Grandma's Enchanted Fairy Garden: Fairy Garden Class

Last week I shared a project I completed with my granddaughter; fairy chairs. This week, I'd like to share steps for the second project we put together and that is fairy tents. Because of my fairy garden, I have been lucky enough to learn many things about fairies I never knew, including the fact that even fairies "camp." I have seen the young fairies set up tents and camp out together (still close enough to home to be kept watch over) as a way to establish independence. I decided to make some tents that they could use during their next camp out.

SUPPLIES
Hot Glue Gun
Scissors
Craft Sticks/Popsicle Sticks
Fake Moss
Twigs
Silk Leaves (optional)

I purchased craft sticks that came in a multi-colored pack which allowed my granddaughter and I to have vibrant tents without messing with paint or markers, but if you'd like an even more personalized look to your tents, feel free to decorate with these things.

1. You'll need to plug in the hot glue gun and let it heat up for a few minutes, so feel free to collect some twigs and other natural items (leaves, grass, dirt) that can help camouflage your tent or give it a natural look. Place about five craft sticks edge to edge and cut some support twigs. Glue the twigs across the craft sticks and allow a few minutes to dry. Do this again for the other side of the tent. Make sure you aren't glueing the twigs all the way to the edge because you'll need to save space to glue the sides together.

2. Once that has dried, flip it over and decorate the outside of the tent with whatever you'd like, however you'd like. Here I chose to glue on some twigs, fake moss and a bit of bark. I even used some potpourri to decorate a different tent (pictured at the end of this post).

3. Once everything is dried, place the tent sides together in a V shape (decorations facing outward). The angle is up to you but I'd suggest you find some small things to lean the sides on so your hands can be free to glue. Glue down the crease of the V, making sure the pieces are touching. Be careful not to over-glue it to prevent gluing your tent to your work surface. TIP: perhaps place some dirt down over your work space so if some glue does seep through the V crease, it will grab some natural looking dirt.

4. After some more drying time, turn the tent over (now it looks like an A) and ... tad-ah! A tent! You can also glue a twig along the peak of the tent if you'd like. I also glued some silk leaves together and used it as a make-shift door. Here are some more pictures, including the other tents made.