Clock House for Tinkerbelle and Two Awards!

A House made for a Tinker...

(15 inches)

A robust rumor was circulating in elven circles that Tinkerbelle desired a special commission for Peter Pan. A marvelous custom made slipper to wear during the New Year Welcome. However, the faerie herself had not yet made her appearance at the Cobbler's Shop to confirm this rumor and the clock was ticking away the time needed to build such an important shoe.

Princess Everllie decided to send a messenger to Tink's home to find out whether this rumor was true!








No one in the elven realm knew exactly where she lived,
but it was assumed that a Tinker faerie would likely livein a clock house.
When the Cobbler's messenger came upon two
remarkable cuckoo clock houses,
she was sure one of them must be the abode
of the most famous Tinker faerie of all.

Timidly the shoemaker knocked at each door,

with no success.

Evidently no one was at either home.


Or...was there...

(12 inches)

Somehow the messenger faerie felt that someone was watching her from near the tower.

Yet there was no sound to welcome her timid knockings.

The tiny messenger flew back home straight away
carrying no news.

The Cobbler and his staff would just have to wait...

Which clock do you think a Tinker faerie would call home?

(note...these two small fantasy homes in altered cuckoo clock cases are a stupendously wonderful custom request from a dear friend who lives in the land where cuckoo clocks were born. A tiny Tinkerbelle is almost complete and is quite excited to see which home will be chosen to be hers...)

Hey...LOOK WHAT CHRISTEL SENT!

I heartily thank Christel for passing these two awards back to me because now I can send them along to

seven more simply wonderful artist friends...

I hope you will visit Christel

a totally dedicated artist new to the world of ooak

http://christelhutson.blogspot.com/

the Rules...

1. Thank the person who gave this to you.
2. Copy the logo and place it in your blog.
3. Link the person who nominated you.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know.
5. Nominate 7 Bloggers
6. Post links to the ten blogs you nominate
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know

Please accept these awards with my admiration and hopes that many fine friends will find the path to your most unique corner of the forest!

Dessa

an artist of incredible dolls that seem to have souls peeking through their eyes http://dessaraeartdolls.blogspot.com/

Lisa

(her) light truly emanates from the paintings of her peaceful angels

htttp://schererart.blogspot.com/

Liz

a true friend of the animal realm and to me, her heart is her art...

http://frumcountryheartstudio.blogspot.com/


Maria Del Carmen

a brilliant decorative arts ARTISAN from Spain...one visit to her gorgeous blog and you will be forEVER hooked! http://manualidadesmariadelcarmen.blogspot.com/2009/11/inaguracion-nueva-ventana-y-trabajos.html

Marimer

artist extraordinaire of paper crafts and much much more,with a heart that reaches across languages and waters

http://artesaniamarimer.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-09-05T13%3A20%3A00%2B02%3A00&max-results=15

Shar

fascinating sculptor of Celtic warriors, wizards and

fantastic mystical creatures of the forest
http://olderealms.blogspot.com/


Penny White

a precious friend who has the soul of a child, wisdom of a sage

and art that takes flight on angel wings

http://angelsdoor.blogspot.com/2009/11/angels-crossing_03.html

Now, off to find Tinkerbell...

Friedrik, Winslow and Clemot

Summer had turned to autumn with the usual elvish flair. The forest meadow leaves were ablaze with brilliant colors that signaled the onset of a bright season of festivities. New capes, crowns and elven slippers must be had to wear to autumn gatherings.





The shoemakers in the Cobbler's work room were at the center of the preparations.


Their slippers continued to find favor among the townfolk. With Christmas quickly approaching, orders were piling up. Cobbler Gavier was busy assigning deadlines and the faeries were determined to meet them.





But a slight glitch unraveled their tightly woven schedule. Cobbler Gavier's nephew had come for a fortnight's visit. He was a young elf from the northern country whose family had close ties with the Great Toymaker.









