Wizard Fest in Bothell

For several days I've been agitating to be taken to the Country Village here in Bothell.  The main attraction was the GIANT CHICKEN out in front of the place.  As anyone who has ever traveled with Wendi and me knows, a GIANT anything must be photographed and a GIANT CHICKEN all done in black and white is going to be literally irresistible!  I think my brother, who was undoubtedly feeling bad over the whole video-couch incident finally just caved to the wishes of his baby sister and you can see how happy it made me:

Well, we no more than got there and realized that there was a whole Wizard Festing Event taking place....complete with the most wizardy looking wizard I've ever seen!

This is a rustic old town type "mall" full of tiny little shops, cottages, barns and cubbyholes full of artists and fabulous one-of-a-kind kitsch - but good kitsch - really good kitsch (not the actual meaning of the word - just cool, cool stuff).  

Among the absolute treasures of this place, tucked away in a diminutive little cottage was the MOST amazing artist around whom wizards and faeries and gnomes and Santas just sprang into being.  He sculpts cottages and nursery rhyme scenes and the real for true Santa and you just want to stand there declaring, "I believe!  I believe!"  His lilliputian shop held not only his workspace but housed his art - a collection of fantastical sculptures that must surely spring to life when he turns off the light at night.  You have only to see these things to know you are just going to LOVE this guy and, sure enough, his fate was sealed when I spied his opening day Mouse Ears from Disneyland!  Just look at his work:

http://dennisbrownartist.com/

We found and Wick purchased Aunt Gwen's anniversary gift here - an incredibly detailed and stunningly fabulous hand sculpted and painted Quilting Cottage.  We walked only a short distance from his shop and found the inspiration for this work:

Aunt Gwen and the Real Quilting Cottage

Well I just have to say this was a spectacular day - we went from the Country Village up to Ballard where, for the SECOND, count 'em second day in a row we partook of the most delicious gelato I've ever tasted.  I don't know how we're gonna justify but I KNOW I've got one more scoop of Salted Caramel Gelato in me...