If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I've been whining about being sick. Despite feeling like death on a stick, I've been really productive. Working has been a distraction from feeling terrible. (Don't worry, I'm feeling positively perky today.)
One of the things that popped off my work table was a collection of little fairy tins.
There's not much to these cuties. They're made with "Fairie Dust", inexpensive clear topped tins, a whole lot of fussy cutting.
I started by fiddling around with just one wee tin... then quickly went through the entire half dozen I had on hand.
I got so carried away I even made a tutorial so that you can join me in my madness. My voice is pathetic because I'm sick, and the lighting is horrendous because I really didn't plan on making a tutorial for these, but the How-To vid can be found over HERE.
You can absolutely make these with any tin or box. The tutorial gives a technique for covering an object with curved edges.
And remember, if you're feeling inspired and make your own, please tag me! I really appreciate the shout out, and I absolutely love to see the things you make. xoxo
Not all sticks are plain old twigs. Some are faerie wands hidden in plain sight! (I've mentioned this before)
I happened across a fair number of wands this weekend. I'm sure the weather has the wee folk a little more fumbly and droppity than usual.
With the plethora of wands scattered about, I thought I'd share some thoughts on embellishing wild faerie wands.
There are a number of things to consider when encouraging the wand to reveal it's magical nature.
The type of tree the wand is from is the biggest determining factor to the type of magic that the wand will best preform. Here are some simple examples:
Locust (above): protection
Apple: fertility Oak: truth and knowledge
Willow: emotion
Ash: wisdom
Cedar: cleansing
A quick google search for "magical properties of wood" will lead you to a wealth of information on the subject.
Charms can add to the magical purpose too! A key might be helpful for magic that opens the way to you. I think that acorn caps, buttons and found objects hold a great deal of magic in them. You could also sew beads and gems to those magical wands.
You might carve and shape your wand. Whittle a point, or carve patterns or symbols into the bark.
Colour can add to the magic too! Again, a little research will provide you with a lot of information on colour and magical associations... but don't neglect your intuition*. Faeries in your particular region may have a very different opinion of the colour yellow than the faeries in my back garden.
For a little more 'how-to' I've made a little video. Hop over to youtube and give it a gander...
*I have always read that faeries love milk. That leaving a small dish would be an appropriate offering. Mine HATE milk! The last time I left them some they turned all the milk in the house sour. So trust your experience over what some silly website says... even this one.
I've used paper from Lemoncraft, but you could use any paper you love and make this project entirely suited to your own tastes.
Inside, I've used more elements from the Altoids Inserts Fairy Tale Frames. Behind the frame I've layered elements and images to give a dimentional effect.
This project is pretty dang cute and fairly easy to recreate, but I've made a demonstration video with some pointers that you might find useful.
Ready to make your own? Here's all the baubles and doodads you'll need:
When I was a little girl, my Christmas stocking was always placed at the bottom of my bed. I'd wake up super duper early on Christmas morning and find a sock full of treats waiting for me. I'm sure this pleased my mother, as it gave her some extra sleep while I pillaged the stocking goodies.
I am CERTAIN that fairies celebrate Christmas too. (In fact, fairies love celebrating so much, I'm sure that they partake in every possible holiday!) I wanted to give my fairies the same Christmas experience so, I've made my house fairies some little beds to get tucked into on Christmas eve. I've used a Gypsy Soul Mission Style Bed and a Standard Bed. I've addedLeafy Corners to the Standard Bed as decorative accents.
The linens have been made from an old cotton pillowcase and the bedding is chopped from discarded sweaters. They are quite the cozy little things!
I've also used the Christmas Shape Set to add a stocking to the end of the bed. I've dusted one with glitter and added a fuzzy trim... but if you want to get extra fancy, use the cutout as a template and cut 2 shapes out of felt. Glue the edge together and you'll have made a cute little stocking you can put the tiniest of treats inside!
Now my fairies will be tucked safely into drawers and cupboards, no-so-patiently waiting for Santa's arrival. If you want to create your own wee beds, HEREisa video showing just how I put these cuties together.