Even at his tender age Friedrik displayed quite a knack for tinkering. However, in a shoemaker's shop, *tinkering* can easily be turned into mischief. The little elf fiddled with and lost buttons, tied knots in the threads, and tangled the tinsel. One evening he doused the candlelight with a full jar of faerie dust filling the room with purple smoke, sending the faeires into confusion by losing their stitches and finally...their composure!

After a couple days of this, Rume Gavier pulled out a silvery Top Hat

from a shelf in the supply room.

The faeries' eyes twinkled when they held it out to show Friedrik.

Would you like to go for a sled ride? they asked. He stuck out his lip and headed for the barrel of tinsel.











A Top Hat's whimsy only works after the first snow, but Cobbler Gavier was banking on a desperate prayer and a good coating of icy dew in the morning to cover the hat in frost. With a collective sigh, they set the Topper on the outer windowsill that night.

At first light there was a hearty rap at the door. Opening to a gust of chilly wind there stood a large snow person holding the Top Hat with a blue snowbird on his shoulder. His snow jacket was covered in glimmers of mirth and goodwill.









I am here to see Master Friedrik, he said. Would you like a jolly sled ride?

At first, the young elf would have nothing to do with him, preferring to stay and...tinker.


But when a winkle of a snowchild peeked out from behind him, Friedrik reconsidered.









Standing before him were Winslow and Clemot, the snowfolk of the Elven Wood... Arriving a little early this year.






Out on the cobblestones in front of the Shop sat a little white sled all made up for a wintry ride. With ice frosted forks for blades and an icicle pull. It reminded Friedrik of home.

Clemot was still sleepy from being awakened from his nap, so he leaned upon the cup handle. But soon he was singing a wintry traveling song. Before Friedrik knew it, he was tucked in the sled and gliding down the lane, the fork tines barely touching the stones. Off they went...in a flurry of tiny snowflakes.

Clemot yawned and continued to sing while Friedrik stared in wonder at this tiny snowman. He had seen some unusual toys in his father's workshop, but nothing like this little mound of moving snow.

They sailed up through the clouds, over andacross the other side of the moon all the way up to the far northern borders.
The shoemaking staff was relieved to continue their work that day without disruption.











By nightfall the trio returned. Friedrik was asleep in the sled. Little Clemot was still yawning and the Snowbird was curled up in Fredrik's lap, asleep himself.

Winslow visited often during Fredrik's stay. Whenever the faeries put out the Top Hat on the windowsill, he and Clemot rapped on the door early in the morning and off they flew with Friedrik in the sled.

By the time Friedrik's visit was coming to an end, the frosty folk and their little bird were despondent that their fanciful outings would be coming to an end. Friedrik was sad because he knew his friends' visit to the Elfin Forest would also be over at winter's end.

The snows would come and then go again. Winslow's Top Hat would be shuffled to the back of the shelf and gather dust. And the snowbird would mysteriously disappear during the spring and the summer.







Friedrik, though young, understood.












At the end of his visit, Winslow and Clemot sadly bid adieu to the little elf. With kisses from the faeries and a hug from his Uncle, Friedrik returned to his home in the northern country.

It was not until the first real snow that the shoemaker faeries noticed the missing Top Hat. Their merry Snowman did not make his jolly appearance that year, nor did little Clemot and the Snowbird.







But way up North, on the colder side of the Moon, a company of four was laughing as they darted between the ever-present snow flurries on their daily sled ride. Winslow, Clemot, Friedrik and the Snowbird sprinkled their friendship and joy over all the snow covered workshops of the North. The Toymakers were very thankful that Friedrik was so occupied.

...for you see, young Friedrik had *tinkered* secretly (or so he thought) with the Snowman's hat... he saw to it that the Topper ended up inside his satchel so he could carry it and his friends to a place where the snow flurries never end... (under the quiet gaze of Uncle Gavier who considered it an early Chrismas gift to the northern Toymakers!)

And they lived happily ever after...bringing goodwill to Cobblers and Toymakers alike!

Princess Everllie and the Meadow Garden Slipper

A Shoemaker Faerie

and the Meadow Garden Slipper

Just as soon as the sign was hung above the door of the new Shoppe, Cobbler Gavier received a request for a festive garden slipper to be made to wear at the autumn Harvest Gathering.

