TOAD HOUSE

This is for my fairy/whimsy garden and based on an origina project by Valerie E. at Cut Out and Keep. http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/toad_houses Items used:

• Small plastic container
• Craft Scissors or Xacto knife.
• Small decorative stones
• Old potpourri
• Popsicle stick
• Black marker
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Clear acrylic spray paint

I used an old medium sized sour cream container as the base. I turned it upside down and cut out a doorway with a pair of craft scissors.

I next glued on the decorative stones and potpourri with a hot glue gun and glued them to the sides and the top of the container.

For the sign, I used popsicle stick and black marker and wrote "Toad House" on it and glued it to the top.

It the sprayed the "house" with clear acrylic spray paint and allowed it to dry, then applied a second coat to help hold the items on and help protect it from the elements.

Rock Frog

This is a rock frog that I made for my fairy/whimsy garden. (Sorry for the fuzzy pictures - my good camera went out on me and I had to drag this old camera out of the closet).

Items used:

• Rock
• Green Acrylic Paint
• Paintbrush
• Black Marker
• Green Pipe Cleaner
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks (or other strong glue)
• 2 googly eyes
• Optional - Clear Acrylic Spray Paint

Paint the rock green (or any color your want your frog to be)

Cut the pipe cleaner in half and shap them into legs by bending the right end back then up at angle then down at an angle about an inch over and then bend at an angle forward and twist it back and then around the edge of the foot. Repeat to make the legs for the other side of the frog.

Glue the legs on to the bottom of the frog.

Glue the eyes on the frog and draw on a mouth (and warts on the back if you would like) with the black marker and spray with clear acrylic paint and allow to dry (this was done before I put him outside, but the picture did not turn out).

FAIRY HOUSE

A great way to upcycle an old laundry bottle into something creative. This project is based on the fairy houses made over at Filth Wizardry. http://filthwizardry.blogspot.com/2009/07/fairy-houses-and-fairy-wings-for-your.html While a child could decorate it after it is cut out, I would not recommend allowing children to do any of the cutting and if it was to be used in play, sanding down the edges or covering with duct tape. I am using mine as an outdoor decoration under my eaves outside of the garage as it is protected by the elements by the eaves and nearby bushes (and nothing I have ever planted there has grown). Items used:

• Liquid Laundry detergent bottle
• X-Acto knife and/or craft scissors
• Markers
• Clear Acrylic spray (optional)

Throughly wash and rinse the laundry bottle, remove any labels that you can, then cut a hole in the front. I tried to follow the curves of the bottom.

On the back and side, draw any type of window that you would like.

Use the X-acto knife to cut out the windows.

I made arched windows and a paned one in the back, but you could make them any way you would like.

Decorate the bottle however you would like. I used black market to outline the door and windows.

I also drew squiggles on the bottle in green to represent vines the drew on small "V" shapes to represent leaves.

It is hard to see on the bottle itself, but you can see on the lid that I colored in flowers with a hot pink marker just above the leaves that I had drawn in. I then sprayed the bottle with clear acrylic spray to seal it, but this would be optional. If you use it, go easy on the spray because if you get too much the marker will start to run and bleed.

Your fairy house is now ready for occupancy. I put a small rabbit that I got a thrift store.

Garden Guardian Angel Ornament

Make a garden angel ornament using a clear plastic bottle and an angel ornament.

The inspiration for this project was the little plastic angel that did not make it back in the box when the Christmas items were put up and has been sitting on my desk for 6 months, but I have also seen ones at the dollar store that would work as well.

Items used:

• Clear Plastic Bottle
• Small Plastic or Glass Angel
• Decorative Stones
• 1 Large Jump ring
• Gold Acrylic Paint
• Small sponge brush
• Cardboard
• Clear Acrylic Spray (optional)
• Caulk (I used a single use caulk)
• Clear Glue (I used Amazing Goop)
• Box Cutter
• Craft Scissors
• Push Pin

The bottle you use depends on the size of angel that you have as it needs to be able to fit in the bottom. Remove the labels from the clear plastic bottle.

Paint top of the lid of the bottle with the gold paint. When dry spray with the clear acrylic sealant.

Paint a cross on the cardboard using a brush, allow it to dry then cut it out.

Flip it over and paint the other side.

For this side, which is the side I used facing out, I textured the paint by dabbing it with the sponge brush and squishing it down.

Use a box cutter (I tried using a regular knife and it was not sturdy enough and scratch the front) to start a cut along about an inch from the bottom, then use the craft scissors to cut the shape of a door.

This is what it will look like when you are done.

Put the cross in the bottle (you may have to trim it to fit).

Apply the clear glue to the edges to hold the cross in place.

Squeeze the caulk into the bottom of the bottle and distribute it evenly using the end of the sponge brush.

I put a decorative stone on the back of each edge of the bottle.

Put the angel in the bottle and press it down slightly into the caulk.

Use a push pin to make a hole in the door and a hole just to the right of the door.

Put the large jump ring through the hole and bend to close and you are done.

I put mine out on a piece of marble and put 4 decorative stones in the front, but you could put it wherever you like.