Mum under lockdown creates amazing fairy garden using bits she had at home
- Emma Richards, 39, has used lockdown to make a stunning fairy garden
- The garden was totally free to create using items she already owned
- Emma also transformed a toy house she found in a skip
If you’re keen to get stuck into a DIY project during the enforced lockdown at home, take inspiration from this savvy mum, who used everything from butter containers to twigs to transform her garden.
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Emma Richards, 39, a mum of three and a florist, decided to make the most of her time under lockdown to create a fairy garden in her home.
Emma, from Worcester, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: "During lockdown we have been looking for things to do and make. There have been a lot of people posting pictures of their fairy gardens and I wanted to have a go a making my own.
"While out on a walk for our daily exercise we collected a good amount of bark and twigs. Once we got home, I found a large butter container and cut a door and windows out.
"I also cut a circle out of the top to put a solar light in, then sprayed it black and glued twigs around the sides with bits of bark and dirt to fill the gaps.
"I had got a bark rat tube toy out of my neighbour's skip and cut a hole for the door and a window.
“I glued a bit of bark over the window, a nobble of wood for a door handle and found a pot to fit in the top which I added a couple of variegated ivy to. I got some twigs and some string and knotted them together to make a ladder up to the window.”
"I made some fairy garden bunting using shells and pearls out of my craft box. I threaded them onto wire and attached to two twigs.
"I made a little washing line attached a scrap of material to look like a towel and made a fairy dress using a silk rose upside down with a top I stitched together from a bit of felt and invisible thread. I glued it to the top of the rose and added a twig and a bit of wire for a hanger.
"I used one of my son's spare toy wheels to make a tyre swing with a couple of small holes drilled to thread the string and attached it to a twig.
"I made a wash basin from some shells glued together and a bit of tin foil for a mirror as taps. I glued a silk flower on too.
"I popped all my things into position and once I was happy I placed seaglass and small gravel to make a path.
“To fill in the gaps, I made some salt dough toadstools. I made all the components separately, making a large hole at the bottom of each stalk to poke a wire in (the hole will shrink while baking), baked them and once dry, glued them together with my glue gun, painted them with acrylic paint and given a coat of varnish.
“I glued the wire in the bottom of the stalk to enable me to poke them in the ground.
“The fairy garden didn’t cost anything to make, as it was all bits I’ve had in the craft cupboard and have collected the shells and seaglass over the years. The salt dough was plain flour and salt which I had in the cupboard, the twigs and bark from going out on walks!"
Emma has even taught her sons how to become pros at DIY, with her 11-year-old son revamping an old doll’s house himself.
"During our lockdown, we raided our neighbour's skip and found a old toy house that they no longer wanted,” she adds. “With their permission we took it home. My 11-year-old son was looking for something to do to keep him busy.
"I got out the acrylic paints and gave him a plate and a glass of water for his brush.
“Together we painted it, added some fake grass on the roof and glued some twigs to the windows and to the building with bits of moss.
"It kept him busy all afternoon and he loves playing with his new army barracks, toy soldiers and figures.
“The cost was nothing but together we made an afternoon of memories!"
Emma is delighted with how her fairy garden has turned out, and says the activity is perfect for keeping yourself busy during the lockdown.
"I am really pleased with my garden and have been collecting more sticks and materials to keep adding to it,” she adds.
"I enjoy anything craft wise and making something out of nothing. I'm at my happiest when my hands are dirty and I’ve got a hammer, trowel or paintbrush in my hands!”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, comments: “It’s a great time to get stuck into a DIY project, as creative pursuits are great for your mental wellbeing, especially during a time when it’s tempting to watch too much TV.
“Emma’s projects just prove you don’t need to spend a penny to be creative: her totally free transformations reuse unexpected items in the home, from felt to butter containers, and they look fantastic!”
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