Create Fairy Garden Magic with DIY Fairy Dust Bottles

My daughter and I have been having a blast shopping for the perfect items to add to her fairy garden.  Since she and I also enjoy crafts (of the easy variety), we decided to try our hand at creating our own miniature bottles of fairy dust.  We had seen bottles of fairy dust for sale that were filled with brightly-colored glitter.  They looked pretty cool, but we wondered how could we expand on that idea to make our bottles of fairy dust even more magical?  This is what we came up with . . .


How to make your own Magical Fairy Dust Bottles:

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Sample Pack of Glitter (Fine)

Clear or White Glitter (Regular)

Mini Glass Bottles with Corks

White Glue

Sticky Notes (or Small Funnel)

Scissors

OPTIONAL:

1/8" Satin Ribbon (Any Color)

1/16" Hole Punch

Step 1.  If you don't happen to have a small funnel handy, you can make your own by rolling a sticky note into a cone shape.  Use the self-adhesive or a small piece of tape to keep the cone from unrolling.  Don't have a sticky note?  A regular square of paper will do.

Step 2.  Place the funnel into an open bottle.  Then fill the bottle about 2/3 with white or clear glitter.

Step 3.  Using scissors, carefully snip off the very tip of the corner of the pouch holding the color glitter you have selected for your fairy dust.

TIP #1:  Since these pouches of glitter are not resealable, keep some tape handy.  Once you're done with the glitter, fold the opened corner of the pouch down at least twice and secure with tape.

Step 4.  Place the funnel into the bottle containing the white or clear glitter.  Fill the bottle to the base of the neck with the fine colored glitter.

Step 5.  Cover the mouth of the bottle tightly with your index finger and shake the bottle vigorously to mix the two types of glitter together.  Continue to shake until well-blended.

Step 6.  You'll notice that the glitter has settled a bit after all the shaking.  Place the funnel in the bottle.  If the color of the fairy dust is to your liking, fill the bottle to the base of the neck with the clear or white glitter.  Then shake to blend.  If you'd like to have more color, add a little more colored glitter.  Shake to blend.  Repeat if needed.

TIP #2:  Do not overfill the bottles.  This will ensure there is room for the cork stopper to be inserted securely.

Step 7.  When your bottle is filled to the base of the neck with glitter, apply a small bead of white glue around the circumference of the cork stopper (as pictured below).  Then insert the stopper into the filled bottle, making sure it's snugly in place.  The glue should dry clear.

Step 8.  (Optional) Choose a star from your glitter sample pack.  Then punch a slightly off-center hole through the star with your hole puncher.

TIP #3:  I found that it was common for 2 or 3 stars to be stuck together.  It would be a good idea to double-check that you are punching a hole in a single star only.

Step 9.  Cut a 5" to 6" length of 1/8"-wide ribbon.  Then cut one end at a sharp angle, so you have a point.  Thread the ribbon through the whole in the star.

Step 10.  Tie the ribbon around the neck of the bottle.  Double-knot the ribbon in the back.  Then trim the tails of the ribbon to match the width of the bottle's neck.  Then you're done!

TIP #4:  If you plan to use a different color of glitter for your next bottle of fairy dust, be sure your funnel is completely free of the previous colored glitter, otherwise traces of the previous color will appear in your next bottle.  If you are using a paper funnel, you may consider discarding that funnel and making a new one for each color of glitter.

Cool Fairy Garden Finds . . . 

Cat with Butterfly - If you shop around on Etsy, you'll see this black and white cat from several sellers, but fairyinthegarden1 made hers special by adding a butterfly.  This extra handcrafted touch is what made me fall in love with this cat.

Sitting Fairy - There are actually four of these adorable little fairies to choose from at the FairyBestWishes Etsy shop, and I ended up purchasing them all.  They are each in a different pose, wearing a different color dress, and holding a different colored gem.

Magic Wooden Chest - I found a cute little toy chest in the MLSLaserEngraving Etsy shop.  I inquired whether I could have the word "Magic" engraved in a chest in place of the word "Toys."  The seller happily accommodated my request.  Originally, I thought my daughter would paint or add gems to the chest, but she seems to like it the way it is for the time being.

Miniature Cupcake - These cute little pink cupcakes came in a set of 4.  I found them in an Etsy shop called BeesKneesMiniatures.  This shop has the most adorable miniatures.  I'll be sharing everything I purchased from this shop soon.


Like this fairy garden craft? Pin It for later . . . 

Have a cool fairy garden craft or find to share?  Leave a comment here.

Find more fairy garden inspiration here.

Turn Your Favorite Book Series Into a Unique Set of Miniature Dollhouse Books {Easy Craft}

 About a month ago, my 8 year old daughter decided she wanted to begin collecting dollhouse miniatures.  Our local craft store has a small section devoted to them and they've caught her eye on more than one occasion.  She has begun a variety of different collections in the past . . . buttons, rocks, fortunes, and Pokémon cards, to name a few.  Unlike the others, this is a collection I can wrap my mind around.  Dollhouse miniatures are works of art when done well and they don't take up very much space.  They're also available for a wide range of prices and could certainly fit an 8 year old's budget.

I admit that I find it fun to look for unique dollhouse miniatures in stores and online.  Although I swore I would not fund my daughter's collection for her, I did purchase one or two that struck me as being special.  Then I got the idea for surprising her with miniatures that are truly unique, ones that I make just for her.  That's how I came about making this super-easy dollhouse miniatures book series craft.  My daughter is an avid reader.  Among her favorites are the historical fiction American Girl book series.  I've found many of the 6-story volumes used in fantastic condition on Amazon.  I suppose you could say she collects those too.  That's why I decided it would be extra special for her to own a miniature set of American Girl books.

EASY CRAFT:  DIY Set of Dollhouse Miniature Books

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

miniature dollhouse books (plain)

printer
printer paper

white glue

scissors

Step 1.  Measure the size of the front cover of your miniature books.

Step 2.  Find the images of the front covers of the books from your or your child's favorite book series.  Save them to your computer.  If you're able to find images of the back covers, save those to your computer as well.

Step 3.  Using any graphics program, reduce the size of each cover to fit the size of your book covers.  It's best to do this in high resolution (300dpi) so that the images can be as crisp as possible when you print them out.

TIP #1:  If your book cover is slightly larger than your books, you can always trim them at the edges.  For best results, try to avoid making your cover images smaller than the actual books.

Step 4.  Print out all your front and back covers.  Then carefully cut out each one with scissors.

TIP #2:  To save paper, paste all your covers onto one 8.5" x 11" image prior to printing.

Step 5.  Position the first back cover image over the back of the book with the binding to the right-hand side.  Trim the image if necessary.  Then apply a very thin layer of white glue to the back cover of the book and apply the back cover image.  Be sure to smooth out the cover and press down to secure.  Repeat this with the back cover images for the rest of the books in the series.

TIP #3:  It is important to use a very thin layer of white glue.  This allows the glue to dry within minutes.  It also helps to avoid any spreading or dripping of the glue, which could be messy and unsightly.

Step 6.  Position the first front cover image over the front of the book with the binding to the left-hand side.  Be sure the front cover image matches the back cover image.  Trim the image if necessary.  Then apply a very thin layer of white glue to the front cover of the book and apply the front cover image.  Repeat this with the remaining front cover images for each book in the series.

When I presented this set of miniature books to my daughter, she was delighted.  These books were made just for her and she knew she would never be able to find them in a store.  I think they would look precious displayed in a miniature dollhouse bookcase.

If you'd like to try this easy craft, Pin It for later . . . 

What book series would you use in this dollhouse miniatures craft?