Mrs Pickle's Pumpkin House

There are many different types of fairies. Most of them are quite cheeky. Some of them are fairly dastardly. And others still are of the helpful variety. This is the home of Mrs. Pickle, a helpful house fairy.

Her pumpkin is quite cheery, with flowers and moss and butterflies too.

This plate appears above the entrance. I think it must be her lucky number.

 There is a bright window that the sun streams through in the morning.

Inside is everything she needs to help the household she chooses to assist.

Don't think for a second that fairies will help just anyone. 

Even the nicest fairies are picky and particular.

If you're very fortunate one might choose you! They'll help with the gardening.

Mrs. Pickle keeps meticulous notes about the what has and has not been done. Today is dusting day... which is actually the opposite when a fairy does it. Fairies distribute it rather than sweep it up.

She also mends small holes and snags and replaces buttons you didn't even know you lost.

She's an accomplished laundress too. Her stain removal skills are second to none!

And all she requires in return is to be left to her own devices...

and an occasional thimble of sweet wine and jam.

Mrs Pickle's Pumpkin House is listed HERE

Supplies and notes for Mrs Pickles Pumpkin:

Small foam pumpkin from Michael's
Wooden window (HUGE pain to add to the curved surface)
Flower Soft - Sweet Pea
Mini Rose Buds - Ivory*
Mini Rose Buds - Medium Pink*
Moss
Snail shell
Acorn
Handmade toadstools
Faux foilage
Bark (used for interior floor... will NEVER use again. Totally uneven!)
English Fairy Garden Collage Sheet
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Word Bands - Incantation
Prima Marketing Junkyard Findings Water Pipe Parts
Mini Ceramic Garden Gnome Beads (not exactly what I used, but close)
Miniature Milk Bottles in Crate
Miniature Table & Chairs Set*
Miniature Metal Wash Tub
Iridescent Glass Spheres (used with Diamond Glaze to create bubbly wash water)
Coal Scuttle Set
Black Parlour Stove
Fancy Bronze Mirror Frame Setting
25x18mm Plastic Mirror
Orange Pumpkin Teapot
Miniature Vintage Sewing Machine
Silver-Plated Spoon
Pennies
Thimbles
Spools
Pins
Glitter
Small vial
Paperclay
Paint
Love
Magic

Fairy Apothecary

Just a little project for fun. Something to spark a little magic... fairy magic of course.
A fairy apothecary to cure all that ails you.

Just a little wooden printers tray, painted white, covered with vintage papers, and distressed.

Then vials and bottles and more vials are labelled, filled and slipped into place. 

There's all sorts of fairy magic tucked into that tray.

Old buttons and snail shells are especially potent.

Old buttons hold some of the oldest and most sacred magic! 

One small button contains exactly the same amount to magic as a firefly.
Hard to believe, but it's true. 

Everyone knows that fairy tea can cure everything from exhaustion, to vexation and befuddlement.

Sweet dreams and fairy dust, dragon soot and gnome whiskers, those little shelves are well stocked.

Small print tray

Vintage paper

Vintage stamps

Old buttons

Snail shells

*NEW* Fairy Apothecary Collage Sheet

English Fairy Garden Collage Sheet 

Fairy Dust Collage Sheet

Various glass bottles and vials

Bronze Teacup & Saucer Charms

Silver-Plated Spoon

Once upon a time under the sea...

Once upon a time a gentleman dove deep, deep, deep under the sea.

Where he met his true love.

Her frock covered all of her mermaiden parts so he did not know if she she had a swishy fishy tale beneath her skirts. And she refused to show him. She was a lady after all!

They married under the sea horse arch with glittery shells and baubles.

They stood beneath a lucky star fish.

They lived happily ever after and he never once revealed what was hidden beneath that frock!

Want to tell a tale of underwater love? Here's the list of bits lovely people!

Arched Shrine Shadowbox

Gold Dresden Shell Border Strips

Life In Color Discovery Scrapbook Paper

Orange Petals & Wood Planks Scrapbook Paper

Mini Steampunk Seahorse - Set of 2

Seashells in Plastic Tins

1mm Micro Beads - Clear AB*

1/2 Inch Bronze Starfish Charms

UPDATE: Such a response to my underwater lovers! 

The gentleman diver is actually William Walker. He was a deep sea diver who helped to save Winchester Cathedral from collapse. He went underwater to work on the foundation of the Cathedral for 6 years! You can read more about that story HERE. A quick search will turn up plenty of photos of him.

Our merlady is a bit more of a mystery. She is one of two ladies pictured in the 1870's tin type photograph below. I'm not sure of the original source of the image or who the lovely ladies are. If you stumble on the info, please let me know!

Full of Love Moon Shrine

A little sparkly moon shrine leapt off my work table last night.

This happy fellow is available in my etsy shop HERE.

Jewelry Box Before and After

I believe I spent a whopping $3.99 on this beauty.

I had thought to paint something magnificent on it. Sparrows, skulls, a Ouija board, something arty farty perhaps. But those scalloped edges just kept saying "nope!" to all my ideas.

But I like what happened. It's pretty and shabby and is a perfect match for my not-at-all-precious jewels.

The papers are all from this Architextures 8x8 Paper Pad. I did have to piece it together... but I think that kinds of adds to the vintage, shabby charm.



The hardware I just removed, slapped on a coat of white paint, and sloppily wiped when dry. The paint will continue to wear as I use the drawers, and that's a good thing!

Anyway, I'm glad to have somewhere pretty for my macaroni necklaces.

Hope you're dandy darlings!

A Wee Potting Bench

Hey look! A new project! You're shocked, I know,

I've been puttering with this gardening table/potting bench for a while and finally wrapped it up. It's cute, no?

There's loads of wee pots with sprouts...

Some toadstools growing below...

And birdhouses ready to hang in the garden. Can you spy the tiniest mouse ever?

It's just a sweet little project. A slice of miniature summer. (That 'soil' is spent coffee grounds and tealeaves btw.)

Here are some of the supplies I used in this piece.

Tiny Bird Box
Tiny Bird House
Workshop Table 1:12
Mini Gardening Hand Tools 

Or you can buy the wee thing I made HERE

More cheery bits

I'm still rotten.

I think I'm hovering around rock bottom at the moment. BUT this quote from JK Rowling has always struck a chord with me:

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”

And even though things seem to be a steaming pile of awful at the moment, I know I'll be fine.

ANYWAY, here are a few more cheery mixed media things for you to gander at. 

I hope you have a beautiful day.