Small fairy house finished!

October 7, 2015October 4, 2016 / beneaththeferns / 4 Comments

I’m excited to be done with another paper mache fairy house! The inside will be left empty, since this fairy house belongs to my daughter (at least that’s what she believes, and I’m not going to try and convince a 2 year old that it doesn’t!). She loves to play in it, and in the past it has made a great “barn” for Sven and Christoph when she gets her Frozen dolls out!

I went with a grey color for the roof, since the other houses in the village have had a lot of warm brown tones.

The small accents around the fairy house windows are remnants from another project for my book, a laser-cut spiral staircase. I’m glad to put them to good use!

This year has been busy (having a baby!), so I’m glad I got a project done that I started a while back. If you want to visit the other fairy houses I’ve made so far, click HERE.

And if you’d like to see how the roof is built, click HERE.

Thanks for visiting!
~Jessi

Halloween in the fairy garden!

September 22, 2015 / beneaththeferns / Leave a comment

The leaves are turning colors and the air is getting crisp, it must mean that Halloween is one the way! To celebrate this spooky time of year, I’ve found the best Halloween themed listings for fairy gardens on Etsy, and put them together here. Come on in and see what’s brewing! (And don’t forget to click on each picture to be taken to the Etsy listing!)

First off are two adorable little kitties created by Alison at CupOCats! The kitties (both above and below) are so cute, and I can just see them lazing about in a miniature garden (waiting for miniature mice, no doubt).

Next is another character for your garden, an adorable little gnome sculpted from polymer clay by Michelle at Creative Cottage. This sweet gnome will keep your garden safe from Muggles and ghosts, and maybe even do some weeding!

While the gnome might keep the ghosts away, he has welcomed in this baby troll artfully created by Amber at Trollflings. Who wouldn’t want those big brown eyes hanging around their garden?

On to the decorations! Of course we need lots of orange pumpkins in our fairy gardens, and Jessi at JessisArtStudio makes pumpkins that I just adore! Look at those swirly tendrils and the beads on each pumpkin…genius!

Jennifer at Gnome Woods knows how to make polymer clay behave, and here are two excellent specimens of Halloween themed mushrooms ready to join your fairy garden. They are too cute!

Speaking of cute, how about a spot of tea from these miniature teapot and cups in the shape of Halloween pumpkins? Steph from StephtheFairyMaker has created the sweetest little set that will look great with all these autumn accessories!

And of course, we have to have snacks to go with that tea! Take a bite out of this yummy cake that Caylie from StudioPasat has made. I really want to make a full sized cake like this one now! Mmmm….I can just taste it!

And where will our little Halloween fairies live! In a pumpkin shaped house, of course! This beauty was created by ArtisticSpirit, and is so detailed for the size that it is!

And finally, two amazing doors handcrafted by Kim at ClaybyKim. I love all her doors, but these capture the character of Halloween so well!

Remember to click on the pictures above to be taken to the item listing to learn more about it, and Happy Halloween!

~Jessi

Birthday fairy garden, entry #3 for contest from Fairygardens.com

September 13, 2015 / beneaththeferns / 5 Comments

With fall quickly approaching, my summer fairy gardening is coming to a close. What better time to look through what has been created this summer than a cold, rainy day such as today? To make the walk down memory lane even more fun, the folks over at Fairygardens.com are holding their annual fairy garden contest, which is a great way for everyone to come together and share their creations over the past summer. It’s sort of a “harvest” of great fairy garden ideas!

Here is my entry #3, a birthday inspired fairy garden I made for my mom. We don’t live as close to each other as we used to, so I made a little “picnic” table where our fairies can sit together and share a giant birthday cupcake!

Miniature fairy garden birthday theme pathway from efairies
The chairs are made from the tops of really expensive beers that my hubby drank… And there is even a miniature card for her.

Miniature fairy garden birthday theme bird house
I made a matching birdhouse and birdbath, I love how the copper roof on the birdhouse looks!

The plants I put in here had a bald patch, so I filled in the area with some little mushrooms!

I was happy with how the garden turned out, and really happy to be able to give it to my mum! Happy Birthday Mom! ♥

Want to see more fairy gardens, or enter your own in the contest? (Come on, it’ll be fun!) Visit www.fairygardens.com/contest/ or click the picture below to see what others have created!

Gnome home fairy garden, entry #2 for contest from Fairygardens.com

September 7, 2015 / beneaththeferns / 1 Comment

Here is my entry #2, which I made in April of this year. I had a rare span of time where my toddler was staying with her grandparents, which allowed me to create this mosaic garden path (and before baby #2 got here!). The entire path is made from little polymer clay rocks I made by hand, and glued one piece at a time to a piece of wood. The gnome home is also a project I made last year from polymer clay and wood. It was nice to see both projects finally done! (To see how the path was made, click HERE).

I rolled hundreds of little “rocks” from polymer clay to get the color variation I wanted in the swirls.

