Miniature Gardens

It's been a long time since I last blogged.  You might think that it's because we haven't done any craft.............. gosh that would be terrible!!!............Thank goodness it's not so. You will be happy to know that my kids have not missed out.  I just haven't had the time to photograph and blog about it.  So I'm very sorry about that.  These little craft gardens were so special I made some time to add them.  They aren't step by step but I think you will get the idea.  Enjoy xxx

To start them off we gathered paper plates, air drying modelling clay and green tissue paper. 

• Roll up some modelling clay and flatten it out a little and add it to a section of the paper plate.  How much you need will be dependant on what needs to "stand up".
• Add some PVA below and over the modelling clay and include the rest of the paper plate.  Use the sheet of tissue paper All over the top of the plate and modelling clay.  This we be the grass and the base of the garden.

From there it's really up to you what you want to add.  Here are some ideas:

•  Pipecleaners through buttons make great flowers.
•  Stickers can make a great path
•  Cut out shapes for trees and pond out of coloured paper.  Stick a twig or icypole type stick onto the back of the tree shapes
•  Add some stickers/split peas/rolled up crepe paper to the trees for colour
•  Modelling clay can make some great little ducks and small buttons can be beaks.
•  Button furniture
•  Icypole sticks or matchsticks for fences

The sky is the limit!!  My kids are 3 and 5 and they loved making them.  You will too!!!

Cardboard Tube Flowers

• You will need a flower shape. You can print off a template here:
  http://familyfun.go.com/assets/cms/pdf/printables/0207_egggarden.pdf
• Cut out 2 flower shapes in whatever coloured paper/card you have
• Cardboard tube
• Green coloured card/paper
• Cotton Wool
• Buttons
• Glue
• Scissors

Now cut out a piece of Green paper the right size to wrap around the cardboard tube. Cover the paper in glue and then roll the tube over it. If there is any excess cut it off.

Cover the top edge of the cardboard tube in glue and then stick the first flower shape onto it. Press all around the edge of the top of tube so that it sits firmly.

Add a second amount of glue to the centre of the first flower shape that you stuck on.

Now attach the second flower shape but only onto the middle of the first shape.

Add another layer of glue to the middle of the flower. A nice squirt here. We will attach 3 cotton balls to make the centre of flower.

Another reasonable amount of glue squirted over the top of the cotton balls (don't use a brush as the cotton wool will stick to it and it will become a mess) then start sticking on some buttons.

We finished it by cutting out a couple of leaf shapes and sticking it to the green paper covered cardboard tube. And that's all there is to it............done!!

Fairy Garden

This fairy garden was a lovely addition to our home. The pot is plastic and it's filled with soil. Amateur succulents planted around a pond and garden path. Pink icy pole sticks created a wonderful fence whilst a spray painted coke bottle with icy pole stick roof created the perfect fairy house.

Later a bridge made from icy pole sticks, paint and glitter created a beautiful feature to go over the pond. Coloured sand came from bunnings for the path and a few scatters created a bit more interest.

A little water in the pond over some glass stones, some spray painted glitter rocks and some freshly picked daisy's completed the picture. We have since added some more fairies to the look. A lovely little garden for my daughter to learn to care for. And very simple.