Fae Catcher?

[raevyncait]

Scarby has it's very own Faerie Hunter, a playtron/part time metalsmith's apprentice.  Vlad is typically dressed in a sleeveless shirt, wrap pants, and has various things hanging from his belt including sort of a fisherman's net (cuz, well, we have rather large, human sized faeries that wander the shire, the butterfly net would nae catch them)... he has shifted a bit from his Piratey character.  I understand that there is a "Faerie Hunter's Guild" in the works as well.

[Dragonlord]

- You could use a length of rope or have a walking stick that you use to measure the fairies that you catch.  If they're not a certain size, then you have to release them. 

- a pouch/jar containing fairy dust that you have extracted from the fairies you've caught.  Of course the amount of dust can vary depending on how successful you're character will be.

- some sort of strap that you use to bind their wings so they can't escape.

[Leyla]

I think it would be comical if you rigged a fairy on a wire to float behind you. Such that if people tried to point it out for you to catch, and you spin around to get it, you wouldn't see it because it would still be behind you.

[sonofslaanesh]

I posted this in the Finished Projects already, but something like this could be useful. I'm the "Evil Link" (named Knil, haha) and when I caught the fairy it jabbered so that I sewed its mouth and of course it died soon after. Anyway, it's made with a wire armature and epoxy, but you could take a doll or similar figure and paint it and such.

I think there are some cool ideas here, like the idea of a naturalist or something. Maybe fairy catching gadgets like a "fairy detector" that's a compass and things like that. Fair dust is a must and I think you need a little sketchbook of some kind. I really hope this works out, this seems like such a cool idea!

[ladyecho]

I see this playing well with children! Since adults can't see fairies you could ask kids to help you find them and see if any actualy do! I also like the idea of 'throwing the little ones back' seeing as alot of little kids dress as fae you could pretend to catch one, measure it, say 'too small' and set them free!
I also think it would be funny to set little 'traps' for the fairies. Like a shinny object under a box held up by a stick with a string? lol

[Randal]

Take a glass jar, add a set of battery operated Christmas lights and put in some of that irridescent plastic film to hide fixtures, but allow the blinking lights to be seen glowing within. Bonus points if you add one of those motion activated noise makers that giggles. No, not like "Tickle Me Elmo". Try dog and cat toys.

Carry one of those antique brass bug sprayers, and a leather-bound sketch journal with drawings of different fae to document your sightings.

Randal

[Steev]

Decoys.  Coarse stuffed fairies on strings per mobile suspended from a hat.  Cover yourself with moss and camo to look like a clump of ground.  Cage made of tied-together twigs on wheels like a barrow or cart- if you can fit a small human sized fae in it, what a great prop.  Calls- Pipes, bells.  closed-off cages, bottles and jars- can't see into them but rig them to a line so they move and jingle.  On a scary note, a big press or extractor to put fae into- if you palmed a bell and caught an invisible fairy, it would jingle all the way to the press.  Close the door and extract the ESSENCE!

A cage that could be rigged to fly open and trigger jingling and release of glitter would be a good thing during an interaction.  They got away!

[gypsylakat]

Do you have a small child? Could you borrow one? Put it on a leash and dress it as a fairy...
I don't normally advocate leashing children... but it sounds cute...

[Pascal]

Was fortunate enough to be in Toronto for the opening of the "Lord of the Rings" stage play.  There was a "pre-play" part where a bunch of hobbits sat on stage in a picnic setting (they did this while folks were settling in to their seats).  They did standard hobbity picnic activity -- including catching butterflies.

Several of the hobbits would stalk around the stage, then swipe at the air with a butterfly net.  When they did so, a glowing light would come on in the net -- the idea being that a glowing butterfly had just been caught (they only glow when you catch them).  I'm assuming that some batteries in the net handle, a small bulb, and a switch played a big part!

After catching the butterfly, the hobbit would reach in the net, grab at something and make a fist while turning the light off -- suggesting that the butterfly was now caught in his hand.  I don't recall if they then stored the butterfly in a jar (meaning more lights in the jar) -- but seems logical.

The lighting wasn't dark -- the house lights were still up -- but it was kind of shaded on stage to maximize the glowing butterfly effect.

Seems an easy stretch from "glowing magical butterflies" to "glowing magical fae".

[shadowcat546]

Neat idea !
a "wanted poster" like in the "ole wild west" only with like...Amy Brown fairies on it (in black & white on parchment like paper).  I like the idea of a hat or a headband that had "deely-bopper" like small fairies dangling backwards over your head.
best of luck.  --Shannon

[Delireus]

I think it was at TRF one year, this guy had a huge wooden mallet. It basically looked like a tree stump with a branch coming out of it naturally, cut the right way to make a mallet. He called his his fairy thwamper or something. That might be a bit more gruesome than you anticipated though :/

[DragonWing]

How about this.
http://www.marylandfaeriefestival.org/gallery/Pages/2008_Collection/images/2008-06-08%20001.jpg
This was from 2008 at the Maryland Faerie Festival

[Finnian]

There are so many directions you could take this. Our faire has fae hunters, but they are part of the royal court, and have a HA uniform, and carry nets and such. (I have been caught ONCE, and the demand I grant them a wish....lol that back fired on them of course.)

I'd say bottles on your belt to "contain" them, nets to catch them, shiney things to attract them....clothing wise you can really go any direction with it. I know once I saw a person with a net they were after me, and I booked it!

[LordPaulet]

Another good prop to have would be something called D'lite.  Its a magicians prop that can easily be found in any magic shop or online.  To cut across how the illusion is done and give the effect simply it looks like you are holding a small red glowing light in your hands that you can call at will.

[clark]

All of these replies were so helpful but unfortunately money was real tight this year so no Fae Catcher this year. But this gives me all the more time to plan and perfect for next season! After wearing my current garb around all day yesterday I can to realize that the bodice and skirt aren't too practical for catching faeries. So I was hoping some of you might offer up your advice once more on what I could wear instead? I was thinking maybe one of those cropped vest that belly dancers wear and give it a whole gypsy/romi vibe.  Then maybe turn it into a shady character who deals in the illegal selling of mythical creatures but focusing mainly on fairies. Not to say gypsy/romi are shady people as that's just a character in my head. So what do you think? What's proper clothing for a fae catcher?