Help with a woodland fairy craft kit?

[CLHCO]

My 5yo is into fairies and really wants to make a fairy house. I thought it may be a nice Christmas gift if I assemble the parts and help her build it. Of course, I am hopeless when it comes to this sort of creativity myself.

 

Has anyone seen either a kit, book, or web site with some cute options? There was a great one a few years ago at the local county fair and it didn't look too hard, lots of fake moss, bark, etc., but again, my personal creativity cries out for some firm instructions, and with a 5yo, it will need a lot of directing.

 

Any help would be great!

[Denise in Florida]

What size house are you planning to build? A doll house or a play house?

 

Either one sounds fun.

 

Play house: pretty sheet or fabric that will cover a card table, lots of tulle, ribbons and silk flowers. Prisms to make rainbows. Cut and sew the sheet to make a tent around the table, make a drape doorway out of tulle or lacy fabric. Make ribbon loops to hold the doorway open. Mabye get a blank wooden plaque and write a fairy type name for the cottage.

 

Doll house - start with a simple wooden house shaped box. There are usally a variety of unfinished wood projects at Michaels. Again tulle, ribbon, flowers, Maybe add dried babies breath or rose petals. tiny fairy pictures from magazines. Little 'jewels' from Michaels. 'Moss' from the floral section for the roof.

[fairfarmhand]

you inspired me to look around and oh my word, I can't wait to get started.

 

here are two sites with neat ideas...

http://www.miniature-gardens.com/fairy-house.html

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Fairy-House

[helena]

Have you seen these?

http://www.blueberryforest.com/fairy-forest-lodge/fairy-forest-lodge.htm

You could make it more homemade by adding natural stuff to it.

 

If you want more of a project, you could get this book: http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Houses-Everywhere/dp/097081044X

And fill a basket with things like sticks, shells, bells, wool, feathers, yarn, rocks, crystals, dried moss, etc.

You could put in a few unfinished wood structures (bird houses, bird feeders) to use as a base, (the kind they sell at craft stores).

 

These are adorable: http://www.thesilverpenny.com/WeeFolkDwellings.html

http://www.finefairyhouses.com/id11.html

http://anniesminis.com/mossy.htm

 

:lurk5:

[CLHCO]

Oh my! I must have used some bad search words because I didn't come up with nearly as many neat links!

 

So much for my evening. I think I'll be fairy house hunting all night! :w00t:

[CLHCO]

What size house are you planning to build? A doll house or a play house?

 

Either one sounds fun.

 

Play house: pretty sheet or fabric that will cover a card table, lots of tulle, ribbons and silk flowers. Prisms to make rainbows. Cut and sew the sheet to make a tent around the table, make a drape doorway out of tulle or lacy fabric. Make ribbon loops to hold the doorway open. Mabye get a blank wooden plaque and write a fairy type name for the cottage.

 

Doll house - start with a simple wooden house shaped box. There are usally a variety of unfinished wood projects at Michaels. Again tulle, ribbon, flowers, Maybe add dried babies breath or rose petals. tiny fairy pictures from magazines. Little 'jewels' from Michaels. 'Moss' from the floral section for the roof.

 

She thinks it has to be for real fairies, so that must mean doll house size. I admit. Someone saw the latest Tinker Bell movie. I would like to move that fairy craziness a bit away from Disney, however, and more into a craft/creative project.

 

I think getting some small wood base home may be a good idea, then I'll go nuts from the picture ideas others have posted and shop at Michaels.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

We have the one from Blueberry Forest and the girls play with it, but they like the grass much better. I really want to take the time and make this one with the furniture sometime soon. :D

[helena]

We have the one from Blueberry Forest and the girls play with it, but they like the grass much better. I really want to take the time and make this one with the furniture sometime soon. :D

 

I love your link!!

My mom just gave me two big pots that would work perfect.

