Faeryland

Thor and I went away for a conference and the place we stayed was really quite lovely. Set on a bay, surrounded by a state park, and snuggled up against a rookery, I couldn't have asked for more.

The whole place was covered with lush beautiful plants and blooming flowers. Some of the flowers looked to me as if they were tiny little dresses, just hanging in a faery closet ready to wear. Adorable tutus and ball gowns for the under two inch set.

Lighted Faery Wings Tutorial

A tutorial on making faery wings that have battery operated lights. We made this set to fit Lil Bit, who is 6 months old. The battery pack is a bit heavy for a 6 month old, but we figured she would be held by her daddy all night any way, so it wouldn't be a concern. The wings are made to wear "back pack" style.

We also made a no sew tutu with a matching headband and onesie. Essentially the headband and onesie were just a matter of gluing flowers and glitter. The no sew tutu info can be found
here, among many other places. Enjoy!

Fish Tale

Remember a bit ago when I blogged about catching this guy next time we went on vacation? Well faery tales do come true, it can happen to you, if you wait until you can't see a danged thing!

We went with a few of the kids up to Mammoth Lakes this past week for some family time and fishing. Last year all we caught were colds and a few mosquito bites. This year, a different tale altogether.

The first day on the boat we were four hours in and Thor got a bite. The water on Convict Lake was so pristine (pictures next post) and so calm, it was like looking in glass. You could see the floor of the lake and down about twenty feet. You could see the fish dart in and around the boat sticking their tiny fish tongues out and they swam away singing "Neener Neener!" It was most depressing, but Thor caught a good fourteen inch beauty and we were happy.

That night all the boys went out night fishing at Lake Mary and The Fireman came home with a pretty 12 inch rainbow and a tangled mess on his rod. Pretty much all the boys had tangled messes from not being able to see anything in the black forest. Thor was the lead man and led the guys back out of the woods and to the truck via his blackberry phone light. Technology saves the day (or in this case - night) once again.

The next day we went out to Lake Mary and set in on shore near the outlet. We drove the trucks in and walked a few feet down and made a small stake out on the rocky shore. We knew we had found a great spot as we could see the fish jumping and leaping right in front of us about fourty feet out. The water was again sparkling clear and like a mirror, absolutely gorgeous. The spot was full of dead trees and lots of grasses, moss and rocks of all sizes; plenty of hiding places for trout. We were pumped!

About an hour in The Teacher pulled out a strong 12 inch rainbow, and then kept pulling them out until at the end of a very long day on the lake, she had scored five fish! The R.N. pulled out a natural fish, not a farmed trout, with a fly. She and The Electrician love fly fishing and were using the most intricately tied tiny little flies. She had a 'black ant' on the line and when she felt the tug, she pulled out her fish. The only problem- he was about three inches, just a baby. Cute, but he had to go back or be bait. So off the hook he went and swam back out to warn the others.

Time went by and eventually the sun began to go down. By now, we had a few successes, everyone except The Electrician and myself had caught a fish worthy of keeping. There were plenty of lures lost to grass and logs, and also many small tree limbs caught. But as the sun grew dimmer and more dim I began to lose all hope of coming home with a fish.

The sun went kerplop and I was casting out into the black pool unable to even see where the lure would land until I heard the plop and saw the small ring begin to spread on the water's surface. Cast after cast went out and then "I'm on!"

I felt a small tug on the line, familiar -as I had one bite earlier in the day, but he got away and the rest of my tugs were met with a clump of disgusting greenery. I saw the small silver pop and then down he went. At first I thought he had escaped, then a jerk and a tug and he was out of the water again, this time the crew focused on him and began to shout instructions my way. "Keep him in the water!" "Keep your line down and taught!" "Don't bring him in to quickly!" "Steady! Steady!" I kept following the words of success and brought him home. He flipped up into the shallows as The Fireman grabbed for the net. "Bring him up closer, steady, keep him in the water!" And then the struggle really began.

He was too big for the net. There was a swoosh and a dart and more swishing and lunging to get him into the net and finally he was in with the help of hands and rocks. He was in the net and Thor went to release the hook, too late, he had wriggled his way out of the hook and was gasping for air with his big fish lips. His mouth was so open and chomping it looked like he was biting Thor and The Fireman! The Electrician came in and put the poor thing out of his misery and onto the stringer with the other fish caught that night. (You can see his size in comparison to the Fireman's shoe and the other fish on the stringer in the photo)

All in all we aren't really sure of exactly how much he weighs, I'll let you know when I cook him up, and we also didn't have a measuring tape. When we got home we laid out Mr. Big on an opened up piece of donut box and measured him against dollar bills. We estimate him at about 20 some inches (bills being 6 inches and he being slightly over three bills long...hey it's all I got!).

So here you go: If you want to fish in Mammoth, go to Lake Mary near the outlet. Cast all day until you can't see where you are casting. When you finally get a bite listen to your coaches and bring in that bad boy! I'll let you know how he cooks up!

Oh, and by the way, I caught Mr. Big with my pink fishing pole!

faery tales can come true

When #3 was in fourth grade her teacher gave the class an assignment: "What I want to be when I grow up." A paper that would research careers, the need for those professions, the method of becoming the profession- i.e college, apprentice, artisan, etc., and a back up plan for a second career with the above justifications as well.

#3 wrote her essay. Choice one: Prima Ballerina. She researched several dance studios and found out they all had the same opinion: "Art Saves Lives!" A campaign that was just beginning during that time, also the same time when fine arts were being dismissed from school curriculum in favor of other more "serious" subjects, like computers. The need? Culture and the fine arts are necessary to any successful nation. She would take classes until she was old enough to audition for a national company and then as she grew out of her prime she could either teach or choreograph. (by the age of eight she had auditioned and was in a professional company, hand picked by the Canadian Royal Ballet's Choreographer.)

Second choice, the backup: Good Faery. Her research had been from birth. When a baby is born a good faery goes to the baby and kisses him or her. This is a special blessing that makes the baby sweet and nice and good all their life. The need? Well this was pretty obvious. There were plenty of mean people in the world and so there must not be enough good faeries to kiss all the babies in time. She felt confident that she could learn to fly and kissing babies would not only be fun, healthy exercise, and cool, but a good overall thing to help the world out. A noble and selfless calling as it were. She searched and searched but she couldn't find a college for faeries, but she knew she would some day.

As she grew older she came to understand that becoming a good faery might not work out for her. She began to look into other careers. There was a brief stint in fashion design and art school. Then after much study, fasting and prayer she decided on becoming a Dental Hygienist. Her search for colleges began. Believe it or not she actually found a school that nicknamed them selves "Tooth Faery Tech" She knew it was a done deal. She could be both a D.H. and at last a Good Faery!

She served a mission, worked and saved and as of today she is on her way to becoming what she has been destined to do. She came home happy and content, lugging a huge hard rolling cabinet of tools and instruments, and an equally heavy rolling luggage pack full of books. She informed us she has already pulled her neck getting them in and out of the car, but she is very happy. So are we. After she graduates she plans on working in an office. But she also plans on designing a uniform complete with gossamer wings, so that she can work with little ones and help them smile prettier.

I am very thankful to whatever Good Faery kissed her. She turned out pretty good and now she wants to return the favour.