Immediately plans were drawn up, and soon thereafter the work began.

Beads, crystals and trims fastened with silken threads were sewn with the greatest of care by miniature hands.

.

Princess Everllie enlisted the help of her Clan to sew the countless stitches required for the elaborate detailing. And to add their distinctive faerie's touch of feathery lightness to the soles of the Slipper...

A cushioned golden heel was crafted by Rume Gavier to display the Slipper when not being worn.



An encased round balance stone was added to the end of the toe to guarantee sure footedness in all terraine.



The steady work progressed in an aire of quiet excitement...
All under her watchful eye.

as day slowly turned into night...

a shoe worthy of the elves was taking form...

Just as the Sun's first gentle rays curiously peered through the window, the last stitches were being added to the jeweled fruit, gems, and beadwork...hand dyed velvets, royal green trims and organza petals had all been tucked and settled into place...

Everllie paused in her sewing for a moment and then pronounced to the sleepy crew that their first Slipper was finally complete.

Rich textures and glittering faerie detailing make this slipper a delight to behold!
Along with Everllie, the faeries and the Elf all agreed that their very first Slipper was an even greater delight to create!






Coming next! A special visit from Tinkerbell...

The Cobbler's Story of Elven Shoe Making

According to ancient Forest Lore, leprechaun's were once commissioned to sew elven and faerie shoes. However, the name leprechaun is thought to come from the Gaelic phrase leith brogan, meaning "maker of one shoe." As the story goes, this industrious but mischevious Cobbler would always hide one shoe and carry only one to the new owner. Just in case he was spotted by a mortal. If captured, the leprechaun was obliged to reveal the location of his hidden crock of gold. Naturally, the leprechaun was very tricky and cautious about this information, and at the first chance he would disappear along with the single shoe and all his treasure.


Following a few mishaps of only receiving single slippers, or worse yet...no slippers at all, the elves decided to take shoe making into their own hands.


Word was sent throughout the faerie and elven realm that a shoe making contest was to be sponsored by the Elders of the High Counsel. Shoes play an important part in community culture. They were such cherished elven wear that their formal slippers were christned with names and generally worn for a lifetime. Well used and beloved slippers were passed down to the next generation and displayed on their carved mantles along with other valuable family heirlooms.

Talented elven and faerie artists traveled from realms far and near to submit their shoe designs for the Elders to judge. Only one elf and one faerie would be chosen for the honor of holding the title of Elven Slipper Cobbler.





The Cobbler Rume Gavier and faerie Everllie (who was later affectionately crowned *Princess* by the grateful citizenry) won the contest. Together, they were granted a prominant place to begin work on their newly honored and greatly anticipated shoecraft.


Setting up shop near the Counsel's amphitheatre at the center of town, it soon became one of the most popular places in the community. Especially before a festival or royal event which required special costuming.



Princess Everllie enlisted the help of her clan to secure crystalized dewdrops, wild flowers, cob webs, frost spires, and rare gems from the dwarves (who do not traditionally have inclination to share their treasuries with elvenkind.)

Soft bark leather and rose velvet is sewn with dyed silken threads.




Threads and faerie crocheted flowers are stored in shoes that were gifted to the Cobbler and his staff, along with other findings that would be useful for the craftng of their shoes.




Each slipper displays it's own *medallion bouquet* which illustrates the name of the shoe, and holds special significance for the wearer.




Cobbler Rume Gavier carved a Swan chair for the faerie artisans to take a moments rest. There were occasions when anxious orders were backed up such that shop candles were burning around the clock.

It is quite interesting that souls...faerie, elven and mortal...are tied so intimately to the soles that cushion our feet. I think it is that connection that make crafting fantasy slippers both a fascination and a passion that I have long wanted to explore. Won't you travel with me into the magestic hidden forests of the elves? I would love your company! Together we shall see what gentle adventures might be found along the way...


Coming Next... the Meadow Garden Slipper