Favorite Things from the New Book
Yay for discovering new fairies, gnomes, critters, and crafts. Yay for decorating homes with colorful, pretty garlands and ornaments. Yay for new ideas, new creativity, new celebrations. Yay for Magical Forest Fairy Crafts through the Seasons*!
This book inspired us with new ideas and projects. We wanted to build on the foundation of the first book while giving new techniques and inspiration for our community. Here are five of our favorite things in the new book. We look forward to hearing your favorites!
- Crafting for Girls AND Boys- it was so important for us that everyone gets to craft. Every fairy has a version with a fairy wearing a dress and a fairy wearing shirt with pants. We notice that the crafter gets to choose what a fairy wears. Girls can wear pants and boys can choose skirts too, if they want. Fairies could wear kilts if they want! We often craft with boys who make fairies with dresses as gifts. We believe in including everyone. We also paid attention to colors throughout the book, from sample projects to design elements, to show lots of colors. We know that families craft together so it's important to include everyone in the creativity. Also, we see how boys love making toys and learning how to sew. Everyone gets to have fun together!
The bride and groom get to be part of the new book
- Diversity in the Forest- we found a way to create many different skin tones on fairies and gnomes. By painting the wood with watercolors, we were able to showcase all skin tones. Having representation is so important to us. We teach painting. We also model many different skin types in the example photos. All children deserve to see themselves in the crafts they create. Even our kid models for this book show diverse ethnicities. Everyone gets to be included in the Forest.
- Empowering makers- making toys gives children tremendous creative expression. We teach the tools so that they can understand how to sew anything their imagination can design. We show one way, then invite other ways to make a project unique. This gives children an invitation to explore ideas and colors. We believe, strongly, that children are incredible makers. They love opportunities that empower the creative process. This book is a launchpad for creativity.
Gnome and his friends gather to celebrate the new book
- Gnomes- In this book, we got to make more gnomes. We developed a new technique wrapping thread around their tummy to give gnomes more color and texture. And we realized that two capes are fancier than one. By making one smaller cape and one bigger cape, the gnome designs are cute and look fancy while being accessible for kids to make. We include patterns and lots of photos for the gnomes.
Garlands with hearts and blossoms.
- Celebrating the year- by far the biggest request we hear is ideas for each new season. What projects can be brought to classrooms, homeschool students, and programs for children? What can inspire children, and their favorite adults, month after month? So many of our projects are designed to be made again and again. For example, a garland can use colorful felt leaves in autumn. Then it can be made with snowflakes in winter. And blossoms in spring. Or you can add raindrops, or clouds, or hearts, or stars. You can see how one project can lead to many more :)
What we love the most is celebrating the magic of childhood imaginations. We appreciate our community so, so much that has helped create Forest Fairy Crafts over the years. Our very favorite thing about this new book is getting to create more crafts with all of you! Thank you for coming along on the journey. Let's make magic :)
We cannot wait for every to get a copy of their own. Please, let us know what you think. What's your favorite project? Or your favorite idea in the book?
You can order your copy on Amazon,* or visit your local bookseller. Let's return to the Forest!
*affiliate link- a small amount is given to the forest by the seller while your price remains the same. Win-win :) and thank you!
Book Month is Here!
It's almost time! This is the month! An entire new collection of fairies and crafts is arriving for children of all ages. The theme of this book is seasons. Each new season is a chance to celebrate and create. From the changing colors, to the scents of grass or cinnamon or snow, to the activities of collecting treasures or tossing beanbags, our book shares our favorite crafts.
The Summer Family
The Autumn Family
The Winter Family
The Spring Family
And each family has critters, decorations, and crafts to go along with the fairies and gnomes. It's going to be so fun to see what everyone creates. You can preorder a copy of Magical Forest Fairy Crafts through the Seasons on Amazon to be sure it arrives soon at your doorstep next week by clicking here*
We keep adding to our summer shelf. There's still time for epic summer crafting. What are you making today?
We're busy making a fairy garden to enter in the county fair. I'll take photos to share once we finish it. So fun to create fairylands. Hope you get to find magic today :)
Thank you to all the people who have preordered the book and supported the forest through the years. We appreciate you so much!
*affiliate link allows us to earn a small percentage from Amazon while your price remains the same.
Big News in the Forest
Perhaps a quiet forest is not so quiet after all. Squirrels may be harvesting acorns, critters digging dens, birds building nests. This forest has been just like a real forest. While it has looked a little quiet around here, we've actually been frantically creative for you.
We wrote another book!
Hip hip hurrah!
We've thrown ourselves into the very best projects for a return to the forest. And we're so happy to share the news that more Fairy Crafts are coming your way in August of 2018. We embrace each season of the year with crafts. We find inspiration in colors and activities. We brought together our very favorites to write MAGICAL FOREST FAIRY CRAFTS THROUGH THE SEASONS.
This book was so much work (so much!) and, yet, such a delight. We amuse each other by sending snapshots of the ideas. We hope that you smile as much as we did as you make these crafts. From seasonal families ready for play and decorating nature tables, to stuffed foxes and cats, to new treasure bags, this books has magical toys and decorations for children (or their favorite adults).
