Once upon a time...

One of the things that connects all of us is our love of stories. Before we had movies, even before books, we had stories. Many popular fairy stories that still remain popular today began in the oral tradition, passed along from one person to another through spoken words. 

February 26th is Tell a Fairy Tale Day. It's a great reminder to revisit fairy tales. Do you have a favourite? Mine's been Cinderella since childhood. The story pulls at my heartstrings and taught me about good and evil. I couldn't help taking sides and hoping that something good would come out of it for Cinderella. Now in adulthood, I find myself relating to her when I'm doing chores around the house! 😉

Fairy tales are vehicles for teaching us lessons, as well as expanding our imagination. It's no surprise that many artists of all kinds often look to fairy tales for inspiration. Sometimes the stories are reinterpreted in a modern or new way, exploring a fresh perspective. Shrek did this, which is a funny story I love and enjoy watching. Wicked also did this many times over - first as a bestselling book, then as a hit Broadway musical, and most recently as a popular movie. Based on the perspective of a witch that appears in The Wizard of Oz (first a book, then a movie), it shows us that our love of such storytelling runs deep.

At Figg Street Co., we see evidence of the enduring love of fairy tales on our shelves and tabletops. Several of our ink-makers, pen manufacturers and artisans look to the magical and beautiful elements of these adventure stories during their creative process. The results are shimmering stardust, whimsical motifs and uplifting scenes to enjoy ourselves during our writing, drawing, and table-setting experiences.

Fairy tales have inspired creatives of all kinds, who've in turn inspired us in our making. What little bit of magic do you enjoy sprinkling throughout your work?