Personal Photography

Thought maybe it was time to do  light post without many words. So for this weekend I'm sharing some photographs I've taken of animals, insects, and flowers. Some animals and insects were in the wild, while a few were at the zoo or the animal rescue preserve. Hopefully you'll enjoy them. It's so nice to see that summer is coming and things are starting to be outside again. Anyways, enjoy some photography, and I'll be back in order next week. Have a magical weekend!

Plan ahead for Holidays & Special Events

It's been an interesting year so far, with a wonderful selection of guests that have left a mark of inspiration here at the Almost A Fairy Godmother blog. I wanted to take a moment to remind you all about them, as well as give you a heads up concerning the holidays.

Butterfly Print from Tina T. Ames

Personalized handmade gifts can be seen as welcome surprises at the holidays. They're often tailored to the tastes of someone you care about, and help to add a more thoughtful perspective to the task of gift giving. Yes I just called gift giving a task. It can be hard work to find the perfect gift. But personalized art can make a unique impression on someone.

So that's why I'm reminding you about our wonderful spotlight artists. I'm sure any of them would be delighted to be chosen as the person to help you create a piece that will bring a smile to the face of your loved one. But you have to remember that making something by hand can take time, and shipping around the holidays can be a bit hectic which is not the artists fault. So please make sure to get your requests in early so there's no disappointment.

Animals in Clothes by Koalarazorclock

If you're thinking about a toon like piece you can check out art by Seph Jocuno or Silly Panda's Art Blog. Either artist has a great handle on anime type art styles, and can provide you with a unique artwork that can bring a smile to your face. They've both got instagrams that are active if you're uncertain about what to expect. You can find more direction from the artist spotlights. Seph Jocuno Artist Spotlight or Silly Panda's Artblog Artist Spotlight.

Maybe you'd like to have a picture turned into a watercolor? Koalarazorclock offers this service, and her work is lovely. She also does adorable art portraits of animals in clothes. Check out the artist spotlight on Koalarazorclock to see more as well as get some ideas. Or perhaps you'd like to add some unique photography to someone's collection? Check out pieces available by Mahikol Torres.

Jewelry is always popular, and there's no reason not to check out the pieces created by Hada Pixie Designs again. These unique pieces of jewelry can add a unique edge to an outfit, without necessarily going over the top.  The Artist Spotlight on Hada Pixie Designs can offer more direction. There are also the unique hair pieces created by Wanou Et Moi. These pieces can add a unique flare or twist to someone's daily hair routine. Check out the the artist spotlight on Wanou Et Moi for more information. Pieces by these artists are great for the individual as they're each a handmade piece of art.

Vampyre Rosary by Hada Pixie Designs

Or maybe you want something a little different. An oracle deck can be inspiring as well as beautiful to look through. Or perhaps you'd like an inspirational artwork to add to someone's graduation gift. Tina T. Ames has some amazing pieces that can be used for just that. Check out the artist spotlight for more information on her artwork. Artist Spotlight Tina T. Ames.

Perhaps you're interested in something more practical? You can look into some handmade soaps. They come in  a variety of scents from Cark Farm NH. You can check out their available products and read more about them in their spotlight.

Please remember to give them enough time to create the pieces that you're interested in, because artists do have daily lives, and some work a full time job on top of trying to keep up with their artistic talents. But by sending in your requests early, you can ensure that there's enough time to have your unique creation completed before the holidays. Yes I know that I sound like I'm repetitive, but time is very important for creation and shipping.

Plan accordingly, and here's hoping your holiday planning is magical. (Personally I'm about halfway done with my shopping XD)

Music Monday : Be Fierce

Mondays seem to roll around so quickly these days. May is only a week away, so summer vacation is creeping up. There'll be more kids out and about. There'll be more sunshine, more suntans and sunburns. Cute outfits, and beach hair.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Before we can enjoy summer vacation we still have a few more weeks left of school (if you're still in that is) or other tedious tasks. So let's be fierce and kick butt this week!

Jeffree Star : Beauty Killer

Julie Brown : Earth Girls Are Easy

Bobby Fisher : Pop Life

My Chemical Romance : It's Not A Fashion Statement

The Pretty Reckless : Hit Me Like A Man

What's on Screen? : The Lego Batman Movie

It's been awhile since we went to the movies, partly because there wasn't anything being shown that we wanted to see. But we were driving past the reduced movie marquee the other day and saw that The Lego Batman Movie was being shown. We've been hesitant to go see it, because movies have gotten rather expensive of late, and the budget doesn't really permit them frequently. But at our theatre the tickets ended up costing about $3 per person. So it was definitely reasonable.

I was a bit uncertain about what to expect when it came to this movie, as I've never watched any of the other Lego movies. But I have to admit that while it definitely doesn't compare to any of the DC live films, or even the animated pieces... as an individual experience...it was pretty good. They don't try to be a DC movie, though they play with the classic ideas that people are used to seeing in the comics.

