I love to break plates

Today a local Convent will be having their yearly fund raiser, a rummage sale. I am going to take Molly, my 6 year old grand daughter to find plates we can break. I of course will be looking for other treasures.

I like to make signs for the fairy gardens. I will be teaching a class on making fairy gardens and I like to encourage leaving a small of original art as a gift to the fairies. If you take something from the fairies like a bottle of fairy dust off of the wishing tree, you need to leave a gift. My gifts range from broken jewelry (bling and sparkle), flowers or berries (food and beauty), and sometimes pieces of fairy furniture I have made for the garden. Lately I am really into making hammocks. I can't stop. I love tying knots and creating places to lounge in the garden.

The Fairy Garden is Finished!

The biggest fairy garden to date is now finished in my garden. It is about 4 feet deep and goes the length of almost 20 feet. It has a kitchen, a powder room, 7 home sites, a water feature, meandering path, fenced in garden, a wishing tree and a meeting hall. Some of the pieces will not be outside all the time because the birds and squirrels are having fun playing in the fairy garden too. The birds are little thieves when it comes to Spanish moss. If you are going to stop by to visit the fairy camp, best to call ahead.

Living Wreath

I have wanted to make a living wreath using succulents for a long time. I think years? This week I did it. I used a wire floral ring (mine is 14"), two black nylon knee high, potting soil, floral pins (these look like large staples), moss, fishing line type string and of course a variety of succulents.

Here is what I did.
1. Fill both knee highs with potting soil. Knot them together once they are filled.
2. Place the filled knee highs on the floral ring and attach using fishing line.

*Do the next steps on a flat surface that can get wet!
3. Make small holes in the stocking. I used a tooth pick for the really small holes for stems and scissors to cut a small hole for plants with roots. Stick the stems or roots of the succulents into the holes.
    Make sure to message or press gently on the knee high to get soil around the newly planted stems.
4. Randomly place succulents around the knee high.
5. Add moss in places to cover the parts of the knee high that is still visible. Attach the moss with floral pins.
6. Leave the living wreath laying flat and water.

You will need to leave the wreath on a flat surface for at least 2-3 weeks before hanging. You have to wait until the succulents root in before hanging. Water as needed.

When it grows and the plants make it difficult to water with a sprayer, you can place the wreath in a large container and submerge it part way in water. Remove after it's wet. Don't leave it in the water or it will die. **Succulents do not like to be over watered. This is why they make a great plant for a wreath.

Finished the Stone Fairy House

Its taken me a while and a few obstacles get over along the way. The stone fairy house is finally done! One obstacle was breaking the drill bit on the drill press. No! You do not need to have a drill press to make a fairy house but, it is nice to have. I am lucky to have my husband's in my shop. It is extremely easy to use.

I of course had a zillion, yes a zillion other tasks going on but, I finally finished the house. It will be elevated on a large stump from a shrub we had removed. It will be a part of the new fairy camp (where the Seven Gypsy Fairies of Garden Harmony live) or fairy garden.

I drilled holes for twigs to create gables.

Everywhere a Sign

I paint silver trays with chalk board paint for leaving messages with chalk around the house. This time I used white paint so it could sit near one of the fairy gardens outdoors.

Garden Chic

Years of collecting treasures are now showing up in the garden and around the deck and patio.

  

Landscape Renovation Nearing the End

I am very pleased with the renovations to the front landscaping. We replaced the colonial blue color on the window boxes, shutters and garage door to black. The new blue on the front door made a nice finishing touch. The color is called Raindrop from Sherwin Williams.

As of 5/20/14 we have filled 101 paper yard waste bags with landscape debris. The city has been here numerous times with the chipper shredder to pick up limbs and branches.

We removed the grass under the large Honey Locust  and added a small stone wall to create a Hosta garden. The roots of the tree where getting hit by the lawn mover and there was damage the base of the tree from continued weed whacking. The ivy is gone and grass seed is starting to grow.

July 2013 before renovation

My book is back!

