The Firecracker Fairy: News

It has been one crazy year...and my music has had to take a bit of a backseat. That's okay, though, life is a journey and I'm on a little bit of a detour. My husband came home from a 12 month tour in Iraq on May 5th and by May 30th, we were looking at Fort Hood, TX in the rearview mirror, on to a 10 week course in Norfolk, VA. Now it is less than 2 weeks until we board a plane for our next Army assignment in Spain…yes, Spain! Who knew you could go to Spain? Not us, until our friends got stationed there and now we’ll be reunited in Madrid. It will be great to have friends there. This will be a three year tour and we can’t wait to enjoy every single minute of it.

On the music front, I had more business than ever last year, entertaining children as the Firecracker Fairy. As for my country music, I’m still pitching through SongU, and I’m sure I’ll be doing some writing in Spain. Recently, I had a song licensed for use by an independent female artist, and a guy in Norway has one of mine and my co-writers songs on hold. Don’t know if he’ll end up recording it, but hope he does and that he’s the Garth Brooks of Norway. Wouldn’t that be a hoot!

My music sites will still be up, though there will be limited activity. We want to travel as much as possible in Spain and throughout Europe. I’m sure life will be very exciting, sometimes frustrating, and I’ll be blogging about it all along the way. Keep in touch and post a comment to me every once in a while on my Spain blog called Spain Is My Happy Place. Here’s the address:

www.SpainIsMyHappyPlace.com

Hasta luego,
Ashleigh

I'm now offering a new workshop for kids using Apple's GarageBand program. I teach them the program basics and we have a lot of fun in the process! Keep an eye out for pricing and details coming soon on my booking page.

I was pleased to be a part of a celebration of Women's History Month at Clear Creek Elementary School. I was among several women in the community who were invited to speak to the children about what we do. Click on the link below to see the article and pictures from "Professional Women teach girls an important lesson: You Can Do It!" featured on the front page of February 28th's Our Texas section or read it on my reviews page.

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=23420

I had a great time at the Young Authors Conference in early February and am happy to annouce that I have some writing workshops scheduled for some area schools. If you are interested in having the Firecracker Fairy (in full costume or jeans) do a show or teach a workshop in your child's school contact your librarian, principal or even your PTA/PTO and let them know where to go... www.firecrackerfairy.com!

I'm very excited to be a part of this year's Young Authors Conference, this Saturday at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. I'll be doing a songwriting workshop for older kids as well as doning my Fairywear later in the day to perform for the younger kids.

Click on my Reviews page for the January 30th article about the conference in the Killeen Daily Herald.

This is a great conference for school-aged kids in Central Texas where they can sharpen their illustrating & writing skills, enjoy workshops on mysteries, poetry, comic book art, storytelling, using technology & more! They can even bring their own works to share with other illustrators & authors their age! Meet published authors, illustrators & songwriters Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton, Ashleigh Wehmeyer (that's me) & Richard Trout.

For additional information or registration, see my Calendar page.

The event is sponsored by:
Central Texas Reading Council
Killeen Daily Herald
Newspapers in Education
University of Mary Hardin Baylor
Friends of the Harker Heights Public Library

To thank all the great parents out there who show me so much support, I'm offering a "Set the Date & Save" special.

Book your child's party for NEXT year before the end of THIS year & you'll not only receive a 10% discount on the party package, but ALL Firecracker Fairy goodies, including a shirt, bag & CD. Don't forget to ask about discounts on t-shirts & CDs as party favors as well! Don't miss out on getting your preferred date! Contact me today!

I can't thank all of you enough who opened your hearts...and your wallets at my request. We raised $500 for the Junvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I thank you and my neighbor and her daughter, on whose behalf this money was raised, also thank you. Here's to finding a cure!