We reunited with friends at Funstitch Studio for the return to the forest. Lots of people making these crafts look gorgeous while sharing all the directions. Did you know we made more than 250 little samples for the photographs? I should write a post about how we make each project come together. It's a big effort that is also rewarding when we see the book come together.
Happy new year to you! This year will be filled with magic! The book will be available in August of 2018. Until then, keep enjoying Forest Fairy Crafts with our first book!
*affiliate link will give us a small portion of the amount while your price remains the same. Thank you!
Fairies will be in Sebastopol
What a lovely flyer that Circle of Hands created for our event next month. These little pegs will be so sweet to create with visitors.
I am so excited to be visiting Circle of Hands Waldorf Shop with Margaret Bloom! We will be making little butterfly peg dolls and signing books.
It's such a treat to visit with Margaret Bloom of We Bloom Here. Her books are Making Peg Dolls and Making Peg Dolls and More. All of her projects are lovely and inspiring. I look forward to what we create together :)
Meanwhile, this change of seasons inspires me to choose new colors, imagine new ideas. Wishing you plenty of inspiration today!
Holiday Fairs 2013
Doesn't it seem like the holidays arrive earlier every year? I usually make Thanksgiving my moment to kick into the holiday season, the start of a flurry of activity and fun... It seems like Halloween has become that moment now.
Perhaps because we are in the gifting world- and we love to make gifts and help children make gifts. So we have planned our December. We hope that you can join us at one of these events. We will have books, craft kits, and a few surprises!
We will be at the Yuba River Charter School Winter Faire on Saturday, December 7. We will be focusing on Waldorf crafting here- bringing a lot of natural toy-making supplies like wood buttons and wool felt. You can learn more about this fun event here.
Another new event for us will be the Nevada City Craft Fair on Sunday, December 15. We are excited to share the holiday fun with other artists at the Foundry. And we love the flyer! More information about that fair is here.
The next week will be busy at our school celebration, the Nevada City School of the Arts Winter Revels, on Wednesday, December 12. We love sharing our crafts with the students and parents that have made the crafts in class. They inspired us to write our book :)
We are very busy making all the goodies for these fairs. If you live outside our forest-area, you can always find our Etsy shop. I will be busy updating it (though things may disappear as they are bought locally :))
I also have a very exciting giveaway planned for December. I am not in any rush for the holidays, but I must admit that I do love them!
Thank you for supporting our forest :)
Classes and Workshops for Spring and Summer
I am so, so busy putting magic together in the forest. We are constantly asked about coming to stores or events. So I put together a few favorite activities with different ages. If you would like us to visit your area, take a look at our spring and summer classes to download the PDF.
Please remember that travel expenses are not included in these descriptions. I am planning a trip to the San Diego area this summer, though. Stay tuned! Our calendar is filling up, so if you are interested in us visiting, please email me soon.
Meanwhile, I am working on those extra hat patterns. I better hurry off to Fairyland!
Our First Book Arrives
An exciting week in the forest! These beautiful flowers arrived on my doorstep. And flowers are always a celebration. I love flowers! The flowers didn't arrive by themselves, though. No, they were from our lovely friends at C&T Publishing along with a first copy of our book! And I just discovered there is a preview of the book, sharing pages here. So you can understand why we are happy-dancing!
Holding the book after all the months of writing and crafting and editing and sewing was a strange, marvelous feeling. They took our fairy-world and made magic. We love the layouts and colors. What a treat to see all of the hard work pay off :)
The book releases in late May, which is the trickiest part of showing it off. We took it to school and were asked many times where to buy a copy. A little waiting left...
I loved bringing it to school, because the children saw the wall between books and writers crumble. They thought hard about whether Asia and I had really written a real book. Until we showed them page with fairies and gnomes, their Moon Pockets and Treasure Owls.
"We made ones like that!"
Which quickly became, "When can we make pirates? And mermaids? And ninjas?"
I better get busy cutting felt :)
We also received CDs with all of the photos they used in the book. We had talented photographers work on Forest Fairy Crafts. I take many of our photographs, but the size and scope of this project meant I was happy to get help. We had over 400 placeholders for images in the original draft! Not all of them made it into the book, but still, they got to work with lots of fairies and crafts.
Our mermaids :)
I am busy today sewing sample for our hat pattern PDF that I will send out to everyone who preorders our book. You can order from any favorite book seller. We will simply ask for an order number or receipt copy. We are working on the technology to make this all possible. Amazon will have the book arrive on your doorstep on release day- you can order here
We are visiting local bookstores and craft stores to set up book release parties. And I am ready to celebrate. It's a great day in the forest!
I have many postcards (pictured with the flowers) that I want to send you for helping share the fun news. Simply email your address with Fairy Crafts Postcard in the subject line and I will put one in the mail. Don't worry, I won't use your address for anything else :). If you work at a school or know a group of friends/parents/crafters that may appreciate a postcard, tell me how many you would like and I will do my best to drop them in the mail soon. Thank you for supporting the forest!
