Enchanted Alphabet

A is for ... Arabian Tents

2010-01-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

Long have I dreamed of having an Arabian style tent in my backyard for summer parties. What an air of elegance, mystery and magic it would lend!

These orange lanterns from Z Gallerie are Moroccan, not Arabian. But I wouldn't hesitate to use them as part of my interior tent decor - carefully, so as not to catch the fabric or furnishings inside on fire!

I love listening to Loreena McKennitt's music, and the cover art with the beautiful blue tent just enchants me even more.

Related Links:

The Arabian Tent Company

Bedouin Tents

Harem Nights

Z is for ... Zoisite

2009-10-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

A gorgeous mineral that can be green, brown, pink, yellow, gray, blue or violet. Gray doesn't do much for me, but when it's pink, blue or violet, it's stunning. On eBay I mostly see it in red-and-green ruby zoisite bracelets. They look like something a Persian queen would wear.

Related Links:

Ruby in Zoisite

Zoisite, at Gem Hut

Zoisite, at Smithsonian

Zoisite, at Wikipedia

Zoisite and Ruby Snuff Bottle, on eBay

Y is for ... Jane Yolen

2009-10-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

Jane Yolen's "Briar Rose," at Amazon

Jane Yolen has authored more than three hundred books, mainly fantasy, fairy and folk tales for children and young adults. She's also written a few books on writing for children, and edited numerous fantasy anthologies.

My favorites by her are the dark Sleeping Beauty retelling, Briar Rose, "The Girl in the Golden Bower," and her retelling of "Sleeping Beauty," illustrated by Ruth Sanderson.

Related Links:

Amazon.com's Jane Yolen page

Jane Yolen.com

Jane Yolen on Facebook

Jane Yolen at Fantastic Fiction

Jane Yolen, at Wikipedia

Fairy Tale Feasts, at Amazon

X is for ... Xena

2009-10-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

A mystical fantasy show with a strong, sexy female lead. I loved how the show employed humor - goofy sometimes, but lighthearted fun.

Related Links:

Ultimate Xena Fan Fiction Directory

Xena Music Videos, at Ning

Xena: Warrior Princess, at IMDB

Xena: Warrior Princess, at Wikipedia

Xena, at Wikipedia

Xenaville

W is for... Sulamith Wulfing

2009-10-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

Summer Moon, by Sulamith Wulfing

Dream, by Sulamith Wulfing

This German illustrator transports me to magical places. She drew beautiful women, often wearing crowns, often surrounded by children. Her diaphanous gowns and bejeweled embroidered robes are quite enchanting.

The Little Mermaid, by Sulamith Wulfing

Occasionally she painted fairy tales, including "The Little Mermaid" and "Schneewitchen" (Snow White).

The Womb, by Sulamith Wulfing

Circle Rounds, by Sulamith Wulfing

Raised by Theosophist parents, Sulamith wasn't a pagan, but her artwork often evokes a magical feel.

Sulamith Wulfing's "To Impose Silence"

Sulamith Wulfing's Golden Angel

She also frequently drew fairies and angels.

Floating, by Sulamith Wulfing

Medieval lovers were another favorite subject of Sulamith Wulfing.

Flame, by Sulamith Wulfing

She incorporated nature into her backdrops, or in the foreground as a flower held solemnly, or as a ball of light cupped in a woman's hand.

Christmas Balls, by Sulamith Wulfing

Holidays were also a theme of hers, including Easter and Christmas.

Angel Spirits 2010 Sulamith Wulfing Calendar, at Amazon

Sulamith Wulfing's Fairy Oracle, on Amazon

Related Links:

The Art of Sulamith Wulfing, at Squidoo

Fans of Sulamith Wulfing Group, on Facebook

Sulamith Wulfing Gallery, at ArtPassions

Sulamith Wulfing, at Wikipedia

Sulamith Wulfing Greeting Cards, on eBay

V is for... Venice

2009-10-13T10:56:00.000-07:00

Venetian Dawn, by Liudmila Kondakova

MaskItalia.com's Red Mask

"Palazzo Labia and San Geremia, Venice" by John Singer Sargent

Someday I hope to visit Venice. I want to stay in a palazzo, traipse about the bridges, ride on a canaletto, eat at an outdoor cafe, explore little shops. I think Carnival would be too crowded for my liking, so I would try to visit at some other time.

