Fairy Garden

every year we plant a fairy garden.   it's one of those must do 's on my list.  
even if the kids aren't as excited about it one year, i still do it.      it's an excuse for us grown up girls to enjoy a bit of that long since gone childhood magic.

the kids always get in to it at some point anyway, and they're always disappointed when the garden begins to fade away. 
i wish i could get them to thrive and last a little longer.

i do not have a green thumb.  i wish i did, but my plants almost always die sooner than they should.  

i feel bad when a pretty potted something comes in my home.  i know it's chances of survival aren't good.  

this year i tried succulents.  i thought they were supposed to be hardy and might survive me.  
Maybe?  Time will tell...

last year i was so bummed when our garden bit the dust.  i made a fake one with Styrofoam and sheet moss to last us all year.  

when our garden dies (as it inevitably will) we will have this back-up piece of happiness to pull out ;)
Linking up here: Tatertots and Jello ~ Weekend Wrap Up Lil' Luna Link Up Party Ginger Snap Crafts ~ Wow Me Wednesday

Tooth Fairy Passport

Yesterday I wrote about a visit from the tooth fairy and what a big deal she is around here.  For that reason, we needed a fun way to document this exciting time.  Why not a tooth fairy passport? :)

Using card stock, washi tape, baker's twine, and a tooth fairy stamp set, we put together this passport holder.

Now we needed to complete the inside.

Shaped by Grace via Homemaker in Heels kindly offers some free printables for just such a thing. 

 Tucked in one side pocket is the Tooth Travels punch card.

In the other pocket is Tooth Journal cards for documenting how each tooth was lost.  It will be nice to look back at their handwriting, too.  On the back side the tooth fairy can even leave a little note.  

This passport will become a perfect keepsake!

Do you have any tooth fairy traditions?

Tooth Fairy Visit

Last month she finally lost her first tooth!  This was HUGE for her.  She has watched friends and classmates lose teeth over the last year.  This has been a long...long...long wait.  When a tooth finally came out, grandparents were called...of course.  Until bedtime the tooth was safely placed on mama's dresser, and repeatedly checked on.  

For her this was an exciting, magical day.  

For me, it was a precious memory watching my little girl submerge in childhood magic and wonder.  

Finally, bedtime came and she was eagerly awaiting the tooth fairy, with the tooth fairy door set on her nightstand.

We read Silverlicious.  

Which is the most adorable tooth fairy book I have ever read. 

When morning came we discovered a trail of tooth fairy dust coming from the tooth fairy door. It was a path of tiny, shiny silver stars.  The little lady said, "She must be so beautiful."

In place of her tooth she found a gold dollar coin and an official tooth fairy coin.

The tooth fairy also leaves one beautiful bead in exchange for the tooth.  After loosing enough teeth, we'll have enough beads to make a pretty bracelet. 

 Tomorrow I'll share our tooth fairy passport.  

See you then!

Linking up here:
todayscreativeblog.net/handmade-crafts/
adiamondinthestuff.blogspot.com/
www.sugarbeecrafts.com/
carolynshomework.blogspot.com/
funkypolkadotgiraffe
homestoriesatoz.com
.notjustahousewife
the trendy treehouse create-and-share
ginger snap crafts wow-me-wednesday

Fairy Garden {mini}

We love fairies around here.

This summer we I wanted our fairy garden to be simple, but still cute enough to encourage fairies to come on in and rest their wings :) 

Inspired by the set up of THIS Easter garden we made, we came up with this garden.

The tiny house was one of the birdhouses you find at Michael's craft store for $1.  

I cut the hole in front to the size of a door.

Bird house turned fairy house :)

One of my little helpers.  

I think he had the most fun playing in the dirt and turning it to mud with the water mister.  

See our fairy garden from last summer HERE

Last winter we made a fairy garden in a drawer

We made an autumn fairy house, too.

