Obessions~Miniatures & Cloches

As I look around my home, I see my cloche collection has grown immensely over the past few years. Most contain miniatures~ two of my favorite possessions. The first pictured cloche appealed to me because of the acorn. Inside is a new little teacup stump house I just made for my Wee Forest Folk.

My small collection of Teaberry Meadow bunnies is contained under the next 'Divine' cloche.

I found these tiny cloches last year and fell in love. The smallest is @1" tall; tallest is @3". A few mice and miniatures are trapped under these. I must admit that I have more than a few of these tiny cloches scattered throughout my home.

My Mother Goose collection of Wee Forest Folk live under the next cloche/dome. I made the shoehouse; sculpted the base and generally had fun planning and making this display.

Two of my favorite fairies live under the last cloche I am sharing. Thanks to Marti for hosting such a fun party!

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Spooky Finds....

Today's shopping excursion included a stop at a favorite store's warehouse sale, where the annual excitement of 'all things SpOoKy' began for 2012. I love a bargain and the lamp and the pumpkin head guy were half price-they had to come home with me! (Don't tell my husband that I already have a smaller lamp just like this...but more than one of something always looks great!)

I also found a cute bird bath which will be home to a small fairy garden. Next to it is an enamelware child's chamber pot I found while shopping in Traverse City on Monday. I already have some succulents to fill these two containers as well as a few special items to make them ready for the elusive fairies who live in our ravine....

I added to my glass blown chicken collection a month or so ago. I had the smaller two chicks for many years. Shopping at a local antique store, I found the larger chicken for $3.99- what a deal!

The red checked lunch pail was found at The Red Dresser in Traverse City (MI). I knew right away it would be a cute way to display a miniature picnic!

The last picture shows that I finally put up the metal branch I bought in the spring. I have been collecting bird houses to display at our lake house up north and decided this branch is a great way to display them some as well as add interest to the corner above the television. Something was lacking until I decided that my paper mâché bluebird (made by artist Lori Hough) needed to move to the cottage and fly with the birdhouses. Thanks for stopping by! It's always fun to share the excitement of new finds!

Fairy Garden Passion...

I have been having much fun planning and planting fairy gardens. I look for unusual containers, like this chicken waterer, which has old marbles in the glass water jar. I added a tiny ceramic chick to add more whimsey along with the hen and chick plants.

I bought an old bird bath at an estate sale and turned it into a moss fairy garden. We have moss growing in our shady yard which I was able to use. I continue to add tiny mouse ear hostas as well as rocks to this garden.

I found several enamel bowls and planted the next fairy garden with succulents since it is up at our cottage (therefore needs less water). I just added the broken Robins egg for the beautiful blue color.

You never know when you might stumble across a great opportunity for a new garden~a friend mentioned that she bought a new bird bath so I quickly asked what she was going to do with the old one. So I now have another garden, also planted with succulents and cacti. I found the Queen of Hearts figurine at an estate sale (she was damaged-therefore inexpensive). Love the chair planted with hens and chicks. Friends have given me polished stones from their travels so they add more interest.

Always fun to share my latest projects! Enjoy your day! Linking to;

A Few of my Favorite Things

 I’m joining Laura from The Ironstone Nest (http://www.theironstonenest.com/2012/06/my-favorite-things-link-party.html) to share pictures of a few of my favorite things. Luckily for you, my iPad will only let me share five pictures at a time on my blog...or you might be bored with all my favorite things...I tend to get carried away! First is a picture of my African violets, which love the windows in our living room.

Next is a picture of my agate suncatcher birds. The artist who made these (Norman Brumm) passed away a few years ago. I have many treasured enameled pieces of his as well as an agate lampshade. His work was inspired!

My collection of Wee Forest Folk has brought many smiles to me since I started my collection way back in the late seventies. I just set up this display on a vintage toy drum. I have to cover them or Bob (the cat) will rearrange or play with them!

I became ennamered with fairy gardens this year and have made a few. So far, this is my favorite~made in an old bird bath with mosses and hostas.

Last but certainly not the least is Bob. He wandered into our life three summers ago and has been a purring joyful part of the family ever since.

It's Spring in Michigan!

Lily of the Valley have blossomed....

Geraniums have been bought...

Everything is green and beautiful!

Except for the pool, which is now covered and less ugly!

> Bob was so happy to have us back home, that he brought us a gift.... Luckily for you, the picture didn't appear (darn iPad!) HaPpY SpRiNg!

Fairy Gardens!

OK...I'll admit it~I get a bit carried away when I see something I really like...err LOVE!
I stopped by Everlasting Gardens in Grand Rapids today to sign up for a class in making my own fairy garden and came away with a small garden after signing up for the class. But they are so adorably sweet!
I had my Mom with me and she was so enthralled that she got in and out of the car several times to look at the gardens and ended up with a sweet one for herself!
Now I need to plot how I can 'persuade' my darling husband to make an elevated bed by the front of the house for a large garden for the fairies...!
The last picture is the fairy garden that is all mine! I added the stone bench and the glass snail. Now I have to cross my fingers that no varmints go after it.
Enjoy!

Spring Ribbon Topiaries

My dear sisters spent time up at our lake house where we shopped and ate and enjoyed time together (along with Mom and my DH).
We also worked on another version of the ribbon topiaries that I made last fall. These are so pretty, we plan to make more for each season.

The detailed instructions are in a previous blog~ http://enchantmentbylee.blogspot.com/2011/09/halloween-ribbon-topiary.html