front porch fairy garden

At some point, I came across this lovely little fairy garden project. The first one I saw was the 2010 version on the magic onions. It had been on our list to do for a while. On a trip to Laramie to see sisters I found the furniture at my sister's toy shop and snuck them into my bag. Well, snuck them in so my children didn't see them. I didn't steal them. That wouldn't be conducive to tiny magical visitors. Then one day recently we were headed out of town and I decided to pick up some of our other supplies while we were out. Our local lumber store is good if you're into warped wood and dead plants. Again, we wanted the best chances that some three-and-a-half-inch tall friends would pay us a visit. 

Fariy garden day finally came. We invited some little friends that also very much do believe in fairies. 

My post today isn't so much a tutorial as it is just showing what we did. The brilliant magic onions blog has a whole page of fairy garden goodness if you're looking for specifics. 

Lily's garden included: table and chairs, little leaf stove, pond and little cupboard for leaving notes or gifts. Lily knows that tinker fairies love getting buttons and bits of string and other treasures to use in their inventions. 

It also has a little bed tucked in the shade. Both my kids gathered the bedding. Little knitted wrist cuff and some leaves and dried flowers. Looks very cozy. 

We indeed did have a magic visitor! Max spied the fairy dust first. The very first day Lily left a button, a piece of string and a rubber band in the cupboard. Luckily :) the fairies were able to construct a little swing with all of the supplies! Lily said they must have made that because we have one like it in the backyard and they wanted their own. Of course. 

We'd asked these friends along without much thought ahead of time but ended up having plenty to share. Pots, dirt, a couple plants and a piece of furniture or two. Perfect. Their holes are where they were going to add flowers when they got home. 

AND when I went to find the links to the magic onions blog I noted she's actually having a fairy garden contest this year. And it's still open. So why not add us to the list? You still have a week to join in too!

fairy garden contest 2012