Fairy Names and Euphemisms
Fairy, Faery or Faerie, however you spell it they are all accepted terms for the Fae. However traditionally it was thought unwise to refer to the Fae by actually as faeries as this would anger them - instead people used a variety of alternative names or euphemisms when talking about them.
For example:
Fair Family/Fair Folk
The Good Folk/Good Neighbours/Good People
The Green Men
Little People/Wee Folk
Lordly Ones/The Gentry
The Old People
Pharisees/Farisees/Feriers/Ferishers (Suffolk)
Frairies (Norfolk/Suffolk)
Fary (Northumberland)
Greencoaties (Lincolnshire)
Tylwyth Teg (Welsh ‘Fair Family’, though could also refer to a particular type of Faery)
Verry Volk (Wales)
The Grey Neighbors/Henkies (Shetland/Orkney names for Trows)
Klippe (Forfarshire, Scotland)
Li’l Fellas (Manx)
Sleigh Beggey (Manx language version of ‘Little Folk’)
People of Peace/Still-Folk (Highlands)
Wights (Anglo-Saxon)
Most areas in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales had regional names, and this is before we even got onto other countries! Things get confusing too when names begin to describe a particular type of Faerie as well as Faeries in general. Take Elves as an example, which used to be interchangeable with Faerie but now generally means either Norse or Teutonic faeries (or Santa’s little helpers depending on your inclinations!).
The word Faerie too is complex, again being an umbrella term Faerie creatures as well as the land of Faerie. Fairy is generally thought to mean the gossamer winged children’s fairies, but it is also an umbrella term like Faerie. The origins of both spellings are said to come from the Latin Fata (Fate) or French Fée. Fae-eerie, or state of enchantment gives us Faerie or Fairy.
RenFairies Christmas Village
A new event from the people who brought you the Western PA Fairie Festival, is a Christmas Village to be held on November 3rd – 5th in Pittsburgh. Enjoy three days of Christmas shopping and revels with the Faeries with seasonal arts and crafts vendors, music and feasting.
RenFairies is a new organisation dedicated to promoting the goods and services of Faerie and Renaissance Artisans and Performers.
Ana Voog Crochet Hats
Crochet might well bring images of your granny to mind, but Ana Voog’s ‘freeform crochet’ headwear creations are a far cry from yesteryear’s doilies. Inspired by sea creatures, plants and trees, vintage styles and deconstructed futurism these are hats that can’t help but get you noticed. Each hat is unique, made from hand spun and hand dyed fabrics, including more unusual materials like poodle hair and recycled vintage dresses. Shown above is the ‘French Organic Earth Faerie’ which contains the aforementioned poodle hair, cotton, flax, wool, alpaca, silk noil, ramie, camel, copper wire and silver string.
Filed under Faeriewear | Comment (0)Lily Anna for Girls
Offering everything a little girl could wish for, Lily Anna for Girls carries a unique selection of Fairytale creations for dressing up, parties, weddings and dance. There are handmade tutus in sizes newborn to adult with complimenting leotards, ballet slippers and hair accessories. I love the idea of the ‘DIY’ tutu, which comes with a bag of silk rose petals to decorate your self (see the party set of six tutus too!). Also available are a nice selection of wings, wands, gifts and crowns to complete the costume.
Filed under Little Fairies | Comment (0)Wee Beings by Cindy Cannon
Cindy Cannon has been an artist all her life, with background varying from leather vests to dolls house miniatures. She began sculpting fantasy dolls in 2004 and Wee Beings is her online portfolio. The dolls are sculpted from polymer clay over wire armatures with lovely hand embellished costumes (although some of the clothes are on the skimpy side!). Many also come with stands which create a perfect scene for display.
Filed under Sculpture | Comment (0)