Fairy Furniture you can make - Revised edition
available at Amazon

My book is all about learning to make fairy furniture from natural items found in your own yard. You will learn how twigs, dried flowers, acorns and broken jewelry can become enchanting furniture for the fairies that live in your garden. You will also see many photos of other fairy accessories to inspire your creativity.
(When searching, you have to include "- Revised edition" after the title or you will be taken to the "out of print" version.)

Spring Landscaping Project

The first project we are about to undertake is a total renovation to the front landscape. This is the before picture. The plan is to create a bed around the Honey Locust tree with native stone from the stone wall in the back yard. We are going to add a french drain to help with water the collects.  Removal of all old bushes and replace them with some that remain small. I want a few Hemlocks near the deck for privacy and winter green as well as height on the corner of the house. We will be removing ivy and putting grass seed down.  Large river rock around the foundation. Last will be changing the blue to black on the house and painting the door a sea glass blue. Sounds like a busy weekend or weekends for a while.

Pansy Time

If you have ever lost someone you love, you know what I mean when I say "at times, there are memories." There are certain days that they fill your thoughts. Holidays, Birthdays and other Special Occasions. For me the first Pansy I see each Spring remind me of MOM. She loved them. She grew them and carefully picked and pressed them.  She took a calligraphy class just to make framed works of art with

pressed pansies. Each spring I am out looking for pansies as early as possible. Yesterday I found these. I brought a little bit of Mom home again!

Stone Fairy House

I have made many fairy houses using stone around the doors, windows and as an apron at the bottom of the house. I have been wanting to try to stone all or a bigger portion of a house. I found some adhesive used to attach mosaic pieces. The glue is strong. The stones don't shift as much as other adhesives I have used. It also dries perfectly clear. I am dying to see how well it holds up outdoors on this house.

The house below is the current piece I am working on. I took my usual doors and cut out the top and bottom. I added fine mesh screening I found at a local craft store. I still need to make a handle using copper wire. I added two of the stained glass windows I make. The roof is the goal today in my studio.

Vintage Dolls

I have been doing a bit more research to find out about my dolls. I am just so in love with them. I found out they are referred to as Travel Dolls made by the Duchess Doll Corp in the 1940's and 50's. One vendor at a flea market told me, she was told some were given away at gas stations.

Over the weekend I found my first boy doll (upper right corner) along with other girl dolls of various sizes. I am excited to inspire other gardener/artists to rescue them and create a one of a kind garden fairy.

Waiting for new homes.

Potential Fairies

Ever since I met the Seven Gypsy Fairies I knew that these fairies belonged in my yard. They are not for sale! However, I encourage anyone interested in these fairies to get acquainted with the fairies in your own garden. I am sure the right representation of your fairy or fairies (in my case seven) will appear along your path. It may take some time. Put it out to the Universe and it will happen at the right time.
I am happy to share some of my "make over tips" if you find some vintage dolls. I am no doll repair expert but, I am sure the internet is full of them.

My mantra for creativity : "If you don't feed it, It won't grow!" This is where gardening principals join art.

I got this text with picture from my daughters: Potential Fairies

I adore how my girls wear their fairy wings into adulthood.

New Beginnings

I finally got out and joined a local garden club. Everyone was so friendly! It is a well organized club with much opportunity to volunteer and be among fellow gardeners. I even decided to attend the state garden club convention in April. I sent my registration form out this morning.

Guest Room

I am excited to start the guest room project. I have picked the colors and the paint has been mixed.
This weekend Doug is going to get the walls painted. He painted the ceiling a few weeks ago. I look
forward to painted some of the pieces of furniture and accessories I have been collecting. I plan to
paint the blades to the ceiling fan too. (Doug's idea)

New Blog

I started another blog for the fairies in my garden. It is a tale of building a garden together. I know the seven fairies are going to inspire the changes to the garden. I found my motivation!
sevenfairies.blogspot.com

Fairy Pillows

Last week while working on a few fairy chairs I
realized my supply of fairy pillows was almost gone.
I decided to make fairy pillows all weekend. I quickly
gathered my supplies of hand dyed fiber and wool
roving.  I have a good set of felting needles and a
firm piece of foam that I purchased from Esther's
Place in Big Rock IL. I buy all of my fiber from
this wool co-op. It snowed all weekend and this
turned out to be a great winter project.  I made
50 fairy pillows.

