Out of Fairy Tragedy Comes a Contest
A teary-eyed Alexis ran through the house, out of breath and desperate for my attention. "Momma! Momma! Come here!" she cried out.
I followed down the stairs and out the door to our back patio. I followed her pointed finger and thought, "Oh."
"Momma! The fairy house broke! And the fairies all moved out! Now they'll never come back!" she sobbed.
She takes this magical fairies in the garden business very seriously. Obviously.
I reassured her that we could fix the house as I put the fallen light back in its proper place.
"But the fairies already left!" she wailed.
"Well, we'll just have to wait and see what happens," I told her.
I haven't fixed the fairy roof yet. Instead, I'm waiting for a little magic to strike at just the right time. The magic is going to be accompanied by a little extra magic. And maybe a little extra to go on top of that.
We shall see.
Today as I was recounting the story of the Very Devastating Fairy Garden Disaster to someone who hasn't had the pleasure of meeting Hurricane Alexis, I listened to a tale of some kids who don't live in a house that has magic. The reasons for the lack of magic are sound and it is absolutely a parent's choice to parent how he or she likes, but it made me a little sad. No tooth fairy. No Santa. No Easter Bunny.
No garden fairies.
No magic.
It's not my place to deliver magic to strangers, or at least not those strangers. With a little more thought, however, it occurred to me that perhaps I could deliver some magic to some different strangers.
One of you, perhaps.
So, here's the thing. Over the past few years, I've amassed a pretty decent stockpile of magical fairy garden accessories. I have extra fairy houses and garden tools and fairy clothes and .... I should stop. If I keep listing how much stuff I know is sitting in my fairy box in the basement, it'll be like confessing to a shopping crime. Or ten. AHEM.
ANYWAY.
If you leave a comment on this post, you will be entered in a random drawing to win a fairy garden kit. It will come with a nice little box of accessories, a fairy house for you to decorate, and a list of plants that are good for fairy gardens that live in a container. I'll even tailor the list for your region so that you can look for plants that will be happy where you live. For the sake of having something to say in your comment, just tell me who you would share your fairy garden with -- although, it's acceptable to say you'll be hogging it to yourself. I fully admit I have claimed the castle one in our yard and won't let anyone else play with it.
I'll pick a winner at random on 3/31, but don't wait to enter. Just do it now so you don't forget. Also, please make sure your email address is in the correct field on your comment so I can contact you if you win. Good luck!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Reader Comments (108)
I know a couple kiddos here with HUGE imaginations!
My niece, turning 5 in May, embraces magic. She would love a fairy garden.
I would share mine with my cat.
In other words, please recommend me cat-proof plants if I win....in other words, don't pick me, because that's impossible.
I would share the fairy garden with my daughters, age 9 and 3.
oh, my boys would LOVE this. They're 4 and 2, and all things magic are, well, magical :-). Otherwise, I just need a good source for making one of my own.
The Easter Bunny was considering bringing my daughter some expensive fairy garden stuff from Amazon. But we would so much rather win it! I know she would really love it--so would I!
I know a little girl who recently became obsessed with Tinkerbell, and likes to pretend she's a "tinker fairy, Mommy!" Zoey would love it.
Oh, this is great! I run a children's program at a homeless shelter in San Diego. We just started some container gardens in preschool and school age. How awesome if a fairy garden appeared there as well!
I have loooong been envious of your fairy gardens and want one BAD! If I win I will trade you....fairy garden supplies for that bottle.of wine with red hots I promised you.....(It still is.yours even if I don't win)
My soon to be 3 year old granddaughter has discovered the magic of fairies. I want to share my fairy garden with her.
I work in emergency psych services. I would keep it all to myself for those days when work leaves me feeling that there is no magic left.
I would love to build a fairy garden for my seven year old niece. She loves all things girly. Her mother is more into combat boots and punkish hair, so she doesn't quite understand all the girly things. So it's up to "Mimi" to help fit that need. She's loved Tinkerbell since she was three so this is right up her ally. And I am all about preserving the magic for children for as long as possible. They grow up too quickly now as it is.
We are hoping to move into our dream house in April or May of this year. I have a two year old daughter and the huge back yard is a perfect place for fairy dreams to come true. Thank you for the contest! It's very thoughtful!
I have a three year old that would LOVE a fairy garden!
If I had a fairy garden, I'd be sure to share it with the squirrels who live in my fiance's HVAC closet on his balcony - one of whom is named Mayor Nutter, after the mayor of Philadelphia. We've christened their HVAC abode "Narnia", but I'm not sure if Narnia has a garden...
My kids would love a real fairy house! They tried luring a leprechaun yesterday, but no luck. They have told me the fairies are around our yard because they have seen them out of the corner of their eyes.
I have a little kit tucked away for my 4 yr old. It was a late arriving Christmas gift so I decided to save it for spring. But I know the 6 yr old is going to be less than happy about her little sister having her own fairy garden and not having one for her very own. So Miss Sabrina would be the recipient.
Me! Me! Me! Oh, I mean I would share it with Madeline , Amelia, and Charlotte. I've tried to plan one before but I get paralyzed in the craft store trying to decide where to start. We could really use your ready made kit. :)
I have shared your fairy garden links to half a dozen people. I would probably give it to a former co-worker who has a 6 year old daughter. If she has started a fairy garden already I would give it to another person at my new job who has an 8 year old.
