Weather Report

The garden fairies have been up to a little mischief in the yard of our new house here in McMinnville, Oregon!



First of all, here is the big surprise that has popped up all over our new front yard... Dozens and dozens of petite yellow daffodils!!!


But that wasn't enough. Just for fun, the garden fairies wanted to add a little icing to the cake, so to speak, and here's what we woke up to on Wednesday morning:

...A light frosting of dancing snowflakes...

Perhaps a reminder that although Spring is just around the corner, don't put away the knit cap and gloves just yet!




Look quickly and you might actually see the fairies in their frilly yellow skirts with their snowy white wings, taking flight from the garden...!

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FEEDER UPDATE

Good news! You might remember my disappointment several weekends ago during the Great Backyard Bird Count, when only one lonely chickadee showed up for the entire weekend.

Well, as anyone with a new bird feeder in a new location knows, one happy bird is all it takes to "prime the pump". Word has gotten out and now we have a whole flock of chickadees AND a whole flock of dark-eyed juncos that are regular diners!

Not to mention sightings of a song sparrow, a western scrub jay, and a few starlings... Pretty soon they'll be lined up at the door!

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NEW IN MY ETSY SHOP!

As I continue to sort through stacks and stacks of artwork in my new studio, I have decided to sell more of my original artwork, including these two garden fairy paintings.

Surprise your favorite Garden Goddess or cat lover with the gift of original art-- or better yet, treat yourself!

Each original painting was drawn with pen and ink, then painted on Arches 300 lb. Cold Press Watercolor Paper with professional quality watercolor paints. The actual painted area measures 6.5" x 4.5" . Each is matted in an 11 x 14" double matting, ready to frame in a standard size frame. Click on either image for more information, or click here to see all of my original art for sale: Original Art on Etsy

Both images are also now available as fine art giclee prints on Imagekind. Click here for more information on purchasing these as prints: Garden Fairy Prints

Thanks for visiting!

The Secret Garden

Welcome ...

...to the secret garden. If you want to find it, it's tucked away in the hills next to the woods near the forest just a stone's throw away from the pond across from the creek. It involves a small greenhouse that the Mister and I built from a kit several summers ago so that we could grow some heat-loving lovelies in the cool of the Pacific Northwest . Take your sweater off and come on inside...

...where you will find four kinds of basil...

...and five kinds of peppers
and eight kinds of tomatoes...

...and bees are always welcome!


And...SURPRISE!
There's even a secret garden within the secret garden...

...where a garden fairy lives with her three cats. They enjoy afternoons sitting beneath the bright umbrella blossoms of petunias and butter-yellow nasturtiums...

...and there's one more little friend in the secret garden's secret garden.
He gets to stay only if he promises not to eat the nasturtiums.

Do you have a secret garden? I'm so in love with the idea that I just finished a new illustration called...what else..."Secret Garden"! Here's another little snippet of the painting. Can you find the little green garden beetle? I'll reveal the whole painting in my next blog post.

In the mean time, I think I've got a little watering to do...

Thanks for visiting!

And The Winner Is...

Garden Fairy Ellette is so pleased! Thanks to your wonderful suggestions and your votes, her new kitten now has a name: Faerydae.

It was suggested by Chrissykat who said: I think this new kitty should be called "Faerydae." Which means "dark child, a gift from the fairies." And we all know that kitties are gifts we're so very lucky to have. >^..^<
Everyone who suggested a name in the original post was entered into the drawing as was everyone who voted on the final 10 names and left a comment on the second post. If you did both, your name was entered twice!

The lucky winner is Cat Lady Sharon (aka Fuzz) from the United Kingdom. She says "I got my nickname Fuzz at school - my hair was frizzy and it didn't help that my Mum would cut it without wearing her glasses! I love cats and I'm a frustrated artist - I'm a 'colour junkie'."


Sharon will receive a special 10-inch Ellette Garden Fairy doll (as seen in my Etsy shop) that includes her tiny book, a bouquet, and BOTH the bunny and the kitten!

