Coloring Book Pages for December
The Forest Fairy Crafts December Coloring Book is not just any ordinary coloring book. It’s created to inspire downtime for children and adults. December is fun, and exciting, and routines are disrupted. Which can lead to emotionally sensitive moments too. All of us can be both things at once. So activities that help us slow down are valuable. They’re perfect for cozy afternoons or evenings, waiting for cookies to bake, or at social gatherings (or classrooms).
Illustrations are a carefully curated collection of beautifully detailed scenes that will captivate your imagination and allow an escape from the stresses of everyday life. Pages feature enchanting forest fairies, surrounded by winter trees and whimsical creatures. They do not show specific holidays. Use any colors that you like.
Whether you are a parent looking for a way to unwind after a long day, a teacher seeking a peaceful activity for your students, or a caregiver in need of some quiet time, Forest Fairy Crafts coloring pages are the perfect solution. You can easily download the coloring book and choose the pages that resonate with you the most.
And the best part? They’re free. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of life and immerse yourself in the magic and beauty of Forest Fairy Crafts.
Handmade Holidays
Every year is a fantastic year for handmade holidays. This year, especially, is a perfect time for gathering simple supplies and creating little gifts or toys for family and friends. One of a kind gifts are so appreciated! And many of us will be spending even more time at home this holiday season due to the pandemic.
I recently looked for a photo in the archives and found all of these fun ideas that I made through the years with students and as gifts for my kids, friends, and family. The pattern for fairies or crafts is a perfect seed that can grow in many different directions. I collected a few of my favorites here. Our invitation, of course, is to take your inspiration and make it your own :)
I share a photo here with the idea, and which book has the most similar pattern. Some are loosely based on existing projects. Making gifts is one of my favorite seasonal activities.
Child Made Fairies
We made these many years as gifts for students to give their families. Children chose their colors of felt and sequins. I loved the variety and how each fairy spoke to each student. We wrapped them and gave them to a family member so they would stay on the student’s holiday tree (which students appreciated). Of course, they often made another for grandparents :). The fairies are the introductory fairy design found in both books which sparkly pipe cleaners and variegated red/green/white crochet thread.
Oh, and the tree was a cone sold at the craft store that my son painted. When the paint dried, he used a silver pen to draw the stars.
Favorite Characters
Whether your favorites are a certain ice queen, or Santa, you can create storybooks with fairies. For the ice queen, I used the Leprechaun pattern from Forest Fairy Crafts for her dress with curvy lines instead of triangles. Her hat uses star-shaped sequins. Santa was made with the wizard robe from Forest Fairy Crafts. His robe is edged with faux fur, which is visually perfect but super-fiddly, fair warning. If you haven’t tried it before, practice cutting before making your strips to sew on the robe. You need to “part” the fur to clip the underlying cloth. It can be tricky for pushing a needle through depending on how tightly wound the underlying fabric is. I sewed two strips along the front of the robe, not around the neck because the fur is too stiff. You can achieve the same look with white felt edging a red coat. You could even make it shorter to look just like Santa’s jacket. Mrs. Claus can be made with a red and white felt dress.
Children would have a difficult time sewing faux fur. If they’re sewing, I recommend white felt and white sequins. The little pompom on top of his hat was found in a packet of pompoms at the craft store.
I also gave Santa a white shirt and red pants using black thread with the basic fairy pattern. He’s a favorite ornament on our tree now :)
Winter Fairy Ornament
The winter fairies are wonderful ornaments or toys for kids that love a certain ice queen movie. They’re in Magical Forest Fairy Crafts through the Seasons which has their exact instructions (no modifications necessary).
The Fairy Family
This was a gift for my niece when she enjoyed dollhouses and little worlds. This family featured many of her favorite colors. I’ve given them as well when the fairies matched people in a child’s own family (two brothers or two moms or more children). I even add gnomes to show a baby. You can make the “adult” fairies and “baby” gnomes with either book. The “kids” aka little brother and sister are in Forest Fairy Crafts.
