Introducing…

So for some time now I’ve been thinking about Little Flower Childe and what I want it to be. This last month has brought some changes for me and with my work over at Enchanted Angels and my writing it’s quite a bit to even add a craft business to all of that. I think what I’ve gently realized is that for me Flower Childe Cottage is about sharing my loves and what inspires me in the hope that it will in turn inspire someone to explore the world of creating and crafting in whichever medium or way they choose. For me creating is a place to find a certain kind of healing. Just the distraction of making something would brighten a sad day and carry me into the next. Some of the most challenging times in my life are coloured with creations from a craft newly learnt or an old favourite.  

It is a little sad for me to say goodbye to crafting for business but I’m much happier with how things have evolved. What you will now find at Flower Childe Cottage are things that are truly dear to me that I in turn share with you. Of course you can still find my musings about creating and updates about my stories but in addition you can read about my Healing Herbal Creations, Seasonal Letters for Little Ones, Patterns for Handmade Creations by Little Flower Childe and (drum roll please) ….. The Flower Childe Cottage Mail Order Club! 

 Can you tell that I’m super excited about this? Isn’t it really great when you open mail to find all sorts of goodies all wrapped up just for you? One of my favourite things in the world is getting fun mail and so I thought I’d share this and some of my loves with you. I’m happy and excited to announce the start of the Flower Childe Cottage Mail Order Club. The FCC Mail Order club is a quarterly subscription club. Each subscription is beautifully packaged, enclosed with little goodies and mailed to you. In your mail order you will find:

©       Inspiration Cards

©       A Healing Herbal Recipe from Flower Childe Garden

©       A craft project for big people or for big people who want to craft with little people

©       Ideas for seasonal activities in and healing with Nature

©       A surprise little knick-knack or doo-dad! Subscription announcements will be made here at Flower Childe Cottage. 

Each subscription is $10 which includes postage. The Yule 2007 Subscription will go on sale shortly. Please e-mail: flowerchilde@enchantedangels.com to reserve a subscription or join the mailing list to receive updates.  

So there we have it, my big announcement. Have a splendid day!

 

Buds to Blossoms

Here I am, almost three weeks post-travel and a little tired from all the work I’ve been doing over at Enchanted Angels and Enchanted Angel Paths. It’s nice to be here again, back at Flower Childe Cottage, musing and such. I could talk about the craziness of Hartsfield Airport but it’s nicer to talk about the lovely time I spent in Laguna Beach – the blue, sunny skies, crisp air and musical ocean.  I close my eyes and I’m there again.  

Back at home things are quieter. The rainy season in here and days of showers are followed by nights that are truly romantic. Somehow everything seems fresh and dewy and earthy as the bright moon shines down from above. Even Chloë seems more sedate or maybe she just seems quieter because she has a new toy to keep her occupied – either way it works for me. You’ve probably noticed that the Little Flower Childe website is down and that is because I’ve decided to put more of my energy into my work at Enchanted Angels. I’ll still keep Flower Childe Cottage and let you know about new crafy stuff I’ve made or words I’ve put to paper. I could never give these things up you know – writing and making stuff and The Lasses have been rather helpful these last two weeks. Perhaps I’ll put the Etsy shop back up, I’m not sure yet, but everything will be posted here at Flower Childe Cottage. 

Hubbykins bought me these on Saturday. What greater felicity is there than a bunch of soft pink buds about to bloom? What a pretty word – ‘felicity.’ Maybe Chloë thinks so too although she’s probably more concerned with her ball here.  

I’ve scattered them about and of course I had to put some on my vanity so that I could see them in the morning when I wake up. Have you ever felt that there were things in your life that were still buds? Waiting to unfold into bright and brilliant blooms? Maybe that’s what these symbolize for me right now. I made these last Friday:  

Little Key Purses with flower embellishments – naturally! I don’t even remember what inspired me to make them. Now that I think about it, I probably just wanted to sit by my machine and hear its familiar and comforting hum as I sewed away with thoughts of flowers in my head.

 

A Quick Note…

Just a little note to let you know that I will be away for the next two weeks. All orders received will be filled upon my return. Visit Little Flower Childe to see the new Angel of Hope and Fairy of Dreams & Wishes letters . Until then, wishing you happy days filled with fun and magic!

 

A Little Inspiration

To dream of the person you would like to be,

Is to waste the person you are.

- Anonymous (The Women’s Book of Positive Quotations, 2002)

 

Me from A-Z: The Letter ‘H’

‘H’ is for Halloween! I love Halloween. The pumpkins and ghouls and ghosts and costumes. The holiday has become quite popular here in recent years and each year we keep planning to go to one of those big parties, but instead we end up staying home to watch movies and eat sweets. Maybe this year will be different….nah…

My other ‘H’’s – Happiness: I believe in true happiness and joy. The kind that makes you feel content with the smallest things and inspires you to see beauty in everything and everyone. Another ‘H’ : Handmade. I enjoy making things and browsing around at Etsy to see all the cool things crafters make and reading craft blogs is one of my favourite pastimes. For me handmade is sort of reminiscent of a charming cottage life where everything is made with love and kept from one generation the next. Nowadays so much is commercialized but nothing beats receiving a beautifully crafted gift, made with love.