Acorn caps make great flower pots!

A chair for mom, dad, and baby fairy!

A sundial to tell when it is lunch.

Tools nicely stored.

A basket of seeds waiting to be planted.

Home sweet home.

Detail of the garden path.

As most mums know, finishing our own projects takes second seat to raising our kiddos. Every once in a while it’s nice to see something get finished though, and I think that re-ignites our creative “spark” so we can pass it on to our special little ones!

Want to see more fairy gardens, or enter your own in the contest? (Come on, it’ll be fun!) Visit www.fairygardens.com/contest/ or click the picture below to see what others have created!

Tulip fairy garden, entry for garden contest at Fairygardens.com

September 7, 2015September 7, 2015 / beneaththeferns / Leave a comment

First up is my tulip house garden, created with my daughter and our two nieces when they came to visit this May. Everyone had a part creating something… we told the adults if you want to come see what we made, they would have to make something to add to the garden too! They looked around at random leaves and flowers for a bit, and before long were having just as much fun as the kids!

The fairy garden in the early spring, and after the fairies moved in.

Fairy house nature kids craft garden miniature
Elena used lilac blossoms in walnut shells to create tiny flower pots.

Fairy gardens swing miniature how to tutorial
Emma created a swing from the fork of a tree. Her dad helped show her what knots to use to tie it!

Fairy house toddler nature craft garden miniature
Mary Helen is still a bit young to create her own fairy furniture, but would just run her hands around the garden, carefully touching each piece we made.

Fairy house nature craft garden miniature
A fairy totem pole made from tulip petals, the house is made from cedar bark.

Fairy furniture swing garden miniature
Emma also created a swing in the background from a rock, and I made a dandelion swirl.

Fairy house nature craft garden diy miniature
Aunt Lisa made the fairy garland hanging above, and Uncle Oscar created a hammock from a tulip leaf.

All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend a spring day. We are sure the fairies had as much fun living in this garden as we had creating it! Want to see more fairy gardens, or enter your own in the contest? (Come on, it’ll be fun!) Visit www.fairygardens.com/contest/ or click the picture below to see what others have created!

A rare sighting…. The home of Fae maritimus

September 3, 2015September 4, 2015 / beneaththeferns / Leave a comment

Recently I went camping on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, and was delighted to find the very rare dwelling of the fairy type, Fae maritimus. Otherwise known as the common beach fairy, F. maritimus is well known for weaving their homes from the durable grasses that line saltwater beaches. I was very cautious when approaching this house, as I was unsure whether the residents were at home or not…

Just as I approached the home, a group of tourists walked by, and I, not wanting to draw attention to the home of F. maritimus, left the area quickly. And later I realized what a good move that was, for this house was indeed inhabited. When I returned later that evening, the owner of the home was inside, and I could see them moving around (most likely preparing the evening meal).

I watched from afar, my telephoto lens allowing me a closer glimpse of the house. I could make out that the door is crafted from seaweed, carefully hung from a reed to protect the interior of the home from the elements.

While a common type of fairy, F. maritimus gains the reputation of being rare, simply because their dwellings blend into the surroundings so well. They live on both the east and west coasts, and on the shore of other inland bodies of water.

I left before I made my presence known, as I did not want to disturb the owner of this house. I plan to return, as I admire these fairies who make the gusty sea shore their home.

Happy Birthday Mom! A picnic themed fairy garden…

July 31, 2015July 31, 2015 / beneaththeferns / 3 Comments

This month my mom celebrated her birthday, and while I wasn’t able to be there, I made this fairy garden as a belated birthday gift for her!

I started with a terra-cotta colored walkway I got from the eFairies store in Tacoma, Washington. I love the classic foundation it gives the garden.

Next I added a little bistro table and chairs made from fancy, craft beer bottles.

I added some plates, a miniature birthday card, and of course, a giant cupcake to share with my mom…

On the side are a matching bird house and bird bath that I made.

…and I finished it off with a few mushrooms and a birthday banner. I hope my mom enjoys this garden as much as I enjoyed watching it come together! Happy Birthday Mom!

Summer fun! A beachy fairy garden theme ♥

July 24, 2015July 24, 2015 / beneaththeferns / Leave a comment

Fairy gardens are fun no matter what time of year it is! To celebrate the hot days of summer, this week I’m featuring some beachy-themed fairy garden accessories. Just click on each picture to be taken to their Etsy store ♥

Up first are some amazing nautical doors created by the talented hands of Alicia at MiniWhimsies. I couldn’t decide which door I liked better, so I had to include them both! Alicia has an amazing vision, and makes her doors fit seamlessly with her theme.

Next are some adorable little flip-flops and a woven basket created by Plamena at Plad. Plamena’s work has been a favorite of mine for many years… and these little beauties look soft and whimsical, like a perfect day at the beach!

