BESTeam Feature: Fairy Tales

As I've written about before on this blog, I grew up on a steady, self-fed diet of Grimm's fairy tales.  The two big cloth-bound books of colorfully illustrated fairy tales - full of goblins, ogres, princesses, evil stepmothers and both benevolent and mischievous witches - are well-worn testaments to the power of good storytelling.  The Brothers Grimm were teaching right and wrong through morality tales and scaring the pants off of kids through their collected works long before Walt Disney tarted up Cinderella.  Many of the stories the Grimms collected predate them by hundreds of years.

The selection of crafts below from my teammates at Poison Garden, Sandy Vern's Handmade Soaps and Things, Absolutely Kismet and KC Dragonfly would make for fine props, tokens and talismans for the characters in that populate these classic tales.

Poison Garden
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Vintage || Victorian || Steampunk || Whimsical || Romantic || Gothic

Many a long year afterwards there came a King's son into that country, and heard an old man tell how there should be a castle standing behind the hedge of thorns, and that there a beautiful enchanted Princess named Rosamond had slept for a hundred years, and with her the King and Queen, and the whole court.  The old man had been told by his grandfather that many Kings' sons had sought to pass the thorn-hedge, but had been caught and pierced by the thorns, and had died a miserable death.  Then said the young man, "Nevertheless, I do not fear to try; I shall win through and see the lovely Rosamond."  The good old man tried to dissuade him, but he would not listen to his words.

- from The Sleeping Beauty

Queen of Hearts Choker.

Victorian Dream Meditation Pillow.

Sandy Vern
Shop || Blog

Small Batch Soaps || Lip Balms ||  Lotions || Earrings || Stitch Markers

The girl, however, would not turn back at her parents' command, but went to the Witch's house.  When she arrived there the woman asked her, "Why are you so pale?"
"Ah," replied she, trembling all over, "I have frightened myself so with what I have just seen."
"And what did you see?" inquired the old Witch.
"I saw a dark man on your steps."
"That was the collier," replied she.
"Then I saw a gray man."
"That was a sportsman," said the old woman.
"After him I saw a blood-red man."
"That was a butcher," replied the woman.
"But oh, I was most terrified," continued the girl, "when I peeped through your window, and saw not you, but a creature with a fiery head."
"Then you have seen the Witch in her proper dress," said the old woman.  "For you I have long waited, and now you shall give me light."  So saying, she changed the girl into a block of wood, and then threw it into the fire; and when it was fully alight she sat down on the hearth, warmed herself, and said, "Ah, now for once it burns brightly!"

- from The Old Witch

Witchy Earrings.

Ravenclaw House Soap.

Absolutely Kismet

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Custom Design || Hemp & Bead Jewelry || Stitch Markers || Wine Charms

He saw very well that he could not escape death.  He sat for a while very sorrowfully, then suddenly felt in his pocket and found his tobacco pipe, which was still half full.  "This shall be my last pleasure," thought he, pulled it out, lit it at the blue light and began to smoke.  When the smoke had circled the cavern, suddenly a little dwarf stood before him, and said, "Lord, what are your commands?"  "What commands have I to give you?" replied the soldier, quite astonished.  "I must do everything you bid me," said the little man.  "Good," said the soldier; "then in the first place help me out of this well."

- from The Blue Light

Red-Orange Glass Pendant.

Shell Casing Wine Charm.

KC Dragonfly
Shop || Blog || Twitter || Facebook || Website

Goth || Cosplay || Wedding Accessories || Jewelry || Stockings

The horses hurried away to the magic castle as if the wind had been harnessed to the carriage.  The illuminated windows already shone in the distance.  When they drove past the lime tree, countless glow-worms were swarming about it.  It shook the branches, and set forth their fragrance.  On the steps flowers were blooming, and the rooms echoed with the song of strange birds, but in the hall the entire court was assembled, and the priest was waiting to marry the bridegroom to the true bride.

- from The True Bride

Black & Lilac Parasol.

Pixie Necklace.

As part of my BESTeam commitment, throughout the month I will be posting short features of several of the fabulous shops and talented artisans who comprise the team.  What is BESTeam?  It's The Boosting Etsy Shops Team and our goal is to give support to each other and to help promote each others' Etsy shops through blogging, Facebook and other social networks.  If you are an Etsy shopowner and are interested in learning more about BESTeam, please visit the team page on Etsy or have a look at the BESTeam blog.