Fairies like homes made of natural items from acorns to flowers. However, the flight of imagination can go beyond these items in creating fairy houses. Let’s explore the fun craft of fairy houses.

Steps

1. Explore other fairy houses.

Search online for images of fairy houses. Keep notes of items used in their construction that you would like to have in your own fairy house. Save a bookmark of the sites you are especially interested in, create a PDF of the page or save your ideas for reference as you work through the steps.

2. Home inclusions.

Fairy houses include furnishings, just like any other home. You’ll mainly see natural items such as pine cones, stones and twigs used for furnishings. Note any you’d like to include in your own fairy house as you look through images on the Web. You may also be interested in decorative items for your fairy house, so keep track of those as well.

3. Other design ideas.

If you’re not inspired by looking at other fairy houses, look at real houses. Use the basic structure for your own creations. Sketch out your ideas so you can start acquiring materials.

4. Outdoors or indoors.

Before you begin building, you need to ask yourself if you want your fairy house indoors or outdoors. Outdoors houses tend to be completely of natural materials. Indoors versions are more lax and may include some non-natural items.

5. Plan a field trip.

You’ll need to start collecting materials. With your ideas and decision on where you want to place your fairy house, collect items that fit your imagination.

If you’re taking kids with you, plan extra time. Remember younger kids will have a shorter attention span while older kids may wish to collect items and build their house NOW! Make this decision together before you start.

6. Just for boys.

Some boys will not like the idea of building houses for fairies. Instead, build your houses for gnomes or elves. A simple change of phrase will take away the “girly” element. This project incorporates imagination, building skills and creativity which benefits both girls and boys.

7. Plan for safety.

Wood glue, hot glue and nails can all be used for assembling – make sure you take all safety precautions with these materials. If you plan on allowing kids to help, make sure you explain safety of using assembly materials and tools.

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Build outdoor houses

8. Off the beaten path.

Fairy houses need to be off the main paths in forested, flowering or grassy areas. This protects them from being destroyed by people and animals travelling the path as well as helping to make the house less visible by people. After all, fairies don’t like to be where people can see them. Look for a place to build your house against a tree truck, on a small stone platform or even in an open area.

9. Up in a tree.

Sometimes branches make a great area to put a flat stone to build your house upon. Look at trees off the path that might be able to hold a fairy house. You can also take a birdhouse or bird feeder and decorate it for fairies. Brainstorm various ways you might put a fairy house in a tree.

10. Small areas.

You can create fairy houses even in small areas. A planter can be utilized as a place to put your house. Seeds can be planted so that they frame the house. Diminutive plants and mosses are good choices to add green without a lot of bulk. Planters can be used outdoors or indoors.

11. More pots and other starts.

You can dig outside and put a pot on its side, filling it up partially with dirt, to create a fairy house. Pots are more likely to withstand the elements. Perhaps a stepping stone would be a better base if you plan to incorporate non-natural items that need a flat surface to sit upon. What other items could you use to start a fairy house?

12. Fairy gardens.

If a house is not enough, try a fairy garden. Design your own garden or choose to do this as a community project. Choose bright, colorful flowers. Place a “feature item” as a focal point in your garden with a fairy circle around it. Use your imagination to bring your own fantasy to life. If you live in a part of the country where winter weather will damage any of your items, be sure to have a plan for putting them away during those months.

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Build indoor houses

13. Under glass.

Purchasing a special case for your fairy house is a good idea if you don’t want it damaged. You can also use glass enclosures you already own – from glass cake holders to entire glass cabinets. Explore glass items that could hold a fairy house. Choose one that will fit and create your masterpiece.

14. Table centerpiece.

Table centerpieces start with a flat board or tray. You can build a house . . . or even outdoor livable area . . . to place on your table. Find a suitable flat item to build your house on. Make sure to put something soft on it so it doesn’t scratch your table.

15. Transformed doll houses.

To make building your fairy house even easier, transform a doll house with altered art / mixed media techniques. Of course, you can transform other materials as well such as wooden boxes or buckets. Find something you can alter and create a design that will be fun to build. Make sure to include natural materials.

16. Fairy building blocks.

You may choose to make your house playable. Placing all the materials into a box allows the kids to build and rework the house as they see fit. Since you’re using mainly natural materials, it’s easy to take a walk and find more should the pieces wander off. Choose a container to place your materials into and create a box for building a fairy house.

17. Edible house.

Have you built a gingerbread house? Decorated really cool cakes? Look through your cookbooks and find items that can be used as materials to build a fairy house, as well as furniture. Create a fairy scene with food!

18. Recycled house.

If all you need is a structure to build upon, look at items you recycle. Old detergent bottles, milk jugs, crates or even cereal boxes can be used as the main structure to build upon it. Look around your house for items you can recycle into a fairy house.

19. My fairy house.

childparenting.about.com/od/artscraftsprojects/a/fairyhouse.htm

Create a fairy house indoors for your own little fairy. Start with a hula hoop. String ribbons, strips of fabric, etc. from the hula hoop. Add flowers and attach it to the ceiling for your fairy to play in. Feel free to adjust these items to make it more unique to your own fairy.

You can also use this as a prop for a larger event as girls are changed into fairies as they pass through this magical area.

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Furniture

20. Brainstorm.

Imagine yourself as a fairy. Picturing the materials used above for making fairy houses, think of items that fairies would find useful every day. Some may be similar to what we use like beds or hammocks for sleeping, tables, chairs, bowls, etc. Sketch out ways you could use your natural materials to create these items. Answer these questions.

• What will the fairy use it for?
• What materials will I need to build it?
• Can I find the materials I need outside?
• Do I need to buy materials?
• What tools will I need to build it?

21. Images of other’s ideas.

With your favorite search engine, look through images of fairy furniture. If any are similar to those you sketched in your brainstorming session, adjust your ideas if the photo shows is an improvement on your design.

22. Build.

Build at least one of the ideas you sketched out in the previous step. If you use glue, make sure it works with your natural materials. The scale should fit into your fairy house.

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Fairy house events

23. Party.

A party is one way to have a small group make fairy houses. Plan a small party with your choice of fairy activities including building a fairy house.

24. Group.

If you plan to have a large group participate, make sure you have extra materials on hand. A limited size area often means people will be trying to obtain the same items. If you have participants who have never built a fairy house, you may need to have instructors to help educate them or photos available for them to view. Brainstorm other things you may need for a large group versus a smaller group.

25. Money earning efforts.

Building fairy houses can be a money earning event. It also can be a supplement to selling fairy crafts, showing fairy movies, reading fairy books, etc. How might you make money from building fairy houses?

26. Extended event.

To increase attendance at a garden or park, start an extended event. Ask participants to build and photograph their fairy houses. Create a location online where everyone can share their photos and the locations so they can visit each other’s fairy houses. Let people vote on their favorites and offer a fairy prize.

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Sites to Explore

www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Faerie-Garden

www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Fairy-House

www.wikihow.com/Transform-Your-Dollhouse-Into-a-Faerie-House

ezinearticles.com/?Make-a-Fairy-Garden-For-Your-Kids-Party&id=15227

www.ehow.com/how_2272415_make-fairy-house-food.html

www.ehow.com/how_2123869_make-fairy-home-tree.html

users3.ev1.net/~mygarden/GFHAT.htm

www.fairyhouses.com/eventspage/hold-your-own-event/