Batman does Batman. He doesn't need anyone else.

But the film as a whole explores the ideas of community, belonging, and what it means to be part of something bigger. It also seemed to reflect on the ideas different people have about their personal part in anyone else's lives.

And Joker cries! Or at least... almost cries. My favorite part.

My favorite thing about the music though was the soundtrack. The soundtrack was creative as well as great for moving along some of the plot points. It also made some of the ridiculous things funnier. They used clips of classic songs, and made unique musical pieces that played with the concepts being explored in the movie.

I love the song that they play during the end credits and I'm definitely putting the soundtrack on my to acquire list ^_^

Personal Update

Think Positive!

No really. Think positive. We've been having a rather unique time and haven't necessarily been unbusy. I've been working on creating new items for the craft swaps that I'm participating in. This includes craft concept sketches, shopping for extras and pattern drafting. This might not sound like much to some people, but drafting a pattern can be a bit complicated since not every pattern is as easy as I first imagine it to be while creating the piece in my head.

This was the outgoing package for the #disneySKswap

Each craft swap package is unique, and it's a lot of fun trying to tailor the contents to my swap partner's tastes. This one was a fan based swap working around Disney themed characters. I made a pillow, a toy lizard, and some blank notecards. Most of my extras ended up being Frozen themed though because it's easy to find things from Frozen currently.

I've also been working on planning future projects for here. This includes various article drafting, as well as networking. We even have another writer joining us. But I won't go to far into that because I don't want you to be disappointed if anything falls through.

Beyond that work is about the same as always. Easter wasn't horrible, in fact it was kind of fun. We made chocolate, and the kids ate chocolate. I got to play FFXIV online, and worked on leveling my white mage character, although I'm still more fond of my summoner. Last weekend I worked on leveling my fisher class. I guess I just like low key classes.

Hrm, not much else to talk about right now. But things are going well. I can explain more in depth over time I suppose, but it's not like any of you want to hear about the nonsense of daily life.

Special events are coming up, and there'll be posts about them so keep tuned. Also there's a few artist's spotlights in the works, but I won't spoil the surprise of who they're about.

In any case, hope the rest of your week goes well. Stay magical, you've got this!

Music Monday : Songs for Fun

It's Monday again. But let's look on the bright side, it's spring time and soon the snow will melt. Or so we hope. With that in mind I picked some songs that sounded like they'd be a bit of fun to perk up the week.

But here's a challenge for you! I'd love to know a little about some of the music you're listening to yourself. So please feel free to comment and recommend a song or two for me to add to my playlist this week. It's always nice to listen to something with friends. Have a magical Monday!

Tyler Ward : Born This Way

Ronald Francoeur : Party Like An Animal

American HiFi : Flavor Of The Week

Jimmy Eat World : The Authority Song

Jethro Tull : Bungle in The Jungle

What's on Screen? The Real Ghostbusters

Alright so today we're going to be looking at something old. Thanks to the wonderful internet and Netflix, we're able to watch a lot of shows and things that were on TV when we were younger. This past weekend we had the pleasure of watching a handful of episodes of The REAL Ghostbusters.

This is a show that I vaguely remember, in the best ways from when I was younger. I'm sure a number of us remember everything that came with the The Real Ghostbusters. Awesome weird toys, and of course the Ecto Cooler!

The Real Ghostbusters played with the ideas that were made when the movies came out. It extended the realm of the stories. There were more ghosts and ideas explored. They mentioned ghosts and things that people might try to look up. Voodoo, european folklore and all kinds of interesting things even genies!

It might lack continuity, but it has a lot of creative spooks and it makes tons of pop culture references that may escape younger kids, but as a chance to remember and enjoy something more or less mindless was nice.

Artist Spotlight : Delaney Shadow

Artists are often interested in a variety of art forms, we've seen this in the works of the various artists we've spotlighted. This week we're spotlighting Delaney Shadow who has a unique way of expressing herself through art and enjoys creating pieces in ways we haven't seen previously. You can see images of some of her work and life on her instagram account. A number of Delaney's available works and gallery are also available on her website, http://shadowsofmylife.weebly.com/.

Delaney Shadow has been crafting and creating so long she can't remember what the first one she enjoyed was. But what she does remember is discovering the joy creation brings, and the love of learning new skills. She's dabbled in woodworking, knitting, jewelry design, cross stitch, as well as a variety of other creative talents.

Available on Website

She has been nurturing her painting talent lately, creating some gorgeous pieces and accepting
challenges to help develop her strengths. It helps her to show things that interest her, and express various aspects of her daily life and past.

Her tea cup painted on glass is a piece I can relate to when it comes to reflecting on my past. It reminds me of the time the girlfriends and I attended tea time with the Queen. The dainty flowers are darling and reminiscent of the detailings many people are acquainted with when it comes to tea time.

