This total cost of this project was approximately $10…..not counting trinkets and paint I had on hand already. An inexpensive and endless possibility project for a large range of ages. We purchased the mini birdhouses from Michael’s craft store for $1 each!
Update: The little fairies are from Disney. There are several different sets you can get from Amazon, Target, Toys R Us or Disney.
Boo and I had so much fun this weekend turning these inexpensive mini birdhouses……
….into a realistic neighborhood for her tiny fairy dolls:
I couldn’t resist adding the tiniest of details like a “welcome” sign:
Potted plants:
Copper accents:
Vintage stamp bunting:
A clock made from old watch parts and a tiny twig ladder:
The first step was to cut open the birdhouse holes to make larger doors. I marked the opening with a pencil first:
I used a small electric saw but you could also use a hand saw. Don’t have a saw? This wood is so lightweight you could cut through it with a serrated knife as well with a little more work……or just ask a neighbor!
I carefully cut out my door opening:
…..and the bottom of the door opening will pop right out:
Use a file or sand paper to smooth the edges:
The new houses:
I spray painted the houses different colors:
For the mushroom house, I painted the base color of off white first and then cut small circles out of adhesive shelf paper to block a coat of red spray paint:
I had some small watch parts on hand from Silver Crow Creations and I used them to make a realistic clock:
Tiny letter stamps and part of a popsicle stick…..
Note: Micheal’s also has a ton of these tiny letter stamps in the dollar bin section! ($1 for 26 stamps….in many fonts!)
…..made a perfect sign for Tinkerbell’s new house:
Boo helped me glue some silk plant leaves to the roof of one of the buildings:
I used a hot glue gun to add some bark to another roof:
Copper adhesive tape (from the craft store) was added as an accent:
……as well as some copper hinges (from the scrapbook section of the craft store):
Some small twigs and a some hemp twine made perfect ladder:
Boo painted some small wooden pots (from the wood hobby section of the craft store):
…..and we filled them with silk flowers. I filled the bottom with hot glue to keep the flowers in place:
A few vintage stamps and an airmail envelope……
…..made some mini bunting:
Mr. LBB helped out by spray painting a plastic tub dark brown……
……and filling it with dirt, bark and plants. Our friends Walker and Amy sent us a beautiful pot of these mixed houseplants for my father’s memorial…..and they were the perfect little forest setting:
The fun part is you can add to it all summer long! Use an existing garden to make a huge fairy village. Michael’s has a bunch of intricate birdhouses of the same scale in their clearance section right now….pirate ships, temples etc. It would be a great project for so many different ages. You could tailor it to a boys liking too for lego people!
Tinkerbell in her new house:
Fawn in the town square:
Silvermist at the clock tower:
Hours of entertainment:
I love miniature. I could go on forever. Try to visualize what you would reuse around the house if you were “fairy” sized:
Make a mini pond with a jar lid.
Paint mini wood plates and milk bottles.
Add in thimbles for buckets and trash cans.
Pennies or broken tile bits for stepping stones.
A small stamp for artwork or a poster.
Popsicle sticks and toothpicks for signs.
Wine corks cut in half for stools.
Small beads and trinkets hung from plants for wind chimes.
So cute!!!
Genuis. Thanks for the wonderful idea.
I love this idea! Have been toying the idea of trying my hand at a plushie version – this is so cute! Straight from Tinkerbell at the Great Fairy Rescue 🙂
My boys love painting those $1 birdhouses!
You are such a fun mom! We recently made a little beach terrarium, but THIS is way fun! 🙂 You’re right, the possibilities are endless!
Love this!!! Where did you get your fairies? So cute – thank you for sharing!!!
Would love to find the fairies too.
So cute Ashley! I’ve been looking for an inexpensive way to do this. I love it! Do you think a few layers of varnish would make them weather-proof??
This is so adorable. I need something to get my kids into gardening. Good one. Have you considered putting a search on your site? Take Care.
This is something I have been wanting to do…thanks for the detailed how to and additional ideas. This is on our to do list for this week! Looks like so much fun! I know my daughter will love it!
