A Winter Fairy House

Do YOU have a fairy house in your summer garden?  I do.  However it's been buried in snow for months now.  So, I got to thinking . . .

(Understand. This post is for the young - or the young at heart!)

Where do fairies go in the winter?  One wonders.  The summer house is buried in snow.  Completely uninhabitable!  Well, I found this on my dining room table just the other day.  You know how one day you have a corner that is clean as a whistle and the next day there's a perfectly miraculous little web with a resident you'd rather not have? 

 Enter the winter fairy house. 

 The complete opposite affair. 

Complete with a little fairy bed made of twigs!

Folklore tells us that most fairies are offended by a spoken thank you, so just enjoy their presence quietly if you want to keep them.   Lore also says to leave them trinkets in lieu of thanks . . . something like this little nest-crown to remind them of those warm summer days that will eventually come again.

Just a reminder to keep a firm hold on that small child inside of us all.  If you think this post is silly, you've probably already lost it.  Or you could share it with your child or grandchild . . . and watch their face light up when they discover a winter fairy house somewhere in YOUR house one day!  They might look something like this.

Easter and inspiration photos!

It's high time to get back to the business of making things.  We've been on vacation, as you can see by the previous posts.  Now it's time to get out the glue gun, sewing machine . . . something!  As Easter fast approaches, so do some wonderful opportunities for projects!  So, today I'm on the hunt for a few supplies.  Here are some great photos that inspire me.  I think I want to extend our vacation by somehow replicating that beautiful turquoise color of the Gulf of Mexico . . .  a perfect color for Easter decor and spring in general.  What Easter decorations/accessories are you making this year? 

A burlap "bucket"(lined with plastic) to be used as a planter or unlined and used for storage. 

12" x 20" Lucid Outlines Pillow (Anthropologie) $118

 

Pottery Barn's "Painted Sea Floor" pillow covers - $35-$39

 Viva Terra's "Where'd You Find It" bag for $69

Anthropologie's - Ile Saint Louis Bag for $288

Cute bobbie pins for a little girl to wear on Easter Sunday

Anthropologie's "Knotted Tagalong Tote" for $278!!!!

Anthropologie's "Things Past" necklace for $198

Beautiful felted bag.

Let me know if you are up to the challenge!  You KNOW you could make that!

Last day on Captiva

Another beautiful day on Captiva - 82 and sunny.  Not a cloud in the sky all day long.  We had a wonderful time here - completely relaxed and feeling far, far away from the cold, and the wet, of Wisconsin.  This trip couldn't have been timed any better.  Now it's time to head back to the northland and face the end of winter days.  But the promise of early springtime is right around the corner!

 The Santiva took us out for a morning of beachcombing on a small island.

 A LIVE Conch!  We couldn't take it, of course, but we've never seen a live one before!

 One of the many Osprey nests you can see on these islands.

 I couldn't resist . . . these grand old ladies in the Sanibel Stoop!

Kids.  Total strangers to us.  Lost in exploration.

Can't get enough of this beautiful color . . .

and this beautiful sound!

 Ending our last night here with ice cream cones . . .

Served by Travis - who was more than happy to pose for us!

 And the sun went down . . .

on a memorable time away.  We'll be back.

Antiquing on Sanibel

What a relaxing day!  Another leisurely and late breakfast on the patio - about 75 degrees at 9 a.m. - sun shining and a light breeze.  It feels like we've been away for a week already.  Today we stepped into an antique shop on Sanibel that was jammed to the gills with so much stuff, I can't imagine taking inventory in a place like this.  You could stand in one place for 10 minutes looking all around you and not see the same thing twice.  Made me feel a little crazy to see so much stuff in one small building, but at the same time, it was fascinating to look at.

Beautiful fishing floats in every color of the rainbow - I don't believe they were old, but still . . . the colors were great!

These old girls were all over the place - tons of them!  Kind of creepy . . .

 I think you'd have to be over 50 to remember these . . .

 An old silver ladel with pretty details - I can't wait to polish it!

A couple of beautiful old books (above) with pictures suitable for framing (below).  They remind me of photos/clipart you find at the Graphics Fairy!

 This metal hat shop sign was hanging from an iron swing hook.  Very heavy - and too expensive!

 These were also kind of creepy, but cool too!  They were made out of porcelain and used to be used as forms for making gloves.  

Tomorrow, at 9 a.m. we'll be on a boat taking us to a little island off of Captiva known for its great shelling!  I can't wait to see what we'll find!

The Sanibel Stoop!

We are about to head to sandy beaches and warm sunshine . . . to the land of the Sanibel Stoop!  The forecast is for plenty of sun and an average temperature of 85 degrees!  When we return, Spring should be well underway in the northland.  Thank goodness!  It's been a very long winter around here.

Now, of course, I've been thinking about what I can make while we're there.  The most obvious project would be something made out of shells, so that's what I'm going to focus on.  I checked out Martha Stewart's website to get some ideas and here are some of the possibilities that could result.

First things first!  After collecting the shells, this is an easy way to get them disinfected and ready to use. Just place them in a basket to keep them from flying around, and run them through the dishwasher!

So pretty!

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This would be beautiful in the guest room!  Although I'd be lucky to actually find one of these on the beach, I'm sure I could scout one out in the shell shops that are everywhere!

Thinking of summer nights on the patio, these Lion's Paw shells would be 

a pretty reminder of our time away from it all.

My "Birthday Group" would love these salt and pepper shell dishes!

Another pretty floral arrangement idea.

These would be fun to have on hand, or package 

     up in a pretty way as a gift for a friend!

A little sea glass would be fun to find too!

And, to wrap it up, I love this way of preserving the memories!

Whatever I make, it will be a great reminder of a relaxing time away

 from it all, with my very best friend - my husband, Bob!  

"Why do we love the sea?  it is because it has some potent power to make us think things we like to think."  -Robert Henri

I love this quote and it's a great reminder that, for a few days I can concentrate on thinking things I like to think, whenever I want to think them!