Bleubeard and I would like to thank Neet for hosting in September. Both Bleubeard and I really enjoyed her theme.
Today we welcome a new host at Art Journal Journey, as we do the first day of every month. Our host is Elle from Empire of the Cat. Her theme is Fairytales, Folklore, & Fables -
Tell Me A Story. She explains each of these themes in great detail on the Art Journal Journey blog. Please check them out.
Those of us who live in the states when we are about six to 10 have heard the story 
that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree with an axe when he was six. I don't know if you could call it a fable or a myth, but it certainly didn't happen.
This is what happens when you hire a biographer. You get a tall tale. Washington needed to get his facts straight before he published his biography, or he should have hired a fact checker.Something new to me was the myth I had heard that his teeth were made of wood. Instead, they are made of hippopotamus teeth. I wonder where his "dentist" found a hippopotamus in 18th Century America.
I started by gluing a portion of dressmaker tissue over 110 lb cream cardstock.
I then glued a piece of beautiful gifted gossamer ribbon (thanks Valerie) to the page. 
I found an image of George Washington in a children's coloring book that I colored using both water soluble crayons and watercolor pencils. I found the sentiment in an old Farmer's Almanac.Elle, Chris, Erika, Valerie, Bleubeard, and I
are delighted you joined us and hope to see you this month at Art Journal Journey with your own take on Fairytales, Folklore, & Fables -
Tell Me A Story.
We
welcome art journal pages that meet the theme requirements,
altered book
pages, canvases, loose, or stand alone pages including fabric and
digital art. We do
not allow cards, tags, index cards, ATCs, or ATCoins, unless
they are
part of a journal page, and as much as we don't want to, will be forced
to delete your entry. Please remember if your
blog is not in English, you must either provide a translation tool or
translate it for us. Hope to see you soon at Art Journal Journey.
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22 thoughtful remarks:
What a wonderful theme for the month.
Hippopotomas dentures? Shudder.
Dentist, brrr. Hope all is better soon.
I might have some ideas to join this theme...
Cutting down a cherry-tree. My Bro had to!
It was our beloved family tree we as kids could just step out on the balcony and grab the nearly black, sweet ones or, the other tree, the lighter-colored ones in the garden.
The dark one had to go first, by a pro. The second my Bro got help from a friend and weee... he sent me a video.
No six-year old can do this ;-)
Great collage.
Maybe I can join with some Henry-tales.
Lovely idea for a first entry, Elizabeth. If he had chopped down a tree with an axe here he would have been fined, it's forbidden here without special permission! Have a great day, hugs, Valerie
What a fun story. I've never heard about it before. I love to see your paper pages, and hope to use more paper in the future. I learn new thing every day. Thanks for all the inspiration.
Fabulous page for Elle's new theme this month! Such a fun story and the ribbon looks so pretty and delicate 😊. Happy October! Hugs Jo x
I didn't know George's teeth were made from hippopotamus teeth either. But I do know his favorite color was green and he had rooms at Mount Vernon painted that color. A pretty bright green too. This is a great page for the start of the new month. I guess it is part of our folklore that he cut down the cherry tree, and that he cannot tell a lie either. Now if only modern politicians could have that same legend about them-smile. Have a happy start to October. And happy Saturday too. hugs-Erika
Great idea Elizabeth, how interesting about his teeth! I had always heard the wooden teeth story but the reality is even more interesting lol The cutting down of the cherry tree does sound like part of the folklore surrounding Washington. Thanks for joining me for the October theme at Art Journal Journey this month Elle/Empire of the Cat xx
Interesting ideas, but I’m not sure about your reaction to the mythology part of Washington’s bio — modern standards are different. Fact checking wasn’t really a thing back then — people liked a story with a “moral” or a message! And Washington himself had nothing to do with the bio by Parson Weems — according to the Mount Vernon website “Written a year after Washington's death, Weems's biography served as the point of origin for many long-held myths about Washington, in particular the famous cherry tree story.”
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
This sounds like a fun theme. I like how you picked the Washington legend!
The stories we tell... His life was impressive enough without some preacher trying to use it to moralize.
Wonderful new theme! I love fairy rales and fables. Nice work
I never believed the story about Washington chopping down the cherry tree, although I do remember hearing about it and the line, "I cannot tell a lie . . .." What's interesting to me, though, is that in high school a history teacher passed on the "fact" of Washington's teeth being made of wood and the explanation that this was why in his portraits his mouth was never smiling. (So my history teacher needed to do a little fact checking himeself. Lol.) I like your choice, though for the theme, and I like the theme of Fairytales, Folklore & Fables.
I hope the false teeth were well carved down before he tried them in. Only joking - they must have been.
Think that is a tall story like you do but it does make an interesting story to accompany your page with George Washington on it - great idea Elizabeth.
Hugs, Neet xx
Reminds me of a song we used to sing in the Girl Guides about Little Johnny Appleseed, I think that is American.
I did not know about the hippopotamus teeth! Makes more sense that they were carved from those and not wood. :)
I like fairy-tales, folklore and fables :)
Happy weekend wishes, Happy October too.
All the best Jan
Excellent story for theme! The fables / folklore of history. Well done!
I love this Elizabeth, I have a vague recollection of a story about Goerge Washington and a cherry tree but loved reading abut the false teeth too! A brilliant start for Elle's AJJ theme. Hugs, Chrisx
Great page, Elizabeth, I love that you focused on something that isn't true but was seriously taught in school. I always wondered about those wooden teeth and how he could have chewed with them without them breaking....how amazing to have hippo teeth....
He was an interesting man often in the wrong place at the right time or the right place at the right time by accident. Fate smiled at him, but he would tell you differently, I think. My children are decendent from his sister, but never cared a bit about it (I would have read everything about him and his family if I was).
Interesting post as always. Hugz
A great historic story, Elizabeth.
Happy autumn to you xx
if a story isn´t good enough .... they change it!
A great story and page Elizabeth.
I love your page, Elizabeth. Yes, the cherry tree story was definitely a myth. I like what you did with it! And I had heard about George Washington's teeth being made of wood, but I never hear about hippopotamus teeth! Thanks so much for sharing this info with all of us. Take care and have a wonderful Friday. Hugs, Sharon
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