Fairy friend

Last May, I met Camilla. It was the height of the shutdown and one of the most uncertain times the world has seen.

I met Camilla through her mother, someone who has worked for me and my family for many years. One day, she brought her daughter to work, not knowing I would be there. Though her mother was apologetic and embarrassed, Camilla was thrilled to be with my 6 month old puppy, in a place other than her home. For the first time in weeks, social distancing seemed but a distant memory.

I noticed she was pushing her pantleg down with her other foot, discreetly trying to hide her prosthetic leg. It broke my heart that she was embarrassed by something so unique and powerful.

For the rest of that day, and many others for the rest of the summer, Camilla came to work with her mother. She would spend all of her time with me and Arnold, the puppy. I taught her how to train him and teach him tricks. We played in his kiddy pool and talked about school, friends, Venezuela and moving to the US. She and her mother left Venezuela so that she would be able to get proper medical care and better prosthetics. At that time, she had the most wonderful Tinkerbell prosthetic leg and when I saw her trying to hide it, I made a big fuss over how much I loved fairies. We bonded over our love of Arnold and Tinkerbell.

I realized that I am truly more relaxed and happiest when I am able to express myself creatively. It might be a piece of furniture to refinish that I picked up at a yard sale or a $400 jacket at a boutique in town that my daughter wants and I say “I can make that!” or a dog bed based on an Instagram post which required an emergency run to Joann’s (an hour away). My supplies and tools are as varied as my interests. My sewing machine desperately needs to be serviced, but I’m afraid to be without it.

These days, my projects and my inspiration can come from anywhere and everywhere. My mind is constantly racing and I can barely finish one project before I am rushing off to start another. Some have to be sidelined because something bigger and more exciting takes over and when I met Camilla I knew I was on the precipice of one of these projects.

A few weeks ago I happened to be perusing our local “Free cycle” facebook page and came across a fairy tree house someone was giving away. Stripped down and just the base, 2 platforms held up by tree branches and a rope ladder. My mind went on overdrive, it was the blank canvas I had been searching for. Remembering all of the fairy projects I did with my daughter when she was little, I started picturing everything I could do for this tree house to make it come alive. But why? I supposed I could sell it? Save it for the grandkids hopefully someday I’ll have? Of course, I didn’t wait for the answer to come to me. I drove 20 minutes to pick up the tree house and showed it to my husband when I got home. He rolled his eyes, sighed and said the usual “what now?” and “aren’t you going to finish the chairs you’re recovering first?”. But instead of annoyance, he said “why don’t you make it for Camilla?”. I was floored. A little annoyed I hadn’t thought of it myself, but also my heart exploded. He actually listens to all my stories! It was a genius idea!

So began the Fairy tree house rehab/redesign. I don’t have any craft or fabric stores within an hour of where I live. Everything I do has to be ordered from online or a carefully planned out list made and drive “up island” to Joann’s, Michael’s or if I’m really desperate another 45 minutes to Hobby Lobby. After scouring Pinterest and Etsy for fairy design ideas I had a plan.

As I have no choice but to limit my ideas (time, money, reality), I settled on a kitchen (sink/stove, refrigerator), a table and chairs, a bed with side table, a fire pit and a crib. I don’t exactly know how to make all of these things, but I can look at something and break it down (or just make it up). I’m much better without instructions. My favorite is the bookshelf made from random pieces of driftwood picked up from a local beach. It wasn’t even part of the original plan, but while I was trying to figure out the bed design, I discovered a few pieces of wood that just seem to fit together. The base of most of the furniture is made from Balsa wood, which is then faced with birch sheets. Each piece of furniture is then decorated with flowers, moss, shells and twigs. The fairies are made from beads, pipe cleaners, embroidery thread and flowers. When I start each piece, I have a general idea of what I want it to look like. Though as I create it evolves and comes to life as I’m working on it. Sometimes I’ll rummage throughout the house for just the right little something to complete my idea. I’ve used quite a collection of tools for this project. From the drill, hammer and blades to glue gun, scissors (of course), tweezers and a dremel. At this point, no piece is actually finished. I bounce from one to the other based on what might have glue drying or what I’m inspired to work on. Last night, as I was cleaning up, I suddenly realized the candle sticks needed to be painted green. I love the little details and how they come together to make something sweet and magical.

Somewhere after starting the project, I thought I should probably make sure Camilla still loves fairies. I hadn’t seen her since school started and she’s 7 now, and with young kids obsessions change with the wind. I asked a mutual friend and let her know what I was doing. She got a little teary eyed and told me that Camilla had outgrown her prosthetic. Her doctors had made her a new one, but there was a mistake and it didn’t fit right. She was so desperate to be back in school she tried to use it anyway, but kept falling. They took the leg back to resize it and because of the back ups from the pandemic she didn’t get it back for 3 months. During that time she had to go to school in a wheelchair and she was mortified. She fell into a deep depression and only after she finally got her leg back, had started to recover. I was heartbroken to hear what she had to go through just to attend school with her classmates. A vibrant, beautiful little girl, suffering to be able to just be a kid. I am determined to create something meaningful for Camilla so that she knows how special she is. I have been working every night to make sure this fairy home makeover is complete by the time school is over and Camilla comes for our first playdate of the summer.