Palazzo Foscarini

Related links:

Venice by Night

Venice Explorer

Venice World.com

Where to Shop in Venice

U is for... Undrentide

2009-09-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

Undrentide, at Amazon

My favorite album by Mediaeval Baebes is "Undrentide." I love listening to it in the background when I'm working around the house, or on long car trips. Sometimes I put it on in the background for dinner parties, though there's a song or two that are just too loud and weird for the quiet conversation going on at the table.

The song "Undrentide" itself is what I chose to walk down the aisle to at my wedding. If you read the actual lyrics and think about what they're saying, you might imagine that this song wasn't the best choice for a wedding.. I knew that going into it and chose the song anyway.

The "Summerisle" Maypole song is a cover of a song from the "Wicker Man" movie soundtrack.

I just find this entire album so enchanting and magical to listen to. And the cover photo of the Baebes dressed in flowing gowns is beautiful!

Related Links:

Mediaeval Baebes (Official)

Mediaeval Baebes, at Wikipedia

The Music of the Wicker Man

T is for... Tiffany

2009-09-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

Besides his beautiful stained glass windows, Louis Comfort Tiffany designed stunning lamps, jewelry, and ceramics. His father developed the Tiffany shop with its revered blue gift boxes, but it's the son's creations I prefer.

I love the flowers, peacocks, trees and birds he used in his work.

Many stores now sell knock-off or reproduction "Tiffany Lamps," or lamps made in the same lovely style. I can't afford a real Tiffany lamp, but I enjoy my two cheapo "Tiffany style" lamps.

Related Links:

Louis Comfort Tiffany at Artcyclopedia

Louis Comfort Tiffany at Collectics

Tiffany Windows

The Unofficial Tiffany Lamp Store

Tiffany at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Louis Comfort Tiffany, at Wikipedia

Met Showcasing Laurelton Hall, Tiffany's Greatest Work (Post-Gazette)

Tiffany Stained Glass Window Blank Journal, on eBay

S is for... Stardust

2009-09-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

A beautiful, enchanting movie based on Neil Gaiman's book. I was captivated by Michelle Pfeiffer's lovely gowns, Clair Danes' fall from the sky, the imagery of the castle and the night sky,

Related Links:

Stardust, at IMDB

The Heart of a Star: The Stardust Fanlisting

Stardust Fan Fiction

Stardust, at Livejournal

Stardust Trailer, at Apple

Stardust Movie (Official)

Stardust Movie, at Wikipedia

R is for... Ranunculus

2009-09-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

Rananculus, at Garden Guides

My favorite flower has name which is a difficult to remember, spell, and pronounce! It's also known as the Persian buttercup.

Ranunculus at Bulbs Online

It blooms mainly from June to August, sometimes appearing in grocery store floral departments as early as May. Not all florists carry it, so it can be hard to order for yourself or as a gift.

The Lush Beauty of Ranunculus, at Martha Stewart Weddings

Q is for... Queen of Hearts

2009-09-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

The Queen of Hearts,
She made some tarts,
All on a summer's day;
The Knave of Hearts,
He stole the tarts,
And took them clean away.

The King of Hearts
Called for the tarts,
And beat the Knave full sore;
The Knave of Hearts
Brought back the tarts,
And vowed he'd steal no more.

Related Links:

The Queen of Hearts, at Wikipedia

P is for... Peacock

2009-09-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

Judith Leiber Peacock Bag

My favorite bird is the peacock. I'm struggling trying not to have peacocks everywhere in my house; peacock kitchen towels, dishes, posters on the walls, feathery fans hanging above the bed, peacock bedding, etc. It doesn't help that teal is my favorite color!

The Peacock Room at the Freer Gallery

You can imagine how delighted I was to visit the Freer Gallery's Peacock Room.

I love writing to friends on these glittery peacock greeting cards.

Peacock Wrapping Paper, on eBay

Hermes Peacock Bag

Related Links:

Peacock Gown at Google Image Search

The Faberge Peacock Egg, at Wikipedia

The Peacock in Indian Art

Peacock Barbie, on eBay

N is for... Andre Norton

2009-09-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

I am so thankful for my aunt and uncle who introduced me to Andre Norton's books when I was a young girl. I instantly developed a taste for both sci fi and fantasy literature.

"Star Ka'ats" at Amazon

They started me off with "Star Ka'ats," about psychic talking cats from another planet. It's quite a silly concept and a juvenile book, but it spoke to me and delighted me, little cat lover that I was.