I was so excitred to get an email informing me that my performance at Kline Whitis Elemtary School on the Monday before the Herb & Art Festival, made the front page of the Lampasas Dispatch Record. I was thrill to be photographed with my band of kids who were so enthusiastic about music. The kids were a joy and I'd like to thank the Lampasas Chamber of Commerce for bringing me into the school for the Family Reading Night event. After all, songs are just stroies set to music. Click on my Reviews page to see the write up and use the highlied link to the dispatch record to see the photo of me and my band. My thanks to photographer Gabe Wolf for capturing all the fun!

Herb & Art Festival growing steadily
Posted on: Thursday, October 11, 2007
By Joshua Winata
The Cove Herald

In 1989, it was known as the Hill Country Herb Festival, a gathering of 25 hobbyists who shared a passion for native plants and herbs held in the living room of Paula and Don Hill, owners of Hickory Hill Herbs & Antique Roses in Lampasas.

Since then, the Herb & Art Festival has outgrown its humble beginnings, attracting more than 1,000 visitors into the city for a weekend of guest speakers, seminars, shopping and family entertainment.

Despite the astronomical growth, the event is just what Paula Hill envisioned when she started the festival as a gesture of appreciation for their loyal customers.

“We just started having some kind of program every fall, and it just grew and grew,” Hill said. “I really wanted it to be something that could help the community.”

Now hosted annually by the Lampasas County Chamber of Commerce in historic downtown Lampasas, the 2007 Herb & Art Festival is bringing the scents and sights of Texas to the Courtyard Square.

“It’s a good time to start your fall gardening,” said Chamber President Jill Jones. “If you’re not into gardening, that’s okay because we have a lot of arts and crafts and food.”

Every year, visitors come specifically to buy plants and decorative items from more than 80 vendors. Each festival attracts new featured speakers, which in the past have included world-renowned herbalists, authors, professors, chefs, photographers and radio personalities.

“The whole thought was to get people to know about native plants and herbs and their benefits so that they could use them more,” Hill said. “They’re low water use and low maintenance and really nice for this area during drought for wildlife and birds and butterflies.”

Expanding well beyond its informational roots, the festival also offers a smorgasborg of family fun and activities. The featured guest this year hails not from the world of gardening but rather from the field of children’s entertainment.

Ashleigh Wehmeyer, also known as the the Firecracker Fairy, will be performing an interactive and educational musical show incorporating traditional children’s songs with original compositions. The young audience is encouraged to sing and dance along and have the chance to play instruments on stage and be part of the band during the grand finale.

“We encourage children to use imagination and write their own songs to tunes they know,” Wehmeyer said. “I’m thrilled to be part of a festival that has such a reputation for being so much fun and just great for kids. It’s known to be a great family event.”

The Firecracker Fairy, along with the First Street Church of Christ men’s choir and other musical acts, will keep crowds entertained at the Courthouse Bandstand all day.

A play area known as “Kids Thyme” includes moonwalks, face painting, demonstrations on recycling and composting with free handouts and seed packets. Children can also participate in pumpkin and cookie decorating contests for prizes and treats.

“This year is really focused on the kids. We want to get some neat entertainment for them,” Jones said.

The Keystone Square Museum located on Western Street adds to the line up of events with the Little Wrangler Round-up at 9 a.m. Children ages 4 to 8 can dress up in their Western garb and learn about cowboy culture during the free, hour-long program that includes songs, stories and demonstrations. Following the round-up, the museum will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A tradition decades in the making, the Herb & Art Festival has something for people of all ages with different interests. Whether looking for information on antique roses, a fine collectible painting or just some family fun, the event features the best the town has to offer and more.

“We worked real hard to keep it going over all these years,” Hill said. “And now it’s one of the premier things they have in Lampasas.”

What a blast we had at the 20th Annivesary Ocktoberfest. According to the Town of Addison, nearly 60,000 people attended the 4 day event, up 37% compared to last year. The event saw approximately 1.2 million dollars in food and beverage sales. That’s a lot of brats and beer.

