I'm in the process of making my faerie house right now, but was wondering if anyone uses a special type of glue for outdoors or just Tacky glue or a glue gun?
In particular, I'm going to be gluing some mossy stuff on the roof. Here's the unfinished product (rope will get cut off).
Very cute! I don't know about glues, but I've heard Gorilla Glue is very very strong. The mossy stuff on the roof will be very romantic!
I'm in the process of making a little fairy garden too for my nieces. Not strictly according to the 'fairy lifestyle' guidelines--my own interpretation, you could say. I found a little plaster castle at 'Hobby Lobby' and some other little miniature things and I'm in the process of collecting some pint sized plants.
Then I found some fairy making kits on the internet and we are going to have a fairy themed birthday party when they all move down here next summer.
For anyone who is thinking of creating a fairy garden, here are links to a blog with lots of wonderful ideas and also three online sources to purchase fairy garden 'stuff'. Although I think with a little creativity some of these things could be made at home (maybe).
http://www.fairy-gardens.blogspot.com/
http://www.summerspastfarms.com/fairygardens.htm
http://www.thefairysgarden.com/index.html
http://www.finefairyhouses.com/id11.html
http://www.miniature-gardens.com/
Sounds like fun! What size is the castle? For pint-sized plants, you might want to consider the mini hostas that are only 3"-6" high. A nice woodland one that I have is Bluets - they're very delicate and petite, sun or shade, 4" - 8" high.
I have a box of "stuff" waiting to decorate my fairy kingdom with - chair, garden tools, umbrella, flower pots, mini mushrooms, etc. My 11-yr-old dd wants them to play with! I told her outside she can - if the fairies don't get mad!
Thanks for the links! I've purchased from Miniature Gardens before.
Sue,
The bluets are very cute and would be perfect for ours since they take sun or shade. I will check out my hostas to see if I have any tiny ones left (more and more seem to disappear on me each spring--rot, rabbits, whatever). I had forgotten about hostas and they would be very cute and I did have 6 or 8 miniature ones that I could move.
I set my little castle (I think it is about 10 inches high and 12 inches wide) out into the thyme and oregano herbs for this shot. Now that I compare it to the pictures in the various blogs, I think I need to decorate it a little bit!, too.
I read in one of the blogs below that thyme is important for the faeiries. Why, exactly, I don't know! I guess there is a lot of garden lore about fairies that I am not too familiar with: I am mostly interested in making something cute for my nieces to enjoy and not into the pagan aspects.
Apparently Fairy Gardens are quite the rage in recent years, so I'm posting more links for those who want to get started with their own.
http://www.lifescript.com/channels/healthy_living/Life_Tips/5_tips_for_a_fairy_garden.asp?page=1&trans=1
http://www.miniature-gardens.com/fairy-fall-garden.html
http://my.gardenguides.com/blogs/fairythyme/tag/Fairy_Gardens_Herbs
And here's the kit of felt and wool materials to make fairy dolls. Of course these won't be able to stay out in the garden, but I thought they would be fun to play with. My sister who is very creative (thank goodness) is going to help me make these. I think there is enough material for 10 dolls in there. (Purchased online from Blueberry Forest).
Here's a book published by the fairy doll artist/craftwoman Sally Mavor that got me going on this idea. I found it on a used book sale.
http://www.amazon.com/Felt-Wee-Folk-Enchanting-Projects/dp/1571201939/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a
Anyone else making a fairy garden? I would love to see more ideas, too.
That's a perfect castle! I'm sure it would make any fairy proud! We don't have Hobby Lobby in Mass. but I'll look around to see what Michael's or A. C. Moore have.
You know, now that I think about it, I think I got it at Home Depot--I bought it last fall on close-out for about $10.
Now that I've been googling around about fairy gardens I've gotten lots of inspirations for how to make little cottages from collected twigs and acorn caps and pine cones. I think I'll try to make some of those, too... (I think my imagination is working overtime!)
Well, you got me - I've spent the past hour looking at fairy sites! I like getting ideas - like making a gazing ball out of a marble, or using aquarium gravel for a pathway filler!
I made this simple little sign with rub-on letters and a sticker, and sprayed with acrylic sealer. I'll glue it on a dowel. I wanted one of those nice stepping stones that says it, but a little pricey at the moment. I hope this doesn't fade - I'll have to make sure it faces north, out of direct sun!
Very cute. Can't you do the same thing with a smooth rock? Varnish over the lettering? Great idea!
I'm going out into the yard now to look for fairy garden bits and pieces! Maybe I can find some tiny overlooked plants to use, too...
WHY IS THIS THE FIRST I HAVE HEARD OF THIS?? Primrose I don't know you, but shame on you tabasco!!LOL-JK-but i sooo have to have one now!! What kind of 1004th fairy would i be w/o one!!LOL
LOL well, I wondered why no others were posting here! I think fairy gardens are so fun and imaginative and a neat way to engage kids in gardening too.
Did you check the links above? There are so many fun ideas of things to 'craft' from collected natural materials. You don't have to spend a bundle on purchased stuff and plants!
Let's hear about your ideas, fairy1004!
