I have had so much I wanted to say in this letter that it was really hard to figure out how or where to begin. So, finally I realized I needed to start in the Center. The center of the very key to the Fernie Brae. (Psssst. Look at the logo!) And as you know, I share information best in story and metaphor, and lots of words…so…

The Story: Ferns & Faerie Lessons

Did you know, it was a mystery for centuries as to how ferns propogate? Each fern has no flower, no pollen, no seed, but instead spreads by sending out miniscule spores that fly in the breeze, carried on fur and feather, as poetically described in the above quote. When each spore lands, IF all the elements align and the timing is right for it to emerge, the fernling first develops as a small green heart, curled up tight against itself, looking nothing like the fern it will somehow grow to be...

The Fernie Brae grew from that small green heart. It shifted and unfurled mysteriously into what you all knew it to be. And in some ways the Fernie Brae you knew looked drastically different from my initial dream. It was much grander and spread out its fronds in so many directions, reaching many more beautiful beings, more countries (!) than I had ever imagined. I was in awe, overwhelmed with gratitude every day for its reception and support, and for the honor of getting to build this vision. (Read to end for a more in depth message of gratitude to some really important people on my journey)

Over time, if I’m incredibly honest, I realized it had grown so big and so fast--the fronds reaching such great distances—that it had become harder to remember, to feel that simple green heart at the center.

Then a virus stopped us all from moving at all. The whole world paused, everything changed. And any, many things ended. A crossroads lay before me, and very surprisingly (to me) it felt right and in-flow to allow the Fernie Brae, at least as many of you knew it, to end too. It had expanded and shone immensely bright, but the time had come to clip back all of the fronds that had unfurled so powerfully. They had now suddenly become too heavy, curling and shrinking back to the earth, ready for their winter rest.

After moving through all the feelings and motions of how to actually clip and close everything, I was faced with another question, a new crossroads:
What next?

And that’s where I’ve left you all: Wondering.

When I clipped those fronds, I had believed that the building—that amazing beautiful building that my hubby and friends helped turn into an enchanted and otherworldly space--housed that green heart. I believed that the Fernie Brae belonged only there.

But the faeries had another lesson to teach me it seems. I had to clip even further. Just as the world has been demanding that we not go back to how things were…to continue to simplify…ultimately, I too needed to surrender completely. We were supposed to let the building go too. (It has been sold to an incredible couple/family, who I will introduce later). This decision did not come lightly or swiftly. There was a lot of grief, which is why I have put off writing this letter for so long.

However, once we made the decision, there was little space for doubt. There was even relief.
Suddenly, I could see the green heart clearly again. It was raw, it was lighter, it was brighter, it was singing. And I realized it was My Faerie Green Heart at the center of it all. It lived inside me.
THAT was and is the Fernie Brae, not the shop or the building. It did not close or die or end. The heart still beats in the quiet winter ground.

And you know what else I could see? The Fernie Brae still spreads, as mysteriously as the fern itself: On fur, on feather, on eyelash and skin, the magic of the Fernie Brae travels along with each and every one of you (whether you were able to visit in person or not). And as long as you believe, you will see that all the elements that make up You are just right, and that there is a Faerie Green Heart emerging in you already as well. You’ve always had that Magic, you were born with it. But perhaps, sometimes, we all need a mysterious, invisible spore of stardust to wake up that magic and remind it to emerge.

Perhaps that was exactly what this first manifestation of the Fernie Brae was meant to accomplish. And it did just that. In a bold, grand, shiny Faerie flash, it arrived, spread its magic, and disappeared.

But only that specific expression is gone.

The Next Stewards

So, now, I am really excited to share with you all
Who has bought the incredible building.
When I had come to terms with getting ready to sell, I couldn’t fathom the building going into just anyone’s hands. And while I surrendered as much as I could to the fact that I can’t really control what happens, I decided I would do my best to call in the Next Steward/s of the land and building. So I did just that, with those words as my intention, in a spell. Among the many wishes, I called in those who believe in magic in some form, who want to cultivate beauty in the world, and who would create a safe place
for the edgewalkers and marginalized community.
Well, I couldn’t believe it when The first people to walk through the building and write an offer were all that I could have hoped for.
I cried when I read their letter of intent.