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Chairs of the Seven Fairies

The seven fairies are going to need there own chair instead of stump at the dinner table. Meals together with family and friends are the best of times. The fairies will have adventurous days and gathering at the end of the day to share tales is a must.These are the first two chairs for the dining set I am building.

The Seven Fairies of Garden Harmony

The final fairy is finished with her make-over. She was dressed like Carmen Miranda when I found her. She had bananas on her head but no hair. She was the only doll I would call "full figured."  I have named her Lilly.

Like all the fairies she has her talents for gardening. Lilly makes sure the plants in the garden are well cared for receiving food and water when needed. She prefers to let the plants grow with what Mother Nature provides but, once in a while, during dry spells the plants need extra water.  She also keeps a close eye on the hanging baskets and containers. They always need more food and water than the plants in the ground. 

                              Before                        After
                           
While I was working with the dolls, they seem to get more of an identity. Maybe I should say story.  I am now referring to them as "The Seven Fairies of Garden Harmony." Each fairy has a job to do in the garden. When all the fairies work together and perform there assigned tasks, there is perfect garden harmony.

Fairy                      Job

Rosa Lynn           Plants (planting and weeding)

Cricket            Soil (creating and maintaining healthy soil)

Twigs             Construction (building and designing)

Ruthie             Insects & Wildlife (the good, the bad and the….)

Myrtle             Food and Water (explains it self)

Lady Pearl       Entertaining (garden tours, garden parties etc.)

Opal               Song and Dance ( garden is fun, lets sing and dance about it)            

...and all this time I was doing all of the gardening myself. I am so thrilled to have met the seven fairies.
I have a plan for a dining area in the new fairy garden with seven seats.

 
 

                 

Fairy 5 and 6

Meet Opal
Opal is garden fairy number 5. She is a real Star Opal!
Opal is very theatrical. She loves to sing and dance.
If it is too quiet or if everyone gets too serious, she starts to
sing and dance. It is very contagious. Opal insists on fun in
the garden.

Meet Cricket.

Cricket majored in Botany at Fairy University. 

            She has an obsession with keeping the soil

 in the garden healthy.She is called the

 "Queen of Composting."

Cricket says "plant health starts with good soil."

Twigs gets a wing touch up

When I put Twigs with the other fairies, her wings seem to clash.
I touched them up with a little gold glitter on the edges.
Much better!

Seven Gypsy Fairies 3 and 4

Meet Gypsy Fairy number #3 or "Twigs".  She is a spunky gal who is very curious.
Can't keep a secret from her.

Before               After

Yes. She has new hair. I tried to salvage the

original hair however, Twig's hair fell out

during washing. I gave her a new color too.

Meet vintage garden fairy makeover #4 or "Pearl".

She has her original hair but a different style.

She is a very classy proper fairy. She is always

teaching etiquette and good manners by example.

Fairy Furniture you can make

The new book will be available January 17th.

I am pleased to announce my first book will be available
on Amazon.com as of January 17th.

For me the book is filled with fond memories of the many
hours spent in my studio creating. I hope it will inspire
many artists out there! It will be fun to receive pictures of
the furniture others build following the step-by-step lesson
inside the book.

Seven Gypsy Fairies

The seven gypsy fairy project is moving along very nicely. I have completed the make over of the first two dolls.


Meet Rosa Lynn and Ruthie.

Rosa Lynn is the only fairy in our
little fairy hollow that has black hair.
She is always collecting flowers to
bring into her house. She adores making
Tussie-Mussies and giving them away.




Ruthie has gold wings for now,
they may have a hint of green as spring arrives.
Ruthie sings very quietly. She makes up songs
about her insect friends in the garden.


These are of course the before and after images.