Enchanted Fairy Garden

The Aroma Faery

2012-02-12T17:58:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time in my pre-children/pre-Enchanted Garden days i completed my certificate 4 in Aromatherapy. Unfortunately i didn't really take my qualifications past the classroom but i still use aromatherapy and essential oils nearly everyday in my life.

If you only have two essential oils in your home, they have to be Lavender & Tea Tree oil. These two are our natural first aid kit. Just make sure they are 100% essential oil and not just fragrant oils. Most health food stores and pharmacies stock essential oils, alternatively there are many online suppliers.

We usually have a super sized bottle of Lavender Oil in the pantry as we use it for so many things:

mozzie bites - a drop or 2 of neat Lavender onto a cotton wool bud and apply directly to the bite. Within a few minutes the itch subsides and the redness calms down.

minor burns - after putting the affected area under cold running water apply some diluted Lavender oil (couple of drops in water) to the area. The lavender nearly instantly soothes the burn. Keep applying as required. I have found burns heal so much faster when i use lavender.

use a a couple of drops in a jug of warm water as a final hair rinse to keep head lice at bay.

Tea Tree oil is fabulous as an antiseptic as well as being antibacterial and anti-fungal, some of our uses here at home include:

applied neat or slightly diluted onto minor grazes and cuts

a drop or two added to a chamomile tea solution and used in place of wipes to help clear up nappy rash

added to our homemade cleaning mixtures for use in the kitchen, bathroom etc

There a so many more uses for these wonderful oils, the above are just some of the primary ways we use them in our home.

A bonus to using essential oils in the first aid kit is they smell fantastic and make you feel great too!!

I will cover some other essential oils in future posts :)

Dannii xx

Faerie Radio

2012-02-06T17:19:00.000-08:00

Looking for some magical music to listen to while you're on the computer?

Faerie Radio is a free online radio station that plays the wonderful music that can be heard at Faerieworlds & Faeriecon.

Of course if you listen to Faerie Radio it will instantly make you want to attend one of the fabulous events above and if like me you live on the other side of the world, it may make you a little sad :(

I still love Faerie Radio though :)

Dannii xx

An end and a new beginning

2012-01-03T01:25:00.000-08:00

For those of you who follow our Facebook page, you've probably heard the news that Enchanted Garden will no longer be operating out of our beautiful Berrima location.

I was very sad to make this decision but for many reasons closing the shop was the only option. It is by no means the end of a bricks and mortar presence for Enchanted Garden, we are just putting it on hold until the time is right and somewhere more suitable becomes available.

Even though will will no longer trade from the Berrima shop, i will still endeavour to set up the plaster painting studio in various Southern Highlands locations during the school holidays. I have received lots of fabulous feedback about our plaster painting activity so i really want to keep that going. I will be expanding to include other crafts as well as a few other magical ideas i have up my sleeve.

Unfortunately, the closure of the shop means we can no longer host fabulous parties in the party room. I received so much wonderful feedback from everyone who had a party there, that it made the decision to close a million times harder. As with all endings though, there are new beginnings......

We are not stopping our parties, instead, we will just bring them to you.

All the good things about an Enchanted Garden party will be brought to your house, all you need to provide is the food, space and the children of course. We are hoping to even include some catered packages in the near future so you won't have to do a thing but sit back and relax while the kids have a ball.

Party packages will be available on our website soon.

So, for our last little bit of time at our lovely Berrima shop, we will be doing plaster painting all next week. The studio will be open Monday 9/1/12 until Saturday 14/1/12 from 10am till 2:30pm. There is no need to book for plaster painting, just show up and have fun.

1/20 Wingecarribee Street, Berrima

sales@enchantedgarden.com.au

Faery Blessings.....

Dannii xx

Goodbye little friend :(

2011-11-24T12:19:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, our daughter's dear little rabbit Houdini passed away. He was such a beautiful little bunny and he will be very missed.

He loved to free range around our yard and house, he even jumped up onto the bed and couch occasionally for cuddles.

Everyone who met him instantly fell in love with him and his very un-bunny like personality. People often did a double take when they saw him in the house, thinking he was a cat, then he'd hop off down the hallway.

He was also very much like a cat in the fact that i think he had 9 lives.

There was the time that he hopped past a broom which then fell over onto him. A trip to the vet revealed he had broken his little leg. The vet actually gave us euthanasia as an option but we opted to try and heal instead. He had a tiny orange cast put on him and then came home....and hopped around very noisily for the next few weeks till he made a full recovery.

He also ran away once. We were all devastated thinking we had lost him forever, then 24 hours later he just hopped back through the front door.