Thank you to EVERYONE who participated and for all of the wonderful and creative kitten names!

Name the Kitten Giveaway Part 2... Time To Vote

Garden Fairy Ellette's head is spinning! There were so many wonderful names suggested for her new kitten-- she found she couldn't possibly narrow it down to just five. So she chose TEN of her favorites, which you will see at the top of the right-hand column in an official poll. Please vote for your favorite name, then leave a comment saying "I voted!" in the comments section of this post.

Everyone who suggested a name in last week's post is already entered and everyone who votes on the final 10 names will also be entered into a random drawing. If you have done both, your name will be entered twice! The voting will end on the evening of March 16 and there will be two announcements: the name of the giveaway winner and the name of Allette's new kitten.

What is the giveaway prize, you may ask? A special 10-inch Ellette Garden Fairy doll (as seen in my Etsy shop) that includes her tiny book, a bouquet, and BOTH the bunny and the kitten! The prize includes free shipping to anywhere in the world.

Please make sure that I have a way to contact you in case you are the lucky winner, such as a link to your blog or e-mail address included in your comment.

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, please contact me by e-mail --you'll find a link under my Profile.

Thanks for participating!

Garden Fairy Story Time: The Foundling

Words and images copyright 2011 Susan Faye. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in ANY form, including electronically, without express written permission of the artist. Thank you for respecting this policy with regards to ALL artists--it's good karma!!

Hi! My name is Ellette.
One of my favorite things about being a garden fairy is having antennae.

My "feelers" help me with balance and direction, especially when I am flitting and flying about the woodlands and my posy patch. AND, just like my butterfly friends, my antennae have very special scent receptors that help me sniff out my favorite beverage: nectar.

I've made a little book showing some of my best nectar posies. Pink roses, candytuft and zinnias are my very favorites. Don't they sound delicious and fun? Here is a link to a list of the best nectar flowers for butterflies (and garden fairies too!)

Sometimes my antennae will detect smells other than nectar. Just yesterday when I was showing my posy book to a friendly white garden bunny, my antennae detected something new in the garden: the subtle scent of tuna mixed with traces of curiosity, plus a hint of irrepressible mischief.

I peeked under my garden bench, and just look at what I found:

A sweet little kitten in need of a home! My garden bunnies and I agreed that she should come live in our posy patch. She jumped up into my arms and purred loudly. I'm pretty sure that means she's staying...

Now my little foundling needs a name. Can you help me?

Help Ellette find a name for her new friend. Leave your suggestion in the comments section of this post.

Update: Giveaway entries are now closed. Thanks for participating! See all of the great suggestions in the comments section below.

Garden Fairy Ellette is so pleased! Thanks to your wonderful suggestions and your votes, her new kitten now has a name: Faerydae.

Ellette is a fabric art doll that I have hand-crafted with quilted butterfly wings. Her copper wire antennae feature crystal beads. She comes in two sizes and her arms can hold any of her three favorite things in a warm embrace: a little black and white cat (smaller doll holds a white rabbit) , a paper book called "My Garden" (it features 8 of my mini garden illustrations), and a bouquet of silk flowers.

Ellette is made from 100 percent cotton fabric that has been professionally printed with my watercolor artwork. She is filled with eco-friendly bamboo fiberfill. Surface washable only, if done gently.

To learn more about my dolls, visit this link to my Etsy Shop:
My Fairy Dolls

Bitten By a Bug

If I seem to be a bit preoccupied and unattentive lately (ask Buttonwillow--she's threatening to turn me in to the ASPCA for wrongful neglect) , it is because I've been bitten by a bug.

The dreaded Doll Bug.

Actually, I was first bit by the bug decades ago, when I received a Tiny Tears doll at birth. Her rubber body and chippable hard plastic head with molded hair did not survive the hundreds of "feedings" (she could drink real water from her little bottle), baths (the perfect bubble bath companion), diaper changes (she could "wet") and squeezings (if you squeezed her hard enough, she was supposed to cry real tears, but this feature never seemed to work... who wants a crybaby anyway?). By the time I was 5, Tiny Tears was de-tear-iorating.

