What is FannieJane all about? Embracing the magic of childhood, and keeping it with you always.
I still believe in magic. I believe there are mermaids living in hidden ponds of shimmering blue. Once a month, when the moon is full and high, glowing in the blackness of the night sky, they dance and frolic among the moonbeams sparkling on the still waters. I believe in fairies, borne from dandelion fluff, gracefully floating up and away with the summer breezes. My flower garden is enchanted. Hidden among the blooms I discover tiny villages occupied by equally tiny mice. The girls wear polka-dotted dresses, bloomers, and linen aprons with tiny embroidered flowers decorating the hem. The men wear striped trousers, held up with suspenders, and cotton shirts that button up the front. The mayor, Harold-Dean, always wears a tophat - he feels it makes him look more official. Their homes and furnishings are created from tree bark, mushrooms, sticks, tiny stones, and little bits and bobs they've discovered here and there. The church, mercantile, and other buildings are hidden to the naked eye, tucked away in barely visible holes in tree trunks impossible to see - unless you were as tiny as the wee folk dwelling within. These littles, and their friends, speak to me as I walk the mossy brick path that winds through my garden.
Sadly, I'm no longer 4 years old. But, somehow, I have never lost the childlike wonder that we are all born with. I always wish upon the first star I see at night, because everyone knows it is certain to come true. I try to catch snowflakes on my tongue. I carve spooky faces into plump, orange pumpkins with crooked stems and set a tiny candle inside. I wait impatiently for the sun to disappear over the horizon and the moon to send beams of light over my handiwork. Stars twinkle overhead as I stand back from my wrap-around porch to admire my handiwork. The eerie glow of my Jack-O-Lantern brings me back to autumns of years gone by. On a sunny October afternoon I head outdoors and inhale deeply to take in the cool fresh air. I get busy raking the newly fallen leaves in shades of orange, red, and yellow into a pile - then with a battle cry run across the yard and jump in. After a winter snowfall I love to plop down into freshly fallen snow to make a snow angel. When I see a huge snowdrift I can't resist climbing to the top and declaring myself king of the hill!
As I revisit the people and places of my childhood, stories that are in one way or another created from my childhood seem to magically appear to me, and it is only recently that I've realized my desire to share these stories. Ina Pearl and Fannie Jane are a part of all my stories. My deepest and most sincere wish is that they bring even a tiny piece of happiness to children. I hope they might treasure these stories, and read them over and over again. I also hope my stories and handmade creations will somehow touch the child that is still within you, bringing back wonderful memories of days gone by.
Another very important part of my life is creating. I can't imagine my life without creating, and spend much of my time making quilts, dolls, gardening, drawing and painting. The things I create with my hands always begin with a character in one of my stories. I never know what it's going to end up as until I "just know" that it's finished. I truly love the process. It's so much fun to see what it turns out to be!
Imagine walking up the front steps of a vintage farmhouse. As you walk across the weathered wooden planks of the wrap-around front porch and enter through the old screen door, you feel like you are home again. I hope that each and every time you visit fannie jane you'll have the same feeling. read more
meanwhile, back at the farm . . .
Have you heard the latest? Well, let me tell you - fannie jane has been asked to write an article in the local gazette called "Meanwhile, back at the farm . . . "
She feels it is quite an honor to be a published author and write for the local gazette. Some people might think the fact that her uncle is the editor could have something to do with it, but fannie jane knows that her excellent writing is what keeps her devoted readers coming back week after week.
She diligently pounds away at the keys of her old typewriter, keeping all her readers up to date with all that is new at the farm. She writes about the latest happenings, stories, new recipes and projects, and just about anything she can think of that she feels her devoted readers must know.
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fannie jane's first article
