Preserving Dandelion Clocks

Dandelion clocks (always wondered what they were called in the fluff ball stage ~ just found out it's clocks!) tend to remind me of a Dr. Seuss creation.  There is something so irresistible about gathering them up to blow their wishes free. Their ethereal seeds looking like floating fairies dancing in the sky. 

My girls love doing blowing (what they call) "sister wishes" and watching as their wishes drift together in the sky.

I was thinking how neat it would be if we could preserve the dandelion in its fleeting, fragile, fluff ball stage. I loved the idea of having them around all year, keeping the spirit of spring with us and couldn't  help but picture them as fairy trees in a fairy garden.

To preserve dandelion clocks you will need:

thin twigs or dried flower stems

glue

glitter (optional but oh so pretty!)

hairspray

scissors

To begin:

Gather up your supplies and helpers and head to your favorite dandelion filled space.

Mist your dandelion clock with hairspray.

While it is still damp, shake on some glitter.

Allow it to dry in the breeze for a few minutes.

(Wish the glitter showed up better! It really is quite magical)

Gather up the clocks you have sprayed, glittered and allowed to dry.

Cut off the fluff ball top off its stem.

Place a dollop of glue at the end of your twig and attach it to your dandelion head.

There you have it. So simple! So pretty.

Once we completed a few fluff ball trees, we decided they were perfect for the fairies.

Into the fairy garden they went.

They seemed like a perfect fit. What do you think?

I am happy to share that these dandelion trees held up for a very long time. It is wonderful that something so delicate and temporary, can be around for us to appreciate all that much longer. 

Dandelion wishes to you, 

Toadstool Fairy House

We always seem to have our toadstool radar on {dreaming up toadstool crafts}.

Inspired by my co-bloggers toadstools for the garden, I wondered if I could use a smaller wooden bowl and create a wee toadstool cottage! 

With some fairy guidance it all came together. 

Seeing perhaps an entire fairy village of these for them to frolick and dwell in!

To create you will need:

small wooden bowl

large toilet paper roll (or if you can't find an large one like this, a container would work)

red & white paint

bits of nature to embellish (we used moss, baby's breath, birch bark and pussy willows)

paint brush

glue

To begin:

Paint your bowl with a couple coats of red paint let it dry fully.

With a small paint brush add your toadstool spots.

Take your toilet paper roll and paint it white.

Then, cut your door shape out of birch bark.

Add on a little acorn cap for the handle and pussy willows if you are inspired.

Glue your door on and add your moss.

We tucked some baby's breath into the moss ~ couldn't resist adding the perfect fairy flower!

Fairy goodness complete!

Fairies

Did you ever hear
Of the frolic fairies dear?

They're a blessed little race,
Peeping up in fancy's face,

In the valley, on the hill,
By the fountain and the rill;

Laughing out between the leaves
That the loving summer weaves.
Frances Sargent Osgood

Our little fairy cottage now lies nestled in the "mountainous region" of our back yard to await the fairies.

Fairy Blessings to All,

Birch Bark Fairy House

A little love for the fairies...

home sweet home.

Here is a simple way to create a fairy house for your fairy garden, nature table or for play in the home.

To make one you will need

birch bark 

pine cone

acorn cap

small jar

ever lasting flowers (optional)

glue (I used a glue gun but I think that wood glue and gentle hands would work well too)

To begin

Cut a strip of birch bark and soak it in water to soften.

Wrap it around your jar and secure with elastics. 

Leave it overnight or until dry.

Remove it from the jar and glue together to make

 the base of your home.

Cut out a circle of birch bark and then cut out a pie piece shape. The bigger the piece, the more pointed your roof will be.

Glue the opening back together and you have a roof!

Cut out a door and glue your roof on.

To shingle your roof, cut a pine cone apart until you have a small pile of pine cone scales.

Glue your pine cone scales onto the roof in layers of circles.

Top it off with a acorn cap....

 and embellish with flowers if you are inspired. 

There you have it! A home for the fairies.

Now we await their arrival and hope that they enjoy their new abode.

Do you have any favorite fairy house creations? We always love new fairy inspiration!

For the love of fairies,