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    Home » Life » DIY Kids Activities

    Mini Fairy Garden in a Tin Gift + Handmade Mother's Day Gift Ideas

    Published: May 1, 2015 by Christina Dennis · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 16 Comments

    A couple of weeks ago, we visited a beautiful greenhouse nearby and we stumbled across the most adorable little fairy garden. I hadn't thought too much about fairy gardens in the past, but when I heard both of my daughters audibly gasp when they saw the one at the greenhouse, I knew that we had to do some fairy garden projects this Spring! With Mother's Day coming up soon, I thought some mini fairy garden gifts would be a great way to give this new & adorable little art form a try with my girls. We rounded up a bunch of suitable supplies we had on hand, made some others, and came up with a couple of absolutely sweet DIY mini fairy gardens in tins that will be a fun gift to give to moms for Mother's Day this year! These would also make unique teacher's gifts or gifts for friends too! Here's how we made our mini fairy garden gifts.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Head down to the bottom of this post to watch a video tutorial of one of our fairy gardens in a tin, or follow below for a photo tutorial. I'm also sharing some other fabulous Mother's Day gift ideas from my blogging friends at the bottom of this post along with an exciting giveaway!

    How to make a DIY mini fairy garden gift in a vintage enamelware planter.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    We made two different mini fairy garden gifts, so follow along below to see how we made the one in the tin on the right (that comes with free printables!) or watch the video at the bottom to see how I made the one on the left in the vintage planter.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Mini Fairy Garden in a Tin Gift

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Supplies: 

    • a small indoor plant
    • a tin (mine's approximately 5 x 9")
    • gravel/rocks for drainage
    • potting soil
    • faux sheet moss
    • real moss
    • an unfinished mini birdhouse (I found mine at Michaels for $1.50)
    • stain (I used a water-based stain so that my daughter could paint with it)
    • fabric scraps
    • willow twigs
    • twine
    • mini mushrooms (or make some with small wooden knobs + paint)

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Cut and glue some faux sheet moss to the roof of the birdhouse.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Paint the birdhouse with paint or stain. We used this pretty grey/brown stain to make the house look weathered. Little A loved this step - she's a painter!

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Fill the tin with about ¼ of gravel and then with potting soil. Dig a hole in the soil and plant the plant to one side of the tin.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Make a mini fabric bunting banner out of fabric scraps. I cut some triangles out of fabric and machine sewed them to some twine using a zig zag stitch. Then, I glued them to some willow twigs with a glue gun.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Insert the banner and posts to the back of the planter, and then pat some moss down on the bare dirt to create "grass". We're lucky to have a little forest behind our house, so I harvested some moss from some trees there.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Place the fairy house next to the plant. Use some fluffier moss to create little "bushes" around the bird/fairy house.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Embellish the landscape further with mini toadstools. You could also add little stones to create a pathway or some more interest (we did this in our second fairy garden in the video).

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Tie a scrap of fabric around the tin and glue gun it in place.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Make some labels and flags with this free printable and attach them to the tin & pieces of willow twigs with a glue gun. Click here for the free printable or on the image below. I've included tags and banners for mom, a friend, or a teacher!

    Fairy-Garden-in-a-Tin-Printables

    These little gardens would make such a unique and beautiful gift for your mom on Mother's Day, a teacher, a friend... or for yourself!

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    They don't take long to make at all, and they're a fun project to do with kids.

    How to make mini fairy garden gifts for Mother's Day, teachers, or friends!

    Have a blast making these mini fairy garden gifts!

    How to make a DIY mini fairy garden gift in a vintage enamelware planter.

    Here's a video tutorial on how to make the fairy garden gift in a vintage tin.

    I found a set of beautiful enamelware tins at our local antique store that were perfect for this project.

    Now it's time for some more beautiful, handmade Mother's Day gift ideas from my blogging friends!

    Handmade Mother's Day Gift Ideas

    Shauna of Satori Design for Living made a Pink Grapefruit Salt Soak
    Christina of The DIY Mommy shows you how to make a Mini Fairy Garden in a Tin
    Jenn of Clean & Scentsible made Vintage Wood Transfer Photo Coasters
    Tara of Suburble put together a Weathered Gift Tray Tutorial
    Kristi of Making it in the Mountains shows you how to make a DIY Blanket Ladder
    Lucy of Craftberry Bush shows you how to make this Press Fern Resin Tray
    Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs has a recipe for a Lemon Coconut Sugar Scrub
    Alex of Northstory made these fantastic Photo Tea Bags
    Virginia of Fynes Designs has a free Apron Sewing Pattern
    Krista of Happy Housie made a DIY Silhouette Image Tea Towels
    Let's end this post with a bang with a fantastic Mother's Day giveaway! Enter to win this Breville food processor valued at $479 for your mama (or for you). Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter the giveaway and to read all of the contest details. Good luck! (Open to Canadian residents only.)