Mermaid Ornament
These are above-and-beyond mermaids I made when my daughter was obsessed with mermaids. A mermaid by herself isn’t that seasonal until you give her a Santa hat. The faux fur is fiddly, and not the most fun for hand sewing, so I wouldn’t expect a child to enjoy sewing with it. The hat looks great with white felt as well if the faux fur is too fiddly. You can make mermaids with the mermaid pattern in Forest Fairy Crafts. I wanted a challenge so I tweaked the mermaid pattern to the curve (currently not in a book). You don’t need a curving pattern to make a cute mermaid ornament for your tree. When I do tweak patterns, I first trace the top of the pattern that needs to math onto a blank piece of paper, then draw the curving tail. I cut that out and hold up to a wireframe fairy body to see if the scale will work, then cut a piece of scrap felt to again see if I like the shape and scale (too small or too big). If it looks good, I cut the final version from the felt I’ll use for the ornament. You can use this technique to adjust just about any pattern to match a new idea.
Hand Sewn Ornaments
These are in Magical Forest Fairy Crafts through the Seasons, including the shapes for appliqué. You can tuck a tea bag into them for cinnamon or minty scents. These (not as fancy stitching) were one of the first sewing projects we brought into classrooms. They were favorite family gifts. If you do add a tea-bag, they can be gifted as sachets (though don’t get the tea bags wet. Tea will stain the felt).
Angels
You can create guardian angels that can stay on a shelf or hang in a window all year round, or they can be ornaments. I’ve made them with soft highlight colors, like in the photo above, or leaning into silver or gold, like in the photo below.
For the fancy fairy, below, her iridescent wings were at the craft store and I knew they would look amazing on an angel. I added them the same way as I make any other fairy wings winding the thread around her shirt and wings. I added the red heart button on her hat for the love she holds in her heart.
The angel is in Forest Fairy Crafts.
Star Babies
Star babies were a favorite with second-grade students. They were so charming and lent themself to a “wish upon a star” thought to go with the ornament as a gift. With my son, I let him choose a favorite color for his star baby. The star babies that my kids made at school are treasured ornaments (scroll to see a few made by students a couple of years ago). Star babies are in Forest Fairy Crafts.
Christmas Fairies
They may be simple, but they’re still magical. The premise for these fairies is seasonal colors. Red, green, and white for Christmas. With gold bells. They’re a celebration of nostalgic Christmas celebrations. I found the little candy cane in the miniatures section of the craft store. And the fancy ribbon with edging was also in the craft store. The nice thing with fairies is a little of a supply goes a long way. I like the beads because they look like ornaments themselves. The sparkly pipe cleaners are also fun when Christmas lights shine on them. You can find many seasonal petals at places like the Dollar Store. The pattern for Christmas fairies is the basic fairy pattern in both books. The Christmas fairies in the left image are in Forest Fairy Crafts.
Modern or Mod Christmas Fairies
While I love classic Christmas colors as much as anyone, playing with modern colors delights me (or are they retro colors, or mod colors?). Regardless, they’re so fun to play with pink, turquoise, and lime green. The scalloped ribbon was a perfect decorative accent (you can see another shade on the Christmas fairy, above). And you may recognize the star sequin from the ice queen fairy with Santa. You’ll start seeing elements appearing on very different fairies. After all, a little decoration goes a long way :). You can use the flower from Forest Fairy Crafts or spring fairy from Magical Forest Fairy Crafts Through the Seasons with whatever colors inspire your holiday vibe.
Phew, if you made it this far, congratulations! I created galleries below that may inspire you. All of the projects are the same as those mentioned above. I do have more projects that didn’t appear in either book. I’d love to share more for different holidays. And I have more, like the peppermints fairies. More inspirations for other posts. For now, I hope one of these has sparked an idea that could entertain you, and/or your children, in the weeks before the holidays. Once you learn one, it’s easy to make more and more. I’ve heard of people gifting them to local children’s organizations. And one person made quite a few to decorate a tree in the local children’s hospital, that could be gifted to children on Christmas. The holidays are all about sharing magic.
Enjoy!
