The project of the day was to build a magnificent dragonfly kite.

After she had spent some timing combing through the various booths set up along the market square, a little socializing and some breakfast with the local Baker and his most agreeable wife, it was time to get down to work.

With the help of two local street waifs (which she had begged, pleaded and cajoled and was finally reduced to bribery of several silver coins for each in return for their promise of discretion) the three set to work building with the simple tools she had collected for this very important project: six bowls of thick wheat paste with powdered pigments mixed in to develop the colors (black, white, blue, red, yellow and pink) a stack of useless parchment, bamboo sticks, tiger whiskers and thin rice paper in a variety of translucent colors and some strong fishing line bought from a renowned fisherman at Dockside.

With the simple but strong wheat paste and discarded pages from the Gossip GangSTAR, which the boys shredded into long strips, she developed the body of the dragonfly through the process of papier-m"ch". While it dried, the four wing frames were built with thin bamboo spits, rice paper and tiger whiskers (well known for its strength and durability- hopefully Panther would never catch wind of her questionable supplies or how she had acquired them!). The translucent rice paper wings were carefully applied to the body, and then all was outlined and touched up with bright inks (stolen, er— borrowed from the Merry Mischief Making Misfits headquarters) in vibrant colors that would shine in the sunlight.

Everyone worked very hard and there was plenty of laughter and happy faces. For Piper and the two boys, this was their first kite building experience ever and it seemed to go very well. By mid-afternoon, they just had the bridle left to do.

After drying for two days, the three would secret away to a clearing deep in the Glen to test out their prize.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb143/PiperTippet/PipersDragonFlyKite.jpg

After leaving the Teas'n Tomes, taking along the thick book, How To Build A Kite, Shylah made her way to several of her business establishments and gathered up some of the items needed in order to make a simple kite. The next morning she sent word to each of her crewmen, as well as to a particular few who owed her a favour, and asked them to meet her at her Pub before mid-day; telling them to bring along their hearty appetites and wild imaginations. While her business partner, George, set to cooking their meal, Shy explained the reason she had called them to the special meeting. Many nodded their heads when she mentioned the upcoming kite flying event, for they had seen notices about it posted around town. In fact, one of her crew, coincidentally, had pilfered said parchment from one of the places near the docks where it had been tacked up. By the time they had finished eating, a lot of ideas had been tossed around. So many great ones that it came down to voting on which two were the most popular of the suggestions. However, it was George who came up with the most brilliant of ideas! Being one of her former Viking crewmen, he knew well how much the Norse woman loved the Sea and sailing, and so he spoke of making a "ship-kite." More than pleased with his idea, the group then collaborated on how to construct such a kite, as envisioned. The task was daunting and time consuming (having taken three days to complete), but using the book as a reference guide, and their imaginations and skills as Scandinavian mariners and artistic shipbuilders, Shy had her very own "Sky Ship!"

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii136/NorseLady_photos/kite3.jpg

He'd heard about this kite thing in the wee hours of the morning and puzzled through what to do. They'd said he could come without one but he hated to appear the misfit or beggar so he tried to figure out how to make his own kite. He didn't have many materials but he did have some parchment. Some of it was not the sort he could use for a potential customer for it had been doodled upon. He considered these pieces and decided that they would suffice.

He spent a while measuring and cutting the parchment just so. The kite would not be grand and glorious but perhaps it would take the air and fly. Ink stained fingers carefully threaded the parchment together in the simple diamond shape then added a few inked embellishment to the doodles already on it. The act of creation was a pleasant one but eventually he had to sleep and fell into a deep slumber with the very simple kite lying nearby.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk304/aerrons/rdi/kite01.jpg

This is kind of like the one Rena will be flying((look at the one at the bottom though))

http://www.intothewind.com/shop/Traditional_Kites/Box_Kites/Clarke's_Crystal