FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
or just questions of interest

These questions are taken from the journal/guestbooks and e-mails
most are addressed to the fairies.
I will answer these questions to the best of my ability...

Q: How do I get a fairy door of my own?

A: This has become the most frequently asked question! It does not have a simple answer...at least not one that I can give.
I am considering ways to HELP people with finding fairy doors. There ARE people and companies that make and sell "fairy doors"... I could do the same. BUT... that takes the fun out of finding them. hmmmm? Some handy people have made their own...in hopes of enticing fairies to come visit. Being a handy person, myself...I could give some advice....I guess. I am still pondering how I should be involved in this aspect of the urban fairy phenomenon. Right now my focus is on studying, writing, editing and illustrating.

Below are some links to companies selling fairy doors. I am not associated with these companies. I do not recieve any money from them either. There is a (nameless) company that I am NOT including because of what I consider a lack of creative integrity. Their doors (who-shall-not-be-named) claim to be "Enchanted", I might be inclined to call them "cursed", but that is rather harsh. Decide for yourself.
ANYWAY...here are a few links: LINKS removed for now, because of a glitch (or hack) which opens some other site too.

Fairy Woodland < THESE people are FULL of creative integrity. Well worth looking at.
Fuzzy Connection < Hand crafted wooden fairy doors.
Fairy Door & Window Company < Hand crafted wooden fairy doors.
Red Shoes < Hand painted wooden fairy doors.
Mitzi.cc < Hand crafted polymer clay fairy doors.
Wee Folk Outfitters < Hand crafted wooden fairy doors (and windows) NICE.
Once Upon A Time Design < Hand painted wooden fairy doors.
Clayworks by Kim Detmers < VERY CUTE hand crafted polymer clay fairy doors.

Q: Why don't the doors open?

A: The doors DO open, just not to any ol' bigfut. They are FAIRY doors.
The doors are small and that means fragile. They WILL break.
Please be careful. Consider them locked and don't tug or push.

Q: Won't you please answer the door?

A: Not sure about "answering" a door which has yet to "ask" anything.
Seriously, I would think twice about opening my door to someone TWELVE times my size!

Q: Are you home?

A: Sometimes.

Q: What's your name, Fairy?

A: The fairy names have not yet been revealed.
Though some people believe they are corresponding with "Penelope the Yellow", as noted in Sweetwater's 1st Journal. ( I suspect she is fabricated)

There is some evidence that a fairy, who calls himself PeZz, is "responsible" for some e-mails and the invention of, and subsequent entry, of the UFO Cumooter 2006 in the Rolling Sculpture Car Show. Though he did not show up for the show, maybe because it was raining.

Q: Why are they here?

A: I think they have always been "here" or there abouts.
It seems that only recently have we been able to see them (or their homes).
I also speculate that perhaps the fairies we are familiar with in folk tales; the Woodland, Forest and Flower Fairies have been displaced from their natural habitats.
Perhaps some of the more inquisitive fairies have ventured into human areas and adapted, mimicking what they find interesting.

Q: What do you do all day? • Do you have work to do?

A: (I'm not sure if these were addressed to me or the Fairies.)
Nap. Play. Peek. Eat...the usual stuff.
"work"...? (the fairies would probably answer in a similar way)

Q: How many fairy doors are there? Where are your homes?

A: I have no idea for certain. There appear to be different urban fairy groupings or clans.
Of the "original" urban fairy group:
I have, so far, counted one residence, 9 Ann Arbor businesses and
a kindergarten classroom with at least one door each.
At the residence there are 4 distinct "locations" with a total of 8 "doors".
At the 8 businesses there are 17 doors total...
The classroom has one door that makes...um....20 doors except that two doors vanished for a time from one business, with ONE door returning later and another business closed and along with it the fairy door disappeared...(sheesh! math!)

I suspect there are others...and will be more.

Look here for their locations.

Q: Do you have wings?

A: I believe they do. A few of their doors are above grade.
They might jump or use some mechanical device, but for now I am thinking "wings".
In fact, our daughters found a single wing near the fireplace fairy door.