    Breville giveaway
    a Rafflecopter giveaway

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kristi

      May 01, 2015 at 7:24 am

      Oh Christina! This is just THE SWEETEST! My Mom would absolutely {LOVE} this - and, so would I!

      Reply
    2. [email protected]

      May 01, 2015 at 9:02 am

      I LOVE fairy gardens but have never made one! I think I need to put this on my to-do list with my kids. Great project Christina!

      Reply
    3. Shauna

      May 01, 2015 at 10:53 am

      That swing and bunting are so adorable (well, it all is)! Such a great gift idea to get the kids involved in. Just precious!

      Reply
    4. Virginia Fynes

      May 03, 2015 at 11:34 am

      Oh these are too cute! Great gift idea!!

      Reply
      • Christina Dennis

        May 05, 2015 at 11:10 pm

        Thanks, Virginia!

        Reply
    5. Tara

      May 05, 2015 at 11:04 pm

      I love love love this, Christina! Fairy gardens are dear to my heart, and the way you've kept this so rustic is just beautiful!

      Reply
      • Christina Dennis

        May 05, 2015 at 11:09 pm

        Thanks so much, Tara!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. DIY Vintage Wood Photo Transfer Coasters - Clean and Scentsible says:
      May 1, 2015 at 5:00 am

      […] for Living made a Pink Grapefruit Salt Soak Christina of The DIY Mommy shows you how to make a Mini Fairy Garden in a Tin Jenn of Clean & Scentsible made Vintage Wood Transfer Photo Coasters Tara of Suburble put […]

      Reply
    2. Homemade Pink Grapefruit Salt Soak - Satori Design for Living says:
      May 1, 2015 at 5:01 am

      […] Christina of The DIY Mommy shows you how to make a Mini Fairy Garden in a Tin […]

      Reply
    3. DIY Mother's Day Gift Blog Hop: DIY Blanket Ladder & {Giveaway} - making it in the mountainsmaking it in the mountains says:
      May 1, 2015 at 7:04 am

      […] for Living made a Pink Grapefruit Salt Soak Christina of The DIY Mommy shows you how to make a Mini Fairy Garden in a Tin Jenn of Clean & Scentsible made Vintage Wood Transfer Photo Coasters Tara of Suburble put […]

      Reply
    4. Photo Tea Tags & a Giveaway!! says:
      May 1, 2015 at 7:06 am

      […] for Living made a Pink Grapefruit Salt SoakChristina of The DIY Mommy shows you how to make a Mini Fairy Garden in a TinJenn of Clean & Scentsible made Vintage Wood Transfer Photo CoastersTara of Suburble put […]

      Reply
    5. Pressed fern resin tray - Craftberry Bush says:
      May 1, 2015 at 7:16 am

      […] of Satori Design for Living made a Pink Grapefruit Salt SoakChristina of The DIY Mommy shows you how to make a Mini Fairy Garden in a TinJenn of Clean & […]

      Reply
    6. DIY Child's Silhouette Tea Towel {Mom's Day Gift Idea Hop!} - The Happy Housie says:
      May 1, 2015 at 7:44 am

      […] for Living made a Pink Grapefruit Salt Soak Christina of The DIY Mommy shows you how to make a Mini Fairy Garden in a Tin Jenn of Clean & Scentsible made Vintage Wood Transfer Photo Coasters Tara of Suburble put […]

      Reply
    7. Make-It-Yourself Lemon Sugar Scrub & More Mother's Day Ideas! - A Pretty Life In The Suburbs says:
      May 1, 2015 at 8:23 am

      […] for Living made a Pink Grapefruit Salt Soak Christina of The DIY Mommy shows you how to make a Mini Fairy Garden in a Tin Jenn of Clean & Scentsible made Vintage Wood Transfer Photo Coasters Tara of Suburble put […]

      Reply
    8. Weathered Tray Tutorial and a BIG Mother's Day Giveaway! - Suburble says:
      May 5, 2015 at 7:58 pm

      […] made a Pink Grapefruit Salt Soak Christina of The DIY Mommy shows you how to make a Mini Fairy Garden in a Tin Jenn of Clean & Scentsible made Vintage Wood Transfer Photo Coasters Tara of Suburble put […]

      Reply
    9. Inspiration Wednesday Pick - The DIY Mommy says:
      May 6, 2015 at 2:39 am

      […] Mini Fairy Garden Tutorial! What I love most is the handmade swing […]

      Reply

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