Most of you know Emily as the creator of Vermont Fairies. http://www.vermontfairies.etsy.com/ Her fairy dolls delight children and adults all around the globe. Over one thousand fairies have been lovingly created, packaged, and mailed from our little mailbox to points as far away as Australia, Italy, and Greece. I would like to give you a glimpse into my view of Emily and the joy she has brought to our home.
I have known since Emily was a tiny baby that she possesses a creative mind. Before she was able to sit up by herself, she would sit in my lap while I sewed at the sewing machine chattering the entire time. Sometimes I would put a pile of buttons on a quilt on the floor and sit Emily in the middle of them. She would run her fingers through the buttons examining each one thoughtfully.
At age two, Emily made her first quilt using an antique Singer toy sewing machine. When Emily was three years old I began reading Thorton Burgess’ “Mother West Wind” stories to her. All of the sudden, nature became alive. We would talk about “Jolly Round Mr. Sun” and “Mother West Wind’s Merry Little Breezes” as we watched them dance among our tree branches. Emily loved being outside. She was always beside me as I worked in the garden or hung clothes on the line. Together, we walked the paths in our woods collecting leaves and rocks. Countless hours were spent in our meadow picking flowers, which Emily immediately turned into dancing fairies or flower crowns or necklaces. At age five, Emily would make an assortment of crowns, necklaces, and pretty things to sell from our yard. I would call the neighbor teenager to ask her to please stop by Emily’s little table to make a purchase.
Throughout her school years, Emily has painted, sculpted, and beaded. She has taken pottery lessons, painting lessons, weaving, spinning, and felting classes. There is no art form that has not been explored and investigated by this creative young lady. Once we purchased sheep and began working with fibers, Emily found her niche. Now, every corner and surface of our home, has evidence that Emily has been at work. Pieces of colorful felt are drying, a tray of balls in a rainbow of colors waits to be packaged, shipping labels clutter our computer desk, cute fairies in pouches lie on tables and benches waiting to have their pictures made.
Emily loves sharing her talents through teaching others. For several years now she has taught felting classes at a homeschool summer camp. She has become the campers favorite craft teacher. This past summer, she and her sister and brother led a week long summer wool camp here at our farm for children. Together, they introduced these children to felting, spinning, and weaving. This fall, she led a nuno felting workshop at our farm. Emily hopes to continue teaching and is always seeking out avenues to share the fiber arts with others.
On our farm, Emily tends to her angora bunnies and helps with raising our sheep. She is my right hand in the barn during lambing. If trouble arises with the sheep, Emily is the calm spirit helping to problem solve. Emily fills our home with piano music and inspires us all to a higher level of knowledge about the world of music, literature, languages, and ancient history. It has been a blessing to watch Emily’s creativeness blossom and to see her business, Vermont Fairies, take off and enchant children everywhere.
