Art Hop, St. Francis, and a Wolf

Hello Dear Friends of Bluebird Fairies,

Oh, Art Hop was a dream! I love those days of prepping the studio, filling it with life and sparkle — and then getting to meet so many of you in person. Thank you to everyone who stopped by (or thought about stopping by!). I heard the sweetest stories of how the fairies have nestled into your lives — as mantras, companions, and tiny agents of joy.

Lately, I’ve had wolves on my mind — maybe because my friend Christopher is on another St. Francis pilgrimage in Italy. Last time, he carried nine St. Francis fairies to share with fellow travelers. This year, we translated eleven of them into Italian (since he’s walking through a very remote region). Two new fairies joined the deck — one for the rugged landscape, and one for the town of Gubbio itself, where St. Francis famously befriended the wolf. (click here to find the fairies in our store)

Christopher does everything as a collaboration, so I’m happy to say that my friend Damiano and Christopher’s friend Francesco helped with the translation from English to Italian. We even added Damiano’s birds to the backs of the Italian fairy cards — a beautiful finishing touch.

The story goes that the wolf, old and hungry, had been attacking the townspeople. St. Francis spoke with him, learned his truth, and brokered peace — the people fed the wolf, and in return, he left them in peace. They lived that way for two years until the wolf passed away, much loved by the town. Gubbio is celebrating the 800th anniversary of that story this year!

Of course, we all have our own “wolves” — the fears within and around us. This year, I also shared my Demons series in the studio and invited visitors to draw their own. The results were amazing! You can see them here.

I’ll be doing more of these workshops soon — exploring how we meet our inner wolves and transform them through art.

Oh, on we go!

Be well, and I’ll be in touch soon.

Emily & the Bluebird Fairies

p.s. a New style of Fairy Art is still on in the Innovation Center on Lakeside avenue. Five pieces are in the western entrance and two pieces are still available for purchase. Click here to see one and here to see the other.

Inner Excitement for Art Hop

Dear Friends of Bluebird Fairies,

It’s Art Hop time!

The Art Hop is Burlington's all-free, 3-day festival, (9/5-7) celebrating our town's vital creative community. Over a half-mile stretch along the Pine Street corridor (just a 5-minute walk from the heart of downtown) dozens of artists, craftspeople and artisans showcase their work in street booths and studios. There's live music, and for those who enjoy eating, the best local street food purveyors are out in force. (J.P.)

For 11 years now, Bluebird Fairies has been celebrating this magical weekend in Burlington’s South End Arts District. Our studio doors will be wide open on the 3rd floor of the red building at Howard and Pine.

All around me as I work, I can feel the excited energy of Art Hop.

Some of the things we’re especially looking forward to:

Fairy Connections – Ask a question and receive a fairy.

Facing Demons – Come see my new exhibit celebrating some of my demons. On Saturday afternoon, you’re invited to draw your own.

Dream Collecting with the Benevolent Vanessa Elegante – Our flamingo friend will be gathering dreams this year. We want to manifest big! People are invited to write their dreams on dissolvable paper and transformed into a paper mâché horse for the Year of the Horse—arriving in February.

Whether you come to Art Hop in person or simply connect with us through the airwaves of imagination, know this: we are supporting you in lightening your load, uplifting your thoughts, and helping life move forward—even in dark or difficult times. Together, we can do it.

All the best and with great love,

Emily and the Bluebird Fairies 💙

Ted Andrews, White Clover and a Blue Unicorn

Dear Friend of Bluebird Fairies,

July 15th is the birthday of the late, great metaphysicist Ted Andrews. His work brought to life my deep connection with nature during a period when I lived alone in a round house by a creek. That’s where the fairies truly came alive around me—and found their way into your lives, too. Those experiences seeded a life that remains rooted in the natural world, where I continue to receive hope and guidance for moving forward.

In early May, my longtime car stopped working. I had a sense that this chapter would close on a high note—but after 45 days, I hit a low moment. So, I went for a walk and asked myself to look for a sign. Almost immediately, I found myself enchanted by the white clover blooming all over my neighborhood lawns. (I'm still seeing them—it's a super clover year.) Here’s the fairy I drew:

I turned to Ted Andrews’ book, Nature-Speak, and learned that clover is a sign of “new luck unfolding.” His writing seemed to welcome me back with a wink, especially the line: “White clover opens the individual to the kindness of nature.”

The very next morning, my husband Brian was heading out to look at cars. We went together and—wow—the White Clover led us straight to the right one. Clover, it turns out, is beloved by unicorns, so my new blue car is The Blue Unicorn.

I share this story to remind you to hold your belief in the future in an elevated space—nourished by the signs nature sends you. This is the thread I’m following these days, and I’ll be writing more about it in the coming months. Stay tuned.

Much love,

Emily and the Fairies

Sun Shining Through Us All

Hello Friend of Bluebird Fairies,

I hope this post finds you well.

These past ten days, I’ve felt a deeper kind of sadness. One of my longest and dearest friends, Meredith, died suddenly while working on her house.

I share this not to bring you down, but because I know we all move through these profound moments in life. It’s in how we step through them—and how we support each other—that the magic of life happens.

We’re each doing our part to carry the sparks of life our friends once held. Those who are no longer here still live on in us.

The day I learned Meredith had died, I wrote a poem where I called her a shining sun. Later, when flipping through my drawing journal, I found this fairy—and it made me smile.

The Fairy of Sun Shining Through Us All feels just right for this moment.

Let us trust in our ability to move forward with all that is before and around us, knowing we carry these deeper, special powers within.

Be well, be peaceful and kind—and get up and move your body when you can.

Much love,
Emily and the Bluebird Fairies ✨

Shhh… Life Has Something to Say

Dear Friends of Bluebird Fairies,

On New Year’s Day, at Play Attention, I was guided through a series of renewing, playful, and thoughtful activities led by Teresa Davis. One of those activities was choosing a word for the year. My word? Listen.

This fairy emerged in March to remind me:

And on the day it did—I felt myself quiet. I noticed more. I became curious about things beyond my to-do list and daily routine. The energy of people around me felt different, like it had more space to reach me. That turned out to be especially helpful because I was on my way to UVM’s Career Center for the Creative’s Carnival (a very successful fairy adventure—but that’s a story for another day).

I tend to get caught up in doing—lots of doing. And if I get tired from doing too much? Well, naturally, I just ramp it up and do even more. It’s a technique I learned, but one I realize I’d rather unlearn.

Why? Because I want to see, hear, and feel life. I want to find a way to be a different me—to truly live connected to a life that might be nudging me to step out of the well-worn ruts I’ve created. A life I want to listen to more.

I hope that if any of this resonates with you, this fairy brings you a little spark of inspiration too.

And for those of you who knew my friend Mark Utter—we are celebrating his life in Burlington on April 23rd. It will be a time to honor him with joy and gratitude. For more information click here.

With love,
Emily and the Bluebird Fairies