Octagon Magic, at Google Books

My hands-down favorite children's book is Octagon Magic. It has a nice witch, lavish descriptions of a well furnished old house, a heroine you feel sorry for and proud of, and an enchanted dollhouse. The protagonist travels back in time to undo some wrongs, and you learn a bit about slavery in the process. I read the dollhouse scenes time and again, practically memorizing them.

Lavender-Green Magic, at Google Books

I practically worshipped "Lavender-Green Magic." I had never read anything like it. It had witches - and good ones at that! It was almost too much for my Christian-school educated little self. I read this over and over through my teenage years. It probably contributed to me discovering Paganism.

Then in my early teens I read "Forerunner Foray," another book set in space, with a psychic protagonist. I thought she was really cool and admired her power and fearlessness. I was hooked, and read the rest of the books in the Forerunner series.

I also enjoyed her time travel books, such as Operation Time Search.

I never did get around to reading her acclaimed Witch World series. Maybe that's something I should enjoy doing this fall and winter!

Related Links:

Andre Norton.Org

Andre Norton Bibliography

Andre Norton

Andre Norton Fans, at Livejournal

Andre Norton at Wikipedia

M is for... Mantilla

2009-09-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

La Elegida, by Jennie Harbour

Hedy Lamarr, in a black lace mantilla

Mantillas seem so magical, elegant and glamorous to me.

Young Lady Wearing a Mantilla and Basquina, by Goya

Spanish Mantilla, at Flickr

My first memory of seeing a mantilla was on a cheap doll in Tijuana. I whined until I got the doll - a glorious 21 inches tall, dark skinned and black haired, wearing a red dress with black lace, and a black mantilla over her plastic hair clip. Tacky though the doll was, I think it sparked a lifelong fascination for me.

Madame Alexander Spain, on eBay

A few years later, my mom upgraded me to a collectible Madame Alexander Spain doll with red and black dress and a black veil.

Mantillas can be part of dance costumes, including flamenco and gypsy style dancing.

I am so, so tempted by this gothic black mantilla. I'd wear it as evening wear, not as a costumey piece.

Mourning Portrait of the Duchess of Alba, by Goya

Related Links:

Mantilla, at Wikipedia

American Girl Josefina Holiday Dress and Mantilla, on eBay

L is for Lolita Lempicka

2009-09-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

I love to decorate my bathroom counter (since I don't have a vanity, unfortunately) with Lolita Lempicka's beautiful purple apple bottle. The scent is soft and sweet, with only a hint of the powdery scent I try to avoid. It's too sugary for winter and not citrusy enough for summer, so I wear it mainly in spring.

The lovely "Fleur de Corail" bottle instantly whisks me away to a dreamland of sandy beaches and thatched-hut bars serving frothy margaritas.

L by Lolita Lempicka puts me in mind of mermaids clinging to rocks, brushing their hair and peeping shyly at sailors.

I'm tempted to buy this elegant Lolita Lempicka Midnight bottle to dress up a nightstand in my guest room this autumn.

I love the names of her limited edition perfumes: Midnight Stardust, Midnight Sun, Midnight Flower, and Fleur Defendue (Forbidden Flower).

Lolita Lempicka (Official)

Lolita Lempicka, at Wikipedia

K is for... Kunzite

2009-09-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Kunzite, the "Evening Stone"

I first saw Kunzite at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in the fabulous Gem & Mineral room. I love pink, and was delighted to see pink stones that weren't rubies, tourmaline or sapphires. I wondered why I didn't often see kunzite jewelry for sale, was the stone too fragile to work with?

But no, for here is a lovely kunzite ring from Shop NBC. And it turns out there is tons of lovely kunzite jewelry on eBay. So apparently I am just totally unobservant!

Apparently kunzite was named after a gemologist who worked at Tiffany.

I think I would feel like a fairy princess, were I to wear a kunzite necklace with matching ring and earrings, with my pink Adrianna Papell dress out to a nice dinner at my favorite restaurant ( Icon).

Related Links:

Gem Mining for Kunzite (Gem Gossip)

Kunzite Healing and Metaphysical Properties, at Shimmerlings

Kunzite, at Wikipedia

On Kunz and Kunzite (Palagems.com)

Kunzite Earrings, at Amazon

J is for... Jasmine

2009-09-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

Jasmine is a scent I never get tired of. In the spring, it's delicate in jasmine white tea; in the summer jasmine incense wafts through the open doors of my home out onto my deck; and in the fall and winter I enjoy jasmine green tea.