The music was great! They brought in bands from all over the country and Germany. Der Kinder Tent, where I performed was rockin'. We had great attendance and the parents where really into it as well...thanks to the beer! Here are some pictures from the event!

I added some of my signature Firecracker Fairy songs to my website. Click in the "Music" link to hear some of my original tunes, like "Mice in the Kitchen," "Why," & "Magic." Send me an email and let me know which one is your favorite. If you like what you hear, check my "Calendar" link and come out and see me at a show!

The Firecracker Fairy (that's me) is joining the efforts of millions of people to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Research. I'm fundraising on behalf of one of my neighbors whose daughter was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes less than four months ago. She asked me if I'd be willing to participate in the Walk for a Cure fundraising effort. On my street alone, hers is the third child I've met in the the year I've lived at Fort Hood, who has Type I Diabetes. How could I say no?

Below is a letter from my neighbor, Jennifer Caldwell about her daughter, Sydney. After the letter, you'll find instructions about donating money online to The Caldwell Family Team & the Walk for the Cure. My goal is to help raise $500 or more for their team. It is a bit ambitious, I'm told, but if I'm going to put my energy into something, I really want it to count!

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Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing this letter with a heavy heart. For years, I have asked many of you to donate money to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Annual Walk to cure Diabetes. The JDRF has raised nearly 90 million dollars to help fund research to find a cure for Type1 diabetes. I have asked for donations to help cure my nephew, Cameron. Well, this year I am asking for donations to help cure my 8yr old daughter, Sydney. Syd was diagnosed with Diabetes on May 20, 2007. I rushed Syd to the ER on a Sunday evening with classic Diabetes symptoms, drinking a lot of water, going to the bathroom a lot, weight loss, and incessant hunger. The whole drive there I was telling myself, "It's nothing, I'm overreacting." At the ER, they checked her blood glucose (BG), it was 530! To put this in perspective for you an average BG is 80-120. The nurses looked at us with pity, but I was still telling myself it was a fluke. A few minutes later the ER Doctor came in and told me she was certain it was diabetes. I immediately called Jason, my mom, and Susan, my mother-in-law. Each time I sobbed out the word "Diabetes," it became more real, more permanent. You see, I knew what this diagnoses meant.

I knew the difficulties, the heartache, the pain, and the frustration. I had watched my brother-in-law and sister-in-law deal with this disease for 8 years. I had watched and listened to my nephew's cries as he was given yet another shot. I KNEW the devastation this would cause in our family. I knew the devastation it was causing in my heart.

So after I pulled myself together and told Syd we would be okay. I
started to educate myself about Type 1 Diabetes. Rather then bore you with all the details I will summarize. All the new technologies in the world still have one major flaw. At the end of the day, Sydney still has diabetes. She still has to poke more holes in her body everyday
then most of us will in 10 yrs. She still has to monitor EVER SINGLE
bite of food that goes in her mouth. She is still at risk for long
term complications that could end her life much earlier then I would
ever want.

The only answer is a cure, not better machines that simulate a
pancreas, not a machine to monitor BG 24/7. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope, the belief that a cure can and MUST happen. I'm not talking about in "the future," I mean NOW, in her lifetime, so she can live the life that we all dream of for our children.

Please take the time and consider what a cure would mean for Sydney and the thousands of other children living with this disease. The JDRF gives 90% of its donation dollars to fund research for a cure, so you KNOW your money is helping. Your donation is also tax deductible which is always a good thing. So if you are moved to help us find a cure for Type 1 diabetes, please send checks payable to the JDRF to me or donate online using a credit card at www.jdrf.org click support a walker then fill in my first and last name,our team name (Caldwell family team) and Texas for our state.

I can't tell you thanks enough for your donations and what they mean for our family.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Caldwell
6844 Todd St
Ft Hood, TX 76544

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Here's how you can help...Donate to the Walk for the Cure through the Juvenile Diabetes Reseach Foundation website...even $10 can make a big difference!