I actually have one of Delaney's glass paintings so I can tell you that the work really is unique. I have a black beetle on a blue background. The brush strokes are strong, giving the paint a chance to shine as texture on the glass. You can backlight the piece, to see a unique glow, or you can hang it using the attached hook on the back.

Available Via Etsy

Delaney has a variety of talents that she explores to create beautiful useful things. One soaps. of those things she creates soap. She makes it in a variety of colors and scents, each uniquely handcrafted.

They're one of her favorite things to make, and she's been crafting them for over five years. Currently she has created 12 different types of soaps. She developed her own recipe which lets her create the soaps her way. The soap you see to the left is one that she developed that is safe for dogs and children.

Available on Website

Delaney's work is available not only through her website, but also through various shops she's associated with on etsy. I believe we've mentioned at least one of her etsy sites earlier. She works with a couple other artists and they offer a variety of different goods. Shadowpaws Goods, Devilish Darling Goods, and Shadowcreation Design.

She creates various pieces using resin and other things. To the right you can see one of the charms she made reworking an old key. Upcycling is a very fun thing, and these pieces make great accessories for loved ones, or even pets. Her resin works are interesting, catching nature in resin to preserve it for enjoyment over time. Delaney enjoys encasing bugs and flowers in the resin as the results are all unique in the end.

Canvas Painting available through Website

Delaney's paintings isn't limited to just on glass panels. She also creates on canvas. Her canvas works are charming and offer another chance to see her brush work on another medium.

When asked where she finds ideas for her work, Delaney had a great response. She believes that your life history can be a wealth of inspiration. Delaney has found that what she's gone through, and the different evens in her life has given her reasons to create and she loves it.

Her advice for aspiring artists is to not give up. Don't let the problems of the world drag you away from what you love. Instead let it help you be more creative. Find a way to do what you enjoy using what you have access to.


Create things to help inspire other people and brighten their days. But create because you enjoy it.

Thank you for joining us for today's artist spotlight! Remember you can see more of Delaney Shadows work updates on her instagram account. If you're interested in a piece, maybe something unique to add to your personal collection you can contact her through her website: http://shadowsofmylife.weebly.com/. Or if you enjoy exploring etsy, there are three different shops that carry examples of her handiwork. Shadowpaws Goods, Devilish Darling Goods, and Shadowcreation Design. Explore and I hope you find something you enjoy.

Music Monday : Can we go NSFW?

I'm feeling a little wicked this week, so I hate to say it but the music I've picked this week isn't necessarily work friendly. Also called NSFW. But I bet the songs will bring a smile to many of your faces, so have a great week, and keep the positive energy flowing. Be magical and happy!

Kelly Clarkson - People Like Us

The Gossip - Dimestore Diamond

Tata Young - Sexy, Naughty, Bitchy

Porcelain Black - Naughty Naughty

Pink - Slut Like You

What's on Screen? : Moana

I haven't been up to date when it comes to seeing a large number of films of late. But I do have a very soft spot when it comes to animation. No one has done animation as reliably as the Disney studio. It was very interesting when I heard they were going to do a movie based in Polynesia I was excited. Now I know there was a lot of arguments and controversy about the character designs. But I really have to say it was worth the wait.

Now Moana is  a great story. You have a strong female character, general conflict with a small number of characters as the focus. Maui is a charming self centered character, who through Moana's intervention relearns to be a  more positive character. You also have a variety of new looks that have been lacking in most movies.

There are no direct villains in this film, which seems a bit odd. Meaning there is no direct bad guy. There are some characters that are used to move along conflict, and offer action. There's the coconut pirates, and a giant crab.

I give it a huge high amount of stars. And eventually I'll add it to my own film collection, I think.  I hope it's not a spoiler for most of you, but below you'll see my favorite scene in the movie.

Personal Update : Life is Life

Life is a funny thing. I know that it's been awhile since I gave you an honest update about how things are going for me. They're not going very well. But they're not horrible.

There's been a number of great interactions with a variety of artists. I'm sure you've been enjoying viewing their work as much as I have been. But there's also some negative things that have been happening, and I'm afraid I can't mention most of these.

Right now I'm in a down time, so give me a few days to get back in order. Next week this should be all straightened out. But for now, consider me down for 5 days or so. sorry.

Music Monday : Thinking Of You

Sometimes it's nice to dedicate a post to someone that you care about. But today, I'm not going to tell you who that is. But what I am going to do is put together a selection of songs that to me say a lot. I hope that they give you some positive vibes this week and that you have a safe and happy time doing whatever you've scheduled for the next five days. The weekend will be here before we know it.

Rihanna - Te Amo

Ron Pope- A Drop In The Ocean

Switchfoot - Love Alone Is Worth The Fight

Keith Urban - Making Memories of Us

Alex & Sierra - I Love You