{"id":7209,"date":"2023-10-26T16:43:24","date_gmt":"2023-10-26T16:43:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stichler.co.uk\/?p=7209"},"modified":"2023-10-26T16:43:24","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T16:43:24","slug":"fairy-tree-mk-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stichler.co.uk\/index.php\/2023\/10\/26\/fairy-tree-mk-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Fairy Tree Mk 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I carved a tree stump in Cottingham, near Hull, many years ago ~ it’s always proved popular and is often commented on, mainly due to it being in quite a prominent position (in a private property, but next to a busy public footpath) but also due to the subject matter: nicknamed the “Cottingham Fairies” (as opposed to the Cottingley Fairies of the early 1900s!), the tree trunk was adorned with gnomes, pixies, elves, fairies, snails and leaves. <\/p>\n\n\n

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The original Fairy Tree shown from different angles.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

It was a surprise to hear from the owner of the Fairy Tree, asking if there was any way the stump could be removed and transported to a new location, as they were moving house; despite the new home being less than a mile away, it disappointingly seemed too big a job and the couple were resigned to leaving the tree with the new house owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some time later, I received an email from the original couple to say a cedar tree was having to be docked at their new property and would I be interested in carving Fairy Tree Mk 2?! With the Fairy Realm being my favourite subject matter for carving I could hardly say no, and set to designing a number of mini scenes that would spiral around the huge circumference of the tree stump. Amongst the characters seen were a swan-riding gnome, a couple of pixies travelling on a snail, a couple of fairies sitting, laying or dancing, and a leprechaun in tribute to the customer’s Irish ancestry. Various other Fairytale images were dotted about, such as a frog prince, a dragonfly, and a group of toadstools: all great fun to carve.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The very start of the new Fairy Tree, the drawing of the gnome and swan…<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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…and how it looked at the end.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

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…and a cat for the family, looking up at all the excitement.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n