1. Go to www.jdrf.org
2. Under "Walk to Cure Diabetes" click on "Donate" under the Walk
Central Section
3. Under "Support a Walker" fill in my first & last name-Ashleigh
Wehmeyer
4. Under Team Name, type "Caldwell Family Team"
5. Select Texas for the state
6. Click on "Find Walker"
7. Click on me, "Ashleigh Wehmeyer"
8.Click on "Donate to this Walker" and follow the instructions for
donating with your credit card.

I will keep you posted on our progress to meet my goal of $500. We've got just five weeks to do it, so please don't wait to make your donation. Please email me if you have any questions or concerns or any problems donating online. Never lose your sparkle! Thanks for your generosity!

All girls sparkle in Firecracker Fairy T-shirts! Send me a picture of your favorite Firecracker in their shirt and I'll post it on my website!


My self-proclaimed biggest fan who is already planning her next Firecracker Fairy Birthday Party!


Big girls and little girls alike look great in Firecracker Fairy wear. After all, the motto is NEVER lose your sparkle!

It was so much fun to be involved in a local event like Rabbitfest. The weather was great, the crowds were great, and I owe a special thanks to all my fans who came out to show their support! Here are some pictures of me and the kids singing, jamming, and enjoying some hugs and fairy dust!

In my last email, I talked about new Firecracker Fairy T-shirts. Well, they are here! All shirts are youth sizes and the prices are as follows:

Sizes XS & SM (The Firecracker Fairy Rocks!)--$10
Sizes MED & LRG & XL (The Firecracker Fairy! Never Lose Your
Sparkle!)--$12

Discounts available for mulitple shirt purchases. A small mailing
fee applies for you "out-of-towners.":-) Call or email mail me for color and size availibility.

I'm very excited to share with you some information about a brand new exhibit at the Bell County Museum in Belton. Not only will some of my "artifacts" be included, but they are planning on having musicians perform periodically through the run of the exhibit. I'll keep you posted. I got a chance to tour the museum when I went there to turn in my contribution. It is partially housed in the old Carnegie Library, a beautiful building, and is known as one of the most impressive museums for its size in the state of Texas. I'll include the link at the bottom of this entry. The following is the write up from the museum's most recent newsletter! Admission to the museum is free and its hours are Noon to 5:00pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

Rhythm and Rhyme: Music in Central Texas opens on Saturday, January 27th, 2007. You don't want to miss this one! Area historian Patricia K. Benoit is guest curator for the exhibit. Ms. Benoit will present a gallery talk at 1:00pm at the January 27th event. Afterward, refreshments will be served and families can enjoy a craft activity as well.

The highly interactive exhibit focuses on the musical diversity of Central Texas. Ms. Benoit stated, "Bell County is a crossroads county in a crossroads state--a stew pot of cultures. From Native peoples to those whose original tongues were English, Spanish, Czech, German and hosts of other languages, each has left indelible imprints on Central Texas music. As musical styles merged, the area became a harmonic convergence. Central Texas spawned great artists ranging from classical, jazz, rock,sacred harp, folk, country, Western swing, gospel, funk, and rap. Each artist shaped and reformed music to fit the times and tradition."

Museum curator Amanda Dyer notes, "Some fascinating individuals have influenced our musical traditions, such as Grammy winner Little Joe Hernandez . Woody Guthrie, Joe Tex, Jules Bledsoe, and Blind Willie Johnson are among many individuals featured in the exhibit who have helped shape the area's musical identity."

Fun and informative hands-on areas include a stage with various instruments to explore; a touch-screen computer featuring area musicians and their work; an area dedicated to exploring sacred harp music, gospel and spirituals; and more.

Partial funding for Rhythm and Rhyme has been provided by a generous contribution from the Holze Music Co.--Kim Herrington, and from the Friends of the Museum membership Group. Rhythm and Rhyme will remain on view through June 16th, 2007.

Here's the link to the Museum's website:
http://www.bellcountytx.com/Museum/