When winter drags on too long into March, I sometimes burn a Pacifica Tunisian Jasmine candle to evoke a feeling of warmth and transport me away to exotic locales, at least mentally.

Oh how I wish I could get Night Blooming Jasmine to grow in my cloudy Seattle garden! Every time I visit New Orleans I smell jasmine outside so many houses and restaurants. Heavenly!

In the spring, I wear Bvlgari Voile de Jasmin, and in the summer I wear the more strongly-scented Fresh Pink Jasmine.

Related Links:

Jasmine, at Floracopeia

Jasmine in Art: Jasmine Goes West, at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Archipelago Botanicals Jasmine Candle, at Amazon

I is for Ice Hotel

2009-09-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

I dream of being adventurous enough to fly overseas and stay overnight at an Ice Hotel.

Wrapped in many layers of down coats, gloves, sweaters, and scarves, I'd sip vodka from a glass made of ice, sitting at a backlit bar.

At bedtime I'd sleep on an ice bed covered in reindeer pelts, freezing my butt off but admiring the cold blue darkness of it all.

I think I would feel quite glamorous, and awed by all of it.

I suspect I would drink quite a bit of hot cocoa on the plane on the way back...

Related Links:

Ice Hotel Quebec, at Wikipedia

Ice Hotel in Sweden

Ice Hotel, at Wikipedia

H is for... William Holman Hunt

2009-09-08T10:52:00.000-07:00

Amaryllis

Isabella and the Pot of Basil

My favorite Pre-Raphaelite artist, who helped form the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. His paintings drew from Keats and Tennyson poems, the Bible, and mythology.

The Lady of Shalott

Related Links:

William Holman Hunt, at Artcyclopedia

William Holman Hunt, at Wikipedia

The Paintings of William Holman Hunt, at Victorian Web

The Pre-Raphaelite Society

G is for... Griffin & Sabine

2009-09-07T14:52:00.000-07:00

Griffin & Sabine, at Amazon

I have always loved letters, and I've always been a snoopy person. I'd never read a diary or anything personal belonging to someone I knew, but if I found a stranger's journal or letter or papers, I'd greedily read through everything. I didn't go out of my way to look for things to snoop through, you know.

So when Griffin and Sabine came out, I was delighted to see the design of the book included little letters and postcards you could pull out of envelopes to read. The artwork was gorgeous (though a bit bizarre) and the storyline mystical.

I thought this was a fabulous Christmas present, and probably gave the book to close to ten relatives that year.

I always dreamed of making an interesting epistolary scrapbook between two fictional characters after that - to share with friends, not publish - and never got around to it.. sadly..

Related Links:

The Griffin and Sabine Story

Nick Bantock.com

Griffin & Sabine, at Google Books

Griffin and Sabine, at Wikipedia

F is for... Froud

2009-09-06T22:51:00.000-07:00

Artists, writers and illustrators Brian and Wendy Froud are a married couple with fantastic imaginations and talents. Their work features fairies, goblins, and other magical creatures.

Brian Froud brought us the whimsical Lady Cottington Fairy books as well as the "World of Faerie" and "Good Faeries/Bad Faeries" books.

The Faery Harp, by Wendy Froud

Wendy Froud creates beautiful fairy dolls, and has written picture books for children featuring the enchanting dolls.

The World of The Dark Crystal, at Amazon

Their work inspired the art direction and concept art of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.

Related Links:

Brian Froud, at Wikipedia

The Brian Froud Fanlisting

Collectors of Books by Brian and Wendy Froud, at Livejournal

The Dark Crystal Fanlisting

Froud Desktop Wallpapers

Froud Faerie Workshop.com

Goblin Market

Wendy Froud, at Wikipedia

World of Froud.com

World of Faerie Calendar, at Amazon

E is for... Erte

2009-09-05T01:13:00.000-07:00

Earth

Fireflies

Phoenix Triumphant

Erte is my hands-down favorite artist ever. He almost singlehandedly defined the Art Deco illustration style. I love his fashion, costumes, and set designs. His women are always doing interesting things and looking fabulous while they do it. He drew images from mythology, the Zodiac, fairy tales, and literature. He frequently drew themes relating to the seasons or months of the year, but didn't really go overboard in the holidays department.

A Thousand and Second Night

Starstruck

There's just something so magical about his paintings.

Lust, part of the Seven Deadly Sins suite

Even though he was very old, I was quite sad when he died in 1990.

Erte Greeting Cards, on eBay

I adore the intricate details he painstakingly added to dress fabrics, furnishings, backgrounds, plants and animals.