My favorite holidays are handmade :)
Handmade Holiday Gifts in the Forest Fairy Crafts Books for Decorations and Giving to Family and Friends
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase after clicking through a link, a small commission is paid to us while your pricing remains the same. Thank you for supporting the Forest!
Autumn Leaf Decoration: Nature Craft
Children (and adults) enjoy collecting autumn leaves. Wandering around neighborhoods or trails shares any number of splendid fall leaves. We collect them on the nature table and use felt leaves for garlands. Then I wondered if we could create something lovely using real leaves.
The real leaf garlands brought gorgeous color into our classrooms. The concept for them is incredibly simple.
Step one was usually a question. Could we sew leaves? And that prompted lots of ideas for yes or no. Then I shared that we could make decorations for the window (or anywhere- we love the light through colorful leaves). We created a plan to collect leaves on a walk around the playground. We have guidance not to pick leaves off of plants or trees. Only choose leaves on the ground.
I might share that the leaf needs to be soft because if it’s crunchy or brittle, it can fall apart when you sew through it. If you are creating these with children of your own, you may want to let them discover this on their own- like what happens when you try to sew a dry leaf? In a classroom, that meant quite a messy project.
We use crochet thread (size 3) which doesn’t tangle very easily. We cut a length of red or amber thread (any color would be fine). We use tapestry needles with very blunt tips or embroidery needles with large eyes for older students. We thread the needle and bring both ends even to tie a slip knot. This way, the needle cannot be pulled off of the thread by accident.
Sewing the leaves is a very simple process of pushing the needle through one leaf. Pull that leaf where you like it on the thread. The leaves tend to stay where you slide them on the thread since they’re light. Then add another leaf. By having thread go through a leaf once, the leaves “lean” one way or the other and look like they’re tumbling down in the window. Once you reach near the end, snip the needle free of the thread and tie a slip knot or double knot to hang anywhere.
The leaves will dry out eventually (which can be a science observation in itself- how long does it take for them to dry out?). You can take them down and outside to crunch them into mulch to return to the soil. The thread can be used for another project if you like.
I have read about preserving leaves with beeswax, which you could research if you want a display to last longer. I did find it lovely to see how nature is astonishing and fleeting all at the same time.
If you are making these with a class, or group of children, it’s helpful to thread the needles and tie the first knot ahead of time.
The walk to discover leaves, the sewing of leaves, and the enjoyment of leaves catching the light means that this activity combines nature and fine motor skills. I would often invite children to sew a second garland to take home because they enjoyed it so much.
Autumn is such a lovely season.
We hope you’re inspired to create a few garlands for your own space to celebrate the season.
Another idea- identify the trees from their leaves. Look them up online or use a leaf identification book to learn more about the trees in your neighborhood.
Happy autumn! 🍂🍁🍂
Mermaid in Summer
One of my all-time favorite projects is the mermaid. My daughter still loves mermaids. I know how they connect with children in a magical and delightful way. And they inspire swimming! Because mermaids learn to put their faces in the water and hold their breath for swimming. Merfolk are perfect for summer adventures.
Our first book included a tutorial with photos and patterns for a mermaid and a fancy mermaid (with more colors in the tail). I recently found the mermaid that appeared in the book. And she charmed me all over again.
One of my puzzles with creating her was figuring out how to make the tail without a lot of sewing. By modifying the same design as our pants-patterns, the tail could fold over for success with beginning sewers. My second puzzle was her hat, because I couldn’t imagine a mermaid wearing the tall triangle-shaped hat. A crown, though, that would be perfect for mermaids. I know that the hair can be on its own, but it can look a little clunky with glue, so a crown or hat helps to make the top of the head look better. In fact, I made one where I didn’t glue the crown on their head, and the child loved taking the crown off and putting it back on their mermaid. So that’s an option, too.
Of course, these felt mermaids don’t go swimming in water for real. Felt and glue and wood doesn’t enjoy being wet. They still enjoy many summer adventures, including building them houses beside the water.
