Thursday, May 31, 2018

Gifts for the Garden - May 2018


One of My Fairy Folks gifted me the large, green planter. These rocks came from my granddaughter again. I told her I needed more for my garden so she brought some home from a recent trip to Big Bear.


This cute wooden bench is actually a creative bird feeder and I imagine can be used for multiple things in the garden. 


This faux wood planter is one of a set gifted to me by one of my granddaughters. I like to fill my garden with all sorts of containers and this will fit perfectly with a natural theme. The following gifts were also from my granddaughter thanks to a sale at Jo-Ann.


As the weather heats up, a beach scene fairy garden is very likely to occur and this new addition will be certain to make a splash.


This lovely tea cup and saucer are perfect for my garden in so many ways. It could fit in with Teapot Glen. It could fit in with other bird feeders. It could fit in near any succulent scene. The possibilities are endless and I love that it's such a flexible piece.

I'm so thankful for the gifts I receive every month, including garden tours with My Fairy Folks! I've been capturing photos (and taking clippings) of some lovely locations and posting them on my Instagram. Won't you follow me? Click the link below.


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May Celebrations

The month of May is typically very busy for me but this one was particularly special. 


The first event was Mother's Day. I received some wonderful gifts from all three of my children. Above is the gift from my daughter; flowers, chocolate covered strawberries, a card and a reversible pillow. Below is the opposite side of the pillow.





This decorative light post with a planter at the base was given to me by my eldest son and is actually a solar light! I'm very excited to put it in my yard and plan to make a fairy garden at the base.


This plant was gifted to me by my youngest son. I've had this plant in the past and it didn't do too well which was disappointing so I'm glad I get this second chance at it. Below is the flower bloom after a few weeks.





The second big event in May was the anniversary of marriage to my husband. This year we celebrated 50 years together and were surrounded by friends and family at a lovely surprise brunch. Above is a photo from left to right of my niece and her first son, my husband, my granddaughter, my son and myself.

Finally, to round out May, I celebrated my birthday! I received some wonderful gifts that I plan to put in my garden soon; some fairy accessories from my daughter and a fairy house from one of my granddaughters. I also received a few gift cards for local restaurants. It was an absolutely wonderful month!


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Thursday, May 17, 2018

Unboxing - Seed Bank Box - May 2018


I'd like to introduce you to Seed Bank Box. I only recently was introduced to it and I can't tell you how it exceeded my expectations. That's not true because I WILL tell you about it in this blog. First, I did some research on seed subscription boxes. I decided I wanted only food seeds that were heirloom and something I couldn't find at Home Depot. Some other subscription boxes didn't offer these things and the ones that did only offered 3 types for the price of the Seed Bank Box.


So, my first box arrived in this cute little package. 


And here is everything that arrived inside. The color co-ordination and labeling is so simple yet so helpful. I will write the month and year on the box and keep the seeds and information cards stored there. So convenient for someone like me that seems to lose everything under the sun! 

Ok, so the verdict? I love it! I was blown away by the variety and quantity of seeds for each plant. I honestly think I will need to gift some seeds in the near future because my garden won't have room for all I'll be receiving! I love Sunflowers so that was the best part of this box. I already had plans to plant okra - how did they know!? And the Hyssop looks like it will be so beautiful and perfect for my fairy garden! Can you hear the excitement in my font!?



Above is a closer look at all the information cards via slideshow.
Below is the video of our unboxing.
And below that is a link to get your very own Seed Bank Box via yours truly. 





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Friday, May 11, 2018

In The Garden - My Fairy Crate - May 2018




Recently I did an unboxing video that included all of these adorable miniature items. This was a subscription box provided by My Fairy Crate via CrateJoy.com for the month of May. I was so pleased with my items that I got started right away on some container gardens for my new arrivals.




It felt appropriate to place this fairy a top the chez lounge for a relaxing scene. Her name is Poppy.


The swing, red gate, mushroom and tree were all from the subscription box. The red is so bright!


Now this is the main attraction! I'm so pleased with how this garden arrangement turned out. The largest container houses some flowers and radish (it is located in the food garden after all). The smaller container above it has some beautiful yellow snapdragons. Water excess can drain off the top level into the lower level, taking with it valuable nutrients that are not going to waste.


A closer look will reveal that my favorite items from the subscription box are here! Yes, these aged garden tools go perfectly with my aged garden shed.


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Thursday, May 10, 2018

My Very First Unboxing! My Fairy Crate - May 2018


Back in January, my grandson suggested that I start doing posts and YouTube videos for my fairy garden related shopping hauls. Since then, my YouTube viewership has risen. Last month, my granddaughter suggested I start venturing into subscription boxes. I knew what they were but I didn't believe there would be any out there for a fairy garden, but I was wrong! We did some research on CrateJoy.com and actually found a few! We read some reviews and settled on My Fairy Crate to be our first.

We placed our order the very last day of April and it was, almost magically, in my mailbox by the 3rd of May! I was so shocked. My granddaughter came over to my house to help me open my very first subscription box.


The box that arrived was small which made me wary about the contents, but the very first item was this beautiful fairy in a purple organza bag.


Released from the breathable bag, her glittery wings are revealed! I was amazed at the detail in her face and skin tone. She also came with a small mushroom, and you all know how I feel about mushrooms.


We dug deeper into the mystery box to find a plastic tree. I have quite a few trees for my fairy gardens, but surprisingly I don't have this type. How did they know?


Take a look at this beauty! This miniature chez lounge is made of wire and feels well made - it gave no indication that it bends easy so I'm hopeful it will last me a while.


And look at this, the fairy fits! 


We were both pretty impressed by these additions. I do have farming tools already, however these have added character. These tiny tools look to be covered in rust or dirt, indicating they've been well used.