That line is from my favourite Shakespeare play, A Midsummer Nights Dream. It's the inspiration for my project for Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts this month, A Midsummer Faerie Theatre, perfectly timed for the upcoming summer solstice (in the Northern hemisphere anyway).
I haven't used glitter in the past couple of projects fir Gypsy Soul *gasps!* so I made up for it on this one. Even my little Titania, Queen of the Faeries, has glitter encrusted on her wings. The image I've used here is from The Graphics Fairy, which is an excellent source of quality free images btw.
Inside the chipboard Stagethere are glittery branches, moss, flowers, leaves, toadstools... all the good stuff.
This month Gypsy Soul is pairing with Altered Pages, who supplied us with these Muse Dragonfly rubber stamps. Now, I've got to be honest, I am not a stamper. I rarely use stamps so including them was a challenge for me. I've stamped the image on to thick card, cut out, then applied some gold embossing powder to the body of the dragon and damselflies. They're finished off with some glitter and tucked into those sparkly branches.
Gypsy Soul is also partnered with Xyron and I used their 3" Sticker Maker to not only add the trims you see on the piece, but also as an adhesive to apply embossing powder to the top bunting and moon.
If you'd like to see how this piece came together there's a video walk though of it's creation HERE
Thinking of making your own version? Here's a round up of all the supplies used:
The past few days have been exhausting in the very best way. I've been busy, working and tinkering, yanking weeds, putting laundry on the line. My minutes have become precious. But there's something to be said for being tired at the end of the day. There's a sort of goodness in weary feet.
Yesterday morning I discovered a gang of stone goblins beneath the shrubbery. By dusk more wee folk revealed themselves. A little village of pixie cottages popped up between the trunks of the maple and locust trees in front of the house.
I'm sure they think they are clever with their polka dotted roofs, hiding near the toadstools.
And they are rather clever! They've picked a spot where they will be protected by the elements but able to spy on all of our visitors. They've tidied their little plot neatly and have even done a little landscaping. I'm sure they will be fine neighbours.
I'm excited to share a lacy project for Tresors de Luxe with you. Today, a frosty winter fairy dress.
I drafted a simple dress form from paper for this piece and added sheer fabrics and lace. Tucked beneath the front layer the edging is trimmed with this 1" Ivory Lace Trim, and the top layer of organza is edged with this 3" Ivory Lace Trim.
The bodice was created with pieces from this White Lace Trim and Gold Lace Applique. The parts of the deconstructed gold applique have been used on the skirting of the frock.
Some pretty little flowers, acrylic snowflakes and set of fairy wings complete this piece and really add an extra dash of magic to this charming little lacy frock.
We hoard books like crazy in the Pixie household. They are tucked into every cranny. It's not surprising that miniature versions should frequently make their way into my work.
I've been making little books for a very long while. Years even!
I love the challenge of going smaller and smaller...
...while still being able to open them up and turn the pages.
There's something extra magical about being able to interact with those little things. When children pick up my little books the skepticism in their eyes turns into a flash of delight when discover they can open the cover and flip through the pages.
Anyway, after years of keeping it all to myself, I've decided to offer my book making technique with a PDF tutorial available in my etsy shop. I'm not gonna lie, it's a bit of a long process... but you end up with books that are pretty dang sturdy. I've left books in my pocket, put them through the wash, and they've come out the other end fully intact.
Instead of a template, the download shows you HOW to make the books so that you can add your own splash of magic and create them in whatever size or shape you like. Quick as can be you'll have an entire fairy library in no time at all.
You can find the listing HERE... and, don't tell anyone, but there's a little bonus project included too ;)
I am fortunate to have a good relationship with the fair folk. It is a relationship built on respect and deference. A relationship that has spanned years and across miles.
These little fossilised footprints appeared in my studio a while ago but I've been hesitant about posting them.
An old fairy nudged me tonight and whispered in my ear, "When are you going to show them off? When will you show off what we have done?!" I sighed and told him that I was reluctant. I explained that I didn't want people to steal our work, our ideas, and call them their own, but that it made me sad not to share what we created together.