We had a little burial and ceremony for him yesterday afternoon. We all stood out in the rain with an umbrella and candle. My daughter read her favourite poem and i said a few words. The kids all put some flowers in with him and my daughter gave him a little letter. It was wonderful closure for everyone.

Goodbye dearest Houdini, we all loved you so much and will miss you dearly.

Dannii xx

Sweet Faery Dreams

2011-11-22T01:44:00.001-08:00

As my children finally settle down for the night (well at least for a few hours in my smallest ones case), i thought i'd share with you this lovely little poem.

I found it on a website and printed it out about 4 years ago and we've had it on our daughter's bedroom wall ever since. She knows it by heart and is teaching it to her younger brothers.

Written by Druidh and Cricketmouse

To Morrow

Faerie bless, and Faerie keep
Faerie watch me while I sleep.
Protect my hearth. Protect my home.
Protect my spirit as I roam.
Faerie guide me through the night
And keep away the shapeless fright.
Faerie bless and Faerie keep
Faerie watch me as I sleep.

I can't remember the exact website i found it on, but i have seen it in a few different places since then.

A quick google search led me here though and i assume that this is the original author (someone please correct me if i'm wrong).

Dannii xx

Favourite Artists - Celia Harris

2011-11-14T03:07:00.001-08:00

I am so happy to be sharing the work of Celia Harris as my first 'favourite artist' post on this blog. I love her work so much and one of these days i hope to own one of her beautiful faeries.

Celia is an Australian artist from Northern NSW and she gathers inspiration for the dolls she creates from the nature surrounding her home.

She is self taught in sculpting and has been making her faeries since 2002.

Celia has a facebook page which she regularly updates with her latest work. Please check it out as her newest faery is just magical!The Fantasy Dolls of Celia Harris.

(sorry for all the pictures, i just couldn't pick a favourite)

Food in a Flash - Peanut Butter Choc Chip Cookies

2011-10-03T21:26:00.000-07:00

I enjoy cooking and when time permits i 'attempt' to get creative in the kitchen. Most days though, i don't have stacks of time to prepare gourmet dishes so i get really excited when i come across recipes for super fast meals.

Now this recipe wouldn't exactly be classed as a meal, although i have been known to consume them for breakfast, lunch and dinner!!

Recipe found here.

They are super quick to make and use everyday ingredients found in your pantry. As a bonus they are also gluten free (which is handy for me as my mother in law is gluten intolerant and now i have a great little treat to serve with coffee/tea when she visits).

These are the perfect cookies to make when unexpected guests drop buy or the kids are begging to do some baking and you want something fuss free.

Be warned though....they are TOTALLY addictive!!

Books we Love - Dragon's Dinner

2011-09-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

‘’Deep in the woods in a cave inky black, a dragon fancies a tasty snack!

He tries to have lunch with a grizzly bear, munch on a sly fox and crunch on a wise owl. But something very small with a teeny-tiny SQUEAK spoils his dinner plans...’’

Now that we've started doing parties at the shop, i'm always on the hunt for great stories to read aloud to the children at the end of the party.

Something with a magical, fantasy theme, not too long or short and most importantly, lots of fun.

Dragon's dinner ticks all the boxes. It's such a fun book to read and the illustrations are really bright and colourful.

Dragon's Dinner is written by Susannah Corbett and illustrated by Lynne Chapman.

Fairy Moon - songs of the ring

2011-09-12T02:28:00.000-07:00

I bought this gorgeous album the other day for the kids....but i think i'm enjoying it myself as much as they are.

It is filled with wonderful, happy tunes about fairies, nature and other magical things. It is really easy to listen to and the songs are very catchy.

You can buy this album and find out more about

Maria Sangiolo's other music here.

Dragons get itchy too!!!!

2011-08-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

Very quick post for me as i need to get back outside and enjoy the rest of this absolutely stunning afternoon here in the Southern Highlands.

We are so excited here at Enchanted Garden because we now have some very rare and precious dragon fleas available!!

Currently available in our Etsy Shop.

Dannii xx

The shop and life

2011-08-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

It's been crazy around here these past few months. I got the keys to the shop in June so we have been super busy getting it all set up. We are still far from finished, but with 3 young children and running 2 businesses, there isn't a whole lot of spare time.

The entrance to the party/craft studio

We've already had a few parties at the shop!!! They were all plaster painting parties and went really well. I've had great feedback from all the parents. I have a fairy party coming up next month which i am SUPER excited about!

Our current party packages can be found here.

