The Best Gifts are Influenced by Literature (Spiderwick Field Bag)
2009 May 17
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.
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.
26 Responses
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yay!! email me and we can discuss a bit more
hellosparrow at gmail dot com
Cool gift! We have an explorer pack for each boy too – with lots of goodies. Nice idea to put them together for a gift!
Thanks for the salt tip Sarah, my oldest is off to do an experiment in the yard right now. She is marking the plant, sprinkling a little salt and will watch to see what happens over the next few days.
A really lovely gift. Could I just ask one thing – that you remove the bag of salt. If you are outside and throw salt around, no matter how small the amount, there is the potential that the plant underneath where the salt lands will die. Much better to have a “charged” bottle of water to dispell magic and leave the salt at home. Armies would seed fields with salt to prevent anything growing there ever again.
I found your blog through Manic Mother, and I must say…INCREDIBLE! My son is a Spiderwick FREAK! He LOVES the movie, the Wii game, and all things Spiderwick. What a neat little thing to make. I will definately have to keep this in mind.
Thanks for sharing!
It was such a memorable gift with great sentimental value! I know these will become some of Natalie’s most prized possessions from her best friend!
Oh, this is such a great idea! I love this. I’ll have to get this book for Michael.
Oooh, fun! Now I want to read the Spiderwick Chronicles, it sounds like something my kids would love as well. The ice cream pictures are so cute!
Oh, so cute & fun!! Clever idea!! We saw the movie… it was great! Luxe will totally love it when she's a bit older! Super cute little ladies!!
Happy Monday!!
…Lisa
Oh wow! I really must read the Spiderwick books. Thanks for cluing me in to them. And what a fabulous and brilliant (as always) gift! Lucky girl.
WONderful gift!!! The Spiderwick books and movie are faves around our house.
What a wonderful day that must have been!! And always perfect when topped off with ice cream!!!
Oh, I LOVE this! We have birthday party to go to on Saturday, and you’ve given me lots of ideas!!
wow, what a great present! i loved the movie
what a sweet fun birthday for a friend. and what a truly unique gift.
So wonderful! Not only is the gift wonderful…but, the pictures of these friends are priceless.
Your post makes me wish we were social (LOL!).
How fun! Our oldest 2 like the Spiderwick books as well.
What a creative and thoughtful gift.
I’ve introduced the Spiderwick books here a couple of times but so far no interest-a great field bag like this could change that though!
love it love it love it. we’ll have to check out Spiderwick Chronicles – E is constantly on the lookout for faeries and signs of magical creatures on our hikes. what an awesome combination – field bag and faeries.
oh how very awesome!! i’ll have to come back to this for my natalie at a later time! wonderful imagination!
Such a awesome gift!
We love Spiderwick:)
We made a viewing stone out of air dry clay last summer, so we can see those pesky goblins!
Our favorite ice cream; pink peppermint, Yum!
What a fantastic idea! Must keep that in mind!
lucky,lucky little ladies
What a great idea…taking the current literature and making a treasured gift! Wonderful.
What a wonderful gift. I want one!
fun!