Lucky for me, when I was 5, Santa brought me my new love, a Sweet Sue doll; then an auburn-haired Swirl Ponytail Barbie doll would follow several years later.

In the fifth grade I graduated to Dam Troll Dolls, Wish-niks, and Little Kiddles--I was totally enthralled by their imaginative wardrobes and detailed miniature accessories. My brother and sister and I created "Troll Town" in the dirt section of our backyard, and the Southern California adobe made fantastic mud homes, complete with mountains, rivers, streets and swimming pools where our troll dolls and Kiddles could enjoy "the good life".

I could go on. But let's fast forward to the recent "bug bite". When I started selling my art on Etsy.com, I began to drool over the many art dolls I was seeing, including those of Snippet Girl/Cat Lady Carrie. Here is the fantastic art doll sculpture that I commissioned from her as a remembrance of my dear departed Melissa Mittens (Melissa was a champion mouser). It is a treasure!

So one thing led to another, and once I discovered that I could have my watercolor artwork printed onto fabric, the cogs and wheels began to turn and the doll bug bit once again.

Most of the beautiful art dolls I had seen were either painted fabric or painted paperclay, and decorated with opaque acrylic paints. I wanted to make dolls that looked more like my watercolor artwork, with light and airy translucent colors. Digitally printing my artwork onto fabric was the answer!

After months of tinkering, here is a prototype doll that I came up with (you will notice that she is also a Cat Lady):

And -TA-DA -here is the finished product-- my very first dolly in a line of Garden Fairy dolls that I am working on:

Watch for my next post where I will give her a proper introduction. In the mean time, please excuse me-- I'm off to go play with my dollies! Just try and stop me.

All Aflutter

Illustration Friday
(theme:"cocoon")

Garden Fairy Lillilani remembers when her winged feline Zanna was nothing more than a black and white striped CATerpillar...Now freshly hatched from her cocoon, Zanna enjoys fluttering about the garden with Lillilani, weaving in and out of sunbeams with her delicate wings.



Do you believe in Garden Fairies? You'll find this design on note cards, totes, mugs, t-shirts and other gift items at my CafePress shop: Garden Fairy No. 2

Cat Lady No. 347...Happy Winter Solstice!

Garden Fairy Lulana and her winged cat Fabinia will be observing the solstice tonight with a large bonfire to encourage the return of the sun and spring.

Dr. Leonard Perry of the University of Vermont tells us in her article The Plants of the Winter Solstice:

"The winter solstice...is the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

"The early Romans, Egyptians, Celtics, and others observed that by December the fields were no longer producing crops, leaves had fallen off the trees, and many plants had died. Daylight hours were waning, and the sun was getting lower and lower in the sky. They feared the sun would completely disappear, leaving them without light and warmth.

"They lit bonfires to light up the skies on this longest of nights both for warmth and to coax the sun to return. They thought the fire would call out to the sun, asking it to stop its descent into the earth and return to the sky.

"The Saxons and Celtics often kept an oak log--usually the entire trunk of a tree--burning for 12 hours on the eve of the solstice. If the fire did not go out during this period, the household would be protected and see an abundance of crops, good health, and other desirable things in the coming year."

Thanks for visiting!

Cat Lady No. 281...Flying Low

Illustration Friday
(theme:"flying")

Flying high has its rewards, but Cat Lady Breena and her winged cat Maurelle know that flying low is even better. That way, in the wee hours of the lavender dawn, the scent of unfolding blossoms is that much sweeter...

Thanks for visiting!


This brand new illustration is now available as a matted print in my Etsy Shop: Garden Fairy No. 5

I'm honored and delighted that Etsy.com has featured my tutorial "How To Paint A Cat Lady (and Lad)" in their daily blog The Storque! Check it out in their "How-Tuesday" feature of the week where you will find great arts and crafts how-tos every--you guessed it--Tuesday!