I'm also starting to put together some 'at home' party packages. We already have plaster painting packages available, but soon there will be bag & t-shirt painting kits, fairy door kits and loads more.

Paint a bag kits

The shop is currently only open by appointment and for parties. I am hoping to have a few permanent days there soon, i just need to work around my littlest guy. I am happy to let the business grow slowly. I don't want to miss out on all those precious moments with my children so i will let it grow with them.

Ok, well i think that's about all from me today. I have a mountain of housework waiting for me that has been totally neglected with the shop, sick kids (and grownups) and horrible weather which has made washing impossible.

Faery Blessings......

Dannii xx

Treasures in the garden

2011-02-03T17:35:00.000-08:00

I'm excited about the new faery dust vials that we now have at Enchanted Garden. They are just so tiny and magical.

The label on each one has been hand dyed and burned by me (with guidance from the faeries) and i can just imagine how enchanting they would be hidden throughout a garden for a fairy party.

Speaking of garden fairy parties, I am still waiting to hear back from the real estate agent in regards to a commercial property i am trying to lease for my shop. It has it's very own garden (front & back) and my imagination is working overtime thinking of all the magical places i can create there!! Expect to see a LOT of faery dust.

Some more treasures from my garden, but this is of the edible kind. We have an abundance of tomatoes growing in our veggie patch. All different varieties. The kids have been having great fun picking the red ones (and the odd green one too).

We haven't had much luck keeping a veggie patch thriving in the past, but this time we are determined to make it work. Inquisitive children and a hungry pet bunny do make it a little tricky to keep everything alive, but we are working on it. We had a great crop of celery last year which i hope to start growing again.

That's all from me today, it's another hot, hot day so I'm off to find a a way to keep the kids cool this afternoon.

Faery Blessings.....

Danielle

2011 already....

2011-02-02T02:34:00.000-08:00

When i first started this blog, i had planned to post daily (ok well at least weekly), but i guess that idea went out the window quickly. So i finally made it back, and it's 2011, wow, that came around fast! We have had a busy start to the year already, but i am hoping to try and be a bit more frequent in blogging this year.

So what's been going on in the Enchanted Garden?

January was a very busy month for us. I set up a little plaster painting stand in Berrima (Southern Highlands, NSW). I had quite a few little artists come to paint and create some wonderful masterpieces. I also loved the look on their little faces when they were told they could sprinkle glitter all over their plasters...as much as they wanted!!

I had lots of fun but will admit it was a little tricky juggling that and my own 3 children, thankfully my hubby, mum and mum-in-law were around to help out.

We will soon be offering fund raising and party packs of plasters on the site. We have quite a few different styles to choose from and our packs will be made up of the most popular ones (or you can choose your own).


just a few of the super popular ones.....

Now that I've finished the plaster painting, there is still no time to rest. February is here and everything starts up again.

Today was a day of firsts. My fairy princess had her first day of Kindergarten today. She looked so grown up in her school uniform. She didn't get upset at all, even though i was a blubbering mess! She had a fantastic day and can't wait to get back there tomorrow!

My two little pixies also had their first session at a Steiner (Waldorf) playgroup. We all really enjoyed it. It was very different to our other playgroup but the boys seemed to have a really great time. Looking forward to next week.

I think I've rambled on enough now. I hope to get back into the blogging swing of things this year and bring you all the exciting Enchanted Garden news.

Faery Blessings.......

Etsy Treasury

2010-11-16T13:27:00.000-08:00

Our fairy dust has been included in an Etsy Treasury, our very first one:

'Create magic for the little ones in your life!' by cre8ivegifts

Because everyone's childhood should be magical!

Fairy Dust - Party Pack... enchantedbyfae $14.50	Garden Fairy Ivy AdoroMe $10.00	Lil Tote Bag, purple bu... mylilluvbug $14.99
Personalized Dragonfly ... KelasBabyBouti... $18.00	Pink and Purple Dancin... greenbaboondes... $12.00	Rainbow Twist Tutu-FREE... sweetiepietutu... $23.50
Flower fairy trail for ... ButterflyCove $15.00	NEW DESIGN - Swirly Tre... designedDESIGN... $89.00	Tooth Fairy Personalize... cheekyfrills $12.00
LIGHT UP MY WORLD Origi... becmudd $12.00	Super Hero Cape - Turqu... worldofwhimm $24.00	Magical Fairy Star Wand DoeQ $30.00
Hooded Towel w/Wash Mit... giftstou $25.00	Eye Spy Bag tiazoey $5.00	Monkey Drawstring Backp... MaricoleDesign... $12.95

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Friday's Fairy Find

2010-09-09T21:54:00.000-07:00

Fairy Magical Weddings

My husband & I celebrated 4 years of marriage yesterday, so it has got me thinking about weddings. We had a beautiful garden wedding here in the Southern Highlands on an extremely chilly early spring afternoon (6 degrees, brrrr). I had fairy flower girls and my bridesmaids wore dresses with gorgeous pixie cut hems (and the poor things nearly froze to death).