Linking along here:
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/
http://sassysites.blogspot.com/
http://www.504main.com/
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/2012/07/25/hookin-up-with-hoh-109/
http://tatertotsandjello.com
http://www.naptimecrafters.com/
http://adiamondinthestuff.blogspot.com

Spring Jars

Well hello, Spring.  We have anxiously awaited your arrival. What better way to welcome it than with a garden fairy and gnome?

What we used to make these:

~pictures of your cute little munchkins

~styrofoam

~bamboo skewers

~embellishments for the clothing and wings (scrapbook paper, twine, ribbon, paper flowers...)

~adhesives

~jar

~moss

~any other spring goodness you'd like to add to your jar

Here's what we did:

~Cut out a full body picture of your little munchkin.

~Use glue dots or other adhesive to add embellishments as cute fairy or gnome clothes

~Use a glue gun to attach part of a toothpick or bamboo skewer to the back of your fairy/gnome

 ~Stick your skewer into a small piece of styrofoam (I cut a large block of styrofoam into small pieces)

~Hot glue the styrofoam to the bottom of a jar

~Fill bottom of jar with moss and be sure to cover the styrofoam (helps if the styrofoam is already green!)

  

They would make sweet cupcake toppers in celebration of the first day of Spring, too.  Hmmm...will have to remember that one for next year!




I'm linking up with:
Sugar Bee Crafts
A Diamond in the Stuff
http://todayscreativeblog.net/
http://www.tipjunkie.com/
http://shoprubyjean.com/
http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/
http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com//
http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/
http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/
http://thetrendytreehouse.blogspot.com/
http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/
http://www.yesterdayontuesday.typepad.com/
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/sundae-scoop-link-party-23/
http://www.flamingotoes.com/
http://www.bystephanielynn.com/
http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/

Fairy Garden (in a Drawer)

There's a chill in the air and our outdoor fairy garden is long gone. 

We needed a warm place for fairies to stay when they visit.

This is a little nightstand next to the ladybug's bed.  The top two drawers are "junk drawers."  Filled with all those fun little treasures that really don't have a place.  The bottom drawer has become a small tucked away place for fairy friends.  See the tag on the handle?

Fairy sized key for entry

When you open the drawer this is what you will see.  A petite place for fairies to rest their wings.

The mini houses are $1 at Michaels.  They're painted and topped with glitter mod podge.

The "stepping stones" are sliced wine corks. 

Green felt makes the "grass"

All decorated for Fall with a little paper pennant

A thin stream of "water,"  glittery, of course.       Wouldn't you image fairy water to be full of glitter? :-)

falling leaves and a mini pumpkin sit near a fairy sized bench.  You can find those mini pumpkins HERE

Tink seems to enjoy it :-)

Total cost was under $5.  I only had to buy the houses and felt. It was so much fun making this and surprising the ladybug when she came home from a birthday party.  She can add to it as she likes, and when Christmas comes I'm sure we'll add mini lights and a tree. 

Inspired by THIS fairy village.

Linking up HERE

Tooth Fairy

Someday the Tooth Fairy will be coming to our house.  

Whether it's in a month or a year, we'll be ready. 

When she has a loose tooth, we'll hang this door next to her bed.

I was inspired by the doors at Nest of Posies and My Life-My Loves.

Smart-Bottom Enterprises took this idea even further by giving the inside a magical touch.  I loved that.  It makes the perfect place to put the tooth while waiting for the tooth fairy to arrive.

 

  

 

We'll put the tooth in a little bag and clip to the line.

I love that when they're little they believe in all things magical.

I'm savoring these early days.

{{Wood Door from Hobby Lobby}}

Linking up at THESE fun parties.

Our Fairy Garden (in progress)

To make our yard more inviting for fairies we made a fairy garden. 

The hubs built the box.  I stained, painted, and distressed it.  The ladybug and I planted the greenery together.

We've just begun adding little details to our garden.

including a place to rest their wings...

and a door for the fairies to enter our yard :)

Linking up with...
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Sassy Sites!
Tatertots and Jello 
If I linked up to your party and you don't see a link back please let me know...blogger went down, I lost my original post, and I don't remember everywhere I had linked up :(