Cat Lady No. 266... Patterns

Illustration Friday
(theme:"pattern")

Various varieties of Garden Fairies can be identified by the intricate patterns in their wings. A skilled wing-reader can determine a fairy's place of birth and her special calling in the garden. An true expert might even be able to ascertain her preference in nectar--from very sweet to dry.

Garden Fairy Anika, for example was born in the Gardens of Gallamay, and her special calling is dewdrop dusting. She enjoys the company of her winged cat, Rikolo, who follows her on her rounds each dawn, ensuring that each dewdrop shines and sparkles and perfectly reflects an upside-down universe if you peek inside...


As for nectar, that small lavender triangle in the middle of the wing would indicate sweet. The sweeter, the better.

Thanks for visiting!


This brand new illustration is now available as a matted print in my Etsy Shop: Garden Fairy No. 4

Cat Lady No. 262...Happy Equinox!

Garden Fairy Zuzana and her winged cat Fafner have been very busy today celebrating the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.

As part of the celebration, they get to paint as many leaves as they can with their favorite colors: gold, rust, burgundy and crimson.

Their counterparts in the Southern Hemisphere are celebrating the equinox in a different way today: they are overseeing the blossoming of Springtime.

Confused? This site will tell you everything you need to know about the equinox that is celebrated each September: THE SEPTEMBER EQUINOX EXPLAINED

Thanks for visiting!


This original ACEO watercolor illustration has just been listed for sale in my Etsy shop...click here:
Garden Fairy No. 3

Cat Lady No. 202... More Garden Games

Winged Cat Zanna enjoys smelling the posies with Garden Fairy Lillilani. One of their favorite games to play is Hide and Seek among the fronds and foliage.

It seems that hide and seek and peek-a-boo are also popular games with mortal cats, based on some of the entries for the July Giveaway:

Cat Lady Angela reports: "Marina's favorite game is hide and seek. She will climb on top of the fridge. I will say boo then hide around a corner. She will try to stretch around to find me. Other times I will say boo then duck down in front of the fridge and she will stretch to find me."

PPB tell us: "Kitty Ollie Popoki likes to "hide" under a table which is covered with a cloth that falls to the floor. The only thing is, as long as her head is under the table, leaving her hind quarters or sometimes just her tail, she thinks she is out of sight. When we call her name, we can see her tail moving, which we believe is her sign of being proud of not being found!"

parrisreddog's entry: "My kitty's favorite game is a combination of hide n seek, and tag. He likes to hide somewhere, and wait for you (or our other cat) to come by and them he jumps out and attacks you! Then he runs! He will do this over and over in different places. Sometimes you expect it, but sometimes he scares you silly! Either way, it's so much fun to watch him having fun!"

It's not too late! There are six days left to enter the 365 Cat Ladies July Giveaway ! Visit the link and share your cat's favorite game and you'll be entered for a chance to win!

Thanks for visiting!

This is the second in a new series I am working on called "Garden Fairies". What do you think? You'll find this design on a nice assortment of note cards, totes and other gift items at my CafePress shop: Garden Fairy No. 2

Cat Lady No.195...Garden Magic

Winged Garden Cat Esmerelda enjoys smelling the posies with Garden Fairy and Cat Lady Asterella. Their job is to take care of all of the daisy flowers in the garden, making sure that there are daily visits from bees and butterflies, plus plenty of sun beams.

Their work ensures that there are an abundance of daisies for little girls who enjoy making and wearing daisy crowns when it is time to dance about the garden with wild abandon in celebration summer. If you've never made a crown of daisies, here are easy instructions from Crafty Lady Erin: How to Make a Daisy Chain Crown

You're on your own to figure out how to dance about the garden with wild abandon...

Thanks for visiting!


This is the first in a new series I am working on called "Garden Fairies". What do you think? You'll find this design on a nice assortment of tee-shirts and gift items at my CafePress shop: Garden Fairy No. 1