Sunday, June 3, 2012

Building a Fairy House

Growing up in Southern Indiana, I learned to entertain myself with whatever was at hand. My neighbor's yard had an old tree with exposed roots. Inside those roots, I built fairy houses.

This weekend I had an irrepressible urge to try my hand at yet another fairy house, but this time I didn't want the elements to make short work of my efforts. Months ago, I purchased a wooden box from JoAnn's Fabrics, knowing it would make a great miniature room box. A couple of weeks ago when we cleaned the garage, I found a light, a Christmas tree sized bulb on a switch. Last night I set to work.


Here's the empty box, the light fixture and a few "found objects."

I added burlap to the inside walls, and brown paper to the floor. I started gluing pieces of driftwood and roots from a ficus tree around the opening to make a frame. I also made a loft to the right.




I drilled a hole in the back and stuck the light through. I created a "fixture " to go over the bare bulb. The  fixture is a grouping of jingle shells, very thin shells, that gives off a warm golden glow. I also added seashells to the wood around the front opening. Oh, and I made a bed out of palm tree fronds, a "hamburger" sea bean, and three shells. There's also a table made of a stone and olive shells.

Here it is nearly done. There's a sofa made of a seagrape leaf, a footstool of a sea urchin shell, a ladder made of twigs goes to the loft. On the table is a placemat of palm fiber, a shell plate and food. See the chair of twigs?


For me this was like taking a mental vacation. Maybe that's why the Brits say, "Away with the fairies," meaning that someone has lost their mind!





11 comments:

Unknown said...

I love this! The main character in my WIP creates fairy doors. So fun to see you making this room. Now I need to find some supplies to make my own. :)

Linda O. Johnston said...

Cute fairy house, Joanna--but I'll be even more impressed if some fairies visit it! (I saw the new Snow White and the Huntsman movie this weekend and a few showed up on screen.)

Camille Minichino said...

Oh, the way to my heart! I love the house, Joanna, and hope it brings you much pleasure and many mental flights!

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Linda, it was fun, and I'm planning to see Snow White and the Huntsman. That's not John Huntsman, is it?

TEASING!

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Camille, Happy Birthday, one day late! I thought of you as I made this.

Carol S said...

How wonderful your fairy house turned out! And you can change it with the seasons! It sounds like you had a blast making it, glad you took all the photos too.

Camille Minichino said...

Thanks, Joanna!
You've inspired me to work on my next project: an ice cream parlor.

Monica Ferris said...

When I was a kid there was always a drawing in the comics section of our Sunday paper of some miniature people who used discarded "real people" items to make their dwellings and furnishing. The houses were often tin cans with the lid not cut off entirely so they had a "porch roof," often supported by clothes pins. An empty spool of thread made a table and a thimble was a seat. I used to duplicate these dwellings in our back yard among the roots of a big old tree. A used postage stamp made a painting on the wall, for example. Thanks for stirring up those memories!

Monica Ferris said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Monica, that reminds me of one of my all-time favorite series: The Borrowers. Disney made a movie of that little family. I loved them! When you think of it, that's what we authors are...borrowers.

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Carol, I could change it, but I glued stuff down. I've learned the hard way that if you don't, it'll disappear!