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.

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

Fairy house pictures: The Fairy Tower

May 15, 2015 / beneaththeferns / 1 Comment

I started this three story fairy house in December, so I’m sooo excited to see some real progress! As a full-time teacher and a full-time mom of a toddler, I don’t always have time to spend on my own hobbies. Maybe that’s why this feels like I really got something accomplished! Plus, I’m due with our second baby (a boy!) in early June, so getting this roof done was the last thing on my to-do list before he gets here! I guess I feel like I’m ready to dive into that crazy bleary-eyed-up-all-night-and-day mommy mode, but I really hope I can get more done on this house this summer…

The fairy house is made from stacking cardboard boxes together, then putting paper mache over the entire house. After many coats of paper mache and paint, I’ve finally started adding some details…

The miniature shake shingles are cardboard that I’ve painted, then cut apart. The windows are a design that I drew up, and my Dad kindly cut out of wood with his laser cutter (Thanks Dad!). Here are more pictures of the process…

Getting all the shingles glued on took much longer than I anticipated!
Fairy house miniature shake roof fantasy beneath the ferns

But I got them done!

I found the finial on the top on clearance last year at Hobby Lobby… I thought it gave the fairy house a nice, stately look.

The “door” on the left side of the picture below is going to be attached to a bridge that the fairies can walk across to another building.

I need to create some doors for the balcony porch…

I really want to live inside! Now I have to paint the underside of the shingles, add more doors and windows, and decorate the inside. I won’t be done for a while, but at least it gives me something to plan when I’m up for a midnight feeding!

Those are the most recent pictures, but if you want to see the whole process, check out this page here: Fairy Tower Page

Thanks for looking, and if you want to see the next photos of the process, feel free to subscribe and visit again ♥

~Jessi