Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Nature of Faeries.


There has always been a strong affiliation between faeries and nature. Most of the images you see of faeries are in an outdoor setting, dressed in leaves and flowers and closely connected to animals. They made their homes in the trees and plants and use found objects in their homes. There are many tales depicting faeries as guardians of nature, or spirits that are derived from elements and things found in nature.

This information is beneficial when being a Faerie Godmother. Not only will it help to inspire you, but it will help to get a basis for many things creative. The organic world is full of mystery, secret wonders and tales waiting to be told.

When I have read or heard many of my favorite artists speak, when asked how they get their inspiration, they talk often and fondly of taking walks in the woods and re-communing with nature. I know myself I feel better and energized creatively when I am outdoors. It opens up your imagination and allows your mind to wander.

With Spring now here, the weather is warming up and things are coming back to life (at least for those of us in colder regions). This is a perfect time to get outside and watch how things grow. It is also a great time to take your faerie godchildren outside for walks and make stories together while exploring. Once I told my nephew that every time the wind blew it was the trees were talking to each other. It started a dialog of storytelling between the two of us about what they could they possibly talking about. 

Gardening is also a great way to be a Faerie Godmother in so many ways. It allows you to create gardening projects with your children and spend time playing in the dirt. Creating "Faerie Friendly Gardens" with plenty of colorful flowers (Pansies are always a favorite of mine) and trinkets, statues, baubles, found objects or any type of faerie attraction goodies you can think of. Your faerie garden would also be a great place to have tea..:). It is only limited to your imagination

With all of the talk of "going green" and environmentalism introducing children to nature is not only a great creative exercise, but it helps to teach them about the environment and get them in touch with nature at an early age. Watching seeds become flowers is slow but fun to watch. I know I still love watching something I started from seed bloom and become a full blown plant. A garden is a nice ongoing project to start and continue as the season progresses. If you are unable to get a plot of land to garden in, a few pots of flowers is always a good idea as well, and less time consuming. Besides.. what kid does not like to play in the dirt?

Go get outside!!! See you all next time, and in the meantime, keep wishing and keep dreaming!