Another thing that I’ve learned while raising my own kids is that boys love merfolk just as much as girls. Boys tend to be a little more self-conscious about the fascination at a certain age where they may feel more judged for loving water-folk. This may not be the case for children in your world, and certainly don’t make an issue of it if the kids around you don’t resist the idea of boys getting to enjoy merfolk as much as girls (it may be a cultural bias that may or may not be in your community).
Boys may be just fine with a mermaid (after all, who says they have to play with gender-matching toys?). Girls get to play with boy dolls without issues. So boys can play with mermaids if they want. Or you can make a merman by giving it shorter hair (or no hair) if that matches their idea of “boy”. Though they may be just fine with boys with longer hair, too.
I encourage asking children how they want to make an idea their own. Black felt? Zombie face? Why not? Let them make their own toys and see what ideas they bring into the world. I look forward to their creativity.
Make your own mermaid doll with tutorials, photos, and patterns in the Forest Fairy Crafts book by Lenka Vodicka-Paredes and Asia Currie
Happy summer!
Autumn in the Forest
Hurrah for autumn! The fairies, gnomes, and critters are so excited for the changing season. They decorate with colorful garlands of russet and burgundy. Dance in the falling leaves. Snack on crisp apples and pumpkin pie. We love so many things about autumn!
We are often asked what is in each book celebrating the season. Of course, we invite crafters to bring their own creative vision to each project. Its easy to make any fairy (or mermaid or gnome) into a fall theme using colors of autumn, from burnt umber to bright orange.
Of course, you could also purchase both books which will give you all the crafts :)
Autumn in Forest Fairy Crafts
Witch, Wizard, and Warlock
Pumpkin Fairy
Zombies
Cat Treasure Keeper (customize with colors)
Owl Pocket Treasure Keeper
Autumn in Magical Forest Fairy Crafts Through the Seasons
Autumn Gnome
Autumn Fairies with Leaf Wings
Chubby Cat Stuffy
Chubby Fox Stuffy
Autumn Leaf Garland
Click here for a FREE tutorial for Moody Pumpkins
Moody Pumpkins are a fun fall activity that also invites conversations about moods, and how we look when happy or sad or mad. These conversations can feel obvious to adults, yet creating a way to show different expressions can be super helpful for young children. We’re happy to share the activity with all of you. And they’re fun decorations!
We wish everyone a fun and creative autumn! And, if you’re on the opposite end of the world, happy spring! We have you covered with plenty of spring crafts too :)
We look forward to crunching through leaves while watching colors blaze on our favorite trees. We look forward to harvest treats and adventures. And we look forward to collecting our gratitudes as the season gets underway.
Thank you for sharing the journey with us!
* post does contain affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase our books, a small amount returns to the forest while your price remains the same. Thank you!
Happy Spring
Hurrah! Spring is here! And with spring comes all the petals and colors and inspiration of spring. Now is the perfect time to make little fairies for Easter Baskets. Or gift the book Magical Forest Fairy Crafts through the Seasons for delightful crafting with little people in your life. Celebrate the many ways we grow together! We’re excited to bring out all the colors of spring. Happy changing of the seasons!
And to our friends on the opposite hemisphere, happy Autumn!
And, if you want even more fairy magic, discover our first book, Forest Fairy Crafts 🌸
This post does contain affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase a copy of our book, your price remains the same while we receive a small compensation for referring you. Thank you for supporting the forest!
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!
The Leprechauns wish you a delightful Saint Patrick’s Day!
The leprechauns found gold! Here’s to all the little folk surprising little people with magical antics today!
The leprechaun gold is actually pebbles painted with gold paint (not for little people that taste their toys).
The directions for these leprechauns are in the first Forest Fairy Craft book, which can be downloaded so you can make them today or any day :)
The fairies of the forest send lots of good luck to you and your family today 🍀💛💚
Spring Delights and Ideas
The sunshine is changing, can you feel it? There's a warmth that speaks to longer, lighter days. It's easy to stand in those little pockets of sunshine and soak it up. Of course, parts of the world are deep in winter. Here, though, spring is coming! And we couldn't be happier to see it arrive. Fairyland loves the springtime. We collect our favorite inspirations on our Pinterest board, Spring Delights.