Fantastic! I have been collecting stuff from the dollar store and thrift store to make natural fairy gardens in saucers with my kids this summer…we’re going to use cinnamon sticks, moss, river pebbles…but now we might have to add some manmade stuff as this is too cute!!
where did you find your little fairies? This is so adorable!!
I’d like to know that too – it’s just the perfect project for my nieces, age 6 & 7
This is too cute for words! You are so creative and talented. I am always inspired when I visit.
Wow, those are so dang cute! My girls and I were going to paint bird houses this week and now you’ve given me a whole lot more inspiration on what to do with them 🙂 Thanks!
OOOHHH WOWWW You are absolutely the most creative and inspiring mom of all time! These miniature homes are perfect for so many things! I can’t wait to use them with the handcrafted fairies from a Waldorf-inspired book called “Felt Wee Folk: Enchanting Projects”. Find it at Amazon.
A big thank you for all you are doing, all the time it takes to get these crafts on your blog and helping the rest of us find creative outlets that don’t overwhelm. I’ve spent like 8 hours here today just soaking it up, writing stuff down and printing a gazillion pages.
thanks so much for sharing this! i’m starting this project today…i saw some birdhouses at home depot too!
AMAZING! What a great idea.
I must make this!
Oh, how perfect! We have several of the mini birdhouses and two of the fancier ones, some painted already and some not. My daughter (age 5) is madly in love with fairies and gnomes, and we were going to add them to our ever-growing fairy garden. Yours blows me away, and what a great idea to open up the doors like that! Now why didn’t I think of that!? Thank you for all the inspiration!
ashley – this is sooooo amazing! YOU are amazing girlfriend!! Going to attempt this one of these days! love the donut necklaces too and the inspiration behind it , LOL!
Ashley! This is absolutely ADORABLE!!! I love it! I’ll definitely be making one with Taylor. And I love that you added plants that were given to you at your Dad’s memorial. It’s like a little piece of your Dad is in that garden. (((Hugs)))
SO cute! Your creativity is endless!
My daughter went to spend the night at her friends house last night and while she was gone one of my sons and I spent a few hours making her a fairytale village 🙂 This was such a great idea! Mia has been playing with her fairytale village for almost 2hrs now! She was so excited and amazed. It made her super happy and my son and I had a blast making it for her! Thanks for sharing!!
Ashley – Thanks again for the inspiration to make one of these for my daughter! We made one today and I wanted to share the link. You can check it out, here:
http://www.acraftymomslife.blogspot.com/2011/06/fairy-garden-mini-tutorial.html We had so much fun! What a great way to spend a Saturday. 🙂
well, my goodness! how cute! i just found your blog through pinterest! i love, love this idea! i will be making one for my cutie! and to tell you the truth, i will probably copy every little detail! thanks for sharing! i am off to look around!
Inspired by your terrific idea…I made one for my daughter. Thanks for the inspiration and idea.
Oh my… I’m speechless… this is magic at its best!!! How enchanted your little one looks making these fairy houses with you. They are utterly beautiful!!! I’m out and about now but I can’t wait to get home to show Kitty your delightful creations 🙂
Thanks sooooo much for sharing.
Blessings and magic,
Donni
Love your fairy garden! Your banner is my favorite. I just recently made my first fairy garden for a friends little girls birthday and bought her those disney fairies to go with it also! She loved it! I entered the fairy garden competition too. Good luck to you 🙂
Oh my goodness. That is so adorable! My girls would have a blast making that! Thanks for the tutorial!
Wow, this is darling! Each element is so creative. I followed you here from The magic Onions. Good luck to you!
So cute. I have some of these bird houses waiting to become Gnome Homes. Love how you cut out the doors.
Marvelous tutorials on the birdhouse ornaments. They are so detailed and you made each one unique! Loved your blog, I’m sure I’ll be back.
I found you through Pinterest. I love love love this idea and your project came out really beautiful. In fact, you have inspired me. I am going to Michaels today!
Blessings, Joanne
Now I have a great rainy Saturday afternoon project! Soooo cute! And I can use found objects in my craft room! Thanks for the cleverest idea I have seen in a long time.
I can’t find these in the uk 🙁
Amazing!!!! Wonderful work! Thanks for sharing!