Let the Fairies Dance

I really wanted to take Adelaide to the magical fairy forest that I had heard about for her birthday. It was only about 15 minutes from our home in Utah and I figured it would be the perfect little girl birthday treat for my gal. However April 3rd dawned gray and drizzly this year. You know the saying “April showers bring May flowers,” unfortunately they do not bring little girls to fairy gardens on their birthdays. So instead I decided to bring the fairy garden to her. 

The pictures I had looked up online of the fairy forest here in Utah really got my creative juices flowing. I loved the whole magical idea of it and knew that when I was a little girl a fairy garden would have blown my tiny mind. In fact it still kinda does! I went straight to Pinterest once I decided to try my hand at creating my own and found tons of wonderful inspiration. I got a lot of ideas from this blog, but especially loved the fairy teepee. I had plenty of girly scrap fabric from a diaper cover project I’d done four years earlier, when my little lady was just a baby…ahhhh how the time flies. Anyway, I knew it would be perfect for my version of the teepee. I quickly serged the edges of the fabric, grabbed five wooden skewers from my kitchen, powered up my glue gun and voila! This teepee is home to a very bohemian and free spirit fairy named Judy. Yes I named her. Don’t judge.

The cute mat inside is a potholder Naleigh made with her new weaving kit.

Once I finished serging the edges of my scrap fabric I draped it around the sewers I had arranged to be the teepee poles, tied it off at the top with a piece of kitchen twine and added a whimsical butterfly I had left over from Naleigh’s Halloween costume. I stuck the ends of the skewers into a couple of pieces of floral foam and used packaged moss from Michaels as ground cover. The floral foam keeps the teepee from sitting directly on the soil of the garden and getting wet when I water the plants.

After I made the teepee I headed to my local nursery to buy all the plants, flowers and moss my fairy garden would need. To be totally honest I don’t remember the names of the plants I got and stupidly did not right them down before tossing the information tags that come in the pots. I still have a lot to learn about gardening, it’s not my strong suit, but thankfully I have my mother who happens to be pretty well versed in all things plant. I moseyed down the aisles of the nursery and grabbed anything that struck my fancy. Then I hurried back down those same aisles putting back anything my mother said would not grow well. I ended up with a lot of beautiful color that was perfect for bringing the magic to my gardens.

Like I said, I have a lot to learn about gardening. My first attempt at planting my fairy garden was a complete and utter disaster. I decided to use a large round metal bucket I had but didn’t think to put a hole in the bottom for drainage. Then I had the brilliant idea to put left over styrofoam peanuts from a recent package in the bottom of the bucket. I thought it would save me some potting soil and lighten the load. I got the whole thing planted and decorated with the fairy accessories I had purchased on sale at Michaels and it was too cute for words. Then I went ahead and watered it…the whole thing sank like a Florida sink hole. I hung my head in shame and frustration, watched as the soil started to bubble and sink some more then quickly grabbed all my accessories before they were lost forever in the mud. After rinsing everything off I got in my car and headed back to my local nursery to get the proper pots for planting.

Stupid...
Stupid...
STUPID!!!
You'd never know this whole thing is sitting on a sink hole, until you water it of course.

Once I had the right pots and a couple more bags of soil I started again. I am nothing if not persistent! The whole process went much faster this time since I had had a practice run. The good news is that I think it turned out even better than the first! This garden belongs to a fairy named Rupert who has the most wonderful green thumb. He grows all his own produce and is completely self sufficient. I may actually be having more fun with this than my kids…

The right pot!
The right potting soil!
Magical and not going to sink into a muddy pit of despair!

The next fairy garden I built was Judy’s. I love how much the teepee comes to life among all the flowers and foliage. I still have a few more accessories to add, but I think it’s pretty fun as is. I especially love the laundry line with Judy’s pretty flower skirts adding even more color and magic. I can just imagine Judy lounging around her garden reading poetry and sipping lilac wine after she’s hung the wash to dry. Ok, I realize I’m getting a bit carried away. Again, don’t judge!

I had so much fun creating these fairy gardens and imaging the tiny magical people living in them that I think I’ll do a few more. Who knows, maybe I’ll become the crazy fairy lady!

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30 Comments

  • Kelsey

    Fairy gardens were my favorite when I was little, this is amazing!

    June 15, 2016 at 10:48 pm Reply
  • Lydia Cleis

    The packing peanuts should have worked as you thought, unless they were the kind that disolve in water. Live and learn, it turned out great anyway.

    June 16, 2016 at 12:26 am Reply
    • Katherine Heigl

      I bet they were the kind that dissolve in water, that must have been the problem! Thanks for the insight!

      June 21, 2016 at 12:36 am Reply
  • AK Blount

    What a lovely fairy garden. Well done. It’s so excited 🙂 Congratulations.

    June 16, 2016 at 7:33 am Reply
  • Reagan

    As a child I used to make fairy houses out of seashells and driftwood. Yours turned out beautiful! Where are the mushrooms from?

    June 17, 2016 at 3:58 am Reply
    • Katherine Heigl

      What a great idea! I think a beach themed fairy garden would be amazing. The mushrooms are from Michael’s. I went a little wild buying up accessories on sale there.

      June 21, 2016 at 12:36 am Reply
  • Donna Fraser-Brown

    love the fairy gardens you’ve made, they tempt me to give it a try. Great job with these can’t wait to see the next ones you design xx Any chance the girls will make some fairy gardens themselves x

    June 18, 2016 at 1:27 pm Reply
    • Katherine Heigl

      That’s the next project for sure! I have tons of cute little fairy accessories I got on sale at Michael’s that I’m planning to have the girls dream up a garden for!

