Remembering Fairyland

My inspiration for the butcher-paper paradise was from a fond memory-- visiting my sister and family in Germany.

Bluebell was a fairy who lived in a castle in fairyland. There was a forest with trees and fruit (NOT apples) and bats in a swamp-- the fruit would make people fall asleep and the bats would kiss the fairies and they would get lost in the swamp until someone came and rescued them.

Considering I have problems with memory, it's amazing that this is so vividly clear to me.

I can remember a bunk bed and night light, with a mattress for us on the floor, the glass door separating the bedrooms from the main room, playing with play-dough-- the bathroom with the bath tub-- the walks outside of the buildings, the park... going on a walk and tiny flakes of snow falling on us...

My favorite memory of that visit, though, is my beautiful sister racing up to us from outside of the airport in a gorgeous pants-suit and grinning, bending down to sweep us into her arms and give us hugs and kisses. She was SO HAPPY just to see us! I can still SEE it.

Here's to soft pretzels with mustard and cities paved in stone-- here's to Austrian hotels with red carpets and porcelain dolls...

Here's to family and memories that never grow dim with time...