All kinds of good news. We will keep you posted as we get closer to the big Release Day :)
Meanwhile, In the Forest...
I know it seems quiet, but we are busy with new ideas here in the forest. I am figuring out logistical details before sharing all the magic. Here is a sneak peek-
I want to thank our loyal friends and fans of the forest who preorder our book. I am making a special PDF with at least 5 hats that couldn't fit into the book. I am working on how I will collect, keep, and send out emails to everyone who sends a receipt (I don't care where the book is purchased) or order number. I haven't figured out logistical details of organizing it all though, so save onto those emails. All receipts will be honored :)
Stay tuned for details!
The second big idea is from my daughter, Anika. She wants to start a Forest Fairy Fan Club for kids. The club will have newsletters with ideas and inspiration for new crafts. The theme would be Kids Inspiring Kids. We have tons of plans, including Magic Wands and Kitty Ears. Again, it's the logistics of gathering emails, creating the newsletter, and sending it to the email list... I've never done that before. More adventures in learning for me, which I love :)
I also have a basket full of craft kits made by Asia in delightful spring colors to photograph and post in our Etsy shop.
That and I just got a bunch of postcards featuring the cover of our book! I want to send one your way! ... I really need to find a secure way to let you send me address :). Hmmm...
Okay, enough announcements for today. I just wanted to give you a brief tour in our busy forest! And I'm planning classes, workshops, and book signings for the summer. A busy forest indeed!
A Happy Announcement
Such exciting news! The fairies have been hard at work writing a book! Yes, Asia and I have spent this year working closely with the wonderful people at C&T Publishing to collect our favorite patterns, projects, and sewing secrets to create a fantastic Forest Fairy Craft book. We are so happy to share the cover with you!
The book will be released May 13, 2013. But we know what a great gift it will be for holidays and birthdays. Besides, children love to receive suprises after their actual special-day. It's like getting two gifts, the news on the day, and the book when it's released!
You can preorder through many wonderful bookstores and online retailers. Amazon's link is here
The PDF download is here.
Thank you for your support of Forest Fairy Crafts. We are delighted to share this journey with you! We wish you all the best of days :)
Pixie Owl, Hedgie, and Blue Gnome
Asia is busy in the forest! Look at the new little creations she shared with me today. So sweet!
Introducing the Pixie Owl!
The front is a little pocket for treasure or teeth for the tooth fairy. The owl is a plushie. Our girls, who are both 9 and moving into a different kind of fantastic forest, where fluffy pink is becoming whimsical blue (aka a little older) both love the make-believe of this owl. In fact, the design is inspired by a sketch drawn by Asia's daughter. They both want one of their own. Which is good since Asia is making kits!
Then, look what wandered into the meadow of my front yard.
A hedgehog! We have both been puzzling about a hedgehog design for awhile. Asia's is perfect!
He is so cute! We all love to fluff his little spines and smooth him down again. I have a class story that I use with a porcupine about feelings and when we get frustrated, we can be prickly. He will be perfect with that story. She is designing a kit for him, too. She's working on directions right now. I have a feeling we will be sewing more than one in our house.
I made something new for the forest, too. My little blue gnome.
My daughter greeted him with, "Can we keep him? I can keep him, right, Mom?"
And of course I said yes. So I need to knit more blue gnomes. I have a feeling he will be popular this year. Blue and white seem to be new holiday colors :). He's fun. Perhaps I will try a tutorial, if I have time :). The red yarn has little sequins through it, which gives sparkle.
I will keep you posted, of course, as we finish these projects. For anyone local, Asia brought kits to Make Local Habit today. If you live farther away, you can email me or visit our Etsy shop and we are happy to send goodies your way. We want everyone to have creative holidays :)
Enjoy!
Grateful in the Forest
We are grateful for magic. For our Forest. For you visiting us and supporting us. We are grateful for creativity. For smiles. For surprises. We are grateful for little things. And big things. And invisible things that we cannot touch, yet know are real and important. Grateful for our children. For all the children. For the vision of a world that is safe and loved and nurtured.
We are grateful for beauty. Hugs.
Grateful for this holiday. For a day with family and delicious food. For the winter magic just around the corner.
Look who is waiting in the wings!
Not yet, little one, not yet. Let's enjoy Thanksgiving first :)
Happy day to you and your loved ones!
Autumn Goodies
Here are projects that we are crafting this month!
We will have a free tutorial for this fun craft :)
And craft kits for the Pumpkin Fairy and the Chubby Kitty
We will let you know as soon as they are ready to travel :)
The Free Moody Pumpkin tutorial is here. Enjoy!
Bunny Gnome
A sneak peak at my knitted bunny gnome. I'm working on the pattern today to post this weekend in our Free Patterns. Yes, free!
I will also be at the Nevada County Fair on Saturday at the Meadowfarm Yarn table so I can answer questions and show you how to make this little cutie.