The Best Gifts are Influenced by Literature (Spiderwick Field Bag)

We celebrated Natalie's (a favorite friend) 8th birthday yesterday. Fauna and Natalie really enjoy the Spiderwick Chronicles, especially "Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You." The field guide tells you everything you need to know about the habits and habitats of the fantastical world.


When the ladies get together it's all about hobgoblins, pixies and gargoyles. We knew the most appropriate gift from us would be a Spiderwick field bag for Natalie to take with her everywhere. We used the book's suggestions of things you need to lure, obeserve and protect yourself from fantastical creatures; we also included some of our own ideas.

Here is the field bag full of goodies that we gave her.

A water bottle for lukewarm milk for appesing and luring faeries.

A twig each of Ash, Hawthorne, and Oak bound by red thread to protect against faerie folk.

A magnifiying glass for studying small creatures.

A bag of salt to dispell magical illusions.

*A homemade journal to record all her findings.

A flashlight for hunting nocturnal creatures and seeing into dark corners.

A bag of oatmeal to feed the house brownies.

A bag of goblin teeth (little sharp pebbles).

A small spray bottle of lavender floral water for protection.

A glass crystal to hang in her window.

*A homemade flower press.

A National Geographic Rocks and Minerals field guide and some rocks (her new hobby).

And a camera to take pictures of the creatures she sees (she saw a gargoyle on the top of a building and is hoping it shows up after the pictures are developed).

We gave her the field bag at our favorite Village Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant. The girls each got a yummy sugar cone.

Emma got chocolate chip.

Araina got mint chocolate chip.

Natalie and Fauna both got pink peppermint.

After the ice cream we went outside to hunt for the mystical creatures and gather flowers for the flower press. Fauna and Natalie each found a gargoyle hair. They said this is proof that gargoyles exist! See the hair on the magnifiying glass? I'm a little frightened now, good thing Natalie now travels with a bag of salt!

Happy 8th Birthday Natalie! I'm so proud of the lovely young lady you are and greatful for the wonderful friend you are to Fauna and Araina! I must run now because Fauna is setting a griffin trap outside (to protect the dog) and Araina is sprinkling salt all over the house and asking, "Do goblins eat turtles? Do I need to salt them?"

** Later this week I'll show you how to make the portable flower and leaf press and our homemade journals.