      June 21, 2016 at 12:35 am Reply
  • Divya

    Katherine,
    I absolutely adore this cute little things you create for your loved ones. God Bless you and your family 🙂

    June 19, 2016 at 2:36 am Reply
  • Christy Houghton

    Beautiful garden from a fellow Utahan! What a sweet thing to do for your girls, I bet they love it. I’m just up the road in Heber and am glad you love Utah as much as I do!

    June 19, 2016 at 6:04 am Reply
    • Katherine Heigl

      Thank you so much. I am so grateful for our beautiful home in Utah and so grateful for how wonderful not only the environment is, but the people too!

      June 21, 2016 at 12:37 am Reply
  • Sonya reviczky

    Love the garden

    June 19, 2016 at 10:22 am Reply
  • Gwen

    Your fairy garden is so cute I love the little mushroom house’s.

    Congratulations on the new baby!!!!!!!!

    June 23, 2016 at 1:36 pm Reply
  • Kristen

    I’m interested in doing a fairy garden with my little girl, Kyleigh. I’ve seen the novelty fairy items at specialty garden stores but they’re not cheap. I’ll have to try Michael’s for sure. I’d definitely like to try the teepee. You make it look so easy. Thanks for the ideas!

    June 23, 2016 at 2:04 pm Reply
  • Melanie

    How funny I came across this as I’m planning my trip to Hobby Lobby – you may have just added to my list. I’m in Texas though and it’s crazy hot – may have to go the succulent or eek, fake plant route for ours to survive the summer! Thanks for the inspiration and congrats on baby – I’m pregnant with #2 ~ 28 weeks and melting here!

    June 23, 2016 at 2:37 pm Reply
    • Adrian

      Hello, this is of topic but I was wondering how u added ur picture to ur comment.

      June 23, 2016 at 3:51 pm Reply
      • keithf

        The pictures are part of the globally recognized avatar scheme, which will allow you to use a picture on numerous sites not just this one. You can find out more here: https://en.gravatar.com/ Hope that helps!

        June 23, 2016 at 3:57 pm Reply
  • Adrian

    I love this idea! And I love the fantastic journey you took us on showing us this process!! You did a wonderful job!!

    June 23, 2016 at 3:49 pm Reply
  • Christine

    I love it!!! I just started reading your blog and I must say I am quite inspired. I love the garden idea it’s perfect and I love all of the magical fairies. Keep on rocking

    June 23, 2016 at 11:58 pm Reply
  • Rachel

    I bet that she loved both of the gardens! I love the little yo-yo quilt pieces hanging on the laundry line in Judy’s yard. My favorite fairy garden book is “Gardening in Miniature”. http://amzn.to/2d4eTyG I have several of the flower fairies by Cicely Mary Barker they are precious. Have fun creating!

    June 24, 2016 at 1:31 am Reply
  • Violeta

    OMG!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!

    June 24, 2016 at 2:04 am Reply
  • Kaylie Archambault

    I think this is AWSOME! I discovered your site by accident but after looking at it I absolutely love eveything on here.. I wake up make my coffee and immediately get on your website to look for new post… Keep up the amazing work… I’ve always been a fan, it can’t be easy being a rock star mom, actress and diy crafter and than find time to create your own amazing website… You rock!!!

    June 24, 2016 at 2:50 pm Reply
  • DearDeanndre

    This is SO cute! My birthday is April 3rd as well! My mom also used to make fairy houses for us outside with sticks and rocks and flowers, it was so magical. // Deanndre http://deardeanndre.blogspot.com/

    June 24, 2016 at 3:17 pm Reply
  • trisha haas

    I had no idea you were a blogger- I am a professional Parenting/DIY blogger and I got a real tickle out of this tutorial! I am doing a fairy garden today too with the kids (in a jar) and loved seeing your take on it in a pot. We just got back from shopping this morning and I am sure its going to take me all day with a 4 year old. I am going to pin yours! (@momdot if you like Pinterest – love to share ideas)

    June 24, 2016 at 5:25 pm Reply
  • Kerri Jablonski

    You had me giggling at “muddy pit of despair” – I love that posted the “fails” -because I totally would have gone out and bought the wrong pot for my own fairy garden.

    June 24, 2016 at 5:27 pm Reply
  • Christine

    Great Job! soooooo beautiful!

    June 25, 2016 at 1:08 am Reply
  • Kara Viberg

    HOW CUTE!!! I can’t wait to try fairy gardens with my 4 yr old son Landon! 🙂 What a great sensory activity! He is autistic is this is something new we haven’t done yet!
    Your blog is beautiful. As a young mom, I just want you to know you are truly an inspiration and a type of parent I am striving to be! We can’t wait to try more crafts and recipes you throw our way!

    June 27, 2016 at 4:42 pm Reply
  • kristyn Smith

    I really love this idea! I think my son will too. Thanks for the inspiration!

    July 23, 2016 at 1:50 am Reply
  • Sharlyn

    I love the fairy Garden, well done it’s so colourful and gorgeous, I’m contemplating something similar for my girls now so thanks for the inspiration!

    July 28, 2016 at 9:34 am Reply
  • Marla T

    What an incredible moment to share with your daughter and a creative one too! When I was a little girl, my Father use to make up bedtime stories for me about Fairies and the land that is called Fairyland. He told me whenever I saw a ring on the ground in the garden it was called a fairy circle ring. It was created from Fairies holding hands and dancing around in a circle.
    I have a daughter too, although she is only 1 now I can’t wait to share fairy stories and make her her own fairy Garden. Living in N.Y.C. I may have a few obstacles to cross to giving her an actual Garden. I may just recreate this on a windowsill.
    Stay beautiful, funny and talented.

    August 20, 2016 at 1:14 am Reply
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