I had my dress made by a very talented lady who totally understood my 'vision' and i couldn't have been happier. I had also ordered fairy wings to wear for my photos, but in the chaos of the day, i completely forgot them :(

Now, i wouldn't change my dress for anything, but i have discovered some very fairy inspired dresses, perfect for that magical wedding.

Zizzy Fay Faery & Goddess Wear now have a bridal range and it's gorgeous!

They have many dresses to choose from as well as separate skirts, sleeves etc so you can make up your own outfit. So if you're thinking about a fairy inspired wedding, you must check out Zizzy Fay Bridal Wear.

Clean Up Song

2010-09-08T23:30:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of mums i struggle with getting my kids to pick up after themselves. The older ones are only 5 & 3, so i don't expect too much from them, but i think they are old enough to pack up their toys (which they have way too many of, but that's a whole other post, lol).

So, as mentioned earlier, i am quite interested in 'Waldorf' education, toys, rhythm etc and am trying to implement some of these techniques with my kids. One of the things i read quite frequently is the use of singing for different events and transitions in the day. Now, i will admit i kind thought it would be a bit odd to sing our way through the day and i'm not so keen about singing for everything. But, i tried it out today in an attempt to get the kids to help pack up without too many grumbles and what do you know...it worked!!

So i thought i would share our little cleaning up song with you, it's amazing how quick the kids picked it up and soon we were all singing together:

Cleaning up Song

It's time to pack up, it's time to pack up

It's time to put away

It's time to pack up, It's time to pack up

We've had a lovely day

When we do the work together

It makes it so much fun

When we do the work together

It's easy to get the job done

and repeat, and repeat, and repeat till your playroom, bedroom, etc is all clean! Make up any tune you want.

Hope it works for you!

Magical Monday

2010-09-06T02:28:00.000-07:00

Brian Froud's Heart of Faerie Oracle

iPhone App

I have the box set of these beautiful faerie oracle cards, so it was pretty cool to see they now have an app for iPhone...perfect for some faerie wisdom while on the go. You can purchase it on iTunes here.

From the website:

"Whimsical, inspirational, and fun, THE FAERIES’ ORACLE combines a delightfully enlightening book with a dazzling deck of sixty-six faery divination cards. Written by Jessica Macbeth, an accomplished "faerynaut," the engaging text explains precisely how to mine the world of faeries for insights into the heart, the soul, and the future. The book introduces the most powerful and important members of the faery kingdom, all radiantly rendered by Brian Froud on the cards."

Brian Froud is one of the most well known (and my favourite) faery artists. He is probably most recognised from his work on the movies 'Labyrinth' and 'The Dark Crystal'.

Visit his website for more information on the Faerie's Oracle cards & app as well as his many other works of art.

Relaunch of Website

2010-09-03T05:21:00.000-07:00

Ive totally neglected the blog this week, but for a good reason. I've finally finished the new website!!!

I have been wanting to change the look and feel of Enchanted Garden for a while now and i am quite pleased with the outcome. I would love to know what you think too :)

We will be focusing a lot more on handmade products now, made by myself and others. As well as some funky products that you won't find everywhere. We hope to cater for adults as well as the children. We will still have all the wonderful dress up costumes and maybe a few for the grown ups to in the near future.

So please check out the new site: Enchanted Garden and have a little look around.

Keep checking back for more great products coming soon......

Friday's Fairy Find

2010-08-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

Little Odd Forest is one of my favourite online shops. I'm totally in love with all their forest inspired accessories. There is something for everyone, like these gorgeous mushroom coasters or the adorable monster Mary Jane's::

I'm really loving this tree trunk and leaf bag and gnome note cards:

But of course my very favourite item and today's fairy find is the super cute 'i believe in fairies' notebook pouch:

Be sure to check the Little Odd Forest website for more gorgeous and fun products.

Fairy Crystals

2010-08-25T02:19:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to show you our newest product at Enchanted Garden:

Fairy Crystals

These sweet little bottles measure approx. 5cm high and are filled with a gorgeous blend of amethyst and rose quartz crystals.

They are perfect as magical party favours or just a sweet little gift for someone special. Each one comes in it's own organza bag.

