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Fairy Garden Cottage: Apply Within

If you talk to any realtor, they’ll say this cottage is move-in ready.

  • Friends and fairies will love this exclusive home, tucked among the ferns
  • Freshly painted inside and out
  • Brand new green roof
  • Window treatments included
  • Stone facade so *no one* can blow your house down

Here’s the scoop.  My teenage son, a huge Halloween fan, loved creating a ‘spooky village’ when he was young. Over the years, we purchased foam crafting kits, balsa wood trees and this cute little house pictured below.

fairy house halloween

He painted the house black and grey and affixed ‘haunted house’ decor. The house went on display in his room for the month of October, along with the other assembled kits.  Then as quickly as it began, it ended.  Last year he said, “You’re free to get rid of it all, Mom.”

The foam houses made it into the shrubs at Halloween providing hide and seek entertainment for the day-care kids next door.  I couldn’t bring myself to toss the house, though.  Where he saw trash, I saw potential.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been rehabbing the balsa house, taking it from spooky to kooky, fairy style.  My hands are a wreck from all the painting and glueing, but my heart is happy and whole.  I’d forgotten how relaxing this creative process is.

Three coats of paint

Three coats of paint

While waiting for layers of paint to dry, I looked at cottages on the net. I liked the idea of a thatched roof and a stone facade. It would be fun to add a small window box  too.

As always, I try using the materials at hand. I like the challenge. Some of the building materials came from the garden. I pulled the rest from “the drawer,” that special place in the kitchen where items of interest lie in wait.

Fairy house remodel

Fairy house remodel

First up, some trim from an old pair of sandals. They were the perfect size for the pitched roof. In the center is a bottle cap, layered with an amber gem. The gem and the curtain lace were once wrapped around a gift from Boomdee. Next, I glued tiny pebbles to the facade and added a front door. I fashioned a door from the outer bark of a sword fern. The tiny handle is a seed.

Using a small scrap of paper and some double-sided tape I made quick work of the planter box. All it needed was a few snips of purple Statice and a window to call its own. Dried moss keeps the house warm and dry. Liberal use of glitter adds the sparkle that fairies know and love.

Please pop in tomorrow for the full reveal: the fairy house is move-in ready, with all sorts of little extras to make a house a home.

20 thoughts on “Fairy Garden Cottage: Apply Within”

  3. Fairies always have a special part in my heart, so I know that they will love this, Alys. I can’t wait to see what other wonderful, recycled treats you have created for them.

    BTW, I am still getting organised to send those books. I hope they will go off today. 🙂

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    • Anne, thanks so much for sending the books. You are the bee’s knees!

      I’m happy to hear that you, too have a soft spot for fairies. I love creating miniature venues, then changing them up for the seasons.

      xox

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  4. 🙂 Beautiful, just beautiful!! The garden fairies will be lining up to move in – I imagine they will come up with some kind of time-share plan so no fairy misses out.

    This is my kind of up-cycle, do-over and make-over. Making use of contents from the very useful drawer, received gifts and general old stuff that once used to get tossed out. The fairies are going to be just thrilled to pieces, your son will be [maybe secretly?] happy that his old work of art has been recycled, and you get to feel good too – win-win-win situation!! xoxo

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    • Thank you so much, Pauline! You made me smile with glee.

      I think your time-share plan is brilliant. Given their ethereal nature, I’m sure the fairies will figure it out.

      I had so much fun with this, that I was trying to think of a way to hold a class for kids. I’m probably being too ambitious, since I don’t have that kind of time right now, but perhaps one day. I like the idea of combining youthful imagination with gardening and crafts all in one.

      xoxo

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      • Me too! I think you would do it very well too – but my goodness the organisation involved! But I forget who I am talking too, of course, this is your forte any how – so all is well! 🙂

        I used to build a ‘four elements’ garden with my own children and my younger classes every Christmas back in the day – it was a phenomenal undertaking but absolutely worth the effort!

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  5. I think Pauline had the ticket to do a time share. Makes me wish I were a Fairie so I could check in. It is fun to play and create like that. Looking forward to tomorrows open house. 🙂

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  6. I bet you M was pretty surprised to see his old Halloween house look so cute and whimsical. You really are the queen of recycling. I’d never think of using old sandal parts. You just have a special way of re-imagining what others (me) would overlook. I also like the moss on the roof, every forest dweller would certainly appreciate that. I wonder if Mighty Mouse will pay a visit once the home is placed in it’s new locale? I hope so. Can’t wait to see it in the garden. Hope the snails don’t move in. xoK

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    • He wasn’t sure I could pretty it up enough, but I involved him in some of the decisions, and I think he is pleased with the results.

      I’m glad you like it. It was fun putting it together. You flatter me, but honestly, many people would think using old sandals a bit weird.

      Mouse is busy trying to stay cool this week. He keeps moving from spot to spot on the cool concrete or he comes indoors and sits under the fan. We’re expecting 100F tomorrow. It’s 93F right now at 5:00. Ugh!

      LOL on the snails. Nothing tasty in the fairy garden, so I think we’re safe. xox

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      • Snap, that’s too hot for kitties, gardens and you. I’m sorry to hear that. I would melt for sure. Ugh is right. We had dinner on the patio tonight. It was 18 C or 64 F and we thought that was perfect. xo

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