This teeny, tiny gate will give a blast of color to any scene.


But wait, there's more! Can you believe all this fit in such a small box? This adorable, aged swing is made of wire and uses a leaf as a seat. I'm sure I can find a seated fairy that will fit here.


Overall, I'm pretty pleased with all the items I received. I feel like this month's subscription box was worth my money, spending less on it than I would have on these items individually. Now, it's time to create a wonderful garden with these items.



PLEASE COME VISIT MY FAIRY PAGE
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Friday, May 4, 2018

Fairy Garden Class - Purple Pot and Peppers

Purple Pot and Peppers - say that five times fast! Thanks to some recent gifts (click here to view the post), I had a vibrant container to fill and knew that my newly purchased colorful peppers would be a surprising pop of color!


Look at those colors! I was able to work with mostly 3 colors for this container; purple, brown and green, and they go so well together.


I began laying out my two newest plants and decided which container to put each in. For this class, we're focusing on the NuMex Easter Hot pepper plant to the right that I purchased at the Green Scene Expo last month (read about it here).


I placed some coffee filters at the bottom of the containers and some small pebbles; both will aid in drainage and keeping soil from escaping.


Soil fills up the rest of the pot before I plant my peppers and lay down more pebbles for colorful ground coverage. I also chose some miniature decorations to create a scene - all existing pieces I already had. How sweet is the little bloom at the top?


And here we are. Some rocks and glass stepping stones for a path to each house, and this container is ready to watch this pepper plant grow.



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Gifts for the Garden - April 2018


Last month I received some very vibrant gifts from my grandchildren to bring life to my garden which is currently feeling the effects of the bi-polar Southern California weather we've been having. One day it's raining, the next it's over 100 degrees! My lettuce had to be moved because of the heat. Anyway, back to these lovely gifts. 

The large green and purple pots were gifted to me by my granddaughter's boyfriend. He recently went on a trip to Mexico and spotted these lovely pots. How could he not spot these colorful works of art! He also purchased a purse for my granddaughter but somehow forgot to grab it and left it back in Mexico. My granddaughter joked "he forgot my purse but he sure didn't forget to bring your pots to you!" We had a laugh.

The metal sculpture in the middle was gifted to me by my grandson's girlfriend. She spotted it and knew it would be a great gift for me. I believe I'll use it as a bird feeder. I wonder what sort of colorful, cheerful birds I can attract with this beautiful piece.


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Thursday, May 3, 2018

Local Happenings: Green Scene Expo 2018


Two weeks ago I took a day trip to Fullerton, CA with my good friend to an event we've attended for a few years now. The event was on Saturday and Sunday but we decided to get there as soon as they opened to the public Saturday for an entry fee of $8 which includes parking. Already at 10am the place was packed with people! The event has been pretty popular every year I attend.


The event is held every year at the Fullerton Arboretum which is a lovely setting with manmade ponds and waterfall (pictured above). Below are some pictures from vendors.





I found these plants to be so unique but did not purchase one.




Looking through my photos, I regret greatly not purchasing this grapevine-looking succulent. It would have been perfect for my vineyard scene I have planned. Well, there's always next year.




These plants have a pop of color that almost look photoshopped! The bright pink and purple could be used for lots of great scenes, including Spring and Mardi Gras.


One of the plants I purchased on this trip was this colorful bunch of peppers. Purple, Yellow and Orange peppers will brighten the food garden portion of my yard. While it is a pepper plant, the card specifically says they are not meant for consumption. Be sure to read all instructions on any plants you purchase.


This cucumber plant was purchased for my food garden, making it the 5th type for my garden. My granddaughter likes cucumbers so I tried to plant some from seeds earlier this year but it didn't take. So I decided to find a variety of cucumber plants to put in my food garden.


Have you ever seen a purple bell pepper? This was my first time seeing it and I decided that I needed to add it to my food garden. Purple is a magical color and this pepper is said to transition through four different colors!


On the way out of the succulent maze, there are many booths at the end of the event that you will want to save some money for. The Fullerton Garden Club has been there every year I've gone and they have so many wonderful plants for sale.


This adorable planter and healthy succulents are priced at only $10!


These ceramic mushrooms caught my attention, designed by a member of the Fullerton Garden Club.


Each container is priced very well for the amount of succulents they pack in there!


I found these garden markers for sale at another booth. There are so many creative people at this event!


Fairy Garden doors for sale! This cute basket had a fantastical door as well as some small decorations to accent the magical feel. 


This fairy home comes with lovely outdoor seating to enjoy a lovely, sunny day.


This vendor sold some unique Driftwood Creations (which is also their namesake). Owner Tim Shea and his wife were there to answer my questions about their art.


This particular piece is one I plan on purchasing. Their contact information is 714-875-5509 or Tim.Shea@hotmail.com


This vendor has taken an artistic approach to "what makes something a planter?" The following three pictures are from the same vendor.


This little buggy container makes you feel like it is housing some precious cargo. The chicken planter is the perfect size for the small succulent inside.


A small Radio Flyer is home to these succulents. I can just imagine them racing downhill.


This was definitely an eye catching display, both with color and function.


Gano Studios had a large display of ceramic containers. So many unique shapes and styles.


If you would like to contact Jenny and Jason Gano, I was able to grab their information.
FB: JenniferGanoArtist
GanoArtist@gmail.com
Instagram: JennyGano


Compared to the prices in the main area of the event, these succulents are a steal, especially with some interesting containers.


One booth had some air plants for sale and I managed to pick up a few.


It really is amazing what people can turn into a planter! I'm so happy I was able to attend this year and already can't wait for next year's event!

If you'd like to see the videos I took, pop over to my YouTube Channel.



PLEASE COME VISIT MY FAIRY PAGE
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