can look at these photos today and accept them as anything but fakes. The lighting on the fairies does not match that of the girls. The fairy figures have a flat, cut-out appearance. But spiritualists, and others who prefer a world of magic and fantasy accepted the photos as genuine evidence for fairies.
The girls said they could not photograph the fairies when anyone else was watching. No one else could photograph the fairies. There was only one independent witness, Geoffrey L. Hodson, a Theosophist writer, who claimed to see the fairies, and confirmed the girls' observations "in all details".
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Arthur Conon Doyle not only accepted these photos as genuine, he even wrote two pamphlets and a book attesting the genuineness of these photos, and including much additional fairy lore. His book, The Coming of the Fairies, is still in print, and some people still believe the photos are authentic. Doyle's books make very interesting reading even today. Doyle's belief in spiritualism, convinced many people that the creator of Sherlock Holmes was not as bright as his fictional creation.
Some thought Conan Doyle crazy, but he defended the reality of fairies with all the evidence he could find. He counters the arguments of the disbelievers eloquently and at great length.
Over the years the mystery persisted. Only a few die-hards believed the photos were of real fairies, but the mystery of the details of how (and why) they were made continued to fascinate serious students of hoaxes, frauds and deceptions. When the girls (as adults) were interviewed, their responses were evasive. In a BBC broadcast interview in 1975 Elsie said: "I've told you that they're photographs of figments of our imagination and that's what I'm sticking to."
In 1977 Fred Gettings stumbled on important evidence while working on a study of early nineteenth-century book illustrations. He found drawings by Claude A. Shepperson in a 1915 children's book which the girls could easily have posessed, and which were, without a doubt, the models for the fairies which appeared in the photos.
A curious fact is that in this book, a compilation of short stories and poems for children by various authors, there's a story, "Bimbashi Joyce" by Arthur Conan Doyle! Surely he received a copy from the publisher. If Doyle had noticed this picture, and if he had the sort of perceptiveness he attributed to Sherlock Holmes, he might have concluded that the Cottingley photographs were fakes. But, maybe not. Believers are good at seeing what they believe, and not seing things that challenge their beliefs. Or perhaps the close match of drawing and photos is a supernatural psychic coincidence.
Elsie and Frances and Mr. Hodson were still living in 1977, and continued to stick to their story, affirming the genuineness of the fairies and the photos. Then, in 1982 the girls admitted, in interviews with Joe Cooper, that they had faked the first four of the photos.
As many had suspected all along, the girls had used paper cutouts of fairy drawings. No great photographic skills were required, though the photos do show good artistic composition. Elsie had artistic skill, and had even worked for a few months in a photographer's shop retouching photographs. But the girls probably did no retouching on these photos. The simplest of means, just cut-out drawings of fairies stuck on the shrubbery, was all that was required to dupe gullible and predisposed minds like those of Arthur Conan Doyle, Geoffrey Hodson, and Edward Gardner. Many of the copies of these photos which have been circulated have been suspected of having been "improved" by retouching. This certainly may be true of the photos being prepared for publication in books, the desire being for the clearest possible result on the printed page. However, those who say the pictures are "too good" to have been taken by teenage amateur photographers, are showing an unwarranted prejudice, not consistent with the facts revealed by analysis of the original photos. Some have claimed to see a slight "blurring" of the fairy images, when, in fact, the fairies are more sharply defined than the girl's images.
I BELIEVE AND I BELIEVE!
what thinketh though?
True Friends, Frannie |
Edited by - CabinCreek-Kentucky on Jan 03 2006 9:12:12 PM |
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owwlady
True Blue Farmgirl
899 Posts
Jan
Tomahawk
WI
USA
899 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 08:23:47 AM
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Rebekka, I found the book for you. It's called "Fairy Crafts" by Heidi Boyd. I think you'll find some fun things in there. I ordered it from the library again. I really should make some of those costumes for my granddaughters. Put it off too long and all of a sudden they're grown up!
Catherine, my daughter would have fairies all over her house whether she had children or not. Go for it!! |
Edited by - owwlady on Jan 04 2006 08:27:05 AM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 08:35:54 AM
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i found this book on E-bay's BUY IT NOW listing .. from about $6. to $12. (several copies available .. couldn't see a photo of it though.
True Friends, Frannie |
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Rebekka Mae
True Blue Farmgirl
965 Posts
Rebekka
Moscow
ID
USA
965 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 08:52:14 AM
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| Thanks ladies- I will have to get it! Be Well,Rebekka |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 08:53:16 AM
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Whether or not the pictures are true, I know Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a true Fairy believer. I read his book on the subject, I can't remember what it call though I'll have to search for it. But I do have a book that is amazing. It's the best "fairy" book out there. It's not a fairytale, it's a story of this eccentric family that lives in this very unique house/estate called "Edgewood". It's all about the magic of the unseen and their connection with this family and the world and oh so many things the further you go in the bigger it gets. A small warning though, it's not an easy read, but it really makes it real. It's called "Little Big" by John Crowley. I was at a friends house one day looking at her books and I pulled out this book and she jumped up and said "oh! you must read this book, you will certainly understand". And I certainly did. All my life I have had such a strong connection to the unseen and at a certain age they were not "unseen". They all had names and faces and since I lived in the city and not a place with a magical old tree they lived at the stop sign at the end of the street. They were my best friends and then at some age I just didn't see them anymore, I didn't really miss them. I wasn't until later looking back when I realized who they were. Of course my Mom always knew though. I wish them on any child. I had (well still do) such a great imaginatio, but know they were real.
