Fairy Garden Activity

Inspired by a recent trip to the Hershey Gardens during their annual Fairies in the Flowers celebration, we decided to  create our own miniature "fairy gardens". These pint size gardens are designed to attract fairies and bring good luck. We all welcomed the prospect of a whimsical escape and some good fortune! My three frequently winged and wanded little pixies were excited about this project. Armed with a couple beach shovels and one highly coveted plastic gardening trough, we took to the woods in search of supplies. From the dampest, darkest reaches of the forest floor, we unearthed moss, chiseled tree bark, gathered berries and uprooted wildflowers.

Once home we set out in search of small scale items to use as furnishings to help lure the magical woodland creatures. From the deepest, darkest corners of our playroom we were able to gather an array of minuscule objects to be included. I soon provided each girl with a shallow pan in which to create their fairy gardens.  After a few squabbles, whining and hair pulling each found a "more better" shallow pan and we got to work. The moss was arranged to cover the bottom of the container and served as the cushioned floor for our fairies. Next the girls arranged flowers and twigs and leaves. Their little fingers worked quickly, turning bark into benches and petals into pillows all fit for a fluttering fairy.

Assembling their Fairy Gardens

They added a few finishing touches and were quite proud of their mystical masterpieces and soon each declared their own garden the "most best"!

That evening we set the gardens out on our deck and the next morning my three little girls were more than delighted to discover that the fairies had visited, leaving a trail of glittery fairy dust as evidence.

A week later we were all excited to learn the Highfield Hall would be hosting its own Fairies in the Woods event. The exhibit featured dozens of Fairy Houses hidden along a scenic path through the woods. The girls had so much fun discovering each house, noting all the details and naming the particular fairy who would surely reside there.

We then decided to raise the bar on our "fairy gardens" and create "fairy houses". Using circular tree trunk rings as a base, each girl erected their fairy house using small branches, leaves, sand, seashells, and pine-cones. A thick paste helped to mount all the objects and secure everything in place.

We planted these outside by our garden which again attracted visiting fairies and pixie dust.

These projects incorporate nature and awaken the imagination and are perfect for the little fairies in your life!

Shamrock Cheer...

St. Patrick's day is fast approaching so over the weekend the kids and I made some cards to send to loved ones near and far, Irish and not! We needed to use supplies from around the house so I decided to take a few clovers from the Oxalis plant which has served as our kitchen centerpiece this month. The kids arranged the petals (face up) on card stock, which was placed on top of a thick book which served as our work surface. We laid wax paper over the paper and petals then the older boys took turns hammering the leaves all the way to to the edge to ensure that the green pigment from the petals fully transferred onto the card stock.

The kids then removed the wax paper and peeled back the clover petals to reveal the shamrock prints!

We have tried this transfer before with fresh flowers and often the pressed (or hammered) leaves and petals look so nice affixed to the paper that this becomes the final step.