We curated a few of the projects that look especially charming this year. The Easter bunnies are hard at work getting everything ready for Easter. Perhaps one of these projects may find its way into a basket in your home. Or you may want to make one with a child as spring days inspire you.
Egg Pockets perfect for hiding little gnomes inside by Rachel Wolf
Wee Brown Bunny Gift Bags are the cutest! Learn how to make them with
This Stuffie Bunny and Artful Egg is a charming alternative to plastic eggs. Learn how to make the bunny and the egg with The Adventures of Bluegirlxo
Aw, a Butterfly Finger Puppet makes exploring a spring garden enchanting. Margaret Bloom shares how to make one on We Bloom Here.
These Bunny Fingerpuppets enjoy romping in the garden as well. Their little tails! Learn how to make them with Molly's Sketchbook.
Of course the fairies love springtime! They change into all the colors of blossoms and green growing sprouts and blue skies. Have fun mixing the colors of spring! All the details for making them are in our Forest Fairy Craft book*. The little leaf babies are another favorite springtime craft from the book.
So many wonderful ways to celebrate springtime! We look forward to seeing all of your amazing crafts. Enjoy spring magic :)
*affiliate link means that your price remains the same and a small percentage returns to us for referring you. Thank you! The forest appreciates your support.
Favorite Fall Fairy Crafts
A few of our favorite Spooky Fairy Crafts
Spooky in the Forest is all about the fun of October. We love the darker paths, the gnarled trees and long shadows of evening. In the forest, our zombies have a sweet tooth. They enjoy tea parties. Our witches are candy-makers. Their cottages are sweetness and celebrations.
We have collected a few of our favorites through the years in this post. We have the link for a Free Moody Pumpkin Tutorial here! Moody Pumpkins can change their mouth to show happy, sad, angry, or confused. Kids love sewing them all over the world. Thank you for sharing photos of your moody pumpkins with us!
Moody Pumpkins in the Forest
We also have hints for sewing pumpkins with groups of children here.
A subtle change in an afternoon breeze signals a wonderful new season. Hints of falling leaves and a slight golden shimmer to sunshine whispers "autumn is here".
We love autumn in the Forest. The fairies adore a summer ball and a winter holiday, but they also love autumn. They love the way trees become a riot of color. How wind rattles leaves along the ground. They love the crisp air. They love pumpkin spice everything (don't we all?) They love to decorate!
A few of our October favorites are here. We have a few new ideas to share over the next couple of weeks too. Fairies love to dress up for the season!
Fairy Witch by Lenka
I love to make witches and warlocks. The tutorials for step-by-step instructions are in our book.
I also love zombies. The fun about fairy zombies is that these fairies really, really don't care about being tidy. Smear the ink on their faces. Wind the thread in wackadoodle directions, layer torn fabrics... Zombie fairies love it all.
One hint for zombies is to look in local Halloween displays for 'creepy cloth' or other table decorations that can become clothing. I bought a mantle cover of gray creepy cloth about three years ago. I still have tons of it left!
Fairy Zombie by Lenka
Instructions for the zombie and Pumpkin Fairy are in our book as well.
Pumpkin Fairy by Asia
This pumpkin fairy is such a sweet Halloween friend and decoration. The stuffed pumpkin is attached to the fairy. Though I imagine you could make the pumpkin-styled sleeping bag that the fairy sleeps inside... ooh, ideas!
Anyway, this playful fairy is so fun for the season.
Of course, if you want an easy way to create a few spooky fairies and crafts of your own, you can visit our Etsy Shop. We have one Pumpkin Fairy Craft Kit. We also have a Spooky Toy Maker Kit that has lots of supplies, including creepy cloth!
Spooky Toy Maker Kit
And if you would like to have a witch of your own made by Lenka, we have one left. She's a bit sassy :)
Fairy Witch by Lenka
You can find her here.
Enjoy all the fun of the season!
*this post does contain affiliate links to our book. If you choose to purchase, we receive a small commission while your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting the Forest.