Related Links:

Erte.com

Erte at Artcyclopedia

Erte Page on Facebook

Erte at Martin Lawrence Galleries

Erte Virtual Museum Gallery

Erte, at Wikipedia

Erte Fashion Paper Dolls of the 1920s, at Amazon

D is for... Edmund Dulac

2009-09-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

Stealers of Light, by Edmund Dulac

Edmund Dulac is my favorite children's illustrator. He was a French artist who contributed much to the "Golden Age" of illustration. He drew magical, enchanting illustrations for books including "1001 Arabian Nights," and stories like "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," and "The Nightingale."

Sinbad

He was influenced by Orientalist and Arabian styles, and his fabrics, clothing and furniture are overwhelmingly gorgeous. Look at the intricate little details in every image - tiny flowers, wondrous textures, delicate tapestries.

Sheherazade

From "Sindbad"

Related Links:

Art Passions: Edmund Dulac

Edmund Dulac at Artcyclopedia

Edmund Dulac at Sur La Lune Fairy Tales

Edmund Dulac, at Wikipedia

Edmund Dulac Print, on eBay

O is for... Orient Express

2009-09-03T22:54:00.003-07:00

I dream of someday riding overnight on the Orient Express. It seems so glamorous, so cosmopolitan. I love its long history of getting interesting people to their European destinations in an elegant manner.

Perhaps I saw too Murder on the Orient Express too many times.

The route I would choose would be the Paris to Vienna route.

Related Links:

History of the Orient Express

Orient Express (Official)

The Orient Express, at Wikipedia

C is for... Canopy Beds

2009-09-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

The Princess and the Pea, illustrated by Edmund Dulac

Is there any more enchanting way to sleep other than a canopy bed? Especially one adorned with gauzy silks, or rich velvet draperies.

Kay Nielsen, from 'East of the Sun and West of the Moon'

Many fairy tales feature canopy beds. Cinderella didn't get to sleep in one, but Beauty/Belle, Sleeping Beauty, and the whiny young lady from "The Princess and the Pea" did.

The Sleeping Beauty, by Edmund Dulac

Modern luxury designers create fantastical canopy beds to sell for large amounts of money.

Attila Design "Under the Apple Tree" Canopy Bed

Asian Antique Rosewood Canopy Bed

This antique Asian canopy bed looks like something out of an Oriental fairy tale.

A spoiled child could sleep in this $7,000 Parisian canopy bed.

Related Links:

A Brief History of the Canopy Bed

Canopy Beds, at Wikipedia

How to Make a Princess Canopy Bed

Powell Princess Canopy Bed, at Amazon

B is for... Sir Edward Burne-Jones

2009-09-02T21:03:00.000-07:00

The Beguiling of Merlin

My favorite Pre-Raphaelite artist. He painted with magical, mythological, fantasy and folklore themes, from Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty to A Sea Nymph and The Baleful Head.

He seemed obsessed with The Sleeping Beauty.

Heart of the Rose

Related Links:

Artcyclopedia's Edward Burne-Jones Page

ArtMagick's Edward Burne-Jones Page

Biography of Edward Burne-Jones

Sir Edward Burne-Jones, at Wikipedia

Tate British Artists - Edward Burne-Jones, at Amazon

A is for... Apple

2009-09-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

.. Cut an apple in half to reveal a five-pointed star..

.. We use bowls of apples to decorate our homes in autumn...

.. In fall we harvest apples and drink cider..

.. Apples are used for divination on Hallow's Eve..

.. In spring we admire apple blossoms, pale white..

.. Enchanted apples figure prominently in magic and in folklore..

Spring (Apple Blossoms) by pre-Raphaelite artist Sir John Everett Millais, in 1859.

Snow White's apple, by Cyril Helnwein.

Glass apple, at eBay

Goblin Market, by Warwick Goble

Poems:

Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.

From The Song of Wandering Aegus, by W.B. Yeats

Goblin Market, by Christina Rossetti

A Drop Fell on the Apple Tree, by Emily Dickinson

Short Stories:

The Glass Mountain, from Andrew Lang

The Tale of the Three Apples, from the 1001 Arabian Nights

Apple Blossoms and a Lost Village, by W.H. Hudson

Snow, Glass, Apples: The Story of Snow White, by Terri Windling

Snow White Apple Mac Casebook Mod

Snow White, at Wikipedia

The Enchanted Apples of Oz, at Amazon

The Enchanted Apples of Oz, at Wikipedia