Nisha and Toby (yes, his name is Toby!) run an established business, Tattoo 34, the only Black and Indigenous owned tattoo shop in Portland. They already have a love and commitment to the Hawthorne community and beyond. They believe in “the power of community, connection, and change.” Along with reopening their tattoo shop in a place they now Own, Nisha told me she is excited to pursue her dreams of running workshops, hosting art exhibits, and hosting fundraisers for the marginalized community.
They even wanted to keep the Rune sigils (if you all remember those around the base boards of the whole Brae) as an homage to the magic that was there before.

While it was so hard to let that building go, handing the keys over to them—to their family, to the future they will create there—felt incredibly right.

They plan to open their shop in their new space January 2022.
You can follow them at their Instagram or Website

The Future

As to what the future of the Fernie Brae holds, I don’t really know.
What I can say is that my Green Heart is wanting quiet, away from the public eye, to refuel and remember its voice and its magic without outside influence.
Family time and reconnecting to my own art are top priorities for the immediate future, AND there are also tiny fronds whispering in the darkness—ideas for reconnecting in Magic and Community.

If you’d like to stay in the know of any new developments, stay subscribed to this email list, and I also still maintain the Instagram page @theferniebrae. That will also potentially include updates about my personal art endeavors, so if you decide that is not of interest to you, you can of course unsubscribe
at any point.
I was, unfortunately, hacked on Facebook and since they also hacked my personal page to the point of it being deleted, I have found no way to recover the Fernie Brae FB page. If I ever create a new one, I will let you know here!

Gratitude

There were countless, incredible people who helped make the Fernie Brae the deeply magical place it was, by physically helping to create the space or helping me in myriad ways.
But there are a few people I need to especially thank. In case I was never clear or loud enough about my love and gratitude for these people, I needed to say this here and now.

The Frouds. Wow. To even have the honor and luck of meeting and getting to know Brian, Wendy, and Toby was…otherworldly. But to have their full support and Blessing for this vision, and to have their utmost trust to represent and sell their art, well…I don’t know that I could ever put into words what that has meant to me. I will forever be in awe that I was entrusted with this responsibility. The Faeries pulled off some spectacular magic to connect us…a gift I will never take for granted.

And Eric, my hubby. Opening night at the Fernie Brae, I failed to mention him. I was so overwhelmed and excited, I forgot to thank my rock, my love, my biggest supporter. It has gnawed at me to no end I tell you! So, it is so important for me to tell you all How Damn much I love this person and give a shout out to his incredible talent.
All the beautiful wood finishes in the Brae? He made ALL of that. With (mostly) reclaimed wood. You want a custom built sales desk, hun? No problem. Can’t find a 5-ft long, gorgeous display case that you like? On it.
That back door with the driftwood handle. The stunning shiplap floor with stones hiding in it. Almost all of the display shelves. Made by him. Those Rune Sigils I mentioned earlier? His idea.
He heard my dream, and though I had No business experience, and No idea how to pull any of it off, he jumped with me (just like we jumped into the Huron River off a bridge over 20 years ago at the beginning of our journey together). I could never have opened the Fernie Brae, or kept it open, without his support—emotionally and physically. So it’s important to me that you all know that!

And with him by my side, and my awesome kiddo, you can bet there is more magic to come on the horizon!

One Last bit of Magic...for Now...

In 2019, right before everything changed, I commissioned friend and artist Bailey Quillin to design and paint riser boards for the front steps
to the Fernie Brae.
The quote is taken from the poem, The Stolen Child, by W.B. Yeats, and reads:
"Come Away O Human Child
To the Waters and the Wild
With a Faery Hand in Hand"
Bailey adorned the message with all sorts of enchanting flora and fauna, including mushrooms, hummingbirds, bees, wildflowers, and of course, ferns.
Sadly, they never got to Shine where they were intended to.
However, we got photos of them in place before we handed the Brae building to its new owners (see photos below), and they will be loved and displayed in our home: a reminder of that incredible feeling that came over us when we walked those stairs and stepped through the Fernie Brae doors into Faerie.

After seeing these risers, another friend of mine had a beautiful idea: What if we all made our own set--our own versions of this sign, with this quote, small or large--to remind us of that feeling? And it could also act as a signpost that reminded us of the connection we all have to each other from having loved this place. That made my heart smile infinitely.

If it makes your heart smile too, and you ever decide to create one for yourself, please feel free to share it with me! info@ferniebrae.com
And I will share it on Instagram to illuminate our threads and connections.

Lastly, to each of you
who has loved and supported
the Fernie Brae over the years...

May your Faerie Green Heart
find a safe, cozy place to nestle,
be nourished, and when ready,
~Unfurl~