A few weeks later, I was investigating some ideas of fall activities for the kids. I found a link for Don Mould's Garden Center in North Ridgeville. When I clicked on it, there was a link for the new fairy supplies they have. I thought it was cute, but when I looked at the pictures, I realized that the houses are over $100. I reverted back to the pin on Pinterest and decided that we would create our own, with a little inspiration from them.
The Garden Center had everything from houses, to bridges, to fairy house Halloween decorations. It was all a bit pricey, so we went to Pat Catan's. I let the girls each pick a birdhouse. They picked the same one. Theirs cost $5. They ranged between $3 and $8. I also let them each pick a few items for their house. Lindsey picked a pie with a cookbook and rolling pin and Kaylee picked a watering can and gardening supplies. We got these from the miniatures section. They were less than $2 per pack. I also let them each pick a potted plant for less than $2 each. I bought them each a fence, for $1.79 each, and a set that had a rake, pitch fork and shovel. These cost less than $2 each. They sold the exact same ones at the greenhouse...for $5 each. They also each picked a color of paint for $1.50 each.
imagine at the garden center, it was over-priced.
We went to Pat Catan's instead.
and pink, and white, and green and blue.
While the pain dried, we went on a "treasure hunt." We went to a park and looked for acorns, sticks, rocks and bark that could be used on the houses. The girls loved doing this!
By the time we got home, the paint was dry. We finished off the houses by glueing some moss on the roofs. I then let the girls set up their houses however they wanted. The put them on the fireplace for now. All they wanted to do was stare at them. I told them that fairies only come when they are not seen. I said they would have to notice any differences in the morning to see if the fairies came and stayed at their house.
piece of tree and a piece of bark. I
guess with the hole in the middle, it looks
more like a fairy toilet...
Well, after the girls went to bed, I had a brainstorm. I decided that because one has a tendency to whine and the other likes to harrass her sister, maybe a revamping of their behavior was in order. Over the summer, I instituted a system where I took a jar for each kid and put 3 bells in them. The girls had to keep at least one by the next morning, or they couldn't do our fun activity. I decided that I would give them 7 bells and they would have to keep at least one by the end of the week to earn a present from the fairy. Who wants to listen to mom anyways? The only solution was to have the fairy that visited the house write a note telling them their name, what their interests were and how this system would work. Granted, it has been instituted less than a day, but they have been wonderful today!