Did you see my link for fairy garden furniture?

http://www.finefairyhouses.com/id11.html

 

We're getting inspired here. :001_smile:

[Wyndie]

Here is a small picture (click to enlarge) of the fairy garden my dd (then 7 - now 9) made. I found the best start for her was to go to a nursery and just let her look around. The nursery we visited a few years ago had their own fairy garden in it. We explored it quite a bit (visually of course) and then Grace came home with her head full of ideas of how to do it herself. We never duplicated it but she made it her own. But getting a look at one and then wondering around a nursery with both large and miniature plants was all the material she needed to get started. Over the years, she has made several gardens and my son even made one as a birthday present for a little girl he likes.

 

But she is older. When my youngest was 4, we let her make fairy gardens too (only outside since she I didn't want dirt all over my house) and she re-did them several times a day. They never stayed pristine and beautiful so hers had to stay outside. If you dd wants to actively play and dig in the garden, I wouldn't invest too much money in it, just let her create stuff out of twigs, rocks and grassy plants from your yard.

 

That said, my dd9 makes new things for the fairies almost daily. She has a staging area where she creates... she collects things any time we are out... leaves, seashells, acorns, unusual rocks and brings them all home. All of these things sit in her basket and she creates fairy stuff out of them all. For Halloween, she made a fairy house out of a pumpkin (it only lasted a week) but she had all the stuff pre-made and when we got the pumpkin carved, she just put it all together and left it for the fairies. I'll try to attach a picture of it. Because she is older now, we do buy her tiny fairy furniture now and then but at the age of 5, we just let her do all her own creations b/c then I didn't care if she dug it all up, rearranged 15 times or just forgot about it.

 

We also bought her a few books about creating them and she studies those often to get ideas.

 

I love the links posted in this thread! She will love looking at all these sites with new ideas on them! I know your dd will love whatever you choose and even if it's not perfect, it will be to her. Fairies have their own magic. :)

[Guest Cindie2dds]

I love your link!!

My mom just gave me two big pots that would work perfect.

Did you see my link for fairy garden furniture?

http://www.finefairyhouses.com/id11.html

 

We're getting inspired here. :001_smile:

 

I'm trying not to look! :lol: Seriously, though, I really like the mini gates and arbors. I'm thinking I'll let them put a fairy house in a corner of our veggie garden bed.

[Spryte]

We love fairies. :)

 

I don't have a link to a fairy house project, so I've been happy to see some ideas.

 

But just in case you haven't seen it... Have you seen the Urban Fairy Operations website? http://www.urban-fairies.com/ Click on Door #7, I think it says "locations" to see the various fairy doors in Ann Arbor, MI - the entire town is infested. The artist's wife is a K teacher, too - there are some pics of her classes on fairy finding expeditions. My favorite fairy location is probably the one in the library...

 

My 6 year old and I found out about the Urban Fairy Project when he was 5. We were online looking for a fairy project - much like you are. And instead we found the UFO. His fervent wish was to have fairies come make a home in our walls. :)

 

Since then, we've had our own fairy infestation. If I knew how to post a pic, I could show you the fairy door that appeared next to our front door. It matches our door!

[CLHCO]

We love fairies. :)

 

But just in case you haven't seen it... Have you seen the Urban Fairy Operations website? http://www.urban-fairies.com/ Click on Door #7, I think it says "locations" to see the various fairy doors in Ann Arbor, MI - the entire town is infested. The artist's wife is a K teacher, too - there are some pics of her classes on fairy finding expeditions. My favorite fairy location is probably the one in the library...

 

 

 

Oh, that is darling! I love it, and I've only just clicked on one so far! Lots to find, I'm sure.

[CLHCO]

Here is a small picture (click to enlarge) of the fairy garden my dd (then 7 - now 9) made. I found the best start for her was to go to a nursery and just let her look around. The nursery we visited a few years ago had their own fairy garden in it. We explored it quite a bit (visually of course) and then Grace came home with her head full of ideas of how to do it herself. We never duplicated it but she made it her own. But getting a look at one and then wondering around a nursery with both large and miniature plants was all the material she needed to get started. Over the years, she has made several gardens and my son even made one as a birthday present for a little girl he likes.

 

But she is older. When my youngest was 4, we let her make fairy gardens too (only outside since she I didn't want dirt all over my house) and she re-did them several times a day. They never stayed pristine and beautiful so hers had to stay outside. If you dd wants to actively play and dig in the garden, I wouldn't invest too much money in it, just let her create stuff out of twigs, rocks and grassy plants from your yard.