And what day at the beach is complete without a little something cold and bubbly? Pam from Landscapes in Miniature has provided the refreshments today with a little bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice.

These charming bedrolls were made by Pam at BitsandpiecesbyPam. They look like a sleeping bag I had when I camped out as a kid!

Here is another gorgeous little piece that has been in my favorite box on Etsy for years… Orly from Orlydesign has captured the misty feel of the coast in her little house just perfectly!

I had to revisit Alicia at MiniWhimsies (The artist who made the doors above) for this spectacular sand castle, made from polymer clay! If you want a nautical feel in your fairy garden, this castle will bring that! I love the blue and white accents with the sandy color and texture of the rest of the castle…

And finally, this little lighthouse and boat are just too cute! They are perfect by themselves, or add them to a fairy garden… Edna from Ednapio has created a sweet little pair here!

Maybe I just love the beach because I grew up in the midwest, and only had the Great Lakes to look at.. I could imagine what the “real” ocean looked like, and always told myself I’d go there. Well now I’m a west-coaster, and all these beautiful fairy garden accessories sum up the beach experience for me: sand, water, and a touch of magic!

Thanks for looking, and remember to click on those pictures if you want to learn more about each item!

♥ Jessi

Summer fun! A fairy garden camping trip ♥

July 23, 2015August 8, 2015 / beneaththeferns / 1 Comment

It’s time for our annual camping trip, so to celebrate, I’m putting together a collection of my favorite Etsy mini-camping-theme listings! I bet the fairies get away for a quick camping weekend just like we do, and of course, they need to bring all the essentials. Click on the picture of each listing to go to their Etsy shop, and don’t forget the bug spray!

First off we need s’mores, hot dogs, and a little fire to roast them on! Jennifer from Gnome Woods has artfully created a fire that will heat our little campsite nicely from polymer clay, complete with some extra firewood to go with it! The picture above and below were both created by Jennifer, and make me think of camping every time I see them!

Next, our fairy friends will need to decide where to stay… For the brave outdoor fairy, Sereny from Fairy Elements has created this summer-celebrating tent, complete with a tiny rug inside so our tiny friends can get back to nature. Sereny has lots of colors and styles to choose from, so every fairy can find a teepee just their style!

For the fairies that prefer “glamping” (Glamour+camping=Glamping!), Penny from Penny’s Pixie Planters has created the ultimate fairy garden getaway vehicle. Each camper is hand crafted from wood and metal, and so wonderfully detailed, I wonder if Penny employs a few fairies from time to time to help her in her shop???

Another choice for “Glamping” comes from Emily at Birch Tree Fairy. Each camper is delicately decorated with natural treasures, giving them a unique charm!

Now back to the food… As we said earlier, we need s’mores, and Pam at Landscapes in Miniatures has supplied our fairy friends with all the fixings! From the marshmallows to the chocolate, these miniatures are so perfectly detailed, they will make anyone who looks at your fairy campground want to cook some up!

Now if your fairies are short on time, and want to create their campsite quickly, this sweet little diorama will turn any miniature garden into a campsite in a flash. It was artfully created by the daughter of the shop owner at The Enchanted Acorn, and looks so sweet! This talented young artist has a good eye for detail!

If your fairies are feeling adventurous, they can always go on a short hike… Tatiana from Striped Box has created a miniature backpack that’s so realistic, it looks like I could wear it! Our little friends will definitely like this one!

If hiking isn’t to the fairies liking, they can always go out for a little evening canoe paddle. Faith at Rustic Blend offers a perfectly detailed little canoe that any fairy would trust to take out on the lake!

And finally, what would a camping trip be without a little wildlife? While I normally would want to avoid an encounter with a bear, this little cutie below created by Nicole at Nicole Lillian Ryan is just too cute! I’m sure our fairy friends would invite him to sit around the campfire and hand out mushrooms if they found him wandering in the forest!

August is halfway upon us, and camping is at it’s best! Remember to click on any of the pictures above to see more items in the artists’ shop, and enjoy the rest of your summer, wherever it takes you ♥

~Jessi

Polymer clay fairy garden bridge

July 20, 2015July 20, 2015 / beneaththeferns / 2 Comments

Recently I was invited to a miniature gardening group on Facebook where you are assigned a secret pal to send a package to. It’s just like the secret pal exchanges at Christmas, only these packages are all for your miniature fairy garden. I found out that the individual I got had a miniature garden with Irish leprechauns in it, so I tried to make them something that might fit with an Irish theme. I thought a old, mossy bridge might work!

I aged parts of the bridge to make it truly feel like it had been there for a while…

And what Irish, leprechaun, St. Patrick’s day theme would be complete with a pot of gold?

Here are the rest of the goodies that I sent out. I myself received an awesome package with lots of fairy furniture that is exactly my style, so it was a pretty fun thing to take part of! Interested in joining the group? You can find more information here: Secret Fairy Pals on Facebook

Have fun!

~Jessi