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This is a busy time for the Wee Folk; they are hunting, gathering and building in preparation for their retreat underground for the winter, down to the fairy forts. Here: a tiny sled led by a team of white mice to take provisions to a neighboring rath of the The Snow Queen.  Adorned with tiny ferns, moss, lichen and bittersweet. Handmade with a real birch veneer on the seat.  Only one available at Brambles in Belfast.
I got the idea from making round fairy doors. Why not make them even smaller and add botanicals?  Each comes with a custom "fiddlehead" fairy hanger. Perfect ornaments for a pagan tree!  This shows how small they are: about two inches wide.  I only had enough materials to make five of them. They can be found at Brambles in Belfast, Maine.  These are the Sociable fairies, the Sidheog, who reside in the forest, in their ancient fortifications, or "royalties" as they are known. For they have one true Queen, whom they are devoted to and serve. In three years I've been secretly observing these Wee Folk, I've never seen the Queen.  They come out this time of year dressed in their pagan colors, of wine, green and white.   They know I'm there, but they allow me access because I admire them and they aren't so different from us; they preen when they dance. They look over their shoulders to see if I'm still watching.....  And here are two tree toppers, my Flapper Angels. 
I have a new collection of fairies color-coordinated with the pagan season of Yuletide: all white, red and green. Each is, by its handmade construction, one of a kind.  White moss, red rose, green moss. Each one has a back story.  The Yule Fairy is adorned with dried fern and bright red tiny berries with a plume of green feather. The birch bodice sparkles with a glaze of festive glitter.
 The Fairy Mistress is made of red rose petals and dried autumn leaf with a hint of Baby's Breath.
The Queen's Muse is made from dried grass, birch bark and reindeer moss adorned with an applique of birch and dried Hydrangea. The bodice is stitched up the back with white thread. 
More are being made in various white, green and red colors and soon will be available at the quirky garden and home goods store, Brambles in Belfast. All concepts and photos © Kay Stephens
Here is The Fairy Nurse, encased in a Maine-made pine shadowbox, lightly stained. <SOLD>  The Fall Fairies, all in dusky purples and ruby reds, have been delivered to Brambles, the home and garden store in Belfast. There are only a few of these one-of-a-kind tiny dresses (along with some literary dresses) before I start making my green and white winter series.   Whereas the Queen's Handmaidens are busy this time of year attending to her needs, the Warriors, those small, lithe and hidden Wee Folk, are scouting the forest for any signs of human encroachment.  The Warriors protect the rath from danger while the Hunters and Gatherers roam the forest floor for acorns and other nutrients to bring back down below for a long winter underground.  This one was crafted from dried grasses, lichen, and adorned with flowers and hydrangea with just a hint of Usnea.   Mid-October. Can you feel the energy getting stronger?  The Queen and her rath have had a long, luxurious summer, but now they are busy preparing for their retreat underground. The Queen's Handmaidens are unusually busy, moving her things. Here's one, found taking a rest upon the changing maple leaves.  Here she is, close up. Her skirt is a blush of hydrangea; adorned by brambles and dried roses.  Her bodice is crafted from red birch and white birch collected on our property.   They are like Billie Eilish's voice....fragile, ethereal and then...deadly. Here is one that has every indication of breaking apart in my hand, except that she's hardy and powerful as her mauve colors bleed into fall. The Autumn Fairies.    This tiny table was a prototype for a smaller scale Japanese tea house we are working on together, so I made some pillows to go with it.  This little set will be for sale at the Small Works show.  Shown here to scale.  This time of year Firelight Hydrangea shrub is at its most beautiful. It is from these I make my Queen's Handmaiden fairy dresses.  The bodice is from dried grasses. Here, I'll take the filter off so you can see it closely. 
 This one and others of this design will be for sale at our craft show this weekend for Maine Craft Weekend.
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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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