Bunnies Large and Small

...also real and pretend! I've been busy getting a few little bunnies finished this week and yesterday I took them outside for a quick group photo.

And look who came to visit!

 Do you think he was giving them a look over for authenticity? He sat there for several minutes, stock still only the nose moving, twitching incessantly.

The bunnies will be loaded into my shop today at noon EST...I hope they passed inspection!

Rapunzel Rapunzel...

I finished up a Rapunzel doll this weekend...Oh my that hair, it took forever to braid!...and I thought I'd share her with you and maybe a few tidbits about her tale.

Rapunzel's story is very much like that of Red Riding Hood's in how it's been changed over the years. The early versions have a couple of especially notable differences. In several Rapunzel relationship with the Prince is discovered by the witch through the tightening of her gown due to pregnancy and not through the slip of the tongue  "why are you so much heavier than the Prince" of the Grimm's version .

 Also in the earlier Italian "Petrosinella" the long haired maiden manages her own escape, not waiting for disaster, because she's a much more intelligent character than Grimm's Rapunzel. It's amazing to me how that seems to happen to many of the famous fairy tale heroines.

If you find the history of fairy tales as fascinating as I do, then I highly recommend the Sur La Lune website. It's my go to source for all things fairy tale!

Hello Strangers

Hi there friends of The Fairies Nest. I know that I've been much absent from the blog of late... I've been spending a LOT of time relearning how to cook after a recent diagnosis of gluten intolerance and I can tell you there has been a pretty sharp learning curve.  It's been particularly difficult for someone who loves to cook as much as I do. But since my health is so much better these days, I really can't complain too much. Besides, learning new things is supposed to help us stay young...right? At this rate I'll be a teenager before long...

But these days I'm back to making dolls again and here are a couple that I recently added to the shop..

a little merchild

and a couple of Flower Pixies

I'm finally making a dark Alice too. I know I've been talking about it for so long that it seemed like I never would, but I promise I started on her just today! Also in the works are several of the larger fairies, a large Rapunzel, and of course a smattering of assorted pixies...oh and since Spring will soon be here...Bunnies will have to be made. Wow that's a long list...I better get busy. So check back because I promise to be updating here on at least a weekly basis...see you soon!

Happy Valentines Day!

I know I haven't been posting on here much lately...something I hope to remedy soon...but in the meantime have a lovely day!

Winter's Welcome

This is the solstice, the still point
of the sun, its cusp and midnight,
the year’s threshold
and unlocking, where the past
lets go of and becomes the future;
the place of caught breath, the door
of a vanished house left ajar.
      - Margaret Atwood ”Shapechangers in Winter”

 

Happy Yule!

Autumn, Apples, and Artdolls

The trees around town have been breathtaking this week. Any window in my house looks out on another spectacular explosion of color...

This is why I adore fall. Well that and the cooler temperatures and of course, apple butter!

Yes indeed I made apple butter this week...LOTS of apple butter...and as I talked on Twitter about the amazing way the smell of baking apples permeated my house, several folks asked me to post my recipe...so here it is!

The recipe I use does make quite a lot...about 4 quarts...but feel free to cut it in half because I've done that in the past and it works fine. It is also usually a 2 day process so give yourself plenty of time. The first stage requires about 2 hours but the second takes all day...you'll only need to be stirring the butter occasionally though so it's not as bad as it sounds.
To start you'll need about 12 pounds of good apples, ones that are crisp and more toward the tart side but not sour. I like Winesaps, Arkansas Blacks, Cortlands, or Macintosh...but use whatever is available locally...and since you won't be peeling these, you'll need to get organic or wash your apples REALLY well with some kind of veggie soap.
Okay you now take your clean apples and core and quarter them and throw them in a big pot. I usually have to use two pots for this part as it's so many apples.

Next add some water to the cut up apples...fill the pot(s) about half way...bring this to a boil and then cover and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours. Your apples will be nice and soft and your house will start to smell wonderful. You'll need to puree the apples, either in batches in your food processor, CAREFULLY because they are very hot, or use an immersion blender...one of the most useful kitchen gadgets I own. When you're done they'll look like this...

Now you add the yummy extras, for each cup of pulp you'll add 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Stir that all in and then to the whole batch add :
the grated rind and juice of 2 large or 3 small lemons
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamon seed (do this fresh if you can, it makes Such a difference)
1 cup port wine (yep, this is the secret ingredient shhhh)
...I know it sounds like the spice amounts are too small but trust me on this...
Now set this aside to cool.

The next day place 3/4 of the puree in a large oven proof pot and place it in a cold oven. Set to 325F degrees and bring the puree to a simmer. You'll want the pot to simmer all day and as the butter shrinks down you'll add more puree by the cup and stir it well. You may have to adjust the temperature up or down as the day goes by, you don't want a hard boil but you do want it to be evaporating the liquid out and turning into yummy apple butter. It will take time. This batch took about 6 hours, but I did all sorts of other things while it cooked merrily away and my house smelled incredible. One thing you need to do while this is cooking is get your jars, lids, and boiling water bath ready...so do that.

Once you've used up all the puree and it's cooked down to a nice thick consistency (if you're wooden spoon will stand up unsupported it's done!) then it's time to put it into clean sterile jars. Process your jars in a boiling water bath for 10 mins....and you'll have this...

...plus probably some extra to put in the fridge. A nice stash to remember Autumn all year...and enough to give as gifts too.

And since no post of mine should be without a doll, here's my latest Fall fairy with more of those gorgeous trees!

Happy All Hallows Eve!

My newest fae, Nyx, hopes that all of you have a very 

Happy Halloween!