"I see." He frowned, scratched his whiskered chin, then winked at me. "We will cloak our work in fairy magic. A blessing to some, a curse to others. That is the way of the little people."
And so it was done, a fairy blessing and a fairy curse upon our makings.
Those who share the magic freely with their friends as gifts or tokens of affection, with respect and reverence, will be blessed with a stroke of fairy luck.
But those with greedy hearts, filled with insolence and laziness, seeking profit which is not their due, will mark themselves with the black stoke of misfortune and fairy havoc.
Let's hope there are blessings a-plenty and few (if any!) cursed by fairy mischief.
Fairy footprint fossils are available in five different sizes ranging from 1.25" to 3" and are listed HERE.
** Please read to the bottom of this post for answers to common questions. Or visit THIS PAGE. **
Gina's Designs Laser Cuts has a brand new name: Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts and I have a brand new tutorial for you!
I was sort of hesitiant about using this as a design team project because it's so easy and requires just a few simple supplies... but it's soooo stinkin' cute!
Fairy lanterns! Now, anyone who has experience with real fairies knows that it is not a good idea to stuff them into jars. They will pinch and nip and basically make your life unpleasant if you treat them rudely. These jars are a fairy friendly alternative. Perfectly dreamy as a little nightlight, or magical accent.
Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts carries the Garden Fairy cutouts in three different sizes so you can create a variety of lanterns in an assortment of jars. And if fairies aren't your thing... well, there's always baby dragons from the Dragons Shape Set, floral elements, or whatever suits your fancy!
The tutorial can be found HERE on my YouTube channel (and below), but here are a few tips:
• Sticking the figures directly on the glass (generally) yields better, more detailed results
• Use two or three battery powered tea lights. More light = stronger silhouette effect.
• Take care how many layers of paper you use, how much overlap there is. (A little is ok.)
• Use thinner school glue for the paper and thicker tacky glue for the glitter
• DO NOT use real candles inside
Finally, the supply list:
• Gypsy Soul Garden Fairy cutouts
• Glass jam jars with lids
• Thin tissue paper
• White school glue
• Quality white glue
• Clear glitter
• Twine
• Floral embellishments (THESE sugared blooms from Petaloo are gorgeous)
• Battery powered tealights or led string lights
NOTE: Please DO make for friends, as gifts, as a group project but remember that making them commercially (including teaching as a paid class) is not permitted.
2. YES she does ship internationally.International customers might want to try placing an order via Alpha Stamps HERE. I also have a few listed in my etsy shop HERE.
3. The size you buy would depend on the size of the jar you are using. If using a pint sized canning jar small or medium is probably a safe bet.
4. "Can I use/do/change x,y,z ?" Give it a try! Experimenting is part of the fun of making.
5. DO NOT use real candles. Safety first!
6. NO, selling replicas of this project is NOT permitted. Seriously, just be inspired, add your own style and vision, and create your own version of a fairy lantern. If you are selling handmade you should be selling YOUR ideas and style, not mine. Think of it this way, you wouldn't copy a book word for word... don't carbon copy this project. For fun? Make as many as you like. For profit? Make your own version.
Note: I am not the owner of Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts or Alpha Stamps. They send me products, I use them in my work, that is all. If you have a question about ordering products, please direct them to the company you are ordering from.
I altered this cute House Shrine Boxfor a colour challenge that I totally missed the deadline for.
I used to be terrified of colour but plowed through that wall. Now, I'm trying to consciously add texture to my pieces. This piece is chocked with textured elements.
Here's the texture of the walls of this wee house. I've layered Cardstock Doily Set Intricates, painted them white and then added a smidge of colour with some ColourArte silks and H20's. I'm pretty smitten with the way it turned out.
For the roof I used sturdier chipboard pieces. There are some Feathery Flourishes(quickly becoming one of my favourite embellishments!) and Steampunk Fan blades. Again I painted them white and added some colour with ColourArte products.
The piece is finished off with some super cute Water Dew Drops from The Robins Nest, handmade ladybugs, a sweet winged vintage girlie and more. Here's the whole supply list kit-and-kaboodle.