Patti
Julia loves fairies. we actually got her a small planter 2 yrs ago for Christmas that was a mini fairy garden. We planted it last spring. the plants have out grown her little green house. I just haven't figured out what to do with it yet
I have twin girls that would love this!! Your fairy gardens are so cute, I'm not quite as creative as you are but you do inspire me to try.
This might be my favorite giveaway you've ever had!! I'm super excited to do this with Lily and now would be as good a time as any!!!
Life with no magic is well, sad.
I believe!
My daughters would love a fairy garden to tend!
Me (and my nieces) --- I would build it with my nieces - it would give them something fun to do at my house since I have no little ones of my own.
I've been looking at fairy garden ideas, but am not sure what would work best. The garden would for me, since no one else in my family understands why anyone would want to make one. Maybe a little magic would help them!
My twin girlies would love to have a fairy house!
I would love to have a fairy garden for my 3 year old niece.
I’d share it with my son and daughter. I know the little man will think it is great. The little woman is still a little young, but I know her big brother will love telling her about it.
I have two daughters, soon to be 7 and 5. They still believe in fairy magic, which I am hoping to keep alive as long as possible! Last summer they found a fairy (a-hem, chipmunk) hole under the lilac bush in the front yard. They spent all afternoon decorating around the hole with leaves, gems and glitter. The next morning, I made my husband put a couple chocolates next to the hole on his way to work, before the girls woke up. As soon as they got up, they ran to check the hole, in their pjs, and ran back to the house clutching their chocolates with the biggest grins on their faces! It was magical for me to see the pure joy and excitement in their eyes. So yeah, I'm all for a little bit of magic...
My daughter, 2.5 years, is an avid believer. We are constantly answering questions about where Tinkerbell and Vidia are right now. I was actually thinking of starting a fairy garden at our house anyway this year.....with yours as inspiration!
Oh, there's magic here! I would (probably) share with all of my kids but my girls (6 and almost 4) would go crazy for this! I've tried figuring out how you do it but I am not magic enough. With your direct help, though, I could definitely pull it off! If I don't win (which we know is unlikely) can you just make the list of "ingredients" available to the rest of us? I bought a birdhouse at a craft store and I have some other things but I really need the most help with the plants, etc.
You really are the best magical mama. I've been taking notes!
I've had this pinned to make in the future, but why not now? I'm trying to get my daughter to stop being afraid of plants, and this may do the trick.
I would share the fairy garden with my 5 year old daughter, she embraces all things magical and I know she would love this.
For the love of all things magical, we would love to be gifted such an amazing prize! We are getting ready to move into our first home ever as a family and our 5 year old son Noah could use a little extra magic during the big transition.
Your fairy garden posts always make me smile. When I was a kid we went on a field trip to the Gnome Village(http://www.gnomecountryside.com/). The pictures on the website don't do it justice (except for the full grown man-gnome...not too sure what is going on there, but it gave me a laugh this morning!) I've always loved dollhouses, so natural dollhouses were right up my alley! It's nice to know that kids still find joy in something that simple. :-)
I would share it with my 2 year old daughter, Sabrina. We read a Pink-a-licious book the other night where the siblings made a fairy house, with a pond, etc., for the fairy's that make the flowers bloom. I told Sabrina that maybe our house will have a fairy garden this summer. She was very excited at the thought of a fairy garden of our very own :-)
Magic......it's wonderful!!
I love your creativity and magic. My nieces would love and could use a little magic. That is who I would share with. And, you may have just inspired me to deliver and fairy garden in the dark of night for them. Once sprig arrives here in MI.
My two little girls would LOVE a fairie house. Ok, I would too!!!!
My 2 little ladies and I would love this fairy house! We all need a little more magic in our lives!!
I have a 5 yr old grandson who loves to pretend. He thinks casper is real and he is the one who is responsible for things that happen around here good or bad. He loves his elf too. I have huge old trees that would be awesome to make little fairy villages around the bottom or just place houses. I live in the Middle TN region. I would love to see more pictures of your fairy homes.
My children are 6 and 8 with another on the way and they would love it.
Our fairy house was also destroyed this winter. What a cute giveaway idea!
Gah! Love this. My three year old has been obsessed with Tinkerbell movies lately. I think we've watched the Secret of the Wings about a hundred times, but The Great Fairy Rescue is a close second. I would love to make a fairy garden with her.
I'll be staying with my son and family this summer to help with my grandsons over summer vacation. It would be so much fun to have this!
No kids, so I would absolutely share it with myself (and I guess my fiance, although I'm pretty sure he would be less than thrilled). I've always been fascinated with fairies, so it's only fitting that my little backyard has a fairy garden.
I have two foster kids who come to my home every other weekend and I know they would love to have a fairy garden to watch over and help develop!
How fun! I would build it with my 4-year-old daughter- she is a lover of fairies and all things magical!
I would dearly love to have a fairy kit! I am the only female in a houseful of boys and men, and it would bring me great joy to have a lovely fairy garden outside. We live in the mountains of WV (I know, insert joke here!) and even when its stinking hot everywhere else it doesn't get quite as hot there. Thanks for considering me, and I love the blog. I don't miss a post. Melissa Munson.
I have a good friend with a 5 year old daughter that would love a fairy garden. I'll be sharing it with her.
I totally want to win. I will be sharing with my 3 boys, almost 7, 3, and 18 months.