Hootin' Anni's Day Trippin'

Wednesday, March 11th, 2009
12:21 A.M.


Join -Wordful Wednesday


Remember the days long ago, when you were a kid, and you'd be out after dark, in the summer, and you'd see these little golden lights flitting around the yard and in the bushes...do you? We used to think they were fireflies [of course they were, but go with the flow here, just to appease me, okay?], but in our fantasy they were fairies daring to be seen and caught for luck? If you were lucky enough to capture one, you were the luckiest neighborhood kid on the block!!

Well, in Colorado, they were out in our yard, but not for long. There isn't enough humidity for them, and the nights?...they cool down greatly. And when we lived in the desert southwest, if we were fortunate enough we may see one or two in a year's span. But down here, in the subtropics, there are plenty of fairy firelights dancing around in the summer. Even as early as Spring. Of course it depends on the weather and their hibernating rituals. Just this past week, Bud and I were outside enjoying the balmy Springtime evening. Enjoying the peace and quiet, contemplating what lay in store for us...dreaming in silence. When all of a sudden, I spied it!!! There, in the bushes off to the right of me, near the gardenia bush and fern...the light! Darting in and out of the fronds of the ferns down low and then up into the branches of the bush...flickering its light and daring me to come and investigate.

Before I did tho, I went indoors and got my handy-dandy MASON™ fruit jar with the rubber seal on the lid. I had holes punched into the metal cap for it to breathe just in case I captured it..... I did, I did capture it!!! And she was dressed all in muted pinks and her wings were translucent, she was so beautiful! I've considered myself quite a lucky gal indeed. She's my newest treasure!!

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Now in all reality, the disenchantment begins ....

What I actually found was a miniature fairy at the store, and I bought some goodies so I could display her in her 'natural habitat'. First, I bought an apothecary jar with lid. Then a bag of small natural colored pebbles. Along with a yellow butterfly, and some rose-colored full bloom roses and a few tiny light pink rose buds. Along with some crystal stemmed baubles for the 'fantasy' look.


After dropping the pebbles into the bottom I propped her into the stone for security and then, placed the roses around her. The next step was to put the bauble 'tree' behind her and bend the stems of the crystal around her back and her shoulders and wings. Next...came the ribbon and butterfly. With the lid to the apothecary jar, I tied the curly ribbon around the glass knob, [and shredded the ribbon partly...seen below], pinned on a couple of tiny light pink rose buds to the ribbon, and added the oversized butterfly to the lid.





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The ribbon shredder is something I bought years and years ago from one of my co-workers who's daughter was selling cards, ribbons and such for a class to raise money for some special project or trip. And it's the handiest tool and concept for making ribbon more 'decorative' as I've ever come across. I have used it hundreds of times. You cut your ribbon, curl it, and then place the ribbon onto the tool. There are two widths you choose from...and once it's placed on the mechanism, you then pull the curled ribbon over the 'tongs' and it shreds it to a very fine curled ribbon keeping it all in one piece. It's a great 'invention' and I am very glad I bought it, because I've never seen anything like it since. [My fingernails have been trimmed down on purpose this time of year for gardening work.] The ribbon result you can see in the middle photo above here.



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This week, O and P---


The "O" is part of the swinging lid on our small beach cooler that we take with us when we go to lounge on the beach for the day. Self-explanatory..outlined in blue.


The "P" is one of Bud's many saws on his work bench...outlined in white.