 

Flutters and Heart Songs

Toaday was one of those days where joy and delight meet with frustaraion. I spent most of it working on an article for a magazine which left little time for me to work on the character sketches for the next story. I think the lasses like to tease sometimes; when you’re busy with something else, all the inspiration and creative ideas in the world rush through and around you. Then when you get the chance to scribble everything down, they’ve floated away like smoke on the ether.

Strangely enough moments like these remind me of how much I like to write, especially for children. Such moments awaken that wistful feeling that makes my heart flutter and my soul sing; I would never trade it for anything.

So tonight, I know I will drift off to sleep in the land of stars with sparkles in my soul as I look to a new day, with another chance to bring my inner world to life with words and lots and lots of imagination.

 

Summer Reads

This summer I bought a few books:

Mostly, hobby/crafts books. I learnt more about sewing, tried to improve my drawing (still a work-in-progress),

Experimented with new knit patterns, learnt more about ‘cottage style’:

And even bunnies ( I definately want one now):

And through it all, kept my Craft Cupboard in tact:

This was probably the first summer that I’ve never bought a book about writing. Strangely enough, I think this worked out for me. I got to explore another part of who I am and enjoy a childhood love – making stuff. And in the end it only made me love writing even more.

Now summer’s at an end and with happy expectation and hope I return to my papers and notebooks and my longtime love. Me and the lasses, in the garden again, weaving stories in the quiet afternoons…

 

Me from A-Z: The Letter ‘G’

The Letter ‘G’ – ‘G’ is for goldfish. I love goldfish, particularly fancy goldfish… you now those nice plump, pretty coloured ones with the long fan tails. They always remind me of a dream – as if they’re suspended in mid-air or something. I love dreams and I love goldfish. The thing is I haven’t had much luck with keeping them alive. Goldfish keepers keep telling me that I need a big tank but I’m so charmed by the quaint idea of a round goldfish bowl with one goldfish right here on my desk to keep me company while I write. Hopefully Ms. Chloe won’t get too jealous. Every time we walk by the pet store I almost always have to go inside to look wistfully at the goldfish. Hubbykins sort of rolls his eyes with a look of amusement mixed with, ‘are we doing this again?’ Then I buy the goldfish anyway, take it home and hope and pray that it stays alive. They don’t and I have a little heartbreak and Hubbykins gives me the same look again, only this time there’s some sympathy mixed in. ‘Perhaps next time,’ he says, and the little hope stirs in my heart again…

My other ‘G’’s – I remembered them last night! Hmm…I’ll have to get back to this.

 

Notes on the Storm and other Musings

Hurricane Dean passed over the island a week ago on Sunday. Without the intention of wanting to sound noncholant, I have to say that for us (as in my neighbourhood) it wasn’t really that bad – perhaps because we’ve had worse. Since Gilbert in the early 1990’s hurricane have taken up their own ’special’ position in the psychce of Jamaicans. Some say Gilbert humbled us (because so many did not take it seriously) because of its devastating effect on the country and since then we have become really, really cautious about Tropical Storms and the like. The mere possibility of an impending storm sends everyone into what I like to call, ‘Hurricane Mode.’ We flock to the shops and supermarket to buy supplies: candles, kerosene oil, crackers, batteries and the very popular – corned beef. We stock up on extra candles and catch water for storage and buy gasoline…you know just in case. I think it’s interestng that experience can be the greatest teacher. We learned from the experience of Gilbert which transformed us into a country that is prepared for the onset of Natural Disasters – something to be proud of for a relatively young nation.

Well the storm passed and our recovery was good, most of us had light and water within two days and things are getting back on stream. Now it’s time to start thinking about my book again and where Emily’s next adventure will take her. The truth is, I’m not very sure at the moment. Sometimes these things just come and as I’ve said before there’s no use rushing the lasses called Creativity and Inspiration. I think as every writer knows – it’s nice to know. It’s nice to have a blueprint, a roadmap of the journey of every piece of work. But most times than not, the story unfolds itself in its own way and time. What can a writer do but simply write? Write until it comes, write until the story gently awakens, takes your hand and leads you down the path of its own unique adventure and journey.

 

Me from A-Z: The Letter ‘F’

‘F’ – is for Faeries/Fairies/Fayres/Fae/Fey the intrinsic inhabitants of nature who inspire our imaginations and show us how to care for our Earth and all that exists from and in it. Faeries have so many incarnations from winged sylphs to tree spirits and magical creatures such as unicorns.

My other ‘F’’s – Faerie Art (such as the one above by Josephine Wall), Fun, Fried Fish and Bammy (another Jamaican favourite).