 

That said, my dd9 makes new things for the fairies almost daily. She has a staging area where she creates... she collects things any time we are out... leaves, seashells, acorns, unusual rocks and brings them all home. All of these things sit in her basket and she creates fairy stuff out of them all. For Halloween, she made a fairy house out of a pumpkin (it only lasted a week) but she had all the stuff pre-made and when we got the pumpkin carved, she just put it all together and left it for the fairies. I'll try to attach a picture of it. Because she is older now, we do buy her tiny fairy furniture now and then but at the age of 5, we just let her do all her own creations b/c then I didn't care if she dug it all up, rearranged 15 times or just forgot about it.

 

We also bought her a few books about creating them and she studies those often to get ideas.

 

I love the links posted in this thread! She will love looking at all these sites with new ideas on them! I know your dd will love whatever you choose and even if it's not perfect, it will be to her. Fairies have their own magic. :)

 

I love the garden fairy ideas. I sadly have a brown thumb and winter is coming, but maybe next spring we can add some planters to any house we make.

[dangermom]

This is the one I want. It's a pattern and you sew it, though, so not what you're looking for I guess.

[clarkacademy]

This is a fairy house I made for my daugher when she was 9 She still has it some where tucked into her closet. Sorry the pics are a bit dark. That roof took forever it is all pine cone shingles, the little table is a pincone bottom the ground is moss and it is covered in spray glitter. She really liked it and got alot of fairy stuff that year.

[clarkacademy]

Reading all this I need to get my younger daughter into it! I miss it now

[helena]

This is the one I want. It's a pattern and you sew it, though, so not what you're looking for I guess.

 

I like that one! I'm going to make the fairies with my girls.. maybe tomorrow. We usually make them with a wooden base. The felt cakes are cute too! This is a great resource! thanks

[EthiopianFood]

What about this? http://www.magiccabin.com/product.asp?section_id=2004&department=1501&search_type=category&search_value=4305&cm_val=&cm_pos=&cur_index=&cm_type=&pcode=1832

 

Or this? http://www.magiccabin.com/product.asp?section_id=0&department=0&search_type=normal&search_value=fairy&cur_index=&pcode=757

[Julie in AZ]

You could purchase a regular dollhouse and remodel. My dd received a gift certificate for a Year of the Dollhouse for Christmas one year. I got the idea from another homeschool mom. My dd decided to make a fairy treehouse. We decorated and made furniture and had a wonderful time!

[Spryte]

So glad you like the Urban Fairies! We adore them. Several fairy doors have appeared in our house over the last year. It's fun.

 

Check this out: http://pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com/2008/12/so-much-cooler-than-pixie-hollow.html We made something similar for my kiddo. We used a Melissa and Doug treehouse, and modified. Tree Blocks made wonderful furniture and stairs, if you have them already.

 

Also, for instant gratification: http://www.thetoymaker.com/2Toys.html Scroll down to the "fairies and magic" section for some printable projects.

[fairfarmhand]

please post pictures when you are done!

[Unicorn.]

Try the family fun website. I seem to recall them having fairy houses at one point, along w/ fairies you can make from stick type clothespins. Should inspire you anyway. Have fun! I miss those days.

[CLHCO]

This is the one I want. It's a pattern and you sew it, though, so not what you're looking for I guess.

 

Oh, I love sewing projects! Of course, she's also requested a yellow sparkly dress, with matching shoes, and a pink sparkly ukulele, so I have a yellow sparkly dress to sew. :tongue_smilie:

 

A few years ago I sewed her a little house that was also a carry case, three little bears, and a change of clothes for the bears. Maybe next year I'll get ambitious and try a fairy house!

[CLHCO]

Thanks again, everyone. I think we'll try something age appropriate this year, just to see if the excitement sticks around. She can then expand on it later as she gets older, with more advanced ideas.

 

I'm thinking about looking more at the pictures for specific ideas, finding some type of a bird house frame for my husband to open up and alter a bit, then getting her a little bag/basket of woodland decorative things at Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

:party:

[CLHCO]

 

Also, for instant gratification: http://www.thetoymaker.com/2Toys.html Scroll down to the "fairies and magic" section for some printable projects.

