If Butterflies Were Fairies

Recently my online landscape quilting group had a challenge.  The theme was fantasy and I created this eerie forest scene complete with fairies and butterflies.  This piece began its life at a workshop on layering and translucency at Fibreworks in Kingston with Susan Strachan Johnston.  When I started out, it was going to be trees, beaches and a giant snail (don't ask) but that didn't work out.  Then I thought about the fantasy challenge and decided to keep the trees and the layering but turn it into an airy fairy forest - pardon the pun.   It was constructed by layering several colours of organza using gel medium over a stretched canvas.  The trees were done with transfer paints.  I frayed the edges of the organza and couched some gold threads across it all.  The fairies were embroidered and painted with watercolour crayons then I glued these lovely ready-made butterflies to it, added beads and presto, my first fantasy scene.  To my surprise, when we voted, my piece tied for second place.  I also just completed a mermaid piece which I call 'On the Rocks' or 'Sometimes You Just Need to Get Away'.  It's still under wraps for now.  Not sure where all this fantasy is coming from.  Maybe I need to get away too.