Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mote, and Mustardseed — in galvanized wire

March 14, 2015 6:34 AM

Fantasywire: wire sculptures with a twist

Inspired by an inexplicable real life encounter, these galvanised or stainless wire sculptures make the perfect statement piece for the bottom of any garden. Every fairy is a handmade sculpture uniquely crafted to your desired pose and installation requirements.

Inspired (at least in part) by the Cottingley Fairies.

posted by Lexica (19 comments total)

Inspired (at least in part) by the Cottingley Fairies.

In the sense that someone looked at the Cottingley Fairies and thought "you know what those fairies need? Bodacious ta-tas!"
posted by yoink at 6:45 AM on March 14, 2015 [9 favorites]

The 6-foot dandelions are really cool. But I've always had a soft spot for dandelions.
posted by jenjenc at 6:58 AM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

The fairies are neat, but like jenjenc, I actually find that giant dandelion to be the most interesting of these. It's impressive how clearly it captures the lightness and movement of a dandelion gone to seed.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:11 AM on March 14, 2015

The twist is that they are stripping their way through school?
posted by SkinnerSan at 7:14 AM on March 14, 2015 [3 favorites]

I love those, especially the ones with the dandelion clocks.
posted by jaguar at 7:57 AM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Though, wait, are the actually time-keeping clocks, or is he just calling them "clocks," or does "dandelion clock" mean something non-time-y in the UK?
posted by jaguar at 7:59 AM on March 14, 2015

Huh. I have never heard a dandelion seed head called a "dandelion clock" before. I thought he was combining garden sculpture with sundial capabilities.
posted by jaguar at 8:02 AM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Inspired (at least in part) by the Cottingley Fairies.

In the sense that someone looked at the Cottingley Fairies and thought "you know what those fairies need? Bodacious ta-tas!"

In at least one case the original was far more bodacious than these...
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:03 AM on March 14, 2015

Make sure your fairies are galvanized or you might have a problem with fairy rust.
posted by lagomorphius at 8:51 AM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

In at least one case the original was far more bodacious than these...

I'm pretty sure that's a jacket.

Though, wait, are the actually time-keeping clocks, or is he just calling them "clocks,"

So American kids don't do that thing where you blow on a dandelion seed to "tell the time"? As kids we used to play this game where you blow on the seed head and then you "read the time" from the part of the seed head that didn't blow away. So, for example, this seed head might be "twenty past seven."
posted by yoink at 8:54 AM on March 14, 2015 [2 favorites]

They're Dandelion Clocks because you can tell the time by counting how many breaths it takes to blow all the seeds off the dandelion. *puff* One o'clock. *puff* Two o'clock. *puff* Three o'clock. etc.

Oddly enough it was often three o'clock.

It uses the same technology as holding a buttercup under someone's chin and discovering if they like butter or not.
posted by schwa at 8:55 AM on March 14, 2015 [6 favorites]

So American kids don't do that thing where you blow on a dandelion seed to "tell the time"?

I never did, and so now I'm confused if I'm an outlier. Grew up in the American midwest. Often got told not to blow dandelion seeds in people's yards.
posted by jaguar at 9:07 AM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

And we used to make a wish and then blow the seeds.
posted by jaguar at 9:10 AM on March 14, 2015

Yeah, I've never heard of dandelion clocks either and that is charming.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:12 AM on March 14, 2015

On a little Googling, it turns out that "Dandelion clock" is a variant name for the seed head in both British and American English. So, presumably, even people who never played a clock-based game with them sometimes just call the seed heads "dandelion clocks."
posted by yoink at 9:15 AM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

My mum used to call me Dandelion as a kid... I want that dandelion.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 9:39 AM on March 14, 2015

I have never heard of the term dandelion clock; we did some kind of make a wish I think.

The wire fairies aren't really my thing but I'm glad people are enjoying them and that the artist seems to be making a living from it.
posted by Dip Flash at 12:25 PM on March 14, 2015

Dandelion Clock is going to be the name of my post-goth shoegazing band..
posted by happyroach at 1:22 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

>So American kids don't do that thing where you blow on a dandelion seed to "tell the time"?

Wow, no, they're for wishing here, though this is one of those words that fills a vocabulary hole I didn't know I wanted filled. "Clocks" is much nicer than "dandelions gone to seed".
posted by tchemgrrl at 8:26 AM on March 15, 2015