 

Oh, I was just thinking about this web site the other day! I had forgotten the name so I couldn't find it! Thank you! :001_smile:

[Wyndie]

Thanks again, everyone. I think we'll try something age appropriate this year, just to see if the excitement sticks around. She can then expand on it later as she gets older, with more advanced ideas.

 

I'm thinking about looking more at the pictures for specific ideas, finding some type of a bird house frame for my husband to open up and alter a bit, then getting her a little bag/basket of woodland decorative things at Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

:party:

 

Definitely post when you're done! I love seeing all these beautiful fairy things!

[melik]

This blog has a ton of great ideas. You'll have to dig a bit but I hope it helps.

 

http://weefolkart.com/content/spring-and-summer-gnome-home-ideas

 

Meli

[helena]

Hi! This thread was started in fall... I think. :001_smile:

I'm wondering if anyone stuck with it, or is getting ready to make a fairy garden? We made ours in Nov/Dec, then left them to go wild. Some we never got that far with. We threw in grass seed, flower seeds, found varieties of moss, and all kinds of junk... We're ready to go out and work on them again. I'd like to build some houses with the kids, like the ones in this book: http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Houses-Everywhere/dp/097081044X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301708583&sr=1-1

I'd love to see others fairy gardens-

Here's some pics of ours:

[sparrow]

I didn't see this thread last fall. My kids still build fairy houses wherever we go. They've been doing it since they were very wee and watched Kristen's Fairy House. That is such a soothing DVD....

[KarenNC]

She would probably enjoy Martin Waddell's book, "The Hollyhock Wall." My daughter thought it was great. The girl lives in an apartment and creates a tiny garden in a cookpot, then ends up going into it. The pictures are all soft sculpture, embroidery and applique.

 

We were just at a local county park that has a fairy house trail (and a yearly fairy festival). People are encouraged to build all sorts of houses along this particular trail and leave them for others to enjoy. Everything has be to natural. My daughter and her friend (ages 10 and 9) had a good time building out there last week.

[Jeanne in MN]

Oh my that was fun looking at those!!! The kids and I just spent the last half hour or more looking at all the doors! One of my boys found a scrap piece of wood and is designing a door right now. :)

 

 

We love fairies. :)

 

I don't have a link to a fairy house project, so I've been happy to see some ideas.

 

But just in case you haven't seen it... Have you seen the Urban Fairy Operations website? http://www.urban-fairies.com/ Click on Door #7, I think it says "locations" to see the various fairy doors in Ann Arbor, MI - the entire town is infested. The artist's wife is a K teacher, too - there are some pics of her classes on fairy finding expeditions. My favorite fairy location is probably the one in the library...

 

My 6 year old and I found out about the Urban Fairy Project when he was 5. We were online looking for a fairy project - much like you are. And instead we found the UFO. His fervent wish was to have fairies come make a home in our walls. :)

 

Since then, we've had our own fairy infestation. If I knew how to post a pic, I could show you the fairy door that appeared next to our front door. It matches our door!

[littleWMN]

I was just thinking about this for my dd's upcoming 10th birthday.

 

This kit (you could easily put it together yourself):

 

http://www.myparadisecottage.com/basickit.html

 

This book:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/097081044X/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

And the video someone linked above.

 

:D

[helena]

I was just thinking about this for my dd's upcoming 10th birthday.

 

This kit (you could easily put it together yourself):

 

http://www.myparadisecottage.com/basickit.html

 

This book:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/097081044X/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

And the video someone linked above.

 

:D

 

Wow, that's a good price for something so cute! I'll have to remember this for upcoming kid birthdays. Thanks :001_smile:

[littleWMN]

Wow, that's a good price for something so cute! I'll have to remember this for upcoming kid birthdays. Thanks :001_smile:

 

You're welcome! I've been searching for the perfect gift for my girl that's turning 10 soon. I think she'll love it, but was afraid my husband would think it was goofy. Just ran it by him and he thought she'd love it too so I ordered! I'm excited. :)