I haven't got them on the website yet as i am just midway through the process of changing over to the new site. They will hopefully be on there by the end of August. In the meantime, if you wish to purchase any, please contact me at: greenfaery@internode.on.net

They are $2.50 each, or for a party pack of 8 or more $2.00 each.

Magical Monday

2010-08-23T00:42:00.000-07:00

If i had my choice of building any style of house i wanted, this would probably be at the top of my list, though i don't know if my husband would agree with me.

This quaint little hobbit house in Wales is home to the Dale family and was built with the environment in mind using natural materials. A truly magical abode and one that I'm sure i would feel quite at home in.

You can read more about this project here.

Now, i just have to myself a hill.........

Friday's Fairy Find

2010-08-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

Today i had to show you this gorgeous doll i came across that combines two of my favourite things: fairies and motherhood.

Isn't she beautiful!!!

She was created by an artist in Maine, USA. She has an Etsy store but doesn't currently have any of her gorgeous OOAK (one of a kind) art dolls for sale. If you would like to try your hand at making your own art doll, you can buy one of her patterns here.

For more information about Judy and her dolls, check out her blog: Art Dolls & More,

Play Silks

2010-08-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

We are very inspired by Steiner (also known as Waldorf) play, toys, rhythms, etc. We are hoping to start attending a little Steiner playgroup soon. I particularly like the use of open ended toys, so i thought I'd share some pictures of our recent play silk dyeing activity.

You can find so many tutorials (they all vary) on how to dye silks, so i won't repeat, but i followed the very simple instructions here. It was a lot of fun making them and both Miss E (5) and Master T (nearly 3) helped out. I can't wait to make some more. I'm going to attempt a rainbow one next for Baby J as he loves to hold onto one as he drifts off to sleep.

My children have already had so much fun with them. It's great to see all the different ways they will use a simple piece of cloth. Best of all, they were relatively cheap to make.

Magical Monday

2010-08-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

For our first "Magical Monday" i thought i'd share with you this gorgeous album i bought off iTunes last night.

It's a truly magical album by Irish Artist Aine Minogue that takes you right to the realms of fairyland. I can see it will be played a lot in this household. You can read more about 'The Twilight Realm' and listen to samples of the songs here.

Octopus Craft

2010-08-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

We were supposed to be spending today in the garden, but after returning home from the nursery with some herbs to plant, the rain came down. So now we are having an indoor day. I thought I'd post up this quick craft that the kids and i did a while ago (i had intended to do a kids craft blog, but never got round to it).

This octopus looks great hung up where it can gently sway in the breeze.

Materials

2 x paper plates

paint & brushes

coloured crepe paper streamers

scissors

stapler

craft eyes (optional)

Paint the backs of the two paper plates in your desired colours/patterns. Allow to dry.

Cut out 8 ‘tentacles’ whatever length you prefer (ours are approx. 40cm long). Cut out one smaller strip of crepe paper for loop to hang it.

Staple the tentacles to the inside of one of the paper plates. At the top of the plate, loop the small strip and staple into place.

Bring the insides of the plates together (non painted sides) and staple all around to secure.

Add some craft eyes or draw some eyes onto your octopus (optional).

Hang and enjoy!

Our Enchanted Fairy Garden - a work in progress

2010-08-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

We been planning on putting in a fairy garden for quite a while now, but that's about all that had been done...planning.

I'm very indecisive and couldn't figure out what i wanted for the actual fairy house. Well, the other day my sweet husband made that decision for me.

He came across this lovely stump while collecting firewood and thought it would make the perfect dwelling for the wee folk who live at the bottom of our garden.

Don't you just love the little sign? My brother-in-law & his girlfriend gave it to me on my last birthday.

There isstill a lot of work to be done, but this is a nice start.

Friday's Fairy Find

2010-08-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

Our very first 'Friday's Fairy Find' is this gorgeous little cameo box by etsy seller PortersWorkshop. What a sweet little place to keep those tiny fairy treasures.

Welcome

2010-08-11T22:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog. I hope you will find something of interest here.

For those of you who don't know me, here's a little bit of info. I'm a very happily married mum of 3 living in the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia. I have a little online business called Enchanted Garden where i sell lots of magical goodies.

I'm a believer in all things fairy and magic, obsessed with craft (needle felting is a fave at the moment), trying to teach myself photography and photo shop and love spending my days with my children.

Not entirely sure what i'll be blogging about yet, but i think it will be a mixture of fairies, craft, recipes, fairies, gardening, life and fairies...did i mention fairies??

Anyway, hope you will find something of interest...thanks for reading :)