I will have to get back with ya on that one-I am at work and the comuter blocks links like that-can't do it til I get home-and PS-I don't have any kids, so it will be all for meeeee...the big kid!!LOL
My mother gave me this fairy garden for Christmas. This is the first time it's seen the light of day. Poor thing, I've had it on my bed side table for the last 5 months...it's still alive! lol
There is lots of details that just don't show in the photo. There are tiny pots, a shovel, a sundial in the back of the gravel path. The little sign on the arbor says "thyme began in the garden". My favorite is the tiny bird perched on the side of the birdbath. All that is crammed into a 12" wide pot.lol
We took down a large tree last summer and I hope to get a fairy garden planted on top of the old stump this year.
Thank you for all the links, I'm off to check them out!
ooo-I can't wait to make one!!! I am getting on those links the next rainy day I have and making a plan!!;)
I love faries..and have several special gardens just for them.
Will post some pictures soon. :)
EEK! Those are too cute!
Even my DBF thought I should find a few nooks to stick some when I showed him!!
They are cute! That is Bridget on the left, Ernie in the middle and on the right Maurice, Bridget's husband. Ernie is Bridget's cousin.
This is where Ernie lives along with several lady faries..who you will meet later.
Bridget & Maurice live across the pond . Their house is hidden (I have not even seen it) but they have a great garden!
Bridget & Maurice love to travel when they have spare time. Their favorite mode of transportation is by riding ducks. Quick and very little pollution generated .... (if you don't count the duck poop. )
These ducks are named Gertie and Gus and run G & G transportation service across the pond. They are very careful not to run over the Koi during the journey.
LOL-that is tooooo cute!! I can't wait to have a little fairy village!!;)
I was at a local nursery today and they actually had mini trees and stuff-they were TINY-like 6" tall sooo cute-but $8.99 each!! WOW is that a bit steep!!
Coco--I'm amazed at how tiny all tthe parts are in your little garden! I'm happy you set it into the light for a little springtime boost! I think the fairies will like it too.
Beahive, your fairy village is so cute. Love the ducks, too!
Would love to see more pics!
Beautiful thread, I love the tiny plants. I just happened to have found this little accent at Hobby Lobby and decided I needed it by my rose "the Fairy" the rose is tiny in comparison to my other roses,but not as tiny as your gardens. Just had to add this photo because of the theme!
BeaHive - I have a few of those C. M. Barker fairies on order - they're perfect!
cactus - this statuette looks right at home in front of the rose bush!
Yes, very cute in front of the fairy rose. Just perfect!
primrosesue. Congratulations on your faries. I found this little lady on sale at Rite Aid. I am calling her Lizzy and she hangs out near the waterfall on my pond.
Very cute, too!
Off to Rite Aiid to check for fairies!!
I got some stuff from Michaels to start my little fairy garden, got a fence @ wally world and will be checking out Hobby Lobby next!!
i just love your fairy gardens--hadn't really known people create fairy gardens but now i will be planning one --and i know just the spot--what fun-i have always been fascinated by miniature stuff and would get the little doll houses, match box cars, etc for my kids when they were small but it was more for me i think!!
cocoa, Now that you mention it, I vaguely remembered something about that and found this web reference--
http://anomalyinfo.com/articles/sa00017.shtml
The Case of the Cottingley Fairies
http://www.randi.org/library/cottingley/
Quite a prank! I guess they even made a movie out of it. (-;
This message was edited May 22, 2008 6:06 PM
Linda, I have the same fascination with tiny things! The sad thing is sometimes they are so little I loose them. My DH gave me a miniature hummingbird painting for Christmas one year. I got one look at it, never seen it since. We think it probably got thrown out with the wrapping paper.lol
Yes, Tabasco, that's them. Thanks for the link. Such beautiful young girls and photos. I may need to "fake" some photos with my own kids, just for fun!
i was at an art fair last weekend and one artist painted tiny pictures and matted them and then had beautiful frames--she said the idea was to make it like a jewel in the center--her pictures were pretty outdoor pics of woods etc and she also said people wonder if she paints a big pic and somehow "shrinks" it but no it is just a painstaking work ---too bad about the hummingbird pic---
I have that book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - it is very convincing (for gullible fairy lovers like me!)! Kinda like War of the Worlds!
I got this little sign from eBay - at Twice Touched Treasures (called Warning Sign to Humans, $10). It actually says "never ever step inside a fairy ring". (not my photo)
you might break their spell - https://home.comcast.net/~cweath/poems_of_the_fae.htm
("If you see a fairy ring...")
I knew they had something to do with mushrooms, but couldn't remember. This is what I got off the 'net:
Fairy rings appear in any lawn, golf course or other turf areas during spring and summer months. The rings appear as either dark green or brown circular bands ranging in size from a few inches to 50 feet in diameter. The fairy ring fungus grows outward from a central point at a rate varying from a few inches to as much as several feet a year.
Mushrooms frequently develop in a circle outside of the dark green or brown ring during spring and fall after a period of heavy rainfall or irrigation. Centuries ago people thought that the mushrooms appeared where "fairies" had danced the night before - hence, the name, fairy ring.
PrimroseSue - I'm trying to imagine a fairy garden featuring a golf course, with little trolls pushing the caddy carts and "t's" perched atop miniature mushrooms...and - wait - maybe the country club could be through a door in the wall of a great oak? But I think those golf outfits need some magiking. Perhaps mischievous pixies could be imposed upon to wear groundhog suits for the occasion?