Frannie I have thrown a Goddess party. It was a Blessing Way for my Sister-in-law, Melanie. She was finally about to give birth to her son after about 10 years of trying and a very diffcult pregnacy. There were about were about 7 of us. We feasted, washed her feet with blessed water that had lavender, orange blossoms in it and then rubbed her feet with corn meal ( used when starting a new path in life) and than each one of the ladies there put henna on her feet, while her Mother brushed and braided flowers into her hair. Then we feasted more, gave presents and chatted as women do. This ritual was all to prepare spirit to enter the stage of motherhood. It was a wonderful time, I would love to do it again.
Frannie this story of the tea parties is just so wonderful, so magical. I wish I could have been there.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com www.sisterhood.sqrlbee.com
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 09:14:56 AM
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The Goddess party blessing birth sounds like such a sweet memory too! Did you just create your events .. or have you read of significance in the feet washing and henna and braided flowers in the hair. I see where a strong bond would be built between women participating in these rituals. xo
did you ever see Lady Coddington (or Cottington's) fairie journal? I've been looking for my fairie books (they mght still be packed cuz' i haven't discovered them yet to share some poetry.
True Friends, Frannie |
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Lavender Cottage
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Ellen
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 10:04:32 AM
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Oh my goodness-these are all so wonderful to read. Cherished memories and so creative and inspirational. I can't wait to get my fairy garden going. Thanks for sharing.
I wore a ponytail holder with silver (glitter) thread woven through it the other day. Not something I typically would have done(a gift from my wonderful SIL). I thought of it as a touch of fairy fun.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
Ellen |
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julia hayes
True Blue Farmgirl
1132 Posts
julia
medical lake
wa
USA
1132 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 8:58:37 PM
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Hi there fairy friends!!
Sqrlbee/Melissa, I was reading your Goddess festival and just loved it! I hosted a very similar festival for a friend. I couldn't participate in the process entirely (2 little ones) but I was able to hang out for some of it. still it was very nice to have these beautiful women just pampering our girlfriend. I've had many other Goddess Festivals here over years (6 years actually) with 3 very dear friends. One of the things they did for me and we did for my girlfriend, I mentioned above, was make body casts of our pregnant bellies. Have you done anything like that? My Goddesses casted my belly for both of my children. We painted them and took pictures of my children after they were born inside the plaster cast. They are amazing and treasure of mine! The unique thing we did for my girlfriend was we painted her body before we put on the plaster cast material. I put bright red lipstick on and kissed her belly a few times too.. All the paint and kisses came off on the inside of her body cast.. It was so fantastic. It really is an amazing way to capture the beauty of a pregnant body. I also have several pictures of my husband 'wearing' my body cast..Trust me, a very wonderfun picture to have!!!
My other Goddess parties are much more spiritual by design. the interesting thing about them is nothing is ever really planned..it just sort of comes together once we gather.. We all live physically, professionally and spiritually in very different places, yet when we get together, there is a force that binds and creates something unique and very special. I'd be happy to share some activities if anyone is interested.
Have a beautiful today! Julia Hayes
Sometimes the word 'Goddess' is off-putting and I certainly don't want anyone to feel offended..
being simple to simply be |
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julia hayes
True Blue Farmgirl
1132 Posts
julia
medical lake
wa
USA
1132 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2006 : 9:17:54 PM
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Frannie, I keep meaning to tell you that yes I have seen the movie, "photographing fairies". Absolutely wonderful. thank you for your biography too ..that was really wonderful. I giggle almost uncontrollably whenever I encounter an non-believer. I tell you, not believing in the magic of fairies and the enchantment and mischief they bring is like saying 'bubbles are no fun' or 'kittens are sure ugly little things to look at' or 'sunrises and sunsets are sure boring'..etc.. I mean, really, it just cracks me up.. Robin, I was thinking about your husband and the leaf on your antennae and his 'oh' comment. I burst out laughing!! the poor guy..he's not alone either..how do people get so bored with life when there are so many fairies around!!! Cajungal-Catherine, I was so ecstatic to read your,"off to the store I go!!" I tell you, the healing powers of glitter are huge. LOVE IT..tell me, has anyone used their glitter recently? I say this Friday we have a Happy New Glitter Day! Sprinkle away ladies and share your stories!! Many smiles, Julia Hayes
being simple to simply be |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2006 : 09:09:21 AM
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Frannie I got all the ideas from many different cultures. I just did some research on what different cultures do for birthing ceremonies and coming of age rituals. And then blended them altogether and made my own thing.
I have Lady Coddington fairy journal actually I have all of Brian Frouds books. I collect fairy art books and he is certainly one of my favorites.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com www.sisterhood.sqrlbee.com
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2006 : 09:20:39 AM
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Julia I know about these body casts. A friend had it done when she was pregnant. I think it's wonderful. I love rituals to celebrate events in life or just for anything like a beautiful sunny in the dead of winter. I want to evenually estabish our own family hloidays around earth events like the solstices and harvests. I feel more connected to these holidays. Fairies play a big role in these events.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com www.sisterhood.sqrlbee.com
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Across the Fence: A Fairy Ritual |
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A Fairy Ritual
