 Fairies are a nature spirits and make their home in the woods. They have a strong connection to magic and can alter their physical appearance, like this one, the Tree Shifter, a fey who uses mimicry to blend into the trees when humans pass by. Like the chameleon and the octopus, the Tree Shifter uses her natural ability to hide within plain sight. As a Watcher for the Troop, she relies on this gift to protect The Wee Folk from human interference.  This dress was made from birch bark that was painted to resemble the American sycamore tree, which has bark that looks naturally camouflaged.  Her corsage is a bit of moss and Trumpet Lichen.  The skirt is made from reindeer moss and bits of usnea.  The dress is stitched up the back with green thread.  Summer is the busy time for The Wee Folk. They are gathering and hunting in preparation for the Summer Solstice and sometimes in the midst of their activities, they get hurt with scrapes, cuts, and burns. The Fairy Healer is the nurse of the Troop. She is the herbalist, the medicine fae.  Her dress is made from Usnea, a lichen, which is antimicrobial, antibacterial, vulnerary, and antifungal.   A close up shows a sash made from lichen and fungi, which also contain medicinal benefits.  Her birch bodice is stitched up the back with moss green thread.  There she is...only 3 inches high, sitting in a tree, hanging by a bejeweled fiddlehead hanger.  Last April at this very time there was a foot of snow still on the ground and it was sleeting. Today on a walk, I came upon skunk cabbage, and upon the spathe was a beautiful fairy of the same maroon color. So crafty was she, I nearly missed her.  Now blooms the lily on the bank, the primrose down the brad; The hawthorne’s budding in the glen And milk-white is the slae -Burns The fairy’s dress is made from various bits from a dried rose bouquet and sewn up the back with magenta thread.  And still, another one was found only steps further. Her sister? This lovely fairy had on a dress of dried magenta tulip petals and was adorned in lichen across the bodice. Spring came early this year, so the Wee Folk have come above ground sooner than usual.
Justin is the painter here over at Tonic of the Woods. He created these moody scapes upon basswood, which are so thin that they can be affixed to postcards.  This one is called Islesboro in night fog.  This one is waves and wind.  The best part is you can send these little art pieces to someone and they can frame it when they get the postcard.
Note: We are actively looking for a space to consign some of our unique folkloric items this summer. If you have space and like what you see feel free to contact us.  One day, browsing through an antique store, I came upon this enchanting hard-bound book published in 1906. The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady had such beautiful hand-drawn paintings of botanicals with observations on her daily walks about Nature, that I had to create some kind of diorama around it. I didn't bind the book, but let it sit freely, so it can be read, and the pages re-positioned to reflect the different months of the diary. The rocking chair and coffee table are not my own, a Scandanavian design, so to complete the look, I made a similar bookshelf by hand to complement the brown edging of the furniture. This is a cozy book nook with pages for the "walls" and just a lovely, outdoorsy, folkloric vibe to it.
  This is the latest one I created that's currently in my Etsy store, one of only four available and I likely won't make any more unless one is custom ordered. Made from the pages of The Great Gatsby, with ribbon, pearls, feathers and paper fringe. I'll be taking them to the Craft Fair Show Saturday where everything on my Etsy page will be for sale.      If you're in Portland, come see us at The Clarion Hotel between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m on Sat. Dec. 5 for their Craft Fair We'll have some beautiful handmade gifts and Celtic/Druid/pagan tree ornaments, as well as tiny fairy furniture.  My Edna St. Vincent Millay dresses made from the pages of her iconic poetry take on a new look when it comes to Yuletide. I only made a couple each year and I have one for sale before the holidays at my Etsy store.  Here is the small pine in our front yard decorated with Druid/pagan fairy ornaments and the tree topper.  The dress is handmade with a light wash of white sparkly glaze. Adorned with tulle, tiny pearls, ribbon, paper fringe silk petals and real feathers. It is mounted on a white-washed stick with a clamp at the bottom to attach to a tree.     Here's another I just crafted, very similar. This will be for sale at our Craft Fair December 5 and I won't be making any more.    I have a new collection of fairies color-coordinated with the pagan season of Yuletide: glitter red and green. Each is handmade and each variation differs a bit. The "angel" tree topper is one of my Edna St. Vincent Millay poetry dresses with feather wings. A limited quantity of these will be available when my Etsy shop re-opens November 21.    Red Yule Fairy made from white birch bark, red glitter reindeer moss and red berries from bittersweet. 
Green Yule Fairy made from white bitch bark and dark green reindeer moss with patches of moss up the side.    Our shop will be on vacation until our next craft fair so I can have time to build up inventory! Look for our virtual craft show and special Tonic of the Woods holiday gifts and pagan ornaments for your tree coming up November 21 through @lunavirtualcraftmarket on Instagram! All items are handmade at home (small-batch fairies you might say) and are one of a kind. When the shop opens November 21, it's on a first-come first-serve basis. Follow our Instagram page for updates and previews on what will be available!  |
Tonic of the Woods
the inspiration behind the creations Photos, stories and concept ©Kay Stephens
Look up the story behind a fairy dress by clicking on the name below
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