Q: What do you eat?

A: There has been evidence of candy being consumed. Coffee is a likely drink*.
All kinds of desserts end up missing from our house
as well as tastey left-over roast beef and potatoes.
I'd say they are "Omnivorous."

*More recent evidence indicates that the smell of coffee
is far more appealing than the taste.

Q: Why are you afraid of us?

A: I suspect this question is based on the non appearance issue.
I'd venture that the discrepancy in size might contribute to their apparent shyness.
There is also the issue of damage to the various doors, which certainly might
cause some fear. Imagine a giant hand reaching into your house!

Q: When are you going to come out?

A: Hee hee, that's sorta funny.
Seriously, they have to be going in and coming out all the time.

Q: Are you a Flower Fairy?

A: I call these fairies "Urban Fairies"
Flower Fairies are patrons or proctectors of specific FLOWERS.
There is a good possibilty that some of the Urban Fairies are former Flower Fairies.

Q: Are we sure they are friendly?

A: As far as I know no one has been harmed.
I do have it on good authority that they do bite and have sharpy teeth.

Q: Why can't I see you?

A: I think I have discovered ONE answer to this question. In the 3rd Journal/guestbook from Sweetwaters Café...on page 123..from around March 2006 (I'll check from photos I took) is the image to the right. >

The answer is "magic". Remember as a child, of 2, 3 or 4 years, that by hiding and not being able to see your pursuer, they could not see you?

Of course they may just be away when you are looking.

Q: We would like to know when the fairy doors appear? ~ Ari age 9 & Kellilyn age 9

A: Most of the fairy doors show up when no one is around...or certainly when no one is LOOKING. The owner of Peaceable Kingdom said that she was not around and that the tenant, who lives upstairs, told her that she heard noises at 4 in the morning and thought the jewelry store next to door was being broken into! That morning the door was found.

Q: About what time are the fairies out and about? ~ Ari age 9 & Kellilyn age 9

A: The fairies do not seem to be "in" when humans are about. They don't answer their doors when knocked on... because; they are scared, rude or out...? However...there have been a number of young children who have reported seeing fairies in broad daylight.

Q: At what door has a fairy recently been found? ~ Ari age 9 & Kellilyn age 9

A: See the question above. I was in Sweetwaters Café when some kindergartners came in and several said they saw fairies. I was also made aware of the image of a fairy in the photograph of The Ark door... the photo on the Poster and Cards.

Q: How did you find out about the fairies? ~ Ari age 9 & Kellilyn age 9

A: I found out about the fairies years ago in my own house. In 1993 the first fairy door was discovered by the preschool kids in my wife's care. It was in the hallway where they had hooks and baskets. At first it wasn't clear what might live in the door. Over time it was decided that they must be fairies.

Q: Hi fairy, uh, Dor you have a favirote color??
I do minesGREEN (the best color ever) ~Liv

A: yes, purple... um teal! magenta.. no no yello hmmm orange iz gud too.....nope. no favorite.

(From page 196 of Sweetwater's 6th journal/guestbook.)

Q: Do the urban fairies talk to you? If they do, what are their messages? ~ ;)

A: If they are talking, I'm not hearing, but my wife says that I often don't hear anything important. I wonder, sometimes if the CAN speak and if so what language and would it be very high and squeeky?

I have seen written messages that are attributed to the urban fairies, and those are nearly English. THOSE messages are usually in response to someone else, I don't think they are directed at me.

Q: What countries are the urban fairies originally from?? ~ ;)

A: As to their origins... hmmm. There are many stories of the Fey from many countries. The Ann Arbor "urban fairies" have left clues suggesting some association with the fairy stories of the United Kingdom. Keep in mind that the folk tales about fairies from Britain, Ireland, Scotland et al often described much larger, magical beings who are often mischievious or worse!

Stories about small winged "fairies" came quite a bit later, during Victorian times (mid 1880's-1900). I think the urban fairies are related to these (with roots to the others).

Another clue has been some of the celtic imagery they have used here and there.

I'll ask my wife. She is Irish.