The Celtic Lilly

08/31/2026

Happy Monday, everyone! It's hard to believe this is the last day of August...Where did the summer go?!

I wrapped up this month with a podcast on Substack. This one is episode 4, featuring a folktale by Hans Christian Andersen called The Daisy. It's a tragic story, but the symbolism runs deep. Give it a listen and join the chat with your own thoughts!

You can find this podcast and more on my Substack profile.

https://substack.com/

08/23/2026

Designing and building my miniature fairy houses is an act of breathing life into little worlds into which I can escape and dream.

I imagine some tiny version of myself living in these whimsical houses, peering out of the window into a world I sometimes struggle to understand.

In a very real sense, I am the “fairy” that dwells there.

Magical beings are real…their light lives within us.

08/21/2026

New Substack article published today!

If you love fairy tales and flower folklore, check out today's post on the powerful poppy flower, where I explore its rich and often contradictory symbolism.

Exploring the fascinating symbolism of poppies in mythology, fairy tales, and folklore

08/16/2026

Starting my day with a little whimsical inspiration! So far, I have created two of these floral boxes with artificial flowers. I still have one more box to play with...I'm thinking a winter or fall theme. What color palette do you think I should use next?

08/09/2026

Anyone want to join me?! On days like today, getting lost in the fairy realm sounds like a welcome change!

08/04/2026

“The dragonfly’s flight is a reminder that life is a journey, not a destination.”—Irish proverb

Does anyone else struggle to settle the mind and accept this truth? I’m always working to finish things at the expense of the now, and, at my age, that is tragic! My first instinct is to go all in heavy-handed… but most things in life require a light touch. How do I train my brain to slow down and be quiet so I can hear the magical flutter of the dragonfly wings? (Some say they are fairies in disguise!)

I can still remember the way this dragonfly artwork tested me, forced my patience. When I finished it, I felt chills up my spine. Dragonflies symbolize transformation…and I really did feel transformed! And to this day, it’s one of my favorite pieces…

08/02/2026

Whimsical crafters and artists...Here's another magical knotwork drawing tutorial for you!

My latest drawing tutorial video features a step-by-step breakdown of how to draw this enchanting Celtic knot pattern. The inspiration for this design came from an image of it carved on an old Celtic stone cross somewhere in Ireland.

Grab a pencil and some grid paper for this one!

(Video link is in the comments.)

07/30/2026

“There was once an old castle that stood in the middle of a deep, gloomy wood, and in the castle lived an old fairy.”
Grimm's fairy tale, Jorinda and Jorindel

What is more enchanting than a fairy and a castle?!

My resident fairy isn't old...or maybe she uses glamour to hide her age! But this handcrafted fairy castle tower made just for her seems to have met with her approval. She moved in and made herself right at home. I hope she appreciates the labor of love that went into this project. Sometimes these fairies can be picky, and she can be quite the queen!

07/26/2026

This is another photo taken from one of our local trails. What an incredibly beautiful stone Victorian bridge, a remnant of a once-vibrant estate now being relentlessly swallowed by the woods.

And—like the stone steps I posted previously—this remnant of past human life triggers the imagination, doesn’t it?!

For me, it conjures images of magical fairy rades and enchanted elvish processions. Maybe this bridge is part of that fairy village at the top of the mysterious stairs in the woods. I half imagine the clatter of Cinderella’s coach as she makes her way across the bridge to a nearby castle!

Where do you think this goes?

Let me know in the comments!

07/23/2026

I took this photo a couple of years ago while on a walk on one of our local trails. Something about it struck me, and my imagination ran wild!

The one thing that has always seen me through tough times is my imagination. Despite all the dark forces, the world is full of wonder…if you only open your heart and let it in!

Which brings me back to this mysterious staircase in the woods…Where does it go? If I climbed these steps, what would I find at the top?

In my imagination (because this might be private property, and I’m not looking for trouble!), when I make my way to the top, I find a grove of trees hanging over the path and blocking the view beyond. I push forward, brushing the branches and dodging the ones that swing back to smack me in the face. And then the view opens up, and what do I see?

A hidden village…an enchanted place filled with music and whimsical buildings fit for the fairies! And the world, with all of its dark forces, slips away into the ether.

What do you think is up there?

Do you have any mystical images of your own to share?

Post your own story in the comments!